If Alex chose not to think beyond Portland, it was because Boston loomed on the horizon like an unwanted visitor, its mere presence threatening to pop her happiness like a balloon. In Boston, there would be Larry and not only would she have to cool it with how she behaved around Piper, not only would they most likely not get alone time, but there was the distinct possibility that she would be forced to watch Piper keep up appearances with him, to pretend that everything hadn't changed. And she knew unless he was given reason to believe otherwise, Larry (not being the brightest crayon in the box) would never suspect anything between them. It was up to Piper to say something and if she were being completely honest, Alex wasn't entirely certain she would.

Oregon was her new favorite state, she had decided. In Oregon, Piper loved her back and there was no Larry. In Oregon, Diane had visited and had seen their show and gotten to hear the song Alex had written for her a million years ago, live. In Oregon, there was no Lorna and Nicky could take Poussey aside (at Diane's urging) and tell her how she really felt and they reached a shared, if somewhat tentative understanding. In Oregon, they all stayed out with Diane until three, closing down one of the coolest hole in the wall bars Alex had ever been to, laughing so hard their sides hurt. And in Oregon, Alex put her mother back on a plane, missing her before she had even left, but glad she'd gotten to come at all, her words echoing in her ear like a mantra, "Don't forget what I told you, kiddo, you hear me? Fight for her. Fight like you've never fought before."

They had a day and a half after the concert before they got back on the road and Alex was relieved to get extra time in the magical city. If anyone had told her that she would fall in love with Portland, she would've laughed. Make no mistake, New York City was her home and she missed riding on the wave of its manic energy but of all the places they'd stopped on the tour thus far, Portland was her favorite.

Waking up with Piper tucked into her side, the early morning sunlight streaming in through the blinds, Alex allowed herself to fantasize for a few brief minutes that they were in thr bedroom of her Brooklyn brownstone and it was an every day occurrence to awaken to the blonde wrapped up in her arms. Maybe she even lived there. And Alex would make them breakfast and they would have coffee on the terrace. Beyond that, she couldn't let her mind wander. There were too many feelings in play to think of any potential future...far too many opportunities to experience that all too familiar knot in her gut. But mornings...those she could easily picture.

In her embrace, Piper stirred, opening one eye, then the other, focusing hazily upon Alex.

"Morning, beautiful," She kissed the top of her shoulder. It never ceased to amaze her how the blonde could look so incredibly perfect when she woke up. She found her gorgeous in any given situation but if she were pressed to say when she found the other woman most irresistible, it would have to be in the mornings, with messy hair and no make-up, the polar opposite of fully put together Piper. And seeing those incredible eyes zone in on her first thing still took Alex's breath away.

"Mmmm," Piper murmured as way of a response, stretching greedily, arms high above her head. "What time is it?"

"Little after seven," Alex kissed her again, this time on her lips. "Why, you have big plans?"

She smiled lazily. "Only with you. Although after last night, I'm not too sure I'll ever be able to move again."

"I don't see the issue, babe," She tugged her closer, "It means I was doing something right."

"You think highly of yourself, don't you?"

"You saying I'm wrong?" The flirtation between them never seemed to get old and Alex loved their back and forth banter almost as much as the actual sex...almost.

"Touche," Piper pulled her in for a passionate kiss. It was apparent to Alex the other woman was becoming much more confident in the bedroom and not unwilling to be the aggressor from time to time. Nothing was sexier than Piper grabbing her and showing her just how much she was wanted. Often, she still let Alex take the initial lead but it clearly delighted her (with her limited experience) that she had the ability to make her hot, badass lover come so hard, she let out a litany of curses.

"I wish we could just camp out here all day, " Piper sighed, breaking away reluctantly, causing Alex to groan and flop back onto the pillow.

"That's the beauty of it, Pipes. We have absolutely nothing to do until we have to get on the bus at four."

"Except that checkout"s at noon," She reminded her, smoothing back a strand of raven hair from Alex's face.

