InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Therapy ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

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Author's Notes: Alright, so this is my first story on mediaminer.org. I hope you all like it! You could say this is my pride and joy, although I have other stories I'm fond of as well. I'm just excited I've found another website to post this on. I won't hold you up for the first chapter or two, just enjoy!

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Title: Soul Therapy

Author: dolphingirl0113

Chapter: One

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

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The alarm buzzed in her ear, proudly announcing that it was 5:30 am. The girl groaned, pulling the warm covers over her ears, her matted black hair in a mess on the pillow. But no matter how much groaning, swearing, cursing, or begging the alarm continued to ring, and would not turn off until Kagome physically got out of bed and hit the off switch.

"I'm gonna kill Sango," she mumbled into the pillow, remembering how her friend had suggested, after she was late three times in a row due to oversleeping, that Kagome put the alarm clock on the other side of the room, forcing her to get out of bed to turn it off rather then just rolling over and hitting the snooze.

But it worked, because once Kagome had turned the offensive contraption off, she realized she was already halfway to the shower, and seeing how it would take just as much energy to walk back to bed, she might as well start the day.

The water was hot, too hot, but she liked it that way. She liked the way her skin turned red from the constant contact, and the way she became numb after a while. It made her feel alive, reminded her that she was still standing on both feet and able to use both arms and able to feel from the top of her head down to the tips of her toes. And in her line of work, that was something special.

Kagome was a physical therapist, and had been for the past two years after graduating from the Tokyo School of Medicine at the age of twenty-one. Now twenty-three, she had seen and heard it all when it came to accidents, and treated patients from all sorts of catastrophes.

It was a job that was as demanding as it was rewarding, because all new patients arrived depressed and lacking in hope that they could possibly recover, but would leave anywhere from six months to several years later with the renewed hope of a normal life. It was exhausting for Kagome and her colleagues, to be sure, but at the same time it was a fulfilling career, knowing that she helped someone every day.

The bathroom was a steamy mess by the time she stepped out of the shower, and Kagome had to wipe the mirror with the back of her arm to remove the moisture and see her reflection, her skin red from scrubbing, her eyes still dull with sleep, but nonetheless alive.

Wrapping a green towel around her slim form, she pulled out a hair dryer and began to blow dry her long black hair so that after twenty minutes it was hanging loosely down her back. She pulled it back into a high ponytail so that it wouldn't get in the way at work. She then donned the usual uniform of a white shirt and khaki pants, dabbed a small amount of blush to her cheeks and a light gloss to her lips, grabbed her purse and keys, and flew out the door.

"Hey Sango, it's me," Kagome said once she was successfully on the road and had dialed her friend's number.

"Kagome, you're actually in the car before me? I'm shocked." Kagome grinned and rested one of her arms on the door.

"Yeah I know, pretty unbelievable. You're idea worked, I have to admit it."

"I told you it would. I used to have the same problem with being late until I moved the alarm clock."

"I suppose then that I should be saying thanks, since otherwise I would have probably gotten myself fired before long."

"I doubt that Kag, you're one of the best therapists in the building." Kagome laughed.

"I doubt that. By the way, it's your turn to bring breakfast today, right?"

"Yup, does sausage biscuits sound okay?"

"Please tell me that's not McDonalds."

"No! I'm actually cooking this morning." Kagome grinned and felt her stomach growl at the thought. Sango was a really good cook, when she took the time.

"Sounds great, I'll see you at work then."

"Alright, bye!"

Kagome set the phone back down on the passenger seat as she turned the car into the employee parking lot beside a large white building that read `Tokyo Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center'.

"Here we go again," Kagome mumbled, pulling up the emergency break on the car, taking the keys, locking the doors, and walking into the building.

"Good morning Kagome," a cheerful redhead called from the secretary's desk. Her green eyes sparkled with life, and Kagome envied the girl's obvious morning personality.

"Morning Ayame, any new and exciting patients on the docket?"

Ayame turned to the computer and typed for a few seconds before seeming to read something. "You've got a 1:30 horseback riding fall, with temporary paralysis to the legs."

Kagome sighed and set her purse down heavily on a nearby chair in the currently vacant waiting area. "I've seen so many of those lately. What is it with people and this sudden horse craze?"

Ayame giggled and turned back to the screen. "I here you on that one. But let's see, other then that you have a 3:00 with a car accident victim. It says here he has something akin to paralysis from the waist down, and doctors aren't sure if it's temporary or permanent."

