Do not own Orange Is The New Black or any of the characters.

Thanks everyone for the reviews, follows and faves. Means a lot the support.

This is a little shorter chapter then the last two.

Enjoy!

"Woah, where's the fire Chapman?" called out Nicky as Piper bolted passed her in the hallway.

Piper ignored Nicky as she continued to speed walk down the hallway and headed towards the chapel. It was dark in there as Piper pushed opened the door and walked towards the front of the stage. The only light was coming from the sunlight pouring in through the stain glass windows, casting a rainbows of colours into the room.

Piper wasn't a religious person by far but she took comfort in the quiet chapel. She took a seat in the first row of seats and stared up at the stage. Growing up she hadn't gone to church much. Just on the odd Sunday or two and at Christmas and Easter. She had been raised Protestant but she didn't remember anything she had been taught. Her mother like a good Christian woman, had attended church every Sunday, like she had been taught as a child. That hadn't rubbed off on any of her children though. Neither, Piper or her brothers, Danny and Cal went to church after the age of 13. Her father, Richard hadn't been a big church goer either. It had just been her mother, for the most part who attended the local church every week.

As Piper, once again reflected on her childhood, she didn't hear or notice the chapel doors opening and someone coming inside.

She didn't bother to look over at the person. She just assumed it was Sister Ingalls or one of the Sunday church-goers. She hoped who ever it was, would leave her alone. She hoped it wasn't Doggett or any of her crew. She didn't have the strength at the moment to deal with one of them. However, she was wrong on all accounts.

"Hey, kid!"

Piper's head shot up immediately and over to where Alex was standing, just a few a feet away in the aisle. She stared at her in bewilderment. What was she doing here? she thought to herself.

Alex, smiled slightly back as Piper continued to stare at her in puzzlement. "What the fuck do you want?" she asked after a moment of awkward silence passed between them. The surprise look was gone from her face and replaced with anger. Piper could only assume that Alex knew about her mother and had come to rub it into her face.

A look of hurt flashed across Alex's face but was quickly replaced by one out of concern. Piper had every right to be mad at the moment. Alex hadn't been invited. But that didn't stop the raven haired woman from trying.

Alex let out a deep breath as she nervously adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose. She wasn't afraid of Piper's temper. This wasn't her first time being on the other end of it. Usually she would have made some joke or sly remark, earning her a smile from Piper. But she knew that this wasn't the time for that. Piper was clearly upset and if what Sophia had told her early about her mother, she knew the pain she was going through at the moment. She just wanted to be there for Piper. For it was a scary thing to have to face alone.

"I heard about your mom," spoke Alex in a soft voice. She was hoping to some what open up the gates of conversation between them.

Piper narrowed her eyes at Alex. "So?"

"I'm sorry to hear about it. I know the pain you must be going through, Pipes," Alex's voice was soft and gentle as she took a small step towards where Piper was seated. "It sucks. It fucking sucks ass." Her voice was filled with sudden emotion and her green eye moist, as sudden thoughts of her own mother's death appeared in her mind. However, she quickly brushed them away. This wasn't a time to bring up the past.

"Don't do that!" spat Piper in a cold voice towards the other woman. "Don't fucking do that!" Her blue eyes were dark and distance as she continue to stare up at Alex with rage.

Alex didn't say anything in reply as she raised an eyebrow in confusion. Her lips were pursed into a frown.

"Don't come in here, saying your sorry! when we both know you could fucking careless about me and my mother!" Piper voice shook slightly as she continued to pour her anger out at Alex. "I know what your thinking Alex Vause! I know you are thinking to yourself that I got what I deserve! KARMA A FUCKING ASS BITCH!"

Tears streamed down her face as she continued to look on at Alex for a second longer before rising to her feet suddenly and beginning to walk away. She couldn't deal with this at the moment. It hurt to much looking into green orbs. Her thin frame was shaking with rage. She needed to walk it off. However she didn't get very far before she felt Alex's hand on her wrist, stopping her in dead in her tracks.

Piper spun around at this and locked eyes with Alex. There faces were just a mere inches away from one another.

"What the fuck Vause?" asked Piper, as she wrenched her wrist away from Alex's hand. However, her skin burned from where the older woman had touched her. It felt like she had been shocked as she clenched her hand into a fist and cradled it in her other. She could feel old feelings stir deep inside but she quickly squished them away. Her eyes were burning with rage as she continued to stare at Alex, waiting for her answer. Why couldn't she just leave her the fuck alone like everyone else?

Alex didn't say anything as she continued to look on at Piper's tear stained face. It broke the older woman's heart to see her like this. She just wanted to somehow to take the pain away from her. Her eyes never left Piper's face as she slowly brought up a hand and gently wiped away a stray tear on her cheek. "Let me help you, kid," she whispered in a tender voice, "Let me be your friend."

Piper's body immediately stiffened at Alex's soft touch on her skin. She could feel her eyes sting with fresh tears but she quickly blinked them away. Her eyes continued to dart back and forth, searching Alex's face for an answer. What did she really want? she thought to herself. Butterflies fluttered nervously in the pit of her stomach as the two women continued to stand inches apart. The rage had lifted off of her shoulders and was replaced with sudden exhaustion and nerves. She was tired from this rollercoaster of emotions she was going through. Her breathing was laboured slightly as she tried to figure out her thoughts. A part of her wanted to let Alex in and help her. But another didn't want to give in to temptation. Piper chewed on her lower lip before replying in a low whisper, "We were never friends." Her voice was bitter and sad sounding at the same time. It was the truth. Even Alex had told her that. They had never been friends. Only lovers.

She held Alex's eye for a second longer, an apologist look appearing on her face before taking a small step away from her.

Alex let her go this time.

Piper could feel her eyes on her as she left but she didn't look back. She held a hand to her mouth, muffling her cries as a wave of emotion hit her. She bolted out of the side doors of the chapel and into the hallway.

"CHAPMAN, NO RUNNING!" cried out Caputo to Piper as she stumbled into the hallway and began to run pass the CO, who was just exiting his office.

Piper didn't say anything in reply as she slowed her pace and walked passed the CO. She kept her head down as she continued on her way down the hallway. She was headed towards the grounds.

She needed air.

Her whole body felt like it was going to burst any moment at the mixture of emotion coursing through her body. Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again over Alex. Over the loss of her mother.

She let out a small yelp as she pushed opened the door and was greeted by a wave of fresh air. She walked as far as her legs would allow before they gave out from underneath her and fell onto all fours. She was gasping for air by that point as sobs rocked her frame. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. It felt like she had just run a marathon, instead of the short distance from the chapel. Her vision blurred with tears. She didn't try to hold anything back as she cried like a baby.

Piper couldn't hear anything over the sounds of her cries. She was too lost in her own world, that she didn't realize she had been followed.

She felt someone's hand on her lower back suddenly, rubbing comforting circles into it. The touch felt both familiar and foreign to her. She desperately wanted to see who it was but before she could turn her head, she got her answer.

"Dandelion," whispered Suzanne into her ear. At hearing Crazy Eyes' voice, Piper cried even harder, this time in disappointment. A part of her had been wishing it had been Alex who followed from the chapel.

Okay, I know that probably not what everyone was expecting or wanting. But I promise that there will be more Alex and Piper talking in the next chapter. :)

Thanks for reading and please review!

Julie