They made an appointment at the same fertility clinic they used for Jack. The sperm donor they had chosen for their son still had samples available and they opted to use his again, as well as their own, so Jack would have a sibling as genetically close to him as possible.
They both gave samples again, knowing from experience now that just because their child would have two mothers didn't mean it just had to have the DNA from one. Piper would be carrying the new baby like she carried Jack and she said a silent prayer during IVF that it would turn out as perfect as he did.
"I hope this one's as mellow as Jack," Alex said while nervously spinning her wedding band around her finger.
Piper stroked her stomach, "I'm still hoping for a little dark haired baby."
"You gonna be disappointed if it's all you again?"
"How many times do I have to tell you, he's more like you than you think. Just because he looks like me doesn't mean he doesn't have you in him."
Alex nodded her head, unwilling to speak again and start an argument.
"We can have the doctors run his DNA if that would make you feel better. He's a mix of both of us."
Alex chuckled, "I'm not gonna prick my baby's finger so they can take a blood sample."
"Don't you believe me?"
"I don't know. He could pick up arching his eyebrow from watching me."
The doctor walked back in, telling them to return in a month to run additional tests and see if the sample had taken.
"Do you have any questions?"
"I do," Piper said.
Alex looked at her, confused. She thought everything had gone simply today and Piper hadn't mentioned anything before.
"Yes?"
"We both gave samples this time and with our son. I just wanted to clarify if this child and our son will both be a genetic combination of my wife and I?"
"The embryos each contain genetic material from one man and two women. These elements are then combined to create a healthy new fertilized egg. Children born using this method would in every respect get all their genetic information from their father and mothers."
"Ha!" Piper sat back smugly.
"Was there some doubt with your son?"
"He looks like her," Alex murmured, now feeling embarrassed for ever questioning Jack's lineage.
"It might be a dominant trait between your wife and the donor that he picked up. It's basically chance. I can assure you that his genetic makeup is a mix of you both however. His personality is as well, to some extent, but that is mostly determined by environment."
"Okay, that's all I wanted to know."
Piper smiled and the doctor shook their hands as he got up to leave. Before he shut the door he turned back to give them a few reminders about prenatal vitamins, setting up their next appointment, avoiding stress, and that twins was always a possibility when using IVF.
x
They had lunch and headed back to work where Polly had kept Jack.
"Mama!" he yelled when they walked in.
Alex scooped him up over the baby gate and hugged him close.
"I missed you," she whispered to him.
"I miss you too, mama."
She kissed his cheek and put him down.
"Go give mommy some love too," she said and patted his butt as he ran to Piper, hugging her leg.
"You weren't even gone that long! Imagine what it's gonna be like when you leave him alone for the night. Or when he goes to preschool," Polly had a smile on her face while she shook her head in mock disgust at them.
"I'm never leaving him alone for the night," Piper said and pulled him on her lap once she sat in her chair behind her desk.
"So how'd it go?"
"You should have seen her face when the doctor reminded us about the possibility of twins," Piper cackled. "Whiter than usual."
"I'm a porcelain goddess," Alex replied, sitting in the chair across from Piper.
x
Alex headed home to make dinner, waiting for Piper and Jack to come back from the store after work. The bell rang, pulling her away from the cutting board.
"Did you forget your key, Pipes?"
She pulled open the door without checking the peep hole, expecting her wife and son.
"Hello, Alex."
Her mouth dropped, "Fahri?"
He smiled, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"
She moved aside, letting him walk by, too shocked to speak or think. She watched her former employer walk in and sit on her couch. She closed the door and sat across from him, shifting her glasses, clearly uncomfortable.
"What are you... How?"
"You think it was so hard to find you?"
"No," she mumbled.
She hadn't been threatened again or followed after her second release. She thought Kubra had found a bigger fish to fry and lost interest in her. The fear had slowly dissipated and she wasn't scared to stay in New York, settle down, marry Piper, or have a baby... Babies. She cringed.
"If I had any interest in revenge I would have done it by now. Why do you think you're still alive?"
"I'm not sure."
"You were my favorite. I told Kubra to spare you. He had bigger problems and I gave him enough money to forget about you. Money, and mishandled evidence that got him off."
"It was you?"
"Are you surprised?"
"I guess not."
"I want you to come back. We have more runs to do and no one has ever touched your talent, not even me. I'm offering 40% you were only getting 10% before, think how much money that would be."
Alex's eyes closed at the prospect. She could almost feel the money in her hands, the smell of crisp bills.
Her eyes shot open, "I can't. I have a family now."
"That blonde always had a hold on you I never understood."
"It's not just her anymore."
"Ah, yes," he nodded knowingly, his fingers grazed a picture on the end table of the three of them, "the boy. And you're trying for another one, congratulations."
Alex's jaw stiffened, "They aren't in any danger, are they?"
"Not at the moment."
Her body went rigid, "Is that a threat?"
