A/N Aw, I'm sorry for leaving you all hanging like that. I know for a fact that I am going to be very busy this week- so you may only see one update this week. For the Broken reader's I will try to update that in the next few days as it is now my main focus after this, but then I do need to complete some course work.
I apologise profusely for taking a little bit more time to get this up than normal. I took the weekend off from writing and planned to write this earlier but life decided to get in the way. But, this is the longest chapter ever- so hopefully it makes up for it.
Massive shout out to Spliz who mentioned this song to me the other night. Listening to it, it honestly feels like the theme song of this fan fic- so for those who I know like listening to music with their fan fiction go check it out. "Running" by Andras Kallay-Saunders.
Reviews:
Sue: I'm glad you liked it and that was exactly my intention so I'm so happy you think it paid off.
Guest: Thank you so much- I know it was a little weird for Piper to be the boxed but I wanted her to be the tougher one for a change. Thank you for your kind words, hopefully this chapter lives up to your expectations.
Another late night edit- so I apologise advance for the mistakes. I really just wanted to get this up.
…
"You must be Piper."
Piper shuffles nervously under the gaze of the older women, her eyes the same beautiful green tinge as Alex's, her face soft and welcoming as she leans slightly against the frame of the front door. Piper gives her an awkward smile, fidgeting apprehensively with the hem of her hooded jumper. "Uh, yeah, it's nice to meet you Ms Vause," Piper eventually mumbles out as she extends her hand, her voice sincerely lacking its normal confidence.
Diane gives Piper a warm smile, the older woman so immensely thankful for how happy the blonde in front of her had made her daughter, Alex having non-stopped talked about her since Diane's arrival. Diane resists the urge to elope Piper into a hug, Alex having made mention that Piper struggled with physical intimacy with people she didn't know, her mother picking up on her daughter's silent signals that her girlfriend came from a difficult past that still clearly affected her. Whilst Alex hadn't mentioned specifics, Diane had fairly accurately come to her own conclusions as to just what kind of suffering the blonde might have endured, deciding that whatever it is had left a permanent mark on the younger woman.
Despite wanting to hug the blonde, Diane grasps Piper's hand, returning the slightly awkward handshake. "It's nice to meet you too, Piper. But please, call me Diane," the older woman says before her eyes fixate on the bruising around the blonde's eye, her expression morphing into one of shock and slight confusion. Although Alex had informed her mother of her girlfriend's chosen profession, Diane had never really focused on the logistics of it, her mind at no time wandering to any possible injuries that might encompass the role of a boxer. "Oh sweetie, what happened to your eye?" Diane asks concernedly, her eyes remaining on the swollen and bruised skin.
"Oh, I got punched in the face," Piper explains quickly without giving much thought to the words that fell from her mouth, swiftly recoiling at how ridiculous she must sound to the older woman, as if getting punched in the face was just such a common occurrence for her. Fuck, Piper. Way to make a complete ass out of yourself in the first few minutes she thinks to herself, realising just how stupid her first few words to her girlfriend's mother were, thinking of just how bad of an impression she was probably making on the older woman.
Much to Piper's relief, Diane just raises an inquisitive eyebrow at her, an all too familiar smirk playing on her slightly chapped lips. "Well, it looks like Al finally met her match," Diane says as she breaks out into joyous laughter, the warm sound echoing out from the confines of the doorway and into the hallway behind Piper. "Come on in honey, let's get some ice for that eye," Diane suggests, stepping aside to give Piper room to enter the apartment.
Piper emits a short nervous laugh, grateful that the woman in front of her appeared to not be making a big deal out of the her rather odd explanation, feeling as if Alex may have already informed Diane of her profession. Stepping through the door, Piper gives Diane a small smile before making her way towards the kitchen and sitting at one of the bar stools at the counter, glancing around in hopes of having her eyes fall upon Alex, wanting her girlfriend to desperately save herself from the hole she slowly appeared to be digging herself into with her awkward ways.
Entering the kitchen, Diane gives Piper a warm smile, attempting to ease the evidently nervous blonde. "Alex is just in the shower," Diane explains as she opens the door of Alex's freezer, grabbing the small blue ice pack that she knew her daughter kept in there. "Here you go," she says as she hands Piper the ice pack, silently signalling for her to put it on her swollen eye.
"Thank you," Piper replies, gratefully taking the packet, and placing in upon her bruise, sighing contently as the cool sensation begins to numb the burning that still littered her face.
