- I'm so sorry

- I know, I know

- I'm so sorry

- When the God gives you swastika, he opens a window. And then you remember, there is no God.

No matter how terrible it may sound, but apparently, Piper should have gone through that. Being branded by the Dominicans with swastika was, may be, a pivotal move, but the needed one. Piper has lost in her imaginary power, forgetting who she really is. In her whole life, she wasn't the one who led or the one who generated ideas. This panty business blurred her mind: she forgot her friends, she forgot her love, she forgot everything that really cared and saw only herself.

The moment the hot poker touched her tender skin was the first slap on her face. The moment, in the corn, when she found out what Alex had suffered during her period of oblivion was the second slap. And, the moment "the God opened a window for her" was the third slap for her to get back to real life, to see all the destruction she had caused for the last few months.

In that moment, she was staring at Alex with her eyes full of tears and realization how she screwed up. She messed up the only person that loved her. The understanding that she may have lost her forever was much more painful than burns, it fell on her shoulders like a burden. How could she have been so self-involved? Certainly, that was one of her nature feature that Alex teased all the time, but when did it become so overwhelming? When did it become so destructive to her and all of her surroundings?

Looking into the green eyes hidden by the pair of glasses, she was trying to see the hope for future in it, at least a faint one. To her relief, the eyes above her was full of concern and care. She would never forget this look; she would never forget this care in eyes, Alex eyes.

- Al, I…

- Pipes, please, don't. It's not the time. I know

No matter what pain Piper caused Alex, the brunette was standing next to her, gently holding her and anguishing with her. Alex had never wanted Piper to go through something like that, but being smart, she realized that it all was for the best.

They will never be the same after everything they've been through. But now they will have a chance to try to put things in order, to live normal, to live easy.

Alex walked Piper up her cube and helped her climb to the upper bed. She covered Piper with a blanket and stopped to glance at her for a few seconds. She hadn't done this for some time and missed it. She gently put a lovelock behind her ear and turned to leave, but stopped as blondie's hand hold her shoulder.

Alex put her hand on Piper's and entwined their fingers. They did not need words, they understood each other by touches and looks. For the last few days, it was the first time Piper felt safe, being protected by the tall brunette, standing next to her bunk. She caressed her cheek and wished good night. They will discuss all the shit that happened during this tough period latter or may be never. But, for sure, they will have each other tomorrow and the day after that and after.

Piper woke up the next morning with aching pain on her left arm. She tried to move and to scratch her arm, but all the body refused to listen to her. Only then she spotted a shadow standing still next to her bed. It was Alex. Of course, it was she. No one else in this hell cared of her existence.

- Hey, Pipes. How are you feeling?

- Everything hurts, Al.

- It will be ok, soon you will feel better, kid. Now, you need to get up and act normal. Do you need help?

- No, thanks, I get it. You can go, you shouldn't be here, you know that.

- I know, take care, Pipes. See you at breakfast.

When Piper entered the cafeteria, she immediately spotted the brunette seating next to Morello, opposite to Nichols. After her crazy period, it was the first time in the long period when Piper decided to join her old friends. Nichols and Morello side glanced when the blondie sat opposite Alex and were waiting for the last to response harshly on this move. But, all they saw was a smile in brunette's eyes, a quite hushed smile that was hidden behind glasses.

After the breakfast full of jokes about burgers and Cate Blanchett' fingers, everyone moved to their assignments. Piper was grateful that her job was in the field next to the garden where Alex was playing gardener. She realized how she missed those glances and funny remarks, the brunette spread the whole day.

When the workday was over and the dinner was left almost untouched, the two were sitting on the floor in the TV room playing cards as in old good times. Once again, Piper thought how it felt so comfortable to be next to Alex and how it seemed so inevitable to end up like that no matter what happened. They were giggling and arguing who was going to perform handjob to get them the desired burgers. And everything seemed normal, except for the Alex' eyes that were so sad and lost despite her smile and talking.

- How are you?

- Not good. I'm having insomnia, paranoia, PTSD flashbacks…

At that moment, all Piper wanted was to just grab that tall and strong but now so vulnerable and helpless brunette and to comfort her and to protect from herself. However, the inmate interactions were prohibited here, in prison, and moreover Piper wasn't sure if she and Alex have already reached again such level of their relationship, the touching level. Piper looked straight in the brunette eyes and whispered with her lips:

- I'm here…

When the playing time was over, they headed to their cubes. But, none of them wanted to separate and they landed on the floor of Alex cube next to each other for the COs not to see them. They were seating barely touching with their elbows, but much closer linked with their souls. They were talking and talking as it seemed they hadn't talked for years. Alex felt much better having Pipes around. Though the guilt from killing hasn't left her, for some short minutes it was far away from her.