You are my life

Protection

(Piper's POV)

"Okay Al, I think we're all done here. You know the plan and if all goes well, you should be out by next week give or take, depending how the trial goes." I tell her, standing up to leave and knocking on the door for the CO to let me out.
"I don't know what to say babe, thank you. So much. Oh Pipes! One more thing!" Alex calls from behind me.
The CO had already opened the door so I flashed him an apologetic look and asked for 5 more minutes. He curtly nodded and closed the door again.
"I just want to warn you babe. McCullough will probably say things on the stand that will hurt and try to hurt you even if they aren't true. I want you to be prepared and not blindsided. I want to protect you Pipes." She tells me with a shaky voice.
I nod,
"Well, for that at least I thank you. But while we're on the subject of protecting each other Alex..." I trail off, not sure if I should tell her what I wanted to do, knowing she'd stop me.
"What Piper?" She asks, worried I knew something she didn't since I mentioned protecting her. She takes a few sips of the water I'd asked to be brought to us.
"Well, you said I could have free reign and use everything in my arsenal sooo, I um, I want to go after Kubra."
Her eyes go wide as she nearly chokes and spits out her water.
"You want to what?! No. Fuck no. There is no way in hell I am letting you take on Kubra. Especially for me. Absolutely no fucking goddamn way under any circumstances do you go near him Piper do you understand? He nearly killed me for betraying him, one of his top traffickers, so you threatening to put him in prison... he wouldn't hesitate to... no. No fucking way. No. I am not losing you when I've just got you back. No. PROMISE me you won't." She pleads. She may have been begging but she looked mad as hell so I back off.
"Okay."
Her shoulders visibly sag with relief and she sighs,
"If you ever suggest anything on that scale of stupid again Pipes I swear to God. The thought of that, I just, I can't. I couldn't ever live with losing you that way. No."

(Alex's POV)

I have always liked to think that if I was born an animal, I'd be a panther. I've got the (long) black hair, a pretty nimble body, yes I'd say I'm intelligent and come with a clever wit and I will snarl at anyone who tries to steal my success.
That was drug dealer me.
Fierce and not likely to back down easily.
They were traits required in my line of business. I had to take no nonsense from my mules or the shipments would be a fuck up and my murderous boss would definitely have something to say about that.
I've also grown a hard skin since high school thanks to the relentless teasing Jessica Wedge laid on me.

However, when I was out hunting (for mules), I found Piper. My mate.
Okay, I don't know if panthers mate for life or not but regardless, I'd found my life partner, my mate for life.
Piper may be my mate but the level of protection I feel for her is so strong it's akin to that of a mother panther and her cub.
It was all nose rubs, touching heads, love making, frequent growling matches and purring with Piper, I hadn't changed just because I met her, I was still fierce but if anyone tries to harm my Piper cub/mate in any way, I will show my fangs and claws.
This applied with Pennsatucky and her minions.
It applied with Ruiz.
It applied with Badison.
It applied with McCullough.
And yes, if Piper ever suggested anything meth-head level stupid, like going after Kubra, it'd apply to her too. Although I would only snarl at her, I'd never rip into her like I would the others.

"I'm sorry Al. I just worry because I found that video of you getting your arm broken online. He may have seen it and I don't want him to hurt you again." Piper apologises with her big irresistible puppy eyes.
I grab her hands again and rub them.
"Pipes. His hitman is dead and yes okay, he's probably got a replacement by now but hello? We're in Ohio. Unless he finds some way to look at the prison records, he has no idea where we are. If you take a shot at him, not only will he then know where we are but you'll probably miss, he won't and-"
I couldn't even finish that sentence.
The thought of Kubra choking Piper, shooting Piper, kidnapping and doing God knows what to Piper, was a hell of a lot more sickening than that of her and Zelda shacking up.
Don't get me wrong, that thought made me throw up in my mouth too.
"Okay. I'm sorry." She concedes thankfully. If she hadn't, I would get literally no sleep and Boo would be asking for a cell swap due to my constant pacing burning a hole in the floor.
I sadly smile,
"Me too."
But I was sorry for different reasons entirely.

There was a knock and the CO once again entered the room.
"Ma'am? Are you finished?" He asks Piper.
She nods,
"Yes. Thank you. And Alex, I told you about my upcoming visit to Missouri so I'll have to miss our next visitation but I will see you soon." She says, shuffling her paperwork which now had my signature signing her as my lawyer and giving her access to anything she needs for evidence.
Putting these in her briefcase, she stood and walked behind me, sliding her hand gently across my back, she leaned down to press a soft kiss to my cheek and whispered,
"I love you."
I smile and turn so her lips meet mine instead of my cheek,
"I love you too Pipes."
She recoils a bit which hurts and I can tell we have a long way to go before we can be Alex and Piper again but I know she's hurting and it's my fault.

With that, she was gone, clicking her heels down the long, depressing corridors towards the exit while the CO was re-cuffing me to lead me back to my cell.