A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I always love hearing from you and it's great to see there are still new binge readers joining and following - welcome! I've been in two minds about closing this story down as it's far longer than it was meant to be. Closing it to open a part two I mean. But it's not a good point to stop and it would be confusing to pick it up as new from this point. I just feel like there's more left in these characters to give. Hope you agree? Anyway, 'Pregpongate' is a drama all of its own right now...crikey, there's enough passion about the topic to cause a prison riot. Don't get any ideas Jenji! My main concern is how the Devil they would write a storyline for their leading lesbian in a prison bunk to be suddenly carrying a child - the worry being that they wouldn't try to hide it behind strategically placed furniture, but write her out of the show. We definitely have another series of Alex as they just wrapped, but what next? Dun dun dun...
On with the story...this chapter is a biggie...it's a biggie-slow ;-)
Piper was laid in bed, with Alex's body moulded around her back and her pale arms wrapped around Piper's torso gently. She was trying so hard to get some sleep, but dreams would not come. They couldn't seem to get into her mind for all of the thoughts whirring around in there already. She tried to focus on Alex, on her warmth, her even breathing as the taller woman slept soundly against her. She tried to even her breaths to match Alex's pattern….then to not think about the pattern at all…to try and count sheep jumping fences, a black space….tensing and relaxing all of her muscles one by one….All of the tricks she had in her bag weren't working. Maybe she just wasn't giving them long enough to work….. She shifted in the bed again and felt Alex move her fingers up her ribs to soothe her briefly before slipping back to sleep.
Sighing at constantly disturbing her girlfriend's peace, she gently lifted Alex's arm and slipped from under the covers. Pulling on her robe, she tiptoed out into the kitchen and put the small lamp on before opening the fridge and getting some milk to make a hot cup of cocoa.
By trying everything in her power to think of any topic apart from the court case, she had succeeded only in multiplying her worries ten-fold, spreading her bets over a much wider range of decisions and concerns than she wanted to.
She warmed the milk in a pan slowly as she tried to resolve some of the endless questions running through her mind.
What if Darryl's Lawyer made her out to be a liar? What if he brought up her time in Litchfield? Maybe her knew about her being raped there and he was going to reveal it to everyone in the court room as part of his questioning….Maybe he would make it look like she was the girl who cried wolf…..But that would be silly, because she didn't report it….Would he make it look like she was trying to get back at men for what happened in there? Would he talk about her sexuality as a reason for her being a man-hater? Oh God…..what if they had been following her and they brought in her relationship with Alex? How would she explain that to her parents?
Suddenly aware of the hot liquid simmering on the stove, she turned it off and poured it into a mug with the cocoa, stirring it gently as she made her way to the sofa.
Was she supposed to play the prim and privileged white girl from the suburbs? The well-educated business woman? The street-smart city dweller? Was she supposed to be herself? That somehow seemed even harder than any of the other roles she might have considered applying for.
She opened the book that she had started at Alex's apartment and picked up the chapter she left off, forcing her brain to translate the words into imagery that wasn't court related as she sipped her drink. It was a couple of hours later when she was yawning and turned the last page. Feeling more relaxed, she went back into the bedroom and removed her robe. Alex was is pretty much the same position Piper had left her in, only with a bunch of the covers tucked up to her chest instead of Piper.
XXXXX
She managed a couple of hours of fitful sleep before she got up as her alarm went off. Opting to keep her mind and body as busy as possible, she went out for a run, wanting to burn off any rage before she started to get snappy with Alex from the lack of sleep and anxiety for what she had to face today. Exhausted by the time she relented, she walked back into her home on wobbly legs to find Alex was making coffee.
"Hey."
"Hey. Take it you couldn't sleep last night?" Alex blew across her coffee to cool it before taking a sip.
"Did I wake you? Sorry."
"Not really. Feel better after your run?" Alex walked over to where Piper was sat on the floor, stretching her muscles slowly.
"A bit. I wanted to keep going. I guess I was feeling a bit Forrest Gump this morning."
Alex chuckled as she leaned down to lift Piper's chin so she could kiss her on the lips.
"Good job you stopped, I can already feel your prickly beard coming through."
Piper swatted her away and stood up. "I'm going to get a shower...I guess we'd better set off soon."
"Yup. Shall I see if I can rustle up anything edible from your store cupboard for breakfast?"
"No. Thanks, but I don't think I could keep anything down anyway." Piper made a tight lipped smile before looking away.
