A/N Apologies for the delay in this chapter, so much was going on in this chapter and I needed to get it all to balance out and transition well and that all took a bit of time for me to feel like I had gotten it right. This chapter is rated M for some smutty goodness at the end for you all- so hope you enjoy.

I did take note of all of your suggestions (which there were a lot of so thanks so much) and kind of just mixed them all into one massive chapter. Hopefully it all worked out, this chapter took me forever to get the logistics right and I just pray it paid off. This chapter is crazy long so any mistakes I apologise for, it was a bitch to edit (especially late at night.)

Reviews:

Guest (Diane flashbacks): Me too! I personally would love to see a Piper/Alex/Diane flashback in season 4. But, I am willing to take any Diane, we really didn't get enough of her in the show.

I3VauseMan: Thanks again for another amazing review. Hopefully this chapter makes you fall in love with Diane and Piper more, I know it made me. Hopefully you enjoy this Nicky scene, it was hard to combine everyone's ideas into one so it might not be what you were expecting but I hope it was alright. I ask you now- your 'boxing' match between Alex and Piper is coming up not next chapter but the one after- so are there any specific things you want worked in at all? Let me know and I will see what I can do and apologies for taking so long to have it appear- everything with Diane sort of pushed it all back.

….

They walk in a comfortable silence towards Piper's favourite eatery, a small, quaint café located not too far from her girlfriend's apartment. Piper had discovered the café by sheer chance during her first few weeks after her move from the restrictions of her childhood home, instantly falling in love with the quiet and inviting atmosphere, it quickly becoming her own personal solace during difficult times. Piper rarely shared it with anyone, Alex having been the only person she had brought here in the past. Yet, despite this, Piper hadn't thought twice in bringing Diane here, taking her girlfriend's mother out for lunch after she had been called into work.

Opening the door, Piper motions for Diane to step inside before following, the warm air from inside washing over her as she steps over the threshold. They are greeted by a young waitress with blonde cornrows and a dark tattoo adorning the underside of her neck, Piper coming to know the woman as Tricia, having been served numerous times by the woman during her regular visits. Although Piper rarely attempted to willingly integrate with others, she had developed a quick, somewhat protective fondness for the teenager, connecting on the unspoken challenges of a difficult past. Piper had watched over the last year or so as Tricia had slowly began to crawl her way back up from, what was so clear to Piper because of her own past, an incessant addiction to drugs.

Tricia smiles widely as she sees Piper enter, quickly walking towards her. "Hey Piper."

"Hey Trish," Piper greets her, shrugging off her jacket. "This is my girlfriend's mother, Diane," she explains, gesturing towards the older woman. Tricia had met Alex a few months ago, the younger woman inherently curious as to the person who was behind Piper's sudden happiness over the few months before, smiling widely when Piper had introduced the brunette. Over the years, Piper had slowly grown accustomed to shutting other's out of her life, only providing the minimum accepted conversational details when asked, yet, with Alex she had never once shied away from discussing her.

Whilst they were hardly the best of friends, Piper and Tricia had grown somewhat close during her regular visits, the younger woman often sitting with Piper in the café during her lunch hour as she ate from her home packed lunch, rejecting every offer from Piper to buy her something Tricia hated the thought of owing anyone anything, always telling Piper she settled her debts, no matter how long it took, something Piper greatly admired in such a young person. Tricia evidently didn't have it easy, yet, she never ceased to try her best with the little she could achieve.

Tricia gives Diane a warm smile, the older woman returning it with as much vigour as she politely greets her hello. The two women follow Tricia towards an empty table, seating themselves opposite from one another, jackets draped over backs of the wooden chairs.

"You want the usual, Piper?" Tricia asks as she reaches into her back pocket for the small notebook in which she would write her orders upon.

Piper smiles and gives her a nod of her head, before turning her attention towards Diane when she realises she hadn't given the older woman the opportunity to look through the menu, always consistently ordering the same food whenever she would come to the café, suddenly fearing she may have come across as rude and impatient.

Diane gives Piper sincere a smile as she watches the uncomfortable shift in her eyes at the realisation. "I'll have whatever you're having," she answers, watching the relief cloud over the blonde's features.

"Sorry," Piper stutters in apology, "I'm normally on my own when I come here or if I'm with Alex, I already know her order."