"It's not a guarantee. I can't promise you safety if you're not working for me."
"I can't come back to the cartel."
"Very well," he stood up. "Well good luck, Alex. I can't promise you safety, but I don't think anyone is looking for you. Let me know if you change your mind."
She nodded her head and walked with him to the door, "Thank you... For covering for me with Kubra."
"You made me a fortune and I got you into this business. I'll always want you to come back to it. It wouldn't make sense to have you dead."
She opened the door for him as Piper walked up to it. She stood stuck in her place as he walked around her.
"Miss Chapman."
Her temper beat her shock.
"It's Vause now," she spat out.
"Right. Nice seeing you again Mrs. Vause. Remember what I said, Alex."
"Who's'at, mommy?"
"No one," Alex said quickly, dragging them in and locking the door behind them.
"You want to tell me what the fuck that was about?"
Alex held her hand up to silence Piper and bent down to be eye-level with Jack, "Why don't you go play in your room, babe?"
He looked at his mothers unsure, his face looked worried. He was too little to know what was going on but their tones made him nervous.
Alex nodded with a thin, forced smile, "It's okay, buddy."
They waited for him to go in his room before Piper spoke again, "Well? What the fuck, Alex?"
"It's not like I fucking called and invited him over!"
"Then what the fuck was he doing here? Why the fuck was he in our house?"
"He asked me to go back to the cartel."
"Are you fucking serious?"
"Yeah."
"I swear to Christ, Alex..." She was rubbing her temples, her mind was running a mile a minute with worst case scenarios. "What did you tell him?"
"Are you fucking serious? What the fuck do you think I told him?!"
"I don't know!"
"Wow. Fuck you, Piper."
She walked away, headed for their bedroom.
"Where the fuck are you going?"
There was no reply.
"Alex!"
She walked back towards the door, her keys in her hand.
"I can't be around you right now."
Piper grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"Let go of me," Alex barked at her, pulling out of her grasp. "I'm not gonna fight with you while our kid is in the other room and can hear us yelling."
"Then don't yell!"
Alex huffed and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
x
She was sitting at the bar in Nicky's restaurant nursing a whiskey when her phone beeped. She sighed when she saw it was a text from Piper.
"Want to talk about it?"
"No," she snapped at Nicky before unlocking her phone.
He won't go to sleep. He's crying for you.
She sighed again. He's just a kid, he shouldn't have to suffer because you two can't get your shit together, she thought.
She quickly downed the rest of her drink and stood up.
"Need a cab?"
"No. And don't you dare text Piper about me. She's fucking pissing me off and I don't want to talk to her."
"Want a cigarette?"
"Yeah. Come outside with me."
They stood outside smoking until a cab pulled alongside the curb. Alex dropped her cigarette and stomped it out with the toe of her shoe.
x
She opened the door quietly, not wanting to wake Jack if he had finally gone to bed. She walked to his room and noticed the door was open and the light was on, no baby in the crib.
"Fuck."
"He's in our room."
She whipped around, not hearing Piper walk up behind her.
"Asleep?"
Piper nodded her head.
"I'm gonna take a shower."
"Good, you smell like smoke and booze."
"I didn't come back so you could bitch at me, Piper."
"I wonder why you came back at all if you're gonna act like this."
"ME?! You've got a lot of fucking nerve."
"Maybe you should go back out."
"That's it. I'm not doing this."
She pushed past Piper and headed for the front door.
"Where are you going now?"
"What do you care?"
"I care because you're my wife, asshole. Even if you're pissing me off."
"You don't have any right to be pissed off! You're the one that fucked up, Piper."
She groaned and tried to pull Alex back inside again.
"No! I told you I'm not doing this!"
"Doing what? Fighting with me or explaining yourself?"
"Jesus Christ."
"Are you going back to the cartel? Just tell me if you're leaving this family for drugs."
Piper regretted saying it as soon as the words came out.
"I'm not the one who leaves, Piper."
Piper still felt guilty but Alex's words held her anger, "Well it looks like you're fucking leaving right now!"
"Shut the fuck up before you wake the baby!"
As if on cue they heard Jack's cries. Piper walked away to get him and heard the door slam behind her. She turned back, yanking it open.
"Alex!"
She was waiting for the elevator, biting her fingernail and tapping her foot impatiently.
"Piper, no. Go back inside before one of us says or does something we'll regret."
"Don't leave me."
Alex was too angry to bite her tongue, "I never leave you. Ever. Not through any of the bullshit you've pulled over the years or how badly you hurt me. I'm not the one who leaves in this relationship, you're that asshole."
Piper was fuming and before she realized what she was doing she had slapped Alex across the face.
Alex clenched her jaw and looked coldly into Piper's eyes.
"You hit like a fucking girl."
They were glaring at each other until the elevator dinged. Alex stepped in and closed the doors before she allowed a tear to fall.