Thanks to Loki for beta-ing this chapter. It wouldn't have come out in nearly as much time without her.

Crooked Veracity

Chapter 1: Coma Girl


"The cranial trauma of your fall caused diffuse axonal injuries. Your brain stem was damaged as well as torn brain axons. There was severe cerebral edema, and we preformed a ventriculostomy."

Kagome stared at the doctor blankly and said, "You lost me after 'the'. Is there anyway you could repeat everything you just said, but in a language I can understand?"

The young and strikingly handsome doctor chuckled before he said "Well, basically, you experienced a nasty fall, had very severe head injuries and went into a coma. There was brain swelling, and we performed a surgery where we placed a device in your skull to control and monitor the swelling. But we removed that over two years ago and the lacerations from the fall and the surgery have healed."

"You couldn't have just said that from the beginning?"

"No, I wanted to sound important. Also it seems from the CAT scan we performed that the internal injuries to your brain have also healed. It's amazing really, it's almost like there were never any injuries. However, this does not mean you're fine. Far from it,"

Kagome pushed her hands against the mattress she was laying on to push herself up as her mother, who was sitting by the bed, said, "What do you mean?"

"Well, with head injuries of this type, patients often emerge from a coma with a combination of physical, intellectual, and psychological difficulties that need specialized attention. She will most likely experience things like depression, memory loss, or even the lost of sensation. Not to mention the extensive physical rehabilitation she will need to undergo to return to full health."

"Physical rehabilitation?" Kagome asked as her mother gripped her hand comfortingly.

"Kagome, your body has been inactive for three years. Of course, steps were taken to prevent things like blood clots or muscles shrinking, but it's very likely possible you'll have to relearn how to walk. Of course I don't think that will be the case, because you seem to have quite a bit of your motor functions. However, physical rehabilitation is still very much necessary."

"So...when do I start these treatments?"

"We'd like to start you as soon as possible. You will be assigned a therapist, who will visit you in your room for the time being and you will have to make and appointment with your physical therapist. Yours is..." He flipped through the papers in front of him and said, "Morimoto Ichiro. A fine physician. He's quite qualified and I have no doubt he'll work miracles with you. He should be here by the end of the day."

"So...she's going to be okay?" her mother asked, trying desperately to keep the tears in.

"I believe that with hard work and plenty of support, Kagome will return to full physical and psychological health. I think that's all, I have to go check on my other patients," he finished as he got up to leave.

"Wait, Dr. Akatsuka," cried Mrs. Higurashi, half getting to her feet. He stopped and turned back towards them, and she continued, "What about visitors?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, since she woke up, I've been the only person allowed to visit her. And her brother and grandfather would really like to see her,"

"Oh yes, I'll have the boards changed to allow immediate family. But Mrs. Higurashi, if there are any other visitors, they will have to be okay-ed by you. You know, friends and the sort. Alright?"

"Yes, okay that's fine. Thank you very much doctor,"

"My pleasure," was his farewell as he stepped through the door. Her mother followed him to the door, but instead of walking out of it, she closed it and walked back to her daughter's side.

"Did you hear that sweetie? You are going to be alright," she gushed as she grasped her daughter's hand

"Mama...I still don't really understand...how did I get here?" she said, her dark grey eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"You know the doctor said there were things you wouldn't remember. What's the last thing you do remember?"

"I remember...Souta asking me to help find Buyo. And then...we went into the well house to look and....that-that's it. I can't remember anything else until I woke up here. Mama?"

"Well, sweetie...you went down into the well house and found Buyo. Um...well, the investigator said it looked like you backed into the well and accidentally fell through the rotting wood covering it. It was a good thing Souta saw you fall; otherwise we might not have found you for hours. When we got you to the hospital...well, it was horrible. You were so...but that doesn't matter, because we now we have you back, baby. I'm going to go call Dad; you think you'll be alright by yourself?"

"Yeah, no problem,"

She got back to her feet and quickly left the room. Kagome sighed and closed her eyes. For some reason, she just wanted to go to sleep and dream.

............................................................

"Tokyo Medical University Hospital, how may I help you?" a nurse in flower printed scrubs answered at the phone's ring.

A distinctly male voice replied. "This is Morimoto. Just checking if I have any patients."

"Just one moment please." She typed the name Morimoto into the computer and said flatly, "Password?"

"1389408 C41," he dead-panned.

