"I named you at my trial."

The sentence ran through Piper's mind so many times in a matter of minutes she lost count but the thing that surprised her most was the fact she hadn't moved. She hadn't even flinched nor had she removed her hand from Alex's but then she realised that Alex had a firm grip on hers as she didn't want her to go.

"You did what?" Piper asked slowly as she shook her head free of the shock.

"I'm so sorry," Alex replied and immediately her eyes flooded with tears. "I was going to tell you but I wanted you to like me. I wouldn't have been able to stand seeing you hate me because of what I did. No, I needed you to like me before I told you. It was such a bad thing to do and I don't expect you to forgive me right away. I am so sorry."

"Why?" Never before had Alex heard Piper sound so broken. She'd heard her sound upset, angry, infuriated and sad but never broken.

"They offered me less time the more information I gave them. I hadn't heard from you in eight years. It was as if you didn't exist." Alex then wiped her eyes quickly to stop the eyeliner from smudging. "But there was a part of me that knew I could see you again if I named you. You could have been anywhere but I knew there was always a chance that you'd get thrown into the same prison as me. I knew I couldn't survive prison but if I had you near me, I knew I could try and get through it. It had been hell but when you arrived, a pressure was released off my chest and even though I knew you hated me at that point, but seeing you..." She paused and laughed slightly and quietly, "It made my heart swell and I knew that I was still in love with you."

She finally stopped speaking and saw that Piper was just staring at her blankly but she knew Piper. She knew that she'd listened to everything but she just didn't know how to react. There was nothing more Alex could say; she just had to wait for Piper as the ball was in her court now. The seconds ticked by painfully and they soon turned into minutes but Alex just stared at Piper and clutched tightly onto her hand that still hadn't moved.

"I need some space," Piper said finally. She finally released Alex's hand and stood up. "I'm not ending this, not when I just got you back, but I need to think on my own."

Alex nodded but Piper had already stood up, left the cube and headed towards her own. She grabbed everything she needed for a shower and headed to the bathroom where fortunately there was no queue so she could head into the shower of her choice.

Whenever she was stressed, she would get a shower or a bath, they calmed her down immediately with the feel of the hot water on her skin. Though obviously with it being prison, hot water was scarce but that wasn't the reason she was getting this shower; she needed somewhere to cry where no one would hear or see her tears. As soon as the water started to pour, she gave in and let her tears flow.

She went over everything that had just happened in the last few hours. She felt at rest with the situation with Larry for now; it was over but she'd talk to him when she was out and explain everything again. She'd loved him but for her, it was always going to be Alex. It wasn't his fault; it was entirely hers. She then started to think about Alex, but then again, when did she not think of her. It had taken her so long to trust her again and to even like her again. Longer it took her to fall back in love with her.

"Oh who am I kidding?" She murmured to herself quietly. "I never fell out of love with her, even when I fucking left her."

She'd always known deep down that it was Alex who named her even though she'd stated that she hadn't; Piper always knew when Alex was lying to her. The news broke her heart and it was made worse when she realised that Larry had lied to her too. Just because she was in prison, it didn't mean people could lie to her but then again, she'd lied to everyone too. Karma really does come back to bite you. If the roles were reversed though, she knew that she'd have done the same thing and if anyone was to get less time for her name, she was glad it was Alex.

Shaking her head free of all thoughts, she turned off the shower and stepped out to see Pennsatucky and her minions stood outside her cubical. Quickly, she wrapped her arms around her bare body.

"The fuck do you want, Doggett?" Piper demanded her voice thick from the tears she had just shed and she hoped that she didn't show signs of sadness.

"You disrespected me!" Doggett spat stepping forward and brought what she was hiding behind her back forward. "That means I gotta kill you."

Piper couldn't help it but she screamed loudly when she saw the sharp blade in front of her and not a minute later, before dodgy Doggett could move further forward, Fischer stormed in closely followed by Caputo and, to Piper's complete surprise, Alex.

"What is going on here?!" Caputo demanded.

