Hi again people! I know! Two updates in one night? What is this madness?! Basically I wrote the last chapter, had too many words, scrapped a lot, redid some bits and ended up with thrice as much as before. So hello two chapters instead. This might be iffy or too fast but personally Im just happy to be getting this out cos now I can hit the better Vauseman scenes. And don't worry! I haven't forgotten the flashbacks! There will be more flashbacks to come!

Oh! And the song for this update is; Hearts on Fire by Passenger. I thought it worked with the last part of this chapter. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!


"I saw chapman earlier, striding all saintly into Healy's office like some angel. I tell you guys, she's a freaking snake if there ever was one"

The others mumbled a half hearted agreement but Pennsatucky was on too much of a roll to notice they were bored,

"Why does he love her so much anyway? Don't he know she's one of them lesbians?"

"I think she has a fiancé" Lizzie offered with a confused expression. I rolled my eyes at them when they all glanced back a me for confirmation.

Pennsatucky scoffed and shook the shirt she'd been folding

"Man, who the fuck would want to marry that? Anybody with eyes can see there's no loyal bone in its body"

I tried not to let her words creep into my head. I didn't want her knowing I was secretly agreeing with her. Piper wasn't loyal. Not to herself anyway. I carried on folding but kept my ears open to their conversation.

"I think she's nice" Abigail was mumbling.

Pennsatuckys head whipped round to the corner where Abigail was tagging bags for personal laundry piles. She threw the girl a disgusted look before she scoffed again

"The snake that talked to Eve was nice too, Abigail. That's why he didn't bite her. Why do that when he could forsake all humans to the wilderness?"

"I thought God made heaven so his creations couldn't harm each other?" Lizzie pitched confused. The other girls mumbled agreeing. Pennsatucky looked stumped a second

"Anyway!" She called gaining their attention, "We're talkin' about chapman. And I'm sure she is nice. Until she runs outta reasons to use you. I tell ya, she might have Healy wrapped around her finger but there's people higher than him that'll stick her in her place"

"Like who?" Leanne asked frowning. Pennsatucky gave them all an irritated look.

"God, Leanne. God. The highest person we know"

"So you know him personally now?" I asked. I couldn't help it. She was pissing me off with her piper rant. Pennsatuckys eyes moved back to me and she nodded

"We all do. We follow him. We are his sheep. His herd. And only his followers are allowed to-"

"Ramble complete bullshit twenty-four-seven?" I offered bored.

She glared at me. Her face turned a little red with her anger. She walked around the table separating us and stepped into my space. I kept doing my work. Why waste effort squaring off to a hillbilly. We all knew I'd have her pinned in three seconds.

"You know, for someone whose so close to Chapman, I don't hear you standing up for her, Vause"

"That's because I'm not close to her" I told her shortly. She laughed

"Yeah right. We all heard the rumours. We all seen what you two are like together. All them looks you give each other all the time"

I gave her a bored look in reply and she smirked like it was a confession.

"Ladies!" We all looked up at the guard walking in. He looked around and pointed at the others, "You, you and you. Yard. Now"

Abigail and Lizzy jumped up and rushed out like they were told. Pennsatucky stayed looking at me. The guard glared annoyed at her

"And you Pennsatucky, now!"

"But we gonna be short of hands for the laundry" she pointed out with a wave around the room. He didn't look like he cared

"These two can do it. Now go" he barked at her, "Before I send you to shu"

She gave him a little smile and gave him a little curtsy before she walked out. When she passed around him she gave Leanne a look. The other girl nodded.

"How are we supposed to get all this done by tonight?" I asked the guard before he had a chance to follow Pennsatucky out. He shrugged back at me

"Do I look like I give a shit?"

"No?" Leanne answered.

I let out and angry breath and resigned myself to folding faster. Knowing my luck she wouldn't help. The guard turned on his heel and paced slowly out. Leanne left it a couple seconds after he'd gone before she jumped up and walked around her table to the door too.

"Hey where're you going?" I shot at her. She slid to a stop and turned back to me. She pointed behind her,

"I gotta-"

"Oh no you don't. I am not doing all your work and theirs on my own"

"But-" she shut up when I gave her a glare and slowly moved back to her work station. Her head hung miserably while she returned to folding sheets. I moved back to my own work.

