In three swift steps, Piper's hands caught the sides of Alex's face and kissed her. For the first time in days, Piper felt whole again. The heat from Alex's body greeted her, drawing her closer and she was grateful for it. Her lips tasted salty, but their softness beckoned Piper to kiss them as if her life depended on it.
"Oh, god damn." Nat slipped off the bed and turned away. "That is so… yuk," she mumbled.
The cool air swirled around Piper, reminding her she was wet from the rain. Sinking onto the bed as they kissed, she pulled off her wet press cap, vaguely aware of her sister's complaint, and not caring. Her need for her lover overruled everything right then and there. Alex's hand caught Piper's damp hair, wrapping loosely in it. Piper's fingers bound themselves in Alex's blonde hair, holding them together as close as possible. She surrendered the entire world for that shared moment of bliss. Nothing else mattered.
As much as she didn't want to break, she also knew they were becoming a spectacle. Piper pulled away, tipping her forehead to touch Alex's. She was out of breath. From craving to hold on, or her sheer need of the woman, clinging to Alex was her only way to keep her from being gone once more. Every second of their touch was precious and fleeting. Piper wasn't willing to let go of her.
"I've missed you," Alex whispered to her. She moved her hand through Piper's wet hair to her cheek.
Piper felt her fragmented insides mending with the sound of her voice. Alex's old-fashioned Boston accent was clipped from time, like Alex herself, just for Piper. She tugged Alex's hair just a little more, pulling her no closer, yet to keep her from slipping away again. "It feels like it's been so long," Alex took a breath. Piper waited, not sure of what to say, not even sure what she'd been told yet.
Alex moved slightly and Piper held onto her, not ready to let go. "I've been meaning to tell you something…" Her voice was so low that Piper almost couldn't hear her. Alex took another slow breath.
"What?" Piper whispered back, acutely aware that they were being watched by everyone in the bedroom.
Alex pushed her head into Piper's tipping it up until their noses touched, "I love you."
Piper closed her eyes savoring the words, letting them warm her body after five solid days of coldness. "I love you too, Blue," Piper didn't hesitate, she wouldn't make her wait to hear the words or to feel it from her. They had already waited for too long and after the last three months, she wasn't willing to hold anything back.
Alex's hand moved to the back of Piper's head, gently holding her in place. "I want you to know I love both of you… you and Nat. You're my world… my life. I don't want to go without telling you or make you wait to hear me say it." Alex took a deep breath pulling away slightly, "I don't want to make you wait for anything." She kissed Piper softly on the lips. It was tender, sweet, and far too short for Piper's liking. Their audience be damned. "I am sorry I kept you waiting."
"You can make it up to me later," Piper said with a smile.
"You have my word," Alex smirked, her lips brushing Piper's, "Come hell or high water."
Nat made a gagging sound and Alex chuckled. "I'm glad you're home, now we can embarrass Nat together."
"It was a nightmare at the Mayor's office." Piper chortled, "I came as quick as I could."
Alex smiled, grazing Piper's lips again, "We have all night for that." Piper let out a surprised laugh in trade for her dirty joke.
Nat made a vomiting sound, "You guys know we can all hear you, right?"
"I don't think they care," Cait smirked. "I know I don't and I'm ready for a show."
"Do you not know what you're doing without watching them?" Curie retorted, lightening the mood in the room instantly.
Alex and Piper both laughed, and Alex moaned. "God damn… Curie just wrecked you."
"Trust me, she needs the instructions," Piper quipped. Alex looked at her questioningly.
Nat rubbed her ears, "I seriously don't want to hear this again."
Cait looked at Alex's confused expression. "Piper lettin' the cat out of the bag, eh? Well, that was quick!" She put her hand to her ear, "What's that chatterin' sound?" Cait's hand fled to her lips as if pretending she was aghast at the revelation, "That'd be your skeletons climbin' out of yer closet, lover."
"You… and Cait?" Alex pulled back and looked at Piper with curiosity.
Curie chuckled quietly. "You are surprised?"
Piper blushed with Alex's newfound knowledge. She rolled her eyes, angry that she'd said something in the first place. She knew Cait didn't care, but she did. "It was a long time ago. We can talk about this later, in private." She tipped her head toward where everyone was standing.
