A/N: I've had you waiting a tiny bit longer than usual for an update. Sorry about that!

"You couldn't stand being so far away from her in that court room."

Alex's list of alternative reasons for leaving the court today was halted by the Uber driver switching the interior light on because they were outside her apartment. She paid the driver and pulled her keys from her bag, unlocking the door and pushing it open with her hips as she drained the last of the beer from the bottle. She closed the door and was headed to the fridge to see if she had any more in there when she was distracted by the sound of people talking in the background. Turning to look at where the conversation was coming from, she saw the TV flickering in the lounge and someone sitting on the sofa at the side of it.

"Hey."

Alex blinked in slow motion into the dark room, trying to process that she wasn't being burgled and hadn't forgotten to switch the TV off.

"Hey." She eventually managed in reply.

"Surprise." Piper smiled sheepishly as she stood, pulling her hair behind her ear a little nervously.

Alex's heart was thumping in her chest and she could hear her blood running through her veins. She hadn't expected this. She was already resigned to cat and mouse texts with apologies exchanged further down the line. Piper didn't seem to be angry. She would recognise a Piper that was here for a fight. This Piper was….a little anxious…..coy even….but calm and watching her from the shadows…waiting for her to speak.

"I…..didn't think…"

"I still have a key…..I can leave it if you want….If it's weird…coming back to find someone watching your TV…" Piper started to ramble and averted her eyes every so often to break the intensity of Alex's eyes on her.

"No...I mean…..yes, it's weird coming home to find the TV on…but it's nice weird." Alex managed to stutter out as she stood awkwardly in between the lounge and the kitchen, still holding her bag and an empty beer bottle.

Piper chuckled. "Nice weird?"

"Yeah." Alex's face relaxed a little and she found a smile.

"You don't mind?"

Alex shook her head from side to side slowly, her eyes fixed on Piper.

"So I can stay? I kind of planned for you saying yes you see…." Piper nodded towards her case by the door.

"Oh you did huh?" Alex smiled again, chewing her cheek inside to hold back a grin and putting her things down on the kitchen top.

"I did. I mean….." Piper took a step forward and ran her hand along the arm of the sofa. "It's kinda heavy to move…." She took another step and drew her fingers along the back of the sofa now as she moved towards Alex.

"Are you looking for a logistics contractor?" Alex started to unbutton her long coat.

"Mmmmm." Piper pressed her lips together into a thin line and nodded as she reached the handle on her case, fingers dancing over the plastic grip as she watched Alex's fingers dextrously move down her body.

"Are you gonna show me what's inside?" Alex cocked an eyebrow as she gripped the edges of the wool coat she had unfastened.

"I was going to ask you the same question." Piper's eyes twinkled as she leaned back against the front door, arms folded.

Alex smirked and leaned back against the counter, palms outstretched behind her.

"Ask me then."

Piper dropped her head back against the door and groaned. "I can't."

"What?" Alex's husky tones went up a couple of octaves.

"Wait." Piper was across the room and into Alex's arms in three strides. "I can't wait. You're too good at the slow torturous build up and I'm gonna combust if I don't touch you." The blonde reached her arms around Alex as tightly as she could and pushed her fingers into the long dark hair at the base of her neck. Alex laughed and pulled her tightly against her, breathing in the familiar scent that was like a drug to her senses.

"Better?" Alex chuckled as she felt Piper press her face into her shoulder and inhale deeply.

"Not yet." The blonde murmured into the long dark hair that covered Alex's shoulders.

They clung together like anchors in each other's storm until Piper reached inside Alex's coat to push it off her shoulders.

"I need to be closer to you."

"Alright, well let me hang this up and I'll -."

"Just hold me Alex. Please." Piper whispered against the material of her shirt.

Alex looked down at the blonde holding her tightly, but Piper's eyes were closed. She dropped the coat on the floor and managed to kick off her boots as they stood in a tight embrace, the taller woman stroking blonde hair against her chest for a long time in silence. Alex was the first to break it with words she needed to vocalise instead of playing them in her head.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there this afternoon."

Piper tightened her grip on the back of Alex's shirt before speaking quietly. "I know. It's OK."

"I know I should-." Piper lifted her head to look into the familiar green eyes she'd been longing to see and pressed her fingers to the lips above her.

"Don't talk….I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about anything tonight."

Alex leaned back a little to lift Piper's chin so she could see her eyes. "Are you sure? You might feel better…."

"I'm sure…Too much talking already today. I need to just feel right now."

Alex held her tightly, their bodies pressed together from their feet to their foreheads. They stayed in this position for a long time, Piper's hands running up and down Alex's back every so often and the taller woman kissing the top of her blonde hair to reciprocate the affectionate gestures.

"I'm glad you came over."

"Me too."

