Just Inmates (Alex Vause Fanfic)

Chapter 6: Scars of a Warrior

Vause
Scars of a Warrior
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The hot water rained down onto me. Closing my eyes I let it just wash away my thoughts, clear my mind.

"...#Baby don't let winter come, don't let our hearts freeze#..."

Her voice was quiet.
So quiet I could just hear it.
But it was there.
Singing softy.

So soft I barely recognised it to be Taylor. When I first heard the words roll off her lips I was shocked that it was her. The voice's softness and her rough edges refused to match. But it was her. The young woman who seemed to have so many curve balls to throw I was stunned that it still surprised me.

Her voice faded off as the water stopped in her shower cubicle. Rinsing the last of the shampoo out of my hair I cut the water off and wrapped a towel around my chest. As I stepped out of the shower I walked straight into Taylor, not realising she was standing right outside the showers at the sinks.
"Shit sorry." She mumbled moving out of the way and to the next sink down.
"It's fine." I moved to the sink beside her. I glanced up at her. Her shoulder length brown hair was wet, it clung to her neck and the back of her shoulders as she looked down at her hands. A layer of wet hair falling to cover her face. Her sniff towel was wrapped around her and to my dismay, it hid her pale chest.

"The showers are warmer then they were this morning." She said softly, trying to start convocation.
"Yeah. The hot water usually gets used up during shower rush." I mumbled looking up at her. She had her back to me as she pulled her hair up in a messy bun. I could make out a pattern etched into the skin of her neck, shoulders and back with dark brown ink. A separate tattooed design wrapped around part of her right forearm. The majority of the tattoo on her back was hidden by the towel tightly pulled around her chest and the hand cloth slung over hers shoulders.
"Nice tat." I smirked. She turned back to look at me in surprise. Her blue orbs meeting mine.
"Can I see?" She nodded quietly as she placed the hand towel down beside a white roll of cloth, next to the sink and turned so her back was to me. She let her crisp white towel drop to around her waist.

The dark brown ink was etched into the skin covering her back. It's pattern hard edged and almost tribal. The ink covered her shoulders and the back of her neck before narrowing down as it stretched the length of her spine. It cut off at her waist and finished with a descriptive design at the back her hips. The ink looked relatively fresh but her skin had healed clean.

I moved forward and traced my fingers over the length of pattern that covered her spine. She stiffed when I first made contract but as my fingers continue to brush over the ink her tense posture softened and she relaxed into my touch.
"How long ago did you get it done?" I asked softly. My eyes following the elegant design and my fingers skimmed over her skin lightly.
"6 months ago." She replied softly, glancing at me over her shoulder before looking back down in front of her. My eyes found that of an open flesh wound in her left shoulder.

"What happened?" I asked, concern ringing clear in my voice despite my best attempts to hide it.
"Just a brawl in lock up." She mumbled. If I didn't recognise the ripped flesh as a bullet wound I would have believe her without fault. The lie that had rolled off her tongue came out sounding more truthful then anything.
"I may have been a drug smuggler, but I know what a bullet wound looks like." I stated simply. "What happened?"
"It doesn't matter." She muttered pulling away from my touch but I grabbed her around the waist with one hand. She froze instantly when my hand gripped at the naked skin of her waist and stomach. I let my hand rest on her uncovered skin, my contact keeping her in place. I looked up from the floors to see goosebumps rise on the back of her neck as she stood still. I went to say the words but the second my thoughts registered I swallowed to stop them.

I like you Taylor...

I wanted to say it but it felt to fucking soon. Eighteen months ago I had been with Piper. Twelve months ago I'd been a free woman going through the break up of a life-time, while fighting for my life. What the fuck was I doing. Why was I even feeling this way... Towards Taylor?

"You... You need to put pressure on the wound." I mumbled pulling my hand away from her skin, trying to dismiss the thoughts from my mind. She turned to look at me again. Her blue eyes shone bright but I failed to read the emotions behind their light. She pulled her towel back up so it was wrapped around her, covering her chest and soft breasts.
"I'll bandage it up later." She stated softly, reaching for the white rolled bandage that sat beside her towel. I moved forward and caught her hand, closing my fingers around her clenched fist. She glanced up at me again.
"Let me." I stated. Nodding she pressed the bandage into my hands and turned so her back was to me. Dropping the towel to her waist again, she moved so I could bandage her shoulder.

I tightened the bandage off as I finished up.
"You're done." I stated quietly as she pulled the towel up and turned to look at me. Her sharp blue eyes were soft. Stepping forwards, she peaked my lips lightly. The contact only lasted a few seconds and the second her lips left mine I longed the feeling of her soft skin against me again.
"I'm sorry I dragged you into any of this." She said softly as she looked down.

I moved forward so my body was pressed into hers. Lifting her chin up gently, I pressed my lips to hers again. She softened at my touch and I sucked on her lips gently earning a small smile from her. Curling her hands around my forearms, I ran my fingers through her wet hair. She responded to my kiss by pressing her body into mine more...

"I'm just glad you're ok." I said softly when we broke away, a small smile played on her lips as she looked down. Her damp hair falling in her face. Reaching forward I pushed the wall of hair back so I could see her face. When my hand made contact with her cheek she smile slightly. And right there, and then, I felt something....

What am I doing?...

1st Draft (Mar 2016)
Last Edit (Mar 2016)
Image file: "Taylor's Tattoos"