A/N: The italic = past.

Sorry for the confusion. I went back and fixed those in previous chapters.

Thanks to everyone who still reads. xoxo

Chapter 18

Alex would never admit it, but she had counted it down to the days and hours. Even the minutes and seconds had hurt. Without Piper in her life, everything hurt. Their relationship had lasted a year, two months and seventeen days. It wasn't exactly a long-term relationship, but the longest one she had ever been in. Considering what her mother had to endure after Lee left, 'love' had always been a bad idea for Alex. She had always been careful not to lose control of her heart. It had always been just lust and sex, until Piper walked into her life.

But Piper wasn't the first on her recruitment list. Far from it.

"She fell asleep after her fifth margarita! I had to drag her up from the floor and let her sleep on the couch," Alex told Fahri, chuckling. She exhaled a puff of smoke, shaking her head slightly at the memory of last night's event. "Wait. I think she was already on her sixth."

The dusky man glanced at his apprentice. He took another drag of his cigarette. "We are not interested in her choices of drinks, Alex. It's been months with this one already. Find out what her powers are," Fahri said, his gaze darkened as he stared into the night sky above the Nile.

Alex looked up at him. Tonight was so cold. So dark. "Seriously, I haven't caught anything from her. No signs at all," she admitted. She tossed the cigarette butt down at the concrete floor and crushed it with her toe. They both were sitting by the river, having a few drinks and admiring the serene view of nighttime Cairo.

Fahri rubbed his cheek, his teeth grinding. "Maybe you have not tried hard enough."

"Or maybe she just isn't one of us." Alex stared at him defiantly.

Her mentor turned to face her fully, his gaze anxious. "Are you certain? Alex, I cannot help you, because Kubra really wants to know. Your job is to identify her powers. Bring them out."

"Who is this Kubra guy? I mean, you always talk about him, but I've never even met him. What does he want-" Alex was cut off when Fahri snatched her collar, pulled her close, snarling in her face.

"You do not question his intentions! You do as he says!" Fahri yelled until his face went red, pushing her away.

Alex rocked back into her chair. Stunned, she watched his dark eyes burning. He was shaken in anger. She had never seen him lose his calm before. It was only then that she realized the enormous pressure he was in. Or, perhaps, how real the threat was.

Fahri turned away, clearing his throat. "I have to make another report in three weeks. You know what that means."

Alex reminded herself to breathe again, taking in all the hints of what was happening. "I'll see what I can do," she said.

Her first instinct was to call Red. Maybe Litchfield could guide her through it. This game was getting murkier and more twisted than she had first anticipated. Her involvement with the faction had been rather smooth. They valued her powers, but she had yet to break into their inner circle.

It was two days later that Alex finally got a hold of Red.

"Jesus Christ, you haven't even met Kubra? What have you been doing!?" Red reprimanded.

"I've been in Cairo the whole time. They haven't assigned me anywhere else." Alex felt desperate, the pressure mounting. "They don't trust me."

"Then identify the girl's powers. It's the only way to make them believe that you're up for the job."

"I've identified a few others already, but I really don't think this one is 'gifted'. I've been telling them that, but they don't believe me. I don't know what else to do."

"You might be wrong. These people are professionals. They don't survive the underground if they produce lousy jobs. I'm sure that almost 90% of the people on their list are 'gifted'. They're working hard and fast, and we can't afford to lose their trails. Get to work, Vause!"

Alex tightened her hold on the phone, holding back her sigh. No one seemed to listen to her at all. "Well, what if this girl falls into that 10%?"

There was a silence before Red replied, "You don't have to worry about that. Just do your job."

It was another day at the infirmary. Usually, Piper came alone, but she had convinced Alex (and shooting down any of her lame excuses) to pay a visit today. She led the way down the corridor. Alex was a few steps behind, hooded, hands in the pockets of her black sweatshirt. Her girlfriend was unusually quiet. Evidently, it was still difficult for Alex to see Nicky in the comatose state.

Piper slowed down to let Alex catch up with her, and when they were leveled with each other again, she hooked her hand at the crook of Alex's arm. "Ms. Claudette said that her condition is stable," Piper said.

Alex appeared impassive. "She said that two weeks ago."

"Come on. Give it time, Al. Things could have been worse. She's young and strong. There's a very good chance that she'd make it through. We have to stay positive." Piper kept up her smile, while memories of Queens Comfort's bloodied floor flashed through her mind. Blood. There was so much blood. Alex's blood.

Alex freed her arm from Piper's grip. "I just… Fuck, I don't know what I'd do, if she never wakes up again. It's all my fault."

They had gone over this conversation countless times before, and Piper knew that this wouldn't be their last. She pulled Alex back into her arms and embraced her. Her left hand caressed the back of Alex's head, breathing into her hair. "Hey… Hey, listen, stop blaming yourself. You didn't know that Kubra would send his men there. You didn't mean for this to happen. None of us wanted it to happen."

But Danny happened.

The truth sank its teeth into Piper's flesh, and she bit her bottom lip to kill the cry before it could escape her throat. It was her brother's squad that put Nicky into this critical state. She wondered what Alex would do if she found out what happened to Diane, and the deal that Piper had made with Danny despite everything that had happened.

Piper loosened her embraced a little, pulled back and looked straight into Alex's eyes. But Alex was looking elsewhere, seemingly lost in her own world of guilt. Alex hadn't grasped what was waiting ahead of them. She would like to think that she had underestimated Alex, because it would give her some sort of comfort—it would lend her the illusion of Alex, who had always been invincible. But the green eyes were dull, and pain was all Piper saw.

Alex suddenly backed away. "I worked for Kubra for eight fucking years. I knew him. Of course, I knew how they worked, and yet I fucked up. Fuck up!"