The silence that followed was just plain awkward. We kept to our own sides of the room and didn't say a thing to each other. Just kept giving each other the odd glance now and then. She was moping. That much I knew. I half expected her to shout me out on the whole drugs thing. I doubted she liked that I threw her stash away. But she didn't. Surprisingly she was doing what I told her to do. Maybe Leanne was just one of those people who liked being bossed about. Maybe she didn't have a voice of her own without pennsatucky telling her what to think first. Whatever the reason I was glad for it. Not having to listen to bible quotes or talk to one of those damn meth heads was a blessing.

"I'm done with this" she told me after an hour of blissful silence.

I glanced up and was surprised at the table full of folded laundry in front of her. I nodded at the washers

"You cleaned them out too?"

She nodded. I was impressed. She must really want to get out of here. When I caught sight of her hands shaking I understood why. It must be drug o'clock.

I nodded, and then sighed when she didn't understand I was letting her leave.

"Go already" I sighed moving over to the back bench to start on the dorm bags. She practically ran out. I shook my head to myself. Junkies.

I stole a deep breath once she was gone and strode to the back shelf for a pen and some tags. When I turned back to the table I heard somebody walking into the room. I ignored them. It was probably leanne forgetting something. Or if I was lucky a guard to tell me I could leave too.

"Hello?" They called coming closer. I gripped the new sheet I was folding tighter in my frustration. Not a guard.

"Its closed" I called back at the girl hoping it would be the end of it.

"Alex?"

Shit.

Piper rounded the corner with a laundry bag in her hand. She shuffled nervously a moment. Uncertain whether to stay or go. I stayed quiet and carried on folding the sheet.

"I was just going to drop of this but…" I dropped the sheet and stood straight. She saw my reluctance to talk and she turned to go, "Tomorrow.."

I rolled my eyes, "Just give it" I told her holding my hand out. She turned back to me and I clicked my fingers at her, "Give it to me"

Piper nervously approached my table and stretched her hand over. I took the bag off her and picked up a tag. I quickly scribbled her name on it and then wrote a time receipt for her so she'd know when to pick it up. I laid the paper slip down on the table instead of handing it to her. I didn't want to touch her. I didn't trust myself enough to. I busied myself with writing out some other tags while she picked up her receipt. I wanted her to go. If I looked busy I hoped she wouldn't try small talk.

"D'you remember the four seasons in the Seychelles?"

Oh I hope too much these days.

I glanced up at her. She was smiling warmly with the memory. I didn't get it. Why was she suddenly wanting to reminisce? Pennsatucky's warning about Piper being nice until she got something ran through my mind. I hated that fucking hillbilly but she had a point. That was how Piper worked. I knew that. I just didn't get what she wanted this time.

I looked back down at the tag i was writing. I didn't want to remember anything with her. Piper let out a soft laugh

"God, we just threw our laundry into the hallway. It was like forty bucks for a pair of pants"

Yeah, forty bucks of my money. The money she resented me for. The money she was so happy to spend with me until she woke up and realised just where it came from and how she could use it as an excuse to back out of our relationship.

I held the pen painfully tight with my bitter thoughts. I gave her a cold look and dumped her bag into the basket with the others to be washed. I couldn't look at her. She was making me remember being with her and I didn't want to because I didn't want to think of her like that. She'd become someone I hated. I didn't want to let her slip back into somebody I loved. Because I knew I'd be the one who lost the game. I'd be the one who hurt. I always was.

Piper took my stone silence as a hint and turned to go. I let out a breath of relief and returned to my work. But she turned back before she made it to the door.

"Hey.." She started nervously. I looked up and braced myself for it. Slowly she walked back to me, "I've been thinking about it, a lot, and I just wanted to let you know that there're..um.. There are no hard feelings" I swallowed a snigger and smiled when she looked away. I knew she'd break first, "I was pretty mad but I'm over it... So, friends?"

I stared back at her. I was trying to figure out what she was after. Why the sudden change of heart? I mean, I threw her in this dump. I ruined her life. I stole it. She'd said it all herself. It had me paranoid really. I knew she'd break but not this quick. Still, if she was willing to be around me, talk to me, be a friend...

