CHAPTER 10

5 Days Later

"Piper... Piper…Pipes wake up!"

"ALEX!"

Piper's eyes sprung open instantly, 'Al…' she breathed looking around the room. It took her a moment to realise she was suddenly sitting and clutching her blanket under her chin, both feet were planted filmy on the floor as if she were about to get up and leave. 'Where am I?' She wondered feeling extremely confused and disorientated. The moon's gentle rays shone through the grated windows highlighting the prison E block dorm. She could hear faint snoring and Piper quickly realised where she was. An eerie cold wave rushed down her neck and spine, she was covered in sweat. An odd sensation took hold of the woman as she sat in the darkness feeling dazed and unsettled, she was over some with the sudden urge to get up and run. Piper jolted up and sprinted out of the dorm and into the bathroom. Her hands found the sink and she lent over it as if she were about to be sick. Why had she run into the bathroom? Who had spoken? This greatly confused her as she tried to remember what had woken her in the first place. 'Alex' she mouthed, Piper had heard someone call for Alex, someone urgently wanted Alex and had woken her up because of it. Her eyes slowly began to adjust from the sudden dark to the bathroom light, "Hello?" she whispered into the empty stalls hoping to figure out who was calling for her ex. "Is someone there?" Silence followed. Piper strained her ears hoping to hear a reply or perhaps footsteps, nothing but silence. Her heart began to pound, she took a sip of water and slowly made her way back to her bunk, her head racing with what had caused her to get up and run like that. Red lay motionless on her side. Piper looked around, no one else seemed awake or out of bed. She lay back down on her bunk wondering if someone was watching her. Piper hated being alone, despite being surrounded by sleeping inmates she couldn't help but feel isolated at this particular moment. Her thoughts fell to Alex as they usually did when she was feeling scared and lost over the past months in prison. The sudden urge to hold the brunette was excruciating, the need to be touched and reassured caused Piper's heart to sink dramatically. But sadly in reality was she couldn't and wouldn't be able to for a very long time. Alex was due to visit that day but they were only allowed short hugs hello and good byes. Piper needed more, she needed to be able to sneak into Alex's bunk right now and be reassured that everything was ok. She needed to feel those long arms wrapped tightly around her skinny torso, to feel her hot breath kiss the back of her neck and whisper how stupid she was being. Whatever had awoken her now made her feel silly, it was just a bad dream but Piper was sure Alex would've made her feel better. However if it was just a bad dream then why did Piper have such a nagging feeling that something wasn't right? For some reason it felt like more to her, like she'd experienced something very unpleasant and distressing. As Piper pulled the blankets back over herself, she fell into deep thought about her ex and who may have called out to Alex. It was then, as she was at the cusp of drifting off, she realised it was in fact her who had called out for Alex.

"What do you mean I'm not on the list?" Piper demanded as she lined up at the visitation room. "I have a visitor, Alex is visiting!" she stated bluntly to C.O O'Neill. Feeling slightly peeved off that he wouldn't let her in Piper tried to peer over the C.O's shoulder hoping to see Alex. She could see a wash of khaki uniforms mixed with orange talking to a variety of people, none of which looked like Alex Vause. Determined that the brunette was simply running late, Piper stayed close. "We'll call you over the speaker if she turns up. Move along Chapman. Next," he called trying to usher her along with the other inmate inline. Piper's face fell, "but she promised she'd be here, just give me five minutes?" but O'Neill wasn't putting up with any of her nonsense. "Move along Chapman!" he repeated looking to the next inmate, "Name?" With a final look Piper turned and stalked away. Where was she? Why wasn't Alex waiting for her? "Chapman!" Came a voice from behind, she turned promptly, hopeful it was O'Neill calling her back but her eyes fell on Joe Caputo instead. Behind him were two officers in blue clad shirts, black pants and badges hanging from their necks. One was tall with blond hair and rather piecing blue eyes, she didn't recognise him the other however was fat, bald and almost caused Piper instant heart failure. It was Probation Officer David Crocket and he wasn't looking impressed. Caputo must have registered she recognised the officer as he looked between them, "We need to have a chat, these officers have a few questions for you regarding your friend Alex Vause."

