Forgotten Promise

What if 3 years of your life disappeared? How far would one go to get back those memories and feelings? Follow Ichigo's one promise to make Rukia fall in love with him again along with the struggles fake memories cause.

A/N: Okay so I'm going to start off this story on episode 361 so if you haven't seen that episode or read that part in the manga, I'll fill you in. Basically Ichigo has fallen in the deepest pits of his hell. Orihime and Chad attack Ichigo for going at Tsukishima, Ginjo betrayed Ichigo and took away his fullbring powers that he worked so hard to get (By the way Isshin and Urahara knocked out Orihime and Chad and took them somewhere else so they wouldn't get hurt just in case if you're read and like where'd they go?) and now a sword has been stabbed through Ichigo's chest from behind and he looks behind him and sees Isshin and Urahara, thinking they stabbed him. Alright so this is where it's continuing so enjoy!

Disclaimer: The Bleach characters go to Tite Kubo, I only own the creation of this story.

"Look behind you, you should be able to see her by now." Isshin Kurosaki's serious tone caused the orangette teen to oblige without hesitation.

Ichigo slowly began to turn his head in the direction of the sword stabbed through his chest's hilt and saw nothing but a floating guard with light blue ribbons floating freely around the grip of the sword, which Ichigo had assumed his father and the "old man" Urahara had stabbed into him. At first there was nobody holding onto the sword which Ichigo didn't believe because logically a sword couldn't move on it's own, so Ichigo knew someone was there, but who? He blinked a couple of times to make sure his eyes were fooling him but he knew very well they weren't. Dad said I should see someone but who is "her"?

Suddenly small gripping fingers had faintly appeared around the hilt, almost like magic, then an arm with a white piece of clothing appeared followed by a black clothed arm. Soon a small and feminine figure of a body appeared, she very wasn't very tall, she was about 4'9 from what Ichigo could see, and she very thin, she looked like she weighed no more than 90 pounds. The shihakusho ("Garment of Dead Souls") this young girl wore, along with her sheathed sword, let him know that she was a Shinigami and from the badge around her rolled up sleeve let him know she was the lieutenat of Squad 13. Now all that was left was her face. With a smirk on her lips and her violet eyes shimmering in a beautiful way, her short black hair tickled her face and danced with the wind and let the man she knew and loved stare at her in awe.

"R-..Rukia.." Ichigo breathed in his mixed emotions; happiness, shock, confusion, love. Ichigo had known that he liked Rukia a long time ago, in his mid sixteen years of age is when he realized this, but standing here now, a seventeen year old man, Ichigo Kurosaki admired Rukia Kuchiki's beauty. He liked her newly styled hair and shimmering violet eyes, from her creamy white and flawless skin, to her small breasts (what? He's a guy, it's something all guys notice about a girl.), to her masculine, sometimes cute, personality hidden by her feminine figure. Ichigo knows from the way Rukia is staring back at him now, that Rukia has missed Ichigo and she loves him, afterall, she's playing the controlled emotion smirk Ichigo gave before Rukia disappeared from his sight. Rukia loves him for sure, and in return, he loves her...not like he'd admit it though. He was Ichigo, and Ichigo always hides his feelings so why the hell could he let love be an exception?

Rukia's smirk widened as he called her name, something she's been yearning to hear for about a year. Just looking at Ichigo she knew that he has changed in his matureness and he's stronger, she didn't know how because he doesn't look like he's been fighting too much, other than when he'd fight with his fullbring, but she wasn't sure on why he looked stronger. She nearly smiled wider when she saw the shirt he had on— it was the first shirt she had picked out for Ichigo, and of course Ichigo being as stubborn as he is, said he wasn't going to get it before he walked out the store but apparently he got it. A navy blue long sleeved shirt that had two yellow stripes on either of his biceps and he had on a pair of white skinny jeans. Coming back to her senses, Rukia's professional mode kicked in, I must finish what I came here for. Adjusting the sword in her hand she released all the spiritual pressure the sword had sucked in like a sponge.

Ichigo watched as Rukia's hair was forced back and out of her face due to the huge amount of air pressure escaping the sword, what was going on?

