Chapter 25 – Working It Out

Laura was woken up by her mother. Before she could open her eyes, she could already hear a lot of voices inside the room. She slowly opened her eyes and let them adjust to the brightness first before she looked around to see who were there. There were Natasha, Uzo, Samira, Yael, Danielle Brooks and Taryn Manning, and of course, Jenji. With them were some of the staff of the show. She smiled at the sight of them.

"We're so sorry we woke you up," apologized Uzo. She went to her and kissed her on the cheek. Everyone else did the same.

"Oh no, don't worry about it. Besides, you didn't wake me. My mom did." She chuckled as she looked around for her mom. She was no longer there. "Where'd she go?"

"Oh, she said she's just gonna make calls for a while," answered Tasho. "Although I think she just found the room too crowded now." She dropped a basket of fruits at a table beside her. "Here, we brought you something. Don't worry, this apple? Not poisonous."

Everyone laughed. "Thanks, girl."

She was about to say something more but then the door started to open. She noticed how everyone nervously looked at each other. She looked at the door, waiting for whoever was behind the door to finally show up.

"H-hi." It was Taylor.

Laura looked back at Natasha and she couldn't return her stares. Her friend was probably thinking she was mad but she wasn't. She wasn't expecting Taylor to come so she was glad she was there.

"Hi," was the only thing that came out of Laura's mouth. Taylor smiled and Laura felt her heart melt at the sight of it. It had been the first time since they broke up that she had smiled at her like that again, and it felt good.

For a minute, everyone could feel the tension build up inside the room, and no one dared speak a word. It was Jenji who broke the silence. "So, how are you feeling?"

Laura silently thanked heavens that someone finally said something. "Oh, I feel a lot better now. I'm gettin' out tomorrow."

Taylor sat on the couch at the corner.

Laura's eyes followed her. She wanted to talk to her, to thank her for being there, or say anything at all but she couldn't. She really did not know how to voice her thoughts at the moment.

"What happened to you anyway?" asked Taryn. "Lyonne said you had food poisoning?"

"Oh, yeah. Stupid, right?"

The conversation kept on for a while. Everyone had joined in except Taylor. She had not spoken a single word ever since she came in the room, and just stayed where she was, listening to everyone talk, glancing at Laura every once in a while.

"So..." It was Jenji. "I'm sure you need to go back to resting, so we better get going. We'll see you at work soon?"

"Yeah! I'll be as good as new when I get back. Thanks for coming, girls." She smiled.

Everyone started coming up to her again, and hugged her as they said their goodbyes and went out of the door. Again, for the exception of Taylor. When she stood from the couch, she just looked at Laura, nodded a bit with a little smile, and then walked out of the door. Natasha was the one to go out last.

"Hey, Prepon. I'm sorry I had to tell her-"

"It's okay, girl. Don't worry about it." Laura smiled.

Natasha seemed to breathe out a little air as she felt relieved that Laura wasn't mad at her. "All right then. That's good. See you soon. Love ya!" Natasha went out and was surprised to see that Taylor was still outside the door. The rest weren't around anymore. "Oh, hey. What are you still doing here?"

"Uhm. I think... I think, I'm gonna stay for a while... until Marjorie comes back."

"How'd you know Marjorie was here? She left before you came."

"Yeah, I saw her on her way out. She was the one who told me to go in."

Natasha looked at Taylor tentatively. "Are you gonna be fine... being there with her, alone?"

Taylor did not answer immediately. "Yeah," she shrugged. "We're okay now. So, I don't think there's gonna be any problem."

Natasha smirked but knew better to not say anything else. "Okay, then. I gotta go. I'll see you." She started walking away. "Please don't try to kill her."

Taylor laughed and waited until she could no longer see Natasha before she opened the door. When she came in, she could see that Laura was surprised to see her again. "H-hey."

"Hey." Laura got up to sit. "Did you... forget anything?"

"No." Taylor shook her head. "I just... uhm, your Mom told me if I could look after you until she comes back."

Taylor had to lie. How on earth could she tell Laura that she just wanted to stay there with her because she didn't want to leave her alone... because all she could think about right now was the last time she was sick and alone, and how she felt about that before... and how she was feeling the same exact feeling right now?

When she found out that Laura was in the hospital, she almost wanted to get out of the set right at that moment, to go see Laura. If only Natasha wasn't there and if only she wouldn't see how much her ex-girlfriend still affected her. She was so worried until Tasha told her that Laura was already out of danger.

"Hey, you don't have to do that. I'm gonna be fine. I mean, how hard is it to just lie down and not do anything, right?" She tried to smile but Taylor didn't do the same.

"What if you have to pee... or something?"

"I can stand and walk on my own. I swear, I'm fine."

Taylor nodded. "Of course." She started walking towards the door. "I'm sorry. I was stupid enough to think that you'd want me in here." She was walking out of the room when Laura spoke.

"Hey... that's not what I meant. It's just..." Laura sighed. "Okay, just stay."

"No, it's okay. I'll just leave."

"Taylor. Please?"

Taylor didn't move for a while. There was something in hearing Laura say her name again which froze her on the spot. She sighed, and then she walked back in again. She just stood at the foot of the bed, right across Laura, thinking of what to say.

Laura remained quiet, just looking back at her.

"You told Natasha not to tell me that you're here." There was an accusatory tone in her voice. "Why?"

Laura was taken aback by Taylor's question. She didn't realize that she would ask her this. "Because I was getting out anyway, there's really no reason to tell you. And besides, I would've told her the same thing for anyone else."

"But you specifically told her not to tell ME."

"Specifically? What are you- Because she asked what to tell you if you asked, okay? Not what to say if it was Yael, or Taryn or anyone." Laura's voice was a little louder than she had intended it to.

Taylor shook her head and looked away. "That's not even the point here."

