A/N Hi all so I have the intention of making this a multi-chapter story with plenty of Vauseman as a way to soothe my pain after the crap that was season 3. Feel free to request any particular things you would like to see happen between them or any characters you would like to see appear in the story and I'll try to write them in for you. This story will feature a different version of Piper and will explore what would happen if she was haunted by events of her childhood and how that now affects her as an adult.
Rated M for future writings. Enjoy :D
Mrosse38
The buzzing of her alarm wakes Piper from her sleep. "Ugh," she moans as she reaches across to her bedside table slamming her fist against the small alarm silencing the piercing buzzing filling her room. It felt like only minutes ago she had fallen asleep. She stretches in her bed, feeling her tight muscles screaming in agony from yesterday's intense training session. Her trainer, John Bennett, had upped the intensity of their sessions at the start of the summer boxing season draws nearer. Piper was quickly becoming well known and respected in the New York boxing community, her intense stamina and natural ability in the ring saw her with an impressive 15 fight winning streak. A streak she is hell-bent on continuing.
Piper rises from her bed, heading straight to the shower in the hopes of soothing her aching muscles. She dips her head, allowing the warm water to cascade down her back as she desperately tries to rid herself of the fatigue she is experiencing from yet another restless night's sleep. Lack of sleep is not something that is foreign to Piper. The horrible dark drowning nightmares tend to keep her awake, as they have since their event's occurrence when she was a child. Thankfully, since she took up boxing at age 18 (well professional boxing- neighbourhood sparring was a common occurrence in her childhood) she no longer screams in her sleep. Piper puts this down to the physical training, allowing her to get her anger and frustrations out during her fights. Everyone thinks Piper is a natural talent, born with the ability to punch with such force and calculation. Only Piper knows the real truth. She pictures his face at the end of her glove as each punch is thrown. His dark eyes pierce Piper's as she tries to connect with his head, in an attempt to wipe that disgusting cold smirk off his drunken face.
Piper turns the tap of the shower off, grabbing her towel and quickly making her way to her room, dressing in her gym gear. She grabs her gym bag walking from her room quietly entering the kitchen make herself her morning pre-workout shake as she hears her roommate's door fly open and a low grumbling filling the hallway as her roommate walks towards her in the kitchen. "Jesus fucking Christ Chapman, it's fucking 4am, shut the fuck up would you some of us are actually trying to fucking sleep!"
Piper emits a breathy laugh "Well, good morning to you to Nichols. Would you look at that it's not even 5am and you have already almost filled up your daily 'fuck' use quota."
"Oh fuck off would you before I shave your head in your sleep. Why the fuck are you even up this early? I thought you didn't start training until 6am?" Nicky questions rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"We are coming into the summer season so Bennett has me training extra hard and extra early. Sorry Nick, I'll try and be quieter next time, judging by how you look right, it's obvious you need your precious beauty sleep" Piper retorts with a smug grin.
Nicky gives Piper her best fuck you look. "Hey, I hope you don't mind, but a friend of mine is in town and I invited her over for dinner tonight. Nothing fancy, just trying to play catch up. Show off my impressive culinary skills" Nicky says with a wink.
"Nah, it's cool, I'm gonna be out at the gym most of the day and then stop by Polly's. Woman has been bugging me to hang out for weeks. Probably won't be in until late." Piper says as she swings her gym bag across her shoulder and grabs her keys from the counter and walks towards the front door. "I'll catch you later, Nick, oh and please be careful tonight when you cook- try not to burn the house down, we don't want another repeat of the pork chop incident."
Nicky laughs loudly "Oh, fucking hell Piper are you never gonna let me live that one down? I still reckon it was your fault I told you to keep an eye on them. It's not my fault the oven caught fire. It was some stupid faulty wiring issue. Besides, I didn't hear you complaining when you hooked up with that hot firefighter with the double d's who came to our 'rescue'."
Piper snorts a laugh, shaking her head and opens the front door. "True" She grins with the pleasure of that night's memory. "Anyway, see ya later Nic" she calls over her shoulder, closing the door behind her, she starts off on her way towards her gym.
Piper trains hard for the rest of the morning, sweat pouring from her body, her muscles tight and filled with fatigue. Noticing the time, she ducks into the gym bathroom taking a quick shower and starts off on her way to Polly's house.
…
"PIPES" Polly screams opening her door to reveal her friend, pulling her into an awkward hug. Piper shifts uncomfortably, but attempts to hug her friend back not wanting to hurt her feelings.
Those who knew Piper knew how much Piper hated any forms of intimacy, both emotional and physical. The exemption to this was Piper's copious amounts of one night stands. But that wasn't as much about intimacy as it was a way to blow off steam. Don't get her wrong Piper loved sex, but she was hardly the fuck and then cuddle type of person. More the, have a nice quick fuck and then bail as soon a humanely possible person- never to see that person again. Ever since she was young, Piper had always shut people out. The rare exception to this rule was Nicky. They had been friends for years, with Nicky being there during some of Piper's darkest moments. Nicky on some level just got Piper. She knew not push Piper emotionally or force Piper to talk about her past. She knew about the nightmares and would always offer the right level of comfort for Piper, this was usually in the form of a bottle of tequila and a wild night out. After so many years of friendship Nicky knew Piper was a runner, refusing to talk about her feelings or attempting to resolve past issues and preferred to simply force them from her mind in a drunken haze.
