AN-Well, as excuses go, taking time away from writing to get married to my lovely and amazing muse is a pretty good one I think! This chapter is all about Alex and Piper goodness. This will be followed by one more, in the very near future, promise.

Chapter Twenty One-Inevitable

The post-dinner tour of the yacht had ended in the en suite of Alex's enormous cabin below deck.

Oh my god Alex, this is amazing! Who knew you could have a gigantic bathroom on a boat!" Piper exclaimed as she did a slow twirl in the middle of the room. She stopped as her gaze took in the whirlpool tub filled with steaming water and bubbles, topped with a smattering of rose petals. When she glanced over at Alex tears formed in her eyes. "Can I? I mean I haven't had a bath in four years. Not that I haven't bathed, but this? With the luxury and no shower shoes and the. . . "

Alex stepped up and placed one long finger on her lips. "Of course it is for you. I know we have a lot to talk about, but I remember how nice it felt to relax, and how much you liked a long soak. Take your time. I'll wait in the other room."

Piper was frozen wondering why she was suddenly absent Alex's touch. By the time she had processed her words, Alex was headed to the door. "You aren't staying? I mean sharing?" Insecurity took over. What if Alex had someone else and that is what they needed to talk about. She hadn't gotten a message from her through the lawyer in over six months. What if she had been in prison too long and Alex just didn't want to deal with the complications? "If you don't want to I'll understand, but I really don't want to be alone and by that I mean I want to be with you, if you still want me that is. . ."

This time her words just sort of dribbled away and Piper felt her chin drop towards her chest.

"I'm an idiot."

Piper's head jerked up in surprise at Alex's statement, just in time for those lovely strong arms to enfold her. "Here I am thinking I am making this huge sacrifice to let you enjoy some time alone when really it is killing me to even think about letting you out of my sight for two seconds."

Alex started placing soft kisses all over Piper's hair then stroking with her hand where her lips had been. "Let's get you out of these clothes. I want every reminder of prison gone, including everything you wore walking out of that place." Alex bit her lip and looked slightly sheepish. "I bought you new clothes. They are in the dresser, I hope you don't mind or think I was being presumptuous."

Piper sighed as her body relaxed and she reached up to stroke Alex's cheek with her palm. "That is so sweet. You did that for me?"

Alex nodded wondering if Piper would feel the same way about the other actions she had taken on Piper's behalf over the last three years. But that conversation could wait a few minutes at least. She reached down and grasped the end of the pull over shirt Piper was wearing and began to tug upward. Piper raised her arms, relishing the feeling of Alex taking care of her, gently removing every piece of her clothing and throwing them in a pile in the corner with disdain.

When she was nude, Alex took her hand and led her to the tub, green eyes taking in every inch of her body in that intense way that left Piper breathless. "Your bath, my lady."

Piper smiled and stepped in. "You are joining me, aren't you?"

Alex waved for Piper to recline. "Yes, but let me refill the champagne first. Then I intend to run my hands over every square inch of your amazing body with the pretense of washing you."

Piper couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her throat as she relaxed back into the tub. Her Alex was here, confident and sexy. "I can't wait."

If the bath had been about reintroduction with soft slow caresses and lingering looks, the bed was full of longing, need and urgency. Piper had practically shoved Alex's hand between her thighs as soon as they hit the satin sheets. "I need this from you right now. We can do slow later. Please Alex, it's been so long."

"You don't need to beg my love, well at least not now. We have all night for me to love you in every way imaginable." With that she slid two fingers deep into Piper. She had intended to start a rhythm, moving in and out in that firm pace she knew Piper loved, but the emotion of the moment overtook her. Alex was frozen and a choked sob escaped her.

"Alex? Are you ok?" Piper moved her hands up to cup Alex's face. "You feel so good baby, what's wrong?"

Alex shook her head from side to side, closing her eyes briefly. She hadn't expected to react like this, but it really wasn't a surprise. Everything she had done, all of her dreams had been about this reunion, this chance to be in Piper's life and arms again. When she opened her eyes she was grounded by the love she saw shining back at her and she moved her hand, luxuriating in the soft warmth surrounding her. "Nothing's wrong. In fact everything is so right."

Alex began to move, stirred on by the reactions of the beautiful woman beneath her. As Piper's fingers slipped between them and found her clit, Alex could tell they were both building quickly. Piper was right; they could take their time later. There was something powerful and important about reaching this climax now, together. "I love you Piper."