Man, I wanted that so bad. Everything in me had me screaming to nod my head and tell her yes, yes I'd be her friend. But I knew better. Piper was after something. And until I figured out what that was I wouldn't let her think she was the one who sealed our friendship. Not when she was the reason for it breaking apart in first place. Boil it down to basics, I was still pissed at her.

"Wow, that's really big of you, Pipes"

I didn't give her the answer she wanted. I just walked away with my trolley of laundry. I didn't look back at her but I bet she was confused. Maybe hurt. I hoped she was. She deserved it.

I heard her leave after a moment. I waited for the door to shut before I kicked the nearest washer hard. I was frustrated. And angry. And furious. With myself. If I'd just told her it was okay we'd be talking right now. I could tell her everything. She'd have listened this time. But now, because of my fucked up head and a little bit of guilt, I was back to square one. I kicked the washer again and froze when I heard something crack under my boot. I looked down and saw a panel had smashed under the kick I'd sent it. A weird noise was coming from the back of it, like electric crackling. I pressed the spin button but nothing happened. I groaned to myself.

Great. I'd broken it.

"Fucking great!"

"Yo!" I jumped and looked over my shoulder at Luescheck ambling into the back. He was clicking his fingers with closed eyes

"Hey um..What's your name? Uh.." He kept clicking trying to jog himself, "V..V.. Vase?"

"Vause" I mumbled moving away from the broken washer to a new one. I nudged the panel back in with my foot as I moved away from it. Hopefully he wouldn't notice.

"That's the one!" he flashed me a slurred smile and nodded his head out front, "You gotta go. There's some girlie thing going on and for some reason Healy said you all need to be there"

I frowned at him but didn't question it. If it got me out of work. I dumped the bag I had held in my hand and left the trolley where it was. He twisted himself around and walked out with me, teetering slightly as he went. I tried hard not to breathe with my nose. The dude fucking stank. We walked down the hall past the cafeteria and phones. Chanting was coming out of one of the large rec halls. Cheers of names and pizza for some reason.

He stopped by the door and nodded in. When I looked inside I saw pretty much everybody stood in a circle around the room. All up and ready with their wac campaigning. Looking at it it looked like an asylum room. Maybe Luescheck thought so too because he looked in and quickly backed away.

"Well, here we go. Have fun talking about makeup or whatever" He walked away and I watched him go before I walked into the room. Nicky found me straight away.

"Hey Stretch! How was laundry?"

"Boring. Whats going on?" I asked nodding to the centre of the room where the meth heads were squaring off to the black women. It looked like a face off.

Nicky grinned and grabbed hold of my wrist. She pulled me round the crowd to a good spot by norma and gina.

"Watch this" she said nodding at the centre of the room.

I moved my eyes towards tastey just as she stepped into the spotlight

"Oh, they call me Tastee cos…. My pussy be delicious, like an apple is nutritious-"

"Are they for real?" I asked Nicky pointing at the women as they rapped. Nicky laughed.

"Best kind of entertainment there is, huh?" she told me knocking my arm as leanne walked forward to throw down.

I laughed at the meth head's weak attempt to call the blacks out at their own game. The girl had no sense of style in the rap sense. I wondered if morello was going to get up and go for it too. I looked around for her but she was missing from the crowd

"Hey where's lorna?" i asked Nicky. She looked around a second before she shrugged uncaring

"Probably with Red"

"Is that allowed?"

"Its Red. Anything's allowed" she looked away and started to grin, "Oh shit! Here goes Poussey"

"She any good?" I asked watching the shorter woman stride forward. Nicky nodded

"Does an inmate shit without a door?" She said back rhetorically.

I just smiled at her and turned to listen to the rap off. I caught a glimpse of Tricia stood beside Pornstache as I did. She was talking to him but he wasn't listening. Was too busy playing his DS. She said something else and he glanced around at us all. I looked away. It didn't take a genius to know what they were doing. So thats where Leanne got her drugs from. I wondered if red knew.

"Hey Vause, you're missing the best bit!" Nicky shouted over the cheering.

I looked back at everybody moving back a few more steps. Somebody put some music on, loud so it echoed around the room. I felt my amusement heighten when they all started to dance. A rap off and a dance off? This was insane!

