Writers Note: First fan fic, very open to critique. I've written about 8 Chapters thus far so depending on what people think i may write more or just stop when i'm happy. I'll upload a few chapters now and some more later. Hope you like it, happy reading. (also i'm Australian so we spell differently to Americans ;) )

Plot: What if Piper had bumped into Alex during furlough? What might have happened? This takes from Pipers adventure to Red's café.

CHAPTER 1

48 hours, 48 fucking hours and they were falling faster than flies. Before she had time to catch her breath, Piper realised she only had 13 hours and 30 minutes left till she needed to be back in Litchfield. Precious furlough minutes were speeding by like a bullet train in Japan and it made her feel sickly anxious and ridiculously on edge. She found herself constantly checking the dusted old clock on the far side of the room. How was she supposed to enjoy these precious moment when she couldn't take her eyes off the bloody clock. In all honestly Piper felt trapped more so than she did in prison. This half wake half wedding reception was proving far less bearable. Despite the freedom she felt incredibly confined and under surveillance in the council hall. Any wrong movement or 'normal' motion would send crowds of her family and friends into a stupid whispering frenzy of how prison life was or must be affecting her. Everyone was making it their business to poke their nose and give their two cents worth on Piper's absences. 'Wayward child' or 'The Lost One' or her favorite - 'back from Africa' were just a few terms she was referred to during her time in Litchfield. The rebel inside raged, wanting nothing more than to upstage her mother's fake behavior and show everyone what a hardened crime she'd become - even though she really didn't considered herself in such a harsh category. It was her grandmother's funeral after all so Piper played her role, drank as much as she wanted and ate everything that wasn't white, grey or brown with hidden lumps. It was the final judgmental comments from the couple sitting across from her that drove the blond to the point of no return, she couldn't take it anymore and needed some alone time.

Her grandmother was dead, Larry didn't want her anymore, someone she knew was sleeping with her ex-fiancé , her mother was busy telling tales of where Piper had been all this whole time and was being… well her typical Carole frustrating Chapman self and her father had barely spoke to her which cut the young woman deeply. Who were these people? They were all supposed to be her family and friends but all Piper saw were strangers. Ironically the closest thing she felt she had to family were all locked up and hours away wearing khaki outfits. As grateful as she was to be free, the fantasy of furlough was not entirely what it was cracked up to be. Fed up, slightly tipsy and lost in thoughts Piper rose and left the reception/wake.

She quickly found herself at the station and jumping onto the first train to Queens. Within moments of taking that first step Piper felt a wave of relief wash over her entire being. Besides walking out of Litchfield for the first time, this had to come second on the scale of truly feeling her fleeting moments of freedom. She didn't feel guilty leaving, she'd payed her respects, watched her brother 'tastefully' propose and wed on the spot, she'd played her role as granddaughter and even managed to completely embarrass herself with Larry which resulted in finalising their breakup altogether. Reaching her hands into her pocket she had found the perfect distraction to finish her remaining hours of freedom and she'd be dammed if anyone got in the way of her new task, visiting Red's kitchen!