Thank you for all your feedback you gave for the last chapter I'm glad everyone seemed to enjoy it and with all the follows and favs I'm so thrilled! This one's another long one I hope you all enjoy!

Piper blearily opened one eye and squinted in the dark at the clock perched on the bedside table, it read half past 7 and she huffed burying her head back under the covers, annoyed with herself for waking up half an hour before the alarm. It was three days since she had been at home and Piper knew today she would have to return to at least pick up some clean clothes. Although she had washed her outfit once, lounging in Alex's dressing gown until her clothes dried, she was beginning to feel a little scruffy at wearing the same set of clothes for a third day. Piper hoped that Alex would come with her so she could see were she was living but Piper knew it would depend on the outcome of the doctors appointment Alex was scheduled to attend at 11 o clock.

Piper stretched her hand out trying to locate her dark haired lover but her hand came up empty. Poking her head above the covers she could just make out the outline of the en suite door and she could hear Alex retching in bathroom. The mornings, Piper had quickly come to realise, were the worst. Alex would wake with nausea so strong she would spend a good half hour throwing up the contents of her stomach and then dry heaving when there was nothing left. The headache was always blinding, tears would roll down her cheeks until the painkillers kicked in and dulled the pain enough so that she could face the rest of the day. Piper rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood up slowly, grasping Alex's dressing gown from behind the door, she made her way into the bathroom. As predicted Alex was slumped, shivering over the toilet, her body heaving and Piper draped the gown over her shoulders and pulled her hair back away from her face, placing a cool hand to her lovers forehead as she did.

"Can I get you some water?"

Alex nodded sluggishly and Piper ran the cold tap quickly filled a glass with the cold water. Bringing the glass to Alex's lips she helped her take a long drink. For the next 15 minutes Piper sat and rubbed soothing circles across Alex's shoulders as they waited for the nausea to pass. Eventually the heaving ceased and Alex lent back shakily into Piper's arms her body cool and clammy to touch.

"I fucking hate the mornings"

Piper pressed a kiss to Alex's forehead in silent agreement and wiped the tears from Alex's cheeks, she too hated seeing how much Alex struggled for that first hour every day.

"Shall I get your painkillers?" Alex nodded her eyes heavy, her body still shivering. "Come on, come and get in bed, I'll bring them to you"

Piper helped Alex to her feet and supported her weight as they walked back into the bedroom. Once Alex was firmly propped up against the pillows she made her way to the bathroom and collected the drugs Alex needed before she went and made them both a hot drink. Carrying both coffees back into the room she balanced the mugs on the bedside tables, turned on the lamp next to her bed then settled back into the warm covers gratefully. The heating was only just coming on and the apartment felt cold, her feet chilled.

"Don't you dare"

Piper feigned ignorance painting a nonchalant expression on her face "What?"

Alex smirked "You know exactly what, keep those cold feet to yourself"

Piper laughed then stuck her feet straight onto Alex's calves causing Alex to jump. It was an old, old joke one that went back to when they first got together Alex would tell her no then let Piper warm her feet on her anyway. Piper always viewed it as a sign of how much Alex cared for her that despite how much she disliked the feel she always gave in to Piper's pouting.

"Some things never change do they Kid"

Piper chuckled "Nope you will be my foot warmer forever!"

Alex just hummed in reply and Piper cuddled up closer propping herself against Alex's pillows so that she could drink her hot coffee while still being pressed against Alex's side. Piper's phone buzzed with an incoming message and she reached across smiling as she saw it was Nicky who was texting her.

"Who is it?" Alex's voice was pained and very slurred Piper knew it would ease slightly when the painkillers began to take effect but she still struggled to tamper down the worry that built slightly deep in her stomach.

"It's just Nic wondering how we are this morning" Alex just grunted "She's also asking if you want her to go with you today while you don't want me there"

Piper kept her tone light not wanting to start another argument not after yesterdays heated discussion. Piper was incredulous when Alex had told her yesterday that she wasn't invited to attend the appointment and they had argued. Alex would not give in so she had been forced to grit her teeth and instead offered to drive Alex there, an offer which had been reluctantly accepted.

