A/N So I officially suck. I really am sorry for such a delay in this update. This chapter has quite literally been written a paragraph at a time and I have only just now had the time to sit down and piece everything together. Life really can get crazy sometimes. In good news, it's all sorting itself out so next update will definitely not be as far away. Longest chapter to date so hopefully is makes up for it.
Reviews:
Anon: Thank you. Zoey's intentions and her past relationship with Piper all will be revealed in coming chapters. I have essentially almost everything left in this fic completely planned out and I can tell you there will definitely be an Alex protective scene in the not so distant future :)
I3Vauseman: Thank you so much. I know that damn John :P I honestly considered it but the more I thought about it, the more I just felt it might not be the best idea character development wise for someone Piper loved to raise a fist to her even if it was jokingly or teasing manner after everything that had happened to her in the past. Haha, I don't like her either :P You are 100% right about Zoey, she will do anything to get what she wants and is very good at manipulating people in order to do so. As for Stella, well hopefully this chapter satisfies your need to see her get her arse kicked.
Guest: Haha yes, I have a feeling we all had been waiting on that scene. As for your question- I'll try to keep it vague as to not spoil it. Both have the potential to come into play and by the end of this chapter you will probably see where it could be headed. Zoey is most definitely the one person we don't want Piper around. As for Stella, emotional challenge is very much true :P
….
Piper shuffles her way through the long corridor that leads her towards Alex's apartment with a never ceasing keenness, her long fingers tightly woven around the metal key her girlfriend had provided with her weeks prior. Although, this was certainly not the first time Piper was making use of the key, the action of slipping it into the lock and granting herself access to her girlfriend's apartment never ceased to provide her with a sense of fulfilment. It had been such a simple gesture for Alex, something she had done before and felt it was naturally time do so, yet for Piper, it had meant something so much more.
Whilst, over half a year had passed since she and Alex had become a couple, Piper still was filled with a sense of disbelief over the lack of complexity within their dynamic. Alex loved Piper and Piper loved Alex. It was a simple and non-mired existence between them, which had resulted in their relationship being stronger than ever. Throughout her life, Piper had grown accustomed to watching her own parent's relationship deteriorate into something no child should bear witness to. The constant screaming and subsequent physical altercations existed right up until the day her father passed away. Although she knew from early on that her parent's relationship was toxic and their actions vile, it was not until Alex that she had finally managed to begin to put those tortured memories at bay in order to allow herself to establish something special.
Sliding the key into the lock, Piper turns the handle and steps into the apartment, her eyes quickly scanning the room as she enters, the audible click of the door shutting behind her the only sound that resonated within the open planned room. Stepping forward, Piper smiles as her eyes fall upon the brunette who lies on the couch, her arm flung over her head as her chest rises and falls in a steady pattern during her state of a deep relaxed sleep, her lips parted slightly in a way that made her look purely adorable to Piper.
Kicking off her shoes, Piper proceeds to enter over the threshold of Alex's living room and silently closes the distance between them, gently placing the paper bag that contained Alex's lunch she had collected on the way there on the coffee table next to the couch. Piper cannot hide the smile from her face as she takes a seat on the edge of the sofa, Alex's torso inches from the blonde's side as she laughs quietly at the state of her girlfriend, the brunette's glasses amusedly askew on her face, her favourite book laying carelessly upon her rising stomach.
Both Alex and Nicky had been consistently working longer hours over the last few weeks, Red needing both girls to fill vacant shifts as she struggled to determine a suitable replacement within the business. Aside from the creepy security man Mendez, Red's bar was a close knit family and each employee had been carefully selected by the red haired woman herself, the woman having the uncanny ability to determine who would mesh well with one another, allowing for the bar to function at an amazing capacity.
Because of the increased work hours, Alex has grown increasingly tired and their time together over the last week had become scarce as she worked and Piper prepared for her upcoming fight, resulting in them attempting to seek each other's company at each available opportunity, despite how short of time it would be. Although Piper had been eager to spend the early afternoon with Alex before she was scheduled to work, the blonde felt somewhat conflicted as she admired the beauty that was a restful Alex.
Knowing Alex needed to awaken soon anyway, Piper leans forward a places the softest of kisses upon the edge of the brunette's jaw, smiling to herself as she slowly trails a series of gentle kisses across until she meets Alex's full lips. Piper's smile never falters as Alex stirs under her touch, the blonde places a firm kiss on the brunette's lips as she riles from her slumber, the familiarity of her touch evidently apparent as Alex quickly responds, her eyes never opening as she raises her hand to tangle them in Piper's blonde locks in an effort to deepen kiss, her tongue sweeping across Piper's bottom lip causing the blonde to chuckle against her lips.
