Finally updated! It's a long one, guys.

Upon request, I've stopped referring to Piper as both "Piper" and "Chapman", as it causes confusion. The two names were so interchangeable in my mind that I didn't even realize I was writing two different names every other line, haha. All fixed, though. Edited the other chapters as well.

Also, what a tremendous amount of reviews! I was not expecting such a great response. I appreciate it. Anyways, the rest of the (enormously long) author's note at the bottom.

Oh and one last thing - I wanted to kind of put in some of Piper Kerman's lines as a tribute. So the "wisecracking husky voice" and "she had a playful way of drawing people out" are Kerman's words about Nora (the "Alex" of the book).

It was safe to say that Alex drove like a derby driver. Either she needed to change her prescription in order to see that the speed limit was posted as 40mph, not 65mph, or she just in fact gave no fucks. Piper supposed if she had her own Jeep (opposed to sharing her brother's log of a truck) she'd enjoy seeing it kick up some dirt, too.

They were silent now. Alex insisted that Piper listen to some obscure song from some obscure band with whom she wanted to meet the drummer of - which Piper didn't really understand, because the music wasn't very good. Or to be more correct, it wasn't her taste. . . Not that she knew anybody whose taste in music consisted of mostly growls and screams.

But all to one's own, and Alex seemed to like it. Naturally, she used it as an opportunity to admire her companion. Between having one hand loosely steering the wheel and one hand checking her phone about "arrangements" for some "packages", Alex would toss a thoughtful glance to the passenger seat. Even without a comment from her wisecracking husky voice, her attention had a certain way of unnerving Piper.

Piper never knew what to expect.

A small noise of surprise left her mouth as the Jeep went over a rather large bump, stirring her from her thoughts. Alex acknowledged the reaction with an amused look.

She had a playful way of drawing a person out.

"Cute." She said; it was a comment, statement, observation, thought.

And judging by the entertained smile, perhaps Piper hadn't been so discreet with her staring. Piper opted for a pouty face. "Keep your eyes on the road."

"Whatever you say." She drawled.

Piper looked out the window, trying not to look so eager to simply just be there. No, that wasn't cool. And if Piper was one thing, she'd like to think she was cool. She peeked over at the driver's seat, feeling something stir inside of her; a small emotion in her chest that singed like a glowing ember. Maybe she over excitable. Maybe she hadn't had a girl crush in a while now. But it was hard not to admire the girl; the confident, hard composure was evident and sexy. Plus, she was sure that Alex liked her. She hadn't said it, but she had a feeling.

At least she thought they had chemistry.

So it turned out that Nicky lived in a really, really nice house. Gates of white privilege opened for the black Jeep, admitting passage into the court yard.

"Did you want to stay, or come with? I'm just dropping something off." Alex said, putting the car into park.

Piper unbuckled her seat belt. "Definitely coming with."

The girls exited the vehicle, but not before Alex pulled a box out of the back seat. She tucked it under arm.

"What's in that?" Piper asked.

Alex drummed her fingers on the cardboard as if it contained a pleasant surprise. "Two ounces of good quality weed."

"Oh."

So the visit was a drug deal. Piper's interest was piqued.

Alex led them behind the house, bypassing the front doors and walking straight into the back yard. There was a redhead sitting by the pool using a laptop, her hair was an organized mess of fiery curls and waves. Piper hung back as Alex approached the girl, setting the box down on the table. They seemed very friendly with each other. The girl handed Alex an envelope which she quickly pocketed, and then they got to chatting. Eventually, the two girls looked over at Piper and Alex leaned down to say something into the redhead's ear. Whatever it was, it was funny. Alex threw her head back in laughter before placing a hand on the girl's shoulder to ground herself.

Piper watched from afar. She felt a bit uncomfortable, wanting to know what they were saying. Good things? Bad things? Were they even talking about her? Alex's gaze locked with hers across the yard. She winked.

Piper bit back a smile, choosing to look down at her hands rather than respond. What was it with this girl and making her nervous? She hardly ever got nervous. Nervous wasn't her thing.

Piper stood there for a couple more moments, watching the ordeal and waiting for instructions. She'd never been to a drug deal before; she didn't know how they were supposed to go. And didn't these types of things usually happen at the back of alleyways? A shady transfer of money through a passing handshake - drugs hidden in matchboxes, hooded dealers standing by dumpsters? Maybe this wasn't a drug deal - not that she'd have anything to compare it to.

As it was, it just seemed to be two friends chatting by a pool. The redhead had a glass of orange juice by her computer.

Not threatening at all.

Green eyes looked her way and Alex waved her over. "Come here," She called.

The redhead turned in her chair, beckoning her over as well. "Yeah; don't be a stranger, Stranger."