Just a slight increase in pressure from Piper was all it took for Alex to cry out loudly just as she felt her hand drenched in wetness and her fingers enveloped by pulsating muscles. Piper moaned and held her so tightly Alex was sure she would have bruises on her back in the morning. When Piper loosened her grip it was only enough to see into Alex's eyes. "I love you too Alex, so much."

Alex slid to the side but with Piper's arms still tight around her. They lay for several minutes quietly recovering and letting the love flow between them. Finally Alex propped herself up on one elbow and gave Piper her best mischievous yet sultry look as she slowly withdrew her hand from where it had remained nestled. She breathed in deeply through her nose as she slid her fingers into her mouth. "I've missed this. Your smell, your taste, sweet and spicy."

Piper smiled and relaxed back into the collection of pillows scattered around the bed, allowing her legs to fall open. "Maybe you should check out the source, just to make sure everything is still the same."

Alex was already sliding her long body down the bed. "Hhhmmm. This may take a while, a thorough inspection you know."

Piper could only sigh as she felt the first velvet touch of Alex's tongue. "God I hope so."

Piper felt someone's hand on her shoulder. Her eyes came instantly open as she looked to find who would dare put a hand on her in her own cube. The other inmates had all learned not to touch her in any way.

"I'm sorry to wake you. But I need to leave with the yacht soon which means we can't put off that talk anymore." Alex's mouth quirked up at the corner. "Not that the procrastination wasn't amazing."

"Oh, yeah, Ok." Piper took a deep breath and let go of the anger. She was with Alex, not back in the hell that had been Litchfield. As Alex handed her a cup of coffee she thought that actually the women's prison hadn't been Dante's ninth level for a long time; in fact she really couldn't give it more than level two since Alex had escaped. By far the worst part had been the absence of her lover. Piper's reputation protected her from the other inmates and even the guards seemed to leave her alone.

In fact over time everyone else who had crossed her or caused her pain had felt the effects of karma in spades. Thinking about them brought a small smile to her face. It wasn't kind to enjoy the suffering of others, but these individuals had caused her pain and several extra years in prison.

Mendez had been first of course. His unwitting participation on the day of the escape had lost him his job immediately. When the false identity of the 'scared straight' girl had been discovered, the sexual assault charges were dropped, but he still faced prison time for drug possession. Women came out of the woodwork to pile on with information about his dealing to the inmates, including the unfortunate Candace who spent her entire sentence in the SHU. Eventually a source from the outside turned on him and that was the end.

It might have been because Figueroa never got over her anger at how his actions had aided Alex's escape, but she pushed for Mendez to receive prison time. Even with a plea deal he was sent to the men's equivalent of Litchfield for five years. Mr. Bartone had found out through his connections that Mendez's nickname of 'Pornstache' had taken on a whole new meaning. Inmates hated law enforcement and as a former guard with a propensity for sexual impropriety he received particularly rough treatment while the guards looked the other way.

Figueroa herself had been next. After a respectable period of time had passed following Alex's escape, an auditor for the IRS had shown up at the prison, and then at her doorstep with a warrant. The last time Piper had seen her, Fig had gotten in her face. "I know this was you and that bitch of a giant. I'll figure out what you did and then you'll pay."

Piper had no idea what had happened, but in the end it was Fig who had paid. Back taxes and a huge fine to avoid prison time. From what Mr. Bartone had told her, Piper knew Fig would owe the government for the rest of her life, the debt denying her all the niceties she had felt entitled to. The last Piper had heard, the ex-assistant warden was waitressing at a chain restaurant and living with her elderly mother. She never knew for sure if Alex had been involved.

"Did you have something to do with Figueroa's trouble with the IRS?" Piper had slipped on a robe and relocated with her coffee to a small couch in front of the fireplace in the suite, her feet tucked beneath her.

Alex had been pacing not sure how to start the conversation. She felt silly having had three years to plan for this and yet the words were completely eluding her. Piper's question refocused her attention and she joined her on the couch. "Yes. I made some inquiries and found out she was living far beyond her means. That meant one of two things. She was involved in some illegal trade in the prison or was stealing. It didn't take long for a private investigator to find out she was siphoning money meant for prison programs for her own use. An anonymous report and the IRS took it from there."

"You did that for me?"

Alex laid one hand lightly on Piper's robe covered thigh. Time was up. The yacht had to leave. Every minute they stayed put all of them in danger of discovery. "Pipes I have done a lot of things over the last three years, all of them for you in one way or another."

Piper leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you."

