The debriefing and paperwork continued even after we got back to school. It was night by the time we made it home to the dorms. Ryukyu kept me and Tsu pretty busy over at hte office, while Deku had to deal with e verything happening at Nighteye agency, and Kirishima had to recover from all the injuries he'd gotten.

Heights Alliance felt so unfamiliar. It'd been so long since we'd been there, and so much had happened since then. I felt like I'd grown a thousand years older since the last time I'd been there.

As we came in, Mineta shouted "They're back! Everyone, they're back!"

That opened the floodgates and all of our classmates were cornering us.

"Is everyone okay?"

"We saw everything on the news!"

"That looked like some nasty business!"

"We were all super worried!"

"Have some gateau au Chocolat!"

"If it isn't our resident troublemakers"!

"You punks are always coming home after getting caught up in serious stuff!" called Kaminari at Deku and Krisihima. "Stop it! You're scaring us!"

"I'm just glad they're ok," said Shoji to Jirou.

"Ok, yeah. As long as they really are…" she murmured.

"Ochaco! Tsu!" called Hagakure, running forward to hug us.

It was all so overwhelming. I knew they were happy for me, but it somehow didn't feel appropriate, in the light of everything that had happened.

Then a big hand came down in between us and the rest of the class.

"Yes, yes, they know we were worried about them!" Iida interrupted, throwing down his hands. "But calm down! We all saw the broadcast and the extent of what happened! As their classmates, we ought to let them rest their weary spirits! Because it isn't just their bodies. Their spirits have also been worn down by everything that's happened."

He was totally right...and I felt pretty darn grateful to him for saying it.

"Iida - hey, Iida," said Deku, raising up a hand. "Thanks, but - I'm fine." He smiled a little.

"If you're sure," said Iida, and then shouted. "I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU GUYS, I SWEAR!"

Sato gave Deku some cake. Yaoyorozu called too, "I'll brew some lavender herbal tea! It's jut the thing to help you relax!" and ran off towards the kitchen.

"You okay, Ochaco?" asked Tsu out of nowhere.

I realized I must look pretty serious. I really couldn't bring myself to smile, even with everyone being so nice.

Use this experience to ask yourself about what you hope to achieve in life.

I want to save people.

Nearby, Sero ran over to Kirishima and put an arm around his shoulder. "Why didntch'a say anything? It was such a big shock to all of us!"

"We were under a gag order," Kirishima explained.

"Hey, Kirishima," said Ashido, approaching him, holding Koda's rabbit. "You good?"

"Getting there" he smiled at her. She nodded, then held up the bunny for us.

"Borrowed this little one from Koda."

"Aw, so cute!" I smiled at last.

Through all of this, Bakugou had remained on the couch, his hands stuffed in his pockets and one bare foot up on the table, saying nothing. Kaminari, at this moment, went over to him to jump onto the same sofa.

"What are ya sulking about, Kacchan!?" he called. "You were worried too, so come join us! Don't hold back!"

"Bedtime." Bakugou snapped, shoving Kaminari away from him and storming off.

"This early? Are you an old man?"

"You have nothing at all to say to them?" Ojiro asked.

"Unlike you people, I don't have that much time on my hands."

He can be so insensitive at times.

"Midoriya," Todoroki told him sadly, "Uraraka, Kirishima, Asui. Sorry, but I've got to sleep as well."

"You too!? We got another early riser over here?"

"I understand about Bakugou," said TSu. "But is something going on with Todoroki too?"

"They've got their licensing course tomorrow. Still, it is pretty early," said Jirou.

That night, I couldn't sleep. I doubt hte other remedial course students could either. Honestly, I just lay awake and thought about everything that had happened. About Sir...and Deku, how he'd struggled so hard against that Chisaki. Again. Yet again, there was Deku fighting so hard. And who exactly was there to help him, or any hero, when they faced odds like that?

Who helps the heroes when they're in trouble?

Who helped you tonight?