Piper stormed around the room like an angry toddler. She was not some trophy to be boasted. Her hands began to shake with bubbling anger as she yanked off her heels with terrifying force. She was not someone you could leave home and expect to sit by idly like a spinning top as the world turned around her. She wasn't a fucking 1940's housewife that bellowed 'When will my husband return from war?'

Fuck that.

Heat flushed her face as she stomped to the bathroom. She'd be damned if Alex expected her to wait around like a loyal dog. You'd think after all this time she'd trust me, she fumed.

But that was her mistake.

She didn't know anything about Alex. All she really knew was she had a crazy ex-girlfriend, a grand house, an absolute phenomenon in bed and knew how to traffic drugs across the world like the back of her hand. Those are all material things, she thought as she cupped her hands under the running tap before splashing her face with cold, refreshing water. She didn't know—not really—anything about the brunette. She didn't know if Alex chose wine over beer. Or if she'd rather a sunset or a sunrise. Or if she'd rather Zara or Mango.

Damn it, she didn't know anything.

She heard a spike of noisy conversations and music before being re-muffled behind the bedroom door. Closing the tap, her temper flared as she walked out of the bathroom, crossed her arms, dug her nails in as Alex walked to the bed and took a deep, steadying breath. Their eyes met, a sizzle of lightning, before the brunette began to cautiously make her way towards her like a negotiator.

She wasn't a grenade either, Piper thought furiously. She was a fucking nuclear time bomb.

"Look, Piper, it's only for a week. Maybe less. You won't even know I left."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she demanded.

"I—" Alex fought to make her words coherent. "I wanted to. I swear. I was going to tell you yesterday but we were in bed and I didn't want to ruin anything—"

"And what did you expect me to do when you leave?" Piper pushed past her to the other side of the room.

Alex began, "I wanted you to wait—"

She had never seen someone go from simmer to boil so fast. Piper's hands blurred as she grabbed anything she can from the nearby cabinet and hurled it towards her. She had to give the blonde credit for her aim, and praised the heavens for her own quick reflexes as a lamp whistled by her head before it crashed into the wall. The sudden jerk of movement caused her glasses to fall amongst the debris.

"Jesus!"

"You conceited, manipulative bitch!" If Piper was a cartoon, her ears would be bellowing smoke. "You think I'm going to wait for you? How delusional can you be? Son of a fuck!"

She grabbed the orb she once found endearing and let it fly.

"Piper—"

"I am done with you." Frantically, she looked for more innocent furniture to throw and snagged a bowl of fake fruit. The plastic apples went first. "I can't fucking believe you!"

Oranges. "Why did I even sleep with you?"

Pears. "How can I be so stupid!"

Grapes. "I don't even know you!"

Then the bowl. "You fucking liar!"

Instead of dodging the bowl like she had the rest, Alex caught it before it beaned her face. "Okay, enough." She made a dive, wrapped her arms over Piper's and pinned them on her body.

"Let go of me! You think you can just leave me like I'm some kind of—"

"Let me explain!"

"You had a full twenty-four hours to explain. Time's up, game's over. Let go of me, damn it!" She struggled, beating Alex's already abused body with more kicks and punches. But instead of fuelling the flames, her body began to react in a whole different manner.

Alex felt it too as she heaved and pinned the blonde on the bed. "Piper," she murmured. "Pipes, please."

Piper told herself she stopped only because she was rapidly running out of breath and not the exhausted defeat in Alex's voice.

The room was silent but for their heavy breathing. Piper's head began to catch up with her actions, but regret was not with it. She was becoming acutely aware that Alex's hand was near her breast. She sighed when she felt the fight leave her being.

"Get off me, Alex."

Warily, Alex eased off the blonde and sat on the side of the bed. Threading her fingers through her hair, she allowed herself to recognise the panic and hurt that speared through her when Piper was throwing...well, everything. She had hurled words and plastic fruit, but Alex wasn't aware how sharp they actually were until she assessed the damage. Piper deserved an explanation, she thought. And when she's done explaining, she'd leave her to decide whether to leave or stay.

Alex took Piper's silence as a sign that she was willing to listen. She didn't turn towards her, but instead kept her eyes on the wall. She wanted to hide the hurt. She didn't want Piper to know how much she meant to her. Not yet.

"Travelling had always been one of the requirements for the job," she began, unconsciously tightening and loosening her fingers together. "I never really had anything to pin me down at home, so I always agreed to it." She felt like she needed to underline that it was her decision to travel.

She knew that choice was always important.

"I travelled, made sure the deals and imports were handled smoothly. Recruited more mules in other countries. I was always happier when I wasn't in the States. I didn't care much about anything here. But now, you're in the picture."