"So, do I get a full explanation as to why my daughter's girlfriend has rocked up with a black eye? Sounds like it might be a one hell of a story" Diane says with a laugh, taking the seat next to Piper, facing her body in her direction as she waits for a response from the blonde.
Piper smiles and shakes her head, instantly taking a liking to this witty woman in front of her, feeling surprisingly at ease for the first time since the topic of meeting her girlfriend's mother was brought to her attention. "Not really. I kinda wish it was though, would make me not look like such an idiot. I'm assuming Alex told you I was a boxer?" Piper asks as she begins to tell the story, Diane providing a quick nod in response, smiling in encouragement for Piper to continue. "Well, I was at training earlier and my trainer decided for another fighter and I to have a sparring session, you know good practice for upcoming fights. Anyway, the girl threw a quick punch and I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been and ended up with her fist in my face."
Diane laughs at Piper's explanation. "Well, that wasn't nearly as badass as what I was expecting, I must say Piper I am a little disappointed. I thought you were going to tell me this really intense battle for your life story of how you prevented a mugging whilst simultaneously fighting off a bear with your hands tied behind your back" Diane teases playfully, Piper's lips turning up into a wide grin, loving the older women's sense of humour, it reflecting very much on that of her daughter's. Piper could see in that moment just how Alex could spend hours on the phone to this woman, Piper always smiling widely whenever she would watch their transactions, her girlfriend spending majority of the time in a fit of laughter.
"I think I like your story much better Diane," Piper laughs, her body now fully relaxed within the woman's warm presence. Piper had grown accustomed to not believing in the concept of a mother figure, her own mother ruining the perception by her atrocious ways. Yet, sitting there with Diane, she felt that belief slowly beginning to shift towards something more constructive. Diane, much like her daughter, had this welcoming warmth to her, Piper instantly feeling irrevocably drawn to the older woman, a sense of comfort and security filling the air.
"Hey, you," she hears that all too familiar voice rasp from behind them, a soft hand coming to rest on the small of the her back, rubbing in small soothing circles as she feels the comforting heat from her girlfriend's body project itself into her back.
Smiling, Piper swivels herself around on the bar stool, dropping the ice pack away from her eye and takes in the very welcomed sight of the brunette, whose long black hair was still glistening from her recent shower.
Alex immediately frowns as her eyes dart towards Piper's eye, her face instantly becoming laced with concern. "What the fuck Piper?" she asks worriedly, bringing her hands up to cup Piper's face as she gently tilts the blonde's head to get a better angle as she looks at her bruised eye, the pad of her thumb softly stroking her cheek.
"Alexandra Vause, don't fucking swear," Diane says with a laugh, pushing herself from the stool and walking her way back into the kitchen, opening a cupboard door and retrieving a glass before shuffling to the sink and turning on the faucet.
Piper chuckles at Diane's comment before quickly raising her hand and placing it on Alex's wrist as she looks up at her girlfriend, whose face is still in a state of concern, her mother's lighthearted remark having made no effect on her worried stature. "Alex, I'm fine. Just a wayward punch at practice," Piper says sweetly, her heart warming at just how concerned the brunette was for her.
Piper watches as Alex relaxes a little under her tone, before she leans down to give her a quick welcome kiss on her lips, her hands still cupping Piper's face. Piper blushes slightly at the sudden display of intimacy in front of her girlfriend's mother, unsure of whether this was stepping over an unspoken line in the parental introduction memo, Piper unable to gauge Diane's reaction as her back was still facing away from the older woman.
Alex gently pries the icepack from Piper's hand, stepping in between the blonde's slightly parted legs as she raises the pack back against her eye, her free hand gently cupping the back of Piper's neck as her green eyes stare lovingly into Piper's. "Way to give me a heart attack, kid" Alex says quietly, sighing contently as she feels Piper wind her hands around her waist and pull her closer, the blonde in that moment disregarding her awkwardness of intimacy in Diane's presence, only wanting to provide Alex with some sense of comfort.
"Sorry," Piper whispers sheepishly, realising it probably would have been a better idea to forewarn her girlfriend about her eye, hating whenever she made Alex worry. Although Piper was never concerned for the injuries that her decision to remain a boxer could bring, she knew it troubled Alex, the brunette trying unsuccessfully to hide her worries each and every time she knew Piper was going to be involved in something physical in the boxing world.
