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The sound of rubber wheels rolling along the linoleum floor was all that was occupying Monte's mind. Keeping his head down, he saw each tile pass by with little though. He had done this before whenever he was "kidnapped" by his nurse for strolls around the hospital grounds to avoid detection, but this time was different. This time, he had somewhere to go, somewhere to be. That was both great and unnerving, and he was no good at hiding the latter.

"You alright there otter boy?" nurse Davrin asked. "C'mon. Be happy." He always did his best to bring up other's spirits. "You're on your way to getting better."

The fox was right. He had been improving faster than his doctors had anticipated. All of his tests had come back normal or nearing so, allowing him to be signed off for physical rehabilitation today. Still, he wasn't all that positive. While he had made great progress healing, it was sadly only physically. That pesky memory problem was still that, and as such, he was at a loss for his identity, prevented from knowing too much by the general until his appointed therapist was ready to help him during that trying time. Above all was the emotional toll of his new appearance. Even though he had mostly recovered from the shock of his face, he still didn't want everyone to see him like that. Three days isn't enough time to accept this fate. Even when I'm completely recovered, this will remain forever. I still don't know how I'm gonna live like this.

"Not gonna talk to me today?" The otter just sighed. Davrin turned the otter's wheelchair down another corridor. "Something's wrong with you. C'mon, tell me." Monte wanted to tell him, hopeful that he would hold the answers he wanted, but he couldn't open his mouth. I...I can't. You wouldn't understand. "Come to think of it, you've not been yourself in a few days. I know something's bothering you, but what?" Out of instinct, Monte began to shake his head, but he caught himself quickly enough to stifle his action. "I..." he paused. "I don't wanna talk about it right now, okay." Each word felt weaker than the last. The fox accepted his word. "Okay, I won't push ya on that anymore. Don't wanna put any more stress on ya. It's not good for your health. Just know that I'm around if and when you're ready to talk." The otter nodded and cracked a smile. "Thank you." Davrin stopped the wheelchair in front of a large set of double doors, the words "Rehabilitation Room" laid in red letters adorning the wall above them. "We're here." The nurse opened the doors and wheeled his patient inside. To their surprise, it was completely empty of anyone. Only the various machines that assisted recovery were organized around the room, waiting to help those that needed it. "This can't be right," Davrin said. "Where is everyone? Usually, this place is full of injured beings." Pushing Monte further inside, the fox got frustrated. "Hey," he shouted. "Is there anyone in here? Got a patient here with an appointment to see---" The door behind them opened with a bang. The nurse spun the wheelchair around quickly. Had Monte not had a firm grip on his armrests, he would have certainly fallen out. Rushing in was a tall female otter, clipboard in tow. Her light brown fur clashed with the dark blue track suit she wore that concealed her lithe figure. Her green eyes looked fraught with confusion and exhaustion. "I'm sorry I'm late," she began speaking in a fair voice. "Things went long and there was some problems with some things, but I'm here now, so we can begin." She extended a paw to the wheelchair bound Monte. "My name is Senna. I'll be your physical rehab coach." The patient otter grasped her paw and shook. "Hi there Senna. Call me Monte." His face cracked a smile, a genuine one. Any trepidation he had before had suddenly vanished. "Ah, so you don't like being addressed as Omar?" He chuckled. "No. Don't really like that name. Monte just seems...more right, if you can understand that." "Not a problem. We don't get to choose our names, so a nickname we choose is just as good." "Well," said Davrin, "Now that you're in capable paws, I've got other duties to take care of. I'll come pick you up later Monte. Enjoy rehab." The fox turned to Senna. "Take good care of this one. He's fragile." A quick guffah burst from his muzzle as he headed out the door. "So," Monte spoke slowly trying to ease the awkward feeling of being alone with the doctor, "What's first on this whole rehab thing?" "First," the female otter said, "we need to a quick physical and see what the problem is." "Huh? Don't you have any of that info already?" "Actually, no. That's why I was late. I was trying to get some more info for you, but your doctors haven't given me any word back. Sorry." She shrugged her shoulders. "I thought we'd already gotten to the point where all the doctors talked to each other and put all that info in some place central. What's the point of giving me all these different tests and junk if no one's gonna learn from them? I really don't wanna havta go through that all again." He had grown whiny, his voice growing more tense with each passing word. "Again, I'm sorry. These things happen." She paused. "But since you're here now, I can determine everything I need to myself. No incompetent doctors, just me, recording all the findings right where they need to be so this doesn't happen again." Even with this uncertainty, she still found the will to smile.

"Thank you Senna." Monte cracked a quick smile of his own.

"Now, as I was saying, a quick physical." She slipped beyond Monte's field of view and pushed his wheelchair, pushing him through the rehab gym. Passing by most of the equipment, Senna took her patient to a matted area clear of anything else.

"Alright. The one thing I do know is that you've been bed bound ever since you got here." She said. "I need to see how bad your legs are, so you're gonna walk for me."

Monte raised an eyebrow. "We're starting off with that right now? Don't you wanna make sure that my legs work with something else?"

"Trust me. You'll be okay. No better way of knowing what you're capable of than going straight at the problem."

"You just wanna see me fall flat on my face, don't you?" he said dryly.

"Oh, not at all!" the doctor otter said with a gasp. "I'm here to make sure you're just as you were before you came here," she paused. "But now that you mention it, seeing you flop might make up for my crappy morning," A giggle escaped her maw.