"She's got a blade!" Piper screamed pointing to Doggett who quickly dropped the makeshift knife behind her back, despite it revealing that she did have a weapon. "She was going to kill me!" On the word kill, her voice broke and Alex rushed over to Piper and pulled her into her arms.

"Doggett with me now!" Fischer commanded and she cuffed her and started to lead her off.

"No I wasn't!" Doggett cried struggling desperately to get free of Fischer's grasp. "I wasn't gonna do nothing! Lemme go. NOW!"

"Silence," Caputo yelled, "And you had better disappear before I write you up too," he demanded turning to the minions who immediately scattered. "Sort her out, Vause," Caputo suggested and headed out to make sure that Fischer was okay with Doggett.

Alex led Piper to the one of the benches and picked up her towel. She wrapped it securely around the blonde and pulled her onto her lap rubbing her back comfortingly as Piper cried onto her shoulder.

"She was going to kill me," Piper repeated quietly.

"It's okay, Pipes," Alex whispered comfortingly. "I'm not going to let her touch you or go near you again." There was a hint of possessiveness in Alex voice but Piper didn't mind, she hated the feeling of being owned but if it was Alex who owned her, it was perfectly okay.

They stayed in that position, Piper sitting on Alex's lap with her head nestled into her neck for a long time. Their previous conversation was momentarily forgotten with Alex murmuring sweet nothings into Piper's ear. It was only when they heard voices that Piper realised she was cold and needed to get dressed. The two silently started to head back to the blonde's cube and the voices were identified to be Nichols and Red's. They'd seen Pennsatucky being dragged down to the SHU and both knew the hate she had for Piper and the blonde was nowhere to be seen so obviously they'd started to worry.

"What happened?" Red asked with her thick Russian accent. Though she didn't see Piper or really Alex for that matter, her children yet, she knew that Nicky was good friends with them and therefore they were immediately in her family.

Alex shook her head and mouthed, "Later," at them. They both nodded and headed off to the shower and Alex continued to walk Piper back to her room so she could dress and sort out her hair.

Piper dressed in silence, her heartbeat had finally returned to normal but she still wasn't ready to talk to Alex properly despite knowing the other woman would be desperate to talk to her. However, the one thing annoyed her, a part from the fact that meth head had tried to kill her, was the fact that Alex was there despite the fact that Piper had said she needed space.

Alex watched the love of her life sort through everything calmly in silence though she knew exactly what she was thinking.

"I didn't follow you to the bathroom," Alex said breaking the silence between them as Piper had finally sat on her bed and looked at Alex.

"How come you were there then?" Piper asked and this time it was her who sat with her legs up against her chest, as if trying to stop Alex's words from entering her heart.

"I was on my way to the kitchen, Red wanted to see me," Alex replied shrugging, "But then I heard you scream and I wasn't exactly going to ignore it. Fortunately Fischer and Caputo were near and I told them that it was your scream and Fischer charged into the bathroom immediately and you know Caputo, he'll go wherever she goes. Though I think she crushes on you." She added as an afterthought knowing it would get a reaction out or Piper, even though she thought it was true too.

Piper chuckled slightly at that comment and felt her face flush slightly. "Don't be ridiculous," she murmured and sighed. "I'm so grateful you were there, Al, but I still need my space. I don't think I can be near you yet."

Alex nodded, she understood completely but she still didn't move. "I don't know, Pipes, I don't want to leave you on your own if the bible bashers are still plotting to kill you," Alex said reluctantly.

"Don't worry, Vause," said a voice behind them and the two looked up to see Nichols and Red walking up to them. "I'll stay with Chapman and you can talk to Red."

"If that's okay with…"

But Piper cut her girlfriend off, "It's fine. I'll see you later, Al."

Sighing, Alex stood up and followed Red, who seemed to have completely forgotten about wanting to see Alex previously; instead she questioned the brunette about what had happened with a look of terror on her face.

