The next time Izuku woke up, he felt like he was burning. His skin was tingling, and his head felt lighter than ever; bile burned the back of his throat, and he couldn't move without feeling he was going to throw up - or pass out.

Something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong, and he knew it. He just couldn't place what was wrong.

He dared crack his eyes open. It was dark. It...must be night, he concluded, though it took more time than normal for his brain to register this fact. His head was absolutely pounding, and he swallowed thickly, trying to take deep breaths to ward off the sudden nausea.

What...what's wrong...with me...?

"Midoriya?" He heard the door of the infirmary open and close, followed by light footsteps crossing the room to his bedside. Recovery Girl. It must have been Recovery Girl, judging by how soft the footfalls were. But still, every sound felt like hot daggers in Izuku's skull, and he didn't trust himself to speak without shrieking.

It's...it's so hot...

He felt Recovery Girl's hand on his forehead. It was cold, like ice.

"Oh, poor child…" Recovery Girl sighed. "I feared this would happen…" She retracted her hand, and Izuku heard rustling beside him, followed by something like a bottle being popped open.

She's...

...What's she doing...?

Oh...

...She's...probably putting something in the IV...

His head felt like it was full of cotton. The rails of his train of thought were impaired; he couldn't think clearly anymore.

"You get the short end of the stick every time, don't you? Well...this should help you sleep, at least. That's what you need the most of right now…"

Izuku still couldn't comprehend just what was wrong with him, but he decided it didn't really matter. "W-Where's…" The word felt like sandpaper against his throat. "W-Where's All M-Might?"

"Out, at the moment. Would you like me to get him for you?"

Izuku opened his mouth to reply, then stopped; a sudden, cooling sensation rushed through his veins, and his eyes slid shut against his will. If his mind had been foggy before, it was a total white-out now.

He felt Recovery Girl's hand on his arm. "It's alright, dear, it's alright. Rest now."

And Izuku finally parted ways with his consciousness.

...

"The boy's developed a fever. You need to get over here."

That was what Recovery Girl told All Might, and that was all it took for him to race full-speed to the infirmary. It was late, and All Might had just been seeing the students off when Recovery Girl relayed her message (through a text to his phone).

This had been Recovery Girl's biggest concern, Izuku developing a fever. She had told All Might beforehand that it was a very likely possibility, considering the severe exhaustion plaguing the student's body, not to mention his injuries.

"If he gets a fever, it'll tax him even further," Recovery Girl had said. "His body's already working overtime trying to heal itself, but if he were to get a fever on top of all that…"

She hadn't finished the sentence, but she hadn't need to, either. She'd already said all that needed to be said.

And now, Izuku had developed such a fever on top of his other injuries.

All Might flung open the infirmary's door and barged inside. The lights were out, but the moonlight streaming through the windows gave All Might all the light he needed.

"You sure got here quickly," said Recovery Girl, sitting on a stool beside Izuku's bed. "Not that I'm complaining. He didn't say much at all, poor thing, but he was asking for you."

All Might only had to take one glance at Izuku to determine just how badly the student was faring. His cheeks, which had before been a ghostly pale, were now flushed a dark, unhealthy shade of red, and beads of sweat rolled down his face. He'd been peaceful before, but now he was restless, his teeth clenched and his eyes squeezed shut.

"Is there something that can be done?" That was all All Might could think about. The solution. What would help Izuku now? Because if the kid's fever went untreated…

"I gave him something for the fever through his IV," said Recovery Girl, "but I've already put him on so many medications, I'm worried about giving him more. We're just going to have to wait it out and see what happens."

All Might didn't want that, not at all. He was a hero; "waiting it out and seeing what happened" wasn't what he did. He was a man of action, a problem-solver, so going up against something that he couldn't fix, something that he couldn't help…

...He felt suddenly useless. Very, very useless, more useless than he'd ever felt before in his life.

"What caused the fever?"

"Exhaustion, probably," answered Recovery Girl with a heavy sigh. "It only makes sense. I may have stretched the boundaries of how much I could heal with my Quirk, but at the same time, it's likely he would have died if I hadn't."

"You did what you knew was best. You shouldn't blame yourself."

