Silently looking out the window of the cab, Suzu could see a peaceful view of an empty street, not a single soul to be seen. Everyone was safe at home, enjoying some well deserved rest from another day's hard work. She needed to keep it that way.

On a normal day, she would have flown to wherever she was going. Flying at night was one of her favourite things to do, silver wings free circling through the dark sky, and taking time to stretch each and every feather. But ever since her recovery, they just wouldn't appear. Reaching over her shoulder to touch her back, she recalled that horrid day.

3 months ago

"How's she doing, Eri?" Aizawa walked into the hospital room, clutching a gift basket of fruit.

The young girl looked up from her seat, a tinge of exhaustion on her face. The horn on her head now small, she rubbed her temples to propel herself to stay awake.

"Thankfully, better. She's sleeping now. I was able to rewind her body to before the attack, so she and her wings should be okay but..." Her eyes lowered.

"Still no sign, huh?"

Aizawa sat next to Eri, taking note of the sadness in her eyes. Ruffling her hair, he wasted no time in snapping her out of her state.

"You and Recovery Girl did everything you could. It's a miracle that we had Recovery Girl on the medic team close by, or else she could have been in a worse state."

"But ripping her wings like that... I can't even imagine the shock..." Eri started to choke up as her eyes fell on Suzu's face. The two girls were very close, and when news reached her ears that Suzu was attacked in such a horrific manner, fear rippled throughout her body. Eri didn't want to lose another important person, especially when this time, her quirk would be able to reverse it all. Or so she thought.

When Eri and Aizawa-sensei rushed into the hospital room yesterday, Suzu was sitting up, her body wound up in bandages. Her back was missing its wings, and her eyes had no life left in them. Yeah, Eri could rewind her injuries. But could she rewind everything else? Probably not.

"Which is why it'll take some time for her to get back on her feet. But we'll be there, we'll all be there, so she won't feel alone in the process." Aizawa's eyes widened when he noticed a tear running down Suzu's face, realising she was awake and listening the whole time. She needed space.

Ushering Eri out of the room using school as an excuse, he closed the door behind them.

3 months in, Suzu still had no wings. No wings, no heart, and not enough time. For the Mercy Hero to come back, she needed everything that she didn't have at the moment. Time was ticking, and missions that she was supposed to be at the fore front had to be carried out without her. To substitute her abilities alone required multiple heroes, meaning everyone was being spread thin. Being absent for this long, what was that showing her community? The citizens? The Mercy Hero, Athena, treacherously attacked by villains and robbed of her wings. Where did she go? Was she harrowing in despair?

No. Suzu couldn't have this go on any longer. She was willing to take this gamble, the last resort.

She missed her U.A. days in class 1-A.

Suzu always looked up to All Might, and having had the chance to learn from the best of the best in school, she kept many of his wise sayings to heart throughout her life.

A certain flashback comes to mind.

"Whether you win or lose, looking back and learning from the experience is a part of life!"

She remembered him beaming, his valiant self instilling so much hope in the young hearts of the soon-to-be heroes.

A part of her wishes she could turn back time and reply back to him. That she had failed to do what he had deeply inspired them to do. That she was running away from the pain of it all, unable to make this into a learning experience. Because being a hero sometimes didn't give you a choice.

Because sometimes, heroes just don't have that kind of time.

"Miss, we've arrived to your location." Quickly handing the man a wad of cash, she left the car.

Making her way up the stairs to Apt. 4, she took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

"What time do you think it is?!" She could hear a man's voice from inside, groggy and frustrated.

The door swung open to reveal a pair of strikingly blue eyes, visibly shocked at her appearance by the way he froze. Regaining his composure, he took his hand out of his black hair.

"Suzu... What the hell are you doing here so late? And how do you have darker eye bags than me?!" Quickly noticing her limp state, he stopped nagging and stood there quiet.

"I need your help... Dabi."