THANK YOU again for all the reviews. So many of you send a long review each chapter, and it keeps me writing more. I appreciate each of you. This chapter is a long one so settle in and enjoy.


"So what's my sexy author up to?" Piper asks as she walks up behind Alex at her computer. She wraps her arms around Alex from behind and kisses Alex's temple.

"Mmm you smell good"

"Well it's your soap, babe" Alex laughs, turning to face Piper.

"And to think that when I started my company, I didn't even realize how much I'd be benefiting from the products"

"Bet you also didn't expect your significant other would be using your products the way I did this morning" Alex smirks.

"Hey!" Piper exclaims, slapping Alex's arm playfully. "Why wasn't I invited?!"

"You left early for work, baby. And now that I don't have to leave so early for my job, I can take my time with my morning showers" Alex answers, pulling Piper onto her lap.

"And how much time did you take?" Piper asks in a soft voice.

"Mmm a lot" Alex answers, kissing Piper's lips.

"Tell me more" Piper smiles at Alex.

"Really?" Alex smirks.

"Yes. Those emails can wait. I want this story" Piper responds.

"Mmm okay so…" Alex starts, kissing Piper's neck first. "After you left for work, I stripped my pajamas off."

"Hotttt" Piper says, cutting Alex off.

"Let me speak, woman" Alex laughs. "So, I stripped naked. Then got into the shower and set the water nice and hot. It felt so good on my skin. Then I got myself some of that new soap you put in there and lathered myself up. When I ran my hands over my tits my nipples got hard."

"There's nothing hotter than your sudsy tits, babe" Piper smiles.

"So I was soaping myself up, and then I started thinking back to last weekend. When you wore that black thong and went down on me for like an hour with your ass in my face"

"Damn yeah that was fun"

"VERY fun" Alex agrees. "So I kept soaping my tit with one hand, and then slid my other hand down to my pussy"

"Wow, forget your novel, THIS is the story you should be writing"

"The world couldn't handle it" Alex smirks. "Are you even sure you can?"

"Continue the damn story, Al, I swear to god" Piper says.

Before Alex can continue her story, her phone starts to ring.

"Shit babe, hang on. This might be my editor. I sent her my final edits for the book yesterday"

"Go get it baby it's fine. You just owe me the rest of this story when you get back" Piper says, kissing Alex before the brunette stands to go get her phone.

"Vause" Alex says as she answers her cell phone.

Piper watches Alex on the phone, and notices her face start to fall.

"What the fuck?!" Alex exclaims into the phone. "Are you serious? Oh jesus"

Piper stands and walks towards Alex, leading Alex to the bed and encouraging her to sit down. Piper can tell that whatever news Alex just got isn't good.

"Is she okay? Jesus, I knew something like this would happen, fuck" Alex says into the phone. She grabs her head with her hand and leans down facing the floor. Piper sits down next to Alex and strokes Alex's back softly, watching Alex with an anticipatory look.

"Okay, well where is she?" Alex asks on the phone. "Alright, I'm on my way I'll see you there. Text me if you get any more updates"

Alex hangs up the phone and drops her face into her hands in front of her.

"Baby…" Piper says softly, rubbing her hand across the Alex's back. "What's going on?"

"Nicky crashed her motorcycle" Alex says after taking a breath to steady herself.

"Fuck. Is she okay?"

"They just flew her in to a trauma center. She hit her head pretty bad"

"Jesus Alex, I'm so sorry baby" Piper replies, wrapping her arms around Alex.

"God I can't believe this. I always worry about her on her bike. You know I ride sometimes myself, but only ever on back roads. Nicky pushes it and rides wherever"

Alex sits with her head in her hands, and her breathing starts to pick up as she thinks about the whole situation.

"Baby, you have to breathe for me. Take some deep breaths, I'm here Al" Piper says softly to Alex in her arms.

Alex lifts her head up and turns to Piper. Piper's heart aches at the sight of the tears filling Alex's eyes. Alex quickly turns to Piper and hugs her hard, burying her face in her shoulder. They sit like that for a few minutes, Piper stroking Alex's back and giving soothing kisses on her head.

"I goddsa go ftro sdrf" Alex mumbles into Piper's chest.

Piper grabs Alex's shoulder and moves her back a few inches so her face is off her shoulder.

"Say that again baby"

"I have to go to the hospital" Alex says.

"Okay, Al. You go grab a sweatshirt, you're shivering. I'll get the rest of our stuff and I'll get us a ride there" Piper says.

"You'll come with me?" Alex asks.

"Baby, of course I'm going. You're stuck with me" Piper answers, kissing Alex's temple softly.

"Thanks baby" Alex replies, turning and kissing Piper softly on the lips. Piper reaches her hand up and wipes a lone tear from Alex's cheek with her thumb.

"I love you, Alex. This is all going to be okay. And I'll be with you through it all"


Alex and Piper walk briskly through the hospital halls once they get there.

"Lorna said she's in the intensive care unit. That should be through this next hall." Alex says frantically, squeezing Piper's hand in hers. "Shit, this one says it's the other way"

"We'll find it, Al" Piper says softly. "Let me go ask someone."

Piper walks to the nearest reception desk and gets directions to the ICU. When she turns back to Alex, she's struck by the sight of her flustered girlfriend. Alex's face is scrunched in worry and she's biting her fingernails. Piper is used to seeing Alex so composed and confident; she's hardly ever seen Alex like this. Alex looks so scared and vulnerable, swallowed up in a baggy hoodie. Every fiber of Piper's being is like a magnet drawing her towards Alex. She rushes back to Alex, knowing she won't be leaving the brunette's side any time soon.

Piper grabs Alex's hand in hers and leads them using the directions from the receptionist. Just a few minutes later they're relieved to see signs above for the ICU. When Piper walks towards the doors, her hand gets pulled behind her as Alex stays standing in place. Piper turns towards Alex and wraps her arms around Alex's lower back, pulling them together. Alex immediately throws her arms around Piper's shoulders and buries herself into Piper. Piper holds her for a minute, then pulls back to face her.