Diane waves her hand dismissively as she watches Piper fumble around her words, evidently still nervous in her presence despite their relaxed conversation yesterday. "Piper it's fine, really. How'd you find this place?" Diane asks, changing the subject, surprised when Piper had effortlessly wound her way through the small side streets from her daughter's apartment and towards the small hidden café located down the end of a quiet street.

Piper smiles in thanks at Diane's effort at conversational change, constantly finding herself for the first time in her life over analysing her actions in the presence of another person. Piper usually never cared for the reaction she would receive from another, however, she found herself constantly attempting to impress the woman, the person she loved, cared so deeply for.

"By sheer accident, really," Piper explains with the shrug of her shoulders. "I was taking a walk to clear my head not long after my friend Nicky and I moved here and just stumbled across it. I kinda fell in love with it and have been coming back regularly ever since." Piper doesn't tell Diane the whole story, leaving out the obtrusive details of why she was in fact out on a walk to clear her mind, not wanting to discuss the horrendous drunken rant her mother had left on her voicemail that afternoon, a voicemail Piper never responded to.

"Have you and Nicky lived here long?" Diane asks carefully, wanting to get to know more about the woman who her daughter was so evidently in love with, yet knowing from Alex's subtle warning that Piper tended to be somewhat closed off at times. Alex had told her many things about Piper, however, the vast majority of the occurrences before they had gotten together as a couple remained a mystery.

"Just under 5 years. We moved right out here just after we both graduated high school, fresh start for both of us sort of thing," Piper explains, surprising herself at the willingness for her to be open above her motives for the move. After Cal had left the state for boarding school, Nicky had been the first one to suggest the move, both jumping at the opportunity to escape from the women they had the unfortunate task of calling their mother's. Nicky had a toxic relationship with her own mother, the woman deciding that simply throwing money at her daughter in an effort to be rid of her, was the best way to convey whatever twisted adaptation of love she felt for her.

Diane smiles, deciding not to question further about the topic, wanting to keep their time together today light and open. "How long have you and Nicky been friends?"

Piper smiles at the continued mention of her best friend, the one person she had always been able to heavily rely upon during her times of need. Piper had put Nicky through a lot over the years with the after effects of her life with her parents, as well as her consuming descent into drug abuse. Yet, Nicky had never faltered once, quietly putting up with the bullshit that had come along with it.

"We met in elementary school, took an instant liking to one another and have been best friend's ever since. She's like my sister and we have been through so much together, I honestly don't know where I would be without her."

Diane smiles, her mind wandering back to the many occasions in which she had hoped Alex would find someone much the same as what Nicky was to Piper, her daughter struggling throughout her more awkward years of schooling to connect with people. Deep down Diane had always worried about Alex's inability to connect, her daughter never truly fitting in place with the women who had come into her life over the years. Yet with Piper, Diane could see that connection she had so longed to witness, the women like two puzzle pieces which were firmly glued together, a bond of love which was so evident even when they were apart. Diane was no longer worried for her daughter, Alex had Piper now and by the sounds of it, Piper had Alex too, something which was clearly needed. The older woman didn't know the trauma's the young blonde had faced in the past, however, she could clearly see the love her own daughter had for her was allowing the emotional scars to slowly heal, something her mother's instinct had told her from the beginning.

"Nicky sounds like an amazing friend," Diane concludes, reaching out to gently touch Piper's hand, which rest across from her on the table, the blonde not having the slightest inclination to pull back from the touch, for the first time ever, actually welcoming it.

"Yeah, she is."

…

The two women are laughing soundly as they enter through the doors of Red's, both women the picture of comfort within one another's company, the day proving to be nothing but successful in establishing their ever growing bond between one another. Piper had felt at ease all day, her girlfriend's mother's presence, encompassing her throughout the day as if it was some kind of comforting familiarity, never once causing any ill-eased resentment for allowing herself the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone by agreeing to play chauffer.

As they walk through the entrance, Piper's eyes instinctively scan the room, hoping to fall upon that familiar brunette who she had grown to love so much over the last few months. Her eyes filter through the bar one last time and frowns, Alex appearing to be nowhere in sight. Turning her focus back towards Diane, she gestures for her to take a seat at one of the booths Piper would frequently sit at during her visits.

"I'm just going to find my friend Nicky and give her this," Piper explains, raising the brown paper bag containing the burger and fries they had stopped to collect on their way, Piper knowing her best friend would struggle to find the opportunity to eat something of sustenance throughout her double shift.

