Chapter Fifty

Yay

She snuggled into the warmth of another person and her body shuddered with relief. Her hip and leg hurt. If she moved her leg at all she had sharp pains in her knee. Twice she woke to groan in pain. It resulted in the sweetest caresses and the worried drum of voices.

"The doctor is here," Piper heard Brian say to someone but Piper didn't want to see the doctor. She wanted to sleep in the warm arms around her.

"Wow, at this hour?" Piper heard the voice through the vibrations in her chest. Her mind fell to the comfy familiarity of this place in her arms and the sound of her voice.

"It is what we're paid for Miss, please if you could get up so -
Piper clung to her. Someone wanted to take her warmth away.

"Pipes, come on, the Doc here needs to look at you kid...they said you fell down earlier tonight," Alex said in a voice meant to cajole her as she pulled her body away from Piper.

"Alex...Alex is it really you?" Piper croaked and lifted her head but she was afraid to actually look. What if it was Mandy or Polly and her mind had just put Alex's features on them.

"You never believe it's me. Yes, Pipes, it's me. I'm here," Alex said as she turned her face up so Piper had to look at her directly. There she saw the red rimmed pools of green of her Love's eyes.

"How?"

Alex didn't answer as the Doctor started to examine Piper's leg by pulling down the covers. Piper grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the bed.

"Miss Chapman, I need to pull down your warm up pants, you have a brace on is it the one you were wearing for PT today?" the doctor asked. Piper didn't stop looking at Alex, she had to check and make sure. Piper pushed and slid her body in the bed enough to reach out and run her hands down Alex's body. She grunted in pain and then dismissed it. She had to make sure nothing was wrong. Alex raised her arms so Piper could reach around her.

"Miss Chapman, you're putting pressure on your hip. Please, lean back against the door. Brian prep some Demerol-"

Piper turned to the doctor her gaze heated with pain and fear. "Fuck off, you will not give me meds unless I tell you that you can, remember? I want you to check her out, no bullet holes..no blood, "she said with a voice that sounded hysterical even to her own ears.

"Hey, kid, no blood...no holes. Fuck, how did you hear about the shooting?" Alex asked her as she took her back in her arms and gently pressed her back down in the bed.

"It was on the news but they didn't say which prisoner was shot dead. Dead Alex...I thought you were dead," Piper wailed as she clung to her again.

"Miss Chapman, I agreed as long as it didn't hurt your health. You're hurt yourself and I have to see how badly. We will need another scan of your knee but right now we aren't sure you haven't dislocated your hip or fractured you leg. So let me look, then I'll consult you about your meds," she reasoned. Alex begged her to let the doctor do her job.

"Stay where I can see you, " Piper whispered. Alex winced at the pleading in her voice.

"I'm right here...I'm so sorry Pipes, you weren't supposed to know about what happened until I could tell you in person," Alex responded. Piper held her hand as the doctor probed her leg and checked Piper's ribs. She just kept looking at Alex. She was thinner and her face looked gaunt with worry. She wore her glasses up on her head and her uniform was all wrinkled from cuddling Piper. It took a little while and the doctor removed her pants to put on the heavy brace she started with weeks ago. Her hip hurt deep in her bone and the doctor surmised she was bruised only. Brian brought some ice packs and the doctor wrapped her ribs for precaution.

"Alright Miss Chapman, I think you should take this muscle relaxer, I have cortisone for your knee and a pain reliever that you will need to take for about five days. Yes, it will make you woozy but you're going to need it. I have to do more scans to determine if you've damaged your knee further. You had a chance to do this without surgery Miss Chapman, I can't guarantee that now," she explained. Piper could tell she was pissed at her for trying to walk on crutches at night.

"I don't want pain meds but the muscle relaxer will help the sore muscles right? I made it through worse pain with only advil, I'm sure I can make it through this," Piper reasoned back. She felt her anger flare again. No one had the right to tell her she made a mistake trying to see Alex. She had to know. She had to find out answers and most of all, she had to kiss Alex.

"Pipes, don't be a dumb ass. You're in pain. When did you become all 'just say no to drugs'? It will help you sleep...and it is 4:15 in the morning...wouldn't you like to sleep, baby?" Alex said leaning down over her.

