A/N: So in anticipation of the new season, this oneshot has turned into a twoshot. Thanks to everyone for your reviews on the first chapter.

Shameless plug alert: Over the last few months I've been working on a web series called "Veronica Vlogs the Apocalypse." It's a nine episode series of 4-6 minute episodes. They can all be found at . I'd appreciate it if you could go take a look! Thanks for reading!

Being friends with Piper is a lot easier than Alex thought it would be. The attraction is there, but so is some sort of unspoken agreement that they aren't going to take things passed the friends stage. Sure, she can't help checking out Piper's ass every once in a while, but she's enjoying the friendship their relationship always lacked.

Slowly, Alex starts to see Piper rejoin the living. She laughs a lot more (music to Alex's ears) and participates in conversation instead of skirting around it. They read a lot, swapping books sent from the outside and comb through the shelves in the library.

Of course, they still run too. Alex was even starting to enjoy it. At first it was a way to keep her eye on Piper, to make sure she didn't fall into the deep end completely, but she was starting to see what Piper meant, about the freedom and clarity she felt while on the track.

"You know, by the time we get out, we'll probably be able to run a marathon."

Alex huffs and slows her pace. "Just because we can doesn't mean we should."

"Come on, Alex!" Piper says nudging her elbow. "Remember when we used to watch the Bay to Breakers from our apartment in San Francisco? We can be one of those crazy people who dress up."

The morning of the race they pushed their loveseat up to the window and watched as the runners made their way up the hill. They'd laugh at the costumes and the drunk college kids who'd stumble along hours after the race had started. When Alex remembers that day she doesn't remember the race as much as what she and Piper did on that couch afterword.

"Only if we run it naked," Alex says with a wink.

Piper blushed and stared at her. There were rare moments like this where the history and attraction between them came rushing up to the surface. To her credit, Piper recovers quickly and rolls her eyes.

"Seriously, though, I think we should consider it. It'll be a good goal for us to have. Get out of prison, run a marathon."

Alex stops completely at that statement and looks to the ground. Even factoring in her added time, Piper's only got about eight months left. A decent stretch, but she's at the point where it's not too crazy to be making plans for after. Alex still has a long way until she can start thinking about the after.

"You'll have to do the first one without me, Pipes. Actually, you'll have to do the first couple without me."

That finally stops Piper, who turns around slowly to meet Alex's eyes. They've gotten really good at not talking about the future (or the past), and instead try to focus on the here and now.

"I-I didn't mean to . . ."

"It's cool, kid," Alex shrugs. "Gotta face reality at some point."

Piper walks over to her and loops their arms together, leading Alex away from the track. "Yeah, but not today. Today, all we have to worry about his that horrible movie they're going to make us watch tonight."

After dinner, when they settle side-by-side in the rec room to watch the latest horrible teen fantasy movie, Piper can't help but think that she'll have to watch the sequel by herself.

As the months tick by Alex finds it harder and harder to be Piper's friend. Or just be Piper's friend. Not that a relationship between them could work right now. Piper's only got four months left and there is still so much to work through and that needs to be forgiven, but damn it if Alex cares when Piper's giving her that look.

And, god, Alex loves that look. It's not Piper's 'take me now' look, which Alex loves almost as much. It's a softer, sometimes shy look that Piper always used to get right before she'd say "I love you."

Piper used to give her that look all the time in the early days of their relationship. Alex was able to figure out what it meant before Piper actually said the words and it warmed her heart every time. Today though, Alex has to clear her throat and walk away before anything wonderfully damaging can come out of the blonde's mouth.

"We okay?" Piper asks at dinner, after Alex had spent the rest of the day avoiding her.

"Yeah, of course."

Piper narrows her eyes and leans in so they won't be overheard. "Look, I know what's wrong. I feel it too and I know it would just be a mess to even consider starting anything right now, but you're my best friend Alex. We can either acknowledge what's going on and try to move past it or go fuck in the chapel and deal with it that way. Either way is fine with me."

Alex laughs. "You always knew how to woo me."

Piper just smirks and goes back to her salad.

As much as she would have enjoyed it, Alex is glad they never went to the chapel. It would have made today, Piper's release day, that much harder. She puts on a brave face through Piper's party, but has to sneak out once the dancing starts.

They've tried really hard to ignore the reality of today, but they were both happy that Piper was finally getting out. As much as she'd miss the blonde, Alex was glad that Piper could break free of these walls.

