So, this story has a moral: Life is too short to be 'normal'. Be yourself.

Oh, and don't do heroin.

I think that I'll manage to surprise you guys yet again with this chapter. Let me know - did you see it coming?

Piper pressed her forehead against the cool glass of her apartment window on a frigid February morning. She didn't know what she was so afraid of before; being alone wasn't so bad.

Piper had come to a realization shortly after leaving Litchfield; she couldn't keep doing this, living this conventional life. Though on some level she supposed she had always known this, Michael's death had deprived her of the desire to even try. Besides, it wasn't fair to John – John Kerwings was a good man who deserved a wife who wasn't irrevocably scared by her felonious, Sapphic past. And so, after about three more months of fake smiles and pretending to be interested in the gossip of her conventional friends, all of whom assumed she was over Michael's death and on track to try for another baby, Piper broke down and told John everything. She told him what Litchfield was really like. She told him about putting Pennstatucky in a coma (from which she thankfully awoke two days later with minimal residual damage), she told him about Crazy Eyes, but most importantly, she told him about Alex.

"I…I don't understand," John stammered, shock written all over his face. "Are you telling me that you're a lesbian and that our whole marriage was…a lie?"

"No!," insisted Piper, taking his hand. "I loved – still love you. I love our breakfasts, our mornings in bed, the way you always wrinkle your nose when you're reading, the way you hate lowfat milk, the way you make corny jokes, the way your hair sticks up in the morning – all of it."

"But…if you love me so much, then why are you telling me that you're in love with this woman, Alex?"

Piper sighed. "Because I need you to understand why I can't do this anymo-

"No!," John cried out, closing his eyes and rubbing them. "Piper, please… You said you loved me. Why are you doing this to us?"

Piper tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "Because you deserve someone who isn't so fucked up by her past that – Piper felt tears begin to fall – that she can barely get through the day. The firm cookouts, the Church services, the vacations to Cape May, the afternoon teas, and the weekend brunches – it isn't me. Not since Litchfield. I want you to have someone who can live a happy, conventional life with you, John. Someone who doesn't have a criminal record and a lesbian ex-lover always lurking in the back of her mind. Someone who – Piper felt her voice begin to crack – someone who doesn't continually fail you as a wife or her child as a mother before her precious little boy is even born."

Sympathy replacing the hurt in his kind eyes, John took Piper into his arms. He kissed her temple. "Sweetie, you didn't fail. Not as a wife and most certainly not as a mother. I just don't understand, though – why didn't you tell me about your past? About who Alex really is?" Anger began to creep into his voice. "Or about the fact that you've been seeing her behind my back?"

Piper hung her head in shame. "I just wanted to put it all behind me. I thought that if I tried to forget it all, it would just go away. But then I started seeing things that reminded me of her and…I just couldn't help my curiosity, I needed to know if she was okay, you know?"

"No, Piper. I don't know," replied John, his voice growing hard. "She's obviously been nothing but trouble for you. Yet you want to leave me, the person who loves you, and our nice life together, to go…to go spiral down the same path of destruction she dragged you on before?"

Piper shook her head. "John, I'd honestly rather die than return to the life that the two of us had together. We were both so selfish, so wrapped up in our own little world that we didn't care who we were hurting."

"Then why, Piper, do you want to end this? I'm not scared of your past – I love you!," insisted John.

Piper cast her husband a small, sad smile. John really was a wonderful man. She sniffled. "Because, John, you need someone who doesn't have to force themselves to smile when they go out with our friends, someone who doesn't see an English muffin and remember the time that the prison kitchen starved her out, someone who doesn't look at the pulpit in Church and remember the time she fucked her ex-girlfriend up against one after being released from SHU, and someone who shares your unwavering faiths in God and His plan. You need a woman strong enough to brave each day of the conventional life that I know you want."

Piper looked down, watching her teardrops fall to the floor.

"And that's just not me. No matter how much I very badly want it to be. I love you. And because of that, I need to let you go."

Slowly, as though trying to process everything his wife had just said, John nodded, sadly. Silence hung in the air before he finally asked, incredulously, "You had sex with another woman in a Chapel?"

It was a true testament to John's character that despite the heartbreak they both felt, he insisted on remaining friends. After the divorce, Piper had packed up her things and moved out to a medium sized town in Georgia. Though she continued her career, Piper finally embraced her unconventional spirit and took a job at the local police department as a forensic accountant. Given her past, they had been skeptical of her motives, but Piper had been able to convince them to give her a chance. She had an excellent record, a charismatic smile, a mother with connections, and a multitude of satisfied clients who vouched for her hard work and honesty. After pulling the chief aside, she had even managed, after some convincing, that her experience in prison was a good thing because it enabled her to better understand the criminal mind. After months of relentless persuasion, the chief had agreed to give her the job on probationary terms. Grateful, Piper had put her all into it, working to ensure that they never regretted the decision.