"Well hello to you too," Piper says with a playful grin as she pulls back from the ever heating kiss, earning a frown from the brunette who was now fully awake.
"Hey," Alex responds with nonchalance, seemingly unfazed by her sudden display of affection towards her girlfriend who she had in fact seen that morning. Alex stretches slightly, her hands reaching across the rest on Piper's waist, instinctively pulling the blonde closer as she smiles somewhat sheepishly as she traces light patterns across Piper's hip.
Knowing her girlfriend's intentions well, Piper laughs soundly and shifts herself forward and allows Alex to pull her flush against her body, her arms quickly snaking themselves around the blonde's body as she anchors her in place, forbidding her to move as she wasn't willing to lose her familiar warmth. Piper hums in content as she intertwines her legs with Alex's, her head comfortably tucked under her girlfriend's chin as she snuggles herself impossibly closer, breathing in the brunette's scent.
"How was this morning's session?" Alex asks as she absentmindedly traces circles across Piper's back, her hand slipping under the fabric of the blonde's shirt as she suddenly craves contact with Piper's skin.
"Eh, it was alright," Piper responds as she fiddles somewhat nervously with the hem of Alex's shirt, her trainer's words from earlier resonating through her mind. John had always displayed nothing but confidence with Piper's ability in the ring, yet today, she had seen him subconsciously waver when he was giving his usual prep speech for this weekend's fight.
During her time within the boxing world, Piper had heard the many horror stories of Stella Carlin from both other fighter's and officials. Stella was well-known as a dirty fighter, her tactics both in and out of the ring bordering the fine line between adhering to the codes of conducts expected for the boxers in their division. Her discussion with John this morning had only further cemented a rising nervousness in Piper, something that was rare for the blonde who usually had the uncanny ability to centre herself before a match. Piper had now grown increasingly concerned at the thought of Stella choosing to engage in illegal moves in the ring, something Piper was aware she had been suspended for a few years prior.
Piper had developed a deep level of respect for the art of boxing, never once, allowing herself to bend from the strict rules which were encompassed her actions within the ring, as well as her activities upon the outside. However, from prior incidences, Piper knew this was not the case for Stella, her opponent rumoured to be one strike away from being banned from competitive boxing for good. On all accounts, Stella Carlin was dangerous and Piper, despite all these years within the ring, was actually worried about their impending fight, something she would never allow Alex or Nicky to be aware of, not wanting to provide them with unnecessary concern if the fight went to plan.
"Pipes?" Alex says causing Piper to snap her attention back towards the present, the brunette's brow furrowing slightly as she remains focused on the reason behind Piper's inattentiveness.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Piper asks, realising she had essentially been ignoring whatever conversation Alex had been attempting to keep.
Alex pauses for a moment before answering, determining whether or not she should ask Piper if everything was okay. Although, Piper had come a long way and was far more open with her issues than in the past, she still tended to keep things remaining well within the confines of her own mind, Alex often struggling in vain to attempt to get the blonde to talk or address issues. Whilst, this had not yet impacted upon their relationship directly, Alex often found herself concerned with whatever thoughts that were floating around in Piper's mind.
Knowing it was best not to push Piper and allow her to eventually voice her concerns on her own accord, Alex chooses to push her current concerns at bay. "I said, what's in the bag? It smells amazing."
"Oh, I got you Chinese," Piper explains as she seats herself upright from Alex's embrace, stretching her arm towards the takeaway bag located on the coffee table.
"Mmm. I think that's the second best thing I have heard all day," Alex responds as she seats herself upright, humming in appreciation as Piper hands her the bag and she opens it and allows the smell from the food to fill her senses.
Piper raises her eyebrows slightly in question, a smile adorning her lips. "Oh really? What's the first then?" she asks as she watches Alex's eyes light up at the recognition she had ordered her favourite dish.
"Oh, the sound you were making this morning when my head was between your legs," Alex states with confidence, a smirk forming on her lips as she remembers this morning's quick but intense 'session' before Piper had left for the gym. Despite their increasingly busy schedules, the two women always ensured that they had valiant sex life, vowing to never allow themselves to fall into uncomfortable practices of lack of intimacy.
Piper emits a loud laugh as she playfully shoves the brunette's shoulder, her head shaking at her girlfriend's forthcoming. "You're the worst," Piper says with a grin at the reminder of this mornings events, earning a wider smile from Alex as she tucks into her lunch.
"Yeah, but you love me," Alex replies cockily as she messily slurps a noddle through her lips, moaning slightly at the taste.
