Author's note: Sorry that it has been so long again, I've been busy. Someone was surprised at Piper's sexual history and asked if she was bluffing. She is not bluffing, she has been alone for so long and she needs human contact. She hasn't realized or admitted to herself (yet) that she needs someone that really cares about her. Piper has tried to satisfy that craving with meaningless sex but now she isn't doing it anymore when Alex had stepped fully into the picture ;) Yes, finally you get to read some real Vauseman. Another unwanted character appears in this chapter but don't worry, it's only a short encounter. Not sure if he will appear again later. Don't say that I didn't warn you guys :D

Enjoy!

When Alex woke up, she immediately noticed someone all tangled up on her. She smiled when she recognized the blonde head. Piper's arms and legs were tightly around Alex and her head was resting comfortably on Alex's chest. She resembled a koala.

Alex gently caressed Piper's hair before stopped. She didn't know how Piper would react when she wakes up and didn't want to make things uncomfortable.

"Don't stop", Pipe suddenly said.

Alex couldn't decide if it was a command or a plea, but nevertheless, she continued to play with Piper's hair. "I thought that you were sleeping."

"I was. A few minutes ago."

They were both quiet before Piper suddenly spoke again. "I've missed this."

"Hmmh?"

"You know. Human contact. Other than some meaningless sex."

"That's normal. I'm happy that you're able to be comfortable with me", Alex said.

Piper sighed and snuggled closer to Alex if that was even possible anymore.

After a while, Piper untangled herself and got up from the bed. "Thanks. I needed that."

"No need to thank me. I'm always here if you need some... contact."

Piper burst into a laughter. "That sounded weird. But I get your point. Thanks. Are you always letting other people snuggle you when they feel like it?" Piper laughed.

"Well. Other people aren't you. So, no", Alex grinned.

Piper stared at her surprised, she hadn't expected that kind of answer. "Aren't you just charming", she smirked before took her clothes. "I'm going to change", she announced before went into a hallway.

After changing her clothes in the bathroom, she went back to Alex's room. "Here is your cloth- Shit, I'm sorry!" Piper exclaimed as she quickly turned around. She hadn't realized that Alex would too change her clothes, so she wasn't prepared to see half naked Alex putting her clothes on.

Alex just laughed and after a while, she spoke. "Okay, I'm dressed. You can turn around", she chuckled.

Piper, blushing slightly turned around and gave Alex back her clothes. "Sorry, I just barged in here."

"It's okay. I mean it's just us girls, right?" Alex smirked at Piper's discomfort.

"Right", Piper said still embarrassed.

"Well, I'm heading to the downstairs, you coming?" Alex asked.

"Sure."

They walked downstairs and weren't surprised to see Diane already there.

"Piper", Diane said surprised. "I thought that you didn't stay."

"Yeah... I- well we were looking at Alex's books and then we decided to both sleep in there because we were too tired to find me a blanket and a pillow..." Piper explained as she looked at Alex for help.

Diane looked at Alex. "I see... Well, it is a pretty big bed. I'm sure you both had plenty of space."

Alex smirked at Piper. "Yeah. Plenty of space."

"Yeah", Piper agreed blushing slightly.

Diane looked at them curiously. "Alright then, do you want some breakfast?"

"No thanks", Piper said. "I should get going."

"Okay, it was nice of you to stay with us", Diane said.

"Yeah. Bye", Piper said before left the house.

"I'm not even going to ask", Diane said shaking her head.

"Yeah, maybe better that way."

"Hi Nicky", Diane said as she saw her to step into the shop.

"Hey. I'm leaving soon, so I just came to say goodbye", Nicky said.

Diane went to hug her. "Okay. You need to visit soon again. And stay out of trouble!"

"I will", Nicky smiled. "Take care of yourself blondie", she called out to Piper.

"Wait", Piper said as she walked to Nicky. She took a pen out of her pocket and wrote her number on Nicky's hand.

"I'm flattered Chapman, but I have a girlfriend", Nicky grinned.

Piper rolled her eyes. "So, you got things sorted out with the girl?"

Nicky nodded smiling widely.

"I'm happy for you", Piper said before continued with a quieter voice. "If you ever have the urge and you don't want to speak with your counselor or your girlfriend, you can call me if you want. Anytime."

Nicky suddenly pulled Piper in a hug. "Thanks, blondie."

