I'll hold you close

Chapter 7

In the mess hall that night, Levi followed Nicky around like a lost puppy. He didn't want to leave her side. He followed her to her table and sat next to her.

"Who's this stray you've picked up, Nicky?" Vause asked her.

"You can ask him yourself." Nicky replied, not looking up.

Alex turned to him expectantly.

"I'm Levi." He told her.

"Nice to meet you Levi. I see you two have dropped the whole "we've never spoken to each other before" act."

Levi nodded.

"You two seem sad, what's going on?" Piper asked, chiming in from where she sat next to Alex.

Just then Sophia joined them at the table.

"Hey honey, I heard you get your bunk assignment tomorrow. How are you feeling?" she said to Levi.

Piper's face registered with understanding.

Nicky took Levi's hand under the table.

"I'm terrified." He said plainly.

Sophia gave him an empathetic look and rubbed his back.

He sat between the two women quietly staring at his plate for the rest of the meal. Nicky never let go of his hand, rubbing her thumb soothingly over his, and Burset kept her hand on the small of his back. He was hardly aware of anything going on around him, so when someone a few tables over threw their tray to the ground, and the alarm went off signifying for everyone to hit the floor, he took an extra second to react.

"On the floor!" a CO barked in his face. He felt Nicky gently tugging on his arm. He shakily got down beside her, and she held his hand the whole time. Sensing the panic which had been rising in him since the CO showed up at their door.

As a CO tackled the offender to the floor, Levi covered his ears, and pulled himself into a fetal position, panic taking over. He felt his breathing speeding up and his heart was pounding in his ears. It was all too much.

As soon as the alarm stopped, Nicky raced to his side, and pulled him into her arms.

"Hey, I've got you, you're okay." she whispered to him.

He moved to hug her and she replaced his hand over his ear with hers. She gently rocked them back and forth, whispering to him the whole time, telling him he was okay.

Piper and Alex just watched, as a more nurturing side of Nicky than they'd ever seen emerged.

"Everyone back to their bunks!" a CO yelled and inmates began to shuffle out of the cafeteria.

"C'mon baby we've gotta move" Nicky told Levi.

She helped him to his feet and got him standing on shaky legs. Levi managed to make it back to their room with Nicky's support.

As soon as they made it back, Levi collapsed into his bunk, sobs wracking his body. Nicky sat next to him and pulled him into her arms, holding his head against her chest.

He was at his breaking point, she could feel it.

"Hey, baby you're gonna be okay, I know it doesn't feel like it but you will. I've got you, I'm right here."

His sobs became lighter and still she whispered soothingly to him, stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry." He said finally.

"What are you sorry for, handsome."

"For making you take care of me."

"Please, you couldn't make me do anything if you tried." she teased "I'm doing this because I want to"

He looked into her eyes and then kissed her gently.

"Thank you." he whispered.

"Why don't we get you a shower." She suggested. "I think it will help clear your mind a little bit."

"Won't we get in trouble?"

"The guards are preoccupied with the whole cafeteria mess, we'll be okay."

he nodded.

She stood up and grabbed both his hands, helping him stand too, and they both grabbed their towels, before walking to the shower room together.