Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not now, nor will he ever be, mine... Damnit...

AN: So, guess what happened to me the day before my last final? Yes, that's right, the power supply to my computer died, officially denying me access to any of my files. I think somebody hates me, or just doesn't want me to write. But, it's working again. Tah-dah! Unfortunately, due to the crash I wasn't able to write at all during break, as I had neither notes nor computer to go by. Sorry, guys.

Nevertheless, LOOK! A chapter! And I wrote it in a day! Huzzah! So, my friend Jen leaves you with this message regarding my lightning-quick writing skills:

"You'd better like it. Beeyotches." I swear to God she said it that way, too... :sweatdrop:

Enjoy!

Chapter 14

Kagome sighed as she slumped down in her office chair, allowing her torso to sprawl out across the wooden monstrosity she called a desk and fling her arms outwards with a groan of exhaustion. Almost done…

Her first day as an official Physical Therapist was coming to a close, and she was more than happy for the relief. It had been a hectic day.

She had accompanied Taisho-san, Madori-san, and another flame-haired woman named Amaro Riya to lunch at a quaint café down the street from the Taisho Corp. building, trailing along with a nervous smile and initially only speaking when spoken to, but both women had been overpowering in their energy and amiability, and by the end of the hour together they had all become comfortable enough to chat in the rapid, bursting way that only women could. In the end, it had been Taisho-san who had kept quiet, seemingly content to listen to the conversations between his employees while sipping at tea. Afterwards, they had returned together to the Taisho building and dispersed to their separate work areas. Kagome had returned, grudgingly, to her stack of files and spent the next four hours finishing out her note-taking project while still floundering amongst the aggravating abbreviations and acronyms. She had concluded that only time spent with the patients would reveal the answers.

The problem was that she had her first appointment in a matter of moments with a brand new patient that did not even have a PT file yet.

Kagome flipped open the folder that a filing clerk named Ari had given her all of an hour ago. It had arrived with a note from Taisho-san himself dictating her directions to review the general file before the arrival of the patient. She peered down at the notes before her-- mundane statistics such as height, weight, hair color, eye color, etc., and the most vague job description she had ever seen: DDHY Hunter, Class S. That was all. A title. The lack of information had caused a twitch to start in her eyebrow when she had first seen it, and Kagome had been wondering for an hour how exactly she was supposed to care for patients when she was given so little information to work with. What good was she as a physical therapist if she did not have the proper background by which to assess her patients? The company doctors had even had the gaul to only provide her with a preliminary medical report regarding a seriously damaged leg. She was growing agitated, and her body reflected the sentiment as she leaned back in her chair with a scowl directed at the file.

"Are you the new doctor?"

Kagome was near startled out of her chair as she heard the gruff, low voice suddenly boom from her now-open doorway. She looked up in surprise, having never heard a knock or the opening of the door, to see a rugged-looking man standing in her doorway and leaning heavily on a single crutch. Mud-colored eyes stared back at her from beneath a heavy brow, hair white with age sticking in all directions like a halo around what Kagome thought was a young, strong face, and the stare was intimidating enough to cause Kagome to fight down the will to fidget, choosing instead to meet the gaze with a steady, welcoming one she had perfected over years in Feudal Japan and America.

"Yes, I'm the new PT," she said, rising hastily from her chair in order to greet what was obviously her patient. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, I just didn't hear you knock and-"

"I didn't. Can we get this over with already? I've got places to be."

Kagome was taken aback by the obvious growl in the man's voice, but schooled herself against it. She had met her share of stubborn and abrupt men in her lifetime, this one would be no different.

"Well, I'll do my best to finish everything quickly… Hitaka-san, correct?" A grunt was her only reply, but Kagome kept right on and offered him a chair to rest upon, smiling while she apologized for any discomfort he might be feeling. As she directed him to his seat (he took it eagerly, she noted), she took the time to survey what damage she could, starting with the crutch. There was only one, meaning the damage was most likely in one leg, probably debilitating but not crippling. He moved stiffly, and balanced his weight on his left foot while clutching the crutch under his right arm and shying away from setting his right foot down at all. She would have to get the full medical report to know the full extent of the damage, but at least she was off to a good start. At the stage she viewed him in currently, it would take time – months, perhaps – to bring the leg back to any sort of stable, reliable form, but she had seen men come back from much worse than just a—

"Oi, girl, are ya deaf?" Again, Kagome found herself startled out of her thoughts, and this time she blushed in embarrassment before seating herself across from Hitaka and gathering up his file.