"What's going on, baby?" Piper asks gently, stroking Alex's back softly.

"It's nothing" Alex says hesitantly.

"Baby, come on"

"I feel like an idiot" Alex admits.

"What? What do you mean Al?"

"My best friend in the whole world is in there hurt, and I'm standing here too scared to go in"

"It's okay to be scared, Alex. You care about her. And this is a scary thing"

"I'm supposed to be strong, and on top of my shit. And she's hurting in there and I'm out here like a baby"

Piper places her hands on the sides of Alex's face and looks directly into her eyes.

"Listen to me. You are perfect. You are an amazing friend. And you're fucking here Alex, that's what matters. There's no perfect thing to do in this situation. Feeling emotions is normal. Not to mention I know how hard hospitals are for you since your mom's cancer, so I can't imagine what this must be bringing back" Piper says.

"You know me too well" Alex says with a slow smile.

"You spent months practically living at the hospital, worried you'd lose your mother. I'd be more surprised if you weren't freaked right now. But all you can do is just be here for Nicky, and that's what you're doing. Once we get in there and talk to the doctor we'll figure out what the situation is. And then we'll get through it, no matter what. But first step is just walking in. You can do it, baby. I'm right here with you"

"Okay, let's do this" Alex says, taking a deep breath to compose herself. Alex grabs Piper's hand and squeezes it hard. Piper leads Alex through the doors, and they walk towards the waiting room. When they get there, they find Lorna and Boo sitting together.

"Oh thank god you two are here" Lorna says, giving both women a hug.

"What's the latest update?" Alex asks once they all embrace.

"She's stable for now. She broke a few bones in her arm and has some nasty bruises. The biggest concern is the head injury. They brought her into surgery twenty minutes ago" Boo explains.

"Shit" Alex says. "How serious is the surgery?"

"Serious. But they're hopeful. They said the prognosis is generally optimistic, but obviously any brain swelling is very concerning." Lorna says.

"How long should the surgery take?" Piper asks.

"Three or four hours if there aren't complications"

"Jesus" Alex says, taking a seat in one of the waiting room chairs. Piper takes the seat next to Alex, and Lorna and Boo grab seats too.

"I guess we'll be here awhile" Boo says.

"Al, are you okay here with your friends for a few minutes? I'm gonna run to the bathroom quick" Piper says to Alex.

"Sure, babe" Alex says. Piper grabs Alex's hand and kisses it softly before walking off.

When Piper is gone, the three other women sit quietly for a few minutes, internally dealing with the situation at hand. After a couple minutes, Alex speaks up.

"Thank god Piper's here" Alex admits. "I was spiraling a bit"

"Us too" Lorna agrees. "This whole thing is crazy"

"It's nice you have Piper, Vause" Boo says. "She didn't take her eyes off you the whole time you've been here"

"She never takes her eyes off you, honestly" Lorna says with a small smile.

"I swear that girl is the one" Alex says sincerely. "I've known for a while, but now with this it's just so obvious. I care about her so much"

"You should tell her that, Alex" Lorna says. "When Vinny told me I was the one for him, it meant everything to me"

"Have you two talked about the future much?" Boo asks.

"Yeah, a bit. I mean we both talk about being together forever. I just hope she knows I mean it. And it's not just some lesbian U-Haul thing I'm saying" Alex says.

"I'm sure she knows, Vause. And either way, don't let her forget it" Boo says.

"Remember when you were giving me shit for taking her on dates?" Alex says with a soft chuckle.

"Hey, it was out of character for you! And never was my own thing personally." Boo says. "But looks like I might need to change that" Boo says as she looks up and sees what's coming towards them. Alex looks up and sees what Boo was talking about. Piper is walking back to them with a tray of coffee, and a full bag in hand. Piper walks up to the women and hands each of them a coffee.

"Thanks so much, Piper" Lorna says.

"Hell yeah" Boo agrees.

"Baby, thank you" Alex says, grabbing the coffee with one hand and Piper's hand with the other. Piper sits down next to Alex and puts her own coffee down.

"Of course" Piper replies. She puts the bag on her lap and starts pulling stuff out. "I got us some stuff to make the wait easier." She explains. "Shitty magazines" Piper says, pulling out some tabloid and lifestyle magazines. "Candy, for a little sugar high" she says as she pulls out chocolate and sour candies. "Books, for those of you who consume books like magazines" Piper says with a smile to Alex as she places a few books in her lap. "And some chips for comfort food".

"Babe, this is so nice" Alex says, giving Piper a soft kiss on the lips.

"It's nothing, Al" Piper says with another kiss to Alex's lips. "How're you doing?"

"Pretty freaked and scared. I hate waiting." Alex answers.

"Hopefully they'll come give us frequent updates, so that'll break it up a bit"

The four women each grab something to read and settle in.


A few hours later, a doctor finally comes by.

"Al, it's the doctor" Piper says, nudging Alex in the shoulder as the brunette reads.

"OH fuck finally" Alex says, walking to the doctor with Boo and Lorna.

"Are you another of Nicky's friends?" The doctor asks.

"Yes, Alex Vause" Alex says, shaking the doctor's hand.

"I'm Doctor Jones, one of Nicky's neurosurgeons."

"How is she doing?"

"She's doing well in surgery. Things are going about as well as could be expected." Dr. Jones says, earning him a sigh of relief from the women in front of him. "Now she's still not completely out of the woods. Head injuries are never simple. We hope we brought the swelling down and she'll wake up without any complications. But we still need to finish the final closures of the surgery and then she will probably be unconscious for a while"

"What risk is there for any permanent damage?" Alex asks.

"I'm optimistic that there won't be any, but there's still a chance for deficits. Unfortunately, we won't know for sure until she wakes up. The swelling occurred near Broca's area, so the greatest risk lies in her language abilities. Again, the chances are small for any long-term effects, but it's certainly possible."

"What's the timeline for her tonight?" Boo asks.