Alex watched her turn to walk to the bathroom. Her hands wanted to reach for her and hold her tight. Her lips wanted to kiss it better and whisper reassurances, but she knew that Piper needed to keep control and forced herself to stop and do this whatever way Piper needed.
Piper followed her Lawyer's instructions and wore an outfit that met his criteria - something smart and expensive looking that she'd wear to a family event with her mother. She loathed the fact that these knee-length dresses with sleeves even had to reside in her wardrobe since she hated everything they stood for and felt immediately uncomfortable in it. She put some small stud earrings in and curled her hair t the front, before trying up into a bun. She looked ready to head to a fund raiser with her mother when she looked in the mirror. Debating whether to disregard everything her Lawyer had said, Alex walked in and whistled as she leaned against the door frame.
"Wow...you look...like your mother." Alex couldn't bite back the grin that was bursting from the lips she had pressed tightly together when she saw Piper's eyes flash up.
"This is my worst nightmare."
"Will you be wearing a pair of white gloves when you get your small clutch bag onto your lap in the car?"
"Shut up."
"It's very Jackie O...Should I worry about snipers while we're en route?" Alex moved to stand behind her, snaking her arms around her waist as they looked into the mirror.
"There's more than enough sniping already from those lips." Piper rested her hands over Alex's on her hips. Alex laughed and turned Piper away from the mirror to face her.
"C'mere." She stroked Piper's cheek before running her finger over her pink lips tenderly. "It's gonna be alright." Alex leaned in to kiss her chastely and slowly before Piper started to get anxious and the blonde reciprocated, pulling Alex closer by her belt loops.
"Mmmm...Mrs Chapman...we can't...what if Bill finds us...?" Alex husked as she ran a hand up to squeeze Piper's breast through the dress.
"I hate you."
XXXXX
They stopped at a coffee shop on the way and Piper agreed to a skinny latte for breakfast. Alex bought a couple of slices of banana loaf and a bagel, hoping to persuade Piper to eat something before she had to leave her with her Lawyer.
Piper was fidgeting with her dress as they sat in traffic and Alex soothed her thigh every so often, but left her with her thoughts for the most part.
"So, I think my parents might be there today..."
"OK...um...good?"
"Yeah...yeah, it is...In the gallery I mean."
Alex tightened her grip on the wheel as she waited for Piper to finish.
"They won't recognize you...I mean...they don't know what you look like, so they won't know who you are."
"Well, we haven't been introduced I suppose." Alex clenched her jaw, getting impatient for the part where Piper asked her to wait in the car.
"I know...Oh God...I didn't think they were coming, but Dad left a voicemail on my phone last night saying they would be there." Piper glanced over at Alex, but her eyes remained fixed on the tailgate in front of them.
"Say what you need to say Piper."
"I know you're going to be pissed at me for asking this, but I need us to say our goodbyes in the car. If they see me with you, there will be a whole lot of questions that I'm not ready for...and it's not that I'm-."
"It's fine. I get it. Are you coming home with me or staying with them?" The question was to the point and the hurt was poorly masked by the simplicity of the statement.
"Alex, don't be pissed at me please...I can't-."
"I said it's fine. You've got to see your family too. I just want to know if you want a ride home with me or not."
Piper dropped her head back onto the head rest and her shoulders began shaking. Alex pulled the car over to the side of the road and cut the engine.
"Do not do this. Hey, look at me." Alex's voice was stern and she moved Piper's chin to face her.
"You're not going to lose your shit because your family are here. That's not important today."
Tears began pooling in her blue eyes ad spilled over when she tried to blink them away.
"I'm not mad Piper. I've got no right to be sulky either. Sure, I want to be the last person to hold you and kiss you before you take the stand. I want to be the first person you see when you come back out again after killing it with your testimony. But I can't have that today and I have to accept it. I'll be right there with you though. I'm still going to be there."
"I'm sorry Alex...I know you hate this and my shitty excuses." Piper sobbed again.
Alex wiped the tears away quickly. "Sshhhh. Pipes, we have time to deal with all of that later. Focus on getting this bastard put away for now. You're not giving him the satisfaction of seeing you with puffy eyes and letting him think these are for what he did. Focus on what your Lawyer has been coaching you and just keep thinking about what he tried to do to you as you're in that witness box."
Piper reached out and pulled Alex towards her, burying her face into her dark hair and inhaling the scent of her shampoo deeply. "I'm sorry."
