Chapter 7:

"Breathe"

It had been almost a week and Piper finally received some news about the hearing from Caputo. They had a meeting with their lawyers tomorrow and the court day was the day after. She went to find Alex in the laundry room to tell her. A part of her was exited to share the news with her girlfriend, but at the same time she feared that things would turn out badly and that all the great time they had spent lately would be ruined.

"Alex! I got some news!" Piper exclaimed as she went down the stairs to the laundry room. "Alex are you th—" Piper turned the corner to see Alex getting her face drown in the sink by two meth-head girls who held her head under water. "ALEX!" She ran to her girlfriend. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" she shouted as she tried to push off the aggressors. Alex was able to get off the water when the two girls withdrew their hold on her when Piper was able to tug them off. The tall woman ran in Piper's arms looking for support, choking and barely breathing.

Leann and her friend laughed before running away from the scene.

"Breathe baby breathe," Piper said giving small taps on Alex's back. The last gulp of water gushed out of her mouth and she coughed. Piper held her tight to show her she was okay now then moved her wet hair from her face. "I'm here," the blonde whispered, trying hard to hold the tears that formed in her eyes. She didn't want to imagine what would have happened if she had gotten there just a minute later. She stroked her hair gently and started crying anyway because she was relieved that her baby was in her arms and safe.

"Piper…" Alex started and swallowed the lump in throat. She pointed to an object beside the sink before passing out abruptly in Piper's arms.

"Alex?" Piper said feeling her girlfriend become heavier in her arm. She shook her body. "Alex? Oh my god Alex!" Piper panicked and looked beside the sink. A bottle of detergent with the cap opened was on the table. She stood up and ran to the sink to smell the water. The smell of chemicals tickled her nose. Piper body just about gave up on her when she realized Alex had just swallowed that toxic water.

She looked around her—there was nothing she could do. She ran upstairs so fast and yelled for help the second she was in the hallway. A Correctional officer walked to her and she explained everything quickly and the man called an ambulance immediately.

Another C.O went looking for the girls and later put them in Psych for their behaviors.

Piper ran down again to the basement and stayed with Alex. She watched the C.O perform CPR on her girlfriend while all she could do was cry in pain. The emergency took too long to come for Piper. Alex skin was so pale and she didn't need to be a doctor to know that this was bad. When they finally arrived, Piper watched her leave on a gurney and that's when the horrible fact that she was in prison hit her—she couldn't come with Alex to the hospital.

"Please let me come with her! She needs me!" Piper said to the C.O that held her back inside.

He politely apologized and told her to go be around her friends and that they would inform her on Alex situation once she got to the hospital. Piper fell apart completely and blamed herself for not getting there soon enough. Alex had told her a few days before that they had to stick together so that they get through this and she hadn't. Piper felt like she had failed her.

The next day at breakfast Piper sat with Nikki, Lorna, Boo and the other girls. She still hadn't heard anything about Alex and she had got every damn C.O mad at her because she kept bugging them for news on Alex. She had been told yesterday that she would got some once Alex got to the hospital and she was sure there now. She began thinking that Alex was dead and they simply didn't tell her. The thought made her want to throw up and yet she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning.

"Chapman," Nikki shot at Piper, bringing her out of her dark thoughts. "You gotta eat some. Red's quiches are delicious this morning."

"Not hungry" Piper muttered back, looking down emptily at the table.

Nikki sighed and Lorna chimed in, "look it's gonna be okay. Alex is a tough girl, she'll be fine."

"Yeah and you have to get some strength, don't you have your meeting with your lawyers today?" Nikki added. Piper must have looked really bad for Nikki to start saying those kind of things.

"Not gonna happen without Alex," Piper said and stood up to leave. She didn't want to be around anyone right now except Alex. Her poor Alex was suffering or dying in a hospital by her fault. This would have never happened if she had never beaten the crap of Tiffany. The meth-head girls would not taken their revenge on Alex.

Later that day she was on her way to ask a C.O again to get some info on Alex when Mr Caputo ran into her. "Chapman! I've been looking all over for you did you forgot the meeting with your lawyer?"

Piper looked at him confused. "But Alex is not here?"

"Doesn't matter. Come on, follow me," Caputo said and Piper followed him. She wondered how this could happen without Alex. It was her sentence after all and she was the witness to the attack.

They entered the conference room and Piper was greeted by Alex's lawyer and her lawyer; Larry's father. She started freaking out because she had totally forgotten about Larry and she wondered if he knew about this and if even Larry had told his father they were broken up. She then felt utterly stupid for even thinking about him when her Alex was at the hospital. Of course she still cared a little bit for Larry's feelings, but what bothered her the most is what Larry could do if he ever found out about this. After the article and the radio interview, there was no guarantee he wouldn't use this as a way to get more famous, especially now that they were broken up.