Diane gives Piper a warm smile and nods her head, settling herself into the booth as her eyes scan around the bar, silently taking in her daughter's workplace for the first time.

Turning on her heel, Piper shuffles her way towards the wooden bar located on the opposite side of the near empty room, unceremoniously throwing herself onto one of the bar stools as she hurls the paper bag in the direction of her friend, who remains obliviously engrossed in whatever was on the small screen of her cell phone. Nicky's eyes snap up as the bag lands on the counter beside her, her attention falling towards Piper, who remains seated with a smug smirk adorning her lips at the wide-eyed startled expression that stared back at her.

"I bought your fat ass some dinner," Piper explains with a cheeky smile, nodding her head in the direction of the bag which Nicky had immediately begun to rummage through, her eyes lighting up in gratitude as she eyes the food.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love your scrawny ass?" Nicky mumbles through a mouthful of food as her eyes shine with appreciation, her hand continuing to rustle through the bag as she searches for the burger she knew her best friend would have purchased for her.

Piper laughs, shaking her head at the repelling sight that was presently her best friend, chewing wildly on her fries. "I think you have mentioned it once or twice."

"How'd it go with Alex's mom?" Nicky asks as she unwraps her burger and takes a bite, her girlfriend clearly having of mentioned her mother's visit to her friend throughout the working day.

Piper smiles widely. "Great, she is so fucking nice and we seem to get along really well. It was good you know to….." Piper says, trailing off as she attempts to find the right words to describe the feeling of being with Diane, not truly able to detail the feeling of contentment of being surrounded by such a positive maternal figure, only ever being encircled by negative.

"To spend time with a mother who wasn't a total asshole?" Nicky suggests, knowing full well what Piper was desperately trying to express, both having bonded over the fact that they had incredibly distant and unloving mothers. Whilst, Nicky knew that Piper certainly had the worst of it, the fact that her own mother was so cold and unforgiving allowed the two girls to connect on a level which had solidified their friendship from an early age, never to be broken despite all the hardships they had faced as a duo.

Piper nods her in agreement as she leans forward from her seat onto the counter, her crossed arms resting on the dark wood. "It was nice to be around someone who actually gave a shit about what I had to say and didn't try to shut me up at the first available opportunity. I tell you what Nic, I wished I had of had a mother like Diane, I mean I certainly wouldn't be this fucked up if did."

Nicky stills for a moment at the mention of Piper's now deceased mother and issue ridden childhood, something the blonde rarely willingly chose to bring up in a conversation, minute details only filtering through on rare occasions. Nicky had always hated when Piper referred to herself as 'fucked up', her heart sinking whenever she heard such a depiction. Whilst Piper was so clearly affected by the events of her dark past, years earlier blatantly refusing to seek any kind of outside support through the help of a therapist when her best friend had brought up the suggestion, Nicky always hated the view Piper had of herself.

"Pipes, you're not fucked up," Nicky says defensively, earning a slight eye roll from Piper at her protective stance, the blonde having heard the same argument from her best friend on numerous occasions, the supportive words never truly having an impact upon her and changing the way she viewed herself. "I'm serious Piper, you are so much more than what happened in the past. You're smart, funny, won't put up with any bullshit and overall a pretty amazing friend."

Piper snorts a laugh, smirking at her friend whose face remained serious. "Jesus Nicky, it sounds like you are trying to get in my pants," Piper says, feigning humour as she attempts to escape from the sudden seriousness of the conversation. Piper had come to learn during the course of their friendship that Nicky was rarely serious, but when she was, she meant it.

"Piper," Nicky complains with her lips pursed firmly together, raising her eyebrows to indicate she was not in the mood to joke about the current subject.

Piper's fake smile falters slightly and she raises her hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry."

Nicky relaxes a little, quickly glancing around the bar to ensure they were alone before leaning closer towards her friend, their eyes level with one another. "Pipes, the past is the past and as much as I wish we could change it, we can't. Yes, those fucking horrible people had some affect on it but don't for a second let those assholes affect your future. You've got some much good right now, don't let whatever darkness you had in the past cloud that. You are a good fucking person Piper, don't you ever forget that."

