A.N Thank you to everyone who has followed and to the kind people who took the time out of their lives to leave a review I am truly grateful :)
In response to the guest review regarding Piper's relationship with her father this fic is a continuation of 'Everything comes at a price' you do not necessarily have to have read it to follow this one but in my previous fic I had Piper reconcile with her father. Their relationship has continued to grow over the four years since she has been released from Litchfield.
I realise that I should have made it clear in Chapter 1 that this is a sequel to 'Everything comes at a Price" and I apologise for not letting everyone know that in the Authors note in chapter 1.
And now on with the story ...
"Chapman its me I need you to call me back asap... I know this isn't want you want to hear but we really need to talk ... It's about Vause"
"Chapman please I need you to call me ok? Or you could come and see me? I'm out of Litchfield staying at The Pavilion down town room 47. Please we need to talk"
"I know how hurt you were, heck probably still are but this is really important I don't want to just leave a message ok? Come on Chapman just answer me or call me back please?"
"Fuck this shit Chapman it's really fuckin' inconsiderate of you to leave me with this! I need you to man up and call me the fuck back because I swear to God I'm gonna take this out of your hands, turn up at your door and beat the crap outta you if you don't!"
"Fine I'm done trying have it you're way. Alex is-"
'Beep. Voice mail is full. Please delete old messages to create space within phone memory'
Piper had played the messages every day since she had received the first on Saturday evening. It was now the following Friday and Nicky's ever increasing, frustration ridden voice had echoed into her apartment while she sat as though in a stupor, barely recognising the words that rang out. Piper could only focus on one four letter word from the last message the rest blurring into one in a haze of longing and fury. It angered her, since she heard that first message her body had been in a constant state of worry. Her stomach was twisted with nerves leaving her constantly nauseous, sleep was impossible she tossed and turned constantly not finding any peace within her own bed. Her traitorous mind bringing forward image after image of Alex making her stomach twist with a newfound intensity each time she pictured those blue green eyes.
It wasn't fair Piper raged she had managed to survive the initial heartache but now it seemed as though she was being dragged backwards, her barely walked path to recovery already being denied. Piper was angry, angry at Nicky for ringing her, angry with herself for the worry she could not help but feel and angry at Alex for, well, everything. Each time she heard that last message Piper couldn't help but think of a different ending to Nicky's sentence and each time her thoughts became darker, more twisted. Last night at 3 o clock in the morning all she could think of was that Nicky would have ended that last message with the word dead and icy fear had crept around her heart and refused to thaw. Deep down she knew she was being irrational there was no way Alex was dead it just couldn't be possible, no this was her minds way of torturing her, prolonging her agony. Not knowing was driving her to her wits end but she was so scared of whatever it was Nicky had to say. Piper knew she would have to end this limbo one way or another but for now she just wanted peace and quiet to be left alone to live her life was it really too much to ask?
Sighing distractedly Piper dragged a hand through her limp tangled hair and let her head fall backwards coming to rest on the back of her worn couch. She prayed to a God she didn't believe in for help, any sort of insight that could guide her in how she should proceed. Nicky sounded uncharacteristically serious it was this that had first sent Piper into the pit of fear and worry but she was terrified of getting involved. How could she help Alex with whatever it is that had happened and then walk away without looking back? Piper knew she wasn't strong enough. This, this life as a single woman once more, was not what she had ever envisioned and part of her hated Alex for taking away the life that she had been so happy living. This anger grew bubbling up from deep within her clouding her mind, filling her with hate and it took everything in Piper's being to stop the urge to lash out from escaping.
Fuck Nicky and fuck Alex she wasn't giving either of them the time of day Alex forfeited a right to her help when she left her exactly 6 months, 2 weeks and 3 days ago. Nicky, well Nicky knew exactly how Piper felt and should, as her friend, respect that. Nodding her head forcefully as though the physical action would help cement the decision firmly in her mind Piper stood up and made her way to the fridge. This moment deserved a large glass of wine, a celebratory drink to mark the decision she had made. A symbol that she had moved on could make that decision to shut Alex out of her current life just like Alex had all those months ago. Piper knew she was being naive but right now, so full of anger, she was sticking to her guns.
