We Never Met

Chapter 6: Picture Perfect Not

Summary: Piper Chapman never went to the bar where she met Alex. She never smuggled drugs across Europe, nor did she think about females. No, she was straight, rational and most importantly innocent Piper all her life. She never met Alex Vausse and never fell in love. Vauseman

Disclaimer: I do not own Orange Is the New Black

In those fleeting moments of introspection Piper can't say life's really perfect. It's not the fairytale she's imagined when she was a kid and there's no happily ever after except the one she and Alex are building day by day.

And it's not like they're rich or successful, they don't have glamorous careers or any sort of memorable contribution to society.

However, Piper finds herself smiling daily, even if it's over the most simple and ordinary things. Such as the first time they successfully prepare a lasagne together or when Alex wears the lacy burgundy dress that contrasts against milky pale skin and accentuates soft curves, making Piper's imagination travel to places she's never been to when she was Larry's pride possession.

They go on long walks in the park and Alex tells her all about the countless adventures she's been on most of which go beyond the sphere of what is legal.

"You should see Rome in full bloom in the spring, it's one of the most memorable sights," the noirette points out during conversations which Piper never wants to end.

She tells her about strolling down the warm streets of Rome that smell of dried tomatoes and home-made pizza. She tells her about the way sunny yellow lemons contrast against the bright blue sky in the gardens of Portugal and how the mere sight of the colourful houses of Spain puts you in a good mood.

"Come on, close your eyes and imagine it!" Alex insists as they lie together in bed on one hot day in mid-June, with open windows because the AC isn't working again.

Piper closes her eyes and she can almost see it, she can almost smell foreign spices mixed with the smell of peculiar wines and sea salt.

And it's magical, the world finally coming to life before her eyes once she meets Alex, once she for once lets wildness and adventure creep up the corners of her world and let them paint her routine in bold splashes of colour.

Piper feels as if she was colour blind before she met the magic that she refers to as Alex.

xxx

"I want to travel the world with you," Chapman finds herself saying one lazy June afternoon when they're having a picnic in the park, enjoying the colourful sunset.

"Yeah, you should tell that to my boss," Alex snorts, amusement flashing behind turquoise eyes, "You know, urge him to raise my salary."

Piper chuckles as she leans in closer to the other, cupping her pale face with slender fingers, "We'll find a way."

"You're ever the romantic," Alex points out, their faces only inches apart. Piper can feel her warm breath, which smells of wine, dancing over her lips.

"Only with you,' she responds and the two chuckle over the cliché words before locking their lips together.

The kiss feels like familiarity and adventure combined into one and Piper can't help but let a moan slip from her parted lips once Alex's hand travels down to her neck and caresses her collar bone before plunging lower.

"Hey, let's keep this PG 13, they're kids around," she warns once they break the kiss and she looks to her left, pointing at the various kids running around, chasing kites or playing ball, the very definition of carefree.

Alex only smirks at her words, eyes filled with mischief and suggestion that Piper simply can't overlook.

"They've seen more on cable anyway," she jokes but still pulls her hand away before wrapping it around her shoulder and pulling her closer.

Piper snuggles against Alex, inhaling her smell which has somehow become synonymous not only with freedom but home over the course of the months they've spent together. When a cooler breeze comes along and plays with her hair, effectively making her shiver a bit, she snuggles closer and appreciates the warmth pouring from her lover.

"It's a beautiful sunset," Alex observes and Piper muses how she possess some sort of superpower to make the most ordinary of words sound exciting and enthralling in her husky, low voice.

The sunset is beautiful, a myriad of oranges and reds blended together to create a memorable canvas contrasting against the vivid greens of the trees.

"It is but I bet it will look even better from our bedroom window," Piper jokes as she offers a suggestive look to Alex.

The noirette chuckles and Piper makes sure to memorize her laughter and play it on repeat when she's at work because it sounds like the embodiment of lazy summer afternoons.

xxx

They do travel, visiting cheap motels with creaking floors and lukewarm water. Sometime cockroaches run across the rooms and make Piper scream while Alex merely laughs in amusement, equipped with a shoe in her hand.

Still, it's the best they can afford, along with inexpensive flights to Europe that they snag in the last moment.