"Fuck. I forgot. Oh well...breakfast in bed then?" The brunette reached across Piper to grab the phone on the nightstand. "Anything to keep you here longer." She grinned wickedly, "What are you having?"

"Let's see...coffee, scrambled eggs, wheat toast and fruit," She requested. "What are you having?"

"The same as you. Sounds good." Alex placed their order and hung up the phone, grabbing Piper and pulling her in once again. "I wish I could make you breakfast," The sentiment had left her mouth before she could really think about it and for a half a second, she wondered how Piper would interpret it.

"You cook?" The blonde questioned with an amused smile and Alex visibly relaxed. If there had been any desperation in what she had said, Piper either did not hear or chose to ignore it.

"You sound suprised."

"No, it's just that you can do everything...is there anything you're not good at?"

Alex considered this. "Uh, tennis. Totally not my sport. I was sleeping with a tennis instructor at the time and I still sucked."

Piper laughed. "OK, no doubles matches for us in the near future. Noted." Looking deeply into Alex's eyes, she paused. "What would you make me for breakfast?"

"Oh, anything you wanted," The other woman said confidently, "But my speciality is omlets. I make a mean one, I've been told."

"Impressive," Piper replied affectionately, kissing her cheek, "Omlets seem hard to do."

"Mmmm," Alex ran her hand lightly up and down the length of Piper's bare arm, " The key is knowing when to flip it. You have to do it at just the right time."

"Do you do pancakes too?" Piper shivered slightly under her touch. "My Dad used to make them every Sunday morning when I was little...until he decided it was too much work and cut into the time he had with his mistress," Her face fell a little. "Then it was brunch at the country club so he could leave as quickly as possible."

"I would make you pancakes," Alex tried to balm the obvious sting the memory brought with a kiss to her temple, "Chocolate chip?"

Piper smiled and she knew her attempt had been successful. "Is there any other kind?"

Alex shook her head. "Nope. I'd make you all the chocolate chip pancakes you could eat and then afterward-"

"I'd drag our asses on a run?"

"God, no." Alex wrinkled her nose. "I was thinking more along the lines of cuddling on the couch and maybe some shower sex, but..."

"Well, that would work too." Piper exhaled deeply and looked at her, suddenly serious. "I wish it were that simple."

It can be, Alex wanted to say, If you just fucking leave him, we can have that. Instead she said, "None of it is simple, Piper."

Rationally, she knew her mother was right. She needed to ask Piper to make a choice and with her wedding date looming, it had to be soon. In another twelve hours or so, they would be in Boston and Alex would have to be in the same room as Larry and try to downplay the fact she was in love with his fiancee. The thought was almost unbearable and she felt it settle into the very bottom of her lungs, making it difficult to breathe, like she was underwater. There were so many unknowns...would Piper feel compelled to tell Larry about them or would the guilt hit and make her go on like nothing changed? Obviously, she wouldn't get Piper alone and the thought she could quite possibly sleep with Larry made her physically ill. The thing that made her blood run cold though, was something that was entirely feasible, whether she told Larry or not. It was the very real possibilty that Boston was where they would meet an end. Not in New York, not at the end of the tour but in the city where Larry would be, where Polly, who would undoubtedly disapprove of Piper's cheating and of Alex in general, would be. And she could live in denial as long as they were far away from the inevitable chaos that Boston would be, but eventually things would come to a crossroad.

"Alex," Piper said, taking her hand, "I know all of this...this is hard. Not just on me but on you too. You've been so patient and it's not fair to ask you to-the thing is, I'm not sure what's going to happen in Boston. How I'll be when I see Larry. I never mentioned it because we were having such a great time with your Mom, but when he called the other day, he said I sounded preoccupied and that I didn't seem too much into wedding planning because I said whatever he decided was fine with me. He chalked it up to being burnt out from touring but the bottom line is, he knows something's up. I just don't know if I'll be able to lie right to his face. I don't know much about anything, really, except that I love you. It's not much, given the circumstances, I know it's not, but it's all I have to go on right now."