It was exciting work with a more diverse host of colleagues than the ones back in Twinsburg who were probably still gossiping about that seventeen year old who sold cigarettes during the school day. For the first time in years, Piper felt unadulterated happiness as she progressed through the months of her life. As expected, her parents had not taken the breakup with John well. Piper hadn't expected them to be supportive. When inquired as to why she'd terminated the marriage, Piper just cited irreconcilable differences without going into too much of an explanation – she knew her parents, like most conventional people in her life, would never understand. As of today, she had been on her own for a year and a half. Her and John spoke regularly, in fact, she had attended his wedding to Jenji, a lovely woman who she had no doubt would make him very happy.

After the ceremony in Precious Blood, John had even found her and pulled her aside, telling her that he wanted nothing but the absolute best for her. Piper smiled to herself – John Kerwings, the conventional man with an unconventional sense of forgiveness.

She would think often of Michael, missing him each day though she had never known him outside of utero. Thankfully, she had been able to come to terms with his untimely death and stop blaming herself. Deep down, Piper hoped that someday she could have another child, but also accepted that it wasn't in the cards, at least not as of now.

And of course, Piper thought of and missed Alex. However, she knew that she had made the right choice in leaving both her and John behind. Piper hadn't seen, heard from, or tried to contact her since she last left Litchfield. Piper was dating again – both men and women, though none lasted more than three dates.

All in all, Piper was doing well for herself and settling nicely into the comforting embrace of routine. That is, until she opened the door of her apartment to find Alex standing in the hallway.

Piper felt eyes widen as her jaw hang slack. She blinked a few times, in disbelief that the inmate who occupied her thoughts, whom she previously thought had years left to serve in federal prison, was actually standing at her door.

"Hi, Kid," greeted Alex, smiling cheekily as if this were a normal occurrence. "Mind if I come in?"

Still paralyzed with surprise, Piper merely nodded. Alex walked past her and surveyed her apartment.

"Nice place. Small, but cozy. I like it."

Closing the door, Piper slowly turned toward Alex, half expecting to wake up at any moment. Surely, this wasn't real. It couldn't be. She took a moment to study her. She looked good - healthier, somehow. But that could have been because she was wearing jeans and a flattering blue top instead of a hideous beige prison suit.

"Wha…what are you doing her? Did…did you break out of Litchfield?!," Piper blurted out, a million questions racing through her mind.

Alex laughed warmly, shaking her head. "And how would I have done that? The Rapture bus? I'm not invited on it, remember?"

"Alex," said Piper in a voice familiar to the taller woman. It was her 'stop fucking around, or sex will become a distant memory' voice.

"I was released, Piper. I've been out for eight months. I was only in there for an additional seven months."

"For drug smuggling?!," an incredulous Piper practically shouted. The impression she had gotten at Litchfield was spot on; their legal system was completely fucked.

"No, silly. Perjury."

Piper rolled her eyes. It figured that Alex had lied to her. She folded her arms across her chest. "You told me the first time I came to visit that you were in for drugs."

"No," Alex corrected. "I told you to fuck off and that it wasn't my fault I was double crossed. One of the former dealers in the ring ratted me out and told the DA that I lied in trial when I said I'd given him the names of all accomplices - I only gave him the names of people I knew weren't going to kill me when I got out. The DA got so mad that he threw me back in Litchfield for an additional seven months." Alex rolled her eyes. "Justice is served. Just like the founding fathers intended."

"Okay…but, Alex, that still doesn't explain why you're here. How did you find me here in Georgia?"

Alex smirked. "Piper, I've smuggled thousands of pounds of illegal drugs across international borders. You weren't that hard to find. I went to the return address listed on the letters you sent me while you lived in Twinsburg. Imagine my surprise when a man opened the door and told me that you were no longer married to him and no longer lived there."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"Relax," responded Alex, holding her hands up. "I'm getting to that part. He asked who I was and when I told him my name, his head spun like the exorcist and he told me you didn't want to see me and that if I truly cared about you, I'd stay away." Alex paused, shaking her head in amusement. "You know, it's funny. I know married couples who fucking hate each other over stupid things like money and jobs. You, on the other hand, jump ship on the marriage boat after telling your Catholic husband that you're a half-lesbian who's so scarred by prison that she can't be normal and the guy still thinks the world of you. He sat me down and interrogated me about my intentions toward you – I felt like I was on an episode of freaking CSI or something."

Piper gave a slight smile, wondering what she'd done to deserve someone as lovely as John in her life.

