Author's Note: Thank you, both Unnamed Guests and CarsasaAllakay for the very lovely reviews. I really appreciate them. It's so nice to see that people are seeming to enjoy my one-shots. I didn't think anyone would. So I feel very encouraged. Anyway this one isn't really based off an episode...just something I thought would have been interesting to see, I guess. Let me know your thoughts; feel free to review. Thanks. Enjoy.

Desolation

Her head resting miserably against the hard medal table, a deep airy breath huffed its way from Lorna's lungs. Maximum security prison, the thought alone tore her up inside. How did she end up in that place? A question that ran through her mind almost daily since being thrown in there. This was a thousand times worse than Litchfield. The guards had no care for any of their well-beings—no regard for their safety. It was a dreary place to be. A place she longed to get out of. There was no hope there. No light at the end of the tunnel.

Drained and exhausted from being pregnant and locked up, the Italian inmate didn't notice the group of D-Block women making their way towards the table she claimed. Didn't notice anything until she found herself being forced out of her seat. A lump began to form in her throat. Brown eyes gazed up to find the culprit, growing terrified; she held onto the rim of the table to help herself into a standing position.

"This is our table," a middle-aged woman spoke out, her tone icy as she peered intensely at the small brunette. "Only we sit here, little girl. Is that clear?"

Lorna nodded rapidly, swallowing thickly, and turned to find another vacant table. Yet, before she could even move an inch, a blonde inmate grabbed her roughly by the shirt. The sensation immediately instilled her with a fear. She silently prayed she didn't just cost herself her life by sitting at "their" table. Oh, God, did she hope this wasn't the end.

"We know all about you, little Morello. Better watch your back in here. Barb's not afraid to have ya killed," rang the blonde's voice darkly through Lorna's ear. Her hands finally released, sending her flying back towards the ground.

The words sent a shiver down her spine. It hadn't even been a week that she was brought down here—how could this random group of inmates possibly know anything about her? The inquiry pondered ravenously through her mind. An uncomfortable lump slowly formed in her throat at what could possibly come of her in there. And the baby that resided within her womb. She needed to survive this for both she and her child.

It was a sound of familiarity. A sound that always tore at Nicky's heart to listen to. As she walked past a particular cell, it immediately grew louder and stopped her in her tracks. She cautiously peaked in; her eyes meticulously searching the room until they landed on Lorna. A heavily distressed Lorna, she noted. Something that always shattered her to see.

With tender eyes, Nicky quietly made her way through the open door way and over to the bottom bunk where her best friend resided. A pang built in her chest to hear the distraught sobs that shook through her petite frame. "Hey, kid, what's the matter? Why ya cryin'?" She warmly questioned, situating herself on the bed beside the other's head.

"Nicky….oh, Nicky," her voice cracked through the several sniffles that plagued her body. She turned on her side to face the only woman who's ever given a damn about her and forced a smile to her face. A smile that didn't make it to her eyes. "I love you. I really, really love you." The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had the chance to even process them.

"Is that what has ya cryin' like this? Are ya scared that I'd not believe you? Baby tell me what's going on."

Lorna effortlessly collapsed, whimpering and heaving, into the other's lap. She shook her head and snaked her arms desperately tight around Nicky's neck, hiding her face in the crook of it. "No, no—I just…Nicky, this-this place is horrible. I can't, I can't breathe in here. I feel so trapped—so claustrophobic. How-how did ya survive in here before?"

The brokenness she witnessed—oh, how much it hurt her to see the woman she loved in this way. To see her break apart like that. Nicky couldn't bear it. She cradled her arms protectively around her distraught friend, smothered her head in soft kisses. "It's not easy. But I'm here with you. I'll be right here to take care of ya. Just calm down. You're safe, baby; I'm right here. Shh," her voice soothed lovingly into her ear, fingers stroking its pink flesh.

"No. No, I-I don't think I am safe. I think I'm in a big pile of shit, hon."