Piper approached the girls, coming to a stop in front of them. The redhead didn't make any effort to hide her very obvious once-over of Piper. She nodded in approval. "Okay Alex, I feel ya." She said.

Piper looked at Alex with a plea for an explanation. Alex laughed it off. "Ignore that. This is Nicky; she doesn't know how to keep a secret." Alex introduced, leaving Piper more confused than before. She bounced a pointed finger between the two. "Nicky, Piper."

"Hi." Piper said.

"Pleasure." Nicky responded, extending her hand for Piper to shake. Piper reached for it. "Are you even gay?"

"Excuse me?" Piper asked, her hand stilling the transaction.

Alex intercepted. "Ignore that, too."

"I mean, you don't look gay, is all." Nicky said.

Piper finished the handshake with an uncertain laugh. "How does one exactly look gay?" Piper asked.

"Hang around this one enough and you'll find out." Nicky responded, jabbing a thumb in Alex's direction.

Alex tilted her head at the accusation. "Oh?" Alex said, her eyebrow cocking upward. "Coming from the most lesbian lesbian to ever lesbian."

"Wow, just one more time for good measure." Nicky prompted, her hand cupping her ear.

And maybe just to humor her, Alex shook her head and muttered "Lesbian."

Nicky grinned. She picked up her glass, swirling her drink around as she turned to Piper. "You know, Alex can't stop talking about you."

"Really?" Piper asked. She looked over at Alex who subsequently slapped a hand over her glasses as if Nicky had said the wrong thing. That was surprising. She didn't take Alex for the type to talk about girls to her friends.

"Yeah, if I spend another minute alone with her I swear I'd be gushing about you too." Nicky said, slouching back in her chair comfortably.

So Alex gushes. That was even more surprising. Piper turned to Alex who had somewhat regained her composure. "Is that true?"

Alex paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. She smirked. "You're quite infectious, Piper." She said, leaving it at that. Piper felt her school girl crush going into overdrive, and she held back a stupid smile.

Nicky laughed at the scene unfolding before her. "Well this is cute, though it's kind of making me want to vomit."

"Maybe you should cut back on the embarrassing details and then you won't blow chunks." Alex commented.

Nicky shrugged, owning it. She turned to Piper. "So, what are you doing tonight?" She asked.

Piper's gaze skitted over to Alex for a moment, as if the answer was still undecided. "Homework." She said, finally.

"Exciting." Nicky commented, wasting no time to continue with her proposition. "But listen. When you're done with all that, why don't you come to the bon fire tonight. It's at the lake near the school."

"Oh, I don't know." Piper said, hesitating. She wondered for a moment if it was a good idea to attend since she'd definitely be out of her scene. Not that being in this strange girl's backyard beside a box of weed was her scene in the first place. "I'm supposed to see my boyfriend later."

"Boyfriend?" She asked, amusement crinkling the lines beside her eyes. She leaned forward, elbow on one knee as her lips pulled into a smirk. "Well tell you what; try your best to show up. I'm sure Alex would miss you if you didn't."

"I don't like carrots."

They had been sitting in Alex's room for almost an hour now; Piper was sprawled out her stomach, her laptop sitting on the bed. She was almost done her paper. And by almost done, it meant she had gotten a solid three sentences typed up since she got there. Alex was . . . distracting her. With everything possible. Piper backed her head away from the intruding vegetable.

"They're good for your eyes." Alex cooed. She continued to wave it around in her face.

"Then maybe you should eat them." Piper said, her lips pulling back into a grin. She swatted it out of her facial vicinity and Alex laughed, popping the mini-carrot into her mouth.

She made a point to adjust her glasses. "No amount of carrots will make me less blind." She said, taking the bowl of vegetables from the bedside table. She shuffled onto the bed beside Piper so that they were laying side by side. "You, on the other hand, still have hope."

"I don't think I'd look half bad with glasses." Piper said.

Alex looked at her thoughtfully. "Hmm," She shuffled again, removing the black frames from her face. "Let's see." She mused. She carefully placed them on Piper's face. Brushing away a hair, she studied her handiwork.

Piper's fingers gripped the frames lightly on either side of her temples, not withholding her surprise as she tried to adjust her vision. "Shit. You really are blind." She said, giggling. She squinted, trying to see Alex's face through the lens. It was just a blurry outline of jet black hair against pale white skin. "How do I look?"

"Like a librarian in a porno."

"I'm gonna go ahead and say that's a good thing?" Piper asked. She removed the glasses from her face, handing them back to Alex.

Alex folded them in her hands. "Me too." She said, a smile playing at her lips. She reached forward, tilting the laptop screen towards her. "So. What have you got so far?"

