Bea Smith could not remember ever being drawn to another human being like she was Allie Novak. From the very moment that Allie had awkwardly introduced herself Bea had felt a pull. She had completely ignored it in the beginning chalking it up to wanting to know your enemies. However, it hadn't taken Allie long to penetrate that badass top dog façade. She had respected the position but was never threatened by it, seeing the woman Bea truly was instead.
Every time Allie smiled at her, Bea felt warmth suffuse her body. Many times she would have to physically stop herself from going to Allie, wanting so much, just to be close to her. The sly glances and secret touches were all that kept Bea going most days.
With Ferguson finally gone and Kaz behaving for the most part, Bea had allowed herself to relax and enjoy the new feelings. Maxine was the only one who had any idea what was happening between them and Bea wanted to keep it that way as long as possible.
They had managed to sneak away to the equipment room on several occasions when Allie had kitchen duties. They would hold hands and talk mostly with occasional kissing, Bea too nervous most of the time to do more than that. She wasn't sure what it was about being alone in a room with the other woman, but it turned her into a giggly teenager. The sensation was embarrassing; it was also exhilarating because she couldn't remember ever being that way, even when she was actually a teenager.
Allie for her part had been nothing but understanding. Never pushing Bea passed what she was comfortable doing. Never making her feel bad for what she wasn't ready to do. Just taking what Bea could give and giving back so much more. Bea had no doubt that Allie wanted her. It was a completely unfamiliar sensation. Her whole marriage she had never felt wanted. She had only ever felt like a housekeeper or the means of a sexual release.
The way Allie held her and caressed her, the way she pulled her closer leaving space for nothing between them. The way her breath quickened, her moans and sighs. These were all ways Allie showed Bea she wanted her.
"What's got you thinking so hard?" Liz asked from Bea's open doorway.
"Nothing," Bea answered a little too quickly. "Just spacing out," Bea tried to cover, being caught off guard.
"You were smiling," Liz commented, "Must have been good thoughts."
Bea couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, "Yeah they were."
Liz smiled, "Good," she shoved Bea's shoulder playfully. "We're going to play some cards, you interested?"
Bea agreed and the rest of the evening was filled with boisterous laughter and friends.
XXXXXXXXXX
Breakfast had become a favorite of Bea's. It was the first time she got to see Allie, the first glance of the secret smile that Allie only shared with her. Bea didn't have to wait long for Allie to enter, their eyes meeting immediately, that smile. It was only the briefest of moments, but Bea craved it.
Breakfast passed uneventfully as Bea and Allie continued to steal glances. When Allie stood to take her tray Bea stood up quickly, startling Maxine who sat next to her. She followed Allie to the trash bins and even though they didn't share any words, they stood close enough for their shoulders to touch. It wasn't nearly enough in the scheme of things, but it was enough to hold her until they could be together without hiding.
Several hours later they were in the yard. Bea was listening to Liz and Boomer argue over something trivial, while Maxine and Doreen had their own conversation. Bea looked across the yard to Kaz's table and could see the woman was well into one of her famous speeches about some injustice. Allie looked bored out of her mind and was playing with the sleeve of her jacket, the others listened with rapt attention.
A commotion at the gate turned everyone's attention in that direction. The guards were leading a new prisoner into the yard. She was a short muscular woman, with a large rose tattoo on her neck and an ugly looking scar on the right side of her face, the woman was laser focused on someone across the yard. Bea followed her gaze and her blood ran cold as she realized it was Allie in the woman's sights.
Allie was looking at the woman as well and Bea could see the fear in her eyes. A cold rush of dread rushed through Bea's body as she saw the woman making her way toward Allie. As the woman reached her, she pulled her up by the arm so roughly, Allie nearly fell just barely catching herself at the last second.
"What the fuck?" Kaz shouted while jumping up, making a grab toward the woman holding Allie.
"No, Kaz its OK," Bea could hear Allie saying, then Allie turned in Bea's direction and shook her head imperceptibly. Every fiber of her being told Bea to confront the woman, but she instead retakes her seat.
The woman pulled Allie away from her friends and moves her into a corner blocking her off from the others. Kaz and her crew stay seated but their eyes are riveted to Allie, silently watching over her. Bea is only slightly placated by the sight.
The woman has Allie pushed against the wall with an arm on her stomach and is bent down leaning close to her face. The scene looks almost intimate, but Bea knows the expression on Allies face is not one of happiness.
Beas fist clench when the woman grabs Allies jaw as she tries to look away. A grimace of pain is etched onto Allies face as she fights slightly against the hold. Kaz was now standing and had started toward the pair, when the woman abruptly moved away from Allie and pushed her to the ground laughing and then casually walking away, as if nothing had happened.