Alex looked over at Cait, and Cait smirked at Alex, "Told you she brought it up."
Alex gave Piper the shallowest nod of her head. "Huh," Alex pressed her lips together and looked where the others were standing against the wooden wall. She looked back at Piper and gave her a small smile. "Well, it explains a lot. And why the harlot asked about the other night."
Piper threw Cait a glare and Cait just shrugged at her.
Alex cleared her throat, still smiling at Piper. "So, to catch you up on what's happening now that you're home. Curie is trying to put me to sleep again," Alex switched the subject as Piper tried not to die of embarrassment. This wasn't a topic she wanted to discuss with Alex let alone in front of an audience. She was glad Alex was switching the subject, but the look on Alex's face told her it'd come up the moment they were alone. It made her want to throttle Cait all over again.
"No, Alec, you misunderstand. The serum I must give you… it will be uncomfortable. I do not know how much pain it will cause you, but I suspect it will be much. I wish only to give you these chems to prevent the discomfort you will feel. They may make you sleepy, but I cannot give you any more sedatives."
Alex untangled her fingers from Piper's hair. She held out her arm for Curie, "I'll live through a bit of pain, I've slept enough and…" She looked directly at Piper, "I don't want to be out for a while." Alex ran her fingers down Piper's cheek with a soft smile.
Curie hesitated, looking to Piper for guidance, finding none. Piper was caught in Alex's ardent gaze.
"She's not going to change my mind. Just do what you need to do." Alex didn't look away from Piper as her even tone hammered her point home. No one in the room ventured to argue with her.
Curie nodded at Alex, clearly unhappy with her decision. "Please Piper, I must ask you to move now."
This time Alex turned to look at Curie upset, "Why does she need to move? She just got here."
"Blue, it's ok. Let's just give her space to work. I'm not going far." Alex sighed, relenting silently to Piper. She could see Alex's disappointment as her hand fell away from Piper's cheek. Giving her one last kiss, she picked up her hat and moved to where Joanna and Natalie were. Joanna corralled them gently toward the wooden wall and the stairs leading to Piper's office. Piper knew the doctors were worried about radiation contamination with each dose they gave to Alex.
Curie cleaned Alex's arm, then inserted the syringe directly into it. As she depressed the plunger, she observed Alex's reaction. "You must tell me how you feel."
"Fine. It just feels warm going in." Alex blinked and looked down at her arm. "I can feel it moving through me, like a wave; a warm one. It's spreading through my arm… chest… oh whoa. I can feel it in my cheeks." A peculiar look crossed her face.
Curie removed the syringe, "What is it?"
Alex looked up at her, "It's like I'm moving on ocean waves. I feel really warm down to my toes. But it's in these waves, like when we'd go out into the ocean in the summer." She moved the fingers on her left hand and rolled her head.
"You swam… in the ocean?" Nat stared at her disbelievingly.
"This is the chems moving through your body with your heartbeat." Curie studied Alex.
Piper watched as Alex smiled with the memories, "All the time. The best was when the whole family would go down to Carson Beach for the day." Alex's speech changed. Her accent became more robust as her cadence slowed slightly. "The water was freezing, but the view of the harbor and airport was incredible."
She paused and Piper watched her smile so brightly it was infectious to the point where she and Cait both smiled as well. Piper sighed watching Cait. The discussion about her might be a little more brutal than she planned.
"My Uncles, Chuck and Ronnie, would race to see how far out they could paddle their pool floats before the lifeguards would blow their whistles at them."
"What's a pool float?" Joanna broke from her silent observations.
"It was a brightly colored plastic mattress you blew air into to float on in the water."
Joanna beamed at her, "Thank you for explaining, Alex."
"I had no idea what the fuck it was either. Wasn't goin' to say nothin' though," Cait chuckled.
"It's alright, I just forget I have to explain things. Anyway, Betty and I would bet Aunt Flori how many minutes it would take before the lifeguards got out of their chairs to go after them." Alex chuckled softly and glanced at Nat, "She'd slip us a beer if we won." Alex rubbed her side, wiggling her toes under the blankets. "Mom and Aunt Alice let her get away with it. Dad never said a word."
