While I'm off chasing my own dreams,
Sailing around the world,
Please know that I'm yours to keep,
My beautiful girl.

The months passed slowly after that, there had been no progress made as far as getting Alex's sentence reduced and it was slow going with getting Nicky's lawyer to review her case. Soon enough it was the middle of the summer and Piper only had seven months left to serve. This worried Alex to no end and she often found her mind travelling back to the fact that she was going to have to let Piper go. Alex made her way to the phones and dialled the number that she had now learned off by heart.

"Hello?" Carol Chapman's voice answered.

"Carol, it's Alex."

"Ah, Alex. How are you today?" The older woman replied.

At first it had surprised Alex at how quickly Carol had offered to be there for Alex whenever she needed to vent things that couldn't be vented out with Piper. Alex had turned to her often over the past four months, calling her at least once a week. The only tone in Carol's voice was kindness although Alex wasn't sure entirely how much of it was just put on for show.

"Not so good." Alex admitted quietly, checking behind her to make sure neither Nicky or Piper were nearby. "Time is suddenly going so quickly and I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to hold it together for Piper."

Alex heard Carol sigh, she imagined the woman rubbing her temples. "Alex, please. Stop thinking about the future and concentrate on what is happening now. Piper told me that 'living in the now' had always been your thing so why aren't you sticking to it?"

Alex shrugged, then realised the woman couldn't see her. "I don't know, it's hard to concentrate on the now when 'the now' is just the same thing everyday." Alex chewed the inside of her cheek and looked down at her feet, clad in the mandatory boots. She noticed how dirty the floor looked.

"I know you're worried about what will happen to your relationship with Piper but I will make every effort to remind her that you are relying on her to be there when she gets out."

Alex knew the woman was saying that to comfort her but it made Alex feel uneasy. She didn't like relying on people, that meant she wasn't in control. She didn't want Piper to feel guilty if she wanted something else, that wasn't right. "No Carol, that just makes it sound like I'm trying to guilt trip her into staying with me." Alex sighed and closed her eyes. "Listen, I have to go. Thanks for picking up."

"Have a nice day Alex and try to cheer up, for all our sakes."

Alex put the phone down and let her head hit the wall with a soft thud. Carol was right about one thing, being this morose was not going to help anyone - least of all herself. "Man the fuck up, Vause." Alex mumbled to herself in an attempt to encourage herself. This attempt failed miserably however as she could still not bring herself to move from the current position against the wall. Alex was glad that it was a Sunday and that she didn't have to work, folding clothes just wouldn't cut it today. She turned so that her back was against the wall and slid down to the floor, bringing her knees up to her chest she wrapped her arms around them and then let her face fall into the dark cradle that her knees provided. She concentrated on her breathing whilst she tried to form an action plan. The first thing to do was make sure that Piper stayed out of trouble, she could do nothing that would risk getting more time added to her sentence. The next thing was to put some pressure on Nicky's lawyer so that he would actually get off of his fat ass and try to help Nicky and then that would leave Alex, hopefully her lawyer would be able to do something - god knows she paid him enough to.

"Hey Vause, you know that sitting there isn't the most hygienic." Nicky's voice said from somewhere above her.

"I figured that out a while ago, Nichols. Seeing as nowhere in this place is hygienic I thought it would be okay to risk it." Alex retorted, her voice muffled slightly from her 'hiding place'.

"Uh huh." Nicky was silent for a moment. "Not long now, huh?"

Alex knew what Nicky was hinting at and chose to ignore it. Nicky had been on her ass about Piper leaving since they had first talked about it and Alex really wished she would just let it go.

"Silent treatment Vause? Jeez, that's pretty low. Even for you." Nicky chuckled and Alex felt the woman sit down next to her. "Not that I mean to pry but, how much time have you spent with Piper lately? Cause it kinda looks like you've been avoiding her."

"I have been avoiding her." Alex replied bluntly, raising her head slightly to look at her bushy haired friend.

"Damn, okay. Well, you know, maybe you should stop?"

"I can't." Alex paused and groaned, "Well I can but she's going to know straight away that I'm all cut up about her leaving soon and I don't want her to get any ideas about staying in here longer."

Nicky nodded sympathetically, "I understand, Chapman isn't always the most logical." She was quiet again. "I just think you should make the most of the time you have left with her in here, I mean who knows how long it will be till you get to spend this much time with her. You might be left with a ten minute phone call and an hour long visit once a week." Nicky stated, shrugging.

Alex sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I know." Alex dragged herself up and then helped Nicky to do the same. "I'll catch you later Nichols."

Nicky nodded and left Alex to her thoughts. Alex walked towards Piper's dorm, sure that the blonde would be reading by now. She walked over to her cube and sat down beside her girlfriend's feet, not bothering to say hi. She leaned back against the wall and turned her head to look at Piper who was currently staring at her over the top of her book. Alex smiled and squeezed Piper's ankle.

