Chapter 1.

"Where do you want to go?"
"I dont even know anymore..."

Her hands throbbed.
One singular concious thought.
Her fingers throbbed, but they were warm.
No, not warm. They burned. They ached.

Piper blinked rapidly, her eyes focusing on the mess that lay beneath her. She released her grip on Pennsatucky's jacket, watching as her body sunk into the snow, unmoving.

Oh my god.

Piper couldnt tell if she'd only thought it, or had actually mustered enough energy for it to escape past her lips. She sat, staring down at her hands. The crimson swirls and streaks stood out in blinding contrast to her cold, pale skin and surrounding snow. One small droplet left her finger tip and as it hit the ground, the thoughts and memories of the past few minutes came flooding back to her.

Pennsatucky. Healy. Alex. Larry. Her mind spun out of control.

She clutched her chest. She couldn't breathe. What was she supposed to do? What could she do? It was only a matter of time before someone found them. She looked around frantically. She was at a dead end. There was nowhere to hide, her or Doggett. Her eyes darted back and forth from the figure on the ground to her hands, to the door.

Healy.

The air rushed into her lungs.

What was he trying to prove? He left her to die. For what? And what about when he learned of her fate? Or better yet, the lack thereof. She was trapped. Stuck.

"Piper..." The voice that broke the silence was so sweetly familiar. It was the tone that made Piper's stomach turn. It had the same edge of fear and uncertainty as when she was begging her not to leave. Only now, it wasn't muffled, echoed or encased by a steel drum. It carried so easily across the frigid wind, that she initially questioned whether she'd actually heard it. It wasn't until the shadow crossed her, that she took it for reality.

Piper's eyes darted up and she squinted against the harsh light behind the approching figure, trying to focus.
It only took a second before Alex was kneeling in front of her, her hands cupping her face. She was so warm. Piper closed her eyes and leaned into her touch.

"Piper. Look at me. Are you ok? What the fuck happened?" Piper opened her mouth to speak, but could only turn and look at Pennsatucky. Alex's wild gaze followed hers.

"She... attacked me. Healy..." She paused, the panic written plainly on her face. Her hands started to shake and she cleanched her fist, feeling the skin stretch over her sore knuckles. She welcomed the sensation. She locked eyes with Alex once again. "What am I supposed to do? They're going to send me to SHU." Her voice broke and Alex grabbed her hands.

"They're going to do alot worse than that, kid." She stood and pulled Piper up with her. She swayed, unsteady on her feet. "We've got to go. Now." Alex said as she turned for the door.

Piper laughed. It was such a strange sound. Alien in the current air. It echoed for a moment too long in her own ears. "And where exactly are we supposed to go?"

"Put this on." Alex said, hurriedly shrugging out of her thick brown jacket. "You cant be seen like that." She put it around Piper and zipped it all the way up before she could even get both arms down the sleeves.
She grabbed the handle of the thick exterior door and took a deep breath before opening it.

Everything moved so fast, but so slow at the same time. It all felt so surreal. Almost dream-like. She couldn't even tell if her feet were hitting the floor. Alex couldve been dragging her down the slick tiled-floor of the hallway towards the dorms for all she knew. But considering the lack of incredulous stares, she assumed that that wasn't the case.

"Jesus, Chapman. You see a ghost or somethin?" Nichols' laugh breached her conciousness, but she didn't answer. She was leaned against the doorway of her bunk, arms crossed. Her laugh was cut short as Alex leaned towards her.

"We've got to go..." Alex's voice was sharp. Rushed.

Nichols straightened abruptly. "Wha... now?" Her confusion was not masked well behind clinched teeth. She looked around the room for any prying ears or eyes. Her expression was serious; eyes guarded, her forehead creased with uncertainty. She raised her eyebrows at Alex, even though she knew not to expect an answer. It was during a quick glance over at Piper that her eyes caught a small streak of blood that started on the side of Piper's neck and continued down behind the confines of the rough denim material. "ah... fuck.' Her eyes softened as her body straightened.

"Yeah, now. It's now or never. While everyone is still in the auditorium." There was a brief pause. "Get your shit." and with that, Piper was being dragged towards her bunk.

"Dress warm. Put on anything you have. Extra socks... and wear your boots. I'll be right back." Alex only paused for a moment, her hands on Piper's shoulders, looking down into her eyes. It was her silent promise to return. Then, Just as quickly as she was there, she was gone. Piper looked around, still slightly dazed, but she knew she didn't have much time. She had no idea what Alex had planned, or what Nicky knew about the situation, but judging by the sound of their voices and the looks on their faces, something was definitely about to happen.

After a quick glance over the wall and seeing the guard on duty was deeply interested in whatever was on the pod's comuter screen, she turned to her cabinet. She pulled out her sweats and her extra pair of thermal underwear and tossed them on the bunk, follwed by couple pairings of socks. She turned and glanced once more before she stripped her bloodied khaki shirt off from under the jacket. She stuffed it under the flimsy plastic matress and quickly set to donning the extra clothes she'd laid out. She finished it off with her own denim jacket, throwing Alex's over her arm to give back to her. As if on cue, Alex appeared in her doorway, followed by Nicky. Piper handed her her jacket and she slipped in on quickly. Pausing briefly to close her eyes a take a deep, reassuring breath, She nodded her head towards the door and Piper obeyed. She walked slowly so as not to arise the attention of the guards. Once they were clear of the doorway, She heard Alex whispering to Nichols.

"Connor?"
"She went to make the call. She'll be there.
"So this is actually happening then?"
"Well it definitely seems like it."

The sounds of the Christmas program were still echoing through the hallway. Piper's chest tightened. What she wouldn't give just to be one of the croud. Completely oblivious to the scene that was playing out before her. She felt eyes on her and she looked over at Alex.

"You ok, Pipes?" She could see the worry in her eyes, but she just nodded and hoped that sufficed. She didn't trust her voice at this point. Hell, the only thing she did trust at the moment was the person that was currently leading her down this hallway. She felt the all too familiar warmth as Alex's hand grabbed hers and pulled her to one side of the hallway. She noticed that both Vause and Nichols had their backs against the wall. She followed suit. She could feel the tension. Then, as if out of nowhere, what was happening finally sank in.

The cloudiness that had filled Piper's head seemed to clear for the first time since she'd first seen the cross in the hand of her attacker. The fog she was lost in was now crystal clear. She looked to Alex's face for reassurance. Even in that dim light of the hallway, her skin seemed to glow. Her glasses slid down her nose as she lowered her head. Her hair shielded her face and Piper reached up and pushed it behind her ear. Her eyes rose and locked with hers.

"You ready for this, kid?" She asked as Nichols pushed open the door. The fierce bite of the cold hit Piper's face, but it wasn't the night air that had sent the chill down her spine. It was knowing that after this, there would be no turning back. Things would never be the same. This would be her life. There would be no Larry. No Polly or beautifully scented soaps. What her life consisted of before, would vanish.
She took one last look at Alex. Her eyes were searching, studying her face. It wouldn't be the first time she'd up and left everything for this woman.

But who was she kidding. The realization was like a swift kick to the gut. This time, it was Alex who was risking everything for her. Her freedom, her safety, her future. For her. For Piper. She had no idea what they would do to her if she stayed. She shivered at the thought. Alex was willing to give up everything, just to ensure her safety. Even if it meant her own life.

Piper squeezed her hand, and watched as Nicky dissapeared out the door and into the night. She turned and followed closely behind.

A/N: I know it's not very long, but I'm still trying to work out the story line. Any and all comments and/or suggestions are appreciated. Let me know what you guys think.

-C