Dreams

"Since the dawn of time itself, dreams have held captive the interest of mortals. The fact that dreams many times mimic the reality of everyday life in often bizarre ways has never been fully explained, though there is no shortage of those that will try. Sometimes one will dream a dream so real, that when they awaken, it is difficult to discern if the dream was real or not.

This phenomenon has led some to believe that all dreams are reality, but shifted in time. Some are past, some are present, and some are future. Those that believe these things have taken to record all of their dreams in the hopes of one day they will be able to predict what will happen to them."

-- Page 9 of Alundra manual for PlayStation. (an: I know I know. Seems kind stupid getting a quote from a game manual, but this screamed Bleach when I read it. And FYI - I was bored, that's why I was reading a game manual to a game I gave away a couple years ago...)

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Ichigo stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. What he saw staring back at him was a scrawny, wide-eyed, sweating, panting boy. A scared little boy. He had not had a moment's peace in his sleep. Nightmares left him afraid to close his eyes.

He had dreamed of the night his mother was taken out of his family's life again. Seven years tomorrow it had been. And there he was, not any better then before. Shaking from the memory of waking up in a pool of her blood, her unblinking eyes staring into his own frightened ones.

When he looked in the mirror that's what he saw. The weak, helpless boy who had failed to protect her. Too stupid to tell the difference between the dead and the living.

He now knew that he did not kill her, but he still blamed himself. If he had not run down that hill right into Grand Fishers trap, she would still be here. Alive and well. But she wasn't. He just had to go down the hill. And she just had to follow. He didn't only cause her own death, but also the death of his family.

After that night, his family changed.

Yuzu's lazy, happy attitude matured beyond her own years. Something that a child of her age shouldn't have been doing. She took over the role of the mother; cleaning, cooking. She was the one who scolded them when they fought. She still smiled but the happiness that used to fill her whole face and make her eyes sparkle died along with her mother.

Karin's happy, carefree demeanor took a 180. She was now a tough girl with attitude. She never cried anymore except when she truly felt sorrow and grief. She still liked to fool around but angered easily.

He changed drastically too. He could barely remember the times when he was as carefree and happy as Karin and Yuzu. He no longer remembered the art of smiling. With a frown permanently merged onto his face, he gave out the impression of someone who would get into a lot of trouble. Which was true. Nowadays it had been better, but before he participated in at least two fights a week. His grades were high, in order to stay on the good sides of the teachers. People didn't like that fact that his hair was orange, although he didn't care what they though. Something that hadn't changed since he was young. He was a totally different person.

In fact, the only one who seemed almost unfazed by their mother's death was their father. He still joked around, not hesitating to plant some part of his body, whether it was fist, knee, or elbow, into Ichigo. He was just as silly and embarrassing as before. But ichigo knew that somewhere deep inside, he was grieving for the loss of his beloved wife. He just hid it well.

Ichigo splashed a handful of cool water over his face. He watched it drip through the drain, letting the water drip off his face. A shuffle at the door entrance caught his attention. His shifted his weary gaze to the door.

Rukia stood there, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Ichigo? Are you ok?" she asked in a drowsy mumble.

Ichigo stared at her, thinking of another nightmare he had been having more and more often. It always started the same. He and Rukia were out in the middle of the night after receiving a call for a hollow that was supposed to appear soon. He never really knew where they stopped.

They sat at a picnic bench waiting for the hollow to make its appearance. He watched her curiously as she pushed buttons on her cellphone. He remembered always asking, "What are you doing?"

She would quickly explain that she was updating it with some new technology to tell her the exact position of the hollow. He would nod a couple times then turn his attention to his surroundings. They were silent for a while before Rukia would say,

"Keep ready. It should be here any second now."

He would draw his zanpakutou and wait, ready for a surprise attack. He could still hear the beeping of Rukia phone behind him.

"Done," she would say. "I'll pinpoint the exact location of the hollow if it's already here."

