A/N: This was going to be a two-parter, but developed a life of its own and went off in an entirely different direction than the one I'd intended, so it's a one-shot and I'll try the two-parter again another time!

Set in the Suave-verse. Because I just can't leave them alone.

"You did what?!"

They're seated on Nicky's battered leather couch. An almost empty bottle of expensive red wine is on the table, a thank you gesture for the loan of the car.

Alex looked into her wine glass, swirling the deep red liquid once before taking a sip.

"I went and got her."

Nicky just stared at her. Completely taken aback.

After a few moments she shook her head and raised her own glass. "Fuck Vause. You've got it bad," she said, before draining the glass and reaching for the bottle again.

Alex smiled into her wine glass and didn't reply.

The following couple of months passed in relative harmony. The next telephone call Piper had had with her mother following Alex's insert and exfil mission at Christmas had been cool to say the least. When asked, Piper had described Alex as "a friend" and gave no further details. Her mother didn't push it. That suited them both. Piper returned to school in the new year, her contract extended for another three months, and Alex continued her work at the bar. They saw each other three or sometimes four times a week, more often than not in Suave. Alex still had to work and Piper would stop in at the bar to spend snatched snippets of time with her girlfriend between customers. Once a week, they made sure they had "a real date", as Piper described it. Movies, dinner, drinks in Sophia's bar, they even went bowling on one occasion, but only once because Alex won and Piper's a sore loser.

It's a Saturday evening in March when Alex is expecting Piper to call in at the bar and she doesn't appear that she texts her.

Hey you. Every time the door opens I think it's gonna be you.

It's hard being so disappointed every couple of minutes, you know. x

She serves another two customers before checking her phone for a reply and finds one waiting.

Sorry. Something came up. Am with Polly. She's having a crisis.

Alex frowns briefly and taps out a reply.

She okay?

She keeps her eyes on the screen, watching the three little dots that indicate Piper is typing, waiting for the response to appear.

Yeah. Man trouble.

Alex doesn't roll her eyes, but only just.

She fucked the intern, didn't she.

Piper's reply is instant.

WTF? How could you even KNOW that?!

Alex allows herself a small smile.

I know Polly. It's the sweaters she found irresistible.

Before Piper can reply, Alex sends another message.

Hope she's okay.

Tell her if she wants to fuck someone else to forget about him, I'm here if she needs me. ;)

Alex grins to herself, picturing Piper's face as she reads that message. Nicky deliberately bumps into her shoulder as she passes, muttering "Jesus. You make me feel sick."

Alex laughs and pushes her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, then turns to serve another customer.

A little before 1am, as they're rounding up the last few stragglers and encouraging them to leave so they can close up, the door opens and Piper strides into the bar. Nicky spots her first and raises her hand in greeting then calls over her shoulder.

"Yo Vause! Your wife's here!"

Piper grins and Alex punches Nicky on the shoulder as she passes, muttering "Asshole" at her as she makes her way over to greet Piper.

Piper slides an arm around her waist as Alex leans in and brushes her lips against her cheek.

"I wasn't expecting to see you," she says.

"Yeah, well, turns out Polly passes out right after she comes, so once I was done fucking her I thought I might as well leave."

Alex smiles broadly and looks down at Piper. "I think you might've misread my text, babe."

Piper grins and pulls away, heading for a seat a the bar. "I think that girl has enough drama without fucking either of us, honestly."

"Ain't no drama like a lesbian drama," Nicky chips in.

"You don't know Polly," Piper replies with a smile.

Nicky flips the cap off a bottle of beer and slides it across the counter to Piper, who accepts it gratefully. Alex returns to ushering out the few remaining customers and then bolts the door closed behind them as they finally exit. Nicky loads the dishwasher as the other waitresses clear and wipe down the tables.

It takes just ten minutes for the bar to return to some semblance of order and for Alex to thank the waitresses and send then home, before joining Piper at the bar. Nicky grabs another two beers, passes one to Alex and starts in on the other herself, leaning on the bar opposite the two other women.

"So what's going on with Polly?"

Piper rolls her eyes and Alex takes the question. "She has poor choices in sexual conquests."

"Sounds a bit like me," Nicky grins. "Maybe we should hook up."

Piper chokes on her beer and Alex bursts out laughing. Nicky waggles her eyebrows comically.