Bea ignored the woman her whole being focused on Allie. Kaz moved quickly and helped Allie to her feet. Bea couldn't hear what was being said but Allie was smiling and shaking her head, Bea could see from her spot across the yard the faint tremble in her hands as she pushed her hair out of her face.
Kaz and Allie shared a few more words before Allie hugged Kaz and then started towards the cells. Allie made eye contact with Bea and she could still see the fear in Allies eyes.
Bea waited a bit before she followed Allie. She checked Allies cell first and she wasn't there, next were the showers, still no Allie. Confused Bea decided to wait Allie out and went to her own cell. Bea had only been in her cell for five minutes when the alarm sounded. Her body flashed with hot fear as she jumped up and tried to run out of the cellblock, she was stopped though by a large guard standing nearby sending everyone to their cells.
Maxine and Boomer showed up, "Do you know what's happening?" Bea asked, her voice filled with panic.
"Nobody was saying anything," Boomer answered, sitting on the couch.
Her nonchalance grated on Bea's nerves and she had to bite down on her cheek to not snap at the innocent woman. Bea watched guards rushing around outside the locked gates but couldn't make any sense of what they were saying. She saw a couple of officers walking by with what appeared to be blood on their hands. Bea nearly groaned at the fist of dread in her stomach and tried to calm herself by saying she didn't know for sure if it even involved Allie, though deep down she knew it did.
XXXXXXXXXX
They had been locked in for the rest of the day and Bea was beside herself as she waited for the guard to finish count. As soon as she could, she rushed out of the cellblock and headed toward Allies. Before she made it though she literally ran into Kaz who had been walking down the hall distractedly.
"Whoa," Bea said a flash of anger hitting her before she noticed Kaz's face was tear stained. "What's going on?" Bea tried to sound casual.
"That new bitch with the rose tattoo attacked Allie yesterday," Kaz said fury coating the statement.
Even though Bea expected the words the white hot wash of rage that suffused her body surprised her, "Is she Ok?" Bea managed to ask trying to keep her composure.
"I can't get anyone to tell me anything. Fucking screws are worthless," Kaz yelled causing several of the guards to turn in their direction. "From what little I could get them to tell me she got taken to the hospital and she was stable. One of my girls saw them taking her away on the stretcher and said she was awake, but there was a lot of blood," Kaz had tears on her cheeks again and her fist were clenched, "I'm going to kill that ugly bitch when I see her."
Bea silently agreed, "I will see if Doreen can get some more information," she offered, not wanting to expose her relationship with Allie this way, but knew being Top Dog was a plausible reason to want to get the information on Allie.
Kaz seemed slightly surprised but smiled gratefully, "Thanks."
Bea went immediately in search of Doreen and told her what was going on. She was sitting in her cell waiting for Doreen to get back with information when Maxine walked up to her door.
"What's wrong?" she asked Bea immediately.
Bea sat on the bed with her back against the wall, she laid her head back against it and tried to keep the tears at bay, "Allie was attacked last night," her voice cracking.
"Oh honey," Maxine soothed as she moved to sit on the bed beside her. "Who did it?"
"Some new woman. They obviously knew each other…" Bea explained remembering the events of the day before. "I saw them and that bitch put her hands on Allie, I should have done something then," Bea was crying now and wiped impatiently at the tears.
"It wouldn't have done any good. Is she OK?" Maxine moved closer hugging Bea against her side.
Bea shrugged helplessly, "Doreen is trying to find out information."
Maxine nodded and then just held her as they waited in silence.
It was nearly an hour later when Doreen approached Bea's door, "I just talked to Kaz," she offered.
Bea sat up, "Is Allie OK?"
Doreen leaned against the door, "She got roughed up real good, got a couple of broken ribs. The bitch tried to rape her but Allie fought back and was able to hold her off. Some of Juice's girls walked in on it and for whatever reason stopped it. Allie got lucky," Doreen finished and then wandered off.
"She's going to be fine," Maxine assured. Bea nodded, but now that she knew that Allie was relatively OK, her thoughts turned dark. Rose tattoo was going to pay.
XXXXXXXXXX
It had been 4 days since Allies attack and Bea's thoughts had been filled with only thoughts of the blonde woman. The woman who had touched Allie had only been slotted for two days and Bea had been watching her, biding her time. She had gathered what little information she could about the woman. Her name was Rose, which seemed obvious now. She had been a big deal drug dealer at one point in her life, but no one seemed to know what she had done to get put in prison.
Bea didn't know what connection Rose had to Allie but she had no doubt it was to do with drugs and Allie's past. She wasn't going to jump to any conclusions until Allie was the one to tell her.
The day was beautiful and everyone seemed to be in good spirits in the yard, but Bea found herself sitting at the table and sulking. The only reason that she was outside was Maxine had practically dragged her out the doors. Now she was sitting and listening to the others talk about things she had absolutely no interest in.
