Thank you for beta'ing, A Star In My Universe!

Wow, that new season was intense, to say the least! I'm scared for my babies and hope they'll all be okay for the final season next year...we need justice for Blanca, Gloria, Taystee, Red...and I hope Lorna didn't lose her baby, that would be awful! I'm so happy the kickball game turned into a safe and enjoyable activity! Also Gloria's dancing was fun and sexy (I think Selenis was just being herself in those scenes though lol) and Blanca and Diablo were super cute, I loved her wanting to get pregnant. I obviously don't ship Gloria and Aleida with Luschek and Rick Hopper, respectively, because in my universe, they're with Fahri and Leon, respectively lol...besides, those white guys just don't seem to suit my favorite Latina mamas and they play freakin Fantasy Inmate, which is so dirty. Gloria deserves better and Aleida needs a man who won't let heroin in the house PERIOD. Also, Daddy's gotta go, that chick is a bad influence on Daya. Like, full stop.

Warnings: sexual harassment, racial slurs, violence, mentions of pedophilia, and body mutilation

As the bus travels further away from Franco, Allison realizes it came from out of nowhere, and the driver appears frazzled and strung out. She keeps rubbing her eyes to keep them open, but miraculously, she hasn't gotten them into an accident. Her stringy hair is a mousy brown color and looks like it hasn't been washed for days, and her teeth resemble that of a drug addict's. She's probably homeless, very mentally ill, high, or a combination of the three options. Allison wonders if this woman even knows what she's doing, picking up random people who may or may not be dangerous. She wheels Farah's stroller back and forth in a calming motion for the little girl and combs through her brain for something to say.

"So, where are you headed?"

"I'm going back home. Uh...it's kinda weird that you stopped here, since there's no-"

"I just saved your ass...and your daughter's, you should be more grateful, little girl," the lady cuts her off.

"You're right, I'm sorry, thank you."

"I gotta be honest here, I'm not even a real bus driver, I stole this and then I saw him and wanted to be a hero. Women look out for each other."

Allison just nods and smiles.

"Plus, I had to get away from the goddamn flies. You know how that is? I really hope they don't come in here!"

"Uh huh...me neither," Allison says awkwardly.


Ever since Saturday at quarter to midnight, Vee had been in a sour mood. Taystee knows she doesn't love Fahri that much, and she hadn't wanted to be near her for a while. She needed some time away from Vee so she could gather up her thoughts and not have her foster mother's questionable influence seeping into her, like it does Cindy, Janae, and Suzanne, especially the girl who's highly mentally ill. Nor does she want anyone else's opinions, except her own. Being with her friends at Flaca's slumber party, and then Poussey and Allison on Sunday when they spent the night at the Washingtons was so much fun, and she felt like a completely different person around them. Lila, Poussey's mother, had driven them to school Monday. Then, they hung out in the afternoon, along with the rest of their crew, watching Alex tear apart a bigot, and in the evening, seeing Shall We Dance. Taystee would've gone to Miss Claudette's place, but she was busy. Besides, Miss Claudette has the company of both her husband and their brand new foster daughter, Odette, a girl who worked at Clean Makers with the older woman until Miss Claudette found out that Odette was being abused by a homeowner whenever she cleaned his house. Taystee had decided to finally come home after watching the film with her girls, when Vee was already in bed, and they'd eaten breakfast in complete silence. Vee isn't mad at her. She knows that Taystee has a life outside of being a drug dealer, and it puts less suspicion on them anyway. They just don't know what to say to each other, until now.

"You're trying to manipulate me into thinking this is okay, and it really ain't!" Taystee declares strongly. She's starting not to care about the wealth, since she wants Gloria to be happy with a guy who seems like he really enjoys her company. She can't bear Vee embarrassing herself any further by working so hard to keep Fahri in their family when Vee only wants his money.

Vee gestures around their apartment. "No, I'm not, Taystee Girl! Look how poor we are!"

"Being rich would be great, but he don't love you, he's more into Gloria, everyone can see that! Let someone else win for a change, alright?"

"I'll do what I want, that bitch was abused by her ex and she's never going to go after him!" Vee states angrily. She glowers at Taystee, who stands her ground. "Arturo told me she asked for it."

"She did not! He was one evil motherfucker," Taystee states strongly. "Anyway, I just think it's a good idea to back the fuck down!"

"Alright, fine. I'll make you a deal. If you sell smokes in school, I'll stop pursuing him. Do not say a word about this to Suzanne!"

Taystee ponders this for a moment. "Okay," she murmurs through a sigh. "I can't get in trouble, though...they do Breathalyzer tests and shit."

"I didn't say go to school high! It's just cigarettes...your fellow students can find themselves lighters anywhere. Hide 'em in tampon boxes for girls and distribute it to the boys via small Kleenex packages, I dunno. Slip them through the lockers when no staff is looking."

"Okay, then...you got it." Taystee grins while shaking hands with Vee. "Hey, a sister's wonderin' here...did Arturo hurt you and that's why you split?"

Vee scoffs and sniggers. "Of course he didn't, I'm not some stupid wimp!"


"Can somebody tell me how I got harassed on the street while walking my baby in her stroller just as the sun was about to come up? Oh my god, I'm still shaking," Allison tells the girls once she arrives at the front of the school.

"Say what now?" Flaca demands.

"Yo, that's messed up," Poussey mutters.

"He said his name was Franco...he was mad about somethin' at first, but he was speaking Spanish, so I couldn't understand him. One of the words sounded like mays-eyel."

"That's cornfield in Spanish," Blanca informs her.

Nicky knits her brows. "You're shitting me. Where was this?!"

"What'd he look like?" Lorna wants to know.

"By where the children in the poor neighborhood play basketball. It was my mistake to bring Farah anywhere near the area, but I thought I could pass it without a problem. Obviously, I didn't. He had a square head, an unfriendly expression about him, kind of soulless eyes. He got beat up, I dunno how, or who did it, but it musta been in some cornfield," Allison continues. "After he started hounding me about my daughter, I hightailed it outta there, got on some bus this strange woman stole from God knows where, and we were home again, safe and sound. I had the weirdest morning!"

"You sure did," Daya murmurs.

