Chapter 19

"Dear Piper"

Piper was finally out in the real world. That meant she could eat whatever she wanted, sleep as long she wanted, go everywhere she wanted (within the state since she was still on probation), and most of all sleep in a comfortable bed. Still, it didn't fell right. Not without Alex. Especially since she didn't know if she was okay.

It had been a week since she'd left Litchfield and she had been unable to reach Alex. Whenever she'd call to ask if she was on Alex's visitation list or call list, they said it was not possible at the moment. It made her worried sick. So all she did, except enjoy her freedom, was stay home, worry, not eat because the thought that something had happen to Alex made her want to gag, and she have terrible nightmares at night.

Living with her mother didn't help the matter. It was just one squabble after the other, and mostly Piper's mom making stupid comments that it was for the better if the blonde could never speak with that woman again.

"She is bad for you Piper, why don't you go try and fix thing with Larry instead?" her mom would say, but Piper couldn't care less about that asshole.

The night Piper had gone to get the things she had left at Larry's she had caught him in bed with Polly. Of all people to fuck it had to be her best friend. Piper had promised herself to never have anything to do with Larry ever again. As for Polly, she owed Piper a huge apology, and Piper wasn't sure she'd ever be able to forgive her. And as it turned out, her damn boxes had been put in storage at U-haul.

On Monday morning she woke up, made a pot of coffee like she did everyday, and she would drink most of it in order to survive the day. She couldn't sleep, and when she did she had terrible nightmares. She'd dream that Alex was dying or getting beaten up by those meth-heads. Coffee was definitely a must.

She moved toward the entrance door, hot mug in hand, and went outside into the cold autumnal weather, covered only by a thin satin nightgown. She grabbed the pile of envelops in the mailbox and made her way back inside, hoping her coffee wouldn't be too cold.

She put her coffee on the countertop and shuffled through the letters. Bills for mom. Bills for her. Bills. Letter from New York County Courtroom. More Bills. And then her heart stopped and she dropped all the envelops in her hands except for the red one. It had the initials "A.V." with a small heart and a calligraphy she knew too well. It was from Litchfield Federal correctional facility.

Alex Vause had written to her.

Piper opened it so fast that the paper ripped off on the edges.

Dear Piper,

I am so sorry I missed your going away party. You wouldn't believe what happened to me. I really wish I could tell you all about it, but as you know, you won't be the only person reading this. Either way, I've been forbidden to talk about it to anyone.

The reason I couldn't contact you before was because all visitations and phone calls privileges had been revoked for everyone in Litchfield because of the incident I cannot discuss. Plus, I spent four days in the SHU. Fuck. I really hate I cannot talk to you about it.

I miss you so much. You're all that I can think about. All I want is for you to be in my arms. You must be having nightmares, aren't you Pipes? I promise someday I'll be there every night to hold you through them all, even the good ones. I hope you're enjoying your freedom, even considering the circumstances. I swear I didn't want you leaving without seeing me and make you worry for a week. You can stop worrying now baby, I'm okay, or as okay as you can be in prison.

Remember that place in Central Park we used to go sit under the gigantic tree? And sometimes we'd buy teas and scones and cuddle there. You'd read a book, and I would bring one too, but I was always distracted because my phone would keep ringing and Fahri would tell me about my next assignment. I wish I could take it all back and leave that stupid phone at home and enjoy how beautiful you look under the sunlight and watch those small freckles decorate your cheeks. I hope someday we could go back there again, just the two us, and leave our phones and worries behind.

So if you are reading, it means you have also received the letter requesting your presence for Kubra's trial next week. I doubt we will be able to talk before then because I currently have no counselor, and thus I can't ask to put your name on the list. I really hope we get a chance to talk before the trial Piper. I have something very important to ask you to do.

This is all I can say for now. I'm really truly sorry for all of it.

I love you and I heart you so much baby. Please take care of yourself.

Love,

-Alex

Piper felt her head spin. She read it a second time and processed all the information. What the hell had happened to Alex that she'd end up in the SHU? What was this important thing Alex was going to ask her to do?

She sat on the stool and took a sip of her coffee. It was cold. Fuck it, she murmured to herself. She ran upstairs and changed into a comfortable pair of sweatpants, a loose shirt and a jacket, and she left her mother's house before it drove her even crazier. She grabbed a cab to Central Park and it cost a fortune—Mrs Chapman house wasn't exactly near anything expect a thousand more suburban-y houses—but Piper didn't care. Her mother was paying anyway and it's not like she had any money right now.

She asked the driver to drop her a few streets near Central Park. She paid him the amount and left him a good amount of tip. "Wow thank you miss," he said, surprised as if she was the first person that had been nice to him.

"You can thank my mother. Oh and it's Mrs. by the way, Mrs. Chapman-Vause. Have a nice day!" she replied before jumping out of the car. Okay, this wasn't exactly true, but one day it would officially be.

