A/N: Same universe as Twas The Night Before Christmas, but about a month later. I wanted to do another one of these because Alyssa and Naomi's relationship is so neglected by the fanbase. No Little Guy in this oneshot, but maybe later. If anyone was wondering, Naomi's about 4 months pregnant at this time. Sorry that this one is shorter but I feel that it's written better and couldn't figure out how to lengthen it.

"Die, you freak!"

Alyssa landed face first in the snowbank after being shoved by the boy. He pulled her to her knees by her short hair as the other kids crowded around for their daily ritual. She tried her best to hold back her tears, so they wouldn't get any satisfaction, but failed.

"Awwww, is Frankenstein crying?" jeered the biggest boy. "Is it because you looked in a mirror today?" The other kids howled, getting a real crack out of that line. They all knew how sensitive Alyssa was about the scars on one side of her face from the bombing.

I must be brave. I must be like Naomi. I-

Alyssa's thoughts were brutally interrupted by a resounding whack as the biggest boy's fist collided with her injured face, sending her reeling, to the whoops and cheers of the other children. They were so enraptured by the spectacle that nobody noticed the car silently pull up behind them. The door opened to reveal Naomi Kimishima, who began surveying the scene. Her eyes landed on a pink kitten backpack she recognized as Alyssa's. She followed the backpack's skid marks in the snow to a beaten Alyssa.

Oh, they've done it now. Seeing Alyssa in danger was one of the only things that could make Naomi truly angry, and even then, she was pretty calm. Pregnant, hormonal Naomi was another story entirely. If those kids thought they could get away with beating up her daughter, they had another thing coming.

"Hey, you." Naomi spat. The group of kids turned. "Back away from my daughter or I will personally kill you all in the most painful way possible." Her icy blue death glare didn't look like it was kidding. Outgunned, the group threw their hands up and backed away slowly, before turning and running as if a tornado was behind them. Naomi ran to Alyssa's side and cradled her in her arms. "Alyssa, are you hurt?" she frantically inquired, searching the child's body for any apparent injuries

"Oohh, my head." was all the little girl could manage. Naomi couldn't find anything serious, and exhaled in relief, gently kissing her daughter's bruised cheek.

"Come on, I'm taking you home. Everything's going to be okay." Naomi carried Alyssa and her backpack to her car and drove away.

"Almost finished, darling, hang in there!" Naomi soothed as she gingerly rubbed antibiotic gel on Alyssa's cuts and bruises. Alyssa winced each time the gel made contact with her lacerations, even though she knew her mother was being as gentle as humanly possible. "There, we're done." Naomi murmured when she finished, and sweetly kissed Alyssa's wounds, as if her love would magically make them vanish. But the little girl still looked down at her feet. Concerned, Naomi decided to get to the bottom of this. "So...how long?"

"Mmm?" Alyssa glanced up for a fleeting moment.

"How long has this been going on?" Naomi prodded gently.

Alyssa's gaze rested firmly at the floor. "Every day." she meekly whispered. "Since the bandages came off."

Naomi's heart ached for her little girl. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Alyssa paused and blushed. "I didn't want to make you sad because I was ugly."

The older woman's heart just about broke at that moment. "Oh, honey..." she gathered her daughter into a loving embrace and kissed her forehead. "You're not ugly at all. The scars on your face don't change how beautiful you are on the inside." Naomi traced her fingers along the marks on Alyssa's face. "In fact, they're like a medal of honor. You got them because you survived a bomb that killed four adults. You got them because you were strong enough to pull through." She paused before continuing. "...And you got them because you saved my life."

Alyssa looked up at her mother. "...Saved your life?"

"The bomb was given to me because somebody who was killing other people wanted to stop me from finding her. If you hadn't taken it from me, she would have succeeded." Naomi held Alyssa's head to her chest and stroked her hair. "And because you made it through...I had the strength to survive my operation when I got sick. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now, and neither would your sister." The older woman brushed a hand against her small baby bump, diamond engagement ring twinkling, before returning it to Alyssa's back. "You're very brave, baby. Even braver than me."

"Braver than you?"

Naomi tearfully grinned down at her little girl and nuzzled the top of her head. "Yes baby, braver than me. You're the light of my life, because I would be nothing without you."

Alyssa, feeling uplifted by Naomi's love, snuggled deeper into her and contentedly listened to her mother's heartbeat. "I love you mama."

Naomi kissed her daughter's hair. "I love you so much."