Hey people! This is my first OINB fanfic! Im totally obsessed with the show and have like a thousand stories I've written. After reading other fics on here and seeing the trailer for season 3 (which was amazing!) I decided to get writing again. So here we are. This at the moment is a one shot but knowing me I'll probably carry on with it. Enjoy :)

I was leaning against the wall to the kitchen. Women bustled around cleaning up after breakfast, swiftly wiping down counters and cleaning up dishes. The guards were pigging out on leftovers. Everybody else had either left the hall or were finishing up with breakfast before work.

Lucky them.

My stomach ached while I watched one of reds lackeys dump a tonne of toast in the trash. It was tempting just to dive in after it. I hadn't eaten in days. Red saw my helping piper out, my attempt to anyway, as an opportunity to starve me instead. I had to hand it to her. She was ruthless. Reminded me a little of me back in the day. I'd have done the exact same thing to a mule if they went against my orders. Only difference was red gave you a chance to right your fuck up. I just went ahead and ordered the trigger be pulled.

"Hey, what you want stretch? We got work to do here"

I rolls my eyes at Gina and stood straight, "I'm here to see Red"

Gina scoffed, "Yeah? Well she ain't available for talkin'"

"Don't be an ass. We both know she's back there" Gina took a step back when I leant down and I smirked a little, loving the power my height gave me, "So be a good little kitchen slave and go tell her I want to talk"

Gina's eyes glared me back against the wall where I waited for her to shuffle away to find Red. It wouldn't take her long. I could hear the Russian laughing loudly with Miss Claudette out back.

My eyes filtered through the emptying cafeteria as I waited. Over all the lovely ladies Id be spending the next God knows how many years with. From Tastey and Poussey acting like idiots, to the Hispanics bitching about each other, back to the fucked meth heads praising the hick bible bitch for something. I kept coming back to the golden girls though.

They'd all aged inside these walls. They all knew prison life. They'd perfected it like they wrote the book on it. And they all looked so drawn and exhausted from it.

I drummed my fingers along the tattoo covering my right bicep. With the sentence Id received Id probably be watching the ink fade and the skin stretch around it. It scared me knowing Id be waiting a long while to be free again. It depressed me.

I pushed my eyes away from the golden girls and over a couple tables where a flash of blonde caught my eye. My heart jumped when I looked at her. I loved and hated how she could still make it do that. Like it was all just yesterday and no time had passed between us at all. But then that's the thing about piper. She was so inevitable it seemed to change any concept of time completely. A day alone with her felt like years. Ten years away from her had felt like centuries. And still she controlled me the same. Still she made my heart hurt as it beat hungrily for her.

She was sat with her back to me, which I preferred because it meant i could watch without being glared at. She wasn't alone though which meant I had to be subtle still. Opposite piper sat nicky. She was laughing with Big Boo about something. Whatever it was it must've been funny. They were just short of pîssing themselves. I could just imagine the sort of look Piper was given them. Beside Nicky Morello was half leant over the table whispering to Yoga Jones and the nun. Her eyes kept flashing back to Nicky every so often like she was afraid the redhead would notice them talking about her. I rolled my eyes at them and I peeled my attention back to Piper.

I let my eyes rush over her thinned frame. The orange shirt was baggy on her but I could still see the way her bones jutted out a little. It made me wince. Piper had always been small but now Red's punishment had made her look like a little skeleton. I found myself wondering how she'd handled this. I was starving and it'd only been a few days. Piper had been starved for nearly two weeks. And she'd still refused my help when I broke and gave it. It'd been both stupid and admirable. I just hoped now she was eating again she'd be okay. Even if it was a shitty prison excuse of a meal.

"Hey stretch!" I turned quickly when I heard my dumb nickname shouted. I'd seen Piper's back freeze. Seen her head turn a little as if to search me out. I didn't want her glare on me again. It was getting to the point that whenever her blue eyes found mine I felt like crying.

"Stretch! Hurry it up already. I got shit to do today"

God, I wished people would stop calling me that. If trying to be subtle about this talk with red was what I'd been planning this loudmouth bitch pretty much ruined it for me.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I stepped into the kitchen. I could just hear what their mumbles said about me behind my back. I ignored them in favour of focusing on dodging Red's girls as they rushed about with trays and sacks of food.

"Always this busy?" I asked Gina as she lead me to Red. She ignored me and cut a glance into the corner of the room.

