A/N: Hey guys! I apologize for being a little late on this chapter, but here it is now! I'll be back on time next Friday for the next chapter!

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Words

Aisla sat rigidly in a straight-backed chair, staring out the window to her right with lips pressed into a hard line. Her arms were folded stubbornly, and blonde waves hung around her face to hide the counselor from view. She'd been sitting this way for the last ten minutes, refusing to say a single word.

To his credit, Doctor Fujinari was astoundingly patient with her disrespectful attitude. He greeted her upon her entry, then asked her to sit down. There was no chaise lounge like therapists always had in the movies, much to her relief, but there were two cushioned arm chairs and one straight-backed chair. She'd chosen the latter out of stubbornness, but the good doctor didn't even bat an eye at her choice.

He was a tall man, with brown hair, glasses, and striking yellow eyes. It was only recently that Aisla made the connection between him and Roan Fujinari, Mina's boyfriend. The lanky gargoyle of a boy had these same lightning yellow eyes under the waterfall of dark blue hair that hid them from view. It was a relief that the man didn't share Roan's standoffish personality. Rather, his face was soft and his smile always friendly—like he was molded precisely to play the role of the sympathetic therapist. At the moment, Aisla didn't take comfort in this, however. It felt like a pretty deception, a lure to get her to unveil her painful secrets, and she was not falling for it.

Doctor Fujinari asked for her name, to which she responded robotically. When he asked why she was there, she just shrugged and turned her face away. He tried to engage her a few more times before realizing that she was going to stay silent. He didn't pressure her into speaking, instead informing her that this was her time and she could do what she wanted with it. He was there for her to speak with, but if she wanted to simply sit in silence, so be it.

Aisla was growing bored of this, however. She still had another forty-minutes before she was allowed to leave, and she knew Aizawa would only send her right back over if she didn't talk to this quack. It was frustrating being forced to talk to someone she didn't know, about something she didn't want to talk about. She just wanted to be left alone.

"Would you like some tea, perhaps?" Dr. Quack asked after another five minutes of silence. Aisla peered over at him with suspicion in her eyes, but Doctor Fujinari looked genuine in his request, so she simply shrugged. He could decide for her, she didn't care.

He gave a brief nod, then stood up and moved to the side of the room where an electric tea kettle sat alongside four cups with saucers and a canister of oolong tea. Aisla watched as the doctor filled the kettle with water and set it to boil. Once it was finished, he filled two cups with the steaming water and poured in some of the oolong before presenting Aisla with one and placing the second on his desk.

"So," he said conversationally once he'd sat back down. "Are you ready to talk, or would you rather drink our tea in silence?"

Honestly, Aisla didn't want to talk to anyone. It was her careless words that had gotten her into this horrible situation in the first place. If she'd just kept her feelings to herself… If she hadn't told Katsuki she loved him, then… Aisla wished she could stay mute forever, lest she accidentally say something else that would ruin her life even further. There was no way she could get away with this, however. She knew that. Instead, she took a sip of tea before giving Doctor Fujinari a noncommittal nod.

He proffered a small smile before stepping out from behind his desk and sitting across from her. He took a sip of his tea, sat the cup down, then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, eyes peering inquisitively at her from behind the lenses of thin, wire-framed glasses.

"We don't have to talk about what's bothering you," he said softly. "Instead, why don't you tell me about your day?" His golden eyes were affable—warm and welcoming as they scanned over her tense posture.

Aisla's expression turned sour. "I went to class, and then I was forced to come here," she told him bluntly, choosing not to elaborate on her rather unwelcome wakeup call by her teacher, or her interactions with her classmates' pitying stares.

He chuckled quietly, unfazed by her attitude. "I can sympathize with that, at least. I'm forced to come here every day." He leaned back and picked up his tea once more. The joke was kind of funny, but Aisla refused to be swayed; instead, she scowled and said nothing in response. "What did you have for breakfast?"

"A five-course meal," she deadpanned. She knew better than to admit that she hadn't eaten for days. This was a therapist, after all. They judged everything their patients did, and judged even harder the things they didn't do—like eat.

"Oh?" Her sarcasm didn't even make him flinch. "That must have been delicious. I kept it simple with rice and eggs. Eating too much in the morning makes me groggy." She narrowed her eyes even further, wondering if he, too, was a mind reader and was mocking her for her breakfast comment, but his tone was trusting as though he'd taken her words at face-value, even though she was obviously being sarcastic. "Did you learn anything exciting in class today?"

