In Sickness And Health ~Shikamaru~

Chapter 26

The scream was so loud and sudden I dropped the medicine I had gotten for Reira. Alsono backed quickly away from the stove where she was preparing tea and knocked into me, me putting an arm around her. She covered her face and screamed like she was in pain. When I looked over at the stove the only thing I saw was the small blue flame and the dropped tea pot.

Choji ran over and grabbed Alsono desperatly. "Al! Al what's wrong?!" But she only continued to scream, her eyes peaking through her fingers trained on the flame on the stove. What if...? I quickly moved to the stove and killed the flame. Almost as soon as the flame was gone did Alsono's screams stop and the frightened whimpers and cries begin.

Reira had at this point also run to her side. They had all sat on the floor as Al sobbed into Choji's chest. I kneeled down next to Reira who was looking at our friend with a worried expression. "The fire!" Alsono wailed. "Stop the fire. It's so hot. My skin. Stop the fire. Stop the fire." She held her head and rocked back and forth lightly in Choji's arms.

Reira bit her lip as she looked down saddly. "The fire... she has... post traumatic... stress."

"What?" Choji questioned, looking truely terrified.

"She won't... be able to cook. The fire... has scarred her horribly... on the inside."

We all weighed what she said heavily. Alsono's life is cooking. If looking at the stove flame did this to her... there really is no way she could cook normally... Al can't cook.

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 An hour later, Reira and I had decided to sit outside on the back step while Choji tended to a still terrified Alsono. She had long since moved into my side and rested her head on my shoulder, her even, soft breaths telling me that she had fallen asleep. I wrapped on arm around her waist to hold her closer and watched the stars.

Today's revelation was a little frightening. It has always been Alsono's dream to be the best cook she can be and one day own her own restraunt. Since the day we met, I've been watching Al grow as a cook, getting better and better. And she was amazing when we met so that's really saying something. I've never seen a person with so much determination and drive. Now all of that has been lost because of what happened. It's terrifying to watch something like that happen.

The sound of the back door sliding open made me cautiously turn my head so I wouldn't disterb Reira. Choji came out, looking a mixture of tired and depressed. "How is she?"

"She's asleep. It took a lot of coaxing to get her to calm down. Finally she just kind of passed out from crying so much." He sat next to me and put his face in his hands. "I know I've asked this before, but what just happened?"

"I wish I could tell you Choji. I really do."

"What can we do to help her? There has to be something... right?" Once again he asked something that I had no idea how to answer. My hand unconsciously moved up to smooth down Reira's hair when I felt her move in her sleep. Choji looked over at her and seemed to think about something. "Alsono was able to figure out how to help Reira. But brain damage and trauma are two completly different poisons. We could help Reira by making her talk and listen and repond. But how can we fight a fear like this?"

That is the big question isn't it. Exerciseing the brain is easy, but even when we started we weren't sure it would work. It was a trial and error thing and there is no completly curing Reira. She's at her maximum ability. A trial and error for Alsono though... This is a whole new ball park. If we were to try we might just exercise her trauma. That would be very bad.

Something occured to me though. Reira didn't become better by pure conversation alone. It was her own brasen determination to get better that set it all in motion. She did it because of... love. Not just for me but for her friends to. She wanted to get better so she could talk to and understand Alsono and Ino and Choji. It was love that made her better. So what if love could also help Alsono?

I turned my gaze to Choji who looked up at the moon. The pain I saw on his face I could only imagine came from seeing the one he loves in a state you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. "Yo, Choj. You try to help her by encouraging her."

"What?"

"I'm serious. We all know Al has some weird infatuation with you. Which means she's trust you more than anyone. Your encouragment in the matter would be the fuel to the fire to fight her trauma. And with you by her side the entire time, maybe she would have an easier time about it."

He looked at me with eyes that had the weird special sparkle behind them. "Shikamaru, you smart smart man, I could kiss you."

"Please don't."

Reira groaned and looking down I saw her eyes flutter open. She rubbed at her eye and looked up me. "Where's Al?" She asked, sleep evident in her voice.

"She's asleep, don't worry." Reira nodded and laid her head back down on my shoulder but quickly winced and put a hand to her temple. "Does your head still hurt?" She nodded. "Choji, can you get her some medicine?"

"Sure." He nodded and got up to get it.

"You'll take some medicine and you can stay at my place tonight. We'll come back in the morning to make sure Alsono is alright. Sound good?"

She smiled and wrapped her arms around me, holding on tight like she never wanted to let go. And I was just fine with that idea. My own arms found their way around her and I pulled her onto my lap. If only things could always be this peaceful. If only.