This is just a really short chapter to get this little bit done and dusted. Enjoy!

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Piper rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, yawning widely without bothering to cover her mouth. She'd found that her manners were rapidly leaving her and she knew that her mother would have a heart attack if she could see some of the things that she now did, but being polite was far from her list of priorities in Litchfield. Her night's sleep had been broken and she'd arisen early, taking her time in the shower and then making her way to breakfast far earlier than she usually would have. Taking her tray, she made her way over to an empty table, nodding to the golden girls as she did so, and began to work her way through the lumpy porridge given to her. With her eyes still half closed, she let her mind wander, not focusing on what was going on around her. It wasn't until someone slid into the seat opposite her that she brought her attention back and looked up.

"Morning, Chapman". Piper let out a tiny, almost inaudible sigh.

"Morning, Lily".

"Did you sleep alright?"

"Mmm" Piper mumbled, spooning porridge into her mouth. There was something about the girl that she wasn't keen on and she was sure there was more to the innocent than met the eye.

"Are you working today?"

"Yup" Piper offered, looking up through her lashes at the woman as she took a sip of orange juice. Lily, her breakfast untouched, smiled widely, waiting for Piper to say something more, but caught on quickly that she wasn't going to. With a sigh, Lily leant forward on the table.

"Look, Chapman. I don't know what it is that I've done to upset you or annoy you, but I didn't mean to" Piper had to supress an eye roll. "But I really want to get to know you a bit better. I think we're probably more similar than you think. I mean, we were both lead the wrong way by someone close to us and it landed us in here. I really admire how you've made something of yourself in here, Piper. I'd like to be friends. I'd like someone in here that I can talk to and trust and rely on". A small smile slid over Pipers face and she took a deep breath, leaning forward on the table and pushing her hair behind her ears. There was a moment of silence as she measured her words.

"There are very few people in the world that you can trust and rely on, Lily. And do you want to know what else? There are even fewer of them in here." Before Lily had the chance to reply, a tray was dropped down next to Lily and Alex Vause sat down, frowning down at her tray.

"I swear to god, this food gets worse every day" looking between the two women, Alex smiled. "Alright, ladies?" Piper looked at the woman for a second, her face stoney and blank. Nickys words were still spinning around her head and the anger that was sat in her stomach twisted sharply at the sight of her. Looking to Lily, Piper raised her eyebrows as she dropped her plastic spoon into her unfinished breakfast.

"Just remember what I said" she warned. Avoiding looking at Alex, she rose from the table and threw her food in the bin, tossed her tray away and walked out of canteen without a backwards glance. Back at the table, Lily continued with her porridge as Alex raised her perfectly plucked eyebrows in surprise.

"Ohhhhkay. What the hell have I done to piss her off now?" Alex asked, more to herself than to the girl by her side. Lily shrugged. Having not met the woman before, Alex wasn't entirely sure what to say. The pair sat in silence for a while as they waited for the rest of the women to show up to breakfast. Alex figured that the shower line must be particularly long this morning because Nicky was usually already sat by her side by this time. The young girl looked over at her.

"So you're in laundry?" she asked. Alex, taken aback that she had actually spoken, nodded.

"Yup"

"Ah." She paused. "Do you smuggle shit in through the laundry, then?" Alexs spoon stopped short of her lips and was lowered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you're in here for drugs, right? Surely you bring something in?" Alex had a small smile on her lips as she quirked her head to one side.

"Yeah, that's right. How did you know? I didn't mention it before?" Lily raised an eyebrow at her with a smug smile on her face which unsettled Alex.

"I was told"

"By who? Who's been talking about me?" the anger started to become clear in Alexs voice. Lily simply smiled a little wider and shook her head.

"No, no. Nobody in here." Alex felt her heart stop dead for a second as her eyes flew to the girl.

"Alright, fuckers?" Nicky asked, throwing her tray down next to Alex and ruffling her hair violently. Alex groaned, batting her hands away and throwing a sharp punch at her shoulder. As she composed herself, Nicky and Morello rattled on about O'Neill and Bell being caught kissing again. Alex, however, didn't move her gaze from Lily, who was sat cheerfully listening to the women chatting. As the pair began laughing loudly, Lily shook her head at them with a grin.

"Well I'll see you guys later. Alex, maybe we could carry on talking later?" she asked. Nicky and Lorna looked between the two with interest. Alex nodded, her heart still beating fast in her chest. Lily waved cheerfully goodbye to them.

"Alright. Cool. See you round" she called over her shoulder as she made her way out of the canteen.

"Didn't know you were friends with the newbie, Vause" Nicky said questioningly. Alex looked at her with cold eyes, taking Nicky and Lorna both back for a second.

"Shut up, Nichols" she replied harshly, standing up and slamming her tray down before walking out.

"What the fuck is going on with this place?" Nicky asked Lorna who shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, not answering. "Jesus" she huffed.

This place, she swore, would be the death of her.

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