Eventually, Alex found herself by the track. She laid down on the hard ground and closed her eyes. Alex never believed in the idea of fairytales and soulmates and all that crap, but since Piper had said it all those months ago, Alex couldn't get the word inevitable out of her head. It was hard not to think about what might happen to them once this chapter was finally closed. Whether or not they stayed in contact after Piper got out, Alex had no doubt they would somehow bump into each other on the outside.

Inevitable.

"If I close my eyes it almost feels like that rocky beach in Santorini."

Alex jumped slightly, uncharacteristically caught off guard.

"Thanks for disturbing the peace, Pipes."

The blonde's chuckle warmed her heart. There was only about an inch separating their bodies and Alex felt the distance almost painfully. It was both too close and not close enough. Unable to take it any longer, she moved to get up, but Piper reached out for her hand, grounding her. Gathering her courage, Alex met Piper's eyes and silently cursed. It had been there all along, the "l" word she was loathe to use, but it was reflecting back at her in Pipers eyes.

"Fuck Piper, how did we get here?"

"We took the long scenic route."

And what beautiful scenery it was.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Name it."

Alex pushed her glasses onto the top of her head and looked Piper in the eye. It's finally the moment they'd been dreading and neither can quite form the words to say goodbye. Alex knows she has to get this out though.

"I need you to not come back here. Not to visit and certainly not to stay."

By the look on Piper's face that was the last thing she expected to hear. The blonde searched the other woman's face for answers, but Alex stood resolute.

"Piper, I want you to live. I want you to taste that freedom you talked about. And god . . . I wish I could be there to experience it with you, but if I learned anything these past few years, it's that I don't want to be the force that holds you back anymore."

Piper looked at her wide-eyed. Alex could see the argument forming in her mind before the words left Piper's lips.

"You don't hold me back."

Alex sighed. They only had a few more minutes left and this wasn't the time to open the Pandora's Box of their relationship.

"Look, the way we ended, there was clearly enough hurt on both sides to go around. Fuck Piper, I've held onto you all these years and I know you did too. I don't want us to do that to each other again. If you come back here to visit, we'll always be stuck in that holding pattern and if history is any indication, it'll blow up in our faces. So go. Be free. Please."

The last word comes out as a whisper and Alex has to hold back the sob that forms in her chest. In one step Piper closes the distance between them and wraps Alex in a fierce hug. They stay like that, clinging to each other until Fischer cleared her throat signaling that it was time to go.

They lock eyes, all the words left unsaid between them spoken clearly with one final look. Then Piper's gone. Just like that.

Alex doesn't move from that spot for three hours.

The days after Piper's release drag on. It rains for a week straight and Alex can't figure out if it's the universe laughing at her or empathizing with her. When the sun finally peeks through the clouds she makes her way to the track. The mud is squishy under her shoes and she finds that she sinks if she stands still too long.

The story of my life, she thinks.

Once again she's left alone to clean up after Hurricane Piper. It's different this time, though. Less destruction. There's more flowers than weeds.

Alex pulls her jacket tighter around herself. She doesn't think she'll be coming back to the track too often.

The next weeks, months, years pass in a blur. She watches people come, go, and return. Her stomach clenches every time someone says, "Hey, you'll never guess who's coming back." In moments of weakness she prays it's Piper. Alex longs to see her face or hear her voice again. When the weakness passes she's always thankful that it isn't her.

True to her word, Alex hasn't heard a peep from Piper since she got out, though she suspects the blonde writes to Nicky. She wants to ask about her, but doesn't want to get caught up in the hurricane. The distance is her lifeboat and despite the ache of Piper's absence, it's the only way she can keep from sinking.

Slowly her friends start to get released. First Boo, then Morello, and finally Nicky. Alex still has Red and a few new girls she's befriended, but no one like the friends she's lost. So she retreats to her books. She pours over them all day. Before she knows it she's read everything in the library and writes to Nicky begging her to send her something new to read.

Alex almost cries with joy three weeks later when a box of books arrives. Judging by the eclectic mix, Nicky went to Barnes & Noble and grabbed whatever was on the best seller list. One by one she studies her treasures, all shiny and new. When she reaches the bottom of the stack, her heart stops.

With shaking hands she picks up the familiar worn out copy of Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich. The corners are frayed and the pages are yellow, but it's the most perfect thing Alex has seen in a long time. She remembers very clearly the day Piper bought the book in a market in Bali. She'd spent that afternoon with her head on Piper's lap as the blonde read to her.