Piper laughs and smiles knowingly, frowning slightly as she reaches into her pocket and checks the time on her cell phone, not realising they had remained snuggled with one another for so long. "Yeah, I do. Anyway babe, I gotta go," the blonde responds as she pushes herself from the couch and stands in front of her girlfriend, who smiles sadly at Piper's departure.
"Oh," Alex exclaims as she watches Piper walks towards where she had left her shoes, the blonde's eyes averting back towards her girlfriend's as she being to tie her laces.
"My mom called earlier and says hi. I gotta say though, I always get the feeling she is mildly disappointed when it's me and not you who answers the phone," Alex jokes, her smile however, proving that she loved the idea of how close Piper and her mother were becoming.
Like Alex, Piper had been drawn to Diane, the older Vause sharing her daughter's ability to make Piper feel comfortable within their presence. Since her visit, Piper had grown increasingly fond of her girlfriend's mother, often replacing Alex during their long phone calls, the two women aimlessly talking for hours as the brunette watched on in awe. Whilst, Alex had introduced previous girlfriend's, she had never seen her mother take a liking to them as much as she had with Piper, listening to them interact on the phone with nothing but a grin adorning her face, her heart never ceasing to warm at the sight.
Piper laughs as she walks back towards her girlfriend, leaning down to give her a parting kiss on the cheek. "That's because she is a woman with good taste," Piper replies smugly, Alex rewarding her with a deep chuckle. "I'll see you later tonight after your shift," Piper adds as she turns away from the brunette, knowing it would be a long few hours until she would get the chance to meet Alex at the bar, Nicky having of asked them to all get together for the first time in what felt like ages.
"Okay. Bye, love you," Alex mumbles through a mouthful of her takeaway as she watches the blonde retreat back towards the front door of her apartment.
"Love you too," Piper calls out as she takes one quick glance back towards her girlfriend, smiling widely at the person who had grown to make her so happy, the person who had allowed Piper to slowly begin to grow from someone who had been held back by her past and into a better and happier individual.
….
Pulling to the kerbside in her car, Piper smiles as her passenger door opens and the familiar outline of her best friend's girlfriend enters into the car from the darkness of the night. "Hey," Piper murmurs as she watches the smaller woman close the door before quickly making her way back into the street and onwards towards the bar in which both of their girlfriend's worked, Piper having agreed when Nicky had asked her to collect Lorna on her way.
"Hey," Lorna greets in response, her red lips pulling into a smile as she settles herself for the journey towards the bar.
They drive in a comfortable silence, both women having grown used to one another, finding that conversation was not always needed within each other's company. Lorna had become a much welcomed fixture in both Nicky and Piper's lives, the brunette having merged herself into their lives over the last few years, providing a much needed. Whilst Nicky had had previous girlfriend's, all of whom Piper had met, the blonde had instantly seen there was something special about her best friend's girlfriend and this transpired into her becoming incredibly welcoming for the smaller woman.
Although Piper and Nicky had been friends for years, Lorna had indubitably, much like Alex, added something special towards their dynamics, the three often spending time together long before Piper and Alex had even met. Nicky and Lorna had been together for what felt like an eternity, Piper now hoping that her relationship with Alex would transpire on the same course. Although Piper, like with most people, was not open with her feelings and issues around her best friend's girlfriend, Lorna was acutely aware of certain past happenings, having of stayed over through the worst of Piper's nightmares, often watching Nicky as she attempted to console her best friend who would awaken shaken and with a look of pure terror in her eyes.
"It's going to be great to actually spend some time with our girl's tonight," Lorna says, breaking the blonde from her reminiscences and causing Piper to emit a warm smile in her direction, nodding her head slightly in agreeance, both women having suffered as a result of their busy schedules.
"You and Alex are good together. You are going to last, I know it," Lorna continues, smiling at Piper, clearly happy with the blonde's progression with Alex, having of earlier grown accustomed to a Piper who she never thought would settle down, the countless women she had slept with constantly resurfacing and making for some awkward situations.
Although, it had only been less than a year, both Nicky and Lorna had seen a dramatic change within Piper, attributing a large part of it towards Alex and their growing relationship. Whilst, Piper before Alex was very much someone they loved and cared for, she was so different now, this version of Piper far more caring and open than the one they had known before, something both women were ecstatic about. It was obvious to the women that Piper was progressing and allowing herself to finally be happy, the person she was before Alex someone who tended to revel in pain, almost as if she deserved to maintain a life of unhappiness. Alex had clearly awoken something within Piper, providing her with the light in a world that had previously only been clouded by dark.
Piper smiles, happy that their love for one another was obvious. "Yeah, I think so too," she says, knowing that she could never picture a life without the brunette. That Alex was truly the one person she was meant to be with in this world, as if she was the sole person Piper had been waiting to meet.