That intrigued Kagome, always ready for a new challenge. "Ooh, that one sounds more like it." She walked up behind Ayame and leaned against the desk, reading what was on the screen at the moment. "Hmm, so he has only small amounts of feeling in his legs, except occasional tingling in his toes, and cannot support himself at all on his own. And his name is?"

Ayame scrolled down slightly to the end of the chart notes sent over from the hospital. "Um, Inuyasha Takahashi."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome grinned. "That's an interesting name. Maybe this day won't be quite so boring after all."

Ayame grinned. "Just don't forget that your entertainment is another's suffering Kagome."

"I know, I know, way to ruin the moment for me." Ayame giggled at her friend as Kagome disappeared into the back room, shaking her head and picking up the phone when it started to ring.

Kagome opened her locker and placed everything inside, pulling out her badge and walking over to the mirror to clip it to the left side of her chest. She took a step back when she finished, giving herself the critical eye.

The badge was a laminated picture, at the bottom of which was printed her name in block letters. She was smiling, and her hair, for once, was down the way she preferred to wear it when not on the job.

She was so busy studying the badge that she didn't even hear the door open and close behind her. "Good morning sunshine!"

"AHH!" Kagome must have jumped at least ten feet in the air, only to find herself trapped, from behind, in the arms of a person wearing very familiar after-shave. "Miroku, can't you speak a little quieter? Remember, this is a quiet place of rehabilitation."

Miroku frowned, but didn't let go of his playful hold on her waist. Kagome didn't mind, so long as his hands stayed where they were.

He was a handsome man of twenty-five, with a good heart and shining eyes that beamed with life. His only failing was his lecherous tendency whenever an attractive young woman was around. It had progressed to the point that he was only allowed to see men as patients, something he wasn't too happy about.

"I can see someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Kagome grinned, knowing he could see it in the mirror.

"I always do Miroku, since when has that been a surprise. Not all of us are like you and Ayame and able to wake up and fall asleep on a dime."

"True, but then you could try and be sociable for the first hour or so of work."

"I'm always nice to my patients," Kagome replied defensively. Miroku grinned openly.

"I wasn't talking about your patients."

"Oh." Kagome smiled once more and then frowned playfully when she realized he still had his arms around her. "I don't think Sango would approve of this."

Miroku jumped back as if he were touching hot coals, and if Kagome hadn't known already about his feelings for her friend, she would have been offended. But as it was, everyone knew the man was head over heels in love with Sango, and couldn't get enough of her, and as such they teased him relentlessly about it.

"What wouldn't I approve of?" Miroku's face brightened, and Kagome beamed at her friend, who was currently balancing a holder of five cups of coffee, as well as a bag of breakfast for everyone. She gave Kagome an appeasing stare. "A little help please?"

Snapping out of her trance, Kagome and Miroku both bounded over and relieved Sango of her load, instantly digging in to the bag of fresh sausage biscuits. Sango just shook her head and walked over to her locker to put away her personal items.

She was an attractive woman, to say the least. Her body was built like a rock, with strong shoulders, a slim waist, and sleek thighs, all of which were accented by her uniform. Her hair fell to her waist in a long ponytail of dark waves, and she always wore a hint of pink mascara, which, on anyone else would have looked grotesque, but on her it was perfect.

"So for once Kouga is the last to show?" She commented lazily, and everyone looked around, suddenly realizing that their colleague was indeed missing.

"I guess so," Kagome replied with a shrug. Miroku laughed.

"It's a strange day when Kagome beats us all and Kouga is the last to arrive for work in the morning." The girls both laughed to, for it was a strange concept.

"Is everything all set?" Kagome finally asked, noticing that there were only fifteen minutes before the clinic officially opened for the day.

"Yup, I checked it all last night myself," Miroku said proudly, glancing at Sango to see if she noticed. She pretended to ignore him.

"So you have clean sheets in all the exam rooms?"

"Check."

"The ultrasound machines have been cleaned?"

"Check."

"The gel is all in heaters?"

"Check."

"The heating pads are warm?"

"Check."

Kagome nodded her head with a smile. "I'm impressed Miroku, usually Sango and I are the ones cleaning up at the end of the day."

"Well, Kouga and I figured you ladies deserved a break."

Kagome giggled for a moment, and Sango rolled her eyes as she walked passed Miroku, leaning in to say, "How generous of you, to help poor, tired ladies like us."

