23 - I can't bear to see him again.

Once they had gotten back to the dorm, Nico made up a lame excuse to avoid everyone and vanished to her room. "So it didn't go well?" Izuku asked as Bakugo flopped down on one of the couches.

"Didn't even get to see the old man," he sighed, "whatever happened upset her a lot but you know how she is, won't say a word about it."

"You'll get it out of her eventually, you always do." Izuku patted his friend's shoulder. "Maybe you could call Nick or Nina to see if they can shed a light on what happened."

"Yeah maybe in the morning, if she doesn't come out before then." Bakugo leaned his head and closed his eyes, "Why do women need to be so complicated?"

"Then us men wouldn't talk about the women who drive us nuts." Kirishima joined them with Denki. "We just get to see the crazy all the time, so we have more to talk about." the four of them watch most of their girlfriends chatting.

"I think they're making plans to go out on Saturday, something about the four of them and Yaoyorozu going to see a movie." Izuku said as Ochaco broke away from the group and headed for the stairs. "So I think thinking that the five of us should do the same, might as well since the girls are going to be busy."

"Yeah, I like the sound of that." Kirishima agreed. "Just a bunch of dudes doing manly things."

"I think the arcade was getting a few new games, we could go check them out." Denki offered.

"Kacchan, what do you think?" Izuku asked, getting Bakugo's attention. "You could leave cheering Nico up to the girls."

After a long moment, "Yeah, might as well. Hanging out with you nerds is better than sitting around doing nothing." he finally answered. "It's been a long day, I'm turning in."

While everyone was making plans, Nico was packing all her belongings. She didn't know when they would come to collect her, but it was better than waiting until the last minute to pack. I should explain to Katsuki what's going on. He deserves to know. She picked up the picture everyone had taken at the beach, I just can't bring myself to do it. It hurts me to think I'm not going to be able to see him again.

Carefully she took the picture from the frame and folded it so she could carry it in her wallet. Looking around the room, it was almost like she hadn't been there at all.

A message with a single word came across her phone, 'midnight'. So tonight then, guess they didn't want me getting ideas of running. Nico sighed, pulling a writing pad into her lap and started writing out her explanation.

"I'm sorry Nico, I know you're doing this for us." Nick offered when he saw how miserable his niece looked. "Maybe once the old timer cools down a little you can ask for some leave and come visit for friends."

"No, I can't." was all she said, taping a piece of paper to her door. "My place isn't here anymore, I will not be welcome here again." she looked out the window and across the hall, "No one around here will want me to come back. Let's go before someone wakes up." She turned away from the window and went down to the waiting car.

"Kit," Nina started, but chose not to say anything else when she saw the silent tears on Nico's face. "Let's go home Nick."

They were long gone by the time anyone noticed they were less one house cat. Ochaco was the one that found the note when she went to make sure Nico was still going with them. "Guys something happened to Nico." she came running down the stairs note in hand.

Izuku and Bakugo were on their feet and met her half way. "What's going on?" Bakugo took the paper from her. "I'm sorry, forget me? What the hell is this?"

"I went to see if she was up, but the door was open a little and that was on the other side. Her room was cleared out, it's like someone came in the middle of the night and erased her from the dorm." Ochaco explained, "What happened yesterday?"

"I wish I knew, but I'm going to find out." Bakugo shoved Nico's note back into Ochaco's hands, "I'll bring her home. Kicking and screaming if I have to."

Bakugo made up a weak excuse to skip out on classes for the day and found his way to the Gatta estate, determined to get answers. What he hadn't been expecting was to see Nina waiting at the gate for him. "I had a feeling you'd come." she pushed herself off of the wall. "But you should know she's not going to want to see you."

"Why not?" he snapped, "What the hell is going on?" he demanded when she wouldn't answer him.

"Follow and don't talk." Nina waved for him to join her as she turned. "I'm taking a huge risk for you, appreciate it." she pushed open a small side gate and walked toward a small house.

Bakugo wasn't sure of what was going on, but he trusted that he would get some kind of an answer. "Hey sis, what's going on?" Nick greeted Nina, leaning a little to see the teen behind her. "You might not want to let her know what you're thinking of." he knew that Nina was going to try to get Nico to talk.