"Trish! Don't fuck with that!" She left me and rushed off to where the blonde was balancing a couple boxes in her arms.

I let out an annoyed breath and leant back against a fridge. I doubted Red would want me to just walk in. And I doubted Gina wouldn't eat me alive if I tried it. I let her deal with Trish and waited on my own.

I watched the girls as they worked, watched the careful way they cleaned everything, and triple checked after. Like a bunch of ocd nuts. Only I knew it wasn't a mental issue. Well, much. It was a Red thing.

My mind drifted back to Piper again as I waited. Like it usually did when I had time to let myself think. To how she acted around me now, how she seemed to hate me despite everything. Always glaring like she had something to say. She hated me. But like she had a fucking excuse to! She abandoned me! It was only fair I kicked her ass into jail. We both did that shit years ago, we should both pay for it.

I looked down at the ground and sighed. It annoyed me how easily she could change my mood like that. And it annoyed me how I was quick to blame her without blaming myself too. I was like Piper in that way. It looked like we both could hold a grudge. And we both couldn't take the responsibility of our fuck ups.

"Hey, Vause!"

I jumped when Nicky shouted in my ear. She laughed when I smacked her arm and gently peeled my fingers away from her.

"Hey peace sister! I didn't mean to scare you"

I rolled my eyes at her and flicked my glasses up onto my head. I gave her a low smirk, "Like you could scare me"

"Well the three foot jump you just performed kinda says I can.." We shared a laugh and I gave a curt nod before I went back to my relaxed stance against the fridge.

Nicky took up position next to me, tightly crossing her arms and hooking one ankle over the other behind her. I glanced down at her and laughed under my breath

"What's so funny, eh?" She asked peering up at me. I just shrugged.

"Could you look anymore gay?" I teased nudging my elbow against hers.

Nicky just grinned back at me and gave me this look that said she so could. I shrugged. Yeah, she could.

"Trying to get scraps?" She asked nodding her head at the girls binning food.

I ignored how my stomach growled in response to her question and shook my head at her

"I've come with an olive branch"

"Oh that's what that was in your pants. Y'know some of the girls were thinking maybe Bursett had a fellow gender swap pal. Wanna let me in on your junk, Vause?"

I sniffed at her joke and crossed my arms over my chest, eyes glued on Gina as she continued to ignore my presence. She was talking in Trish's ear as the teen crouched by the freezer with a box. It looked like hey we're discussing where to put everything. I ground my teeth together when they looked back at me and Trish smirked.

"Jesus! What's so difficult about moving a box?" I growled impatient. Beside me Nicky chuckled

"Just go through"

I shook my head, "I'm not stupid"

"Could have fooled me," I ignored her. She tapped my arm, "Hey, why you in this mess anyway? I mean, you knew not to help Chapman and still..." She smiled knowingly. Her eyes were trying to glean information from my expression. I kept it blank. I didn't have to answer her. Nicky shook her head and chuckled,

"Boy you two are a pair of tough cookies. But I'll figure it out"

"Figure what out?" I blinked at Morello when she appeared suddenly next to Nicky. Where the heck had she come from?

Nicky beamed at the girl and hung her arm over her shoulder

"The great Vause-Chapman riddle" she announced laughing when I scowled dangerously at her. Morello raised her hands and waved at us to calm down.

"Easy girlies. No need to fight. Alex, Nicky was just kidding. Right, Nick?"

"Oh yeah, I'm kidding. Just like I was kidding this morning when I said you didn't cum too-"

"Nicky!" Morello gasped embarrassed. She swatted Nicky off her when she bent forward and giggled into her neck. Lorna avoided my eyes and went bright red.

I bit my laugh back not wanting to embarrass her further and turned my head back to Gina who stood glaring at me. I glared back.

"How long have you been stood there?" I asked pulling my glasses back on and moving over to her.

"Was it before or after I said cum?" Nicky asked behind me. I heard Morello slap her. Gina ignored them and nodded out back.

"Get a move on, stretch. I got better things to be doing"

"Well we would all be finished by now if you hadn't taken off to help Trish braid her hair"

Gina's stare grew colder. Her shoulders rolled and she planted her feet a little firmer. I wanted to smack myself. Why fight about shit?

"Shit, Vause, got a death wish much?" Nicky asked walking into the next room. Morello gave me a sympathetic smile as she followed Nicky. I let out a short breath.

