Chapter 8

"…and Pete had the cheek to then tell me how to be a better parent. He is not really Father of the year considering he is never around. Honestly Pipes I think Larry sees more of Finn then his own Father!"

Polly had been ranting about her lazy ass husband Pete now for the past hour but Piper had paid hardly any attention, her mind was more pleasantly engaged with thoughts of Alex Vause. Since that amazing pyjama day two days previously (majority of which no clothes had been worn) Piper had only been back to her and Larry's apartment to collect some more suitable work clothes then Alex's sweat pants and the little black dress she had gone out in a few nights ago.

"That's a nice top you have on today Pipes, is it new?"

Awoken from her dream world by Polly's direct address Piper looked down and studied what she was wearing. In her haste this morning she had clearly put on one of Alex's rather than her own, clearly a perk of having a girlfriend but a draw back while trying to conduct an affair! With a small shrug Piper tried to dismiss the comment.

"This old thing, had it a while now."

Piper shot Polly a smile but she could tell in her best friend's eyes she was not convinced with the answer but with a small nod Polly accepted the explanation and slowly walked over to the front of the shop, peering out of the window. It was a murky day; it had been raining sporadically meaning the normal weekday footfall in the shop had dropt from a handful to a big fat zero.

It was approaching midday and still no one had entered their little shop, as a result every surface and shelf had been polished, every basket of soaps and bath bombs had been rearranged again and again. All Piper could think about was Alex, the feel of her caress on her body, the sensation of Alex trailing kisses along her jaw line and down her neck, but most importantly she could still taste Alex on her tongue.

"When does Larry come back Pipes?"

The question caught Piper off guard in her Alex filled world. She had conveniently forgotten that Larry would come back from his great aunts funeral and she would have to go back to playing happy families until she could stand it no more and the all-consuming guilt will force her to tell him the truth.

"Erm in two days I think."

"Bet you can't wait to see him."

"Uh-huh." Piper could not bring herself to say anything else; she did not trust her tongue not to slip or the closing up of her windpipe to alter her voice.

However her ambiguous answers did not seem to be escaping Polly who spun around and looked at her friend with narrow eyes. Ever since they met at school Piper always felt that when Polly did that look she could see through all the bullshit leaving Piper feeling very exposed when she was attempting to lie.

Needing to get away from Polly's x-ray glare Piper fabricated some excuse to go into the back room, quickly slamming the door behind her. Piper leaned her head backwards against the hard wood trying to work out what to do. She knew that having an affair with Alex was not going to be easy but the absence of Larry had made it so attainable that as the day drew closer of his return Piper knew feared what she would have to face.

Piper did not know how long she had stood in the backroom but the sound of the shop bell ringing pulled her from her panicking state. Then she heard it, that low raspy voice, that laughter, the shout of her name from Polly, Alex was all she needed.

There stood Alex in a navy blue blazer and a knee length skirt, the top few buttons of her white blouse were temptingly undone and in her hands she was carefully balancing a box of doughnuts and cardboard tray of take away cups.

"I thought I would bring the two hard workers a treat."

Alex placed down the box of doughnuts onto the till counter before giving the first drink to Polly with a smile that would have made Piper weak at the knees had it been directed at her.

"I didn't know what you have so I just went for a latte, hope that's okay?"

Polly seemed bemused as she looked down from Alex to the cup that had 'Holly' scrawled upon it in thick black pen. Piper shot Alex a nervous glance but the raven haired woman had a response ready before Polly could even make a snarky comment that Piper knew was about to spill out of her mouth.

"Sorry about the whole name thing Polly, the Barista must have missed heard me."

Alex's explanation pacified Polly and as she went to pick a doughnut from the vast collection Alex had provided Alex shot Piper a look that indicated it was not the Barista that got the name wrong! In an attempt to keep a straight face and stifle the laughter Piper moved the conversation on.

"How did your meeting go Al?"

Alex had come home from work late last night after being told she had to go to a meeting with the chief editor of The New York Times the next morning. Piper had watched the self confident woman suddenly become very insular and there had been only one thing Piper had discovered could pull Alex from her depression and for Piper to gain her Alex back.

"Very well, they are giving me extra column length for my reviews, apparently they are becoming popular."