Making her way into the kitchen Piper groaned out loud as a knocking on her front door distracted her from the task in hand. Grumbling Piper turned towards the insistent knocking wishing her mother could take a hint that when she said she had plans it meant she wanted to be left alone. "Mother I'm coming have a little patience!" Feeling thoroughly irritated Piper took the safety off the door and grasped at the handle pulling the door swiftly open. For a moment Piper stood stock still in shock until she recovered, a bark of laughter escaping, a bitter "Why am I not surprised" falling from her lips. Not waiting for an invitation Nicky barged past Piper and settled herself down on the sofa her face unsmiling one eyebrow raised threateningly and Piper felt a hint of unease run through her. Nicky had never been someone she wanted to be on the wrong side of.
"Thought it was time I came to you Chapman while you seem to be having trouble with your answering machine. Otherwise there's no way you would have ignored my last message, not even your WASPY ass is that heartless. So I'm gonna pretend you are still in the dark and we are good friends just having a catch up. So Chapman shall we talk?"
"Oh Hi Nicky it's so nice to see you why don't you come right in"
Piper's voice dripped with sarcasm she was furious how dare Nicky barge in here and speak so condescendingly. Piper was determined to knock Nicky from her high horse she would not be made to feel like a child in her own home.
"Would you like a drink wine, beer coffee? I wouldn't want you to be without after barging in uninvited!"
Stalking around her kitchen Piper grabbed a glass out of the cupboard slamming it onto the worktop wincing slightly at the loud noise of glass meeting granite. She wished Nicky would answer back so she could let some of the rage out that was cavorting around inside of her she needed an outlet that wouldn't result in her apartment being destroyed. Grasping a bottle of wine from the fridge Piper attempted to open the screw top lid with shaking hands becoming more frustrated as she struggled the contents spilling onto the floor. She heard Nicky sigh and make her way towards the kitchen and she whirled around angrily holding her hand up as she did.
"I don't need your help!"
"Chapman I-"
"No don't you get it!? I had finally decided not to get involved and yet here you are barging into my life making me feel things I just can't deal with now. Can't you see how hard this is for me!?"
Instead of retorting in anger Nicky just shook her head "This isn't easy for me either Piper"
The defeated edge to Nicky's words and the use of her first name caused Piper to deflate and for the first time she took a close look at her wild haired friend. Nicky looked tired, stressed and Piper felt a pang of worry mixed with fear.
"What's going on Nicky? What could be so serious that you couldn't just leave me a message?"
Nicky's gaze dropped to the floor and she sighed "Would you like to sit down? Or get a drink or-"
"Nicky!"
Running a hand through her tangled hair Nicky slowly fixed her gaze back on Piper "Vause is, well, the thing is-"
"Spit it out Nicky!"
"Alex -" Nicky's voice broke her face clearly upset and Piper felt her stomach heave "Alex has got a brain tumour"
Piper felt as though a wave had passed over her a ringing noise built in her ears blocking out all other sounds and her legs felt weak her knees threatening to buckle. She barely registered Nicky asking if she was alright instead she just shook her head slowly before her legs finally gave in and Nicky moved swiftly catching her before she hit the floor.
"I'm so sorry Piper but I really thought you should know" Piper nodded numbly trying to stop the swirling in her brain long enough to ask the questions currently running riot in her head.
"How bad is it?"
"It's not looking good it's cancerous. Her doctor has said that it needs to be removed as soon as possible she has been receiving radiation therapy to shrink its size so she can be operated on"
Piper brought a hand up to her mouth, she felt sick her stomach churning with worry "Brain surgery. Oh God Nicky"
Nicky nodded solemnly her own voice beginning to shake "Where the tumour is, well it's not going to be easy to remove, it's why I had to tell you whether she wanted me to or not"
Piper felt a tear roll down her cheek and drip onto the tiled floor followed by another then another.
"She doesn't know you're here does she?"
