"Hey, you. Laura Ingalls Wilder."

Her beer in hand, Alex watched as the blonde spun around with a curious expression. It was then she noticed the paper in her hand and chuckled to herself. Who would want to work in this dump? she mused. She smiled knowingly as the wandering eyes finally landed on her.

Alex gestured with her beer, "We're escaping America before the apocalypse, wanna come?"

"S-sorry?"

Alex didn't get an answer as the bartender asked what she wanted. She chuckled as the woman swiftly turned, flimsy and flustered. She admired the long, blonde locks that cascaded down her back like a golden waterfall. She noted her choice of attire; not ordinary, she decided, but not overly drastic. Shifting her attention back to her friends, she kept an open ear towards the bar.

"Are we really moving to Berlin?"

"I have literally no money in my bank account. So, I'm not."

Alex laughed, "How about Timbuktu instead?"

"Perfect."

"...just gona end up in a drawer somewhere...so."

Alex leaned closer towards her friends, "Watch this," she whispered.

"...Can I have a margarita then?"

The bartender nodded with a smile, "That I can do for you."

Alex winked at her friends and slid out of the chair. She kept her laughter in as catcalls sounded behind her and kept her eye on the woman, who now sat looking deflated. She walked up to her, her beer still in hand, and plastered a sly smile.

"It's a little cold out for a margarita, don't you think?" She didn't wait for an answer as she picked up the paper on the counter. "Let's see this."

She nailed her assumption of a college graduate looking for her first job, she thought. And by the looks of it, she had absolutely no idea what she was doing.

"Steve's Greek Cuisine? Le Grand Fromage? Bullshit, bullshit," she grinned. "You need a lesson in fudging a resume."

"Do you work here?"

Alex nearly took that as an insult, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

She continued to read, "Manager, Polly Harper."

She looked up with a look of comical disbelief, "Nobody named Polly Harper gets put in charge. Who is that really?"

It was the first time Alex saw the blonde smile. She was a beauty.

"She's my friend," she explained, giggling.

Alex laughed with her, "You've never waited a fucking table in your life, have you?"

The grin dimmed as she shook her head, "No."

Alex smiled with ease as she turned her attention back to the paper. "So. Piper Chapman. 'A Smith graduate with excellent listening skills, passionate about making diners feel good'. Hm, that sounds kinda dirty."

The bartender came back with the drink. Alex looked up at him, "You can put that on my tab."

She continued to read, "'Safe, clean and careful when handling food and drink.'" She laughed heartily when Piper snatched the paper from her hands.

She grinned, "I like that in a woman."

She also liked the blue eyes that spoke of untapped adventure. The innocence was there, she thought. But there was something about her she couldn't quite grasp.

"What else do I need to know about you?" Alex asked.

Piper narrowed her eyes, "Who are you?"

She smiled, "My name is Alex."

"And what do you do, Alex? Besides make fun of strangers in bars." Piper was already guessing in her head; Accountant? Librarian? She had a sophisticated vibe, she thought. Maybe—

"I work for an international drug cartel."

Piper paused, her smile fading fast. Her thoughts scrambled to find anything that might contradict her claim. Porcelain skin, black hair, sexy green eyes, rose tattoo. Dressed to impress. Nothing screamed drugs. But then again, she thought, if you do work for a drug ring, you shouldn't be looking the part.

Alex watched gleefully as Piper's face contorted into an expression of disbelief. It was always the same reaction—surprise, doubt then the barrage of questions that flashes through their face. Over the years she learned to take that as a compliment. She was damn well good at her job, and not looking like some old drug pusher was an immense boost to her ego. When Piper didn't say anything, she laughed.

Relieved, Piper laughed with her, and noted the huskiness in the woman's voice. She found it...alluring. To the point where she wanted to hear it again and again...and again. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she took her glass of margarita and sipped cautiously.

Alex took a sip from her own bottle, "So do I have to pour a tub of margaritas into you before I get you in my bed?"

Piper choked on her margarita, eliciting another laugh from the raven-haired beauty. She vaguely heard a chorus of laughter coming from behind Alex, but couldn't concentrate properly enough to confirm. Coughing, she tried to maintain her composure. "W-what?" she stammered.