Alex sighed deeply. "You may not think that when you hear everything." She swallowed and forced herself to look Piper in the eye. "I'm in deep with the cartel. I move huge amounts of drugs, mostly heroin, around the world. I'm a wanted escaped criminal. If I'm every captured, I'll spend the rest of my life in the bottom of some maximum security hole. Even if I stay out of prison, I'll never have anything remotely resembling a normal life."

As Alex spoke Piper sat up straight and set down her coffee. She turned to face Alex fully and took her hands. "Alex, I didn't think you won this boat on Wheel of Fortune. I knew you were working for the cartel when I came here last night. Mr. Bartone didn't tell me everything, but I understood the basics of what happened, why you escaped. The details you can fill in over time if you want, but nothing is going to change the fact that I love you and want to be with you."

Alex couldn't stay still and shook her head in frustration. She jumped up and began pacing between Piper and the fireplace. "Staying with me you will be violating your parole. If you left now you could still report to the halfway house, finish your time, have a life. I'm sure Polly will help you, your parents too. If you leave with me today you will always be on the run, wanted."

Piper stood up and forced Alex to stop, placing her hands on the taller woman's hips. "The only 'wanted' I care about is from you. I'm sure your bodyguard could dump me on the pier as you depart, but that is the only way I am leaving."

"But I'm a drug dealer, a criminal and a murderer. I've done things, terrible things. You shouldn't be around me." Alex's face was filled with pain as she whispered the words.

"So last night was what, a fling? One last fuck for the road and then good luck living as an ex-con while you sail away in luxury?" Piper grabbed Alex's downcast chin and forced her to meet her gaze. "I don't believe that. I think you love me just as much as I love you and that we need to be together. Those things you did, were they necessary to survive?"

"Yes, but that still doesn't make it right." Alex admitted.

Piper moved forward until she held Alex in a loose embrace. "You forget, I've done some pretty awful things myself in order to survive." She swallowed guiltily, thinking that some things she had done out of pure revenge. A girl she had helped at Litchfield had offered to set up Mr. Healy with an underage prostitute and get it on tape. Piper had gleefully accepted. Healy never suffered the indignities of Mendez, he blew his brains out as the cops showed up at his house.

"What about Polly? Your family?" Alex couldn't bear feeling like Piper was being forced to leave everyone she loved.

Piper laughed. "My family pretty much gave up on me after the additional sentence. I guess assault just isn't as easily explained to the country club crowd as trafficking cash. Polly has been sweet. She hung in there and kept visiting when she could, but she's got two kids now and a business to run. I'll miss her, but her life has moved on, and that's ok. Maybe we can figure out a way to stay in touch if it's safe."

Piper stepped back and found herself staring into the fire. "I'm not the same person I was either Alex. Are you sure you aren't still looking for the sweet naïve Piper? Because she doesn't exist anymore."

Alex allowed the huge swell of relief to rise up through her before pulling Piper to her, back to chest, while they both gazed at the flickering flames. "I want you, the mature, complex, smart, sexy, beautiful woman in my arms right this minute. I just needed you to understand what you are giving up by being with me, what you could lose. Because there is no going back on this decision." Alex tightened her arms around Piper's waist and felt Piper lean back into her, fitting their bodies together seamlessly.

Piper stroked her hands over Alex's arms. She knew what Alex had been doing, challenging her, giving her the option of leaving. But Piper had made her choice sitting on a bunk in Litchfield years ago. "Remember I choose you." She spun around and kissed Alex hard, sealing her decision. When they both were forced to breathe Piper made sure Alex was looking her in the eye. "Ok?"

Alex responded the way she always wanted to with Piper, she kissed her again. "Ok."

After a quick shower Alex dressed and left to make the arrangements for their departure. Piper found the clothes Alex had bought for her, all tasteful and expensive. Alex returned with some breakfast and they ate in relative silence. As she heard the engines start up Piper asked if she could go up top and watch the yacht pull out of the harbor.

Alex winced. "It's probably best that you stay out of sight when we are in port for now Pipes. Sorry."

"Oh." Piper hadn't thought about that. Being a wanted criminal was going to take some getting used to. "Will I have to work for the cartel somehow? You know, earn my keep? This all looks really expensive."

Alex slipped out of her seat and down onto one knee in front of her. "Never. You don't owe the cartel anything." Her voice was hard, almost harsh. "I have some outstanding obligations to take care of, but I hope that soon we can both be free of them."

Now Alex smiled thinly and her voice softened. "I have been working on a plan."