"You have to get out of the apologies and into justice mode now babe." Alex stroked her back and kissed her hair carefully, not wanting her to be disheveled. "I was going to save the motivational speech for when we got there, but now is probably better when we're not looking over our shoulders." Alex pulled away and looked into the wet pools of blue in front of her. "Think about what he almost did to you and what he did to those other women who have waited so long for justice. Don't let anything get in the way of that. What happened to you when you went to prison is different. You're not charged with anything. You're just there to tell the truth and don't ever forget that."
Piper nodded slowly. "I love you."
"I love you too." Alex pressed their lips together. "Shall I lead you into battle?" Alex smiled as she started the engine.
XXXXX
Alex dropped her off near the entrance with a slice of banana cake for later and went to park the car, waiting a little longer in the car to stall the time she would have to see the Chapman's. She made some calls for work and checked her emails before pulling on a long wool coat and heading to the court room. She hung back until most people were seated before slipping in and taking a seat at the back. She could see Piper's parents seated four rows in front of her, recognizing her mother immediately from old photos. They were dressed smartly, but as though it were a bereavement for a long standing member of the golf club they were attending. The legal teams came in and it was Alex's first chance to see the man who had attempted to rape her girlfriend. She hadn't prepared herself for the well-dressed man who stood tall by the side of his defence team when everyone stood for the Judge to take his seat. She kept her eyes trained on him as though she might be able to get some retribution with her eyes burning into the back of his skull. Having not heard a word of the introductions to today's proceedings, Alex moved her eyes to the guarded door behind the witness box when she heard them call Piper to the stand.
Piper walked with shaky determination to the stand and stood with her hands resting on the worn wooden frame, awaiting further instruction from the court clerk. Her eyes were fixed only on the person leading her through the process and swearing an oath before she took a seat. Her own Lawyer led her through a series of pre-constructed questions and she visibly grew in confidence as she answered them and he nodded in acknowledgement a few times. Alex glanced over to Darryl as her Lawyer took a pause to check some notes in his file. He was watching Piper intently, clearly hoping to catch her eye as she sat and fidgeted in her seat. Piper's eyes roamed the room, finally lifting from the first third of the court to look beyond the legal teams and into the crowd. Catching sight of her parents in the front row, she pressed her lips into a quick smile before her Lawyer returned to the questions. Alex could see Darryl whispering to his Lawyer as Piper spoke and she balled her fists at the prospect of him making notes to pick the testimony apart later. They broke for lunch and as the clerk had everyone stand while the judge returned to chambers, Piper quickly scanned the crowd for Alex. Catching her eye, Alex smiled and gave her a thumbs up before the blonde was escorted out of another door.
After the recess, Alex returned to her seat and watched Piper take the stand where the defense team took over questioning. Piper was soon getting rattled when Darryl's Lawyer kept cutting her answers off when he'd heard what he wanted to hear. Piper found it rude to be interrupted in any conversation, but one where she was trying to provide a fuller explanation than he would hear was really unsettling her. He asked if she was single when she was preparing to go out that night, Piper confirmed she was. He asked her to confirm that she'd had a series of spa treatments in preparation for the night out, including a bikini wax and manicure. Piper confirmed this had happened. He then asked her if she routinely had those treatments done before a night out with friends. Piper confirmed that she didn't have them done routinely and he cut her off again by surmising that she went to extra efforts that night because she was seeking more than friendship. Piper attempted to say more, but was cut off by the Judge, asking her to only answer the questions as they were put to her. And so it continued with her choice of clothes, the fact she came alone to meet up, that she had accepted drinks and was seen by several witnesses to be having a good time and laughing.
Alex was getting increasingly agitated with how the events were being twisted to appear like Piper was actually looking for someone to sleep with that night. The story they appeared to be weaving was one that saw Piper preparing to pounce on Steve, but turning her attentions to Darryl when it became clear that Steve didn't have the bottle to make a move on her. They were making her sound like she was throwing herself at him and Alex had to swallow hard and force herself to be still in her seat while they continue to harangue her girlfriend in front of a crowd. Piper's voice was raising more each time she was cut short or interrupting the defense team in their short summaries of events. Her Lawyer was raising objections, but they were overruled or too damned late to prevent the defense team from getting an inaccurate point across to the jury. If Alex's legal team were here and representing Piper, she'd be on the phone to the top dog already at this point to demand they pull their God-damned finger out and earn their money...But it was out of her control, like everything else today.