Alex hid her smile as she tipped back the bottle, studying Piper above the rim. Very cute, she thought, very tempting.

"Let's try this. What's a woman like you looking for work here?"

Shifting in her seat, she answered, "Well, I needed work. And no business wants to hire someone who double majored in communications and comparative literature, so."

Alex raised her eyebrows, "Wow. I pegged you for a college graduate, but I didn't peg you for an over-achiever."

Piper sipped her margarita, "Not that it did me any good. And it was more of a family 'make-me-proud-honey' thing. My mother always wanted me above everyone else. And I'm a WASP. So I guess that adds to the whole picture."

Alex nodded in understanding, "Did you want it, though?"

"No," she responded immediately, "No, I wanted to jump off planes and be a best selling author and travel."

"Why didn't you?"

Piper shrugged, "Had to keep up the 'Perfect Piper' image. They gave me everything I ever wanted...so I suppose I feel like I owe them."

Scoffing, Alex waved a hand dismissively, "Bullshit. You don't owe them anything, Piper. It was their responsibility to provide and develop your life. Now it's your responsibility to live it."

"I don't want to disappoint them."

"Self-disappointment is much worse," Alex countered.

Piper smiled brightly, "Do you always give wise advice to hopeless, lifeless graduates?"

"No," Alex said. "This would be the first."

"And what makes me different?"

"I'll let you know when I know."

Piper's eyes softened. She had never been hit on by a lesbian before. She never even thought of being a possible apple in a woman's eye. Feeling bold, she let her eyes roam Alex's body, up and down then up again. She lingered on her lips, before looking up in her eyes again.

Alex noticed the shift in Piper's demeanour. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just..." she trailed off, doubt tainting her confidence.

"What?" Alex insisted.

"You're a lesbian, right?" Piper's hand flew to her mouth, aghast that the question slipped out against her will.

To her surprise, Alex threw her head back and laughed. Piper reddened and took a big gulp of the margarita.

Still laughing, Alex patted Piper's hand, "Yes, I am." Teasing her, Alex asked, "Are you?"

Piper stammered, "Well, I-I never thought-I never really imagined but-"

Completely used to the stuttering, Alex interrupted, "On the fence, maybe?"

Piper sighed in relief, "Yeah. Yeah, kind of. I don't really know."

Alex tipped her bottle towards her in acknowledgement, "Got it."

Feeling mischievous and ridiculously turned on, she opened her mouth to suggest they go to a hotel when she remembered what—or rather, who—waited for her back home.

Shit, she thought frantically. I actually forgot I had a girlfriend.

Piper noticed the sudden stiffness, "Everything okay?"

Alex kept her smile in place as she thought of ways to leave without being too crass, "Yeah," she said. "I just remembered I have a shitload of work to do."

"For your 'international drug cartel'?"

Alex tilted her head, "Was that in between quotes?"

"Maybe."

Alex chuckled, "I wasn't joking."

She laughed again when realisation dawned on Piper's face. She pushed off the counter and walked back to her friends, grabbing her handbag that dangled from her chair. "I'll see you guys later."

"Did you get her?"

Alex shook her head, smiling. "No, not quite—," she paused as a lightbulb lit up. "Hey, do you guys have a pen?"

One of the girls searched through her bag, fished out a pen and handed it over, "What for?"

Alex didn't answer as she grabbed a tissue and scribbled down her phone number. "Thanks. See you."

She walked back to Piper, who watched her with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes. Alex's smile remained as she paid off her tab, casually leaving the tissue near Piper's drink. She was interesting, she thought, and she never left anything untapped. Drug mule or friend, she's definitely keeping this woman in close contact. Ignoring the berating voice in her head, she winked seductively at the blonde.

"See you around, Piper Chapman."

Piper's mouth hung open as she watched Alex hail a cab. She watched as her black hair danced in the night breeze. She was a picture, she thought, as the abstract colours of the city surrounded her, highlighting her dark and ominous demeanour. Shaking her head, she turned around, absentmindedly nursing her margarita. It was then she noticed the tissue by her drink had writing on it. She picked it up, turned the paper and saw a phone number. Alex's phone number, she thought excitedly.

She quickly shoved the piece of paper in her bra, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise up and tinting her cheeks crimson.

Alex, she mused, what a woman.