OITNB: The Fishbowl
*Far fewer typos in this chapter, my apologies for the first chapter's typos. Too much whiskey, too little proofreading.*
Chapter Two
"Alex...Alex, wait!" Piper struggled to keep up her furious ex-lover, as she stalked into the laundry room. The room was empty. Piper sighed a breath of relief, her eyes returned to Alex, who had stopped, turned and now faced her dead on.
"What did you do?" Alex demanded. Her bluntness hit Piper like a wall.
"Healy left me for dead, you wanted nothing to do with me-"
"Answer the question." Alex ordered. Piper hated how cold Alex was being. She couldn't stand it, let alone face it. She tried to collect her thoughts, but they slid out of her mouth with A careless innocence only she could manage, "She tried to kill me. She followed me outside and attacked me. Healy saw it and walked away... I was in a corner. Alone. She wouldn't back off, she-she just ran at me..." As Piper spoke, her heart pounded against her chest. Alex's expression of disdain hurt her more than she expected it to. But she continued. As if the truth was a poison, she had to get it out of her system, "So I started swinging. And swinging, and then I ... I couldn't stop." Tears stung her eyes.
She was a mess. She couldn't decide if she should be brave or break.
Alex looked away, she may have been mad at Piper, but she didn't need to watch Piper ache.
"And you did what, exactly? Left her out in the cold to die?"
"I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what I was doing!" Alex's face clouded over.
"Shit, Piper."
"What?" Piper asked, Alex ran her hands through her hair.
"The blood on your clothes... I fucking cleaned the blood out of your clothes."
"Thank you." Piper said sincerely. Alex stared at her.
"'Thank you'?! Piper, I've just made myself a fucking accomplice."
"When I started working in Laundry, Red gave me some ammonia. She said if I mixed it with liquid detergent, it'd just about remove any thing. I thought I'd try it. Just figured you could have used some clean clothes at least...seeing as you didn't have someone to use or lean on."
Piper stared at her.
"Is that what you think I did to you? Used you?"
"Yes, Piper. That's all you ever fucking do."
Piper fell silent.
Alex sighed, she knew Piper hadn't asked her to wash the blood out. She had done that herself.
"Why do you hate me so much?" Piper managed, her voice was barely above a whisper. Alex's eyes locked with hers.
"That question doesn't even deserve an answer." Piper ran her hands through her hair. She caught Alex's eye. She could see the absolute disgust on Alex's face.
"I'm in deep shit, Alex. Believe me. I know."
"No, Piper, we're in deep shit. We. Nicky's telling everyone you were with me last night-"
"Where did she even get that from?"
"We were messing around and I was kidding...Urg, shit." Alex paced back and forth.
Piper couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Where were you last night?"
"It doesn't matter. Shit. Shit! What if she's dead? Did that even occur to you?! What if you've murdered somebody?"
Piper fell silent. There it was again, the shallow breaths. Her heart felt like it was drilling itself into her chest. She buried her face in her hands.
"Shit. Shiiit. SHIT!" Piper exclaimed, as the consequences of her actions finally dawned on her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Alex looked more than disgusted now.
"Don't cry. Don't you fucking cry." She spoke firmly enough to imply she was about to punch Piper in the face.
"What if she's dead?! What kind of a person leaves somebody to freeze to death?"
"The kind of person who beats them to a pulp first."
That was it. Piper had had enough, "If you truly hate me enough to kick me while I'm down, why don't you just get lost?"
"You followed me in here."
"Oh, that's right. Poor Alex. I broke your heart. But you fooling around with Nicky is fine? Is that where you actually went last night?"
"What?!" Alex gaped at Piper, her jaw hung open. She was at a genuine loss for words.
"You heard me. I'm not a complete moron. I walked in on you two this morning. Urgh, you know what, Alex. Go turn me in. Just fucking do it, Okay?! Because I've had enough of your fucking attitude!"
Alex bit her tongue as Piper unleashed her pent up frustration.
"I broke your heart... and what did you do about it...? You started fooling around with Nicky—and that's absolutely fine? That's the moral high ground to take? What is wrong with you?!"
Her words clung to the air as the two stood in a heavy silence. After a few moments, Alex glanced at her and gave her the slightest nod.
"Feel better now you got your frustration out of your system?"