….
The two women walk through the familiar entrance of Red's bar, the establishment unusually busy considering it was midweek. Piper leads Lorna through the sea of unfamiliar faces and towards their usual booth, which thankfully, remained unoccupied. Taking a seat facing opposite Lorna, Piper's eyes scan the somewhat crowded room, hoping to fall upon her girlfriend or her best friend, knowing that it was only a matter of time before both of their shifts would end.
Piper watches as Lorna's eyes light up as she fixates upon the person who is evidently behind her, knowing instantly that Nicky was now within their presence.
"Hey," her best friend greets them as she sets down three beers onto the wooden table in front of them, leaning down to give her girlfriend a quick kiss in greeting before turning to face Piper, her hand extending towards Piper. "Here," she says simply, offering the blonde a cold bottle of water, knowing that Piper refused to drink in the lead up to an impending fight, feeling as though the effects of alcohol could potentially compromise her training and subsequent performance on the day.
"Thanks," Piper says as she takes the bottle and watches Nicky slide into the booth next to Lorna, draping an arm over the smaller woman who immediately welcomes her touch. Piper smiles slightly as she watches Lorna lean into Nicky, the small brunette's eyes never leaving that of her girlfriend's as she allows herself to appreciate her presence for the first time that day.
Piper's eyes wander from that of her friends in front of her almost on instinct, feeling herself being pulled in the direction in front of her. Piper smiles impossibly wide as she meets Alex's eyes which shine back at her, the brunette's smile resembling that of the blondes who quickly stands from the booth to greet her.
"Hey," Alex murmurs as she reaches Piper, barely allowing her girlfriend enough time to provide a greeted response before cupping her face and giving her a gentle kiss, the familiar spark between them never ceasing to ignite. Piper smiles into the kiss, the brunette's loving enthusiasm never ceasing to amaze her, always leaving Piper with a sense of wonder about how she had managed to attain such an amazing person in her life after all the darkness that had encompassed her past.
Pulling back from the kiss, Alex gives Piper a quick peck on the cheek before stepping past her to take a seat in the booth, gently pulling Piper by the hand to take a seat beside her, their bodies, like always, pressed together unable to refrain from some form of contact whenever they were within each other's presence. Alex laces her fingers through Piper's as she leans her other arm on the table, the blonde leaning into her side slightly.
"How was work?" Piper asks, her eyes darting forwards towards her best friend as she leans her head on Alex's shoulder, taking in her familiar warmth as she awaits a response.
Nicky simply shrugs her shoulders in response, taking another sip of her beer.
"Piper Chapman?" an unfamiliar voice calls from her right, all four girls snapping their attention to the sudden intrusion to their conversation, Piper lifting her head from Alex's shoulder to face the voice.
"Um, yeah?" Piper responds with slight confusion as her eyes focus upon the woman who is standing at the foot of their table, her short brown hair slicked back, her various tattoos on full display in her white tank top.
The intruder places both her palms onto the table in front of Piper, leaning towards the blonde who continues to remain confused, the short haired woman's posture providing Piper with a sense of ill-ease, her stance laced with intimidation as she hovers above the blonde.
"Can we help you?" Nicky barks towards the unfamiliar guest, knowing Piper well enough to be aware that she was unclear of who this person was.
The short haired woman breaks her stare at Piper, her eyes flickering towards Nicky before returning to the blonde, a smug smile beginning to form upon her lips as she eyes Piper. "Stella Carlin," she states as a form of introduction, arrogantly quirking her eyebrow as she watches recognition begin to seep upon Piper's face.
Piper's eyes widen as she registers the threatening person in front of her, shock forming across her features as she allows herself to take in the person who, in a matter of days, will be her opponent in the ring. "Uh hey," Piper mumbles out, offering her hand in greeting, attempting to remain respectful towards a fellow fighter despite her evidently conceited actions.
Looking towards Piper's outstretched hand, Stella scoffs loudly, as if taking it was a vile act and she was above it. Leaning closer towards Piper, the blonde shuffling back slightly in discomfort at the close proximity of someone she was not familiar with, Stella's eyes piercing blue. "Hope you know you have no fucking chance in the fight this weekend," Stella sneers.
Piper feels Alex tighten her grip slightly upon her hand, the tone of Stella's voice evidently causing concern within her girlfriend. Piper gently squeezes back, as if to provide reassurance that she was fine, used to the various snides from other boxers in the lead up to a match, knowing it was all part of a dirty tactic to throw someone off their game.
