Allie was looking out the car window watching people on the street. It was strange. First time in five years she saw colorful torrents of women and men walking up and down on the sidewalks. They were coming or going to work, running errands or just hurrying to meet someone. Allie smiled – it was worth it. Lagging is a big word just inside the four walls of Wentworth. Outside it means nothing. Sparing herself of five years in that place is everything.

Lagging on Jake Stewart felt good. He might have helped her big time but he is a first class sleazebag and got what he deserved. She knew that she will have to go to witness protection and disappear but it was ok. She has no family or friends outside. A new start will be good. There is just one thing what she needs to do before that. There is one person she must visit. Maxine Conway.

The car stopped and the man driving it turned back.

- Are you sure you are going to be alright?

- Yes, thank you. – she said. – I´m sure it is safe.

- Alright, I will be here scream if you need me.

Allie chuckled. The guy was funny for a cop. Gathering her purse she stepped out of the car and walked to the white door. Pressing the bell she was waiting while anxiously stepping from one foot to the other. For some odd reason visiting Bea´s grave was not so hard than to face her best friend right now. The door opened and Allie felt strangely nervous as her eyes landed on Maxine. The older woman looked good.

- Allie! – she called out before pulling the blonde into a tight hug.

- Hello Maxine. – Allie managed to say even if she was squeezed tightly.

- Come on in. – Maxine released her embrace and opened the door wider. – So, glad to see you. – she said while she was closing the door behind the blonde. – How are you?

- I´m good, thanks. How are you? – Allie asked as she was being led to the living room. – You look good Maxine.

The taller woman smiled.

- Thank you. – she said sitting down on the couch. – Do you want coffee or something?

Allie shook her head.

- No, thanks. I´m here just for a quick visit. Actually should not really be here but I insisted.

Maxine smiled brightly.

- I´m glad you did stop by. Must have been hard to convince your detail to let you come.

- Yes, it was. – Allie nodded. – He was stubborn at first but then... – her voice trailed off. Blue eyes questioningly looked at the woman sitting in front of her. – How,...how do you know that I have a detail?

- I know a lot of things. – Maxine whispered. Her tone and look would be funny under normal circumstance but like this Allie did n´t find them funny at all. She shook her head not understanding what is going on.

- What do you mean?

- You lagged on Stewart so you got your sentence reduced exactly by half. Five years and you are out.

You were in protective solitary the whole time and now you are about to enter witness protection.

Allie´s mouth was open now she couldn´t believe what she heard. „How in hell Maxine knows this?"

- I knew the system is not one hundred percent safe but hell now I´m surprised. – she said and Maxine laughed.

- No worries, you are as safe as it gets. It is just me who has a good source of information.

Maxine stood up and left the room, leaving the dumbfounded blonde alone for a minute. Allie was so confused she had no clue what the hell is going on. It was like suddenly being in a dream or a nightmare she was not sure yet. Maxine came back and without a word, she handed her an envelope.

- I will let you read it alone. I will go and make some tea. I´m sure you can stay for a little bit.

Allie looked at the white envelope. It was trembling in her shaking hand. Something was up, she could feel it. Carefully she tore the white paper and pulled out the letter from inside. Seeing the neat handwriting she gasped as she read:

My beautiful girl,

this is the hardest thing I had to do for a long time. But I have to do it because you are stubborn and I have no idea what you will do. I don´t want to risk that you run off or do something crazy. Only thing I´m sure of is that you will visit Maxi. That is why I´m writing this. Honestly, I wanted to leave a phone and rather talk to you but they say that would be too risky. I had to stomp my feet so I can leave you at least this letter.

Yes, it is me and yes I´m alive. It must be very hard to stomach I´m sure. I can imagine your shocked face and all those questions running through your head. I´m sure that you want to know what happened but it is a long story and I will tell you it in full length rather in person. But now I need from you to be a good girl and listen to the secret service. They will bring you to me. It will take few weeks as they have to do safety stops but you will get here eventually and I will answer all your questions.

I know that lot of things have changed and I know that there is a big chance that you have already forgotten about me but I have to see you. If you read this letter you still care in some way, so I´m begging you to come and see me. If not for else, at least give me a chance to say goodbye.

If you decide that you want to see me, call this number:+421 255 2525, don´t say anything just let it ring and then hang up. They will find you and tell you what to do next.

