Chapter Thirteen

They talked for a long time about what could be and finally Alex just had them drop it. Neither she nor Alex actually told any details to Nicky and Red. They knew more was up about the first attempt on Alex's life but they didn't ask for specifics. It was unusual for them and Piper was thankful for the lapse. She was still ancy though and wanted to use the phone again to call Cal. She was happy for him but his news kinda made her forget something she wished to speak to him about.

Alex held her that night and tried to quietly get Piper to divulge more of her plan. She wasn't ashamed to admit she used Alex's libido to distract her. She kissed her jaw line in soft ways and ignored her questions.

"I'm not asking about Rhonda and you shouldn't ask about other things right now. Shut up and let me kiss you woman," Piper murmured against her ear. Alex laughed softly and squeezed Piper's arms to show her frustration. It wasn't hard but enough to tell Piper she was aware of what Piper was trying to do.

Alex pulled back and said, " That fuckwad in London said that to you. 'Just shut up woman and kiss me'...or something like that while he pushed up on you at a club. You lost your fucking mind over that and eviscerated him with her sharp tongue."

"It wasn't so sharp that night for you in that alley. You pulled me away from him and had your crew push him out of the club. I was furious and you held me back...remember?"

Alex nodded softly and Piper felt her hands release on her arms. "I remember it was like trying to hold liquid fire. Then we went for that walk..."

They left the club and walked for a long while. Piper was still ranting and Alex held her hand all the way through the streets. When she would rage about how unfair it was that women were expected to serve men. Alex had kissed her with such passion that it stunned Piper into silence. It was a dirty trick that in away and Piper realized then that what mattered to her was who asked her to shut up and kiss.

"I was crazy about you then and I'm crazy now," Piper whispered. "Don't worry about my plans. I haven't and will never break a promise to you again. " As she spoke she snuck her hand down Alex's pajama pants. Her lover's clit was already swollen and protruding from her soft intimate lips. Her eyes rolled back some as Piper expertly moved it in delicious circles. She didn't touch the sensitive tip. She teased Alex and kissed down her neck, careful not to bite and mark.

Alex hummed some on her throat and Piper rubbed her more fiercely. Alex knew that Piper wasn't going to plow her as they cuddled in the dark of their very not private cell. She watched her face as she came shivering in the dark. Piper didn't want Alex to reciprocate. No she just wanted to be held close and feel Alex slowly relax in her arms. She had stopped her questions again and that was release enough for Piper.

The next day, they got to use the phones again. They were escorted with a few guards. Red went to Healy's office and Nicky grinned at her as she walked away. Nicky and Alex went first. Piper didn't much care for him but he did try to make up for what he did with her and Tiffany. He got her the Furlough and Pensatucky her teeth. He was a homophobic dinosaur but at least he tried to care. She wasn't sure what Red was up to with him but she hoped it worked out best for her.

Piper called her brother once she got on the phone. "I passed on the information to the rents. They are happy to know you're okay Piper. You okay?"

"Yeah...it sucks but maybe we will get out of SEG soon. It was great to hear your news. I'm thrilled for you Cal," Piper answered. He told her to keep her nose clean and she'd get out soon. It always amazed her how completely obtuse her family was about the reality of the prison system. She then told him what his part would be in her plan. Piper was very thorough and clear. Cal got quiet and then said he'd do exactly what she asked of him.

"Thanks Cal...no worries about it. I got to go. Bye," Piper said just as the time ran out. The doors opened and the line walked up to the wall. Her escort wasn't around and Piper frowned. She turned to hang up the phone and saw this young wiry girl leaning against the wall. Piper didn't recognize her but that was getting more and more common. She nodded and started to walk away.

"You're Piper right? I heard all this crazy shit about you," she said in a weirdly come on-ish way.

Piper looked around her but drew herself up to her full height to look down at the very young and lean girl. "You're in prison, you only hear crazy shit. Better make your call or get out of line," Piper shot back. She really didn't have time to deal with kooky girls. Piper had to visit the nurse and get cleared to work again if she was going to be released from SEG. She saw other officers but no one seemed to notice she was there. Piper decided to just go with it and head to the nurse. She wanted to be active. She needed to be active or she'd lose her mind. Piper was lucky to get to the office before they were released to line up for meds.

The nurse was surprised to see her. He told her she could work but not back in the factory. "Your panty work days are done," he smirked. Piper got her paper and went to go see Healy. She had to wait. She didn't mind the line so much because she had to think. Piper didn't like to think about what she was going to do once she got out. All she could see was the time she had left. Bell corralled her while she waited.

"Come on Chapman. Everyone else went back to the cell, but you decided to just go about your merry way," she grumbled as she took Piper by the arm. She felt the pinch of her hand but didn't resist. She knew it would only get her put in cuffs.