Alex gives her a heartening smile, removing the ice pack and leaning down to rest her forehead against Piper's, ignoring her mother who looks on adoringly, never having seen her daughter appear to be so in love, the distinguishing difference between Piper and Alex's past partners so evident in the stupid, goofy grin that plastered her daughter's face.
Finally feeling her mother's gaze, Alex lifts her head, smiling widely at the woman she had spent all afternoon informing of all the fantastic details of the blonde in her arms. "So, this is my mom," Alex says with a small chuckle, finally acknowledging the fact she had not made official introductions.
Diane rolls her eyes, walking back around from behind the kitchen counter and taking her original seat next to Piper, swivelling her chair around to face the still embraced couple. "Well, thank you for that Alex, nice of you to state the obvious" Diane says will a laugh, playfully slapping her daughter on the back as Piper chuckles at her sarcasm. "Besides, whilst your lanky arse was drowning itself in the shower, Piper and I have already become well acquainted," Diane finishes with a playful wink in Piper's direction, a clear reminder to their earlier conversation.
Alex laughs, grinning widely as it is made apparent how well her girlfriend and mother appear to be getting along, Piper now feeling completely relaxed in the older woman's presence. Grabbing Piper's hand, she gently pulls her girlfriend towards her couch, gesturing for her mother to follow, wanting to be able to sit in comfort as they continue to mingle throughout the night.
Pulling Piper down onto the couch, Alex wraps her arms around her girlfriend, the blonde leaning her back into Alex's front, Diane opting to take a seat in the small recliner across from them. They continue to talk and laugh, Diane doing her motherly duty of sharing a few embarrassing stories from Alex's childhood, causing the brunette to blush and bury her face into the back of Piper's neck.
As very late afternoon turns into night, Piper feels her body begin to become sluggish under the weight of the day's intense exercise, her eyes beginning to droop as Alex and Diane continue to talk around her. Feeling Piper beginning to fall into sleep, Alex pulls her down so her head is now rests in her lap, the blonde muttering a sleepy 'thank you' as her face buries into Alex's lap, the brunette absentmindedly stroking her fingers through her hair as she falls into a deep slumber. Piper's mind begins to wander in her dreams, the memories of the past resurfacing in their most horrific form.
Piper buries her head in her pillow, attempting in vain to allow the small, thin material to block out the raging screams that echo from downstairs, the spiteful words penetrating through the thin walls of her bedroom. Her parent's argumentative shrieks penetrate her small body, her heart racing as she hears the sound sounds of objects being thrown around forcefully. The sound of glass smashing causes Piper to shudder into the darkness, her body curling into itself in an attempt to hide away from the horror of her parents commonly loud and sometimes violent disagreements.
Piper can hear the small sobs of her terrified youngest brother through the wall of her bedroom, his bed resting against the same wall as her own. This was normal for them, the Chapman children being forced to go to sleep as tears stained their cheeks, their small fragile bodies shuddering nervously in pure fear, praying that their drunken and abusive father wouldn't decide to turn his attentions to his 'sleeping' children.
Another large bang sounds, causing Piper to jump, her heart sinking as she hears yet another whimper sound through the thin wall, Piper resisting every urge to call out to her barely school aged younger brother, knowing full well that she needed to remain silent as to not draw attention to herself or her brothers.
The small brass lock on Piper's wooden door was her saviour, it acting as her own personal protector from nights like these, allowing to keep the physical fears at bay. Unfortunately for Piper, the emotional ones remained firmly locked inside the room with her and perhaps they were the most terrifying of all.
The screaming from downstairs begins to dissipate, the house filling with absolute silence, the cool night air that streams through Piper's open window leaving prickles on the small amount of her exposed skin. The sudden slamming of a door and the deep thudding of footsteps begin to make Piper's heart race, the sounds of her father's thick, heavy boots scraping against the wooden floorboards, creaking as he steps closer to their bedrooms.
Piper jumps as a fist suddenly slams against her bedroom door, the lock rattling under the force. She hears her father's slurs coming from behind the door, his spitted words virtually incomprehensible, the only word that could be defined was his bellowing of her own name.
"Piper….Piper…."
"Piper," Diane says again as she attempts to rile the seemingly terrified woman for her screaming slumber, the blonde having been asleep for some time, Alex making the tough decision to leave Piper and quickly race out and get dinner for when she wakes. Piper never usually got nightmares during the daylight, the darkness typically being the main reason for them resurfacing. However, today she had been very wrong.
"Piper."