"I'm glad you're okay," Alex puts in.

"Me too. Like, we all are," Maritza adds.

"Thanks," Allison mumbles.

A girl who resembles a gangbanger version of Daya strides up to them while bouncing a basketball just before Maria is about to say something. They've never seen her before. "How you doin'?" she asks Daya flirtatiously. "Don't you look just smashin' this fine mornin'!" She spins the orange ball on her finger and tucks it underneath her arm.

"Uh...thanks?" Daya cautiously shakes the girl's hand when she sticks it out. "We're just waiting for our classes to start, so..."

"I am too." She snickers. "Just kidding, I'm finished with school. Fuck college! My bitch lives in the next town over, I'mma see her tonight, but you know what? You're fine, too, and I got plenty of hookers...are you interested? Name's Daddy."

Nicky eyes her suspiciously. "You're a pimp? Like, a lesbian John?"

"Why don't they just refer to you as Mama?" Alana asks.

"I'm Daddy, smarty pants. There's your answer." She nods at Nicky. "Sure, you could call me a pimp. The hos love me." She winks in Daya's direction. "You interested?"

"Uhhh, I'm sorry...I'm straight."

The pimp scoffs. "So's spaghetti before it's boiled, right? Lemme know if you change your mind." When she turns around and leaves, the girls stifle awkward giggles beneath their palms, and Daya shakes her head.

"Fuckin' weird," Alex mutters, pulling Michelle closer to her.

"Heyyy, what are all you bitches talkin' about?" Taystee asks as she, Cindy, and Janae come up to them. She puts her arms around Poussey and Allison and pats their shoulders as a wide grin sets on her face.

"This random chick pimp came up to us just now and made a pass at Daya," Poussey tells her and shakes her head. "She's gotta be eighteen at the youngest."

"She calls herself Daddy," Michelle puts in while wrinkling her nose.

"What kinda weird-ass..." Janae doesn't finish her question, but she guffaws. "In my house, Daddy means father! This bitch ain't even a dude!"

"That's how it is with people all the time, but some just have that kink," Ouija points out.

"Yeah, and not everybody gonna be feelin' it," Pidge tacks on.

"This is the same exact spot where Nicky and Lorna met, and I spotted Yadriel hangin' around here, too," Maria lets them all know.

"What you tryin' to say?" Flaca asks.

Lorna gasps happily. "Of course! This is a destined couples area! I know you're straight, Daya, but I thought I was too before Nicky!"

Daya giggles. "No. If we was in prison, I'd be gay for the stay, but out here, nah. I mean, she's cute, but a bit too rough around the edges for me, but sweet, too, if you get what I'm sayin'?" She scoffs. "I'll probably never see her again, so whatever, right?"

"Abuela told me shitty things make up a package of three. Well, for one thing, Diablo's absent today, and then the story about Allison's encounter with this creep, and now, another toxic relationship for you, Daya! It's doomed," Blanca warns her.

Daya raises her hands in the air and lets them fall to her sides. "You can't predict that...and like I said, she's most likely not gonna show up or try to find me. There's nothin' even between us, she just flirted with me! It'd definitely be different than dating John, maybe a bit more interesting without getting pregnant."

Maritza scowls at her. "Didn't you and Adarsh literally just go on a date?"

"It wasn't a romantic one...he seems to like me, though. I can't read his mind, though...I like someone who's more straightforward with their feelings."

"He probably doesn't wanna make you feel weird," Alex tells her.

"Don't blow off a perfectly nice dude for some weird chick who's the Mexican version of Stella," Michelle recommends.

Allison wrinkles her nose. "She smelled like...real drugs, and that bad haircut is just...ugh! You got a baby comin', you can't be-"

"Okay, can we get off this kick?" Daya asks exasperatedly. "I never said I was flat-out into her!"

"You implied it, puta," Maritza points out, and everyone nods in agreement. "I'm seriously callin' you that if you get with her. She's a literal pimp." Daya just rolls her eyes.

Taystee beckons the girls to follow her to the back of the building. "Y'all, come here. We gonna sell cigarettes to help out Vee...it's the only way she'll stop goin' after Fahri."

"She gonna get yo ass in trouble!" Poussey states. "Can't you work your magic some other way?"

"Calm down! She has a solution...you'll see. I just wanted to tell the rest of our crew."

"Well, that ain't for us, thanks," Pidge mutters.

"Yeah, Gloria once offered us a smoke, but I turned it down since my mom has a Ritz cracker-sized hole in her neck," Ouija puts in. "I think she was just tryin' to be cool...get us to stop calling her a bossy twatwaffle to her face."

"Did it work?" Maria asks, slightly amused.

"Nah, we still did it behind her back," Pidge lets her know. "It's weird, I wanna apologize for that now."

"You should," Allison scolds them.

"It's okay, you had no idea," Maria tells Ouija and Pidge. "Supongo que no entiendo por qué querría que sus hijos se preocupen por eso, ahora que lo pienso."

I guess I don't understand why she'd want her kids around that, now that I think about it."

Blanca grits her teeth. "Quizás sintió que no tenía otra opción, que haría algo peor." She glances over at Taystee. "Alright, hit me with a smoke."

Maybe she felt like she had no other choice, that he'd do somethin' worse.

"None for me, please," Lorna pipes up.

"Yeah, it's not my thing, either," Alana agrees.

Nicky shoots her hand up. "I'll have one."

"Samesies!" Maritza squeals, bouncing in place.

"I only do it after reading a steamy novella," Flaca says.

"I wouldn't mind," Alex chimes in.

"Me neither," Michelle adds in a nasally voice. "Except not for a while, since I have a cold."

"I can't, on account of that I'm pregnant," Daya reports.

"Yeah, we shouldn't, because we don't want our daughters to smell ash on our breaths," Allison murmurs, gesturing towards herself and Maria.

"Well, in that case..." Taystee glances around and discreetly slides a thin cigarette enclosed inside a tampon holder into the sweatshirt pockets of the girls who want to smoke, and they grin at her. "Light 'em up when you can, ladies! Michelle, feel better soon!" They sneak through an empty area and hide the cigarettes in their books by hollowing them out and putting the smokes in there, just in case of a random locker search. They stuff their books into their lockers. All they can do now is hope they don't get caught.

