AN: Ok guys, the next chapter will be the last in this story. i am doing a sequel. you guys have been so awesome to me. thank you so, so much for reading and reviewing! i hope you have loved reading it as much as i have loved writing it ~ lalee

Chapter 24

Piper was finally getting to go home. She was ecstatic. She buzzed all around the room throwing things haphazardly into the bag Alex brought for her that morning. She couldn't wait. She had visions of walking into their apartment and stripping everything off and marching straight to the shower. She missed their shower so much. The hospital shower was fine but man, oh man, the shower head she and Alex had and all that room in the shower stall. She hoped Liam cooperated long enough for her to get at least 30 minutes in.

"Ready to go Pipes? I'll go down right now and bring the car around so you don't have to wait in the lobby if you are." Alex asked her

"Yeah, head on down. Liam and I will be down in a few." Piper absently responded.

Walking over to Liam, she made sure he had a blanket tucked tightly around him. She got his hat and put it on his head, then grabbed her coat and put it on. The nurse came in then with the wheel chair. "You two all ready to go?" she asked with a smile. Smiling in return, Piper told her she was. She picked Liam up and sat down in the wheel chair. She was finally going home.

True to her word, Alex was waiting right out front for them. She came around and put Liam into the back, making sure he was fastened properly before turning to help Piper in the car. Leaning in to help her buckle up, she kissed her and smiled. "Ready for home Mommy?" Not waiting for an answer, Alex grabbed Piper's purse and carried it around to the driver's side with her. Climbing in, she buckled up and started for home with her little family.

Piper did exactly as she imagined she would do when she walked in their apartment. She took her coat off and flung it across the chair. She kicked her shoes off in two different directions. Next came her shirt and it landed in a puddle near her feet. Her bra was flung over her shoulder. She slid her yoga pants down and left them in the middle of the hall. Walking into their bedroom in nothing but her underwear, she stood there drinking in the sight of everything familiar. Moving into the bathroom she turned the shower on full blast. Taking her underwear off, she stepped in. It wasn't warm yet but she didn't care. The water pressure alone was enough to bring tears of joy to her eyes. She had missed home so much.

Piper took her time in the shower. She washed her hair twice with her favorite shampoo. She slowly washed her body from head to toe. She shaved her legs with her good , she just stood there and let the hot water rush over her. With regret, she turned the water off and stepped out to towel off. Wrapping the towel around herself, she went to the sink and washed her face, then applied moisturizer. That done, she lathered herself with lotion. Finished, she put on her robe and went out into their bedroom. The apartment was completely silent. "What are those two up to?" she said to herself. Walking to Liam's room, she saw Alex sitting with him through the half open door. She was talking to him. Not wanting to intrude but wanting to hear what she was saying, Piper stepped up to the doorway but stopped shy of entering the room.

"…now we are all home together and I am complete Liam. All my life I've just been kinda free falling. It used to be a rush. Then I met your mommy and I was too damn stubborn to hold on to a good thing when I had it. I know, language again. She left me. She should have. I didn't deserve her love back then little man. Then we found each other again in a bad, bad place. Somehow, someway, she fell in love with me again. I've spent every waking moment since then trying to be deserving of her love. Even in these last years with her, I've struggled to find my purpose; my reason if you will. I knew I was put here on Earth to love her, but it always felt like there was something more. And then I saw you and I knew. My whole life I have been falling towards you. You are the reason for our love little man. I've been falling into reason for you my whole life."

With tears streaming down her face, Piper backed away from the door. How many times could she possibly fall in love with Alex Vause? Just when she thought she couldn't possibly love her anymore, she found a new way, a new reason to love her even more.

/

6 weeks later

"Hey Al, I'm on my way home. I'm stopping at the market for dinner. Any requests?"

"No, just whatever you want is fine. What did Dr. Sharpe say?" Alex asked

"We will talk about it when I get there, I'm pulling up to the market now. Kiss Liam for me. Love you" Piper said disconnecting the call.