"I'm sorry, Gina. I'm just pissed off is all"

"Yeah" was all she said as she pointed behind her, "She's waiting for you"

I frowned at her, "Hold on a second. You mean to tell me I could have just walked in?" Gina shrugged, "Why the fuck did you let me stand outside?!"

"It's not my fault you're a dumbass. Now get out of my face before I carve you a new one"

I backed away when she picked up a small knife from the counter. I held my hands up and turned to walk away. I was uneasy letting her have my back but then I knew Gina wasn't stupid. Stabbing an inmate would get her chucked into max. And nobody wanted that. You go insane up there. It was worse than the shu.

I heard Nicky and Morello speaking quickly as I neared the back of the kitchen. Discussing something with Red while Miss Claudette tsked and occasionally laughed over them. I knew they were talking about me to the Russian. I knew they were trying to use their positions as Red's favourites to dig me out of my hole. Problem was those two only dug deeper when you let them have a spade.

I quickened my pace and walked around the security gate to Red's area.

"Speak of the devil! Hey Vause, I was discussing with ma here how you accidentally dropped that cake onto Chapman's table the other day" Nicky nodded at me to go along with it.

I didn't get why she was helping me out. It didn't matter. Red had her eyes glaring darkly at me. Her face twitched with Nicky's lie, like bullshit couldn't smell any more shittier.

I shook my head at Nicky and stared back at Red. I knew with her it was just a waiting game. She had plans for everybody in here. Including me. It was just figuring out what her long game was.

"I think I can take it from here, Nick" I husked giving her a thankful smile.

"But.. Ma, c'mon! She was-"

"Thank you, Nicky. This has been a good catch up but as always mommy has work to do"

Nicky's expression turned serious then. Like she'd heard Red say that many times before with a bad outcome attached. I tried not to let it scare me.

"Ma, seriously! She was just looking out for her friend"

"Nicky.." Red growled in threat. She twisted her neck and gave the girl a dark look.

Morello took the hint and grabbed a fistful of Nicky's shirt and yanked her out of the room. Red glanced back Miss Claudette. The older woman nodded respectfully and walked out wiping her hands on a cloth. I watched them all go before turning back to Red. She didn't say anything. Just watched me while Nicky and and Morello's bickering faded away outside. I smiled nervously at her and fidgeted with my glasses.

"So..."

Red leant back against a counter and continued to stare at me. It made me uncomfortable.

"Look, Red-"

"You know it's been a very long time since a girl decided to go against my orders. Most of the women here know not to fuck with me"

I smirked despite myself, "That's a real shame"

She ignored me and carried on,

"You haven't been here long. I get it. It's all new and scary. If you were black or one of the spanish bitches I'd have had you down the hill already"

I shivered to myself. I didn't doubt what she said.

"But lucky for you you're in the best tribe in this hell hole"

I laughed at her terminology, "You know calling it a tribe doesn't make it sound any less racist"

She tipped her head and nodded, "Maybe. But this is prison, honey, and nobody gives a shit about racism here"

"I'm pretty sure the other tribes would disa-..." I shut up when Red's expression darkened. I took the hint and stayed quiet. Sassing back would only worsen the issue.

"So, Vause, tell me something" I looked up at her and she leant forward from the counter a little, eyes a little softer than before, "Why Chapman?"

How many times had I asked myself that? Why Chapman? Why oh why was it always Piper? I'd spent so long chasing the circle where that girl was concerned and ten years later I was still just as clueless as I had been back when I had her.

Red was watching me think. Watching me chew myself up inside. Her expression morphed into a look of sympathy and she reached out to pat my cheek.

"I know" she sighed standing straight and turning back to the counter to clean her knives.

I frowned at her back,

"You know what?"

"Don't be coy, Vause. I know that lost puppy love look. It doesn't take a genius to know you love the girl. Tell me, was it before or after prison you two broke each other's hearts?"

I didn't say. I couldn't say. It felt like she'd just taken one of those knives and cut me open with it. Suddenly I couldn't breathe right. It just felt like I was choking on the guilt. Broke her heart. I did that. I broke her. And then I threw her in here.

I raised a shaking hand to my face and wiped a thumb under my left eye, surprised with the wetness gathered there. I shouldn't be crying. I shouldn't care. I just.. Shouldn't.

"When will I be allowed to eat again?" I asked diverting her question entirely as I composed myself back to my normal stoic self. Red laughed.

"When you apologise"

"Okay, I'm sorry"

Red shook her head and turned back to face me. She had a large knife in one hand and dish cloth in the other. She kept wiping it over the knife, polishing it clean. She sighed down at her work and held the knife up in her palm

"What is this, Vause?"