Piper propped up her elbow, placing her chin onto the makeshift stand. She blew out an exasperated puff of air. "Practically nothing. I suck at writing papers." She said.

"Well that's the thing about papers - you actually have to start writing them." She ignored the death glare that Piper shot her, shrugging cheekily. "Here, let me see your outline." Alex said, wiggling her fingers at the papers that were just out of her reach. Piper handed them over. She flipped through them, snorting at the disorganized mess of words and arrows. "You have the attention span of a peanut, apparently. You didn't finish writing half of your sentences."

"I was writing point form." Piper defended. She placed her hands over the paper, attempting to cover up the words. Alex pushed them away.

"Really?" Alex pointed at a particular line. "This one only says 'The glacial temperature is a'. The glacial temperature is a what exactly?"

Piper bit back a sheepish smile. "Well, I don't remember now. Okay fine, that one is unfinished. But there are plenty of good points I've written there."

Alex smirked, continuing to name down the list. "'Confines of glacial melting is limitless in its limitations of consequence' - that makes so much sense; 'Water levels on the rise so dangerous globally' - another masterpiece sentence; oh, here's another temperature one: 'An increase in temperature of sea water is that the'. Oh my god, you ended it with 'is that the'." Alex burst out laughing. "You have no fucking idea what you're writing, do you?" She asked.

Piper narrowed her eyes, equal parts embarrassed, equal parts content to laugh at her own expense. Alex, on the other hand, could barely contain herself. "Alright, so maybe I didn't read that book we picked out. I skimmed it and wrote down some lines that caught my eye."

"This is like treasure hunting." Alex said with a grin. "Is there more?" She flipped through the pages.

"Okay. You're having way too much fun with that." Piper said, pulling the paper from Alex's grasp. She placed it on the other side of her, protectively.

"Maybe we should do this more often. I'd love to see how you approach math." Alex said, a teasing smile playing at her lips.

"I'm actually really good at math, thank you." Piper quipped, defending what was left of her honor. Math was her strong suit; words weren't. She liked reading them, but writing them was a different story. "I'm a peer mentor."

"Yikes."

"People request me, you know." Piper said, jutting out her chin proudly.

"Do they regret it afterwards?" Alex asked.

"No, because I'm so great at it."

A pleased smile spread itself over Piper's facial features, and Alex rolled her eyes. Her wandering gaze stopped on Piper's backside. "What's this?" Alex asked. She pulled at the item in question - a white paper jutting out of Piper's pocket, revealing the picture from earlier. "Oh, wow."

Piper looked over her shoulder, allowing the picture to be taken from her. "I forgot about that. It's umm . . . me."

Alex arched an eyebrow. "You keep a picture of yourself in your back pocket?"

"Well, no." Piper started. "Someone put it in my locker. Probably Larry."

"That was romantic of him." Alex deadpanned, rolling onto her back. Her hair splayed out around her in a cascade of black, and she held the picture above her. "Come here." She said, beckoning Piper with her pointer finger.

Piper shifted over, sliding a thigh between Alex's and planting a palm next to her face to steady herself. She propped herself up next to the picture and smiled for comparison.

"Puberty was good to you, Pipes."

"Thank goodness." Piper murmured.

"You were cute back then, too."

Piper arched a skeptical brow. "Please," She snorted. "There was nothing cute about the ninth grade."

"On the contrary," Alex said, reaching behind Piper. She slid her hand into Piper's back pocket, returning the picture to its original location. "I think you did well with the nerd look."

Piper's pointer finger and thumb found a stray black hair to play with. She followed the strand up to her neck, then placed her hand flat on Alex's collar bone. She smiled. "Then you'd be the first."

They stayed like that for a moment, looking at a each other. Alex's pupils were wide and dark, and Piper would be damned if her heart didn't flutter under her gaze. Her eyes flitted downwards and she peeked at Alex's lips - a motion that didn't go unnoticed. Between the hammering in her chest and her wandering eyes, Piper found solace through touch. She traced the rise of Alex's collar bone, her fingers splayed out softly, grazing the shock white skin. Alex allowed the ghosting touch, a cocky smile making it's way onto her face. They both knew better.

Piper thought of a couple things she ought to say, but she couldn't get past the sound of her heart pounding its steady beat against her rib cage. Perhaps there wasn't much to say. Their faces were close, their bodies were pressed together, and Piper was practically straddling her; what they weren't saying was already being done, anyhow.

Alex reached up, covering Piper's hand with her own. "You're squishing me." Alex said, softly. She giggled, bringing Piper's hand to her lips and placing a chaste kiss on the tips of her fingers, making them tingle.

The warmth seeped through Piper's skin causing several impulses to spring up at once. She ignored them all. "Sorry," She said, making a motion to remove herself from the intimate position.

