Dont be too critical on this one...its a result of late night boredom : / Please review!


Rain. Cold rain. It fell from the sky mercilessly, each drop chilling her to the bone.

Blood. It covered her entire body, and its sickening stench hung in the air. The world spun around her and she barely noticed the body sagging against her. She blinked forcing her eyes to focus. Someone was gasping for breath and someone was crying. Wait, she was. She slowly reached up and gingerly fingered the tears that were streaming down her face. But why? And who was sagging against her, their ragged breath slowing by each passing moment? She glanced at the face of the person and her blood ran cold.

"K-Kaien…" His glazed over black eyes meet her own grief-stricken blue-grey. He smiled.

"Thanks Kuchiki. I-I'm sorry..." his voice faltered and his breathing became shallow.

"Kaien!" Rukia quickly repositioned so that his head lay in her lap. Then she gasped when she realized she was no longer holding her vice-captain.

"I-Ichigo!" He coughed up globs of blood before his brown eyes rested on her face. He smiled his trademark smirk.

"W-What's with that look midget…" his voice trailed off and his body shivered once before he let out a long sigh. Rukia continued to stare at her dead companion with pure horror consuming her features, not wanting to believe what was happening. He can't die, not him. First Kaien, now Ichigo. Tears began to pour down her face and she grasped the substitute's limp hand like it was her life line.

"N-No…no….NO!" She cried harder, her tears falling on his bloodstained face.

"Rukia." came someone's voice. She ignored it.

"Ichigo, you…you can't die you can't leave me all alone!"

"Rukia! Wake up!" commanded the voice. Ichigo? Someone was shaking her…

Rukia eyes snapped open and she bolted upright only to fall back again holding her forehead.

"Ow!" Ichigo yelled stumbling back on the bed. He scowled and rubbed his head, "Gosh this is what I get for being worried." When Rukia didn't give some snotty retort, he looked at her questioningly. She was sitting with her arms around her legs and she was staring at her feet. Her eyes were wide and unfocused, and she was shaking. Ichigo was taken aback. He had never seen Rukia like this in the months he'd known her. So vulnerable. What should he do? Try and comfort her? Knowing Rukia he'd probably get his ass handed to him if he tried to hold her so that wasn't an option. But he had to try something.

"Uh Rukia?" Ichigo cautiously reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder. She shuddered at his touch but her eyes began to focus and she glanced up at him.

"You died…" She whispered her voice distant.

"Huh?"

"Y-You died. I killed you…" Ichigo flinched at the pain in her voice. He moved closer to her on the bed. He tried to comfort her.

"It was only a dream." Tears began to form in Rukia's eyes and she clenched her fists.

"I was a coward! I ran away because I was afraid to fight him. But I went back because I was afraid to face my cowardice in the future. T-Then… " her voice cracked "…I s-stabbed him because I couldn't bear to see him in pain." Ichigo's brow furrowed. He didn't have the slightest idea as to what Rukia was talking about.

"Who?" He asked carefully not wanting to upset her any more. Rukia's raven colored hair covered her eyes as tears poured down her face.

"M-My vice-captain…" she managed. Ichigo's face lit up in surprise when she placed her head on his chest and sobbed into it. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

After a few minutes passed Rukia stopped crying and he glanced down at her. She was fast asleep, part of hair covering her face and her lips slightly parted. Ichigo stared at her for a few seconds then smiled. Shifting positions, he laid down on his bed and carefully placed Rukia beside him. Keeping one arm around her Ichigo yawned and closed his eyes.

I really hope she remembers what happened tomorrow or I'm really gonna get my ass handed to me this time and hard too.

Ichigo thought with a smile before drifting off to sleep.


Bad right? I know.