Piper sat down with the lawyers and Mr. Caputo and they discussed the procedure of the hearing tomorrow. Piper asked how it could work without Alex there as a witness but they reassured that it would be fine anyway and they didn't have much choice since it took everything to convince a Judge to do this hearing. They talked about things Piper didn't understand and it made her even moreanxious, but at this point she had no other choice than to trust them.

When the meeting was over Piper stood to leave but Larry's father stopped her. "Piper may I have a word with you alone please," he asked calmly.

Piper nodded and looked over at Caputo to know if it was okay. "Piper when you're done stop by my office please." Caputo told her before he left. Piper nodded again and once everyone was out her lawyer started talking.

"So Piper, what does my son thinks about this?" he asked.

She thought a moment, trying to see a hint in his face that he knew, but he remain emotioneless. "Umh he's, he's fine with it I guess," Piper lied. She was a really bad liar and every time she lied her lid fluttered quickly and she would blush. Larry's father had know her for almost 6 years and with all the things she had lied to him about her life and her past he knew by now when she wasn't telling the truth.

"Right. Piper I'm your lawyer and if you lie to me this isn't going anywhere." He began and Piper blushed. "My son tells me everything, hell he doesn't really have a choice I paying his rent. Look, I believe that you didn't kill this girl, but don't lie to me and don't lie to Larry. You are back with this girl, Alex right? The one that ratted you up?" Piper looked away and nodded. "Look what you do with your stupid life is not my business. But don't ruin my son's life more than you already did. Tell him the truth and let him move on and do us a favor, once all of this is over stay away from us and get a new lawyer."

Piper looked at him in the eyes. "Larry's a big boy. He makes his own decision even if you pay his rent and everything else."

"So are you are Piper, so are you." He said and left.

Piper rolled her eyes and sighed. She was glad Larry had never been so arrogant with her and other people. She wouldn't have dated him otherwise. Piper remembered that Caputo had told her to pass by his office and went straight there. Maybe he had some news on Alex. Maybe bad news. She quickened her pace on her way to his office.

"Mr Caputo you asked for me?" Piper said not even knocking the door before entering, too anxious to know why he wanted to see her.

"Huh yeah." He said, putting down his legs on the floor from the top of his desk. He dialed a number on his phone and gave it to Piper.

She looked at him puzzled and he gave her a look telling her to wait.

"Hello?" a voice said in the phone. A voice that she knew too well. It was her Alex.

"Alex baby?" Piper said so relieved. "Oh my god are you okay? What happened I was so worried."

"I'm better now. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to contact you before, I was kinda busy trying to survive and all you know," Alex joked but Piper didn't laugh. She was still in shock to hear her voice. There was a silent beat and Piper eyes started to well up with tears.

"Are you still there Pipes?" Alex asked softy.

"Yeah sorry. I just can't believe I'm talking to you right now. When are you coming back?" Piper asked and wiped the tears that streamed down her face. Caputo was a little embarrassed and he just tried to occupy himself with paperwork.

"In two days baby. I was lucky because although there's some toxic agents in the detergent, the one used in prison is not deadly otherwise some inmates would try to kill themselves with it. They had to run some test to make sure everything was okay and give me plenty of fluids to clear the bad stuff away. You should have seen me poop it was worse than you in Java."

Piper laughed a little this time. "I'm glad you're okay baby… I don't know what I would have done if—"

"Don't think about it baby I'm fine and I'll be back with you soon." Alex reassured her. "So how did it go with our lawyers?"

"Well Larry's father is an ass like always, but he really thinks it can work without you there. Your lawyer will be there as well on your behalf to make sure your sentence is reduced." Piper explained and sighed. "I really wish you could be there. I'm not sure I'm strong enough to go through this without you."

"Of course you are baby, you're so strong. Before you go in front of the Judge, I want you to picture us free and out of Litchfield. On a beach, naked and me eating your pussy while you watch the ocean." Piper blushed and coughed; hoping that Caputo didn't overheard that. "Have that in mind and stick to our plan and everything will be fine baby, okay?"

"Okay." Piper smiled.

"Ok time's up Chapman, I got some work to do. Hang up now." Caputo ordered.

"Baby I have to go. I'll see you soon, I heart you and I love you. Be safe." Piper told her and blew a kiss in the phone.

"Love you too kid, I'll see you soon." Alex said and they both hung up.

Piper made sure to thank Caputo for the phone call and left his office. It was about 4:30 so she walked toward cafeteria and ran into Nikki on her way. She informed her that Alex was fine and that she was coming back soon. Nikki was glad to hear that. Piper was really hungry so she ate the whole meal this time with a peaceful mind. When it was time to go to bed Piper was too anxious about the hearing tomorrow to sleep but then she remembered what Alex told her—to think about the beach. She finally fell asleep with a smile on her face thinking about that.

A/N: Wee! I'm glad you guys are still interested in the story. I'll keep writing as long as you want me too (and as long as there's something to write about of course). Keep sending reviews they always warm my heart and inspire me. Thank you so much, I hope you enjoyed this! Xo -shirley