Piper's eyes finally snap open at Diane's words, her body hurling itself upwards from her current laying position on Alex's couch as the blanket that was covering her falls down to her waist, Diane stepping back slightly in surprise at the sudden movement. Piper's chest heaves heavily as she attempts to suck in a deep breath to calm herself, the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead begin to roll slowly down her face, the nightmarish memory terrifying the blonde to her core.
It was these moments that petrified Piper the most, the nightmares that conjured the memories she so desperately tried to repress, the haunting faded recollections becoming all too real. The nightmares often painted Piper's reality, her state of unconsciousness always willing to allow the depth of her suffering to weave its way back into her awareness, a constant daunting reminder for the past, present and future.
Piper's breathing is still shallow, it the only sound that occupied the still apartment, her incessant wheezing slightly muffled as she buried her face into her knees that now are tucked squarely into her chest, her arms wrapped around protectively as she attempts to ease her current discomfort. As Piper slowly brings herself back from her terror, her mind twists in confusion, her body having become so accustomed to those set of loving arms wrapping around her body whenever her nightmares would resurface, arms that would always leave her feeling safe and no longer afraid of what the darkness around her might bring.
Lifting her head from her knees, Piper glances around the lit living room of Alex's apartment in confusion before her eyes shift back down to the material of the couch, her mind finally understanding that she had simply fallen asleep on her girlfriend's sofa.
"Piper honey, are you okay?" Diane asks gently as she crouches down in front of Piper, weary of not putting her hands on the disordered blonde, her frantic deep sleep screaming enough for her to realise what was going on.
Piper finally allows her eyes to fixate on those of the older woman, her face instantly reddening as she realises Diane had bared witness to her entire episode. "Oh, fuck Diane. I am so sorry," Piper stutters out as she recoils inwardly at just how shocked her girlfriend's mother must be. Based on what Nicky had let slip over the years, Piper knew her nightmarish state could be terrifying for whoever had to witness the event, her thrashing and high pitched screaming leaving the person in a state of concerned disbelief.
Diane gives Piper a warm smile before making the decision to reach out and place her small hand on the still slightly trembling blonde's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her that everything was okay. "Don't be sorry, Piper. Did you need me to call Alex? She just popped out to get some dinner," Diane explains, knowing that Piper must feel somewhat uncomfortable with the fact that the only person who was there to comfort her was a woman she had met merely hours before.
Piper waves her hand dismissively and gives Diane a half smile. "No, it's okay. I'm fine now," Piper croaks out, attempting to sound as brave and unaffected at possible. Piper knew Alex would never forgive herself for leaving Piper alone to one of her nightmares, the brunette clearly believing that Piper would be okay as it was only just beginning to darken, her girlfriend only waking to be witness to nightmares in the dead of night. Whilst Piper sometimes had them occur during the day, Alex had never once been present, nor had Piper discussed them with her. Despite both Alex and Nicky's best attempts, Piper blatantly refused to inform them of the details of the haunting images that plagued her dreams, keeping them locked away for only her mind to witness.
Diane looks at Piper with a degree of scepticism, the blonde's face still clammy from her nightmare, her breathing slightly irregular. "Piper, are you sure?" Diane asks in confirmation, her fingers subconsciously twitching as her eyes look towards her phone that lies on the coffee table beside her crouched body.
Piper shakes her head. "I'm fine, really. Just some stupid bad dream," Piper explains, attempting to put Diane's mind at ease, acutely aware of the fright she must have caused her girlfriend's mother.
Diane frowns slightly before nodding, rising from her position and taking a seat next to Piper on the couch, shifting her body to face the blonde. "You know when I was younger and Alex was just a baby, I used to have really bad nightmares as well," Diane says, not wanting to overstep her mark, but knowing full well that in situations like this it was best to not allow the horrible dreams to remain bottled up, Diane herself being taught that it was best to set them free as it helped control them from being as tortuous should they re-enter your mind.
Piper takes a sharp intake of breath, her mouth falling slightly agape as she suddenly becomes worried for Diane, knowing just how difficult it can be for a person to admit them. Whilst Piper would never admit it, she was ashamed of her nightmares, embarrassed that even after all these years her past still had such a significant hold over her. In the beginning after Nicky was made aware of just how bad her nightmares truly were, the wild-haired woman had suggested Piper seek out some form of therapy, the blonde instantly rejecting the notion of letting another person in. Yet, as she sits there next to Diane she couldn't help but feel somewhat drawn to the older woman, a sensation Piper had never felt before to anyone who held any maternal power.