~OoOo~

Ginjo and Tsukishima watched as a large tornado-like whirlwind surrounded Ichigo and the shinigami, they both questioned what was going on as they waited for the wind to stop. When it did, they didn't like what they saw. Ichigo stood there in a black shihakusho with a thick zanpakuto hanging over his shoulder and behind him stood the small shinigami with a satisfied smirk on her lips and hope filled her determined eyes, something that upseted Ginjo but interested Tsukishima. Both men watched as Ichigo turned his attention to the female shinigami, which they over heard her name to be Rukia.

"Rukia," Ichigo breathed in happiness after stabbing the giant Zangetsu into the ground. The smile on his face was on of pure happiness and and the way his brown eyes shimmered was due to love, an expression Ichigo hasn't used in a long time— an expression only Rukia can cause. His brown eyes stared joyfully at the beautiful shinigami in front of him, which he noticed she seemed to grow a few inches taller, but what really made him happy was the expression Rukia mirrored from him.

"Yeah," She replayed under her breath as her violet eyes sparkled even though nothing shone in them besides the symbol Ichigo gave to Rukia, the moon. "It's been a while, Ichigo." Her soft voice carried into Ichigo's head and heart. For a few seconds both of them stood silent and took the chance to really look at each other. Ichigo loved Rukia's old hairstyle with the little curves at the end of her shoulder length hair but now it was jaw-length though she kept the one peice of hair between her eyes which seemed to suit her better. Rukia really liked Ichigo's new shihakusho's style with the armor-like collar around his muscular neck and the cross on his chest was nice in Rukia's eyes.

"You've become so strong and mature since the last time I saw you..." Rukia said with an innocent smile which made Ichigo happy. Rukia hardly ever complements him and now that she was in the moment when Ichigo had fallen into the deepest pits of his hell, it almost didn't seem like Rukia. Well the Rukia he knew anyway. Ichigo, in his thinking state, didn't notice Rukia leaping into the air with an expression of anger written all over her face. "Not!" She yelled while landing a kick in his face, usually the way it ends in all of Ichigo and Rukia's meetings.

"Ooucchh!"

Ichigo laid on the floor with a slightly swollen cheek and blood leaking from the corner of his mouth as Rukia began to scold him. "Crying like a pathetic fool! You turned into a wimp the moment I took my eyes off you! Pitiful! You won't even understand how ashamed I am to be standing here with you now!" As Rukia yelled her lungs out Ichigo took the time to realize he really wasn't mad about being kicked around like an ass because this is the Rukia Ichigo knew and loved. This was her way of showing she cared and was worried.

Rukia took a deep breath and snuck a glance over at Tsukishima who stared at her with an interested smirk which got under her skin. "Urahara told me about the power of this Tsukishima guy," That caught Ichigo's attention so he decided to listen to the short shinigami as he grunted and got back his feet. "He can re-write the past...It is indeed a terrifying power." Looking more at Rukia, Ichigo began to wonder, where is she going with this?

"But so what?" Her voice sounded more determined, more powerful. "No matter how he changes your past he cannot change your future. Lost bonds can be forged once again. Am I wrong, Ichigo?" So that's where she was going...Ichigo thought while taking a step closer to Rukia and smiling slightly at her concerned voice.

"Rukia.." He breathed, Ichigo just loved saying Rukia's name. Though he doesn't know it, Ichigo mummbles Rukia's name in his sleep, Yuzu and Karin are witnesses. But now that he was saying her name and getting a response from said person, happiness overwhelmed him and all he was able to do to show it was give that small smile and glint in his eyes. "Can I say one thing?" he asked while keeping his chocolate brown orbs glued to Rukia who gave him a cute confused look. Erasing the smile from his face he kept his expression serious but friendly. "He didn't change my past, you know."

"DONT MAKE FUN OF ME WITH THAT SERIOUS FACE!"

"Whoa," Suddenly Ichigo found himself dodging a sword that was being trusted and swung at him by the upset and shorter shinigami. After ducking, stepping to the side and taking a step away from Rukia, who followed him, Ichigo leaped farther away from Rukia while holding his cheek due to the feeling of air slashing it. "That's dangerous you idiot! Even if it has been a while that's a pretty harsh reaction!" Rukia lowered the sword and began to argue back for being called an 'idiot' from the one and only who, in Rukia's opinion, has ADD.

