You Save My Life

the courage to protect her

In an evening of renewed freedom and hope, Nicky Nichols, fresh out of prison, felt ready to reconnect with her friends. She noticed her vibrant voice as she chatted with Alex Vause on the phone. "Hey Vause, how are you?" she asked.

"Hey Nichols, how did you call me?" said Alex, surprised but happy to hear from her friend.

"I have been released from prison, finally I have served my sentence," Nicky revealed in his emotional and relieved tone.

He was about to continue talking when Nicky, with enthusiasm, proposed: "Would you like to come to the bar?" She called Piper, who was in the other room, and passed the phone to her. "Do you want to come drink tonight?" asked Nicky.

"Yes, of course," Piper said, her enthusiasm reflected in the voice.

"Then meet me at 8:00 in the same bar where you and Alex met," he concluded. Now Alex and Piper, with the weather fading fast, hurried to get ready for the evening. It was 7.30 pm and the choice of clothes was not delayed. Piper chose a black dress, which made her blue eyes stand out, and put on her own careful makeup, applying a light foundation, mascara and lipstick.

Alex, on the other hand, wore a black dress with a slight neckline that highlighted her green eyes. He fixed his hair and added a touch of makeup, before putting on a pair of elegant heels. Once they were ready, they left the house and headed for the car, where Alex got behind the wheel. When they stopped at a red light, Alex leaned over to Piper and kissed her.

After a ten-minute drive, they looked for a place to park, still excited about seeing Nicky again. However, misfortune seemed to be raging on them, as every seat was occupied. Eventually, the two decided to drive in a nearby street, and luckily they finally found a parking space. Alex got out of the car, went to Piper's side, opened the door and, one gesture at a time, kissed her softly, whispering: "I love you, Pipes."

Piper, with a smile that illuminated her face, replied: "I love you, Al."They started walking, excited for the evening awaiting them, when suddenly a car sprinted towards them at high speed. In a moment, Piper realized what was about to happen. Without thinking twice, she threw herself forward, pushing Alex away from danger. The force of the impact knocked her to the ground, while the car hit Piper.

Alex found himself in a sea of confusion, a strong pain pulsing in his head. He stood up and, having regained a little clarity, turned to Piper. The scene before her eyes took her breath: Piper was lying on the ground, blood running from her lips. He approached her and laid her to rest, 'Terror froze her heart. "Why did you do it?" she asked, but received no answer. The tears began to pour, and when he saw Nicky and Lorna approaching, the crying intensified. In despair, he decided to lift Piper to take her to the hospital. The pain gripped her heart as he held her in his arms, anguished by every breathless breath of his beloved.

Once in the car, Alex accelerated. He ran to the hospital, and upon arrival a stretcher was promptly brought by a nurse. Alex carefully laid Piper on it, watching as her trembling hands clenched to the edges of the blanket. They took her away, leaving Alex in a state of shock.

After a few hours, a doctor called her: "Are you Alex Vause?"

"Yes, it's me," he replied, his voice fragile.

The doctor opened the door of the office and let her in. As for Piper, he found her lying on the bed, attached to machines that were ringing incessantly. The pain overcame her, and tears flowed copious, falling to the ground. Behind her, Nicky came up to her and hugged her, trying to comfort her. "It's my fault," Alex whispered, the guilt crushing her.

"It's not your fault, Vause. She wanted to protect you because she loves you," Nicky said, trying to cheer her up.

A doctor came in, explaining the situation: "Piper has some broken ribs and fractured ankle. During the accident, she hit her head hard. Now we just have to wait for him to wake up."

Alex sat down in a chair next to Piper, gently holding her hand. "Piper, why did you do that? Why did you save me? Why did you risk your life for mine?" The words that came out of his mouth were filled with despair and love, a love that now was suspended in a delicate balance between hope and fear.