Behind Weathered Walls

Chapter 2: Physical Detox

There are three separate stages of detox

Stage 2

Physical Detox: Developing a quality health regimen will be an important part of your detox stage.

He had been there for two weeks, and yet, he never got any closer to leaving the psychiatric hospital. Sure his level increased but so far he had no clue how to use that to his advantage. Wilson wasn't helping him so he couldn't blackmail Nolan, his only friend refused to help him.

Well screw Wilson.

One thing that had changed in Ward 6 was his relationship with the Japanese woman that Alvie knew. The more he spoke with her, the more he realized he really didn't know what to make of her. For the first time in his life, he encountered someone so twisted up that they were impossible to unravel. At times she seemed perfectly normal, other times she was just as crazy as crazy could get.

House tapped his foot on the tiled floor for a moment until some patients stared at the disturbance. He ignored them, but stopped his way of entertaining himself. In a short time they would be able to retrieve their meds, and then he would be able to cheek his pills.

If he wasn't taking his meds then he could prove that he didn't need to be there.

Then they would have to let him leave the ward.

He watched some of the other patients play cards and ping-pong. Alvie used his pass to go get some chips out of the vending machine (once he gained his privileges to visit the vending machine after his previous stunt).

Running his hand through his shorter hair he heaved a sigh. This place was tiring, he just wanted to leave and return to his practice. Rubbing the base of his neck he glanced to the side of him, where the mid thirties Asian woman he had met took a place in front of a window.

He watched her while she did this. Everyday he noticed she craved as much of the outside world she could. Even if she had to look at it from a window, during rec time she stood and stared. Then he either watched her, or sometimes stared along with her.

Standing up from his place he rested a hand on his thigh while it ached. Once the pain seemed to pass he stood up straight. Walking towards Kagome he paused a few feet from her; only to stare.

He knew that she realized he was there. Her head tilted his direction ever so slightly that her eyes caught his form and instantly recognized him. Ignoring him she went back to staring out the window, down at the greenery that surrounded the hospital.

"Yes?" she finally spoke. Her voice sounded dull, something he continued to notice when he spoke with her. When she wasn't spinning her tales and lore she became shy and sad. Acting like the whole world was against her.

House frowned, some reason he became interested in the people in Ward 6. He became curious about those who were not patients as well, like Lydia (who the sister-in-law of silent girl) for instance.

Then there was Asian girl, well, Kagome as it were. She lost her mind and her whole world became a lie since she was fifteen.

Taking another step forward House merely leaned his back against the wall beside her. He viewed out towards the other patients while her view was still directed outside. "I can't stand here?" he questioned not looking at the Japanese woman.

Kagome sighed quietly; almost as though she knew what he said was a lie. "You can stand" she answered him. "I suggest away from me though" her reply was quiet.

House didn't say anything but merely stood beside her. "I don't have to listen to someone insane like you," he coldly joked. Some of the other patients shifted loudly from the other side of the room. Seemed like the medication was being distributed and those who chose to take their pills hurried up to do so. Kagome, himself, and a few other patients stood whilst the others received treatment.

"You think I'm insane" her voice became small when she referred to his previous comment. Instead of questioning him, she spoke it as though she was confirming it. Her eyebrows knitted together as though she was thinking about his comment.

He shrugged, giving a sense of aloofness. "Look at where we are, everyone's insane," he stated not moving to look in her direction.

Kagome cocked her head while she continued to look towards the people outside. "Then you are equally insane?" A small smile curled on her lips as though she knew what his answer was going to be. She saw her own smile reflect in the window even though House did not see it.

Turning his head in her direction he saw her blank expression continuing to look out the window now the smile gone from her face. "No" he drawled out continuing to watch her a moment more.

"No?" she voiced his last comment as if to confirm what he said. "I see," she continued, even though he believed she really didn't see at all.

He had to ask, "Do you?" Leaning his shoulder against the wall he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Kagome turned her head to look at the older doctor "I do" her timid voice replied to his question. Her bright blue eyes stared into his equally blue orbs for a few seconds before she broke the trance, instead choosing to stare out the window once more. "You don't understand the truth," her tongue licked her dry lips before she continued; "therefore what is sane and insane is reversed".