"And what lies did you tell him to get him to give you my address?!," asked Piper accusingly, focusing back on Alex. "Because, Alex, if you think for two seconds that I'm going back to the stupid, destructive, fucked up excuse for a life that we had before I left you than yo-

"Piper," Alex cut her off, holding her by her shoulders and looking her straight in the eyes. "I meant it when I told you I loved you and wanted to change myself for you. Besides, after realizing that I wasn't about to try and coax you back into drug smuggling, John threw me out of his house because his fiancée was coming over."

"Jenji is his wife," corrected Piper, not knowing what else to say. "They've been married for two months."

Alex gave Piper an uncharacteristically sheepish look. "Did I mention that this was six months ago?"

"What?!," asked Piper, eyes narrowing in confusion. "Why? Why didn't John say anything?"

"I asked him not to," Alex explained.

"And why would he listen to you? And more importantly, why are you coming to me now? Have you lived here in this town the whole time?"

Alex shook her head. "No, I live about thirty minutes outside of it. Listen, Piper the reason I asked him not to tell you and the reason I waited six months before coming here is because I needed time to get my shit together before I saw you."

"Alex, I don't know what sort of plot you have, but I really don't have time or desire to be your life coach as you –

Alex held up her hand. "Just hear me out. And when I'm done, if you still want me to leave, I will. I won't come back. Okay?"

Piper pursued her lips, thinking for a moment. "Fine," she conceded, though she didn't believe that Alex would ever be completely gone from her life. "You were saying?"

"I was saying that I needed time to get my stuff together so that when I came here, I could show you that I meant what I said back in Litchfield. You know that business in town, Fulan Foods? It's been around for about three years?"

Piper nodded, she knew the CPA managing their books.

Alex smiled, proudly. "Giani Fulan, the CEO, used to work under me in the international cartel. I guess prison can be rehabilitative after all. Who knew?"

Piper let out a snort.

"Anyway," continued Alex, ignoring Piper. "I talked to him and he said he remembered how good I was at my job and said that he could use my skills to help him import produce from other countries and run the store. He made me a managing partner."

"Alex!," exclaimed Piper, forgetting for a second her skepticism. She was genuinely happy for her. "That's…that's awesome!"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know if 'awesome' is the word I'd use to describe taking inventory and tracking revenue, but it's a good paying job with great benefits that doesn't involve heroin, so it's a start."

"Why did you wait until now to tell me? Especially when you live so close?"

"Two reasons," the dark haired woman explained. "First of all, I wanted to make sure that I could actually do this whole 'normal job' thing before I came to you and, as it turns out, it's actually pretty nice. Even though I don't travel around the world, I make enough to potentially go on some sweet vacations. Second, and most importantly – Alex fumbled through the black purse she was carrying and pulled out a small, black, rectangular box – I wanted to save up and be able to properly buy you this."

Alex opened the box to reveal a beautiful, diamond engagement ring. She looked pointedly at Piper.

"Kid, don't make me get down on one knee. I'm already going out on a limb, here."

Incredulous, Piper took a step back from Alex. She rubbed her eyes – there was no way that Alex Vause, former drug smuggler and free spirit, whom she hadn't properly talked to in years, had actually shown up in her apartment with a diamond ring she bought with money she legally earned from a nine to five job. What was next? Pornstache becoming a women's rights lobbyist? Healy attending a gay pride parade? The apocalypse?

"Pipes?," called Alex, breaking her train of thought. A touch of worry colored Alex's voice. "Say something, will you?"

"Alex…," she began, half expecting to wake up. "I'm just trying to make sense of what's happening here. I haven't talked to you for years, save for a vicious fight that served as the entertainment of everyone incarcerated in Litchfield. I abandoned you at least twice, you told me multiple times that you didn't want me in your life, and called me the most self-involved person you've ever met. What part of that clusterfuck of controversy compelled you to move to fucking Georgia and propose to me out of nowhere?"

"Piper…can I sit down?," asked Alex, gesturing toward the small, blue couch that occupied her living room. Piper nodded and sat beside the dark haired woman.

Alex took a deep breath. "Look, Pipes. We have a fucked up past an-

"You think?!," interrupted Piper, laughing slightly. "That's an understatement. In fact I-

"Didn't your mother teach you that it's rude to interrupt?," Alex cut her off, her voice thick with annoyance.

Piper sighed. "Okay. Sorry. But, given the circumstances, I think that my surprise is merited."

"Then let me explain, okay?" Then in a more pleading tone, she added, "Please?"

Piper nodded. Though fairly certain the other woman had lost her mind, the least she could do was hear her out.

"As I was saying," Alex continued. "I've known you for about fourteen years and, I'll be honest, I've spent most of them resenting or downright hating you."

Piper opened her mouth as if to protest, but Alex continued talking before she had the chance.