Piper pressed into Alex, holding the pale face with both hands. Her grip was harsher than she had intended, but she had no intention to let go. "Come on, nobody knows what'd happen. At least, that's not your supernatural ability. Even Red is optimistic about Nicky's condition. That says something, right?" Piper gingerly caressed her lover's face. "Red won't let anything happen to her, you know that."

It took a while before Alex finally responded, "Yeah, I guess."

Alex's shoulders relaxed a little, and Piper smiled. "Let's go see her," Piper said, softly holding Alex's hand and leading her away.

Her hair tousled, Alex rushed through the dark, smelly corridor of an old motel. She skidded to a stop in front of room '14' and knocked incessantly on the door. "Come on. Come on. Come on... Open the door... Open the goddamn door!"

The door swung open, revealing Nicky with her strawberry-blonde, wild hair. She was wearing a white robe. Her eyes were wide, her tone agitated. "What the fuck, Vause? What the hell is going on?" Her gaze then fell upon the small woman behind Alex. "Who the fuck is that?"

Her senses heightened. Alex took a hasty glance down the hallway. Distant rumbling of music came from the door to her left, TV commercials from her right. There was a news channel from two rooms down the corridor. All seemed normal. For now.

Alex grabbed her companion's arm and shoved her forward. "Get in." The woman stumbled into Nicky's room. Nicky had no choice but to sidestep for her to come through.

"What the fuck is this? I've got a date tonight!" Nicky spat. Her cheeks, ears and neck were red. Alex knew that her friend didn't have the luxury of time and money (unless her mother would grant her some) to leave Litchfield and spend a night out in a motel. She wouldn't bother Nicky if she had any other choice.

"Sylvie, this is Nicky. Nicky, this is Sylvie. She needs a place to stay. God, Nicky, just this once. Please." Alex pleaded, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. She didn't have much time to explain. She didn't have much time to run either.

Nicky studied the ashen-faced Sylvie, and then glowered at Alex. "I don't fucking believe this."

"Nicky—"

"What's this about? Is she in trouble or something? Are you?"

"Honey, who are these people?" a young Asian woman came out of the bathroom, and stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide.

Nicky rolled her eyes. "Now, my night is completely ruined. I should be very angry with you. I should be very fucking pissed at you. Fuck, Vause, what's going on? Is everything cool?"

Alex silently debated what to say, if at all. She had thought that she was trekking a new path-that her life would take a new, better turn. But, here, she still found herself constantly on a run, wasting opportunities as time passed by. She was still young, but her clock was already ticking. Her world had become a bottomless swirl of darkness. She was like a tide, loud and wild, that crashed against the shore and simply disappeared. "I'm fine. But my friend here needs a place to stay... tonight."

Nicky glanced into the empty hallway. "I don't fucking believe this. I don't fucking believe you. But whatever you do, just stay alive."

Alex sighed in relief. "I owe you this. I'll call in the morning."

Nicky watched her friend disappear down the corridor, and then shut the door. She turned to Sylvie and shrugged. "She won't call anytime soon. Don't hold your breath for it."

Sylvie frowned in suspicion, and Nicky already liked her. "But she just said—"

"I know her since she was thirteen. Trust me. It's gonna be a few days or even a week before she'd show up again. Can you hold on for that long? A week without her? Or maybe I could keep you company," Nicky said with a wink.

Sylvie shook her head in disbelief. "Why did she bring me here? What's going on?"

Nicky shrugged. "Who the fuck knows? A life threatening situation? Hell, I think that she must have actually given a shit about you to be bothered like this."

Sylvie's gaze softened at once, color returning to her cheeks. It was so easy, Nicky thought. It had always been so smooth whenever Alex Vause was concerned. "Will Alex be ok?"

Nicky had a curious smile on her face. "You want a beer?"

Sylvie pulled the hood off her head and reluctantly nodded. "That'd be nice. Thanks." Her facial features softened even more when freed from the shadow. She was a like a fierce kitten, but still only a kitten.

Nicky grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed it to Sylvie. She opened a bottle for herself, took a gulp, and smirked at her guest. "How long have you been with Vause? Never heard her mention you."

Sylvie paused a little, her gaze hardened. "About five months."

"Not bad." Nicky chortled, but clearly, Sylvie wasn't amused with her reaction.

Piper parted the creamy-colored curtains. Nicky was lying on the bed, tubes connected to her arms and chest. Swiftly, from the corner of her eyes, she could see Alex looking away from the bed. It was the sight Alex could never get used to. Piper composed herself and returned her focus at hand.

Lorna was occupying the chair next to the bed. She had her full makeup on, her dark hair nicely curled. She looked fresh, neat and pretty. She straightened up when she saw Alex and Piper coming in.

"Hey, Morello," Piper greeted.

"Hey, guys!" Lorna beamed, tucking her short hair behind her ear. "Nice to see you, Vause. Didn't see you out of your room for days. I was starting to worry. I thought that Chapman might have locked you up." She chortled as her joke instantly made Piper blush.

"Yeah, you could say that. Right, Chapman?" Alex lightly elbowed Piper to make light of everything, but her smile still seemed strained. It would have escaped other people's eyes, but not Piper's.

Piper softly patted Alex's back in reassurance before walking up to Lorna. "Have you had breakfast? You're here very early today."

"I managed a cup of coffee. It's been a little tight in the South lately. They said that Litchfield is going through some major budget cuts," Lorna said, and then added, "every year."

Alex lazily sighed, arms across her chest. She still looked anywhere but the bed. "Don't worry. They'll figure something out. In the meantime, try to stay alert. Stick with the crowd. Your private times could mean 'danger'."

Piper frowned. "What do you mean?"

Alex smiled, a brow raised. "I don't think that the North residents have anything to worry about."

Lorna narrowed her eyes, lowering her voice. "Is that why some of us disappeared without a trace? People would just assume that they left for other factions. But the truth is that nobody could contact them after. They simply went missing."