Piper felt like she was going to burst with pride. She wanted to kiss Alex and hold her tight and tell her how proud of her she was, but instead she had to be satisfied with a lingering touch as Alex finally handed Piper her drink.

"So the girls and I are going out tonight to that new club to celebrate. You are of course welcome."

"Yes!" The words had escaped from Piper so quickly that Alex barely had time to finish her question leaving both the women in front of her looked slightly taken aback by the outburst and force of Pipers response. Alex was grinning from ear to ear but Polly was giving her that sideways 'somethings fishy' look that she did so well. Sensing the change in atmosphere and the facts that she may have just given the game away Piper quickly tried to deflect the focus away from her.

"Polly has to come too!"

Piper turned to her best friend, trying to give her a convincing pleading look while secretly hoping she says no!

"Unfortunately Pipes some of us have responsibilities. You have fun though." Polly's tone was rather sharp and offered a small, fake smile to both Piper and Alex before making her excuses and heading to the back room leaving Alex and Piper alone.

As soon as the the door closed Piper quickly placed her drink down on the counter and gave into her desires and wrapped her arms tight around Alex. Just breathing in Alex's sweet scent sent Pipers head spinning and her whole body reacted to the memories of the day before.

"Do all your customers get this treatment?" Alex teased.

"Just the ones that bring me doughnuts." Piper quipped back.

Alex's soft laugh vibrated through her body as their eyes remained locked upon each other.

"God I want to kiss you." Alex mumbled.

"Do it." Pipers voice was barley a whisper.

Alex looked nervously at the door to the stockroom before leaning in to kiss Piper. It was a short kiss, but the passion immense and Piper felt there was something different about kissing Alex compared to Larry. Maybe it was because Alex's lips were soft and her touch was so gentle but there was also a spark, a connection that made everything feel right.

As soon as the kiss had ended Piper wanted Alex again and not just a quick kiss, Piper wanted all of Alex. She wanted to be curled up on the sofa at Alex's apartment with a black and white movie on in the background that they were paying no attention too. Piper wanted to be in her new happy place and not stuck in this shop! And as Piper looked into Alex's eyes she could tell that Alex was thinking exactly the same thing.

"When do you finish work?" Alex's voice was low and she was still intimately close to Piper.

"I will be free around six."

Alex groaned and Piper knew how she was feeling, thinking that she would have to wait over six hours to be back in Alex's embrace seemed too much to bare. Closing the short distance between them Piper kissed Alex once more, taking it slowly, savoring the taste and the feel of Alex's tongue gently sliding past her own.

Piper was sure they could have stayed like this for hours but the world was still going on around them and from behind the closed door of the stockroom there was a loud bang and cry from Polly.

"I think that's my cue to go." Alex mumbled as she stepped away from Piper.

Piper did not have chance to plead with Alex to stay before the stockroom door flew open and out came Polly. Piper knew this was the end of her fun and she could do nothing but thank Alex again for the drinks and doughnuts and watch longingly as the only person in this world that mattered to her left the shop. As Alex walked past the front window she gave Piper a small smile that made her heart flutter. In fact Piper was so hypnotised by the smile and how Alex's hair bounced as she walked that she failed to notice Polly standing in front of her with searching eyes.

"What's going on with her?"

Piper breathed in sharply through her nose as she tried to calm herself before attempting to answer Polly's question, this was the first time in their friendship that Piper was scared to tell Polly the truth.

"We are just good friends Pol." Piper tried to explain, after all it was not a lie, but she could tell that Polly was not buying it.

"You have not looked at anyone like that since Johnny Humphries gave you those flowers in fifth grade. You told me you were just friends then and then I found you two kissing behind the bleechers!"

Piper had a sudden flashback to high school, Johnny standing in front of her smelling of sweat after gym class, his dirty hands going under her t-shirt grabbing hopefully at her breasts. The kiss was clumsy and wet with Johnny shoving his tongue into her mouth with little grace. At the time Piper had not enjoyed it, but it was a rite of passage and she had had far better experience since…like Alex.

"You're smiling again!" Her day dream was interrupted by Polly once more. "So, cut the crap Chapman! Are you cheating on Larry with that woman."

Piper was surprised by Polly's lack of caring about the gender but then that was Polly and that was why Piper loved her. However that didn't detract from the fact she had just been asked a question she could no longer bring herself to answer. Admitting it to Polly would be admitting it to the world but her best friend knew her enough that the dropping of her gaze and lack of response confirmed it more than any words could.

