Chapter 7

Monday Afternoon

Piper sat on Polly's deck watching Finn run around the back yard. She smiled slightly to herself and thought "One day, my kids will be out there with him." She wondered what she would look like. Would she have her blonde hair, or the darker hair of the donor? She…Piper was hoping for a girl. Alex wanted a boy. She said she couldn't handle another Piper running around the house making messes, bossing her around, and stressing her out. Piper had to laugh at her every time she went on one of those rants. It had only been a week since she took the first test and already Alex had given her that speech at least a dozen times. Had it really only been a week?

Alex…she missed her so. She had left early that morning to go to Plattsburgh, NY to talk about her "crime and time", as Alex liked to say. She really hated it when Alex was gone. She was lonely and bored. And anxious. No matter how much time passed, Piper could never really shake the feeling that Alex wouldn't come home one day. She guessed it was because they spent so much forced time apart. Or maybe it was because Piper still couldn't fully believe that after everything they had done to one another, all the hurt and spiteful actions, they found their way back to one another and fell in love all over again. A new love. Better and stronger than before.

"Piper…earth to Piper. PIPES!"

Piper blinked and looked at her best friend. Polly was staring at her with a concerned look on her face. "You ok? You haven't spaced that hard since Alex was still in prison and you were waiting on a phone call or letter. She gone again?"

Sighing, Piper looked back at Finn. He was rolling around in the grass with his new puppy. "Yes, she left this morning. I'm sorry Polly. I know it's been a while since we've been able to hang out without work being involved. I'm tired and I miss her."

Polly rolled her eyes. "I swear you two are, like, obsessed with each other. I can't wait for Pete to tell me he is going off for the weekend with the guys. I get to shower alone, I have the whole bed to myself. No one wakes me up snoring. It's just me and my little man, free to do whatever we want for a whole 48 hours!"

Piper laughed at Polly. She tried, but she really didn't get it. I guess you couldn't unless you had been forced to stay away from the love of your life for months on end. Forced to watch her with someone else. "I guess we are obsessed with each other. So much time was taken from us, I just hate giving any more of it up."

"She will be back Pipes. Probably even tonight." Polly replied.

"No, she said she wouldn't be home until tomorrow afternoon." Piper mumbled.

Finn came running up then. "Pippy! Throw with me!" Piper couldn't help but laugh. She grabbed the boy up and swung him around. "Throw? Throw you away, you mean? Like this?" She tossed him up in the air, smiling and laughing as his giggles turned to garbled shrieks.

"Again! Again Pippy!" he shouted. Piper did it three or four more times, each time his giggles getting louder and louder. She loved this little boy. The first man to truly steal her heart. Hugging him close, she breathed in his scent. Dirt and dog and sweat and syrup and all boy. She sat him down and he ran off to his next adventure.

"He loves you so much. He's talked nonstop about his Pippy coming to see him." Said Polly.

"Aww, I love him so much too. He's my main man." Piper said.

She wanted to tell Polly about the baby. Alex had told her after dinner with Nicky that if she wanted to tell Polly, to go ahead. Piper had said no, but now she really wanted her to know. She did feel bad for not letting her best friend in on their secret. She was so supportive during the failed rounds of IVF.

"Polly…do you remember how you told me you were pregnant with Finn?" Piper asked

Thinking back and smiling, Polly said "Hmmm, yes, I asked you over for wine one afternoon. But then I served you apple juice in your glass and told you that you had to stop drinking with me for the next 7 months or so."

Piper laughed at the memory and said "Well, you wanna stop drinking with me for a while?"

Polly instantly got tears in her eyes. "Pipes, really? Are you sure? Have you gone to the doctor yet? Piper Elizabeth Chapman-Vause, you better not be shitting me!"

Piper got up and hugged her friend, saying "Yes, yes, yes and no, I'm not. We found out last week and I went to the doctor Thursday. Everything looks good, we even got a picture! I'm still early yet so we haven't really told anyone. You, Nicky and Morello are the only ones to know. We're going to wait until after the next appointment, then have a small party to tell everyone. Please don't say anything to anyone yet."

"No, of course I won't. Oh my God, Pipes. I'm so happy for you! Pete and I talked and had decided I was going to offer to be your surrogate if things didn't work out this time." Polly told her.

"Oh Polly…"

"What about your mom Piper? Are you going to try to talk to her? Let her know about the baby?" Polly asked.

"No. Absolutely not. She told me as long as I was with Alex, she didn't have a daughter. I'm going off that statement and treating her as if she doesn't have a daughter. If she can't accept my wife, she can't be a part of the life I'm building with my wife. In any way." Piper said with venom. It still hurt so much that her mother felt that way. But more than that, it pissed her off. Alex was a beautiful person that loved her so. Surely her mother could get over her WASPy tendencies and attitude and see how happy she made Piper. How complete Piper was with her. It hadn't happened yet and Piper didn't think it ever would. Too much of an embarrassment to have a daughter with a record AND an ex drug smuggler wife.

Piper stayed for dinner, then headed home. She needed to stop by the market on her way home and pick something up for dinner tomorrow night. She was tired though and really just wanted to get home and climb into bed. Her empty bed. She hated sleeping in it alone. Maybe she would pile up on the couch with a book tonight and sleep there. She decided to skip the market and just go home. She could swing by on her way home tomorrow.

Entering their apartment, she almost called out for Alex. Blowing air out her mouth, Piper thought the need to be near Alex would never fade. "Get it together Chapman. She will be home in less than 12 hours." She thought to herself. She went and took a bath, then picked a book and settled on the couch to read. It was too quiet so she turned the stereo on to play quietly in the background. Love Darling started to play, "This Time". The words were really ringing true for Piper tonight. It didn't take long for Piper's eyelids to grow heavy. Before long she was asleep with the book on her chest.

That's how Alex found her when she came in. It was after midnight and Alex had taken the late train and a cab to be able to get home to her that night. It had been a long and grueling day and all she wanted was to hold Piper close to her. Smiling down at her, Alex knelt down next to the couch. She pushed Piper's hair back from her face and rested her forehead against hers. Then she kissed her nose, each eyelid, her cheeks and finally, she placed a soft kiss on her lips. Piper stirred and mumbled "Alex…come home….Al…need you". Alex felt her heart crack a little bit. Was there anywhere Piper couldn't touch inside of her?

Alex kissed her again, a little harder this time. She slid her arms under her shoulders and knees. She stood with Piper in her arms, turned and sat down. Cradling Piper in her lap. Piper woke up this time and looked up at Alex like she was a dream. "Baby? Are you really home?"

Alex kissed her in response. Piper sighed into her mouth and brought her hand up to stroke her cheek. She ran her other hand into Alex's hair. Gripping, she pulled Alex's head down, sealing their kiss. Repositioning herself, Piper straddled Alex. Alex ran her hands up under Piper's shirt until she gripped her shoulders, holding her in place. Piper started grinding and whimpering. Pulling back from the kiss she said "Welcome home baby. I missed you." She rolled her hips against Alex and groaned.

"Take me to bed and show me Pipes" Alex said