"It sounds like your stomach had an ulterior motive. Are you really here for the contents of my refrigerator?"

"Busted." Piper spoke into the material of Alex's top, not wanting to break the contact with her body.

Alex leaned back, chuckling. "Is that case of yours empty and I just caught you in the act of grocery napping?"

"Nah. I only steal groceries that have already been converted into yummy meals served on a plate."

"Of course. Good job I didn't leave any of those lying around or you'd already be gone…You want me to rustle something up to calm the roar?" Alex reached down to stroke Piper's tummy.

"Would you? I haven't eaten anything since breakfast…."

Alex moved towards the kitchen, Piper taking her hand to follow behind her as she opened the cupboards to pull some ingredients together for a quick chicken pasta. "Really? I thought you were going to get something to eat on your way home?"

"No, we went straight to my place." Piper eventually released Alex's hand.

"Not many nice places serve puppy food I guess. Wouldn't want Saint Steve to starve….." Alex raised an eyebrow before ducking into the refrigerator.

"Don't be like that. I know you two had a head to head earlier…."

Alex rolled her eyes as she closed the door, holding a pack of chicken breasts. "Why doesn't it surprise me that he told you that?"

"I know I should find it cute that you're fighting over me, but it's exhausting being in the middle of you both. Can you try to be civil with him, for me?"

"Yeah. Once he accepts that he has to keep his puppy paws off you and his pathetic eyes too for that matter…." Alex cut the chicken into strips with some swift knife strokes before dropping them into the heated pan.

Piper sighed and moved to stand behind her as she stood, frying the chicken. "You know I'm not interested in him. It really shouldn't bother you."

"I know it, but he doesn't."

"He's had a crush on me since we were kids. It's a habit. He'll never act on it, believe me."

"I'd still like to see the hope in his eyes crushed."

"Well if it's any consolation, I left him in my apartment to order Chinese while I came over here to see you. Is that crushed enough for you?"

Alex threw her head back with laughter and turned to look sideways at Piper, resting her chin on her shoulder. "Really? Man, I wish I could have seen his face." She clicked her fingers.

"You're cruel. And actually I feel a bit bad about it, but I had to see you."

Alex couldn't contain her smile as she finished browning the meat while Piper kissed her neck. She turned the chicken out of the pan onto the chopping board before turning around in Piper's arms. "I'm glad you chose me." She leaned in and kissed Piper's lips softly.

XXXXX

Alex had teased and tormented Piper slowly on the sofa. It was their way now. Fast and frantic didn't seem to fit with their moods. It was intense on a whole different level to what they had before.

They were laid fully clothed along the sofa now. Alex hovered above her, planting small kisses all along her abdomen where the blonde's shirt had been pushed up. Piper's fingers were tangled in the dark hair that was tickling her tummy and she watched Alex move her lips over her tingling skin with curiosity.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather go to bed and do this?" Alex murmured as she looked up to see Piper's blue eyes watching her.

"I just want to feel you next to me."

Alex chuckled. "I am next to you."

"I want you closer."

"OK….." Alex moved higher up so her body was pressed on top of Piper's and their faces were only an inch apart.

"Close enough?"

"No."

"Well….I think we'll have to lose these clothes then." Alex smirked before leaning in to kiss Piper's lips.

"Closer." Piper whispered between kisses into Alex's mouth.

Alex deepened the kiss and slowly swirled her tongue into Piper's mouth, moaning as the woman beneath her responded eagerly with her own. Piper moved her hand up into Alex's hair and pulled her impossibly close to press against her mouth as her other arm wrapped her into a tight embrace. They stayed like that until Piper broke suddenly for air and pulled Alex in to lie against her chest in an equally tight embrace.

Sensing uneven movement in Piper's chest, Alex lifted her head a little to see Piper turn her face away to the side.

"Hey….Are you OK?" Alex was suddenly worried when she saw Piper's cheeks were wet. She pulled herself up onto her elbow, but Piper pulled her back into a close hug as she let out a gentle sob and nodded her head in the only reply she could manage.

"Um….crying is not usually a sign that you are OK though."

"Stop talking."

"I will if you stop crying."

"I'm not crying."

"You're doing an excellent impression of someone who is….."

Piper sniffed. "I'm being stupid. I need to stop being stupid and the not crying will stop. I just need a minute, OK?"

Alex leaned up onto her elbow and stroked the tears from her cheek with her thumb, before leaning in to kiss where they had been. "You're not stupid to me. You're beautiful…(kiss)….You're smart…..(kiss)…..you're funny…..(kiss)….kind….(kiss)...narcissistic….(kiss)…..uptight…." Alex chuckled as Piper slapped her arm gently.

