Startled out of a deep sleep, Asuza Matsudaira rolled over the top of her former ex-husband in her search for the jarring telephone. Fumbling with the reciever, she cracked her eyes enough to register that the clock on her nightstand read 1:15 am before lifting the phone to her ear and grating out a "Hello?"

"Matsudaira." The gruff voice of her ex-boss Kunikida crackled over the phone line and Matsudaira snapped to attention. "We have a problem, sort of an emergency, and I was wondering if you might be able to help. I know you aren't a member of the TAC anymore but as our biotech on retainer you are the only one I think who can help us."

Matsudaira's eyes lit up at the thought of an exciting opportunity. "What seems to be the problem, sir?"

"Well…its Kusanagi." Kunikida replied.

"Kusanagi?? But sir, I thought he left Tokyo-"

"Yes, I know. But apparently he is still hanging around, and is currently extremely hurt. I think you are the only one who has the knowledge to help him. A regular doctor won't cut it for him. Meet us at the old headquarters as soon as possible." Kunikida said.

Matsudaira nodded. "Understood sir…I'm on my way." She hung the phone up and began putting her clothes on.

~**~**~

Matsudaira finished putting the final touches on Kusanagi's bandages and stood watching her patient, stretched out on an exam table with tubes and machines snaking around him until he was almost unrecognizable. Shaking her head slightly, she turned towards the anxious Momiji sitting in a chair nearby.

"It's going to be tough for him Momiji…he's sustained a lot of damage to his internal organs, a massive concussion, broken ribs, and a few dozen other sprains, strains, and cuts. Walking around with these injuries for a week untreated hasn't exactly helped either." Matsudaira's face twisted into a puzzled frown. "I just don't understand it though. Kusanagi has a remarkable recuperative ablility. He should have healed these kinds of injuries a lot faster than this. I've seen this type of thing before, but usually patients only respond this slowly when they have no will to live."

At this statement Momiji winced internally, waves of guilt washing over her. "Maybe he has Ms. Matsudaira…the way his face looked when I found him the first time…it was like a kicked dog." Momiji slumped forward in her chair and tried to hold back her tears. "I know, it's all my fault! If only I hadn't treated him so rotten! I didn't mean it, I didn't mean any of it…" Her words trailed off as she began to sob uncontrollably.

Striding over to her, Matsudaira grabbed Momiji's shoulders and shook her roughly. "Stop that!! Get a hold of yourself, Momiji!" At Matsudaira's sharp tone Momiji blinked up at the older woman and her crying subsided. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, Momiji! There's no way you could have known that this would happen, so quit wallowing in the past. Right now, Kusanagi needs you to pull yourself together and be there for him. Tell him how you feel later, but right now you need to be strong for him, and help him pull out of this. I know how you've changed, I know you can be stronger than you ever were before. Do it this time and worry about blame or fault later."

At Matsudaira's words of wisdom Momiji straightened, blinking away the last of her tears as her sniffling faded. "You're right, Ms. Matsudaira. This isn't going to help him at all-"

One of the machines attatched to Kusanagi let out a mechanical sqwuak, interrupting Momiji's sentence, and Matsudaira ran over to check the monitors. A slight stirring on the bed caught Momiji's attention and she pointed excitedly. "Look, Ms. Matsudaira! He's coming around!"

Matsudaira nodded. "It appears that Kusanagi is regaining consciousness. I think I will go and tell the news to Kunikida." She gave Momiji a sly wink and began walking out the door.

"Wait! Ms. Matsudaira…" Momiji trailed off as Matsudaira swept out the doorway. Turning towards the bed she let out an audible gulp as the thought of facing the occupant turned her knees to jelly. Weakly, she made her way over to the bed and stood staring down at Kusanagi, trying to think of something to say that didn't sounds completely stupid. " I mean, what do you say in this kid of situation?" Momiji mumbled to herself.

"Hey there, Kus old boy! Haven't seen you in a little while, how's life treating you? Or, even dumber; Hey Kusanagi, come here often?" Momiji rolled her eyes at herself and continued cycling through ever-dumber greetings.

She was suddenly shook out of her musing by a rough whisper from Kusanagi. "How about you just tell me where the hell I am, how I got here, and what you are doing here."

Letting out a squeak of surprise, Momiji jumped back from the table and stood wringing her hands. "Oh, er, hi Kusanagi, um…" Jeez, why does he suddenly make me feel like I am a gawky 15 year old again?!? Squaring her chin, Momiji took a deep breath and forced herself to behave like the mature 21 year old she was now.

"I found you in the park, passed out on a bench, and Mr. Kunikida thought that we should bring you here and have Ms. Matsudaira examine you. You have been unconscious for quite a while now. We were…well, we were worried about you."

At that Kusanagi snorted and turned his head away from her. "Yeah, sure you were." His voice was slightly muffled by the wall. "I bet you sent out search parties and all, Momiji."

The sarcastic tone to his voice ripped fresh gouges in Momiji's heart and she stood there feeling about 3 inches tall. Kusanagi began struggling to sit up and Momiji rushed over to try and help.

"Don't!" He spit out, and the venom in his voice caused Momiji to take a step back. "I don't need your help…or your pity" he said angrily.

"It's not pity, I want to help. I was worried about you, you know." Momiji frowned.

"Sure, worry." Kusanagi let out a brittle laugh. "Haven't done much worrying the last 5 years, have you Momiji? What suddenly changed your mind? Old Todd boy break up with you and now you're desperate? Please, spare me." Kusanagi rolled his eyes.

The jibe hit home, and hit hard. Momiji drew herself up, eyes flashing murderously. "Look here, you stupid excuse for a carrot-top! I don't have to explain my motives to you or to anyone! I'm not a little girl, in case you haven't noticed, and I don't need to put up with this crap from you. I really was worried, but until you get a serious attitude adjusment I am not going to waste my breath or my time on you! Good bye!" Spinning on her heel and letting out a cry of exasperation, Momiji stalked out the door and slammed it behind her.

Kusanagi stared after her, open-mouthed. He could hear her angry voice saying something to the waiting Matsudaira and Kunikida, then heard her briskly leave the building. Well, you got what you wanted, didn't you? A voice in his head whispered. She won't be wasting time on a freak like you. He just hadn't expected it to happen so suddenly. Did he really want her to go? No, he knew that was the last thing he wanted right now. But it wasn't fair to her, trying to waste her time or good looks on a walking commercial for Miracle Grow. Good looks definitely…Kusanagi leaned back against the pillows and brought back images of the last few minutes. Now that he had gotten a clear look at her…damn! Those five years of growing had done a lot for her.

That girl has definitely been drinking her milk! he thought with a wicked grin. Long, lithe legs up to her neck, topped by a definitely pert pair of large breasts and a face that he had always thought beautiful, but had lost some of that baby fat and took on a more angular, defined look. And had she?…yes! As he remembered back, it became more and more clear. Dear god, he thought with a groan as he sunk down under the sheets. She HAD been wearing blue jeans…tight ones…and the memory of her cute little derriere swaying angrily out the door was enough to knock any man back to unconsciousness. Well, way to go, gizmo. She's definitely gone this time, and are you even sure it was the right thing to do? was the last coherent thought he had before letting himself slip back into sleep.