"Is this actually happening? Or did I die of detergent inhalation before?" Nicky laughed back at me and hopped on the spot

"Its happening stretch! C'mon, dance!"

I shook my head at her, "Oh no no no no. I don't dance"

"Everybody dances" She told me grinning. She held her hand out to me but it didn't take it. No way was I dancing with her.

"No, Nicky"

She shrugged back at me, "Your loss. Hey boo!" She walked out into the open space on the floor and started dancing with big boo. I couldn't stop laughing. Especially not when the larger woman grabbed Nicky by the waist and pulled her close.

"Hey, Alex" I looked down beside me and smiled at morello. Typical she'd show up the second Nicky left.

"Hey, shortie. Where've you been?"

"Oh, you know… Around. What's, uh.. What's Nicky doing?" Her eyes were trained on the redhead as she escaped Boo's clutches and started to dance about with tastee and the other girls. I smirked and hooked my arm around lorna's neck.

"Oh, you know… Dancing"

I winked at her when she looked up at me and she blushed a little. Her eyes darted down to the ground and I felt a little sorry for her. She was jealous. And confused. She felt that bad over hanging it all up with Nicky. I decided to help her out. I took her hand and twirled her around. She yelped in surprise.

"What're you doing, Alex?!"

I chuckled and pulled her against me. I made sure to look back at Nicky as I did.

As I expected she'd forgotten all about her dance with a cute Hispanic girl and was she watching me with an angry look. I winked at her and nodded her over. Lorna was trying to escape when she saw Nicky make her way over but I wouldn't let her leave.

"Lemme go!" she squealed. I shook my head at her

"You cant keep avoiding each other" I told her, she looked beside me at Gina and Norma but the two women both looked amused. I guess they were sick of their 'sisters' arguing too.

I let Lorna go when Nicky pulled up beside me.

"Hey Morello, I didn't know you could dance?" Nicky called over the music. She pressed her arm against my shoulder and leant on me.

"Oh well.. you know" she shrugged back and kept her eyes down. I glanced between the two of them and rolled my eyes.

"Fucking dance and make up already!" I barked annoyed.

They both jumped. Lorna raised her eyes back to Nicky, the redhead shrugged back. I looked down at Norma and Gina and they both nodded. They each grabbed a girl and pushed them together.

"Fix your shit, Nicky" Gina growled at them.

Nicky sighed and took Lorna's hand. She walked the girl to the corner of the room where they started talking fast.

I smiled happy and turned back to watch the dance off. Boo was right and centre throwing down confidently. Everybody was cheering her on as she pulled her shirt over her head.

Somebody knocked my arm and I looked down at Tricia shaking a little beside me. She wouldn't meet my eye but I knew what she was after.

"No" i told her turning my eyes back to boo as she pulled Chang out of the crowd to dance.

"C'mon man, you must know somebody"

I laughed back at her, "Do I look like I'm selling these days? Besides I'm not a dealer"

"Yeah you are, you said so in the meeting"

"Importer. I was an importer. Theres a difference" I turned away from her and heard her laugh bitterly.

"Yeah? They sound the same to me"

I ignored her and felt her shove past me. Gina took her place beside me and asked what we'd been talking about. I shrugged at her. I wasn't a snitch. Not until it was profitable to me anyhow.

Nicky came back around the same time Crazy Eyes started inching out of the crowd towards Boo who was dancing on the floor. The other girls were going crazy. The atmosphere in here was insane. It was like a concert or something. All we were missing was a stage and band.

"How'd it go?" I asked casually when Nicky began cheering crazy on. On the floor boo looked a little scared. Nicky looked back at me and shrugged.

"She's still engaged if that's what you mean"

"Man, do I know that problem" We locked eyes and laughed. Nicky nodded at me. She knew we were in the same boat.

The lights shut off suddenly and everybody hushed up. We all looked to the door where Healy was stood breathing heavy with his eyes locked on Boo and Crazy Eyes on the floor. Nobody was all that certain what to do.

"Are we supposed to lie down Mr Healy?" Tastee asked him.

