Chapter 11

"I don't know what it is about her Nicks, she just won't leave my fucking head" It was now 3 in the afternoon, they had been sat talking for a good five hours. Th conversation had sprouted a lot of shit - about Nicky's fucked up family issues, and Alex's family shit which wasn't any healthier. They had now moved onto the subject of Piper, something Alex was a little reluctant to talk about. She didn't even know what was going on herself let alone speaking to someone else about it.

"Well – do you like her?" Nicky's attention focused solely on Alex, hanging on each breath as she waited on a response.

"I mean yeah I'd say I like her, but it's not that simple. She has a boyfriend and to be honest Nichols I'm just fucking confused. I've had girlfriends and I've had sexual partners but with her it's different she makes me nervous and I haven't been nervous since, well fuck knows, probably since a kid" Alex's eyes immovable from the coffee table, evading any form of eye contact – particularly now.

"Sounds like you've really got the feels for this chick Vause. Shame about the boyfriend part though, I'm all for following your feelings and shit but very against home wreckers" Nicky took a sip of her coffee before looking at her charred watch that hung loosely on her freckled wrist. "Would you look at that, it's shot'o'clock. Got anything stronger over in that kitchen of yours?" Nicky's lips raised, expressing a cheeky grin.

"Fuck it, I'll have a look give me a second" Alex walked over to the kitchen, pulling two beers from the fridge, a bottle of whisky from the cupboard above the sink and a bottle of scotch from the counter "Take your pick miss Nichols" –

"It's open!" Polly's voice again echoing through the street and back down to the sidewalk below where Piper was mounted.

"God forbid you actually come down and let me in one day, you lazy cow" Piper laughed as she walked through Polly's front door, panting due to the 4 flights of stairs she had to walk. Bottle of wine in one hand and a pack of cigarettes in the other, Polly knew just by looking that it was going to be a long night.

"One of those then?" Polly took the wine from Piper's hand before retiring to the kitchen. "So…talk to me then. What's going on?" Polly's tone half concerned, half intrigued.

"Oh Pols, it's a fucking mess to be honest" taking the glass from Polly's hand as she entered the room. "I mean I'm not even sure if me and Lar are together right now. I didn't leave it on good terms, told him I need space and time away from him and he shouldn't wait around for me because I don't know if he's what I want and that he sh –

"Woah Pipes, chill! Take a breath a second and breathe" Polly took a glug of her wine "Ok…go on"

"Well I just told him that I'm not sure if I want to be with him" Piper sighed, falling back into the couch.

"Oh Pipes, it's not about this woman you met is it? Alex?"

"I mean no, sort of, I mean no definitely not. She may have helped me see a little clearer, but it's not because of her I just realised what I want out of a relationship and it isn't what I have with Larry. And yeah, there may be some feelings there for her, but I'm completely unsure on what they are to be honest. It could just be the attention and because it's something different and new – you know all that shit can be invigorating and exciting" Piper's face flushed a pink and her lips pouted as though she was struggling not to smile.

"Oh, Piper Chapman you look like a little school kid" giggling erupted as they both fell back into the sofa holding their glasses up preventing any spillages on Polly's "new" (she got it a year ago) couch.

As the giggles toned down, Piper looked at Polly her expression serious now and her eyes desperate for advice "Tell me what to do Polly"

"I can't Pipes I wish I could, but you need to figure this out. All I'm going to say is – if this is how you feel about this Alex, then why are you sat here with me and not figuring your feelings out. I mean you can't work out how you feel about her sat with me" Polly smirking, Piper knew what she was insinuating.

"I can't. Surely that's wrong" Piper second guessing, debating.

"Oh, Piper just go!" Polly laughed, handing Piper her phone. "Just ring her, I'm sure she'll be just as keen to hear from you"

"Oh shit. Okay. Okay, I can do this I'll just call her and say Hi Alex it's Piper do you want to meet for a drink? Something like that, that will be alright won't it?"

"Oh, for fuck sake Piper just go and call her!" Piper left the room to make the call locking herself in the bathroom.

Returning a minute or two later with a mass grin on her face, she walked round the couch and started to do an odd dance, a dance that Polly had only seen once before – at their senior prom when Piper had too much cava before arriving.

"She's invited me to her place, you don't mind if I go do you?" Piper's face pleading with Polly.

"Of course not you idiot, have fun I do want the gossip and details asap though!" Polly hurried Piper out of the apartment, "I'll keep the wine here, you can take these though" tossing Piper the cigarettes she gave her a wink and closed the door.

"Right Nicky, I need to ask you a favour. Basically, I need you to get lost" Alex raised her eyebrow and gave Nicky a grin which was enough.

"You don't have to tell me twice sweet cheeks, I'll take this and this though" grabbing the two bottles of beer off the counter, shooting the last of her whisky she looked at Alex and winked "don't do anything I wouldn't do" and with that she left.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. What am I going to wear?" Alex looked down realising she was still in the slacks she'd woken up in this morning. Running into her bedroom she grabbed a black tee throwing it over head whilst trying to put her feet through her leather pants – grabbing the comb from her bedside as she done the button up on her trousers, she combed through her hair and pulled on her socks.

"That'll have to do" Alex moved to the living area, grabbing a beer from the fridge she sat on the couch waiting for the arrival of Miss Piper Chapman.