Miroku didn't hear the sarcasm obviously, because he puffed out his chest as though he were a hero, his hand, in the meantime, wandering slowly down until Sango stiffened, stopping dead in her tracks.

"Hentai!" She screamed, whirling around and smacking him in the face, leaving a red print, before disappearing into the main clinic. Kagome just shook her head.

"That is no way to win your fair lady's heart you know."

"Who says I want to win her heart?" Miroku blushed, and Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Please, it's so obvious you like her."

"It is?"

"Yeah, you're always looking at her at work, and trying to impress her when you think she's watching."

"That doesn't mean that I like her."

"It does too."

"Does not."

"Does too."

"Does not."

"Does too."

"Kagome, I am not in love with Sango!" He shouted in anger just as she opened the door, causing the woman in question to turn her head in surprise from where she was standing organizing the exercise balls against the wall. Miroku's face turned a deep crimson, and Kagome giggled.

"Who said anything about love? I certainly didn't."

She walked away, and Miroku quickly disappeared into an exam room leaving Sango glancing about her with a puzzled expression. "What just happened?"

The tension was broken when the door was thrown open with a bang and Kouga appeared, panting and looking frazzled. He ran up to Ayame, gave her a huge kiss on the cheek, and blew past Kagome with a quick hello before disappearing into the back room, reappearing moments later with his badge, smoothing out his hair, pulled back into a shoulder-length black ponytail.

He was a handsome man, with a strong build and piercing blue eyes. His personality was strong and confident, and when he set his mind to something, he went after it, especially when it involved helping a patient, which is why he was so good at his job.

In reality, they were all good at what they did, and for different reasons. Kagome had, growing up in a shrine and learning the ways of the ancient priestesses, always wanted to help people in some way and when she realized she didn't quite have the stamina or desire to make it through a grueling six years of medical school, chose physical therapy instead.

Sango had lost her parents in a car accident when she was seventeen, and her brother Kohaku was paralyzed from the waist down. It was then that she decided she wanted to help victims like him.

Miroku came from a long line of monks, and he, like Kagome, felt that he could serve others through physical therapy. But sometimes his friends would simply call him monk because he still had certain parallel mannerisms.

And Kouga, well, was just Kouga. No one was quite sure why he had decided to become a physical therapist when his family fortune could have let him be so much more, but here he came, every day, to work, never late and never leaving early. At least, every day but that day.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," he stammered as he saw his three colleagues staring at him. Even Ayame, his girlfriend of one year, was leaning over the counter with a puzzled expression.

Kagome gave him a suspicious look, and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you late today? I don't think you've been late once this entire year."

"Well, technically he's not late quite yet," Miroku, who had finally decided to emerge from the exam room, said calmly as he indicated the clock. "It is, after all, not quite 7:00."

Kouga beamed. "So my perfect record still stands."

Kagome and Sango rolled their eyes simultaneously, and Sango looked at him in exasperation. "Why do you bother to show up every day?"

Kouga, used to such teasing because of his money, just shrugged and leaned against the wall casually.

"But you still haven't said why you were `almost' late," Ayame called from the desk. That got the others interested, and Kouga blushed.

"Well, you won't believe this but, I slept through my alarm."

"What?" Kagome couldn't help but start laughing, and everyone looked at her as though she had gone insane. She raised her head, her dark eyes twinkling. "I guess when I get up on time it's bad karma for the one who is never late."

Kouga smiled back, his own blue eyes shining with laughter as he chuckled. "So you shouldn't be on time any more, because next time I might not be so lucky as to hit no red lights."

The others just shook their heads, and were about to say more, when the sound of the front door opening reached their ears, and they were greeted with their first patient of the day. Ayame greeted with a smile and led into an exam room, putting the chart on the front door and writing Sango's name on the white board at the front of the room next to the number three, indicating the therapist had a patient in exam room three.

"Well, you get the first victim," Miroku said with a laugh, and Sango rolled her eyes as she walked up to the door and took the chart, scanning it briefly.

"Biking accident," she commented.

"Motorcycles?" Kagome asked casually.

"No, believe it or not it was just a bicycle."

"Amazing," Kouga commented as Ayame led another patient back and put his own name on the board in red. "Well, I'm up."

"Have fun," Kagome replied, sitting down to wait for her first patient, twiddling her thumbs absentmindedly. Yep, it was just another ordinary day, or so she thought.