When Piper had to be quieted by the Judge again, her Lawyer asked for a short recess for some refreshment. Piper looked over to Alex as the court cleared, clearly upset with how it had been going. Alex mouthed 'you're doing fine' and offered a small smile, but it was scant reassurance as she walked through to meet with her Lawyer. Making some calls to the office outside the court, Alex got caught up in an issue Bill was having with the crane in the warehouse. The maintenance contract had expired and the company wouldn't give them a maintenance slot for 2 weeks an a pay as you go basis. The crane had seized up and it was the only one fixed to hoist the heavy loads onto the platform they had half filled already. The ship needed to leave in 48 hours.
"Alex, I can't play hardball with these guys on a call. I'm not getting the right person to answer and they're giving me the run around. Can you come over and we'll turn up on their doorstep to sort this out?"
"I'm in the middle of something right now. Can't you go alone? I can see if Nicky can go with you."
"We don't have any authority with them Alex. Can you postpone your meeting and do it another time? I really need your support on this or we'll miss the boat - in every sense."
Alex pinched the bridge of her nose. Apart from an occasional smile of encouragement when Piper looked at her, she was no use here whatsoever. If she left and Piper didn't see her in the gallery, it would be like she chose not to stay and support her girlfriend. Which is exactly the choice she had. Piper wasn't even leaving with her tonight.
"I'm sorry Bill, but I can't leave right now. You've got my support to handle this." She saw everyone heading back into the court room and checked her watch. "Call Nicky if you need any paperwork. My phone is going to be off this afternoon, so I need you to take care of this for me. Thanks." Alex switched her phone off and jogged back to the gallery in time to see Piper taking her seat again.
XXXXX
Alex didn't see Piper after they were finished for the day, so she texted her from the car.
'Hey, you did great today. The defense guy is an ass, but that's what he's paid for. I love you. Call me later. x'
She drove to see Bill in Newark and see how he'd got on today. The crane was wrecked. They'd tried to force the axle to move with brute force when it seized and the metal was twisted, so it would need a new arm as well. There was about $1 million in stock waiting to be moved onto the waiting ship, that was frustratingly right by the side of it and they couldn't do a damned thing without fixing the arm. That crane was fixed into the ground at the dock and had been used to take the stock off one ship, then move it to another that docked later. It was supposed to be easy money and done within the week. She looked over the maintenance contract with Bill and they'd not picked it up when they bought the business as it had lapsed over a year ago and hadn't been included in the sales pack.
"Are there any more of these surprises?" She waved the contract at Bill, angrily.
"He was cutting back on everything Alex. We were trying to keep people in jobs and took a decision to stop paying this to keep people on the payroll." Bill sighed, knowing how frustrated Alex was at this.
"Jesus Christ! Sometimes you've got to look at the bigger picture. Losing half a dozen staff would have paid this and kept the rest in a more secure company."
"Well, we'd had no issues with the cranes until.-"
"Don't." Alex put her hand up. "Have they quoted for the work?"
"I can't even get them out here. That's what I'm telling you..."
Alex's phone rang and it was Piper. "Can you give me a minute? I need to take this." She nodded towards the door and Bill stepped outside, closing it behind him.
"Hey. How are you?"
"Hey. It's nice to hear your voice...I'm OK."
"Tough day."
"Yeah, pretty sucky."
"Are you home?"
"No. I'm in the lobby of the hotel my parents are staying in. They're just checking in and then we're going out for dinner."
"OK. Well, you can come over later if you want company tonight."
"I'm pretty beat to be honest. I could do without this dinner tonight, but I think they feel like they're helping if they pay for a fancy meal."
"Alright, well the offer is there no matter how late you get finished."
"Thanks...was it as bad as I think it was today?"
"It's hard to tell which way these things are going to go. I guess you know that. But don't forget you're only one piece of the jigsaw here. There's a lot of evidence stacked against him. Whatever happens, you still walk out of there with your head held high."
"I know...Easy to say it, but not so easy to believe it...I've got to go. I love you too."
"Bye Pipes."
XXXXX
Piper was tired and really not in the mood to play happy families, but it had been a while since she had seen her parents. She tried to put on a brave face, but Carol was like a dog with a bone as she railed about the arrogance of the defense Lawyer and how he'd made her out to be a liar and a tart. It wasn't anything she wasn't already feeling, but Carol really hammered home the point that it was clear for everyone to see the picture they were painting. Piper's shoulders sank more and more as she pushed her food around her plate, with no appetite to move it to her lips. Bill managed to cut in and then sniped at her own Lawyer, saying his friend would have done a better job and Piper only nodded in agreement as her protests were stopped in much the same way as they had on the stand.