Piper awkwardly hugged her back.

"Remember, don't make life too hard for yourself."

"Yeah, yeah", Piper smiled.

"Hey there."

"Piper, hi", Alex smiled.

"I bet I can't get a free latte?" Piper joked as she leaned into the counter.

"Nope", Alex laughed. "I'm not going to lose my job after barely one month. Caramel?" Alex asked.

"Yeah", Piper nodded as she looked for some money.

Alex gave Piper her Caramel latte and Piper paid for it. "When do you get off?"

"At six, why?"

"Oh nothing, just asking", Piper shrugged.

"Do you wanna get some ice cream after I get off?" Alex asked.

"Why?" Piper furrowed her eyebrows.

Alex chuckled. "I don't know? For fun. Just to hang out."

"Oh, okay, sure", Piper nodded.

"You should maybe move, there is coming some customer", Alex grinned.

"Right", Piper said as she turned around. She, however, turned as fast back when she recognized the customer. "Shit", she said quietly.

Alex looked at Piper worriedly.

Piper turned around again and with her head down walked past him. She already thought that she wasn't recognized but then she heard: "Piper, is it you?"

Piper sighed before turned around with a surprised face. "Larry! What are you doing here?"

"It was you!" The boy, Larry said happily. "My aunt lives here, remember?"

Piper didn't, but she nodded anyway. "Of course."

Larry went to hug Piper and Piper just stood there tensed.

"I'm sorry about your parents", Larry said sympathetically.

Alex saw Piper's face and had never seen her so furious, not even when she had lost her apartment. However, Piper forced her expression calm when Larry stepped back and managed to even smile a little.

If Alex hadn't seen Piper's earlier expression she would have believed that Piper was fine. That good Piper's fake smile was. Alex wondered that how often actually Piper had masked her true feelings like that.

"Would you like to join me?" Larry asked hopefully.

"Oh, no thanks. I need to get going. It was nice to see you again", Piper said.

"How about some day? I'm staying here a week." Larry asked with puppy eyes.

"Larry. I'm still gay."

Larry blushed. "I meant just to hang out."

"I'm sure you did. But it's still a no. Goodbye", Piper said before met Alex's confused gaze.

"Later", Piper mouthed before turned around and left the cafe.

"I'm kind of waiting for you to tell me about that boy, Barry?" Alex asked as she and Piper were walking with ice creams in hands.

Piper chuckled and didn't bother to correct Alex. "He was my ex-boyfriend."

"Ex-boyfriend?"

Piper laughed at Alex surprise. "Yeah. He was my boyfriend at the time I discovered my sexuality. I left him when I realized that I was gay."

"Ahh, you weren't too happy to see him?"

"It wasn't about that. I just hate when people are acting like they care", Piper said with furrowed brows.

"Do you do that often?" Alex asked.

"What?"

"Hide your real feelings like you did back there."

"Oh", Piper thought about it for a while. "I used to do it a lot more often in the past. But I don't need to do it that much anymore."

Alex nodded. "That's good."

They walked in silence to the park where they sat down on the bench. They talked about random things, mostly about the literature until Alex brought something up.

"You said that you've been having some meaningless sex. Have you had an actual girlfriend?"

Piper chuckled. "No. I'd make a shitty girlfriend."

"Why do you think that?"

Piper shrugged. "I don't know. I just am like that."

"You can never say until you've tried it out", Alex said.

"You're encouraging me to get a girlfriend?" Piper asked with raised eyebrows.

"Not really. I just say that you should be more open-minded and not reject everything so quickly."

Piper huffed. "I'm open-minded. I just don't want a relationship." Okay maybe that was a lie, but Alex didn't need to know that.

"Why's that?"

"You're curious today."

"You're just so secretive!" Alex defended herself.

"I'm not secretive! I just don't like to talk about myself", Piper pouted.

"Okay fine. I'll promise to change the subject if you answer why you don't want a relationship."

Piper sighed. "I just don't think that it would ever work."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, okay? It just feels like it."

Alex looked at Piper. "Like I said you can never tell before you've tried it."

Piper rolled her eyes. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you currently looking for a girlfriend."

Alex laughed. "I wouldn't say that I'm looking for a girlfriend, but I might be interested in someone..." she said mysteriously.

"Really? Who?" Piper asked surprised. She didn't know if she should be disappointed or relieved.