"Well, I guess we will just have to wait and see," Piper replies coolly, choosing not to engage with her future opponent, the blonde never once having felt the urge to involve herself in such tactics. Collecting her bottle from the table, Piper unscrews the cap and takes a sip before facing back towards her friend, whose eyes remain in a state of anger and disbelief at the unfamiliar woman's audacity, Piper clearly indicating that their conversation had reached its end.
Piper's bottle is suddenly pulled forcefully from her hands, the content spilling onto the table she had come to rest it upon, the blonde jumping ever so slightly at the sudden action, it completely unexpected.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Piper hears Alex say, her voice frighteningly calm, the blonde aware that her girlfriend tended to be able to keep her anger within, using her words and cold stares to convey her message that she was someone who should not be messed with.
"Shut the fuck up sasquatch, this is between me and Chapman here," Stella sneers, her eyes burning into Piper, as if daring her to react. Piper's feels an anger rise within, the tone of which her girlfriend had been addressed causing Piper's temper to appear.
"Hey, back off alright," Piper says as she quickly rises from the booth, her eyes now practically level with Stella's, her posture defensive as she attempts to stare down the short haired woman, protective of both Alex and her other two friends at the table. They continue to glare at each, both women sizing one another up, Piper eager to ensure that this woman in front of her knew that her game was to stop, that she was not interested in conversing with her and employing dirty tactics for the fight.
"Pipes, chill," Alex murmurs as she reaches for her girlfriend's hand, the tension that encompassed the group so fundamentally evident causing concern to rise within Alex, knowing that, whilst it rarely flared in anything physical, usually only the punching of inanimate objects, Piper had a wicked temper. Alex relaxes as she watches Piper's shoulder slump slightly, as if understanding the brunette's hidden message that she needed to reset herself and step away from the situation.
"Yeah Pipes, chill." Stella sneers out, her face forming as smirk as she looks between the blonde and brunette, their now linked hands evident of who they were to one another. Taking a step back, Stella wordlessly turns on her heel and leaves, leaving a slightly dumfounded Piper in her wake.
"Well, she seems nice," Piper murmurs with an awkward laugh attempting to break the silence as they watch Stella disappear from view, Piper shaking her head slightly at her future opponent's audacity to attempt to rile her confidence before this weekend's fight before slipping back into her seat.
"What a fucking arsehole. God, promise me you are going to kick her fucking arse, Pipes." Nicky says as she turns to face the blonde, frowning slightly as she takes in Piper's slightly apprehensive expression, having never seen the blonde quite this rattled by another opponent's words before, Piper usually remaining a cool façade despite whatever convictions she was currently facing.
"You okay, Pipes?" Alex asks, noticing the sudden quietness of her girlfriend, the stillness in the air providing her with further worry for this weekend's fight. Whilst Alex always supported Piper in her chosen profession, she hated seeing her being placed in harm's way, even if it was something Piper remained passionate about. Although Piper was an incredibly skilled boxer and this resulted in fewer injuries to her, Alex still struggled eternally with the aftermath of some fights, the bruises and cuts that would appear on her girlfriend's body always causing a level of protectiveness to rise within.
Piper remains silent for a moment, an unsettling feeling beginning to course through her body, Stella's presence leaving her feeling a sense of unease. Throughout her life, with the expectation of a few past instances, Piper had always had well developed instincts for causes of concern and right now, those instincts were screaming at her.
Taking a deep breath, Piper settles herself to the best of her ability and turns to face Alex, her best fake smile plastered upon her face, attempting to mask her own worry. "Yeah, I'm fine," Piper replies, a hint of unsettlement in her voice that did not go unnoticed by Alex, only heightening the brunette's concern.
"Pipes," Alex says with a slightly pleaded tone, raising her arm to rest on her girlfriend's tension laced back. Although they had come a long way as a couple, Piper still evidently struggled with communicating, having become accustomed when she was younger to ensure that her feelings were constantly masked from others, something she was yet to completely move away from. For a large portion of her life, Piper was shown to never express her emotions, keeping them hidden deep within despite whatever pain it may cause. Whilst Piper trusted Alex, her past still ensured that this struggle remained real.
"I'm fine, Al. Really." Piper says firmly, a restricted smile upon her face as she leans in to give Alex, what she hopes, will be a reassuring kiss. Pulling back, Piper notices the scepticism still remaining upon the brunette's face, her lips parted slightly as if she is about to question Piper again. "I gotta go to the bathroom," Piper announces, hoping to avoid the continued concerns of her girlfriend, her aversion to emotional discussions clearly present.
