InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Therapy ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

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Author's Notes: None for this chapter.

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Title: Soul Therapy

Author: dolphingirl0113

Chapter: Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

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Kagome was actually in a good mood by the time 3:00 rolled around. She had successfully discharged two patients, one with a horrible shoulder injury, and one who thought they would never use their right leg again and yet had walked out of her sight without a limp. She smiled in triumph, wanting to shout to the world that she had done it, because it felt damn good to help people like that.

Her stomach growled, and it was only then that Kagome realized she hadn't eaten since that morning. Glancing at the board and seeing with relief that her name was absent, for the moment, she slipped into the back room and scrounged around in the small fridge for the cooked ramen she brought with her the day before, and placing it in the microwave to heat.

She sat down at the small table and began to read the newspaper, which Kouga had so kindly left strewn about the room as he read each section individually. At that moment she had been lucky enough to discover the living section, the only part that actually interested her.

"Something smells good," Miroku called from the door, sniffing thoughtfully and smiling. "Ramen?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied casually, flipping to the next page of the paper with her feet propped on a second chair. Miroku walked over and sat across from her with his trademark smile in place. "What?"

"You look way too comfortable. Don't you have a patient right now?" Kagome shrugged.

"He's not here yet, and I haven't eaten all day."

"Fair enough, but if he shows up before your lunch is ready, can I have it?"

Kagome glared at him playfully. "Don't even think about it."

The microwave beeped and Kagome rose from her seat to claim her much-needed food, when Ayame opened the door. "Kagome, your 3:00 patient is here."

Kagome looked at the bowl she had just been ready to eat, and frowned. "It figures. I'll be out in a minute."

Ayame nodded and shut the door, Miroku raising an eyebrow at her quizzically. "So what are you going to do now?"

Kagome shrugged. "Slurp it, of course."

And she did. In a record one minute and thirty seconds she managed to drink the entire bowl of ramen, smacking her lips when she was done. Miroku could only stare at the empty bowl as she walked out of the room.

"Where is he Ayame?"

"In exam room six."

"Thanks." Kagome walked up to the door and plucked the chart from the holder, opening it and scanning the contents briefly. "Ah yes," she muttered, "Mr. Takahashi." For some reason the name sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it.

Opening the door, Kagome walked in, only to nearly turn right around and shut the door once more in surprise. "K-Kikyou?"

A woman who looked almost identical to Kagome turned from where she was sitting and facing a man in a wheelchair, holding his hand, and smiled. Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat and returned the gesture for the cousin she hadn't seen in years.

"Of course," she said in a silly giggle, "That would be why the name was familiar. It all makes sense now. Christmas cards, letters, all that stuff," Kagome muttered as she walked forward, approaching the couple. Kikyou just continued to smile.

"Hello Kagome, how are you? It's been so long since we last talked to each other."

Her voice was just as calm and serene as it had always been, with that small hint of arrogance that could either bother a person or spark within them a great admiration. Her hair was long, falling to her waist, and was, as always, pulled into a low ponytail, two strands falling over her shoulders elegantly. Her face was shaped the same as Kagome's, like a heart, her lips full and seductive, her eyes cool and calculating and intelligent. She was almost Kagome's twin, except that their personalities were entirely different.

"I'm fine, working really hard, but otherwise doing great. I finally got my own apartment and everything."

"So you're not living at the shrine any more?"

"No, I moved out when I got this job."

"That's right, I remember your mother saying something about getting this job. We were all certainly, um," she seemed to search for the right words, "Surprised to hear you took this job."

Kagome let the tone roll off her back, used to it by now. Her entire family had wanted her to go to medical school, not become a physical therapist. They felt it was a career that was beneath her.

"So how's law school going for you?" Kagome asked casually, still not having introduced herself to the man in the wheelchair, the man who was to be her patient, who was, she was keenly aware, staring right at her.

"Great, though I find it very challenging. There are days when I come home and I swear I want to rip out my hair, what with all the papers and essays and reading I have to do." She smiled at the man beside her warmly. "Luckily I have Inuyasha to keep me sane."

Kagome blinked several times and nodded before smiling and turning her attention to the man sitting in the wheelchair. His eyes were a stunning amber gold, his hair silvery white, and Kagome found herself practically drooling for a moment over his handsome features. But luckily, her professionalism kicked in, and she contented her desire by merely extending her hand, which he took and shook gruffly before looking away.

"My name's Kagome Higurashi," she began, "And I presume that you are Inuyasha?"

"Yeah," he grunted, continuing to find the wall to the left very interesting. Kagome sighed and glanced at the chart.

"We won't be doing much therapy today," Kagome finally said, looking back at the couple, though Kikyou seemed to be the only one paying any attention. "Today I will just get to know you both better, and explain how we're going to proceed with rehab."

"Keh, whatever woman, let's just get these next six weeks over with."

Kagome blinked in surprise at his cold tone. "Excuse me?"

He stared right at her then, and she was stunned by the dark, lost, angry look in his eyes. "You heard me, I said lets just get these next six weeks over with so I can be done with all this crap."

Kagome gave her cousin a quizzical look. "Six weeks?"