Nicky shook her head smiling sheepishly "She'll go bloody mad when she finds out. She told me she didn't want you to worry or worse pity her. She was insistent that you should carry on living your life without this hanging on your shoulders. But I disagreed I told her, begged her to let you know, I think you have a right. I know you still love her and God if it was Lorna I'd want someone to tell me. Stubborn cow wouldn't listen so here I am being the bearer of bad news"
Piper chuckled weakly "Alex has always been stubborn"
"Don't I know it, she never told me either that she's had this thing in her head for months but when I turned up after being released she looked terrible. It didn't take me long to work out something was wrong so I nagged until she told me in a moment of weakness. I can't believe she has been going through it all on her own what with the symptoms and everything"
Nicky trailed off and as Piper filtered Nicky's words suddenly a thought popped into her head alarm bells flashing clearly in her minds eye.
"Nicky when did she find out?"
"Find out what? That she would need surgery?"
"No when did she find out about the tumour"
Nicky's face scrunched in concentration and Piper waited anxiously for an answer "I'm not 100% sure but I'm guessing 7 months ago just from what she's told me about her treatment"
Piper's heart beat quickened and a tingling sensation began in her fingertips as her mind began to put two and two together "That means Alex found out while we where still together"
Nicky turned to her with a wide eyed expression "No ... You think?"
Piper nodded her expression determined "I do. We were happy Nicky, we were so happy and then it just changed in a matter of weeks. First she didn't want sex then it was like she could barely stand to look at me I thought it would pass that we were just having a rough patch it never even crossed my mind she would leave"
Piper began to sob as the weight of this realisation spread across her body "Alex hates anything that makes her seem weak she always has. She's never been good at letting me take care of her, never wanting to be a burden. God Nicky if I'm right she left me so she could suffer with this on her own, why didn't I fight for her more?"
Nicky wrapped her arms around Pipers shaking shoulders shushing her trying to soothe her but all Piper could think of was Alex sick, frightened all on her own and her heart ached her previous anger had completely disappeared now she just felt crushing guilt and sadness.
"You didn't know listen don't put this on yourself she left you remember? Vause being on her own is her fault no one else's"
Piper's brain had gone into overdrive thinking back on the last couple of months she spent with Alex before she walked out. Alex had been grouchy complaining of recurring migraines which Piper had put down to her increased workload never for a minute thinking it was the sign of something more sinister.
"She wasn't well Nicky, she wasn't well"
"Shhh Kid you didn't know"
Piper tried to pull herself together forcing the tears away as Nicky's words repeated in her head. Kid, the word echoed in her ears and she wished more that anything she could hear the voice who gave her that nickname whisper it in her ear. Fire burned through her at the thought a determination building in her stomach and she stood abruptly from the cold tiled flier wiping furiously at her cheeks as she began to pace up and down.
"I need to see her Nicky"
Nicky sighed "I know"
"When's her operation?"
"I don't know" Piper stopped pacing and turned to Nicky with her eyebrows raised.
"Don't look at me like that she wouldn't tell me"
"Well then I need to go now"
Piper looked at Nicky expectantly and her friend threw her hands in the air and sighed loudly "Get your coat then Chapman I'll take you. Man, Vause is gonna fucking kill me"
Piper laughed "Oh I don't know I think it'll probably be me she kills first"
Nicky laughed although it was forced and made quick work of calling a taxi asking them to come as possible. Now standing with her coat wrapped firmly around her Piper felt a bolt of nerves flash through her at the sound of the taxi's horn outside.
"Don't look so worried Chapman remember this was your idea" Piper tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace.
"She still left me Nic. What if she really did leave simply because she just didn't love me anymore?"
Nicky just shook her head and smiled gently "I stopped at her place the first couple of days I was in New York she called out for you in her sleep Chapman begging you not to leave then afterwards I heard her cry quietly I think she's missing you just as much as you have been missing her"
The taxi horn sounded again and Nicky took her hand her face set expression determined and dragged her out of her apartment.
"Now let's go reunite my favourite 'not lesbians' see what drama will unfold this time"
A.N Would really like to hear what you think of this chapter I think this is the most nervous I've felt when posting an update ...