"Franky, ar-are you sure?" Bridget asked with a tremble in her voice.

Franky nodded as tears brimmed down her green eyes. Finally, she managed to utter, "Her name and photo are in the file."

When Bridget heard what Franky had said, she withdrew her hand from the brunette's thigh as if her lover had suddenly become of searing temperature. Then with tears in her own eyes, she got up and began to leave.

"Wh-where are you going?" Franky begged, not wanting Bridget's presence to be gone.

Bridget stopped, facing the wall. She sighed and said, "You don't want to be near me, not right now, not ever."

"That's not true, Gidge," Franky said as she approached Bridget from behind.

"It is true, Franky. We both love each other but now that you know that I've killed your sister, I'm metaphorically laced with razors. You touch me and you cut yourself when you remember that I killed your sister. I can't do that to you. It cuts both ways. To know that I killed a child is utterly disastrous but to know that I've killed the love of my life's kid sister is on some worst fucked up level. I should have died, not her," Bridget said unable to even say Tess's name.

Franky shook her head defiantly. "We're not over. We're not done. We'll find some way around it," Franky said as more fresh tears poured down, matching Bridget's physical appearance.

"I fucking love you," Bridget said as she headed for the cell door again.

"I fucking love you too."

That was all Franky managed to say out loud. Don't go, her heart cried out. Tears were crashing down like the torrential rain that was now pouring outside. Her feet kept her glued in place even when her heart wanted to rush and hold Bridget. As much as her heart ached, she wanted to comfort Bridget but she knew that what the blonde said was true. She slid down the wall where Bridget had faced, Bridget's last scent in her cold and entirely alone cell. She pulled up her knees and wept bitterly.

Bridget's ears were ringing from what Franky had told her. She believe that they were done. They cannot recover from the catastrophe that has befallen them. Her heart rapidly pounded and she felt faint so she crept under the covers. She covered her head, in a make belief that she is not within a few feet from the person whose sister she just killed. Warmth surrounded her but her heart felt like it was winter so there she lay, crying uncontrollably. Thus, began Bridget's first night alone in prison.


It was a somber morning to wake up to. Liz was the first to arise and the air just did not feel right despite the delightful rain sounds that accompanied their sleep last night.

Both Franky and Bridget fell asleep in the position that they cried the night before when there were no more tears to cry. They were weak come morning. Both checked out their eyes at the metal mirror and wondered how they would pull through, avoid questions about their puffy eyes and sordid appearance.

Ferguson watched intently at the two from H2 during breakfast. They both had identical withdrawn looks and each sat with clear avoidance of the other. Bridget seemed to have injured her right hand and was using a fork with her left. She was not eating though, just pushing food around. Franky just sat there staring at her food. A thin smile spread across Ferguson's face as she deduced the reason that kept the lovers apart.


Packaging would normally not be a challenge to Bridget as opposed to assembly but her current state made any work assignment a task for it drained energy to keep from crying. She mostly kept her head down.

Bridget's work behavior contrasted Franky's as the pain in her drove her to seek comfort with Allie. Allie sensed that something was amiss and so she tried her best to be cheerful for her friend by making fun small conversations. As a courtesy, Franky laughed along just so that she could momentarily forget the turmoil that was in her.

Franky's fake laughter could be heard all the way at Bridget's workstation and it was ringing in her ears. She could tell when the brunette was faking her laugh but she wondered if she would even have the luxury of making Franky fake laugh. They look rather happy, she thought. Then thoughts of Franky climbing onto Allie trying to have rebound sex invaded her mind. The pain felt so real. It felt like her limb was being chopped off. The intensity of the pain was so strong that she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, desperate to get the thoughts out.

The whole day was dreadful to say the least. Bridget kept her mouth close and head down. Franky, on the other hand, relied on Allie's jokes to solidify her appearance of sanity.

The moment they were back from work, Bridget retreated into her cell and only came out for dinner as she wanted to keep up appearances. Again, she played with her food and then retreated into her cell only to emerge for count. When count was completed, Bridget resumed her hermit way of life.

Again, both ladies cried themselves to sleep.


The next day was the same routine for the two ladies. Wake up, breakfast, work, lunch, and work.

Soon it was yard time and Bridget was fine with skipping it as long as she could use the showers before the rest. As usual, she walked with her head down and hood up. Only this time, she heard hushed whispers around the corner. Though it was soft, her acute hearing helped her deduce that Sonia and Ferguson were speaking.

Fuck it, she thought. She was not in the mood to play spy for Vera so she just walked passed the two unlikely coconspirators to the showers.

Sonia eyed wearily at Bridget as the blonde made her way passed them and when she was out of hearing range, she turned and focused her attention to Ferguson.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ferguson asked amused.

"I don't like that she's working in the warehouse given her close friendship with Vera," Sonia said.

"She already looks broken and yet you fear that she'll sniff up our alliance. Nevertheless, your fear isn't unfounded. While the rest sees her not as a threat, it's wise not to underestimate someone of her capabilities," Ferguson said as she remembered how Bridget was the one who realized just who she was on the inside. She was the cause of Ferguson's downfall.

"Her job's about being perceptive. I fear that it's so innate that it trumps her depressive state."

Ferguson nodded in agreement and was pleased that she now has someone with good reasoning. "Leave it to me."

And that concluded their evening business meeting.

Franky's heart started to ache from not seeing the blonde at dinner but she knew that the pain would soon be replaced by another pain when the blonde finally appears. The former pain prevailed for Bridget made no appearance at dinner.

Franky figured that some space for the hurting Bridget may be good since it cuts both ways for the both of them.

Then it was count and Will arrived to lock them in for the night when they all realized Bridget made no attempt to come out.

"I'll get her Mr. J. She probably took a nap," Liz said as she headed towards Bridget's cell. She knocked before she stuck her head in. Then she turned around and stammered, "Sh-she's not in there."