Alex pushed the glasses up her nose a bit. "Abducted and sold for experiments conducted by the government. How do you think Howard could afford to run the whole island? The man has bills to pay, people to feed, and a war to fight."

Piper froze. It reminded her of what Danny had said about Litchfield. Her heart was heavy as more dark thoughts entered her mind. Her worries grew, and her chest tightened. "If it's true, why aren't you guys doing anything about it? Are you gonna wait until it's your turn?" Piper could feel heat rising to her face. She stopped, having realized that she had been too loud.

"Well, for the South folks, we have the choice to stay here and risk being sent away, in which having powerful allies would certainly help preventing that from happening, or leave the island and risk getting shot dead by the police for doing nothing at all. Beggars can't be choosers," Lorna said.

"That's absurd. They wouldn't just shoot us like that. I've never been stopped by a cop," Piper countered.

Alex stifled her laugh. "Ok, Chapman. But I'm sure you didn't live in a poor neighborhood, you Park Slope narcissist."

Lorna giggled. "That's a good one."

Blushing, Piper opened her mouth to protest, exasperated.

Lorna smiled knowingly at Alex. "They don't like us," she said.

Even though Piper had never experienced anything of that sort, she did understand what Lorna meant. Litchfield separating the North from the South mimicked the outside world after all. She glanced at Alex again, willing herself not to fear. They were from two different worlds, but she silently vowed not to let anything separate them again.

Piper watched as Alex, for the first time today, had the courage to look at Nicky. Although Alex appeared unfazed, there was the understated sadness in her eyes. Regrets. During their year together, Alex never showed regrets. The 'Alex' Piper once knew was confident, manipulative and ruthless. In all honesty, Piper wasn't even sure how to handle this version of vulnerable Alex. There had been so much feelings, so sudden, that she still felt somewhat unprepared. Moving to Litchfield, realizing her powers, breaking up with Larry, fighting for her and Alex's life, and seeing her 'dead' brother again. She was walking through pure madness.

Piper inwardly flinched, snapped out of her thought when Alex suddenly shifted her gaze from Nicky to her, catching her off-guard. Alex stared at her for a moment. Her expression was unreadable, and Piper was the first to look away. She was thankful that Alex's powers wasn't mind reading as she was easy enough for the brunette to read.

What do you see, Alex? What is it?

Consciously, Piper shifted her weight from one foot to another, feeling uneasy. Paranoia started to grow, eating her insides. How long would this trial go on? Would she make it through? Would they? Her lies had begun to amount, and this was just the beginning.

'Vause, where the fuck are you? It's been almost three weeks.'

'Call. Seriously, call me. We need to talk.'

'Vause, pick up the fucking phone. I can't deal with this shit anymore. I'm fucking broke! She needs a place to stay, and my mom isn't paying for it anymore. Fuck, just call me.'

'Where the fuck are you? You got me all worried here… Just to let you know that Sylvie already left. I don't know where she went... Vause…? Come on, pick up the phone.'

'Vause, where are you?'

There were several more messages left on her phone, but Alex didn't go through them all. She cut the line and stuffed her cell phone into her coat's pocket. Her black trench coat hung heavily on her thin frame. She hugged herself, but she was still cold, chilled to the bones. Her hands were shaking, pink rings under her bloodshot eyes. Her vision was blurred by the thick fog and hot, angry tears. Her feet were as heavy as lead. She was limping across the parking lot, heading towards the old, two-story motel.

Alex glanced around before she walked up the stairs, with much struggles and efforts. She came to stop in front of room number 10, and knocked on the door. After a few moments, she could hear the chain rattled on the other side before the door was swung open. Sylvie burst into tears as she leapt at Alex, embracing her tightly. Alex whimpered at the contact. The pain burning on her ribs and her back almost toppled her, her knees weak.

Sylvie immediately pulled back, frowning. "Alex, are you all right?" she asked, grabbing Alex's both arms and leading the taller woman inside.

As soon as the door was shut and locked behind them, Alex's legs just gave in. She fell to her knees, and if Sylvie hadn't been quick enough to pull her up, she would have fallen flat on her face.

"Alex! Alex…! Alex…!"

Sylvie's shout continued to echo in her head, but quickly became distant. Like a dream. A nightmare. It continued on and on without an end. Alex's eyes were already shut. Darkness soon took over, her body completely numbed. And then it was the forever nothingness that consumed her.

A drop of water floated from the half-filled cup, ascending to the ceiling. It finally touched and clung along the surface for a few seconds before it dropped right back down into the container below. Three more drops bounced up from the cup and repeated the cycle. The practice went on for another hour, and Piper delivered without fail today. First, she had succeeded in making Alex visit Nicky again, and now this. Today was a good day.

"Excellent, Chapman. An impressive progress!" Red grinned in excitement.

Piper couldn't contain her smile. It was one of the rare occasions that Red would compliment her efforts.

"You could now cut your opponent's skin and draw blood without having to lift a finger!"

Piper frowned at the remark, but brushed it off. She groaned a bit. The aches along her body intensified. She had been focused hard on her trainings. The need to improve her powers was urgent. Danny had been quiet for two weeks now since their last encounter at Abilene, but it was only a matter of time before his contact would show up. She wanted to be prepared. She had to be ready. Certainly, it would be someone within Litchfield, and she had been keeping her eyes open. She hadn't had much sleep at all, having to watch over Alex as well. Her body badly needed a rest, but it was as though her whole progress was driven purely on her need to survive.

Piper stood up, her legs wobbly. Her vision whited out for a moment before she found her footing again. She felt a strong grip on her arm, pulling her to an upright position. Eyes closed, she took a few deep breaths in. After a moment, she opened her eyes again to see Red standing next to her. "Thanks," she muttered.

Red carefully let go off her arm, her face grim. "A well rest would positively affect your powers, and your controls over them. What has been keeping you up at night? Does Vause know this?"