"I was drugged and I woke up without you. Don't you understand?"

Alex sucked in breath as if Piper had hit her in the chest. She actually brought her hand up to her heart. Piper just stared at her.

"She isn't going anywhere...I can't keep them waiting any longer Alex," Mandy said from behind Piper.

Alex pulled back, dropped her glasses in place and turned to face the doorway. She didn't let go of Piper's hand. Piper looked over to see two new Marshals and one was holding something in his hand.

"What is going on?" she asked. Her doctor held Piper down to the bed and insisted she stay still. Piper was about to push her off but Alex sat on the bed and took her hand in both of her hands.

"I'm sorry. She didn't want me to leave and it's been confusing...she's hurt again. She fell," Alex stammered.

"I know, Cal told me. Look, you have to decide right now though Alex...either you're staying here or we go into the city to the safe house," Mandy offered. She started to say something else but Alex spoke up.

"Look Mandy, I know you don't want me here. I get it. Thank you for making the offer in front of her but she can see to reason on this," Alex looked back at her and continued. "Your new girlfriend doesn't want me staying here and let's be honest; the two of us together always make dumb ass choices. You got a good thing here and my mere presence could bring you danger. She's taking great care of you, kid. In home health care, a fucking mansion by the lake to stay in and I bet you got extra security. I'm really thankful to get to see you and for you to see I'm fine."

Piper shook her head to see if it was her perception that was off. She darted a glance to Mandy and was rewarded with an equally puzzling look. "Um, Alex...I'm..no..Alex Why do you think I have a new girlfriend?"

That was the clearest thing she could think to ask. Alex frowned at the question then looked over at Mandy in confusion. "I heard her on the phone...obviously to her girlfriend...she said your name." The last part she whispered like just remembering it hurt her physically.

"When did you see this?" Piper probed her.

"Um, right before I was put in the SHU, couple of nights ago after the bust went down. I was still in shackles, but they let me have a chair or I might have fallen down," she admitted then continued, "I thought of little else from that point on...I was taken out in the middle of the night, put in the van and brought here. I saw her there and she brought me in to your room."

"I was talking to my girlfriend and I told her I was helping Piper. I'm sorry you thought that Alex," Mandy said.

"Al, last time we spoke about such things, I was your exclusive girlfriend. Has something changed?" Piper asked her clearly though the throbbing pain was harder to ignore.

"Pipes?"

It was Alex's turn to not believe and to be shaken. Piper looked up at her and smiled at her. "You're my girlfriend and the only one I want. So stay with me...Cal please, please Cal." Piper begged her brother to sign off on her staying. Was she in protective custody as well?

"Cal?" Alex looked over at him and then back at Piper. She seemed confused and pushed her glasses up more. "Why are you asking him? Isn't this Mandy's place?"

"Ma'am, we need to get this bracelet on her or we need to get her back in shackles then in the van," a gruff Marshal exerted.

"Back off, she can stay here. Give me the paperwork, Mandy," Cal said and then she produced the documents. The Marshals signed something and then one walked over to Alex. She started to stand but he put up his hand and knelt down. He removed her boot and attached the bracelet.

"Alex Vause, you're under house arrest until such time as you testify in court. You will remain here or in custody of Federal Agents in transport to court. You are restricted to the grounds and may not go out on the dock. Do you understand?" He asked her in a gruff tone.

"Yes...Mandy after court?" Alex asked her.

"Six months of weekend incarceration at a county facility, then two years probation...unless it is deemed necessary that you go into witness protection...then you will be free once set up in the program," Mandy informed her. Piper realized then that Mandy was there was Alex's lawyer too. When had she taken her case?

"Pipes, is this what your family calls a "fishing cabin"?" Alex asked her with a raised eyebrow.

Piper laughed at her expression and then felt a jab of pain. It was so intense she actually moaned. Alex leaned over her again and stroked the hair out of her face.

"So, back to those meds now that I'm properly locked...you're going to take them now right? See, I'm not going anywhere but to bed with you," Alex promised. Piper looked to her doctor and nodded. She didn't even feel the prick of the needles. She knew the doctor would rather put in an IV but she'd have a fight on her hands.

