Nicky has not had an easy time in prison, and now that she finds herself in max, she is having to make sacrifices for herself and the protection of others. After breaking into the infirmary during the riot the previous season, addict Nicky now faces steep charges that will add 70 years to her sentence. Her only way out is to help bring down her prison mom, Red, which she only does after much deliberation and permission from Red.
While in max, Nicky spends most of her time trying to protect her friend and former lover Morello, who often can't see the danger in getting mixed up with bad people. When faced with getting involved in a potentially deadly prison brawl on a kickball field, Nicky hides Morello in a closet and takes her place. While on the field, Nicky does all she can to dissuade the fight from happening, and thankfully the gang war doesn't take place, potentially saving her life.