A/N Hey all, here is Chapter 4. I know I had said I probably wouldn't have it up until the end up the week but I have been furiously working my butt off to get both my assessment and my two stories updated and well it's all paid off.

For those following my other fan fic 'Broken' I have updated it both yesterday night and earlier this morning. But, I'm not sure if it's just me (as I'm having all sorts of issues with reading reviews and receiving any form of emails from ), as of me writing this it is only saying that I updated it yesterday even though you can access BOTH new chapters right now. So if that is the case, for those interested go check out the new update I'd love to hear some feedback.

As always thank you to those lovely people who reviewed and followed, I really appreciate it a lot. Much love to you all- you guys keep me and this story going.

As long as things keep running smoothly expect another update for this story within the next few days. At my current rate I am able to write around one chapter update a day so I am just alternating between stories at the moment.

Anyway enough with my rambling, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Mrosse38

"So Pipes, you and Vause seemed to be getting fairly close last night at Red's?" Nicky says with a playful smile as they both are seated at the breakfast counter, sipping on their morning coffee in an attempt to cure their hangover's from the night before.

"We are just friends Nicky," Piper says attempting to repress the blush that she now always seemed to get at the mere mention of Alex's name. After the incident with Sylvie, Alex and Piper had spent the whole night just talking, as Nicky and Lorna played tonsil hockey in the seat in front of them. Piper had learnt so much about Alex, and the more she learnt, the more her feelings for her grew. She had learnt of how Alex had moved to New York right after high school, in hopes to find work so she could send money back home to her mother, who had been working 4 jobs just to make ends meet. That, unlike Piper, her mother was one of her best friends and she would call her every Thursday night without fail. Alex had told Piper that after turning 21 and spending the last 3 years working meaningless jobs, she had met Nicky at a club who then introduced her to Red. That Red, had welcomed her in with open arms and offered her a job that allowed Alex to make enough money to send back home, allowing her mum to quit two on her jobs. She had learnt of the time when Alex was 18, that she had gone to her deadbeat drummer father's concert and he had hit on her after she introduced herself as his daughter and how she had cried herself to sleep that night. Piper loved how open and honest Alex was with her and she had only hoped that she could have been the same. Piper didn't talk about her past with anyone, not even Nicky. Nicky merely knew the facts of Piper's traumatic childhood because she herself had been there when it had happened.

"Just friends aye? You kiss all your friends like that? Might need to warn Lorna for me" Nicky laughs interrupting Piper's thoughts. She was clearly loving the fact that, after all this time, she finally had the opportunity to tease her friend about her having a little crush.

"Why Nick? I hope you're not jealous?" Piper retorts with a laugh and wink, hoping to get her friend to drop the subject. Piper was so confused about her feelings for Alex. She had never felt this way about anybody, and truthfully it terrified her.

"Piper, seriously though you like her don't you? Nicky continued to probe.

"Ugh, Nicky can we just drop it please," Piper whines as she stands from her chair and walks to the sink and rinses her now empty coffee cup.

"Okay whatever, I'm going back to bed my head is fucking killing me. But seriously Piper, you can't run from your feelings for her forever you know," Nicky says matter of factly, as she raises from her seat and walks towards her bedroom and shuts the door leaving a dumfounded Piper standing in the kitchen alone with her thoughts. Sighing, Piper walks towards her room with the intention of having a shower, before she hears the familiar tone of her phone go off indicating she had a new text message. She walks to her dresser where he phone lays and picks it up, unlocking the screen, her heart begins to beat faster as she sees who the message is from.

Alex:

Hey Kid.

Piper smiles and quickly taps a reply. Hey.

Moments later her phone beeps again.

Not too hungover I hope?

Piper:

Haha no, please I may box in the lightweight division but that doesn't mean I am one. You should see Nicky though, actually it's probably best that you didn't that shit is the cause of nightmares ;)

Alex:

Haha, I can believe that. Listen are you free tonight?

Piper's heart began to race and she was suddenly very nervous as she typed her reply.

Maybe, what did you have in mind?

Alex:

Well, I was thinking that maybe you could come over and hang out?

Don't be a pussy Piper, she thinks to herself before typing her reply.

Sounds good. Is 8 alright?

Alex:

8 is perfect, see you then :D

Smiling, Piper puts her phone back on the dresser, grabs a change of clothes and heads to the shower. As she stands in the shower, letting the water cascade down her back she suddenly begins to panic. Was this a date? Piper had never once in her life been on a date, the closest she had ever gotten to going out with someone was when she would pretend to be Nicky's girlfriend after guys would hit on them at a club on a night out. She knew Alex liked her, she had drunkenly said that much last night. As much as she knew Alex's feelings for her, Piper was petrified of her own feelings for Alex. She was scared to let Alex in, scared of the unknown. For so long Piper had been alone and now the prospect of sharing herself with someone else terrified her.

