A/N Sorry for taking so long to get this update done. Another long chapter for you all. Quite an important chapter as it leads into the final plot point. I read all your reviews and PM's regarding Polly and no Polly in this chapter and probably won't ever physically be, might make a slight mention of her later on just to put that friendship to rest but aside from that I'll stick with our favourite inappropriate friend Nicky.
I3VauseMan: Thank you once again for your kind review. I'm glad you are liking Diane, she is a pleasure to write for. Another dose of Nicky in this chapter for you, so hopefully you enjoyed that. Piper really as found her family and it makes me happy that she has after so much crap in her past. Well, your long awaited boxing match coming in the next chapter, hopefully it lives up to your expectations.
Anon: No Polly is happening :) The arm thing happens kind of again in this chapter and I honestly didn't think about it too much, it just feels natural for them so I write it. They are always doing small touches on the show so I go with that in this fic. Sorry for the long update, I was busy and had to update my other fan fic.
….
The feeling of an arm wrapping firmly around her waist from behind riles Piper from her sleep, the blonde's eyes fluttering open and immediately gazing down towards the pale hand that is resting on her stomach, stroking lightly over the fabric of her t-shirt. Smiling, Piper turns her body so that she is now flat on her back, her eyes immediately meeting a familiar set of green orbs which shine down at her, a sweet smile playing on the dark haired woman's lips. "Hey," Alex whispers, before immediately shifting her hand to cup Piper's face, bringing her lips to meet the blonde's in a gentle and welcoming kiss.
"Mmm hey," Piper whispers back as they break their kiss, running her hands over the brunette's arms that are now positioned on either side of her, Alex's body leaning slightly on her own as she hovers above, gazing down at Piper with a mix of love and mischief.
"Happy Birthday baby," Alex whispers, Piper smiling half-heartedly at the phrase. For most of her younger years, birthdays had not been something Piper enjoyed celebrating, the memories of her parents and their ways tainting the day most enjoyed celebrating.
Since they had moved away, Nicky had always made every effort to ensure that Piper enjoyed the day, often taking her out to occupy the time and allow her to have some fun. Piper knew tonight would be no different, her best friend having told her to ensure that she and Alex would be ready by 8pm as she was wanting to take her to a new club that had just opened up, Piper immediately agreeing, knowing that it would mean a fun time and free drinks.
Piper always appreciated Nicky's efforts, her best friend, knowing full well Piper's aversion to properly celebrating the event, yet, still attempting to make sure that Piper had a day she would remember. Throughout the years they quite often kept it simple, drinks at a bar or a simple night in, but no matter what, Nicky always somehow managed to make the day special for her and she always valued that, it solidifying furthermore why she and Nicky were such great friends.
"I have something for you," Alex announces as she pushes herself from the edge of the mattress and walks towards her overnight bag, removing a small gift box from one of its pockets before walking her way back to Piper. "I know you said not to get you anything, so think of it as a non-birthday gift," she continues, moving back onto the mattress and shifting herself so that she is now straddling Piper's hips.
"Okay," Piper responds inquisitively with a slight nod of her head, her hands immediately coming to rest on her girlfriend's thighs, rubbing them soothingly as she watches the brunette become suddenly nervous. She and Alex had had the discussion about Piper truly not wanting proper gifts, the concept of presents having been something, that for many of her birthdays, were so foreign to her that she still didn't quite feel comfortable in accepting them. Piper had grown to prefer and accept small, costless gifts, something Nicky knew and had always provided her on her birthday.
Alex fiddles apprehensively with the small box before taking a deep breath and handing it to Piper. "Here, I thought this was something that you should have," the brunette says, watching anxiously as the blonde lifts the lid, her face forming into light confusion at its contents.
"A key?" Piper asks confusedly as she picks the small silver key from the box, realisation not setting in yet as to what the key was for.
Alex shifts in slight discomfort as her eyes remain fixed on her girlfriend, attempting to gauge her reaction, knowing that despite the length of time they had now been together, this was a big step for them as a couple. "Uh, yeah. It's a key to my place, for you to use whenever you want" she explains slowly. "Or for emergencies or whatever," she adds as an afterthought, her voice littered with nerves, suddenly fearing that perhaps it was too soon for Piper to be offering her a key to her apartment.