Piper battled the urge to sob. She stared Alex down, and spoke softly, "It wasn't frustration, you cold asshole..." Alex held her gaze, as Piper confessed, "It was heartache."
Another wave of tears brimmed at the edges of her eyes. She refused to let Alex see her more broken than before.
"Just... leave me alone. I'm sorry that somehow my shit becomes your shit. I-I'm sorry. We should just stay away from each other." She mumbled and hurried out of the laundry room. Alex watched her go as Piper's words sunk in. She shook her head... this could fuck up their lives more than they already had.
"Shit."
Gloria stood by the kitchen's serving counters, she felt proud as her girls served the fellow women. She was running the kitchen well, and in a survival based society, as in the prison, those in charge of the food possessed a level of power and superiority. She understood now why Red loved it so much. She spotted Yvonne Parker, the new inmate, sat alone at a table. Parker stared right through Gloria. Gloria held her stare as long as she could. Parker abruptly stood from the table and walked away. Gloria nudged Norma, "Go see why she isn't eating my food."
Norma gave Gloria a nod, grabbed a pen and paper.
"Wait." Gloria instructed. She put a portion of roasted potatoes in some foil, and handed them to Norma.
"For her." Norma smiled at Gloria. Norma was a gentle soul, and possibly one of the few women who still upheld a strong moral compass in this place. Gloria appreciated that about the voluntary mute.
Parker sat back down at a table in an isolated corner of the prison's dining room and observed them. All these people, different crimes, different needs, and varying levels of guilt. She could destroy either of these nobodies within seconds if she felt the need. The prison seemed like it was in need of a real leader. A plump hand slid a small foiled ball toward her. Parker's eyes flicked across to her visitor. It was the mute lady who worked in the kitchen. Parker opened the foil. She smirked, then closed the foil again. She glanced over at Gloria, who was watching them like a hawk.
"Mute, my first meal in this shit hole, will be when I'm running that kitchen."
She threw the silver balled up food across the hall, it landed in the bin beside Gloria. Gloria clenched her jaw.
"You can go now." She condescended to the mute.
Norma stood in a nervous manner. She slid a piece of paper towards Parker and quickly walked away. Parker studied the folded piece of paper. The mute must have written it before Parker clarified where she stood. Parker palmed the paper. She'd read it later. Being curious was a sign of weakness in places like these.
Alex entered the dining hall, everyone was eating. She spotted Piper, Nicky, Red and Morello sat at a table. She joined them.
"No lunch today, Vause?"
"I've lost my appetite." Alex muttered. Piper glanced at her, then carried on forcing her own lunch down her throat.
"Where were you just now? Chapman's right here." Nicky said mockingly. Piper glared at Nicky.
"I was being questioned." Piper nearly choked on her lunch. She did not like the sound of that.
"About Pennastucky?" Morello asked, while chomping down an apple. Red sighed as she glanced at the women eating.
"Who cares about that bible-basher. I'm starving, girls. I'm starving. Gloria's trashy food smells so good. I'm sick of eating those instant noodles."
"Apologise to Gloria, then eat." Nicky smirked.
"Over my dead body."
"Not long now then, eh?" Morello quipped, Nicky laughed, perhaps too hard.
"Laugh all you want. The tables will turn. I'll get my kitchen back. I just know it."
"They'll be questioning everyone." Alex explained.
"Did you tell them you were with me last night?" Piper asked. She couldn't help herself. This was killing her.
"What do you think, Piper?"
Red, Morello and Nicky glanced between the two women. Nicky caught on.
"Wait, wait, wait... you weren't with Vause last night?"
Piper's eyes widened with alarm.
"Shit, Vause did you do this to Pennastucky?" Morello asked, more scandalised than concerned.
"What?! No!"
"Then where were you last night?" Nicky demanded. Piper looked at Alex.
"I went looking for Chapman. Because I never learn... Because I made the mistake of giving a fucking damn about her."
A pang of guilt hit Piper in the stomach.
"Satisfied, everyone? That's where I was. Now, why don't you ask Piper the same question?"
Piper stared at Alex. What the hell was Alex doing? Piper glanced around the table, she could trust Nicky, but was unsure about Morello and Red.
"Oh Vause..." Nicky said, as she realised Alex covered for Piper. "You're softer than I thought."
