AN-Hey all you great readers out there! I have a lot more planned for this story, but I would love to hear what you think so far! Thanks and enjoy.
Chapter Seven-You Can't Save Everyone
Piper knew Alex was not a morning person by nature. A lifetime of late night high stress meetings, recruiting in clubs and partying for pure entertainment meant morning was the time ordinary schlubs arose and went about their boring lives. But Piper liked mornings. Her 'perfect day' scenario often started with an long run through the park in the crisp dawn air.
Piper frowned with the knowledge that this day would never be anywhere near to ideal, not inside Litchfield, but she was determined to make it the best she could, especially after what Alex had suffered yesterday. Piper started with an early morning visit to her bedside to check how she was feeling and deliver some aspirin.
She crouched down in the predawn winter darkness, soaking in the beauty of Alex's relaxed features framed by her luscious dark hair. To make matters more enticing Alex was wearing a tank and boxers and the blanket over her was down at her waist. Piper couldn't stop her eyes from tracing down the long smooth neck to the defined collarbone and onto the slowly rising chest of the only woman she had ever loved. Sighing she thought back to another winter morning, long ago, when her feelings for Alex had been solidifying into something that had felt real, permanent at the time.
The park had a stark appeal. The trees were barren of leaves and the brown earth was still damp from the last of the melted winter snow. Piper could see each exhale like a metronome keeping time with her long strides. It was the perfect weather for a real runner. The hordes of tourists were still months away and even the locals would be tucked into warm beds on this Sunday morning.
Six miles and a warm shower later Piper found herself kneeling next to the still sleeping form of her lover. The run had been necessary to burn off some of the anxiety and emotion Piper had been stewing in when she should have been sleeping.
Alex had taken her to what she called a 'recruiting' club the night before, full of spoiled young men and women living off of daddy's Wall Street bonuses. She had warned Piper repeatedly that the evening was primarily for work; she needed new mules. Alex had explained her cadre was running low since they had met. Alex didn't have to say she wasn't using the same 'techniques' she used before Piper had entered her life, she had just asked if Piper wanted to stay home and promised to 'behave.'
Trying to appear confident and sophisticated Piper had insisted it sounded like fun to watch Alex in action. In reality the evening had felt as entertaining as having a root canal and bikini wax at the same time. Alex had ensconced her at a table by the dance floor with a bottle of champagne, having a glass with her until the club started to fill up. She had then moved her operation to a discrete booth with a good view of the dance floor and the bar, leaving Piper at the table.
Watching a series of young good looking women enjoy libations courtesy of her lover was bad enough. They would giggle and fawn as they scooted none too subtly closer to Alex on the soft cushions. When they began to touch and stroke Alex's arm she would take a hand and escort them to the dance floor.
When the first girl, athletic with shoulder length brown curls, put her hands on Alex's hips, her lover had given her a quick sheepish smile as if properly embarrassed and Piper had rewarded her with a deep glare and gulp out of her bubbly flute. The second potential mule had been a blonde, similar in shade to herself, but the attached body had been strikingly different. This girl had curves to spare and displayed them brazenly. When Alex had taken her for a dance, the blonde had pressed against her love, melding into the taller woman unashamedly as they swayed to a deep slow beat. Piper's mouth was stuck agape. Her vision was frozen on the two women until Alex looked directly at her, holding her gaze, and then proceeded to move a hand to the back of the blonde's neck and pull her closer. Alex was whispering in the blonde's ear, even as those fierce green eyes spoke volumes of lust and love across the room to her. Piper had gotten up, blown Alex a kiss, held up her middle finger, and taken a cab back to the apartment.
Now showered and naked Piper got up from the side of the bed and moved around to the other side where she could ease in behind and spoon Alex without too much disruption. She lifted the shirt Alex was wearing enough to press her breasts into Alex's back as one hand drifted to her lover's front, smoothing along her stomach before cupping her breast and massaging gently.
That finally got the first glimmer of reaction. Piper grinned to herself and moved her hand to the other breast, this time palming and rolling the nipple into a stiff peak, then moving back to give the other the same treatment. She leisurely swapped back and forth between Alex's breasts for some time until she was certain her lover was awake based on the small rock her hips had begun, her ass pushing ever so slightly back into Piper's front.
That was Piper's cue to begin the journey of her hand, knowing Alex had conveniently slept bare from the waist down. She still took her time, stroking the soft skin of her hip before pushing Alex's top thigh up giving Piper access to caress her cheeks and the sensitive skin in the crease between her thigh and center, creeping closer and closer until Alex emitted a delicious low moan.
"You were very naughty last night." Piper began to stroke her outer lips with the back of two fingers, up one side and down the other.