If you don´t want to see me, then I just want to let you know that I love you. The time spent with you is why I live for. I wake up and go to sleep thinking about you. I hope that you will have a long and happy life. I will always watch over you. If you need me, I will be there.

Allie re-read the letter two times. Sitting there on the sofa she was staring at it while her mind was racing. Utterly in shock, she felt a wave of dizziness and quickly tried breathing it through.

- Are you alright? – she heard Maxine´s voice from the door. Allie shook her head, she was not alright. Maxine walked in and placed two cups of coffee on the table. Sobbing loud Allie wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks before finally lifting her head and turning it towards the tall brunette who sat next to her.

- She is alive? – she sobbed placing the letter down and rather grabbing the other woman´s hands. Maxine squeezed them in support before nodding and explaining.

- Yes, she is. Bordering with miracle she survived the attack. She was placed under witness protection. Nobody knew, not even Bennet or Channing. State prosecution kept it tightly under wrap. When I got to Barnhurst I have learned that it was her pulling strings to get me there and of course the other thing she was adamant about was that she could keep an eye on you.

Allie smiled. She felt like in a dream. Just Maxine´s smiling but concerned face and reassuring hands were the only things keeping her grounded and believe it was all true.

- When Bennet offered you deal for lagging it was her who pushed on the prosecution to cut your time as much as possible and for putting you into solitary. – Maxine continued. – She is very sorry for that by the way. But she opted to rather have you locked into a small cell than dead. You had no way to know but you had a special task force guarding you all the time. Wentworth guards couldn´t be trusted so they gave you special agents from state prosecution for protection.

- Where is she now? – Allie asked the only thing what mattered now. With the shock and confusion slowly settling down she needed to know just one thing – when she can wrap her arms around Bea Smith.

- I don´t know. We are not in contact much. Once in a while, I get postcard or letter. Always from a different address and always very carefully written without too much actual information. I saw her only and last time two years ago when they let her go.

- How come she got paroled?

- She was not paroled, she got presidential pardon – not an official one of course. When she started talking and they finally listened to her and actually believed what she said a lot of shit swam on the surface. In the end, it was not her testimony against Fergusson what helped her to get out but uncovering the shit around Channing.

- Channing?

- Yes, - Maxine smiled. – it was a good thing that you told everything about him to Franky. – Letting go of Allie´s hands Maxine reached for her coffee. – When Franky cleared her name and got out she visited me. I was still inside that time. She told me everything that happened at Wentworth and of course, I told Bea. She knew some of the stuff thanks to reports from the prosecutors but she had no clue about the other side of the story. So, not directly but you and Franky helped us. They have recorded her testimony and shipped her away. Since then I´m waiting for you and I have to say it makes me very happy that Bea´s prediction came true. I´m glad you came.

Allie reached for her coffee too and gratefully sipped the warm liquid. It slowly spread through her insides and made her feel warm and at least somewhat collected.

- I had to come. – she said. – I went to see her at the cemetery and I said goodbye to Franky. Coming here was something I had to do. I wanted to see you and know that you are alright before I go. I thought that it will be saying goodbye to this part of my life. That I will start a new life and try to move on.

Maxine watched her over the cup in her hands. Obviously, Allie looked in shock and confused, what is understandable.

- Trying to move on? – she asked. – Does that mean you haven´t yet?

- No, Maxi – Allie shook her head. – I haven´t moved on yet and probably never would have. At least not completely. – she said placing the cup back on the table. – I love her and always will. Nothing can change that, not even if we both die.

Laughing happily Maxine pulled her into another hug.

- I´m so happy for you both! I´m just sorry that I won´t be able to witness it.

- There will be a lot of sex so thanks god you won´t witness that. – Allie said smirking, reaching for the letter clutching it tightly. – But from now on you can imagine us attached by the hips as I won´t let go ever. When I finally get her between my arms there will be no turning back. I will never let go, I can promise you that.

She stood up and hugged Maxine one more time. Her mind was full of the future, full of Bea Smith it made the goodbye that much easier. Walking out she waved and got in the car.

- Back at the hotel? – the agent asked. Taking her phone out of her purse she nodded. Quietly she read the letter again before dialing the number and hanging up. She looked out of the window and smiled.