Seabury stepped up to the front desk eagerly, peering over it to see Dolley Payne's bored expression as she tapped away at a computer. He cleared his throat expectantly and her head darted up to meet his gaze.
"Can I help you?" She asked with a bit of sass, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
"Yes actually, may I please speak with Vice Governor Schuyler?" He asked politely with a kind smile.
"My apologies but you caught the Vice Governor the one time she has a night shift, she won't be in until after your cells are locked, is it important?" She asked with fake sympathy. Seabury felt his body go limp with disappointment and he shook his head.
"N-no, it can wait, thank you," he muttered with a weak smile, making his way back to Lee's cell.

When he walked in Lee was sprawled out on his bed engraving something in the cell wall beside the bed. Seabury flopped onto it beside him on his stomach and squinted at Lee's tiny graffiti work, laughing a little when he was able to distinguish his and Lee's initials being carved into the wall inside a heart.
"You're acting like you just came out of disney land not Jefferson's crew," Seabury chuckled, tucking his hands under his chin.
"Every second with you feels like disney land but 10 times more fun," Lee grinned cheekily. Seabury grabbed the back of his head and pushed his face into the mattress, muffling the laughter emitting from his lips. This, ladies and gentlemen, was the honeymoon phase of their relationship.

Seabury finally released his head and he popped back up with a playful glare before smiling gently.
"Are you ready for tonight?" He offered. Seabury hesitated a little before responding, making Lee uneasy.
"One more night," Seabury muttered, earning a confused glance from Lee. "Can we just wait one more night?" He pleaded.
"Why?" Lee questioned nervously.
"I- just not tonight, please?" Seabury was about to tell him that he just wanted to see Peggy before he left, say his final goodbyes, but Lee could get fairly jealous far too easy. Lee examined Seabury's expression with caution before giving in with a sigh.

"I suppose we could wait one more night," He gave in, tilting his head to the side gently. Seabury grinned and wrapped his arms around Lee lovingly, burying his head in his shirt.
"Thank you," he smiled into the fabric, drowning in Lee's scent of burning wood and leather. It was comforting and reminded him of the late winter nights he spent by the fire pit with his friends.
"Anything for you Sammy," he grinned in return, pulling him closer and lying contently in the quiet cell.

---

Thomas walked into the private confinement sector like a man on a mission, his steps firm and posture immaculate. He dismissed the officer on duty and waltzed right in to stand in front of Levi's cell. Levi's head lifted slowly, crawling forward like some kind of animal when he saw Jefferson before gradually rising to his feet. His posture was hunched and crooked from hours upon hours spent crouched against the cell wall.

"I received your final payment." Jefferson spoke robotically, standing with his feet shoulder-width apart and his hands clasped in front of him. Levi's expression contorted into a malicious grin as his eyes met Jefferson's gaze.
"We strike tonight," Levi spoke in a low, husky voice, his fingers reaching back and tracing delicate patterns on Lafayette's lighter. "Do you have access to those cameras? The doors?" Levi checked.
"The entire security room will be mine tonight, and I've arranged for minimal officers to be on duty, you'll only have to worry about Schuyler and Payne." Jefferson informed him smartly.

"I shouldn't need to worry about anything Jefferson, this plot goes to plan and I win, got it?" Levi growled sharply. Jefferson inched backwards before stepping forwards again, trying to show his lack of intimidation.
"I'll take care of those officers then," Jefferson muttered, cursing himself when he remembered Peggy had begun fighting back against him. He had tried to instil fear into her, but she proved to be the most resilient officer he had been forced to deal with in all his years at this prison.
"I don't care if you have to fucking murder them, nothing is getting in my way tonight," Levi warned, his head cocking to the side and his hands twitching as he spoke. Jefferson felt a lump rise in his throat but he kept his gaze hard and dead-set on Levi, giving a curt nod before exiting the sector.

---

Dinner was quiet.
Too quiet.
Alex, John, Lafayette, Hercules, Seabury, Lee and Paine all sat at a table together picking sheepishly at their food. It should have been a joyous time, finally having the group together again, but everyone was on edge. Conway's crew wasn't at dinner that night, their table left untouched at the back of the cafeteria. Inmates avoided it like the plague, refusing to even look at it as if it was a weeping angel and the second they blinked it would attack them.

Alex sat with his head resting on John's shoulder, John's arm draped around him lazily. Across from them Lafayette and Hercules chatted casually, smiles never leaving their faces, unfazed by the eery atmosphere of the cafeteria. Lee and Seabury were uneasily quiet, constantly glancing around anxiously and clutching onto each other for dear life. Paine seemed to be the only sane one at the table, eating his dinner like a normal human being and examining his fellow inmate's behaviour with concern. An awkward silence fell upon the entire cafeteria, tangible and more annoyingly uncomfortable than wearing sneakers on the wrong feet.

"It's nice to have everyone back together hey?" Paine spoke up sheepishly, attempting to snap the unspoken silence. A chorus of agreement hummed through the table before dying back down again, returning to the previous stiff silence. Finally Lee stood up abruptly, tugging Seabury with him.