"Right, it'll be fine. I'll be fine – it's just a chat" Piper's resilient attempt to reassure herself in the elevator gave her the giggles as she stared at her own concerned face in the mirror. She fixed her hair, applied some lip gloss and waiting for the ding of the elevator.

Ding

"Okay, oh shit. Okay" as Piper stepped out of the elevator she checked herself one last time as the doors closed behind her. Looking down the corridor she searched for apartment 604, she could see it just down the corridor to the left. "Fuck" Piper's legs turned to jelly as she made her way towards the door, taking a deep breath and raising her small clenched hand she knocked.

"Oh shit, shit" – jumping up from the couch Alex grabbed her beer checked herself in the small mirror that hung just next to the kitchen and reached for the door.

"Fancy seeing you here" Alex's smile warm, inviting and a little mischievous.

"what do you mean fancy seeing me here? You invited me round?" Piper confused and dazed as she stepped back a little.

"Did I?" Alex's eyebrow raised and her eyes playful.

"You're not even funny Alex" Piper hit Alex playfully on the arm as she pointed at her beer "I need one of those". Stepping forward, she walked past Alex and took off her jacket.

"Oh, make yourself at home" Alex laughed, she could get use to this, seeing Piper in her apartment. Taking a beer out of the fridge for what seemed like the 100th time today she flipped the cap off and handed it to Piper.

Sitting next to Piper, but with enough space between them to not make her uncomfortable, Alex scanned the room.

"Want some music on? I've got a collection if you want to check it out" Alex pointed to a box just in front of the tv set. Piper got up and crouched down on the floor looking through the box taking each record with her finger gently, whilst she sipped at her beer. Alex couldn't help but watch, each stroke of her finger sending flutters to unexpected places, Piper's back arched over pulling at her t-shirt revealing the dimples in the bottom of her back. Her skin so soft and delicate, strands of hair covering just an inch of her cheek. Alex couldn't help thinking she was so beautiful, so sexy.

"This one?" Piper turned to look at Alex causing her to snap out of her daze.

"Which one?" Alex moved from the sofa and crouched next to Piper. "Good choice, you can't beat Teagan and Sara. I went and saw them a couple of months ago actually" Alex put it on lowering the volume – before retreating back to the couch where Piper sat comfortably.

"Good day?" Alex's voice husky and quiet.

"It's been okay I suppose" Piper looked down twirling her finger around the bottle top

"Just okay, you suppose? What's happened?" Alex was concerned, genuinely. Piper could sense that from her tone, it was nice to know she cared.

"Just Larry and I. We haven't been good, so I called time on us. At least for a while – just whilst I figure out what I want"

"And what's that exactly?" Alex subtly scanning Piper's face.

"I'm not sure, I just don't know anymore" Piper's voice close to breaking as tears formed in her eyes, she looked up holding a stern look. "I'm not upset, I'm just frustrated. One minute I had everything figured out and the next minute, everything, everything I thought I wanted just seems to be wrong. I just don't know, it's frustrating you know?"

Alex's heart ached, she wanted to be there for Piper to just hold her and tell her that it was going to be okay. That not everything had to be figured out just yet, that she had time. But she didn't know whether she should hold her, touch her, or just give words of wisdom. "I know it must be shit Pipes. I know that when you can't figure out the shit in your own head everything else around you seems dark and confusing. But, you don't need to have it figured out you just need to enjoy yourself – and hopefully with that will come some clarity" Alex placed her hand on Pipers, running her fingers through Pipers. Piper looked up, locked still on Alex's gaze. "It's going to be okay" Alex whispered just above the music.

Piper sipped her beer and placed the bottle down on the table, keeping her focus still on Alex. Her fingers loosening, she traced the whitened skin of Alex's forearm. Alex lowered her bottle to the floor, dropping the glass from her hand, sending the bottle into smithereens on the hard wood floor. She took Pipers legs in her hands lifting her body and placed Piper's spread legs on her lap. Her lips caressing Pipers neck, as she untied her hair enabling her hands to move freely through Pipers blonde locks. Piper's heart was racing, the feeling of Alex's steady lips on her body was sending all sorts of wild to every inch of her being. She had no control; her body was reacting impulsively, and Piper wanted to let it happen. Grabbing at Alex's hair Piper pulled hard, causing Alex to look up, her eyes hungry for more. Lowering her lips to Alex's, Piper clasped with her teeth tugging at her wet, soft, lip. Alex was going wild she wanted to rip Piper's clothes off and have all of her.

"Take me to bed" Piper whispered in Alex's ear, Alex grabbed Piper's legs, lifted Piper up into her arms, still caressing her neck and mouth intensely and took Piper to the bedroom. Throwing her down on the bed, Alex took a second to gape at Piper. She looked untouched, beautiful, sexy, wanted. Lowering her body firmly on top of Piper, she tugged at her t-shirt pulling it over Piper's head to unmask her beautiful laced bra, and soft, desirable breasts. Piper's eyes wild with desire, she wanted Alex all over her – she needed Alex everywhere. Unclasping Piper's bra Alex slowly removed it, revealing Piper's hard nipples, like ripe cherries and just as sweet. She took one in her mouth, the warmth of Alex's mouth caused Piper's legs to loosen – she could feel herself becoming moist, and she wanted more, she needed more…