Piper sits in a stunned silence, her mouth slightly agape, all humour evaporated from her body at the sincerity behind her best friend's words. She attempts to respond, but whatever snarky response she had, had been swallowed up by the seriousness behind Nicky's eyes, her face solemn. A few soundless moments pass before her best friend breaks out into a familiar grin, reaching across the counter to grasps two small shot glasses. "How about I pour you and Diane some shots?" she laughs, with a playful raise of her eyebrows.

Piper smiles widely at her best friend, thankful for the sudden break in seriousness induced tension, the wild-haired woman always seeming to know the perfect moment to shift away from difficult conversations, as Piper would often begin to grow uncomfortable. The blonde attempts to stifle a laugh, "Nicky, I'm not going to do shots at 5 o'clock in the afternoon with my girlfriend's mother."

Nicky feigns a shocked expression, as if the idea of Piper downing shots with the older Vause wasn't totally ridiculous. "Oh, come on Pipes, you're just worried she's going to be able to handle her liquor better than you. You're such a fucking lightweight."

"Fuck you," Piper retorts with a loud laugh, peeling the rubber coaster from the countertop and playfully chucking it at her friend, who simply smiles and laughs back at her, the seriousness of their conversation a distant memory.

"Hey," a familiar voice rasps from behind her, a smile instantly stretching across Piper's face at the sound as she shifts slightly in her chair to face her girlfriend, who immediately closes the distance and presses her lips to the blonde's, both women smiling into the welcomed kiss.

"What are you two laughing about?" Alex inquires as she pulls back and takes a seat next to Piper, draping her arm over the blonde's shoulder.

Piper grins at the brunette as she shakes her head, still somewhat laughing at Nicky's joking idiocy. "Nicky is trying to convince me that it is a good idea to offer your mother some shots, you know help create such a great impression."

Alex and Nicky both laugh in unison, sharing a knowing look with one another, Alex having of told her past stories indicating just how well Diane could hold her liquor, the older woman never shying away from a bit of fun. "Just because you are a lightweight," Alex snickers, causing Nicky to laugh harder at her mirrored words.

"Oh, fuck off," Piper says with a joking grin, raising herself from the stool, allowing Alex's arm to fall from her shoulder. "I'm going to go sit with Diane, you know someone who actually has some class," Piper calls over her shoulder as she makes her way back towards the booth, leaving Nicky and Alex who are still in hysterics, Piper's theatrics only causing them to laugh harder.

"Babe," Alex calls as she attempts to compose herself, slipping from her chair and following the blonde, her long legs closing the distance quickly, Piper only halfway back towards the booth as the brunette reaches her and wraps her pale arms around her waist and follows behind, still snickering sightly.

"Hey," Diane greets them, her face lighting up at the image of her daughter, arms wound tightly around Piper, her emerald eyes lit up in a way her mother had never witnessed before this trip.

"Hey mom," Alex greets her, stopping both her and Piper at the foot of the table, not bothering to sit as she was ready to leave anyway. "I'm good to go, let's get out of here."

The three women begin to make their way towards the exit, Piper and Alex giving Nicky a wave goodbye, the brunette declaring to her mother that she perhaps wasn't ready to meet the whirlwind that was Nicky Nichols, claiming she was not yet prepared for Piper's best friend's antics, earning a loud agreeing laugh from Piper.

They walk towards Alex's apartment, laughing and talking freely with one another as if it was something that was not new, Alex keeping a firm grasp of Piper's hand as her mother continues to tease her daughter with memories of their past, Piper giggling as she listens to Diane describe teenaged Alex hilarious escapades.

A somewhat depressing atmosphere washes over the women as they reach Diane's car which had been parked outside her daughter's apartment, all knowing that it was now time to say goodbye, Diane having to return back to her own home in order to work.

Letting go of Piper's hand, Alex elopes Diane in a firm embrace, burying her head into her mother's shoulder and wrapping her arms around her waist just like she used to do as a child, not wanting to let go, having missed her mom immensely over the last few months. "I love you, mom," Alex mumbles into the shoulder of the older woman's jacket.

Stroking her hand through her daughter's hair in an effort to not only comfort Alex, but herself as well, Diane feels tears pooling behind her eyes, feeling overly emotional after such a lovely trip and the chance to spend some quality time with Piper, the girl she knew had truly stolen her daughter's heart. "Love you too, kiddo," she responds before pulling away and looking at Piper.