Going into the market, she grabbed things for dinner and ran back out. She was anxious to get home. This was the first time she'd left Liam for more than a few minutes. It was entirely too cold out to take him with her. Alex had taken the day off from the gallery so she could stay with him. It wasn't necessary for her to take an entire day, but these days she used anything she had to stay home with them. Piper wondered how long it would be before she just stayed home all the time and only went in when there was a showing. That was fine with Piper. She loved being home with them both as much as possible. Thinking back to the night she overheard Alex talking to Liam, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Alex had it right. Liam was the reason for their love; the reason Alex always felt do inevitable to her. They were destined to take this journey together. There was no one Piper would rather be with than Alex.

Traffic was a nightmare. It was snowing and everyone was taking on the hurry up and wait mentality as soon as they crawled behind the wheel. It took her an extra 30 minutes to get home from the market and by the time she got there, she was in a mood. She just wanted to be on the couch with Alex and Liam.

Bursting through the door, she called out for Alex. Hearing no response, she wandered through the apartment. Stopping at Liam's room, she didn't see them. Moving on to their bedroom, she found them lying on the bed, both fast asleep. Her mood instantly lifted and she felt a warmth begin in her chest. Alex's arm was curled under her head, her glasses sitting crooked on her face. Piper smiled, knowing she had fallen asleep while watching Liam sleep. She had done it plenty of times herself. Liam was sprawled out on her side of the bed, half his fist stuffed in his mouth. He had started sucking it in the last few days. Walking around to Alex's side of the bed, she slipped off her coat and kicked off her shoes and slid in behind Alex, spooning her. Wrapping her arm around her she nuzzled into her neck. Alex instantly pushed back into her and let out a soft groan.

She knew Alex missed this part of their relationship. She did too, she just didn't know if she was ready. Physically she was, but mentally... she still hadn't allowed Alex to look at her. She was so embarrassed. To her, her scar represented the end of a dream she held for them. It was her cross to bear and she didn't think she was ready to share it with Alex yet. She had opened up here and there, giving her a little along the way just like she asked, but Piper still hadn't been able to pour her soul out. Not even to Polly.

She did want to try intimacy again though. She missed that connection with Alex so much that she ached some nights. Maybe tonight after they put Liam down they could try. Dr. Sharpe said it was ok to resume all normal activities. He even said she could take a bath now. When she asked him about sex, he laughed at her and said he assumed sex was a normal activity for her and Alex. Blushing, she had looked away and nodded.

Alex woke up fully then and rolled over, taking Piper in her arms. "Hey Kid, when did you get here?" she sleepily mumbled.

"I just got here. I didn't want to wake you but I wanted to be near you. I missed you guys today."

"Pipes, you were gone for like two hours. You gotta get out more babe, it's good for you. Next week, I'm forcing you to go to lunch with Polly for a minimum of two hours." Alex told her

"You wouldn't!" Piper asked in mock disbelief

"I may just be a sleepy lesbian in bed with a six week old, but I got a few tricks up my sleeve" Alex smirked. Leaning in, she kissed Piper for a long time. Breaking the kiss, Alex was breathing hard. "I missed you too Piper. I miss you now. I miss this…."

"I know Alex." Piper cupped her cheek and ran her thumb across Alex's bottom lip. Alex opened her mouth and gently bit at Piper's thumb. Piper jerked back and laughed.

"So what did Dr. Sharpe have to say today? Everything looking good? What's the next plan of action?" Alex asked

"Well, he said I could resume all normal activities, just to be careful and not overdo it. There really isn't a plan of action. He left my ovaries so I'm not going to go into forced menopause. We're just going to keep a check on things as we normally would. If I have any questions or concerns, I call him."

"Well at least we don't have to worry about me getting my wings anymore. You never liked that" Alex teased.

"God you're gross. Shut up." Piper shoved at Alex's shoulder.

"Resume normal activities? Does that include me and you...naked in this bed?" Alex growled out, pulling Piper closer to her.

"Soon baby. I want to try. But I can't promise anything." Piper whispered, looking away.

"Hey, you know I will wait. I just miss you. Maybe we can start slow. Just some hot and heavy making out and groping? If it goes further, it goes further." Alex suggested.

Smiling at her, Piper kissed her instead of answering her. Pulling herself away, she went to start dinner. Then she needed to wake Liam up and feed him. Bath time came next and then hopefully bed for him. She really hoped he slept for a good five hour stretch again tonight. He had done that for the last two nights and it had been heavenly. She felt like a brand new woman. Maybe tonight had more potential than she thought….