Chapter Nine

So Beautiful

She didn't really discuss much with Alex. She was hyper aware all the time but Alex didn't really notice. She knew that without sleep, she'd crash and burn worse than just hurting her finger. So, she would leave her bunk if the nosey, guard wasn't on duty and fall to sleep in the chapel each day. She had at least another week or so without a work detail due to her hand so no one really cared. She had to get rid of the tattoo gun but she'd been afraid to take it out of the hidey hole.

Piper craved the pain of it. She was freaking out inside and the worry of something happening to Alex was tearing her apart. The pain would have been a welcome distraction. Piper stared at the wall where the gun was hidden and thought maybe she tattoo a scarlet A on her chest. She knew the pain would be intense where she wanted to put the tattoo. Piper traced the one on her ribcage absently. She thought of her promise to Alex and left to go outside. There were only safe guards in her dorm. She felt alright once she got in the sun and her panic seemed to get better. Alex saw her and approached all the while half ass raking non-existent leaves.

"Hey, you supposed to be out here?" Alex asked. Piper looked around and didn't see Nicky. She started to get pissed because she was supposed to be watching Alex while she was on duty outside. Nicky then surprised Piper by popping her head around the picnic table, where she was reclining with a good view of Alex. She gave her the thumbs up then went back to doing a Nichol's special- avoiding work.

"I need air...and you," Piper said quietly. Alex got closer to her and looked around quickly for her supervising CO. She didn't see anyone so she pushed Piper back in a corner of the building where they had privacy.

"What's up kid?" Alex leaned in to her but held her body away from her. Piper reached out tentatively...then dropped her arms.

"May I...could you hold me? I...was in the Chapel and wanted to ink myself-"

Alex reached out and pulled her into her arms and held her close. Piper didn't really talk; she just enjoyed the warmth of Alex. She smelled like sunshine and grass. She didn't k now what to say, Piper could tell by the way she held her that Alex wanted to make everything better, but she couldn't.

"But I do not want to be afraid

I do not want to die inside just to breathe in

I'm tired of feeling so numb

Relief exists I found it when

I was cut," Alex whispered as she held her.

Piper thought about it and she knew it was a song. Alex could recite poetry or an odd rare song lyric. She was a so smart. Piper squeezed her more and felt relief that she understood. One of the Guards yelled her name and Alex had to go back to work.

"Yeah...I'm coming," Alex yelled back. She reached out and pushed some of Piper's hair behind her ear. "I will see you when I get off...meet me in our cube, okay?" Piper nodded. She was thankful that Alex didn't lecture her or try talking her out of going to the chapel to hurt herself. She just let her know she understood.

"How the fuck did you get so lucky as to meet her Chapman?" she mumbled to herself. Piper napped when she got back to her bunk. She was so tired from doing nothing all day. Alex shook her to wake her up when she got back. She smiled and Piper scooted over. Alex scooted close as she joined Piper on the bunk.

"You okay?" she asked quietly. Piper just looked into her eyes got lost somewhere in their grey/green depths.

"Yes...I didn't use it...no new tats. Though I did have a great idea," Piper said quietly. Alex perked her eyebrow at her to inquire. "A big red A on my chest...I'm just trying to figure out the red ink-"

"Don't..Pipes...May I request that you don't do that? Can I request that you don't mark your perfect breasts either? I know I've got plenty but...I don't want to see a mark on you and ...well I already do," Laura reached down to run her fingertips up Piper's healing forearm TRUST tattoo. Piper bit her lip and stifled a moan at the light touch. She felt a jolt through her body and knew that if Alex fucked her she'd never need pain to feel something again.

"I'll think about it," she replied. Alex seemed okay with that answer. They talked for awhile about random things and then Alex read to her. When she opened her book she saw the second picture tucked away. It was a hammock on the beach. She stared at it for a long while and then she kissed Piper. Bell yelled at her from a distance but they didn't get a shot for it.

"This is the Hammock we had at the private resort at Sokha Beach," Alex said with such happiness that Piper felt her heart vibrate.