Deciding to take Nicky's earlier advice and not run from her feelings, Piper told herself to stop overthinking things. Sometimes people put up walls, not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down. It was time to let someone break down her walls, and that someone was Alex.

…..

Walking to the front door of Alex's apartment, Piper takes a deep nervous breath, before knocking gently. The door quickly opens to reveal a smiling Alex, dressed in black skinny jeans and a low cut top that displays ample cleavage. "Hey" she says, before pulling Piper by the arm and dragging her into her apartment.

"Wow" Piper exclaims as she takes in the sight of Alex's apartment. On the far wall of the open spaced living room stood two tall mahogany bookcases, filled to the brim with various titles. A large three seat, black leather couch sat in the middle of the room facing a 70inch plasma television that was perched on the wall. Countless paintings littered the ruby red walls, creating a lively atmosphere throughout the apartment. A single indoor plant sat in the corner of the room, looking rather dead causing Piper to smile.

"Yeah, that's why I don't have any animals" Alex chuckles, handing Piper a beer, as she gestures towards the plant.

"Thanks" Piper replies taking a much needed sip of her beer, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"So, I uh figured we could maybe watch a movie and order some pizza. Keep it simple," Alex says somewhat timidly, her usual overzealous and boastful confidence gone.

Piper simply nods her head at Alex. "Sounds good."

"I'm just gonna go order it now then, so make yourself comfortable. The movies are over there, pick whatever you want" Alex says gesturing to the small DVD cabinet that sits under the mounted TV. Piper walks over to the cabinet and begins to look through the available DVDs, deciding to opt with a horror film she had never seen before.

"Nice," Alex says as she walks up behind Piper, taking the DVD gently from her hand and puts in the in the player. Picking up the remote, Alex turns on the TV and walks backwards to sit herself on the leather couch. She pats the space beside her, gesturing for Piper to join her. Piper walks over to Alex and sits down, there thighs inches from each other despite the spacious couch. Piper can feel the hum of electricity running between them as the movie begins to play.

Over half an hour into the movie, they are both still seated close together, staring intently at the screen as the main protagonist of the film walks slowly towards the front of the house to investigate a noise he had heard. Realising the sound was coming from his front doorstep, the man crouches down and slowly peers through the blinds. BANG BANG! Both girls practically jump from the couch, Piper releasing a little squeal. "Jesus Fucking Christ" Alex says holding her hand on her chest, turning her head towards door behind them. "Pizza's here" she says laughing slightly as she turns to a still wide eyed Piper and lifts herself from the couch to go pay and collect the pizza.

Walking back towards Piper, Alex places the pizza down on the table in front of them and grabs a slice and sits back down, crossing her legs underneath her on the couch. Finishing her mouthful, she turns to face Piper who immediately bursts out into laughter. "What?" she mumbles suddenly incredibly self-conscious.

"You've got a sauce moustache" Piper says giggling, a sudden bout of courage rising within her as she reaches across to wipe the red sauce from the Alex's top lip, letting her hand linger for a second. She pulls her hand back staring at Alex, who is watching her intently, and licks the sauce from her fingers. "Mmm, that's good she says" with a smile.

"Suppose Pizza isn't as good of a date food as they it is" Alex mumbles slightly embarrassed and takes another bite of Pizza, albeit much more cautiously.

"Oh you think this is a date huh?" Piper teases, watching Alex turn a deep shade of pink as her own heart jumps at Alex's use of the word.

"I uh, shit sorry I just…" Alex stutters out before stopping as she watches Piper throw her back in a fit of laughter.

"I'm just fucking with you Alex" Piper laughs, seeing Alex visibly relax at her words.

"You bitch" Alex larks in return and jumps forward, straddling Piper as she pushes her back on the couch, pinning her hands above her head. "Say you are sorry" Alex says, her face inches away from Piper.

"Or what?" Piper flirts back, a smile playing on her lips as she loved the feeling of Alex on top of her.

"Or I'll tickle you" Alex responds as serious as she can.

Piper laughs. "Do you really think it's a smart idea to attempt to tickle someone who boxes for a living?"

"Hmm, I'm willing to take my chances" Alex says as her eyes bore into Piper's, which sparkle back in return. "Besides, I don't think you will ever hurt me."

Piper's smile drops and her face turns serious. She swallows nervously and continues to stare at Alex before she lets the words fall from her mouth in a voice barely a whisper. "No, I won't ever hurt you."

Hearing the underlying message in Piper's words, Alex smiles the widest smile she could muster "Me, either."