Recovery Girl scoffed. "That's a lot, coming from you." The worry returned an instant later, and she turned towards her feverish, restless patient. "I'll do whatever I can to break his fever," she said, "but there's only so much I can do for him in his current state."

All Might looked at the ailing student, something in his chest clenching - probably his heart.

"Try not to worry too much," said Recovery Girl. "The boy's strong. He'll be fine. In the meantime, we should try to be strong for him as well."

All Might pondered this, then nodded with determination. That was something he could do. He could be strong for his student's sake.

"Deku!"

"Midoriya!"

"Quiet down!" Recovery Girl whispered harshly, effortlessly shutting both Ochako and Iida up at once. When they had quieted, Recovery Girl's tone softened considerably. "The boy was tossing and turning all night and only just managed to sleep peacefully. Keep your voices low."

Ochako and Iida nodded seriously and feverishly, though their attention was now glued to their friend. It was morning now, and it had only been a matter of time before Ochako and Iida heard of Izuku's deteriorating condition and wanted to visit. The rest of Class 1-A had wanted to come, too, but Recovery Girl forbade it. A group of loud, frenzied high schoolers would do nothing to help Izuku rest.

However, letting Ochako and Iida visit - two of the more level-headed students of Class 1-A and Izuku's closest friends - was a different matter.

"D-Deku…" Ochako reached out hesitantly, brushing her fingers against Izuku's flushed, sweaty face. Instantly, she withdrew her hand with a cry of shock. "Oh my gosh…! His fever's really high!"

"His condition has deteriorated significantly…" Iida's brow was pinched with concern, and he held a hand to his chin. "What's there to be done about his fever?"

"I'm doing all I can," said Recovery Girl, "but I can't give him any more medications. As it is, the dose he's getting is already pushing it."

Iida looked down, deep in thought. "There must be some way to regulate his temperature…"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Ochako suddenly perked up, snapping her fingers. "Todoroki!" she exclaimed - and then quieted down when she realized just how loud she was being. "T-Todoroki, right? He has a really good handle on his ice, so wouldn't he be able to help…?"

Ah! Young Todoroki! Honestly, All Might didn't know why he hadn't thought of it sooner. Getting Todoroki was probably the best idea any of them had had thus far.

"That's an idea," said Recovery Girl, and though her tone of voice remained neutral, there was definitely a glimmer of hope in her face. "Would you mind fetching Todoroki for me, you two?"

Ochako was nodding before the nurse even finished speaking. "We'll go get him, definitely!" she said.

Iida's hand snapped up in a solid salute. "We won't let you down!" he said proudly, and the students sprinted off.

Usually, Iida would forbid running in the hallway as it would be "disgraceful" and "inconsiderate", but this time, he almost encouraged it. His pace was so fast Ochako was barely able to keep up with him, and he hadn't even activated his Quirk.

"H-Hey, Iida?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"I'm worried about Deku," she voiced her thoughts, as she and Iida turned a corner and continued their sprint towards Classroom 1-A. "He...he took a really hard hit from that Nomu thing, and now...and now he's like this…" She swallowed hard, her chest aching, and not just because she was running, either.

"...When All Might was carrying him, back at the USJ, I…" She paused momentarily. "...I thought he was dead. I really, honestly thought he was dead. It...it scared me. A lot."

Iida glanced at her briefly, and then nodded. "I understand," he said. "I, too, was terrified by it."

"And...and until now, I thought he was...I thought he was getting better, y'know?" Ochako said. "I thought...I thought he was nearly recovered, but...it seems like he's just...getting worse…"

Iida was quiet for a time. "Midoriya is...an extraordinary person to do what he did for Mineta and Tsuyu," he finally said. "I'd like to say I would have done in the same in the situation, but when push comes to shove...Midoriya's more brave than I could ever hope to be."

"Don't say that, Iida-"

"It's true," he interrupted. "And Midoriya has endured one hardship after the other and fought his way out of it. I don't think we need to worry about him, not right now. Right now, it's time for us to act. He risked life and limb to protect Mineta and Tsuyu...so it's only fair we do everything in our power to ensure his recovery."

Ochako turned away briefly, and then nodded, her resolve set. "Right," she agreed.

...

Ochako and Iida returned to the infirmary in record time. "We're back!" the duo chorused, then stopped, panting to catch their breath.