Seeing she had sparked Piper's interest, Diane smiles, tentatively raising her hand to rest on Piper's knee, ready to explain the reasoning behind her own nightmares. "I was only a teenager when I had Alex. My somewhat conservative parents kicked me out of home when they found out I was pregnant and not willing to abort the baby. From the moment I found out I was pregnant with Alex I just felt this connection with her and I knew I would do anything to protect her from any harm. I lived in women's shelters throughout the entire pregnancy as I had no money or home, no employer wanting to hire a pregnant teenager. I was scared at first, but once Alex was there in my arms all my worries seemed to fade away."
Piper smiles at Diane, her girlfriend only having told her the smaller and later details of her childhood, Alex feeling that a large chunk of it wasn't her story to tell, knowing that it had embarrassed her mother to live like that. Piper was aware that they struggled for money, Diane working countless jobs and endless hours to provide Alex with the stability she needed in her life. Alex didn't like to dwell on her past, feeling as though her mother did her utmost to better the situation she was presented with. Whilst Diane had struggled with monetary things, she had showered Alex with love and affection, something that Piper was well aware was more important. Nodding her head, Piper gestures for Diane to continue, eager to hear the woman's story.
"Not long after Alex was born, I finally got a job and moved into this small apartment, the old lady next door taking care of Alex as I worked during the day. We lived in an area that wasn't that nice and many women were struggling to feed their children. Almost on a daily basis, there would be some kind of visit to the complex by social workers, mother's screaming as they took their babies away. I loved Alex so much and was absolutely petrified that it would be my turn soon, that they would deem me unfit to care for my own daughter and take her away from me. Every night I would have these horrible nightmares where they would take Alex away from me as I screamed for them to stop. They sometimes would be so bad that they would wake me up and I would cry. I used to get up and just watch Alex as she slept in her crib at the end of my bed, finding it was the only thing that would comfort me when I was upset."
Piper smiles at Diane, knowing full well the feeling she was describing. Piper had dealt with her nightmares for years and had found that Alex was the only thing that would actually make her feel calm after their occurrence. Alex had this unidentifiable aura that surrounded her, her mere presence able to quickly calm Piper's racing heartbeat. She couldn't quite determine why, but Alex just made her feel a sense of safety, something Piper had spent her whole life trying desperately to feel.
"So you see Piper, don't ever feel like your nightmares are stupid or be embarrassed by them, because you don't need to be." Diane finishes, rubbing her hand soothingly on Piper's knee, hoping that her small story provided the blonde with some sense of comfort.
Piper averts her gaze for a brief moment, feeling somewhat emotional that the woman before her understood the things Piper struggled to ever put into words. For the first time in her life she felt understood, that her fears and concerns that would emerge in her dreams were warranted and that it was okay to be anxious by them. Piper had always struggled with explaining this to others, finding that those who didn't experience such nightmares simply wouldn't understand.
A question that Piper had always wanted the response to plagued her lips, the blonde finally finding comfort that the woman in front of her could provide a genuine answer. "How do you get them to stop?" Piper asks in a small voice, still not allowing her eyes to meet Diane's, wanting to shrink away as she pushed herself to ask.
"I found talking about them helped a lot. Find the one person you trust the most in this world and just let it all out. I know it is hard, but don't allow yourself to suppress it Piper. If you let them out they won't have as greater hold on you anymore. The more you talk about them the less scary they actually become."
Piper finally lifts her head to look at Diane, her face breaking into a smile filled with pure gratitude as she begins to understand what she needed to do. For so long Piper forced herself to repress the memories that re-surfaced in her dreams, fearing that the more she allowed herself to remember them, the worse they would be. Diane's words provided her with the confidence to allow herself to express what she would see in her mind during her sleep, knowing that next time she would be able to find the courage to finally share it with Alex, the brunette being the only person Piper would feel comfortable in telling. "Thank you, Diane," Piper says with all sincerity, the older woman's hand, providing an usual level of comfort, despite the fact they had only officially known each other for a few hours.
Diane smiles warmly at Piper, absentmindedly leaning forward to pull the blonde into an embrace before suddenly realising her daughter's earlier words about Piper's struggles with touching. Feeling Diane pause in sudden concern, Piper allows herself to wrap her arms around the older woman's small frame and returns the hug. Much like Alex, there was just something about Diane that made her feel at ease, that despite everything her own mother had done to her in the past this moment was okay, Piper felt safe.