"She should be out of surgery in a couple hours. Then it depends when she wakes up. You could expect anywhere from a few hours to a few days."

"Okay, thanks doctor. Please keep us updated whenever you can" Alex says, before Dr. Jones walks back through the doors.

Alex, Boo, and Lorna walk back to their seats and Alex fills Piper in on what the doctor said.

"Wow, okay. That's scary" Piper admits. "But thank god the surgery has gone well so far"

"Shit, I just can't believe this still" Alex says. "I'm going to go crazy here"

"Babe, lets go for a walk. Clear your head a bit" Piper says to Alex.

"I shouldn't leave in case Nicky gets out of surgery" Alex says, even though a walk sounds great.

"Baby, it's going to be another hour at the very least. But we won't go far, and we'll have our phones. Fresh air will help a little, Al" Piper says.

"Okay, I'm in" Alex agrees. "Are you two okay if we walk for a little?" Alex asks Boo and Lorna.

"Of course, we'll text you if anything changes" Lorna says.

Piper grabs Alex's hand and walks with her through the halls of the hospital. They leave out one of the doors and end up on the city street. Alex stops in place to take a deep breath of the air and takes in the dark city street in front of her.

"How's that feel, angel?" Piper asks.

"Really good. Fresh air is nice." Alex replies. "Thanks, baby"

"And how are you feeling?"

"I'm just a ball of fear. I can't even think straight. What time is it even?"

"It's around ten, babe" Piper answers.

"Wow. Pipes, you can go home and sleep if you need to. I feel bad keeping you here so late" Alex says.

Piper squeezes Alex's hand hard and looks into her eyes.

"Al, I'm not leaving your side. So enough of that" Piper says with a small smile, kissing Alex's upper cheek.

"If you say so" Alex returns with a grateful look.

"Are you hungry? You didn't eat dinner"

"Nah it's fine" Alex answers.

"You should eat, Alex. It could be a long night."

"I can't even think of eating now"

"Then don't think about it. I'll buy us some food and we can sit outside and eat. Then we'll go right back to the ICU. And then once we get there we won't have to wait as long for the surgery to end"

"Okay, Pipes" Alex agrees.

"You take a seat on that bench there" Piper says, pointing to a bench on the sidewalk surrounded by trees. "I'm going to go get us food. Do you have any preferences?"

Alex shakes her head, clearly deep in thought. Piper kisses Alex's temple and walks to get them some food.

Just ten minutes later Piper returns with a brown take out bag in hand. She finds Alex sitting on the bench with a glassy look in her eyes. When Alex sees Piper approaching, she meets Piper's eyes and watches her beautiful girlfriend walking towards her. Piper takes the seat next to Alex and Alex immediately curls up into Piper's side. Piper wraps her arm around Alex and kisses her forehead. The women stay like that for a few minutes, Alex grateful for the warmth and comfort she feels wrapped in Piper's arms. As they sit there together, Piper hears a rumbling come from Alex's stomach.

"Someone's hungry" Piper says gently, rubbing her hand over Alex's belly.

"Apparently so" Alex replies with a chuckle.

"I got us sandwiches" Piper says. "Turkey for you"

"That actually sounds pretty great right now"

"Yes baby, you need some sustenance. Also, I've been starving since we got here, honestly" Piper says with a small smile.

"You should've said something and gotten yourself something!"

"I was too focused on you, babe" Piper says. "We'll eat now, though"

"Yes, please eat Pipes" Alex says.

Piper pulls out the bag of food and hands a sandwich to Alex, along with a coke. She takes out the same for herself. When they both have their food, Alex looks down at the bag with a furrowed brow.

"How hungry are you?" Alex chuckles, seeing extra sandwiches in the bag.

"Your friends, Al" Piper shrugs.

"How are you so good?" Alex asks.

"Because I love you" Piper says, kissing Alex's jaw.

"I love you, Pipes"

"Now please eat for me baby" Piper pleads Alex, taking a big bite of her own sandwich. Alex opens her sandwich and takes a few slow bites. As she eats more, she realizes how hungry she was and starts to scarf it down. Piper watches closely as Alex inhales the sandwich, thrilled to see Alex actually eating.

"Food's so good" Alex says with the last bite of her sandwich.

"I know it is, babe" Piper laughs. "You needed it"

"I feel a bit better now"

"Want some of mine?" Piper asks, holding up the uneaten second half of her sandwich.

"No, Pipes it's fine you're hungry too"

"Take a few bites of it" Piper says, putting her sandwich right by Alex's mouth.

"If you insist" Alex smirks, taking a big bite of the sandwich. Once she swallows it down, Piper captures her lips in a kiss.

"You taste good" Piper chuckles.

"You're cute" Alex says. Piper finishes the last few bites of her sandwich and then throws her and Alex's trash out.

"We can head back in if you're ready, Al" Piper says.

"Yeah, we should" Alex replies. "Damn, for a few minutes there things felt normal again"

"Everything's going to be okay baby. She's going to get through this. And you'll get through this"

"I'm so fucking scared"

"I know you are. Of course you are, Al. Let's go and see how she's doing. She should be out of surgery soon, and then we can deal with the next step. One thing at a time"

"Okay, let's go"


An hour later, Piper, Alex, Boo, and Lorna are reading again in their seats in the waiting area. Boo notices first that the doctor is walking towards them, and jumps up alerting the other women. Doctor Jones walks up to the women, and they all hold their breaths.

"She did great" He tells the group.

"Thank god" Lorna replies.

"She just got out of surgery and she's been placed in an ICU room. You can see her now, but we're not sure when she'll wake up. Once she wakes up, we'll get a better idea of where her neurological functioning is at"

"Thanks so much, Doctor" Alex says, shaking Doctor Jones' hand.

Once the doctor walks back through the doors, the women all stand to walk in and see Nicky.

"Uh, you two go ahead, I have to go to the bathroom first" Alex says to Boo and Lorna.

"Yeah sure thing, you good?" Boo asks.

