Olivia and Natalia laid in the dark caught in their own thoughts before drifting into slumber.
"I talked to David and Roger today."
"And how are your number one fans doing today?" Natalia sleepily smiled into Olivia's shoulder.
"They're fine, but I'm worried about Rafe." Olivia tried to approach the subject delicately.
"Why would you say that?" Natalia rose on to one elbow. It was too dark to actually see Olivia but she tried. Rafe hadn't said a thing to her.
"They just said Rafe hadn't been sleeping. Like something was bothering him."
"I'll talk to him in the morning." Natalia laid back down. She already knew what the problem was. It was coming up on the one year anniversary of the shooting. It had to be bothering him.
"Natalia?"
"Yea."
"I know it's not my place to ask and you don't have to answer, but why are you really here? I mean you couldn't have killed anyone unless it was self defense. And you wouldn't be here if it was. You want to tell me why you're really here?"
"Drop it Olivia."
"You can trust me…"
"I said drop it."
Olivia had never heard Natalia's voices so deep or demanding. She lay silently, confused by Natalia's response. Even when Natalia pulled her impossibly close, she couldn't shake the feeling the other woman was hiding something life changing.
Natalia and Olivia awoke in the morning at mail call. Frank laid a single piece of mail on the metal table of their room and walked out.
Natalia took open the letter with her name printed on the front.
"What's that baby?
The younger women carefully read the note, twice. "It's a note from the persecutor's office. They're reopening the case."
Olivia was so proud of herself she didn't register Natalia horrified reaction. "That's great!"
Natalia quickly dressed. "No, no, it's not." Natalia ran out of the room to the officer station.
Olivia peeked out of the room and watched as Frank walked Natalia out of the unit.
Blake was the first to reach Olivia. "What did you do?"
Olivia ignored the nosy woman. The letter had clearly spooked Natalia and only two people would know why and one just ran out. Olivia picked up the phone and call Rafe.
"Hello." Rafe's voice sounded groggy, like he had just woken up.
"Rafe, its Olivia."
"Hi, Olivia. It's something wrong."
"Rafe I need to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with me." Olivia looked around making sure no one was listening.
"Be honest about what?" Rafe was wide awake at Olivia line of questioning.
"Rafe, your Mom received a letter about her case. I want you to tell me what really happened that night." The other end of the phone was dead silent. "Rafe?"
"Where is Ma?"
"Rafe, I'm talking to you. Tell me what happened." Olivia's voice was stern and soft at the same time. She didn't want to spook him too much. She listened from Rafe. The young man still hadn't talked, but she could hear him breathing hard.
Rafe held the phone to his shoulder, trying to cover the mouth piece. The truth was haunting him since the night of the murder. He needed to tell someone the truth. "I swear I didn't do anything, everything just happened so fast." Rafe cried in earnest
"I know, Rafe. You're a good kid, whatever happen wasn't your fault. So just tell me so I can help you." Olivia whispered over the phone trying to get through to Rafe.
The college freshmen sniffed back more tears. "I was with my friend Patrick." Rafe stopped debating whether to continue. His Ma had sworn him to secrecy.
"Rafe if you were involved I can get you a really good lawyer, just tell me what's going on." Olivia was quickly losing her patience.
"Ma told me not to hang with him, but I grew up… he was like a brother." Rafe slammed his hand on the desk in front of him. Everything when wrong, because he wouldn't listen to his Ma.
"We were hanging at the house, but he wanted to take me out to celebrate my scholarship. I didn't know he had taken Ma's gun and we ran into this guy hanging on the corner, drunk out of his mind." Rafe started to cry in earnest Olivia could barely understand the bumbling teenager. "Out of nowhere Pat pulls the gun and tries to rob him. I swear I didn't want to…I didn't …I swear."
"What happened next?"
"Pat shot him. Right in front of me. He fell. I tried to stop the bleeding, but it was so much I couldn't. And Pat was screaming at me that he was as cop." The emotions of the memory choked Rafe until he couldn't speak.
"God, Rafe." Olivia leaned against the wall, contemplating the situation.
"The cops were coming so we ran. When we got to the apartment building pat gave me the wallet and gun. He told me to hide it or he would kill me and Ma." Rafe began to hick-up over the phone. "But Ma was already home. She saw the blood on my clothes. God, she was so mad when I told her."
"Rafe this is really important, where is Patrick now?"
