A/N: Hey all! This is my first OITNB fic – which doesn't have a title yet. Hopefully I won't butcher it too much. There is an OC in it and I'm really hoping I can keep her from becoming a Mary Sue – I was up for a challenge. Keep me in line! This will take in to count Season 4. Leave now if you don't want to know anything.

You gone? Good. Okay, so there's only two differences that I can think of. The first being that the new girls never came and Fischer is going to be in the story. I haven't decided if she never left or if she's come back – for now those details don't matter.

This is going to focus a lot on Nicky and Red's connection, but hopefully I'll come up with bits and pieces for the others as well. This is really just a prologue, so let me know what you think and if you're interested?

xxx

It seemed like all the important players were there that morning. Nicky, Red, Piper, Gloria, Maritza, Flaca, Taystee, Janae, Black Cindy, Doggett, Leanne, Angie, Frieda, & Big Boo. It was built up of all the leaders - and Big Boo, obviously looking to see what the new eye candy might be. Everyone else there was to feel out the newbies for recruitment. It wasn't often they got new people in groups, but the 15 women before them were worth coming out for.

To the casual observer it looked like there were: five for the whites, two for the Hispanics, three for the blacks, one for the golden girls, and four unclaimed. Red had been here long enough to know where the unclaimed would end up.

She didn't take just anyone, but she was smart enough to size them up first. They four women hadn't even bounded together. She watched them for a few moments with no desire to rush things.

The three darker skinned women stood together and seemed to be sizing up the inmates in quiet inquiry. Occasionally they made observations to each other, but mostly they just examined.

Two of the Hispanics were already in quick conversation. One of the unclaimed had already seemed to align herself with the them. She wasn't talking, but it was obvious that she was still a player in their conversation. Gloria would snatch her up anyways. That onelooked like she was a fighter and with Aleida gone she would need the reinforcement.

Most of the whites were standing together, but they weren't all sure about each other. The five of them stood close, but didn't seem as tight as the other two groups.

Two of the other whites were by themselves. Red already knew Doggett would snatch them up, solely based on the fact that they had isolated themselves away from the other white women.

It was the last that interested her the most. She looked terrified, trying to blend in with nothing - hoping to avoid notice. She even kept her gaze down, not really meeting anyone's eyes. Red could see her sneakily checking everyone out though.

It wasn't like the black women sizing them up - it was curiosity that stirred within her. She didn't know where to turn. She caught Red's eye on accident and the older woman just quirked a brow her way. She had seen enough to know.

"That one," Red said, firmly to Nicky. She had decided.

"The scrawny young one? Why?" Nicky asked in disbelief.

Red quickly turned to Nicky and snapped, "Because I said so." She saw Nicky's eyes widen and sighed. "Have I ever led you wrong?"

Nicky ducked her head and responded, "No Ma, ya haven't. I'm just surprised. I don't see what you do, apparently." She looked over at the girl and studied her, searching for whatever it was that had peaked Red's interest.

The girl looked up for the first time and found Nicky's eyes. This time she didn't turn away or hide. You could see the struggle as her face took on panic, but she couldn't look away. Red nodded to herself and repeated. "That one Nicky, for definite."

Nicky was still staring at the stranger. "Yeah, sure." She nodded slowly, then looked over at Red. "What's the plan?" The woman - girl, in question barely looked old enough to be here, let alone any use to them.

"You are Nicky. I want you to befriend her and bring her in before Piper does," she said quietly as she leaned close enough that Piper couldn't here. "We may be all on the same side united, but there are definitely groups in this circle - I want her in ours."

It was true, while all the women in their tribe were free to follow whomever they wanted at any moment - there was definitely a chasm. There were steadfast members to each. Unlike the differences between the whites and the other clans - both Piper and Red served different purposes. They just had a different approach to problems.

Nicky crossed her arms. "I still don't know why I have to do it. You know how I feel about responsibility Ma. I got enough trouble just keeping myself in life."

Red looked at the Nicky with a smirk at the other women's pouting before turning serious. "This job is for you. That is the end of it," she said, before turning away and leaving. Most of the groups were already beginning to disperse, but Nicky stayed.

Boo came over to stand next to her. "What do you think? Plenty of young meat this time. Maybe you won't even have to fight me for one or two. Especially that one," she said to Nicky.

"Listen to me, Red's already claimed her. She's ours. If you touch her or mess with her, you won't see what's headed your way and I promise you won't like it." Nicky said, with all the ferociousness of Red.

Even Big Boo was surprised. She put two hands up in concession. "Okay Mama's girl, that one's yours, but the rest - it's like a lesbian's dream buffet." She stood there for a moment, but when Nicky wouldn't stop staring at her, she excused herself.

Nicky looked back over to the girl, but the line had already cleared out and she was in with the guards now. "What the fuck have you gotten me into Red?" she asked herself in frustration before leaving. She was late, not that Luscheck would care. It would still be hours before they got to interact with the new women anyways.