"Yeah yeah, I'll meet you guys in there in a few"

Boo and Lorna walk through the doors to the hospital unit, and Piper turns to face Alex. Alex sits back down in a chair and buries her head in her hands. Piper takes the seat next to her and strokes her back for a few minutes.

"Baby…" Piper starts, trying to sense if Alex is ready to talk yet.

Alex slowly lifts her head and looks at Piper with tears in her eyes. Piper quickly wraps her arms tightly around Alex, and lets Alex cry into her shoulder. All the emotions Alex has been feeling all night are crashing into her all at once. She knows the surgery went well, but the thought of seeing Nicky in this state terrifies her. She won't be able to really take a good breath until Nicky wakes up and is totally okay. But Alex doesn't even know if that'll happen. The thought scares the shit out of her. Nicky has been her best friend for so long now. She's family. Alex knows that she probably could've ended up going down a really bad path if she never met Nicky.

"It's going to be okay, baby" Piper says softly to Alex, stroking her arms across Alex's shoulders. "I'll be right there with you. If you go in there and it's too much, we just step out for a little. We'll get through this"

"What if her brain is permanently fucked? Nicky without the Nicky? I can't even imagine"

"We'll cross that bridge if it comes to it. For now, we can only just hope that's not the case" Piper says.

"Oh my god I feel like I'm just spiraling and freaking out and I can't stop thinking the worst and imagining all these scenarios in my head and I'm so scared and it's all just too much fuckkk" Alex spits out, her breathing picking up speed.

"Al, look at me" Piper says, grabbing both of Alex's hands.

Alex slowly looks up and meets Piper's eyes, her breathing getting frantic.

"Babe, breathe with me" Piper says. Alex gives her a confused look in return. "Breathe in for five seconds, hold the breath in for seven seconds, and then exhale slowly for eight seconds" Piper explains.

"That's very specific" Alex says skeptically.

"Do it babe, for me" Piper replies. Alex nods her head gently, agreeing to try it. Piper locks eyes with her and they both breathe in slowly for five seconds, hold for seven, and exhale for eight. "Again" Piper says, leading Alex into another set of the exercise. Piper keeps repeating the exercise with Alex for a couple minutes, until she hears Alex's breaths calm down and can see the tense panic gone from her girlfriend's body.

After the last exhale, Piper gives Alex a chaste kiss on the lips.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little calmer" Alex answers. "Thanks, Pipes"

"Do you feel ready to go in? It's totally okay to take more time if you need"

"No, I'm ready as I'll ever be" Alex says, standing up and grabbing Piper's hand.

The two women walk together hand in hand to Nicky's room. When they get to the door, Piper stops Alex outside and grabs her shoulders. She leads Alex through one more breath together, and then walks them into the room.

"Jesus" Alex mutters quietly when she sees Nicky on her hospital bed. Nicky is hooked up to what looks like dozens of tubes and wires. She has a breathing tube down her throat and her face is shockingly pale. The only sound in the room is the beeping of Nicky's heart monitor. Lorna and Boo are in seats pulled up to the bed, and Lorna is grasping Nicky's hand that's sticking out from a cast.

Piper wraps her arm around Alex's lower back and supports her girlfriend as they walk towards the bed. Alex grabs Nicky's other hand and squeezes it gently, staring down at her unconscious best friend. Piper walks to the other side of the room and grabs an extra chair. She drags it over to the side of the bed and helps Alex sit down into it. Piper finds another chair and sits herself down right next to Alex.

For the next hour, the women sit quietly and watch Nicky. They know the chances of her waking up so quickly are slim, but they can't help but watch with bated breath. After the hour goes by, a nurse comes by the room to check on Nicky. The nurse checks Nicky's vitals and gives the all clear.

"She's doing as well as can be expected" The nurse says to the women in the room. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask you ladies to head back to the waiting room for the rest of the night. If she wakes up, we'll call you right in."

The four women aren't happy to leave Nicky, but they reluctantly all walk back to the waiting room and take seats.

"It was so weird seeing her like that" Boo says.

"She looked so different. Nicky is normally so full of life" Lorna replies.

"Shit, I just need her to wake up and be okay" Alex says. Alex looks to Piper next to her and sees Piper's mouth open in a huge yawn. It's past midnight now and the poor blonde must be exhausted. Alex wraps her arm around Piper's shoulder and Piper curls up into Alex naturally.

"I love you baby, hang in there" Piper says in a sleepy voice as she looks up at Alex. Alex kisses Piper's head and listens as Piper's breathing slows down and soft snores escape her mouth.

Alex grabs a magazine with her free hand and flips though it. Having Piper asleep in her arms is really helping to soothe her. Piper's rhythmic snores are adorable and comforting to Alex. And having the warm girl in Alex's arms calms her own whole body down.

Piper has napped in Alex's arms for a whole hour when Alex hears Boo and Lorna perk up next to her. Alex looks up and is struck by the sight in front of her. Walking towards them is none other than Diane. Alex has no idea how Diane even knew to come here, but her mind is just consumed with relief. She stops herself from running towards her mom, not wanting to wake Piper. Alex curls up Piper's jacket and puts it onto the seat as a pillow. She gently pushes Piper off her body and stands up, lowering Piper down with her head on the jacket pillow. Piper stirs a little, so Alex kisses her head and face.

"Shhh, sleep baby it's okay" Alex whispers to Piper. Piper quickly drifts back to sleep and curls up in the chair. Alex takes her own sweatshirt off and covers as much as Piper as she can with it. She gives Piper's cheek one more kiss, and then walks right to her mom. Diane rushes towards Alex, and the two women meet tightly in a hug. Alex buries her face in her mom's shoulder and is met with another round of tears. Diane holds onto Alex as she cries, and gives reassuring words to her daughter. When Alex calms down a bit and the tears stop, she looks up at her mom.

"How'd you- when did you-" Alex says, still confused her mom is there.

"Piper texted me, sweetheart" Diane explains. "She knew you wouldn't ask me to come yourself, but she thought you could use the support"

"Wow" Alex replies.

"She's good, hon"

"She's too good" Alex says with a shake of her head.