I frowned at her, "It's a knife"

"And what do knives do?"

"Cut things..?" Where was she going with this?

"Exactly. Maybe if I cut your brain out and cleaned it you might stop being so stupid"

I rolled my eyes, "Tad dramatic" I muttered.

Red shook her head at me annoyed and turned back to her knives. I watched her work before I asked what she wanted me to do. Red's hands paused a moment before restarting their job.

"There must be something?" I asked taking a step forward, "I heard your back is giving you trouble. I've been told I give the best massages"

"Blondie has already beaten you to fixing that problem"

Red reached into her apron and slammed a bottle of something on the counter. I didn't know what was in it but I recognised Piper's handwriting scribbled messily along the ridged plastic. I wanted to smile. Ten years and still I knew her handwriting. I looked back at Red.

"That's why she's eating again?"

Red nodded, "She's very smart. A bit quick mouthed but smart. I can see why you like her"

I nodded. Piper was stupid but she was brilliant too. Too clever for her own good. But it sounded like she'd impressed the Russian. There was almost a sense of pride in her voice when she'd said piper was smart. Like she saw something in her. It made me wonder how Piper had handled herself when she'd asked red how to redeem herself. Better than me?

"Maybe I can help someplace else then? Do a little community service?" The Russian shook her head and I let out a deep frustrated breath, "C'mon. Red, there's got to be something" I walked up behind her and leant on the counter beside her. I gave her a smile and balanced my chin on my palm.

"Anything?" I asked giving her a hitched smirk only Pennsatuky would have mistaken for anything but seductive.

Red raised an eyebrow at me before brushing me away from her counter so she could clean it.

"You're barking up the wrong tree, kid" she muttered.

"That's a real shame" I stood straight and ran my fingers through my hair, thinking about what I could do. And what I wouldn't do. Surprisingly the list wasn't so long. I was so hungry I'd just thrown sex up for offer.

Red moved around me as I thought, hobbling slightly as she cleaned the room. I tilted my head a little at her feet, smiling when I had an idea.

"Hey boss, Boo wants a word" Red nodded at Gina and wiped her hands dry on her apron.

"Looks like you're starving tonight" she said smiling evilly as she walked past me. I grabbed her arm and pulled her gently back. She looked really mad that I'd touched her but I ignored her threatening scowl and called Gina back.

"I need a chair. Now"

Gina scowled and did that foot planting arm crossing stance again. Her eyes flickered between me and Red before zeroing in on my hand on Red's arm.

"What's going on?" She demanded uncrossing her arms and staring at Red in concern. I laughed at her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her. She needs a chair so I can give her a massage"

"Massage?" They repeated together. I nodded and smiled down at Red.

"Yeah. A massage. You've been working hard all morning. I bet your feet are killing"

"Boss.." Gina edged nervously towards her but Red waved her away. She seemed to like my idea. Maybe she was relieved for it. Just a few minutes off her feet seemed to make her happy.

I breathed with my own relief when she told Gina to grab her a chair. Looked like I would be eating tonight after all.

"You have five minutes," she threatened pointing her finger at me, "See how good you think you are"

I tipped my head and smirked, "Past customers say it's really good"

"Ha! We'll see"

She sat down when Gina shuffled back in with her chair. I knelt down on the cold floor in front of her and gently placed her left foot on my knee.

"Ready to be amazed?" I asked slipping her plimsoll off. Red didn't say anything. Just gave me an unamused look back.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked as I began kneading my thumbs against her heel. Red nodded at my request and I smiled.

"What's the deal with you and Nicky? I've never seen somebody act like a complete kid around someone like you"

"Someone like me?" Reds eyes met mine and I struggled for a moment to find the right words without pissing her off.

"Domineering.. You know, independent. Shady almost" She chuckled back at me

"She is my daughter" she shrugged.

"Yeah, but not literally" Red let out a long sigh and I wondered if she wish Nicky were her actual daughter, "How did she become your daughter?"

"Why? Are you hoping I might have a vacancy?"

I shook my head at her, "I already had and lost one mom. I don't want to risk it with another one..." I was quiet for a second before I added, "Though I'm sure you're great, I have to decline"

She smiled at me, "I'm sorry" I just shrugged back, "Nicky came to me an addict. She would get into fights during her withdrawals. The women here picked on her a lot. And I pitied her. So I helped her out, kept her clean. End of story"

I glanced up at her guarded expression and I smiled to myself

"I know"

"Know what?" She snapped irritably. I smiled some more and moved my hands up to massage her foot arch.