"I warned you. You don't think you are the jealous type, but I've seen fire in those blue eyes of yours." Alex's voice was gravely with sleep.
Piper stopped her stroking and simply cupped Alex's mound in her hand. "Is that really what you want to say to me right now?"
Alex groaned this time and tried to buck against Piper's palm seeking pressure without success.
Piper gave her a low chuckle. "You need to tell me about last night, after I left. Tell me about the women."
Alex sighed then settled. When she started talking, Piper began touching her again, this time more firmly. "Well, you saw the hot blonde. We danced some more, then had another drink. She brought two friends over and we went through a bottle of Evan Williams. I think at least two of the three will work for me."
"Did she excite you, that blonde? I saw the look in your eye as she pressed against you." Piper was circling her opening, dipping into the copious wetness and swirling without penetration.
"Honestly?" Alex asked and squirmed as she waited.
Piper paused, two fingers poised. "Yes, be honest."
"No, she didn't excite me. That look was for you. I wanted your body against me, no one else." Alex exhaled with relief as Piper thrust into her slowly and stopped.
"Good. I want this to be for me only. I know you have to work, but I won't share you this way, with anyone." Piper used her own thigh to power her thrusts filling Alex deeply and increasing her pace to match her lover's need. When Alex attempted to turn, Piper held her in place with her body. "No, you had your fun last night. I'm in charge this morning, and I say you stay right where you are."
It didn't take long after all of the touching and teasing before Alex cried out hoarsely in climax, Piper relishing the pulsations grasping at her nestled digits.
That had been a great day. They had eaten brunch and read the paper and then found themselves back in bed, where Alex had taken back her usual control and shown Piper exactly how much she did not need to worry or be jealous. Piper reached out and smoothed some stray hairs back from Alex's face and green eyes snapped open. Time in Litchfield had certainly altered Alex's reactions.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. How do you feel?" Piper took her hand back and rested it on the edge of the bunk.
Alex relaxed her head on the pillow and closed her eyes again. "My head is pounding, but otherwise fine."
Piper held out two aspirin and grabbed a bottle of water. "Take these. I traded Red for them."
"Thanks." Alex sat up enough to swallow without choking and immediately lay down again. "For everything. You saved my butt yesterday." Alex yawned sleepily.
"Go back to sleep, it's still early." Piper whispered and started to get up until she felt Alex grasping for her hand. She sat back down on the floor smiling and keeping contact. "I'll be here when you wake up."
The sounds of inmates starting their morning woke both women an hour later. They looked at each other shyly. "Headache better?"
"Yeah, much. Although I think I'll stay here until work time." Alex decided.
"Then I'll be right back." Piper jumped up and left, returning two minutes later dressed in her work clothes and holding out a cereal bar. "Wanna have breakfast with me?"
Alex sat up and invited Piper to sit next to her. "Thanks. That's probably all the food I can handle." The two sat quietly munching for a moment until Alex remembered Doggett was fully awake. "Piper, what happened with Caputo?"
"Not much really. He told me Doggett made a statement that I attacked her outside during the Christmas pageant. But without any witnesses or other evidence he said it was unlikely to go anywhere, especially since everyone saw me yell at Healy in the dorms. He did let slip that the video for the yard wasn't working that night for some reason."
Piper took Alex's hand in both of hers. "Last night I wanted to tell you I've never been so angry and so scared all at once. When I saw you being held with that canvas bag over your head and Taylor hit you all I could see was red, even worse than with Doggett. I don't know exactly where we stand, but you should know you are the only person who has ever made me feel emotions so strongly. Certainly Larry never did. It was always, I don't know, soft with him. I thought I wanted that, but I don't. There was never any question that I loved you, you know that right?"
Alex nodded, but didn't say anything.
"You're afraid I'll hurt you again. I don't blame you Alex. I'm going to have to talk to Larry, at least once more sometime, just for closure. He made it clear he was done with me, and I'm done with him. I'd just ask you to give me time, to show you what you mean to me, ok?"
Piper finished by pressing her lips against the back of Alex's hands.
Finally they both had to get up to head to their respective jobs. Piper decided to walk with Alex to the laundry before hustling to her trash detail. They passed Taylor in the hall who immediately said she was on her way to request a reassignment.
After she passed, Piper smiled. "Good, my last day smelling like garbage!"
When they got to the door of the laundry Alex peeked in before pulling Piper just inside the room and pushing her up against the wall. She touched Piper's cheek and brushed their lips together before giving her a quick shove back towards the hall. "I'll see you later?"
Piper smiled bigger than she had in months. "I'll be back at the end of your shift."
