A/N: The idea for this lovely thing came to me awhile ago. Not sure how long exactly, I've forgotten now. Anyway, it's ShunUki, pre-established relationship, Academy era.

This fic has a lot of dreams in it, and some may seem a bit OOC. However, in dreams we often do things we never would or could otherwise. I know I have, and you have too; even if you don't remember. So no complaints about the dream actions! Okay, rant over n.n

This story was also greatly aided by music. The first chapter was inspired by Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin and Mad World by Adam Lambert.

Reviews will be awarded with virtual chocolate! :-D

Chapter 1: Battlefield

The Menos had come out of nowhere. One minute Shunsui and the four other Academy students were making their way back to the school and the next; the biggest Hollow any of them had ever seen was rearing out of the trees. The student with the fastest shunpo step ran ahead for reinforcements. The other four, including Shunsui, stayed behind to hold it off the best they could. They slashed at the massive thing; trying to keep it in one place, at least. It was easier said than done. No matter where they cut it, the Menos showed no signs of stopping; only becoming more enraged. Its scream echoed off the distant mountains, calling more Hollows of smaller caliber to its aid.

Shunsui turned to face these new enemies with trepidation. He killed four before his zanpakuto was caught between the claws of a fifth, more skilled opponent. He managed to twist the blade free, with a wrenching screech of metal, and aimed for the mask. The Hollow moved so that instead of cleaving the white face, Shunsui's zanpakuto bit deep into it's shoulder. Screaming its fury, the Hollow slashed at him and Shunsui was unable to get his sword free in time. Yet he clutched the hilt as he was thrown into one of the trees in the forest surrounding the battle.

Shunsui could feel blood trickling out of him, though from where he wasn't sure. His thoughts were fuzzy, his vision blurred and dimly he knew his head had snapped back with the impact. Shifting his sword arm gingerly, he was relieved to find that it still worked. So did his other arm, and his right leg. He had landed on his left leg, however, and it still rested under the full weight of his body at an awkward angle. Most likely, it was broken. Attempting to move anything else caused his torso to burn and sharp pains to lance across his chest. He looked down, only dimly recognizing the shreds of his shirt and the bloody mess of his skin. Looking at it made his head spin more than it already was, so he watched the battlefield instead. But he couldn't concentrate, something was dragging at his senses. Blackness closed around his eyes even as he fought to stay conscious. And then he was falling away from it all.

Juushiro woke with a start. Someone was knocking insistently on the door. Gathering his sea-green yukata around himself with a small shiver, he got up and opened the thin door, only to be bonked on the nose by the over-eager knocker.

"I'm sorry, Juushiro-sempai!" An assistant Juushiro recognized from the infirmary looked horrified and lowered his fist quickly. He had always been one of the more energetic ones.

"It's fine..." Juushiro said, waving one hand dismissively and rubbing his nose with the other. "What's so urgent?"

"Oh, right!" the assistant cried. In Juushiro's opinion, it was much too late at night for this sort of enthusiasm. "Unohana-sempai said I should come and get you. Kyouraku-sempai's in the infirmary, he doesn't look so good."

Juushiro's blood ran cold. Shunsui had been on a mission. He had thought it odd that his roommate hadn't returned yet, but he wrote it off as bad weather or some such insignificant thing. He had not expected Shunsui to come back injured and "not looking so good".

"Wait here a minute. I'll get dressed."

Two minutes later, Juushiro was in his uniform and half-running through the halls of the Academy behind the infirmary assistant. When they arrived, it was noisier than usual; healers bustled from bed to bed of injured students, five of them. Three were from the squad Shunsui had set out with, the other two were older students who'd been part of the reinforcements. Shunsui wasn't in the main ward, so the assistant lead him to one of the private rooms in the back. Unohana-sempai was already there, bending over the single bed. Juushiro crossed the room in three quick strides, moving to stand on the opposite side of the bed as Unohana. She didn't look up as he joined her, intent on healing the lacerated torso.

Juushiro bit his lip as he saw the extent of the damage. Shunsui was covered in blood, most of it presumably his own. One of his legs looked broken, and what looked like claw marks were gouged deep into his chest and stomach. Unohana was working the most intently on those. Juushiro took the fact that they were no longer bleeding to be a good sign. After a few minutes of tense, focused silence; Unohana looked up. She smiled wearily, brushing stray hair from her eyes and leaving a smear of blood on her forehead.

"How bad is it?" As soon as the question left his mouth, Juushiro knew it was a stupid one.

"Bad," Unohana confirmed his thoughts, "The lacerations were the worst, though I've healed the worst of those. He has several broken ribs, his left leg is broken and he has a major concussion." She sighed. "I would do more now, but his system is struggling to heal itself. Kidou would only stress it more."

Juushiro nodded numbly. "Will he be okay?" He asked quietly.

Unohana hesitated. "Honestly... I don't know."

"But you can heal him, can't you? Maybe not tonight, but..." he trailed off hopefully.

"Yes. I can work on his injuries more tomorrow, perhaps."

"Has he woken up yet?" Juushiro asked.

"No. I don't think he'll be waking soon."

"But he's not..." Juushiro swallowed, unable to ask if Shunsui had or would survive.

"He slipped into a coma on the way back to the Academy."

Hollowly, Juushiro absorbed this new, unwelcome fact. After a moment he asked; "Can he wake up?"

"Oh, yes," Unohana reassured him, "I think, in time, he will. He may regain consciousness enough to hear us soon, or he could be listening right now."

Juushiro nodded. So Shunsui would hear, but not be able to respond. Maybe, if he wasn't too close to death.

Seeing the far-away, pained look on Juushiro's face, Unohana squeezed his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. She smiled when he looked at her, and he smiled back. It was forced, but it was better than nothing. She set about cleaning and dressing the wounds, then covering Shunsui's wrapped chest with multiple blankets. Juushiro helped, gently tucking the edges of each layer around the injured frame. When her work was done, Unohana left with the promise that she would come back and heal Shunsui more the next day.