Chapter One

PIper

Piper had hoped to see Fig again but she wasn't there. She testified before the Grand Jury and remained steadfast in her testimony. It was obvious by the end of the long session that she and her husband would be indicted. Mandy whispered to her that she felt they would end up in a plea deal. It was going to be a long drawn out case with lots of media, due to this political status. Half way through the procedure she started to feel anxious. Piper wasn't sure what was bothering her but she wanted to talk to Alex.

Mandy noticed and leaned over to whisper, "You alright?"

"I want Alex. I feel funny," Piper said. She looked at the closed door and felt trapped. Grand Juries were closed. Once you entered the court room you were in there for the duration. She may be called back up to testify or clarify something she said, so Piper had to stay. She was uncomfortable at best. Eventually, around three- thirty in the afternoon, the Judge sent the Grand Jury to deliberate. She watched as Fig's legal team started to confer with the prosecution. Piper's knee was throbbing.

"Told you," Mandy said with satisfaction. Piper nodded and scooted out of the courtroom to the hallway. Her body guard, Seth was standing right before the doors. She had given him her phone to hold. Mandy had done the same with a wink that he could answer her emails if he wanted to help her out with work. He had a great personality and Piper felt safe with him. He was careful not to get too close to her, but stay close enough that she felt protected. She knew it was a razor's edge but he walked with practiced ease.

"Ma'am your office and others have called repeatedly," he said handing it to Mandy. His face wasn't as open as it was a before. He handed her the phone and then steered them around the corner to a more private bench area. Piper was nervous suddenly worried he spotted someone from Kubra's organization.

"Where is my phone, I want to call Alex," Piper insisted. He didn't hand her the phone and she frowned. Mandy was listening to her voicemails.

"Mother fuck…stupid fucking prosecutor…." She murmured. Then she listened to another one and looked at Piper with such an expression that it made Piper's stomach flip.

"What is going on?"

Mandy held up her hand and checked a few more messages. She then looked again to see where she was and growled in frustration. "Okay, Piper…sit down a minute, I've got news." Piper leaned on her cane and Seth helped her to sit down.

Mandy took her hands and Piper felt really scared. "Stop fucking around and tell me what is wrong," she insisted. Mandy nodded and took a deep breath.

"The Feds have made a deal with Kubra. Apparently, while he was in the UK, in jail to await extradition, he was cellmates with a suspected terrorist. He made a deal for information that he learned. He gets immunity on the drug charges but will be sent back to his country without hope of returning, legally." Piper blinked and asked her to repeat it. She did.

"You mean to say the fucking drug King Pin gets off completely with only serving a few months in a UK jail?" she asked for clarification. Mandy nodded, letting her asked. "What about Alex's deal?"

Mandy cleared her voice and looked down for a moment. "The other phone calls were about that and from Cal. They have called Alex before the Federal Prosecutor to discuss the deal we cut. We had to make concessions because we reworked it when you got out early. I fear they will be remanding her to custody to serve out the remainder of her shortened sentence. They can't redact the offer they made but the conditions, such as house arrest while awaiting the trial and the weekend incarceration were all predicated on Alex needing to be safe for the prosecution."

Piper could only hear her heart pounding for a few moments as fear and anxiety rushed through her body. "You said Cal called, why?" She was afraid of the answer. Surely Alex was safe at the cabin, watching Netflix and finishing her book. Piper was going to stop by her favorite book store in Brooklyn, Book 'Em, to get her everything on the hardback new seller list.

"They prosecutor's office wants her present in the morning. They called me to tell me, then had the Marshals bring Alex to a local precinct. She is in route now," Mandy explained. Piper immediately saw Alex in the Orange suit with shackles on her hands and feet. Her mind and body remembered being moved like cattle in a line for the ConAir flight. Alex would ride with the Marshals but still.

"What does that mean? Can she stay with you? Does she have to go to a holding cell? Do you know how scary those places are? Will she have her phone? Fuck!" Piper was spiraling out of control some. She started to rise and pace, her cane forgotten.

