Alex pulled up in front of Nicky's building, "Take Lorna to the pet store. Get the supplies you need to keep it alive and then let her spend however much money she wants on whatever bullshit she thinks is cute."

She reached in the back seat and lifted the puppy from Jack's lap, handing it to Nicky who grimaced.

"I don't know about this."

"Trust me, it'll work."

Nicky sighed and shook her head, "If it does I owe you."

Alex smirked, "I'll put it on your tab."

Nicky flipped her off and headed inside.

"Where we go now, mama?"

Alex's phone chirped.

From: Pipes

Heads up- he's been stubborn, not wanting to take his afternoon nap all week. Might start to get fussy in the next hour

Alex looked at the clock on the dashboard. He had been fine so far, but their pediatrician had warned them that his naps would decrease in number and length as he got older.

"Want to go to the park?"

She saw his toothy grin in the rear view mirror. His eyes sparkled and his dimples showed. Just like his mom.

She turned in her seat to face him, "Does that sound fun?"

He shook his head wildly, "I go on the swings?"

She smiled back at her boy, "Yeah, Jacky. I'll push you." She reached out and shook his leg by the end of his shoe, "I love you."

She did. She really meant it. Love was such a foreign feeling in her past, something to avoid. It made her weak and vulnerable. The only people she loved left her. Her mother died and Piper went home. But finding Piper in prison again and starting their life over she had learned to gradually let the walls down and embrace family and affection. Nicky might call her a softy and tell her she was losing her touch and Piper might tease her and remind her she wasn't a 25 year old badass anymore, but she was happy. The happiest she'd ever been. And Piper and Jack were the main reasons.

Sometimes she was overcome with just how much she did love them, and it was usually in an ordinary every day occurrence like now, seeing him beaming at her in the car mirror.

"Wuv you too, mama."

x

Piper finished the new product she had been tinkering with and looked at her watch. Jack had been gone with Alex all day and Alex had been busy all week. She missed them. She kicked herself for not being nicer to Alex earlier when she had text the blonde the same thing. I miss you. The three simple words echoed in her head.

She hadn't received a reply back to her message warning Alex about Jack's sleeping pattern so she picked up the phone on her desk and called the book store. When Taystee answered they laughed and talked for a few minutes before she asked if Alex had come back. Taystee confirmed she had and that she was in her office 'messing with a heap of papers.'

Piper didn't want to disturb her, but thought maybe she could repay the favor of taking Jack so work could be concentrated on. She told Polly she would be right back and walked next door, waving at Taystee and Poussey before leaning in Alex's doorway.

She could hear soft music playing and saw Alex typing with her right hand while thumbing through paperwork with her left. She glanced up quickly to look at her computer screen and then started sifting through the documents she was reviewing.

They had agreed to never bring work or laptops home with them. The sight made Piper anxious. There were too many negative memories attached to Alex giving undivided attention to a computer screen. Seeing her now though was calming and she felt Max's kicking lessen.

She must know her mom's nearby.

The thought made Piper smile. Alex must have sensed it too because she stopped herself midway through reaching for more papers to look at the doorway. When she saw Piper she grinned.

"Are you a vampire needing an invitation again?"

Piper smiled, remembering Alex's old joke.

"I was just admiring."

She looked around, surprised Jack wasn't in Alex's lap or by her feet playing with his toys.

"He's over there," Alex answered her unasked question, pointing with a pen to the couch across the office.

Piper walked in so she could get a better look, the door blocking her line of sight. Jack was laying on his side on the couch, books on the floor next to him and Alex's jacket across his body, sleeping soundly.

"Now why doesn't he do that with me?"

Alex smirked but didn't reply, she simply shrugged her shoulders. She wanted to tease Piper and banter with her but she bit back replying with 'because I'm his favorite, of course,' not wanting to unleash anymore of Piper's pregnancy wrath. She didn't know what mood she'd be faced with in the next 3 minutes.

