NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

AlexPOV

Physical therapy was getting easier and harder at the same time. I was able to get up and walk around for longer periods of time, so no more wheelchair for me. Polly was a really big help, almost every afternoon she would be there waiting for me to come back from therapy, helping me do a little bit more in my room after the nurse left. While she was there with me, she would fill the silence with stories about Finn or tell me about what is going on in the world. Occasionally she'd tell me stories about her and Piper growing up, which intrigued me greatly. Piper seemed like such a rebel child, I can only imagine her mother wanting to murder her after hearing some of the stories.

I was waiting for my nurse to come get me for therapy one morning when a middle aged man in a suit popped his head in the door. "Ms. Vause? Is this a bad time?"

I straightened up as best as I could. "No, not at all." He nodded and stepped in through the door, pulling a chair a little closer to the bed.

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Michael Davis, I'm representing Piper Chapman. She asked me to look into your case."

"Why did she want you to look into my case? I've got twelve years left on my sentence, it's no where near time for a 'Good Behaviour' re-evaluation."

"Well, you see, I've been in touch with the warden and the DA regarding your sentence." He paused. "I know I technically needed your consent to do all this, but you've listed Piper as your power of attorney; and since you we're in a coma, I may have back dated my paper work a little." He was rambling, and looked pretty guilty.

"It's alright, I mean, it can't hurt to look right?" I took pity on him. "Plus, I trust Piper, so if she wanted this then go for it."

He looked extremely relieved. "Right, well, as I said I talked to the warden and the DA regarding your case and it seems as though they're willing to offer you a compassionate release in return for you not suing because a guard did this to you."

What. The. Fuck. "Compassionate release? What does that mean?"

"Well, they offered to release you after you're released from the hospital. They'd release you before but they have to technically keep you a prisoner in order for you to get the care you need. You're going to need a few months of physical therapy after you're released from here and they agreed that it'd be more economical as well if you were able to do that from the outside. They don't want a lawsuit, and believe me, we've got a good one."

Holy shit. "So you mean, that once I'm cleared by the doctors, I'm a free woman?"

"If you agree to the terms, yes." He smiled.

"Holy shit." I couldn't believe it. I was getting out. "Wait. What terms?"

"Just terms that I've negotiated for you. That you're not going to sue them for your attack, they will pay all medical expenses related to the attack, and you'll serve 6 months parole. Sorry, I couldn't get them to budge on that." He apologized.

"I'll gladly do six months." I laughed.

"Good, now, I just need you to sign a few things." And with that he started pulling out paperwork, explaining it to me and telling me where to sign. It was about an hour later when my nurse came in to get me for therapy. Mr. Davis picked up the paperwork "Well, I think that mostly covers it. If I need anything else, I'll contact you. If you have any questions, here's my card." He put a card on the table next to the bed and walked out.

Polly was waiting for me again, I have come to rely on her being here in the afternoons. It's a break in the silence of the hospital.

"I have two presents for you." She exclaimed, sounding like a school girl. I quirked my eyebrow at her. She pulled out her gigantic purse and began to dig through it.

I laughed. "You're such a mom. Do you have the kitchen sink in there too?"

She stuck out her tongue at me. "Aha!" She handed me a book with a bow on it. I flipped it over, Paradise Lost.

"How did you?" I asked, unable to form an intelligible sentence.

"Piper might have mentioned that you really like that book, and that you're probably going insane without a book to read." I smiled. Piper knew me so well.

"Wait. You said two presents. What's the other one?"

"Isn't my presence a gift enough?" She joked. "Just kidding, here." She handed me an iPad.

"Why did you give me an iPad?" I asked, getting more and more confused.

"Because silly. When I go to see Piper tomorrow, I'll have my iPhone and you can conveniently FaceTime me once I'm past security."

I smiled at her geniusness. "You really are an evil genius, you know."

She laughed, "Yes, Supercunt, I have my moments."

PiperPOV

Things around the prison were changing again, the guards that were hired when the new head hanchos took over have all been fired. The original guards like O'Neill and Bell have been put back on to full time. Apparently, the warden didn't like how things were being handled over here and decided to take charge. Luschek also got shit canned, apparently the warden wanted that baggy of heroin fingerprinted and his prints were all over it, and Nicky's weren't at all.

