After a few too long minutes of waiting in an agitated line, Alex finally grips the stem of the phone that she places to her ear listening for the dial tone. She fishes out the familiar piece of paper from her pocket that nearly got washed with her prison pants, and she dials the number. Fast this time. She almost knows it off by heart already.

It doesn't take long for an answer. Alex's lawyer is expecting her call.

"Alex Vause." He says in a distinctly deep voice.

"Yes." Alex says lightly

"Ok here's the deal. I'm looking into the causes and regulations concerning prison transfers, but things are actually deeper than I anticipated." Alex can feel the sharp exhale of her lawyers breath through the phone.

"In what regard?" Alex feels herself getting nervous, as she realises she's gripping onto the phone tight enough for her hand to hurt with the pressure.

"It's something that I can't really talk about at the current time, but once I'm able to, I'll contact you Alex."

"Are you able to get in contact with Piper?" Alex hasn't had any communication with Piper since the day she was transferred. It's taking it's toll on her especially when she knows it didn't necessarily have to be like this. This was someone else's choice and could have been easily avoided in an instant.

"Not yet, I just want to establish things first before I see her, but it will happen in the near future."

"Ok good." Alex says, hopeful.

"Listen. I'll need to ask you a few questions face to face. This is turning out to be quite a serious sequence of events and I need to know everything that you are aware of."

Alex is startled. She's worried. "Can you explain to me what's happening? I mean, I'm the one who called you."

"I can't do that yet Alex. Just bare with me."

Alex sighs, contemplating her decisions. She could hang up the phone right now and be done with her lawyer, but her curiosity is getting the better of her. She needs to know what is so integral that her lawyer can't explain it. "I'll get you on my visitation list and we can talk. It takes a little while but you can come once everything is in order."

...

2 WEEKS LATER

"Alex, I'm going to let you know that everything you say is going to be documented and may be used in the court of law. This is going to help me with the case so your contribution is greatly appreciated." Alex's lawyer says sternly with his arms folded on the visitation table. He has an array of documents scattered across his side, with the font size being too tiny for Alex to read without getting caught. Alex is cautious with her words, but she wants to help as much as possible. This is something she doesn't want to prolong. She needs it resolved as soon as possible.

"Now Alex, was your relationship with Piper Chapman largely publicised between both of your friends and family?"

"The only person that knew on Piper's side was her best friend. But everyone that I was close to knew about Piper." Alex realises how sad it sounds out loud. EVERYONE knew about Piper. They knew how much Alex loved her, and they knew Alex was never afraid to hide it. I mean, Alex even introduced Piper to the people Alex was moving drugs for. But on the other hand, Alex was no one to the people that Piper loved. She was the 'mysterious woman' as they always joked about, and although it was a reining joke, Alex secretly didn't want it to be a secret anymore. She knew she would have to deal with the shock of it all and the negative repercussions, but at least she would have known that Piper wasn't ashamed of having her in her life.

"What was Piper's best friends name?"

"Polly." Alex says fast, not even thinking.

"How about Piper's parents? Were they aware of your relationship?" Alex's lawyer twiddles the jet black pen in between his fingers.

"No they weren't."

"And are Piper's parents still unaware of your relationship with Piper?"

"They know about it now. I don't think Piper's talked to them in a while, but they know about what happened between us."

Alex's lawyer inquisitively listens and scribbles notes that Alex can't make out onto the page. "Did Piper ever let her family or friends know that she was affiliated with a drug ring while you two were in a relationship?"

"Piper wasn't affiliated with the drug ring, she was affiliated with me." Alex never really defends Piper's involvement in the cartel. Alex has always had the mentality that Piper chose to do what she did, and that is true, but sitting head to head with her lawyer makes her feel extremely defensive.

"But you were affiliated with the drug ring Ms Vause."

Alex accepts that. She knows her lawyer has a point and has Alex wrapped around her finger, so she regretfully nods. "Piper never told them about the ring until everyone was going down for it."

"Is there any reason to suggest that Piper's family may look at you in a negative light?"

Alex laughs, knowing the answer too well. "Well yeah. Piper was never in a relationship with a woman before me, she had never been involved in any crime, and she was their sweet little angel. And they would have blamed me for Piper going to prison because that's the type of people that they are." Alex grits her teeth trying to retain an explosion of insults about Piper's parents. They were the type of people that Alex thought should never have kids. They had money, and that's about it. All Alex hopes for is that she can love Piper like her parents never did.