"How are you doing?" Diane asks with a concerned look.

"I'm a mess, honestly" Alex admits. "I'm so freaked out"

"How is Nicky doing? When Piper texted she had just gotten out of surgery"

"Yeah, they're still waiting for her to wake up. It should hopefully be within the next few hours"

"Do they think they'll be permanent damage?" Diane asks.

"They said most likely not, but they can't be sure"

"Shit" Diane sighs.

"I know"

"I'm so sorry hon"

"I'm so glad you're here" Alex says, giving her mom another big hug.

"Of course baby. Let's take a seat, I'll be here with you.

Alex and Diane walk back to the waiting room chairs and Alex sits back next to Piper. She wraps her arms around Piper and rests the blonde's head in her lap to keep sleeping. Alex strokes her fingers through Piper's hair as Diane whispers greetings with Boo and Lorna.

Another hour later, Piper starts to shift in Alex's lap. Alex has been stroking Piper's hair and back almost nonstop for the last hour. Nothing comforts her more than Piper in her arms. As Piper stirs, she slowly takes in her surroundings. For the first few seconds she has no idea where she is, before the waiting room around her comes into focus. Piper feels someone stroking her hair and she can smell her girlfriend. Piper slowly lifts her head up and is met with the gorgeous green eyes of Alex.

"Hey, sleepy" Alex says softly. "How was your nap?"

"Mmm good" Piper says in a sleepy voice, stretching her body out. "I'm sorry though Al, I didn't mean to leave you alone. How long was I out?"

"Almost two hours, sleeping beauty" Alex chuckles. "But don't apologize baby, you needed sleep and I was fine. Plus, I had a surprise visitor"

Piper slowly gathers her strength back and sits up with Alex's arm still wrapped around her. She looks to the other side of her and sees Diane.

"Piper, it's so nice to see you" Diane says. "Circumstances aside"

"Diane, thanks so much for coming" Piper says as she gives the woman a hug.

"At least I had someone to tell me what was going on" Diane says with a look to Alex.

"I didn't want to bother you!" Alex chuckles.

"Yeah, yeah" Diane says. "You know Nicky's like a second daughter to me. There's nowhere else I'd want to be right now"

"How is Nicky doing?" Piper asks.

"Still not awake" Alex says softly. "We're still waiting"

"Damn" Piper replies. "Have you slept at all?"

"Nah, I've been too wired" Alex says.

"I got us a hotel room" Piper says softly.

"What?" Alex asks.

"Right down the street. For the next two nights. I know you're not going to want to be too far once Nicky wakes up. That way you can get some sleep and be right here still" Piper explains.

"Jesus, thank you Pipes" Alex replies, kissing Piper's head. "When the hell did you do all this?"

"When you were in the bathroom before" Piper shrugs.

"Christ, how long was I in there?!" Alex says with a soft laugh.

"Just like ten minutes babe" Piper smiles. "I was just quick"

"Damn. You thought of everything Pipes"

"I just want to make this all easier for you"

"I love you" Alex says. She's overcome with emotion for her girlfriend. As she thinks about it, she feels a strong need to tell Piper everything she's feeling. She doesn't want to do that with her mom and friends listening, though. "Want to take a little walk?"

"Sure, baby" Piper replies. "I have to pee anyway and I'm kinda thirsty"

"Well let's get you a bathroom and some water, babe" Alex says. She stands up and grabs Piper's hand, helping pull the blonde up.

Alex and Piper walk to the nearest bathroom, and Alex rinses her face as Piper pees.

Piper comes out of the stall and starts to wash her hands as she smiles at Alex next to her.

"Your face looks better" Piper says as she rubs her hands together with soap.

"Hey, thanks kid" Alex jokes.

"You know what I mean! Your color is better"

"Right right" Alex smiles. "I feel a bit more alive now. I've got some food in me and my face is clean and my mom is here."

"I'm glad, babe" Piper says. She grabs a paper towel and dries her hands off.

The two women walk out the bathroom and head to the nearest vending machine. Alex buys water bottles for her and Piper.

"Thanks, Al" Piper says before chugging half the bottle down.

"Damn you were thirsty" Alex says. "Must have been all that snoring during your nap"

"I can tell you're feeling a little better when you start roasting me" Piper chuckles.

"Truth" Alex says. She grabs Piper's hand and walks them to the hospital courtyard. They grab a seat on a bench there and look up at the city lights above them.

"This is nice" Piper says. Alex grabs under Piper's ass and motions for her to sit up on her lap. Piper rests in Alex's lap, with Alex stroking her back with one hand and her legs with the other.

"It is pretty nice"

"Well, as nice as a hospital spot can be" Piper says.

"Piper, I love you so much" Alex says.

"So you said" Piper smiles at Alex. "I'm pretty fucking in love with you too"

"This whole night I've been thinking about when my mom was in the hospital. And as much as it feels the same, it also feels different." Alex explains. "When my mom was sick, I had Nicky and my aunts by my side. But I didn't have like my person. That partner in life who was with me through it all. As much as I had support around me, I felt alone. Which made me feel lost and hopeless."

"Alex…" Piper says, wrapping her arms around Alex's neck as she listens to her girlfriend pour her heart out.

"But now I have you. And as fucking terrified as I am, I don't feel out of control. Because I have you. And I know you'll be by my side no matter what. Just tonight you've been there every step of the way, doing everything you can to make me feel okay."

"Because I love you, Al. It kills me to see you hurting" Piper admits.

"Going through the scary and shitty parts of life is so much less scary and shitty when I go through it with you" Alex says.

"I want to be here for you through it all baby. I used to be a flaky person. I bolted when things got tough. But with you I want to be different. And you make it easy. I'm so damn in love with you that it all is just natural"

"When I say you're the one, I mean it Pipes. I don't want to ever have to go through life without you" Alex says, her throat catching as she speaks. The thought of going through anything without Piper terrifies her.

"You'll never have to, Alex. I'm here for the long haul"

"You promise?"