House listened as she continued her explanation.

"We are in here because we are believed to be insane or wrong in how we pursue life, but the doctors are the ones insane because they don't know the truth. We are actually the sane ones," she told him. Kagome moved her hand up to the windowsill to caress the stone "You don't know that what you saw was actually there". Kagome referred to the whole Amber hallucination he had shared in group. "You believe you are sane because you notice she was never there, in reality that makes you insane until you realize she was there". A playful giggle escaped from her, which made him narrow his eyes in confusion.

House frowned listening to her giggle at the realization she had made. He half expected that she was far more normal before she even entered the many hospitals. Sometimes treatment did more harm than good, and Kagome was a perfect example of that. "You need your meds," he stated walking away from her while a perfect smile graced her face.

He had pills he needed to cheek.

"I'm Freedom Master" Steve responded quickly when Dr. Beasley introduced him incorrectly.

House crossed his arms, listening as the younger man spoke about his duel life as 'Freedom Master'.

Alvie decided to speak up, gaining the attention of the new patient of Ward 6, "Cool, we get more Jesus' than superheroes".

He almost let a noticeable smirk escape at the comment. If there were someone who believed that they were Jesus, he personally would have a lot more fun with that than cracking jokes at a superhero.

As Steve, or rather Freedom Master continued, he focused his eyes to Kagome. She was behaving so far for the day, so she was able to experience group time.

Damn he should have done something to be put in lockdown so he didn't have to listen to this mindless dribble.

Kagome looked from the younger male to himself. Her striking blue eyes connected with his, at her annoyed look he smirked towards her direction. Ever since encounter where she gave her philosophy on insane people, he noticed she had been toying with him.

He no doubt believed she was crazy, but her mannerisms were made up. She had been acting with him; merely an hour later she brought up the topic of acting. She showed vast knowledge of the subject, probably self taught, but learned through books as well. He could only imagine that since she had been in the system so long, she needed something to amuse herself. Pretending to be insane could do the trick.

The more he watched her over the past week, the more he noticed she toyed with the staff as well. She acted crazy, and then seemingly got better as she continued to act as though treatment was working.

Kagome seemed normal when she wanted to be herself. As least was he assumed was her real self.

To be truly honest, he hadn't really figured out who Kagome was yet. He could guarantee that he would find out eventually.

"There's good and evil in the world" Freedom Master explained to the group. Shifting his body in the plastic chairs he continued, "Some people are special and they are chosen to help keep evil forces at bay".

Kagome let an audible gasp escape.

This attracted the attention of the rest of the group, including House. Kagome when he noticed her, she looked ridged and shaken by what Steve had said. She wasn't the crazed woman he had experienced on occasion, or even the cool collected girl. She was the awkward woman he had met on his first day in the Ward, the girl who was shy to recite a tale, for fear that she would be caught.

"Kagome?" Dr. Beasley asked the girl, "is there something you wanted to share with the group?" her soft voice questioned the Asian girl.

Instead of the woman speaking, Freedom Master focused on Kagome. "You're special," he told her slowly, as though he understood the situation perfectly. "You were chosen weren't you?" he asked her while he leaned forward to see what her answer would be.

Kagome's eyes shifted across the room, focusing on the other people in Ward 6. Connecting with House's momentarily before looking back to the delusional superhero. Her eyes glazed over while she looked at Steve, while the seconds ticked by she visually grew more fragile and broken.

Dr. Beasley noticing how the conversation had a negative effect on Kagome quickly went to diffuse the situation "How about we take a break and let everyone get to know Steve?"

As soon as Dr. Beasley allowed the group to take a short break, Kagome was up and on her way across the room. House could only assume to get as far away from Freedom Master as she could.

While the little Asian took off, he stood from his plastic chair. Stretching his leg a bit he walked off to the far side of the room where Kagome had settled herself. The only thing he heard from the group was Alvie laughing at Steve for mentioning that he can fly.

"Some intense stuff there" He joked while looking down to the younger girl.

Her head was bent, and her hands cupped the sides of her head while her black hair flowed to cover her face. "Shut up" she commanded harshly. He noticed her hands clench, her fists shaking under the intense pressure.