And it's not glamorous, it's nothing like the overtly sweet romances they sometimes watch on TV, snuggled together underneath the cheap covers they buy at Walmart.

Still, Piper finds herself feeling alive and life is good, even if it's not picture perfect and they don't own the pretty house with a white picket fence in the suburbs.

She finds herself straying further and further away from the house in the suburbs because in comparison to life with Vause it looks like little more than a derelict overpriced building.

xxx

They visit Italy and Spain and Portugal. And then they visit Greece and Bulgaria and Romania and Piper makes crappy pictures and even collages with hot pink hearts and smiley faces and Alex merely laughs at her because who on earth uses Paint these days anyway?

"Heey, it's the best I can do!" the blonde argues with a blush over her cheeks, "Plus, it's the effort that counts, right?"

Vause can't argue with that. She pulls her in for a quick kiss as they're strolling down the streets of Albania, the last sun rays painting everything gold.

Despite travelling through Europe more times than she can count, it feels as if she steps foot for the first time, as if she's never seen any of it till now. Grey buildings and paved streets come to life and suddenly small coffee shops and derelict bus stops look like the best thing in the world.

Alex has to wonder why this is but the answer isn't far away, it is standing right next to her.

xxx

"Do you think there's some alternate reality version of us out there?" Piper ponders on one warm August day as she uses a homemade fan made out of Sunday's crossword as her last chance of salvation from the heat.

Alex looks up from the book she's reading and raises one devious eyebrow. Piper has to wonder how such a simple gesture can convey so much emotion.

"What have you been reading this time?" the noirette chuckles but still puts the book aside and gives her an inviting look.

Piper sits next to her, inhaling the smell of inexpensive perfume mixed in with wine, "The usual. But I was really wondering – what if I met you earlier for example?"

The noirette purses her lips and Piper can recognize that look, the look where the gears start turning in her lover's pretty head.

"Yeah, I do think there's some other reality. Maybe we met earlier. Maybe you became a part of the organization and helped me smuggle drugs."

"Oh, I would be very good at being dangerous," Piper says as she puts on a supposedly dangerous face.

Alex breaks out into a melodic laughter and shakes her head, "Nah, you would be terrible at it."

"No, I wouldn't!" the blonde cries out in defence, "I would totally be like a criminal boss in no time!"

"Oh, really?" Alex demands, mocking surprise.

"Yes, absolutely. I would take over that Kubra guy in no time!"

"Would love to see that play out," The noirette chuckles, amusement flashing behind turquoise eyes.

"Oh, yeah I would totally be "gangsta"." Piper says, waving an index finger before Alex's face in some lousy attempt of a felon impersonation, "With an "a" at the end."

This time Vause can no longer hold it together and bursts out laughing, almost knocking off her glass of wine from the table.

Piper breaks her act as well and roars with laughter.

"You would be like the worst criminal in world history," Alex points out, "You'd end up in jail in not time."

"Oooh, but then we would be together in jail," Piper coos in a mockingly sweet tone, "That would so romantic! It would totally be worth a TV show!"

The noirette scoffs, shaking her head, "There's nothing romantic about jail, trust me."

"Oh, come on – we'd be like Bonnie and Clyde!" the shorter woman muses, dreamy expression painted over face, "Partners in love and crime."

Alex chuckles, "Yeah, and sharing the bathrooms with like fifty other chicks. Not to mention – this one time I had to draw my eyeliner with a marker."

Piper makes a weirded out expression, trying to imagine a thick black line of marker over the other's lids

"Yeah, you should try doing that sometime."

"Mmm, that your idea of hot?" Alex inquires as she leans in closer, catching Piper's lips against her own.

Chapman responds to the kiss eagerly, almost as if the conversation's been taking too long. Then again talking with Alex is never boring or repetitive. There's always something to say, something to point out or admit or laugh over.

"You're my idea of hot," she says as they part the kiss, Alex's still leaning over her and they're sprawled over the couch.

"You're so cheesy," the noirette rolls her eyes but judging by the fact that she takes off her top, Chapman knows she likes her just like that.

Absentmindedly they both muse over how regardless of how they met, they were meant to be.