Not hesitating for a moment, Piper steps into the welcoming embrace, smiling as she feels Diane's arms weave themselves around her small frame, holding her with just the right amount of pressure as if it was something they had done a thousand times before. Piper had never really been overly fond of touch, it stemming back to her own mother's inability to provide any kind of comfort to her children, yet, Diane's embrace felt so different from the few, stiff hugs she had shared with Carol throughout her childhood, the older woman's embrace filled with some much love and happiness. In the small amount of time Piper had known her, she had provided more comfort and security than her own mother had provided her entire life. So this is what a mother's touch feel like she thinks to herself, thoroughly enjoying the comfort provided by the older woman's arms. I could get use to this.

….

As they enter Alex's apartment, the lively and warming presence of Diane was slowly beginning to fade from the air as her daughter's thoughts immediately turn towards something more lustful, something she had been unable to do as a result of her mother's visit.

Alex remains by the doorway of her apartment, back pressed firmly against the wood of the door as she watches the blonde who continues to step towards the entrance of the living room, the brunette's lustful eyes raking over her slender figure as she shrugs off her coat from her shoulders and places it across the back of the couch.

Piper was beautiful in every way imaginable, Alex finding herself falling deeper in love with the blonde every day, a love in which she had never felt for another person. She loved the way Piper's nose crinkled when she laughs, the adorable sleepy smile she would awaken to every morning, the way their bodies fitted together as one, as if they had simply been made for each other. Alex loved Piper with every fibre of her being and she had missed the opportunity of expressing that love in a way she knew Piper thoroughly enjoyed.

No longer willing to simply look and not touch, Alex pushes herself from the frame of the door and walks towards Piper, sheer determination filtering through her eyes as she wraps her arms around the blonde's waist, her lips immediately falling upon that sweet spot behind Piper's ear that she knew made her girlfriend weak at the knees. Alex's hands quickly slip under her Piper's top and begin to gently caress over the blonde's toned stomach as she continues to kiss at her neck, smiling into the skin as she feels her girlfriend's breathing beginning to hitch as a small moan of pleasure escapes her lips.

Pulling back, Alex softly turns Piper in her arms so that she is now facing her, smirking smugly as she watches Piper's eyes glint with intense passion before stepping forward and allowing their lips to meet, instantly deepening the kiss as she runs her hands down Piper's back, eventually bringing them to rest at the small of her back as she pulls their bodies together, not wanting an inch of space between them.

Smiling at Alex's apparent eagerness, Piper quickly brings her hands to interweave in the brunette's long hair as she locks their faces together in a heated kiss, her right hand eventually fallen down to cup Alex's cheek as their tongues remain intertwined.

Alex softly runs her hands over the curve of Piper's arse before bringing them to rest at the juncture of where it meets her thighs, tightening her fingers around the soft flesh before unexpectedly hoisting Piper up from the ground, earning a surprised squeal of delight to escape from Piper's lips.

"Jesus Alex, some warning would have been nice," Piper mumbles onto her lips as she wraps her legs firmly around her girlfriend's waist to help anchor her in place, feeling the vibrations of the brunette's chuckles radiate through their still connected lips.

Never breaking their kiss, Alex begins to walk them towards the edge of the couch, gently placing Piper down on the plush fabric as she settles between the blonde's legs, their fronts pinned together as their hands begin to wander over each other's flesh. Alex's hand fall to the hem of Piper's shirt, shifting her weight off her girlfriend as she yanks the thin material from her body before her hands quickly slip under Piper's back and unclasp her bra, freeing her from its confines.

Their mouths immediately find one another as Alex's hands roam over Piper's exposed chest, caressing her breasts as their hips grind heavily into one another in an attempt to seek a passionate release. Piper emits a low moan from deep within her throat indicating she wanted Alex to begin to rid herself of her own clothes, the brunette pulling back in order to do so.

Piper watches lustfully as Alex pushes herself back to kneel between her legs and begins to strip herself of her shirt, their chests heaving in unison from the sudden passionate outburst. Piper licks her lips before her eyes suddenly shift towards her exposed stomach, the white scars which line her torso glistening accusingly under the afternoon sun that falls through the open blinds of the living room. Piper immediately feels the overwhelming need to cover her past shame, self-consciousness pooling through her veins as her eyes remain fixated on the notice of her past, her arms falling over her stomach in an effort to hide the hideous reminders so acutely evident in the current light.

