AN-Thanks for all the great comments! Life is a little busy right now, but I promise to post as often as I can!
Chapter Thirteen-First Let's Kill All the Lawyers
"Polly I need a new lawyer, a good one." Piper had called her best friend in a panic and asked how soon she could visit. Polly came to Litchfield the next day.
"Is this an indication that you and Larry are really over? I know his father represented you before." Polly liked Larry well enough, but her loyalties were entirely with Piper.
"No, well, yes actually. I mean Larry and I are done. But the lawyer request is a separate thing. I need someone with more criminal law experience. Larry's father was really just helping me negotiate a plea and this time I'm probably going to trial." Piper choked out the last part and couldn't stop the tears that appeared in her eyes. "I'm in real trouble Polly. My counselor has it out for me and he has ginned up evidence that I attacked Doggett unprovoked. They may charge me with attempted murder."
Polly sat with her mouth hanging open for a full minute trying to process what Piper had said. The whole experience of Piper being arrested and sent to prison for something she did during her Alex dalliance years ago had always seemed surreal. They visited and talked on the phone and she counted the days and months until Piper's release and that made it seem bearable. But attempted murder? That was what real criminals did, not her best friend. "Oh Shit."
"I know, right? Me an alleged violent offender possibly headed to the big house." Instead of lightening the mood as she intended, now Piper really was crying. "I need help Polly. I'll ask my mother for the money; I've got no pride left. Can you find someone from a good firm and have him or her come up here right away to meet with me?"
"I'll get with your mom and we will find someone to help you no matter what it takes." Polly answered solemnly.
Piper sighed deeply. "Good. Now show me some of those baby photos I know you brought with you. I need to see Finn and remember that there is good in the life outside these walls."
The second bunk in Piper's cube remained blissfully empty much to Alex's relief and enjoyment. Word from Fischer was Piper was too 'high risk' for another cube mate before her trial.
Alex spent as much of as many nights as possible curled around her terrified lover giving her support and comfort through words and touch. They still had to be extremely quiet, but everyone around them in the suburb dorm knew what was happening and gave them all the privacy they could.
"I'm going to make this ok you know." Alex was spooned up against Piper's back and had been kissing the back of her neck and whispering in her ear since neither woman seemed to be able to sleep. "I promised Polly I would watch out for you and god knows she can do some damage with that cutting sarcasm of hers. Don't want to get any further on her bad side."
There was a delay before Piper finally laughed low in her throat, but only for a second before it was choked off in fear. "She and my mother are getting me a new lawyer. He's supposed to be coming up to see me in a couple days."
"Maybe I should find out who she hired. I'm familiar with quite a few of the firms that handle federal criminal cases. You don't mind if I call her, do you?" Alex made the request at the same time her hand began wandering up the tank Piper was wearing to sleep in.
"If you can get Polly to talk to you, go right ahead. But I don't want to think about my best friend while you are fondling me please." When Alex started to pull her hand out Piper grabbed it with her own, moving it back up over her stiffening nipple.
"I can take a hint." Alex began to massage over Piper's breasts loving the feeling of the hard peaks rubbing in the palm of her hand as she alternated from one to the other. "This is when it really sucks that we are in here, because right now I want to do things to you that just aren't an option."
Piper was getting breathless from the attention to her top half, but wanted to get Alex to move a hand lower. "Tell me instead, what you would be doing to me right now if you could."
"Hhmmm. I like that idea. Well, first I would have to make sure you were sufficiently stimulated." Alex's voice was in her lowest register and as she emphasized the last word she smoothed over the skin of Piper's pelvis and reached down to play with the trimmed hairs on her mound.
"I think you'll find enough lubrication for your needs." Piper gasped out as she thrust her hips forward trying to bring Alex's hand into a deeper position. She was unhappily surprised when Alex completely removed her hand from the boxers she was wearing instead. "Alex?" Her lover's name came out as a definite whine and the dark haired woman laughed a little too loud for the setting.
"Sshhhh." Piper hissed as she felt Alex move her hands to the back of the boxers and pull the elastic down onto the back of her thighs, exposing the blonde's ass.
Alex grabbed one cheek, palming and massaging it hard. "That whining you did tells me you need what I would give you if we were anywhere but here."