His head snapped to the left and he glared at her. He turned the lights back on and called Mendez over. After a massive shouting at Mendez ordered us into the cafeteria for dinner. Healy pulled boo and crazy out of the line of girls being shepherd out and started to walk them down to Caputo's office. I frowned after them. What was with that guy? I asked Nicky and she let out a heavy breath

"Guy's a total homophobe" i blinked at her and she nodded, "Seriously, we cant even hug in this place without getting sent to the Shu by Healy"

"Is that why you-" She cut me off suddenly to pull Morello over to walk with us

"Eh Morello, we was just saying how Healy's probably gonna let Pennsatucky win WAC now. What with the fact he hates gays and all"

Morello gave her a bored look back, "Im engaged" was all she said as she walked further up the hall. Nicky sniggered after her

"Keep telling yourself that!" she called after Morello. I bumped her arm

"I thought you two sorted your shit?" i said giving her a stern look. Nicky grinned

"If I said yes, do i get a treat? Personally i wouldn't mind a little dance from Vause" she stepped closer but i shoved her back, "Okay, i get it, " she let go of a deep breath, "Me and morello are fine. We just need time"

"Good thing you have plenty of that left in here. Seriously nick, its getting awkward. Just let her go"

"Is that what you're doing with chapman, Alex? letting her go?" I looked up at her words. I refused to answer her. Nicky laughed at me. She knew as well as I did that I'd probably never let piper go. I couldn't.

I knocked her arm again and lead the way into the line for dinner. Nicky followed and accepted the tray i handed her. When we reached the serving counter we were surprised with the decent looking food being handed out to the white girls. We laughed at our luck and happily accepted it while the other minorities in the prison got given the shit prison food they got every day.

"Okay, so lorna running might not be a totally bad thing" I said as I sat down and dug into my food. Nicky nodded as she collapsed on the bench opposite me. She took one look at the food before she quickly started to shovel it into her mouth.

"Oh God!" I laughed reaching over to take hold of her wrist, "Slow down. Before you choke"

"Ah fuph 'oo!" she said back around her food. I chuckled when she pulled her arm back and i shook my head at her.

I looked around the room as I ate. The other women were all sat at their wac tables with their heads bowed together whispering about the winner to be. I rolled my eyes at them. How could they possibly think they could make a change in this place? The system was fucked.

"Trouble, twelve o'clock" Nicky managed to say around another forkful of food.

I looked back at her and met pipers nervous smile as she sat down directly opposite me. Lorna sat opposite Nicky but she didn't have any food. Piper followed my concerned eyes and gently smiled at me.

"She's nervous" she told us. Nicky scoffed.

"Hey can i sit here?"

I looked up. A tall skinny girl with short hair and blonde highlights was stood beside me. She nodded at the space between me and lorna. I nodded at her. I didn't know her name but I'd seen her around. Nicky got into conversation with her quick once she settled on the bench beside me. I kicked her leg under the table and nodded back at the girl. Nicky swallowed her water and pointed at me and piper

"This is Vause and Chapman. Girls this is Andrews"

She nodded at us, "Ali" She said waving at us.

"Hey" I mumbled turning back to my food.

Piper smiled at the woman and turned back to me. I kept playing with my food. I didn't want to talk to her right now. I was still torn between trusting her again and letting it go to be friends. I saw her hand tap the table before it slid forward a little to where my arm was leant against the table. Was she going to touch me? I kinda hoped she was.

"Hey, Al-" She got cut off by a CO announcement.

"Attention. All maple syrup is now considered contraband after last week's incident. The winners of the WAC elections will be announced shortly. Thank you. Enjoy dinner! Hope it's scrumptious!"

I smiled down at the table at fischers announcement on the pa. When i glanced up again piper was watching me still.

"Im real nervous" Morello whimpered. We looked back at her. She looked it. The girl was practically shaking in her seat.

"I thought the whole idea of Red endorsing you is that you're going to win?" Piper said with a frown. I swallowed down my smile and nodded with her.

"It is" Nicky told us, "She's just playing coy. It's a talent of hers"

Morello didn't throw anything back at her, just carried on wringing her hands nervously. Red walked up to the table with two plates in her hand. She laid them down in front of the two girls with a smile.

"I made Claudette's famous coconut cake in honor of our new WAC representative" She said nodding respectfully at lorna. Nicky looked ready to throw the plate back at the Russian.

