Piper's fists slowed to a stop as her vehement rage simmered down and shock and fatigue began to set in. Doggett lie in a motionless heap, blood and fresh bruises marring her visage. As she stared down at her, nausea and anxiety clawed at her from the depths of her mind. Was Doggett dead? She dismissed the notion not because it was improbable but because it did not matter. Either way she was going to get more time added to her sentence, either way the Bible thumping methhead had succeeded in ending her life in a sense. Two, actually. On one hand, the mere months she had had left before she walked outside the facility into the snow had now undoubtedly stretched into years right before her eyes. Any hope she had formerly harbored for Larry and the future they had envisioned was gone. Nail in the coffin. Even in the best of circumstances she doubted he would have been able to wait longer than her original 15 months… but now… The image of Alex flashed into her mind as she continued to sit over her aggressor staring down but no longer at her. And the other way she had ended her? The Piper that had walked out here had oozed out of her fists into Pennsyltucky's face. The blonde was suddenly too lost in thought. Regret, fear, and despair were now crowding around her… seeping under her skin and slowly into her heart. She closed her eyes as they settled into her chest and when she opened them, Piper found herself looking at the cross shaped shiv lying in the snow.

Do it.

You're not worthy of anyone's love.

You're going to be in here forever with her.

And she hates you.

I think you hate you too.

So does Healy. He'll ruin your life anyway.

There's no point in burdening everyone with your presence anymore.

It won't even look like suicide. They'll probably think you both killed each other.

No one's going to miss you.

You've let down your whole family and anyone who ever loved you.

Don't you think it's about time…that you die?

The hopelessness clawed away at her relentlessly as she found herself leaning over towards the shiv, smirking almost with the irony of the moment. She had ruined her life trying to keep from dying by the stupid thing and now she was going to kill herself anyway- Her eyes opened wide as she realized what she was about to do, before realizing… She had made it. The notion slowly set in. She had not died. Pennsyltucky had tried to kill her and had failed. She'd survived. Fought for her life and won. And now she was going to throw it away? Alex and Larry hated her, sure, but that hadn't killed her either right? And they were still there. Hating her guts, but still alive, still existing. So there was still hope. Because she wasn't dead there was still hope. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in and withdrew from the weapon, before leaning back in for it and pressing it into Doggett's hand. Her logic was probably too simple to be flawless but it was enough for now.

She smacked the girl lightly on the cheek and smiled humorlessly. "Thanks for that." Without further preamble she lifted off of Doggett and fell onto her butt with a sigh. She sat with her arms propping her up from behind and took a deep breath, now tuning out the swirling thoughts of SHU, Maximum Security Prison, trials, and loneliness and let the snow fall onto her face… feeling almost peaceful. In fact she almost fell asleep. Why was she tired? That was when she felt a dull but slowly sharpening throb in her side. She lifted her jacket to see a medium sized but spreading bloodstain. Her mouth opened inaudibly and then she frowned. Adrenaline must have kept her from feeling it when it happened but that stupid bitch must have managed to stab her during her onslaught of punches. She grimaced as she made a grand effort of lifting herself up without moving her torso very much. Once on her knees, she covered her now burning and slightly aching knuckles with snow to cool them and wash them off a bit. Gingerly, she shook her hands of the red slush and got up, surveying the scene. Her eyes hit on something shining in the snow behind Pennsyltucky. The screwdriver.

The other inmates stopped their laughing and chattering as they one by one spotted Chapman walking unhurriedly down the hallway blood dripping from her hands and what looked like possibly her stomach. No one could say a word, the image was so surreal. Taystee and Poussey, along with the rest of the pageant crew were even at a loss for words as they emerged from the chapel and put their hands to their mouths as they watched the blonde pass by. They did however, along with some others follow hesitantly behind her, whispering amongst themselves. Suzanne stayed back and with eyes wide and full of concern stared silently at the droplets of blood she had left behind.

Nichols and Alex were standing outside of the latter's cube again, making banter about the pageant when Alex abrubtly started with, "But really though, can you believe her? Less than 24 hours and she already has the nerve to come crawling back to me with her bullshit. Like is that a fucking joke?"