Piper noticed the glint of mischief in Alex's eyes and guessed she swallowed down whatever she wanted to initially say. She walked to Alex's desk and Alex leaned back in her chair. Piper sat on her lap and wrapped her arms around her wife's neck, draping her legs over one of the arms.

Alex raised her eyebrows, "And to what do I owe this sudden affection?"

"I missed you two," Piper replied innocently, twirling a dark lock in her fingers, "and Polly may have mentioned I've been a tad moody lately."

Alex chuckled softly, "You're just pregnant, Pipes."

"I believe her exact words were bitchy, mean, mood swings causing whiplash, aggressive, unstable, crazy..."

Alex quieted her with a soft kiss, cupping her face and stroking her cheek with her thumb, "You're just pregnant. Don't worry about it."

Piper smiled and her heart swelled. She remembered how any whining or whiplash she'd give Alex in the past had sent the brunette into avoidance mode. They had matured over the years and Alex had mellowed, no longer feeling the need to maintain dominance. Piper didn't know if prison had broken her wife or if she had just realized there was more to gain if she dropped the persona she put on for others.

Alex had always gone out of her way to make Piper happy and spoil her, but they had reached a new level of caring since they reunited. Alex wasn't only out for herself anymore. Piper saw it and felt it every day and she felt another pang of guilt for being such a 'gigantic pain in the ass,' as Polly had pointed out earlier while motioning to the new carton of ice cream on Piper's desk.

Alex saw Piper's mind wandering and wanted to bring her back to the present. She stroked her face again, "What does Holly know anyway?"

Piper laughed, "A lot, she's my best friend."

Alex huffed, "Nicky's my best friend, she doesn't know shit."

"Lorna text me something about a puppy?"

"Oh yeah," Alex smiled, "Nicky said she asked her about kids so I told her to get her a dog. We went out earlier to pick one up and then I took your clone to the park to wear him out."

"So smart," Piper said, her lips brushing against Alex's neck as she spoke.

Alex hummed in agreement, "Tell me something I don't know, kid."

x

That night after Jack was asleep, Alex laid in bed reading, back propped up against the headboard. Piper was asleep in her lap, arm tucked around her wife's legs, stretched out in the bed when she suddenly shifted and whined.

"Turn the light off."

Alex ran her fingers through Piper's hair to lull her back to sleep but Piper continued to whine.

"Alex, turn it off."

"Pipes, it's like 9:30."

Piper rolled off Alex and buried her face under a pillow. Alex relented, getting up and turning her nightstand reading light off before she left. She walked to the living room and laid on the couch, continuing with her book.

x

Piper rolled over a few hours later, reaching for Alex in the dark. Her stomach growling had pulled her from her sleep. She opened her eyes when she felt nothing. The light was off and Alex was gone.

"Where the fuck is she?" she muttered to herself, putting on slippers and opening the bedroom door. She saw Alex asleep in the living room, book across her chest.

She looked peaceful and Piper didn't want to wake her. Alex had been working nonstop that week and she knew her wife was exhausted. She couldn't be comfortable laying like that though, so Piper quietly padded over and stroked her arm.

"Al? Go get back in bed."

Alex nodded, her eyes still closed.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty."

"You're the blonde one, I'm Snow White."

Piper chuckled. Even half asleep she's a smart ass.

Alex stretched, cat like, and her eyes slowly opened.

"What time is it?"

"Like 1."

"What are you doing up?"

"I'm hungry," Piper said with a small smile.

"Craving anything? I'll go grab you something."

Before Piper could answer Alex was off the couch, walking to the front door to put on shoes.

Piper watched her wife, adoration in her eyes. She was exhausted and still offering to go out and get something to help with Piper's cravings.

Piper met her at the door and took the second shoe from her, "I'm hungry for something else now."

Confusion was written on Alex's face, "Something here? What do you want, I'll make you whatever."

"No," Piper leaned into her and kissed her deeply, "I'm hungry for you."

She could feel Alex smile into the kiss.