Alex stopped her.

"Wait, stay." Alex said, her voice a low rasp. She placed her hands on the dip of Piper's thighs as if to keep her from leaving.

Piper obeyed, if only to give her time to protest. "I- " She started, feeling a shiver run up her spine. Alex sat upright, but kept Piper firmly in place - bringing them yet closer. She tried her best not to tremble at the touch. Tried her best not to seem so weak. Alex held her as if she had no intention of letting go and Piper felt dizzy from anticipation. She was vaguely aware of the pressure of Alex's thumbs, resting gently on her hip bones; the feel of Alex's gaze looking at nothing except back into her own eyes, as if the rest of her body could be explored by touch and not by sight; the twitch of her own lips as they threatened to smirk in the hands of this girl, a drug dealer, a stranger.

"Let's stop pretending. There's a reason you came over today." Alex said, slowly. Her voice was low and sultry and Piper watched her mouth articulate the words carefully, forcing herself to lift her gaze to a more appropriate spot.

She nodded hesitantly. It was the only thing she could do; her motor functions weren't quite working and her mind wasn't quite willing. A word or two or ten stayed jumbled on Piper's tongue, looking for the right way to be said.

Alex broke out into deep smirk. "Here." She said.

She held up Piper's eraser.

The night was colder than usual. The glow from the fire was the only warmth and light provided at the lake front. Alex's coat was strewn across Piper's shoulders as they huddled around the large fire.

Piper had already met most of the people there – well, the people that Alex talked to, anyway. She'd been introduced briefly, and Alex spent the most part of the night whispering relevant tid bits about them into her ear.

Piper was pretty good with names. There was Big Boo, sitting on the other end of the fire with her new puppy; Morello sitting beside her, talking about her boyfriend Chris who went to a different school (though nobody else has met him yet); Tricia was sitting with her girlfriend Mercy, much to the chagrin of Big Boo; and Nicky was off to the side, making some shady deals with different people at the lake front. The area was peppered with boys and girls. Some of them Piper recognized, but most she didn't. Piper frowned. Perhaps they were from other schools. She thought she knew most of the people in Litchfield - at least the important people, anyway.

There was a clink of bottles and cheers of approval as one of the boys pulled out some beer from a portable cooler, passing them down around the fire. Alex held one out to her. "Do you drink?"

Piper took the bottle from her, popping off the twist cap. "Yeah, but I'm a bit of a lightweight."

"Even better." Alex said, holding her bottle out for a cheers. Piper tapped the glass with her own - she could use a drink. She was thinking too much about what had happened earlier and it was making her head hazy. What was she even doing here? This night was never about homework and they both knew it. Would she have kissed Alex earlier if Alex had initiated it? Probably. It was a moment, and Piper almost let it get the best of her. She shook her head; she usually had more control of herself. She could still feel the warmth of Alex's hands holding her, and the hedonic gaze that Alex had locked her in. The memory itself was irrevocably sexy. Maybe the fresh air would be good for her. Anyhow, she felt a little more in her comfort zone on the beach; having a drink with some friends was more along the lines of what she was used to. She still felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb in this group of people, but she wasn't here for them.

Her thoughts wandered and she briefly thought back to her report, which was left only three-quarters done on Alex's bed. Even with Alex's help she wasn't too great at finishing things; she'd probably scramble and finish it off it in the morning.

The group got louder as one of the boys produced some fireworks from his bag. He held up a pack of roman candles.

"Put that shit away, Mike. You're gonna wake up everyone in the neighborhood." Big Boo said. "And Little Boo doesn't like fireworks."

"Oh come on, don't be so boring. Take your dog home, he's falling asleep on the beach anyways." The boy responded.

"Aw, I love fireworks. Let's see 'em." Morello said, clapping her hands together.

There was a buzz of bickering as the group argued about whether to light the fireworks or not. Piper almost jumped as she felt a hand snake around her waist and Alex's warm breath against her ear. As many times as it happened that night, Piper still couldn't get used to the feeling.

"Do you want to go for a walk? We'll get out of here." Alex whispered.

Piper took one look at the group, getting rowdier by the second. Big Boo looked like she was going to throw her corn at the fireworks boy.

"Good idea." She said. She let Alex help her up and lead her away from the fire, beer in tow. They headed to the water and walked along the shoreline.

Piper cast a sideways glance at Alex, feeling a small urge to take her hand. It seemed fitting. Instead, she took a sip from her beer. "So why haven't I seen you around?" Piper asked. "I mean, we're both seniors. We've spent almost four years in the same school."

Alex placed her glasses on her head. She looked comfortable walking alongside Piper. "If you haven't noticed, we're from different crowds." Alex said with a laugh. "Plus, you weren't exactly looking for me. Though I've seen you around before."