"I promise, baby. You've got me for life" Piper says. She pulls Alex down with the hands behind her neck and captures her lips in a sweet kiss.

"I used to stay away from love because I figured it'd just be pain. But you make it beautiful, Pipes" Alex says after their kiss.

"Life is beautiful with you too cause I get to check you out constantly" Piper smirks.

"Way to ruin my moment" Alex laughs. "But for the record, I concur." Alex gives Piper a deep, slow kiss.

"Good" Piper smiles.

"I guess we should get back" Alex says.

"Yeah, definitely. Hopefully soon she'll be waking up"

"God I hope so" Alex replies.

She and Piper stand together and walk back to the ICU. When they get there, they see a doctor walking to talk to Diane, Lorna, and Boo. Piper and Alex speed up and rush over to the group.

"What's going on?" Alex asks as she tries to catch her breath.

"She woke up" The doctor says with a smile.

"Oh thank god" Lorna replies.

The group starts walking briskly with the doctor to Nicky's room.

"How is she doing?" Alex asks the doctor as they rush through the hallway.

"She's good, considering. She's groggy and her memory is a bit weak, but that's to be expected. Her language seems to be functional, which was the biggest concern. We'll know in the next few days if there will be any lasting damage to her memory"

"When would we be able to safely say she's in the clear?" Boo asks.

"I'd say 24 hours" The doctor replies. "If by 24 hours she is clear of any signs of brain damage or infection, then you can relax"

The group gets to Nicky's room and quickly file in. Nicky looks the same as before, but her eyes are open and the breathing tube is out.

"Th-those aren't the hot nurses I ordered" Nicky says in a creaky voice.

"Oh fuck off" Alex laughs as tears fall from her eyes. She runs forward and gives Nicky the biggest hug she can with Nicky hooked up to wires and her arm in a cast. Lorna and Boo each hug her next, followed by Piper and Diane.

"How the hell are you feeling?" Boo asks.

"Like someone stuck a screwdriver in my temple" Nicky says.

"God it's so good to hear your voice" Alex says, tears still gathering in her eyes.

"Do you need anything?" Diane asks.

"Water would be great" Nicky chirps out. Piper runs to a nurse to get water for Nicky.

"Do you remember what happened?" Lorna asks.

"Nah, it's all a blur" Nicky admits. "But I do remember Alex fucking herself to an underwear catalogue in high school"

"Christ" Alex laughs. "Must you bring that up?"

"Proving my memory, Vause" Nicky smiles. "Fuck, my whole body hurts"

"We'll get the nurse to get you something." Diane says.

"And how about a water, too" Nicky says.

"Yeah, Piper should be here with that any second" Alex says.

"Piper's here?" Nicky asks.

The other women all look around at each other with concern in their faces.

"You don't remember?" Boo asks.

"What?" Nicky asks. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, it's all good. Piper is going to be here soon with some water for you" Alex says. She doesn't want Nicky to panic.

As Nicky starts to talk with the other women, Alex walks out and finds Piper with a glass of water. Piper sees the panic in Alex's eyes and rushes to her.

"What's wrong babe?"

"Her short term memory is fucked"

"It's okay, Al. I was just talking with the nurse and she said that's completely normal after the surgery. Once the swelling goes down it should go away"

"Thank fuck" Alex says. "It's freaking me out"

"I know baby. It's so scary. Hang in there, Al. The doctor said it'll take a few days. Then if we need to panic, we will"

"You're right" Alex says. "We should bring this water to Nicky"

"First a breath with me" Piper says. She grabs Alex's hands and leads her through another breathing exercise. When they're done, they walk back to Nicky's room together.


The women all stay with Nicky for another hour or two. Her short-term memory slowly improves, but still shows some signs of weakness. As they're all talking, a doctor comes in to talk with them.

"Nicky, your vitals and scans all look good. Your memory should keep coming back as your brain recovers from the surgery. What we're watching out for now are any infections or complications, but we think you're in the clear. You're going to need some recovery time and physical therapy, but all signs point to you having no lasting damage" The doctor explains.

"Shit, thanks doc" Nicky replies.

"Thanks so much doctor" Alex says.

"Now, I know you all want to be here, but Nicky needs her rest. You all are welcome to come back during visiting hours tomorrow"

"Okay, we'll head out" Lorna says. "Please call us if anything changes"

"And Nick, if you need anything you just let me know, okay? Piper and I are going to be right down the street"

"Sure, guys" Nicky says. "Thanks for being here"

As the women start to leave, the doctor walks back into the room.

"One last thing" The doctor starts. "Do you live alone, Nicky?"

"Sorry doc, not my type. Feel free to send any female doctors though" Nicky jokes.

"There's our Nicky" Diane laughs.

"Well as flattered as I am…" The doctor smiles. "I'm asking because you'll probably need some help around the house for a few weeks. If you live alone, I'd recommend staying with someone. Preferably somewhere with no stairs."

"You're welcome with me, Nicky. I'd just have to kick Vinny's brother from our spare room."

"Nah it's fine, no worries"

"I'd love to have you, but I'm a fourth-floor walk-up" Boo says.

"Nicky, you'll stay with us" Piper says.

"You sure?" Nicky asks, looking at Piper and Alex.

"Al?" Piper asks, looking at Alex.

"Of course. No question" Alex says. She wanted to offer herself, but not before asking Piper first. It's Piper's place too so she wouldn't do that. Piper giving the offer made her heart flutter with gratitude.

"Good thing they didn't fuck up my hearing with the surgery." Nicky says. "This is my chance to finally get the details on the infamous sex life between you two"

"Oh fuck off" Alex laughs. "Once you're released from the hospital, we'll have the spare room all ready for you"

"Thanks, guys" Nicky says.

"Get some rest, we love you" Boo says.

The women all say their goodbyes and head out the door. When they're out of ear shot, Alex pulls Piper aside.

"Pipes, are you sure this is okay with you?" Alex asks.

"Of course, Alex. She's your best friend. And she's my friend too. And our apartment will work great for her. And between the two of us we can arrange a schedule so she's never alone for too long" Piper replies.