Alex had covered Piper's eyes when she brought her out to that hammock on their own private beach. The resort in Cambodia was super expensive and Alex had splurged to celebrate her promotion. They would be leaving the strikingly beautiful islands for Europe soon. Oh, she'd still work there was well, but she had sold enough product to be moved up in the business. Piper wasn't sure about that but it made Alex very happy and a Happy Alex, loves to party. She thought the entire entourage would accompany them to this retreat, but it was just the two of them. Alex had wrangled three days with Fahri covering all of her runs so she could relax and get away with her girl. She knew enough about the business to know that this favor had cost Alex in other ways but Piper was just selfish enough not to want to know. Not asking details was her specialty. Piper spent most of her time, swimming or shopping when she wasn't with Alex. Their friends were all in the business of selling drugs. None of Alex's closest crew did any of the drugs they sold, but they made up for it in alcohol and pot consumption. This trip, there was only one bottle of wine and no one getting high. Piper was amazed.

"Are you peeking?"

"No...Where are we going...mm this sand is warm and I love the waves," Piper moaned as they walked. Alex stopped her and removed her hands. Piper blinked as saw the most amazing hammock between two huge trees right on the beach. She could tell that the tide would almost reach the trees so she knew it would feel like she was sleeping on the waves. There was a picnic basket by the hammock with a big book on top and a plush blanket. She could see torches were nearby to light once the sun fell below the waves.

"I thought we could eat a light dinner, read a bit and watch the sunset together," Alex offered. Piper was speechless. No one did anything like this for her before.

"I love it Alex...I love you!" she exclaimed. Piper kissed her deeply. She wasn't sure what she did to deserve Alex but she was so happy to have her. She fed Alex grapes and cheese while she read. She wouldn't read out loud to her but Piper didn't care. She listened to the waves and dozed off in her arms. She woke up to the most delicious feeling. Alex was sucking her nipple and murmuring her name.

"Piper wake up and look at the sunset," she said with her nipple between her teeth. Piper moaned and arched her back but she did open her eyes. She saw the amazing symphony of color across the crystal waves and her breath caught. She gasped again and Alex's hands started to knead her ass and lift her up in a way that told Piper her mouth was going to busy real soon. Alex let go her nipple and kissed up her chest to trace her tongue along the line of Piper's jaw.

"Oh fuck...so beautiful," she moaned, looking at the sunset and feeling Alex's warm tongue.

Alex kissed down her body again and scooted so her legs were up more and Piper was laying at an angle that allowed her access to her sex. "Yes...fuck, so beautiful," Alex murmured, never once looking at the sunset. Piper felt her hot breath and squirmed in need as Alex started to lap at her wetness. Each time her tongue darted across her swollen clitoris, Piper jerked and made a small sound. The colors mixed with her sensations until she could melt into them like the sensation of her tongue, delving deeply now into her center. Alex devoured her as the sun disappeared and Piper's screams were drawn out to sea with the waves.

"That was our anniversary. I didn't acknowledge things like that then...but you told me you loved me exactly six months prior to that trip," Alex pointed out. Piper knew the time but Alex had never mentioned any correlation.

"God, I wish you had. You never said anything so I just celebrated inside my own heart...it is always so much better when I celebrate with you. I'm glad you like the picture. I didn't try to describe the sunset...and um she doesn't know the details of that trip," Piper told her.

"I'm glad. That is our memory...isn't it, kid?" Alex asked her in a husky tone that made Piper's mouth go dry. She just nodded agreeing with her.

They spent a few hours just remembering their trip to Cambodia. Alex threatened but didn't tell everyone at the dinner table about her terrible stomach virus in Java. She didn't though and it was because Piper didn't want her to tell.

"You are so fucking whipped Vause. You two...come on, what made the entire village watch Chapman? What was she doing? Come on...you shorted me on the Pork Chop story as well," Nicky argued.

Piper frowned then, cut her eyes to Alex. "You didn't tell her the story right? Don't even mention it Alex...you know what will happen!" Alex told her she would never tell and Nicky went berserk trying to pry it out of them. It was nice to see her happy and meddling. Lorna still wasn't sitting with them at meals. She ate with Suzanne and Maureen most of the time. Maureen was back from the SHU and Suzanne was nursing her back to herself. Lorna was helping and that seemed to make her happier as well. Piper was trying hard to look on the bright side of things.

Lolly made a movement towards her when she looked over at her and Piper could tell she wanted Alex's attention. She nudged her slightly and pointed her finger towards Lolly in a subtle manner. Alex looked over and seemed to understand something because she nodded ever so slightly. Piper felt her stomach twist and she pushed her tray back.

"Please eat all of that," Alex asked her softly. Piper wanted to protest but she could see the worry in her eyes. She picked up her spork and tried to finish the nasty potatoes on her tray. After dinner, she went to play cards with DiMarco and some of the older ladies. Piper didn't mind spending time with them and they always helped her to remember her Grandmother. She was good with older people because she spent so much time with her while growing up. Anytime Piper did something that confused her parents, she would get to take a trip to see her grandmother. At one time, she was planning on spending her entire junior year of high school with her, but her Dad became stubborn and refused.

