"Alex hey!" Polly was surprised to see the tall dark haired woman standing by her bed.

" Hi Polly." She smiled and looked around desperately for somewhere to place the large bouquet of flowers she was holding. "Piper told me you had a fall. How are you feeling?"

"OK, frustrated being stuck in here," Polly admitted. "But hopefully I will be able to go home tomorrow if I promise to stay in bed."

Alex nodded. Shifting uncomfortably, she asked, "has Piper been in tonight?"

Polly smiled. "Yes, she has just gone to get me some food. She seemed upset. Is everything OK now?"

Alex sighed "I had thought so," she admitted. "But I am not sure, she left suddenly when I mentioned I had a new job."

"You have?" Polly looked surprised. "She didn't mention it to me, she just said she was tired, she looked like she had been crying though. I thought maybe things between you had ended badly."

Alex swore under her breath. "I need to explain to her."

"Well if she returns here the chances are she will be evasive, I know Piper," Polly admitted, "she is not good at dealing with things until she has had time to consider the options. But," she grinned at Alex, "I may just have a spare key to her place on my key fob." She nodded towards the bedside cabinet. "You could wait for her at her place, less chance of her escaping that way."

Alex looked at Polly. "You would do that?"

"Well I am guessing you don't want this to end any more than she does. And with me out of commission it's in my best interest she is happy." She sniggered. "Go wait for her Alex and make sure you sort it properly this time!"

o0o

She had been relieved to escape the hospital if only to fetch Polly food. She knew her friend could tell she was upset the moment she saw her and tonight the last thing Piper wanted was to talk about Alex moving to London. Closing her eyes and resting her head on her arms on the steering wheel Piper tried to control her breathing. Each and every time she thought of Alex leaving she began to shake. Just when she had thought things would be OK this happened. But she couldn't let Alex know. She had said it had always been her dream. How could she stand in her way? No. She would just have to smile and pretend she was OK with it. Climbing out of the car carrying the sack of food and snacks for Polly, Piper wondered if Nicky knew about Alex's new job offer. She couldn't imagine her being too happy about her former boss, and close friend, leaving the country. On entering Polly's ward, she saw a large bunch of the most beautiful flowers beside her bed.

"There nice, you had visitors while I was out?"

"Err." Polly stuttered, forgetting Piper would notice the bouquet and question it. "Yes, Alex dropped in. She was not going to lie to her friend, she just might not tell her everything."

"Oh." Piper faltered. "Yes, I told her you were here."

"She said." Polly smiled. "It was kind of her to call in."

Piper dumped the bag on the bed next to Polly. "Here. Everything you requested plus a few extras in case you get hungry before I come back tomorrow."

"Thanks Piper. Look you go home, you have done more than enough for me today, you must be tired."

Piper nodded suddenly feeling exhausted. "OK, I will call back in the morning, and I am bringing the list of job candidates with me. You don't get off so lightly." She grinned and kissed her friend. "Sleep well Pol."

Returning to her car Piper considered going home and changing then going for a run. It was not quite dark and it might just clear her head enough so she could sleep. The light traffic in her favour she was home within 20 minutes, soon she was locking the car and heading towards her apartment building.

It was only as she got to her apartment door she noticed something different. There was a light coming from under the door and a distinct smell of food. She frowned. For a second she contemplated calling the building manager or the police but realising and burglar would not stop to cook food she placed her key in the door turning and pushing open slowly.

What greeted her took her breath away.

Alex was stood next to the set table, candles glowing and food laid out.

"You took your time!" she smiled. Waiting for Piper to move. When Piper just stood there gaping Alex closed the gap and guided Piper to a chair. Shoving a glass of wine in her hand she said "OK, drink this and listen OK. Don't talk just hear me out."

Piper sipped automatically at the glass of wine feeling it warm her as she drank. She gazed at Alex.

"OK, so you left rather suddenly," Alex smiled, "I was confused. Then Beryl pointed out to me you may have been upset about my new job?"

Piper took a larger gulp of the wine this time knowing as she nodded her eyes were filling with tears but there was nothing she could do to stop them now.

