Bold = Dream

Italic = Flashback

Normal = Story text

"Hi" = Talking

'Hi' = Thoughts

oooOOOooo

"Hey baby, pass daddy another bottle would ya!" she heard her fiancée ask from her place in the kitchen as she did the dishes. His friends around him laughed at his words. She smiled slightly going to the fridge to get a bottle of beer instead of vodka knowing her fiancée had a track record for getting out of control when he gets too drunk.

Walking into the living room by him and his friends she held out the bottle to him by its neck with an outstretched hand.

'N-No.' she groaned rolling over onto her side still deep in her sleep sweat beginning to collect on her brow as the nightmare unraveled once again.

Her fiancée stared at the bottle tilting his head down so his bangs covered his eyes, "I wanted vodka." He told her.

She nodded, "I figured, but I think…" she stopped when he growled and launched forward grabbing her hair in a swift movement before slamming her face down into the coffee table.

"Bitch! I don't give a damn what you think!" his voice shouted ringing in her ears. She began to tremble recognizing the out of control tone in his voice, but this was the first time… the very first time it'd been directed her way. Swinging his arm back he flung her across the room, her back hit the wall with a loud thud.

'N-No… Please I-I don't…' she thought, rolling uncomfortably around in her bed the covers tangling around her tightly like a snake.

Her fiancée stood from the couch in his boxers as his friends sat on the couches watching as he closed the distance between them, "You think I can't handle a little alcohol? Huh, you little bitch?!" he spat pulling his fist back punching her. He did this repeatedly, but his three friends just sat there as if nothing abnormal was going on.

Finally stopping his barrages of punches and kicks to breathe he watched as she tried to crawl away down the hallway towards the door. A shiver ran up her spine, she could feel him staring at her smirking at her. She could hear him moving after a moment and she tried to crawl faster, but she couldn't! He caught her at the ankle…

Tears trickled down her face, 'No, I don't want to see this!' she sobbed.

"Where do you think you're going?~" he chuckled trying to pull her back to him, she kicked at him. She wanted to get away! She needed to get away! He continued despite her efforts to keep him at bay.

"No, stop please!" she cried out hoping he'd see she didn't like this and stop. He managed to catch her once free ankle and tug her back towards him as he sat on his knees on the ground, her legs resting on either side of his as he retreated his hands from her ankles to catch her flying fists and pin them beside her head with one hand. "P-Please please stop." She begged in tears as his free hand slid under her dress.

Her eyelids snapped open, body jerking upright into a sit-up position as a scream ripped from her throat. On reflex her body backed up until she hit the headboard, her black hair clung to her face due to sweat, as she stared at the opposing wall of her safe and empty room. She was alone… She was home and alone she had to remind herself. It took a good few minutes for her to get her panic attack under control, but when she finally calmed, she found herself pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them for a little self-security.

Though it was just a dream and she knew it… She could feel him. She could feel his breath, his touch, she could even smell him and he had never even been to her new apartment. She was stuck in a sea of paranoia that she just couldn't get rid of. Her body's trembling had yet to cease and she couldn't help but bury her face into her knees letting loose angry sobs. How could he still be in her head like this?!

Her body jumped when her phone began to ring with a number she didn't recognize. She stared at the number glaring at her but didn't dare answer… Especially not after that nightmare. With a sigh, she wiped away her tears with a sniffle deciding to jump in the shower. Hoping it would help calm her.

She didn't stay in long seeing as it didn't seem to be helping, in fact, the enclosed space seemed to only serve in making things worst. Within ten minutes she'd exited the shower walking out of the bathroom to ready herself for a new day despite being tired and it only being barely three in the morning. She knew from experience there was no way she'd get back to sleep. Not unless he was here…

"Rukia." A male voice came from behind her as she started getting dressed in the dark. Rukia stopped all movements, she heard footsteps coming closer to her, "Rukia?" he asked confused. Rukia spun around on her heels quickly clocking him in the face hard sending the person stumbling back. She rushed to the wall hitting the light with a slap and turned around to face the person with angry teary eyes.

Rukia gasped softly, her eyes widening as the tears began to fall from her cheeks, "What the hell was that for Rukia?" he groaned standing upright brushing off his army combat uniform, retrieving his fallen cap from the ground fixing it professionally over his spiky orange hair.

Rukia let out a sob as her hands reached out to him, crashing into him as he pulled her into a hug, she held onto him for dear life. "Woah Rukia, huh hey midget you alright down there?" he asked a little more than shocked by her reaction. He'd known she'd get emotional but this… His hand fell to rest on her head petting it as he tried to soothe her.

It was then that he realized she was naked… A dark blush rose to his cheeks and he quickly averted his eyes but continued to rub her head as a means of calming her. "R-Rukia, I know your g-glad to see me and all but couldyoupleaseputonsomeclothes!" he begged feeling his feelings for his best friend resurfacing. When she didn't move or react to what he'd said, but stayed there and continued to cry he could feel it… something wasn't right. This wasn't normal, "Rukia?" he tried again but she still didn't answer just cried into his chest and squeezed him tighter to her.

After a half an hour she stopped crying, but that was probably because she'd fallen asleep standing in his arms. He frowned at this, "Stupid." he called her finally seeing no way around this. He carried her to the bed all the while trying to be a gentleman and look away from her nude form. It was hard to ignore when he could feel her heat through his clothes. Placing her gently on the bed he accidently scanned over her exposed body and he turned away with a gulp, "Dammit, she looks just as beautiful as she did before I left." He muttered under his breath walking over to her dresser.

He gulped again, 'Okay let's try this one.' He thought, opening the first drawer to find it full of bras and… toys. He slammed the drawer shut quickly going to another one opening it up to find one thing he was looking for. His eyes widened at the large selection of sexy underwear Rukia had, 'Oh god, just grab one you idiot!' he mentally yelled at himself. Opening another drawer he found all her swimsuits quickly closing it as soon as his mind began picturing her in each individual one causing his body to react like a hormonal teenager.

"Come on Kurosaki you've got this!" he chanted to himself opening up the last drawer to find lube and condoms. He stared for a good long minute before closing it, "W-Where in the hell are her p-pajamas?!" he gasped out. Then a thought struck him… "Wait, she couldn't still…" he thought out loud as he walked to her closet opening the door to find all the clothes neatly separated and put into sections based on formal, casual, day and night…

He blinked staring dumbly at the closet, 'Who in the hell puts sleepwear in their closet?!' he groaned figuring Rukia would have grown out of this habit at some point. Looking through he found a pair of pajama pants and a shirt he'd lent her years ago that he'd thought she'd gotten rid of. He smiled slightly at the 'good vibes' written across the chest it looked pretty worn like she'd been wearing it a lot. Pulling it from the hanger he rushed back to her resting form a light blush rose to his cheeks again as he quickly dried her off and slipped the garments on her, "Fallin asleep without dryin yourself off or havin any clothes on. Your tryin ta get sick on me?" he questioned knowing she was too knocked out to answer. He turned but stopped when he heard his name slip from her lips.

"Ichigo." She whispered turning over on her side her hand moving towards him on the bed as if reaching for him. Ichigo stared for a moment before turning toward her, he sat down beside the bed with his back to her nightstand and grabbed hold of her hand as he tilted his head against the mattress of her bed.

"Don't worry…" he started his eyes shifting from her to the closet. Ichigo had noticed nothing of Kaien was present in the small apartment. Yeah, something was wrong… His eyes shifted back only when he felt her get so close to him that her head hit his, "everything's going to be alright. I promise." He whispered rubbing his thumb over her hand which still had a death grip on his.