AN: So, I needed something a little happier than the ending to Episode 10 of Orange is the New Black so I wrote this. Takes place during an unknown time before 1x10. Haven't really written anything in a while, so read with caution. Mercy/Tricia.


The time had come, 2 and a half years in this shithole of a place and she was finally getting out. To be honest, she was bitter sweet about it, on one hand she was leaving her friends, the people who've helped her get through everything, but on the other hand she was finally leaving this place. This time, hopefully for good.

They threw her a goodbye party, everyone came, even the people she didn't know liked her. When it was time to say goodbye, they gave her hugs and said they'd miss her but she knew that most of them would forget her by tomorrow, she knew only some of the people would miss her. Chapman would miss her, she knew Red would miss her even if she didn't say so and Nicki would as well though she had that other girl she was fucking even though she was engaged. She promised she would write once she got out, try to visit, send them things so they wouldn't forget her the week after she left.

Tricia was wearing something simple, a baggy t-shirt and jeans with a jacket. It was weird to be wearing regular clothes, she hadn't worn those since she came in, a scared 17 and a half year old.

"Gonna miss you Chapman," she told her as she hugged her goodbye. "Let me know when you get out of here," she said and Chapman nodded her head.

She pulled out of the hug, Chapman being the last one in line, everyone standing to the side now. "What are you going to do once you get out of here?" Nicki asked her from her right.

"Try to get my life back together, repay everyone I owe, try to find Mercy," she told everyone and they nodded. What she didn't say is that that she was also trying to stay clean, she didn't want to relapse and somehow ends back up here.

"Well, it's time for you to go now," the guard said as he could see everyone was done saying their goodbyes. "Someone's here to pick you up," he told her pointing towards the front.

Tricia was confused for a second, why was someone here to pick her up? Her family didn't give a shit about her and she didn't really have any friends unless...

As she walked around to the front, there she stood, her beautiful girlfriend standing there in the flesh. She'd seen her a couple times when she'd come to visit her and she'd sent her letters, all of which she'd kept, but seeing her now felt rejoicing.

She ran into a sprint, running into her arms and smiling. "You came," Tricia said, on the verge of tears.

"Of course I came, why wouldn't I?" Mercy asked her, pulling back and looking at her straight in the eyes, a giant smile on her face.

"I thought you'd forget about me or find someone else better," Tricia said as she avoided eye contact.

"And why would I do that? I have the perfect girl right here," she replied with a smile. "I don't need anyone else, just you," she told her. "Cause you're my girl."

"I love you," Tricia told her as she grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers together.

"I love you too," Mercy told her, pecking her on the lips. "Now, you and me are going to go back to my apartment in the city and just eat take out all night, pretend to watch movies," she told her, winking at her

"Sounds perfect," Tricia said. "I don't even know the last time I had take out or 'watched' a movie."

A couple hours later Tricia and Mercy arrived at her apartment, it was small but decent. One bedroom and one bathroom with a tiny living room and a nice kitchen. The whole apartment smelt nice, like home. It nicer than the prison and the streets. It was weird, that she'd be living in an apartment, after her parents kicked her out after she came out to them at age 14, she'd been living on the streets. However, when Tricia told her that she was being released early they'd planned everything out, Tricia was going to move in with Mercy when she got released, however, they never really sorted out when. She always assumed that she'd move in later, not right afters she got out.

"Nice place," Tricia said, putting down the small bag that she had on the floor and looking around the place.

"Yeah, I got this job at this diner and I bought this nice little apartment," Mercy said, walking up next to Tricia as she looked around.

"I love it," Tricia said as she turned to her and kissed her on the lips.

"Want something to eat?" Mercy asked her, "There's this really nice place that sells this good Chinese food."

"I would love some," Tricia replied, smiling at her.

"I'm really glad you're out," Mercy said, smiling at Tricia.

"Me too," Tricia answered, "Me too."


As the days went on, it was hard. Tricia was trying to adjust to living outside prison (and somewhere other then the streets). Mercy was helping Tricia look for a job, so she could earn some money and everyone back that she wanted to. She showed Tricia the book that she kept.

"It's stupid," she told Mercy as she handed the little notebook to her, Mercy flipping through the pages, reading everything.

"It's not stupid babe," Mercy said as she handed the booklet back to Tricia. "It's smart, and it's honest."

"Really?" she asked asked her, looking at her with a sceptical face.

"Yes, it's not stupid," Mercy said as she leaned in for a kiss.

However, there were days when they would argue for hours before leaving the little apartment only to come back a few hours later and talk things over. There were days when Mercy was worried Tricia would relapse. She would pace around the apartment for hours before pulling her into a hug as soon as she walked in the door.

Soon, Tricia got a job in a bookstore and she started to repay people and soon she'd repaid most of the people on her list. She wrote to everyone in the Prison, Chapman was due to leave soon and apparently she left her husband and was in a relationship with Alex now ("About time," she'd muttered when she'd read it). Nikki and that other girl were in a proper relationship now and one of the girls was in a relationship with a prison guard. Pornstace had been fired after being seen giving drugs to one of the inmates and was replaced with an apparent nice guard.

Everything was going good. Not perfect, but good. There were some days were Tricia felt like she was going to relapse, but she always spoke with Mercy when these occurred. Tricia had finished paying off everyone on her list, Chapman and Alex were out and visited often. Tricia was even planning to save up for a ring, her and Mercy had been dating almost 3 years now and she felt that it was time.

She got down on one knee almost 3 and a half years into their relationship, reassuring that she'd paid for the ring, and of course Mercy said yes.

Now, everything was perfect.