"Fuck Piper, thank you" Alex says, kissing Piper softly.

"How are you feeling now, babe?" Piper asks.

"Better. Mostly. I'm still pretty scared. I just need her memory to get back and her to make it through the next few days without any complications. Then I'll be able to breathe again."

"Let's go get you some rest baby. You have to be exhausted" Piper says.

"My body feels absolutely drained. My mind is just still going wild"

"I know baby" Piper replies.


Piper and Alex walk down the street to their hotel and Piper checks them in. They take the elevator up to their room and Piper slides the key in. When they get into the room, Piper and Alex set their stuff down and walk into the bathroom. They both take care of business, brush their teeth, and wash up. They walk back into their room and Alex collapses onto the bed face first. Piper stands by the bed and strips her shoes, shirt, and pants off. She steps onto the bed and curls against Alex.

"Baby, you should try and sleep you look so tired" Piper says. Alex turns her body over and looks at Piper.

"I am" She says, her mouth forming into a big yawn.

Piper sits up and unties Alex's sneakers, pulling each one off her feet and throwing it to the floor. Next, she reaches up and unzips Alex's jeans. Alex lifts her ass off the bed and Piper pulls the jeans off her legs and discards those onto the floor. Lastly, she pulls Alex's shirt over her head and throws that across the room. Piper looks down in appreciation at the sight of Alex just in her bra and panties.

"Want to sleep with underwear on or off?" Piper asks.

"Probably off" Alex replies. "These have been on all day"

"Hot" Piper laughs.

"Perv" Alex smirks, playfully slapping Piper's shoulder.

Piper grasps the waist of Alex's panties and pulls them off. She moves to Alex's bra next and unclasps that. Alex lifts her back up so Piper can slip it off her body. With Alex gloriously naked, Piper lifts the bed cover up and curls into the sheets with Alex. She pulls the cover over them and shuts off the light next to her side of the bed. Alex lays onto her side and pulls Piper against her body.

"I need my little spoon" Alex says into Piper's ear.

"You'll never give up big spoon, will you?" Piper chuckles.

"Mmmm nope" Alex says. "Too obsessed with falling asleep with you in my arms"

"That's sweet, baby" Piper says, pulling Alex's arm around her tighter.

"Also your ass against my pussy" Alex says with a smile.

"There's my girl" Piper laughs.

"Sleep, angel" Alex says, kissing Piper's neck.

Only a few minutes later, Piper is peacefully asleep in Alex's arms. Alex hugs Piper tighter and places kisses on her neck and head. As tired as she can feel her body is, her mind won't stop turning. All she can think about are all the scenarios that could happen with Nicky. Her body is also still pumping adrenaline from the stress of the day. Alex closes her eyes and tries to sleep.

An hour later, Alex is still painfully awake. Her mind won't shut down and let her rest. She's going crazy. She's so damn tired and just wants to sleep. Piper is sleeping so peacefully in her arms. The thought of waking her girlfriend up makes her feel bad, but she doesn't know what else to do.

"Pipes" Alex says softly into Piper's ear, gently grabbing Piper's shoulder. "Baby…"

Piper stirs awake slowly, drifting back into consciousness.

"Alex?" She says, turning to face the brunette.

"Pipes, baby I'm so sorry" Alex says, looking into her girlfriend's adorably sleepy eyes.

"Is everything okay? Is Nicky okay? Are you okay?" Piper stammers.

"Babe, it's all good. I'm sorry I woke you. I just can't sleep. My mind is going crazy. And I'm so tired I just want rest but I'm too tense and antsy."

"Al, don't worry. I'm glad you woke me. I'm here" Piper replies.

"Thanks, Pipes" Alex says, kissing Piper's lips.

"What can I do to help you?" Piper asks. Alex looks so frustrated, and she wants her baby to be able to get some much-needed sleep.

"Well…" Alex starts.

"What, babe?"

"I feel bad asking"

"Baby, what?"

"An orgasm might help me relax and sleep" Alex says hesitantly. On a normal day, she'd have no problem starting sex with Piper. But this feels different. The mood of the day has been totally sad and tense and stressful. And while hotel rooms normally mean crazy sex for them, this time the hotel is for necessity.

"Well then let me take care of you, babe" Piper says softly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive" Piper replies. "You're right, hopefully it will relax your body and calm your mind down so you can sleep"

"Ugh I hope so"

Piper moves herself onto Alex's body and starts to kiss down Alex. Before she can get far, Alex pulls her face up to hers.

"Babe, could you use your fingers?" Alex asks. "I want to kiss you"

"Of course, baby" Piper smiles. She moves her body to the side of Alex's and runs her hand down Alex's naked body. When she reaches Alex's waxed mound, she slowly glides her fingers through Alex's folds. As she does that, she leans in and kisses Alex's lips. Alex deepens the kiss and opens her mouth for Piper. Piper returns the favor and starts a slow dance with their tongues.

"I love you so much" Alex breaks the kiss to say to Piper, lips inches away from hers.

Piper smiles and captures Alex's lips again, slipping her tongue back into her mouth. Piper glides her fingers over Alex's clit and swirls around the nub.

"Ugh god" Alex moans at the feeling. She's getting more and more aroused from the slow movements of Piper's fingers on her pussy and tongue in her mouth.

"How's that feel baby?"

"So good" Alex rasps out.

"Relax and enjoy, my love" Piper says softly. She places little kisses all over Alex's face. When she gets closer to Alex's lips, Alex grabs the back of her neck and pulls her down to make out with her again. With her other hand, Alex grabs tightly onto the sheet next to her.

Piper keeps stroking Alex's clit, feeling Alex's pussy get wetter and wetter. When Alex's hips buck up, Piper lowers her fingers and coats them in arousal.

"Inside?" Piper asks.

"Yes please" Alex moans, her breathing harsh and ragged.