With those words, Alex leans forward the final few inches to connect her lips with Piper's. The kiss is soft at first before intensifying. Piper feels Alex's lip trace the bottom of her own and she opens her mouth granting her entrance. Alex tastes like beer and peppermint and Piper thinks it may just be her knew favourite flavour combination. They continue to kiss, both their tongues battling for dominance as Alex grinds her hips against Piper's. Piper slides her hands under Alex's loose top and gently rubs up her back before pulling her closer, wanting not one inch of space between them. They continue to kiss fiercely for a few minutes more before Piper pulls her lips away and rests her forehead against Alex's, their breathing both ragged.

"We should stop," Piper breaths out, not truly wanting to but knowing that she needed to take things slow will Alex. Alex was different from all the other girls she had been with and she wanted her to know that.

"I know," Alex replies pulling back so she can look into Piper's eyes as she tucks a small strand of her blonde hair away from her face and behind her ear. She knew this was new to Piper and she didn't want to push her. Piper struggled with emotions and as much as Alex wanted Piper, she didn't want to make things even more difficult for her. Smiling, Alex gives Piper one last soft kiss before pushing herself off her and taking her seat back on the couch.

"I'm really sorry Alex," Piper apologises as she sits up from the couch, looking nervously down at her hands not wanting to meet Alex's eyes.

"Hey," Alex says grabbing Piper's face and titling her chin up so her eyes meet hers. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I know this is all new to you and we can take it as fast or as slow as you want."

Piper smiles weakly and takes a deep breath before finally conveying her feelings for the first time, well ever. "It's just this is so weird for me, Alex. Normally it's just about sex for me. But it's so different with you. I want this, I want you."

Alex smiles in return and pulls Piper into a hug. "I want you too. Like I said, we can go at whatever pace you need to babe, when you're ready I'm ready. You are worth waiting for," Alex whispers in her ear before giving her a sweet kiss on her cheek. "Now how about we watch the rest of this movie?"

They continue to watch the movie, Alex on her back as Piper lay tucked firmly in her side, head resting on her chest. This was the first time Piper had ever cuddled and she loved the feeling of Alex's warm body against hers. As time goes on, their breathing evens out and they both slowly begin to drift off to sleep.

Piper feels like she being held under water, her lungs gasping for air that she just can't seem to find. A darkness falls across her eyes as her body goes numb, she looks up to see his black piercing eyes staring intently down at her. His face is contorted into a wicked grin as she hears the sound of glass shattering around her. Terrified, she struggles to move but is stuck in a state of paralysis. Her body is trapping her, she is unable to move, speak or even react. Her breathing suddenly rapidly increases as she gulps in big breaths of air that she can suddenly seem to find. Terror rises through her body as he raises his arms, nails long and twisted ready to attack. She screams and shields her face as he takes another step closer, her body now shaking uncontrollably. Piper…Piper…..

Piper's eyes snap open as she shoots upright and takes in her unfamiliar surroundings. Her breathing is rapid and she struggles to control it. "Piper?" Alex says from behind her on the couch. "Are you okay? You were screaming in your sleep."

Piper says nothing and continues to focus on her breathing, mimicking the way her trainer had taught her to control her breathing during a fight. In out…..In out…. Suddenly, she feels as though the walls of the large open space have suddenly begun to close around her and she struggles to get up, Alex immediately dropping her from the hold Piper was unaware she was in. Piper grabs her jacket and bag that were discarded on the floor earlier in the night and races towards the front door, suddenly desperate to be alone. "Piper wait," Alex calls after her as she herself jumps up from the couch and follow her.

"I've got to go, I'm sorry," Piper spits out through clenched as she rips the handle of the front door open and stumbles out, leaving a dumfounded Alex still calling her name. "Piper," is the last thing she hears as the door closes and Piper sprints down the steps of Alex's apartment and towards her car that is parked on the street. Fuck she thinks as she sits in her car as the tears begin to fall. This is why Piper slept alone, her horrendous nightmares would often wake her suddenly from her sleep and in some cases make her scream. Nicky was the only one who had ever witnessed Piper's nightmares and the next morning she would tell her how terrified Piper had looked. How terrified Piper had made her, that the sounds that would sometimes escape her lips barely even sounded human. Personally knowing how bad of a nightmare her one on Alex's couch was, Piper continued to cry at the thought of what Alex would have just witnessed. She now knew how broken Piper was and she was suddenly terrified that Alex would finally make the decision to run away.

Bloody Piper and her running from situations when shit gets real. Can I just say how hard this chapter was to write. I had just finished writing Chapter 5 of my other fan fic (people who have read it will understand what I mean). I'm mean seriously to go from THAT to this cute little fluffy thing that was in the middle of this chapter was just so weird lol. It was honestly a bit of a mind f**k.

Anyway I hope it turned out alright and gave you some warm fuzzies while it lastes. Seriously, what's cuter than a little stay at home and watch movies date? Especially when said cuddle buddy is Alex Vause ;)