One year.

That's the amount of time left in her sentence before Alex Vause can finally call herself a free woman. One year before she can finally start a new life outside of prison. One year before she can finally, finally spend her everyday with the love of her life.

The last two years of her time in prison has been far from how she initially planned to spend the rest of her sentence. She tried laying low and staying quiet, but it seems that problems and complications always find a way to her.

First, there was Badison. From trying to sabotage Piper's early release to stealing her visitation time, the fucker never left her alone ever since she arrived in Max. Luckily, Badison got a taste of her own medicine thanks to Taystee, who sent her to SHU and eventually, had her transferred to a different prison.

Then there was Hellman. The fucked-up CO who forced her to sell drugs in prison, and during one of the sweeps, had her swallow drugs in a condom and then forced it out of her body. Yes, that man was just pure evil and luckily for Alex, another CO "saved" her from Hellman. Of course, that saving from McCullough didn't come for free. She had Alex sell portable cellphone chargers in prison (which Alex thinks is better than selling drugs) which ended up with McCullough falling in love with Alex and getting her transferred to this prison in Ohio. Alex knows that everything that happened after all of it was her fault. It was her own fucked up doing. And what she did with that CO is another thing that she will regret for the rest of her life.

Being transferred in Ohio was of course the worst thing that Alex thought could happen to her and Piper. Being in Max without being able to touch, see, and talk to each other everyday was bad enough. And now she had to be 9 hours away from Piper, with all the shit that they were going through after Piper's release. The lies, cheating and negotiation, Alex guessed their relationship just wouldn't work. Or so, she thought.

Before she was transferred to Ohio, Alex made one of the hardest decision in her life. She has to finally let go of Piper. No matter how much they love each other, they always seem to end up hurting each other. It was a cycle that they can't seem to escape. And even though they tried to sort all of their shit out, Alex still can't let go of that little fear inside her that Piper will eventually leave her. It will be so easy for her being on the outside, and it will not be the first time. So when Piper admitted that she already has feelings for someone else, while she is still stuck in that prison hell hole for the next 3 years, Alex thought that her being transferred to Ohio may not be a bad thing. This is probably what they need to do, to set each other free.

So on Piper's last visit before her transfer, she tried with all her strength not to break down in front of the blonde while she tells her that she will think of Piper everyday for the rest of her life, that she will always love her, but they have to set each other free.

But of course, Piper can be really stubborn, and that's just one of the reasons why Alex love her so much.

3 months after she was transferred to Ohio, Alex was surprised when she received a letter from Piper asking her if she can put her in her visitation list so they could talk. Alex was apprehensive at first, she knows that Piper will always be her greatest weakness and seeing her may not help her in trying to move forward with her life. But if she was being honest, this also sparked a tiny glimmer of hope inside her that maybe, maybe, they are really doomed to be together, through all the good, the bad, and everything in between.

So Piper came to visit Alex and told her that she's not letting her go that easily. Piper has already made that mistake several times in the past and she won't be making that same mistake again. Piper knows that no matter what happens, they will always end up together, so might as well just be together now. And then Piper told her that she just finished decorating their little apartment in Ohio, started her job in a coffee shop, and will be going back to school in a month. And all Alex could do was to break down in front of the blonde and the other people in that visitation room from the relief and happiness and love that she felt for Piper, and for everything that she did for them.

Alex was in her bunk reading a book when one of the COs called her to the warden's office. She thought she may be in trouble, but it couldn't be since she's been laying low ever since she arrived in this new prison. It was the best thing she can do in return to Piper. So she quietly followed the CO to the wardens office while praying to whoever that this does not mean trouble or anything that can add more to her time.

"Alex Vause?", the warden asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Please take a seat. Let me just sort out all these papers." There were so many documents on the warden's desk but Alex didn't even bother to take a peek at them because of the nervousness she felt for being inside the office.

"Sir, I'm not in trouble, am I?" Alex couldn't help it anymore and she just has to ask.

"And why would you be in trouble Vause? Are you doing anything in this prison that can possibly land you in trouble?"

"No sir, definitely not. I'm trying to stay low and quiet for the rest of my sentence."

"Then that's good. According here to your records, you have like another year left to your sentence, is that right?"

"That's right, sir."

"This is actually the reason why I called your here in my office."

Okay, Alex thought. Fuck.

"Hey, Pipes."

"Hey, babe. Good timing on the call, I just got home. How are you?"

"I'm... good. Still keeping my nose clean." Piper frowned. Alex sounded off on the phone.

"You doing okay, Al?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course. Just missing you more tonight, I guess."