Pushing herself from the seat, Piper hurriedly makes her way across the room, deliberately choosing to take a path that would not allow another confrontation with her future opponent, the short-haired woman's head visible across the room. Piper continues towards the small corridor which leads to the bathroom, a constant nagging feeling following her as she does. Piper couldn't help but allow a feeling of guilt riddle through her whenever such an occasion would arise, knowing that once again her past was affecting her future with Alex, putting the brunette through a level of distress that Piper unfortunately was incapable of controlling. Whilst, Piper was conscious of her distancing in emotional circumstances, she still found she was powerless from allowing herself the react any differently, constantly choosing to run from the situation as opposed to remaining and talking it out, like she knew she truly should.
Sighing, Piper leans herself against the thin walls of the hallway, taking a moment to allow herself to calm, feeling an unwanted pressure beginning to build at the concern of what this weekend's fight will entail. Closing her eyes, Piper leans her head against the wall and tilts her head up, her body tense as she attempts to take a few calming breaths, a temper she usually tried to keep within, beginning to boil, ready so spill if the moment was right.
"Are you avoiding me?" a voice speaks from her side, the blonde fighting the urge to recoil in revulsion, the anger within beginning to reach its peak.
Taking one deep breath, Piper opens her eyes and turns her head slightly to face the other woman, her back still flush against the wall as she attempts to remain a casual and undeterred stance, not willing to offer the woman a reaction. "What do you want now Stella?" she asks, her voice unwavering as her blue eyes pierce into her future opponents.
A vicious smirk forms across Stella's face as she leans closer, her body language evidently attempting to become as intimidating as possible, Piper however, unfearful of the woman, her only concern that of the woman's intentions, not knowing Stella's potential reaction. As Piper was aware through her conversations with others, Stella was a loose cannon, her reactions often abrupt and at times, violent.
"Your girlfriend seems nice," Stella determines, her voice laced with sarcasm as she smugly stares towards Piper, the blonde stiffening slightly at the mention of her girlfriend, an instant protectiveness for the brunette she loved clouding her thoughts. Stella smiles at Piper's reaction, knowing she had found the one nerve which could rattle the blonde, determined to use it to the best of her advantage.
"I gotta say I am kind of disappointed, from what I heard about you I would never imagine you would take orders from someone and back down so easily. Her pussy must be pretty fucking nice to get Piper Chapman to concede like that," Stella continues, the arrogant smirk never once leaving her face as she watches the blonde react to her well planned words.
Piper's eyes flare with anger as her lips tighten into a thin line. The blonde pushing herself from the wall and coming to stand in front of Stella, both women now inches from one another. "Seriously, that's enough. Don't you dare fucking talk about her like that," Piper spits out, her body now completely filled with a protective rage, the intentional talk about Alex causing Piper's temper to spill over.
Stella barks a condescending laugh and steps closer, their foreheads nearly touching as she attempts to unsettle the blonde, wanting to see the satisfaction of her backing down from their confrontation. "Bitches be sensitive around here," she remarks, as if her comments were anything but disparaging.
"Oh, piss off you dingo fucker. Save it for the ring," Piper scoffs out, hastily pushing past Stella, who had been blocking her pathway back towards the floor of the bar, intending to make her way back towards her table and explain that they should leave in an effort to avoid any further confrontation, the blond now fully focused on this weekend's fight and the plan to beat Stella.
Piper feels a sudden hard shove from behind, the retreating blonde projected forward, managing to throw her left arm out and catch herself on the wall beside her, avoiding falling onto the floor below. Steadying herself, Piper quickly snaps her head back, eyeing her impulsive attacker. "What the fuck is your problem?" Piper screams, her body now going instinctively falling into a mode of familiar mode of defence as she eyes a raged riddled Stella.
Wordlessly, Stella begins to close in on Piper and once again shoves her, causing the blonde to immediately step backwards in an effort to avoid falling to the floor, her face twisted in confusion behind the reasoning of Stella's sudden violence towards. Before Piper has a chance to completely recover, Stella raises her right fist and powerfully drives it forward, her bare knuckles connecting with the skin above Piper's eyes, the blonde's vision blurring at the unexpected impact.
"Fuck," Piper manages to mumble out before a powerful right hook is aimed towards her, the blonde having the chance to quickly use her learned defensive tactics to dodge to the side and avoid contact. A trickle of blood begins to cascade down Piper's face as she protectively raises her fists, knowing that she now had no choice but to engage in an effort to avoid being seriously injured.
Over the years in her training, boxing had allowed Piper to develop a high level of control to ensure that each punch thrown was calm and concise, that each punch mattered and should consist of a unique precision. For Piper, boxing was much more than just a sport, the profession, allowing her to create an emotional outlet for her frustrations and complications that encompassed her life.