He would nod and wait for the information.

Then he would wake up.

The next time it would reveal a little more.

He would stand there, Zangetsu being held in a diagonal stance, ready to attack or ready to defend. He's feeling nervous but doesn't know why. He's sweating more then he should. His vision is dancing, as he feels a little dizzy. Black begins to fog his vision. One eye at a time.

Then he would wake up feeling similar to how he had felt in his dream. But only for a second. Afraid to go back to sleep, he would occupy himself by doing extra homework or go out for a short stroll around the block. Somehow that feeling felt familiar. Like it had happened before.

A week later he would dream the same thing.

Rukia's phone would stop beeping for a moment. She's trying to find the position of it in the sky, afraid of an attack from the sky. She would continue to scan. Then suddenly it stops. Ichigo's feeling horrible but he turned around to see what she's doing. She's staring at him, eyes wide.

He would ask her what's wrong but it's not his voice anymore.

"Ichigo?" she would murmur questioningly after taking a few steps back.

He doesn't answer. But he feels a devilish smirk take over his face.

He remembers what was happening. He prayed for the Rukia in his dream to run, get away. The rough, echoing voice that he had spoken in belonged to his inner hollow. He would kill her.

He felt silly for begging someone in his dreams to run away from him. She was only a subconscious image his mind made of her. She wasn't the real thing. He would really hurt her for sure. Would he?

He remembers thinking, what happens if this is what is to come? Should I talk to her about my dream so she will be warned? No. She'll just call me a nutcase and do what she wants. The feeling gets worse everytime he wakes up.

He feels like he's loosing the battle going on inside of him. He's no longer in control of his body. A mask appears to cover half of his face. He knows if he lets that mask take over anymore of his face, it was a sign of the hollow taking over his half of control. He has to pull off of the mask, but his arm won't move.

He can see everything going on, but his body won't listen to his desperate cries. He can feel the mask spreading slowly over his human half.

At this point, he can't move when he awakens. It takes a couple minutes to take control of his body again. It's scaring him, and he doesn't know what to do. He walks over to the closet, about to open the doors. He has to tell someone. But he could imagine what Rukia would say,

"It's just a dream, you idiot. It's not real. Go back to bed."

But he can't. He steps away from the doors and sits on the edge of his bed. He can't lose sleep over this but he is.

He hasn't slept in over a week. He is having trouble functioning in everyday activities. His father is getting in many more punches than he used to. He isn't eating much. His sisters are getting worried, but he just tells them, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

He knows they still worry and feels bad. Rukia has been merciless. She's naggier then ever. He is grumpier then ever. Therefore, their fights are much more intense. He knows that she's only worried for his health, like his sisters. She refuses to sleep in his closet at nights now, moving in with his sisters. He's even surprised that she's still at the house.

He's left alone at nights, to deal with his dreams by himself. He wakes up and isn't soothed by the sound of her soft breathing anymore. It's silent, making him feel more alone. He tries to sleep a little at a time, but once his eyes are closed he's pulled into the dream once more.

His head drops. He can see his face in a puddle he's standing over. The mask is almost completely covering his face. His hands tremble as he tries to move them. The sick smirk is still on his face, more menacing them ever. The hollow knows it's winning. He heard Rukia's unsure voice calling to him. His head snaps up in amazing speed.

She gasps when she sees the last of the mask covering his face. He's able to get two last words out before he loses complete control,

"Get...away."

She shakes her head, telling him that she wasn't going anywhere. Why did she have to be so damn stubborn? Then again, why was he? He had gone to save her from being executed in Soul Society despite her wishes. Why should she back down now?

Because. Because he had faith that he would win. He knew he would end up saving her one way or another. But now. Now was different. He knew the strength of his inner hollow. And judging on how quickly he had been overcome, it was stronger then him. He knew there was no way in hell that Rukia could beat him.