It was like some train wreck that one couldn't stop watching. He knew she was breaking down at what Freedom Master had said, but the reason for that break down was still a mystery to him. She was crumbling, and he didn't want to stop watching her crumble and fall apart.

"Kagome are you alright?" Dr. Beasley questioned, her high-heeled shoes creating a light tapping sound across the tiled floor. She leaned down so her face was more even with Kagome's bent form.

House remained quiet as he watched the female doctor speak with the Asian woman he was so confused about. A few seconds after Dr. Beasley had kneeled down he decided it would be best if he returned to the group.

There would be no chance at that moment to chat with Kagome. He needed to speak with her when he knew no doctors would be around.

House walked calmly back to the rest of the patients. Their mindless conversation was dead to his ears as he thought about the little Asian at the far side of the room. Something Freedom Master had spoken had alarmed her, and sent her straight into panic mode.

Sitting down back in his chair he noticed Alvie chatting away with Hal, well, maybe Alvie was chatting at him instead of with him.

"Hey House!" Alvie noticed him for the first time since he had left to see Kagome.

Not a word was spoken toward the younger male. House merely leaned over so his forearms rested on his knees.

"House" the man tried to gain his attention once more. Alvie moved his hand so it rested slightly off his shoulder.

He watched Freedom Master silently, still ignoring the young wannabe rapper. It was all something he had said to Kagome. Of course he remembered what the imaginary superhero had said, but what he did not know was how that influenced Kagome so incredibly.

For the rest of the day Kagome stayed away from any patients. She went outside when they were permitted, but drifted towards the grass completely alone. When they had rec time, she sat isolated near the far wall. She did not even bother to stare out the window like he had seen her do on occasion.

Long, black, stringy hair fell in front of her face, shielding her from the rest of the world. Her eyes were downcast and distant, much different than he had seen her act before.

House crossed his arms in front of him. From his position on the couch he could see her clearly, and she never once looked his way to see what his problem was.

The seat next to him sunk in. "Hey" Alvie had greeted him bouncing somewhat on the springy furniture.

He only nodded to show he had heard the younger man.

Seeing that he was heard, Alvie continued "Man I dunno what's up with her". He leaned far back into the couch and leaned his head back. "Haven't seen her look like that in a long time".

"What do you mean?" House questioned, unable to take his eyes away from Kagome. He was studying her, waiting to see if she would break out of her solemn appearance.

Bouncing slightly Alvie spoke once again, not watching House or Kagome, but the television in the far corner. "Some years back, like when she was just new here" his story started, "Kagome was real sketchy back then".

Practically rolling his eyes House grew annoyed with his roommate "I'm going to need a little more than just 'sketchy'". His hands gripped his cane a bit more, as though he needed to have something to keep his hands busy.

"I don't know" Alvie said, his voice becoming a bit more like House's. More like this one moment he became serious and curious for the female that he somewhat knew. "She was a lot more serious than she is now. Angrier". He paused for a moment, to sneak a peek at the girl away from everyone else. "After she got used to this place she opened up a bit, well, enough to interact with some people. Participate".

Both grew quiet after a moment. That was until House asked his roommate another question. "How was she angry?"

Alvie just shrugged, "She gets in trouble now like it's some kind of game". Pausing a moment, he heard "Before, I had heard rumors that she tried to kill doctors and other patients". He trailed off for a moment to remember what he had been told long ago. "Sure she's quiet and all that now, and sometimes she can seriously act bi-polar, but she was a whole lot crazier in the beginning".

House nodded, not knowing on how to respond about what Alvie had said. So in the beginning Kagome had been young when she entered the system, she was angry and sad. Apparently she was angry enough to try to attack certain doctors. He could understand that kind of anger to an extent, but what he was confused was her personality now. Kagome when he first met her was shy and worried, she was completely broken, as he got to know her, she would act crazier than she was.

What the hell was wrong with this woman?

Without much as a word to Alvie, House stood from his seat. His body faced the Asian woman that he spent so much of his time dwelling over. "I'll be right back," he stated simply to Alvie.

"Yeah go House!" the younger man cheered while he limped over to the broken girl that he had been staring at.

Shaking his head momentarily at Alvie's attitude, House ignored him and continued to walk towards Kagome.