"I don't know. He has some relatives that live in Mexico. He might have gone there." Rafe listened for Olivia to say anything. Anything to fill the silence. "Do you hate me?"
"No, Rafe I don't hate you. I just…this is unbelievable."
"I was going to tell the police when they came but Ma, told me not to. When the police tried to arrest me Ma confessed. I tried to find Patrick but I couldn't."
"So all they have is a confession?"
"And the gun? Ma took it from me, but they found it with our fingerprints. And Ma took the fall." Rafe started to weep again. He still couldn't get the image of the undercover officer struggling for his last breathe. "I didn't mean for any of it to happen, I swear."
"Why?"
"The lawyer said I would be charged as an adult and given life in prison and they would take it easy on Ma."
"They gave her 5 years for murder."
"No, who told you that. It was 15 years, but the lawyer said he could get her paroled early or something like that. He said she would only do 5 years." Rafe sniffed, before blowing his nose.
"Ok, Rafe. Ok."
"I'm sorry." The young college student repeated over and over.
"I'll find a way to take care of it, don't worry and don't tell anyone else. If the police come and ask you anything, you tell them to wait for your lawyers to show up. Don't say anything, not one word." Olivia talked over Rafe's mumbling.
"Ok."
"I'll call you later." Olivia hung up the phone, leaning against the cool metal. She couldn't blame Natalia for taking the blame. She might have done the same thing for her daughters. Asking Josh to re-investigate the case didn't seem like such a good ideal now.
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Blake stood at the doorway of her room watching for Natalia to come back. Being stuck with Olivia, Kennedy and Doris didn't seem like the perfect day.
"Hey baby." Doris slid beside the woman, greeting her as usual.
"Leave me alone." Blake greeted Doris as usual too.
"Still playing hard to get I see."
"Listen and listen close, I'm not playing hard to get. We are never going to be together in ANY way. DO YOU HEAR ME?" Blake flailed her arms around.
"So, your place or mine?" The ex-politician smiled innocently.
"Arg." Blake groan, stomping away.
"What did I say?" Doris yelled after the woman. She stayed by the door, not feeling the chase to today. She spotted Olivia talking on the phone. Doris watched as her former roommate sunk against the wall she started to think about the few month, she spent with the women. The only time she had seen Olivia look so down was when her daughter was hurt in an accident. Oh God she needs me. Doris put all kidding aside determined to help Olivia through her hard time. She straightened her jumpsuit marching over to Olivia.
Olivia was stuck in place. The recent turn of events shook her world. Natalia was innocent, but her son, who had grown on Olivia, would suffer the outcome of her release. It was a hard sell. Olivia couldn't say anything to the contrary. If Ava or Emma were in trouble she might have done the same thing. As Olivia pondered the answer to the situation a heavy body slammed into her.
Doris was on top of Olivia in seconds. She buried Olivia', head in her chest rocking side to side. "Everything is going to be alright. Just tell mama what's wrong. That's it let it go, let it all go."
After the initial shock of being bombarded, Olivia shook the woman off. She took a step back fighting the urge to knock Doris down. "What the hell is your problem?"
"Olivia its okay you can confide in me. I know Natalia is gone so lay it on me. Is it Emma, Ava?"
Olivia did her best to control her emotions, blowing up at Doris wasn't going to help. "Doris not now."
Doris decided to back off; Olivia was the only person who could stop her in her tracks with a look.
Olivia went back to her room to wait for it Natalia to return. By noon Natalia still hadn't returned, Olivia began to become concerned. She called Ava hoping Rate had called her.
"Hello?" Ava answered the phone with a heavy voice.
Olivia knew then that Rate had told her. "He told you?"
"I wish he didn't."
"Did he talk to the lawyer?"
"Yea, they're supposed to meet tomorrow." Olivia could hear the trepidation in her eldest daughter's voice. Neither of them had any reason to believe in the justice system. "What did Natalia say?"
"I haven't talked to her, she left before he told me." Olivia turned towards the entranced hoping Natalia decided to show up.
"What are you going to do?" Ava asked still in a shocked state.
"I don't know. I'll have to wait and see what our lawyer says. I already got a private investigator to track down this Patrick." Olivia watched Frank walk into the unit with Josh following him. She could full something was wrong by the look on Josh's face. "I'll call you later. Give my love to Emma." Olivia hung up just as the two officers approached her. "What?"
