Triple upload! Im really getting a spark going here guys... I might even finish this thing tonight at this rate. I owe it to you guys after being gone so long.
While Frieda and Red were talking about possible ideas, Alex had been called into the office. She feared the worst, as she had no idea why she would be talked to. She hadn't requested any visitors or any more people on her call list after the Kubra incident. She had thought about calling him a few times, but had failed every time. Talking to him and giving him any more details than he already had was a bad idea, red had advised. Playing into his hands and showing fear was even worse, said Freida.
"Vause?" a bored looking guard asked when she sat down, staring at a clipboard.
"Yeah… is everything okay?"
"You aren't in trouble." The guard answered, he held out the clipboard. "Do you know this woman?" Alex felt her heart skip a beat when she read the name on the list under a "Darrel Vause" (Kubra's alias, as her father). In big bold letters CAROL CHAPMAN stared back at her. She smiled brightly. No way. She did it.
"Yes, that's my mother in law." she looked at the guard happily. "What is this about?"
"Does she have your permission to call and or visit?"
"Yes! Yes of course of course." the guard nodded, and handed her a pen.
"Sign here saying we spoke, and then get out of my office."
Alex signed happily, memorizing the number that was underneath her name. She practically flew out of the office, straight to the phones. She waited her turn, tapping her foot so hard she was sure she wore a hole in the floor. She dialed the number quickly, and soon a familiar voice answered.
"Hello? Piper?"
"No, Carol, it's me… it's Alex Vause."
"Alex? Oh my goodness! Hello!" Alex began to laugh, nodding.
"Hi! Hi… oh my god you have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice… Piper… is she…?"
"She's alive and very well, Alex… she's all the way in Chicago! Could you believe it?" Alex let out a breath she had been holding since she got here. It had been a month since she saw Piper in person, or heard her voice.
"She's okay…" she began to cry. "She's okay…" Carol smiled on the other side.
"Yes… and she told me to tell you she's okay and she loves you. And she misses you. She's been babbling about you ever since the riot. She's been worried sick."
"I've been worried sick! Let her know that, please… and that I love her so much… and we need to talk. ASAP." she sighed. "Does she have a number I can call? Anything?"
"I'm afraid not… she told me phone time has been strict… which is what I wanted to ask you about… I spoke to Piper two weeks ago… she hasn't called me since… do you think everything is alright?"
Her hope disappeared into thin air.
"T-two weeks?"
"Yes… it's been awhile i'm afraid…" Alex was silent.
"Hello?"
"Uh… hi… i'm here… can you visit me soon? In person?"
"I suppose so. It's only proper I meet my daughter in law in person."
"Y-yeah… come friday okay? And if Piper can contact me as soon as possible, tell her to try…"
"Okay dear. I'll try to reach her."
They said their goodbyes, and hung up. Alex left feeling a mix of emotions. One, relief that Piper was alive and looking for her. Two, nausea about the fact that suddenly her line of communication with her mom had gone quiet. She began to fear the worst. She decided to tell Red and Freida later on at dinner, and settled for sinking into her bed, and burying her face in her hands. She felt like the world was sitting on her chest, and it hurt to breathe. This was going to be the longest week of her life.
A week in SHU, for a fight she didn't even start. Piper curled in on herself, gazing at the floor sadly. Once her adrenaline had worn off, full realization of her situation caught up. While she was stuck down here, time was passing above. What if her mom had found Alex? What if Alex was here? She knew it was a stretch, but she felt so isolated down here, so alone. It was driving her mad. Time passed, and it felt like years instead of days.
Soon, it was time for her to be released. Her new enemy had been moved to a different block, so Piper wouldn't see her anymore. Her injuries had been tended too, and she felt sore and sad. She missed Stella so much. She had no idea what her supposed friend had done. The guards led her back up to the top, and explained to her that her phone privileges were very limited, and she was only allowed one call today, and none for the rest of the month. She felt her heart sink. So much for talking to her mother.
She decided to use her one and only call to tell her mother what happened. She walked through the hallways sadly, until she saw a familiar face.
"Chapman!" Piper smiled and ran forward, wrapping Stella in a tight hug.
"I missed you so much… I was talking to walls… did you see what happened? How crazy!?"
"Yeah! The woman you fought is nuts… you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Are you okay love?"
"Yeah… just a little bruised up…" she rested her face on Stella's shoulder, not ready to let the embrace go yet. Stella stroked her hair.
"So what's the verdict? How much trouble you in?"
"No phone calls for a month…" Stella jumped for joy on the inside. A month was just enough time. Piper left off the fact that she got one last call today. "I'm never gonna get in touch with Alex now… it's hopeless…"
"We'll get through it, yeah?" she pulled back and smiled. "I'll figure something out. Maybe you can pretend to be me or something, use my phone."
"I could never be that short, come on…"
They shared a laugh, and Piper sighed. "I'm gonna go get a snack… can we play cards when I come back?"
"Sure thing lovey. Meet me in the rec room in ten." Stella patted her shoulder, and walked off, satisfied with herself. Piper headed for the phone room, and the guard looked at her.
"No phone calls, Chapman."
"I get one more, remember? Then i'm done for the month. I swear." The guard rolled his eyes.
"They're too nice here."
She smiled and walked past him, dialing her mother's number instantly.
Alex walked to the visitor's center, both excited and terrified. She had no idea what she was going to say to Carol, or what favors she could ask. She couldn't give her notes, because she couldn't visit Piper. In the visiting area of the block Alex was in, there were bars separating them instead of glass. It made talking a whole lot easier. She stood waiting, and soon spotted the blonde woman at a stall, looking overwhelmed. This was prison prison, not cushy, organized litchfield. She almost laughed.
She walked over to her, and took a seat.
"Hey… Carol." Carol gave her a good look over before smiling.
"Hello Alex. It's nice to meet you." Alex smiled.
"Likewise. I wish it was under better circumstances."
"True, but at least I get to see who drives Piper so crazy all the time… have you heard anything?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing… she hasn't called?"
"No… this makes three weeks now… she might have gotten herself into trouble i'm afraid…"
"Trouble always finds her." Alex murmured, a little pissed her fiancee couldn't keep it together. Under that annoyance was worry, intense worry festering at the bottom of her stomach. Piper could be buried under a prison garden, just like Aydin…
The harsh ringing of Carol's cellphone jolted her from her day dream.
"Oh! I'm sorry dear. Let me take this." Alex sighed, watching her flip the phone open. Her eyes went wide. Alex tilted her head, and Carol beckoned her to come close. She pressed her ears against the bars as Carol held the phone up to her head.
"Hello?"
"A-Alex?"
"Pipes?"
Uh ohhhhh... finally!