Nicky got release back up to Litchfield the very next day, looking like she'd been through hell and back. Red was ecstatic to have her daughter back. They just held each other and cried for hours. Then we all cried some more after I told her what happened to Alex. Nicky was reassigned to electrical and I was extremely glad to have her back. Prison was an extremely lonely place when your old friend is an old Russian lady.

I had been getting more and more excited about today's visit with Polly. She had been trying to get back into my good graces, I knew she was really trying so I was going to start opening up to her again. Apparently she and Larry were over and she was trying to work things out with Pete. When my name was called for visitation, I practically sprinted to the visitation room. I gave Polly a long hug when I saw her.

"You look like hell." She said.

"Gee, thanks." I said, blushing self-consciously. "Okay, well, maybe I haven't exactly been eating well."

"Well, you better start, Supercunt isn't going to be happy when she sees you."

"I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to get myself together before she sees me." I said, but noticing Polly's face I asked. "What? What did you do?"

Before Polly could answer though, her phone started buzzing on the table and she snatched it up and quickly answered it and it set it back down, adjusting the volume to low. My eyes began to water as I watched Alex's face appear on the screen.

"Al?" I croaked out.

"Hey babe." She smirked at me. "Surprised?"

"Yeah, how did you even come up with this." I laughed.

"I didn't. You can thank Polly for all of this." I looked up to Polly incredulously, she nodded with tears in her eyes too.

"Hey! I knew you knew my name!" She scolded.

Alex's laugh on the other end was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. "How you hanging in there, kid?"

"I'm alright, Nicky is back, now I just need you back." I said, leaning across the table as much as I could to look at her without drawing attention.

"Listen, about that, that lawyer you sent? Apparently he talked to the warden and they're releasing me as soon as the hospital releases me. Something about them not wanting a lawsuit so they're doing a compassionate release or something." She said sheepishly.

"Oh my God, Al! That's great!" I was so excited for her. I only have three months left and that means that she will be free at the same time I am.

She smiled. "Yeah, so I was thinking, once I'm out of here I could get us a place and a real legal job and then I'll be all ready for you when you get out. I mean, if you want to live together I mean."

I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. "Of course I do, Al." I paused, our visitation was almost up and I wanted to get this off my chest before it was cut short. "Listen, I know I fucked up big time, and I'll spend the rest of my life proving to you that I love you more than anything. I can't lose you, I need you. There will never be anyone but you in my heart." I could see the tears in Alex's eyes while I spoke.

"I know, Pipes, and I was so pissed at you for leaving me again, for choosing someone over me again, but when I was in that greenhouse thinking that I was going to die all of that didn't matter anymore. All I wanted was to make it out alive to tell you I love you again, to see your smile one more time, to see that cute little blush when I whisper naughty things in your ear." Alex smirked and I could feel a blush rising. "See, that's what I'm talking about. I heart you, Pipes."

"I heart you, too." I laughed.

"As much as I'd love to sit here and listen to your guy's mushy commentary all day, visitation is almost over and I want to talk to Piper for a bit. I'll see you tomorrow, Supercunt."

Alex and I said our goodbyes and then Polly discreetly ended the video call. "Thank you, Pol. Really. You have no idea how much that means to me."

"You're welcome. I'm sorry I've been such a terrible friend."

"I know you are, I've told you I've forgiven you."

"No, I mean, I'm sorry for all that too, but I'm sorry for not being a good friend for the last decade. I was a terrible friend when you were with Alex, I didn't approve, I didn't think you could be happy with her. But now, I've gotten to know her, and I can really tell that she will do anything to make you happy. And that you two are the halves of each other's souls. You two were made for each other, and I'm sorry I couldn't let myself see it before."

I was completely gobsmacked by Polly's speech. I reached across the table and held her hand. "It's okay. You've always been there for me, and that's what matters to me." I smiled. "I've got some news too. That lawyer that came to see Alex? Well, he's my lawyer too. He got the remainder of my sentence cut down to only three more months, rather than the twelve I had left."

"Oh my God! Pipes! That's amazing. Why didn't you tell Alex?"

"I want to surprise her." I said simply. "She been through a lot, I want to give her a little bit of joy, even if it's just me getting out early."

"She's going to be so shocked. She's got this whole elaborate plan to show you that she can do this whole legal job thing." I nodded knowing how much Alex does not want to end up back in here.

Polly and I talked for a few more minutes before they announced that visitation was over. We hugged and I was led out of the room and back to my cube unable to contain the smile that was on my face.