Piper wanted to ask her questions about her family but knew now wasn't an appropriate time. She was curious about her life before the war and about a lot of things they'd never talked about or got a chance to. Alex never brought it up and when asked by folks about her own family, she always said the same thing, "It doesn't matter anymore." No one ever pressed her for answers.
"I wouldn't swim in anything that doesn't look like a bathtub." Nat shuffled to her right, standing closer to Joanna.
"Me neither," Cait added with a shiver. "'Lurkes." She wiggled her fingers menacingly at Nat and Nat giggled. Piper agreed with Cait which was why Alex was always the one to go into the water if anyone had to. In the past, she'd chalked it up to being a crazy vault dweller thing. Only she came to find out it was a crazy Alex thing.
"Do you feel any pain?" The curiosity coloring Curie's voice was just as existent as her concern. The cadence of her accent enunciated her tone.
"Not from the chems, no. Just the warmth and motion." Alex finally looked back up at her. "Can you take the bandage off my arm, please? It's itching so bad I want to rip my skin off."
"How astonishing," Curie sat watching Alex. She looked over her shoulder at Joanna. "This is significant due to the unexpectedness." She turned her attention back to Alex, "You feel no pain with the injection… what about in your body, from your injuries?"
"Other than the itching?" Alex shook her head, "I'm sore, a sore in my ribs and somewhat in my jaw, but my arm isn't hurting. I'm not sure if I can't tell because I can't move it, or if it's because it just hurts less. My face…"
"Your face is hurting us, mate." Cait cracked a grin at Alex from across the room. "Sadly, there's no cure for that." Cait laughed at her own joke.
Joanna, Curie, and Nat laughed with Cait. Alex chuckled, cursing her. "Fucking slag, stop making me laugh." She rubbed her ribs a little more vigorously.
Piper chuckled and ribbed Cait with her elbow, "Would you stop? Let her talk." Cait's indiscretion about their past together was forgotten for the moment.
Cait gave her a playful shove back, "What? 'tis! I mean, look at her…" Cait looked at Piper with a smug smirk, "Ah, never mind. You've been snoggin' that mug."
Curie ignored Cait, still chuckling, "Joanna, please bring up the ultrasound machine. We must see the changes that have occurred." When Joanna vanished down the stairs, Curie pulled the blanket lower. "I wish to send you for X-ray with Doctor Sun." She began unwrapping Alex's left arm. "I must see the progress your bones are making."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Cait held up her hands, waving them. Her attitude changed immediately. "We don't know what's going on with…"
Piper cut her off, "Cait, would you shush please?" She threw up her hands exasperated. "Blue doesn't need more to worry about right now, ok?"
"Oh, yer a fine one to talk, Piper. Walkin' out the door like half the Commonwealth isn't ready to take you out over some bloody caps."
"Cait!" Piper yelled at her, "I'm doing my job!" She was incensed Cait would even bring it up in front of Alex. "Now, just stop, please."
"Yer job is here, with us!" Cait yelled back, this time she was angry. Her brogue danced through the air on the heated words. "Not out there getting' yourself killed over… I don't even know what for."
Piper caught Alex watching them. "Christ, Cait. We can talk about this later." She walked to her side of the bed and sat down on the edge. "Blue…" The look Alex was giving her she knew all too well. She wasn't happy and Piper could see it in the frigid shade of gray her eyes had become.
"Which one of you plans to tell me what you're talking about?" Alex glowered between Cait, standing defensively next to the stairs leading to Piper's office, and Piper, sitting on the bed.
"Hopefully, neither," Curie added, moving Alex's arm to begin unwrapping her ribs. "You do not need to know the goings on right now. You must have time to finish healing without the worries of the world."
"Well, I know you're not going to tell me." Alex looked at Nat, who had backed against the wall. "How about you Nat?"
"No way, sis, now isn't the time, so don't even think about it." Piper looked directly at Nat. She could feel the look on her face and knew it would be enough to keep her sister quiet for now.
Nat shook 'no' her head at Alex.
"Really?" Alex's sharpness made Nat look to Piper for reassurance. She gave her head a shake, watching her sister's expression change the more upset she became. Nat gave Alex an apologetic look, "The last time I didn't listen to Piper, I almost got you killed."