"Fuck you, guys." Alex declared as she rose to her feet, "I don't have to explain myself to anyone." She left her food at the table and walked away. Red hungrily eyed her food. Nicky and Morello turned their eyes to Piper.
"Spill... did you kill Jesus 2.0?"
"Could you speak quietly?" Piper asked, paranoid. A scuffle from nearby drew everybody's attention. Piper glanced up to see Bennett stop Alex in her tracks.
"You're off to SHU, inmate."
Alex didn't even put up a fight. Piper leapt to her feet, furious at Bennett.
"Why? What did she do?"
"None of your business, Chapman."
Piper followed him as he marched Alex out. Once in the corridor, Piper stood in his way.
"Don't bother, Piper." Piper ignored her.
"This isn't fair. You can't do this without a reason-"
Bennett groaned, he knew Chapman was persistent and annoying. "Look, during questioning she implied she was engaging in sexual acts with you, hence proving nor she or you are plausible suspects in the assault that is being investigated. However your alibi is a direct violation of protocol. Now, stand down inmate!"
Piper stared at Bennett, powerless as he led Alex away. Piper returned to the table. Nicky applauded her, "Good job, Chapman. You're like a bad omen, you know?"
Red subtly shifted Alex's tray toward herself.
"It's not fair. I have to get her out of there." Piper said. Red spoke between covert eating, "Know what else...is a violation...of protocol? Impregnating an inmate when ... you're a CO."
Red gave Piper a wink. Nicky's eyes widened as did Morello's.
"No!" Morello exclaimed, "who?"
"Daya."
"Shit...!" Nicky said, "Everything's coming out now, isn't it?"
"Thanks Red. I appreciate it." Piper said, understanding she now had leverage against Bennett.
Alex slumped to the ground in her new cell in SHU. She took off her glasses and gave them a clean, rubbing the lenses against her shirt. She probably should have eaten, she noted. Her eyes drifted to the walls around her. Each wall had count downs scratched into it. She scoffed as she recalled the beautiful beaches she had spent her youth on, and then eyed up this luxury shit hole she was in now. One thing was becoming very clear to her, she needed to fall out of love with Piper.
That night the inmates all settled into their bunk areas for the evening rounds. Red sat on her bed, fantasising about the food she would someday cook. The way the juices would drip from each steaming hot meal. It would be magnificent.
A knock on the wall made her look up. It was Gloria.
"I need your help to protect the kitchen. Protect our girls."
"Parker?" Red asked.
Gloria nodded.
"Bring me a meal then we'll talk."
"Deal." Gloria left Red to it. Red felt a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth.
Piper was curled up on Alex's bunk. Nicky entered the area, "That's cute. Feeling guilty?"
Piper gave her a hard look. Nicky threw her a charming grin.
"C'mon, Chapman. I'm just playing with ya. Sucks for Vause though."
"Yeah." Piper managed, sadly.
Nicky slumped onto the bed with no mattress beside Piper.
"Oof, I forgot she still didn't have a mattress. You know when you first got here?" Piper nodded, Nicky continued, "For giving you some bread when you were being starved out, Red starved out Vause for three whole days. That's one short of your body shutting down and essentially killing itself. Gotta hand it to Vause, she's got balls."
Piper felt tears sting her eyes. She felt angry and guilty. And really fucking tired.
"I feel bad already Nicky, so just stop. Please."
Nicky fell quiet. After a beat, Piper mustered, "What happened between you and Alex?"
Nicky shrugged, "Don't play dumb, Chapman. I don't mean a thing to Vause." Nicky levelled her with a gentle look, "You got Vause by the heart. Though she probably deserves better, if you don't mind me saying."
"She's no saint, Nicky."
"I know. She aint as strong as she looks either."
"I know." Piper managed, finally, a single tear managed to escape and roll down her cheek.
"Don't go soft on me, Chapman."
"I might have killed Pennastucky."
"Oh no, what if they send you to prison...oh wait." Nicky quipped.
The alarm bells rang once, indicating the living quarters' doors had been unlocked. Nicky glanced at Piper, the two stood up along with the other inmates to see two COs, marching a bandaged Pennastucky back into the quarters. Piper gaped speechlessly. Nicky laughed, "What is this? The greatest day, ever."
Pennastucky scanned the room of inmates, her eyes landed on Piper's.
"Shit." Piper whispered.