A/N: Thanks for over 300 reviews and yet more follows and faves! I never appreciated how time consuming it is to write these stories, so I have huge respect for those authors out there who write several stories for these pages - thanks! Less fluff this time as we head into some angst-ridden chapters...

Piper woke at 6:30 on Saturday morning and it took her a few moments to remember where she was. She felt warm arms around her waist, pulling her close to the front of Alex as they slept in pretty much the same position all night. Piper smiled and slowly opened her eyes, moving slowly beneath Alex's arm so as not to disturb the still sleeping brunette as she moved onto her back. From this position she was able to observe Alex's face as she slept silently, her hair fanned out on the pillow behind her. It would be hard for anyone to believe that the sleeping beauty beside her was capable of bringing down an international drug cartel and throwing her ex-girlfriend under the bus as part of the package, but Piper knew Alex better than most. She had spent years seeing her ex-girlfriend manipulate people into doing what she needed them to do, disregarding their own safety and breaking the law for a woman who promised them whatever it was she could see they were motivated by in order to get a job done. Piper wasn't sure why she woke on Saturday morning thinking about this. She'd had a really nice night last night with Alex, but for some reason, Polly's words of caution were ringing in her ears this morning and she couldn't shake them. Carefully moving Alex's arm away, she gently slid out of the covers and went to get showered.

Wandering around the kitchen wearing a towel around her hair and a bathrobe, Piper managed to figure out the coffee machine and made some coffee for both of them and took it through to the bedroom. Alex stirred only when Piper sat on the edge of the bed and put her mug down by her pillow.

"Hey, you're up early. Everything OK?" Alex smiled as she slipped an arm around Piper's waist and pulled her a little further up the bed towards her.

"I am. I need to get into the store though so I thought I'd get ready early so I can take a cab home to change before I see Polly."

"I can take you. You can borrow something off me if that's easier?"

"Er, no. It's OK. Thanks though, but I'm up early enough to get changed at home already. I don't mind taking a cab if you want to lie in this morning though. Where is your hairdryer?" Piper stood and shook her hair free from the towel and took another gulp of coffee as she looked around to make sure she had all of her things together.

"There's one in the cupboard under the sink in the bathroom. What time do you want me to drop you?" Alex sat up and drank some coffee as it looked like Piper wanted to get going pretty soon.

"Can we leave in the next 15 minutes? I really don't mind taking a cab you know."

"That's fine. Let me get dressed and I'll drop you off at home."

XXXXX

Alex pulled up outside Piper's house and was about to cut the engine when Piper leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.

"Thanks for the lift. See you next week?" Piper was already getting out of the car.

"Do you want me to wait and I can drop you off at the store?" Alex ducked her head to call after Piper as she closed the door already and was heading around the back of the car.

"No. I'll take the subway this morning. Thanks. I'll call you next week." Piper waved over her shoulder and disappeared inside, closing the door behind her.

Alex sat in the car a second, her eyebrows raised in wonder. Piper hadn't seemed to be off at all this morning with her, so maybe she was just keen to get to work. She couldn't help but feel as though she'd just been dismissed by the blonde though.

XXXXX

Piper got changed and headed into work, arriving at the same time as Polly.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so bright and early. Weren't you on a date with SuperCunt last night?"

"I was and why would that make a difference to me being here on time?"

"It wouldn't. I guess? You just seem like you've been up a while already….But you are changed, so you slept at your own place….Where did you go on your date?" Polly shrugged her coat off and put the lights on.

"Alex cooked steak at her place. It was nice."

"It was nice? Who ever wants to describe a second date as that? It all seems very domesticated for a second date. I think I miss you boasting about 7 orgasms in a night. Can't you go out with that woman again?"

"Polly! It's not all about having sex you know. It's about getting to know someone and enjoying spending time with them."

"Seriously? You and Alex already know each other. Intimately. Surely that's the benefit here in that you can skip the small talk and head straight to the bedroom. Seems pretty fucking boring otherwise. You might as well pick up a stranger and get your rocks off without ever having to 'get to know them'."

"Did you really just do air quotes to describe my dating situation?"

"Ah. Even you think there's a situation then. What's up?" Polly leaned on her hands on the counter as though she was ready to listen to all of Piper's problems.

"NOTHING is up! We've been out like twice. There's plenty of time for all that."

