Note: Partly insipred by pratz's Even the Broken fic (Have a read. It's an awesome piece). Thank you for the follows, favorites, and comments.
2014, Dublin, CA.
They told Alex she had visitors. Which was weird, considering she didn't tell anyone she was being transferred. When she asked who it was, they declined to answer. That's when she knew something was up, although she wasn't quite sure what.
The Dublin FCI was not much different from Litchfield. The routines are more or less the same, although they did place her in kitchen duty this time. Turned out she could make a mean potato gratin, and apparently the ability to make even one good dish would serve you a place in the kitchen. She worked with Lopez and Chung, and they would take turns planning the menu. It was strangely therapeutic, since during rush hour you can't really think of anything else but the food. It had helped taking her mind off of things.
Off of Piper.
Alex wasn't sure how life was going to be after prison.
She was, as she said to Nichols that day in the library, a grand planner. She had a clear vision of how she was going to lead her life. Over the years she had meticulously learned how to deal with every possible issue on hand and had climbed up the organization pretty fast. She had been one of the big boys, and she loved it.
There was no illusion, though. No matter how many times she'd tell herself that she wasn't like any of the others and that she wouldn't get caught, deep down inside she always knew that this business of hers not going to last.
These days, drug ring is the furthest thing from her mind. She'd learned the hard way that prison has a way of changing you, whether you like it or not. By the first week, she had a full on mental collapse. But Alex wouldn't be Alex if she didn't learn how to pick herself up and go with the flow. And that's what she did. Day after day. Doing laundry became her escape.
When Piper asked her about the endgame, it had stumped Alex. How was she going to figure out a plan for the two of them when she couldn't even get her own shit together? How was she suppose to tell Piper that she's terrified of the life that's waiting for her outside of prison? She had no clue whatsoever. She knew Piper wanted some sense of security, and she could see that Piper was just as lost as her. It couldn't have been clearer to Alex that she couldn't give Piper any kind of assurance. Not yet, at least. So why tell her false promises?
Wing it, Vause. That's what you always do best.
Her last memory of Piper was seeing her being dragged by Bennett to SHU. She felt her heart pounding and her eyes immediately registered panic. "Where are they taking her? What happened? What the fuck happened? Piper!"
"Right this way." CO Graham's voice brought her wandering mind back to the present. As he pointed to the room, Alex chuckled and fixed her glasses.
Something was definitely up.
"Ms. Vause."
Two men in a dapper suit were already there, waiting for her, complete with a briefcase on the floor. Alex quickly made out that they were from the government. She nodded at their direction and took a seat.
"I'm agent Cue. This is agent Caufield. We're with the FBI."
"I can see that."
"I understand you're sentenced 12 years for your involvement with international drug smuggling ring that operates just outside of Africa?"
"No need to cross check with me. You got my files. Surely you've read them," her tone was cold, and straightforward. Alex crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. "What do you want?"
The agents turned their heads slightly and gave each other a look. The one named Cue nodded, and pulled out a beige folder with the FBI logo. Agent Caufield leaned forward and slid it to Alex. "We need your help."
2018, New York.
Piper clutched the book in her hand and held it so tight, the ends of her fingers turned white. She immediately turned around, her eyes scanning the hallway. But there was no one there.
She flipped through the book and it landed on a page, a small white note tucked inside.
Shall we?