"You have? When?" Piper asked, strangely pleased with the idea of Alex knowing her before she'd known about Alex.

"Here and there. You run around a lot, you talk kind of loud, you had a fling with a friend of a friend - who's an asshole by the way, I don't know how you dealt with him and his raging testosterone." Alex shook her head at the thought. "I knew who you were. I probably would have voted for you during student elections."

"But you didn't?"

"I didn't vote." Alex said, smiling into the opening of her bottle before taking another sip.

Piper ran a hand through her hair, pushing the blonde locks out of her face. She looked at the water thoughtfully; the lake was fairly still tonight. The moon glimmered on the surface, strewn and broken by the occasional wave. "You should have talked to me." Piper said, quietly.

Alex let out a sharp laugh. "What for? So you could introduce me to that dork you're dating?" Alex asked, biting her lower lip and with a teasing smile.

"Dork?" Piper repeated.

"Yeah. Dork." Alex said, with extra emphasis.

Piper's eyebrows knitted delicately. "Larry's not half bad, you know. He's a great guy."

"Maybe. But he bores you." Alex said, flicking a lazy look in her direction. "Doesn't he? I mean, you wouldn't be here otherwise."

Piper laughed at the accusation. Not that there wasn't truth behind it; this was . . . this was just different. Larry was funny and sweet. He wasn't boring, he just wasn't exciting. Sometimes she was just drawn to things that were a bit more stimulating. Flashy. Mysterious. Dramatic. . . other things.

But only sometimes. "Hey, that's not fair." Piper said, her eyes narrowing.

"It's entirely fair." Alex said, her lips pulling into a smirk. "I'm not complaining. I like rolling around in bed with you."

"You make it sound sexual."

Alex gave a throaty chuckle. "It can be. Want to?"

"Alex!"

"I'm good company. Promise." Alex said, shrugging playfully. "If I don't get you off seven times then we don't have to do it again."

"Now that's just excessive." Piper said.

Alex laughed, taking a sip of her beer. "Your loss." She said. She slipped her hand into Piper's casually, interlacing their fingers with a reassuring squeeze. "So what else do I need to know about you, Piper?"

Piper looked down at their interlocked hands, feeling warmth seep through her skin. The gentle grip was a comforting weight. Larry wouldn't appreciate the gesture; but then again, Larry wasn't here. "Umm. . . I'm not sure. You can ask me anything."

"Hmm, you know giving me that type of freedom means you're going to get some dirty questions."

"No dirty questions."

"Boring."

"Ask me anything else." Piper said.

"Fine," Alex relented. She looked at Piper thoughtfully. "What are your top three favorite things to do?"

Piper sidestepped a piece of driftwood that had washed up on shore. She gave the question a moment's thought. "Sleep. Sleep is definitely up there." Piper responded.

Alex nodded. "I agree. Long sleeps in the Jeep."

"You love that Jeep, don't you?"

"Is it obvious?"

Piper snorted. "Are you one of those people that name their cars?"

"Yeah. I named mine Jeep."

"Smart ass."

"You still have two more answers."

"Oh, right." Piper said. She contemplated what she did in her spare time, a realization that she didn't really do anything of much importance dawning over her. She supposed she liked being on her laptop and hanging out with Polly. Did those count? "I guess I should put eating up there, too. Since I do that often." Piper said, feeling pleased when Alex chuckled. "And then the third would be reading. Or watching movies - I'm in love with the movie theater experience."

"Ten dollar popcorn and sold out seating type of girl?"

Piper nodded. "That's me. And I do enjoy a good plate of nachos."

"I'll get you some next time we go out."

"Next time? You want to hang out again?"

"I'd like to."

"Strange, I thought I was . . . nacho type."

Alex popped an eyebrow. "Did you just -?"

"Yeah." Piper said, sporting a megawatt smile. She was far too pleased with herself.

"Oh my god."

"I've never been able to use that pun before. It was weirdly satisfying."

Alex shook her head, half endeared and half wondering if she should push Piper into the lake. "You're so lame."

"I'm an opportunist."

"And lame." Alex commented, chuckling. She sucked lightly on the inside of her cheek as if she was sizing Piper up. Finally, she tugged on her hand and gestured to a nearby log. "Here, let's take a seat."

They sat down side by side, setting their beers down in the sand. The log made for a nice bench by the scenic water, only rough in some places, only dirty in others. Piper wasn't complaining. They had walked a fair bit and the bon fire was the size of a quarter in the distance. The din from the get together was a quiet buzz from where they were sitting. They were alone.

Piper glanced over, vaguely making out the outline of Nicky being approached different by people presumably buying weed. "So how does it work? You supply and Nicky sells?" Piper asked.