"I hear that Rose woman is going to get hers," Boomer threw out casually.
Bea perked up at the information, "What do you mean?"
Boomer scooted closer and lowered her voice, "I don't know all the details, but she got on the wrong side of Juice's girls and their planning to take her down," Boomer announced practically bouncing in excitement. Then she seemed to remember who she was talking to and turned to Bea, "Are you going to em'?" she asked.
Bea shook her head and simply answered, "Nope."
The other women seemed slightly surprised but no one spoke. Boomer kept talking saying that it was supposed to happen in mere moments and Bea noticed that Juice and her girls seemed to be moving about the yard with intent, "Brace yourselves," Bea warned gesturing with her head toward the others.
Only seconds after saying it a shrill whistle sounded through the air and the yard erupted into chaos, women were yelling and jumping about pushing each other and making as much noise as possible it seemed. Bea stood and tried to find Rose in the mayhem and saw her standing toward the edge of the yard looking about in confusion.
Bea only felt a slight sense of apprehension as a hooded figure approached Rose from behind, grabbed her and thrust a shiv into the helpless woman's kidney. Bea knew that the wound would almost assuredly be fatal. She didn't know what the woman had done to Juice, but the attack had been overtly brutal even for Juice.
It had taken the guards nearly ten minutes to get the riot subdued. It was only then that they had discovered Rose on the ground. Bea watched from her spot laying on the ground as they checked for a pulse and had found none. Bea looked on emotionlessly, scared by the fact she would have easily killed the woman for touching Allie and also relieved that she wouldn't have to.
XXXXXXXXXX
The prisoners had all been placed in lockdown and many had been taken in and questioned, Bea included, but of course no one had seen anything. It was now two days later and the whole ordeal was old news everything basically back to normal.
Well not completely, it had been six days since Bea had seen Allie and as more time passed the more worried Bea became. The prison officials weren't known for giving prisoners the most time to recover in the hospital, usually keeping them away for as little time as possible. So six days was a long time for a prisoner to be in there. Bea tried to keep her thoughts from running all the scenarios in her head on the reasons that Allie could still be there.
Bea found herself in the yard again trying to avoid looking at the spot where Rose had died. She was sitting on a bench away from Maxine and the others who were all laughing at something at their table. Bea was feeling so down she didn't want to put a damper on the others obvious good mood.
Deciding to take advantage of some free time Bea headed to her cell to lay down, not wanting to deal with anything for a while. She was awakened by a knock on her door and groggily called out, "Yeah?"
She had only leaned up slightly to see who it was but jumped to her feet when a very weary looking Allie entered her cell, "Hey," Allie said a smile on her face as she closed the door behind her.
Bea walked to Allie and stopped just in front of her, her face was bruised on the left side from her temple down her jaw. The left eye was blood red from an obvious busted blood vessel. There were defined hand marks around her neck and on the exposed skin of her arms.
"I'm so sorry," Bea blurted, gently grasping Allies face. "I should have stopped her that first day."
"Stop," Allie said gently putting a hand behind Beas head and gently pulling her forward and kissed her. Just a soft caress and it calmed Bea instantly, "She would have just hurt you. I didn't expect her to do anything like this," Allie said gesturing to herself. "When I knew her she wasn't one to do her own dirty work."
Bea stepped back and gently helped Allie move to the bed to sit down, "I hear you have some broken bones," Bea said changing the subject.
Allie hissed as she lowered herself to the bed, "They thought my ribs were broken, but their just badly bruised thankfully. I broke my fingers fighting her off," she said holding up her left hand where there were three fingers taped together. Allie looked up to Bea who stood in front of her, "I missed you so much," she whispered with a smile.
Bea kneeled down in front of Allie, "I wish I could hold you like I want to right now," Bea admitted, instead gently grasping Allies right hand instead, and caressed the uninjured side of her face.
"I heard what happened to Rose," Allie said suddenly. "Does it make me a bad person that I'm not sorry it happened."
"No it doesn't. I was going to do it myself. It was just convenient that she screwed Juice, so I didn't have to," Bea admitted honestly.
"Aw, that's so romantic…. sort of," Allie teased.
Allie sighed after a moment of silence, "I should go before the girls get back, I'm moving slower than a fucking grandma right now," Allie complained slowly starting to stand.
Bea quickly stood to help, not wanting her to leave, but not wanting her to be caught by the girls either. She wasn't ready to share Allie with anyone else just yet. They shared another gentle kiss and Allie was gone again.
A few minutes later Maxine stood in Bea's door, "I saw Allie in the hall, she looked happy."
Bea smiled slightly, "She's doing good."
"Good," Maxine said before leaving Bea alone again.
Bea lay back on her bed with her arms behind her head a smile on her face, feeling more calm than she had since the attack.