"You brought Todoroki?" Recovery Girl inquired instantly.

The breathless students nodded and gestured wordlessly to the open door behind them.

Todoroki rushed inside…

...And then, so did Endeavor.

Although All Might had never held anything against Endeavor personally, when the number-two hero barged into the infirmary behind Todoroki, All Might couldn't have been more frustrated. This...was really not the time. He didn't know why Endeavor was here or what his intentions were, but this…

This was definitely not the time. Not. The. Time.

"Endeavor!" said All Might, trying to sound chipper while also keeping his voice low enough as to not wake Izuku. "What are you doing here?"

"A lot of pro heroes are surveying the school grounds," Endeavor answered, his arms crossed firmly over his chest. "The media exploded, ranting on and on about how a student was nearly killed during the villain attack. I merely thought I'd come take a look for myself."

Meanwhile, Todoroki ignored his father entirely and crossed the room; Recovery Girl moved forward and met him halfway to explain the situation. "His fever is already reaching a dangerous high, and I can't do anything else to bring it down, so-"

Todoroki nodded in understanding, raised his right hand, and let it hover over Izuku's forehead. Frost grew over his fingertips; the cool air looked like mist over Izuku's heated skin.

"Thank you for coming so quickly and being willing to help, Todoroki," Recovery Girl said. "I appreciate this."

Behind her, Ochako and Iida nodded earnestly.

"It's alright," Todoroki said, though he sounded distracted. "You don't have to thank me."

There was something very distantabout the tone he used that made All Might worry. I wonder if he blames himself for what happened, All Might mused. I'll have to talk to him later...

Endeavor watched the exchange, arms still crossed, demeanor never changing. "That's the boy who was injured?" By the tone of his voice, he already knew the answer. He scoffed. "Pathetic, if you ask me, not being able to defend himself. I'm sure my Shōto would have done better. It really makes you wonder if the U.A.'s gone soft, letting such a weak boy attend."

Todoroki froze; Iida's mouth hung agape; Ochako stared in shock; Recovery Girl stopped dead in her tracks, holding a syringe; and All Might…

...Couldn't believe it. Actually, by the looks of it, nobody in the room could believe what they'd just heard.

And then, the realization of what Endeavor had just said sunk in, and the tension in the room skyrocketed. Iida was always going on about "respecting their elders," but he glared almost murderously at Endeavor. Ochako balled her fists at her side, visibly shaking. Recovery Girl looked like she was considering stabbing someone with that syringe of hers. Todoroki's face was shrouded in something that could only be described as rage.

And All Might…

He was almost as furious now as he was when he first realized Izuku had been injured.

Endeavor hadn't even even there. He hadn't shown up until after the fight, until after the "bosses" had fled the scene, until after Izuku had been so gravely injured.

And the thing about it was, Izuku hadn't been trying to defend himself. If defending himself was all he'd been thinking about, he wouldn't have gotten injured at all. But no, Izuku was defending Tsuyu and Mineta. He was protecting them, and in doing so, he completely disregarded his own safety. He completely handed his own defenses to his classmates.

Endeavor…

...Had no right to say what he did.

All Might's fists were balled so tightly it was unbelievable. He didn't trust himself to move or speak. If he did, he'd probably end up Delaware Smashing Endeavor's smug little face in.

Todoroki suddenly straightened up, his arms at his sides.

"Leave."

It was all he said, but there was so much venom and contempt behind those words that he might as well have said, "I'm going to make sure you die a slow, agonizing death."

Endeavor stared at his son. "Shōto-"

"You have no right to say who's 'pathetic' or 'weak,'" Todoroki snarled, spinning on his heel to face his father. His eyes were narrowed, his teeth gritted behind his lips. "You weren't even there until everything was over. You didn't do anything, so don't you dare mock the people who did."

"Midoriya saved two of our classmates," said Iida. "As far as I'm concerned, he was the bravest in our class."

Ochako's murderous glare explained her thoughts better than words ever could.

"I'll say it again, father," Todoroki said, but there was hint of warning behind his tone, like a silent threat. "Leave."

Endeavor looked from Todoroki, to Ochako, to Iida, and then to All Might. "This is disgraceful behavior," said Endeavor. "Are you not going to stop it, All Might?"