"I'm fine. It's just that I've been skipping dinners lately."

"Poor diet. You don't have a wedding to go to anymore. What's it for?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "Maybe sitting around the island actually put a few pounds on me?"

Red scoffed. "Sitting around is not one of your favorite activities in Litchfield. You're more like a trouble seeker. It excites you, doesn't it? What are you up to now, hmm? There's always an incentive. You just love challenges to fill in the days of your perfect, boring life. Is that what Vause is to you? Adventures."

Piper took a sharp intake of breath. God, she hoped that Red hadn't read her mind, or she might do something really stupid right now. "No, Alex is more than that."

"I haven't read your mind, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not worried. I'm perfectly relaxed."

"Oh, I can hear your thoughts quite easily. Hmm. What is it about Diane Vause?" Red frowned. "Have you found her?" But then the instructor halted, her face alarmed.

A wave of panic rushed through Piper. Her first thought was Alex. She needed to keep Alex out of this. "Diane is safe," Piper blurted out.

Red stared at her. "I'm sure she is."

"I—I will get her back."

"You?" Red scoffed. "I thought we had a deal, Chapman. I thought that we were working together, but you've deliberately kept information from us. The future prospect of your stay in Litchfield doesn't look so good. You better make an urgent call to your parents, or book the ferry out by tomorrow. I doubt that Howard would stop me this time." Red spun on her heels and strode towards the exit of the private gym.

"Wait, Red! I'm sorry! I didn't tell you or anyone, not even Alex. I'm not taking her side. I'm not working for Kubra either. You have to believe me. I'm just trying to get Diane back. I'm sorry that I kept it from you."

Red stopped by the doorway and just looked at her. The door was open, letting in loud shouts and chatters from the large Gym 1, where most residents took their practices with four robots.

"I'm confident that I can get her back. I have to. I won't settle for anything less." Piper knew that she wasn't convincing anyone, but she needed to believe it herself.

If there was a hint of sympathy in Red's eyes, Piper wasn't sure what it was for. "Love will fuck you up. You don't know who you're fighting for." The woman then walked out, and shut the door behind her.

Crap. I fucked up, didn't I?

Only then that Piper allowed herself to slouch down, exhausted both mentally and physically. She had been using her powers too much. Her head was already spinning. If not for Alex, the pressure she had put on her mind and body would have made her quit long ago. But Alex wasn't an adventure, or a phrase in her life. Alex was her destiny.

Piper gave herself a few minutes before she got up and gathered her things. She picked up the bottle of water on her way out of the private gym, taking a few gulps of cold drink as she moved past the huge crowd in Gym 1. She was tired and wished for a good nap this afternoon. She debated whether to go back to her own room in the North, or Alex's. Although she had spent weeks in the South, she still couldn't get used to the dingy, public bathroom. She must admit that the North was a lot cleaner and much more comfortable. Sometimes she finished her bathroom business before going to spend the night with Alex. People had started talking, and Polly had started to ask. Piper thought that her roommate must have had some idea already, but just wanted a sort of confirmation from her. After all, twitter had nothing on Litchfield. Polly hadn't expressed contempt towards the idea of Alex and her being an item, which was rather a welcoming surprise.

But her thoughts on Alex ceased when Piper felt a hard object hitting directly at her head, almost knocking her out cold. Piper found herself on all fours, numbly shaking her head. The ringing in her ears subsided, but was replaced by fits of laughter behind her. She noted the broken shards of ice on the floor around her, and instantly knew who had caused it. God, it was high school all over again.

Piper looked over her shoulder, slowly getting up to her feet. "What the fuck, Wedge?" Her bottle of water had slid off her grasp, rolling and disappearing into the crowd. She was in no mood to try to find it.

The Fantastic Four gang surrounded Piper, annoying smirks on their pretty faces. Piper briefly wondered where Alex was, but then remembered that her girlfriend had bailed on powers training today. Alex went for a hike along the south shore, her favorite place. Alex seemed to need some alone time these days, and Piper didn't interfere.

"Hey, Chapman. How did the practice go? Not so well, I see," one of the blondes started.

"Pity. She looks like a mess."

"Awful, right? Can't believe she used to hang with us."

Really? Piper mentally scoffed. They'd be surprised how little she cared. She glanced at Jessica, who surprisingly had remained quiet amidst her friends' sneers, her perfect teeth flashing only a reluctant smirk. Oh, her friends still don't know.

"That bum in the South is her new best friend. Birds of a feather flock together."

"Friends? I heard that they're fucking," said another blonde, loud enough for the crowd to hear.

Strangely, it didn't bother Piper, not in the least bit. She could imagine herself being angry and embarrassed about it years before, but not anymore. She wanted Jessica to know. She wanted the world to know that Alex was hers.

Piper found it hypocritical that Jessica now shot her a glare. Her friends were ridiculing Alex, but she had done nothing to defend her. Jessica had no rights to be jealous. No, she had no rights over Alex at all. "I believe that's none of your business. I fuck whoever I want," Piper droned, wiping her lips with the back of her trembling hand. She tasted her own blood. She must have bitten her tongue when she fell. Her patience was running dangerously thin right now.

The Fantastic Four whistled, surprised and amused by Piper's response. They started to circle around Piper. More residents began to gather around them. A brawl was something so foreign to Piper. Her parents would be terrified if they found out, but she couldn't care less at the moment. In fact, she would pay to see Carol's face when she fought with superpowers.

"Does she smell? Give us some details. Entertain us—"

Piper didn't even know when it happened, but it just did. The blonde didn't get to finish her sentence before she was shot into the air and landed hard among the crowd thirty feet away. The other three instantly moved, but Piper was faster. The nearest two were knocked off their feet, flying out through the front entrance of the gym. The distance was impressive. The crowd yelled out, excited and scared at the same time. Some had started shouting her name, while others were cheering for Jessica. It was all in Litchfield's spirit.