"I don't think you're her type," Piper says after recovering from her coughing fit.

"I'm everybody's type, Blondie." Nicky replies with a wink. She takes another mouthful of beer before adding "Even your chosen suitor Matty Forsberg tried to tap this ass once upon a time."

It's Alex's turn to snort beer out of her nose this time, whereas Piper just leans forward against the bar and nods, unsurprised.

Alex wipes beer from her face with the back of her hand and places her bottle back on the counter. "Okay," she starts "number one, he's not her chosen suitor. Number two, how the fuck do you even know that name? And number three, nobody uses the term 'tap this ass' any more, Nichols. Move the fuck on."

Nicky grins at Piper and wipes Alex's spilled beer from the counter. "Ouch. Think I touched a nerve, Blondie?"

"She went to school with him," Piper offers.

"Middle school. Before I got kicked out and had to start slumming it with you," Nicky adds.

"You know this douche?" Alex asks, incredulous.

"Uh huh. We're friends on Facebook. It's a form of social media. You know, that thing you avoid like the plague because you don't actually like people."

"Jesus fucking christ."

"I know, right? Old money has many connections. It's a small world."

Alex runs a hand through her hair, frowning as she processes this new information. Turning to Piper, she asks "You knew this?"

Piper shrugs. "Since just after Christmas."

"How?"

Piper nods at Nicky. "She told me, when we were talking one night."

"You two talk?"

"Of course we talk, Alex! We're friends!"

"Meh, don't push it Blondie."

"Fuck you Nichols," Piper responds, giving her the middle finger.

Thirty minutes later, Nicky has left for home and Alex is locking up. They stand on the street outside Suave and Alex asks "Where to?"

"Your place," Piper replies, slipping her hand into Alex's.

They walk in silence for a couple of minutes through the quiet streets before Alex speaks up.

"So, you and Nicky. You really talk?"

Piper smiles slightly at Alex's choice of subject, pretty sure it's insecurity rather than curiosity that's prompted this question. "Sometimes, you know, a little."

"Huh."

"We know some of the same people."

"Like Matty Fuckhead."

"Like you."

"And Matty Fuckhead."

"Yeah, I guess, and Matty Fuckhead. Forsberg! Dammit Alex, don't make me do that. My mom will kick my ass when I actually call him that in front of her."

Alex smirks and doesn't reply.

"Anyway, it's not like we're BFFs or anything. We usually just bitch to each other about you."

"Hey!"

Piper laughs quietly and leans into Alex. Their hands fall apart and arms automatically find their way around each other as they continue walking to Alex's apartment.

"I'm glad you and Nic are friends," Alex says a couple of minutes later. "You're my two favourite people, it would be rough if you didn't get along."

Piper nods but doesn't reply, just tightens her arm around Alex's waist.

"Don't you ever tell her I said she's one of my favourite people. She'll be insufferable and she's already a jackass."

"Don't worry," Piper smiles. "Your secret's safe with me."

It's almost eleven when Alex wakes the following morning, finding herself alone in the bed.

She lies still for a few moments, listening to the sounds of the morning as they filter into her apartment, then rolls onto her back and stretches, before calling out for Piper who appears in the bedroom doorway a few seconds later.

"Morning sleepyhead."

Alex pats the empty space beside her in the bed and pouts.

Piper smiles.

Alex pouts more and holds her other hand out towards Piper, who lets out an exaggerated sigh before making her way over to the bed. Alex tugs her down and immediately moves to cuddle against her, head nestled against her chest, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend and holding her tight.

Piper grins into Alex's hair, then kisses the top of her head. "You're very cute when you're half asleep."

Alex mumbles something unintelligible into Piper's t-shirt.

Piper squeezes her gently. Smiling she adds "Badass bar owner. Cooler than cool. If Nicky could see you now..."

Alex rubs her nose against Piper's shoulder and shifts position slightly. "If Nicky could see me now," she starts, releasing her hold slightly and pressing her lips under Piper's chin, "it'd only be because she was hiding in the wardrobe hoping to watch us fuck."

Piper laughs quietly and strokes her hand down Alex's back. "Yeah, because that wouldn't be weird at all."

Alex kisses the soft skin under Piper's chin again. Then a little lower, sucking her throat gently. "Well I couldn't really blame her, we're pretty hot."