"I don't need her to come ... but will you ask her to pick me up save you hanging around for me?" Piper just nodded and quickly replied placing the phone back on the night stand when Nicky had replied with a yes. They sat quietly sipping their drinks until Alex broke the silence.

"Are you mad at me?"

No Piper truly wasn't but she did feel put out. Not really knowing how to respond she just shook her head keeping her gaze firmly forward.

"I just need to do this myself. I promise I will tell you everything when I get home"

Piper, pleased that Alex was at least including her on some level, leaned over and pressed a kiss to Alex's cheek "I need to go back to my apartment later do you want to come with me?"

Alex smiled a relieved smile obviously glad she wasn't cross and Piper felt some of the tension leave her body "Yeah I'd like that, be nice to see somewhere other than this apartment and the bloody hospital"

Piper smiled sympathetically she knew Alex was frightened of going out in public worried that she would have a funny turn while out. Piper was trying to encourage Alex to go out to places with her but so far she was reluctant saying she wanted to wait until after today's hospital appointment.

"The headache beginning to ease yet?" Alex nodded slowly "Good because you need to eat something before you leave"

Alex rolled her eyes "It's like living with my mother"

Piper just nudged her side playfully "I hope you didn't used to do the things you do to me with your mother! That's some perverted shit right there Al"

Alex laughed loudly before awkwardly pulling Piper into a warm one armed hug "I've missed you Pipes these last couple of days have been perfect I'm sorry for ever leaving in the first place"

Piper just cuddled closer feeling unbelievably happy on one hand but on the other it was marred by the worry she could feel building, she was dreading the outcome from the appointment. Feeling like her thoughts were beginning to eat her alive Piper sat up and pressed a kiss to Alex's lips.

"Right I'm going to go and make a start on breakfast you going to come and join me when you're ready?"

Alex nodded smiling gently and Piper's heart skipped a beat, God she loved this woman fiercely with every fibre of her being. Still keeping a smile on her face Piper quickly made her way to the kitchen needing to keep herself busy so that the worry and fear could be kept at bay she needed to stay strong and confidant for Alex and right now she was beginning to wonder how.

"She hasn't uttered a word since I picked her up Piper"

Alex had arrived back at the apartment and disappeared straight into her bedroom the door behind her shutting with a resounding bang. It couldn't be more obvious to Piper that she wanted to be left alone.

"I'm worried Piper" Piper felt like she wanted to be sick, her stomach was churning, her hands slick with sweat.

"Me too Nic"

Piper's voice caught as tears clogged her throat and Nicky pulled her into a fierce embrace squeezing her tightly.

"What do we do?"

Piper hated how weak and needy she sounded but she wanted someone to make it all go away to take away her responsibility just for a moment.

"You wait then you talk to her. She promised she would speak to you so just wait it out maybe she needs to get her own head around whatever they told her"

Piper nodded she pulled back smiling determinedly and wiped at her eyes "You're right thank you"

"Hey no problem Kid you know where I am if you need me? Even if it's just to have a good cry I know you'll be keeping up a strong façade for Alex but don't let it all get on top of you ok?"

Piper pulled Nicky into another tight hug feeling an overwhelming surge of affection for her bushy haired friend.

"Ok, ok that's enough now Chapman love ins aren't my style"

Nicky was smiling through her sarcastic comment and Piper chuckled.

"I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah I'll be around just give me a call if there's anything you think I should know yeah?"

Nicky's face had gone serious and Piper nodded eagerly "Of course see you later"

Once Nicky had left Piper closed the door quietly and turned around leaning against the solid wood. Now she didn't know what to do she could hear the shower running which mean't Alex wasn't appearing anytime soon but If being under the hot spray helped Alex deal with her emotions then great. Piper went and settled herself in the living room with a coffee and her notebook intent on jotting down a few chapter ideas to keep her distracted. 50 minutes later her page was still blank her coffee now cold so lost in thought she didn't hear the bedroom door open and she was only snapped from her daze when she noticed Alex standing in front of her looking at her curiously.