Alex turned away to take off her other boot. "Okay, so now is there anyone that would complain to the both of us sleeping? It's hard to sleep in the SHU and Pipes will be out of it soon..."

"No, everyone can get out now. Marshals can work with other such people, Mandy you can have the room you shared with Piper...it's all made up and it is too slick out there for you to drive down to your condo. Doc, I have a room for you as well. I'll make breakfast in the morning, " Cal said and he started to move people out of the room. The doctor said she was going to stay up to monitor Piper and she sent Brian to bed. Piper thought that maybe she'd got him in trouble because she tried to run.

Alex pulled the top of her uniform off and then she folded it to put it in the chair by her bed. It occurred to Piper that she didn't have anything else to wear. "Hey, if you want a tee shirt and some yoga pants I think my mother filled the closet dresser with them. Um...can't help you with a new bra, but the underwear is in there as well," Piper offered her.

Alex looked over to the closet and shook her head laughing some. "You always had so many clothes...you'd collect them wherever you went. I kept finding them when you left," Alex remembered.

Piper's eyes were heavy but she watched her walk over to the closet with hunger. The doctor left as Alex came out changing into the Smith Tee shirt she always wore from their life before. She had on a pair of black pants that fit her form so perfectly. Piper smiled when she saw Alex had helped herself to some warm socks as well.

"It is snowing I think," Alex said looking out at the porch light as she sat in the chair and put on her socks. Piper pulled down the blanket on the side where she had been earlier before her pain woke her up.

"We'll leave the light on from the bathroom...it helps. Get in here Alex," Piper said carefully trying not to slur her words.

"You should be feeling fine right about now. Damn, kid I'm so tired...I haven't slept in what seems like weeks," Alex murmured as she slid in next to Piper. She had her arm around Piper's waist and her head on her shoulder immediately. They had ways they slept and though it had been years since they could cuddle without having to hide, they still fit together with comfort. She was on her back again with that immobile brace. But she didn't care at all. She had Alex in her arms.

Piper felt her shift up then opened her eyes to see Alex lowering her lips to kiss her. It was soft and warm. Alex was gentle as she lowered her mouth to demand a deeper kiss. Piper opened her mouth and moaned softly into her mouth. She pulled up and smiled at Piper through her tears.

"Oh my love, we've got so much to talk about. I want to tell you everything Pipes," Alex whispered as she pressed her forehead to Pipers' forehead.

"Later...I'm fading here...I dream sometimes, they are scary dreams. Don't be upset if I yell...the meds too," Piper tried to explain but her mind was getting foggy. "I can't take anymore right now...not for awhile...can we just be here...now? I just want to sleep with my girlfriend in a soft bed-"

"This fucking bed is amazing...it is better than any bed I've ever slept on in my life," Alex said in her own version of a sleepy voice. "You called me your girlfriend again. I think I might pass out from the jolt of happiness that hits me hearing that from your lips." Alex snuggled next to her and Piper turned her head so she could look at her face.

"You always get so sweet when you're sleepy and we cuddle," Piper murmured towards her. "Thank you for the kiss by the way...it was just what I needed."

Alex laughed at her tone, "I'm sweet all the time but I must admit the happiest moments of my life have all been in bed with you." Alex mumbled. "Don't worry about dreams, I got you. Tomorrow, I'll tell you everything that happened since we've been apart."

Piper didn't worry. She closed her eyes and let the warmth of their bodies' together sweep over her like a blanket. They were blanket girls. Piper could put the beast to rest. There was no reason to keep Going There-to that dark place, in order to survive. She wasn't sure of the story of how Alex got there and she knew that she had things to tell Alex...things that may not go over so well. All of that could wait. They were together and safe for the first time...well since they first met. It was more than enough.

She felt Alex slip her left hand in her grip. She laced their fingers together and gently pulled Piper closer to her body in a protective move. She fell to sleep with a smile on her face.

***So, you see...together in bed. Snug as two bugs in a rug- snow falling outside and all protected inside. The next chapter in this story will be in the new story called 'House Arrest' and may be from the point of view of one Alex Vause. I'm marinating the ideas. Thank you for reading my story. I don't know if I will stretch this series out until season three but it has been fun imagining them growing this way. As always, Peace to you all-Fae***