Alex followed Piper's gaze, watching Nicky from afar. "More or less." She said. "Nicky's sort of bad at it though - she does all my drugs. I've got a couple of girls who do all the running."

"A couple girls? So they do all the dirty work while you get to hang out with the pretty blondes?" Piper asked, batting her eyelashes for effect.

Alex laughed, shifting a bit closer. "I can be very persuasive, you know."

"So it seems. I'm here, aren't I?"

"Oh please, you jumped at the opportunity to ditch your paper." Alex said. "But even if that wasn't the case, I think I could get you to come out."

Piper raised an eyebrow, wondering if that had a double meaning. Though it wasn't a secret that she liked girls as well as boys, she supposed she never had a real relationship with one. She glanced back over at the bon fire, her eyes flitting over from the set of footprints they'd left behind to the orange flicker in the distance.

Blast. Here she was thinking about relationships when her own was very much a looming reality. Admittedly, she had put it on the back burner for the night; and admittedly, that's where she intended to keep it. Larry wouldn't take the whole hanging-out-with-a-lesbian-drug-dealer-instead-of- doing-homework so well. Not to mention her almost slip up earlier.

Was she always this fickle? Or was she naturally capricious? Piper wondered these things. She'd often been accused of liking attention too much . . . But who doesn't like attention? And she couldn't imagine anyone in their right mind not being attracted to Alex. She was definitely attractive.

Her head was such a mess.

"I'm glad I did." Piper said. She wrung her hands together, wondering if the chill she was feeling was from the cold or from her nerves.

Alex watched her for a moment, perhaps fruitfully aware of the way she made Piper feel. Perhaps it was obvious. Maybe Alex was just observant.

"There's something about you, you know? You're different." Alex said. A smile ghosted her lips, but the statement had a tone of sincerity - like her words were measured and careful.

Piper chuckled. "Do you say that to all the girls?"

"There aren't any."

"I suppose that's a good thing. They wouldn't be happy with the way you've been coming onto me all night."

"You want me to." Alex maintained eye contact, pursing her lips in that smug way she does.

There's a delay before Piper breaks the eye contact, her gaze shifting elsewhere. She knew that sometimes saying nothing was better than saying something she didn't mean. Damn Alex for calling her on all her shit tonight. Was she that easy to figure out? She's human; she can't help how she feels. Anyone would agree that that was reasonable, right? She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I like you, Pipes." Alex murmured, her watchful gaze sweeping over Piper.

Piper smirked. "Who doesn't?" She received a push to the shoulder, rocking her sideways.

"Fuck you; say it back."

"Very persuasive, I see. It must be your way with words." Piper teased.

"Well, I am good with my mouth." Alex said, a suggestive smile lighting up her features.

Piper chewed the her bottom lip, a partial laugh escaping. Was it always this easy to be with people?

"I like you too." Piper said, quietly. Very quietly. In fact, Piper would have suspected that Alex didn't hear it if it weren't for the faint smile that tipped the corner of her lips. She looked content with the admission - calmed, almost.

There's a stretch of silence, but it's comfortable. She liked that about them; that they didn't have to be talking all the time to enjoy being together. There was no scramble for the next topic, no wondering if it'll become awkward, no averting gazes or coughing into fists . . . It was just two people in each other's company.

It was nice.

Piper exhaled deeply, closing her eyes and basking in the brisk night air. It was refreshing being outside. The setting was quiet, but not empty, the moon cast a blue sheen over the shore, and so far she hadn't been eaten alive by bugs. That was a good thing. She forgot how much she liked the outdoors. Her and Larry were more of a movie night couple; they ordered food, lazed on the couch, and held marathons. Not that there was anything wrong with that - she enjoyed it; but they rarely hung out outside. Unless they were going for dinner, which wasn't necessarily going out per se . . .

There was a faint clicking sound, and Piper looked over to Alex who had begun playing with a zippo lighter.

Click. Flame.

Click. Closed.

Click. Flame.

"Do you smoke?" Piper asked.

Click. Closed. "Umm, yes. Not often."

"You can smoke now, I don't mind." Piper offered.

Alex shook her head. "No, it's fine. I just play with my lighter when I-" She stopped herself mid sentence. "It's something I do when I'm deciding."

"What are you deciding?"

Alex smiled, looking at Piper before looking back down to her zippo. Piper could vaguely see a set of crossed drum sticks and the words "Death Mane" engraved into the steel surface.

Click. Flame.

"I'm not deciding. You are." Alex said.

Click. Closed.

She pocketed the zippo.

Piper frowned at the ambiguity of the answer. She was about to question it when there was a loud crack in the distance. Both of them turned to see the sky light up green briefly, then turn black again. There was another loud noise and this time it was red shooting into the sky, going up, up, up, and then fading away. Fireworks.