"Do you still want to go to your apartment?"

Piper for a moment was shocked at how normal Alex seemed in that moment but she held her tongue.

"Yes, do you still want to come with me?"

Alex nodded and wordlessly she handed Piper her jacket. Piper accepted sliding her favourite leather jacket on she wrapped her scarf around her neck and pulled on her gloves. As they made to leave Piper couldn't hold her tongue and she turned to Alex expectantly "Are you-"

Alex cut her off quickly "I know you want answers I will tell you everything later but first lets just go to your apartment, you can show me round and we can have a bit of normality without thinking about this fucking tumour"

Piper watched as Alex's careful façade seemed to crumble slightly and her voice cracked as she spoke the desperation evident "Please?"

Piper nodded reluctantly and they made there way to Piper's car. The 20 minute journey was made in silence Alex seemed quite content to just look out of the window and Piper didn't really know what to talk about other than the one topic she had been asked to refrain from discussing. Lost in her own thoughts Piper drove on autopilot until she reached her apartment complex coming to a stop in her designated space.

"Looks fancy Pipes"

Piper chuckled "My dad bought it, my mum wanted a holiday home, he wanted an investment it irks her even more now I'm living here rent free"

Alex smiled at her sympathetically as they got out of the car and made there way to Piper's ground floor flat.

"Home sweet home"

Piper opened the door and helped Alex inside letting her lean against her as they came to a stop inside Piper's living room "This is really nice Pipes"

Piper nudged Alex playfully "It's not a patch on yours"

"Yes but I've always had the better taste"

They giggled until Piper's head whipped around in alarm as the sound of the toilet flushing rang out.

"What the-"

"Is that you Piper?"

Alex's eyes widened at the sound of Bill Chapman's voice and she began to slowly edge back towards the door. Before Alex could escape Piper's father strode into the room and stopped dead in front of them his eyes wide his jaw slack.

"Hello Daddy what are you doing here?"

Piper kept her tone light and even dreading how this unfortunate turn of events would play out.

"I've had a row with your mother I was going to stay here just for the night but it seems you have other plans"

Bill Chapman's words were sharp and Piper winced she was just going to intervene when Bill spoke again cutting her off quickly.

"Nice to see you Alex how long has it been 7 months?"

The sarcastic tone wasn't missed and Piper looked between them warily.

"It's good to see you sir"

Bill scoffed "I'd like to say the same but then I would be lying. Do you realise the hurt you have caused my daughter?"

"Dad please this isn't the time"

"Oh it's exactly the time Piper. What nonsense has she been spouting to make you go running back to her side? You may have forgotten the hurt she caused but I sure as damn haven't" Bill turned to face Alex his arm raised as he pointed in Alex's face "The day you left I lost a piece of my daughter. She never smiled, she never laughed my carefree little girl replaced by a stranger going through the motions putting on a mask to everyone including her mother and I. We lost her to grief and insecurity that she wasn't enough, would never be enough and that Alex was all because of you!"

"I'm sorry"

Alex's words were laden with guilt but also noticeably slurred and Piper could feel Alex's body slacken slightly and she moved so she could support more of her weight. The symptoms had been worse today but it came as no surprise, Piper knew stress caused it to flare up and with the appointment and now this Piper was concerned.

"How much have you drank today to leave you in this state? Is that why you're here? Because your drunk and lonely wanting a familiar body?"

Piper went to move in front of Alex trying to shield her from her father words, she opened her mouth to speak but she was cut off by Bill's continuing tirade.

"Well Piper may be stupid enough to come crawling back to you but I'm sure as hell not allowing it, get out!"