"It's so good to see you Pipes, god it's been forever" Polly says releasing Piper from the hug and dragging her over the threshold of her small loft.
"I know, sorry Pol, I've just been crazy busy with training lately. Bennett has me working out like 6 hours a day. I've got a fight coming up next week with some chick called 'Crazy Eyes' Warren. From what I've heard she lives up to her name."
"Ugh I always hated those stupid nicknames they give you, Viper." Polly says referencing Piper's nickname in the ring, which she received for her quick flash striking punches.
"Ha, I know you do. Speaking of fights, are you planning on coming to watch?" Piper asks as she watches Polly open a bottle of wine and pour the liquid into two glasses.
"Well, as much as love watching you pummel some other girls face in on a Friday night" Polly says sarcastically, handing Piper the glass of wine "I have a date."
Piper eyes widen in surprise. "No way, with who?"
"Larry's friend, Pete. You know the Australian guy who's always making jokes."
"Oh yeah" Piper murmurs in recollection.
"You know, it's too bad you have a fight that night, Larry has been bugging me to get you to go out with him. We could have all gone together on a cute little double date." Polly beams gleefully at the thought.
"Ew" Piper mumbles "Pol, you know I don't date. Besides, what on earth would make you think I would go for him. He's an unemployed, sweater wearing, failed writer who honestly seems to love his mother just a little too much."
"Oh come on Piper, Larry's a nice guy. It's about time you looked at getting into something a little more serious than you various one night stands. Besides, aren't you over your lesbian phase yet?"
"Ugh, Polly how many times do I have to tell you it's not just a phase. I like hot guys. I like hot girls. What can I say I'm shallow. Get over it"
"Whatever" Polly huffed. "Don't come crying to me expecting me to comfort you when you are 30 and alone."
"Okay, I won't expect that, but you will be because you love me." Piper says with a grin.
"Of course I do, you stupid lesbian."
"You spoilt bitch" Piper retorts with a laugh. Looking at the time she notices it was nearly 7pm. "Shit Pol, sorry I've got to go" Piper says downing the remainder of her wine and proceeds to pick up her bag and jacket. "I'll call you tomorrow" Piper says as she gives her friend a wave as she walks towards the door.
….
Walking to the front door of her apartment she can hear rock music blasting through the speakers of Nicky's iPod dock. "Jesus fucking Christ Nichols, turn that shit down, we do have neighbours you know" Piper calls out as she walks through the front door into the blackness of their apartment.
Closing the door behind her, she takes a few steps before suddenly falling over something in the darkness of the hallway, landing heavily on her hands and knees on the hard timber floor with an audible thud. "Ugh what the fuck" she cries out, pulling herself up and she fumbles for the light switch.
She switches on the light, looking down at the huge hole in the knee of her favourite black skinny jeans, noticing the small trickle of blood on the exposed skin of her knee. Looking to her left, she notices the object of her tumble, a large black suitcase. "Who the fuck leaves a suitcase in the middle of the hallway" she mutters to herself, devastated at the loss of her favourite jeans.
Music still blaring, Piper stalks down the remainder of the hallway to the living room, past Nicky, who is seated on the couch, beer in hand eyes focused intently on the football match playing on the muted TV, and rips the iPod from its dock instantly silencing the room. Nicky looks up at her bemused expression. "What the hell Chapman, why so pissy?... And why do you have a massive hole in your jeans" Nicky questions with a nonchalant laugh, taking another sip of her beer.
"Why do I have a massive fucking hole in my favourite fucking jeans you ask?' Piper spits with fury. "Because some idiot left a massive suitcase in the middle of the hallway that I then proceeded to trip over as I walked in the front door."
"Oh shit, sorry, that'll be Vause's. Her plane got in late and she needed a place to crash for the night because there was some issue with hotel booking. Sorry I should have called and told you" Nicky says apologetically.
Piper sighs, putting her forefinger and thumb to the bridge of her nose and inhales deeply in an attempt to rid herself of her anger. "Shit, no it's okay, Nic. Sorry long day. I'm heading to bed just try to keep it down."
Piper walks towards the bathroom to grab the first aid kit. Unfocused because of the pain in her knee, she opens the door hastily stopping abruptly as she crashes into another body. Looking up, she sees a tall, incredibly toned pale woman with dripping wet, raven coloured hair, body wrapped tightly in one of their small white guest towels. Wide-eyed Piper blushes slightly, noticing the way the excess water droplets cascade down the woman's skin. God, she is so sexy Piper thinks to herself, staring into the girl's bright emerald eyes. She had never seen eyes so gorgeous. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the tall beauty clearing her throat, a smirk plastered firmly on her lips. Snapping from her daze "Who are you?" she blurts out in typical Piper 'foot in mouth' fashion.
"My name is Alex," replies the woman husky voice that is pure sex to Piper's ears.