Wentworth Season Five: A Queen Will Rise. Episode 2

From the Mind of Aunty Liz. Elizabeth Ragona #AuntyLizWW

Rated M. This is a fan-fiction story that takes place immediately after the events in Season Four, Episode 12. It continues approximately a week after Season 5, Episode 1. This story makes references to events from all of the seasons of the show including S4E12. This is NOT an official story from the makers of Wentworth.

S5E2: Scene 1

Bea sighed and tucked her arm under her head. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't get up and walk around, and she didn't want to wake the beautiful blond using her right shoulder for a pillow.

"I'm not asleep," the blond whispered into her ear, warm air flowing over sensitive skin.

The jolt that went through Bea's body at the sound of her lover's voice made it clear that Bea was beginning to feel better.

Allie smiled to herself in the darkness. "I see you're not asleep either," she teased.

"Mm." Bea couldn't help but smile and let out a low chuckle that made her body shake. She wasn't used to feeling this way, wanting to touch someone all the time, being happy just looking into their eyes. Sure, for now they had to be content with just holding hands and sleeping beside each other since Bea still wasn't allowed to get up; and she didn't have the strength to go far if she tried to get up. But the memory of their lovemaking made it all the more urgent for her to get better. And soon.

"Are we going to talk about this?" Allie asked softly as she propped up on her elbow.

"Allie, listen to me. There's no way to kill her. And I'm done trying. Let the screws figure out what to do with her. She's already bought the judge and the prosecutor probably won't be far behind. The best thing any of us can do is to try to get away from her. You, me, Frankie, Shayne, we're all in danger and we have to get out of here and as far from her as we can."

"Bea, she tried to kill you…Twice… and she tried to kill me. The only way we're going to be safe is to make sure she can't hurt us anymore."

"Are you ready to murder someone? Watch the life go out of their eyes? Smell the blood? Hear that last gasp of air and watch them piss all over themselves as their body shuts down? Are you ready to see that over and over, every time you close your eyes?"

Allie knew that she wasn't, and shook her head. "How are we going to escape? You can't even get out of bed."

"I know. But as soon as I can, be ready. They'll want to send us back as soon as possible so we'll have to take any opportunity we can get."

Allie nodded as she laid her head on Bea's shoulder. Bea wrapped her arm around the younger woman and pulled her close to kiss her on the forehead. "It's going to be okay. I promise." Neither one believed her words.

Once it was determined that Bea was out imminent danger, she and Allie were moved to the 10th Floor of the hospital into a wing reserved for VIP's. Every visitor who entered had to get a special pass, and the corridor was locked and guarded 24 hours a day. There was a special kitchen in the wing where meals were prepared for the patients. And everyone, including the doctors and nurses, had to go through a strict vetting process to work in the unit. Everything was controlled to protect the privacy and safety of famous, or infamous, patients.

The current report about Bea Smith was that she was in a coma and was placed in the ward to have 24-hour care and monitoring. Allie, still recuperating from her own attack by Ferguson, was also placed in the special medical unit to manage costs and reduce the need for two sets of prison guards at the hospital. Vera, Will, Bridget, Miss Miles, and PJ Ford, the burly, bald prison guard, were the only Wentworth employees who knew the true status of the two prisoners.

In a hospital conference room two floors below the sleeping couple, Vera looked around the table at the people who had become her team. Not just ordinary guards, this was her special squad, her own crew. They waited silently for her to collect her thoughts.

"We have to leave them here as long as possible. The only way to keep them safe is to make sure that Joan Ferguson thinks they aren't a threat. Bea Smith is in a coma and Allie is connected to a respirator and can't remember anything about her attack. That's the story we're telling the other guards at Wentworth, ALL of the other guards including Mr. Stewart. You all are the only people who know the truth."

Bridget looked around the table. She could sense a change in how the three guards saw Vera Bennett. There was a new look of respect and a sense of trust that they never felt when working for Joan Ferguson when she was governor. "I've done background checks on everyone that works in the hospital unit. None of them have a previous connection with Ferguson. There's one with an old misdemeanor and I've asked to have her temporarily transferred to a different unit."

Vera nodded and looked at Will. "PJ and I will split the day," he said. "He'll take the day shift so he can still spend some time with his family; and I'll take the night shift." PJ nodded that the plan was acceptable to him.

Linda Miles shifted in her seat. "I've still got to run Maxine Conway back and forth for her chemo treatments. She has three more weeks of that. But on days when she's not scheduled, I can give either one of you some time off."

Vera smiled at the offer. "Thank you Linda. I appreciate the teamwork. How's Conway doing?"

"The chemo treatments are making her very sick but the women in H1 are taking care of her. And she's not telling anyone what she knows. They all think she's just going for her treatments."

"Good. I hope she feels better. And it can't be too soon. The alliance between Proctor and Mercado is bound come crashing down; and when it does, we need someone who can fill the role of Top Dog. Without Smith here, Conway is our best choice. She's strong but fair, and the women already see her as a leader." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Okay. I have a meeting in the morning with Mr. Channing. Miss Westfall, do you have that status report for him? We need to convince him that Smith and Novak are still in need of their 'special' care."

Bridget handed her a light green folder with the Wentworth seal imprinted on the front. "Doctors' notes, EEG and ECG reports, labs; they're all there. I will go check on the 'patients' in the morning. At this rate, they'll be through all the books in the library in a month."

"Very well." Vera looked around the group. "Thank you everyone. We have to do everything we can to keep these two women safe. Their testimony is the only thing that will put Joan Ferguson away for good." She stood up and everyone else started to leave the room. "Will? Do you have a minute?"

Will closed the door as Bridget and Linda walked out discussing which books to bring from the library.

"Will, I talked to Mr. Channing and asked that, given the circumstances and your previous record, that you be reinstated as Deputy Governor. He has agreed on the condition that you attend regular counseling sessions and enter an outpatient drug rehab program."

Will's eyes opened wide in surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, governor."

"I'm giving you a second chance because I need you on my team. But I can't have you compromised. One more screw up and you're gone. Do you understand me?"

"I do. Thank you."

The smaller woman patted him on the back and led him out the door. "How about a coffee from the cafeteria? The first round's on me."

"Sure." He closed the conference room door behind him and neither officer noticed the small red light hidden in the bookcase turn off.