"Is someone threatening you? Who the fuck is it? I'll kill em'. Tell me right now, kid."

Shaking her head profusely, Lorna swallowed hard and tried to push past the fear. The last thing she wanted was to pull Nicky into it. No way she'd let anything happen to her—she wouldn't be able to live with herself for that. "Don't worry about it—it's nothin. I just—it doesn't feel safe in this place is what I meant. But-but I feel better knowing I have you. You're all I need," she tried to sound convincing, planted a small kiss to the other's cheek to persuade her belief.

"Ya better not be lyin'. I swear to God—if you end up in a dangerous situation without my knowledge, things are gonna get real ugly, baby. I don't want anything to happen to you," Nicky murmured, a sternness highly evident in her tone; she laid back against the mattress and pulled Lorna down on top of her. Her hand brushed delicately through her hair until the both of them fell into a light slumber.

It was late in the night when Lorna felt her body being forcefully lifted from her bunk and dragged gruffly out through the door towards the shower room. The person pulled her along to a stall, throwing her against the unkempt floor, and towered over her small body. Terror immediately began to take over. She forced herself to stare up at who her abductor was and felt a tightness rise in her chest.

"Who, who are you? Why-why did ya bring me here?" The questions choked out of her windpipe, tears already at the point of falling. She felt her legs tremble against the floor; it felt like some sort of horror movie she was part of. Except this happened to be real.

"Doesn't really matter who I am. All that matters is that you know not to associate yourself with anyone in here. Especially not that Nicky girl. I remember her from a few weeks ago, and if my memory serves me right, she was busy hookin' up with that—oh, damn, what the fuck's her name?—oh, I believe it was Stella. Who happens to be one of my girls. So, if ya make contact with Nicky, I'll have to silence you for good. Make myself clear?"

Everything in Lorna froze at the—what seemed to be—middle-aged woman's words. No way. There was no way any of that could be true. And even if it was, she didn't care. Nicky was her soul-mate; she would love her forever. And never stop making contact with her. She couldn't, not when she had no one else in this hole of darkness. And, this—this made that clear. No one cared for her except the rambunctious redhead.

"Nicky's my friend. I won't stop talking to her. We, we love each other and I'm not letting anyone take her away from me again," the words spilled out of her mouth through wracks of heartrending sobs. It broke her to even ponder the idea of cutting ties with Nicky. Especially now, after finally being reunited for the second time in one year. She'd die fighting. All that mattered was being with Nicky…even if it was in a dark, terrifying, hell.

The words instantly become a regret as the older inmate grabbed her by the throat, squeezing it for several long seconds until the room boomed with her harsh sputtering. "You will stay to yourself or I'll have my girls ruin you for good, Morello. Don't fuck with Barb's demands," she roared, slamming her over and over into the wall. It brought her a faint pleasure to see Lorna squeal in unforsaken pain. She finally stopped, throwing her down against the floor and turning to leave, "Night-night, little girl. It's best if you take my advice. Or you could end up in worse shape than this."

Not too much past six that very next morning, Nicky forced herself to get up out of bed. She wasn't the biggest fan of early rising but she'd make the sacrifice to ensure herself a hot shower. The only thing in this place that could bring her some peace. Tranquility. Hot showers were one of the rare amenities she came by all her years in prison. She wasn't about to lose that.

The walk down to the shower area was a surprisingly pleasant one. Only two guards were seen throughout the hall—something rare, she knew but she wasn't about to pester over it. However, once she entered the room and walked to find an empty stall, she caught glimpse of a familiar leg sticking out of the very farthest one. Her pace fastened quite a bit. A sight she didn't expect to see so early in the morning.

Pulling back the curtain, when she finally stood in front of it, her eyes quickly formed tears. "Lorna, Lorna…baby, who did this to you? Who hurt you, baby?" Nicky inquired, voice filled with pain as she looked down at the clearly beat-up brunette. She felt herself nearly tremble to reach down to touch her friend—the woman her heart beat for. The Lorna who always made her smile and want to roll her eyes all at the same time. The Lorna who—now—was lying as broken as ever against the filthy shower floor.