"I guess that means Boo went home." Piper said, watching another red orb launch into the sky.

"Or she's sitting there throwing corn at people." Alex said, lightly. She shuffled in close behind Piper, the angle proving to be perfect for Piper to use Alex as a reclining lounge chair - which she did. Her hands made their way around Piper's small frame, wrapping her up easily and pulling her in closer. "Do you like fireworks?" Alex asked, fitting her chin comfortably onto Piper's shoulder.

Piper took a sharp breath, willing herself to stay calm as her heart starting thumping a speedy beat within her chest. Alex had casually turned this into a cuddle fest. How did that happen so fast? Not that Piper resisted like she should've.

This was . . . good? Piper almost shook her head. No, this was bad - this was the sort of good that ended up bad. Yet she couldn't stop herself. She slid her hands along the arms circling her torso, taking in the warmth, taking in the softness. There was something about a girl's touch that was different from a boy's; something that could be both gentle and strong. Her palms came to rest over the rise of Alex's knuckles. "Yes." Piper answered, turning her head slightly. Their cheeks barely grazed.

If there was a moment to draw the line of which Piper shouldn't cross, it would've been then. But of course, she didn't. She never prided herself on her willpower, anyway.

They watched as a couple more roman candles were lit. An amateur display of red, green, and blue lit up the sky and glossy eyes reflected the ambient glow of colors. Piper watched intently, finding it strangely entrancing. After a couple minutes the roman candles ceased and then there was one big firework - one that shot up into the night and exploded against the black canvas. There was a crackle and a bright display of white lights splayed outwards, spidering across the sky like new stars. Not bad for a couple of teenagers messing around with pyrotechnics.

She watched as the night returned to its normal shade of black, save for the blue sheen that the moon provided. They waited for a minute or so, but that seemed to be the last one. "It was no fourth of July, but that was actually pretty nice." Piper said, folding her hands onto her lap.

"Hmm," Was the only sound Alex made. She hummed into Piper's shoulder, other purposes in mind. The deep vibrations felt unreasonably good.

"I've always liked fireworks. Or maybe I just like them because it usually means I'm with my friends. Or other people. They're romantic, don't you think?" Piper asked, aware that she might be rambling. But Alex's hold on her was tighter now and her hands were starting to wander, making it hard for Piper to concentrate.

"Mmhmm. Yes." Alex agreed, her nose nudging the back of Piper's ear, breath tickling the sensitive skin there. Piper's head was spinning now. Yes, this was definitely going in a direction that it shouldn't. This was absolutely wrong. This was bad. Bad, bad, bad. She shouldn't be so excited. Why was she so excited? "You're thinking too loud." Alex said, as if she could read her mind. A low chuckle escaped her throat.

"I -" Piper started, closing her eyes for a bit longer than a standard blink. Yes, she should definitely stop this. "Alex, I think we should-"

Piper felt the kiss even before it was pressed into her neck, freezing at the guileful interruption.

She felt Alex's fingers artfully move aside her hair, exposing her skin; the warmth from Alex's approaching lips seconds before they grazed her neck; the heated pressure, the light suction.

Piper stiffened at the touch; both surprised and riveted by the motion. Alex's lips lingered for only a second longer, before they were pulled away again. A small, short kiss. That was her move.

"Alex," Piper repeated, willing her rigid body to relax. She turned to face Alex, suddenly aware of her racing heart and drying mouth. Her eyes were bright and alert, filling with purpose as her gaze dipped and looked at Alex's parted lips. She wet her own lips, subconsciously.

Alex brought her fingers to Piper's face, tentatively, thumbs tracing the curve of her porcelain jaw before resting at the back of her neck. Her eyes pulsed in the darkness. They seemed more focused, more intense somehow; sexy and vibrant in the moonlight. Dark and almost dangerous. Alex was waiting for a response. A decision.

There was twist in Piper's stomach and she wasn't sure if it was from fear or excitement. They both had the same effect on her.

Alex leaned in closer, slowly - she was taking her time to draw the moment out. Her eyes were magnetic and Piper found herself unable look away. Alex was at ease, at bay; drawing impossibly close. She cocked her eyebrow slightly, lips pulling into a smirk. "Are you going to kiss me back, or what?" She drawled. Her voice was low and taunting, her breath hot like fire on Piper's lips. Her measured gaze made Piper feel weak yet invigorated, promising a thrill - like she knew what she was doing. Like she'd done this a hundred times before.

Piper's breath came out in a shudder and she supposed that would suffice as an answer.