The memory makes her smile as she flips through the book, but it's what's hidden inside that makes her heart burst with joy. Tucked safely between two pages was a picture of her and Piper on the beach. Like the book, the photo is worn and creased, confirming that the book was the same one from their trip and was sent from the blonde. Alex marveled at how young and unencumbered they looked, blissfully unaware of the future that awaited.

With the other books forgotten, Alex tapes the picture to the wall beside her bed and lays down to face it, the book clutched tightly to her chest.

Alex can barely believe it when her time finally comes. She's spent months looking for a place to live, a (legitimate) job, and has arranged for a ride out of Litchfield with Nicky. Still, it comes as a shock when she walks into the rec room to cheers and construction paper confetti. She gets hugs and congratulations and well wishes from all the women she'd come to think of as friends.

The next day Bell hands her the outfit she came in with: a pair of black skinny jeans, red and black button up, black leather jacket, dark gray beanie, and a pair of converse. It feels so good to be back in her old clothes. She's a little surprised they still fit.

After she finishes changing, she stuffs her beanie into her pocket and mock salutes Bell on the way out. She steps outside of the gates and marvels at how much better everything smells and feels. Alex closes her eyes, taking in all in.

When she opens them, she catches sight of a hot blonde leaning up against a black 1968 Mustang.

Piper removed her wayfarers and moved toward Alex. "Is that slack jawed expression for me or the car?"

The blonde smiled and motioned to the car behind her with a shrug. "Turns out artisanal soaps can be quite lucrative."

In one swift movement Alex wraps her arms around Piper and holds on tight. The last time they saw each other was in an embrace identical to this and Alex decided she liked it better as a hello than a goodbye.

It's Piper who finds her voice first. "It's good to see you, Alex."

Tears pool in Alex's eyes and she fights to keep them back.

"You too, kid"

Piper's apartment smells like heaven when they arrive.

"Make yourself at home," Piper said rushing over to the kitchen. "I just have to chop up a few tomatoes and cook the noodles. We'll eat in about fifteen."

"You didn't have to make me dinner."

Piper gave her a "don't be silly" look and went back to chopping. Alex scanned the apartment, but mostly found herself staring at the woman in front of her.

Alex was relieved that even though years had passed, Piper seemed to be the same Piper that she said goodbye to in Litchfield. She was lighter and quicker to laugh and Alex was thrilled to see her again.

"How long have you and Nicky planned this?" she asked taking a seat at the table.

"Last few months. Who do you think found you a place to live? You really thought Nicky knew you well enough to find that fabulous apartment? I got it for a steal too."

"Well, jury's out on if it's fabulous. I haven't even seen it yet."

"Trust me. It's got a view to die for."

"I think I like the view from here better."

Their eyes met and Alex could feel that familiar tug in her chest. Piper jumped when the kitchen timer sounded, but couldn't hide her blush as she turned to the stove.

"This is delicious, Piper."

"Does it taste familiar?"

Alex put down her fork. This seemed like a trick question. She racked her brain for any significant spaghetti dinner in their relationship, but came up empty. "Should it?"

"I was hoping it tasted like your mother's. She made spaghetti the first night I met her and you raved about how it was your favorite. I've been trying to replicate the recipe from memory, but I guess it missed the mark."

Alex wanted to reassure Piper, but she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips.

"I'm sorry," she said off Piper's hurt look. "It's just-"

Alex fell into another fit of giggles and struggled to regain her composure. "Pipes, my mom couldn't cook worth shit. Her famous spaghetti sauce came from a jar."

Piper found Alex's laugh infectious and chuckled along with her. "Then why did you rave about it like it was the best thing you ever tasted?"

"Because she was trying so hard to impress you. She was so nervous."

"To impress me?"

"Yeah. She knew how much I loved you. She didn't want to be embarrassing."

Piper reached out for Alex's hand. "She was the farthest thing from embarrassing. If anything I fell more in love with you that night."

Alex stared at their hands and watched as Piper's thumb made soft circles on her palm. Normally talking about her mom led to hurt feelings and a fight. It was nice to talk about her like this.

"Thank you, Piper. I'm not sure I would have gotten through tonight on my own."

"Of course." Piper placed her free hand on top of their linked ones and gave Alex a soft smile. "The transition back is hard. I just want you to know that I am always here for you."

Alex looked into Piper's eyes and saw the sincerity in them. Tonight felt like the beginning of a new chapter. All the sordid history between them could stay in the past. For the first time ever, they seemed to be standing on solid ground.

"Me too, kid. Always."