Whilst Alex was well aware the scars in fact existed, the majority of the times they were visible and on full display were in the confines of each other's bedroom's, Piper usually allowing herself to be somewhat hidden behind their sheets or the darkness of the room. Although, Piper wasn't generally body conscious, there were times, much like now, in which the scars on her body left her feeling overly exposed, as though her tortured past was on full display during some of her more intimate moments, snaking itself around the happiness filled by that instant.

Peeling her shirt from her own body before unclasping her bra, Alex begins to shift her attention back towards Piper, immediately halting at the pained expression adorning her girlfriend's face who remains lying beneath her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Alex asks gently as she runs her hands soothingly over the blonde's thighs, which rest either side of her own body.

Piper says nothing and lets out a strangled sigh, her arms tightening around her own torso which does not go unnoticed by Alex, who quickly understands the reasoning behind the sudden shift in mood, it having of happened previously.

"Hey," Alex murmurs as she repositions herself atop of Piper, her elbows resting on either side of the blonde's head as she raises her hand the meet her cheek, gently stroking it with her fingertips as her eyes gaze lovingly into Piper's in an attempt to provide much needed reassurance. "You're beautiful Pipes, don't ever feel like you have to hide from me," Alex whispers as her thumb strokes the edge of Piper's frowned lips. "I love you, Piper," Alex adds, before bringing her lips to meet her girlfriend's, gently kissing away whatever discomfort that remained.

Piper slowly begins to return the kiss as her sudden moment of uncomfortableness begins to fade, her arms leaving her torso to wrap around the brunette's waist that hovered above her. "I love you, too," Piper whispers as they break away from their kiss, their foreheads pinned together as their bodies remain flushed.

Alex smiles sweetly at Piper, bringing their lips back together in a final gentle kiss before breaking away and moving southwards, her lips trailing over every visible surface, consciously taking her time to place tender, lingering kisses on Piper's most prominent scars, her lips never leaving the one at the base of her hip as she swiftly unbuttons the blonde's jeans before sitting up to remove the black material and her panties in one swift and fluid movement.

Alex quickly discards of the clothing on the living room floor before shifting down to place a trail of soft kisses from Piper's ankle right up towards the apex of her thigh, her breath tickling the blonde's heat as she teasingly hovers above, Piper squirming in anticipation as she awaits the much welcomed relief of her girlfriend's talented tongue.

"Alex," Piper encourages in a desperation laced moan, flexing her hips ever so slightly in the hopes of having her desires quickly filled.

Alex gives a slight chuckle at Piper's eagerness before relenting and delving into her girlfriend's entrance, her hands wrapping gently around the blonde's hips as she squirms under the pleasure. Piper winds her hands through Alex's hair, deep, lustful moans filling the air as Alex begins to bring her to her peak.

Piper emits a loud moan that semi resembles Alex's name as she reaches her climax, Alex smiling as she begins to leave a trail of kisses up her girlfriend's body before settling back on top of her, their bare chests pressed firmly together as Piper attempts to regain control over her own rapid breathing.

Alex lightly strokes Piper's face with her fingertips before pulling the blonde into a deep, passionate kiss. Piper sighs in content against Alex's lips before wrapping her legs around the brunette's waist and suddenly flipping them so that Alex now rests on her back, Piper straddling on top as she bends down and kisses Alex with deep desire, her hands trailing down her stomach and slipping effortlessly under the waistband of her pants and into her underwear, smirking at the wetness that had begun to pool there as her eyes glint playfully.

"My turn."

….

They remain cuddled on Alex's couch, leg's intertwined as both women continue to sleep soundly, the brunette's arm resting lazily across Piper's stomach, the other perched under her own head as her face is nuzzled in the blonde's neck and her body pressed into her side.

A sudden jilting movement underneath her wakes Alex from her sleep, her head quickly lifting to see the pained expression adorning her still sleeping girlfriend's face, her eyes clearly darting rapidly underneath her lids as whatever repressed memory plagues her dreams.

Alex rubs soothing circles across Piper's stomach in hopes that her familiar touch would be enough to ward off the unwanted nightmares, hating the fact that most occurrences resulted in her having to wake the sleeping blonde which would often result in a restless night's sleep for her.

A choked whimper escapes Piper's sleeping lips, her body jerking abruptly under the weight of the memories that encompassed her horrible nightmare. The sound causes Alex's heart to drop, the unknown pressures of the specific memories which cause such reactions causing Alex to further resent the two horrible people she would never meet.