Piper turned to Jessica, and they both lashed out at each other, full-force. Jessica was sent tumbling along the floor, crashing at many pairs of legs of the spectators along the way. But a cloud of ice erupted and zoomed towards Piper. Without much resistance, Piper was driven backwards, colliding hard at the nearest wall.

Lying on her back, Piper took a moment to let herself breathe. Her head took quite a few hits today. She was seeing stars now. Before she could collect herself, Jessica's yell grew closer and louder. A thick block of ice grew on her limbs, entombing her whole. The sharp cold mercilessly stung her skin, suffocating her. She inwardly cried as the pain seeped into her bones, freezing her blood.

"Chapman…! Chapman…!"

Trapped in the ice, Piper could hear screams from the spectators. Fears and panics. She was losing her strength and concentration fast. Seconds seemed like eternity now that her lungs had stopped breathing. Thunderous echoes hummed in her ears, her head throbbing like crazy. She tried to move, but her body refused to cooperate. White flashes intensified her dizziness, and everything became a big, bad collection of blurry images. It was the end, or it felt like it.

Then a pair of luminous, green eyes flashed in mind. So perfectly clear. So loving. Piper then recalled the pale skin and the warm smile, and that was all that it took. She knew that someone was waiting for her out there. She knew that she still had so much to do. She couldn't give up now.

Crack... Crack.

Piper inwardly winced, her jaws clamped at the nasty echoes in her ears. The ice cracked again and again and again.

CRACK!

Then a rush of warm air whipped over Piper's skin, the icy shards flying from her body. She sprung up to a sitting position, gasping for breaths! She breathed as deeply as she could, tears streaming down her bloodshot blue eyes, her face wet with freezing water.

As far as Piper could tell, she was still in Gym 1, cracked ice blocks pooled around her. Many eyes were fixed upon her, but nothing captivated her more than Falcon's 18-foot-tall frame hovering above her. The robot's blue eyes flashed bright, and his raised, right fist was froze in midair, pieces of ice falling from his iron knuckle.

Other residents whispered in awe to one another. Unconsciously, Piper had controlled Falcon to her rescue, destroying the ice block she was trapped in. She felt her body slightly convulsing, her powers still transcending through the robot. Her gaze traveled and then fell upon Jessica, who was standing still, shocked by Falcon's moves.

Piper glowered at the ice princess. Strike.

By her will, Falcon straightened up, turning towards Jessica. It ran towards the target, grabbed her by the waist and slammed her down on the floor.

THUD!

People dispersed in all directions, screaming. Fortunately for Jessica, her own ice had congealed her body, lessened the harsh impact, or it might have broken her neck already. But the damage was done. Freed from Falcon's grip, Jessica didn't get very far and sprawled on the floor. The ice peeled from her skin as she bent in agony, shivering. Falcon was now standing behind her, raising its deadly fist again. The crowd gasped in shock, but no one dared to interfere.

"Stop it!" Red emerged from behind the crowd, horror in her eyes.

Falcon's movement suddenly turned rigid, but Piper stubbornly fought Red's control. Falcon's fist and arm trembled in the struggle between the two superheroes. After a few moments, Piper's nose began to bleed, and her concentration slipped. Falcon's arm twisted in a nasty crack, falling off the shoulder and landing next to Jessica. The ice conjurer burst out an uncontrollable sob as she crawled away from the robot's arm.

Piper cursed at the result, displeased. Her control over Falcon had ceased. She turned to look at Red, wiping the blood that had dripped down from her nose to her lips with the back of her hand. Her powers had been a storm, and she didn't know how to stop it. Perhaps, she didn't want to.

Two of the Fantastic girls scurried to help Jessica to her feet, whilst the other ran to Red, begging for help. Piper just looked away. It had been a rough day for her. She had barely gotten away with her life. What the Fantastic girls were accusing her of held very little interest to her. Her powers still heatedly coursed through her veins, and she was ready to strike again. Anyone or anything. She didn't trust herself to be virtuous. Not at this moment.

Red's brows twitched in irritation, and she waved away the blonde. "I saw what happened," she said as she came to stand between Piper and Jessica. "I can't believe that you both lost control like this. You've been here for many years, Wedge. You know the rules! You know how it rolls around here! What has gotten into you!?"

Piper stared straight at Jessica, her gaze hardened. 'Alex' has gotten into her, obviously. This was the second time Jessica had involved herself in a nasty fight since Alex's return to Litchfield. The more Piper thought about it, the more agitated she became. She didn't think Jessica was serious about her feelings at all. At least, she had hoped so, but she was wrong. She didn't like it when she was wrong, most especially when Alex was concerned.

"She started it." Jessica glared at Piper.

"Bullshit." Piper stiffened, and then took a step closer.

"Enough!" Red's gaze dangerously flickered between the two blondes, and she only relaxed a little when Piper had made no further move. "I will take this matter to Mr. Bloom. You both can bet your ass that you'll pay dearly for this." Red let out a sigh in agitation. "But first we need to take care of Falcon first. Wedge, take care of the bills. It's going to be expensive."

"Yes, Red." Jessica easily nodded. There was nothing the ice princess of the North could not afford.

Red turned to Piper. "You fix the machine. I give you two weeks."

Piper paused for a second. She didn't quite believe what she had just heard. "What? But I don't know the first thing about machines. I don't know how to-"

"Learn it."

"But—"

Red walked up to Piper, their faces nearly brushing, glowering at the younger woman. She kept her voice low, but enough for Piper to sense the danger. "How do you plan to fight his entire squad when you haven't the will to fix a fucking robot? What you're doing, or what you think that you're doing is a matter of life and death. Not others', but yours! You've grown into something else, and you can't control it. I've seen it all before, and they always failed. As far as I can see, this isn't a good turn. This isn't a game, Chapman. Pull yourself together before it's too late," Red hissed, and spun on her heels.