He feels a sharp pain in his chest. The Horse's hooves came crashing down on his King. The King was beaten. He was King no more. He could still see the outer world. He could still see Rukia standing there, mouthing his name over and over. But he could not hear her voice. All he could hear was the insane crackling of his hollow as it leaped for its prey.

Praying was something he rarely did, since he was not a religious person. But he prayed, he prayed for something, someone to give him the strength to save her.

As the hollow drew its zanpakutou, his zanpakutou, ready to strike, he could hear her words ringing in his head. She's calling to him.

"Ichigo! Ichigo!"

He awoke with a start. His eyes were wide, something they had been doing much more lately since the dreams started. He was panting for breath as the weight on his heart slowly lifted. His rigid body slowly relaxed when he realized that it was not real, once again. His eyes dashed around and they fell on Rukia leaning beside him.

"Rukia," he breathed out, still trying to catch his breath. He didn't want her to see him like this.

She didn't speak, but sat down beside him. He blushed when she started to stroke his head, wiping off the sweat. He looked away down to his hands. He just realized that he had been clutching them for dear life. He slowly released them. He could feel himself getting drowsy from her being around. He refused to fall asleep again.

He tried to sit up but was pushed back down by Rukia's petite hands. He could see her eyes shining in the moonlight. She looked frightened, angry, worried. He could see pity somewhere in their depths.

"So that's why you've been so bitchy lately," she said with a hard tone. He could tell she was only trying to hide the fact that she was worried. Her voice wavered ever so slightly when she spoke.

Ichigo tried to give her a threatening glare but found that he couldn't.

"Why are you here?" he whispered.

"I could hear you whimpering from the other room," she told him. "Good thing those two are such heavy sleepers and your dad wouldn't wake up if a train plowed through his room."

Ichigo scoffed but didn't answer. He heard her sigh.

"Too scared to sleep because of a silly dream," she said mockingly. He knew it. He knew she would call him a coward, even if she didn't say it directly.

He looked away from her eyes and focused on the wall. He would not fall asleep again. He refused. He didn't want to see what happened after that. The dream was too real. He almost wondered if it was really happening, but then he would wake up and be reprieved one night before having to go over it again.

He felt the bed shift beside him. His head snapped back to Rukia to find her lying beside him.

"What are you doing?" he growled out.

"Shut up and sleep, fool," she barked before turning away.

Ichigo stared at her back for a few moments before lying fully on his pillow. He was surprised at her boldness that night. He struggled to stay away from the darkness but something about her being there was making it impossible. He let his eyes close, attempting to stay aware, but the darkness soon took over.

Once again the dream played out. All the feelings he had been through before came back. The weakness, the pain in his chest. Then he was a hollow. He felt it draw it's zanpakutou once again and charge forward. He began to pray, something he had been doing more often lately also. Then he heard her call his name.

She was calling to him, begging him to come back.

He could see her struggle to dodge the hollows relentless attacks. She was slowly being torn up, and it was his own hands doing it. He wasn't in control of it but it was his own body doing the damage. It wasn't his fault he began to say over and over. He thought back to the night of his mother's death. That wasn't his fault either. He didn't do anything. That wasn't something he could've prevented nor could he go back to relive it.

He watched in horror as the hollow knocked Rukia off her feet. She was open to any type of attack and the hollow knew that. He leaped in the air pointing his sword down at her head. She was looking up at him, tears in her eyes.

He couldn't go back to change his past or fix what had happened, but he could do something now. He summoned up all his strength and fought. Hell, he fought. He did whatever he had to break free.

The sword came closer and closer to Rukia's head. She looked down ready for the fatal blow but it didn't come. She looked up to see the hollow screeching and clawing at its mask several feet away. It dawned to her that Ichigo was fighting back. He was trying to break free.

Ichigo could hear Rukia's voice. He made up his mind that he would no longer be that scared child that he had been hanging onto. He would fight like a man, but some wimpy baby. He fought knowing that if this ever happened in the future, she would be by his side to help him get through it. Even if she was complaining.