"I'm sorry, Hitaka-san. I'm just a bit—"

"First day, right?" She paused, then nodded with a sheepish smile. Hitaka simply nodded his firm assent and said nothing more.

Taking his silence as permission to continue, Kagome took another glance at his file before putting on a mask of professionalism and striking the white-haired man with an assessing eye.

"I'll be blunt with you, Hitaka-san, I have little information about your injury so far. Your doctors have been… stingy with any test results and diagnoses they have made, and while this does not please me in the least, I can tell you just from your walking in here that the damage is severe and will take weeks, even months to even begin to properly heal and rehabilitate. My job is to help you to do this, and I will do so when I am provided with the appropriate background, but it will be up to you how fast we accomplish anything. Rehabilitation can be a slow, painful process, but I guarantee that it will be ten times worse if your head and heart are not in the effort. Therefore, as I've told every person I've ever worked with, I will not begin to even discuss the mechanics involved in your rehabilitation unless I am assured that I have your complete and utter cooperation. My rule is mind before body, because the body can't heal without the brain telling it to. So, before we begin, are you determined to see this through?" Kagome looked shrewdly across her desk at her would-be patient, waiting for him to respond. The speech was, like she had said, one that she had given to all of those people she had worked with during her years of schooling, and though it sounded severe Kagome had found that many patients responded positively, or at least with more respect to the work she was doing. And she did truly believe her own words.

Hitaka surveyed her with raised eyebrows, though Kagome could not tell if it was amusement or outrage that forced the expression, and took a moment to size her up in the same manner she had him.

"Aren't you the gutsy little girl… You remind me of a boss of mine." He paused, still staring her down, but Kagome said nothing, expectantly waiting for his answer. Finally, he rolled his eyes and looked back at her with irritation. "I'm in for the long-haul, girlie, just get on with it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to get this fixed." He pointedly gave his damaged leg a rough pat, and Kagome allowed herself to break out into her more natural smile.

"I'm glad to hear that, Hitaka-san." Another grunt. Kagome chuckled softly to herself, before regarding the file once again. "Now, then, Hitaka-san-"

"You haven't told me your name yet, lass."

Kagome smiled pleasantly. "Higurashi Kagome. You're welcome to call me Kagome, if you'd like. …Now then! Let's get started, shall we?"

Kagome did not notice the stunned pause taken by her patient at the mention of her name.

Kagome stretched as she stepped out of the office building, blinking into the bright light of the sun as it hovered in the sky. It was still early; only five o' clock, and she fully intended to make use of the newspaper in her hand full of circled ads concerning apartments for rent. She had already spoken to a handful of people regarding various places around the city, it was now only a matter of inspecting the apartments herself and finding a suitable one at a price that wouldn't burn a hole in her pockets. …If that were possible…

She sighed and stepped down to the sidewalk, steering herself in the direction of the first apartment, which was conveniently located only a few blocks down the street. She glanced around as she walked, taking in the scenery of the city. It was rush hour, all the businessmen and –women taking buses, cars, bicycles, and trains back to the comfort of their homes for the evening. The restaurants that spotted between the skyscrapers were bustling with people waiting to get tables or seats at the bars, the department stores seeing their rush of evening customers doing their last-minute shopping. It was a hectic scene to most anyone looking upon it: hordes of people going to and fro in a frantic routine that was expected of them before the quiet of the night settled down upon the corporate portion of the city. Kagome, however, found the scene comforting.

Life. That was what she saw in the masses that passed her by on the streets. The city wasn't an overly large one like Tokyo or New York, but it still teemed with the life that made living in a city so addictive to so many people. It was exactly what she needed right now: to have the very essence of human life surround her on a daily basis and remind her just what it was she was working for from the time she had left to go to America—from the time she had sealed the well.

She sighed, dropping her head and gripping her briefcase a little tighter in one hand. It would always come back to the well and the Sengoku Jidai. It was always come back to Inuyasha.

It was almost funny, that she had spent so many years longing to see him again, and now she was only running away at every chance she got.

He had hurt her with his words, deeper than any time he had ever been with Kikyou or brushed her aside for a life he thought he wanted. For once, she could not so easily forgive his words. It was not a matter that could be solved with a simple 'osuwari' and a few tears of upset, and that was perhaps the hardest truth for her to swallow about it. It was one thing that he had doubted her, she had doubted herself, but for some reason she could not release the idea that he had let that doubt manifest itself into real feelings. Had he so little faith in who she was? Had he suddenly forgotten all the times she had stood by him, against Naraku, against Kikyou, against himself? It wounded her to the very core to think that none of his memories of her loyalty could ease the turmoil of his heart, and that in the end he had allowed himself to think the worst of her.