It turned out that Alex didn't see Piper until after dinner that night. This time it had been Healy who had called Piper to his office. Alex waited in her cube with a sandwich she had sneaked from dinner for Piper.
"I really hope that is for me." Piper was practically drooling at the sight of food as she sat down on Alex's bunk. When Alex handed her the sandwich she took a huge bite and mouthed around it. "Thank you."
"So what was Healy bugging you about now?" Alex waited until Piper could swallow and answer.
"He made me sit there for an hour, not saying anything while he messed around on his computer. I think he was just trying to get me angry. The only noise was my stomach growling from missing dinner. Finally he just gave me my new work assignment and told me I could leave." Piper smiled and took another bite.
"So where did he find to stick you now? Yard duty with Red?" Alex frowned wondering if there was anything they could do about Healy until she heard Piper laughing.
"Turns out the only open job was one vacated today by Leanne Taylor. So as of tomorrow I am working in the laundry. Think you can train me?" Piper scooted closer to Alex thankful that her cube mate seemed to spend all of her time away. "Can you keep me in line, make sure I don't mix up the whites with the coloreds and give everyone pink sheets?"
A slow smile spread across Alex's face. "I think I'll have to keep a close eye, you seem to be quite capable of getting into trouble." Alex took a quick look over the short wall to see Bell in the guard station doing a crossword puzzle. She gently pushed Piper onto her back and lowered her body down. It was the most contact they had engaged in since everything had gone wrong and both women groaned at how good it felt.
Alex nuzzled Piper's neck then trailed a few soft kisses along her jaw line before joining their lips. She traced Piper's upper lip with the tip of her tongue then moved inside to explore her sweet mouth. Alex knew they were too exposed to do more, but she couldn't seem to stop until Nicky's laugh brought her head up.
"Hey lesbian and not lesbian kissing. You might want to find someplace more private to engage in your non-gay behavior."
"My dessert for a week if you'll be lookout for five minutes." Alex gave her a look that was half glare, half prayer.
Nicky stationed herself at the entrance to the cube, her back to them. "Sure, for you Vause. Plus I don't need the new resident bad ass having it out for me."
Alex didn't bother to listen to Nicky's ramble. She was already kissing Piper again, loving the feel of Piper's arms around her back, her hands running up and down from her shoulder blades to her hips, which she would give a little squeeze on each pass. They kissed for several minutes until Nicky coughed loudly and they both sat up with a jolt.
Nicky laughed again at their flustered appearance. "Bell is getting ready for final count. Time to go Chapman."
The next morning Piper met Alex for breakfast. They sat side by side with Nicky and Morello smiling and making cracks at them all through the powdered eggs and dry toast. For the first time Piper wasn't dreading her job at Litchfield. She and Alex would have to be careful, but working together was a huge bonus.
Piper got back to her cube to find Red pacing nervously. "Something happened. Johnson, the medic? He's gone. Fischer told me he's been sent down to the infirmary at max. That's bad."
Piper had been getting ready to head to the laundry as Red spoke. It surprised her when the older woman grabbed her arm. "Chapman, you need to cover for me. Say I was at work in the yard when you were out at the dumpster."
Piper's first reaction was to yank her arm away. She liked Red, but could never forget the lesson she had been taught when she first arrived. Those days of starvation had been a brutal introduction to life in prison and Red had been more than happy to share her wisdom on being in charge. This was the woman who had announced that Piper would leave prison as a skeleton in a body bag. "Why should I do that? I'm still under suspicion for Doggett."
"No one else will do it. Plus it has to be someone who goes outside." Red was speaking almost desperately.
Piper contemplated the request for a minute. Her nature was to help, but the last time she had done that Doggett had been released from psyche and everything had gone to shit. She also wasn't lying when she said she didn't need to draw any more attention from the COs. But mostly it was the sad reality of life in Litchfield, just as Red had explained it to her months ago.
"I can't help you. You know better than anyone, there's rules in this place." Piper headed out of the cube just as Mendez walked in with Caputo trailing. She stepped out and to the side waiting long enough to hear what was going to happen.
Caputo spoke first. "You've been malingering Red. Johnson has admitted to giving you passes to stay off work and he has been re-assigned. We know you haven't been doing your job in weeks. With your previous problems in the kitchen, you're in big trouble."
Mendez sneered so hard it looked like his moustache was taking flight. "This has been a long time coming Red. You thought you were so high and mighty? Looks like the mighty have fallen."
"Shut it Mendez." Caputo stopped the CO's tirade. "You're going to the SHU Red. Get your jacket. Officer, please escort Red to the van."
Caputo stepped out and Piper had to scurry towards the hall. The last thing she saw was Mendez gloating and pushing a handcuffed Red, who suddenly looked about eighty years old, down the hall.