"I love you too." There was so much more she could've said, so much more she wanted to say, but it wasn't the right time. She felt as if she were going into battle and she needed as much physical and mental preparation as possible. She also needed as much Piper as possible and she memorized her taste and smell and the perfect way her lips seemed to fit against hers. It would be a tortuous few days before Alex could be with her (she wouldn't think of other possibilty), so she decided she would live completely in the moment and enjoy their time together while they had it.

She lay tiny, silent kisses in the crown of Piper's hair, her thumbs sliding over the curve of her hips, with just enough pressure to make the blonde sigh contentedly. There was no getting enough of the singer, not just sexually, but the mere simple act of touching, of feeling her warm skin flush under her fingertips, of how much she could tell Piper craved the constant contact. Alex had never been one for idle physicality, unless it was during or a precursor to sex but with Piper, the need to just touch the other woman was often overwhelming.

A loud rap on the door broke them of their reverie and they both groaned at the loss of contact as a voice called out, "Room service!"

Scrambling for a robe, Alex jumped out of bed and answered the knock as the bellhop wheeled in the cart. Signing the slip and taking the tray off of the cart herself, she thanked him and closed the door.

As they ate their breakfast, backs resting against the head board, Alex glanced over. "Coffee OK?"

"Perfect," Piper moaned a little as she siipped delicately from the white porcelain cup and the guitarist shook her head.

"You know, if you keep doing that we're going to be charged for not checking out," Alex rasped from somewhere low in her throat, her reaction causing Piper to giggle.

"I love you," She told the brunette again warmly, setting aside her cup on the nightstand. "It feels so good to say it..."

"It feels good to hear it."

And it was the truth. Having had the words said to her before but never feeling the need to utter them back to anyone (Diane being the obvious exception, albeit in a different context), it made her extremely happy to hear Piper echo her sentiments and not only echo them, but to be unafraid to say so repeatedly. At the same time though, there was a swift, sharp jab of anguish that accompanied her words, one that caused Alex's knees to buckle in such a way she was glad she had been sitting.

She was well aware why the panic had suddenly set in and she had to steady her erratic breathing. Focusing on the breath, she took three, slow deliberate ones, in and out, in and out, in and out. Finally, her racing heart stilled and she speared a chunk of honey dew melon with her fork, unable to bring it to her mouth, her hunger dissipated.

Clearly, for her part, Piper had no issues finishing up her food and reached over to Alex's plate to steal a piece of bacon. The night before had obviously made the blonde ravenous and Alex couldn't help but smirk, recalling how absolutely insatiable she had been.

"So," She said smoothly, having recovered. "What would you like to do today?"

"You mean that involves actually leaving this room?"

""If we have to," Alex sighed. "Seriously, Pipes, I mean it. Anything you want. Name it."

"Anything I want?" Piper's eyes twinkled as she pushed aside her tray. "Be careful what you wish for."

"Shit, I'm going to regret this, aren't I, kid?"

"Maybe, maybe not," She grinned, "I want to get a tattoo today."

"Very funny, Piper..no really, what do you wanna-" Alex stopped mid -sentance, shaking her head in disbelief. "Jesus, you're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes," The other woman looked slightly pissed that Alex would think otherwise. "Look, you said before that when it was the right time and I knew exactly what I wanted, you would take me." Her eyes were crystal pools as they bore into Alex's. "Well, I know exactly what I'd like and there's no time like the present, so..." She trailed off. "Will you take me?" Her request was soft, almost bashful and the brunette bit her lip. No one in their right mind could resist Piper when she asked like that and she found herself nodding.

"A promise is a promise, right? I don't know any reputable guys in the city , through. Let me make a few calls," She added hurriedly, sensing Piper's disappointment. "Give me a minute," Alex leaned over to capture her lips, leaping out of the bed to grab her phone before disappearing into the bathroom.

Ten minutes later she emerged with a victorious smile. "Found someone. My guy in Brooklyn's cousin knew someone whose stepbrother owns a shop in Marshall Park," She told Piper, referring to a neighborhood in the Southwest area of the city.