"Maybe you'll find out someday", Alex grinned. "We should go, it's starting to get late."

Piper checked the clock and noticed that it was almost 9 p.m. The time just flies with Alex. "Yeah, sure."

"Do you want a ride home?" Alex asked.

"No thanks."

Alex nodded. Like she had figured. "Alright then. See you tomorrow?"

Piper nodded. "Yeah."

"I had fun today", Alex said.

"Me too", Piper smiled.

"Okay, I'll go now", Alex chuckled. "Bye."

"Bye."

"I'm fed up with this", Diane said to Piper who was again staring at Alex.

Piper woke up from her daydreaming and she looked at Diane. "What?"

"You and Alex are impossible! Both too blind to notice other's feelings."

"What?" Piper asked again.

Diane sighed. "Alex feels just the same as you do."

Piper furrowed her eyebrows. "No, she doesn't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"She said to me yesterday that she's interested in someone..."

Diane laughed. "She did? Seriously you two are like kids. It's you!"

Piper stared at Diane unbelievingly. "How can you be so sure?"

"I'm her mother. My job is to know these kind of things. Also, she told me."

Piper looked back at Alex who was reading a book. "It still doesn't change anything."

Diane groaned. "Goddamnit, Piper. She likes you. You like her. What is the problem?"

"She is my only friend apart from you. I'm not messing it up", Piper said.

"You aren't going to mess it up."

Piper sighed. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Piper. I swear to god, if you don't soon make a move, I'm telling Alex, so she can."

"You wouldn't do that", Piper said with narrowed eyes.

"Watch me. Like I said, I'm fed up with this", Diane said as she disappeared in the backroom.

Piper watched after her and wondered if she was bluffing or not. Her thoughts quickly moved to Alex. Could it be that Alex liked her? She sometimes acts like it but Piper couldn't be sure. But if she really did, could it work out? Piper didn't know how to be in a relationship but would she sacrifice her and Alex's friendship, so they could try? It was all so confusing.

At the following night, Piper spent hours laying in the bed and thinking about her situation with Alex. She came to the result that she had deserved something good in her life. And that was Alex, by the way. She decided that their friendship wasn't enough and that she wanted more. The universe didn't tend to just give Piper what she wanted, so she needed to act on it herself.

Happy with her decision, Piper went to sleep and got to sleep a couple of hours before her alarm woke her up.

Piper was unpacking the new shipment when Diane came to the backroom.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I'm not trying to get you into something that you don't want..."

"It's fine. You were right, this is just stupid", Piper smiled but didn't elaborate as she continued her work.

Diane wasn't sure if she understood correctly but she started to help Piper smiling. She would be happy if Piper would finally make a move.

Later that day, when the shipment was unpacked, Piper was reading The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho when she heard someone dramatically cough.

She looked up and saw Alex standing in front of her.

"I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature", Alex pronounced smoothly.

Piper smiled widely. That was one of the Paulo Coelho's best-known quotes. "You never fail to amaze me."

Alex grinned as she sat next to Piper. "It's nice to have someone that appreciates literature."

"Yeah", Piper nodded in agreement.

"I read the Dubliners. It was as good as they say", Alex said. "Thank you. For forcing me to take it."

Piper laughed. "Everyone should be able to read it. Especially you."

"Why especially me?"

"Because I knew for a fact that you'd understand the real meaning behind the book. And I knew that you wanted to read it badly."

"Sometimes it's a little scary how easily you can figure me out", Alex laughed.

"Really? Me? If I remember correctly it has been you who has been figuring me out lately", Piper pointed out.

Alex chuckled. "I think that we're both good at figuring each other out."

"Are we?" Piper asked. If either of them hadn't really noticed the other's feelings were they that good?

Alex looked at Piper and tried to figure out Piper's meaning behind those words. "Maybe we are, maybe we're not."

Piper nodded. "Anyways, I was wondering if you'd like to hang out today?"

Alex was kind of surprised. Piper had never asked her to hang out before. "Sure. When?"

"When I get off? In about half an hour."

Alex nodded. "Do you have something specific in mind?"

"Not really. I'm kind of hungry though", Piper grinned.

"Okay, what would you like?" Alex chuckled.

"Hot dogs?"

"Ooh, I haven't eaten them for a while", Alex said.

"So, hot dogs it is", Piper smiled widely.

"Your place isn't far, so we can go there and watch some movie after that?"