"You have a one o'clock with a Higurashi Kagome."

"New patient? Can I get the background?" he said as she heard a tapping noise sound from the other end.

"It's says she came out of a three year coma yesterday,"

"Cause?"

"It doesn't say. But all her information should be in her file when you get here. Anything else Morimoto-san?"

"No, nothing, thank you," he said before hanging up. He stopped tapping his pen against the table top as the waitress came by with his second cup of coffee. It was his day off at the center, but since he worked with the hospital as well, they didn't always check with them when they made his appointments. Oh well, at least it was only one this time. Last time the center had given him a day off during the week, he'd had five patients to deal with at the hospital.

Glancing at his watch, he found he had enough time to push back his plans before he left for the hospital.

.................................................................

She could see his sleeping face falling toward his right should as he leaned against the tree. She wasn't sure how he was able to sleep while leaning against a tree, but the vines wrapped around him must have something to do with it. The wind caused his bangs to flutter and suddenly she was close enough to admire the soft look of his silver hair.

'Where am I?' she wondered out loud even as her eyes were drawn up to the top of his head, where two furry triangular ears sat, just begging to be touched.

Adjusting her footing on the vines she had found herself sitting on, she reached up toward the appendages, even as the scenery around her changed.

Suddenly she was rushing through the forest, perched on the boy's back as he ran at an inhuman speed. What was his name anyway? Her hands clasped on his shoulders as he held her tightly. His own hands were clasped together in the sleeves of his haori underneath her, securing her. She could feel the dread in the pit of her stomach, but from what, she knew not. Although, she truly liked the feeling of riding on his back...

"It's here," the words slipped from her mouth, and she had no idea what she was talking about. "To collect all of them...how long do you think it's going to take?"

"Let's go, Kagome," He was standing behind her and when she looked up at him he said, "What?"

"You called my name for the first time."

"So what?" he had a very disgruntled look on his face.

"Are you trying to be more friendly with me?" What did she mean by that? Was he not usually nice to her?

"Feh! Don't be ridiculous. Why should I be friendly with a stupid girl like..."

Her eyes opened as she groaned. Sometime during her sleep her head had fall to the side and she got an uncomfortable kink in her neck. This is therefore, why she was gingerly rubbing her neck when a man dressed in black slacks, black pants, and a red dress shirt, only the top button undone.

His short black hair was slightly shaggy and he pushed it out of his eyes as he walked, a file in his hands. "Hi, you must be Kagome, unless I have the wrong room,"

"No, right room," she dead-panned.

He let out a hesitant chuckle, having half expected her to laugh at his feeble joke. "Um, anyway, I'm Morimoto Ichiro, your physical therapist, but you can call me Ichiro,"

"Okay, Ichi,"

His left eye twitched at the name, "Ichiro," he corrected quickly.

"I like Ichi better," she said dismissively, "So, you're here to fix me, right?"

"I don't fix people, they fix themselves,"

"Then what do you get paid for?" she asked, knowing full well she was getting on his nerves.

"I get paid to help people make their way to full health and function ability after accidents or comas such as you. Now I see here you were in a coma for three years after a head injury." He listed some of the things out loud, though she had the feeling he was doing it for himself, "Cranial trauma...cerebral edema...and it seems there has been quite a bit of muscle atrophy in the last year or so. It happens, when the patient has been in a coma for more than a year, the nurses tend to get lazy,"

"So...what does that mean?"

"It means you're going to have to do a bit of work building your muscles back up before you can attempt walking. Though I'll have to do my own examination, judging by the extent listed on your chart, I would like you to be moved to the rehabilitation center. You'll only be there for a few months, and of course you will be allowed visitors and visits home, but I think it will be the best thing."

"So...when will this examination occur?"

"You're eighteen, so we can do it today. Of course I will have to talk to your legal guardian about the move,"

"But...I'm not a minor."

"True, but you've also been in a coma since you were fifteen. The government won't recognize you as a legal adult until you've completed inpatient rehabilitation. So, let's get this examination underway. Don't worry, I don't have cold hands," he chuckled lightly, receiving another deadpan from his patient.

.....................................

"So, Kagome. There's much more atrophy in your legs than I had thought. It's quite unusual actually. While your arms are fine, your leg muscles are dangerously withered. I'm surprised you haven't developed several other conditions judging from the withering of your legs. I think you'll be with us for a while. Although you'll also be working with the psychiatrist we have on staff. I'll contact your mother about moving you," he said, patting her shin before getting up to leave.