"Oh," Piper says in genuine surprise, the idea that the key was in fact to Alex's apartment the last thing from her mind, the blonde never once having entertained the thought of wanting to possess such a thing, yet now, in this moment with Alex, it felt right. Piper had come a long way since she had met Alex, the brunette having everything to do with that and although this was a big step for Piper, she knew it was a step in the right direction that this would allow her to continue to move forward with her life and away from the restrictions of her past.
After what felt like an eternity for Alex, Piper finally looks up from her fixation of the small silver object and meets her anxious eyes, the brunette's breath catching until she sees a smile spread across Piper's face. Pushing herself from the mattress, Piper cranes her head to meet Alex's lips, pulling her into a long and gentle kiss, conveying all her feelings into that one small action.
Alex's smile is impossibly wide as they break from the kiss. "Thank you," Piper whispers as she rests her forehead against Alex's, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist and pulling her closer, sincerely happy with the gesture of Alex offering her a key.
Taking the lead, Alex cups Piper's face and presses their lips together, quickly slipping her tongue into the blonde's mouth as the kiss becomes quickly heated, their clothed chests immediately becoming flush together as they run their hands over each other's bodies, gently caressing every part they come into contact with.
Still straddling Piper, Alex gently pushes the blonde back into the mattress, their lips never parting as Piper's hands run up the brunette's back and towards her face, softly cradling it in her hands as she shifts so that her thigh meets her girlfriend's centre, Alex immediately emitting a low moan at the pressured touch.
They continue to kiss passionately, tongues interwoven before the shrilling of the alarm breaks them from their tryst, both women groaning at the sound, knowing that it meant a stop to their sexual endeavour, the sound signalling that it was time for both of them to get ready, Alex having to work to day shift at Red's.
Alex gives Piper a quick peck on the lips before pushing herself off her girlfriend and standing from the bed, stretching slightly before offering Piper her hand, having every intention of making the most of their shower time together before they would part for the day, both looking forward to the opportunity of a proper night out together, something they hadn't had in a while.
….
Standing at her doorway, Piper gives Alex a passionate kiss goodbye, before the brunette turns and leaves for work, Piper knowing that luckily this shift was far shorter than normal, Red having given both Nicky and Alex the night off, the older woman knowing that because it was Piper's birthday, it meant that Nicky would be planning a night for them. Red was essentially Nicky's mother, the older woman having known both girl's since they arrived in town, having taken Nicky under her wing after she had been given a job at the bar.
Approaching the kitchen, Piper sits at the counter alongside Nicky, who had made them breakfast, immediately tucking into her plate of bacon and eggs, frowning slightly at the fact that their time in the shower together meant Alex did not have the time to stay for breakfast, the brunette parting on an empty stomach with only an apple in hand. They continue to sit in silence, the only sound that could be heard the opening and closing of their mouths and they finish their breakfast, which to Piper's surprise, didn't taste as bad as she had expected, Nicky not exactly known for having the best cooking history.
"Oh," Nicky exclaims suddenly, breaking the silence, before she jumps from her seat at the counter and walks into the kitchen, returning quickly with a small frosted cupcake in her hand, a singular lit candle in its centre. Nicky smiles broadly at Piper and holds the cupcake towards her best friend "Can't forgot tradition right?"
"Piper," Danny calls as he makes his way towards his sister who is seated on one of the black swings of the park, using her foot to swing herself back and forth absentmindedly, forehead rested against the metal chain which holds it in place as she watches Cal play happily on the equipment of the park, his young mind currently oblivious to the reasoning behind their visit.
Lifting her head slightly, Piper looks towards her brother, eyes locking as a form of greeting, a frown adorning her face. She had escaped to the solace of the park almost an hour ago in an attempt to avoid her father's drunken tirade, his screams echoing from the walls of the home as he spouted abuse towards whoever he came across, stationary objects suddenly taken flight as a result of his unapparent frustrations.
Although she had hoped this birthday would be different, deep down she knew it wouldn't be, her parents only ever putting on a façade of pleasure for their children's birthday when it was called for in a public setting during the rarity of them allowing the Chapman children a birthday party. However, this was one of the usual years, Piper's birthday going unnoticed, Piper rejecting Nicky's offer to celebrate at her house for fear of the repercussions of when her father would find out, the slightest action having the ability to set the man off.
Danny encloses the remaining distance between them and sits on the swing next to Piper, his body shifted to the side so that he is facing his younger sister who face remains solemn. Reaching over, Danny places a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder, detested at the fact that their parents had managed to ruin yet another birthday for one of his siblings.