(Cheesy clichés be damned because they may as well be the embodiments of one of them.)

xxx

Alex makes time pass faster and Piper has to remind herself about that quote how time speeds up when you're enjoying yourself although she has no idea where she read it.

It doesn't matter though; books were never written to be studied but to be felt and life with the noirette seems almost novel worthy to her.

xxx

The sex is amazing and memorable and Piper has to wonder since when she's started describing what she does in bed as memorable but that's the case.

It's sometimes slow with lazy kisses spattered over pale skin and soft touches all over her torso and thighs. It's sometimes fast and sloppy, Alex's lips exploring every inch of her, neck and breasts and down under, landing between her thighs before she has the chance to know what's going on.

But it's perfect regardless and she moans and pants and gasps and Alex merely raises a devious eyebrow as a lazy smirk spreads across her lips and the fact that the other is capable of looking so calm, composed and in control during sex of all things in the world makes Piper go over the edge.

xxx

The sex as amazing but it's not all there is, it's a fraction of their relationship, something they do on a seemingly endless Sunday afternoon and then in the morning (number one reason they're late for work) and during the night and even that one time in the park.

Piper has to wonder if perhaps sex is good because for the first time in her life it means something more than doing what society says.

xxx

Piper gets to visit the infamous Litchfield.

Not as an inmate, fortunately. She goes to visit it hand in hand with Alex during visitation hours as a tiny Italian American girl with pretty curls and another taller girl with lush blonde hair and pretty brown eyes await for them.

She recognizes them, the famous Lorna and Nicky from Alex's story.

"Hey, there Vause and blondie," Nichols cries out from the end of the visitation room and they head over to them.

Piper pulls up a chair awkwardly, the entire scene before her feeling surreal. Never in a thousand years would she expect to visit prison out of all things.

Alex opts for a hug as Nicky wraps her hands around her, murmuring a "I've missed you so much." that sounds like one of most sincere things said in prison.

Before she can introduce herself the curly haired girl pulls her into an embrace as well and Lorna goes into a soft "aww," before joining in.

"No touching!" one of the guard barks and they reluctantly break off the impromptu group hug.

Piper stands there incredulous, giving Nicky a sheepish look.

"That was for looking after Vause out there, instead of me," the curly haired inmate explains with a bright smile.

"Oh…yeah I did that," Chapman murmurs and offers a sheepish smile.

"So you've never been to prison before?" Lorna chimes in as they sit down.

"Nope, it's uh my first time around," Piper explains with a nervous chuckle as her eyes dart from one direction to another, taking in the inmates and the stark grey walls of the room.

She understands why Alex befriended the two now, they seem by far the friendliest from the bunch.

"Like what you see," her girlfriend chuckles and Piper can feel her cheeks heat up.

"Well, I mean at least the people aren't so bad," she jokes, casting a look in Nicky and Lorna's direction who mirror her smile.

They quickly fall into a friendly banter, talking about everything and nothing in particular. Piper has to admit this isn't what she expected from inmates. Then again she's never been in situation like this before, having lived all her life by the rules, away from places like this. All her live she's lived the liberal dream, she's played the part of the pretty girl from the upper middle class.

And as much as Piper would have wanted to deny it, she'd look from above on inmates any day. But that was before Alex. That was before she gave up on the white picket fence fantasy and life with Larry.

Now she's different and she's learnt not to judge and really look at people and not the stereotypes society's built for them.

"Got to admit, Pipes, you're certainly friendlier than what I expected," Nicky points out with a melodic chuckle.

"And even blonder," Lorna jokes and Piper doesn't miss the way her fingers intertwine with Nicky's and the small looks and smiles they exchange.

"Wait, are we on a double date, right now?" Alex chimes in and they burst into laughter, earning themselves another warning glare from the guard. (Nicky then proceeds to make a goofy impersonation of him behind his back).

"This has got to be like the first double date in the history of Litchfield."

xxx

Visiting Nicky and Lorna becomes a monthly ritual, sometimes even bi-weekly. Piper befriends them both, finding Nichols's bluntness and unique sense of humour refreshing while enjoying Lorna's beauty advices and her idealistic outlook on the world that reminds her of times long gone. (Or perhaps of times that never really happened outside of the pages of old books).