I learned that my teacher is an asshole who wants to punish me for having my heart broken.

"No," she said aloud. "We were working on hero history again." Which, she admitted to just herself, was one of her worst subjects.

"Ah, not interested in old war stories?" he guessed. She gave a passive shrug. "That's understandable. It can be…difficult to think too hard about the past. That's why some people focus their energy on making plans for the future and others live entirely in the present moment. Which category would you say you fall into, Miss Haru?"

Aisla sipped her tea while she considered his question. There were definitely things in her past she didn't want to think or talk about—like the bullying she endured at Shiketsu. But there were also things she liked to think about, such as family trips and making friends with Shoto. She also didn't see herself as a person who lived in the now, but that didn't mean there weren't moments when she desperately tried to cling to the present. She often thought about her future as a hero, and up until Katsuki broke her heart, she thought a lot about the future they could have had together. Basically, she was a confusing mess.

"I'm not sure how to answer your question," she replied honestly. "It's not that I don't want to talk about the past, but… I guess…if I had to choose, I might say that I live more in the present?" She offered a shrug, unsure how true her statement was. She kind of didn't want to live in any moment at all—past, present, or future—but she knew that was just the heartbreak talking. Right now, all that concerned her was taking it day by day.

He nodded, taking in every word. "There are no wrong answers here. Your answer could change later—there's nothing wrong with that. For now, you view yourself as a person who holds onto the present moment. In that case…" he sipped his tea, "how are you feeling right now?"

The sigh left her lips before she'd even realized it was there. She knew this question was coming; it was inevitable that a therapist would ask their patient how they feel. She'd kind of hoped he would forget about that and continue asking her unrelated questions that had nothing to do with her feelings.

Right now, she answered silently, I feel annoyed by this conversation.

Aloud, she muttered, "I feel fine." Remembering how her mother always arched an eyebrow when Aisla said the word 'fine,' she quickly added, "I mean, I'm great. I feel great." The words were robotic even to her ears, but maybe Dr. Quack wouldn't notice.

"Hmm." He nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting choice of words. I'm actually quite curious. You say 'fine' and 'great' as though those words express emotion. Strangely, I've never met any two people who can define those exactly the same way. The way I see it, 'fine' is how one might describe porcelain and 'great' could describe a note from your teacher on an exam. When you say you feel 'fine,' Miss Haru, what does that word mean to you?"

Aisla kind of wanted to throw up her hands at his therapist's line of speaking, but she still held a cup of hot tea and didn't want to slosh the steaming liquid onto her bare legs. Didn't he get it? She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to talk about her stupid feelings or about her breakup or at all. A forced session with the school counselor wasn't going to miraculously make her feel better.

However…

"Talk, don't talk, it's up to you. But the longer you stay silent, the more time you'll be spending in Fujinari's office."

Aisla sighed. Mr. Aizawa wasn't going to let her stay silent. Why did he care so much anyway? Couldn't he have just given her detention or suspended her instead of forcing her to come see this quack job?

"Does it really matter?" she whispered as she tapped a fingernail against the side of her cup. "My words aren't going to mean anything to you. They don't matter at all. No one cares about nice words, words that describe your feelings, or pretty lies. The only words that matter are the ones that cut you down. They're useless, cruel, hurtful…" She trailed off when she realized that she wasn't really talking about the doctor's question anymore. She snapped her mouth shut and bit her lip to keep from saying anything else. Moisture clouded her vision, but she blinked it away and cleared her throat.

"I can see how someone could feel that way," Dr. Fujinari acknowledged carefully. "Words can uplift us or…they can crush us. Words can be useless, cruel, and hurtful—that much is true. They can also be restorative, kind, and healing." He paused, letting this settle before he continued.

"I hear you saying that words can be painful. I get the sense that something happened to make you say that. Were you…hurt by something someone said? Or maybe you said something that hurt someone else? Do you want to talk about it?"

Aisla didn't feel the tears until she heard one of them plop into her tea cup. She sat the cup down on the small table to her right and hastily wiped her eyes dry. Crying had not been on her agenda for the day—or at least not in the school counselor's office like some preteen on a crappy drama show. Part of her felt relieved that he'd guessed her thoughts, the other part felt offended that he was insinuating Aisla could be at fault in this situation.

"I love you, Katsuki…"

"Well, I don't, okay?! I don't feel those stupid feelings and you're an idiot if you thought I did! So, stop saying stupid shit and leave me alone! I don't want to hear anything else!"

