The Reign Of Vause

Gifts

(Piper's POV)

After dinner, my brothers and Neri went to watch the football game in the living room. The guys all had beers, Neri was into it so she sat beside Cal with an alcohol free eggnog due to being 8 months pregnant, my parents had gone out to visit their neighbourhood friends to give them their gifts, Larry and Vanessa were upstairs in the guest room FaceTiming their parents to make last minute arrangements for their wedding tomorrow which just left Alex and me.

I had just come down from my childhood bedroom with Alex's gift in hand. I put the little black box underneath the Christmas tree and went to go and find her. The smell of my favourite Christmas cookies wafted through the air and was pulling me towards source. I found Alex in the kitchen and she had indeed just baked my favourite Christmas cookies. Chocolate chip cookies and gingerbread. I smiled and walked up behind her, she hadn't clocked my presence yet. When I got to her, I placed my head on her shoulder.
"Mmmmm babe they smell sooo good! Is this a new method to entice me to you?" I asked her, giggling.
At my presence, Alex smiled and reached behind her towards my face with a piece of cookie intended for me to eat it. I happily took it in my mouth and yes, it was a very nice cookie.
"Maybe. Actually no, make that definitely if it worked." She laughed, winking at me and we both giggled together as she turned her head to kiss me. She then took advantage of me being off guard and splodged some cookie dough on my nose. I opened my eyes and my mouth in a 'hey!' sort've way and immediately went for the cookie dough mixture to get her back. She held out the wooden spoon she had been using in defence. I chased her around the island as she ran backwards, keeping me in her sights. We were laughing and Alex turned the tables and pinned me up against the island.
"Okay, so you got me with your cookies but I sense this is also a way to bribe my family even more. You know, the Chapmans do love their food." I tease her.
She smiled and kissed me then answered me.
"Well, they've already got the money and the hot daughter so I figured food was the best way to go." She smirks and kisses me again. During our kiss, I could feel her stiffen and her hold of me tighten. I opened my eyes to find her glaring at the doorway to the kitchen so turned to face the same direction myself to see what was annoying her. When I saw who she was glaring at, I stiffened also which Alex felt so she rubbed my side with her hand as she pulled me to her. Vanessa and I may be adults now but there are some people that always scar you. She was one of them, especially now she was engaged to my ex and was the catalyst to everyone else who has taken a dislike to me in my lifetime picking out everything wrong with me and using it to bully me.
Alex and I were both now glaring at Vanessa as she spoke.
"I um, I'm sorry but Cal was saying he wanted to play the traditional Chapman family truth drinking game now that your parents are back." She started. Alex interrupted her.
"Then why can't he ask us himself?" She asked coldly.
"Well, I um, I'd like to know what's involved since Larry told me that him and Piper used to play it together every Christmas." She explained. At this, Alex stiffened even further and I grew guilty. This was a game that Alex and I used to play together every Christmas and I'd told her my family played it every year but it was Alex who'd introduced the drinking aspect to 'make it that bit more fun.' I knew she wouldn't like it if she ever found out that I played it with Larry so was silently cursing Vanessa for letting her into my little secret.
By now, Alex had straightened herself to her full height and let go of me to put the cookies in a bowl to share with everyone. Once she'd done this, she came back to me and possessively snaked her arm around me again, pulling me to her that little bit more aggressively.
"Sure we'll play." She stated and still with an arm firmly around me, grabbed the bowl of cookies with the other hand, shoved past Vanessa and sat us both on an available couch, putting the bowl of cookies on the coffee table.
Larry quickly grabbed one and took a bite,
"Mmmm, Alex, I gotta say these are great." He complimented her while I flashed him grateful eyes seeing he'd made an effort with Alex. Luckily for the both of us, Alex didn't see me, she simply said "Thanks."
Vanessa then came in with the drinks for the game and also grabbed a cookie, complimenting Alex also on her gingerbread. My pigs, I mean, my family were too busy gorging themselves on my favourite Christmas cookies baked by my wife to pay her her due compliments.
"Thanks, they're Piper's favourites." She replied to Vanessa, subtly glaring at her before turning to smile at me. She found me smiling back at her,
"You remembered!" I beamed.
"Well how could I forget? Our first Christmas together you ate my entire first batch!" She laughed, lovingly tapping me on the nose while I playfully glared at her which made her laugh even more.
"Okay game time! I'm not drinking first this time!" Danny said.
"We'll see." Cal laughed, poking our brother.
"Okay here we go and remember, first one to drink loses." My mom said placing the deck of truth cards on the coffee table as I took a cookie. "Whose turn is it again?" Mom asked.
"Well can Alex go first since this is her first Christmas with the family?" I asked.
Everyone agreed and Alex picked the first card on the deck.
"Wait. Does Alex know how to play?" Larry asked. Alex rolled her eyes at him.
"Yeah, I do. Pipes and I used to play this every year when we were dating and it was me who brought in the drinking aspect." Alex sighed and pointed out.
"It's true." I confirmed.
"Okay its a truth and Pipes it's for you, if you had to choose between going naked or having your thoughts appear in thought bubbles above your head for everyone to see, what would you choose?" She asked me, wiggling her eyebrows at the thought of both options.
"Easy. Naked." I said to which she raised an eyebrow and everyone else looked surprised so I explained.
"Well, after a while of people seeing my body, the novelty will wear off eventually whereas I'd have a different thought each day which would keep it interesting plus if I ever thought about Alex no one would want to see those thoughts." I admit.
"The body novelty never wears off just FYI." Alex whispered loud enough for only me to hear which made me flush bright pink.
It was my turn to pick up a card and I aimed it at Cal,
"Okay, Cal, what was the last thing you searched on your phone?" I asked.
"Oh, hold up let me check." He said pulling his cell out from his pocket to check his history.
"Oh yes, how could I forget? Baby girl names." He said so nonchalantly as if it were nothing. We all stared at him and Neri, he didn't know what we were staring about until he realised.
"Oh yeah we're having a girl."
And at this, everyone jumped to congratulate them. After we did this, the game resumed and Cal picked up a card,
"Okay, sis in law, what is your guilty pleasure? And don't make it dirty, I don't need to know about my sister's sex life." He asked Alex then said that which made us all laugh.
"Watching Pipes sleep." Alex replied. This made me blush even more.
"Aww really babe?" I asked and she nodded with a smile, kissing me on the temple.
"Okay back to me then." Alex said picking up a card.
"Oh okay, ehem, uh, Dad..., what is the most illegal thing you've ever done?" Alex asked my Dad awkwardly and he smiled as he answered.
"Speeding." He simply stated and that was that.
It was now his turn to pick up a card and aimed it at my mom.
"Oh this should be interesting honey, if you had to make out with any Disney character, who would it be?" He asked her.
"Aladdin." She answered, my Dad didn't ask any questions, he was a bit of a silent thinker. At her answer, Alex and I looked at each other thinking back to Alex's roleplay idea that she got back in prison. Alex wiggled her eyebrows and I just looked away so I wouldn't blush anymore.
Mom aimed her question at Vanessa,
"Vanessa, what is your biggest fear?" She asked.
It took Vanessa a while to think but eventually she said, "Someone hating me."
"Well, sorry hon but it's too late for that." I muttered under my breath and Alex subtly sniggered as she heard me.
Vanessa then asked Danny a question,
"Okay. Danny. Describe the latest dream you had. Did you like it?" She asked my older brother.
He paused to think then answered,
"Okay, I was in work in the operating theatre and I was operating on Pipes since her shoulder got shot." At this, the air was taken from my lungs at the memory and Alex had a similar reaction so we calmed each other down by linking hands as Danny continued.
"But just as I was about to fix her up, she turned into Katherine Heigl so yeah you could say I liked it." He sniggered then picked up a card to ask Larry his question.
"Okay, Larry, of the people in this room, who do you want to trade lives with?" He asked.
Larry scanned the room then locked eyes with Alex. Alex realised immediately and narrowed her eyes at him. He grabbed a drink then downed it.
"Ooooh we have a loser! And it wasn't me!" Danny exclaimed. Everyone laughed then I announced what I've been dying to find out all day, if Alex would like my gift or not.
"Okay! I don't know about anyone else but I think it's gift time!" I said.