"Then what is the point?"

"Why are you yelling at me?" she asked, with a hurt look on her face.

"I am not yelling at you!" Laura grasped the sheets of the hospital bed, frustrated at herself because she was indeed yelling.

Taylor raised an eyebrow and folded her arms together. "You know, this is the first time we've spoken more than five words to each other and this is what we decide to do? Fight?"

Right then, Laura breathed deeply and tried to calm herself. Taylor was right. They shouldn't be fighting again. She didn't want to fight in the first place. She was just too overwhelmed that she was alone in a room with Taylor again, and she didn't know how to act appropriately. "I'm sorry. You're right. We shouldn't be fighting."

"Good. Coz' it's not good for you." She walked towards the couch and looked back at Laura. "You should be resting. So, you know, if you wanna sleep, go on. I'll be here if you need anything." She sat, a little too far from the raven-haired.

"No, you said so yourself. This is the first time that we're talking, I mean really talk, in like forever. That's what I wanna do. I wanna talk. If it's okay?"

Taylor smiled slightly. "Sure." She then dragged a chair and sat beside Laura. This was the closest she's been to her ever since she came in the room earlier and she felt her heart beat faster. "What do you wanna talk about?"

"Anything," Laura smiled. She missed this. Talking to Taylor, not just as Alex but as Laura, not fighting, no awkward feelings towards each other.

"Right... I know that the last time we talked, I told you that I didn't wanna be friends anymore. I was wrong. I wanna be friends. I know that it may not be like the way it used to anymore, but I'm willing to work on it, if you are, too."

"Of course! I am willing to work on it. I'll do everything I can. I missed you, you know." She looked into Taylor's eyes and it was the first time she did in a long time.

But Taylor looked away. She looked back at her for maybe just a second but gazed away as soon as she did. She shyly smiled. "Yeah, those words are... maybe... not safe... yet. I mean, for right now. If you know what I mean."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. I just... forget I said it." So much for no awkwardness.

"It's okay. I did miss you, too, anyway."

Laura looked at Taylor, confused. "I thought you said... that's not safe?"

This time, Taylor chuckled. And Laura found herself chuckling, too. She never thought there'd come a time when she and Taylor would find it easy to laugh together again. It felt good.

"I know. That's the last time." She was smiling, and it wasn't a small smile, or an awkward one, it was a real, big grin, which she hadn't done in a long time. It was funny how the person who had made her forget how to smile like that was also gonna be the same person who would make her remember how to do it again. "I'm glad you're safe." She rested her arms on Laura's bed.

"Yeah. I am, too." She chuckled again. For a moment, both kept quiet just staring at each other, until Laura noticed how close Taylor's hands were to her right hand. She looked back at the blonde again and was surprised to see that she, too, was looking at their hands.

Laura then smiled. "Thanks for being here, Taylor. It means so much to me."

With one swift move, Laura put her palm over Taylor's hands and started rubbing her forefinger over them. Taylor, on the other hand, moved her other palm over Laura's until her hand was already enclosed by Taylor's. She looked back up at Laura and she was already staring back at her.

After almost two months of trying to avoid each other and only talking when they needed to, they were both surprised with how easy it was for them to reconnect, as if the connection had not been broken in the first place.

Laura's character, Alex Vause once said, "Well, I think when you have a connection with someone, it never really goes away, you know. You snap back to being important to each other because you still are." She couldn't be any more right.

Suddenly, the door swung open and they felt as if someone had electrocuted them because they suddenly let go of each other's hands. It was Marjorie.

"Oh, hey! Taylor you're still here!" It was evident in Marjorie's face how glad she was that Taylor was there. If there was one person who was more affected than Laura and Taylor for their breakup, it was her.

When Taylor realized that her cover was gonna be blown once Marjorie started asking why she was still there, she stood and looked at Marjorie intently. "Yeah! You told me to wait for you, remember?" She looked at her pleadingly, hoping she would understand and cover for her.

And she did understand. "Oh, right! No, I thought you couldn't wait any longer and you would just decide to leave before I came back."

Laura looked back and forth from her mother and Taylor, confused why they suddenly started acting strangely. Looking at her Mom, she knew.

She never really asked Taylor to stay.

A/N:

Guest (who wished Taylor would go to the hospital) Haha, yeah she did! =) Thank you!

moanzs, Yes, it's nice to have a breather once in a while. I love Tasho, too! More Tasho to come on the next chapters I think. Haha. Virtual hug is good enough for me, thank you! =)

Shepherdinha, Lol, that may be a better plot than the one I made =)))

Guest (who thinks Tasho is the best), YES SHE IS. And Laura is stubborn indeed. Hahaha.

Marijn, Yeah, Tayloface is the cutest! :" Well, good that you feel young because of me haha! I'm from the Philippines. =) Thank you for your review. You can have Taylor then and I'd get Laura, lol. Thanks again and love you back!

Guest (who thinks this should be broadcasted or something) Lol that's a bit too much but thank you! I feel a lot better after reading your review haha. Thanks! They didn't get back together here, tho. Please don't hate me. Haha.

Guest (who thinks Laylor is inevitable), Yeah they do fight a lot, don't they? Haha. I'm sorry!

xunconsciousx, And we're back to the jealousy thing. Haha. I wonder why I've never thought of that before. Sorry it's hard for me to change what I've already written. =( Thank you for the review tho =)

stargatejumper10, still more than 10 chapters to go. Haha. Sorry if this is a little tough at heart but I like my drama a lot lol.

FFChik, I know but in Laura's case, fear got in the way. Haha.

Gabi, Aww, I'm so sorry, girl! Thank you so much for loving this one despite all the drama haha. And no, you're English is good. Hi Brazil! =)

SHOUTOUT TO EsterDF!

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