A little Piper/Nicky because I love their friendship. I also jump forward a bit in the shows timeline. Trying to get out of the shows timeline as fast as I can so I can start with my own and how I want everything post season 2 to go. I do mention Red's accident in this chapter so I'm making it happen a bit earlier than it does in the show. Almost at the season 2 finale! Chapter 16 I incorporate parts of the finale so it's coming!

thanks so much for the favorites/follows/reviews. I love them!

"So that's all for my boring little life, how about you?" Piper finished as she leaned back against the wall.

"I enrolled in college." Alex said proudly.

"You what? Alex that's great!"

"I'm going to be a business woman. I should probably know a thing or two about running a business. Legally. Just two classes to start. I'm pretty busy with the club so I don't have that much free time, but it's something."

Piper scoffed. "I'm sure you know more than the professors. As much as it sucked for me, you always were a great business woman."

"Yeah, well," Alex began with a chuckle, shifting the phone to her other ear. "I got caught so I wasn't all that great. Besides, I want to do things right this time around."

"Are you sure you're not taking on too much at once, Alex?"

Alex shrugged. "Probably. But when have you known me not to?" She knew it was a lot, but she needed to stay busy. The past fifteen or so years of her life, except when she was with Piper and tried not to work so much, had been spent without much so much as a free moment to herself. She was constantly busy traveling, making deals, meeting new clients, recruiting mules and whatnot. After being released from Litchfield she had too much time to herself. She needed to stay busy. She needed to be so busy that she didn't have a moment to think about anything except how tired she was. The constant thoughts of how she had fucked up her life were too much.

Piper had to concede she had a point. "How are things going with the club?"

"Great. I hired another manager to help with things and a couple bartenders so far. I can't do it all and then with my classes now I have even less time. As of next week we will be open six days a week. I need a day to fucking rest."

"Alex Vause admitting she can't do everything?" Piper teased with a smirk.

"I'm getting old I guess." Alex chuckled. "I'm just stuck on the fucking name." So far she had kept the club's old name as nothing had come to her that she felt was an adequate name for the new club. However, she had to have a new name before the club's re-opening coming soon. Well, more like a re-re-opening.

"I'm sure something will come to you. Oh, and Nicky told me to tell you that, and I quote, 'I told you you couldn't do it you soft' ..." Piper trailed off trying to remember. "Something about a sneaker full of shit or something and 'you're a pussy.'"

Alex let her head fall back and laughed. "Yeah, well tell her that was back when I had six years." She explained.

"What?"

Alex shook her head and switched her phone to the other ear. "It doesn't matter." No way she was going to tell Piper she had been planning to cut off contact with her when Piper was released from prison. It didn't matter anyway as she got out before Piper and only had to wait a couple of months for the blonde to be released. A few months was absolutely doable. Six years not so much.

"So how many people have hit on the hot, new club owner today?"

Alex laughed. "Your jealousy is showing, Pipes."

"So?" Piper began. "I am jealous. I'll admit it. I'm jealous of anyone on the outside who gets to see you or touch you-"

"There's no touching going on Piper." Piper sighed. "Look babe...I love you. You are the girl for me. It doesn't matter how many drunk twenty-three-year-old bartenders throw themselves at me-"

"Oh awesome. Thank you for that."

"Piper" Alex began. "You have to trust me."

Piper sighed and looked around. "I know. I know I'm trying. It just sucks being in here while you're out there."

"I know baby. . . But I'm not going to do anything. Even if I wanted to, I don't have the time. I spend every hour of every day trying to make something of myself that you would be proud of. If I didn't have you pushing me to be better I'd probably just start dealing again. But I do have you."

"I know Al. But you cheated on your ex with me. I destroyed that relationship. That's how our whole relationship started."

"You didn't destroy anything Piper. I wasn't happy with her." Alex sighed in frustration. "I'm happy with you. You're all I ever wanted. I'm not going to fuck this up. Not again."

"How can you be happy with me when I'm in prison Alex?"

"Because you'll be out in a couple of months, Pipes. I would rather be with you while you're in prison than be with anyone else out here. Piper, I love you." She paused a minute. "You're my girlfriend Piper I don't want anyone else."

Piper smiled. "I am?" She asked. They hadn't discussed being official yet so it made her happy to hear that.

"Of course! You really have to ask?"

Piper's smile grew, if that was possible. "No."

There was a beeping on the line and Alex apologized saying she had to take the call. "I'm sorry. It's business."