Piper begins to retreat slightly, coming into view of other patron's within the bar as her eyes remained on Stella, who continues to follow, her eyes black with rage as she focuses upon the blonde, ready to continue her attack. Piper takes a deep breath as she watches Stella snap, the normally calm and controlled environment of a boxing match dissipating as a flurry of wildly sporadic punches are hurled in her direction, Piper now having no choice but to return them in an effort to defend herself.
Keeping her focus remained on Stella as she attempts to dodge the onslaught of strikes for her would be opponent. Piper keeps her fist clenched hard and drives her right fist forward in her well known powerful jab, quickly connecting with the bridge of Stella's nose, the blonde feeling the satisfying crunch of bone under her knuckles with the contact as Stella's head snaps backwards and blood instantly begins to seep from her nose
A moment of surprise etched with pain crosses Stella's face before she quickly recovers and continues her attack, Piper grimacing as she feels the impact of Stella's fist against her cheekbone, knowing it would instantly bruise. Ignoring the pain, Piper continues to strike back, smiling internally as she makes contact, feeling Stella begin to tire, the short haired woman clearly not having expected such a defence from the blonde, almost as if she was not in fact prepared for the weight of their fight. Piper continues to defend herself from the attack, her punches never losing their power as she maintained the upper hand, knowing that if this 'match' had occurred within the ring she would have had a great chance at winning.
Both women remain oblivious to the shocked gasps and stares of the occupants of the bar, every eye in the room upon the two girls who remained brawling now in the centre of the bar floor. Piper scoffs in disbelief as she feels Stella's finger grip her hair, the short haired woman having now decided that her best chance at winning this fight would be to employ dirty tactics, tactics which Piper would never dream of using.
The scrapping of chairs remains unnoticed as Piper is yanked forward by her hair, the blonde twisting and throwing her fists forward as she attempts to loosen Stella's grip, her attackers nails coming to claw at her as if this was an all for nothing bar brawl and that they were not in fact trained fighters.
As Stella continues to pathetically pull at her blonde locks, Piper hooks her powerful right fist, connecting with the Stella's cheek, before quickly pulling it back and connecting again, feeling her knuckles bounce from her jaw, knowing it would leave well deserved bruises in the days to come. Piper strikes again, feeling Stella's grip on her hair begin to loosen, her pity attempts at scratching slowly beginning to fade as Piper remains strong willed and determined to finish the fight as a victor.
Shouts and screams resonate from the wall as Pipers vision begins to blur, her eyes tainted with a mixture of her own blood and sweat, the flurry of voices that surround her stagnant as she attempts to remain focused upon her attacker, wanting to defend herself to the best of her ability from any further injury.
Piper feels a familiar set of arms wrap around her upper body from behind, pinning her still wildly flailing arms to her side, attempting to compose the blonde whose focused remained solely towards her would be opponent who too has been pulled back by a fellow patron of the bar, both women attempting kicking madly as they attempt to allow their grips to return to one another.
Shocked faces stare towards the two bloodied women as the people within the bar attempt to comprehend the scene that had just played out in front of them, many regular customers who were aware of Piper shocked to suddenly see the blonde involved in such an altercation. Although Piper remained quiet, only interacting with her close network of friends, many people were aware she was a boxer and even though her profession involved violence, she was never one to willingly or openly commit such acts during her time out of the ring, knowing that whatever this foreign woman had done had clearly been enough to set the usually calm blonde off.
Piper's eyes remain wild as her vision of Stella becomes obstructed by the familiar tall figure of her girlfriend, the brunette's reactive stance in front of the blonde something that could only be described as undeniably protective, her broad shoulders sitting in a position that made her appear far more superior than the currently bleeding short-haired woman in front of her.
Alex's fists remained clenched as she focuses towards the woman who she had briefly interacted with earlier, her eyes dark with anger as she stands within the distance between Piper and Stella, her body ready to quickly react if the short haired woman in front of her managed to break free of the hold of the muscly man who currently has her pinned back against the side wall of the bar.
"Pipes," a voice whispers soothingly in her ear, the arms that presently encompassed her body tightening slightly as Piper tries in vain to once again break free of what she had begun to realise was her best friend.
Blood trickles down the blonde's cheek, a prominent cut above her right eye, the pain dulled by the current adrenaline and sheer anger that was coursing through her body, her mind racing as she attempts to control the temper which had flared at Stella's comment about her girlfriend, the protectiveness that was rooted within for Alex pushing herself over the edge by Stella's words. Piper's knuckles remain stained with Stella's blood, dark patched bruising beginning to form around her still clenched fists, the skin unfamiliar with bare contact, always use to the shield of boxing gloves.
"Piper," Nicky says again, sighing with relief as she feels the slight surrender of the blonde, gently pulling her back in an attempt to further distance herself from her unexpected opponent, the eyes within the room piercing back and forth between the women.