One by one we opened the presents we'd bought for each other then finally it was time for Alex and I to exchange gifts. I crawled under the tree and handed Alex the little black box.
"I knew this was for me! I've been dying to open it ever since I saw it in our kitchen babe!" She confessed happily and read aloud the card I'd written.
"Dear Alex, life comes in moments and you've given me the best moments in my life. Merry Christmas, I love you, your Piper xxx. Aw babe." She smiled and opened it.
Her face lit up when she saw it and it made me so happy.
"Pipes, it's beautiful!" She gasped.
The jeweller had left a little note above it that said "Open Me" so she did and a small silent tear fell from her eye when she saw what I'd included in the locket.
"Alex? Are you okay?" My mom asked my wife.
Alex simply nodded, handed her the gift for her to see it then grabbed my face instantly and kissed me deeply.
"Oh Piper, what a thoughtful gift!" My mom exclaimed as she passed it around.
"Do you like it?" I asked Alex hopefully.
"Babe are you kidding? It's beautiful and such a wonderful thought. The first time we met and our first dance at our wedding. I'm wearing that everyday from now on and I mean that!" She said and I beamed, glad she liked it. When it got back to her, I took it from her and put it around her neck as she pulled her hair to the side for me to put it on her. When it was on, she opened it again and stared at it for a while with a huge smile on her face.