"You love her"

Red met my eyes and smiled with me. She nodded. She did love Nicky. Like any mother loved their daughter. And it didn't take a genius to know Nicky loved her too.

Red and I continued to exchange questions after that. Where we came from. Our crimes. Our sentences. I learned that she'd wronged some Russian mob wife and got dragged into their criminal lives. Before that she just ran an honest business. I laughed. I couldn't imagine Red as this good wife shop owner she told me she'd been. It just didn't fit in with the hard bitch she was now.

"And what about you, Alex? What were you before all this?"

"An importer"

"No, before that"

"I've been in the game since I was eighteen. There was nothing before the cartel" I stared at the ground as I thought it over. I'd given my life to that asshole Kubra. Literally my entire life. And he'd taken it in such a way I couldn't remember the times before it. It was sort of scary. But it'd been a career. And I'd loved every second of its. Even after Piper.

"And blondie? When did the two of you meet?" I avoided her eyes. It felt like she'd just read my mind.

"I wouldn't say meet. Piper sort of appeared one day"

"Love at first sight?"

"Fuck no!" I laughed lifting her foot down so I could start on the other, "I was in my local bar with some people.. Potential mules" I added when she pursed her lips, "And she came in looking for a waiting job"

"And when you saw her?"

"What?"

"What did you think? Instant reaction" she snapped her fingers at me and I shrugged.

"I thought, fuck she's beautiful. I'd give anything to fuck her"

I didn't tell her what I actually thought. I didn't want her thinking I was soft if I admitted it was love at first sight. I saw piper and knew immediately I had to have her. Without even speaking to her I knew she was everything I'd been missing. I knew I'd love her one day. Somehow I'd been caught on day one.

Red laughed to herself when I zoned out and she knocked my leg with her foot. I looked up and found amusement in her eyes.

"You are a bad liar" she told me leaning back with a content sigh, "but you were right about the massage"

"Glad I exceeded expectation" I muttered frowning down at my hands as they continued to manipulate the soreness from Red's feet.

"I wouldn't go that far"

Another calm quiet settled between us after that. I was thinking about Piper and my life before and after her. I knew I needed to talk to her. I knew the longer we dragged it out the worse it would get. Thing is I was already over it. Yeah a big part of me resented her for just ditching me when I needed her most but at the same time I didn't care about all that. I'd spent a decade without her. Without her smile and her laugh and that God damn condescending voice.

I missed her. It was as simple and as complicated as that.

Before when she left and I ran of distractions I let myself miss everything about her. Until it hurt. When pushing drugs didn't stop me thinking about her I started taking them. And for what, a few hours of peace. God I hated her and I loved her. And I hated it. When she looked my way all I got was a cold wall. No smile. I was ready to apologise but I knew she wasn't. Because she was adamant I'd landed her here. I hoped she never found out I did. I'd felt terrible but it was a shorter sentence. And part of me wanted her to suffer like Id been without her. I wanted her to know I was still here. That I hadn't just vanished like she'd made me to in her head. But how could I make it right? Pretending nothing had happened wouldn't slide. I'd tried it already. Addressing the issue just pissed us both off.

I frowned deeply to myself as I thought over my options. Piper was a runner. And I was a fuck up. Why did the universe keep fucking sticking us together?

"You think any harder and your head will implode" Red told me. I looked up at her and smiled despite myself at her closed eyes. Looked like someone could still give a mean massage.

"Maybe I should think harder then. Save you starving me to death" My reply was bitter. Angry. And it wasn't entirely Red's fault.

Red chuckled, "You make it seem like I enjoy doing this"

"Don't you?"

"Only a tiny bit. You need to understand who is in charge here. You can't just do what you want"

"Because that's what you want?" I threw back annoyed. Red opened her eyes and nodded

"Exactly. It's all easy to understand. Black and white"

"I never really liked black and white" I said pretending to look thoughtful, "Last I checked I got pretty fucked over thinking like that"

"Oh no" Red tsked leaning back again, "Everything is better in black and white... And red"

I smiled at her afterthought and decided agreeing with her was better than not agreeing with her. I moved my thumb along the skin rounding her ankle and pressed in a little. I didn't miss the catch of breath or the slight sigh in reaction to it. I rolled my eyes to myself. Red was a little kitten.