"Just take care of Vause, Chapman," Nicky warns one day, raising a finger as if in threat, "Or else you'll face Nicky Nichols's wrath."

"Don't worry, I have no intention of letting her get away," Piper assures and she leans in, locking her lips with Vause.

She can feel Alex smiling against the kiss and that makes her mirror the gesture while Lorna goes "aww" at them.

A discussion on where they should have their first "legitimate double date" once they're out of Litchfield follows.

Piper shakes her head – she can't believe what her life has become but she has to admit she quite likes it this way.

(Even if it's the polar opposite of the idealistic scenario she had installed in her head a lifetime ago).

xxx

Alex feels complete in some strange way that she's never felt before. It's a peculiar brand of happiness, one she has no words to describe. It's not like the rush of adrenaline she'd felt before when she travelled through Europe and sold drugs. It's not like the satisfaction she felt from sex in the earlier days, when she had a different girl each night.

And it's not like the high from drugs, her only loyal companion in life before Piper.

It's starkly different and she's not entirely sure what it is. She knows it must be love but she's never felt it before.

All she knows is it's a feeling much better than drugs even if she's become addicted to it as well. It's a warm feeling before she falls asleep, one of contempt and security like she's never felt before mixed in with the dose of adrenaline she gets every time the other's near.

xxx

Piper feels like an expert on the concept of love, having read all about it old books and shitty liberal blogs that embody the Internet these days.

In practice though love is different, it's not the picture perfect ideal that she's heard about in cheesy country songs. She and Alex fight and money is one very real and big and scary issue. They argue and they sometimes hurt each other and you don't really hear about that part in the love songs.

And yet she wouldn't have it any other way.

xxx

Piper has read about how love's in the little things before. Now she knows it from personal experience.

It's in the fact that Alex rolls up her sleeves and she puts eyeliner like a ritual. It's in the way she raises an eyebrow in almost devious manner and the way she smirks like a professional player of poker.

It's in the way Alex loves to read, pale face buried in heavy books. The look over her face when she's lost in a good book, that look where it seems as if she's in another world, travelling along with the characters and fighting their wars and winning their victories.

And Piper, for all her cold and her inability to feel anything before Alex (well, anything than what society deems as right) suddenly finds herself telling that.

"I love you," and it's such a simple statement, three words, eight letters and it's not grand or dramatic, sweet or cheesy or anything like it is in the movies.

Alex is naked, light blue towel wrapped around her chest and another towel over her head. And she's reading that day while she waits to air-dry in one of the last hot summer days.

The noirette lips curl into a smile and it's a genuine one, not a smirk, not a smile like those in the movies, maybe a smile like the ones she's read about in books.

"I love you too," Alex responds, words rolling off her tongue the way they should have months ago.
She has to wonder why she didn't say it sooner when it's all she's wanted to say to the other.

xxx

Life with Alex isn't perfect or a fairytale or even a shitty show on Netflix but it's all Piper wants at this point.

Author's Note: So, the story is complete! What are your thoughts on the final chapter and Alex and Piper settling in together?

I wanted to make it somewhat realistic and point out their life together still won't be perfect but they're happy together and I hope I managed to convey that.

Shout out to: mielsita, Guest, JessTerr, izzielg, prooffice, PauliCN7, Guest, mintgreenclarity, FaeCym – thank you so much reviewing and sharing your thoughts!

Also, I want to thank everyone who read the story and especially the people who took from their time to give me feedback – your words keep me motivated and mean so much!

Btw I just finished watching Season 4 and would love to hear your thoughts about it!

(Spoilers:) I personally think it was an enthralling season but it was soo dark and heavy (the writers really weren't kidding). I am SO happy Nicky's back, she's one of my favourite characters!

But I hated the fact that she's not back with Morello who can't get over that random Vincent guy (who called her crazy on top of everything else smh).

And we got to have Vauseman back although I could never have enough of them! Still, I liked that they took it slow and built up their relationship once again and I can't way to see how that progresses into Season 5 which is soo far.

What did you think of Season 4?

I'm thinking of writing something that sets off after the finale, would you like to read something of the likes (With lots of Vauseman, Nickorello, protective Red and everyone dealing with what happened)?

Please review and share your thoughts!