With a small nod of her head Polly understood, offering Piper a smile of comfort.

"So who is she then? She came in here the other day didn't she? What did you say her name was again, Alex?"

The string of questions was almost like when they were teenagers talking about their crushes late into the night. This, just like everything with Alex felt normal and Piper could feel a smile creep across her face.

"Alex is the one who reviewed Larry's book."

This was clearly not the response that Polly had been expecting as she was stunned into silence and Piper could tell she was trying to comprehend the information. Piper knew this would be the test of Polly's loyalty to either herself or Larry.

"Oh shit Pipes, that's fucked up!" Polly laughed and that helped Piper relax, feeling vindicated that she had done the right thing and told Polly. "Shouldn't it be a golden rule 'Thou shall not sleep with thou fiancés bad reviewer'."

Piper gave a small nervous laugh at Polly's joke but as she looked down at the box of doughnuts that Alex had brought in, Larry had never done anything like this.

"Have you slept with her?" Polly's question was laced with curiosity and Piper nodded her head not trying to fight the truth anymore.

"I came seven times last night."

"Well, that's just excessive."

Polly didn't know how to take this information but despite her initial reaction a smile spread across Polly's face and before long the two best friends were in fits of giggles. As the two of them attempted to calm down a silence then fell upon them as the rain continued to hammer up against the window of their shop. That was when Polly asked the question Piper had been dreading.

"Have you told Larry?"

"No."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Yes, but it's not going to be fun."

Polly gave Piper a look that only a best friend could, the look of 'No Shit Sherlock'. It seemed like the lighthearted moment was over as Polly kept the hard hitting questions coming.

"Have you thought about how you are going to tell Larry?"

"No."

Piper lied. She had, in fact it was all she had thought about on the bus ride to work. In some scenario's he is fine, thankful to her for being honest. Others he is happy it's not another man but a woman she has left him for. But her subconscious kept feeding her the negative ones, Larry shouting at her for being a selfish bitch, others he is sobbing uncontrollably in their apartment but the reaction Piper feared the most was the one with no emotion. That reaction would mean that everything they had shared over their years together truly had come to nothing and she knew it was selfish considering the circumstances to fear that.

Polly clearly noted the change in mood and hastily tried to move the conversation on while still getting more information about the mysterious Alex.

"Look Pipes, I don't care about who she is or what she does, all I care about is if she makes you happy."

"Yes, so much. I feel like…like…it was all inevitable."

Polly laughed at this statement and Piper could feel her temper flicker at her friend's reaction to her honest statement.

"You make love sound like a fairy-tale Piper! Trust me, once the honeymoon period is over and the sex has stopped and it is just the two of you eating a Chinese take-away in your pyjamas while watching trash TV that is when you know the strength of your relationship."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Piper – Polly just found out about us. x

Alex – Fuck, are you okay? x

Alex – It was the doughnuts wasn't it! X

Piper – More the linger hand touches and goofy smiles than deep fried dough. X

Alex – True, your smile is very goofy! X

Piper – Fuck You!

Alex – Please do! X

At this mere suggestion over text Pipers whole body responded with it pinning after Alex's expert touch. Her body physically ached for Alex, from the very pit of her stomach the butterflies started to flutter as her phone vibrated once more with another message but as the name flashed up the butterflies vanished as fast as they had appeared.

Larry – Hey Pipes. I hope you are feeling better today. I can't wait to get home and see you tomorrow. Spending this long with my parents is hell! Love you xxxx

Larry was coming home early! Piper hovered over the reply button, guilt niggling away at her resolve when another message popped up.

Alex – Let me know when you finish work, I will come and meet you. X

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The message from Larry had been long forgotten once Piper finished had her break and she was back in the shop front chatting to Polly about love and life which made her spirits soar! Piper found herself talking about Alex a lot, the shop was her safe space where her two worlds could collide and Polly didn't seem to mind hearing it but she would constantly interject that Larry needed to be told.

Six pm approached and as they closed the shop for the night they were just heading into the back when there was a knock at the window. Piper knew who it was instinctively and she spun around to see Alex standing in the rain waving at them both with a wide smile.

"Go on Pipes, I will finish up here."