"I'm sorry, Pipes," Danny offers in comfort, rubbing his hand gently over his sister's shoulder, feeling her sigh deeply. Danny knew how disheartening their parents' inability to acknowledge their children's birthday could be, but he felt even worse for his sister having the day made even worse by one of their father's drunken related invectives.
"It's okay, Danny. It's not like it's your fault anyway, we both know how Mom and Dad can be. I just wish for once that things would be different," Piper says, her voice slightly breaking on the final few words as she bites back a sob, tears beginning to pool around her eyes. Even at ten, Piper Chapman was already wishing for a better life, a life she hoped would bring promise and sanction.
"Aww Pipes," Danny croons as he shifts to wrap his sister in a warm embrace, allowing her tears to shed on his jacket as she buries her face into the fabric of his shoulder. "Things will be different one day Piper. This won't be our life forever," he whispers comfortingly into his sister's ear before pulling back to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
"You promise?" Piper asks in reassurance, sniffing slightly as she attempts to rein in her tears.
Danny smiles and nods his head. "I promise," he replies offering his pinky finger to his sister, Piper linking their two little fingers together in assurance. Although he was only young, Danny knew that his siblings were destined for better things, hoping that one day everything that happened to them in their childhood would be nothing more than a horrible distant memory. Piper and Cal deserved better and Danny knew that, he only hoped that the damage their parents had done would not force them into believing different.
"I got you something," Danny says, pulling away to collect the small cardboard box he had placed on the ground when he arrived.
Grabbing the box, he immediately offers it to Piper, smiling himself as he watches a heart-warming grin stretch across his sister's face as she opens the lid to reveal a small pink frosted cupcake, which he had used his spare change to purchase from the bakery earlier, knowing that his sister had no chance at receiving anything from their parents.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, Danny pulls a singular candle and places it on top, using the matches he had snuck from the house to light its wick. The single flames burns as he watches it reflect in his sister's eyes, which themselves have lit up from his gesture, happiness flowing through her body for perhaps the first time all day. "Happy Birthday Piper," he murmurs, watching in satisfaction as his sister pauses for a moment in thought before taking a large breath and blowing the candle out, wishing for a better birthday in the future.
That day had signalled a start in a tradition for the two siblings, Danny each year on Piper's birthday consistently purchasing her a small cupcake, always happy to watch the joy it would bring to his younger sister who never even remotely got the same recognition from their parents. Before his death, Piper had at one point told Nicky of their tradition, the wild haired woman on numerous occasions being with her best friend when Danny would give her the cupcake and tell her to make a wish, Nicky always seeing the happiness that would spread across Piper's face when he did, knowing it was the one thing her friend truly looked forward to each year.
After his death, Nicky had watched Piper being to spiral out of control, stupidly caving into the influences that surrounded her in an effort to numb herself from the pain of losing one of the only people she loved. Nicky grew increasingly worried as her the day of her best friend's birthday approached, it falling roughly six months after Danny's death, knowing that despite the past, it was always a day Piper held close to her heart. She knew it would be hard for her friend, Nicky herself, finding it difficult at the loss of someone who had been a constant in her life since her friendship with Piper began, having looked up to the older Chapman who was always so kind and supportive.
Unsure of what to do the day of Piper's first birthday without her brother and fearing the ramifications the day may have for her friend as she attempts to block out the pain, Nicky had purchased a cupcake on a whim, hoping that the reminder of her brother's tradition would be enough to keep Piper from using whatever substance she could lay her hands on that day, her friend having tried in vain to show Piper reasons why she should stop and seek help from the pull of drug abuse.
Nicky didn't know how or why, but to her sheer surprise and appreciation the cupcake idea had worked and she and Piper spent that birthday on her couch, watching random horror movies, her best friend being somewhat centred for the first time in months as she watched the screen, the thoughts of drugs and death nothing but a horrible retention in that moment.
Sadly for Nicky, this would be one of the last somewhat happy moment she would share with Piper for months as she would eventually watch her best friend spiral out of control, only watching her friend begin to resurface after she reaching a very low point in which Nicky had single handled snapped her back from through tough love and reminders that it was the last thing her brother would want for her. Subsequently, each year, Nicky decided to continue to tradition, a silent reminder for her best friend that although Danny was no longer here, he lived on in spirit and although painful at times, his kind heartedness on each of her birthdays deserved to be remembered.