Alex's lawyer pauses, flicking through some of the pages and skimming over a few lines before he puts his pen down and looks to Alex more seriously.

"Were you in any great danger with one of your former associates from the cartel during your time in Litchfield?"

It's a trigger to paranoia. Just like that. One question. And suddenly Alex feels like she's already lost the game she thought she invented. It's feels like her lawyer knows already, that he's watching Alex twirl her fingers around each other in a nervous dance, smirking behind his neutral face because he knows how guilty Alex truly is. She can't look him in the eye. But Alex lies anyway despite the backlash if her suspicions are correct. "Not that I was aware of"

"And Alex, you didn't see anything out of the ordinary or thought anything was suspicious in the prison that would have put you in a position of vulnerability?"

His question is too spot on to just be a complete coincidence. It's game over. It's all over. Alex's mind flickers to Frieda, to C.O Dixon, and then, the hurricane, to Aydin Bayat. All people who put Alex in a position of vulnerability and each one of them came with a different resolution. "No." Alex says briefly. She's terrified now, keeping her words and actions cautious and to an absolute minimum. She doesn't want to give her lawyer anything more than what is being asked. She's scared it will rip her right open and let out all her secrets like a flock of birds ripping through her chest. "What does any of this have to do with Piper's transfer? That's what I called you about, so why are you asking me unrelated questions?"

"Because it is related Alex." He almost looks sorry as he says it. Like he doesn't want to believe it himself but it's out in plain sight.

"How?"

"I'll speak to you soon enough Alex." With once large swipe of his arm, Alex's lawyer collects his papers and shoves them into his briefcase almost as if he's late for something. The rush is apparent. "Have a good day Ms Vause."

Alex is startled by how quickly her lawyer went from interrogating her with questions to racing out the door in a matter of seconds. This is more than suspicious. This is a disaster waiting to explode. How can calling a lawyer about Piper's transfer turn into this? He asked so many questions. And he didn't give Alex and inch of what he was actually trying to get at. If he wanted to know if Alex killed Aydin he should have just asked... But then again, Alex still doesn't think she would have told the truth. All Alex knows is that she thinks she's made a horrible decision bringing a lawyer into an already chaotic scene.

...

"Vause, go to the mailroom, they've got something for you." Nicky screeches as she interrupts Alex's reading of 'Gone Girl' that she's been so incredible immersed in. It's to her surprise seeing as her mind is like a tornado right now, swirling every bad thought around and around in her brain and it won't stop.

"You're the bringer of gift news Nicky." Alex tries to force a smile but ends up sighing when it's too hard to do. With the shut of the book, it's the shut of the fantasy world and now Alex is back to her reality she's actually afraid of.

"How are you feeling kid?"

"I'm just, I'm so frustrated. Nothing makes sense Nichols."

"Don't worry, you'll get to the bottom of it because it's you." Nicky smirks lovingly.

"What if once I get to the bottom of it, i don't want to hear it?" Alex is shedding off her skin like a snake, revealing more than what she bargained for.

"You'll hear it, and you'll deal with it because the last thing you would do is run. I mean, even though you got those hot ass legs Vause, you don't run from shit." Nicky throws the pillow that belongs to the bed on the opposite side of the room playfully at Alex, watching her get startled when the soft exterior hits her legs. "Get the fuck up Vause."

...

The mailroom provides a surprising addition to Alex's reading material. But it's not a hard cover 1000 page novel... It's an envelope. Alex never gets letters. She doesn't bother to think of why because she knows that there's no one close enough to her that would bother. But the second Alex takes a glance at the front of the envelope, she notices the writing straight away. It's Piper's. She has Alex's name on the front exactly like her previous note. The heart and all.

Alex can't help but feel the tug of her lips pulling into a smile all the way back to her bunk.

She slides her finger through the small gap at the top of the envelope, ripping it carefully until she reaches the other end. Inside, a hand written letter with Alex's name bold and large at the top of it.

Alex,

They transferred me to Smithston correctional facility in North Carolina.

I feel like Litchfield doesn't even matter in here because I have to start all over again. New people, new rules, new problems. But I'm surviving it. I met a girl called Jade in here. She's basically the badass of this whole prison and she's keeping me safe. Mostly because I'm white, but I'm still appreciative. I feel less on edge. Less alone.

Every time I ask the staff why I was transferred here they either brush it off or threaten me with the SHU. Someone obviously wanted me gone from Litchfield, but I don't know who. I scare myself if I think about it too much.