Her mother ordered another gin and tonic and Piper made her excuses to go to the ladies room. Looking in the mirror as she washed her hands, her face looked drawn and pale. She looked exactly how she felt, having eaten very little all day after only a couple of hours of sleep. In less than 12 hours, she would be taking the stand again for another day of bullying and she really didn't know if she could do it. She got her phone out and requested an Uber before walking back to the table and making her excuses with her parents about needing her beauty sleep. Her mother at least agreed that she looked like crap and should make more of an effort with her make up in the morning.
Arriving at her apartment, she dropped her keys onto the table and pulled a glass from the cupboard. She just needed a couple of gulps to take the edge off, so quickly unscrewed the cap from the Polish vodka she picked up on the way back. Filling the tumbler, she leaned over the counter and observed the glass for a moment before raising it.
"To being a fuck up." She toasted the air before quickly taking two big gulps.
The burn of the liquid down her throat was so good, her eyes closed to savour it. It had been too long since she had felt that immediate release of stress and it was very welcome tonight. Catching sight of her reflection in the lounge mirror across the room, she remembered she was still wearing the dress from court, so she immediately unzipped the back and stepped out of it, throwing it across the room and grabbing a t-shirt from the dirty laundry pile. She picked up the glass and took another glug, bringing the bottle with her as she moved to the sofa. She didn't put any lights on or even close the blinds as she lay back and put her legs along the length of the cushions.
The frustration of her story being twisted, the lack of sleep, the forced show of being 'fine' for hours on end and the misery she found herself wallowing in overwhelmed her. Lawyers dealt in facts. It was a fact that she had gone to extra effort that night she went out with Steve and Darryl and the facts pointed towards her wanting to make herself appear attractive as a single woman. The facts were that she knew she would be meeting up with at least 1 single man. It was a fact that she knew Steve had a crush on her. Was it a fact that she had the intention of finding more than friendship that night? She couldn't remember feeling that way, but maybe her time with Alex was distorting her memory. Maybe she was that tart that they were making her out to be and she was lying to herself to think otherwise.
She drained her glass before sitting up to refill it.
"To being exactly what everyone thinks I am."
As she lay in the dark, pondering where her life had gone so badly wrong, she saw that she was already a third of the way down the bottle and was starving. She got a packet of Cheerios and stuffed a handful in her mouth washing them down with the vodka when a text beeped through from Alex.
'Are you home yet or are you still planning charity dinners? x'
She noticed an earlier one from Steve asking how it went today and saying he'd be there tomorrow because he'd swapped shifts. There was another from Cal asking if he needed to book onto her visitor list yet and one from Polly asking how it had gone and to call her later.
Piper rolled her eyes and threw her phone back onto the table in front of her after seeing it was 9pm. Plenty of time to see the bottom of that bottle without interruption thank you very much.
She was elbow deep in the Cheerios box when her phone started ringing. Glancing at the screen she saw it was Polly and opted to ignore it. A few seconds later it beeped with a voicemail. She dusted her hands on her t-shirt and picked it up to listen to it.
"For someone with such a respectable upbringing, you have appalling manners. I just want to know what happened today. Did that fucker change his plea yet? Call me you asshole. I'm covering your hours remember...I also know where you live." She couldn't help but laugh at Polly's bluntness and started to type a text reply.
'I am an asshole. A whore too apparently. Go me!"
Polly rang back immediately.
"What the Hell are you talking about?"
"Well Helloooooo to you too BFF."
"Are you drunk?"
"Not nearly enough."
Polly sighed. "How much have you had?"
"None of your fucking business. I'm happy."
"Yeah, you sound like you've been laughing your ass off all day. Was it bad?"
"Yup. His Lawyer basically said I was setting up a honey trap for him and he was the victim for falling into it."
"Seriously? I'm pretty sure they'd call that reaching on The Good Wife."
"I'd call it something far less elephant...eleren...posh."
"So you're drowning your sorrows in vodka now. I take it I'll be opening the store in the morning?"
"Yeah...because I have to face the firing squad again."
"Shit. You've got to answer more questions?"
"S'Okay...I'm good at exams."
"You're better at them when you aren't nursing a bohemouth hangover. How much have you had?"
"Maybe half."
"A bottle?!"
"Yeah. I don't know. It's dark." Piper put another handful of sugary cereal into her mouth.