Piper could not stop herself from repeating "Thank you." Over and over to Polly with the occasional "I owe you one" thrown in for good measure as she collected her belongings before running out of the shop and into the arms of Alex. They embraced tightly, breathing in each other's scent, holding onto each other longer then 'just friends' would. They most likely would have continued to stand there in the rain hugging had it not been for a bang on the window from Polly.

With a laugh they let go of one another and began to walk down the streets of New York that was when Piper felt Alex reach for her hand, taking it in her own.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The apartment was slowly filling up with people Piper didn't know. Some were well dressed women in pencil skirts and blouses while others wore ripped jeans and t-shirts.

"I haven't seen you before blondie, how do you know Vause?" A woman with short hair and a tattoo up her arm spelling BUTCH had approached her, eyeing Piper up as if she was a piece of meat.

"We met through friends." Piper response was tentative, not knowing how much she could say, but this woman, Big Boo she called herself, didn't seem too interested with her answer and with one last check over she silently moved off to join another group that suddenly burst into fits of laughter.

Piper felt vulnerable and alone, which was a strange sensation considering how many people were crammed into Alex's modest sized apartment. That was when she found herself holding her smartphone in her hand, reading Larry's message from earlier.

Piper – Feeling much better thanks, I was back at work today so don't worry about racing home. Don't kill your Mother, she means well. Give my love to everyone. X

Piper had just hit send when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist from behind and a low voice whispered in her ear. "You look stunning; I could just eat you for breakfast."

The smell of Alex's musty perfume and the warmth of her breath had Piper weak at the knees.

"Do we have to wait for breakfast?" She teased; enjoying hearing and feeling the soft chuckle from Alex.

"With all these people here?"

"Well I don't know any of them."

This statement came out in a passive aggressive manner and Piper felt Alex's body tense in response. She had expected a quick witted retort from Alex but she seemed to take the comment on board.

"Fair point I have been a bad hostess. Those over there-" Alex signaled to the women in the power suits "-are work friends. While those-" This time she pointed to the gaggle of casually dressed women. "-they, well they are from my past life."

Piper knew what she meant by that, past life meant prison and it was a part of her life Piper knew little about. There were a few things that worried Piper about this new relationship, telling Larry and telling her mother! Telling her Mother she was with a woman would be hard enough but to add that her new girlfriend was a convicted drug trafficker would be begging for her mother to explode into one of her infamous bigoted rants. All of which was something she wanted to protect herself and Alex from facing. They continued to stand together in the kitchen, Alex's arms tightly wrapped around Piper as the rest of the party went on around them and with every person that walked past Piper could see them looking causing her paranoia to slowly increase, Piper needed to find out where she stood.

"So what are we?"

"I guess I am your mistress." Alex laughed in an attempt to keep the mood light but she could tell Piper was being serious, loosening her hold on Piper the blonde turned to look upon Alex as she continued to speak. "While Larry is still living in ignorant bliss we are, sadly, nothing." Alex brushed a strand of hair from Pipers face. "Where did this come from anyway?"

Piper gave a sideways glance at the gaggle of people where Big Boo was situated which caused Alex to raise an eyebrow. However she never got to respond as the door to her apartment was kicked open and they were greeted to the unmistakable sound of Nicky.

Quickly Alex stole a kiss from Piper before heading towards Nicky leaving Piper alone in the kitchen. Before she knew what she was doing Piper had her phone in her hand and was reading Larry's response.

Larry – As long as you are okay Pipes, you had me worried. I want to come back tomorrow, I miss you. xxxx

"You shouldn't have your phone out at parties, it's rude."

Pipers phone was snatched out of her hands by Nicky.

"Chapman I want you to meet Lorna." Nicky slapped the ass of the short brunet who was standing next to her.

"Hi Lorna, you must be Nicky's girl-" but before Piper could finish her sentence Nicky interrupted.

"No, No, No we are just friends" Nicky shot Piper a wide smile. "You know, like you and Vause were before bumping uglies the other night."

"She told you?" Piper was shocked but any possible outrage was lost when Nicky started to laugh, hard.

"No! I just said that as a guess but fuck me you move fast!"

Piper felt her cheeks go red hot and she was thankful that Alex was over at the other side of the room talking to some work colleagues. Nicky was seemingly still oblivious to everything continued on like a bull in a china chop!