Your lawyer called me, well I guess he's kind of my lawyer now, and he was asking a million and one questions. He seems off Alex, I don't know if I trust him. I told him everything he wanted to know anyway, seeing as it was pretty generic stuff. But he basically didn't tell me anything and every time I asked why he needed the information he said he couldn't tell me yet. It's like there's some underlying secret that he's trying to uncover.

I miss you.

I miss you so much.

I hate this. Especially when this isn't the way it had to be.

Just promise me that you'll remember how much I love you, through all of this you need to know that I'll be here. I know I sound like one of those couples you practically gag over, but you make me so happy. This distance is horrible Al.

I miss you, and I miss you and I miss you.

Stay safe.

Be as brave as you always are.

Love always, your Pipes xo

Alex uses her fingertip to trace over the words that caress the page in smooth, black ink. Just knowing that Piper herself thought of this collaboration of words and wrote it makes Alex's heart flutter.

Alex starts to regret her decision of calling her lawyer. If both Piper and Alex think that he's shady, they are probably both right. Too many questions with so little information from his side is proving nerve racking, especially when he is so close to the information regarding Alex, Aydin and Kubra.

But before Alex delves further into that scenario, she reaches for a blank notebook and a pen stored away with her other belongings. She needs to write back to Piper, but she's got no idea where to start. There's so much to reach for and yet Alex wants to be brief. She doesn't want this to be overwhelming in any shape or form.

Without thinking too much, Alex begins to write, quickly hating the sentence she's started. She frustratedly tears off the piece of paper from the rest of the notebook and scrunches it in the palm of her hand, placing it next to her on the bed. This is a continuous cycle, about five letters in, until Alex convinces herself that this is going to be the final copy. There is no more going back on what is on the page.

She finds her rhythm, writing whatever comes to mind and not thinking about it too much:

Dear Pipes

Is it cliché to say that it feels like I haven't seen you in longer than I actually have? North Carolina is even further than I expected which doesn't make the situation any better.

This Jade girl better not be trying to move in on my territory Piper ;) But I'm glad you're not getting beaten up by meth heads and crazy hormonal psychos. I mean it could be a lot worse.

In all this shit, I have some news. Kubra was killed. Don't ask any questions about it, I'll talk to you in person.

I don't know what to do with my lawyer... Is it a smart or a dumb idea to hire another lawyer? I just want to get down to the bottom of this. My mind is circling through a thousand possibilities and I just can't find one that makes the most sense.

I was thinking about it the other night.. The world pulls us together when we try and run apart from each other but when we are finally doing ok, like normal people, the world is the one that pulls us apart again. It's messed up.

I hope this reaches you soon.

Without sounding needy, can you just come back right now...

I love your dumb ass too much baby.

Love, that hot brunette you always think about

Alex smirks to herself as an idea pops into mind. She rummages through the minimal makeup products she keeps, along with the sharpie she uses as eyeliner. She reaches for a lip stick, bright red and begins to apply it to her lips. Once she's satisfied, she presses her lips hard against the paper, holding them long enough for the imprint of them to be perfectly defined once she lifts off.

Alex manoeuvres her head away from the paper, admiring her handiwork. She knows Piper will laugh, but she'll secretly love it. And that's exactly what she wants.

Alex let's out a deep sigh, almost feeling sad at the fact that she has to write this letter. She wishes she didn't have to. If Piper was here, this wouldn't even need to be an idea because she would have Piper right in her arms.

She can't help but start with the paranoia again. That the lawyer is planning against her. That he knows that Alex killed Aydin. And instead of figuring out the circumstances behind Piper's transfer, he will throw Alex under the bus and she'll end up getting a longer sentence. He's a defence lawyer. He shouldn't be trying to make his way over to the attacking team. He has no reason to be trying to do this to Alex.

Alex even thinks about what would happen if her suspicions are right. She would gets thrown into max for years upon years. Away from Piper. Away from anything she's ever known. And Alex thinks that it'll be too long of a wait for Piper to hold off being with someone else. A beautiful girl like Piper is sure to have people pursuing her at all times.

And much to Alex's realisation, Piper isn't going to wait for a murderer.

She surely wouldn't be able to explain that to her parents.

This isn't going to happen.

Alex won't let it.

Author notes:

Yes, Smithston is just a random name I came up with..

Yes, the climax of this storyline will hit soon..

Yes, Vauseman is still endgame..

And yes, i'll try to get everything out as quickly as possible.. Remember, I work on the new chapter straight after I post one so nothing is already written out and ready to go.

Stay tuned, stay happy, and stay Vauseman.