On the Run

Pain

CW: mentions and description of injury. Be advised.

Your leg shakes as you sit outside of the doctors office. The mask on your face makes your skin hot, but you ignore it.

Today was important. You'll find out if you're cleared to work or not.

Medical professionals of all kinds had given you a clean bill of health. You passed the psychological evaluation, your physical therapist said you made an almost full recovery, even your friends at home noticed how much more lively and healthy you seemed. Everyone agreed you were ready to go back.

But your primary doctor wasn't convinced.

He was worried that you rushed your recovery, trying hard to get back into the field. He'd seen it in the past, and assumed you were doing the same.

"Heroes always claim they're ready to go back, and I let them. Then, two weeks later, they're crying because of a singular injury, and they may never be a hero again," he warned at your most recent appointment. "And that leaves me with an even more traumatized patient, and the world a good hero."

The world needed you, he reminded, and he wanted to be completely sure you were ready.

The funny thing is, you weren't trying to rush back. In fact, you were dreading it.

Though the first few weeks were rough, it was good to finally spend time to yourself, without a care about the outside world. You didn't live in fear of not coming home, of leaving your children without a parent. You weren't Terra, number one hero. You were you, and you were their mom. 

It was good to be home when the kids came home from school, finally being able to help them with their homework. To finally cook meals you wanted, get groceries like normal.

It felt good to be selfish for once, to be normal. To live your own life.

But you couldn't be like this forever, and you voiced as much to Midoriya.

"I want to be home," you murmur quietly, almost fearful of your confession. "but I can't forget who I am."

He nodded, slipping a hand on your knee, squeezing softly. "I understand. You're a hero, a top one at that. And it comes with a responsibility and commitment that you can't just forget because you're injured. Trust me, I know."

You sigh, placing your hand atop of his. "But how do I balance the two? Surely there's more responsibility once I leave."

Your stomach drops just at the thought. Finding out who orchestrated the attack, if they will strike again, having to find the actual culprits...

It was too much for you to handle.

Maybe the you before, who hadn't been shattered into pieces and put meticulously back together again. Maybe the previous you, the one who hadn't experienced the dreadful Nomu, and barely survived.

The you in the present felt almost like a coward, hiding at the thought of going back.

"Well," he starts, flipping his hand over, grasping yours. It stops you from the dangerous spiral you started on. "We're here for a new reason. We can help you any way we can. If you need anything, we're right behind you."

You look at him, bright viridian looking into (E/C). Bold confidence and encouragement exudes from him, and you believe every word he says.

His eyes steel with resolve. "You don't have to do this alone."

You pause, blinking hard. "Yeah," you say, squeezing his hand. "I know."

So here you sit, nerves running wild. You've done every test imaginable, from MRI's to biopsies and cancer screenings (You cry internally for your hefty medical bills). Everything that might suggest something had gone wrong.