"Awww babe. I miss you too. Soon, yes? Only 356 days left!" Piper squealed. She will finally be able to be with Alex on the outside.

"Babe, do you think you can come and visit me the day after tomorrow? I know you have work, but I just really need to see you and to talk to you." Alex said in a serious tone. Piper is really getting nervous about how Alex sounded on the phone right now.

"Are you sure you're okay Al? You're making me nervous."

"Yes, Pipes. I'm okay, I'm sorry if I sound off right now. But can you please come? Please?"

"Of course. Of course, Al. I'll see you, okay?"

"Thanks, Pipes. I gotta go. Love you."

"Love you too babe."

Piper is trying with everything in her not to think so much of how Alex was acting on the phone. She wanted to believe Alex when she said that everything's fine. But it was so hard especially when Alex suddenly requested for her to come visit her in prison. Alex never does that because she knows that Piper still has to continue trying to live a normal life outside of prison. So she let's Piper decide on when she can visit her and makes sure that those visits never go in the way of her work or school. So their conversation is really bugging her, but she will just have to wait until Wednesday to find out what really is happening to Alex.

Piper couldn't sleep well the night before her scheduled visit to Alex. No matter how much she tried not to think about their conversation over the phone, her mind keeps playing all the possible bad things that could happen. So here she is, sitting inside her car 20 minutes early from the schedule, trying to keep herself relaxed before she face Alex.

"Hi. I'm here visit Alex Vause." Piper approached the CO on the receiving area. She's 10 minutes early but she thinks she should already start with the visitation process so she can see Alex as soon as possible.

"Vause? Alex Vause? Hmmm. Okay, uh, let me just check something here. I need to verify this inside. Can you please take a seat first?" The CO was looking through papers in her desk with a frown on her face.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." Okay, that didn't help. Piper never got any problems when she comes visit Alex. She usually goes right through the process of checking visitors after giving Alex's name to the CO on duty. This only added up to the anxiety she's already feeling from the last time Alex and her talked.

10 minutes passed and the CO she talked to earlier haven't returned yet. Piper wants to knock on all the doors she could see in the area just to find out what's going on, but of course she has to stop herself from causing trouble.

Suddenly, the door to the right from where she was sitting is opened by another CO, and just as she was about to approach the CO to ask, she saw her. Her Alex, looking tired and older but definitely still as beautiful as when she first saw her all those years ago. Her Alex, wearing a blue jacket, a gray sweatpants and sneakers instead of her blue prison uniform. Her Alex, giving her the brightest smile she has ever seen.

Piper isn't sure how long she's been staring with mouth open at Alex. She only came back to her senses after she heard Alex's voice calling her name. She was also surprised that Alex is already standing in front of her.

"Pipes!" Alex chuckled. This is already the third time she called Piper's name but the blonde didn't seem to hear her even though she's looking right at her.

"Alex..." Piper finally whispered, before she threw herself to the brunette and hugged her as tight as humanly possible. They don't know how long they've been standing there holding on to each other with tears in their eyes before Piper finally removed her face from the brunette's neck and looked her in the eye.

"Alex! Ho-how? Why?! What happened?" Piper said with her both her hands on Alex's face. She still can't believe that Alex is standing right in front of her and she can touch her anywhere she wants.

Alex chuckled on Piper's sudden inability to form coherent sentences. "Let's get out of here first, babe. I can't stand being inside this building anymore." Piper smiled widely at this, grabbed Alex's hand, and almost ran outside the building dragging Alex behind her.

Once they reached Piper's car, they got inside right away but stayed in the parking lot. Alex told Piper the story of how she was called by the warden in his office on Monday, thinking that she may be in trouble. It turns out that she was granted early release due to good behavior and she will be out of prison on Wednesday. Alex still can't believe that staying out of everyone's way in this new prison will actually do her something better than just not adding more time to her sentence.

It took Alex a few minutes after her meeting with the warden before her brain was able to process this information. Of course, the first thing that she wanted to do was to call Piper and share the good news with her. But she thought of surprising Piper instead, calling her to ask if she can visit on Wednesday. She tried to sound off on the phone, and she knows this may cause the blonde to overthink and be scared, but once Piper gets her surprise, she's pretty sure she will be forgiven right away.

Alex and Piper are silent, but it was a comfortable kind of silence. Both women have this small smile on their lips, hands entwined while Piper is driving them home. Home. It doesn't really matter where in the world they are because they have always been each other's home.

Today officially marks the beginning of their life together. They know it will be far from easy, their relationship and love never was, but they both know that they will do everything in them to make it work. Because their love, it is the kind of love that only happens once in a lifetime, and once you get a hold of it, your never ever let it go.