She looked down at it angrily and said, "Should coconut be beige?"

Red looked back at her and gave her a steel glare she usually reserved for the rest of us. We all stared when she smacked nickys head hard and took the plate away "Fine. No cake for you, little girl, big mouth"

She walked off with it back to the kitchens. We watched her go. Nicky looked both shocked by what red had done and hurt.

"Tough love, I guess, huh?" I said retuning my eyes to the kitchen where red was glaring out at nickys back, "Jesus. I don't know how you deal with her"

Nicky didn't reply. Just looked down at the table far away in thought. She looked a little shamed. Red came back after a moment just as Healy's voice overode the pa. Everybody hushed up ready for the presidents to be announced. I scoffed around at their excited expressions. They honestly believed it would work. Man, i was living with idiots. He slowly went through the winners. Red slid around the table to stand behind lorna. Nickys eyes grew colder as red placed her hands on Lorna's shoulder. I nudged her foot with mine again, silently asking if she was okay. She looked away. Her eyes flicked between red and lorna and I guess she thought she was being replaced. She had nothing to worry about. Lorna might be one of reds daughters but it was easy to see Nicky was her favourite hands down.

"How's my hair?" Lorna asked patting it down with a shaking hand.

Nicky sighed and reached over to tuck a curl behind Lorna's ear. Her eyes turned soft as she did and she smiled at Morello encouragingly.

"You look great, kid. Don't worry"

"You're gonna be great" I added giving her a smile too. She nodded with a shakey smile of her own.

Healy announced the hispanic leader, the blacks, the golden girls. But when he came to us everybody was shocked.

"Chapman" He announced with a tone of smugness in his voice. The hall went silent. Everybody's eyes hit us. I glanced at piper, she looked just as shocked as the rest of us.

"But you didn't even run!" morello hissed angry. Behind her red was looking murderous. I met Nicky's eyes and sniggered with her.

"Uh.. i can.. i can explain.. see..." Red cut over piper by taking a sharp step behind me. Piper jumped in her seat terrified.

"i'd run now, kid" Nicky told her in a half serious voice. I glanced back at red over my shoulder. Nicky was right. Red looked pissed.

"How is it little princess is made wac leader above one of my daughters when little princess didn't run?" Red growled viciously.

Piper stuttered a reply and red took another impatient step forward. I rolled my eyes when she stuttered again and stood up. Obviously nobody else was going to stop her being killed.

"Okay red, cool it" I told her pushing her back, "Obviously Healy rigged the election"

"Rigged it?!" she repeated outraged, "Impossible!"

"Is it? I mean, you did it"

The entire cafeteria started whispering and red's glare dropped solely on me. She moved into my space with her usual scowl and hissed up at me

"I would be careful where you run that mouth of yours vause. One day you'll get in very big trouble"

"Wise words from a convict. Can I eat now?" Red pursed a lips and nodded

"Of course" She leant past me and grabbed Ali's water from her hand. Her smile returned to me as she poured it over my tray, ruining my food. She threw the cup at me and smiled again, "Enjoy dinner"

I watched her walk off. Morello was on her heels like a puppy. I threw the cup onto the table. It bounced against nicky's arm and hit me back in the leg. I sighed to myself and pushed my tray away. I was expecting a thanks sometime but it never came. I looked up and frowned at the empty space opposite me.

"Hey" i tapped nickys hand, "Where's piper?"

She grinned, "Goldilocks ran off while you were fighting her corner" she sniggered down at her tray and threw me a grin, "Honestly, vause, she is not worth the shit you go through for her"

I nodded even though i wasnt listening and i stood up. Her eyes followed me and she frowned in a silent request to know where i was going. I pointed my thumb over my shoulder at the door. I was going to go find the blonde that had cost me my meal. Nicky was grinning amused as I turned away. I bet she was real pleased. Not only had lorna failed to usurp her but she'd gotten some fine dinner entertainment too. If only we were all that easy to please.

I dumped my tray and walked up to the door. I was hesitant about leaving after last time. Lucky for me Bennett was on duty. He gently stepped aside to let me go and even told me where piper had gone. I wondered if he favoured our rumoured relationship. Maybe he sympathised. Love was hard in prison. He should know.