Seeing her so upset suddenly Alex dropped to her knees and held Piper's hands. "Pipes I'm not going anywhere. The job is here. Robin has bought into Barney's. He wants me to work for him, me and Boo and Nick. He loves PoPi and wants more." She wiped a tear that rolled down Piper's cheek. "Did you think I was leaving?"

Piper nodded unable to speak, still taking in Alex's words.

"Come here." Alex pulled Piper into her arms and held her tight.

Holding onto Alex, Piper tried to think about what she had just heard pulling back a little she asked

"You are really not leaving?"

"No Pipes, I'm going nowhere." Alex smiled. She stood from her crouched position in front of Piper and held out her hand. "Come on, I have food. I am not claiming to have cooked it myself but I know you must be hungry because you didn't eat your pie at Beryl's, and from what Polly said you have been working hard and running around after her. So sit, eat and then we can talk later."

Piper nodded. She looked at Alex almost scared to take her eyes off her in case she disappeared. She realised how much she had been anticipating seeing her again. She took a shaky breath and looked at the food. She grinned. Alex hadn't been kidding when she said she hadn't cooked, but it looked like she had ordered every item on the menu from the local Chinese. Bowls of rice, noodles and chicken before her, alongside shredded duck, pancakes and prawn crackers which Piper knew were a particular favourite of Alex's. "There is enough here to feed an army!" she laughed. "You should invite Nicky and Lorna over!"

"No, no-one else tonight." Alex said seriously. "Tonight we need to talk Pipes."

"I know." Piper agreed.

"But eat first." Alex shifted and began to pile food onto her plate then paused waiting for Piper to mimic her actions. Piper half expect Alex to launch into conversation about Sylvie, or even her new job, so was surprised when she began to talk about Polly, the fall and how long she would be out of work. As she asked Piper about her plans, Piper felt herself relax as she answered and realised just how tense she must have been. When the food on her plate was finished Piper moved to make some coffee. She heard Alex collecting the dishes, storing the untouched food back in containers in the fridge. When the coffee was poured Piper took it over to the sofa and patted the cushion next to her. "Come talk to me." She smiled. She saw Alex hesitate nervously.

Looking at her watch Alex said "maybe we should leave this until tomorrow Piper."

"What so you have overnight to think of another reason no to talk to me? Alex I thought you wanted to explain. I thought there was nothing bad. Why are you making this a big issue again?" Piper was getting concerned once more.

Alex sighed and sat down heavily on the sofa. "Because I cant bare to see the disappointment in your eyes that I know will be there the minute I have finished talking." Alex admitted. "I am not proud of how I have behaved Piper, really I'm not. I want you to know the truth though, all of it."

Piper could hear the vulnerability in Alex's words knew she had protected herself for so long hiding behind her business success and her material possessions but Piper was not sure she relay understood why. Standing he held out her hand.

"Come on, lets go to bed." She saw Alex's eyes widen in surprise and chuckled. "No, not for that!" She grinned, "not yet anyway. But I really need to be close to you right now and I can feel how that is hard for you. You are so tense Al, lets lie down, you don't have to look at me, just talk. OK?"

Alex nodded, the last thing she really wanted was to leave Piper. Moving to the bedroom Alex looked around, it felt ages since she had last been here, that they had been here together.

"Here." Piper threw a t shirt at Alex nodding for her to go get changed, letting her know she wanted her to stay the night regardless of the unspoken words between the. A little relieved Alex quickly changed and returned to find Piper already in bed. Climbing in next to her Alex was a little surprised when Piper turned her back on her but then realised what she intended as Pipers arm reached behind her to grab Alex's and pull her in close.

For a second Alex buried her nose into the crook of Pipers neck, breathing in the scent she had missed, squeezing her eyes tight shut and holding her tight as she tried to find the words to explain.