"Sounds totally like nothing is up to me. And you're not being at all defensive about it either. Yep, all signs point to there be nothing to see here. And when I say nothing, I mean you might as well be dating Jesus for all the action you're getting."

"Polly! For fuck's sake! You told me to be careful with her, so I am. I'm being careful because you keep reminding me how she's fucked me over and she might do it again. We both know how well that went for me in recent years, so yes, maybe I am holding back a little but I thought you'd be pleased to know I wasn't jumping in head first this time." Piper was glaring at her best friend now, daring her to push the subject just one more time and give her permission to go nuclear on her.

"OK. Whatever." Polly held her hands up in mock surrender. "I'm just saying, if you're not feeling it with Alex, maybe that fire burned itself out and you're not that into her anymore."

"I never said that. I never said anything like that in fact. You're putting words in my mouth that were never there to start with. Can we not talk about this anymore please? Let's talk about you and Pete instead. I'd like to-"

"Yes! About time you let me get a word in on the relationship front. You don't even HAVE a relationship and you won't shut up about it…"

Piper took a breath to argue that it was in fact Polly who wouldn't shut up about Piper's relationship, but that would give her friend enough ammunition to pick up on the analysis again, so she let the words out silently through a long sigh instead as Polly rambled on about how wonderful Aussie Pete was as a boyfriend.

XXXXX

Piper arrived home with take out from the Chinese place around the corner and flicked the TV on before putting her coat down and pouring a glass of wine. She plated up her food and sat at the breakfast bar opening her mail as she twirled her chow mein noodles on her fork. One of the letters had the police emblem in the top corner and she set that aside until last. She finished her meal, glancing over at whatever reality TV show was playing until her plate was empty and stood to wash up. The last letter remained unopened on the table, almost glowing in front of her eyes to taunt her with the contents. Deciding that whatever was inside it could impact her good mood for the rest of the weekend and there was actually nothing she could do to change the information inside it, she left it on the table and went to sit in front of the TV with another glass of wine. She was already half way down the bottle of red and it was going down far too easily for her to stop before it was finished. Well, it wasn't like she was going out anywhere tonight. She could actually finish it and be more certain of a good night's sleep. Yeah, good plan Piper. She filled her glass again and brought the bottle with her to finish while she watched the voting round of the TV show she didn't know the name of. As she was searching around to pour the last of the wine into her glass, her phone beeped with a message. She leaned over to see it was from Alex.

'Hey, how was work? X'

'Hi. Fine thanks. How was your day? X'

'Good thanks. Got some tidying up done in the apartment, so nothing too strenuous. Want me to call you?'

'I'm heading off to bed actually, so there's no point. Sorry, just really tired tonight. X'

'OK, no worries. Is everything OK? Are you worried about your VSU appointment next week?'

'No. It's all good. I'm fine, really.'

'Do you want me to attend the appointment with you?'

Piper rolled her eyes and had to stop herself from sending back a snappy reply. She poured the last of the bottle into her glass and her phone beeped again.

'Pipes, I think maybe I should be there on Monday. Moral support and all that.'

'For God's sake I don't need a babysitter Alex! I'll be fine. I'm turning in for the night now. Goodnight. X'

'Goodnight Pipes. You know where to find me if you change your mind. X'

Piper downed the whole glass and went searching for another bottle, determined to make sure she slept that night and could block out everything that was starting to stress her out at the moment.

XXXXX

It was mid-afternoon by the time Piper woke up on Sunday and she sighed heavily after checking the time on her phone and seeing a few missed calls from Polly and several texts. She threw her phone back on the bed and turned over, deciding that she didn't have any plans anyway so why not have another snooze. She was woken an hour later by someone banging on the door. Piper pulled her pillow over her head, but the banging wouldn't stop for more than a few seconds. The noise was now accompanied by her phone ringing and there was no getting away from it.

"ALRIGHT! For fuck's sake, stop it!" She climbed out of bed, seeing that she was still dressed from the night before and thinking it was a useful state to be answering the door in at this hour. Piper walked to the front door and pulled it open sharply, to be instantly blinded by the sunlight beaming through around the shape of a woman standing outside.

"What is the fucking emergency Alex?" The brunette pushed passed her and walked into the living room.

"You tell me. Why haven't you been answering your phone?" Alex stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for Piper to close the door behind her.

"Because I didn't hear it?"