He fought harder, feeling that he was overwhelming the hollow and taking his place as King once again. He regained bit by bit, the power to move parts of his body. He dropped Zangetsu and pulled his hands up to the mask. He could hear the hollow screaming and cursing as it began to come loose.

All of a sudden everything became clear. His vision, which had been blurred, cleared up, the pain in his chest ebbed away, and he could move his body freely. He could hear the hollow screaming in the back of his mind, but he ignored it. The hollow's mask shattered in his hands. He watched the pieces falling to the ground. His vision blurred once again as he looked up to see Rukia running toward him.

She had been the answer to his prayer. He felt as long as she was there by his side, he could get through anything, beat any enemy. He felt his body hit something hard.

He slowly opened his eyes and found himself on the ground. He felt great, the usual pains and symptomatic effects were no where in sight. He took in a content breath before realizing that he was on the floor. He shifted his awkward position on the floor to look up on his bed. He found an annoyed Rukia staring down at him.

"You wouldn't stop moving," she mumbled as she hopped out of the bed, stepping on his chest.

"Weirdo," she added before hopping into the closet to get changed.

"Midget," he mumbled back, getting off the floor.

Ichigo ignored the fact that he had just been kicked out of his own bed and got dressed.

As much as he hated her extremely irritating, bossy, stuck-up nature, and was still Rukia. And with her around, he felt like he could conquer the world.

"Hey Rukia," he called.

"One moment," he heard her say from behind the doors. The rustling of clothes stopped and she stepped out fully dressed.

"Yeah," she said looking up at him.

"You wanna come to mom's gave with us?" he asked her.

"Are you sure your family would want me there?" she asked, unsure.

"Rukia, you are family," he said grabbing her arm.

"Hey," she said trying to escape his strong grip. Her cheeks were slightly flushed at his last comment, "Rukia, you are family."

"You're coming," he said dragging her downstairs. He pulled her into the kitchen where the Kurosaki's greeted them.

Karin and Yuzu looked up and gave Ichigo a sad look.

"Morning Yuzu, Karin," Ichigo greeted them with a light smile. "Where's pops?"

Karin nodded with a grin on her face, happy to see her brother back to normal. Yuzu smiled happily, some of that old light returning.

"Good morning, Ichigo," Yuzu smiled. "Dad went --"

She was cut off by a rough punch to Ichigo's face. Rukia let out a gasp and jumped out of the way as Ichigo flung his own fist into his fathers face.

"Glad to see you're back," Isshin said gleefully despite the broken nose and tears running down his face.

"Whatever," Ichigo said walking over to the toaster. He put two pieces of toast inside and pressed down the button. He turned back to his family and informed them, "Rukia's coming with us to the cemetery."

Rukia glared at him a moment before they turned to face her. Ichigo wore a smirk knowing that she had no way to escape now.

Ichigo watched as his father grabbed Rukia's hands and began cheering. He babbled on about the special games they play at the cemetery every year. Ichigo had never heard of half the games he mentioned. Rolling his eyes, he took his toast from the toaster and dragged Rukia away from his fathers clutches.

"Thanks," she said glancing back in the direction of the kitchen where she could hear Karin yelling at Isshin for doing something stupid.

"No problem," he said genuinely.

She looked at him strangely before calling him a weirdo again and walking back upstairs.

Ichigo had meant what he said. Him saving her from his father was nothing. She had done something much more for him. She gave him the courage and strength to beat his inner hollow. She made him believe in himself even if the only thing she had done was call his name in his dreams. That's how powerful her words, her voice, were to him. And he knew that if that ever happened for real, that as long as she called out his name, he would win.

He had a feeling that his sleep that night would be dreamless and refreshing. He should be the one thanking her, not the other way around.

The End

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I tried to go a little deeper with this one. I'm extremely satisfied in how this one turned out. Please review and tell me what you thought! Thankies!

Eva-miko