All the blood rushed forward and fuzzed at the base of Piper's temple. She felt light and a new wave of panic began to rise in her chest. She had many questions but feared they would only cause her issues if she asked them. They quickly ushered her into a private room which contained only a table and two chairs. Piper was increasingly becoming more nervous as she realised that they wanted to interrogate her. The very mention of Alex was enough to cause the blond mass speculation, was this why Alex wasn't here? Were they after her? Had she broken her promise? "What's going on?" Piper finally managed to spit out. "Do I need a lawyer?" They ignored her questions, "We believe you have been in contact with Alex Vause since her release in January?" Caputo asked as he took a seat opposite Piper. Officer Crocket stood while the second took the spare seat next to Caputo and pulled out a file of papers. Piper hesitated, how much was she going to give away? Would it get her into trouble? Would get Alex into trouble? They continued to talk as they watched her think about her answer carefully. "Officer Crocket here says he saw someone of your description at the apartment of Ms Vause six days ago while you were on your furlough. Can you confirm this?" spoke Caputo, his voice calm and always professional. Piper liked him, she felt he had always had the right frame of mind and never abused his power. She nodded slowly. "Can you tell us if Ms Vause had plans to leave her apartment and travel anywhere?"

"Is Alex missing?" Piper asked quietly.

"Chapman we need you to answer the question please. Did Ms Vause.." Caputo pushed but Piper ignore him and repeated herself interrupting once again.

"Is… Alex… missing?" Caputo looked at her and sighed, he clearly was not in the mood for a fight and most likely figured that if he gave Piper a little something she may return the favour with more information. "Yes, Miss Vause is unaccounted for. She did not turn up for her weekly check in with her Probations Officer. We would like to know if she had discussed any plans to leave with you?" his voice was cool and to the point, this caused Piper to calm down a little. "Have you been to her apartment? Was it broken into?" Piper's mind allowing a moment to forgive Alex, she may have been kidnapped and had not in fact broken her promise. "Police have been searched her apartment, there is no signed of forced entry or a struggle. Her belongings are still there but a gun was found on the premises. Were you aware Ms Vause had a hand gun on her person?" Piper paused, if Alex had left why hadn't she taken the pistol? Perhaps she had relented to Piper's request and ditched the gun before going back on her word and skipping town? Piper eyes left Caputo's and focused on the desk, "Yes… she did" her voice was dull and defeated. "She…" Piper began but struggled to continue. She didn't know what to say. Just the simple realisation that she'd fallen for another of Alex's lies was enough to push the woman to tipping point. If her apartment was clean then where else could she be? She must have skipped town, ignoring they're whole meaningful conversation and left her… again. Piper wanted to go to bed, she wanted to roll over and shut the entire world out because she had trusted Alex again and like a sucker she was, Alex had done a complete 360 and lied to her. Piper felt sickly betrayed and stupid, how could Alex do this to her again? But that's what they did, Piper had said it herself, they hurt each other and it would forever be a selfish spiral of deception, lies and something that couldn't be described as love or hate. Alex had promised her, sealing it with a kiss and declaration of love that she'd come back and wait but was Piper so deluded she'd made the whole thing up in her head?! "Chapman?" Caputo's voice breaking Piper self-rage wave, "We need you to tell us what Ms Vause told you! I promise you personally that you won't get into trouble, we just need to find her". Piper looked up, they're eyes met and she swallowed hard before opening her mouth,

"She didn't tell me where she was going just that she planned on breaking her bail conditions and leaving. She's probably in Cambodia…somewhere." Her voice was cold, she was betraying Alex but in her mind it was too late. Alex had already done that three times over. Piper knew she'd hurt her by leaving when her mother died but she didn't think to the extent where Alex would forever be punishing Piper for that. "Can I go now?" she asked unable to think about anything else they needed from her for. Caputo paused and looked to Crocket who had not taken his eyes off Piper once, he nodded and Caputo waved Piper out.

It was a slow walk back to her bunk. Piper ignored all around her and any sly comments slung her way. Something was changing inside the young woman, her feelings towards Alex had shifted. 'Alex had left, she'd promised, lied again and again and again and left you behind forever.' Piper was all alone, this was it she had no one left. Alex had pushed and pushed her, she couldn't take it anymore this would be the very last time she'd ever let Alex Vause hurt her ever again…