A little something I've been kicking around since finishing Orange Is The New Black. Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I have nothing to do with Orange Is The New Black. All credit goes to Piper Kerman, Lionsgate Television, Netflix, Jenji Kohen, and Liz Friedman. Include some props to Regina Spektor.

Piper stared up at the ceiling from her hospital bed. She sighed and thought to herself: What in the fuck did I do? Tiffany could very well be dead. I'll get sent to Max and never see Alex. Wait…Alex? After all of this I think of her? God damn it Piper, get it together. She doesn't want to see you, hear from you. Anything.

Piper shook her head and closed her eyes. All she wanted to do was find a way to go back in time and undo the past week, or maybe even the past 10 years. She rested her hands over her eyes.

She's been in the hospital for the past 4 days and all she could think about was the night she told Alex she was leaving. The fight. The flat in Paris. Why? Well, she knew why. Piper felt neglected. She had for that past year. Sure, the drugs were there and it always bothered her. Yet, for a while Alex managed to keep the drugs in the back of her mind, but the neglect and the drugs? She just couldn't take it.

I don't have the balls to free fall through life with you. Why the hell did I say that? I did at one point. Why don't I have it now? God damn it, Piper. Get your shit together.

She closed her eyes and drifted off into a restless, yet uninterrupted, sleep.

1

Alex sat on her bunk with her knees drawn to her chest. She closed her eyes tightly and wished it all away. The thought of Piper brought forth various emotions. She hated her for leaving her and now choosing Larry. She loved her for all the years they had spent and the seemingly rekindled love in Litchfield.

"You don't seem well at all."

Alex peered over her shoulder to see Nicky leaning over the wall.

"I'm not. I don't know how the fuck I should feel. I want to not care, but I can't stop thinking about her. I don't know if she's hurt. All I heard was that there was a fight with Jesus bitch and they were both being taken to a hospital."

Nicky came around to the entrance, "Yes, I know. It's what we all heard."

Alex sighed and relaxed her knees. She let her feet drop to the floor. Nicky sat next to her and wrapped her arm around Alex's shoulders.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Nicky cocked her head.

Alex leaned back. "Why everything? Why her? Why here? Why the fuck did I send her away? Why the fuck didn't I do anything? Why didn't I go after her?"

Nicky shook her head. "Jesus Christ, Vause. The 'whys' are going to kill you." She sighed. "Piper fucked you over. She pulled you in. Left you when your Mom died, disappeared for 10 years, ignores you, fucks you for a while, and leaves you all over again. She's trash. Leave the little bitch at the mercy of Jesus bitch. It'll get her out of your life and you can move on."

Alex grabbed Nicky and shoved her against the wall behind them.

"Watch what you fucking say about her!"

Alex was visibly fuming. Almost breathing fire. Nicky laughed.

"What's so fucking funny?"

"Problem solved. You don't need to be conflicted. You obviously still love her."

Alex let go. "God fucking damn it."

Nicky smiled and stood up. "See? I fix everything around here. Oh, and I heard she's coming back tomorrow; no one of Bible Bitch, though. Heard Chapman fucked her up pretty badly."

She left Alex's cube humming 'Come To My Window.'

Alex slumped against the wall.

"Fuck. She's right."

1

"Chapman, good to see you."

Piper glanced up at Caputo who was waiting for her outside his office door. He motioned for her to follow him into his office.

"We need to talk."

Piper entered his office and sat. Caputo dropped a file in front of her. He opened it. Piper looked down to see her own mug shot and various court documents. Piper anxiously ringed her hands.

"You see, this could mean trouble for you Chapman. It could mean a trip to Max or more time here. Either way, Doggett is in pretty bad shape. You really did quite a number on her." Caputo said as a flipped a pen between his fingers. "But, of the record, I can't say I blame you. On the record, it seems like self defense."

Piper nodded when he mentioned 'self defense.' Caputo stared at her intently.

"I suppose you want me to get straight to the point."

"Yes, sir. I'd like that very much."

Caputo nodded.

"Well, what happens from here all depends on what the judge wants to do. Doggett is pretty messed up, but she'll live. She's in for murder and a drug addict. You're a well-educated woman who got mixed up in drug trafficking. You're probably going to get a self-defense pass. So, I wouldn't worry too much about the legalities of it. Just watch out for her Bible Band, they're probably out for blood."

Piper straightened up in the chair. She felt better knowing she might get a pass on this one. Pennsyltucky was hurt, badly, but Piper never meant to lose her cool. Piper looked up at Caputo who stood up.

"Well, we'll let you know what happens from here. We're just sending you out to General." He opened the door and let her out. "Just between you and I, Chapman, I'm putting in a good word or you. You solved a pretty large problem I was having."

Piper's eyes widened. She should have known he'd say something like this. Piper just had one question.

"Sir, what about Healy?"

Caputo grimaced, "I'll deal with him. Now, Bennett, talk Chapman back to her cube."

Bennett stepped from just around the corner and motioned for Piper to lead the way. He brought her down the hall and brought her to the guard station. He turned to her.

"Go to her."

Piper flashed him a confused look. He saw Caputo round the corner.

"You heard me, inmate, dismissed!"

Piper scurried away. She hid until both Bennett and Caputo were out of sight. She dashed around to the other block.

I have to see her. I need to see her.

She rushed through to Alex's cube. She knew the other inmates were staring and whispering, but she did her best to ignore them.

She knew that Alex was just going to send her away again, but she just needed to see her. All she could think about was Alex. She knew she had made a mistake the first time, but she was going to be damned if she made it again.

She reached Alex's cube and saw her sitting on her bunk reading a book. It took a moment for Alex to look up at Piper, who was standing in her entrance way.

"Alex."

Chills shot through Alex like lightening. She wanted to rush to Piper. Hold her and kiss her. Whisper that everything was going to be alright and that she was safe with her. She also wanted to send Piper away. Make her feel the same pain that she felt for the better part of 10 years.

"Alex, please."

Piper shook at the intensity behind Alex's eyes. She needed her.

Alex stood and walked over to Piper. Alex slapped her hard across the face. Piper's hand instantly reached to the sore spot on her cheek. Before she could look up, Alex had pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Piper relaxed as Alex's arms wrapped around her slowly. Alex pulled away slowly and looked Piper, deeply, in the eyes.

"I hate you and I love you."