Nobody moved and Bill looked livid he stalked forward as if to physically remove Alex from the room until Piper stopped him a firm hand against his chest a pained look across her face.

"Daddy don't do this please we can explain"

Alex shook her head then winced and Piper quickly guided her to the couch pushing her father out of the way so that she could sit down.

"No Bill's right I think I should go"

Piper shook her head fiercely "You are not going anywhere especially not like this"

Bill scoffed loudly and Piper rounded on him her famous temper rearing its ugly head.

"You know nothing so keep your opinion to yourself!"

"Nothing! Nothing?! She left you brokenhearted! Now she turns up drunk and you are stupid enough to give her the time of day!"

"You don't know anything"

Bill folded his arms across his chest and looked from one to the other "Then enlighten me what exactly is it that I don't know"

Piper wanted to answer him but she knew how sensitive Alex was over her illness feeling at a loss for how to proceed Piper just opened and closed her mouth a few times before Bill chuckled.

"Always the same Piper you are too trusting sweetheart this will all go to shit again trust me and I'll be the one picking up the pieces"

"You will"

Alex's slurred voice answered and Bill turned to look at Piper smugly.

"But not for the reasons you think"

Piper shook her head repeatedly not wanting to hear the truth she already knew said aloud.

"I've got a brain tumour Bill"

The silence was deafening Bill Chapman looked like he had been slapped his face slack jawed, his eyes wide in horror.

"It's why I left 7 months ago and deep down I know it's why I shouldn't be here now, problem is your daughter doesn't seem to see why she should let me go"

Piper sat down on the couch and took Alex's hand tightly in her own. Bill looked devastated now that the news had settled in and he ran an anxious hand through his thinning hair.

"Oh Alex I'm sorry"

"It wasn't that a few minutes ago was it!"

Piper snapped furious with her father, stress and shouting put more pressure on Alex resulting in increased pain and she was angry, angry at her father and angry at the situation.

"Shhh Pipes he didn't know"

Alex ran a soothing hand down Piper's arm, hesitating slightly as she realised Bill was staring at her shaking left hand.

"Yeah well still he shouldn't have spoken to you like that"

Alex pressed a kiss to her forehead and Piper felt some of the tension in her body evaporate at the simply touch.

"Why don't you go and have a bath" Piper turned looking indignant "You can have a relax in the hot water while I speak to your dad"

Piper couldn't believe Alex wanted to even bother explaining herself but when she saw the look in Alex's eyes she resigned herself knowing arguing would be futile.

Piper stood kissed Alex gently and shot her father a look as she left the living room, she made her way to the bathroom trying to resist the urge to hide and listen to the conversation between her lover and father knowing Alex wanted a private moment. Piper sighed but then smiled she would get the details out of Alex later and with thought she started to run the hot water a good long soak did seem like a good idea.

"Alex I'm truly sorry. What I said was out of order now I know the truth"

Alex shook her head "You didn't know and you couldn't have guessed. To the oblivious world I look like a staggering drunk, nobody would even think that I'm like this due to a fucking cancer growing in my head"

Bill Chapman couldn't help but feel guilty even after hearing Alex's words. He also couldn't help but stare at the woman his daughter loved so much she looked so different from the last time he saw her it unsettled him.

"Is it terminal?"

Alex flinched and Bill jumped to the worst conclusion "God I'm sorry"

"No, no, it isn't yet"

Bill raised his eyebrows that was not a happy response.

"You'll have to explain Alex I'm afraid I don't understand shouldn't you be happy?"

Alex shook her head frustratedly "The process is radiotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy. I've had the first lot to try and shrink the tumour and that didn't work so now it's surgery which has suddenly got a lot more riskier because of the size of the bloody thing"

Alex was angry her body tight with distress and Bill felt at a loss at to what to do. Feeling the need to do something with his hands Bill opened a small cabinet in the corner of the room and took out a bottle of whisky and two tumblers "Can you drink?"