When they were together and travelling, it was all about having fun. They made love, they made the kind of love that made their skin tingle and hearts race. That had been one of the many ways they had connected all those years ago. But this….this was making love in the rawest and most emotional way either of them had ever felt. Eye contact was intense, and Piper could see into Alex's heart through her green eyes. There had always been an air of mystery about the dark haired woman she had fallen in love with all those years ago. Piper had always assumed it had a lot to do with her secretive job and a need to keep people at arm's length. Even when they were together, not all of Alex was ever within her grasp. There was always a sense that some facets of her would forever be out of her reach. That no matter how long they were together, how much fun they had, however much they made love and connected physically….that there was a part of that woman she could never reach. She was guarded, careful, measured. Not cold, not at all cold. The opposite in fact. She was warm, made you feel at ease straight away. Gave you her undivided attention when in conversation with you. She could effortlessly charm and seduce you, or appear indifferent and aloof. She was an enigma, wrapped in a riddle. As much as Piper loved solving puzzles, she quickly learned that she'd never be able to solve this one and to accept that this was a part of Alex that she loved just as much as her other assets and quirks.

She had loved Alex completely. Accepted her flaws and gradually, even her job. She loved her despite knowing the environment in which their love existed was toxic. Initially, it was from external factors created by Alex's work for Kubra. But gradually, that toxic pressure began to creep into the four walls of their hotel rooms….over the fancy three course dinners in expensive restaurants….across the dance floors of VIP bars where Piper danced alone while Alex was called aside to talk business again. And because it was gradual, Piper let it happen. Being the elastic in their relationship to stretch and accommodate the change every time. She was letting their love be tainted by it, letting yet more inside their bubble every time Alex pleaded and bargained with her. She loved Alex so much that she stopped believing her own whining protests when Alex pushed the boundaries again. No meant 'no' less and less as time went on and their bubble filled with poison.

When the time came that Piper could no longer breathe in that environment, she left. It wasn't even a decision that she had been mulling over for a long time. It was a heat of the moment thing. The elastic had reached it's limit and Alex pushed again, to the point Piper wasn't willing to accommodate. The timing was appalling. She knew Alex was more than capable of manipulating her and maybe part of her even thought her mother dying was a card that her girlfriend was playing as a last resort. Maybe that's the only way she was able to turn her back on the tears Alex was shedding and walk out of her life. She had been absolutely certain that the heart she was breaking in that decision was her own. That Alex would be angry and upset with her for leaving, but she would very quickly get over it and move on to any one of the women who had been hanging around the outskirts of their bubble, hoping for a chance to burst it. The inaccessible part of Alex, where her deepest emotions lay would kick in and self-preservation would automatically protect her from any of the heartache that Piper would go through.

Piper had absolutely broken her own heart when she got on that plane in Charles de Gaulle airport and her inner monologue had wrestled with whether it would just be easier all round to head back to Alex and apologise. The older woman would surely accept her back and things would go back to how they were. But she didn't want how they were sometimes. She wanted their lives to be that good all of the time. The anxiety and indecision crippled her all the way over the Atlantic Ocean and she forced herself to move forwards, having Polly pick her up from the airport and take her to her apartment to stay. She was resolute with steely determination until she got her own apartment a couple of weeks later. The loneliness of reality hit her hard and she cried and drank until her heart was dried up. Hearing all these years later that Alex was truly heartbroken when Piper left her in Paris was a real shock she hadn't expected. Finding out that the unflappable, impenetrable Alex Vause had been brought to her knees by Piper leaving was something that she still couldn't get her head around.

She had Alex now. She had all of Alex. There wasn't anything her lover was holding back…she could see it in her eyes. There was an honesty….a vulnerability even…in Alex's eyes that she had never known before. It scared her a little to know that Alex could be broken….that she could break the dark haired enigma and already had a long time ago. It scared her that Alex might think that she was ever going to be enough for her. That Alex might never want anyone else….that she would be the last and only person to feel….taste….come undone under the touch of Alex Vause. A woman could be overwhelmed by the thought of such a thing. Piper was overcome with a very different feeling all of a sudden. Relief. She felt relief that she knew she was all Alex needed now.

Piper stroked the dark hair back from Alex's concerned eyes and smiled at her lover.

"I love you Alex. I will love you until the last breath leaves my body and I swear I won't let anything come between us ever again."

A/N: So...this might actually be a good place to end this fic. I hadn't intended to leave it here, but I actually quite like the closure this chapter brought to some wounds that have been open since Chapter 1. I've had a great time writing this and re-reading it myself recently has made me learn a few lessons that I'd do differently next time. The reviews and comments I've had from you along the way have had me laughing and tearing my hair out sometimes. All have been appreciated and also those people who sent me PMs about their own experiences - thank you for sharing your story. I've been writing this every week for a year, so I might find it difficult to fill that gap that finishing the story leaves.

Anyhow, thanks for reading and I hope you've enjoyed it.

Icarriedawatermelon. x