Brook catches up to Poussey at the same exact moment a red-haired older woman passes by them. "Is...that..." Poussey asks breathlessly, pointing at her as she exits the hall.

"Judy King?" Taystee finishes for her.

"Holy shit!" Brook squeals. "It is her!"

Poussey faints, but they both catch her. "Wow, I wish Cate Blanchett could come to our school," Alex mutters.

"For me, Johnny Cash...he should sing, but Judy's the next best thing! Oooh, I made a rhyme!" Angie chirps as she pops up in the hallway and disappears.

"He's dead, you dumbass! Ms. Jones told you that already!" Lorna calls out after her.

"Why don't you go talk to her instead of flopping all over the place?" Cindy suggests to Poussey.

"I'm too shy! Damn, don't pressure me."

"I will, then," Brook volunteers.

"Thanks, baby!"

"One of the little piggies is back!" Red announces suddenly on their way to the courtyard, making them practically jump out of their skin and gasp sharply with their hands over their hearts. "I'm sorry for scaring you girls, but I just had to warn you, especially since you're alone."

"Jesus, there's like sixteen of us!" Nicky protests. "Wait, what are you talking about?" She turns to Blanca. "Did you give her speed again?" she half-jokes.

Blanca scoffs and chuckles. "No!"

"She's right, and I don't do that anymore. I'm saying that Ratman's here, scurrying around the school, trying to snatch some pieces of cheese, or any unlucky students that cross his path!" Red's eyes widen. "Apparently, those methheads had him locked up in a pen and he escaped, so the school board sees him as an innocent victim and he can work here again!"

"Hell fucking no!" Maria snarls. "They can't let him!"

Blanca groans loudly. "He should piss himself, see how he likes it!"

"Probablemente ya lo hizo, en un cubo de caca," Pidge murmurs, and Ouija cracks up.

He probably already did, in some shit bucket

"No puede ir al baño con otras personas a su alrededor, así que pensé: '¡Bueno, nadie puede, idiota!'" Maria reports, and the Spanish-speaking girls laugh hysterically.

He can't go to the bathroom with others around him, so I was like, 'Well, nobody can, dumbass!

"Fucker deserved it! Also, rumor has it, Z had Luschek over when her mom wasn't home and pretended to hold him hostage for an entire day to give him a boner, and he earned the title Piss Bitch." Ouija says. "I gave him that name."

"He threw scissors at her head," Michelle reports. "Did they really get kidnapped, like, together?"

Zirconia strides past them and smirks proudly. "I guess Methhead Cracker One and Two decided Ratman needed a buddy for a day and I was feelin' horny, so I wanted Luschek to get it up. He hummed a low note to try helping Ratman use the shitter-"

"I don't wanna know!" Alex interrupts her and then rolls her eyes.

"Anyway, Red...thanks for preparing us," Lorna mumbles.

"Do your other co-workers know?" Daya wonders aloud.

"Of course, I've been searching for you girls all morning!"

"Is he back to teaching Spanish?" Alana asks nervously.

Red shrugs. "That one, I have no idea."

"We gotta get him fired," Taystee declares. "I'll try talkin' to Mr. C. He and I are cool."

"Ooooh, damn girl, you're lucky, I like that 'stache of his..."

Taystee gives Cindy a disgusted look. "Eeew! Nah, man, that's some nasty shit thinkin' right there. I think of him as like, my daddy, in the platonic sense of the word! We close like that now. He thinks I'm intelligent and dedicated to my secretary job...first dude to ever say that to me, besides RJ."

"Aww, well, I hope it works!" Maritza tells her, and the others give her encouraging nods and hugs of support.

"Thanks, peeps!"


"Why you givin' her extra waffles?" Gloria asks as Aleida hands Suzanne a tray of breakfast while winking at her. The girl nods and smirks brightly just before she walks off.

"I heard that her mentor is having one of the girls in their crew sell smokes. I already got some for us!" Aleida grins. "You're welcome!"

"They're stale if they're from Vee, and providing Suzanne with anything she wants ain't even worth it," Gloria cautions her while leading her into the backroom. "You gonna cough on 'em like I did."

"They from nineteen-eighty-three or somethin'?"

"Yeah! Trust me, you're better off getting fresh ones from my bodega."

Aleida scoffs. "Why the fuck would she sell shit quality cigarettes?"

Gloria rolls her eyes. "She a cheap scorpion ho, that's why."

"You know all this, how?"

Gloria shivers involuntarily. "She worked with Arturo. The bitch came to my house a few times, and I went to hers with him. He forced me to make her cake because she wanted it for herself and her minions, and in exchange, she gave me stale cigarettes!"

"Those motherfuckers," Aleida mutters harshly. "I'll take your word for it, girl." Her expression darkens upon seeing Judy King in the flesh. "Holy shit, what's she doin' here?" Aleida hisses.

"Well, darling, I'm here to work hard!" Judy's annoying Southern accented speech rings out.

"That's gonna be a problem," Gloria states. "Newbies can't start without Red, she's like, the head chef."

"Además, la odio, ella me recuerda a Jack. Él es como, su fan número uno. A la mierda rico privilegio blanco."

Plus, I hate her, she reminds me of Jack. He's like, her number one fan. Fuck rich white privilege.

Gloria tosses Aleida a sympathetic glance. "Ugh, I feel ya."

"Now, Reg, my husband, and Bill Montgomery, my boyfriend with a ponytail, and all my fans would beg to differ. I'm the best cook there is, that's why I'm the host of my own television show!"

"Then how come you ain't hostin' it?" Aleida snaps, and Gloria and Norma purse their lips and set their fists on their hips.

Claudette simply glares at Judy and shakes her head. "You should not brag of your accomplishments. We're all doing the same job here."

Judy steps back from her, appearing to be frightened. "I'm starting to get flicker vertigo in my old age, and my bodyguard, Leeson, can't watch out for me all the time, so it's more mellowed out at a high school. Thank goodness I wasn't around a month ago, I heard all about the violence and sexual abuse here."

Aleida scoffs and looks her up and down. "Please, those disgusting perverts would've never harassed you had you worked here back then. If anything, they'd protect your wealthy pink ass."