"We're gonna turn it in for the night," he announced awkwardly. Everyone else glanced at each other before shooting out of their seats and agreeing. A chorus of
"See you tomorrow,"
"Sleep well,"
"Don't let the bed bugs bite,"
echoed across the table before everyone went their separate ways. Alex and John walked hand in hand until they reached the intersection of halls where they separated to their respective cells. John sighed in disappointment but didn't get a word in before Alex grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a deep kiss. John wrapped his arms around Alex, savouring the moment until Alex broke away, resting his forehead against John's with his eyes closed.

"I love you," he whispered, fluttering his eyes open and gazing up at John through his lashes.
"I love you too," John smiled gently, pulling him into one more short kiss before he removed his arms from around Alex, holding his hands and only letting go when they had moved so far apart that their arms couldn't stretch any further.

As John began his walk down the hall he felt an empty abyss form in the pit of his stomach, longing for Alex's presence. He gave in to the longing and sprinted back. Alex was just starting to walk down his hall when John grabbed him from behind, tugging him into one last kiss. This one was longer, more passionate, and lingered for an extra few seconds before they broke away.

"Couldn't help myself," John laughed nervously. Alex leaned up and pecked his lips, a smirk dancing on his lips when he broke away.
"Neither, night mon amour," he whispered as they walked away for real this time.
"Goodnight my love," John laughed with a small bow, causing a melodic giggle to emit from Alex's lips.

Now John was satisfied. He made his way to his cell and as soon as he walked in he threw himself under his bedsheets and wrapped his arms around his pillow as if he was snuggling into Alex's torso. He drifted in and out of consciousness until the hissing of cell doors closing began. But something wasn't right. No officer had come to make sure everyone was in their cells, and the cell block gates hadn't been closed. John sat up in bed, his brows furrowed as he squinted through the doorway. He saw two closed doors across the common area and it took a moment for him to process that his door hadn't closed. Everyone else's cell door had hissed shut besides his.

John wearily slid away his bedsheets and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, standing up slowly. He made his way into the doorway cautiously, letting his finger tips slide across the door as he passed it. He peered out into the common area but silence had fallen across the prison. He walked to the cell beside his and took a peek inside, seeing George curled up in bed cuddling a teddybear with an american flag shirt. John snickered at the grown man's state before turning back to the front of the cell block. The metal bars that should have been closed still stood open, leading out into the quiet halls of the prison, they looked anything but inviting at this hour.

John closed his eyes, thinking for the best course of action and heaving in a deep breath.
"Okay, just find an officer and find out what the fuck is going on," he muttered under his breath to himself reassuringly, beginning an anxious advance forward, out into the hall. He made his way down the halls, his eyes darting around erratically at every tiny sound or movement he registered.

He finally reached the staff desks but he was horrified to find they were absolutely deserted. Not a soul to be found anywhere in the vicinity. An uneasy mob of moths began to flutter in his stomach and he slowly backed away from the desks.
"HELLO?" He called out, his head swinging side to side as he searched for someone, anyone. "PEGGY?" He yelled, hands clutching at the hem of his shirt desperately.

John's breathing quickened and he raked a hand down his face, making a flash decision and turning towards Alex's cell block, jogging there hurriedly. The exhaust of energy wasn't helping because his uneasiness was still rising in his throat in the form of bile.

He finally reached Alex's cell block and with no surprise he found the cell block gates left open. John jogged in hopefully but all the doors were closed. He ran up to Alex's door, accidentally slipping and slamming into it and hissing in pain with the impact. Through the glass slit he saw Alex jolt and kick his sheets up, his journal slipping off the bed and falling to the floor. He hadn't been asleep, he was writing. Alex's face darted up to the door and a confused expression graced his features when his eyes met John's.

"John?" He asked, voice hoarse as he threw back his bedsheets. He quickly made his way to the door and pressed his hands up against the cool metal, gazing into John's eyes with immense concern through the glass slit.
"Alex!" John sighed in a mixture of relief and desperation.
"John what's going on, why aren't you in your cell?" He asked, shaking the door handle in a helpless attempt to throw the door open.
"I don't know my door didn't close! There aren't any officers anywhere! I don't know what's going on Alex I'm scared," he began to hyperventilate, clawing at the door desperately.

"John calm down, it's going to be fine, w-what do you mean there aren't any officers?" Alex breathed, his heart racing.
"What did you think I meant Alex, the prison's deserted!" He exclaimed.
"I-It's going to be fine John just-" Alex began to assure him before a figure entered the cell behind him.

"Alex what is it?" John whispered worriedly, his voice wavering and tears prickling his eyes. Alex's stomach dropped to his toes and he felt like he was going to vomit. "Alex," John repeated a little louder, grasping at the door worriedly with an expression of sheer horror.

Levi Weeks pounced out of the shadows and before either man could act he threw a bag over John's head, ripping him backwards violently.
"JOHN!" Alex screamed, pounding his fists against the door and thrashing. Alex shouted so loud his throat felt like a cat's scratching pole, pounding and kicking the door helplessly as John was tugged out of the cell block.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HIM! JOHN! SOMEBODY HELP!" Alex's voice faded as John was dragged further and further away, the only sound meeting John's ears now being the deep, sinister chuckles rumbling from Levi's lips.