She never moved, never shifted to show that she even acknowledged him as he walked towards her. With how everyone in the room peered at him as he walked, he was sure she must have known he was approaching her.

House stopped near her, pausing to glance down at her tilted head. Not a moment later he moved so he could sit next to her, letting out a sigh as he finally sat down once more. His feet shifted and he brought his cane up to rest on top of his thighs carelessly.

"So…" he drawled out, knowing that their conversation was not going to happen so easily.

When she didn't speak House closed his mouth once more, instead choosing to hum an old Japanese folksong he had learned as a child while on the base.

Her head tilted his direction as he continued to hum; her dull eyes peered at him through her black hair. She watched him, and he knew she recognized the song he had been taught. The Akita Magouta song was an old Japanese folk song, a silly song about the Akita Horse dealer's. They would lead horses from markets through the night; the song was something to help keep both the men and horses calm.

House appeared as though he did not even notice Kagome at all, and that the song was merely for him as he sat there quietly. Lightly he opened his mouth and mumbled the words to the folk song, his Japanese coming out flawlessly.

Her body shifted beside him, just enough that he could see that she turned more towards him. This was the most interaction that she had showed with someone since the incident with Freedom Master.

"You know Japanese" she spoke softly enough that she could still be heard, but did not let anyone else hear.

House finished the sentence he was singing, and then quieted. Glancing towards her, House then shrugged "I guess so, on the account I was speaking it" he commented dryly.

The air around them became thick as they both quieted. Kagome went back to looking down at the tiled floor. While she did that, House shifted his eyes from her to look out at the rest of the patients in the room. Alvie was by the far wall, motioning to Kagome, as though he was trying to coach House to talk to her.

Closing his eyes out of annoyance, House ignored his roommate.

"Why are you here?" her voice was solemn as she spoke. The only thing he saw move was her chest, which was keeping time with her steady breathing.

He hated to speak directly to the people he was curious about. His tricks and lies helped him to gain information about them, but here he was, searching for answers from the very one he needed answers about.

"The true question" House trailed off, leaning forward so that his elbows rested on his legs "is why are you here?"

He didn't expect her to respond, so it came a bit of shock to him that she did indeed speak. "I'm here because my family wanted me to be".

The comment was so dead, so cold, and completely unemotional that he almost had nothing to say in response to her.

He did say almost.

Twisting his cane he looked towards her, the black hair barely blocking his view of her face. "They must not have loved you then". Of course the comment was raw, and dangerous, but he could see it as true. If her family did love her, they would have never locked her up and forgot about her.

"No." her voice drained and bland "they just didn't trust me". Her bright blue eyes shined through the strands of her hair, connecting with his. He could see the years of turmoil, and betrayal.

"Did they have a reason not to?" He needed to know about her, why she was here. If he had to talk with people to get those answer, damn well he was going to do it.

Her sigh was apparent, thick and deep as she took in the air and released it. "Probably not" was all she said about the subject before she quieted once more.

"What of you?" she asked quietly.

House scoffed at her; "I needed a vacation". Pausing a moment he glanced to Kagome, her body turned only a hair width towards him, showing that she wasn't completely uncomfortable with him.

House heard her sift though, and he saw her head tilt in his direction. Kagome's somewhat dulled down blue eyes looked back into his. "Oh…" she trailed off not knowing what else to say to the doctor.

Licking his dry lips House then went to speak, "That was only after my friends thought I was crazy though" he shrugged giving her more of the story than he had expected to tell her. "Now that I'm here I've realized how much this place reminds me of a resort".

"Your sarcasm only adds to your insecure demeanor" her voice interrupted his thoughts.

Frowning slightly House glared her direction "Here you are in the corner playing the antisocial wallflower and you are preaching to me about insecurity?" House rambled on, "That's a laugh".

Kagome turned her view from him, instead to glance towards the open window near them, the light shining into the darkened space. Its light had caste a shine on the tiled flooring of the room. "I'm more secure when concerning my life than you of yours, I guarantee you of that".

She stayed turned away from him, so he could not see her face. He no doubt could tell that her eyes showing some kind of emotion even though her voice hinted nothing towards that.

His decision-making was not the best when he decided to respond to her previous statement about his security, "Your security in your life is what landed you here in the first place, your family sentenced you here for your thought up beliefs".