Forget the line; she's far crossed it now. She could feel it as Alex's finger tips grazed the back of her neck, making the tiny hairs stand on end and surrendering any sense of doubt. The fire in her stomach wasn't quite from the alcohol. There was an irresistible urge to kiss Alex's wanting lips, a rampant desire to run her fingers through hair dark as night; Piper's body nearly begged for release there and then. Needed it. . . She froze, closing her eyes for a brief moment and feeling a pang of guilt. Not quite regret, just guilt. Just the cool air, bark beneath her, fiery touch, heart ramming against her chest, and guilt. But as Alex's warm breath blanketed the space between their parted lips and she tipped her chin up like a gift, Piper found herself leaning closer, extending an invitation. Alex doesn't wait a second longer.

It's not gentle, but it's not rough, the way Alex captures her lips. It's controlling, needy, and fierce.

The kiss stirred Piper to life and she deepened it. Alex's fingers moved deftly, peeling back her coat before encircling her torso. She guided Piper onto her lap – an encouraging lift in which Piper was eager to obey. Piper straddled her. Her hands proved to be opposing forces, unsure, unfamiliar, and curious. One hand, fingers spread daintily on the stretch of Alex's collarbone, gently pushed her away, gently kept her at a distance; like a plead and a warning all at once. The other travelled along Alex's back, pulled her closer, lured her forward, taking her in with desperate fingers raking against the thin fabric. They couldn't seem to kiss deep enough, hard enough.

Alex's lips trailed across every inch of exposed skin. She pressed heated kisses to Piper's fluttering pulse, handling her gently like a relic. Her lips brushed against Piper's ear, the tip of her tongue snaking along the cartilage. Alex held her as if she were going to shatter. Piper allowed herself the indulgence.

Between the pushing and pulling and heavy breaths, it was fire and ice. Fire from the warmth of Alex's touch to the warmth building in her stomach. It was a mix of alcohol and nerves and pleasure. Ice from the places she had left behind, the places she was no longer kissing or holding, now exposed to the midnight air. Goosebumps left from a passing touch, thigh against thigh, chests pressed together in a heated struggle to be yet closer. Fingers were tangled into blonde hair like a delicate trap, and Alex trembled. Piper hasn't been kissed like this in ages.

But a chilling sense of guilt anchored her to reality.

She was cheating.

The hand on the collar bone suddenly grew stronger, and the push became more forceful, more willing. Their lips parted with a sharp exhale and Piper used her outstretched arm as a buffer to keep the distance between them. She breathed deeply, her free hand coming up to touch her tingling lips.

"I'm sorry." Piper said.

Side note: I'll be putting up all my super long authors notes at the bottom of the chapter instead of at the top from now on, for anyone that cares to ready lengthy rambling. I like writing long-winded author's notes because I think it gives closure to a chapter in between updates and it kind of feels like I'm chatting with you guys . . . which is awesome. This will probably be a long story that will take a while to complete, so we might as well get to know each other.

Author's Note:

Well, there we have it. Vauseman explosion. Took a while to update because 1. I had exams, 2. I went on a gif-making frenzy in my overtired state one night and then didn't stop for days, 3. I wasn't sure to cut it off before or after the beach scene (seemed too short without, and a bit lengthy with it included), and 4. There is not a single scene in this chapter that has not been rewritten.

Lots of fluff this chapter. I enjoy fluff. Hopefully you do too, since I could literally go on forever without really advancing the plot. I had to cut out parts that didn't really have a place in this chapter because there was simply so much fluffy dialogue that didn't really serve a purpose. I had the kiss part written, but I could not for the life of me get the lead up the way I wanted it. I was also thinking of taking it in another direction where the kiss wouldn't happen for at least a couple of chapters, so I wrote that version out too - but decided to go with this plot line instead. Eventually I just figured I'd post it and edit later or else I'd never end up posting it. (Tell me what you think about the kiss scene - there were so many ways to approach it!)

The hardest scene for me to write was definitely the scene at Nicky's house. Even though it was short, it gave me hell. I'm not good with dialogue when it involves more than two people - it ends up being a lot of 'he said, she said'. So if you have tips on how to write multi-person scenes a bit better, I'd love to hear them.

One more thing: I'm thinking of keeping this story T rated, but including M rated shorts that I'll upload as completely separate chapters. (I've never done it like this before, so I'm gonna see how it goes. I think you'll like it.)

Thanks for reading and reviewing - I read each review, and let me tell you, you guys crack me up. This is probably my favorite fandom to write for so far, and I just started.

Anyways, I'm going back to school so I'm hoping to update every couple weeks. I like writing long chapters vs. short, fast updates. I think you guys like the longer chapters a bit better, too.

In between chapters you guys can keep up with my OITNB blog (linked in my profile) to check out gifs and other OITNB updates (I try to stay on top of the latest news).

Until the next chapter, friends!