"For the record, all of that was completely confusing but thank you, thank you, thank you!" Piper jumped up and flung her arms around Alex's neck. "What time is he expecting us?"

The guitarist looked her up and down, eyeing the way Alex's old Ramones shirt she had borrowed barely covered her ass. "He said his morning's pretty open, so stop by whenever...so there's no..." She licked her bottom lip, as Piper returned her hungry gaze. "rush "

"Shower then?" She asked huskily and without waiting for Alex's response, lifted the t-shirt up over her head and slowly made her way into the bathroom.

Insatiable is right, Alex raised an eyebrow. And she followed, not far behind as she heard the showers spray against the tile.

An hour or so later, they were sitting in Marshall Park Tattoo, talking to the owner. Brett was young, in his early thirties with a laid back manner, multiple piercings and a sleeve Alex immediately complimented him on. As they spoke to him, it became quite apparent to Alex that Piper wasn't at all apprehensive in her decision. She told Brett what it was she wanted and the three of them headed into a sunny, spacious room where she lay down in the reclining chair.

Grasping her hand, Alex smiled. "I'd ask you if you were sure but I kinda know from experience to stop asking so..."

"Thanks again for taking me...It-it means alot that this is with you, you know?"

Alex did know but instead of replying, she squeezed her hand. "Ready, Pipes? It's now or never."

"Ready," Piper replied, her eyes not leaving Alex. "Ready," She repeated, this time louder for Brett's benefit.

"OK then, Piper...Let's do it." Brett began and Alex watched in wonder as black ink was etched into the skin on her left side directly above her rib cage. Piper did not move a muscle, simply drawing in a sharp intake of breath with the initial contact. Her blue eyes connected with emerald orbs and she smiled, albeit a little shakily.

"You're doing so well, babe," Alex whispered. It was as sexy as hell to watch Piper get tattooed , her hand pressed into Alex's, occasionally mashing down hard on her lower lip. She was putting up a strong front but the light beads of perspiration on her forehead betrayed the fact it did indeed, hurt.

At last Brett was finished and the roaring of the needle came to a stop. "Take a look," He handed Piper a mirror so she could see his work.

"Perfect," She told him as he and Alex helped her to carefully sit up as Brett put a bandage over it. He gave instructions on how to care for it and Alex dutifully promised she'd make sure Piper followed them.

On the drive over, Alex had insisted on paying for the tattoo, despite Piper's protests to the contrary. "It's my treat, Pipes...please?"

In the end, Piper had relented and together they walked out into the warm Oregon sun, hand in hand,, with no real destination in mind.

"Are you in any pain?" Alex questioned "because if you are, we can go grab some Ibuprofen..."

Piper shook her head. "I'm fine. Better than that, actually," Her eyes shone, "It was totally worth it."

"And it looks awesome." She lay a kiss on her knuckle. "I'm curious though, why the infinity symbol? Obviously, it's got a special meaning to you or you wouldn't have gotten it..."

"Don't you know?" Piper stopped walking and pulled them over to sit on a bench in a tiny stretch of park.

"No, I don't..."

"Al," The blonde smiled radiantly at her, "It's for you."

Instantly, Alex's breath hitched. "For me?" she echoed dumbly. "Really?"

"Yes, really. My love for you will never stop. No matter what happens...I can look down at it and there you are, aways." Piper's eyes were filled with tears which Alex was fairly certain had little to do with actual physical pain

"Come here," Alex tucked her into her embrace, at a rare loss for words. "I fucking love it, thank you. And I love you. Like so, so much." She buried her face into the crook of her neck, breathing her in, not wanting to let go.

It wasn't common for her lose control. In fact, she prided herself on being rational and grounded but Piper's omissiom had put her completely off guard.

It was a sweet gesture to be sure and Alex wanted her to know how much it meant to her. No one had ever done anything for her for quite like that before and it made her admire the singer even more, if that were possible.

Still, Alex felt that familiar lump of dread settle into her throat and she swallowed against it. The tattoo had seemed like it served a specific purpose and it occured to Alex then and there, exactly what it was.

A good-bye.