Now two fingers stroked into Piper's cleft and ran from her clit back to her dripping opening. "I would take you like this, but you would be up on your knees with me behind you." Alex was speaking so low Piper had to quiet her breathing to hear. "I would know how much you love me because you would open yourself to me, wordlessly asking me to fill you up with my fingers, my hand, or eight inches of thick silicone, whatever I chose."
Piper had been so focused on the seductive words she hadn't realized Alex had slid two fingers inside of her until they started to move, at first just rubbing her inner walls and stretching. "Or maybe you would beg and plead for me to take you, to fuck you hard." Slowly the thrusts became firm, and then even stronger and Piper began making little noises until Alex covered her mouth with her free hand.
When Piper crashed over the edge Alex just held her tight and hummed into her ear letting her come down slowly, enjoying the lingering quivers and jolts that moved through Piper's body for several minutes. When Alex pulled her fingers out of their warm haven and leaned over to say goodnight she sighed finding Piper's eyes closed and breathing even. Still she could not resist telling the sleeping blonde, "I love you and I will fix this no matter what it takes."
The next day Red was back. She had spent a few days in the SHU followed by several weeks in the prison medical ward for chest pain getting a full cardiac workup. The ladies of the suburb dorm found her at lunch appearing well rested and not unhappy. Nicky seemed particularly pleased to have her 'mama' back and sat next to her filling her in on all the gossip she had missed.
Piper had gotten her tray but was unsure if she was welcome at Red's reunion. She started to head over to join Taystee when she heard Red call out to her.
"Blondie! Come over here and sit. We need to talk."
Piper joined the others sitting directly across from Red and a moment later Alex joined her greeting Red cautiously.
"How are you feeling?" Piper was nervous but wanted to show that she really did care about the older woman.
Red cocked her head to the side as if thinking hard on the answer. "Good. The medical ward is ok. I got a lot of sleep and the doctor's say I'm fine now." She leaned into the table and whispered conspiratorially, "The SHU was too stressful for an old broad like me, gave me heart trouble. The warden doesn't like it when someone dies in there so they had to take me to the hospital." When Red leaned back she winked causing the whole group to laugh.
The meal concluded and the inmates with jobs headed back to work, but Red asked Piper if she could stay for a minute. Alex said she would cover the laundry and left the two women to talk alone.
Red glared at Piper until the blonde couldn't stand the silence. "I'm sorry. . ."
Red held up her hand. "No. Don't apologize. You did what you had to do and we both know if the situation was reversed I would not have covered for you."
Piper scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Then what did you want to talk about?"
"I have some information for you and I think it is valuable. I also need your help. I was debating whether to ask first and only share if you agreed to help or to tell you what I know and hope you will assist me." Red continued to scrutinize Piper as she spoke. "I thought maybe you had gotten hard from this place after everything that has happened, but you are still a softie inside, aren't you?"
Piper shrugged her shoulders. "Don't be fooled. I do what I have to Red, you know that."
Red nodded and seemed to come to a decision. "Doggett was in the medical ward with me. Over the last two weeks many lawyers have come to see her, to talk to her, about you. They would pull the curtain, but I could hear them often. They are preparing her testimony against you very carefully. These lawyers have photos from the doctors to show how badly she was beaten and all of the surgeries she needed. They tell Doggett to describe how much pain she was in and how she still hurts and has nightmares."
Red reached across the table and grabbed Piper's hands in her own. "I am afraid this is going to be bad for you. Do you have help? A lawyer?"
Piper nodded. "Yes, I am meeting him tomorrow."
"Tell him about Doggett. He needs to know about this." Red squeezed Piper's grip and looked her in the eye. "Now I need a favor. Can you help me get a job back in the kitchen? I know I won't be in charge, but it is all I know and I can help. Will you talk to Mendoza?"
"I don't know how much sway I have with the Spanish ladies Red, but I will try. It would be good to have you back in the kitchen." Piper gave Red a hug and headed out before she got in trouble for not being at work. "Thank you for the information, everything I can learn has to help."
The lawyer was not what Piper expected. He was middle aged, graying and looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. But when Piper asked questions, he knew all the answers. He said he worked in a specialized department of a larger firm with a separate name. The firm didn't want the association with federal criminal trials, but liked the steady cash flow. He said he had handled hundreds of cases and asked if she was satisfied with his credentials because they needed to get down to work.
