A/N: Thanks to those of you who have been posting a review on the latest chapters. I can't promise to keep up posting new chapters so quickly once I get back to work tomorrow (boo!), but here is a short one to keep you going until the next chapter is finished.

Poussey returned with the pool cues in her hand. "Ready to play? Who's on my team then? I'm a mean pool playa" Taystee and Lorna ruled themselves out of the game, saying they would keep the drinks flowing.

"I'm game for a challenge Poussey so I'll be on the opposing side." Piper looked over to Nicky and Alex and looked up through her lashes at them as she asked "Who's gonna play with me tonight?" It was extremely hard to maintain a straight face when they practically scrambled over each other to grab the second cue Piper was holding out.

"Well I guess since we are on a date, Nicky should get that opportunity." She handed Nicky the cue and leaned into her ear while looking straight at Alex "Maybe you can show me that 'excellent customer service' you were talking about earlier now."

Alex raised her eyebrow and took the spare cue from Poussey. "Looks like there is a game to be played here. What are we playing for?" She stood and leaned in to whisper in Piper's ear "I do hope there's a juicy prize." The blonde felt her ear burn red as Alex brushed past her to help Nicky set up the table.

The electric charge between them had all of Piper's nerve endings on edge. Her heart was beating faster and she closed her eyes for a second to try and compose herself.

"How about this: If we win, the losing team has to post flyers for my new store campaign. If you guys win, we will pay for a meal for two at the new Italian on 42nd street." Piper made the suggestion because she was sure she was going to win. She'd had enough to drink to be in the zone now. Or to be overly confident in Nicky's completely unknown pool playing capabilities at this point.

"Deal. You can break since you stated terms." Alex pointed at the cue ball and walked to pick up her beer. Taystee and Lorna went for another round before anyone started to sober up too much.

Piper leaned over the table and quickly scattered the balls across the table with a powerful first shot. She stood back and watched Alex take a long drink of her cold beer. She was wearing a black shirt over a white tank, with black skinny jeans and loose biker boots. She had rolled the sleeves up slightly, enough to show the tattoo around her wrist, but keeping Piper's favourites under wraps. Her hair was still past her shoulders, with loose curls tonight. But the blue tips from when she last saw her in Paris were gone now.

She didn't dwell on that for too long as Alex walked to the table to make her first shot, sinking one easily. She took aim for a second and put that one away as well. Nicky walked over to Piper and leaned over. "I forgot to tell you, Alex is a pretty mean pool shark. I hope you've got some tricks to play Blondie."

Make no mistake, there were some tricks to be played yet.

Alex was looking for another shooting opportunity when Lorna returned with cold beers and Piper purposely knocked another bottle on the open top of hers to cause the beer to spill over the top. She turned around so she knew Alex could see her from where she was aiming with the cue and stuck her tongue all the way out to lick up the full length of the bottle.

"Wow Chapman, you didn't miss a drop there." Nicky laughed, seeing that Piper was trying to put Alex off. "Looks like you might have a hidden talent there Blondie." She grinned at Piper's tactics, seeing a different side to her. Alex missed the shot and narrowed her eyes at Piper as she went to pick up her own fresh beer.

Nicky managed to pull them level with a couple of good shots and Poussey was taking her time to assess her options for her move.

Piper walked to the juke box in the corner of the pool room while Poussey was checking her angles. As she read through the various hits, Alex walked up behind her.

"What do you think you're doing Piper?" She spoke close enough to her ear to make goosebumps visible.

"Er, choosing a song?" Piper didn't dare turn around to be so close to those piercing green eyes, so she pretended to continue perusing the song lists.

"With Nicky. I don't want you leading her on."

"What Nicky and I do or don't do is none of your business Alex." Piper was a bit pissed at the audacity of Alex to even have this 'protective friend' conversation and answered in an even tone.

"It is if you're playing games with her. That thing with the bottle earlier? She thinks that's for her. She thinks you're flirting with her."

"And what is your point here?"

"We both know you're not."

"Excuse me?" Piper whipped around to face Alex now.

"None of this-" Alex gestured at Pipers body from top to bottom "-is for Nicky."

"Yo Chapman! It's your turn and it's getting heavy over here" shouted Nicky from the table. No shit thought Piper.

She pushed past Alex to return to the other game that was being played. Each team had one ball left on the table and there was a clear shot for Piper to sink theirs. Piper smiled as she thought of the victory that was close. The great Alex Vause posting leaflets for their soap store in the freezing cold weather she hated so much. She stood up to chalk her cue, revelling in the moment. Just as she saw Alex taking her shirt off to reveal her pale arms and toned biceps in that tank top. Alex walked over to the end of the pool table and turned to put her right hand on the end of the table so her right bicep tattoo of the lady and the rose was right in front of Piper. She flexed her bicep as she stood there and raised both of her eyebrows at Piper.

Fuck. Mother fucker that was dirty tactics!

Piper stood and pretended she was considering a different angle. The game was so tense now that nobody was being rushed anyway. She made a 'timeout' signal and beckoned Nicky over to join her for a team talk. Stalling for time, she asked Nicky for advice. They huddled to get privacy from their curious opponents.

"I really fucking hope you're not expecting a motivational speech here Chapman."

"Really Nicky? This is our last play and you can't rustle up a little inspiration?"

"OK, OK...Right. I got it. Float like a butterfly, sting like bee."

"What? I was playing for time here, but that's actually not a bad idea. Fucking epic Nicholls!" She grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her forehead hard.

She took a breath a looked at Alex again, seeing the drug smuggler who led her to break the law. She saw the person who put her job before Piper on countless occasions and the reason she spent a year of her life in prison.

She leaned back over the table and looked Alex right in the eye before hitting the cue ball with force enough to sink their last colour and set up the black perfectly. She looked over at Nicky and winked, before sinking the black to finish the game.

Piper walked over to high five Nicky on their victory before turning to Poussey and Alex. "What time should I expect to see you guys reporting for duty tomorrow night? Make it after 6 please as I'm a busy woman. Nicky has the address."

She turned to Nicky. "I'm sorry, but I have to head home now. I've had enough fun for a Sunday night already. Yet another great night though." Piper leaned in to whisper in Nicky's ear, but from Alex's angle it would look like a lingering kiss. "Shall we take a rain check on the U-Haul for the moment?" She winked as she left Nicky smiling broadly and went to pick up her jacket.

Alex had her jaw tightly clenched when Piper stood in front of her putting her jacket on. "Oh, and Alex? THIS..." She gestured at her body like Alex did earlier "... This is not for anyone but me. Be under no illusions about that." Then she left without looking back.