A/N: Okay, holy moly. Sorry about the time between updates, but I was really having a tuff time moving the story from where I had it. I think (hopefully) I have it mostly figured out now.

Also here's fluff, to make up for all the past and future heartbreak. Enjoy your fluff now.

Tahimikamaxtli- AND MORE YOU SHALL HAVE.

Warrior975- I'm insanely glad you're enjoying it! I'm actually pretty excited to write the interactions between Shen/Zed but I'm also trying to be pretty careful about it.

TheBosnianWizard- Phew! Dodged a bullet. Well I've never been, but I will definitely take your word for it!

Ulcaasi- I'll have you know that comment made me have to watch that movie… twice. The name is just a place holder while I try to think of something as corny as the last one. Don't worry- I haven't completely reverted to my awful story name ways.

CorporalNoob- 5ever? You flatter me. Thank you so much!

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated but please enjoy!


Soraka trailed her hand over Syndra's stomach, frowning for a moment before pulling her hand away and tugging Syndra's hospital gown back into place.

"It's all healed up nicely. I can't do anything about the scar, but besides that, there's no permanent internal damage. "

She waited for Syndra to answer, but on receiving none, headed for the door.

"I want to keep you for one last night of observation, and in the morning you can go."

This time she didn't want for Syndra to say anything, simply left the room and closed the door very quietly behind her. Syndra waited a few seconds to make sure she was gone and that no one else was coming in before pulling up the gown, twisting her hip to get a better view of the scar.

It was hideous.

It was dark, raised, and impossibly long, covering nearly half of her stomach. She ran a finger across the uneven skin, sighing in dismay; if Soraka couldn't heal it away, then nobody could. She yanked the gown back into place, deciding that ignoring it for as long as she could was the best course of action.

And now… all she could do was wait.

Unsurprisingly, there wasn't a lot to do in the hospital; Karma had been very clear that she was to keep to herself, and Syndra had spent almost the entire stay locked away in her room. It had been nearly two weeks of long, arduous healing sessions with Soraka and very uncomfortable conversations with Karma. Even Zed, as much as he'd promised to visit, had only been there twice, and Syndra thought the boredom might actually be driving her insane.

She moved to the middle of her bed, crossing her legs and resting her arms on her knees, trying to meditate for what felt like the hundredth time that day. It was harder than she thought to clear her mind, and much easier for her thoughts to wander, back to the night she'd been trying so hard to forget.

She was thankful that most of her memories of the night were hazy at best; the ones she was stuck with were terrible enough. She'd been upset that night, because of Zed… and then there was Selvi in the rain, Selvi's crazed eyes, and then so much pain.

After that, almost nothing.

Syndra opened her eyes, frowning at the room that had hardly gotten any darker. She ran one hand over her face, deciding that going to sleep early was as good of an idea as she was going to get. She fell back against the pillows that were much too small for her liking, sticking one arm behind her head and bouncing a sphere with the other, waiting for the steady motion to lull her to sleep. It was slow going; the room had gotten dark enough that she could hardly see the sphere anymore before her eyes felt heavy at all.

She let the sphere fade away, snuggling deeper into the outrageously thin blankets and consoling herself with the thought that this was the last night she'd have to spend in this room.

"You look very uncomfortable."

The voice broke what little hold sleep had had on her, but she was happy to hear it nonetheless. She opened her eyes, wiggling to one side of the bed and holding up one corner of her blanket.

"Hurry up."

She sighed very quietly when Zed took his spot beneath the blanket, closing her eyes and hooking one leg over his, then tucking her head beneath his chin and against his chest.

"You're late."

The murmur was too quiet to carry any real anger, and Zed's only response was to run a hand along the leg Syndra had curled around him, letting it rest at her hip.

"I'm here now."

"Well, I'm tired now."

It was clear to them both that she wasn't, and Zed let his hand trail just a little bit farther up, stopping only when the movement made Syndra flinch. He pulled his hand away from her ribs, where it had just hardly grazed the scar that now stretched across it.

"Did I hurt you?"

He'd assumed that by now, she would have been mostly recovered, but he didn't know anything about Ionian healing methods outside of what the Kinkou had taught him. She was slow to answer, taking the time to thoroughly chew her bottom lip before responding.

"No, it doesn't hurt."

It wasn't exactly the answer Zed was expecting, and he waited for her to explain further.

"It's… Soraka couldn't heal it all."

For a second, Zed was worried, but he figured if there was a life altering problem that couldn't be healed, this wasn't the way Syndra would be acting. She was almost… shy. She ran her finger over her gown and across her stomach, and then shrugged.

"It left a scar. Rather unsightly."

Nothing she said alleviated his confusion, but he didn't think she would explain further. She was worried about a scar? Considering who she was talking to… It was a little ridiculous.

"You think scars are… unsightly."

He didn't mean for his tone to come out quite so mocking, but Syndra just rolled her eyes.

"No. Just mine."

If anything, she confused him more. He'd seen the initial wound, and although it was serious, he didn't think the scar would be that bad. Zed's silence made her feel like she had to explain, but it was harder than she thought to pick out just the right words.

"I was… worried, I suppose. That it would off-putting to you."

Syndra waited in silence, the embarrassment she felt at having to admit such a vain insecurity eating away at her. Zed didn't answer right away, making her discomfort all the more painful.

"It's not off-putting."

It was much more of a relief than Syndra expected to hear him say it, but he continued speaking before she could answer.

"Love is… not affected by scars."

For several minutes, Syndra just sat there, stunned by the direction the conversation had taken. Love was the last thing she expected to get from her petty confession, the last thing she ever expected to hear from Zed. As much as she wanted to question the statement, it was easy to tell how uncomfortable Zed was, and Syndra settled for snuggling just a little bit closer, hiding her smile against his shirt.

"It better not be."

Zed didn't let her hide for too long; he tilted her chin up, pulling her into a kiss that was happier and more lighthearted than she ever thought him capable of. And this time, when he ran his hand back along her hip, she didn't flinch away, because as close as she was it could never be close enough; not even when she was pressed beneath him, every inch of space between them erased.

It was especially maddening later, when Zed had to leave and all she wanted was to drag him back to bed. The fact that this was the day she was leaving was barely enough to console her; it was well into the morning before Karma came to retrieve her, thankfully bringing something that wasn't made by the hospital to wear. She held up the hooded shawl, ignoring Syndra when she curled her lip.

"No one knows you're here still. "

She watched Syndra carefully pull it over her head, adjusting it when she was finished so that every lock of silver hair was safely hidden away. Her hand lingered at Syndra's cheek just a few seconds longer than was appropriate, and she pulled it away with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"You know the way to my cottage from here still?"

It'd been many years since she'd last been here, but Syndra in her youth had spent a lot of time with Karma, and Karma had and still did spend a lot of time with Soraka at the hospital. She nodded, then gave Karma a shallow smile before letting herself out.

It was hard for Karma to watch her go; if she was here, at least she knew Syndra was safe, and that no one could hurt her. It was harder still to remind herself that it had been a long, long time since Syndra needed her or anyone else to worry about her.

But it was impossible not to worry about family.