"What, all twenty times it has been ringing you didn't hear it?"

"Who's counting exactly? What's so important anyway that you have to call me twenty times?" Piper sighed as she pressed the door closed and slumped onto the sofa.

"I didn't. Polly has been calling you all morning and even called at the house earlier and you didn't answer. So of course, she's on the verge of calling the emergency services at this point. I said I would try, thinking you were maybe avoiding her for some reason. But, nope, you've just put everyone on mute by the looks of it."

Piper rolled her eyes and stood to make a coffee without giving any explanation.

"So, how is your hangover treating you?" Alex spied the empty bottle of wine on the floor by the sofa and the open bottle of vodka on the breakfast bar as Piper tried to quickly put it away.

"I'm not hungover. I'm tired is all. I think it's viral."

"If viral is the name of a vodka brand that is."

"I can have a drink if I want one Alex. It's not like I was driving anywhere or operating heavy machinery you know."

"I didn't say you couldn't. I asked why you didn't answer your phone or your door. Polly is going mad with worry because you haven't answered her. Which reminds me, I need to send her a message to let her know you aren't dead."

"Dramatic much? Why are you here anyway?"

"Polly called me and asked me to come around and see if you were OK as she's gone out to a Christening with Pete. I think she wanted some wardrobe support from you which spiralled into her calling me and accusing me of upsetting you at about 10am this morning when you didn't answer your door. So here I am."

"Oh. Do you want coffee then?"

"Yes please." Alex took her jacket off and pulled her phone out to type a quick text to Polly.

"Can you….not mention that I had a drink please? Polly will make a big deal out of it." Piper asked without looking directly at Alex.

"I won't say anything, but I want you to tell me what's going on."

"Nothing is going on OK. I just had a bit more than I realised is all. It's not like I was throwing up or anything."

"Maybe not. But you just got up and you slept in those clothes last night, so it's not like you had a couple of glasses to relax with your meal is it? Plus, you've been drinking vodka again. So, I'll ask you again. What's going on Piper?"

"I don't know, alright? I was feeling stressed last night and I needed to take the edge off a bit. I just wanted to make sure I could get to sleep. I just wanted to get some rest."

"So you drank enough alcohol to knock yourself out because you're feeling stressed…About what? What is it you're worried about? Maybe I can help." Alex walked over to the kitchen to help Piper finish the coffees.

"I don't know! Nothing! Everything! Stuff. I can't explain it. It sounds so stupid."

"Hey…..why don't you try me? If it's stressing you out, it can't be stupid. Come on. Talk to me." Alex took her by the hand and they walked to sit on the sofa.

"You won't understand…" She sighed, seeing Alex wouldn't be swayed by her trying to duck out of the conversation anytime soon.

"It's just….I don't know…..Like I feel as though everyone has an opinion on how I should be feeling or what I should be doing. Like…..Like I've got my independence back from the Dr now, but I see that I never really had it in the first place. Everyone wants to make decisions for me all the time and it's really annoying that other people influence what I do so much."

Alex nodded and sipped her coffee, but didn't interrupt the flow.

"And whenever I get angry about it or have a drink to block it out, that gets me another telling off. I'm not a fucking child. Does that even make any sense? I feel like it sounds pathetic."

"So when I texted you last night to suggest coming along to your VSU meeting, you thought that was me telling you what to do? Is that why you cut me short with the story about you being tired?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"OK. I didn't mean it in that way. I wanted to show you that I can support you and help you. In whatever way you need. I don't want to make any decisions for you. I just want to know how I can help you Pipes. I know you're not telling me the full story and maybe you aren't telling Sarah Phillips the whole story either, but if you don't talk about this stuff in your head, it's always going to be there to stress you out. You need to understand how to deal with it…..and I think Sarah wants to help you to do that, which is why she was talking about the exercise thing the other week."

Piper clenched her jaw to stop herself from an automatic attack on the whole 'talking about feelings' therapy that she didn't really believe in and took a drink of her coffee instead.

"It's not as simple or as easy as that Alex. I'm not some textbook example you can prescribe some group therapy for and I'll be all better and skipping through poppy fields."

"I never said you were. Although I think we're gonna struggle for meadows of wild flowers in New York anyway if that's your aim." Alex chuckled and nudged Piper to lighten her mood a little.

"Well, don't hold your breath for that scene to happen anytime soon then." Piper smiled weakly.