She shuddered at the memory. "It is all my fault…" she choked out as more traitorous tears fell. "It was all…my fault. I shouldn't have—" Her voice broke as a sob worked its way through her. She buried her face in her hands and wept, feeling guilt and anguish threaten to pull her under once more.

He let her cry, only interrupting momentarily to offer a box of tissues, which she took gratefully. He waited with gentle eyes, lips painted in a sympathetic smile. "Take your time," he advised. "Like I said before, there are no wrong answers. There is no right or wrong. Anything and everything you feel is valid, personal, and yours alone, Miss Haru."

When she finally got control of her sobs, she was left feeling numb and tired. "No right or wrong?" she whispered in a barely audible scoff. "I feel wrong. The things I've said and done…they're wrong, too. The way I am…" She inhaled deeply and held the breath for a few beats before letting it out slowly. Maybe if she wasn't such a sentimental person—if she hadn't been such a needy, pushy, and clingy girlfriend. If she wasn't so annoying or stupid… "I'm just wrong," she finished softly. "Everything that's happened has been because of my stupid, messed up feelings. If I had just kept my feelings to myself, I wouldn't even be here right now. Everything would be fine. I never should have said anything…" She trailed off again as more tears threatened. If only she'd kept her feelings and her stupid Valentine's Day present to herself. Everything could have continued with Katsuki as normal. She ruined everything with those stupid, useless, unnecessary words.

Dr. Fujinari's face was gentle. "Speaking up is brave. It's something you should be proud of. If your emotions weren't received well by someone else, then that's no fault of yours. You were true to your heart. It's okay to feel hurt, even to feel useless or out of control. Let yourself feel those things, Miss Haru. Focus on how you feel, not anyone else in this situation, and accept yourself."

"I don't think I can," she breathed, feeling completely helpless and vulnerable, and hating herself for it. She wanted to be brave and strong, but the truth was…Aisla just wasn't that person. She liked to believe that she was, but deep down to her core, Aisla Haru was nothing but a coward in disguise.

She sniffled and blew her nose in a tissue. "You don't get it. How can I accept myself when he hates me now?" She started to sob. "He'll never feel the same way about me. I'm an idiot. I hate myself and I won't accept the part of me that ruined everything!"

Once more, she buried her face in her palms as she tried to control her cries. Her body shook from the effort. "I'm sorry," she wept. "I'm sorry for crying, I just…" She choked on the words and had to cough to clear her throat. "Please tell me how to make it all go away. Please… I don't want to feel anymore. I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be…broken." She looked up at him with pleading eyes, begging him to do something, to give her the magic cure to her heartache.

"I have good news for you, then. You're not broken. Your heart is broken but there's an important distinction there. You are still whole. And as long as you are all in one piece…then your heart will heal."

That sounded reasonable in theory, but hearing words and seeing results were two completely different things. Somewhere in the deepest parts of her mind, Aisla knew she would heal eventually, but right now all she knew was pain. Katsuki's rejection, his cruel anger, his horrified expression in response to her confession all played on repeat in her mind in an endless cycle of mental punches. He rejected her so harshly—and in front of her family, too! She wasn't sure how long it would take for that pain to heal, but seeing his face every day was going to make the heartache stir inside of her and consume her for a long time. She didn't want to see him in class or in the dorms, but the truth of the matter was that they both attended the same school, so seeing him was inevitable. It would be hard at first, especially since Katsuki insisted on pretending she didn't exist, but eventually…it would be like seeing any other boy in her class, right?

I need a distraction, she decided as she sat there with the doctor's kind face staring back at her, waiting patiently for her reply. She needed something, anything that would help take her mind off of Katsuki and her broken emotions.

"I feel…" she began slowly, "like I need to do something else with my time. I need something that can take my focus and help distract me from the pain I feel. I…" she took a deep breath, "I can't live like this. Seeing him every day—the boy I thought was my best friend, the one I gave my whole heart to—will kill me inside. You don't understand how hard it is to live with someone who hates you so strongly." She clenched a fist. "I have to see him every day. I need something to…take me away from everything."