Piper laughed at the irony. Only this time when Alex had to take a business call she didn't feel neglected and that pit that had always formed in her stomach never came. Rather, she smiled and felt proud of her girlfriend. After promising to come visit her in a few days time the two said their goodbyes.

"God you two make me sick." Nicky said as she joined Piper outside. She handed Piper a sack lunch knowing the blonde had skipped lunch to call Alex. And knowing they had to get back to work and the blonde would be hungry.

Piper rolled her eyes and playfully shoved Nicky. "Don't be jealous."

Nicky gave her a look that clearly read 'as if.' "If I was ever that disgusting with someone and smiling like that into the phone I would off myself before anyone had the chance to."

Piper smiled. "She's my girlfriend."

Nicky shook her head. "Congratulations."

"She's coming to visit on Saturday. Wanna see her with me?"

"I, in no way, want to be involved in your alone time."

Piper sat down on the bench outside of electrical and pulled her sandwich out. "What, do you think I'm going to throw her down on the table in visitation and have my way with her?"

"Well honestly I thought she'd throw you down." Nicky answered, sitting down across from Piper. Piper just glared at her. "Maybe I'll stop by if there's nothing better to do."

Piper chuckled and scoffed the rest of her lunch down. With only a couple minutes left getting everything down was more important than being a lady. "How is Red doing?"

Nicky shrugged. "She took a lock to the face a couple times how would you be?"

"Have you been to see her?"

"Oh yeah, all the time. They're really good about making sure we get to visit."

"Stupid question."

"Ya think?" Nicky snapped. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Piper waved her off. "Don't worry about it. You're just worried about her." She reached across the picnic table they were sitting at and put a comforting hand over Nicky's. "Red is a fighter. She'll be okay." Nicky nodded. "Wanna see if Luschek has anymore bottles lying around?" She asked with a smirk.

Nicky smiled. That was just what she needed right now. It had been a few weeks since their drunken escapade. Without any more incidences, Luschek was probably thinking they wouldn't do any thing again. His guard should be back down by now. Nicky winked and looked behind them to where the electrical shop head's truck was parked. She knew where he kept the good stuff.

"Don't even think about it Nichols."

Nicky cursed and moved away from the truck as Luschek walked by with a smirk on his face. She cursed and went back to they able. "You couldn't tell me he was coming?" She looked around. "Chapman? . . Chapman?" Piper was nowhere to be seen. "Girl needs a class in lookout 101. Rule number one, fuckin look ... out."

Piper quietly sat down across from Healy. Nicky was going to be pissed. But what was she supposed to say? "No, sorry I can't come to a meeting right now Mr. Healy I have to play lookout so Nicky can steal Luscheck's alcohol." She was in deep enough with him already. Luschek wouldn't do any thing to Nicky other than make fun of her for a bit so there was no real danger there. Though she would have to do something to make it up to Nicky later.

"So, Chapman, you have some more time coming."

"I have what?" Piper's face went white.

"You lied under oath Chapman."

Piper's heart dropped. "I didn't exactly lie-"

"Vause's testimony said otherwise."

Piper closed her eyes and shook her head. She had been expecting this to come. Part of her hoped they would just forget about it, but she knew the risks when she testified. "How long?"

"Another seven months."

"Seven months!" Piper exclaimed. That put her total time up to two years. All these mandatory minimum sentences and trying to make an example of people was ridiculous, but what could she do? If she tried to fight it it would only make things worse. "They can't even prove I lied! Maybe Alex lied."

"The federal government doesn't take kindly to one of their star witnesses changing her testimony. You told the prosecutor you knew this guy..." He looked through the file on his desk. "Cobra...Kubra...whatever. You told them you knew him and then testified that you didn't. You lied, Chapman. Enjoy your stay here." He smiled and dismissed her.

"Mr. Healy this isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair Chapman."

"The guy got off. There was a mistrial. So it doesn't even matter what I said."

Healy sighed and looked up at Piper. "You lied Chapman. It matters to the government."

"Don't I get a trial or something?"

Healy looked up at the time then back to Piper's file in front of her. "You're late for work."

Piper got up and left the office as calmly as she could. She was boiling inside, but a famous Piper temper flare up wouldn't do her any good. She had no idea what to do. Another eight months would mean she wouldn't get out for fifteen months. That was the same as the time on her original sentence. How was she supposed to do that time with Alex on the outside? She had made the decision to lie under oath knowing the risk of additional time when she thought that additional time would be spent in prison with Alex. Not in prison while Alex was out and free. She shook her head and threw the door open, stepping into the crisp light of day. What the fuck was she going to do?