Jessica shot Piper's a glance before following Red out of Gym 1. The crowd began to disperse, but a woman approached Piper. It was a heavily tattooed, young woman with short, dark hair, and a pair of striking green eyes. She smirked at Piper.

"You were awesome," the stranger said, kneeling to inspect Falcon's broken arm. "Like seriously awesome. That was some of the coolest shit I've seen in years."

Piper wasn't in the mood for compliments. She still had to figure out how to fix this huge mess of metallic junks.

"A friend of mine is a mechanic. He's real good. I'm sure he can help you fix this thing."

Now, that had Piper's attention. She looked at the shorter woman, and extended her hand. "Piper Chapman."

They shook hands. Piper thought that the woman's hand was rough. "I know who you are. You're quite famous around here, being the telekinetic and all. I'm Stella Carlin."

Piper offered a polite smile, studying the stranger. "What's your power?"

"I walk through walls. I like to steal stuff." Stella winked.

Mom… mom, I'm cold… Help...

"Alex."

Alex came through at the thousandth whisper of her name. She finally broke out of her deep sleep. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her mind, though without much luck. Her head kept knocking, and the aches along her body began to strike back.

"Thank God. You're still alive."

Alex gazed up at Sylvie. She tried to remember where she was, and how she got here. "I guess I am," she replied, her voice heavy. Yes, she remembered now. She had called Sylvie and given her the address of the motel, where they could meet again. From one of the phone messages from Nicky, Sylvie had left Nicky without telling her, as was instructed. It was something Alex had grown to be familiar with; everything was planned that Alex hardly knew what she truly wanted anymore.

"What happened to you?" Sylvie's gaze was fixed upon Alex's bare back. She had to hold back her breath.

Alex was lying on her stomach, arms and legs spread out in a comfortable pose. She was completely naked, the blanket covering the lower half of her battered body. Sylvie must have taken care of her after she blacked out. The woman must have seen all the fresh wounds on her body, especially the gruesome injuries on her back that were inflicted by Kubra's men. She had her wish fulfilled; she had been caught and brought to Kubra, meeting the kingpin for the first time. She briefly closed her eyes as the horror that happened after meeting him began to flash in her mind.

"They tortured me… Must have been... a week... or two... " Alex felt her throat dry. It was burning. Her whole body started to burn from within.

"You disappeared for six weeks," Sylvie corrected her, sucking in a breath as she traced her fingertips along Alex's shoulder blade, careful not to touch the wounds.

"I lost count," Alex said simply. They had locked her up in a tiny, dark room. They had drowned her. They had starved her and beaten her. They had done many things that her mind was trying its best to shut out those memories. Oddly, they were the one who inflicted the pain, but also promised to take it all away. It was absurd that she started to believe them. But they were actually the only one who told her what she needed to hear.

Alex whimpered when she tried to move. It hurt too much, but she had better got up. She had things to do.

"Don't move. You were still bleeding when you got here. I had to throw the shirt and the sweater away. They were soaked with blood. But I had your coat washed a few times," Sylvie said.

But Alex didn't listen. She released a shaky breath as she gathered her strength once more and successfully sat up. "How long was I out?" she asked. She grabbed the bottle of water on the nightstand and took a few gulps to quench her thirst.

Sylvie leaned in closer, softly caressing the silky, raven hair. "Four days. I thought that you might die in your sleep. I wanted to call Nicky, but I remember that you told me not to contact anyone. My God, Alex, who did this to you? Have you gone to the police?"

"The police? I'd be dead much faster. They hate people like me." Alex lightly flexed her shoulders, and the pain shot down her spine. "... Fuck," she winced.

Sylvie sat back in her chair. She blankly watched Alex getting up and limply moving to the suitcase on the floor. Alex opened it and grabbed a pair of gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt. Sylvie was a size smaller, considering their difference in height, but anything would do for now. She put the clothes on, but winced when the cotton fabric touched her wounded skin.

"People like you? What do you mean? Like what…? Are you..." Sylvie slowly got up from the chair, hands fidgety on her sides. "Are you one of the gifted? Those people that you always partied with?"

Alex let out a low, guttural laugh. "Gifted? It's a wonderful choice of word, isn't it? We're not 'gifted', Sylvie… More like 'broken'." Unwanted. Dangerous. Alex thought to herself, and a nasty pain shot through her skull as she tried to think of more words to describe what her kind really was. They really fucked up her head, didn't they? A simple, coherent thought was hard enough.

Broken. It was all that she was. All that she felt.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

Alex caught Sylvie's brief glance at the door. A subtle look of hurt flashed across the green eyes, but instantly disappeared. "Hey, come on, I thought that you liked me. My powers shouldn't have changed any of it."

"No, of course not. It's not like that. I just thought that you'd be more... straightforward with it," Sylvie said, her voice a little shaken.

Alex watched as the warmth in her girlfriend's eyes was replaced by uncertainty. She stiffened as more flashes of those days of tortures stormed through her mind. She couldn't shut it out. She could still see her own body bleeding, the smell of her blood and the taste of her tears. The word 'pain' was a great understatement, the faintest whisper of illusion.

"I wish that I could tell you that there's no reason to be afraid of me," Alex murmured.

"Then say it." Sylvie straightened up, confidence shown in her gaze again. She slowly moved past Alex and headed towards the door.

Alex shut her eyes for a moment. "I can't."

Sylvie grabbed the jacket hanging on the hook by the doorway. "You said that you were tortured. Who are those people?"

"My boss. They want me to do something... I hadn't complied, and they were displeased. I hadn't been obedient, so they punished me. They tried to get me back on tracks... or something like that."

Sylvie opened the door, and turned to look at Alex. "How did you get out?"