An hour later Piper had shared with Mr. Bartone the truth and nothing but the truth. She told him about her interactions with Doggett and the events of that night in the snow. She relayed the information Red had given her. She also shared Mr. Healy's complicity and his subsequent actions.
"Hhmmm. It's possible we might be able to use the information regarding your counselor if necessary. Although, that could potentially require an. . . unorthodox approach to your case." The lawyer looked sweaty in his suit coat and tie. His eyes darted around the small private room set aside for inmates to meet with their attorneys as if looking for a hidden camera before leaning slightly across the table towards Piper. "Speaking of which, have you considered all of your options in this situation?"
Piper knitted her brow in confusion. "Options? You mean like a plea bargain? I wasn't aware that was an option."
"Not exactly." Now the lawyer was frowning. "Listen, I want to be honest with you. Your best case at trial is a self-defense claim, but it is weak. They have you with a weapon, the screwdriver, and Ms. Doggett unarmed. No one can account for the homemade weapon you describe her wielding. She was injured badly while you were apparently unscathed. And you are a convicted felon with a write up for assaulting an officer. I have the distinct impression that you are to be made an example and the district attorney is up for re-election this year."
The lawyer reached into his attaché and pulled out an envelope. "Read this carefully. It summarizes the federal sentencing guidelines in your situation and the possible outcomes. There is some other legal information in there too."
Mr. Bartone stood up and Piper could see the meeting was over. "Maybe you could go over the details of the letter with someone you trust?" He waited until Piper stood up and shook her hand gently. "Ms. Chapman, it has been a pleasure to meet you. I'm terribly sorry that all of this has happened." Surprisingly his grip tightened for a moment. "Please be ready to utilize any option that presents itself to you, even with only a moment's notice. Sometimes opportunities spring up very quickly and you have to be ready."
Piper was still trying to process his statements when she realized he was at the door and headed out. "Mr. Bartone?" The lawyer paused and looked back at her. "Thank you and I'll see you soon. My mother took care of your retainer?"
The lawyer smiled and then brushed his hand down his coat as if removing a spot of lint. "My compensation has been taken care of, don't worry about that. Good day, Ms. Chapman."
Piper mulled over the odd end of the conversation as she walked back into the search room where Officer Bell was stationed today. "What's that?" Bell asked as she pointed to the envelope in Piper's hand.
"Letter from my attorney." Piper held out the paper for Bell who checked the envelope for any contraband and then handed it back to Piper.
"Fine. Set it down on the table and strip, you know the drill." Bell intoned.
As she squatted naked and coughed Piper thought the interaction with the lawyer wasn't any stranger than the rest of her life. She dressed and made her way back to the dorm just before dinner and found Alex waiting for her in her cube.
"Hey, how'd it go?" Alex asked as she pulled Piper down to the bunk for a quick unobserved kiss.
"Good I guess. He has a lot of experience. Didn't seem very optimistic about my chances though. Kept talking about 'other options' but I don't know what those would be." Piper flopped back onto her bunk and tossed the envelope onto her cabinet.
"Is that from the lawyer?" At Piper's nod Alex grabbed the envelope. "Can I take a look?"
"Yea. He actually suggested I have someone look at the information with me, but maybe you could just summarize what it says. I glanced at it, but it seems awfully depressing. Mostly talks about all the years I can get in maximum security." Piper covered her eyes with her forearm.
"Sure Pipes. I want to know everything that is going on with your case." Alex slipped the envelope in her pocket and stood up, taking the blonde's arm in her hand. "Enough of that for now, let's go see what's on the menu at Chez Litchfield this evening."
Piper groaned but got up. "Speaking of eating, I have an idea for getting Red back into a job in the kitchen, but I may need to sweeten the deal with laundry favors. You good with that?"
Alex nodded. "It would be good to get a friend back in the kitchen and Red really is creative with the limited food options. Of course I'll help."
As the two headed down the hall Alex was glad for the distraction of talking about Red. Her pocket felt heavy for only containing an envelope and a few slips of paper, but she knew it was the deception contained within that was actually weighing her down.