She could not accept that.

Kagome realized she was both frowning and close to tears as she approached the tall apartment complex and she hastily forced her nerves to calm. Entering the building, she determined that Inuyasha was the least of her worries for the time being. Life came first. Job, apartment, family, and THEN arrogant inuhanyous.

Solidifying her resolve, Kagome approached the door to the noted apartment and knocked firmly on the blue painted wood, hearing footsteps almost immediately from inside.

She smiled bitterly to herself. For once, she would be the person to turn her back on Inuyasha and brush him aside. She had better things to do.

Despite what he told his employees to do, Inuyasha always hunted alone. It was his time to work off the stress of life, flexing his claws and allowing himself to be exactly what he was: the son of a demon. Hunts were the nights when he wore his red firerat robes and sprinted from the rooftops with silver hair shining and claws sharp. On nights like these he did not hide behind the guise of a human, but allowed Shippou's illusion to drop. It was freeing, relaxing.

Unfortunately, the kit was still not talking to him. Shippou had outright refused to even look at Inuyasha when he had stopped by the apartment that day. He couldn't necessarily blame the fox, but he had still felt his blood heat at the deliberate act of disrespect. Somewhere between finding the kit all those centuries ago with Kagome and protecting Shippou after Kagome left, Inuyasha had started to view Shippou as his own, if only because he felt he had to fill the gap that Kagome no longer could. And one thing a pup of the Inu clan knew from birth until death was to never disrespect a parent or superior. Had he been a true demon, Shippou would most assuredly have been put in his place, fox or not. But Inuyasha was not a full-blooded demon, and he could only bring himself to return the cold shoulder, pretending he did not feel the effects of his adopted son shunning him. Instead, he had donned his haori and hakama and fled outside even before the sun set.

It was dark now, night having fallen perhaps an hour ago. The streets of the city and suburbs alike were starting to thin into the occasional passerby, the bars full of alcoholics and the corporate suits looking to unwind after long hours at the office. Most humans had slipped home to families or pets, or even just empty apartments where they could have a hot TV dinner. Typically, Inuyasha would be in his own condo, most likely arguing amiable with Shippou about one thing or another, or else at Sesshoumaru's house with a sleeping Aya curled up against him as he sat outside in the courtyard. The taiyoukai would eventually come outside to stand beside him wordlessly for a time before Rin would appear and take her daughter off to bed. On any given day, Inuyasha's life after work would be peaceful, with only the occasional Hunt on his part. It seemed that, first and foremost, he was uncle and employer in this modern world. He was no longer the vigilant protector he had once needed to be. He had not been for a long time now.

Perhaps that was why his blood raced every time he took the Hunt upon himself. He had men and youkai alike that were paid to do the job, but he never took so much pride in it as when it was his own claws fighting against the demons that lurked in the darkness of night, whether man or otherwise. He felt alive when he was fighting. He felt the purpose return to his life each time; felt something more than the dead calm that had overtaken his life in the past five centuries. Sometimes, it reminded him of Sengoku Jidai. He had had a purpose then.

He frowned, mentally chastising himself for his straying thoughts. He was truly pathetic, wasn't he? Inuyasha suddenly felt disgusted with himself even as he dropped down from the rooftops into an alley. He had become some self-pitying fool. Where was his strength? Where was his determination? You left it with Kagome… He scowled and angrily punched the wall of the alley, leaving a large hole as he dislodged his fist. He was being ridiculous!

He audibly growled at himself, his demon blood taking hold off the aggravation he was feeling and pushing him towards the instinct to go destroy something insignificant and squirming. Inuyasha returned to the rooftops and continued on his way, his blood urging him onwards.

Perhaps it was a burst of luck that his sharp ears suddenly picked up the distinct scream of a female from the edges of the city. It was all it took before he was a blur of red and white beneath the moonlight, his feet, nose, and ears all guiding him towards the source of the sound. He was upon the scene in a heartbeat, though his disappointment flared when he realized it was only a simple mugger trying to take advantage of some idiot who was walking alone at night. Of course, it just happened to be a woman. He rolled his eyes at the scene, but who was he to pass up a good beating, especially when he was in a bad mood?

Hopping down from his perch, Inuyasha landed directly behind the mugger, the displaced air enough to cause the man to turn around and see the hanyou. Inuyasha watched apathetically as the man went from surprised to annoyed to puzzled, before settling on obnoxious amusement. "What the hell are you supposed to be, dog boy?"