"So you never answered my question" Red started sitting up straight in her seat. She looked down at me waiting and I bit my tongue before deciding to let her know. Who cares if she knew? I didn't. I didn't care about much anymore.

"I pretty much dragged Piper into all this. I never intended to. I never intended anything"

"Just to fuck her, yes?" Red's eyes glinted telling me she knew I'd been lying all along. I nodded anyway.

"Yeah. Instead I let myself get involved. Which was pretty stupid considering my previous track record" Red stayed quiet while I continued to work on her feet, "I spoke to Piper that night with one thing in mind, and instead I got all this shit"

"And you regret it" Red nodded, "Understandable"

"No. See that's the thing. I don't regret anything about it. We did so much together. Saw and had some really good times. Even the bad stuff felt good. If I could go back..." I drifted off and let out a deep frustrated breath. I didn't know what I'd do.

Red studied me a moment before she spoke again. She leant forward in her chair and I felt her put her hand on my shoulder. When I looked up she seemed really serious. I swallowed nervous.

"You gotta fix it" she whispered, "Vause, you need to find Chapman and talk to her. Make it right"

"How?" I whispered back

"I don't know, kid. Figure it out. Not many girls in here have what you had. And now you have a chance to get her back? Don't waste it. Something put the two of you together and now something else has brought you back together. Deal with your shit and fix it"

I stared back at her but she wasn't going to explain any further. She took her feet back and stood up. I stood too.

"Thank you for the massage. You will get food later. Enjoy it. You earned it"

I stared after her as she walked out and I smiled to myself when I heard her bark orders out front. I couldn't quite believe it.

"Hey stretch, time to leave. Let's go" I arched an eyebrow at Gina and slowly walked out, purposefully dragging myself just to annoy her.

"What were you even doing in there?" She grunted annoyed, "You were talking for like forty minutes"

I blinked and looked back at her. Seriously? She pointed her thumb behind her at the clock on the wall and I felt my jaw drop a little when I read the time. She was right. Forty five minutes in reds company rubbing her feet. How had her five minutes stretched so far without me realising?

"You taken anything lately?" Gina asked narrowing her eyes at me. I laughed at her

"Only a strong dose of self pity and a few anti depressants. Why? Wanna sell me something?"

In answer she raised her hand and pointed me out of the kitchen. I laughed and walked out, nodding back at Red as I did.

I left the kitchen and walked out of the cafeteria towards the rooms. Passing the recreational room I caught sight of Nicky and Morello all cuddled up watching TV. I couldn't help but picture me and Piper there instead. Could it be that easy?

"Hey! Inmate!" I sighed and turned. It was Luscheck puffing down the corridor. He scowled at me annoyed when he staggered slightly. Like it was my fault he was fat and drunk.

"Yes?" I asked sweetly as he came to a halt beside me. He motioned at me to wait while he panted his breath back and I crossed my arms impatient.

"We need somebody to help lock up the track. So you're up"

"Why couldn't you ask someone outside to help?" I pointed out motioning outside at the other inmates wandering around.

Luscheck frowned out the window a second like he hadn't realised that was the most logical thing to have done. He shuffled on the spot and shrugged at me.

"Because I'm choosing you. Now go"

I scowled and he stuck his thumbs into his belt. An amazing feat really. I felt like making him a medal.

"Do you wanna shot?" I shook my head, "Then go"

I muttered under my breath and reluctantly walked up the hall to go outside. Trudging over the yard to the circle in the field they called a running track. Barely anybody was around but three people were on the track. Watson sprinting circles. Crazy Eyes panting to catch up with someone. And at the front..

"Pipes"

She was bent over a little catching her breath. A light sheen of sweat on her face and a beautiful smile etched across her mouth. My breath caught watching it widen happily. I hadn't seen her smile in so long. At least not genuinely. Not since our trip to London together twelve years ago. We'd had so much fun joking about with the British. That was before everything went bad.

My heart ached a little. It hurt seeing Piper smile. And I didn't know why. But I knew I had to see her smile again. I had to be the one causing it. I had to be the one to hold and touch and love her. Me. And I would. I didn't have the faintest idea how but I was going to try. I couldn't let her walk away a second time. Not to some made up fantasy she had going with her lame boyfriend. We were supposed to be together. The universe knew that. So I had to do it. It was all I had left now and it was the only right thing to do. I had to fix this.

Red was right.

Everything was better in black and white.

...and red.