"The package included in our accident insurance covers six weeks of physical therapy, but beyond that we have to pay on our own, out of pocket."

"I see." Kagome looked back at Inuyasha. "So you're planning to be better in six weeks, is that it?"

"Keh, I never said that woman. I just said I was going to do these stupid six weeks and be done with it."

Kagome frowned for an instant before sighing and turning his head to look straight in her eyes. "Listen to me. I don't know who you think you are, but I do not tolerate attitudes like that around here. I have seen people in ten times worse shape then you walk out of here normal, functioning human beings."

He glared right back at her. "And have you looked at my chart yet? Maybe then you'll get a little reality check on my situation."

But Kagome didn't even blink. She was used to tough attitudes, or rather, facades to hide inner feelings. She knew that deep down this man was hurting, badly, and no matter what he said, he wanted to get better. He just didn't want to work for it.

"I know very well your situation, Mr. Takahashi," she hissed, turning to look at Kikyou. "He was the victim of a drunk driving accident, is that correct?"

"Yes, on his way home from the medical school."

Kagome had pulled out a pen and begun writing on a blank piece of chart paper. "And he has only sporadic feeling in his legs, is that correct?"

"Yes, it happens all of a sudden, then vanishes. Like the other day, he spilled hot water on his pants and yelped in pain, but then the day before he rolled out of bed and didn't feel a thing."

"Okay," Kagome nodded and continued writing for another moment before looking up. "This is all very common and happens to a lot of people. Your muscles have become week, no doubt from the fact that you spent two months in the hospital, and now we need to retrain your body to use its legs again. The therapy will be simple in the beginning, but as you progress it will get harder."

"Keh, whatever." Inuyasha glared at Kagome for an instant, but she ignored him and returned her attention to Kikyou, who was blushing for Inuyasha's sake.

"May I speak with you outside for a moment?" Kagome asked politely, and Kikyou nodded, rising to her feet and smoothing out her red kimono dress, slinging her black pea coat over her shoulder.

Once outside, Kikyou sighed and looked at the closed door for several minutes. "I'm sorry for his behavior. He means well, but…"

"I understand," Kagome interrupted kindly. "I'm quite used to dealing with people like him, who don't quite know what to do with themselves after a life-changing accident. He no doubt feels angry, depressed, and robbed, like all victims do."

Kikyou was nodding, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she met Kagome's gaze. "That's him to a tee. And I don't know what to do about it. What can I do?"

Kagome didn't even blink, putting her hand on the older woman's shoulder. "You can give him your support. He's your husband, correct?" Kikyou nodded. "Well, he will be coming to therapy almost every day, and will need your support and love when he gets home."

"I'm not to be here with him for therapy?" Kagome shook her head vehemently.

"No, I don't allow spouses to be with each other during therapy. Your husband needs to learn to be independent again, not only from his wheelchair, but also from those around him. While in the hospital he learned to be dependent, and judging by what little I've seen of his personality, he's not normally like that. As such, that has to change, or he will be miserable for the rest of his life."

Kikyou nodded and looked back at the door for an instant before lowering her eyes to stare at the purplish gray carpet. "Do you really think he could walk again?"

It was a question Kagome was used to hearing, and one that was never easy to answer. Everyone came to her wanting all the answers, wanting promises that she simply could not make, and each time she responded it felt like she was doing a careful dance around the subject.

She sighed. "Do I think he could? Absolutely. But I need to examine him first to see how damaged his body really is, as well as his heart."

"His heart?"

"I don't want to sugar coat things for you, Kikyou. This is going to be a long, hard pull for both of you. And if he doesn't have the desire to pull through to the end, then he won't make it. I just have to get to know him better to make that determination."

Kikyou nodded. "So what do you want me to do right now?"

"Why don't you go into the waiting area and read one of our `very interesting' magazines," Kagome replied, causing her cousin to giggle, something that didn't seem quite natural on her otherwise stoic face. "And I'll come get you when he's done for the day."

"Okay." Kikyou walked off toward the waiting area, and Kagome turned back to the closed door, taking a deep breath. She was about to enter a battle zone, one that she was familiar with, but one that all the same never got any easier to deal with.

When she opened the door she noticed that he was still sitting perfectly straight in his chair, staring at the wall. He turned when he noticed her presence, and frowned instantly. "Where's Kikyou?"

"In the waiting area. You'll see her when we're done." Kagome gave him a hard stare. "And that is how it will be every day we meet."

"Whatever," Inuyasha sighed and looked away again as Kagome resumed her former seat in the chair beside the exam table. She quickly glanced over his attire, jeans and a red shirt.

"From now on I want you to come in exercise shirts and shorts," she said, and the command in her voice was indisputable. He obviously didn't like that tone, because Inuyasha whirled around to glare at her.

"Don't tell me what to do," he hissed, but Kagome just stared right back, which puzzled him. His glare had frightened all the nurses at the hospital, so why was this one any different?

"Sheath your sword already, for heaven's sake," Kagome said with a dramatic eye roll. He cocked an eyebrow at the unusual metaphor, but felt himself deflate nonetheless. "Now, I need to examine exactly what's going on with your legs, so I'm going to help you onto the exam table."

