You are my life

Prison Break

(Alex's POV)

I came back to my cell clutching the photograph with a Cheshire Cat grin. My girl was back. Not only was she back but she came to Ohio for me even after what I did to her, albeit with a warning that I wouldn't be forgiven the next time. The warning was keenly noted and there most definitely wouldn't be a next time now that I know Piper is here to stay. This time the girl is going to stay, to quote Elvis Presley.

"You look like the cat who just got all the cream." Boo tells me, lowering her PlayBoy magazine and climbing off her bunk to greet me. It was the same magazine she'd been showing me in the hopes it'd make me feel better about Piper.
"I do? Maybe it's because I am." I grin.
"Oooh so who is she?" She asks with a typical Boo snicker. It made me miss Nichols.
Without answering, I lean across my bed and stick the photograph to the wall. Beside my pillow, as promised. It was answer enough.
Boo looked shell-shocked,
"No shit. Chapman?"
I grinned an open mouthed grin with my tongue between my teeth. Words couldn't describe just how happy I was in this moment.
"Mmhmm. My girl chased me straight to the drama because she loves me." I giggle to the point it was almost as if I was back in kindergarten. I was delirious with happiness.
"What?" Boo asked, confused.
"Never mind." I deadpan, knowing Boo wasn't tuned in to mine and Piper's relationship quirks.
I looked back at her. She still had that same, shell-shocked look on her face.
"Yep. That was me when I saw her face in visitation. Now imagine that face along with the feeling of having the girl of your dreams. Imagine that Claudia from your magazine met you in visitation." I tell her, getting my point across to her in the only way I knew how, with Boo it was always hot women and to me, Piper was definitely hot women.
"Fuck Vause, you're in trouble."
I happily smirk.
"Oh. I know."
Boo's face suddenly turns serious.
"No Vause, okay yes, I'm happy for you blah blah blah, but hello? It's Chapman. We both know that girl of yours has a temper and after what you told me? Whew, you have a lot of serious grovelling to do." She tells me, leaning against our bunks, folding her arms.
My mouth twists to one side.
"I know. I get that and fuck I deserve it. I royally screwed up." I say solemnly.
"Great. Well I'm going to head for a shower. Happy for you Vause." She says, grabbing her towel and shower caddy, patting me on the shoulder, she leaves.
I lay back in my bunk and kiss Piper's photograph repeatedly.
"Nothing's going to take me away from you again my love. Nothing. I won't let it." I whisper to the photograph.
Nothing was taking me down from this cloud of fluffy, unadulterated happiness. Nothing. Not even prison.

X

It's been a year since Piper moved to Ohio for me. She's been visiting me every chance she could get which made us both happy. Not to mention that we could physically touch one another again. We sneakily laced our fingers together every time a guard wasn't looking, even sneaking in a few kisses.
She was doing well at Starbucks and even got employee of the month a couple times. I was so proud of her. She started from the bottom up. For me. For us. My Pipes has blossomed into the flower that would stay with me through thick and thin but not only that, she was more than happy to do so which only left me in a delirious zen every time we parted after visitation and I was led back to my cell. These next two years may not be so bad after all.

One thing that kept playing on my mind though. What the fuck was Piper studying and why wouldn't she tell me? She kept telling me that she was working on something and that she was really busy and stressed. I knew from experience that being busy and stressed was a bad combination. It cost me my relationship with Piper the first time around so hearing this made me worried about her.

With the knowledge that Piper was studying some mystery subject, I decided it was time to restart my Dembry Business School idea. It'd give me something to focus on while I was in here and to give me something to work for when I got out. If Piper could literally uproot her life for me, then I could damn well do this for her. I did vow to make it up to her in small ways after all and after my stumble at the first hurdle, it was time I made a start.
My main driving force for this was the thought that I could provide for Piper once I get out. Really provide for her. Legally provide for her. I wanted nothing more than to be out, taking care of my girl. Becoming a CFO and providing for the woman I love combined with whatever the hell she was studying for.
I had sent an honest application away. Owning up to the fact I have no qualifications and that I was a former drug dealer currently serving time. I told my story of leaving high school with a single mom who worked tirelessly at four jobs and immediately falling in with the cartel thanks to meeting my deadbeat father and how this pushed me into earning right away to repay her.