"Well, I'm not gonna promise I'll do that, but let's get to walking." Monte said. I'll fall on my face anyways. My legs feel like jelly. I hope I don't make too much of a fool of myself. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His hand paws dug into the armrests of his wheelchair, bracing against them for dear life. Summoning all his strength, he slowly moved a leg off a footrest and onto the soft mat before him. He did the same with the other. Pushing down his hand paws, he slowly rose out of his chair, gingerly shifting his weight onto his legs. Must do this carefully. The otter used his tail to push himself out of the chair more, yet he resisted letting go of it, leaving him awkwardly clinging to it while in an odd half-standing position that he couldn't sustain for much longer.

Standing before him, Senna looked on at the weird sight. "Monte, give me your paw. I need you standing. I'll help you get up."

"That's okay. I'll be there in a sec," the otter said uneasily. This can't be the right way to do this, can it? Things are supposed to be slowly going to the big goals, not jump right in. My legs are useless for all I know and I'm expected to walk after a week of lethargy? I can't do this. Giving it his best effort, he tried pushing forward off the chair, but slumped back down into it, not wanting to let go of his only support.

"You alright there?" Senna's words were laced with disappointment.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just...lost my footing is all." Monte didn't dare to look her in the eye. He felt his eyes begin to water. I can't do this. Not now. I need to keep it together.

The wheelchair bound otter felt a touch on his paw. The warm touch of Senna's paw kept him from losing it. He looked up, now confronted by comforting green eyes.

"Monte, please. I'm here to help you," she said in a whisper. "You gotta believe that. You gotta trust me. I'm sorry if my methods were lost on you, but I'm trying. Positivity and lightheartedness are what I was going for. That helps a lot." She paused. "If you don't want to continue, that's fine. We can reschedule for when you feel..."

"I'm fine, really," he blurted out, cutting her off. "I get what you're saying. I was just caught off guard by your style. Starting off by making me do what I'm supposed to come for help with just doesn't make sense." He took a pause. "But, you're right. I need to trust you. You know what you're doing." A deep breath gave him some calm back. "Let me try again."

"Okay." A crack in her voice made the word almost inaudible. She squeezed his paw. "Let me help you up this time."

He nodded silently in agreement. Taking hold of the helping paw, Monte again pushed himself out of his wheelchair. Senna did her part by supporting the rising otter, holding onto his paw with both of hers as he slowly propped himself up on his own two feet. Within moments, Monte was standing for the first time in weeks.

"There you go!" the trainer said. "How you holding up?"

"I...I'm not sure," Monte answered. "I'm not sure how long I can keep standing." His legs began to quiver. Perhaps this was more severe than I or anyone thought. I've only been up for a few moments and I'm already feeling like my legs will give way.

"Well, there's one way to find out." Senna said, taking one step back onto the padded floor. "I need you to take one step, at least just one, so I can see what we're dealing with."

"O-okay." He willed his legs to move forward, but they did not respond to his pleas, instead shaking wildly, losing their fight against gravity. C'mon, just move legs. Just one step is all I'm asking. Monte's eyes began to water of their own accord. Just one step...

The injured otter's right foot took a tentative twitch upward, now hovering just above the floor. Yes! Now go forward. Using what remained of his strength, Monte inched his leg towards the doctor, trying to move it far enough to make a small stride. This ambition struck back. Upon setting his foot down, his energy and balance left him. With Monte still clutching his coach's arm, his fall brought them both tumbling to the soft floor.

Monte laid there on the mat wearing a face of happiness and disgust. Well, I tried, and dragged her down. She's not gonna wanna talk to me again.

"Well," Senna said giggling, "that wasn't exactly how I expected this to go, but you did it, kinda." She let go of her patient to get back on her feet. "Need a hand getting up?"

"Er...um, give me a minute." He didn't want to be seen as weaker than he was, so he needed to at least try to get back up on his own. Rolling onto his side, he was able to sit up. Trying to do anything more would just elicit more embarrassment, but he needed to keep going. Bracing an arm, he did his best to lift himself up, but his legs were uncooperative, unable to support any weight applied to them. "Okay, I may need some help here."

Senna extended a paw to the down otter. Upon Monte grabbing it, she lifted him up without a word, the injured otter's legs now able to keep him standing with this assistance.

"Thanks there," Monte said. "I didn't think you were that strong." The consequences of that phrase didn't hit him until after he uttered it.

"Thanks. I try." A smile on her muzzle either held back anger or exhibited genuine cool. "Upper body strength comes in handy when my patients occasionally fall to the floor."

"Judging from the last few minutes, all your strength will be coming in handy." A half-hearted chuckle at his expense was all that he could muster. Even with Senna propping him up, his legs felt weak and ready to give way at any moment. "So, um, should we keep going...or..."

"Yes. You haven't given me one good step yet. We're gonna keep at this until you do." Her last sentence she gave out in a faux-threatening tone.

"Whatever you say doc." With a repeat of the last few moments just waiting to happen, Monte took his right leg and moved it up and forward. To his surprise, his foot was firmly planted on the ground and, at least for the moment, keeping him up. I'm...still up!? Giving his left leg a quick tug, he was able to move it, and himself, forward. He couldn't contain his excitement further. "Hey, I'm doing it!"

"Great job Monte!" Senna matched his enthusiasm. "Keep go..."

She didn't finish her thought. Monte's leg strength had gone, and once again, he toppled over upon her, taking her down with him.

"Well, I got a few steps down," Monte said, his enthusiasm still strong.

"Yup." Senna picked herself up. "Now that I know what you're capable of, I think we're done for today."

"You sure? If we take a little break, I'm sure I can..."

"I think it's best if we stop for now and come back to this when you're fresh. I need some time to get all that paperwork that's been missing to make the best plan I can to get you walking in no time." She went on and picked up Monte, leading him to his wheelchair.

"Thank you Senna."

"Not a problem. It's what I do."