Red opened her eyes from one of the worst sleeps she had ever had. She gathered her things to go and take a shower. As she passed by she peered into Nicky's bunk: no one was there. The fiery pain that struck her with worry was relit as she thought about her daughter still being out there.

Walking towards the showers, she passed Healy.

"Have you found her?" Red stopped him by putting a hand on his arm, concern so evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Red, but we haven't. After 2am I called for the guards to come back inside." Healy replied.

"So what happens now?" Red started to tear up, not remembering that she knew where Nicky is.

"We wait." He said simply.

"We wait?" Red repeated as if that wasn't good enough.

"Until she comes back on her own, which I mean, why would anyone choose to come back here so I don't know. I'm really sorry, Red. I know you two were close."

Red couldn't wrap her head around those past tense words coming out of Healy's words. She wasn't dead and she wasn't gone forever. As if by sudden revelation, Red remembered last night.

"That's exactly why she will come back. Because I'm in here, not out there." Red put simply as if she were a different person than her previous concerned state of mind.

Healy just nodded and continued walking.

Out of nowhere it seemed, Piscatella turned the corner, spotted Red and walked over to her.

"Did they find Nichols yet?" he almost snarled at her.

"No." Red said, making her face as intimidating as she could.

"Well, maybe they will find her in a week or two. She is pathetic, just so you know." His smile made Red's blood boil. He walked away.

Red had a plan, tonight she would bring her Nicky back, regardless if she wanted to be or not. Red would drag her if that's what it took. Thinking about last night, she shouldn't have left her in the woods like that. She felt very guilty for that.

When Red walked into the cafeteria from the kitchen to sit with her girls, she noticed Nicky's absence immediately. She walked over to sit with her family.

"Anyone heard anything about Nicky?" Lorna was saying when Red sat down in Nicky's usual spot. They didn't know about Red's rescue mission last night, or failed rescue mission. Guilt ping her heart at that thought.

Everyone said a various form of "I haven't heard anything."

"How are you holding up Red?" Piper asked while everyone's heads turned to her.

"I don't think I slept last night for more than a half hour." Red calmly replied.

She wasn't going to tell them about last night. They would question her and become enraged that she didn't bring Nicky back. And if she explained the state that Nicky was in, she would really hear it from them. But red was her mother and she knew how to discipline, treat, and handle her child. She knew just what Nicky needed to snap out of it. Watching Red walk away was heart breaking to Nicky, Red knew that. But perhaps that heart break would be enough to keep her on the right path. Red wanted to tell Nicky that it hurt her just as much, but she couldn't, she had to be stronger than that to prove her point and help her daughter.

"She'll come back to you Red." Vause said to Red, which Red really appreciated because Vause has been known to mock her and Nicky's relationship.

"Thank you, Vause."

Surprisingly, the day flew by. Red tried her hardest to keep busy so this would happen and to her luck that is what came to pass. Two hours after lights were out, Red set off to bring her daughter back.

Only as she was headed to the kitchen's back door did Red truly allow herself to think completely about Nicky. She made sure she brought another jacket so Nicky could get out of the cold and wet one she was wearing. She also filled a bag with food and a bottle of water. Her poor girl was starving and so thirsty. It would be better from now on. Red was going to keep such a close eye on her that Nicky would express her annoyance. But secretly they would both know that Nicky was extremely grateful that Red kept a strict eye on her.

Making her way out the back door, she set off to find Nicky again. Assuming she was in the same sot, Red headed that way.

"Nicky! Nicky!" She called out every few steps to see if she had moved. After hearing absolutely nothing as Red was getting closer to the spot where she was last night, Red became worried.

"Nicky!"

What if she passed out or what if…?

No. Not her girl, she is still alive. Red could feel it.

Red approached the small pile that she knew was Nicky and was at least somewhat relieved that she had her eyes on her.

Red walked around to the front of her. Her eyes were closed.

Red knelt down, a little shaky for fear of what might be, and put her hand in front of Nicky's nose and mouth. She started to tear up with relief as she felt little warm breaths on the back of her hand.

"Hey, Nicky." Red fought the urge to put her hand on Nicky's forehead.

"Mommy?" Nicky said with eyes still closed and so faintly that Red didn't know if she was imagining it or not.

"Yes, yes, my sweet girl. I'm here." Red started to rummage through the bag.

"I brought you food and some water to drink. I also brought a jacket so you can out of that wet one."

"You're so good." Nicky said, just as quietly as before. She opened her eyes and looked into Red's. "I don't deserve a mother like you."

"Yes you do, stop that. Here eat this." Red said as she handed a banana that she had peeled to her hungry child.

"Sit up first. Come here." And Red reached her hands out to grab Nicky's shoulders and help her up.

Nicky flinched and shied away from Red's touch. The same reaction she had last night when Red tried to comfort her. Red was puzzled. Nicky, on the outside, seemed perfectly normal except for the obvious tiredness in her eyes.

"What is it?" Red could feel herself getting frustrated. She knew the drug talk was coming again. She hated this conversation with anyone. Red hated drugs, it was a well-known fact. But to have this talk with her daughter, well, it really split her heart sharply into two each and every time.

"No drugs." Is what came out of Nicky's mouth.

"Yes, no more drugs. I thought you were finished?" Red allowed some of her frustration to be hard in her voice and seen on her face.

"No. No drugs. I haven't used since I told you I was clean. And you told me you were cautiously optimistic. Didn't you believe that?" Nicky sounded like a small child pleading with her mother for understanding.

"I came out her to find you last night and saw you not in a good way, what was I to think?" Red responded.

"Ask me what happened. You didn't even let me talk. You cut me off and then got up and walked away. You left me here." Nicky began to cry, hard. Harder than Red had ever seen her, and Red had seen Nicky through the worst times in her life.

"And then you come back and act like everything is ok? You bring me food and something to change into and that's it? Everything is all better now?" Nicky's sobs made it hard to understand her.

The guilt that Red had been carrying around with her, hanging over her shoulder like a ghost not leaving her alone, suddenly all rushed to her head and her heart.

"I am so sorry. Nicky, I just…I just… had enough of you and the drugs. And I… I am so sorry. I'm sorry…sorry…I'm sorry..." Red couldn't make sentences anymore.

Nicky held out her hand, "Come here, Ma."

Red hesitated. She didn't want her daughter to move away from her when she was trying to comfort her.

"I'm ok. It's you. You're my mother."

Red smiled and moved closer to Nicky.

"Wait."

Red stopped.

"Tell me it's you."

Red was a little confused but did exactly as her daughter asked.

"It's me. I'm here, your mother. The one that loves you and wants nothing but the bet for you. I'm here." As Red was saying that Nicky finally allowed Red to hug her.

"My sweet girl, what happened?" Red asked quietly when she had Nick safely in her arms.

Nicky's crying picked up again, hard again. She shook violently in Red's arms.

Red didn't know if Nicky wanted to let her go but Red decided to go with her maternal instincts and not let her go. Instead she held her tighter, trying to suppress her shaking daughter in her arms.

Red leaned in and kissed Nicky on the forehead, when for the first time, she noticed dark marks around Nicky's neck. It had been hidden from the jacket collar before but was visible at this angle.

"Nicky…" Red started, terrified.