"That's a great place to start," he replied encouragingly. "If you have a hobby or some kind of activity you can fall back on when you start to feel out of control, it will be a good way to direct your emotions. Some people use art to express their feelings. Others find it helpful to start participating in a new club or exercising regularly. Though, I suppose as a hero-course student, exercise isn't exactly a break for your mind." He chuckled at this. "Some people find relief by writing in a journal or blog." His eyes sparkled at this last word, as if it held more meaning for him than he was indicating here. "Find whatever it is that helps keep you centered in the present moment, Miss Haru."

"I like to draw…" Aisla admitted almost reluctantly. The memory of the last thing she drew—the picture of her and Katsuki—flashed through her mind, making her wince. "Well, I used to anyway. I don't know if I can anymore…" Thinking about her hobby made her want to cry again, so she pushed it from her mind and put on a determined expression. "You're right, sir," she told him. "I need to put my focus into something new."

"That's good to hear! Try out something new and if it doesn't work, don't be discouraged. I'm confident you'll find what suits you best." He stood up, then held out his hand, offering to take her tea cup. "And you can come talk to me any time." He proffered her one last, warm smile, "I'll always be willing to listen."

Aisla left the counselor's office feeling better than when she'd arrived, but not necessarily good. Her heart continued to ache inside of her like something was physically stabbing her. Her body and mind still felt numb and tired, but even with all of that, at least she now had a plan of action. She wouldn't allow herself to wallow in her room alone. If she wanted to get better and move past the pain of her first breakup, she needed to do something.

She found herself outside Class 1-A's room, hand raised hesitantly over the doorknob just as it had been that morning. She half expected Mr. Aizawa to show up behind her to chastise her, but that didn't happen. And after another brief moment, she pushed into the room without knocking.

Mr. Aizawa still sat at his desk, grading papers with his hair tied back in a loose ponytail. He glanced up at her intrusion and arched an eyebrow at her before gesturing for her to come closer. She did, standing on the opposite side of his desk as she had an hour prior.

"Well, I see you've returned in one piece," he observed dryly.

Aisla resisted the urge to roll her eyes, lest it land her another trip to the school counselor. "Mr. Aizawa, sir," she said. "I was hoping you could, um, help me with something."

He sat his red pen down and leaned back in his chair, draping one leg casually over his knee and steepling his fingers on top. "I see. What can I do for you, Miss Haru?" he asked, dark eyes boring into hers.

"Well…" Aisla twisted her hair anxiously, feeling sheepish all of a sudden. It wasn't like she was asking for anything too outrageous, and she knew he'd probably say yes, but for whatever reason, Aisla suddenly felt as if she didn't have the right to ask for favors after the disrespectful way she'd been acting.

"You can talk to me, Aisla," he encouraged softly. "Whatever it is you need, don't hesitate to ask."

Aisla nodded. "Sir…I want to train with you again," she appealed. "Please, sir, I need something to do with my extra time. I need to focus on something besides—" she cut herself off, realizing that she never told him the story.

"Bakugo?" he guessed. At her nod, he heaved a sigh. "Look, Miss Haru, you know I'll take time out of my evenings to train with my students, but you have to actually be present for the extra sessions. The last time I tried training with you, you started slacking off and wasting my time. I have better things to do than stand around waiting for you," he admonished gently. "Remember this when you decide your social life is more important than training."

Aisla's lips formed a pout, but she knew he was right. If she didn't put her all into something, she was wasting everyone's time. She needed to be better about following through with her goals. This was what she needed to distract herself from her breakup with Katsuki. This was the thing that would help her heal.

"I'll be there," she promised. "I won't bail on lessons again. I want to put my all into training and improving my quirk. Will you help me?"

Her teacher stared at her with an unreadable expression for a long moment. She wondered if her words hadn't been enough to convince him. After all, Aisla knew from experience that they didn't always mean anything at all. Why should her stoic teacher believe her when her actions spoke differently?

"Stop pouting," he said with a sigh. "I'll help you, Aisla." She was in the middle of releasing a relieved sigh when he continued. "But…I have two conditions. Firstly, I want you to go see Dr. Fujinari again next week."

Aisla slumped as a whine made its way up her throat. "But why? You said if I talked to the guy then I wouldn't have to go see him anymore!"

"You're still unstable," he accused. "I can see it written all over your face. I want you to go see him again as a follow-up. If it seems like you've improved mentally at that point in time, then you won't have to go back unless you choose to do so. Deal?"

Aisla pursed her lips in thought, and wondered how she could get out of this unfair deal.

"You're not getting out of it," he told her, guessing her thoughts.

"Fine," she relented. "I'll go see Dr. Quack again."