"Fool! This sword has no blade." Ichigo quickly recovered from his random out of character state after Rukia spoke and began to place his hand on his chest and feel around the area of his heart. "Come to think of it," Ichigo moved closer to Rukia to inspect the sword, "What is that sword?" He asked.

"This is a sword that Urahara prepared from you." She said while sticking the head of the sword at Ichigo to watches the blue "flames" escape from the sword. "Thanks to this, I can give you Shinigami powers again!" Once Rukia said 'give you shinigami powers' his mind snapped back to the first time they met, how young and immature he was, yet how experienced and reliable Rukia was and still is. Rukia was happy to see the smile that formed on Ichigo's lips.

"Heh, that's impossible."

Rukia and Ichigo turned their heads to the source of the sound and it was Ginjo. "Just because he looks like a shinigami doesn't mean that he has the power of one. The reason why Kurosaki was able to become a shinigami the first time around was because he already had Shinigami powers to begin with." Rukia took a glance over at Ichigo and saw how upset he looked. His hair fell into his face and hatred burned in his eyes, it was also pretty obvious from the way his teeth were clenched, almost like Ichigo was silently growling at him. "But he no longer has Shinigami powers! That's because I've taken them from him." Ginjo finished while lifting his sword higher to show how he took away Ichigo's power.

Ichigo was very upset right now at himself because part of him believed Ginjo. Ichigo looked like a Shinigami but he didn't feel like one all to much. Idiot! That's because you've adapted your body, your soul and your heart into being a shinigami that it feels like a normal everyday thing! That's what Rukia would've said, had Ichigo spoken out loud.

"He has nothing left. There's now way your spiritual pressure alone could bring back his powers!" Okay, Ichigo wanted to hurry and claw out this guy's throat. How dare his stick his sword out and point it towards Rukia? Ichigo was about to do something when a familiar voice stopped him.

"You idiot! It's not just Rukia!"

Everyone looked up into the cloudy sky and watched as giant gates appeared from no where and began to slowly open, revealing 5 men. Ichigo gasped and watching, knowing exactly who the men were, Ginjo and Tsukishima watched with irritated faces and Rukia couldn't help but smirk at how dumb they all looked. "Renji!" Ichigo called out with a smile as he took a step forward. The redhead smirked down at him. "Byakuya! Toshiro! Kenpachi! Ikakku!" Ichigo called out to all his friends that awaited him.

"We put all of our spiritual pressure into that sword," Renji explained, "Resorting Ichigo's shinigami powers would be a peice of cake."

"You said your name was Ginjo, right?" Rukia asked as the man with black hair turned his head towards the short shinigami. "You only stole the top layer of Ichigo's power which was fused with the fullbring. The power that comes from within Ichigo is something you could never take!" Ginjo grunted and slung his sword over his shoulder, clearly annoyed by Rukia.

"Ichigo! They don't know that this is enough to make you give up hope, they don't know what kinds of hopeless situations you've overcome." Ichigo gasped and widened his eyes a little, did Rukia think that much of him? "Show them Ichigo! Show them that dispair isn't enough to stop you!"

"Right." And with that one word, both Ginjo and Ichigo were in the air battling.

Rukia watched as their swords clashed with each other and they both fought harsh with Ichigo winning of course, a satisfied smirk was on her lips. Rukia wasn't Orihime, she didn't worry about Ichigo in this fight even the orangette was tired and slightly hurt, Rukia knew he was going to get out of this alive so she felt at ease. What she didn't like, though, was seeing Tsukishima eye Rukia before flying up to Ichigo with his sword in his hand, about to attack Ichigo from behind. Rukia quickly rushed to him without any second thoughts, without any regret. "Ichigo look out!"

But she would later regret what she has done though she might not remember and Ichigo would be heartbroken at the effect.