Piper connects their lips, and at the same time thrusts her tongue into her mouth and two fingers into her pussy. Alex moans out and Piper swallows it into her kiss. She massages the insides of Alex's mouth and her pussy at the same slow pace. Alex's hips start to buck up with each thrust, her pussy tightening harder around Piper's fingers. Piper lifts a leg over Alex's thigh and instinctually starts to grind against it as she pleasures Alex. She isn't planning to get herself off; this isn't about her. But she can't help increase the friction. Both their breathing gets quicker and rougher, each of them taking a loud breath between kisses. Piper can feel Alex's body tensing up in preparation to release. Piper moves her fingers into Alex a little deeper and a little faster, while still keeping the gently pace she knows Alex needs.

"Fuck Piper keep going" Alex groans, as grunts start to slip from her mouth with each thrust.

Piper curls her fingers up into Alex and sucks her girlfriend's tongue into her mouth. Alex's body jerks up and freezes. Her pussy walls clamp down on Piper's fingers and her hips jerk up with the waves of pleasure. Alex breaks the kiss to let out a low grunt as her body releases all its pleasure. Her head flies back as the incredible feelings flow through her. Piper works her fingers in and out of Alex's pussy as she orgasms, and kisses Alex's jaw and neck as she winds down. When Alex's body stops convulsing, she lets out a long sigh and her body lays back down against the bed. Piper smiles at Alex and gives her a deep kiss. Alex places her hand on the side of Piper's face and continues the kiss until she needs a breath.

"God baby, thank you" Alex says in a sated voice.

"The pleasure was all mine" Piper smiles. "How are you feeling?"

"Fuck, a lot better. My body was so tense before and now it feels like jello" Alex says. "And I-" Alex's sentence is cut off with her mouth opening in a yawn. Piper smiles at her girlfriend and kisses the side of her mouth.

"Sleepy angel" Piper says.

"Yessss finally" Alex answers in a tired voice.

"Baby, let me hold you" Piper says. She lays onto her side and pulls Alex's back into hers. She wraps her arms around Alex and kisses the back of her neck.

"I love you, Pipes"

"I love you forever, Al" Piper replies. "Now get some good rest"


Piper wakes up hours later with Alex still sleeping peacefully in her arms. Sunlight is streaming in from the window, and Piper gets a good look around the hotel room for the first time. Piper kisses Alex's cheek and steps off the bed. She reaches down and covers Alex's naked body with the blanket, and gives Alex's cheek another kiss.

Piper walks to the bathroom and freshens up. When she gets out, she pulls on her clothes from last night. She really wants some fresh clothes, and knows Alex will feel better with that too. She doesn't want to go all the way back to their apartment and leave Alex for that long, so she decides to head down to the shops she saw them pass on their way to the hotel last night. Piper grabs a notebook from the bedside table and writes Alex a note explaining where she went in case she wakes up. Piper is thrilled to see Alex sleeping so peacefully finally.

An hour later, Alex slowly wakes up and her nose twitches at the smell of coffee and something sweet. She opens her eyes slowly and flips onto her back. When she looks up, she sees Piper sitting next to her on the bed.

"Good morning, beautiful" Piper says, leaning down to give Alex a kiss.

"Mmm it smells good in here"

"I got us coffee, muffins, and bagels. You need food"

"Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"You're easy to please" Piper laughs. "How did you sleep?"

"Really well, surprisingly." Alex replies. "Thanks to a certain booty call"

"Is it a booty call if there's no phone involved?" Piper smirks.

"Well whatever you want to call it, it did the trick. I feel way better now after sleeping."

"I'm so glad, Al. Are you hungry?"

"I think so" Alex says, rubbing her belly.

"You are then" Piper smiles. "You stay here, let me bring you breakfast in bed"

"This hotel has great service"

"Just for their sexiest guests" Piper smirks. She walks to the side table in the hotel and grabs the bags of muffins and bagels. She drops it onto the bed with Alex, then goes to get their cup of coffee.

"I got a large for us to split" Piper explains. "I figure we'll be getting many more at the hospital today"

"Mmmm this is good" Alex says, taking a big bite of a blueberry muffin and washing it down with some coffee.

"Eat up, babe" Piper instructs. She takes a muffin for herself and digs in.

As they eat, Alex's phone dings with a text. She quickly reaches over and grabs it.

"It's from Lorna" Alex says. "She said they just got there and Nicky is doing great. Her memory seems to be improved, and there's no signs of infection"

"Ugh thank fuck" Piper sighs.

"So along with some physical therapy, and baring any rare complications, she should be all good." Alex says, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's all okay now, Al. You can breathe" Piper smiles. "Fuck I'm so relieved"

"We'll see if you're still saying that after your first experience living with Nicky" Alex laughs.


A/N- As I always say, I'm never confident in my plot so please let me know what you think. Also, my extent of knowledge on this medical stuff is from a neuroscience course in college and 14 seasons of Grey's Anatomy, so I apologize for any medical inaccuracies. Also I don't know if you'll feel the sex in this chapter was out of place, I just wanted to show them taking care of each other that way without the usual rush and urgency.

For those who wanted to see Alex sick- I will still work that in a later chapter! Also, for those wanting drama with this, I wanted to make this chapter a strong moment for their relationship so I'm sorry for no drama! But I have a whole drama plotline planned for Alex's book tour. So future chapter plans- I might have them go to a concert, Alex's way of thanking Piper. Or any better idea you have? I also have a birthday chapter planned because I haven't done that yet. And probably connecting that to meeting the Chapmans. Then some other smut ideas :). What do you want to see in the next chapter and in the future? Let me know that, and your thoughts on this chapter and I'll get to work.

Also side note- I'm currently rewatching orange for the first time in TWO YEARS believe it or not. But it's making me want to update more, so expect that. Also, I had an idea as a side project to Satisfaction... I'm considering writing the whole scenes surrounding Vauseman sex scenes from the show. So like what led them there, how the sex went down in detail, etc. Since the scenes we get are so short! I have extra time with my summer work schedule so this wouldn't take away from Satisfaction updates. Let me know your level of interest in that. Thanks :)