"Hey, my escort wasn't there and I thought you let us out to get medical, mail, phone and what not, look," Piper showed her the release form for work. She just took it, snorted and twisted her arm to bring her down the back hallway to her room. She was escorted inside and Caputo was standing there. Each of her bunkmates were standing as if for count.

"She went to the nurse to get her hand checked out. Do you blame her?"

Piper blinked at the way Bell presented it. She let go of her and Piper had to rub her arm. Alex frowned and started to step forward to speak but Red interrupted.

She threw her hand up in a very Russian way, "I am needed in the kitchen to oversee the additional trays. If I get half of them in without spilling it is a miracle. I don't see why we can't just fill them up and here...the back and forth with the pots and food-"

"Shut up Red. I've concluded my research into the new hires and have determined you may return to your bunk. However, you'll do it after the weekend now...thanks to Chapman's roaming," Caputo said as he glared at Piper.

"She did go to the nurse. She was scheduled to visit today and from what I can tell she kept her mouth shut about everything," Bell said handing Caputo the form. " We don't deny medical to injured prisoners right? I mean I haven't made it through the entire corporate handbook but I assume they still get to go to medical when they are sick."

He turned his gaze on to Bell and then looked down at the paper. "No, we do not deny medical and I want the officer that left her at the phones to report to my office immediately. They are on lock down over the weekend then they can return to work. Tell Gloria she will be running the kitchen for the next few days...tell her Red has a cold or something," Caputo offered. Piper clenched her jaw and tried to calm herself.

Nicky however didn't show such reserve, " This is idiotic Mr. Caputo. Three of us returned with an escort, Chapman made one wrong choice, assuming she was to go about her business...you've kept us here for weeks. All we did was point you in the direction of a bad bad man on your payroll." She was going to say much worse but Red turned to give her that stare that still made Piper weak in the knees.

"My daughter is trying to say, the entire weekend on lockdown doesn't seem fair since the majority of my family here, returned to the cell as expected," Red countered showing Nicky how not to call the de facto warden's commands idiotic.

"I don't care what she was trying to say Red. I'm done here," he left with that and Bell followed. The door slammed and Piper jumped. She felt tears well up in her eyes and braced herself for the shit she was going to get from them. Nicky climbed up on her bunk and put in her earphones. She knew Nicky wanted to talk to Lorna and this meant she had to wait nearly three days.

"I'm sorry. I did think I could...fuck it I just left after talking to this kooky girl at the phones," Piper murmured.

"It's good you realize your actions had consequences, Blondie," Red said.

"Leave her alone. Fuck, if our guards hadn't been there we'd walked off as well. So leave her alone," Alex defended Piper. She moved closer to Piper and pulled her close.

"Easy for you to say Vause, you two get more time stuck together," Nicky answered.

Red sat on her bunk and took off her boots, "I have a vacation...and entire weekend off. Gloria can handle the pouring and heating. I'm going to take a nap, so please if you're going to fight, sulk quietly first." She turned as if she expected her nap to be respected. Piper slumped and pulled away. Even a simple thing such as getting her health checked was complicated and wrought with peril. Piper knew she was self centered. She was also observant and kind or so she thought.

"Hey Chapman, thanks for getting the phone privs back," Nicky said from her bunk. Piper walked over to the door and slid down with her back pressed against it. She looked up and saw Nicky had in her ear buds but she gave her a small smile.

Alex gave Piper some space and she was thankful. She watched as Alex sat on her bed and started to read one of Piper's books that she knew Alex had already finished. Her mind had to stay active or it could get very dark inside of it. Piper understood this feeling well. Her anger fuels much of her frantic thoughts and now it was steeped in righteous anger.

"You remember when you said it was nice to see some of the old Piper's temper?" Piper asked her. Alex pushed her glasses up on her nose but didn't look up from the book.

"Yeah, you corrected me and said it was righteous indignation. It wasn't long after that you unleashed on that righteous indignation fuckin' meth head's face," Alex said quietly. Piper knew so much more about how that touched Alex now. Her mind twisted around that information before she spoke.

"You were right...and I was right. It is Righteous Anger. I'll make a difference. You watch me, Alex. I'll set us right, then I'll attack this fucking system. First, we will get out of this Goddamned room...then things will start to change. I'll make it better for the women that follow me and make up for how helpless we feel right now...how helpless you felt when I was knocked out in the snow. I promise you," Piper said with such vehemence that it surprised her. She didn't look over at Alex; instead she just placed her head on her knees and stared at the tucked in sheets of her cot.

There was a silence for a few minutes and then Alex said. "I have no doubt, Pipes."

***Hey, dear readers, I'm sorry you've had to wait for this update. I'll try to post at a faster pace. I've only been able to give a few minutes here and there to writing fic. Good news is, I can type better now and my work is extremely active. I wish everyone a great Samhain. Peace, Fae***.