~OoOoO~

Ichigo fought with all his anger towards this man, Ginjo. Not only did he betray Ichigo, but he put the lives of his friends at risk and even worse, he pointed his blade at Rukia's face. Ichigo lifted his sword in the air as Ginjo brough his sword down and another clash was heard. "I'm gonna finish off you, Kurosaki, then I'm gonna get that Rukia girl. That shinigami's been annoying the hell out of me." Ichigo began to growl. "Yeah, Rukia talks a lot, I know. But never once has it gotten annoying. If anything you're the annoying one!" Ichigo grunted out while swinging his sword and pushing Ginjo's sword off and sending the man flying back.

"Ichigo look out!" Ichigo gasped at the sound of Rukia's voice. It was so desperate, so scared. Ichigo turned around and he wish he hadn't. In front of him was a long blade, well actually the tip of the blade since the rest was covered by blood and Rukia's body. Her limp body rested against the sword which left Ichigo breathless. He was scared, confused, upset. He felt like his hollow was still somewhere asleep in him and now it wanted to come out and play. Tsukishima yanked the sword out of Rukia and watched with a satisfied smile as Rukia's motionless body fell freely through the air, her arms and legs outstretched as if she was reaching out to Ichigo, waiting for him to catch her. "RUKIAA!" Ichigo yelled before flying down at the quickest speed he's ever flewn at and caught the shinigami a couple of seconds before he landed on the ground. "Rukia! Rukia.." Ichigo urgently called to her unconscious mind but got not reply.

"Kurosaki don't let your guard down!" Ginjo shouted. All the man needed to do was swing his sword and Ichigo's head would be his trophy. Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows before closing his eyes, after catching Rukia and becoming scared at her current state Ichigo's reflexes slowed down along with the orangette's world.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

Ichigo's eyes shot wide open at those words and he watched as pink petals block Ginjo's attack right in front of Ichigo's face. "Byakuya, Rukia, she-!" Ichigo tried but was interrupted when the captin landed in front of him along with the other four men. Byakuya looked over his shoulder and glared coldly at Ichigo, "Hurry. If my sister is to die I shall punish you, personally." Ichigo gulped loudly at the threat but wasn't needed to be told twice, "Renji shall assist you, now go." Byakuya finished before Renji and Ichigo nodded and flew into the air, having the gates to the Soul Society close slowly behind them.

"Don't you think of getting away." Tsukishima said while flying to the gates but a short figure stopped him. The figure had snow white hair and serious teal blue eyes.

"Don't you dare on going after them."

Ichigo and Renji had made it to Soul Society and found Captin Unohana, who hasn't changed much by the way other than her shoulder length hair, and she began to heal Rukia for about an hour straight but she still didn't wake up. "Damn it, it's all my fault!" Ichigo cursed himself while curling his fingers into a fist. "If I would've payed attention and blocked Tsukishima's attack, Rukia wouldn't be like this and Byuakuya and the other guys wouldn't be fighting."

"Ichigo," Renji spoke in a soft voice as he placed a firm hand on Ichigo's shoulder from behind. "Don't blame this on yourself. Rukia knew what she was doing and what the affect of her actions was. If she dies, at least she died protecting something she loves."

"The hell Renji! Aren't you worried abou-" Ichigo stopped himself after he turned around to face Renji and saw the concern and sadness in the redhead's eyes. "You're probably right..." Ichigo said but Ichigo knew he wasn't right, nothing was right at the moment.

"Look, Renji, Ichigo, her eyes are starting to open," Urohana said joyfully and caused the men behind her to quickly move next to her and surround the awakening girl who painfully shifted her head a little and before she fully opened her eyes, Urohana was called to heal other patients. "I'll let you greet her by your selfs when she regains consciousness so, excuse me," The captin softly spoke before leaving the room.

"Mmmm...Renji..." Rukia moaned painfully while opening her eyes to look the redhead in the eyes with furrowed eyebrows. Both Ichigo and Renji hated seeing her in pain like this so it hurt Renji to hear her call his name in her painful state. "I'm right here Rukia, there's no need to worry." Renji replied with a half smile to try and ease her mind a little. The orangette stepped up to Rukia, happy that she wasn't dead and her injuries were minor, but sad that the reason she was like this was due to him.

"How are you feeling?" Ichigo asked seriously as he watched Rukia's eyes shift into his and settle but something was off about the weird look she gave him. Speaking to Ichigo, Rukia softly and painfully replied,

"My head hurts...doctor..."