Nicky rolled her eyes. It had been the third time since it had happened that she had brought it up. "Hell anybody'd be crazy not to come for you, Vause… if you catch my drift." She waggled her brows and silently willed the taller girl to shut the fuck up about Chapman if she was going to keep pretending she didn't care or to otherwise just come clean about her feelings. The corner of Alex's mouth twitched up for a moment but she continued with her previous train of thought to Nicky's chagrin, as she looked off in another direction. "Really though if that psycho bitch comes around with her crap one more time I'm going to-

"Vause. Vause!" Nichols saw it first and tugged on the brunette's shirt.

"What?" The girl seemed speechless, so Alex followed her line of sight. She stiffened.

It was Piper, with what seemed like the entire prison behind her. Her eyes were half lidded and listless, with none of their usual spark. The way she walked was even odd to her. She squinted to get a better look as the girl walked down the middle of the Suburbs. She was….bleeding… The woman's stomach began to churn as fear and foreboding began to consume her practically paralyzing her. The girl wasn't looking in her direction.

"What…" She began but trailed off. Her mind was hazy. Even now her mind screamed at her not to get involved but she couldn't restrain herself from posing the question. "This doesn't change anything." It was Piper's voice she heard saying it from all those years ago. The day she'd left her. The day her mom had died.

Piper slowly turned to her from where she stood but said nothing, her grey eyes almost black. Nicky looked back and forth between the both of them waiting for something. Alex swallowed hard and made her move, closing her eyes for strength. "Oh wait… why don't you call Larry and tell him?" She had attempted to say it nonchalantly but every bit of bitterness and regret was evident in her voice. And as soon as it was out, she felt an overwhelming desire to take it back. Nichols and everyone else present gave the dark haired woman a look of utter bewilderment. Her resolve though impressive, was uncharacteristically cold. There were also some "oooohs" and "whooass" at the statement since word had got around about what had happened between the two.

The blonde said nothing and nothing in her expression changed, she simply looked back towards the guard's office which had been her intended destination and knocked on the door. The guard of great girth who's name she couldn't remember though it had been stitched onto his underwear, opened the door impatiently, looking sweaty. "Inmate?" He started, but with one look at her he changed his tone. "…What's happened?" He demanded, tucking in his shirt.

"Inmate Doggett attacked me outside and I defended myself." She closed her eyes as she was starting to feel dizzy and faint and nearly forgot what she was talking about. "I'm not sure if she is alive, but I do know that she stabbed me and I'm bleeding…" she opened her jacket and looked down at the wound, "Wow, like a lot. I'm bleeding a lot, sir." She said it all very matter-of-factly and stepped back from the door. The large man bustled to the phone and made a call and then an announcement and suddenly the alarm was on.

The whole room was soon rowdy with conversation as people eyed Chapman with a mix of reverence and caution. The girl moved to the wall outside the office and propped herself up against it, breathing laboriously.

"The fuck are ya'll waitin' for? Somebody get this girl something to wrap that wound with!" Sophia burst through the group with Sister Ingles as some followed her lead looking for something. Nicky was now looking at Vause who had sat down and was boring holes into a book, paying no attention to the scene.

"Christ, Vause." She mutter before walking into the fray and ripping off part of her thermal shirt. "Here," she said walking towards Chapman who lolled her head in Nicky's direction with a nearly inaudible thank you.

"Inmate! Don't you lay a finger on Chapman or so help me God, I will write you up for assault." It was Healy. He stood flustered, angry, shocked and seemingly a little afraid.

"She's bleeding out, I'm just trying to-"

"Shutup!" He growled it and had barely taken a step toward Chapman when Caputo also walked in and ran his hands through the spindly hairs left on his head.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" He looked at Healy and then back at Chapman.

The blonde woman just stared. She was very sleepy now. Lazily she glanced at Healy's red face and almost broke into a giggle. Not what you had planned, hm? As the smile wore off her face she found herself sinking down to her knees. Yes, it was time to sleep. That was the last thought she had before closed her eyes and slumped over.

Her name echoed from several places in the room as other inmates and Caputo himself rushed in past Healy who just stood there, stunned and furious. Faintly, there was the sound of paramedics rushing down the hallway pushing a stretcher. And quietly, Alex Vause clutched onto the book in her hands, hot tears spilling down her face and defacing the words on the page.