General POV
"Wake up" Red says, her russian accent thick as she whispers to Piper, trying to shake the blonde awake. "Wh-Red?" Piper asks confused and dazed, turning over to face the older woman. "Get up, we need to fix that branding of yours before you're permanently given a nazi symbol on your arm" Red rushes out quickly, Piper slowly sitting up as she sees Norma and Alex in the entrance of her cube. It's the middle of the night and the bunks are practically pitch black. "Alex.." she whispers guiltily, Alex sighing and walking over to Piper. "Come on Pipes, we need to fix this" she whispers and helps Piper up, putting an arm around the shorter blonde. Red grabs the keys to the kitchen and all four of them make their way to the kitchen, Alex rubbing Pipers back as she cradles her still raw arm.
Pipers POV
I'm still half awake as we make our way to the kitchen, I'm leaning on Alex slightly as she holds me close. I missed her. Fuck I've been so ignorant and selfish, I was fucking Stella when Alex actually needed me. I get pulled out of my thoughts as Red turns on the kitchen flame, making memories flash in my mind.
"Hold her still!" One of the girls yells as they're holding me down, my arm stretched out as they burn the metal into my skin. I scream out in agony as I feel the metal dig into my flesh, my entire body feeling the pain. "Make sure it's not backwards or else it's like a whole new thing" One of the girls say as the red hot metal is placed onto my skin again, another scream of agony and terror coming from me as tears fall rapidly onto the metal counter.
They repeatedly press the burning metal onto my skin until Maria tells them to let go of me. Turning off the flame and letting me fall to the floor before running from the kitchen towards the party. I curl up into a ball and sob, my entire body shaking as I cover my mouth to try and make any noise. The wound starts to bleed and sting even more as I try and move my arm, crying in pain as I slowly pick myself up off of the floor.
I press myself up against Alex as Red grabs a metal ladle. "No no no no no" I whisper quickly under my breath, holding onto Alex as my heart rate quickens. "We have to do this or else you'll be stuck with a swastika forever" Red days as tears start to form in my eyes. "Please Alex no, not again please" I beg, looking up at her as I hug her tightly. "It's going to be okay Pipes, I'm gonna be here okay? After this the pain will be all over" She says as Norma pulls up a chair. I hesitantly sit down and Alex and Norma stand next to me, tears still falling down my face as I roll up the bloody cloth on my arm. Alex looks at my wound and winces softly, looking at Red. "Are you sure about this? I mean that's still really tender." She says and Red gently grabs my arm and looks at me, "We have to do it now or it won't match" she says, her eyes full of sorrow and care. My eyes are red from tears and I nod my head slowly, "Yeah..lets do it" I say and lay my arm down on the counter. Red nods slowly and sighs, "Okay..hold her tight" she says to Alex and Norma. I feel their hands on me and Alex's rests right below my elbow. Norma hands me a napkin tied into a knot for me to bite on and I place it in my mouth, starting to cry again as Norma braces my shoulders. Red leans over and puts the metal into the fire, my heart rate quickening as I start to shake. She turns to me and presses the burning hot metal into my skin, making my entire body tense as I let out a painful cry. Pins and needles burning the raw skin. I sob and the knitted napkin falls, my skin sizzling as my body tenses you more. Red warms up the metal again and presses it onto the wound, pain shooting through my arm and up my shoulder. I sob as I look up at Alex, Red continuing to sear my arm as I cry. "I'm so sorry" I choke and cry out to Alex, my entire body shaking. My entire body feels weak as Red looks at me somberly, grimacing at the pain I'm in. I let out a low groan as the metal touches my skin. "I know..I know.." Alex says as I look up at her teary eyes. "I-I'm s-so s-sorry" I cry out, leaning up against Norma as Red burns the lines into my skin. Alex runs her hand through my hair as I hold Normas hand on my shoulder. "When God gives you a swastika he opens a window" Red says, heating up the metal one last time. She presses it up against the tender skin, making me sob out. I pant as she removes the metal from my skin, sniffling as I look at her. "Then you remember, there is no god." She says, turning off the fire. Norma releases my shoulders as I sob, curling up in the chair as I retract my arm back into my body. I feel Alex's arms wrap around me as she hugs me close to her chest, standing me up and supporting me. I wrap my one good arm around her and sob into her chest, my entire body shaking. "Take her back to her bunk okay Vause?" Red says and Alex nods, "Yeah I will" she whispers, rubbing my back as I feel her kiss my temple. I hear the footsteps of Red and Norma walk out of the kitchen as I continue to sob in Alex's arm. "I-I'm s-so sorr-ry Al" I cry and cling onto her body. "It's okay Pipes.." She whispers, her voice cracking.
Alex's POV
As Red and Norma walk off Piper completely breaks down in my arms, her face hiding in my chest as she cries, her body shaking. I've never seen Piper this broken before. My eyes tear up slightly as she cries, whimpering that she's sorry over and over again. "Shh baby it's okay" I whisper, pulling her closer. "I'm so sorry Al..I should've listen..I've should've been there" She sobs as I kiss her forehead. "It's okay Pipes, I wouldn't have believed me either" I chuckle somberly, rubbing her back and holding her until she calmed down. She continues to hold onto me tightly as we make our way over back to the bunks, Piper babying her branded arm. We walk over to her bunk and I help her get to the top gently, pulling a blanket over her as her eyes close from exhaustion. I gently cup her cheek and kiss her forehead, looking at her tear stained cheeks. I pull away from her bunk and start to head towards mine as I hear a faint "Al.." come from her bunk. I spin in my heels to see Pipers eyes flutter open, pain filling them as she looks at me. "Please don't go" she croaks out. I nod my head and quietly as possible climb into her bunk with her, laying behind her and pulling her close. "I'm so sorry..." she whispers one last time softly as my arms wrap around her. "I forgive you Pipes, now shh, go to sleep baby" I whisper and kiss the crook of her neck gently. Soon Pipers breathing becomes even and she makes these cute little noises she only makes when she sleeps. I sigh softly and see her wound bleeding through the cloth, vowing to never let Piper get hurt ever again as my eyes become heavy and soon sleep overcomes my body.