Piper smiles in appreciation as she watches the flame of candle flicker, the happy memories of her brother filling her mind. Although Piper normally attempted to repress the thoughts of her brother, her birthday had slowly become the one day that she allowed herself to remember, to recall the good memories of her brother, ones that weren't tainted by his suicide.
"Happy Birthday Pipes," Nicky says, pushing the cake closer towards her friend with a warm smile adorning her lips, a smile which was so much broader at the thought that she knew this year was different, that Piper was in a good place and that hopefully next year would be the same. Piper was slowly changing for the better, each day an improvement from the last and by god did the change make Nicky happy. "Don't forget to make a wish," Nicky adds as she nods towards the cupcake in her hand.
Leaning forward slightly, Piper gives Nicky one final smile before taking a deep breath and blowing the candle out in one puff, knowing that this birthday will be better than the last, Alex and Nicky would make sure of it. Nicky had plans to take her to a new club and she knew any night with Nicky would result in some fun.
…..
The thundering music of the club surrounds them as they are huddled together in a small booth in the corner of the club, Alex with her long slender arm slung around Piper's shoulder as they chat with Nicky and Lorna who are seated opposite them as they attempt to escape the confines of the hectic crowd, the club presently littered with a sea of people.
Piper leans into Alex's side and places a small kiss on the side of her neck before reaching for her bottle of beer, taking a long sip as she listens to her best friend's antics as she complains for the tenth time about the busyness of the club tonight.
"Nic, clubs are generally this busy on a Friday night, especially when they have just opened," Piper quirks with a smile as she places her beer back on the table, bringing her left hand and loosely linking her fingers with Alex's whose arm still rests over her shoulder, earning a gentle squeeze from the brunette as she does.
"I know, but fuck me, it took like twenty minutes just to get these drinks," her friend comments, knowing that the present hectic nature of the club would result in a relatively sober night for them all, Nicky having wanted to make the most of the first night she had had off in weeks.
"Firstly, ew no thanks, I have standards, no offence Lorna," Piper responds, flashing a joking smile at Lorna at her comment, knowing the brunette would take no offence to her bant, quickly earning a broad smile in response from the girl as Alex laughs loudly next to her. "Secondly, like you have proven time and time again, we don't need to be drunk to have a good time."
"I know, but I can't dance when I am sober," Nicky says with a huff, knowing that both her best friend and girlfriend will be dragging her to the dance floor at some point tonight.
"Nicky, you can't dance period. No amount of drinking on your part is going to change that," Piper says, earning a laugh from each girl at the table, Nicky raising her middle finger at her in response, unable to hide the massive grin beginning to stretch across her face.
"You know, if it wasn't your birthday, I would have to kick your arse for undermining my awesome dancing skills," Nicky says, tilting her beer knowingly towards Piper before taking a sip.
"What dancing skills?" Lorna asks with a laugh, earning a fake look of hurt from her girlfriend, Nicky raising her hand to her chest in mock offence.
Piper feels Alex chuckle next to her, the vibrations of her girlfriend's laughter resonating through their touching sides, the brunette subconsciously pulling Piper closer at the thought. "As if you could take me anyway," Piper scoffs, reaching her hand forward to take another sip of her beer, internally laughing at the thought of Nicky even remotely attempting to fight her.
"Do I need to remind you of the T.V remote incident?" Nicky asks Piper, a wide smirk adorning her lips, her eyes bright with humour.
Piper laughs soundly at the memory and leans forward slightly. "Nicky, we were twelve. When are you going to let that one go?"
Nicky shakes her head and smiles. "Uh, never. I beat you fair and square and the whole world should know it."
Piper scoffs loudly at the accusation. "If you call sitting on my head and pretending to fart until I give up, winning, then we have two very different definitions of victory."
Nicky leans forward, her face deadpan as she locks eyes with her best friend. "Who says they were pretend farts?"
Piper chuckles loudly as she shakes her head at her friends immaturity and begins to rise from her seat. "You're fucking disgusting, you know that?" she says as she slips from the booth and offers Alex her hand who quickly takes it and links their fingers immediately. "Come on, let's dance!"
…..
They spend what feels like hours dancing, Piper spending most of the time with her arms wrapped tightly around the brunette's neck, their sweaty bodies pressed together, lips constantly meeting in hot, messy, yet passionate kisses that probably weren't fit for the public eye.