"I-I don't know; I…didn't see." It was a lie. A lie that Lorna desperately needed to be bought. She didn't want to risk Nicky's life at any chance. Nicky was everything to her and she knew she wouldn't survive without her. But she also couldn't do what that Barb—or whoever it was—inmate requested. She didn't have it in her to push Nicky away—to do what she always did. Not this time. If it ended with her dead, then so be it. She'd rather be dead, anyway, then to go through life without seeing her beloved redhead.

"Baby, please tell me the truth. I need to know who the fuck had the nerve to beat you like this. I can't protect you fully without knowing who to watch out for. Ya gotta give me a name, Lorna. It's okay," the warm voice soothed; Nicky slid down to sit beside the bruised brunette. Arms instinctively found their way around Lorna's waist, tugging her onto her own body.

Lorna threw her up arms and shook her head profusely. "I didn't see who, Nicky. It was dark and I was in too much pain to really care. It don't matter anymore. I'm fine."

Stroking a soft kiss against her head, the older woman shook hers angrily. Like hell it didn't matter, she thought. Anything and everything mattered when it came to Lorna. Lorna was her reason to breathe. Her sunshine in all of the darkness. If she was in some sort of trouble, Nicky vowed to protect her. She couldn't risk losing the one person in her life who ever brought such a warmth to her heart. Oh no way would she let that be taken from her. Not again.

"It sure as fuck does matter, kid. You're the love of my life and I cannot afford to lose you. I'll find the devil who hurt you and make sure they pay. How fucking dare they hurt you. Not only are you the sweetest girl in here but you're fucking pregnant. Who the fuck beats up a pregnant woman?"

Tears continued to pour heavily down porcelain cheeks. Lorna nestled her head into the other's neck, wrapping her arms tight around it. "Please, hon, just don't worry about who it was. I don't want you to get yourself in trouble or nothing. Please stop worrying. I-I'm fine. I'll be fine. I love you," her voice heavy with emotion as she brushed her lips lightly along her flesh.

"I love you, too, my baby—that's why I can't not worry. The thought of someone even just looking at ya funny makes me wanna lose my shit. You're the sweetest person I've ever met…sure, you're naïve and stubborn sometimes…but you would never do anything to anyone. You would never do anything to make this-this something that a person would even fucking consider—What did this person fucking do, huh? How'd they hurt you? At least tell me that, doll."

Hugging her neck even tighter, Lorna felt a small whimper come through her windpipe. She swallowed hard and pecked a tiny kiss to the blatantly infuriated Nicky's cheek. "Nicky, stop. It's okay. I'm fine. I mean my neck feels like it's been trampled by a few hundred elephants and my head is throbbing but I ain't gonna die."

Sucking in a hard breath of air, Nicky lifted her head slightly to thoroughly search for any signs of damage. A few stray tears leaked down her cheeks when her eyes caught sight of the handprints around Lorna's very bruised-up neck. "The bitch choked you? Fuck," she whispered, stroking her fingers softly around it. Her eyes, warm with compassion, moved to look back up into the other's. "My poor, poor baby. I'm so sorry…so fucking sorry you had to fucking deal with this shit. But I'm here now; I'm gonna take care of you, my baby. I'm gonna nurse ya back to health—sound good?"

"I love you, Nicky. I already feel better just by having ya hold me. Thank you."

Her soft voice brought a faint smile to Nicky's face. She cupped her hands lovingly around porcelain cheeks, peering tenderly into her dark orbs. "Well, I'm gonna hold ya all day if that's the case. I think cuddles and love are a good prescription for you, doll. You don't have to thank me for taking care of you, my baby, I love you so much. Taking care of you is something I enjoy. Something I wanna do for the rest of our lives."