The slamming of the front door causes the two women to break apart, their eyes both falling to focus on Alex, who stands with a wide smile by the entrance of the living room, her arms holding the bag that contained that night's dinner. Both Diane and Piper return her smile, Piper shaking her head as Alex raises a questioning eyebrow, the blonde indicating she would explain later.
Diane shifts from her spot next to Piper and back to her earlier position in the chair across from them, allowing Alex to return to her seat next to Piper. They eat their meals together, talking and laughing as the night begins to fade away around them, all three women conversing like they had done this a thousand times before.
As Diane and Piper continue to talk, Alex begins to fall asleep on the blonde's shoulder, Piper eventually shifting to allow Alex to rest her head in her lap like she had done hours before. Piper plays inattentively with the sleeping brunette's hair, consciously controlling the bouts of laughter Diane would cause to rack through her body, not wanting to wake her sleeping girlfriend whose chest now rises and falls in a relaxed rhythm.
After some time, Diane glances at the small wall clock, realising it was nearly 1am. Yawning, she rises from her seat and smiles at Piper. "I better head to bed now, I'm getting too old for these late nights," Diane jokes, a chuckle emitting from the blonde's lips as she feels the familiar sleepiness burn behind her eyes.
"Goodnight Diane," Piper says, beginning to gently shift her girlfriend's head from her lap so she can begin to clean up the mess of their dinner that was left on the coffee table, wanting to ensure Diane immediately went to her bed for the night, both younger girls agreeing, despite Diane's protests, that it was best for them to sleep on the couch during her stay, Alex having only the one bed.
Diane begins to step towards Piper to help her, the blonde immediately waving her hand dismissively. "It's okay, I've got it. Go get some sleep," Piper says with a smile as she begins to collect the food wrappers and walks towards the bin in the kitchen.
"Hey Piper," Diane whispers as she attempts to get the blonde's attention. Piper turns and faces Diane, who is now leaving against the door frame of Alex's bedroom, her eyes slowly beginning to droop. "Thank you," Diane says firmly.
Piper scrunches her face in slight confusion, not understanding the need behind the older woman's thanks.
"For making Alex so happy," Diane continues as she sees the blonde's confusion. "I've honestly never seen her like this before. She really loves you."
Piper smiles broadly at Diane's words. "I know, I love her too," Piper confesses openly, finding that she no longer felt the need to hide her feelings for Alex, wanting the whole world to know that she was finally in love and the brunette who was presently asleep on the couch was the reason why.
Diane gives Piper a warm smile, offering a small tired wave of her hand before turning and entering the bedroom, closing the door gently behind her, leaving Piper alone with her thoughts. The love Piper had developed for Alex was something she would have previously never thought possible, slowly finding that she was able to allow herself to share every facet of her life with the brunette and feel comfortable doing so. Piper loved Alex and by some sheer miracle Alex managed to love her too, never once shying away from the damage Piper's past had left on her, her girlfriend welcoming every aspect of the past, present and future despite the hardships that sometimes accompanied it.
Finishing her task of cleaning away the night's dinner, Piper turns off the lights in the apartment and shuffles her way back to the living room, the moonlight providing her with enough light to grab the blanket from the side and drape it over her girlfriend's sleeping form. Because Alex's couch was quite wide, Piper easily slips in next to her girlfriend, smiling as she feels Alex immediately reach out for her in her sleep, wrapping her arm protectively around Piper' waist and pulling her against her body.
Piper snuggles her head into Alex's chest, finding her safe place as she begins to fall asleep, the day proving to one of the most progressive she had experienced in a while, Piper only wishing she had asked to meet Diane sooner. As Piper drifts into a comfortable slumber, her mind begins to wander, but for the first time the images that occupy her mind are pleasant, she was finally dreaming of a brighter future, a future that heavily featured Piper's new found family.
….
A/N Hopefully we all enjoyed the Piper and Diane bonding moment- I really wanted to introduce a positive maternal figure into Piper's life. Also, as requested, a bit more of Alex's backstory for you.
So, I don't know about you guys but I really feel Diane warrants the need for another chapter- what do you all think? I was originally going to end it here but I have a perfect beginning and ending for next chapter. I am just not 100% sure yet what could fill the middle- so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated to help spur some kind of idea in my head- I might even reward you with a smut scene if I can get an idea to work ;P
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