Glancing over her shoulder, Alex involuntarily shudders as her eyes fall upon Piper's slightly battered form, the blood and ever growing bruising filling her with both a rage and undeniable concern, her protective body still within a state of disbelief at the current events which had just played out before her worried eyes. Aside from within the ring, Alex had never once seen Piper display any form of aggression towards another person, the temper which she knew was within her girlfriend something that the blonde controlled to perfection, it only flaring in the way of words and never physical acts. Whatever had transpired within the short time Piper was away from their table had been enough to push the already irritated blonde over the edge, something that greatly concerned Alex, the brunette greatly concerned as to what the agitated woman had said to her girlfriend to cause such a shocking response.
"What the fuck is going on here?" a voice announces loudly with a deep Russian accent, causing many patrons to jump slightly at its ferocity, the sound resonating through the suddenly silent room.
The older red-haired woman pauses a moment to take in the scene in front of her, her eyes darting to a heavily panting Piper, who remains clearly unfocused, the woman's heart fluttering slightly as she feels a protectiveness fall upon her as she centres on the bloody and bruised woman within her practically adoptive daughter's arms. Like many, Red knew Piper was not violent outside the confines of the ring, the scene which currently relayed in front of her, causing a deep curiosity and confusion to resonate within, an anger forming as her eyes work their way past Alex and towards the unfamiliar face of Stella Carlin.
"You," Red says simply in a way that oozes with threat and displeasure. "Get the fuck out of my bar and don't you ever come back," she continues as she walks towards Stella whose eyes open wide, Red's intimating stance never ceasing to cause a rise even among some of the most aggressive or composed people. Although, Red's affections was never reciprocated as much as with Piper as it was with Nicky, the blonde's struggle with maternal figures weighing heavily on how open she was willing to be with her connection with the older woman, Red still had grown to deeply care for the evidently trouble blonde and was intensely protective in the current moment.
A member of Red's security quickly approaches and grips Stella firmly by the arms, unceremoniously pulling the angered woman towards the exit, Piper's eyes locking with Stella's as she is walked past one another. Quiet chatters begin to resonate within the room, eyes focusing upon Red as she makes her way towards Nicky and Piper, Alex having shifted her position to no be standing in front of her girlfriend who remains unfocused on the two people she cared for most in the world, her body still rigid from the sudden physical events.
"Chapman," Red states firmly a she comes to stand in front of Piper. The two women share a quick concerned glance at Piper's lack of response, Red determining that physical touch would be the best option despite her awareness of Piper lack of contact with most people.
"Piper," Red whispers calmly, placing her hands upon the blonde's forearms, internally frowning as she feels the sudden flinch at her touch, Piper's body still remaining rigid and laced with tension despite Alex who now hovered close by, growing ever more concerned at her girlfriend's current angered haze.
"Piper, I want you to go home and get yourself cleaned up. Okay?" Red continues, finally managing to catch the blonde's wandering eyes, the blood that currently stained her face making her usually perfect skin glow red under the translucent lights of the bar.
Choosing not to respond, Piper breaks Nicky's now relaxed hold, only allowing her eyes to quickly glance towards the emerald eyes she presently craved in order to calm her. Piper's heart sinks at Alex's horrified and concerned expression, only allowing herself to finally realise both her girlfriend and best friend had witnessed the whole event, along with a room full of people who were still focused intently on Piper, Lorna standing meekly off to the side as she watched on.
As her body began to calm, Piper's mind switches at to the event that had just transpired, the subsequent possible consequences of her actions bouncing around within her frazzled mind, her body allowing a panic to set in as the realisation of what this could be for her future. Piper can feel the locked gazes of her friends and girlfriend, their concerns burning into her as her eyes remained trained upon the floor, hoping it would provide a sense of escape, wanting to allow herself to take back the moment which she knew would signify trouble.
'Fuck' Piper think to herself as the ever growing back begins to build within, transforming into full fledge fear, her current injuries, which had now started to burn intently, or having them treated of little concern to the blonde as she allows herself to do what she did best to run from the situation.
Pushing herself from Nicky's hold, Piper quickly makes her way towards the exit, ignoring the pleas from her behind to ask her to wait, knowing that the blonde was in no state to be alone. Ignoring them, Piper continues, the night air causing her open wounds to sting as she makes her way towards her home, desperate to find some solace there.
….
A/N I told many of you the fight wouldn't be what you expected so hopefully it surprised you all. But let's all take a moment to appreciate the image of Stella being punched in her stupid face and her nose being broken. Much more to come and things are going to get heavy over the next few chapters so stay tuned.
As always, much love to those who favourited, followed and reviewed- I truly appreciate it.
Mrosse38