An awkward moment of silence passed between them. She looked up expectantly. "What's the other condition?"

He leaned back in his chair and looked at her for a long time, as if debating about something. She couldn't hope to guess at his thoughts, so she waited with bated breath for…she had no idea what. Finally, he spoke. "I'll agree to personally train you again, however, you and I will not be training alone this time around."

She blinked in surprise. "But…isn't that the point? We both have vision quirks, I thought—"

He held up his hand. "I'm not done speaking." She gulped and pinched her lips shut as he continued. "While you were busy goofing around with Bakugo and avoiding your training sessions with me, I took on another apprentice. If you're adamant about getting in extra quirk training, then you have to agree to train with both of us. This is also extra insurance for me, because there will be someone who can hold you accountable and make sure you actually show up."

For some reason, his words stung a little. It wasn't as if he'd ever told her she was his exclusive apprentice or something—and though everyone joked about her being his favorite student, she knew Mr. Aizawa wasn't the type to show partiality like that. Yet, knowing that she'd disappointed her favorite hero and someone else had stepped in in her place was…humiliating. Was it someone who was more consistent and reliable than her? Someone stronger? Better? Someone whose heartbreak wasn't the reason they asked Mr. Aizawa for help?

"Who is it?" she asked. She had no idea who from their class would want extra training from him. Maybe someone with a non-combative quirk like hers? Hagakure? She hated the thought of being around one of her classmates when she was trying to distract herself from memories of Katsuki. Being near her peers who might ask her questions and pester her about what had happened…was too much to bear.

"Hitoshi Shinso," he answered, surprising her.

"Shinso…?" She blinked a few times as she tried to process this. She remembered the name from somewhere… That was it! She'd seen him fight in the UA Sports Festival, before she transferred from Shiketsu. He wasn't in one of the hero courses, if she remembered correctly. He'd faced Midoriya with a brainwashing quirk and lost. Had a general studies student really gone to Mr. Aizawa and asked for help training?

Like I'm one to judge, she thought with a quiet sigh. Neither Shinso's quirk, nor her own, were suited for combat. They were the perfect students to enter under her teacher's tutelage. And, at least with him, Aisla wouldn't have to worry about him asking questions about her relationship with Katsuki. They were in different classes on two completely opposite sides of campus. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Well?" Mr. Aizawa asked. There was a challenge in his eyes, almost like he expected her to question him about his choice to take Shinso under his wing.

"I don't really want an accountability buddy," she grumbled, "but…if that's what it takes to train with you, then I accept."

"That's the spirit," he deadpanned. "Now, get out of my sight. Tomorrow, we start training again. Until then, get some rest. And you'd better not be late to class again or this time I will suspend you."

After a brief nod, Aisla gave her teacher a quick bow and left the room. Her goal was to go back to her own room to sulk some more, but when she got back to her dorm, Shoto was there waiting for her. He smiled when he saw her and dipped a grandiose bow.

"Sweet Aisla, back from the depths of Hell." She scowled but he just laughed in response. "The Demon King sure kept you a while. I wasn't sure if you'd make it out alive."

She allowed a half-smile. "Actually…" she trailed off, wondering if she should tell him about her therapy adventure. She was just about to tell him she didn't want to talk about it when she caught sight of blond hair and piercing red eyes staring right at her from across the room. Katsuki stood there with hands stuffed in pockets, expression somewhere between angry and annoyed.

Aisla's face darkened and she turned away from him. "Can we go talk somewhere a little more private?" she suggested.

Shoto nodded and took her hand in his as he led her up the stairs and into his room. She did not look at Katsuki as they passed by, but she thought she might have heard a low growl emit from deep within his throat.

"So what's up, Ru?" asked Shoto when he shut the door. He leaned against it with crossed arms and curious eyes.

Aisla shrugged. "I just…"

"Needed to avoid You-Know-Who?" he guessed. She nodded. "I don't blame you. Why don't you sit?" he offered, gesturing to the bed. She took a seat and he did the same on his desk chair, swiveling around so he faced her. She pulled her legs up under her and sat cross-legged on the bed as she tugged on the ends of her hair. "Talk to me, Ru. You know you can tell me anything."

She sighed. "Aizawa made me see Dr. Fujinari."

"The school psychiatrist?" he said in surprise. "I guess that would be something he'd insist on since you're his favorite student. Naturally, he'd be more concerned with you being mentally well than anyone else."