"Well, the boss wanted me to teach a cooking class after starting out in the kitchen after a counselor, Mr. Healy told me to, even though I wanted to try teaching in Woodshop. They both said seeing a celebrity chef could motivate students to come to school more, and I would've rather taught Woodshop with Mr. Luschek, but there is nothing better than helping underprivileged kids learn how to-"

"What, curl zucchini ribbons like you do on your daytime television program?" Red tsks and smirks slyly. "You're just attempting to boost your reputation because you got slammed with tax evasion. Our girls don't need to know how to make fancy shit. They have enough trouble with skinning potatoes and focusing on their tasks rather than carving silly faces in cucumbers as it is."

"Well, my specialty is corn, actually. I can do a mean filled corn shooter, corn like it's on the streets in Taiwan, and a good ol' Southern fried corn," Judy brags.

Red steps up to her, smirking. "My corn was so good that a group of girls stole some from my garden where I was growing it. I hosted a big, fancy dinner and it included corn, which made everyone's taste buds go wild."

"Are you suggesting we have a cook-off, Miss-?"

"Red. That would make things interesting, wouldn't it?" Red folds her arms over her chest and cocks her head to one side. She raises an eyebrow and the other women flank her, two on each side.

Red and Judy stare each other down until Angie and Maureen pop in, each holding a cookbook. "Can you sign this?" they ask in unison while handing Judy the cookbooks.

"Certainly, my dears."

Red leads the ladies to the opposite side of the room and gathers them into a huddle. "She may have the upper hand since she's famous, but I'm going to bake something special into her food so that when she eats it, her ass will be like a firecracker."

They cackle together. "Laxatives?" Claudette whispers incredulously.

"Oh, yes!" Red murmurs. "We'll all do it, like a prank on the newbie for her boasting!"

"You're mean, but I love this plan," Gloria says through a giggle, and Norma grins craftily.

"Nah, she totally deserves it! Struttin' her fucking self around here like she own the place!" Aleida mutters.

"Can I have a coconut cake now, Ma?" Nicky cuts in. "Excuse me, Jackie O." She squeezes past Brook, who is chattering away with Judy.

"It's too early for a sugar rush, my girl," Red insists and then turns around. "You'll have to ask Miss Claudette, that's her forte."

Nicky pouts, and Red beams at her adorableness. "Okay, then."

"I will be happy to," Miss Claudette says. "You better like it. Any complaints, and I can make you have nightmares."

"Got it."

"Where's your girls?" Aleida wants to know.

"Eh, they're outside, I, uh, wanted to talk to Red and kinda have her all to myself for a few minutes," Nicky responds.

"There are several cups of Jell-O in the fridge if you're really hungry, though, take them and pass them out to your friends," Red lets her know.

"Awesome!" Nicky grins. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

"You spoil them," Gloria points out teasingly. "Aleida and I do too, so we can't complain!"

"That's what mothers do with their children!" Red declares, and they all beam at each other.

Gloria switches on the burners and oils the frying pans just as Fahri arrives. Judy steps away from him like he's a bug on her shoe and makes a disgusted face. Gloria shakes her head at the woman's rudeness. It's not that surprising, though, since an uppity bitch like her would be grossed out to be in the presence of a janitor. The other ladies greet him with smiles and hellos, and Aleida gives him a one-armed hug. Gloria bends down to the stove and pours small circles of pancake mixture, banana slices, blueberries, and chocolate chips into one of the pans.

"Hey, please be careful," Fahri warns her gently. "I can feel the heat from here."

"Okay?" She pushes a few stray black strands back into her hairnet. "I only had a few accidents in my whole life and I been cooking since I was fourteen. I took classes all through high school. I'm real good at this, like excellent. I ain't even clumsy."

"That's interesting! I know, I'm not saying that you aren't skilled at this, it's clear that you're a wonderful cook. It's just that your arm was hovering close to the hot pan's edge, and one wrong move...yee-ouch!" He touches his own arm and winces, as if he's acting out what he's afraid of happening to her.

"Ay dios mío, you wanna try doing my job?" she asks with a bite to her tone. "Look, I cut all that fruit with this knife!" She shows him the chopped-up strawberries and peaches and the sharp blade that sank into them. She displays her hands with her palms facing him and wiggles her fingers. "See? Nothin'! I ain't even bleedin'! Why you bein' so overprotective of me, Mr. Extra Cautious?" Gloria chuckles and rolls her eyes. "Por favor..."

"Well, that's good you didn't hurt yourself! I just want you to be safe." Gloria notices that Fahri is standing a bit farther away from her than normal.

She knits her brows and slips on the oven mitts Fahri hands her and then keeps the pan steady with one hand as she flips over the banana, blueberry, and chocolate chip pancakes with a spatula. "What is going on with you today?"

"Nothing, I just, uh..." Fahri scratches the back of his head and concern fills his warm brown eyes. "I'd rather not discuss it here. Can we talk later?"

"Sure," Gloria responds pleasantly. She grows worried. "Are you alright, though?"

"I am. So, it was very nice meeting your kids, by the way. They're awesome and adorable, of course!"

Gloria smiles, pleased. "Thank you, they enjoyed talking to you, too. I loved meeting Farah, like officially, as well."

Fahri beams. "She wants you to play with her at her party."

She giggles. "You can tell her I'd be delighted to!"

"Okay, then, I will!" He taps the side of his neck. "A bird in flight, that's a neat tattoo you have! I'm guessing it represents freedom?"

She grins proudly and touches the inking on her skin. "It does...and thank you! So many people are stuck in situations they hate, and this symbolizes one of the best feelings ever. My tattoo means a lot to me. Whenever I see it in a mirror or a picture or whatever, I get the most amazing and powerful sensations flowing through me, like I can do anything, you know?"

Fahri nods and beams at her. "Definitely."


"Yet another fucked-up thing I did!" Lorna mumbles dejectedly.

"Babe...Marka coming back wasn't your complete fault, you didn't have a clue that she was that much of a cunt," Nicky assures her. She pulls her girlfriend in for a hug and kisses her temple as they walk with several of their friends to their homerooms. Diane is with them since they could run into Ratman at any moment now. The hallway they're currently in is vacant.

