Pairing: Rise Matsumoto x Nana Nishigaki

"Sugiura-san, Himawari-san! Have you guys seen Matsumoto today?"

"No Nishigaki-sensei. We haven't."

The teacher frowned and bent her head. "Sorry for disturbing you then."

As she paced the hallways she thought how unlikely it is for her little lab rat and companion to be absent from school for two full days.

The next morning when she had not seen the dark-haired girl show up to school, she decides she has had it. She can't go on worrying about Rise. She needs to know if she's okay.

Is she ill? Does she have some sort of family situation that can't make her come to school? I need to find out or I would lose sleep again tonight…I have to go to her home. I'll tell the Principal I'm taking time off to investigate a student's absence.

Rise meant more than just a "student" to Nana. She loved being in the girl's company and the girl felt the same way about her. She was the only one who enjoyed their explosive experiments together, not to mention Nana was one of the very few people who were able to understand Rise's whispers.

"Hello Mr. Matsumoto. I am Nishigaki-sensei from Nanamori Middle School. Your daughter has been absent for nearly 3 days now and the school is very concerned since we haven't heard from the parent."

Rise lived with her father only. He was a single parent. Rise never told Nana what had happened to her mother and Nana never asked. Mr. Matsumoto explained that he was very busy balancing work and looking after Rise that phoning the school had slipped his mind.

"May I see her?" Nana asked politely.

"Yes. Come in. She is upstairs."

His cell phone rang. "Morning boss. I am so sorry I haven't done the spreadsheets as yet. You see my daughter has come down with a terrible flu…Oh ok. Yes I won't be late…Again my apologies." Nana stared at the man as he ran out of the house. She heard him start his SUV and leave; possibly forgetting he left a strange woman in his house, alone with his daughter.

Poor Rise. She only has a father to take care of her and he's busy. She is here all alone in this house with the flu.

Nana finally found Rise's bedroom after opening the first two doors on the left side of the hall.

Every part of Rise's body hurt. She squirmed in bed, tossing and turning. Her joints were hurting her. Her head felt like it might explode with pain. Her stomach and back were aching. Her father gave her a pain killer before he left for work but it was taking too long to work in her system. She shifted under her cocoon of covers when she heard her door creaking. Her heart began to race as she thought someone had broken into her home because she knew her father had already left for work. Who could this unexpected guest be? Was it a robber?

When the door opened, she heard tiny footsteps approaching her bed. Her hands were sweaty and she shivered under her sheets.

"Rise?"

Rise's eyes that were shut tight, flew open when she heard the familiar tone. She lifted off the covers from her face and turned her head to see it was no other than Nishikgaki-sensei standing a few feet from her bed.

"Rise, are you ok?" Nana said as she approached the child's bed side. Nana from noticing Rise's earlier reaction, touched Rise's cheeks with the back of her hand to calm her down. Rise whispered something to the teacher.

"Of course you must be scared. I am sorry I barged in on you. I should have knocked but I was very worried. Your father said you have a bad flu. Is that why you were absent for 2 days in a row?"

The girl nodded.

"I see…So how are you feeling now?"

Rise whispered again and hugged her pillow to indicate she had been feeling cold.

"Well we'll just have to fix you up to make you feel better," Nana said as she patted the girl's forehead. "Oh my! You have a high fever!"

Nana took out a thermometer from the black bag she had brought with her just in case Rise was ill. She didn't know what told her to but she just had a feeling that Rise was ill so she packed some medical supplies from the lab before she left school. She had gotten some from the nurse's office too.

Rise began a series of coughs and some snot came escaped her nose too. The teacher, having seen this took a tissue from her and wiped her nose. Rise's face turned red. She hated feeling helpless. She did not want to look so vulnerable and gross in front of her sensei-chan. She enjoyed being Nana's partner in crime to all things explosive but today the only thing exploding was her nose.

Nana told her to raise her arms a bit as she stuck the device under the sick girl's arm and waited for her temperature to register. When it was finished doing so, she took it out and read it.

"39.2!" She really is unwell.

The silver-haired woman looked pitifully at Rise and slightly tilted her head to show how sorry she was feeling for her friend.

"I'll go put on some noodles. I'm sure I'll find your kitchen easily."

Rise whispered to her and she couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha trust me. I promise I won't blow up your house."

When Nana had returned she held a steaming bowl of ramen chicken noodles in her hands. She rested it on the nightstand and took out a bottle from her bag. It contained a pink liquid and had a transparent plastic cup over the cork. Nana poured some of the liquid into the cup and told Rise to sit up. When she did, Nana put the cup at her lips and tilted it until she had drunk all the medicine.

"There. That should do the trick. Now open wide," Nana said as she lifted the spoon out of the bowl of noodles. She blew it to cool it down.

Rise rolled her eyes at her wacky teacher.

"Of course I know you can eat it by yourself but you are my patient for today silly," her ruby eyes shone as she said this.

Rise, having seen the beautiful eyes of her teacher light up like two bulbs, complied and opened her mouth. Nana fed the noodles to her like this until the bowl was empty.

Rise whispered again to Nana. "Oh right. I'll take you. Just show me where it is."

Nana helped the frail girl stand up.

Her little body looks so weak and tired. Her hair is a mess. I hope she feels better soon and returns to the Rise I know she is.