At the nearest Starbucks, Piper ordered a Chai latte, Alex's favorite, and a vanilla scone, also Alex's favorite. She ordered that in double, thinking that she'd have one more of each for Alex. Paper bag in one hand and transporting tray in the other, Piper walked to what she considered the ultimate freedom, well almost, Alex was all that was missing to accomplish that.

The trees were colorful and beautiful to look at this time of the year, the park was filled with lovers snuggling to keep each other warm and kids throwing themselves in piles of leaves, and she wished she could share with her fiancée how breathtaking life was at this very moment. After a few minutes of walking she found their tree and sat down under it, leaning the back of her head against the whittled wood, and she took a sip of the first tea, closing her eyes and letting the spicy flavors warm her body.

The next morning Piper received an unexpected call from Alex's lawyer. Since there was no way she could call her directly, Alex had given him Piper's number.

"Miss Vause wants you to stop by her aunt's house as soon as you can," he said. "She said she has a present for you there." Piper frowned. She asked why and how, but the man said he couldn't tell. He gave her the address and hung up.

Piper's head was spinning again. She wondered what Alex could have possibly left there and how. She got dressed, borrowed her father's car and drove to the address. Impatient and eager to discover her present, Piper sped up on the highway, and then a few minutes later she realized she couldn't risk getting arrested because she'd be in violation of her probation.

It took about 45 minutes before Piper arrived to the address. She parked in front of the small, two stories house. Alex's family didn't come from money and it was obvious. The front porch looked like it was about to collapse and the cladding was so dirty that if it weren't for the spot where the gutter gushed out water, it would have been impossible to know it had been white once. That kind of house would have made Piper's mother neurotic and she found it amusing.

Piper went up the crumbling steps and knocked on the door. When it opened, she didn't expect to see a 5 foot 8 tall, old woman, and then she wondered why she was surprised since they were all tall in her family. "You must be the girl that broke my niece's heart twice, come on in," she said. Piper bit her lip. And sassy too.

Piper followed her inside the house. "My name is Katherine Vause by the way," the old woman said as they walked in the kitchen. "Take a seat, kid."

"Yes Alex mentioned you before, it's nice to finally meet you ma'am. Alex talks so highly of you. You are her favorite aunt."

"I'm her only aunt," she said, emotionless as she fetched them tea. Piper realized she didn't know much about Alex's family.

Katherine sat at the table with the kettle and poured tea into their mugs.

"Thank you," Piper said and took a small sip. "So I'm here because—"

"It's upstairs," the woman interrupted her. "But before I want to know a few things." Piper arched her brows in confusion Her voice was harsh, probably from smoking too much and it scared piper a little. "Actually I just need to know one thing. Are you fully committed to Alex this time, or are you gonna run back to this foolish man that used to be your fiancée?"

"Alex is my fiancée now. So yes I'm fully committed to her, this is why I accepted her proposal. She sees me the real me and understand me like no one else ever had, and I love her so much for that. But that's only one reason among so many why I am completely and unconditionally in love with your niece. If you want me to I can give you all the reason, I have no where else to be anyway I'm an ex-con with no friend and the only person I want to spend time with is stuck behind bars, so."

For some reason it made the old woman laugh. "I believe you kid. I believe you," she assured her. "First door upstairs, your present is waiting for you."

"Thank you Mrs. Vause." Piper stood up and walked to stairs and turned midway. "You're not coming?" she asked.

"You don't need me there," she replied with a shrug of the shoulder. "Take all the time you need."

Piper walked up the stairs and into the room of what she believed was the one of a teenager. Katherine's daughter maybe? It seemed a little odd, however, because it had a bunch of concert tickets from the 80's pinned around the mirror and she recognized those bands- they were Alex's favorite. Piper scanned the room and realized this was really Alex's room, meaning this was Alex's mom's house. Her aunt had probably moved in here after her mom's death.

There were a dozen boxes in the corner, and Piper figured they were Alex's stuff, but from her years before prison. She opened the first one on the pile and she almost squealed with joy when she saw Alex's favorite black sweater and her leather jacket. She removed her own jacket and slipped the sweater over her head. It didn't smell like Alex anymore, but Piper didn't care because it was still Alex's and it came with a lot of memories.

She put the leather jacket on the bed and sat next to small velvety box to which a card was attached. It read:

Piper,

I am so happy that you took the time to come here. This ring is my grand mother's. I want you to have it.

It makes me so sad that I can't be there right now, down on one knee and putting it on your finger. I promise to make it up to you. Please continue to be patient. Our time will come.

I love you Piper Elizabeth Chapman and I'm so honored that I'm gonna be your wife.

Love,

-Alex.

Ps: Feel free to leave with anything you want in my room. I have a feeling you already have. ;).

When Piper was done reading she started crying. She opened the box, took out the ring and placed it right where it belonged.

"I love you so fucking much Alex Vause," she whispered to herself through the tears.

A/N: Another update already because you guys have been so amazing! Keep those reviews coming, they inspire me! Thanks for reading.