Alex got visibly get angrier. Her intense gaze focused on Piper, and Piper rubbed her brow, trying to look away. "You know I don't like when you look at me like that." She scratched her eyebrow, looking at the sheets. "It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong and I'm not. Curie just said…"
Alex cut her off, "Well then maybe, you can tell me why you went to the Mayor's office?" When Piper looked back up at Alex, she watched her left eyebrow creep up toward her hairline as she waited for an answer. Looking to Curie for help, Piper received a small nod in return. "The Railroad thinks the Mayor is either being blackmailed or on the take."
Alex stared at her motionless, "Why?"
While she could see Alex's expression change, she didn't want to upset her in a new way. Piper glanced back at Curie; she gave her head a single shake. "Because of some things that have been happening that they found out about. Deacon didn't go into too much detail. But Preston and I went up to the Mayor's office to see if we can get to the bottom of it." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. Alex regarded her, studying her face and looking for her tell. She had a knack for finding the truth out as Nick Valentine did. Curie lifted the blanket to cover Alex and she relaxed back into the pillows still scrutinizing Piper. She let her hazel eyes return Alex's gaze, not losing it for a moment so that she wouldn't give anything away.
"Piper, I need a shirt to cover Alec."
Piper broke their staring competition. "Do you want me to grab a button-down?"
"Oui."
Walking around the bed to the dresser, she stepped out of Joanna's way. She could feel Alex watching her as she walked.
"Don't know why you're botherin', Curie. It's not like she's modest," Cait's joke did its trick disarming Alex, making her laugh again. Piper was thankful for it. She looked over at Cait, mouthing 'thank you' at her. Cait tipped her chin up at her while she laughed.
Alex chuckled and groaned clutching her ribs. "Remind me to poison your beer later." Alex rubbed her ribs tenderly.
"Might want to rethink that, since I give Junior sips now and then." Piper wondered how long Cait had been giving her sister beer but didn't say anything. That was another discussion for later.
Alex smirked, "Drat, foiled in my dastardly plans by the red-haired, she-devil once more." She looked at Nat, "Don't drink Auntie Jezebel's beer anymore, K? You can just have your own." Nat nodded quietly back at her. Piper handed Curie Alex's red and black checkered flannel. She stood idle while Curie helped Alex into it, then watched her finish removing Alex's bandages.
Cait grinned over at Piper. "You goin' to tell us what happened up at the Mayor's office?"
Piper eyed Cait like she'd lost her mind. "You serious right now?"
"Well, yeah" Cait shrugged at her. "No 'arm in it."
Alex cocked her eyebrow at Piper again, "Why wouldn't you tell us? There's not really a better time than now, is there? I can always go ask Preston since he's here." Piper listened to her roll her endings from Rs to As. Whether Alex admitted it or not, she was still out of sorts. Her accent gave her away every single time she was tired or worse for wear, getting heavier with her weariness. This time it was because the chems were working their way through her.
"You're not goin' anywhere," Cait gave Alex a look of warning. "You'll just lay there and enjoy bein' coddled by Curie."
Curie smirked, moving the blankets around Alex. "I must examine your shoulder." Alex nodded at her, then looked back to Piper. Curie was already moving to get Alex where she needed her for her exam, "I suspect your soft tissue has already healed." She unbuttoned Alex's top button sliding the flannel off her shoulder. Piper saw the wound had healed, leaving only a tiny scar on her shoulder. She shifted as Curie moved Alex again to look at her back. The wound had closed, and Piper couldn't see any marks.
"Ok, Blue. If you let Curie do her exams. I'll tell you." Piper walked back around the bed, noticing how close Joanna was standing to Nat. She brushed the thought aside, wondering if she had just moved out of the way for her to get by.
Curie rebuttoned the top of Alex's shirt. "Let me move your arm. When I do, you must tell me if you feel pain." Curie slowly moved Alex's arm out and then up.
"Preston and I went up to the Mayor's office where he was with the City Council. When we got there, the Mayor didn't want to let us in, but Councilman Perez opened the door for us." Piper paused watching Curie move Alex's arm.
"I told you he was just another shite politician!" Cait growled at her.