"I don't have a TV", Piper said and for the first time, she regretted not getting a TV.

"You don't?" Alex asked surprised. She hadn't even noticed.

"No. I don't really watch it. I just use my laptop if I want to watch something."

"Laptop works just fine."

"You sure?" Piper asked.

"Yup."

When Piper had gotten off, they walked to the closest hot dog stand and paid for their hot dogs.

"I didn't remember it was this good", Alex said as they were walking towards Piper's apartment.

Piper bit her own hot dog and mumbled an agreement.

Soon Piper was opening her apartment door and let them in.

"Do you want something to drink?" Piper asked.

"Don't say that you have booze again", Alex chuckled.

"Not really. Well, I have beer..." Piper said with raised eyebrows.

Alex laughed and shook her head. "Of course you have. Beer is fine."

Piper went to get two beer bottles and when she came back into the living room she gave the other one to Alex. "I think that it would be the easiest to watch in my bed. That way we can both lay down."

"Thanks. Are you sure this isn't some wicked plan to get me in your bed?" Alex joked.

Piper grinned. "If I wanted you in my bed to do something else than watch a movie, you would know."

"So, you don't want?" Alex asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"I didn't say that, did I?" Piper smirked before went to her bedroom.

Alex stared after Piper surprised. She hadn't been prepared to that. She shook her head and followed Piper.

Piper had put her laptop on the bed and was laying on her stomach behind it. She tapped the bed next to her to invite Alex there as she opened the laptop.

"What do you want to watch?"

"I don't care as long as it isn't including some romantic relationship between a man and a woman."

Piper laughed.

"What? I mean, I don't have anything against straight people, but it's kind of ruining the movie because I'm hoping the woman to get together with some other woman but they never will."

Piper laughed again. "Alright then."

After a while of searching, they ended up watching Wonder Woman, which included a nice amount of history.

When the movie was almost over Piper couldn't bear it anymore. She hadn't really concentrated on the movie and had kept glancing Alex the whole time. She shut the laptop and Alex looked at her questioningly.

"Would you mind if I kissed you right now?" Piper asked seriously.

After recovering from the shock, a smile slowly appeared on Alex's face. "No."

Piper looked into Alex's eyes and tried to find even a little bit of hesitation or reluctance. When she found none she slowly leaned forward but let Alex close the final gap.

Alex also stared Piper's eyes, but she was thinking about how beautiful Piper's blue eyes were. She hadn't ever looked at them so closely. Finally, she closed her eyes and closed the gap.

Piper hadn't ever felt anything like that. Sure she had kissed girls before and even boys but never had the kiss felt like that. Alex's lips were so soft and Piper's whole body was tingling.

The kiss didn't last long since Piper pulled back.

"What about the girl you were interested in?" Piper whispered smiling.

Alex chuckled. "She happens to be this tall blonde who loves books."

Piper smiled widely. It was all the confirmation she needed and she leaned in for another kiss.

This time it lasted longer when both of them dared to explore the other's mouth more thoroughly.

When Alex this time pulled back she looked kind of curious. "Didn't you just say that you don't want a relationship? I'm not going to be a girl who you sleep with and then forget."

"Didn't you just say that I can't tell before I've tried it out?" Piper quipped back before continuing with a softer voice. "And you're not that kind of girl that I want to forget."

"So, you're actually wanting...?"

Piper sat up. "I don't know. I don't know how anything works, I'm out of my depth here. All I know is that I like you. I would be ready to try it with you..."

Alex sat up too and chuckled. "Relationship isn't some nuclear physics, Piper. You just need to do what your heart tells you to."

"Yeah, they aren't same. Nuclear physics is much easier", Piper mumbled.

Alex laughed and pulled Piper to lay next to her. "Come here."

"I just... I don't know the rules", Piper sighed.

"Basically there aren't any rules. You know, just do what you'd like to be done to yourself."

"Please don't quote the Bible to me", Piper groaned.

Alex chuckled. "That's a good rule."

Piper sighed. "Just promise me that if this won't ever work out, we can stay friends?"

"Of course. But it will work out if we both really want it. I know that I do."

Piper nodded. "Let's just watch where this is going."

"I'd like that", Alex smiled before kissed Piper again.

Thank you for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought. I'm happy to answer all the questions that raise with my best ability :) I'll try to update soon again!

-Iina