"Yeah, you gotta stop blaming yourself," Flaca puts in.

"I guess I should. I'm just tired of making mistakes."

"It's part of life," Alex tells Lorna.

"You only learn from them," Diane says wisely.

"Oh, shit, it's Ratman," Maria grumbles as he comes their way, smirking, even though he has a busted face thanks to Diablo's work. "The Latinas hate him the most out of all the shitbags." Alex, Nicky, and Flaca quickly get in front of their shorter girlfriends, and Blanca links arms with Nicky. Alana clutches Diane's hand, and they all glare at Ratman. Allison, Maria, and Daya are behind them. They attempt to move along, but he stops them in their tracks with a long crowbar.

"Stupid fucker," Michelle whispers while pressing her face into Alex's back.

"I wish mi Diablo was here," Blanca chimes in, and Nicky rubs her back sympathetically.

"Yadriel too, for me," Maria adds. "He's looking for us, he just texted me."

"So is Adarsh," Daya reports.

"Let me tell you bitches something!" Ratman shouts in their faces. "You took down our man and now, Piscatella's in the hospital-"

"Yeah? So are Humps and Dixon, and they're all beat up because they were assholes, so why don't you take some notes and stop trying to be a tough guy?" Nicky speaks up. She chuckles as he comes closer to her. "You should meet my friend, Michel. There's this strip joint underneath the Queensboro Bridge, and he runs it. I hear you enjoy that activity."

"Nicky, shhh," Lorna mumbles nervously and covers her eyes. The rest of them give Nicky disapproving stares.

"I'll kick your ass if you say another goddamn word, inmate. Yeah, Piscatella told us everything, you're supposed to be in jail, you dirty criminal. You even look the part...all you need is an orange jumpsuit." Ratman points at Maria. "You too...but at least you're hot." Everyone scowls. "That was some scary shit you pulled, though, but you're a totally different person around your crew, I see. I want you all to know what it's like to be trapped in a basement half naked and having to look at your own feces and urine for months at a time!"

"What the fuck is he talking about?" Alex hisses, and Maria averts her gaze to the floor.

"Nothin'! I just gave him a taste of his own medicine. He made my best friend's life even worse one time."

Diane gives Ratman a hard stare. "Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. Our. Way. We got places to go."

"I could care about that as much as I do about Reznikov not being able to find her lip pencil and makeup mirror, which is, as you know, not at all. I once held your dear mother figure hostage in the backroom, along with who she called cue balls and a dirty mop. Now, out of them, I wanted to bang Helen, but with Kasey's hair, and Helen liked me back, but refused to wear a wig, so we didn't fuck...but at this moment, I'd like your daughter's head on Nichols' body with yours and Morello's tits combined, and then the skin tone of Gonzales, Ramos, Flores, Diaz, Carerras, and Ruiz altogether for my dream girl. Also, she needs to have Mendoza's ass, so let her know that. Dixon, Humps, and I were discussing that in the hospital earlier. We have fetishes for Hispanics because they're great lovers and exotic."

They appear close to throwing up, and Alex's stomach churns in disgust. "Gross," Maritza says quietly and hugs Flaca tighter.

"Man, it's good to be back in the trenches!"

"This isn't the Afghanistan war," Alana pipes up.

"We were in it, and it will always feel like that, no matter where we are. Don't make me punch you in the nose again, stupid bitch!" Alana whimpers at this and Diane holds her closer. "I'd rather you little cunts be behind glass so your tiny squeaky voices won't be in my ears and you won't stink." He looks pointedly at Blanca, who trembles and avoids his beady eyes. "You know what, though, you look a lot better than last year, and you smell good too." He winks at her and licks his lips. "Not so defiant and tough now, are you, sexy mami?" Blanca shifts her gaze to Diane helplessly and squeezes Nicky's hand. She appears to be terrified and furious at the same time.

"Frieda tricked you with wolfsbane, didn't she? That's how she escaped, she shot a dart into your neck that was soaked in the stuff! Greeks poisoned their arrows with it, while the Germans used it on their bullets." Diane snaps, and Alex enjoys how badass her mother is being, strong in the face of danger for them.

Daya scoffs and folds her arms across her chest. "Wow, you're pathetic. Now move," she adds in a no-nonsense tone.

"The bell is about to ring," Allison points out.

Diane glances down at the crowbar. "Are you gonna use that on all of us? That'd be a bloody mess, and really hard to explain to the judge. You'd get sentenced for life."

He guffaws. "Why would I? It's too hard, and it would be quite loud."

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Yadriel cuts in, and the group breaks apart when Maria rushes into his arms. "This dipshit bothering y'all?"

"He's got a fucking crowbar!" Maria lets him know.

"Your girlfriend can handle herself!" Ratman snaps.

"Do your job, idiot," Adarsh tells Ratman evenly. "Leave them alone." He puts his arm around Daya. "You okay?"

"Yes, he was trying to scare us, but he didn't do that great of a job," Daya answers him with a grin. "He more made us sick."

"Next time, I'm using this!" Ratman threatens them and stalks off.


After power walking to Mr. Caputo's office, Red groans out loud at seeing the vice principal, Linda, through the glass window, and her real superior boss nowhere in sight. Neither is Taystee. "Fuck! It's worth a try," she grumbles to herself. She bursts through the door marked Principal. "Linda...I need to speak with you," she starts out briskly. "First of all, where are Joe and Tasha?"

"He's out sick, and I don't need a secretary," Linda answers flippantly. "Why else do you think I've fired twenty-nine of my assistants? What do you want?"

"Jesus...why would you let Mr. Stratman back here if he made this poor girl stand on some table like a goat last year and threatened my friend and a bunch of students with a crowbar?" Red wants to know as she sits down across from Linda.

"It's my understanding that he was kidnapped, and probably traumatized-"

Red scoffs and her temper flares. "Oh, bullshit! What are they gonna do to him? They're innocent, but he is cruel! He shouldn't be around this school at all!" She frowns as Linda gets up out of her seat and walks over to her.