Kagome turned her head so quickly he marveled at how she did not whip him with her long hair when it bellowed around her. "You have no clue about my life," she replied with an emotion he had yet to hear from her in quiet a while, fury.

"You see things, creatures, demons, however you would like to refer to them in your twisted little mind. You think they're alive, but they aren't, they are just a figment of your imagination thought up from whatever traumatic moment that happened, or any other obvious excuse. For years of your life you believed in these and it landed you here, it isn't hard to figure out how crazy you are" he spoke his voice low and fast as he whipped the statement towards her. "Anyone with half of a mind can see you have problems, and even those who loved you, then abandoned you only to leave you in this hellhole. They don't care about you and your problem, you were just a burden upon them all".

Kagome frowned and narrowed her eyes towards him, his blue eyes meeting hers. "You disgust me" she spat towards him. "You think just because you can explain your problems you can analyze mine?" her eyes glared into his, livid and wild as she took another breath to speak to him. "I know what is real in my world, some may experience simple hallucinations like you did. Just because you can explain your problem, does not mean you can explain mine with your medical degree".

She licked her lips for a second before starting again in a low wild voice "I lived my life seeing things that others cannot. This does not make me crazy, nor qualify as hallucinations." Her breathing was deep and study as she fumed. "If I recall a hallucination cannot wind someone up in the hospital weeks on end for lacerations that could not be identified. I may be mistaken, but hallucinations should not be able to harm you physically".

Breathing hard for a few moments longer she leaned over, so both her hands rest on the seat on the side of her legs. "I have nothing more to say to you". Her voice had considerably calmed since her moment of anger directed towards him.

Without another word between them he watched, as she turned away from him in a silent little bubble like she had been before. This time he noticed she had a sense of rage around her. Ignoring her he stood up once more, his cane helping to balance him, then limped away still in confusion over what she had said to him.

All while he walked, he never noticed the last sad look Kagome had shot at his retreating form.

House thought it was the best to avoid her the rest of the day, instead choosing to dwell over her circumstance. He thought about her anger directed towards him. It wasn't the anger that confused him but more so what she had said while she was angry. Mostly about her statements about the lacerations from what she believed was no hallucination. Of course he could come up with a reason as to why she received the injuries, many things could have happened while in a hallucinate state, but something about how she said it puzzled him.

"Come on House" Alvie pulled him along so they could get something to eat. It was time for dinner that evening, for some reason he was both anxious to see Kagome and hesitant to be in the same room as her once again.

When he usually dealt with his patients, they were an easy fix, at the end they went home. Kagome could forever be stuck in this hospital for as long as she lived unless she wanted to get better, a doctor could not simply give her treatment for her illness. Kagome was most likely to drift in and out of the system for the rest of her life.

Grabbing their trays of food that the hospital provided House walked with Alvie to someplace to sit. All while they walked Alvie chatted to House about what he had gossiped with the other residents about that day.

He found he could not concentrate on the overactive man next to him, but instead he found himself glancing in the direction of Kagome who was sitting by herself at an empty table.

Alvie chose a table that Hal was also sitting at, probably to help him eat some of his food once again. Quietly he settled at the same table but still kept his eyes watching Kagome.

She was staring at something off in space. Not out at a window or anything of that sort, but towards nothing. The empty space off to her right seemed to occupy her thoughts, as her stare did not falter even when another resident passed in her view.

"What's she doing?" Alvie asked trying to be quiet, even though it came across as his usual energetic voice.

House shifted his eyes towards the younger man beside him before looking back to Kagome again, "I really have no clue" he stated once seeing her head tilt in a curious wonder at nothing.

Kagome's mouth parted as though she was going to speak. Her mouth then started to move in a silent conversation by herself as she stared at the one lone spot. House noticed when she stopped; her eyes never wavered from the spot she transfixed on. A moment later her face dropped and her body seemed to slump slightly.

She turned her head, and he had just enough sense to turn his gaze back to his unappetizing mental hospital food before she could see him staring at her.

"She's looking this way".

Seems Alvie didn't get the whole not be seen staring concept. Turning to his 'friend' he spoke in a harsh but hushed tone "Shut up and eat Hal's potatoes".