"Keh, I'd like to see you try. Kikyou couldn't manage it, and she's used to helping me around."

Kagome couldn't hold back the glare she sent in his direction, and he almost seemed to shrink back slightly. "I work here, Mr. Takahashi, don't forget that. My job is to help people get around."

"Keh."

"Yes, you said that already." He just frowned at the statement as Kagome moved closer and put her arms under his armpits for support. "Now on the count of three I want you to push up with your arms as hard as you can. I've locked the wheels on your chair, so it won't roll away."

He didn't reply, but Kagome knew he had heard, and so counted to three slowly, hearing him take a deep breath as he pushed himself up with all his might, helping to lift his body onto the table. She pulled, and within seconds he was seated with his legs dangling over the side, staring at her in shock.

Her strength was quite surprising for someone her size. He truly hadn't expected to get out of that chair.

But Kagome simply picked up the chart again as though nothing had happened, and took a seat once more. "Tell me, when you have feeling in your legs, where is it?"

"Um, all over, I guess," he replied, still in shock. Who was this girl anyway? She was certainly different then anyone he'd ever met before.

"Okay, and is it that way every time?"

"No, sometimes it tingles in just one leg, or in different spots." Kagome nodded and put the chart down.

"Can you raise your leg for me?"

Inuyasha stared at her as though she were daft. Obviously, if he could, he wouldn't be here right now.

Seeing his reaction, Kagome rolled her eyes again and shrugged her shoulders. "Just humor me, okay?"

He grunted and focused all his energy on lifting his left leg, but nothing happened. After several minutes, he finally gave up and looked at Kagome, a bead of sweat dripping down the back of his neck.

"What were you expecting? I can't move my damn legs, so that was a useless thing to do."

But Kagome was not paying attention to him. Rather, she was looking at his feet. He raised an eyebrow again, puzzled. What the hell was she doing now?

"Try again," she said, and he growled.

"I told you before, that's pointless!"

"Do it anyway!"

Her temper was equal to his own, and it took him by surprise. He grunted, and tried again, this time seeing Kagome smile when she looked up. "What?"

"When you try, your foot flexes," she stated. He looked at her quizzically.

"So?"

"So, that means that you're not paralyzed, though I already knew that. You just need to retrain your body to work as it once did, before you were hospitalized."

He didn't believe it for one second. "The doctors said I was paralyzed."

"Your chart doesn't actually say paralyzed, Mr. Takahashi, so the doctors didn't specify one way or the other. They obviously weren't quite sure what to make of you."

He growled at the statement. "What are you saying, wench? That I could walk any time I want?"

"No, I'm saying that I'm now fully confident that you will walk again, after lots of therapy and rehab."

"Keh, I've only got six weeks."

"Your insurance only pays for six weeks, but I intend to keep you here longer if necessary."

"You can't make me stay."

"No, I can't, but then, if you don't I promise that you won't ever walk again."

"I was already told I couldn't walk."

"By who?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Had someone ever actually said he couldn't walk again? Or had that just been something his own mind had decided?

"Mr. Takahashi?"

"Shut up, wench! You have no idea what this is like!"

Kagome let his insult roll off her back, giving him another cool stare. He decided that was more intimidating then anything else. "And you're not the only one who's ever faced this challenge," she finally stated simply.

He stared at her, not sure whether or not he was angry or intrigued by this woman who oozed self-confidence and had a temper and wit to match his own. In the end he chose to side with his anger, which had become a much more welcome alternative to fear and uncertainty.

"You don't know what you're talking about, woman!" He yelled, but Kagome ignored him, instead walking up behind him like she had before to move him back to his wheelchair.

"I think we're done for the day," she said kindly, as though he had not just yelled at her. That only infuriated him more, and he shook off her hands.

"I don't need your help!"

At that Kagome stopped moving and backed away so that she was looking right at him. She didn't look angry, and that alone caused Inuyasha's anger to retreat into something more uncommon and unwelcome: uncertainty.

"Is that so?" she finally said coolly. "In that case, by all means get back into your wheelchair alone."

She sat down in her chair once more and crossed her legs daintily, looking away from him as though there was something very interesting on the wall. He just gaped at her in shock.

The pair remained that way for several minutes, the soft ticking of the white clock on the wall reminding both that time was passing by.

Finally, sick and tired of being stuck on the table with no way of moving, Inuyasha growled and looked at Kagome. "Hey wench, can you get me off this damn table?"

Kagome turned to him with a sweet smile and lifted him down, again with surprising strength, into his chair, and unlocked the wheels. She moved him out of the room and into the waiting area, where Kikyou rose from her seat with a smile.

"I'll see you same time tomorrow," Kagome said kindly, and Kikyou nodded, moving to the desk to make the appointment official with Ayame. In the meantime, Kagome leaned down so that her mouth was next to Inuyasha's ear, and her breath caused him to shiver slightly. "And by the way, Mr. Takahashi, my name is Kagome, not wench."

And with that, she stood back up and walked away, leaving him shocked. When he finally recovered and Kikyou was wheeling him out to their car, he groaned. This was going to be a long, hard pull indeed.