All Might took in a breath. I can't punch him here. Maybe some other time, when I can make it look like in accident…

"...It's as Young Todoroki said," said All Might instead. "Bystanders who merely watched the battle...have no right to laugh at the wounded soldiers."

And that did it. With a huff and a monstrous glare, Endeavor spun and stormed from the infirmary, slamming the door shut behind him.

It took a long time for All Might, Ochako, Iida, and Todoroki to calm down after that; it was really Recovery Girl who, though just as furious with Endeavor as the next person, managed to stay level-headed enough to convince them that Endeavor was not their primary concern at the moment.

After that, things calmed down considerably, though All Might knew he would never truly forgive Endeavor for what he did.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Kirishima and Kaminari visited the infirmary during the lunch break, asking for an update on Izuku's condition.

"Nothing's changed," Recovery Girl had told them, "but I'm confident he'll start looking better in a day or so. You and the rest of the class can visit again then."

Kirishima and Kaminari had nodded and raced off, though they returned a couple hours later with the same question (and Recovery Girl gave them the same answer).

All Might learned a little later on that Kirishima and Kaminari had been nominated "Official Information Gatherers on Midoriya While He's In The Infirmary" by their class (according to Mineta, who joined the duo once). Honestly, All Might was touched by their actions. Izuku had some truly wonderful friends.

Ochako and Iida visited the infirmary one last time that evening, just before heading to their respective homes. The rest of Class 1-A took turns sticking their heads through the door and waving goodbye to the still-sleeping Izuku.

All Might sat by the stool still placed by Izuku's bedside, the lights out and the windows closed. The room was almost completely dark, but All Might's eyes had grown accustomed to it by now, so he could easily navigate the room. Recovery Girl had been called out on short notice to accompany a group of heroes on a mission, so other than Izuku, he was alone.

All Might may have stopped "blaming himself," but that didn't mean he still didn't feel guilty, especially whenever he laid eyes on this hurt, ill-stricken student. It was at time like these he realized just how incompetent of a mentor he was, just how much more he had to learn.

He sighed. I have a long way to go, I supp-

"AHHH!"

All Might nearly jumped out of his skin when Izuku suddenly bolted upright, a harsh shriek tearing from his throat. His eyes were glassy and fever-bright, but there was an unspoken terror in them that shook All Might to his core. Almost instantly, the boy launched into a fit of coughing, bringing an arm to his mouth to stifle it. It sounded very painful.

"Midoriya!" If there was one thing All Might had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. A million thoughts raced through his head - what's wrong? What caused this? Why does he look so terrified? What? - but somehow, he managed to put aside his shock for the time being. After all, his student was more important than his surprise.

He got up from the stool and seated himself on the edge of Izuku's bed. "Midoriya, hey, Midoriya, try to calm down," he instructed gently, reaching out and rubbing the boy's back as he coughed and hacked. He wondered, briefly, if Recovery Girl should put him back on oxygen, just in case his lungs were still having trouble working on their own.

"Breathe. You've gotta breathe, kid." All Might was surprised by the steadiness of his voice, considering the situation. Admittedly, he was a little impressed by his level-headedness.

But all thoughts disappeared when he realized, with yet another shock, that Izuku was crying. He wasn't coughing anymore, but his sobs were just as harsh and sounded just as painful, if not more.

"Hey. Heyheyheyheyhey, what's wrong?" All Might asked helplessly, level-headedness gone. Not only was he an incompetent teacher, he also had no idea what to do in situations like this. Especially when he didn't even know what was wrong. "Midoriya, my boy, what happened?"

Izuku reached up, rubbing his eyes furiously. "S-Sorry," was all he said, and it was definitely not the answer All Might had been hoping for - or expecting. "I-I'm sorry…"

"Young Midoriya…what are you apologizing for?" This was a curve ball if All Might had ever seen one. Izuku didn't answer coherently, just tried (and failed) to wipe away his tears.

"I'm s-sorry, I-I'm s-s-sorry…"

All Might was at a complete loss. What to do what to do what to do what to do what to-

He didn't know what part of him made the decision - his head or his heart - but he reached out and wrapped his arms tightly around the boy, bringing him in for a firm but gentle embrace. At first (though he wasn't sure why), he expected Izuku to pull away, but he didn't. Instead, Izuku accepted the hug, his tears flowing with fresh vigor.