As though he didn't hear the underlining annoyance Alvie just shrugged. "Right gotcha House" the young man brought up his hands, pointing his index fingers out and making them look like guns, he then pointed them towards his friend.

Because finger guns were just so classy.

Shooting his roommate one last annoyed look he glanced to Kagome carefully. Sometime in his interaction with the other men at his table she had went back to what she was doing. Mostly she was focusing on something not there, and talking to herself.

Her body folded into herself, her shoulders hunched forward, and her long hair covered part of her already thin body. Kagome's voice couldn't be heard, but her mouth moved in a personal conversation as she sat alone at the table.

Kagome stopped speaking, and for a moment he wished he could lip-read. It was especially difficult to do so while the other person spoke a foreign language.

House's eye narrowed in curiosity when he saw that Kagome tilted her head in thought before looking down to her untouched food. She had what they all did, some mashed potatoes along with steamed carrots and meatloaf. A plastic glass was filled with either juice or water depending on what the person decided.

Carefully she picked at the meatloaf and the carrots, creating small pieces of food. Both hands carefully tore at the food and placed the small pieces in a pile in the corner of her tray.

Quietly she worked alone as the rest of the patients ate. House continued to watch as she did this, wondering why she would do such a thing.

Ignoring her food covered hands she slowly picked up some of the meatloaf she had ripped apart and moved her hand to sprinkle it across the floor. A second she watched the food on the ground, as though she expected something else to happen to it.

Moving her gaze up she connected with House's view for a moment. Her glare seemed drained, shifting her attention off of him she continued with what she was doing. Again and again she moved her pieces of food and dropped them on the floor. Slowly other patients started to notice her unusual process of picking up her food and disposing it on the ground.

Once a nice collection of food was displayed she reached out and grabbed her plastic glass. With grace she poured the contents of it on the pile of potatoes, carrots, and meatloaf she displayed on the floor.

House watched with interest as she did this with such calmness he did not even notice the doctors and assistances come into the room. Dr. Anthony Medina, a pompous jerk that he believed was out to get him walked up to Kagome.

The third doctor of Ward 6 started speaking softly to her, enough he could not hear anymore than the hushed words passing from him to Kagome.

The moment escalated so quickly, something Dr. Medina had said probably upset Kagome enough to stand quickly up and start screaming.

The doctor took a few steps to give him space from the girl as she had her tantrum. Kagome stood at her table; her hand reached for the empty glass of water, gripping it she threw it down towards the ground. It hit the floor hard, enough to splinter it but not break it completely. The object bounced then rolled away from the doctor and Kagome.

She shouted in Japanese, obviously Dr. Medina had no clue what she was saying but choose to sit there quietly watching her have an episode.

Her screams became chaotic and desperate. "Kare wa tasukeru o hitsuyou to shite irimasu!" she shouted over and over as she motioned to the food in the pile on the ground.

House stood, his hand clasping his thigh for a second before gaining his balance. His mind worked on her ramblings, as though trying to decipher the meaning in what she had been doing.

"Gaki! Gaki! Gaki!" she screeched motioning to nothing with her hands. "Kare wa tasukeru o hitsuyou to shite irimasu!" Kagome yelled again, repeating the same thing over she had before. "Tasukete kudasai!"

It only took a moment longer before one of the men who worked in Ward 6 was able to grab her and force her to the ground. It only took an additional second more to open her mouth and shove the Haloperidol down her throat.

He did have to give her some props for continuing to fight until she was knocked out from the sedating drug. Similar to when he was 'drugged' and carried out, they also made sure to remove Kagome from the room. He knew where they would stash her, in her room that she shared with no one.

She did share with Susan, the shy woman who had attempted suicide. Once she had left the hospital there was no one to share with the Japanese woman. Until there was a new girl who entered the ward, Kagome would be stuck alone in a room. From how Susan seemed off edge whenever she had to enter the room with Kagome, he came to the conclusion that Kagome was probably better off living alone while at the Ward.

"I wonder what she was yelling about" Alvie commented loosely commented before shoving a spoonful of potatoes in his mouth.