Piper currently remains pressed against Alex, her face nuzzled into the nape of Alex's neck as they swing their hips in unison to the beat of the music, the brunette's hands clasping at her girlfriend's shirt every time Piper places a teasing kiss on her neck, the blonde allowing her tongue to dart out slightly with each graze of her lips. Alex runs her hands up Piper's side, moaning ever so slightly as she feels Piper begin to work her way from her neck and across her jawline, their lips eventually meeting, Alex tasting the slight tang of salt on the blonde's chapped lips.
"Hey you two! No tongue fucking on the dance floor," Nicky yells loudly as she comes closer towards the couple, her hands tightly woven around her own girlfriend's frame, their faces flush from the heat of each other's bodies.
"Oh, fuck off Nichols," Alex quips, begrudgingly pulling away from Piper's lips, earning a small wine of discontentment at the loss of contact from the blonde. "Like you two weren't just doing the same."
Nicky laughs, a smug grin plastered on her face as she winks knowingly towards her friends.
"I'm going to go get some water," Piper announces to the group as she suddenly is hit with an overwhelming sense of thirst, her body dehydrated from the heat and exhaustion that had encompassed their dancing. Piper gives Alex a quick partying peck on the lips, before unwinding herself from her embrace and weaving her way through the crowd and towards the bar.
Piper leans against the bar of the club, waving her hand in an effort to attain the attention of the young bartender who is remains swamped by the copious amounts of people who are attempting to order various drinks for the night.
"Piper?" she hears her name called from behind her, causing her to turn her head, her eyes widening in surprise at the familiar woman before her, having not seen her in years.
"Holy fuck! Zoey?" Piper exclaims, her mouth slightly agape in shock as the older woman grins back at her. The years had been kind to the slightly older woman, her hair still the same dark shade of brown Piper had remembered as it glinted under the strobes of the club lights, her tall, slim figure highlighted in her black dress which was adorned with a plunging neckline.
Smiling broadly, Zoey quickly steps forward and extends her arms to elope Piper into a tight hug, wrapping her arms firmly around the still slightly shocked blonde. Shaking herself from her daze, Piper smiles into the woman's shoulder and quickly returns the embrace before pulling back and looking at the brunette.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Piper inquires as she steps towards the bar props her elbow onto the counter of the bar, leaning her weight onto it as she awaits a response from the woman who turns and seats herself at one of the empty bar stools next to Piper.
"I just moved here and a few of my friends decided to take me out and show me the club scene," Zoey explains, her eyes carefully studying the blonde woman in front of her, who remains oblivious to her watchful eye. "What about you? What brings you here tonight?
Piper smiles and nods her head slightly over in the direction of which she had come from. "Nicky," Piper simply offers in explanation, knowing the woman would understand. Zoey chuckles and nods her head, remembering Piper's eccentric best friend who she was never particularly fond of, a feeling that was quite evidently mutual by her past dealings with the woman.
"So you're still friends with the wild-haired Frodo it seems? Zoey replies with a smirk, using a nickname she conjured up for Piper's friend years prior.
Piper smiles slightly and nods her head, ignoring the jab at her best friend. "Yeah, we actually have a place together. My girlfriend and Nicky work together so we all get to hang out together quite a bit."
Zoey raises her eyebrows at the mention of the word girlfriend, before she recovers and emits a loud laugh. "Wow, Piper Chapman with a girlfriend. Never thought I would see the day," she replies, her voice slightly under-toned with fake acceptance at the fact the blonde was in a relationship, having known Piper and her refusal to enter into such a thing.
Piper smiles at the older woman and shakes her head slightly. "I know right, who would have thought?" she responds as she turns back towards the bar and waves her hand at the bartender in an attempt to get some service.
Zoey frowns slightly at Piper's back, chewing on her lip slightly as she takes a quick glance around the crowded room before leaning forward in an effort to get her friend's attention. "So how long you two been together?" she questions, as Piper remains fixated on the bartender who was slowly making his way towards their end of the counter.
"Um, like six months," Piper says distractedly as she leans on the counter top, sighing in defeat as she watches the man turn his attention to serving a young couple. Turning her gaze back towards the older woman, Piper smiles. "So what about you? Has someone finally managed to tame the wild beast who has slept with more people that she can remember?"
Zoey scoffs and shakes her head, a playful smirk adorning her plump lips. "As if. You know me Pipes, I'm hardly a candidate for monogamy. We both know I don't do commitment."