As though Rise could have read her teacher's thoughts, she whispered to her and Nishigaki simply replied, "I know you will get better soon."

She put an arm over Rise's back and they both walked slowly to the bathroom so Rise could use it.

Nana thought as Rise used the bathroom. Her clothes are so sweaty. She needs a bath and a change of clothes. I might as well change her linens too while I'm at it.

When Rise had returned to her room, Nana explained to her that she needed some fresh clothes.

"You would feel instantly better if you had a change of clothes. A bath wouldn't hurt either."

Rise whispered to Nana. "Oh I see. The water's too cold for you. Ok then I guess I could give you a sponge bath."

Rise's eyes widened at her teacher's response. She had never had a sponge bath before.

Nana left to get the things for the bath. She heated some water on the stove and poured the lukewarm water into a basin. As she was searching for a towel, she saw the various pain medication on the kitchen counter. She thought:

Mr. Matsumoto only treated his daughter with pain killers. With the way I am treating her, she will be back to her old self in no time. If she had a mother around…

Realization swept over Nana as she thought that Rise was unable to receive motherly affection at home. Her father's love wasn't enough. She needed the gentleness and care only a woman can provide. She sighed as she thought how unfortunate Rise was. Nana could have related a little to this. Although Nana had grown up with both parents, they were workaholics and hardly spent time with her.

The teacher was assuming a maternal role today by looking after Rise, in the way she ought to be looked after.

She found some towels in a drawer and hurried upstairs.

"Now Rise honey, listen to me. You need to take off your clothes. You could leave your underwear on but I have to clean your skin so you need to take off your pajamas."

Rise's heart was now pounding in her chest. She couldn't believe she was going to be undressed in front of her teacher, who happens to be her crush too.

She hesitantly began unbuttoning her shirt. Nishigaki-sensei looked away to allow her some privacy. She pulled the sheets over her and then she pulled her pajama pants down. Her chest was now exposed to the teacher. Nana dipped the towel in the basin of water and wrung it. She then proceeded to wipe the girl's chest and neck. She turned her on her side and her gentle hands cleaned Rise's upper back and her arms. She then raised the sheets to clean her legs. She could see that Rise's purple panties were damp.

When she was done cleaning the girl's lower body, she helped Rise into a fresh change of clothes. She helped her put on a very comfy white t shirt and slacks.

Nana noticed Rise was whispering to her. "Now now, you don't have to thank me for anything. I am just doing my duty as a friend," she said as she took the girl's hand in hers. She noticed Rise's eyes becoming watery.

"Rise? Is anything the matter?"

She shook her head as a "no" and hugged the teacher.

"Could you get up from the bed a bit for me? I want to change your sheets if that's ok with you."

Nana changed Rise's linens and when the girl returned to the neatly made up bed, she fell into a deep sleep.

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find Nana asleep facing her, with her right arm spread across the girl. She didn't want to wake Nana. As she stayed in that position she thought how grateful she was to have someone like Nana who was concerned about her wellbeing. Her fever was down and she felt better.

Suddenly she felt Nana stir. The woman woke up. "Shoot. I think I must have fallen asleep with you. I prepared some fish and rice for dinner. I'll go heat it up."

It was now late in the afternoon.

"Come on, you have to eat something solid. The noodles were just to bring your fever down. Fish and rice gives you strength."

Rise ate half of the food Nana took out for her. Food just felt horrible in her stomach. It wasn't Nana's cooking. She was sure it must taste delicious but because she was ill, anything she swallowed that was solid made her want to throw up.

She suddenly put her hand over her mouth as she felt the faint taste of fish coming up in her throat. Nana ran to find a bucket. Luckily there was one inside the bathroom. Rise threw up the little food she had swallowed in it. Her throat felt like it was on fire after she had brought up the food. She held her tummy in pain as she curled up in fetal position. She felt Nana stroking her hair with her fingers. It was so soothing to her. No one had ever done anything like that for her before. The sensation was alien yet it felt so good to her, so comforting.

"Since you can't hold down solids, I have no choice but to start an IV on you since you need your strength. Do you know what that is?"

The student council president shook her head.

"You'll see."

Nana reached for her black bag and brought out some stuff that looked like the tubes near a person's hospital bed. They were neatly folded. She snapped on some gloves. Next she hung a bag of liquid that read "saline" onto a bed post. The girl was beginning to feel a bit nervous but she trusted the scientist.

"Is this your first time getting one of these?"

She nodded.

"Well it doesn't hurt. The needle stings a bit but that's it. You might even like it."

Nana tied a tourniquet on Rise's thin arm. She choose a vein in her forearm. She then slowly inserted the needle into Rise's vein. The girl winced as she felt the needle poke her delicate skin.

"It's ok. It's in. You see?" She then removed the needle and inserted the tubing which connected to the saline bag.

"I am giving you what the hospital would to patients in your condition. I learned this stuff in college. Nurse Yukino and I are very good pals so she gave me the saline when I told her I thought you might be sick."

"Rest up my little patient. Your father might be home soon. I'll leave a note telling him I already prepared dinner."

The student council president had a look of disdain on her face as she knew her sensei was about to leave her to herself.

"Aw cheer up Matsumoto. I'll be here tomorrow to check up on you."

The silver haired woman leaned in and kissed Rise's forehead.

FIN