"I know who you're talking about...Blanca Flores. She's a dirty illegal immigrant, and she'll be lucky if Mr. Stratman's lawyer doesn't send her back to Mexico," Linda says in a chillingly cold voice. "He wasn't being violent, either this time or the last, she was defying him, and her punishment was absolutely necessary. I want to see her deported. Now, why don't you go back to the kitchen?"

"She's from the Dominican Republic, actually." Red glares daggers at the bitch and stands. "How can you be so evil? How the fuck do you live with yourself? I'll get in touch with your boyfriend when he returns. I don't think he'll be too pleased to hear you're a racist piece of shit and fucking a woman behind his back."

"Don't you threaten me, commie!" Linda yells as Red storms out.


"I gotta say, weed is not as good as heroin," Nicky declares as she watches the cloud of smoke rising from her cigarette.

"Well, smelling reefer on you isn't very pleasant," Lorna mutters, fanning her nose and stepping away from Nicky. "I'll be with the non-smokers over here, not cooking my lungs black."

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to get it on you!" Nicky protests.

"I know, it's okay."

Nicky waves goodbye at Lorna, who gets on a bus with Flaca and Maritza. Then, it's just Alex, Nicky, and Blanca leaning against a brick wall covered in graffiti and smoking to their heart's content. "Dude, this street art is like, outta this world!" Blanca points out, and the three girls crack up as the sensation of being high washes over them. "Nicky, yours and Daya's was my favorite, so don't worry that you guys aren't the best, because you totally are!"

"Yeah, this is kinda messy anyhow," Alex murmurs.

Nicky beams happily. "Thanks! Isn't this euphoria amazing?" She closes her eyes and sighs with delight.

"Oh, god, yes!" Alex breathes out.

"Mm-hmm...ah, shit, there's some people passing us," Blanca grumbles as she hides her cigarette and gestures for the others to do the same.

"What? I picked a part of Queens where nobody would notice!" Nicky almost has a heart attack when she sees who the couple is-a man with brown hair and glasses and a woman with long black tresses and dark eyes. It's Les Nichols and a very pregnant Pamela Schwaid, her so-called father and her other nanny who would take over when Paloma couldn't. She quickly walks up to them. "How cute, a fucking family stroll! Congratulations on that, by the way," Nicky snaps at him sarcastically. She turns to Pamela and smiles at her apologetically. "Thanks for helping me out before my Bat Mitzvah...reading over my speech and getting the DJ, and also, being my ride from Hebrew School. I honestly appreciated it. Uhh...I'm sorry, I don't know what you see in my dickhead of a father, he'll abandon your child, too! He apparently had my uncle Ray tell me that he got killed!" She glares defiantly in Les' direction. "Hit by a flying tree in a tornado, really? That's outlandish! I could hardly believe it myself! The truth is, neither you or Marka wanted me, so I took off after graduation! I should have run away as soon as my Bat Mitzvah party ended! Whoops, my bad! I gave you shitheads one last chance to let me down, so that's great!"

In the background, Blanca and Alex step on the cigarettes to put them out discreetly. They appear to be extremely shocked with their jaws slack, mouths hanging open.

He holds his hands up in surrender. "Kid, there's nothing more I regret than-"

"Oh, just fucking save it!" Nicky hollers. She folds her arms over her chest. "Where's your other girlfriend, Genevieve?"

Pamela's eyes grow wide. "What?! Oh my god, you poor girl!" She pats Nicky's cheek fondly. "Les...how could you do that to your daughter...and you're cheating on me? That's it! I'm done with your lying, selfish ass!" She slaps him hard across the face and stomps off while giving him the finger on both hands.

He rubs where he was struck. "I'm gonna forgive you for embarrassing me...again. Your mother told me where you were living-"

Nicky seethes at his words. "Marka is not my mother. I already have Red, who's more of a loving parent to me than the both of you cunts combined!"

"Hey, I don't need to have that crass language coming from your mouth! I am an authority figure, and you must respect me!" His spittle flies in her face and she wipes it away harshly. "This person you speak of...Red is not a name, it's a color."

"That's what I call her...or Ma or Mom. You have no right to tell me what to do. You're dead to me, just like Marka is," Nicky informs him in a tight voice.

"I just thought you should know, your Uncle Pete has been looking for you, he just got out of prison-"

The name of her abuser causes her to start shaking and sweating uncontrollably, but it could also be because she's stoned and paranoid. She hopes this is all just an illusion. She lets out a dry laugh. "Oh, after only seven years?" Tears prick the corners of her eyes and fear envelops her at the thought of him seeking her out and succeeding in finding her. She never wants to be alone again. "Isn't it supposed to be twenty-five?"

"Come on, you loved the open bar and magic shows at his house with all the pretty lights. Your mother and I both thought you were ungrateful for always whining when we visited him. You were a little brat then, but I hope you've gotten over that snotty behavior. He's disappointed he can't adopt you since he's an ex-con."

"He can't be near anyone under eighteen at all, and that includes me! I'm sixteen, but even if I was a legal adult, I'd be happy if I never saw that sick fuck ever again!" Nicky storms off with her friends tagging along. She sneaks a peek over her shoulder to see if Les is following them, but to her relief, he isn't. "I gotta tell someone..." she mumbles.

"Hey, sorry we didn't intervene, but all that seemed really personal," Alex tells her quickly.

"Yeah, if he still tried to yap at you as you walked away, we'd kick that dumbass' balls up into his stomach," Blanca chimes in, and the girls put their arms over her shoulders. She feels safer now in their embrace, but she really needs to talk to the closest adult in the area about this, and it seems like it would be Gloria at her bodega. She's hyperventilating and in the middle of their stroll, she collapses, and they catch her.

"My uncle's after me now, even though I'm much older and can defend myself better!" Nicky says emotionally and then sniffles while panting heavily. "I mean, at least Les made me aware that the pedo is prowling around New York!" Alex and Blanca gasp in horror and clap their hands over their mouths. "Now I'm more prepared...but I still wanna go to Gloria, since she's nearby at her store. I'm fucking scared shitless, alright?" She puts her face in her hands and leans against Blanca's shoulder, releasing loud, gut-wrenching sobs, and both Alex and Blanca rub soothing circles on her back while humming to her. Tears slide down her cheeks and soak through her trembling fingers and into Blanca's dark purple leather jacket.

