Cassie woke up the next morning to the sound of a running shower and an argument. The sound of an apparent tug of war made her look out of her bunk and push the black blanket she swore she hadn't wrapped around herself off. Gracie and Ruthie were fighting over a towel, so Cassie assumed Nicole was in the shower.
"Why we gotta do this every morning? Callen showers first cause she doesn't sleep, then me, then you, then Cassie," said Gracie as she tugged on the towel.
"Nah. It me then you!" said Ruthie. Cassie decided not to comment as the shower went off. After a minute a shirtless Nicole entered Cassie's view, her khakis already on and rubbed the towel on her shoulder length auburn hair to dry it.
"If you hurry you can shower next. This might take a bit," recommended Nicole. Cassie quickly took her showering stuff and did.
"Water only runs for five minutes!" warned Nicole. She didn't mention it was lukewarm water. She figured the girl would quickly realize that. She got dressed then turned towards the two grumbling teens.
"Callen, Cassie, Gracie, Ruthie. Alphabetical order," said Nicole. In unison they threw the towel at the smiling Nicole. After all four of them were showered and dressed, their cell door opened for them to line up. A guard came by for commissary orders and breakfast count, then they were ordered to the cafeteria for breakfast.
"How do they open all the doors at once?" asked Cassie .
"In the control tower each pod has a control panel. They can open all the cell doors in a pod at once or one by one," answered Gracie. They entered the cafeteria just as Pod E did. That was all Cassie had time to register before she was quickly pulled behind Gracie and Ruthie.
The girl from the night before broke out of her line and charged at Nicole, her fist raised. Nicole ducked, sending her own fist into Cameron's stomach then hitting her jaw. The two teens became a blur of hits and kicks. The cafeteria was full of yelling, no one else wanting to get involved in case the other side got involved as well. An alarm sounded. Multiple guards rushed passed the spectators to try and pull the fighters. The moment Nicole was forced onto her stomach by a guard she quit fighting. She had learned her first year in tasers hurt. Her hands were quickly handcuffed behind her. Her lip was busted and she had a cut bleeding above her eye. She met Cameron's glare as both girls were pulled to their feet. Cameron spat blood at Nicole. Cameron also had a busted lip, but she also had what looked like a broken nose and the beginnings of a black eye. Nicole glanced at Gracie. Gracie gave a quick nod as Nicole was dragged from the cafeteria and not gently tossed into a padded solitary confinement cell.
Nicole pushed herself up, annoyed they had left her handcuffed. She leaned against the padded wall. All she could do was wait until she got dragged to the warden. Then she'd find out the punishment for her fight with Cameron. She closed her eyes and waited.
"You kick like a freaking mule Callen," came Cameron's voice through the wall Nicole was leaning against . Nicole snorted.
"Just now figuring that out?" retorted Nicole.
"I know who she is Callen. With the way you protecting you, you know too. How long you think you and Russell gonna be able to protect her?" said Cameron.
"Oh we figure long enough," said Nicole.
"You two are going to end up bloody and dead," laughed Cameron.
"No better way to go," said Nicole.
Before Cameron could retort, Nicole's cell door opened and two guards came in and pulled her to her feet and escorted her out of the cell. She saw two guards pull Cameron out of her cell. Both girls were dragged to the warden's office. They were forced to stand before the warden's desk. The warden sighed as she looked up and saw the two girls in front.
"You don't look thrilled to see us," said Nicole.
"I'm not. You want to know why? Because I transferred Perez to a different pod specifically because of this. In two years you two have been before me for fighting each other more times than any other inmate I have ever had. But now I have a way to put a complete stop to it," said the warden, lifting a packet of paper off her desk.
"I, Warden Linda Walker, hereby agree to the transfer of Inmate Cameron Perez to Central California Women's Facility. This transfer goes into affect in one week. You are to remain in solitary confinement until then. Guards take Inmate Perez back to solitary confinement, in a cell away from inmate Callen," ordered Warden Walker. A guard escorted Cameron out.
"Guards, if you would step out. I need a word with Inmate Callen," said the warden. The guards did as ordered. Nicole shifted from foot to foot as the warden looked at her.
"The only reasons you are not joining Perez is your age, security risk, and what you agreed to. That is all. If you wouldn't fight others me and you would not see each other so frequently. The question is now what to do with you," said the warden.
"Could just let me go back to my cell," suggested Nicole.
"Two pods watched you two fight. Granted Perez did start it but you still engaged her. So here's what I'm going to do with you. Two weeks in hole with mail privileges, assessment with a therapist, and you give one lecture to some middle school students. Or I leave you in hole for two months with no privileges for breaking Perez's nose and causing a disturbance," said the warden. She had been pushing for Nicole to attend therapy ever since the teen had entered detention.
"Oh come on. That's blackmail," said Nicole.
" That you have no proof of," said the warden. She knew she had Nicole beat by offering the mail privileges. The warden was the only one in the detention center who knew fully well who Nicole was besides Nicole herself. She was aware of Nicole's father's current medical status. The warden also knew that Nicole's father was the only thing keeping Nicole grounded.
"Fine," gritted out Nicole. She knew she had no choice.
"Great. The guards will take you to your assessment and tomorrow you'll do the lecture," said the warden. That was the end of their conversation as the warden opened the door and instructed the guards to take her for her assessment. They took her to a room down the hall from the warden's office. Inside was a table that was bolted to the floor and two chairs not bolted down. On the table was a link that was about six inches from one side of the table. She had a nasty suspicion what that link was for.