That was the whole problem, wasn't it? Piper's here, and she had turned Alex's world upside down...yet she became the gravity that kept everything in place.

"I told you before," she continued, "I don't know the rules of being in a relationship. I look out for myself—always have. And having someone—having you—be there when I get home changes things. A lot."

"It sounds like I'm more a nuisance than comfort," Piper murmured, her legs crossed and her ears and heart wide open.

"No. You're consistent. And I've never had that before," Alex lifted her shoulders, then let them fall. "I'd like to keep it, Pipes."

Just like that, Piper felt her resolve give way. She reached for Alex, turned the brunette around and wrapped her arms her shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere," she murmured against her lover's shoulder.

Staying silent, Alex hugged back. As she smelled Piper's all-too-familiar scent, relief washed through her like a waterfall. She's staying, she thought giddily. Without qualms or demands. She understood. She was staying for her. Her hands smoothed over Piper's back, as if memorising the small bumps and ridges. She basked in the feeling of being in her arms.

If she thought her heart had been slipping, it now tumbled, fell and face-planted hard into love.

She remembered what her mother had told her. Take the leap. She was still hesitant to do so, and will continue to be until it was certain that Piper returned the feeling. As she burrowed closer into the blonde, she decided she'll have to find out before she left for Bali.

The two women held on tightly, unaware that their thoughts mirrored each other.

Piper pulled back, framed her lover's face with both hands. She watched in glee as the stormy seas in her eyes began to calm. Leaning forward, she laid her lips, unhurriedly, on Alex. She felt her give, and she herself took. She was careful not to take more than she was given. When Alex changed angles, she was pulled under a hazy mist of lust and pleasure.

She fought, struggled as she pulled back, wanting to see Alex's eyes again. Calm, magic seas now, she thought, but with clouds of doubt sailing through. She wanted to make them go away. She tilted Alex's head up, making sure their eyes connected before she continued.

"No more secrets, okay?"

Alex nodded solemnly, "Okay."

"And we're going on a date."

"What?"

"A date," Piper repeated with a decisive tone. "Conversations and wine by the candlelight in a restaurant that priced their food as if Jesus had touched it."

"I'll pay," Alex said immediately.

Piper had to smile, "I have no problem with that, since payday isn't until Thursday."

"How about tomorrow night?" Alex ruthlessly exterminated the fluttering butterflies that filled her stomach.

"Fine by me."

"Does this make us fuck buddies?"

"It means we're going on a date. Do things normal people do."

"Do you want normal?" she asked quietly. She was at the opposite of the spectrum from normal.

Piper lowered her eyes. She thought it was what she wanted. She was supposed to grow old, maybe pop out two kids, contribute to the upbringing of the deteriorating American society. Make her parents proud and happy with a steady income and a reliable husband that came home every night to a domestic household. But now she realised that wasn't what she wanted after all. She wanted fun and adventure and sex and everything that the world had to offer. And she wanted to share that experience.

"No," she answered. "I want you."

Alex said nothing but plant kisses all over Piper's face. She was humbled by her words. Her hands instinctively gripped the blonde's hair, nipped at her lip before soothing it with a soft lick. She could taste the twang of sweet wine on her tongue as it battled with her own, a blend of flavours that made her yearn for another taste.

Alex pushed her down on the bed, against the cushions. She'll show her, she thought. If she couldn't say it, she'll just have to show her love. Alex trailed down Piper's throat, breasts, navel and finally settled in between her thighs. All too fast, she had grown accustomed to Piper's scent. It was pleasantly strong, and it gave her immense pride that she had made her this wet.

Piper bowed her back as she felt pleasure shoot up her body. She cried out as she was filled, ravaged and drowned in a sea of unbelievable pleasure. Fuck, she sighed, her fingers gripping onto the mass of dark hair below her like an anchor.

Her fingers still inside her lover's, Alex rose and latched on to Piper's lips, begging her to see what she was showing her. All she could muster was, "Don't go anywhere."

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise you." Piper gasped as she neared the edge. "I promise you. I'm here."

She tipped over as she breathed out her vow, letting the darkness overwhelm her.


With the morning sun's rays filtering through the blinds, Alex reached for her phone as it buzzed. She vaguely made out the name and message on the screen.

Fahri: You owe me. People were assholes.

She smiled, setting the phone back down on the nightstand. She had lost her patience with the party and begged him to get people out when Piper stormed off. He was the only one she knew that could do so with little problems. She turned back towards Piper's warm body as she thought of ways to give him her thanks.

Her thoughts began to wander off as her hand made lazy circles on Piper's back. She'll have to work early today so she could be home with Piper as soon as possible. She needed to double check on mules and the bank accounts. She needed to transfer money for the Bali trip. As her brain continued to list her jobs for the morning, she slowly eased out of bed, careful not to wake the sleeping beauty.