"So you and lover boy Larry finally broke up then?"

"Who's Larry?" Lorna's interest was peaked as her eyes were desperately trying to read Pipers expression, but once again someone answered before she could. "He is her fiancé."

Alex's voice was emotionless and Piper felt a jolt of consciousness run through her but she could not work out if the guilt was due to cheating on Larry or the apparent hurt that this declaration seemed to be causing Alex. Reaching out Piper instinctively touched Alex's arm, already feeling calmer and comforted when Alex gently placed her hand over the top. At this simple action both Nicky and Lorna gave each other a look that Piper didn't understand.

"Just be careful Chapman." Nicky's voice went very serious which Piper had never witnessed before. "New York is a small place and gossip spreads faster than a hookers legs when presented with a hundred dollar bill. How do you know that someone in this room isn't a friend of a friend who saw your picture on Facebook."

Piper's stomach sank! How could she have been so stupid? Consumed by her want and desire for Alex she had overlooked the obvious. They had kissed in a glass fronted shop, hugged in a public street and now in a room of people she didn't know she was publicly staking her claim on Alex. She thought about those who could have seen, casting a quick glance over the other people (predominantly women) in the room and wondered if what Nicky said could be true, did someone here know Larry?

"She is nervous now." Nicky teased, watching Piper with a look of satisfaction.

"Fuck off Nicky." Alex exclaimed as she looked at Piper with a pinch of concern on her forehead.

"As you wish Stretch." Nicky draped an arm around Lorna's shoulders and guided her off towards the group of Alex's prison friends.

"Ignore her Pipes, she gets a weird kick out of that sort of shit."

"But she is right Al."

Alex gave a huff of disagreement which agitated Piper. Why was she not appreciating how big of a deal this was? The more Piper thought about it she swore Larry's second cousin on his Mum's side worked for The New York Times, what if she was here!

"You should have checked if people knew Larry before letting them enter." Piper's voice had dropped to a harsh whisper and her mood was not helped by Alex's sarcastic reaction.

"Of course Pipes. I will hire a bouncer to stand on the doorstep with a picture of Larry barring entry if people recognise his pale Jewish ass as I am fucking his future wife!"

"You don't seem to understand what I could lose."

"Oh sorry, I believed you had more to gain then lose! Fuck sake Piper, stop being a self centered horse's ass."

"I am being a horse's ass?"

They both became very aware that their volume had been increasing while the room around them had been getting quieter as they listened in on the discussion between their host and her girlfriend.

"I am going to the bathroom!"

Piper barged past Alex in an attempt to get away from her and the gaze of the other party guests.

Once behind the safety of the locked bathroom door Piper was able to let out a long shaky breath. She stood by the sink, her hands placed on its rim and her gaze fixed on her own reflection from the mirror in the medicine cabinet. She watched her tense face slowly relax as her breathing rate calmed down. It was this unknown that worried her, Larry always said she had a temper, but he was the Yin to her Yang. While her and Alex were too similar resulting in a heated confrontation and Piper embarrassing herself in front of a room of strangers.

She was silently cursing her hot temper when there was a soft knock on the door. Her heart knew who it was, she didn't have Spidey Senses, she had Alex Vause sense. With a brief moment of hesitation Piper slowly opened the bathroom door to be greeted by a pair of glistening green eyes.

"Can I come in?"

Alex's voice was tentative, almost as if she was worried about the response she was going to be met with. But she had no verbal responses; Piper did not trust herself to speak just yet so instead she pulled the door open, stepping to one side to give Alex room to enter.

Alex gently closed the bathroom door and the two of them stood awkwardly in front of one another. Neither one wanted to make the first move, neither wanted to admit they had been in the wrong or had over reacted. But since she had made the effort to seek Piper out Alex decided she had best go first.

"I don't want you to lose anything Pipes; I don't want anything to hurt you."

Alex Vause stood before her in black leather trousers, a figure hugging white top and Doc Martin boots. She looked as if nobody would be able to mess with her but in the privacy of the bathroom, away from those the tough persona was meant for, Alex looked like a hurt puppy. Piper didn't like seeing Alex this vulnerable and knowing she was the reason behind it. As fast as her temper had reared it's ugly head it was matching it with the cool down. An apology and a sad looking Alex was clearly all it took, on this day at least.