"Um...Ichi?"

"That's Ichiro, and yes?"

"How old are you?"

He turned toward her and stared at her quizzically, "Twenty one."

"And you've been practicing for how long?"

"Two years, why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just...you look really young, you are really young and you've been practicing since a year after I went into this coma."

"Yeah...so?"

"Well, it's just...isn't nineteen a little young to get a degree in physical therapy?"

"Yes, but I got mine when I was eighteen. I started practicing when I was nineteen because I spent the next year getting a few other degrees."

"So you must be really smart."

"I suppose...what's your point?"

"Oh, no, nothing. Nice ring by the way,"

He looked down at the ring on his right hand and twisted it, a habit he had picked up over the years and said, "Thanks, now...uh...get some rest."

"I've gotten three years worth of rest. I'm fine thanks,"

"Whatever," he said as he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, mumbling "I hate this bed-side manner crap" under his breath.

.......................................

There was a light knock on her door before the door knob twisted and a girl's head popped in. "Kagome?" the young woman called before seeing said girl lying in the bed she walked into the room.

However, Kagome was staring at her with a confused look on her face, before recognition took over and she gushed, "Eri? Oh my god! You look so different!"

Eri rushed over to her friend and collected her in a hug, who returned it gratefully. "It's the hair right? I got it done right after graduation. You know how strict those rules ar.,"

"Eri...your hair is neon yellow," Kagome replied, fingering the bright strands.

"Just the tips," she said, a wide smile on her face. She looked at her childhood friend and sighed "We came as soon as we heard you'd woken."

"We?"

"Me and Ayumi. She's just getting a cup of coffee. Yuka got an early acceptance to Kyoto, moved there last term."

"Thank you guys. I feel like I really need a friend right now."

"I can only imagine. When are they going to let you out?"

"T-they aren't," she sighed dejectedly.

"What?" she said, confused and shocked, 'Why not?"

"Apparently the muscles in my legs are atrophied or something and I won't be able to walk without therapy. They're moving me to the rehabilitation clinic in a few days."

"Wow, so just when you think it's over, it isn't." The girl shook her head, the now waxed tips of her hair brushing her cheeks.

"Yeah, but at least my physical therapist is cute," she sighed, not in such a bad mood anymore.

"How cute?" she asked skeptically. The last time the girl had been awake she was fifteen and her taste in boys quite immature.

"He has a tight ass," she shrugged

"Kagome!" Eri cried, quite shocked. She wouldn't have been so surprised, if Kagome had been growing up with them the last three years, but the last time she had spoken with Kagome, the girl had had virgin ears.

"What?"

"Nothing...just forget it."

The door opened wider, distracting them both from the conversation and Ayumi stepped in. She looked almost exactly as she had years ago, except her figure had filled out and her legs had elongated, giving her the figure of an elegant young woman. Her face still had a sweet quality to it, but her hair was cut quite short in almost boyish shag that actually looked quite feminine on her. "Ayumi," Kagome breathed softly, and the girl walked over to her briskly and hugged her tightly.

When she pulled away, Kagome brushed a tear from her face. They picked up the conversation as though they had never been separated, going on for quite some time as both girls filled her in on everything that had happened in the past three years. By the time the subject of colleges came up, Eri was half sprawled on Kagome's bed and Ayumi was lounging comfortably in the chair by the bed.

After Ayumi told them about her acceptance letter to Tokyo University she said to Kagome, "Oh and you'll never believe what my dad said. I told him you had woken up, and he said he would pay for your tutor,"

"Tutor?"

"Of course, you want to have a career right? Well, first you need a tutor for your high school examination, then, when you get accepted to a great school, you'll need another tutor from that school so you can qualify for university within the next year,"

"Wow...I didn't even think about that," she said, her dejected mood returning.

"But don't worry. Daddy said he would pay for up to three different tutors, and if you study really hard over the next year, you can probably get into Osaka."

"Osaka...you think?"

"Absolutely, you've always been a smart girl, Kagome," said Eri, adding her two cents, "and you pick up on things very quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if you got into Kyoto."

"I don't know about that, but...maybe I can at least get into Kyushu...if I really try, right?"

