Nicky Nichols

Nichols draped her arm around Morello with a gentle smile. The day had gone by peacefully, both for her and Morello and Alex and Piper. They sat at the table together for dinner, the loud conversation of others echoing through the kitchen. Morello chatted up a storm beside her, as was the norm, Alex listening from across the table, intent on Morello's words as she always was. Piper seemed zoned out completely, she was barely touching her food, unusual for the blond who had been starved out her first week in Litchfield.

"You alright, Chapman?" Nichols asked softly, as to avoid disrupting the other girls. Chapman shook her head as if waking herself from a daze.

"Huh? Yeah… yeah I'm fine." Chapman responded. Nichols called bullshit immediately, raising her eyebrow in a challenge to the young woman in front of her.

"Remember the whole, I know dyke drama when I see it? Yeah well I also know bullshit." Nichols responded. Alex's eyes flickered towards the two, keying Nichols in on the fact that she was listening. Piper, being as oblivious as she was today, didn't see the brief movement from her girlfriend.

"I'm just tired, Nichols." Piper responded. She heard something about Spanish food and rolled her eyes playfully at Morello's continuous, unintentional, racism. The group found it a humorous quality and often poked fun of it playfully, which Morello took with ease.

As quickly as dinner had started, it was over and the girls shuffled back to their cubicles where they would spend the rest of their night. Piper walked briskly into hers and laid down, Alex headed to hers where she grabbed a book and began reading fervently. Nichols admired the way the two didn't need each other on a constant basis, and almost wished that she didn't feel like she needed Morello all the time. It would save her heartbreak, it would save her from humiliating herself over and over again.

Nichols walked into Piper's bunk and sat at the foot of the bed. Piper glanced up, raised an eyebrow curiously, and laid her head back down. Nichols sat for a moment, hoping Piper would talk first, and it worked.

"Do you think Red is doing okay?" She questioned. Nichols looked over in surprise. She hadn't caught on to the closeness the two had been sharing recently, and found it interesting that despite the shit they had been through in the beginning, Piper was now found of Red.

"I'm sure she's fine. Red's tougher than anyone I've met." Nichols remarked, smiling "Plus, she'll be ecstatic to hear about Vee's demise." She laughed. Piper smiled and glanced over at her empty bunk. "She'll be back, you don't have to worry about getting a new psychopath roommate." At that Piper laughed, her eyes wandering back to Nichols.

"Thanks Nichols, that was definitely the biggest worry I've had." Piper laughed as the conversation spun of into playful banter.

Alex Vause

Alex let her eyes skim the book, but her brain didn't contain much of the information she was given. Instead it lingered on the laughing coming from Piper. She felt her heart clench slightly at the thought of losing that again, and her nerves peeked. The past 24 hours had been spent questioning her choice to let Piper back in, despite Piper admitting that she was in it for the long run. What would Piper do when shit got real again?

Alex tried hard to push the unwanted thoughts to the back of her head, but to little or no avail. It lingered there. She refused to be hurt or heartbroken again but she knew there was no 100% with Piper… or anyone else… and at least Piper was there now, but what about when she got out? Then what? Alex would be stuck in prison for at least another two years, with Piper out there on her own. Then what? Alex was somewhat grateful that she had a lot less time than she should have, having ratted Piper out and a few others. Instead of life, or 15 years, she got a short 3 years.

Alex's thoughts where disrupted as Piper's name was called out over the intercom. She glanced back at Piper, who looked like a deer in the headlights. Piper got up stiffly unsure what she was supposed to do, or what she had possibly done. Alex followed her with her eyes until she was no longer visible.

Piper Chapman

Piper stumbled out towards the counselors' office, dazed and uncertain. She hadn't done anything, and she had never been CALLED down, not with the harshness she had been this time anyways. As she reached the door, she turned the knob slowly and stepped inside.

"Chapman. Have a seat." Mr. Healy stated, motioning to the chair in front of him. Mr. Caputo stood next to him, his eyes scanning a sheet of paper.

"Now, Ms. Chapman. It seems here that you lied under oath to protect Ms. Vause." Caputo stated, looking up at Piper. Piper avoided eye contact feeling like an idiot, but there was no way she would turn Alex in. "This, coupled with the fight you had recently, has lead us to reprimand you. The court has ruled that your term be extended 12 months. Now you may request a trial and we can set a date." Caputo finished. Litchfield never did things the way they ought to be done, and Piper knew that, but in some ways the revelation of this news made her ecstatic.

"No, I accept. No trial is needed." Piper stated, thinking about the fact that she would spend extra time with Alex, extra time in the company of her friends. Caputo tried to talk her into a trial but she continuously refused, stating she would pay for her crimes and infractions. Caputo gave up, said okay, and shooed her from the room.

Piper walked out, but did not get far. She froze momentarily, unsure what she was to say to her parents, or anyone else for that matter. When she had come in she couldn't wait to get out and now… she was excited to stay.

I'm scared that I'm not myself in here, and I'm scared that I am.

Piper thought about her previous words to a young delinquent and a realization it her. She was afraid that she was herself in here, not anymore. She knew.