"I'm so sorry for what this douchebag did to you...but we all need to come down first, so she can believe us, because we're totally stoned right now," Alex murmurs and strokes her hair. Blanca hugs them and combs her fingers through Nicky's locks. Their comfort is such a blessing to her.

"Mm-hm, Glo can tell when someone's high a mile away, just ask Daya," Blanca chimes in. "I hate that evil monster! He ain't no kinda tío. Who does that to a child?"

"He's never cared about the law. What if he-he tries to t-take me away from you and ev-everyone else who gives a c-crap about m-me?" Nicky blubbers.

"He won't, Nicky...we'll make sure of it, okay?" Alex assures her softly.

"You got us, promise...and in a little while, Gloria. She'll call Charles and take care of things," Blanca adds. Her pals smile encouragingly at her, and they're tearing up as well. Nicky's chin quivers and she breaks down again because of their unwavering support. The three girls sit there on the sidewalk, cuddled into each other with their limbs tangled.

One hour later, Nicky still feels sick and drained, but they're all sober now and in desperate need of water and snacks. Hand-in-hand, they hurriedly run to Gloria's bodega and Nicky keeps checking over her shoulder for her creepy uncle. "Nobody followed you here, we checked!" Alex whispers.

"Yeah, you're okay!" Blanca puts in. She opens the door for them and they step inside. "Gloria...we really need your help!" She sounds urgent and rushed. They speed to the counter and Gloria leads them into the backroom quickly.

"Hi, girls, what's the matter?" she asks worriedly.

"My uncle Pete molested me when I was little, so uh, he went to the slammer, but now he's out again and is ready to...to do it again, and this time, he could really have his way with me and the bad touching will be nothing compared to that!" Nicky explains breathlessly. Her cheeks are wet with hot moisture. Gloria puts her hand on her heart and looks at Nicky sympathetically while rubbing circular patterns on her back. "I...I ran into my birth father, Les, and he said that awful animal's back on the streets...I'm really freaking out, Gloria! Like...i-it fucked me up so bad that I repressed it and couldn't remember the horrible experiences to save my life until I heard his disgusting name again! I know now, though. Everything's coming back to me...he did it over and over again, my parents didn't even believe me...he'll get away with it like he almost did last time..." Her voice cracks. She whimpers and trails off.

"Oh, sweetie," Gloria says sadly and brings Nicky into a warm hug. "Poor baby...I'll straighten this out right now, okay?" She nods into Gloria's shirt and the older woman rocks her back and forth. "He ain't gonna hurt you again, I swear."

Nicky coughs a few times. "I need agua...we all do...and like, goodies or something..."

"Alex is out there getting a bunch of treats and bottled water, but we'll split the cost," Blanca informs her.

"Oh, I gotta ring y'all up, then. You can stay with me while I do, cariño...but first, I'mma call Charles. Y'all can start eating and drinking, but don't rip the barcode on the packages or it ain't gonna work."

Alex comes into the backroom as Gloria is dialing Charles' number, and she tosses Nicky and Blanca their waters, chewy Chips Ahoy, M&Ms, Oreos, and Cheez-Its. Nicky clutches Gloria's arm as she nestles into the Puerto Rican lady. While she explains to Charles what went down and describes Pete to Charles, as Nicky shakily tells her, her calm voice vibrates against Nicky's temple, making things seem so peaceful. "Yeah, you gotta put a restraining order out against this motherfucker, you know, in case he ever tries to get in contact with her. In fact, he gotta be in jail and finish out his sentence!" Nicky gulps a few swigs of her water and then pops an Oreo into her mouth. "Cool, thank you so much! Alright, catch you later." Gloria closes her silver flip phone. She kisses the top of Nicky's head and lifts her chin up so they can look at each other. "Charles is gonna watch for that shitbag and make sure he stays far away from you. Once he sees that beast, there really ain't even gonna be a trial!" Nicky manages a tiny smile at this and throws her arms around Gloria, who hums to her as she and the others chow down.

"Thanks," she tells Gloria tearfully.

"It was no problem, honey."


"I wish I could've done something sooner when I saw Duardo so near you like that, Gloria. I just had no idea if that was really him or not. Outside, though, I punched him and tackled him to the ground so Charles could grab him easier. I held that fucker down and threw him at our favorite cop. You're practically my sister, I wanna protect you!"

Gloria smiles at Leon. They're drinking tea on the couch while the kids have hot chocolate. "Thank you...and I think of you as the big brother I always wanted but never had. Um...what about the others?"

"They ran off, but Charles busted their asses today."

"Oh, that's good!"

"Yo, what's up, guys?" Daya asks as she lets herself in the apartment. Everyone waves hello at her and she exchanges hugs with Gloria and the boys.

"Chillin' and havin' tea, want some?" Leon asks.

His girlfriend's daughter grins happily. "Sure!"

"I'll grab you some," he offers and gestures for Gloria to stay seated when she starts to stand up.

"Thanks, but that's okay...I'll get it myself."

As she walks into the kitchen, he notices her pass a framed photo of the family that's slightly off-kilter, and she straightens it a bit. Leon doesn't know why he hadn't fixed it before, but maybe it wasn't too obvious. It's the one they'd taken the day everyone went out on the month anniversary of Gloria releasing herself and her sons from the confines of Arturo when he finally got taken to prison. They're all together-the three adults and Daya with a child on each of their shoulders-Gloria and Julio; Leon and Benny; Aleida and Christina; and Daya and Emilio.

Over half of them could've been wiped out yesterday evening, and he hasn't stopped thinking about it. He assumes nobody has told Daya, since there hasn't really been a chance for anyone to, as she'd gotten home late the previous night when they were all in bed, but maybe Benny let Christina know about it.