Alex chuckled "I'm not really supposed to but fuck it I'm not turning that scotch down"

Bill laughed heartily passed Alex a tumbler and settled back into the chair. Whiskey in one hand Bill motioned with the other for Alex to continue.

"The surgery has complications I could come out fine, have radiotherapy beat the cancer live happily ever after or I could die on the operating table. Worse still I will wake up a vegetable trapped in an existence where I'm dependent on those around me to live"

The tears that had welled up in Alex's eyes started to fall when she looked at Bill her hands shaking "I don't want that life for Piper"

Alex began to sob and Bill, not knowing what else to do, sat down onto the couch and pulled Alex into his embrace shushing her just like he had done with Piper many times over these last few months.

"Is that why you left?"

Alex just nodded through her tears and Bill felt his own emotions begin to rise, this woman had been through hell on her own all while trying to spare his daughter.

"I'm so torn Bill I want to live of course I do but I've only just got Piper back. I don't think I'm ready to leave her behind yet and that's a real possibility if I agree to them digging this thing out of my head"

Bill let Alex continue to sob praying that Piper couldn't hear them from the bathroom.

"Have you been for a second opinion? Another doctor?"

Alex shook her head "It's all money Bill and now I can't do my job I haven't any more coming in"

Bill knew it must be extra frustrating for Alex not being able to work he had been there with her when she first got out of Litchfield and realised that she could use her drug smuggling skills importing legally. Now she imported items art, furniture you name it she could import it for a price and she had many long standing clients who regularly paid her a handsome finders fee for procuring their item of choice.

"When is your surgery booked in for?"

Alex hesitated but Bill just looked at her he could sense her reluctance but he needed to know, from her hesitation he knew Piper had no idea.

"2 weeks I've been for my pre op and final consultation today but please don't tell Piper I need to do it in my own time. I don't want it to be like a countdown over our heads it's hard enough to try and be normal anyway"

"Which hospital?"

Alex told Bill every detail and he fought hard to keep his face impassive he knew of better, more skilled surgeons but he didn't want to worry Alex by voicing his concerns.

"I wish there was more I could do"

Alex sniffed and wiped her eyes the tears finally stopping "Just be there for Piper she's going to need you and I'll feel better knowing she's got you supporting her. She has been so good these last few days I feel guilty for ever doubting her"

Bill turned his face stern "You thought she would run?"

Alex nodded guilty "She did it before when my mum died I was worried she wouldn't cope. I don't think I could survive watching her walk away from me again Bill"

Bill took Alex's hands in his own and squeezed them tightly "She loves you so much Alex you have nothing to fear"

"I know..." Alex trailed off before beginning to laugh her husky chuckle echoing loudly Bill raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"What?"

"She proposed to me on Saturday to prove that point"

Bill laughed a hearty laugh and grinned proudly "Sounds like my girl she never does anything by halves"

"No no she doesn't"

"I hope you said yes Carol will have a bloody heart attack!"

Alex's jaw dropped and Bill laughed heartily laughing louder when Alex recovered and joined in. They continued to chuckle sipping their remaining whisky until Piper came back into the room in her dressing gown a towel wrapped on her head.

"What are you two laughing at?"

Alex just shook her head and Bill smiled when Piper pouted in his direction that look tugging at his heart strings just as it always had since she was a little girl.

"You my darling but it's all positive I promise"

Piper nodded and Bill watched as she settled on Alex's lap, her face settling into one of contentment as Alex's arms wrapped around her waist. Bill knew in that moment he needed to leave there were some very important phone calls he needed to make. If he had his way his daughter would be happy and he was sure as hell going to do everything in his power to make that happen. Even if it meant having to endure a 2 hour car journey home and face a furious and stubborn Carol Chapman for the night.

A.N I'm finding I quite like writing Bill Chapman I know some people may not be keen but I think Piper comes across as a real daddy's girl and I like the idea of at least one of her parents supporting her. As always I would love to hear your thoughts :)