Aisla glowered. "It's not like that!" she protested. "He said it was either that or expulsion."

Okay, that wasn't entirely true but it was close enough.

"Wow, harsh. How did it go?" he inquired. "Did Dr. Fujinari make you feel any better about…um, stuff?"

Aisla gave another half-hearted shrug. "I guess. I don't really know what to think, honestly."

"Well, I hope it helped," he said encouragingly. "I've missed you."

She looked up into his dual-colored eyes so full of sincerity and affection. He loved her, and he wasn't afraid to show it. No…it was more like…saying his feelings was just common sense to him. He didn't have a filter, and sometimes it made him blunt or socially clueless, but at least he never hid his feelings toward Aisla, friendly or otherwise—unlike some people…

She sighed and lay back on the mattress. "You and I say too much," she noted with frustration.

He laughed softly, then his face turned contemplative. "Aisla…I'm still trying to understand my emotions about a lot of things, like how I feel toward my old man, my mom, you and Akina. So, I'm not an expert on the subject, but…I don't think there's anything wrong with saying how you feel. If anything, I've learned that shoving your emotions down just makes the steam rise until the lid pops off and you hurt people. That's how I was before Midoriya got through to me, and before I met you." His fingers spread out on the scar on his face as he considered what to say next.

"I think…expressing our feelings might be what makes us human. Whether we tell someone that we care about them, or we express our heartache, or our hatred…It's okay to feel, Aisla. How else will you learn who you want to be? Whatever it is you're feeling, it's okay."

"You sound like Dr. Quack," she muttered.

Another chuckle. "I love you, Aisla." There it was again, Shoto's unwavering ability to speak whatever truth was on his mind, no matter how complicated the consequences of those words might be. He was the complete opposite of Katsuki Bakugo. "You're my best friend, and nothing you say or do will ever change that, okay? So, you don't have to hide your feelings from me—not about Bakugo…or about me. I know you don't care about me the same way you care about him, and that's okay. I want to be your best friend and confidant. I want you to feel safe talking to me. It's okay, whatever you want to tell me. I'll be here for you always."

Tears stung her eyes but she made no attempts to stop them this time. She curled up on her side and clutched her knees to her chest as she sobbed. She'd done a lot of crying lately, but allowing herself to be vulnerable in front of Shoto—or even a school counselor—made her feel a little less alone.

She felt the mattress dip as Shoto crawled in behind her and wrapped himself around her in a tight embrace. It wasn't the intimate embrace of a lover, but the comforting hug of a friend. She allowed him to pull her into him and hold her there as she continued to cry, and even though she felt miserable and hurt, being held like this by someone who cared so unabashedly for her made warmth settle inside of her.

"I'm here for you," he whispered as he gently stroked the side of her arm. "You can cry, Aisla. You can scream and yell at me, you can call me names if that's what you want. I promise you I won't ever abandon you. You will get through this, and I'll be right by your side the whole way, no matter what you need. It will help if you tell me what you want, though. I'm not good at understanding other people's expectations, so…whatever you want from me, just tell me and it's yours."

"I want to stay here…" she breathed into his arm as her body shook with sobs. "I don't want to be alone."

"Then stay," he whispered without hesitation. "I'll keep you company until you don't need me anymore. I won't let you fall apart."

They stayed like that until Aisla fell asleep and was thrust into a world of dreams about Katsuki rejecting her and telling the whole school that he wished he'd never met her.

She didn't know how long Shoto held her for, but when she woke up to the milky light of dawn, she found him fast asleep on the floor by her side. She smiled wryly at the sight before turning over and letting sleep pull her under once more, only this time…the nightmares left her alone.

A/N: Dr. Fujinari is a character from my beta's story, The Contract. He is the father of her main OC, Roan, who I've also featured in this fic a few times. I know Hound Dog is the counselor, but I thought it would be more fun to bring in this character. Also, he can have an actual conversation with my darling Aisla, who really needed someone to get through to her. She can be very stubborn! The whole conversation between Aisla and Fujinari was a joint effort between myself and yellowchikadee.

Reviews:

blasttyrant: He IS a turd! Who knows what he was thinking when he skipped class. Guess you gotta wait until next week! XD

Soufyanzerrad: (Chapter 11), Thank you so much for your comment! Wise words, indeed. Aisla is a bit on the stubborn side, which you'll witness in full force in this chapter. I'm sure she would appreciate your advice, if she could hear it herself XD

Beta: yellowchikadee