"Come with us." Josh spoke, turned and walked away.
Olivia followed without question with Frank behind her.
They all made it to the small meeting room in silence. Olivia sat down hoping this meeting was not about her sentencing. Anytime Josh came back early from a meeting with the bosses it was about her.
"So tell me what's wrong. Why did you came back early?" Olivia sat back in her chair staring at the' door. She was ready to storm out at any moment.
Josh sat down across from Olivia trying to figure out how to break the news to Olivia. He had given his word that this was the last "mission" and now he had to break his word.
"There has been a slight change of plan." Josh grabbed Olivia's hand to keep her from leaving. "Listen, they want to make a deal. There is a way to get off, this week."
Olivia calm down, her ears perking at Josh and Frank. "Don't keep me in suspense."
Josh looked at Frank in the corner. He knew Olivia wouldn't agree to the new deal, even if it meant life in prison.
Frank blew out a frustrated breathe. Josh as always too sweet on Olivia. "They want you to rat your girlfriend out. They think she's covering for someone."
"No." Olivia almost yelled, before she heard the rest of Frank explanation.
"Olivia listens to us."
"No, Lewis." Olivia threw her chair against the wall as she jumped up. "Take me back now."
"Olivia, they said we were taking too long on this case. We don't have anything on Harley, her gang or anyone else for that matter. This is your meal ticket out of here. All you have to do is get her to tell you who did it and you're both free to do whatever together. Don't you want that, to be free?" Josh stopped Olivia from leaving the room. He put his career on the line for this deal.
"No Josh. No. I won't do it. You tell those assholes upstairs they can shove it. I'll make myself comfortable, I don't need them." Olivia leaned against the wall with her arms folded like a child.
"I know you feel that way now, but think about it. Seriously, you and she could be out of here by the end of the month and whatever you have you can have in the free world. No bars, inmates, or crappy prison food. Think about it."
"There's nothing to think about."
Josh rose from the table approaching Olivia. "I know you know. Her son is the one who should be behind bars not her. And I know you think she's doing the noble thing by taking the fall, but she not helping anyone. Not him or herself."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do, so let me make this as simple as possible. You get them both to confess and I'll ask them to take it easy on him. Then we all can leave this hell hole. You'll be free and we'll be back on the streets." Lewis stared into Olivia's eye. The proposition was swirling around her head, listing the pros and cons. Olivia wanted to get out as bad as he and Frank wanted to leave. "Think about it. The kid gets a cake walk sentence and you'll be out in a matter of days, reunited with Ava and Emma. Don't you want to be a part of their lives, while you can?"
Olivia stared into space. Everything Josh was saying hit the spot. She wanted to be free with Natalia and her daughters, but not at Rafe expense, especially for something he didn't do. There were too many possible outcomes."I won't. Tell them to give us more time."
Josh didn't stop there, they spent the next three hours going back and forth.
Olivia was tried and worn down by the time the meeting was over. She stayed silent, the whole way back to her unit. When she arrived to her room Natalia was already there, lying on her bunk.
Frank stood at the door with Olivia, watching Natalia. He whispered, "You know what you have to do, so do it." He walked away leaving Olivia to contemplate her next move.
The undercover inmate walked into the room, quietly trying not to wake the slumbering woman.
"Olivia?" Natalia sat up on the bed. She watched as Olivia stood frozen in the middle of the small room.
"Oh, I thought you were sleep." Olivia walked the rest of the way to the small desk, refusing to look at Natalia, afraid the truth of the situation was showing in her eyes.
"Olivia what's wrong?" Natalia didn't need to see Olivia's eyes it was written in her body language.
"Nothing, why would you say that?' Olivia worked up enough strength to look in Natalia's general direction.
"I wanted to apologize about last night. I do trust you."
"Natalia." Olivia plead. The last thing she needed was Natalia confessing. The only con to the deal was Rafe's freedom and with every second the pros grew.
"No I do trust you and I want to tell you. I need to tell you.'
"Please don't. Not know, okay." Olivia moved away from the table sliding into the bed next to Natalia. "Just lay with me."
Natalia complied, cuddling up to Olivia. Olivia's change of mood had her worried. She didn't like the 'secret' meetings. No one had as many meetings with their lawyers as Olivia. She was on the verge of thinking Olivia was lying. Maybe she wasn't over whatever she had with Lewis.