All Might didn't really know what had opted him to hug the student, he just...didn't know what else to do. And since Izuku wasn't coherent enough to explain just what was wrong, it left All Might to speculate.

Probably some kind of nightmare, or a fever-dream, or something…

It was the only explanation that made sense.

All Might sighed heavily, settling his hand on the back of Izuku's head. It was ridiculous, really, just how much the boy went through on such a regular basis. With One For All backlashing on him all the time, he already had enough infirmary visits to deal with, and now to be injured during a villain attack, and then suffer even more while he was still trying to recover...

Gah, poor kid…

It really wasn't fair.

It took a long time for Izuku to finally calm down enough to form an audible sentence, but even so, the very first thing out of his mouth was, "A-All M-Might, I'm s-sorry…f-for f-freaking out..."

"Don't worry about it," All Might said. "S'not your fault. Anyways, nevermind that. What's bothering you?"

It was probably dumb to ask a concussed, feverish, scared boy "what's bothering you," but Izuku didn't seem to mind. He pulled back out of the embrace, rubbing his eyes again, and All Might sat back patiently.

"I-It's n-nothing," Izuku murmured. "J-Just...s-some dream."

Ah. Thought so. But All Might wasn't proud of his prediction. "A bad dream?"

"Y-Yeah," Izuku said, swallowing. "I-I...I d-didn't make it in time."

He didn't give any more details, and he didn't have to. All Might knew what he meant instantly.

I didn't make it in time to save Mineta or Tsuyu. That was what his dream - no, his nightmare - was about.

All Might opened his mouth to answer, but Izuku started speaking before a single thing left All Might's mouth.

"A-All Might...d-do you think...I-I'm a bad successor?"

And All Might's mind went blank. It went completely blank. And when his thoughts began again, the only thing he could think was why? Why was Izuku suddenly asking this? Sure, the kid was timid and had a tendency to look down on and underestimate himself, so it was no real surprise he would question his worthiness, but still. Even so.

"Midoriya...why would you think that?"

"I-I…" Izuku swallowed thickly and took in a breath; it sounded like hard work. "I-I overheard E-Endeavor…"

Oh. Oh. All Might had nearly forgotten, due to all his worry over Izuku. What Endeavor said was something that couldn't be forgiven anyway, but now All Might realized that Izuku had heard it, and now he was questioning his own worth because of it...

Endeavor was going to pay...

All Might caught himself and stomped down his fury for the time being (and it was really, really hard). Now was not the time to be angry with Endeavor.

"You weren't sleeping, huh?" All Might managed to say, once he'd calmed down enough to speak.

"N-Not really," Izuku admitted. "I-it was s-sort of on and off all day, a-and I didn't hear the whole t-thing, b-but I heard enough…" He swallowed again, his fever-bright eyes glistening. "A-All Might, I...I'm sorry. I'm...I'm n-not the successor you deserve."

A dozen red flags went off in All Might's head. Was this what Izuku really thought about himself? It must've been. Izuku was shy and timid for the most part, but he was also honest. If he said something, you could believe it.

"...'I was scared I wouldn't be able to protect my friends,'" All Might quoted, and Izuku turned, staring at him with wide, watery eyes. "That's what you told me, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah," fumbled Izuku, "b-but-"

"Young Midoriya, you're the most selfless person I know," All Might interrupted, before Izuku could start trash-talking himself again. "You plunge into danger head-first without thinking about what could become of you, because you're desperate to stop what could become of someone else. Strangers, classmates, friends...it doesn't matter who they are. You fight to protect them, to save them. And, well, it takes a special kind of person to do that."

Izuku blinked twice in rapid session.

"I can't think of anyone," said All Might, "that I would rather be my successor."

Izuku blinked again, and this time, it was followed by another river of tears. "R-Really?"

"Really."

Izuku opened his mouth, tried to say something, stopped, and then wiped his eyes again with the back of his hand. "T-T...T-Thank you…"

"Don't thank me, I'm just telling it how it is," said All Might. "...And you might want to start taking it easy on the waterworks."

"O-Okay," Izuku said, but his actions did nothing to back up his words. He was quiet for another moment, and then, "H-Hey, c-can...can I ask you something else?"

