The Reign Of Vause

Paris?!

(Alex's POV)

"Paris." Piper simply stated looking at me.
My face fell. By all means, if Piper wanted the next Viper to be in Paris, then that's where it would be but it took me by surprise. Going back there immediately after burying and grieving for my mother and my breakup with Piper thanks to Fahri had been hard enough, but I guess that was history. Plus, now Piper and I had buried all of the many hatchets we had, got back together, married each other 5 months ago now since it was December and were currently lying in bed in the darkness with the lights of the city to light up our apartment and bedroom for us.
We'd had a quiet Thanksgiving, Piper's mom Carol had invited us to Connecticut for it but Piper promised her that we'd be up for Christmas instead, asking me if that would be ok. I told her yes because who wants to upset their in-laws? Especially in-laws that once hated you for 'ruining the life' of their daughter.
Piper broke my thoughts,
"Al? Going by your face I'm guessing you don't want that?" She asked.
"Oh no, if you want to go to Paris then we'll go to Paris but I just, I wasn't expecting that that's all." I smiled at her and resumed rubbing her shoulder with my hand that was draped around it.
"Alex. We need to stop thinking of it as breakup city. See this?" She asked me, letting go of my other hand briefly to flash her wedding ring and continued,
"You tied me down Mrs Vause. As I've said before, you're stuck with me now, for a very,..." She kisses me.
"Very,..."
She kisses me again and I smiled into it knowing where she was going.
"Very long time." She finishes smiling back at me.
"Hmm, well as I'VE said before, that, Mrs Vause, is NOT a problem because likewise with you." I tell her, kissing her again.
She mumbles into my mouth, breaking our kiss,
"My point being, Paris is supposed to be the city of love and before we broke up that's what I was trying to make it for us but you were too busy with your work schedule-"
I interrupt her, not wanting to bring up our demons from the past,
"Pipes, you-"
But she stops me in return to continue.
"I know, Al, it's ok, I know now that it was either Kubra and the job or death and honestly I'm glad you chose what you did because look at us now." She smiled and continued more,
"I don't want there to be a 'breakup city' for us Al. We are going to face our demons. Together. You and me. In love in the city of love. How does that sound?" She asked, finishing.
I grinned at her, pleased that she felt this way because when I thought about it, I did too.
"It sounds perfect."
She grinned back, happy that I agreed with her.
"Oh Alex! Thank you!" She said happily and snuggled into me to go to sleep.
"For what babe?" I ask, laughing at her cute and innocent outburst.
"Well you know, just for being you, just for being so sweet and letting me choose where your next business branch is going to be, for loving me, even when I make it impossible to." She finished. I smiled, staring out at our panoramic view of Manhattan that was facing our bed.
"OUR business branch and Piper, I will always love you unconditionally, no matter how much of an annoying asshole you can be." I finished giggling. She playfully and softly hit me in the ribcage.
"Hey!" She said, faking sternness but softened,
"This is nice." Her voice beginning to trail off.
I chuckled and looked down at her. She had her eyes closed and her breathing was becoming deeper and more even, she was falling asleep.
I moved my hand so that my fingers lazily stroked through her hair, Piper loved this, it was almost hypnotic to her. Within minutes, she was asleep. She was tucked into my side, her head resting on my chest as my arm stayed draped around her. I was lying on my back, still staring out at our views. Taking in again just how lucky I was. I had this great apartment with spectacular views, the woman of my dreams snuggled neatly into me like the puzzle piece that fitted exactly to my half, which, I guess is what she was, sound asleep in my arms. Piper had given me a family, she had taken my name to add one more to the Vause family name and her Chapman family were now mine. It was enough to bring happy, grateful silent tears to my eyes. When I was a kid I only had my mom, now my mom was gone but I had an amazing, beautiful wife and a brother-in law, well, two brothers-in law if I counted Piper's older brother Danny, the doctor, that no one ever talked about, a father-in law, a mother-in law and I guess, a sister- in law if I counted Neri. We had two very successful businesses together and amazing friends. How did this poor, bullied girl from New Jersey get so goddamn lucky?
Piper and I usually spooned at night but I could get used to this position. I pulled up our duvet to cover us a bit more since it was winter and freezing. Piper hummed in delight at this in her sleep, her body subconsciously thanking me.
I reached over to my nightstand as best as I could, trying not to disturb Piper and pressed the button for the electric curtains to close so we could both sleep. I liked complete darkness when I slept. It was hard to accustom to after the constant fluorescent lights of prison but I got used to darkness again pretty quickly after being out in the real world for 5 months now. Piper hadn't acclimatised as much as I had yet but she was making progress.
"Paris it is then baby." I whispered to the air, kissed the top of her head and shimmied slowly down so my head was against my pillow and not the leather headboard and fell asleep. Piper still firmly in my arms. We had stuff to do at PoPi tomorrow so both of us needed sleep.