Nichols watched the two go but then turned once they'd left and sat on the end of Piper's bed. At first the blonde said nothing but she quickly saw the worry in the crazy haired girl's eyes and realised that she wanted to know what had happened to make her freak out so much. So Piper ended up telling her what had happened.

For once, Nichols stayed quiet and let Piper finish before she even thought about talking.

"Are you okay?" She asked quickly scanning Piper's body for any new cuts. "They didn't get you, did they?"

Piper shook her head and replied, "I screamed and Fischer and Caputo rushed in so see what was going on. I don't know what I would have happened if they weren't there. I'm so fortunate for Alex being there too." Piper shrugged making it seem like it was no big deal.

"It sickens me how much you two love each other," Nichols murmured after a few seconds. "I mean, I don't love Morello but I could, you know, if she let me."

"What about Christopher?"

"What about Larry?"

"There is no Larry," Piper muttered. "I chose Alex. Despite all the shit, she's my person, you know?"

Nichols nodded and the two girls started talking about less heavy things until it was time for dinner. The two stood and followed the rest of the Ghetto inmates to the canteen and Piper started looking for someone before she'd registered who she was looking for but she found her within seconds. Alex was sitting at a table with Morello and Big Boo but they were opposite her and Piper just knew that she wouldn't let anyone sit next to her if it wasn't her. This thought made Piper smile and she quickly joined the queue behind Nichols and the two girls made their way over to their family.

Immediately, Nichols slid onto the seat beside Morello who seemed to smile automatically when her former or current (who knows with those two) lover sat next to her. Piper took the seat beside Alex who looked up with a huge grin to see Piper. Piper took this chance to kiss Alex's cheek.

"Finally," Morello cheered at the sight before her.

"And you said you weren't a lesbian," Big Boo said and Nichols nodded at her words.

"Okay maybe I am," Piper admitted finally and Alex looked as if Christmas had come early and immediately placed her hand on Piper's thigh and squeezed.

The dinner passed without any chaos or problem and Alex stood to go finish things off in the laundry knowing that things wouldn't have been done with Pennsatucky being dragged to the SHU which Morello had informed her earlier. She also knew she needed to give Piper her space still. They may have had some contact during the meal but Piper didn't specifically talk to her but that was fine. She knew Piper though. That kiss showed her that there were no hard feelings between them and that she would be ready to talk soon.

Piper watched her love walk from the room and sighed. She didn't know where she was going and she was ready to talk. Sure, it had only been a couple of hours if that but things changed so rapidly in prison that she might not be able to tell Alex what she needed to. For all she knew, Pennsatucky's minions could kill her before they next spoke.

"She totally wants you to follow her right now," Nichols murmured to Piper as she followed the blonde's gaze.

"I don't know where's she's going," Piper muttered.

"Then rush after her, genius," Big Boo added, "And they said you went to college."

"She'll be going to the laundry room to sort out Pennsatucky's shit because the psycho is in Shu and they'll get in shit if it's not right," Morello said helpfully glaring at Nichols and Boo for being so difficult. Piper smiled gratefully and immediately stood up and sorted put her tray before rushing, not running, after Alex.

It didn't take her long to get to the laundry and by the looks of it, Alex had only just arrived as she was staring at a pile of clothes that were thrown all around the room.

"Fucking retards, I swear," she muttered under breath and began picking up all the clothes before sorting them into different piles.

Piper just stood in the shadows and watched for a few moments, relishing in the fact that Alex had her back to her so every time she bend down to pick up an item of clothing, her perfect ass would be in her view. After the fifth time, it was enough to make Piper crazy and she quickly scanned the room to see that they were alone and she walked forward to wrap her arms around Alex's waist.

The sudden touch scared Alex but then she felt the familiar sensation and knew it was her.

"Pipes," Alex whispered and turned round to see the blonde smirking smugly. "What are you doing…"

Piper cut Alex off the best way she knew how by kissing her firmly. Alex hated being cut off but this kiss was completely welcomed and she quickly returned it.

"I'm ready to talk."