"Sounds like you're not drinking on a totally empty stomach at least. Where's Supercunt?"
"Home I think. We're not joined at the hip."
"No, but you're normally joined by a body part close to it. Didn't she come with you today?"
"Yeah, but she was inconsistent...incognisant...hiding. From my parents."
"Do you want me to come over there and put you to bed?"
"No! I'm not ready for bed." Piper pouted.
"I disagree. Put the vodka away for tonight will you? Have a tall glass of water and some Advil and get into bed. If you're on the stand again, you don't want to be fucking this up by being nauseous when you need a clear head. It's not just about you Piper. Those other women are counting on you because of the strength of the evidence for your case."
Piper sighed. She really wanted to finish that bottle and feel like she had achieved something today. But Polly was right. It was selfish to risk fucking this up for everyone else because she had a shitty day of it.
"Alright. I'll go to bed."
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
"If I had the energy and I wasn't already in bed, I'd do the victory dance. Call me tomorrow ok? Love you."
"Yeah, ok."
XXXXX
Alex hadn't had a reply to her texts asking what time Piper wanted picking up in the morning, so she drove over and knocked on the door just after 8am. They didn't need to be in court until 10, so there was time to spare. Knocking louder a second time, Alex was reaching to look through the window when a sleepy Piper emerged to open the door.
"Well good morning sunshine!" Alex smirked as she leaned in to kiss Piper's cheek.
"You're eager aren't you?"
"To see you? Always." She grinned as she stepped past her into the lounge.
"Needy."
"Well, you haven't answered any of my texts. Am I a victim of ghosting?"
"It's not you, it's me.." Piper smiled.
"Oh, it's definitely you. No doubt." Alex asked as she walked past the coffee table, picking up the bottle of vodka from last night. "Party for one was it?"
"You weren't supposed to see that. Give it here." Piper took the bottle and dropped it into the cupboard in the kitchen, Alex hot on her heels.
"You had a rough day, I'm not going to judge you." Alex pulled Piper towards her by her hips for a kiss. "I am going to judge your morning breath though. Can you move oral hygiene up your to do list while I make us a coffee? Stale alcohol is so not my thing."
"Ugh. Why are you so cheery? You smell nice..." Piper inhaled Alex's shampoo before kissing her neck.
"If you keep doing that, I'm going to get more than cheery. Don't start something you're not gonna finish Chapman."
"I'm going to shower...Alone!"
Alex made coffees and took them into the bedroom while Piper showered. She was lying on the bed reading when the blonde came back, towelling her hair.
"You look comfy."
"Its still warm..." Alex winked and nodded at the empty pillow.
"We aren't going to bed."
"Spoil sport."
"You can lie on that pillow though. Make it smell like your hair. I could smell you on it last night. It was nice."
"Well that was clearly my mistake then. Otherwise you would have come to stay with me last night. I'd better stop scent marking things at your place."
"You're so gross!" Alex laughed and dodged the hand towel coming her way. A quiet moment passed as Piper moved hangers in her wardrobe for today's court room outfit, before Alex turned more serious.
"I missed you last night. I thought you might come over after dinner with your parents." She picked up her coffee in an attempt to appear casual.
"I wasn't good company. Just needed some time on my own...to process everything." Piper shrugged as she pulled out a navy skirt and jacket set and held it up against her in the mirror.
"That's ok. Did the vodka help with processing?"
"It always does. Too fucking easily." Piper sighed as she dropped the clothes onto the bed.
"You can talk to me you know. If you want to get things off your chest or rant or whatever. That's part of my girlfriend duties remember?"
Piper sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Alex's shin through her jeans. "I know. It was a spur of the moment thing to get that bottle last night. I'd just had enough you know? Everyone seemed to be piling in with criticisms of what I should or shouldn't have done, how they would have done things differently. I just needed to blow off some steam and i didn't have the energy for the gym. I'm sorry, ok?"
"I wasn't hoping for an apology Pipes. Just letting you know I want to be here for you." Alex reached forward to take the hand stroking her leg. "I totally get why you wanted to process and why you would want to have a drink last night. I worry that you'll use that as a crutch instead of me though...and I can't stand the possibility of finding you like I did at New Year...I don't like to think about what might have happened if Polly hadn't been so determined to check you were OK."
"I know. Sometimes my dark and twisty mind takes over though."
"I want to be your crutch Pipes. Dark and twisty and every shape and shade in between."