"For sure," said Ayumi, "I mean, think about it logically. Three years of school, minus weekends and vacations and you've got roughly 26 months worth of stuff to learn. Factor in the knowledge that you'll be in one-on-one sessions without having to wait for other people to get it and the fact that for circumstances like yours you get a hell of a lot more leniency. You should graduate from high school home-schooling in roughly a year or two. You'll be nineteen or twenty and able to move on with your life."

"Don't worry Kagome," said Eri, placing a comforting hand on her friends wrist, "You'll see, everything will be fine."

Kagome looked down at the hand on her wrist, her eyes drawn to the topaz class ring on her index finger and sighed, something about the colour of the ring stirring unidentifiable emotions in her.

"Yeah...just fine,"

......................................

"Ichiro!"

The young man looked up and turned at the sound of his name, spotting a young woman coming toward him, her long brown hair pulled up into two pigtails on either side of her head. Despite the childish hair do, it suited her and just made her look more fun to be around. "Hey, Sora. Five more minutes and I would have left," he said roughly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're all talk. So, what movie do you want to see?"

"Screwed," he answered promptly

"You know, it's not about actually getting screwed...right?"

"Of course I know that, but it's a dumb comedy that sure to have me laughing. Those are my favourite."

"I was thinking we could check out Center Stage," she said as they made their way into the long lines at the box office.

"Chick flick," he said so dismissively it was obvious he would never go for it. That had never stopped her before.

"Come on Koinu, we--"

"What did I say about calling me that in public?" he sneered, though there was no malice in his eyes.

"Um...not to do it unless I wanted to loose a limb, which by the way I found very threatening."

"Tough luck."

"Ichiro, you know I love your...gentle disposition, but are you okay?"

"I'm fucking fine, now get off my back."

"Geez, what's with you today? Does it have something to do with you having to push back our plans?"

"No," he said immediately, which was a sure sign he was lying

"Okay, what is it?"

He sighed. Since meeting Sora, he had learned she never took no for an answer. Which he actually had found very surprising. "It's...this patient I got today."

"What's the problem?"

"She...reminds me...of a girl I use to know."

"Ahh," she nodded sagely, "The mystery girl from your past? What is it exactly that reminds you of her?"

"The eyes, definitely the eyes and...maybe her personality, I don't know. It's just...it's this girl. And she acted so familiar with me. She called me Ichi."

At this Sora laughed out loud. "I think I'll like this girl. Is she coming to the center?"

"Yeah, sometime next week."

"So, Ichi," she drawled, ignoring the grumbling coming from her friend, "What else about this girl reminds you of your lost love?"

Ichiro turned the thought over in his head, trying to picture his old love's face in his head, but the image having become distorted long ago.

"I think it's....it's her smile,"

.....................................

"That movie was great," exclaimed the bubbly young girl as she and her companion exited the movie theater.

"It was good, but if you ask me, there was too much love-y dove-y crap. That crying scene was horrible."

"First of all, it wasn't a crying scene. And Keeping the Faith was a great movie."

"I still say we should have watched Screwed."

"Whatever you say, doc."

"Need a ride home?" He asked as they walked toward the parking lot.

"Nah, I nabbed Tamiko's. She wasn't at home, so I figured her crap heap was better than nothing," she said as he walked her to the crap heap she had just mentioned, an '86 Cougar from America.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Not working. Yuki gave me time off to visit my mother."

"How long is your visit this time?"

"A week. I only wanted a few days but Yuki insisted I take the extra days. Now I'm going to be stuck in the same house with my overbearing mother and all of her 'characters'," she explained, using air quotes for the last word.

"Alright, I'll see you when I see you," he said, going back to his car, a silver tan 2000 Aston Martin DB7. He quickly got into his car and drove toward his apartment building. Once inside his house, he ate a quick dinner, stripped out of his clothes so he was clad in only his Snoopy and Woodstock KLUNK boxer shorts before slipping into bed.

The last image that crossed his mind, was that of the young girl, lying in her hospital bed with laughter in her eyes.

........................................................

AN: Thanks for reading. You may have noticed by now that there are quite a few OCs in this fic. Well, there's a reason for that, unfortunately, I don't know what it is. No I'm kidding, but it's probably not the reason your thinking. That's right I know you're already starting to come up with theories of your own. I'd love to hear them if you have them, and nothing is too crazy or too inane to be a theory. Though, your thoughts may or amy not effect the outsome of the story.