Piper laughs in acknowledgement, noticing how little her friend had changed in the years they had not seen each other, the older woman an untouched image of her younger self. "Yeah, I mean, how many times did you hide and make me fend off unwanted clingers?"
Zoey smiles vaingloriously and shrugs her shoulder in nonchalance. "Not my fault I was irresistible and they couldn't take the hint it was nothing more than a one night stand."
Piper laughs and lightly shoves the older woman's shoulder as Zoey remains her normal self-assured and arrogant self before the voice of barman breaks through their conversation as he asks her for her order, Piper promptly handing him a bill and requesting two bottles of water, the man nodding and turning his back to collect her drinks.
"Pipes, what the fuck is taking so long?" she hears Nicky call as she pushes her way through the final few people in the crowd and steps towards Piper, instantly freezing on the spot as she spots the familiar woman who simply raises her eyebrows towards her in a form of greeting.
"The line was so fucking long, remember" Piper replies as she turns to her best friend, before quickly glancing back at their old acquaintance. "Oh Nic, you remember Zoey, right?" she continues, nodding her head towards the older woman, in an effort to clear the apparent tension that suddenly littered the air. Piper knew Nicky remembered Zoey, having seen the two women become quite volatile within one another's presence.
Nicky stares at the brunette and nods her head, choosing not to say a word to the older woman until Piper was well out of earshot. Nicky breaks her eye contact and steps forward to retrieve the two waters the bartender had in his hand, his face displaying a sense of ill comfort at the rigidity between the three women.
"Hey Pipes, why don't you go give these to Lorna and Alex?" Nicky suggests, her face giving Piper a knowing look, telling her that she was best to simply abide by her request and not make an effort to disagree.
Piper rolls her eyes slightly, having told Nicky on numerous occasions to cool it with her dislike between Zoey, before taking both bottles from her friend and turning her body back towards the brunette who still remains seated on the bar stool, leaning casually against the counter with her elbows as she looks towards the two friends with an inquisitive smirk.
"It is was nice seeing you again, Zoey," Piper says to the older woman who smiles and nods her head in response. Piper waves her hand as best she could with the water bottles still in her grasp before giving her a parting smile and beginning to walk her way into the sea of people who littered the club.
"I'll see you later, Piper," she calls towards the younger woman's back, her voice drowned out by the loud music and chatters of fellow club goers, her eyes remaining fixated upon the blonde.
Nicky watches as Piper begins to weave her way back through the crowd and towards their girlfriends who were now seated at a booth in the far corner of the club, chatting casually, oblivious to their encounter with Zoey. Averting her eyes away from her best friend, Nicky turns to face the woman who still sat in front of her, her face becoming suddenly stony and serious as she glares towards the older woman. Stepping forward, Nicky locks eyes with Zoey, her face full of accusation and threat. "I'm only going to tell you once," Nicky spits towards the brunette, who remains unfazed by the sudden intrusion in her personal space. "Stay the fuck away from Piper," she finishes, her stare remaining cold and menacing.
Zoey pauses for a moment before she raises her eyebrows in mock question, a vicious smirk adorning her lips at Nicky's attempted threat. She emits one short laugh with no humour and stands from her stool so that she now towers over Piper's best friend, her face centimetres from Nicky's. "I'll catch you later, Nicole," she sneers, before turning her back on a slightly stunned Nicky and making her way in the opposite direction of which Piper had just gone and back towards her own friends, her walk confident and self-assured.
Nicky watches as the woman is lost in the crowd, her heart pumping heavily the confrontation with a woman she had never thought would resurface in their lives again, having believed the older woman had moved out of the state and was not planning on returning. She runs her hands nervously through her untamed hair, sheer tension riddling her body at the unexpected encounter and mutters to herself.
"Fuck."
…..
A/N Draaaammmaa! Aww yay for Alex giving Piper as key :P I tried to add as much Nicky inappropriateness and immature humour as I could to balance out the serious stuff as I know you all enjoy it. Big things to come, especially in the coming chapters. Finally, the much asked about boxing flashback explaining how Piper actually got into the sport will happen next chapter, so look forward to that.
As always thanks for the reviews, PM's, favs and follows. You guys are amazing and keep them coming. I am hoping to have the next update to you no later than this weekend- so don't expect another long wait for the next update.
Mrosse38