Piper dips her head, trying to nudge Alex away with her chin and giggling quietly. Alex kisses the top of her shoulder, her hands moving to Piper's hips and pushing their way up inside her t-shirt.

"We are," she continues between kisses. "I've seen us. In the long mirror in your bedroom."

She lifts her head and grins at Piper. "We're seriously hot together. I've watched."

Piper laughs and pushes at Alex's hands, stopping them from moving higher. "You have not!"

"Fuck yeah I have," Alex says, grinning down at Piper as she tries to navigate her way around the blonde's hands. "Why d'ya think I moved it."

Piper stops fending Alex's hands off and just keeps still, recalling for a moment the day a month or so earlier that she came out of the shower and found Alex had shifted the full-length mirror from its usual position to a new one, angled between the wardrobe and the laundry basket. When she'd asked, Alex had said it was because she kept stubbing her toe on the base every time she walked past it and she'd accepted this explanation and given it no further thought.

Now though… her eyes widen and she looks up at Alex in surprise. Alex grins and shrugs a shoulder, showing no remorse, appearing pleased with herself. Her hands push their way higher under Piper's t-shirt and Piper again starts trying to ward off the wandering hands.

A tussle ensues, one interspersed with grabbing hands, tickled ribs and squeals of laughter. After a minute or so, Alex comes out on top – quite literally – straddling one of Piper's thighs and holding her hands tight against the mattress. They look at each other, stilling for a moment, both breathless and smiling, then Alex arches an eyebrow and a familiar smirk starts on her lips.

Piper pulls her lower lip between her teeth and twists her hands against Alex's grasp. Alex's fingers tighten around Piper's slim wrists and she shifts her weight, pinning the blonde's wrists against the bed, before leaning in and kissing her lips softly. Piper responds to the kiss, raising her head just as Alex pulls away again. She tries to lift higher, chasing Alex's lips, but feels the grip on her wrists tighten and lets her head fall back to the pillow instead.

They look at each other for a moment in silence, then Alex's eyes narrow slightly and she gives an almost imperceptible shake of the head. Piper isn't sure what her girlfriend is thinking and is about to ask what's wrong, when the hold on her wrists relaxes and she feels Alex's long fingers move over her skin, ghosting over her palm, then sliding between her own. Interlaced fingers automatically curl around each other and Alex presses down, holding tightly as she leans closer and kisses Piper again. This time she doesn't pull away and the kiss deepens within seconds, Piper's lips part to allow access to Alex's insistent tongue and they kiss slowly, eyes closed, each savouring the touch and taste of the other.

Piper raises her leg, bending it at the knee, and her thigh makes contact with Alex's underwear. She feels Alex's grip on her hands tighten and then a shift of the hips as her girlfriend pushes down on the thigh between her legs, never breaking the kiss even for a moment. Piper tries to remove her hands from Alex's, attempting to free herself, wanting to wind her arms around Alex's back, wanting to thread her fingers through Alex's dark hair, wanting to pull her closer, to press their bodies together, to increase the friction of skin against skin and hold her girlfriend against her as they push each other to the edge, but Alex just tightens her hold and Piper struggles and Alex holds tighter still.

Piper hooks one of her feet over Alex's ankle and the balance of power between them shifts ever so slightly. It is Alex who is holding Piper against the mattress, but it is Piper who is holding Alex's body in place. Her right thigh is pressed against the panties covering Alex's centre and her left leg is holding her in place, preventing her from pulling away, even though pulling away is the very last thing on Alex's mind right at this moment.

The kiss is becoming rougher, more needy. Teeth clash and lips are bitten, then Piper shifts her right leg slightly and a breathless moan escapes Alex, before immediately being consumed by the kiss. Alex rocks her hips against Piper's thigh, her grip on her girlfriend's hands increasing, then she pulls away from the kiss and just looks down at her, her breathing unsteady and eyes darkened by lust.

Piper is again about to speak, when Alex starts to push her hands higher up the bed, their entwined fingers sliding against the sheet and up under the pillow beneath Piper's head. As she pushes their hands up the bed, Alex lowers her body to Piper's until the blonde feels the pressure of Alex's thigh between her own legs and she bites the left side of her lower lip to stop herself from speaking. She moves her right leg slightly and Alex responds by pushing down against it, the movement automatically increasing the pressure of her own thigh against Piper's centre.

Alex's lips form a slight smile as she watches Piper's expression change, then feels her grip tighten on her hands under the pillow.