"They only want to know one thing." Alex stared back at her lover. "Are you one of us?"

Silence filled the room, for how long Alex couldn't tell. They didn't blink. They didn't speak further. They didn't even breathe. Everything started to move, coming to life again, when Sylvie turned and walked out of the room. Alex could hear the rushed footsteps down the stairs, and she bit her bottom lip. It was much harder than she had thought. Everything was.

Sylvie ran across the parking lot towards her car, hurriedly fumbled for the car key in her jacket pocket. But a lightning struck down as the car before she could get to it. Screaming, she turned around in fright as the vehicle was set ablaze.

Alex walked down the stairs, watching as dread set in Sylvie's eyes as the woman gazed up at her. Sylvie wasted no time and started to run across the road and into the vast field. Alex began to run after her. It was getting darker as they edged further and further away from the motel. Alex could hear a few occupants come out of their motel rooms and started shouting about the fire. She didn't look back and sped ahead. Sylvie was a strong woman. She was fast, and Alex wouldn't be able to catch up with her, not in the condition she had been in.

A bolt of lightning struck down several feet in front of Sylvie. The strike left a deep, trench mark on the ground, the force blowing Sylvie off her feet.

Sylvie rolled on the ground, mud on her face and hands. She groaned as she tried to get up on her feet again.

Panting, Alex slowed down and eventually caught up with her target. The sound of the car blasting erupted, but both Sylvie and Alex didn't even flinch. Their gazes were fixed upon each other. Alex wiped the sweat off her forehead. Her lips were parched, sweat soaking her chest and back, stirring the stinging pain on her wounds. Her green eyes paled to the shade of white, red rings darkened under her eyes. Lightning danced in the sky. She wasn't human. That was all she could see in Sylvie's eyes. Then she thought of her mother. How did Diane deal with her? Had Diane ever been scared of her? How did love overcome it all? The question cut so deep within her soul but left no visible scar.

"I… don't mean... to hurt you..." Alex said, out of breath. She knew that Sylvie had no reason to believe her. She didn't even believe herself.

Crawling backwards on the ground, Sylvie shook her head, tears in her eyes. "I wanna go home. Please, Alex, let me go."

Alex tilted her head up, watching the flashes of lightning. "Three years ago, you and your sister went for a jog in the park at five in the morning. Two hours later, she went to the police… She claimed that she'd been attacked by a human-sized lizard. She filed the case against you that… that you attacked her." Alex recalled all the details on Sylvie's file. The case was quickly dropped, but Sylvie's parents had disowned her, and she was left alone to work odd jobs, dropped out of college with no savings. Her life had gone through rough patches until Alex came along. They met in the desert. There was nothing but the sand and stars between them.

"Just show your true self, Sylvie, and everything would be fine." Alex, at this point, was literally begging.

Tears streamed down Sylvie's face. "I'm not the lizard! I told everyone the same thing, but they didn't believe me! Even you!"

"I need you to do this."

"Do what? It wasn't me. It wasn't me! Just leave me alone!"

"Don't be afraid. I know how it feels."

"Have you listened to me at all!? Alex! Please!"

The flashes of lightning in the dark sky disappeared. It was so dark around her-around them. "I need you to admit it. Don't be afraid. It's who we are."

"It wasn't me! For fuck's sake, it wasn't me! I'm not a freak like you! People like you, fuck, you all should burn in hell! Your kind has ruined my life! My future! Fuck you!"

Alex raised her hand, blue electric current growing along her arm and burning hot at her hand. "I need you to show yourself. You have to defend yourself."

"Go fuck yourself!" Sylvie kicked at the dirt, springing up to her feet.

Alex watched Sylvie run. No one would understand her. Alex clenched her fist, holding it back. She held it back just a little longer, hoping beyond hope that Sylvie would respond as she was expected.

Sylvie ran as fast as she could, and Alex made no move to follow. Alex swore that she could hear her own voice yelling endlessly, but her ears were numbed with loud ringing.

"Defend yourself. Bring it out!"

Bring the monster out.

The lightning bolt shot out from Alex's very own hand and struck at the woman's back. Sylvie fell face first, and her body laid motionless on the ground.

One minute. Two minutes. Three.

Alex stood in the middle of the field.

Green eyes shone brightly against the darkness. She had no idea how long she had been standing there, staring at Sylvie's still body. Time had seemed to stop. The night grew colder and darker. The fire had been put out.

Alex was snapped out of her stupor when it began to rain, cold drops pricking at her skin. She coughed for air. It hurt so much, but she couldn't find her tears. She lied down on the muddy ground as if a quicksand was sucking her down. She curled into a ball, shivering against the sharp wind. She must go back. She had to. They promised to take all the pains away.

The memories were painfully vivid in Red's mind as if she were there herself, breathing the same air, touching the same battered skin, crying the same fear. It was a rare occurrence even for a simple case of mind reading without any obstacles. It felt so real, completely blowing her mind. It took her a while to pull herself out of the memories.

Simply put, her subject had intentionally let her in.

"Visiting hours are over," Red said. Arms folded across her chest, she had been standing at the entrance of the female ward, leaning against the doorframe.

Red forced herself to look at Nicky, who was lying on the bed, the machine working on her body. She needed it to remind her every day of the mistake she had made. The mistake of letting things get out of hand. She believed that she could have done so much more ever since Alex returned, that she could have prevented any misfortunes that had happened, if only she had been more ruthless with the likes of 'Alex'.

"You're here, too. I guess we both were born to break the rules." Alex was on the other side of the bed, leaning against the window, staring out at the starry sky.

Red was still trying to shake off Alex's memories. Something had been keeping Alex up at night. And, having witnessed some of her memories, Red wasn't surprised that there wasn't a night Alex could rest peacefully. "Regrets will only weaken you," she said.

"What do you know? The only thing you've ever known is someone else's memories."