"Alec, do you feel any discomfort?"
Alex gave her a slight frown, "No. Not so far."
Curie moved her arm by her elbow, "And like this?" Alex only shook her head still watching Cait. "No? This is very good!" Curie set her arm back in her lap gently. "You must now do as I do. Please tell me if you have difficulty or feel pain."
Alex glanced back to Piper, "He didn't want to let you in? That doesn't make any sense. He's always been the first to make a comment. He practically trips over himself to get to you."
"Exactly," Cait answered. "The man loves seein' his name in the paper."
"I thought he just had a thing for Piper." Nat shifted as Piper looked at her, "He's always asking about her or for her."
The thought made Piper shiver. She furrowed her brows, letting her fingers trace the lines in the blankets. "No, he was really trying hard to keep us… well me… out this time."
"It's off, I tell you. He's been bought. Me gut is screamin' it." Cait ambled to the end of the bed and sat on it.
"I thought he was the 'New Mayor of Transparency'?" Nat asked cautiously. "He spent all that time talking our ears off over it." Nat threaded her brows together, tapping her fingers in the air like she was working something through. "He made such a big deal… do you remember that one night he showed up when we were having dinner? He wouldn't shut up about it like he was trying to sell us on his slogan. He didn't actually say anything, he just talked."
Cait shook her head with disgust, "The only thing he's transparent about is his love of drink and women."
"I remember." Alex glanced at Piper, before Curie caught her attention again, "The ass kisser was all over you that night too, Piper."
"He always is," Nat answered. She paused in thought. "I didn't tell you about the time he came to the school, did I?"
Piper and Alex shared a look. "No, you didn't," Piper shifted closer to Alex on the bed.
"It was the day before my birthday." She scratched her cheek in thought, "He came to the school for a presentation by my class. He made some dumb speech about all of us being ready to become productive members of society and paying taxes. Like we already aren't doing all that."
Piper scoffed. The young adults in Nat's class were running most of Diamond City's public works, including water and generators. Two others were construction leads for the wall and part of the refurbishing team for where Cait lived in the abandoned section of town.
"Afterward, he had me pulled from class, because he thought I'd know where you were."
Feeling Cait's hand on her foot, Piper looked to the end of the bed. Cait looked worried. "Why'd he want her?" She asked cautiously, still watching Piper.
"He wouldn't tell me. Said I wouldn't understand and then he said it wasn't important."
"Why didn't you tell her?" Alex scrutinized Nat, turning her arm for Curie. "Were you alone with him?"
Nat shrugged, "Ya, they sent me to a small room to talk to him." She leaned against the wall, "I didn't tell Piper 'cause she wasn't home, and I didn't see her 'til after school the next day."
"I went to pick up parts for the press and her present in Goodneighbor from Daisy."
Curie stretched her fingers toward the ceiling and Alex mimicked her. "I want to know what's going on," Alex looked over at Piper, turning her hand in the air. "I don't like him being alone with Nat… or you. No one should be alone with him. Curie, Joanna, tell on your everyone team that as well… especially the women." Alex looked over at Cait, "That includes you."
"We'll make sure of it, but Alec, if he requests medical attention…" Curie reached forward putting her hand on Alex's shoulder.
"Then you bring another person. None of you are to go anywhere alone with him." Alex stretched her arm forward, copying Curie's movement and placing her hand on Curie's shoulder, "This doesn't hurt at all."
"He's a shady fucker," Cait grumbled. "Just can't figure out what he's playin' at. If I was alone with him, it'd be standin' over him hold me bat."
"Yeah, he wants to hide…" Piper thought more about it. The threads tugged at her mind, trying to weave themselves together. But she was having difficulty finding seeing where they were leading her. "Something."
"Ok, so tell us everything that happened from the top," Alex lifted her arm over her head in an arc, following Curie's movements. "I don't doubt either you or Cait. You both have a knack for figuring out our people problems. If something's up, we should put our heads together. We need to take everything you and Cait are saying and hear it all at once."
Piper looked around from Alex to Cait, then to Nat, Joanna, and finally Curie. "Alright, Blue. But this means you aren't going anywhere until Curie says you can. You're going to listen this time or else."
Alex smirked at her, "Or else… what?"