I rounded the corner for Healy's office, knowing that piper would have bolted there to have it out with him. The door was slightly ajar as i approached and i could hear Healy's southern voice trying to calm piper's hysteria down. I leant up against the wall beside the door and leant close to listen to them. They were arguing over the wac results. Arguing over his intervention. I frowned as i listened. Piper hadn't wanted to be the leader? I would have had that right up her street really. She loved bossing people about and pretending it was for the good of everybody else.

"Mr Healy, i honestly dont think this is going to end well! Red already wants to kill me!"

He laughed and i heard a chair squeal with the weight being fixed on it, "Chapman, nobody will kill you. Look at it as experience. You wanted to get your thoughts to the board, I've got you a seat at the table. The others will get over it in a couple days"

"Mr Healy, its not-"

"You're the wac leader, chapman. Thats all there is to it. Now if you'll excuse me"

I leant back as the door was pushed open. Piper exited the room a couple seconds later looking pale and worried. I laughed. Always taking things to the extreme.

"You owe me dinner" I said looking down at my nails when she stopped beside me.

"What?"

I looked up at her and gave her a blank look, "Dinner. Shall we say five o'clock in your bunk?" Piper blinked bemused and I cracked a smile, "Im kidding, pipes. Honestly though, you cost me my meal. Fucking Red poured water on it"

"Sorry" she mumbled, "But you know, you didn't have to stand up for me"

I stared at her and laughed, "Right, because you were doing such a great job of it yourself?"

"I had it covered" she said curtly. I gave her a smile and raised my eyebrows. She broke into a little grin and nodded

"okay, maybe I didn't" she conceded taking a place beside me. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed, "Im fucked, arent i?"

"Oh totally. But there is some good in all this"

"And whats that?"

"Red hasn't killed you. Yet" I answered teasingly. Pipers expression dropped.

She knocked my arm, "Stop it"

I chuckled and knocked her arm back with a smile when she grinned down at our hands just touching. I looked down too and caught both our fingers twitching a little. I wanted to take her hand. She looked like she wanted to take mine. I wanted to scream with the frustration of it all. Why could this never be easy? Piper glanced up at me and tugged on my sleeve.

"C'mon" She said walking off. I followed her.

"What are we doing?" i asked as she lead me to the commissary. Chang wasn't sat in her usual spot behind the gate but O'niel was. He stopped slurping on his smoothie when he saw us and sat up a little straighter in the chair.

"Yeah?" He asked picking up a pencil.

Piper looked back at me before she ordered two pot noodles. I blinked at her and smiled while he twisted round to find them. He handed them over to her and pencilled the tab onto pipers account. I pressed a hand to my heart when she handed me one.

"Dinner, and you paid. Wow! This new piper really is something"

Piper laughed, "Shut up. The only reason you used to pay all the time is because you never let me"

"And you were broke" i pointed out. Piper shrugged

"And that. I guess" she looked around the hall and sighed, "Who'd have guessed i'd be more richer now being in prison than i was back then, huh"

I rolled my eyes and tapped her head with the noodle pot, "Quit moping. It suits you too much"

"What? Im not moping" I arched a brow at her, "Im not! Im just saying.."

I looked down at the pot in my hand and shook my head at her. I glanced back up and moved my glasses back up my nose with a smile for her. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at me.

"What?"

"Nothing, just…" I let my fingers move a little closer to her and brushed them against the back of her hand, "I've kinda never felt richer than right now"

Her eyes moved up from our hands to my eyes. Staring into them I felt my heart burn a little inside my chest. It was humming happy under her watch. She looked both confused and moved by what i said. And it embarrassed me. I felt my face grown hot while she thought her reply. In the end she didn't give one. Just moved her hand away suddenly and nodded down the hall.

"I should.. I should probably get going.. It's count time soon so.."

I nodded and raised my noodles, "Thanks for dinner" She shrugged and started walking.

I called after her, "I look forward to our next date!" She raised her finger up at me over her shoulder as she walked.

I chuckled and turned back to walk towards my own rooms. I thought over what just happened. In the space of ten minutes we'd gotten along. We'd actually worked the whole friends thing. We'd even played around a little. Maybe we could work it out.

Or maybe I was getting my hopes up again.