Deciding it was probably best to wake Piper from her nightmare, Alex brings her hand to Piper's face and gently strokes her cheek. "Pipes," she whispers as another violent jolt emits through the blonde's body.

"Piper," she says a little louder, sighing in thanks as she watches her girlfriend begin to stir, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal those beautiful blue eyes she loves so much, eyes which sadly are currently laced with intense anguish.

Feeling her girlfriend's presence, Piper keeps her eyes firmly fixated upon the ceiling above as she attempts to control her breathing that had hitched during this particularly terrifying nightmare, the painful images that clouded her mind making their physical reminders on her stomach ache.

"Hey baby, you okay?" Alex asks as her hand returns to Piper's stomach, rubbing soothing circles in an attempt to ease the tension that presently riddled her body.

Gritting her teeth as she closes her eyes, Piper proceeds to give one, quick, jerky bob in response, not trusting her own voice in that moment.

Sensing the still evident unease in her girlfriend's body, Alex shuffles closer and presses her warm body into Piper's side in an effort to calm her, her mere touch having of had a positive effect in the past. "Do you want to talk about it?" Alex asks gently as she strokes Piper's stomach, feeling the tension beginning to release under her hand.

Piper lays motionless, the response of 'no' playing on her lips at Alex's question. Almost every time she had a nightmare Alex would kindly ask if she would like to discuss the events that plagued her dreams, Piper always quickly refusing at the thought of dredging up the past. Yet, this time, her mind began to wander back towards the words Diane had told her the night before.

"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… they won't have as greater hold on you anymore."

Alex had grown to become the one person in the world she trusted more than anything else in the world, the love she had for the woman pressed into her side something she could never have dreamed of. Piper had always thought that she was incapable of love, sure she loved Nicky after everything they had been through together, but her love for Alex was so vastly different than to that of her friend. As time went by with Alex, Piper slowly felt the weight that had been settled upon her chest for as long as she could remember slowly beginning to ease, pushing from her body with each day she was allowed to wake and witness the love in Alex's eyes, a love which Piper was certain was reciprocated in her own.

From their first meeting all those months prior, Piper had known there was something different about Alex, a feeling which had initially terrified her at its apparent foreignness. Yet now, Piper was no longer scared, feeling the safest she had been with the brunette by her side, the intense passion she felt for her almost indescribable. For Piper, it was like coming home after a long trip. That was what her love for Alex felt like, it was like coming home. Alex was her home.

Piper slowly opens her eyes and glances towards the emerald orbs that stare down at her, filled with nothing but love and concern. Shifting her gaze down towards the hand that rests on her stomach, Piper smiles, bringing her own hand to rest atop and interlacing their fingers together, slowly using their intertwined hands to silently trace the white scars that illuminated in the moonlight. Alex was her safe place now, her happy place and Piper had slowly begun to accept that it was okay, she could let Alex in, she could let Alex help her stop her nightmares.

Taking a deep breath in, Piper loudly exhales before allowing her mind to wander back towards the frightening dream she had just awoken from, the images of the whipping and slashing of objects by her father's hand directed at her skin so vividly clear even after all these years. Piper allows her eyes to flicker back towards Alex's, finding the comfort she so desperately needed in this moment in which she was suddenly not as brave as what she had forced herself to believe. Diane had suggested no longer attempting to suppress them, that talking about them would allow them to no longer have such a great hold over her. She should tell Alex.

…so she does, she tells her everything.

….

A/N I feel sad to say goodbye to Diane, but fear not she will be appearing again later on. So you can look forward to some more Alex/Piper and Diane. The Diane and Piper lunch date was originally going to be much longer, however, I actually wrote that part last and the length of the chapter was getting way out of hand and I really didn't want to split yet another chapter in two.

Things are about to pick up speed again in the next few chapters so prepare yourself guys :P

Quick question for you all- I know I mentioned Polly way back in chapter one and then she never really came up again as Nicky was the friend I wanted to focus on. Next chapter has a spot in which she could potentially come in for a short while to help explain her lack of appearance. So I ask- yes or no to having Polly appear? I'm not that fussed either way as she isn't crucial to the story line in any way aside from maybe helping establish just how long Alex and Piper have been together now (but I can do that is other ways). But, I want to know what you guys think and if you feel she actually does need to even appear again. So either PM me or let me know in your review.

Mrosse38