"Alex." Piper quickly closed the space between them and kissed Alex softly. As the kiss ended Piper kept her left hand on Alex's face while the other was on her hip.

"Al, the only thing right now I don't want to lose is you."

"What about Larry?"

"Why would I go for a Skoda when I can have a Lamborghini?"

Alex gave a deep chuckle as she pulled Piper closer to her by the hips.

"It's never going to be easy with me, I don't do relationships." Alex stated honestly

"We are in a relationship?" Piper teased.

"If you will have me?"

"I will need to lose some baggage."

"What will you tell him?"

Piper shrugged, but Alex seemed to have a prepared answer.

"Tell him how I give you something that you never even knew you missed." Alex started to leave a trail of kisses down Pipers neck as she continued to talk. "Maybe explain to him how different it is when we kiss."

Piper felt like putty in Alec's hands and as much as Piper enjoyed Alex's touch and kisses she knew she could not let it distract her from the topic at hand.

"I think I am going to have to be a bit more tactful then that Al."

Standing straight Alex's face grew serious and Piper knew that this time she needed to pay attention.

"Tell him the truth, that you just met somebody new and you don't love him anymore."

With a deep breath Piper nodded her head in agreement before making the selfish decision that this would be future Pipers problem because right now she wanted to live in the moment and enjoy every moment with Alex.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Piper was dancing on the floor with Alex; at the mere touch of her hand she went crazy. It was like the music was telling her what to do; she could feel it pumping through her veins.

They were dancing so close together that even in the freeze frame of the strobe light Piper could see the sparkle in Alex's green eyes and the sweat dripping down from her brow as the crowd around them pushed them together once more. Piper felt Alex's hands rest themselves on her hips as they moved in time to the aching thud of the music. Piper didn't want Alex to let go.

Then the DJ asked for them all to put their hands up in the air and everyone on the crowded dance floor obliged as lasers and lights started to cut through the darkness around them. With the buzz from the whisky and weed that Nicky had made them smoke the evening was turning into one of the best nights in Pipers life!

Despite the sheer volume of people around them it felt like it was just them on the dance floor, they had lost Nicky and Lorna in the sea of bodies but neither of them cared. All that mattered was each other and the moment! The beat of the music started to pulsate through her veins and reaching out Piper took hold of Alex's hand and placed it over her heart so that she could feel it beating. Piper could see that Alex was trying to say something to her but she could not hear her over her music. Obviously it was clear on her face she could not hear as Alex moved closer, placing her head by her ear. Piper could feel Alex press herself up against her, the warmth from her body and the smell of alcohol on her breath and the alluring mixture of smoke and hot leather drove her senses wild.

"I know other ways I can get your heart beating"

Piper could almost hear her smile as she spoke. Alex was like that itch that you tried not to scratch, the more you reframed the more it took over becoming the only thing she could think about. The pain of longing grew stronger and stronger and before Alex could say anything else Pipers lips had met Alex's and they swayed in time with the music. Their hands travelled over each other's bodies, before finding their final resting point on either a bum or hips.

"Get a fucking room!"

The sound of Nicky's voice overrode the beating music around them causing the two to break apart. There stood the wild haired woman who had her arm lazily draped around the shoulders of Lorna who was snuggling up to Nicky like a child would to its favourite soft toy.

"What happened to no more displays of personal affection?"

"Fuck that, no one can fucking see us in this place anyway!" A drunk Alex responded by grabbing Piper once more and kissing her roughly on the lips.

Nicky pretended to throw up before being pulled away by Lorna who was exclaiming that she loved the new song that had just started to play. However Alex and Piper no longer cared for the music or the people around them, they only wanted each other.

"Follow me." Alex took hold of Pipers hand and led her off the crowded dance floor and towards the toilets. As soon as they went through the doors the bright lights of the bathroom momentarily blinded them and the walls surrounding them muffled the music down to the basic base meaning that for the first time all night they did not have the shout to one another.

Taking advantage of the lack of people around her Piper quickly checked her phone and was surprised to see a message from an unknown number.

Unknown – I am watching you kiss her!

Even in her intoxicated state Piper knew this was not good and she held the phone up in the direction of Alex for her to read the screen. Alex moved in closer, rearranging the glasses on her face acting as if that would help make the world a bit more in focus. Once she finally read the few words her happy expression faded into a look of concern.