Her telephone conversation with the investigator had gone well. He promised to back off re-opening the case. She was still worried; Rafe hadn't answered her phone call. His roommates said he had been missing most of the day. She just hoped he wouldn't do anything to incriminate himself.
Natalia watched for most of the days as Olivia nervously paced the unit. She constantly walked outside only to return to the room minutes later, unable to sit still for more than a few seconds.
"Olivia! Please sit down, you're making me nervous and I don't know why." Natalia exploded in frustration. "Just tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing, everything is fine." Olivia tapped her fingernails on the desk. She could feel Natalia and the rest of the unit watching her.
"No its not..."
Olivia cut Natalia off. Lying to Natalia wasn't her strong point. "Natalia do you trust me."
"Yes."
"Then trust me."
"Spencer." Frank stood at the door way.
"What's up with Spencer?" Harley stood by the officer station with Winslow. All day she had been watching Olivia run around the unit, doing nothing.
"Rumor is Rivera's case got reopened. Maybe she's worried her girlfriend is leaving." Winslow laughed at himself even though it was getting annoying. He had never seen Olivia look this way. She definitely had a weakness for the other woman.
He watched as Frank when to peek in on Olivia. As of lately he had been having a lot of hushed conversations with the woman.
"So you're going to let her leave without getting revenge." Harley had been stoking the officer's fire since she had arrived. The other officer had jumped already. Winslow was different. He thought about things, planned things out so on one could trace it back to him. She liked that about him. They had the potential to get things straight around this prison.
"Oh no, just waiting for the right time. Believe me she'll get hers."
"Don't hurt Spencer that's my job, you take the small one." Harley watched as Cooper walked past the station and out of the unit. Something was up with the guard, him and Lewis. They were too close to Spencer, always watching and talking to her.
A few minutes later Cyrus walked into the unit, greeting Winslow. "Hey partner. Cooper said he wasn't feeling well."
"Why don't you go and play with your friends." Edmund dismissed Harley form the station.
The gang leader slowly walked away. Winslow had a plan she had to get hers in action before anyone could move.
"Hey Foley, you noticed anything suspicious about copper lately." Edmund watched as Olivia walked back to the activity yard.
"Yea. Him and Lewis both."
Winslow nodded his head, needing the affirmation. "I want you to get your connect to check on them. Where they worked before this, everything from where they were born to how many shits they take a day. You got it."
"Got it, boss. What's up?"
"Don't know but I plan on finding out."
Foley could see the anger rising in his partner. If he had learned anything working with the corrupt officer it was that he wanted to be a part of every little thing and he wanted his cut.
"I think it's time to reacquaint Rivera with some old friends."
Cyrus didn't know what that meant but he was done asking questions. The less he knew the better.
oooooooooooooo
Harley walked up the stairs into hostile territory of the Queens. Two large women stopped her from entering the destination.
Harley threw her hands up, surrendering to the women. She waved her guards off as they started to run up the stairs.
"Let her in." Rachel Royal ushered the rest of her gang out of her room. There had to be a good reason Harley would come to her.
Kennedy sat on the metal desk swinging her legs. Rachel had given her permission to stay. She had been promised a high position in the gang. It was only a matter of time before she was promoted and moved out of her current room.
Royal sat on the bottom bunk waiting on Harley to begin to beg. "What brings you here to my humble adobe?"
"I came to make you an offer for your assistance."
"I'm listening. And you have 30 second before you watch your intestines hit the floor." Royal pointed to Kennedy.
Harley didn't bother to acknowledge the lower level member, but out the side of her eye she could see a blade shine. It didn't scare her that much. She had been stabbed before and it wasn't far off her plan. "Seeing as how you haven't been making much leeway around her, I came to offer you a piece of the pie. Cut you in on some of the profits."
"Like I need your permission. The only reason I haven't taken the profits is because I have a parole hearing coming up. So don't flatter yourself." Rachel smoothed the cover under her legs. She was growing impatient quickly.
"Any how all this can be resolved rather bloodlessly."
"Bloodlessly?"
"Yes almost. I just need you to take care of something for me."
"What?"
"I need you to take care of Rivera." Harley said innocently, swinging her arms.
Kennedy's smile faded. Natalia wasn't a friend but she certainly wasn't an enemy.
"Sure why not. There hasn't been any action around here for awhile. I got the perfect girls for the job." Rachel eyed Kennedy as the young girl swallowed a lump.