"Watch your mouth, child. Your anger is highly contagious."

Alex turned to meet Red's gaze. Her small smile was as smooth and striking as a bolt of lightning, but it surely would burn a soul. "You watched everyone around you falter, reading their pain and thinking that you could understand. You simply fed on other's emotions. You don't exist."

Red scoffed. "Don't blame me for what happened. We all made our choices."

Alex looked out the window again. "My choices were never easy. I killed people. I also put Nicky here. Do you like it?"

Red snarled at the mention of Nicky. Alex knew which button to push. "You are pushing your luck. You think you have the upper hand, Vause? You think that you are winning because Howard and Chapman are on your side? You are in a lost battle. You have no idea what you're losing. Your mother-" Her voice suddenly trailed off.

Alex turned to Red. Her face remained neutral, but Red could sense a thick wave of anxiety from her. "What?"

Red's jaws clamped shut. She couldn't let on what she had seen in Piper's mind. It was a face of a young man with the same pair of beautiful, blue eyes. A bargain was made for Diane's life. It appeared to be Piper's foolish attempt to keep Alex out of harm's way.

"What about my mother?" Alex asked again, her voice coming in a low growl. She eyed Red suspiciously. The lightning striker had never liked mind readers, and tonight Red witnessed firsthand of the reason.

Red's gaze flickered between Alex and out the window, where lightning flashed in the dark sky. Howard had always been optimistic and hopeful about the girl, while Red had been the opposite. She still believed that she was right, that Alex was a loose cannon.

"Kubra Balik will never leave you alone. You know how vicious and vindictive he can be, and he knows what triggers you. Howard and I have been talking about it. Litchfield would welcome Diane with open arms," Red explained.

"I can take care of her myself." Alex's voice was strained.

Easier now, Red caught a deep fear. She saw glimpses of a frail, single mother and her scared, young daughter. Frustrations and pains. They had no one, and it was what Alex had always believed in. The lonely child who put on a brave front for the world to see, but she was nothing about the willowy grass on the curbside, waiting to be crushed.

Just like Nicky, without her mother. Red briefly shut her eyes at the thought.

"I'm worried for her safety, that's all. Howard does care deeply," Red said.

"He will never go near her again!" Alex clenched her fists, and the neon lights on the ceiling flickered.

Red knew that she was pushing the right button. "You're back home. Let us worry about you for once. We want to help."

"Say what you want, Red. It doesn't erase what you did, or who you are."

Red closed her eyes again, while sneaked into Alex's mind. Alex was a lot more sensitive to her powers than Mendez was. Alex had probably gone through so much tortures to imprison her mind, keeping it out of a mind reader's reach. But everyone made mistakes. Every once in a while, they slipped.

"You agreed to the deal. Howard took care of your mother's surgeries. You infiltrated Kubra's faction for us," Red said.

Alex glowered at the older woman. "I called. I needed help."

"Your cover would have been blown." In truth, Red regretted as soon as the words left her mouth. Alex had called her several times, asking for help, but Red had shunned her off. Ultimately, Alex was forced to put Sylvie to the deadly test. After the incident, Alex had left Litchfield for good. Howard never knew why Alex had turned her back on him.

"No, you intentionally left me to die. You didn't trust that I'd be loyal. You didn't fucking care." Alex laughed. "Maybe you were right."

Alex's anger clouded her judgment, and her concentration slipped. Red took the chance and stared into Alex's eyes, drilling deep into her mind. She wasn't so subtle now. "You need to calm down."

You must not think. It is empty. Everything is.

"I am calm... calm. I…" Alex winced at the sharp headache, severely distracted. She clutched her temples, whimpering at the poundings in her head. She squeezed her eyes shut, her body bent. Streams of blue light began to lick along Alex's hands but they were weak. She knew what was happening to her, but it was too late now. "Just… get out—get out of my head!"

The light bulbs exploded, leaving the room mostly in the dark with only a small pool of light from the hallway.

Red had only wanted to warn Alex to stay in line, but now that the opportunity presented itself, she found it hard to pass. She took a step closer to Alex. Should she find out more of Alex's secrets? Names. She wanted names. Several faces came up. Their powers. Their victims. How Kubra operated his powers against his enemies—how powerful he had become over the years.

Alex was fighting hard, and Red knew that it only hurt her. Red increased the force of her powerful spell, so aggressively that Alex eventually broke down, falling to her knees and sobbing in pain.

Red gently put her hand on Alex's head. "Don't try to fight it. There's no use."

"Fuck you," Alex managed a weak growl, leaning helplessly against the wall. Icy blue glossed her eyes, but her body shuddered at her failed attempts to conjure her powers.

Red knew that she had trapped her prey. She felt a thick cloud of thoughts and memories, a storm of emotions within her reach. She had everything that was 'Alex Vause' in her grasp, and the chance to 'fix' it. The lure to use her full powers, to be lost in its bliss, had always been irresistible. Red always regretted it after surrendering to the temptations, but it rarely ever stopped it from happening.

Red closed her eyes. "They taught you many things, but I can take it all away, too. You will be free of all your pain, Vause. Just trust me."

Her hands clutching each side of her head, Alex thrashed on the floor, hollering.

Stop fighting it. Surrender. Red repeated in her mind. But the more Alex fought, the more of 'Piper' flooded into Red's conscience. So much. So suffocating. It was a love that Red knew not its limit.

"What... the hell..." murmured a hoarse voice.

Then everything stopped. There was a deafening silence in the room.

Red had to break the mind contact from Alex. Breathless, she took a moment before she slowly turned to glance at the bed.

Alex gradually gathered her strength and sat up. Shaken, she wiped the tears from her face, wheezing and coughing. She had no idea why Red had suddenly stopped, but then she looked up at the bed and found the answer.

Nicky was squinting at them with droopy, tired eyes. "Hey, ladies..."