Hearing of her sister and mother's hospitalization, Enterprise, Wasp and Hornet went to see them in a rush. With them, they brought some fresh flowers to put in the vase.
The news of the victory were doing miracles for the Azur Lane faction's morale, and as such, the commander and the girls were showered with praises. That's why, beyond a window of two hours, visitors were forbidden. Normally, so would they, if they were not family.
Entering, they were greeted by the sight of a well-maintained ward, with only two beds, reserved for the two veteran heroes.
Yorktown being asleep, the girls started chatting to their mother.
-Hi mom! How are you? (Hornet)
Enterprise changed the flowers in the vase.
-Oh, I'm so glad to see you all! How have you been? Have you been eating well?(Lexington)
-Mom, you're missing an intestine and a lung and you ask us if we're fine? (Enterprise)
-Well, moms will be moms. You'll understand it when you're older and you have kids. (Lexington)
-But, are YOU fine, mom? (Wasp)
-I'm alive, and in about four months, I'll be out of here and reunited with you again. Believe me, I would not spend another second here. So boring, and Yorktown has exhausted any conversation topic with me. You know how much I love to ramble on, but she just doesn't keep up. Poor girl, must have been drained from talking to me. (Lexington)
-What about her? How much does she have to stay? (Wasp)
As she said this, Wasp leaned and kissed Yorktown's temple, then moved away to show her affection to Lexi too. Her mother caught her, not letting go, and kept on smothering her.
-She'll be here for a month less. You'll have her back as well. Soon enough to send those Sakura back to their seppukku. (Lexington)
-What's a seppukku? (Hornet)
-Dunno, but I heard they hide inside when they do it. That's what I heard. (Lexington)
The rambling kept going until they had to go. After they did, Yorktown woke up, and the Commander came in.
-Good day, girls. Are you feeling well?
-Oh Commander, we're doing well, well as well as you can do without an intestine and a lung. (Lexington)
-How about you, Yorktown? As far as I know, your lungs and intestines are alright.
-They said I will be back in three months. I hope there's no need for me until then. (Yorktown)
-I don't want to give you bad news, but the Sakura have set the decisive battle for just a month from now. The girls will be in numeric inferiority.
-Oh no! Commander, will my sisters be alright? (Yorktown)
-Yorktown my dear, I can't promise you that. Your battle was vicious, and it was thoroughly planned, but this one is twice that.
-Can I do something to help? (Yorktown)
-Unfortunately, not unless God performs a miracle. You need to get operated and closed, but your arteries are still stitching.
-Tell them to do it faster! I want to fight with my sisters! (Yorktown)
-You can't do that! You're too feeble yet! (Lexington)
-I'm young and strong, mother. I can take it. (Yorktown)
-You're just being stubborn and naive, like young people your age. Commander, tell her it's too dangerous! (Lexington)
At first, it seems like Lexington just wanted to keep her daughter safe, but in reality it was a fear that she will lose face in front of her daughter, which the other girls already took to as a second mother. She thought that Yorktown herself wanted her to lose her mother authority. Worse still, she would not compete by doing what a mother is supposed to do, and her daughter does instead of her, out of fear of pain alone.
It is undeniable that there are two types of wisdom. The first is the wisdom of the stone, in which you learn to avoid consequences by avoiding adversity. The other, percieved as lack of wisdom, is the metallic wisdom, in which you learn to outlast the consequences, and get back on your feet as soon as possible.
The first is frequent in older, 'mature' people, while the first is more frequent in the young, 'green' ones.
Lexington had the first and cowered from the responsibility, Yorktown had both and decided that this is her only chance to make a change.
-I have no intention of keeping a soldier in the reserves. if she wants to do something about the mortal risk her sisters are in, I have nothing to do but support her. Why you, as a mother, try to keep her away is beyond me, however. I was expecting YOU, not her, to offer yourself.
The insult was stout, direct and burning. Lexington was fuming, and was almost ready to snap and go into a fit. But she was not going to dare take it out on me. She would rather take it out on Yorktown than face anything. Realizing this, I took a step back to give her a warning.
-And if I hear that you take this on her later, then you're fucked.
Yorktown was operated the same day, and, at her request, I held her hand during the procedure. No anesthesia.
It was a weird feeling. On one side, I was deeply in love to Enterprise, but seeing her cry in pain and squeeze my hand as if it was her only source of hope made me understand Silver's feelings. I would not fall in love with anyone else than Enterprise, but I would instead respect Yorktown a lot more.
For two days, she was held in a special post-operans room, half catatonic, but her recovery, aided by unnatural willpower, was complete and expediated. The third day, she was up and kicking, headed for Midway.