They're so distracted that Leon only notices a vehicle pull up beside him when he has to make a turn at the light. The driver rolls down their window and Leon sees that he's Mexican and has a square-shaped face and a harsh look about him. His eyes are hard and he pretends he's whipping something while snickering. This busybody is either being racist or implying that Leon is whipped for his family, which he is, and proud of it, too, but he knows it's best to just ignore the idiot. He continues driving, but the other guy simply gets behind him to follow him. Since he's being tailgated, he slows down in hopes that the jerk will simply give up and pass him. All of a sudden, the asshole swerves in front of him, nearly misses his vehicle, and then speeds past them and into another lane far ahead, causing the women to shriek in terror and the boys to start crying. His heart stops for a second and restarts again as he holds his arm in front of Aleida, protecting her from going forward, even though her seatbelt is doing that as well, and they hadn't even been hit. "Piece of shit!" he mutters, and horns honk for him to move faster, so he does. There's no way he'll pay for a ticket because he appears to be stopped in the middle of the road. "I'm so sorry, are you all okay?"

"Ay dios mío," Aleida mumbles and clutches his hand tightly. He can tell she's trembling. With her free hand, she brushes her bangs out of her eyes. "What the fuck?! Stupid pig! I'm alright...whoever that was just scared me."

"Same here," Gloria agrees. Leon can hear her then comforting her sons by humming to them and telling them they're fine now, and their wails subside.

"Umm...Leon?" Daya's voice brings him out of his awful flashback and he realizes that he's staring at the family picture and stroking the image of Aleida. Half of them could've been gone, including his lovely girlfriend and Gloria and her precious sons, and he would've only hoped they all survived the hit...

"Oh, hey there. Sorry, I must've spaced out for a bit. I was just thinking..."

"It's cool. About what?"

"We should keep our voices down so it doesn't trigger Gloria or the kids," he whispers. "Uh...yesterday, before going to the mall and then the restaurant, I almost got us into a car accident."

Daya gasps sharply. "Oh my god, are you guys okay, like physically? I know psychologically, y'all gotta be a bit messed up..."

"Yeah, we're fine...it's just that since I was the driver, I blamed myself, and I've been overly careful with getting behind the wheel ever since."

"What exactly happened?"

"This...this moron, he was challenging me through the window, making stupid hand signs like he's using a whip to beat someone with. I chose to keep minding my own business, but then he began trailing after the car...I coasted down the highway instead of going the normal speed, so he'd get sick of his irritating game and go by me, but he zoomed ahead of us, barely missing the front of the vehicle by mere inches." Daya's eyes turn as huge as saucers in fright and places a hand over her mouth. "If I'd been going any faster, we could've..." He can't finish his sentence.

"It ain't your fault, alright? Yo, that motherfucker almost killed you guys on purpose! Did you report it?"

"I think he was just making an attempt at scaring us, but it worked. Unfortunately, we couldn't get his license plate number or anything...there was too much going on."

Daya shakes her head sadly. "Either way, this ain't on you. Nobody's mad at you for it, I'm sure. I'm mad as hell at that dipshit, though...everyone else is too, probably!"

"Yeah," he agrees. "I hope he got stopped somewhere and arrested!"

"Same here." Daya gives him a hug. "I'm glad I didn't lose you, my mom, Gloria, or her boys. I'd be like, devastated."

"I would be too, as well." Leon puts his arm around her and gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze.


"How was work?" Diane asks Charles after telling him about her shift at Friendly's, which was surprisingly fine. Nobody bothered her at all.

"I busted some motherfuckers in a drug deal!" Charles answers her proudly.

Diane beams at the good news and hi-fives him. "Wow, congratulations!"

"Thanks!"


His ringing phone arises Fahri from sleep. He answers it almost right away, seeing that it's the woman he's really getting close to. "Gloria? What's wrong?"

"Nothin'...I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Yeah? I missed your voice, too."

She hums for a second, and she sounds so cute. Someone this perfect doesn't deserve such a tragic backstory. "Thanks. You gotta tell me what you were gonna say in the backroom, but there was too many people or whatever."

"Alright." He takes a deep breath and blows it out. "I'm looking out for you anytime I can, because people can be gone in an instant. I mean, no shit, but...damn, last night, it really hit me. When I went outside, I saw the jerk who Leon said just about hit you guys in the car. I was thanking my lucky stars I didn't lose you, that your children and Aleida and Leon didn't..."

"It's like my life flashed before my eyes. I...I thought the person was gonna kill us," Gloria mumbles.

"I can imagine how afraid you all must have been."

"Really?"

He's had that feeling a number of times, whenever he's afraid he might have pushed Kubra too far off the edge, and he's sure she's experienced the same emotion being around Arturo. "Yes."

"You ever had a near death experience?"

"Diane rescued me from one when I was fifteen. Those bigots scared me outta my wits."

"Oh yeah," she remembers. "You were hella vulnerable, too...being drunk and all."

He nods, even though she can't see him. "Mm-hm. How are you...and everyone, right now?"

"We're okay, thanks for asking. So, how'd you handle that freak?" she asks lightly.

Fahri smirks. "I beat his ass up! Man, he got hurt bad."

Gloria lets out a giggle and it's music to his ears. He can imagine her showing off her shiny pearly whites, blinding him with her brilliant smile, and his heart melts at the mental image of her beautiful face. "Good job!" she praises him, still sounding highly amused. "My hero. Well, our hero!"

"Thank you! All I had to do was say I pummeled him in self defense. Luckily, the cop who put him in handcuffs was Rick Hopper, the captain of the Max facility. He hates this douchebag anyway since he keeps escaping and making trouble, and he'd promised to put him into solitary this time, but there's no telling whether the Warden will let Rick do that or not since this mouth-breather wasn't even being violent. When Rick came for him, Leon had backed me up and explained what happened, and Rick was like, 'Let's go, asshole!'"

"Yes!" Gloria cheers under her breath. "I'm literally pumping my fist in midair right now."

He chuckles. "Oh, I bet!"

Gloria yawns, so he does, too. They laugh softly in unison. "Well, I'll let you go. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!"

"Okay, sweet dreams, to you and your little ones!" He doesn't want to hang up, but he can't seem too needy.

"Thanks! Bye!"

"Bye!"

"Ohh..." she moans, and he beams at the fact that she hadn't ended the call yet. "I was just stretchin'. Bye for real!"

"Alright, bye!" They disconnect the conversation at the same time.

Thank you for reading and reviewing, MinervaSnape394 and A Star In My Universe!