"Sure. Last question, though, and then you need to rest."

"A-Are you afraid of anything, All Might?"

All Might froze. An image of Izuku, broken, limp, and bloody suddenly popped into his head.

"...Yes, my boy. I am."

Izuku looked so shocked it was almost comical. "Wait, really? What is it?"

All Might was quick to change the subject. "I said last question, kid, remember?"

"H-Hey, w-wait, that's not very fair..."

"Recovery Girl wants you to rest, and she'll hunt me down if you don't."

But that was only half-true. In honesty, it wasn't Recovery Girl's fierce protectiveness as much as it was All Might's reluctance. The fear of Izuku getting hurt (or worse) was something All Might didn't want to think about. It brought back a lot of unpleasant memories.

However...

"...I-It's about me, isn't it?"

...Izuku had always been a perceptive one.

All Might whipped around to face him, but Izuku had already turned away. The boy pulled his knees against his chest and rested his head against them, suddenly looking very small. "I...I don't know all of what happened," Izuku said tiredly, "but...my classmates more or less explained the gist of it. What happened, after...after Nomu attacked me. Were you..."

Izuku paused, trying to think of how to word it.

"...Were you really that upset?"

Well, there wasn't any hiding it now. "...Yes," said All Might, "I was. I am. The thought of losing you...scares me to death."

All Might could almost see the gears turning in Izuku's head as the boy fought to process this. "W-Wait, me?" Izuku finally asked, pointing a finger at himself.

All Might only nodded.

Izuku took in a breath, and then looked away. "I'm sorry…"

"What for?"

"For...making you worry."

"Young Midoriya…"

There was something rising in All Might's chest. An urge to protect, unlike anything he'd ever felt before, and this was a lot coming from the number one hero.

I wonder…

...If this is how a father feels…

"It's alright, my boy," All Might told him. "You don't need to apologize for that. I'm just glad you're safe now."

Izuku blinked again, then nodded, though he didn't look fully convinced. "Y-Yeah...agh…" His injuries suddenly caught up with him, and he reached up, grasping his head and hissing through his teeth.

"Okay, that's enough," said All Might. "You need to get some rest for now, alright? You being safe doesn't mean anything if you abuse your body while it's still healing."

Izuku only nodded shakily in response, then laid down again, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. All Might watched him for another moment or so, then averted his gaze, glancing at the infirmary's closed door.

I wonder when Recovery Girl will return…?

A sudden weight dropped against All Might's shoulder, and he turned, a mixture of shocked and confused. Izuku had sat up at some point and was now resting his head heavily against the hero's shoulder. "Midoriya...?"

"S-Sorry," Izuku said quietly, voice strained. "I'm just…"

All Might pondered his student's actions for a moment, then smiled softly in understanding. "Still kind of freaked out about the nightmare, right?" he offered, though he knew the answer.

Izuku nodded, the movement small and hesitant. "Y-Yeah…I-I'm sorry..."

All Might wrapped an arm around Izuku's shoulders and pulled him closer. "I told you to stop apologizing," he chastised softly. "You didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to be embarrassed about it, either."

"...Y-You're right…"

"Yes, I am. Now try and get some sleep." He raised a hand, placing it firmly against Izuku's forehead. He was genuinely alarmed by just how much heat the boy was giving off. "Ah, kid, you're burning up…" he sighed, smoothing Izuku's sweat-damp bangs out of his face.

Izuku blinked blearily at him, then closed his eyes, his body relaxing as he fell asleep. All Might sighed again before reaching over and pulling the blanket around Izuku's shoulders.

"Sleep well, my boy."


Author's Notes:

Um...

So I've been updating this story mainly on AO3 and I kinda forgot I posted it here...? I'm so sorry guys. :( It's a problem with having more than one site to update your stories on...

...That said, I have more chapters on my AO3 account (it's under the same name as this one), so if you guys don't feel up to waiting for chapter 4, you can go to my account on there and read it that way. :) (Though updates on here should be semi faster now that I actually remembered I was POSTING this story...)

Anyways, thank you all for your support! It means a lot to me. :) I'll see you guys next chapter!

Until then, go beyond! PLUS ULTRA! :D

-BeyondTheClouds777