They asked her about Alex. DiMarco was gentle, "The tall one, Vause...she seems to be doing better. I hear she got moved into your cube. You two keeping the others awake all night?" She had a gleam in her eye as she asked. Piper knew she didn't want to know details or really approve of same sex relationships. She just wanted what was best for her and that was a kindness that kept her coming back to play cards with her while others wouldn't dream of giving her time. Alex had teasingly called it "volunteering with the elderly". She didn't see it that way because it made her feel better...closer to her Grandmother.

"Yes she is doing better, thank you for asking. I have canasta by the way," Piper threw in there to draw her back to the game. "And no, are watched too closely to be getting busy in the bunks."

"Yeah that one guard is all up in everyone's business. I complained, not that it will do any good. These private prisons are...well the Federal Department of Prisons sucks, but this group is a soulless machine," she stated. Everyone felt the same way. Sophia was brutalized to cover up something that could hurt their corporate image. Piper hated them for hiring the person that almost killed Alex.

"You be careful, okay," Piper said suddenly to her. "Don't complain too much...you have to be safe."

"Hey kid, don't worry. You either worry too little and don't see shit around you...or you worry too much. You gotta find a happy medium," DiMarco said. Sister Ingles agreed with her and Piper went back to focusing on the game. Afterwards, she walked back to the dorm in silence.

"You can always hand some of those worries away. He has big shoulders," the sister said as they walked. Piper nearly jumped because she was so lost in her head that she didn't realize she was there.

"What if God is a she?"

"Then she has big shoulders...gender, pronouns, they matter when one speaks to someone like Sophia because identity is a vital right that we all have. To God, we are all bright souls...and it doesn't hurt to get out of your head once in awhile and voice you worries in prayer," she added. Piper nodded some and then told the defunct sister that she would think about it.

A few nights later, Price was back on duty but this time it wasn't with Donaldson. Piper watched as he walked by and then paused to look at Alex while she read by her lamplight. Piper felt her heart start to race. She was ready and had warned Nicky about it. She was snoring away above her but that was alright. She knew Nicky would wake up the instant Piper punched her mattress through the wire. She kept a close eye once it was all lights out. She watched the light change as the guard bubble door opened and counted the times they walked the corridor. She knew he'd be trying something on his next round. He stopped twice and the last time she heard him tell his partner to go get some coffee on his next door check because he was falling to sleep. She maybe over reacting but she wasn't going to take the chance. She hit Nicky's bunk and she jerked away.

Piper whispered, "Turn your lamp...get ready." She cussed some but told Piper okay. She slipped out of bed when she saw his partner take his walk by their cube. Piper stood by Alex's bunk and shook her gently awake. She put her hand over her mouth and pressed her lips close to her ear when Alex stiffened suddenly afraid.

"It's me...listen to me baby...and please trust me. I want you to slip out of your bunk and get into Nicky's bunk. Please do this without asking any questions. If an hour passes and nothing happens, we will switch back...please...do it now, we haven't much time," she whispered. Alex wanted to ask her why but she felt Piper's finger on her lips and luckily could see her in the dim light. She saw her expression and slid slowly out of bed. Piper put her hands on her waist and helped her down. She then took the blanket and sweat shirt that Nicky gave her and made a fake pile of covers that she hoped looked enough like Alex's body in the bunk. Nicky slid under Red's bed with little effort and Piper slipped right back in her bed as she heard the door to the guard bubble open. He shouldn't have left it while his partner was on rounds. Piper knew she had reason to worry and sucked in her breath as she heard Alex whispering "fuck me fuck me" quietly into Nicky's pillow.

**short tease before a longer chapter with a TON of action! The song lyrics are from the song "Cut" by Plumb. Please Review if you'd like more soon. I am under deadline at work, but I will try to write some just for fun...just for the ones that reviewed. Thank you, orange621. Thanks Freebeing- as a writer I just want to make someone feel and I thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and emotions with me in the review. Vausemania- plot is a strong point of mine usually, but sometimes I swear these girls go wild and refuse to stick to my carefully planned out story. I know that sounds crazy but...well yeah. (Vauseman is endgame) Thank you for reviewing Jzx94 and marvelousbones for your kind words. FFChik and phantomframe- you know my Piper always has a plan...I hope you enjoy how it unfolds :) Peace, Fae***