Getting ready for the day felt like a chore, which was strange, considering she had always counted herself lucky to be able to do this job. Using the mirror by the front door, she drew on her mascara like a warrior drew on war paint. Fierce. Unstoppable.

Until you, she mused as she saw Piper watched sleepily from the bedroom door. She caught her eyes in the mirror and smiled, her happiness flowing free. She found that she didn't need to be tough around Piper. She could drop the sword and the shield and be a normal civilian. It was just instinct to shield her from her line of work, and that was why she hesitated to tell her about Bali.

"Going somewhere?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, I have work to do." It didn't go unnoticed to Alex that Piper had stiffened slightly. She hoped to God it wasn't the blonde's undiscovered clinginess rising to the surface. It would just be unfortunate for all parties if she loved a leech.

"I'll be back for our date." She moved towards her, wrapping her arms around Piper's waist and nuzzled her bare neck. "Do I have to pick you up?"

God, maybe she was the clingy one.

Piper smiled. "You asked me to stay the weekend, remember?"

Alex felt her lips bow up in response and nodded.

"Then I'll be here."

Alex pressed her lips to Piper's. "I'm certain that we won't even make it out the door."

"Oh, don't worry. We are having this date."

Alex laughed and stole another kiss before sailing out, already thinking of a venue for the night.

Piper tapped her finger to her lips, memorising the sweet taste of her lover. She turned around to walk back to the bed when she stepped on the plastic apple. Amused, she picked up the stray fruits and the fruit bowl, placing them back on top of the cabinet. She walked back for the orb and placed it carefully where it belonged. She went back to the bed, slid in, and all but wrapped herself in Alex's scent.

Remnants of last night began to play back through her head like a film reel. She wasn't blind; she'd seen what was in Alex's eyes. She saw her heart in there. And Piper saw her world.

But she didn't want to assume—at least, not until they had this date.

She wanted her. That much was obvious. She often found herself staring into space as she thought of what Alex would—and could—do to her. She thought about her face, the sharp angles that gave her lover the endearing fuck-you-all look. Her hair, her smirk, her body; everything about her literally oozed sex.

But she would never settle on just sex and physical attraction. She had always wanted a partner in crime—although she didn't think she would ever get involved in actual criminal activity. She wanted to be understood and to understand. She wanted someone to take care of her, and she would take care of them. And, Piper included as she breathed deeply, she wanted that someone to be Alex.


Much later in the afternoon, Piper hummed to herself, straightening the bed when her phone buzzed.

Polly: I couldn't find you before I had to leave. Sorry!

Piper: Don't worry, that's my fault. Went to bed without saying goodbye

Polly: Sick?

Piper: No I was tired.

Polly: At least you got laid. Pete wasn't even home

Piper: Where was he?

Polly: Was out drinking with his Australian buddies. But I hope you're not tired next weekend

Piper frowned in consideration before she replied.

Piper: What's happening next weekend?

Polly: God, did you really forget again?

She frantically racked her brain for an important event she was apparently forgetting. Was someone getting married? Having a baby? God, was she forgetting a funeral?

Piper: ?

Polly: What date is it today

Piper: June 1

Polly: And what date is it on Saturday?

Piper: June 7

Oh. Oh, shit. Oh, man.

Piper: Fuck.


A/N:

Guests: Thank you so much for reading! Also woo! OG reader! I'm glad you're enjoying and I hope it continues to be worth the wait.

Professor Wolfie: I've had that in my head ever since I began writing. I made a vague plan for that, which will come into effect once the trip around the world and the 10 year break up comes. Then comes all the small scenes that I have in mind when they get to prison. I'm still building myself some confidence on my own scenes; this chapter is a toe in the water. Thank you heaps for reading and the suggestion, hope you enjoyed! :)

black mamba: I'm so happy you're enjoying it! Thank you so much for reading. :)

OITNBReader: Thank YOU for reading! Glad you enjoyed.

izzielg: xD it's no problem, but thanks for the review! Thanks heaps for reading and enjoying.

ThePlatinumLlama: What a great username. Also, I'm glad I gave you a first impression of the Vauseman ship :) Enjoy your stay!

Librarybook: Yeah, I get what you mean by the 'what if' scenes in Vauseman. I just had to address it and put my spin to it xD Thank you for reading!

Golive: That's what I was aiming for. I figured that the other characters need more background as well, and since they connect to Alex and Piper, they deserve it. However, I, on the other hand, can't wait for the Paris scene. I hope to break hearts and turn on water pumps. Thanks for reading!

ManveerLovesVauseman: Alex and Piper's relationship will be dictated by the writers of the show. (I just hope they don't suddenly throw in a flashback that will just flip this story on its head xD) Thanks for reading!