"But, Pipes, the fact is, even when you left me, even when you broke my fucking heart, even when you chose Larry, and even when you left prison and didn't talk to me for three years, I never stopped loving you – and hating myself for it. No matter how much I've wished it were otherwise – and believe me, I have – you're the love of my life. I've been separated from you for over a decade and I'll be damned if I spend another moment of my life without you. And besides..." Alex's voice trailed off. "…when I spoke to John, he said you loved me, too."

Piper paused for a second and began slowly nodding her head again. "Is this what you told John to get him to give you address?"

Alex shook her head yes.

Piper put her hand to her forehead, taking in everything Alex had just said before responding, "I do love you, Alex. It's true. But this? This is really drastic and, I don't mean to be patronizing, but I don't think you realize the implications of this decision. Part of the reason I've always loved you is because you're so unconventional. But, Alex, by giving me, a WASP, this yuppie ring, you're implicitly agreeing to a boring, conventional life with a boring, conventional nine to five job. I know for a fact that you aren't suited for any of that. You want to free fall through life, remember?"

Alex felt her heart sink. "No, Piper. What I want is you. I've thought this through, okay? You were right about me needing to change my life. I want something more stable and besides – Alex's face broke out into a slight smile – we're two dyky ex-cons living in the middle of Georgia. We're not that conventional."

Piper fought the urge to smile. There was no denying that she missed Alex, no matter how crazy this all was.

"Really?," quipped Piper in a solemn voice. "Because I specifically recall you talking about a future of doing ecstacy on a beach with three strangers in drag on a Cambodian shore, Alex. I'm not criticizing you" – Piper was quick to add upon seeing a twinge of hurt flash across Alex's face – "I'm just saying, I don't want you to become ensconced in a conventional job, in a conventional town, leading a boring life where you're not happy."

"I am happy!," insisted Alex, becoming frustrated and on the verge of tears. "And I wanted to make sure of it. That's why I waited and spent six months on my own, becoming accustomed to 'conventional' life, before I came to you!"

"Alex," responded Piper, becoming emotional herself. "Six months doesn't mean shit. There is a world of difference between half a year and forever."

Slowly, Alex began to smile, her sad eyes filling with hope. "You…you want me forever?"

Piper leaned over and kissed Alex, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Of course, I do. No matter how much I've fought it, there's always a part of me that wants you here, next to me. Even when I wanted to smash your face against the wall during my first month at Litchfield, a part of me ached to be with you."

Alex took Piper's hands in her own. "Then let me. I promise I will always be here, with you. I'll never leave unless you want me to."

Piper took her hands from Alex's and picked up the ring from the black box that Alex had set next to her on the couch. "And you're sure this wasn't bought with drug money?"

Alex smiled and rolled her eyes. "That'd be a little hypocritical of me, considering I've been running the local Narcotics Anonymous chapter for the past five months."

Piper nearly dropped the ring on the floor. "What?!" Alex was apparently full of surprises.

Alex beamed. "Piper, when you told me that by smuggling drugs, I was being selfish, I realized that you were right." She paused. "Well, actually, I ranted to Nicky about how you could go fuck yourself and then realized that you were right. I can't take back the damage I helped the cartel cause, but I can help people here overcome the addictions that I used to help fuel, you know?"

Piper felt an overwhelming surge of love course through her as tears began to steadily fall down her cheeks. "You...did all of this for me?"

"Not just you, you narcissist," replied Alex, smiling and giving Piper a playful shove. "I did it for us. I want to be a better person for you, for me, for our kids – presuming you're into it of course," she added quickly. "I know that with what you went through with Michael, you might –

"You know?," said Piper suddenly, holding up the ring and gazing at it. "I could tell you to take this beautiful ring and leave, I could remarry and have kids, and I could create another version of my life in Twinsburg, but, when it came down to it, it'd always be you." Pausing to wipe her now wet cheeks, Piper slipped the ring onto her slim finger, pulled Alex in for a kiss, and stared into the other woman's green eyes. "I love you, Alex. No matter how hard I try not to, you're inevitable to me."

Ever prideful, Alex fought, albeit in vain, to keep from crying. Smiling from ear to ear, she pulled Piper into a deep hug. She couldn't remember the last time she was this happy.

"I heart you, Kid."

Piper bit her lip. "Promise?"

Alex pulled away from their embrace long enough to kiss Piper on the mouth and gaze lovingly into her eyes.

"Yeah."

I won't lie. I seriously considering having Piper either tell Alex to get lost or end up with Larry, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for closure and a happy ending. Anyway, I suppose that's it for now. Thank you to my lovely reviewers. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Come season two, I may be inspired to write a sequel if you guys would be into it. Please review and let me know what you thought of the overall story.