"Hello, fancy seeing you here." Piper chimed, lowering her book. "What brings you to this fine establishment?"

Alex chuckled and shrugged deciding to play along, "Oh well I saw the reviews for this place online. Most of which were five stars - I just had to come and check it out for myself."

"I see, so I take it you consider yourself to be an excellent judge of fine items?"

"Quite, I used to own various first edition novels and had quite the collection of rare and very expensive artwork."

Piper laughed and slid down on her bunk so that her feet were resting on Alex's lap. "I missed you."

Alex's smile faded slightly and she looked away from Piper and at her feet instead. "Missed you too, kid." She paused, rubbing Piper's socked feet gently. "Sorry I haven't been around all that much."

Piper nodded, "It's okay. Although you would think there wouldn't be that many places for you to vanish to considering we are in a freaking prison."

Alex chuckled, "I..." She clenched her jaw and sighed, concentrating on Piper's feet again.

"Alex it's okay. I know you're bugged by how little time I have left here but we don't have to acknowledge that for another four months yet."

"That's not going to cut it, Pipes. I can't stop thinking about it and it's driving me crazy. I can't bring myself to hang around you because I feel so fucking helpless all the time. I even resorted to calling your mom about it! Like, who the fuck am I?" Alex laughed bitterly and looked at Piper. She was surprised at how calm the blonde looked.

"I still have seven months Alex, we have plenty of time to figure this all out. My mom told me that you called her frequently although she wouldn't disclose to me about what you talked about. She didn't even budge when I gave her my puppy eyes." Piper sighed dramatically, making Alex smile. "Listen Al, we'll be okay. Sure it's going to be hard - I'm not denying that; but I am willing to work as hard as I possibly can to make this work. Nothing and I mean nothing is going to tear us apart again because I can't wait another ten years to get another shot at this." Piper removed her legs from Alex's lap and put her head there instead. "We'll make it."

Alex smiled down at the girl in her lap, taking a mental picture. She leaned down and kissed Piper slowly, caressing her cheek with her hand. "I love you, Pipes."

"Love you too." Piper mumbled against Alex's lips.

Alex and Piper spent the rest of the day together, they were never far from the others reach. They shared little touches, a brushing of fingers. Alex's hand on the small of Piper's back. Piper's fingers brushing against Alex's neck. They were small gestures but each touch conveyed the love the women had for each other, as if each touch was a silent contract between the two of them that they would remember these little touches and they would live to feel them again. It was after lunch and Piper had followed Alex back to her bunk, Fischer was on duty and so they cuddled together. They had fallen into a comfortable silence, just enjoying being in the other's company. It was only when Alex started to hum a familiar song that the silence was broken, Piper giggled.

"Are you really humming Damien Rice?" She asked, incredulously.

"So what if I am?" Alex replied in mock defense.

"A little morose for you, isn't it?" She stated, more than asked. "I love that song.." Piper continued quietly, prompting Alex to go back to her humming. She couldn't remember all of the words to that song but she remembered the end of it - she and Piper had danced together for what seemed like an age to that part of the song. One of Piper's strange and random obsessions at the time.

"And so it is, Just like you said it should be, We'll both forget the breeze..." Piper recited quietly, a small smile forming at the edge of her lips. She turned around in Alex's embrace so that she faced her. "I don't want to leave."

Alex could see the panic in Piper's eyes at her admission and Alex only nodded and pulled her closer, leaning down so her mouth was by Piper's ear. "And after just a taste of your love dear, I realized I'd been starving my whole life." She recited in a quiet whisper. She felt Piper's body relax in her arms as the blonde recognised the familiar line.

"Martinez," Alex could hear the smile in Piper's voice, "You remembered."

"Of course." Alex kissed the top of Piper's head and wrapped her arms tighter around her waist. "I don't want you to leave." She finally replied to Piper's earlier admission, "But you have to."

Piper sniffled beneath her and Alex felt the blonde's arms wrap around her.

"As sappy and corny as this may sound... You may be leaving Pipes but you'll stay with me. These little moments that we have now, they'll stay with me here until the time comes around again where we can replace these moments with new ones - better ones."

Piper looked up and kissed the underside of Alex's chin gently, "Prison turned you into a soft and sappy lesbian but I suppose I love you all the more for it." She replied, giving Alex a squeeze.

Alex laughed and rolled her eyes, looking down to kiss Piper again. For once they weren't interrupted and Alex was allowed to enjoy their moment together, Nicky had been right. She needed to treasure each day that she had left with Piper.

Authors Note:

Short post, I know I know, but I didn't have too much time to write today but I wanted to post something as it is my birthday tomorrow and I didn't want to leave you guys high and dry for two days in a row. As always, please leave a review and I hope you enjoyed reading :D