Chapter One - Reverse

--Tobias

Rehab has done her well.

It's been almost a month since Tris's trial, and she's almost a whole new person compared to who she was a month ago.

She can stand on one leg for a good amount of time, she's eating just about two meals a day, drinking enough, and able to bathe herself with little assistance.

She's also just starting to use crutches to get around. They say once she gets the hang of those, she may get the go to leave the hospital.

I've been anxiously wanting to bring my German shepherd, Indy back to see her. I'm still hesitant to do so though because of how the last meeting ended between them.

I think things will be different now though.

Every time I'm able to come and visit her in rehab, she asks about Indy.

I'll bring her pictures and videos of him doing simple tricks I've taught him on my phone that she is amazed by.

I think she's more amazed by the technology than my ability to train my dog...

Well, she was a positive aptitude for Erudite, so I guess it does fit the description.

Another thing she has gotten better with is speaking in general.

The doctors aren't sure if they'll ever know what caused her to not speak. Psychiatrists say that is was purely fear induced because in new situations she still will continue not to speak. A certified throat doctor of some sort told me that it was from some kind of overexertion, such as screaming, that just messed up her vocal cords and they had to heal.

I'm the only one convinced it's a mix of both, along with her regular doctor she's seen at the hospital here in Erudite, Dr. Marie Scott.

I've been seeing less and less of her since she does not work in the Rehab section of the hospital where Tris is now located. Tris does tell me how she stops by every chance she can to visit though. She's a young doctor, probably ten or so years older than I am, so Tris is her longest lasting patient, and she's one of the first people Tris learned to trust when returning to Chicago.

As I walk into the rehab center, I'm surprised to find Tris in a wheelchair.

She physically expressed her fear for them a few months back in the spring when I offered to take her on a walk outside.

On one of her talkative days here in rehab, she expressed to my how they always led her to bad things, but she doesn't actually remember.

That's another thing the doctors can't explain: these blank memories, as they call them, that she has.

Basically, she remembers something about something, but she doesn't know what it means, what it was, what was happening, or anything around those lines.

It's basically like she has a bad feeling about it from her past, but she doesn't know what happened in the past to cause her to fear it.

A brain surgeon said it could've been caused by a hard blow to her cranium, causing her to forget just a period of time.

It's just so hard not knowing what has happened to her.

I can't even imagine being in her place; not knowing what has even happened to yourself.

All this is going through my mind as I walk up to her in the wheelchair.

Compared to the rest of the hospital, the rehab center is full of big rooms where people come and go. Then, every night there is male and female rooms of three and four where patients are taken back to beds and sleep.

The nurses and doctors make it a big deal that the people in this section are getting up out of bed, moving around, and getting dressed.

Christina came with Shauna and Marlene two weeks ago and gave her some new clothes so that she didn't have to wear the random donated ones the hospital had anymore.

They had come the week prior when she had first come to rehab. She was overjoyed to see them, and she hadn't seen Shauna in at least three years. They must've been traumatized when they saw her clothing options, but it's nice that she has visitors and people other than me that care about her.

All of the clothing, however, is huge. They got everything in the smallest size they could without going into children's clothes, but Tris is just finally gaining a few pounds out of the so many she lost.

"Hi." She smiles as I reach the wheelchair she is sitting in.

"Hey." I squeeze her shoulder. "How's it going? Nice set of wheels." I joke.

She laughs lightly, and the sound is music to my ears.

"They've been trying to get me to use this thing to get around in my physical therapy sessions, but it's just not working. I don't have any arm strength."

"How is the crutches going?"

"Not much better. I do prefer them more though. I just don't have any balance."

"Well, you could crawl everywhere." I nudge her jokingly and she rolls her eyes.

"You always seem to find the area with a window. You're a window hog."

"Jeez you're full of it today, aren't you?" She jokes back. "And yes, I am a window hog. You know the last time I was actually outside and enjoyed it?"

"Well, I'll tell you what. I would take you out today, but you can't because according to your schedule, it looks like you have a very important arts and crafts appointment after your physical therapy session today. Hmm... I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to miss those arts and crafts. Sounds exciting!"

"Watch it or I'll be cutting and pasting your dignity on the wall, Eaton."

"I'll tell you what. I have the day off tomorrow. I'll come and bring Indy with me. I don't have as much time today, and it's really gloomy outside. Tomorrow it's suppose to be much nicer, and not as humid either."

"I hate air conditioning. It's always so cold in here."

"Not much longer, Tris."

She sighs.

"Between now and then, I expect a lot of arts and crafts to hang on my fridge."

"You're lucky I don't navigate this wheelchair well."

I notice the woman that takes Tris is physical therapy is coming towards us.

"Well, then go get yourself up on those crutches. Then you'll really be able to hunt me down."

She smiles as our eyes lock.

"Now I'm going to go pull some strings to get you out of here for an hour or so tomorrow, so I'll see you then." I say, pressing my lips to hers.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

It's really amazing what three weeks have done.

They've transformed a trembling young woman on the floor of Candor to a more confident young woman getting comfortable on crutches and threatening my dignity.

I wouldn't reverse time for anything.