"Do tell us," Cait stretched out on the bed, kicking her feet up behind her, playfully. "I'm curious about her punishment." She flashed a grin at Alex and Alex chuckled rubbing her sides. She rolled her hand under her chin and rested her head on it, looking expectantly at Piper.
Piper snickered, amused with Cait's antics. "Or else you'll sleep on the couch."
"So cruel," Alex whined. "That's inhumane."
"Very," Cait agreed, and Alex's smirk blossomed into a full-blown grin.
"Fitting for not listening to me." Curie grinned at Alex and Alex shook her head playfully.
Nat rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and looking at Alex, "I thought you were taking time off here? Didn't you say you wanted us to keep you company? I call bullshit."
"It wasn't bullshit, Nat." Alex looked at Nat, pausing long enough to study her. "I am recovering."
Nat huffed angrily, "Don't make me kick your ass, Blue. You're hurt, again. So just sit in bed and shut up about it."
Alex sighed as Nat's face turned red, "Alright, I promise not to do a damn thing until Curie says I can."
"It's better when you listen to us. It keeps you out of trouble." Curie smile at her, then looked over to where Joanna and Nat stood next to one another, "Your pectoral muscle is doing well," Curie stood and moved the blanket lower on Alex. She sat back down on the bed. "While Piper explains events, Joanna will image your stomach. I must know if that is also healed just as quickly. I suspect it has, but I wish to be sure of it."
Alex made to protest, but Piper cut her off. "You'll do exactly what Curie says or suffer my wrath." Piper gave Alex a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Mine too, 'cause I'm serious," Nat added. "I'll stomp your ass into a mud puddle."
"Told you. Like a chip off me ol' block," Cait gave Alex a winning smile, pretending to wipe a tear from her eye. "Love ya, Brat."
Nat turned her head toward Cait, "Back at ya, Knuckles."
Alex nestled further down in the bed, letting Curie readjust the blankets around her again while the others had a laugh at her expense. "Guess I'll just shut up and lay here then."
Cait patted her leg, "That's a good lass… don't want both the missus and Junior manglin' you. Though, I'd love a good laugh. Might make some caps off it too." Alex jokingly kicked her leg at her, making Cait almost fall off the edge with a laugh. "Twat!"
Curie motioned Joanna over with the box she was holding. "Natalie, vous voulez en savoir plus sur ce que nous faisons?"
Nat's eyes went wide, "Really? You'll let me? Are you sure I'm not going to be in the way?"
"Oui, mais veuillez répondre en français." Curie nodded as she stood up, "De cette façon, vous continuerez à apprendre à la fois le français et la médecine."
Piper watch Nat practically jump for joy when she answered. "Ok, je suis désolé! Seriously, this is going to be so cool! I can't believe you're going to show me how to do this stuff." She also saw when Joanna turned and smiled warmly at her sister.
"I'll show you how to set up the ultrasound now, you'll get to see how Alex is doing with me." Joanna took the box and began setting it up, she spoke to Nat as she worked. Piper watch for a second as Joanna's hands took Nat's and moved them to show her where the different Amphenol connector points were and how to fit them together.
Piper smirked at Curie, "Merci d'avoir.. oh gosh… what's the word for teaching again? I want to say, 'Thank you for teaching my sister', but I can't remember it. We haven't spoken French at home since…" She looked apologetically at Alex, "Blue was home last."
"It's alright," Curie laughed this time, the light sound made Piper feel happier considering everything that was happening around her, "Enseigné."
Piper watched as the box became its own terminal, the large monitor blazed to live as Nat hit a series of switches. "Merci d'avoir enseigné à ma soeur," Piper replied, finishing her thought, while placing her hand in Alex's.
"You are very welcome, Piper." Joanna sat on the bed next to Alex, still talking quietly to Nat.
Piper watch Joanna smear gel on Alex's stomach as Alex looked from Nat to Piper and gave her a wink, "So, from the top please, Hildy." Alex lifted Piper's fingers to her lips and kissed them. "Tell us what happened."
Piper secretly loved her old movie references, but His Girl Friday was her favorite comedy and Alex knew it. It was also the last one they saw at Starlight together. "Alright… well… when we got there…"