"What the fuck do we do Alex?"

Alex stepped closer to Piper and took the phone out of her hand and looked her directly in the eyes.

"We just get out of here, go back to my place and recreate some of the scenes from last night."

"Hold on a second, Larry is due back tomorrow, I best give him warning if I am not home."

Piper didn't see the eye roll from Alex as she was focusing hard on trying to write a semi coherent message and a lie that would hold water. Piper knew after their talk this morning she could trust Polly and would brief her at work tomorrow on the story that would be needed for the cover of yet another night spent in the arms of Alex Vause.

Piper – Hiya, I am going to stay at Polly's tonight and then head straight to work. I will see you later tomorrow when you return. X

"Come on Pipes let's get home!"

Piper didn't need to be asked twice; she leaned forward and kissed Alex before taking a hold of her hand once more and the two of them disappeared into the night!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The text messages had been going on for days since he left to go to his great aunt's funeral.

Jason – Yo Lar, I swear I just saw your Piper out at a night club getting touchy with someone

Scott – I didn't know Piper has other friends outside you and Polly!

Julie – Larry, I just walked past POPI's and I swear I saw Piper kissing someone. Does she had family in town?

There had been more calls and texts off people giving different accounts of Piper being out and about in different places but the one constant had been the description of the woman she had been with, tall, dark hair and wearing thick rimmed glasses. He knew it was the bitch reviewer Alex Vause, he knew that Piper had stayed in touch with her and that seemed to just be the start of her betrayal.

Every time she had spoken to him she had been at home or at work and there was the mysterious illness that seemed to come and go over night. Larry knew he needed to get home and find out for himself what was happening.

He stood in their empty apartment that looked exactly how he had left it days before, down to the half drunken beer on the coffee table. Clearly Piper had not stayed here and that was when he spotted the engagement ring he had given Piper sitting on the coffee table. Larry's world was collapsing around him and like a moth drawn to a flame he needed to find out more!

Larry – Polly, where is Piper?!

Polly – I don't know, she left the shop with me tonight and headed home as far as I know.

Larry – Well she is not here now! Is Pete there?

Polly – No he is out at a Bachelor party, I am home alone with Finn.

However he didn't have to wait long for an answer or at least it didn't feel like it as his cell buzzed with a new message from Pete.

Pete - Just saw Pip at new clb cum c this m8

So Larry now sat in the corner of a busy night club, holding a warm bottle of beer. His gaze was fixed solely on a couple of women that were dancing provocatively together, their eyes glued to each other. Even Larry could not deny the heat and chemistry between the two and then they kissed. He could feel the rage build up within him as he watched their arms envelop each other, her hands traveled over his Fiancée's body, touching places that were off limits to anyone but him!

He then watched as Alex lead Piper off the dance floor and towards the bathroom. With adrenaline pumping through his veins Larry got up to follow them to the bathroom when he had a reality check on what he was about to do and realised that he needed a new plan.

"Excuse me – hey-erm- sorry can I borrow your phone?"

The drunk girl didn't seem to care, and handed him over her smartphone that was in a garish glittery pink case without hesitation. He quickly typed out his message.

Unknown – I am watching you kiss her!

Handing back her phone Larry slammed his untouched beer down on a near by table and walked out of the night club. He knew exactly where he was walking to but the text message he received from Piper only reinforced his decision.

Piper – Hiya, I am going to stay at Polly's tonight and then head straight to work. I will see you later tomorrow when you return. X

Larry did not respond, he shoved the phone deep into his jacket pocket trying to bury it along with the painful emotions he had unearthed tonight.

He soon found himself at the front door to an apartment building that was not his, pressing the buzzer for apartment seven.

"Hello?" The voice was of Polly.

"Polly its Larry, can I come up?."

There was no response but Larry heard the electronic magnet click and he pushed the door open.

A/N: So this update took me a while and for that I will apologise but life has a habit of taking over and getting in the way. But I would like to let you know I have not given up on this story and although updates may take a while I promise you they will come eventually.

Also in my haste to get this uploaded I have not done as many checks as I normally do (I am terrible at spelling and grammar) so some may have slipped the net! Thank you for putting up with me/them if I have!

Anyway I hope this was worth the wait! Thank you to all of those who have favorited and reviewed, it truly means the world to me and keeps me writing!