"If it wasn't such a big problem, I'd tear little shits like you apart," he spat out before grabbing the man one-handed and throwing him carelessly against the wall of the alley. There was a nasty cracking sound, following by a thud, but Inuyasha was unconcerned, knowing by now what amount of force would and wouldn't kill humans. At most, maybe he'd get a good concussion.

He paused to make sure the man was down for good before turning to regard the human. The woman was looking at him wide-eyed, somewhere between fear and relief, and Inuyasha felt his ears twitch in irritation.

3… 2… 1…

She bolted, wordlessly, flying around the corner and towards the safety of the nicer parts of the city before Inuyasha could even take a step forward. It wasn't uncommon when he was without the human illusion. Fortunately, humans of the modern world were more likely to convince themselves they had imagined the claws and fuzzy triangular ears before ever running to rally a militia.

Inuyasha sighed and flexed his claws and shoulders, feeling a satisfying pop. Unfortunately, his joints were about the only thing that felt satisfied. His blood was still pumping in his ears, too loud to ignore and by no means quelled by the quick pop-and-throw of the mugger. He needed a demon to fight; something that he could at least sink his claws into, even if it was only a lesser demon.

He took to the rooftops yet again, letting his feet take him where they willed while his eyes scanned the streets like the canine he was. It was a quiet night, but that only meant that there was mischief going on under someone's nose.

As it happened, at that moment as he hopped easily over another alley, he caught sight of something moving discreetly in the darkness, slinking as if it were stalking something up ahead. He could see the liquid grace of the movements and flashes of what he thought was a scaled body, the figure unaware as it slipped by that it was suddenly being watched.

Demon.

There was no doubt, and Inuyasha sprinted ahead to find what it was that the reptilian-like youkai was following.

A woman, similar to the one he had just saved, was walking alone beneath the soft glow of the street lamps, having just left behind one of the nicer apartment buildings in the suburban portion of the city. In one hand she was gripping a briefcase, and she looked to most anyone that she was walking easily, without concern, but Inuyasha could pick up the miniscule tensing of her muscles and the way she stepped just a little quicker and stilted. Somehow, she had either seen or sensed the youkai behind her.

Well, at least this one's not a total idiot, Inuyasha mused. However, he found his interest peaked. Despite the number of youkai working to regain superiority, youkai in general ignored humans in lieu of their own business. The only time youkai stalked unsuspecting humans, or suspecting, in this rare case, was when there was something valuable to be gained from the attack. As the youkai below him looked rather healthy and therefore in no need of a feeding, Inuyasha could only conclude that there was probably something to gain from this human.

Instead of jumping down immediately, Inuyasha followed from the roofs, watching the scene as it played out before him.

The woman was hard to make out in the dim lights of the street, even with his superior sight, but he could see when she finally began to run, his ears picking up the sound of the late-night bus arriving down the road. However, the youkai must have noticed the bus as well, as it abruptly broke away from its cover of shadows and sprinted after the woman, as fast as a serpent upon its home soil.

The youkai lunged, knocking the woman to the ground, and it was at that point that Inuyasha decided to act, leaping down from the roof and taking off as bare feet hit pavement. The woman was putting up a fight against her assailant, the youkai obviously having a hard time pinning her down long enough to get a good hold as she twisted beneath. A screeching hiss of anger came from amidst their battle before the youkai suddenly recoiled as though burned, and the girl slipped away from its grasp just as Inuyasha shouldered the demon into the brick wall of a nearby building. Hard. The youkai doubled over, but the hanyou did not give it the time to think about the attack before instinctively slicing the low-level youkai apart with his claws.

Easy in, easy out.

He took a moment to regain his composure, the blood rushing in his ears as his youkai instincts hummed happily with the kill. It was still too easy, but at least he had gotten what he wanted. It had become harder over the years to fight without his instincts flaring to life. Ever since Kagome had left… At times, even with Tetsusaiga, it had only been Sesshoumaru that had kept his youkai side under control. It had been a hard life, fighting against himself just to protect the people who were important: at one point those people being Kagome and their small band of friends, and now the humans and innocents of his home in the modern age. It had been literally at least a century since Shippou had truly required protection, and Aya and Kotan were both kept beneath a watchful eye by their father.

…He really had become obsolete…

Feeling his blood calm to its normal state, he turned to regard the human woman that he had just saved, eyes landing on her before—

"OSUWARI!"

Fuck.

Next Chapter: 15, You can only guess who Inuyasha has conveniently saved, and she's not going to be happy about it. Kagome confronts Inuyasha for the first time in nearly a week, and she won't be running into his arms for once.