"Our niece would have to say something in order for me to know what she wants. Since she hasn't left her room today, I thought I would try to get her out." Nina answered him, heading inside. "I won't let her slip away again, and if it takes going against father then so be it."

Bakugo looked at Nick, clearly confused at what was going on. "We were told to turn you away." Nick answered without being asked. "Nico hasn't said anything since she told us that she didn't want to see anyone from UA. It broke her heart that she was forced to leave the way she did."

"Then why leave at all?" Bakugo finally asked, "If she didn't want to leave, then why go at all?"

Nick looked up to the front window on the second level as Nina pushed it open. "It's not my place to explain, but just know it wasn't an easy decision."

"I told you I didn't want any of them here." they heard Nico shout, "I'm not one of them anymore." They didn't hear anything for a while before loud cursing started pouring from the open window.

"Well at least she's speaking." Nick sighed, "Stay as long as you want, but don't be surprised if something gets thrown at you." he waved the boy in as he opened the door.

"What's going on?" Bakugo asked again, following Nick inside. "Why does it look like Nico doesn't plan on coming back to school?"

"That would be because she's not." Nina answered coming down to join them in the living room. "Our father gave her a choice and unfortunately neither one was something she wanted to pick."

Bakugo noticed the Nina had four scratches running along her cheek. "Is she really that upset that I'm here?"

"I may have asked for this by showing you the way." Nina didn't even seem to notice the thin cuts. "Nicole doesn't want anyone else to know where she is, can I ask you to keep this to yourself."

"Sure, I don't mind. I plan on being the one to bring her back anyways." he nodded getting sad looks from the adults.

"That's the problem, Nico has to stay here. She went back on the deal she had made with the old man and this is the punishment." Nick explained as he watched Bakugo's face drop. "Sorry kid, I know it sucks but eventually she'll be allowed to work with an agency and if you're lucky you two can pick up from there."

"No." the three turned their attention to the stairs, "We'd be fooling ourselves if we thought it was a good idea for us to stay together after all of this." Nico said from the top of the stairs before disappearing back down the hall she had come from, Bakugo couldn't help noticing how red and puffy her eyes looked.

"It seems like that's our que to show you the door." Nick said sadly, "Going to miss you blondie." he clapped the young man on the shoulder.

"One of us will contact you if she changes her mind." Nina was a little sympathetic to the situation. "I hope you don't hold this against her, things right now are beyond tense around here and we're all under a lot of pressure." she walked out with him, "I can give you a ride back to the school if you wish and explain to your teacher what happened."

He just numbly nodded, the force of Nico's rejection knocking the ability to speak out of him. Bakugo sat silently as he watched the buildings go past, trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. "She doesn't mean what she said." Nina finally spoke, "Nicole is trying to protect you and pushing you away so violently is the only thing she can think of."

"Protect me? From what?" None of it made any sense to him, "Does this have anything to do with what happened yesterday?"

"I'm going to go out on a limb and assume she didn't tell you much of what happened," she paused, slowing down as they got closer to the school. "While it's not my place to meddle, I will tell you that she did not make this choice for selfish reasons. I know my niece better than she realizes and I know she does not want to see you treated the same way Parker was. My father was not pleased with Nami for marrying him and made it clear every chance he got, that is what she wants to shield you from."

"Funny way of showing she cares then, didn't even give me a chance to stand up to the geezer."

"Because she wants you to move on, Nicole thinks that there is no way for you to get close to your goals if you are to stay with her." Nina said catching him off guard. "She told me that you plan on being the number one hero someday, so Nicole is under the impression that cannot happen if you stay with her and allow yourself to get caught up in Gatta affairs." Bakugo hadn't taken that into consideration before.

"I know this a lot to think over, but if you could try to keep your heart open for her a little longer I will see if I can get her to change her mind." Nina pleaded with him, "Nami asked us to always watch out for Nico and we've done a piss poor job."

"No you haven't." Bakugo reassured her, "It's just once Nico has convinced herself of something there's no changing her mind. I'll make sure that the others know that she didn't go willingly and that she didn't want them to make a big deal about it." He opened the door, and paused before getting out. "I guess this will be the last time we see each other, thanks for looking after her." and with that Bakugo made his way back to the dorm, gritting his teeth against the tears that fell freely. It was good he chose to cut class today, he was about to let the other see him in such a state.