"Calm down Miss Chapman. You know the answers to these questions…you just don't like them," Seth answered her. Piper gasped and swallowed trying to stop her panic. She had been struggling the entire trip. Piper didn't feel right in her own skin now. She had told Alex about Kubra then the next day Alex was whisked away from the safe haven she had created for her. Piper might not have known that Alex was coming to be under House Arrest, but she made sure Alex felt safe and loved there. That was thrown out the window with her body shackles and holding cells.

"Fuck, Kubra can still get to her! He will kill her for turning on him. He has no reason now not to get back at her. She isn't safe…do they know that?" Mandy was on the phone and Seth was still comforting her listening. She got off the phone and made Piper sit down.

"Okay, listen…I will be at the police station when she comes in…she'll be there in an hour or so. Marshal Suggs is with her and I'll be able to confer-"

"I want to see her. I'll go with you, please Mandy I need to see that she is alright," Piper pleaded.

"I'm sorry Piper, but only her counsel will see her. I am going ahead and insisting on protective custody. Suggs assured me she'd stay with Alex until she feels she is safe from reprisal. The Feds are sending him to a deportation detention center on Riker's Island until they can send him back. His family's influence and current political upheaval are going to make it hard. So I hope you find some comfort in knowing he is detained. I will be asking for solitary and no visitors to help keep Alex safe. It's….all I can do Piper. Seth, please take her back to my apartment, the building manager will buzz you in with proper ID. I'll be back as soon as I can with word from your girl. I'll see if you can come into the hearing tomorrow as well….I might fudge a bit and say you are engaged…if that's okay?" Mandy asked softly. Piper looked at her and then burst into tears. She couldn't lose Alex back to the prison system.

"Awww hon," Mandy said as she hugged Piper close. "I'll do my best for her." Piper wiped her eyes and went with Seth. He was very cautious and took her out a back door.

Piper watched the streets and people as she passed by from the back seat of Myka's SUV. She was in shock and recognized it. Piper needed to think through this…should they run? Could they run? Would Alex be sent straight back to prison?

"Remember to breathe," Seth said to her while looking at her expression in the rear view mirror. Piper took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

When she opened them she caught his concerned gaze in the mirror. "I will not lose her." He nodded as if to say he believed her. Piper turned her gaze out to the city and waited to hear something from Mandy.

She paced Mandy's apartment while Seth kept his distance. It was nearly five by the time Mandy called.

"Hey, she is fine but really worried about you. I convinced them that she should be kept in a private holding cell tonight. We will go before the Federal Prosecution team tomorrow morning. It is a closed session and Alex doesn't want you to be there waiting….she is afraid if she is placed directly in custody afterwards that you will have a bad reaction and then a relapse. I'm on my way now, I'm going to bring take out from my favorite Thai place. We'll talk about it more when I get there,"Mandy explained and then hung up before Piper could protest Alex's 'wants'.

She didn't care what Alex wanted, she was going to be there. If Mandy tried to stop her, she'd have hell to pay. "We just have to live through this baby….just live through this together," Piper whispered to herself.

"Did you say something Miss Chapman?" Seth inquired from his spot by the front window.

"No, nothing to worry about Seth….Mandy will be here soon with Thai food," Piper informed him. He smiled and turned to look at the window again, scanning the next building with his ever watchful eyes.

**** Thank you for responding with all the reviews…Guestx10, RainAddict, Disney,Never ending Rumspringa,Soul, Budda, ToxicPink,SandrafromAust, Ahh, Kris, Vausemania,Clarice, FFChik, Phantomframe, amberdisley,Rocktrauman, emj, AND derekjeter (and any other that I missed)- this part of the story is for YOU! My good buddy Bassren, she was very eloquent as well- really pushing me to continue only if it was best for me. I was feeling just terrible about my writing ( problems with my work) and just unable to actually find the energy to continue this story that I love. I hope you enjoy this last part. I will try one post a week until the show opens. Much love and gratitude to you- Blessings and peace to all- Fae***