She continues rocking her hips slowly, enjoying the feeling of Piper's thigh between her legs and watching Piper's reaction to the feeling of her own thigh pressing against her with each slow movement.

"Yeah?" Alex asks, her voice breathy, but even in this moment still wanting to check this is okay. This is what Piper wants. This isn't overstepping some unspoken boundary. Seeking permission to continue.

"Oh God yeah," Piper replies, pushing her head back into the pillow, her eyes closing.

Alex smiles more and changes her position very slightly, then continues the slow rocking motion of her hips. Within seconds she's aware that Piper is mirroring her movements, her own hips moving in time, pushing against her thigh as Alex grinds against her.

Alex watches Piper, watches the tendons in her neck as she arches back against the bed, watches the way her lips move without words and the way small beads of sweat appear on her skin and glide to meet in the small hollow at the base of her throat. Her skin is flushed, her hair is messy and tangled and splayed over the pillow and Alex thinks in that instant that she's never seen anything quite so beautiful in all of her life.

Their bodies move together, picking up a matching rhythm almost immediately, pushing against each other as they search for release and all Alex can do is hold Piper's hands tighter and watch her, unable to tear her gaze away. She moves her hips faster, grinding against Piper's thigh and she feels the heat coiled in the bottom of her belly begin to move, she feels it start to unfurl and spread like fire through her veins and as she looks down at Piper, at this beautiful woman beneath her, moving against her as she searches for her own pleasure whilst giving Alex hers, it suddenly occurs to Alex that it's not just lust coursing through her veins, but something else, something deeper, something more…

"Piper," she breathes. Then louder, "Piper."

Piper opens her eyes and looks up at Alex, her lips slightly parted, her breathing ragged, hips still moving at a now almost frantic pace.

Alex's brow is creased, her eyes are dark, but her face is open and Piper feels that for the first time she is seeing Alex. Seeing more of her. Seeing right inside her.

Her eyes widen as she looks up at Alex and she feels certain that she catches a glimpse of something she's never seen before. She holds her breath for a moment, watching Alex who looks as if she's about to speak and then, then she closes the gap and kisses Piper hard.

Piper pushes against her, trying hard to pull her hands free from Alex's firm grasp, but this just makes Alex hold her down more, which in turn increases the force with which they push against each other in a delicious struggle for dominance. It's only moments later that Alex breaks the kiss and throws her head back, Piper's name falling from her lips carried on a quiet cry as she comes, shuddering, her hips pressed down against her lover's. Alex's thigh is jammed between Piper's legs as the blonde chases her own orgasm and she finds it just seconds later, tumbling over the edge after Alex, straining against her grip, arching from the bed whilst being held against it, her body's movements being controlled by Alex completely, even at this moment of complete abandon.

They lie together for almost two minutes, bodies pressed against each other, hands still tangled together under the pillow. Alex's forehead is resting on Piper's collarbone and she is counting her breaths as she focuses on slowing her breathing.

Eventually Alex releases Piper's hands and the blonde stretches her fingers beneath the pillow, the circulation slowly returning. Alex pushes up on her forearms and looks down at Piper.

"Well," Alex starts quietly. "That was new."

"That was awesome," Piper almost sighs, unable to keep the smile from her voice, her eyes still closed.

Alex grins as she watches her exhausted girlfriend. "You're awesome," she murmurs, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on Piper's lips.

The next time Alex wakes, her eyes reluctantly open and settle on a freshly showered and fully clothed Piper sitting on the battered armchair in the bedroom, pulling her boots on.

"Going somewhere?" Alex asks, her voice still thick with sleep.

Piper looks up, and a soft smile instantly appears as her gaze lands on Alex. She stands and makes her way over to the bed, then sits on the edge and slowly strokes her hand along the length of Alex's arm.

"I have to go," she says, quietly.

"Fucking and running." Alex replies, her eyes closed again.

Piper smiles a little. "Yeah, now I've got what I needed from you I'm kicking you to the kerb."

"You'll be back," Alex mumbles, and Piper smiles more.

"You hope."

"I do."

"I will."

"Mmkay. Good."

Piper leans in, kisses Alex's temple then whispers "I'll call you."

Alex is already slipping back into sleep and responds with a slow exhalation of breath. Piper leaves the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Love you too," Alex breathes into the empty room.