Nicole was uncuffed on one wrist and shoved in a chair. One of the guards ran the handcuffs through the link and recuffed her while the other guard held her in the chair by her shoulders. They then left her only in the room. She heard the door lock as she tugged on the cuffs in slight frustration. Nicole had managed to avoid this situation since her arrival. She was fine in her opinion and didn't want to talk about the past, or the present really. She was broken out of her thoughts by the arrival of a lady carrying a brief case, a first aid kit, and two bottles of water.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Took longer to read your file than I thought it would," said the lady. Nicole shrugged in response as the lady put everything down on her side of the table.
"Anyway I'm Doctor Maureen Cahill. I am the one who will be seeing you both for this assessment and after. So how are you today, Miss Callen?" said Doctor Cahill, noticing Nicole flinch at the title.
"Just lovely," answered Nicole, slightly tugging on the cuffs. The doctor propped her chin up on her hand. She could tell the teen in front of her was afraid of the assessment and was trying to hide it.
"I've read your entire file. How have you managed to be here two years without an assessment even though your file all but screams you need therapy?" asked Cahill.
" Luck? " supplied Nicole.
"I am going to guess what happened. You know the juvenile system is overwhelmed. You knew what the intake officer wanted to hear and see. You essentially played the system by staying under the radar," suggested Cahill.
" Guess you figured me out, " admitted Nicole. Cahill smiled, but decided to back off for now.
"I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions and I want you to answer me as truthfully as you can. Before we begin that though, may I doctor those cuts on you?" said Cahill.
" In case you couldn't tell, I'm not in the position to stop you, " answered Nicole, shaking her wrists to emphasize her point. Behind her glasses Cahill's eyes narrowed at Nicole's deflection. She opened the first aid kit as she stood up and walked to the teen. The teen tensed for a second but slowly relaxed. Cahill opened the disinfectant wipes.
"This is probably going to sting. Sorry," said Cahill.
" I've had worse, " responded Nicole. Cahill cleaned the cut above Nicole's eye first.
"Most thirteen year olds try to avoid gunshot wounds. Yet you willingly took two," commented Cahill.
" Yeah, " confirmed Nicole as Cahill hesitated over Nicole's lip.
"I promise I won't bite you," remarked Nicole.
"Can I trust you?" inquired Cahill. Nicole sighed.
"Doc I'm a designated felon. I'm not going to hurt you. Up to you whether or not you trust me," answered Nicole. Cahill lightly pressed the wipe to the busted lip. Nicole slightly whimpered at the disinfectant . Cahill quickly cleaned it, happy neither cut was actively bleeding.
"Want some water?" asked Cahill, motioning to the two water bottles . Nicole raised a eyebrow at her question.
"There's a straw in my briefcase. I know you're under disciplinary action and can't be uncuffed unless in your cell," said Cahill.
"Then yes. And thanks," answered Nicole . Cahill opened the water and, after placing a straw in it, put it in front of the teen. She sat down and Nicole took a drink. Cahill pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.
"What's your full name and what would you like me to call you? " asked Cahill, starting the assessment.
"Nicole Ashling Callen. Nicole is fine," answered Nicole.
" Favorite color? " asked Cahill.
"Grey. Doesn't matter the shade," answered Nicole.
"Favorite drink?" asked Cahill.
"Irish breakfast tea with milk and honey or a sprite," said Nicole.
" Favorite animal? " asked Cahill. Nicole had to think about that one for a minute.
"Green sea turtles and orcas," said Nicole.
" Favorite band? " asked Cahill, jotting down answers.
"Tie between The Who and Metallica . Although I do like others," answered Nicole .
"Describe your relationship with your father," said Cahill.
" Complicated, " answered Nicole.
"Do you resent him for leaving you with your mom? Do you resent him for being the one to arrest you?" asked Cahill.
" Yes to the first but no to the second, " answered Nicole. That answer surprised Cahill.
"Elaborate please," said Cahill. Nicole sighed.
"I wish my dad had been there more when I was a kid. But I nor him can change that. And I told him to arrest me, " said Nicole. Cahill decided to switch questions.
"Do you still have cravings for ecstasy?" said Cahill. Nicole nodded .
"Have you taken any drugs during your incarceration?" asked Cahill.
" No. I've been clean since I was thirteen, " answered Nicole, meeting Cahill's gaze.
"How long were you addicted?" asked Cahill.
"Two years. Or just about two, " answered Nicole.
"Any suicidal thoughts?" asked Cahill.
"Yes," answered Nicole .
"When?" asked Cahill. Silence reigned as the teen looked at the floor.
" Guessing right after you entered detention and right after your father was shot, " stated Cahill. Nicole glared at her but sighed.
"Close. Second week in, my sister's birthday, Christmas, and yeah when I saw my father get shot," answered Nicole.
"Any attempts?" asked Cahill.
" No. Just thoughts, " said Nicole. Cahill stopped the questioning so Nicole could drink some more water.
"Do you have nightmares or night terrors?" asked Cahill. A nod yes was her answer. Cahill frowned, but wasn't entirely surprised. The next question would probably not get an answer, but she had to ask it.
"Did you agree to protect Cassandra Caffrey for the FBI because of your sister's death?" asked Cahill.
" Yes. Yes I did. "
Next Chapter: Cahill meets Callen, Nicole gains a fan after her lecture, and Callen visits Nicole.