"Some of this you already know," she began. "I met Sylvie at college. Myself, her and Carrie were all in the same business class. I was there on a scholarship, very quiet and pretty much sat by myself, kept my head down and did the work. Well you have met Carrie, that is certainly not her style! Each week she arranged socials and each week I declined. I didn't have the money to go drinking, but having had years of abuse at school from kids ridiculing my lack of funds I was not about to admit that, so just told her I had work to do. Then they found out I was top of the class so my little excuse didn't wash. Sylvie was more subtle in her approach than Carrie, first inviting me to a party where the drinks were free, guessing this might be the reason. Then asking for help on assignments. Gradually I became friends with the pair of them, admitting I was struggling financially and it was Carrie that hooked me up with the chauffeur job. Once I had a bit of cash I was able to send some home to mom, that made me feel less guilty about going out, so I joined in more and soon the three of us were inseparable. Looking back I realise I got Sylvie her qualification, rewriting most of her work for her while she recovered from whatever party we had been to. Somewhere along the way we got closer and by the end of our first year we were a couple. I conveniently ignored the men she was also seeing convincing myself it was just a front."

Piper felt Alex sigh then almost involuntarily pull her closer burying her head once more in her neck as if reassuring herself Piper was still there. Piper herself remained silent.

"I was besotted," Alex continued quietly, "anything Sylvie asked of me I did. Soon I was staying home while she went out, keeping house while she had fun, convincing myself I was happy. And maybe I was. By the time we were beginning to look for work I was ready for us to settle down together. Suggested we looked for a house or apartment together. She was not so keen, saying we need to focus on our careers. I could see her logic so agreed and began applying for jobs. I saw the job for Bracken advertised and was so excited. I went home that weekend, the first time in months. I wanted mom to know it was going to be OK.

She was in a bad way.

I could see she was ill but she denied it. Said it was a bug. She told me to apply for the job. So I did. When I went back and told Sylvie she went mad. Said I had applied to punish her. That I was going to leave her when she was the only person who had supported me. It didn't matter anyway as I didn't get so much as an interview. I knew people at Barney's still from when I had been a sales girl there so applied there, thinking she would be pleased after all it was local which was her main objection to the other job. I got the post and was thrilled. It meant a regular wage, more than mom had earned doing 3 or 4 jobs, so I could help her out too. When I told Sylvie she just shrugged. It was actually Carrie that told me Sylvie had applied to Robin. She didn't even have the guts to do that herself. When I challenged her she justified it by saying she had asked to work State side. So we continued, me oblivious to her ways and her happy to let me run round after her. I got my first trip to the UK and it was then I received the call about mom. Carrie called me. She said my aunt had rung and I needed to get back. When I arrived home not only was Sylvie not there, she had left a note on our bed saying she was moving to London, she was sorry about mom but she couldn't continue any more.

That was the last I heard from her until a few weeks ago."

Piper let Alex's words sink in. Turning carefully in Alex's arms she faced her for the first time since Alex had started talking.

Lifting Alex's chin and staring into her eyes Piper spoke softly. "That woman, the one you describe as you, she is not the Alex I know. She is not the beautiful, confident caring woman who cares about her friends and the people who work for her. The woman I know, the one lying next to me, is strong. She is strong because she learnt from her past. You still trust people Al, you still treat people with care and even though someone you loved betrayed you at every turn. And look now. She has finally met someone who is able to fight her at her own game and she will loose. The fact you can now live the dreams you had then is what you need to focus on now Alex, leave the past behind."

"Can you do that though Piper? I didn't tell you. I should have told you straight away and I didn't."

Piper nodded, "Yes you should but I think I understand why. You are proud Alex, and there is nothing wrong with that. But you need to know your money doesn't mean anything to me, or what job you do. I have been fortunate to have money growing up, but it doesn't make a person that's for sure, look at my mom! And your job, well it is a job that all. What I care about is you." She pulled Alex into a tight hug and felt the taller woman sink into her. "You have had a long few days," Piper smiled, "go to sleep Al, rest."

As Piper held Alex, feeling her relax as the tension she had been carrying these past days and weeks left her Piper knew that there would still be questions to ask but for now Alex was here, in her arms and that is exactly what she wanted.