Ignoring the younger man, House looked to the mess that Kagome had made of her food. Currently those who worked at the Ward sloppily cleaned up the spilt food and drink. He had known what she had said; the problem was that he didn't know what she meant by it. "She wanted us to help" he summarized what Kagome had been shrieking about.

This time Hal who was sitting by Alvie spoke "Help who?" he questioned House.

Looking at the mess not paying much attention to the other patients, House focused on something that was not there. "I have no idea," he told them as the staff finished mopping up the remaining spilt potatoes on the ground.

He was sure as hell gonna find out what she meant though.

House opened his door; the hallway was darker than it would have been in the day. The yellow colored fluorescents provided some light; even though it only added to the sickly feel of the Ward.

House stepped out into the open space; his soft footfalls and the thumping of his cane hit the tiled floor as he walked down the hallway. After dinner and sometime after the patients were allowed free time, and he had every intention to speak with Kagome in that allotted time.

Even though he was technically allowed to be in the hallways at this time, he wasn't sure on how Dr. Beasley, or any of the staff would feel if he were to visit Kagome in her room. Actually, he could very well predict that outcome.

Slipping fairly unnoticed he came across Kagome's door. Glancing in the window he saw she sat on the floor beside her bed. Her legs brought up in front of her, she leaned slightly over as though she was talking with a small child in front of her.

He saw her mouth move in a silent conversation. He knew she no longer roomed with anyone since her previous roommate left the ward. Shifting his body more he glanced farther to the side of the window, in an attempt to see if maybe there was another female patient or staff in the room along with her.

Shifting a bit he glanced, and only caught the site of something moving in the room. It looked almost as though some kind of animal got locked into the building accidentally. The creature moved quickly and it was dark enough that he could not tell what it was. Ignoring it for a moment his blue eyes swept over to Kagome.

She continued to speak softly to herself. He watched as she shifted her hands that had been wrapped around her pulled up knees. Instead moving them to rest on top.

His blue eyes widened when he witnessed Kagome's hands slowly began to glow slowly. Nothing like a huge brightness, but a simple dull glow of soft pink circled around her hands. Her soft features of her face picked up the light, her blue eyes now reflecting the pinkish that lay in front of her.

Even though he was captivated by the lighting spectacle, House also noticed the movement of the animal within her room. The leathery black deformed creature slowly walked towards Kagome, instead of four legs it moved on two.

"What the hell?" he couldn't help but question as he watched her. In his moment of astonishment, the top of his cane that he had resting in his hand leaned forward and gently knocked against her wooden door.

It didn't create much noise in the hallway, on account of the various workers that still walked out in the main commons. To someone who was alone in her room, it was easy to catch the sudden noise.

His gaze snapped down to his cane when he heard the knock, when looking back up to the window Kagome's haunting stare bore into his.

Her hands lightly glowed still, which created her pink stare making him feel a bit uneasy. Her gaze seemed sad, exhausted, and torn. In an attempt to draw away from her stare House shifted to the creature that still stood in front of Kagome.

This time he could get a better look of the thing, its belly bulged, and it hunched over excessively. Its limbs and throat were small and seemed too thin. The skin looked almost black, but that could have been because of the dark room, it screamed unworldly.

Moving his gaze back to Kagome he had noticed she also turned and looked at the creature along with him. Moving back slowly he saw she no longer held that depressed feeling she once looked at him with. This time her view held more curiosity towards him.

House held her gaze a bit longer; he then opened his mouth slightly in astonishment to the whole situation. He always looked for the truth and logical answers in life. His mind swarm with ideas that he was considering what Kagome had preached may actually be real.

The other answer that came to mind was that he just might be crazier than he had thought.

A/N. Hey everyone I really apologize for not doing any updating in a while. I have been busy with classes, and such. Physics, Chinese, and Baroque art History. Quite a group of hard classes XD

Also to be frank, I had a hell of a hard time trying to get into the mind set for this story. It's been giving me trouble, but thankfully I found some time and energy to finish this chapter. Hopefully you all like this chapter!

I would love love love to thank one of my friends, Amber, for helping me with translations!

As a side note, Happy upcoming Thanksgiving for any who celebrate it since I wont be posting again till after the next holiday.

Thanks to all my readers for sticking with this and my other stories through my lack of updating.

Lindsey