Baby steps - A TNS Fanfiction

Not again

The group began to walk up to the break room, through numerous cream corridors. Still, Piper felt the need to wrap her arms around herself, a nervous habit she hadn't used for years.

"So, you work here, right?" The darkly haired woman asked.

"Yes, I'm a camera woman," Piper replied, realizing her mouth was dry.

"Cool. I'm Natalie, I make sure these guys keep on schedule," Natalie told her, face deadpan. Piper wasn't sure if  it was supposed to be a joke or not.

"Hey, Nat!" The blonde haired man from before came up towards Natalie, not noticing Piper in that instant. "Where are we going?" He asked, looking ahead through the maze of winding corridors.

"Well, - I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." Natalie addressed her, and the man turned to look at Piper.

Silence.

Finn and Piper's eyes locked onto each other's, and Finn nearly stumbled over as Piper came to an abrupt halt.

Natalie and the camera crew had walked past them for the moment, having spotted the sign on a door that said: Break room. Crew only. And assuming that this was their destination, Natalie opened the door and let the documentary crew in.

Still Finn and Piper were stuck in a kind of trance.

"Piper..." And that was enough to snap her out of her shock. She'd been hoping to avoid him, without him noticing her, but it was never going to happen now.

She looked at the ground and hugged herself tighter, taking a few moments to compose herself.

"Have we met before?"

"Nice try Piper, but I know you still remember me."

Dang it.

"Look, we can't be seen together-"

"Why?"

Piper felt all the pent up anger inside of her bubble over.

"Why? Why? Because I could lose my job over this Finn! I could lose everything all over again! Because of you! Again!"

"You can't blame what happened on me Pip-"

"Why not? It's your fault! I never wanted this, any of it! If you'd just stayed away from me, none of this would be happening!"

Piper looked like she was about to cry, her hands clenched into her fists. In truth, she didn't know what she was going to do.

"I'm sorry, then. If that makes it better I'm sorry. But last time I checked, it was you who pushed everyone away from you. It was you who left me and broke my heart. It was you who left Grace to grow up, wondering why she doesn't have a Mum, wondering why her Mum didn't care!" Finn snapped, frustrated with how she couldn't see how she'd hurt so many people.

"Don't bring Grace into this!"

"Don't act like you care!"

"I do care!"

"If you cared then why did you leave!"

Their voices were growing louder, echoing through the corridors. Just around the corner, Josh raised and eyebrow, peering around the corner. Something wasn't right here.

"I don't know!"

"You don't know? You don't know why you shut off contact with your friends from Toronto! You don't know why you didn't tell your friends that you were leaving! You don't know why you left your family behind! You don't know why you left your child behind!"

Finn put a hand over his mouth. He hadn't wanted to say so much, so loudly. If anyone overheard, then not only would his career be a wreck, but the press would be knocking on Piper's door, trying to find out if she was the mysterious woman who's left him with a child. But worst of all, he was afraid he'd hurt the woman he still stupidly loved, despite everything.

"Piper, I'm so sorry," A tear came down his face.

"Whatever."

"Piper please," She began to walk away.

"I didn't mean i-"

"Later, Finn." And she turned a corner. The same one Josh was hiding around.

Piper and Josh came face to face.

"You... You heard.. that"

"I heard most of it."

"Josh-"

"What, what could I possibly do? Tell Charles? He's going to find out eventually, I don't need to bother." Josh walked past her and into the same corridor that Finn was in, leaving her standing petrified, alone.

What have I done?

Finn has watched her leave, watched the back of her black hoodie turn a corridor. He looked down at his black suit. They were wearing the same colours. But were they meant to be?

I'm so sorry for the late updates! I'll try and update a bit more now I've got my motivation back.

- Spring Xx