First of all, I NEED A BETA, my native language is spanish so if you want to help me, please send me a DM, I will be very grateful!

This fic had it written many years ago, but it is dusted today by the new Bleach Live Action movie that is currently on Netflix.

OMG so much IchiRuki in it healed me a little the broken heart of that horrendous and canonical end. Luckily there will always be the fanfic to remedy those pains hahaha

Do not forget to leave me your comments, thanks a lot!

The rain will never stop again.

If I were the rain. . . that binds together the Earth and the sky, whom in all eternity will never mingle. . . Would I be able to bind two hearts together?

POV Orihime Inoue

I declared my love to Ichigo-kun almost a year after Kuchiki-san left Karakura. I had waited my entire life for that moment, and still felt that it was not right in some way.

Ichigo-kun had lost his shinigami powers one afternoon not too warm or too cold, in which he could not feel Kuchiki-san's reiatsu anymore. That had only meant that he would not see her again, even though we could still see her. Even so, she must have returned to the Soul Society, and I expected, like everyone else, that she would return one day...

Sometimes I looked over Ichigo-kun's shoulder hoping to find her, taking care of him, but it did not happen once, and I stopped that horrible habit since every time Ichigo-kun followed my gaze, he squeezed his own heart in his fist.

So it happened slowly that year, and although Ichigo-kun seemed calm and just like always, sometimes he kept long silences, and let us fill them, with our daily life. Although from Tatsuki-chan to Ishida-kun, we all knew perfectly well that Ichigo-kun was not the same one who rescued Kuchiki-san, or myself from Las Noches.

And we (Ishida-kun, Chad-kun and myself) were still protecting Karakura from the hollow, without his help. He never turned around to see us, when we were leaving the classroom unexpectedly, to go 'to the bathroom'.

It was not that he was different. He was the same as always, only was the one who still did not know Kuchiki-san.

I loved him as always, the one before, the one now or the one after. And I was happy that things were quiet again, and that I was part of their group too, as was Chad-kun, or Ishida-kun. But it was not more or less than that, a good friend. And life went by so normally, that sometimes everything happened (my powers, the powers of Ichigo-kun, the rescue of Kuchiki-san, my encounter with Ulquiorra) seemed like a distant dream. And although our ties with Ichigo-kun were almost unbreakable, I was still the same distance from him, and from his heart.

And the rain seemed to wet him more than ever.

So one day, without intending to or thinking about it, I really told him what I had wanted to tell him most of my life.

"I'm in love with you, Kurosaki-kun!" I told him in his surprised look. Possibly it was the most awkward and nervous declaring in the history of the all declaring, but he did not seem to bother. Of course it surprised him, but I could not say how his face looked, because I was not able to look directly at him once, but I did notice that he touched the neck with some nervousness, maybe discomfort.

"Thanks." said in a neutral tone that I could never decipher, I was surprised by that, thanked me and laughed of pure nervousness. Looking at his face without focusing directly on the eyes, I imagined that they were the same color as that day's sunset. "But I do not know, I ..."

"It does not matter, you don't need to tell me your answer now, Kurosaki-kun... I-this I can wait!" I said stuttering as ever and raising both hands in sign that there was no hurry. He looked at me seriously as always. His brow furrowed more than before and nodded silently.

I don't remember how I said goodbye. I think tripped on my own feet a couple of times and ran away.

A couple of days passed, in which we both acted. I was twice as nervous at his presence, and I hoped that in some word, look, or attitude, he would give me the answer. But he did not. He kept silent, and looked at me with such intensity, that I was sure that everyone could see my heart making my breasts jump.

Of course Tatsuki-chan realized that I was twice as distracted, and had already hit almost every pole and/or tree every day. When Ichigo-kun had heard it, I was sure he felt some guilt and want to apologize, but I interrupted him immediately saying that I would try to be more attentive to the road. He was silent and nodded before leaving.

Until the next day, when I had stayed in the room distracted, looking out, saddened by that long wait, when felt the door open and Ichigo-kun appear there.

I looked at him surprised, but he did not seem it. Lather he told me, that had waited until I was alone that day, if he had not gone to my house, because I deserve my answer.

"Inoue." said in his serious voice and frowning. He looked so tall and magnificent, I thought I was in one of my waking dreams, in the best shojo imaginable. But it was real. I was speechless "Sorry for the delay to your answer, I ..." and I could see the blush on his face, I thought it was the most adorable thing in the world, while my heart rumbled so loud that I thought Ichigo-kun he would hear it. "I accept it." finished, and said no more.

He stared at me, and I thought my face would catch fire. Not only that, my eyes watered and could barely focus.

"Inoue?" He asked a little scared to see the tremor of my shoulders "Eh? Are you crying?" exclaimed without understanding when I could not help but start sobbing. I just felt the tears running down my cheeks, and my childish crying to be heard throughout the room. He ran to the place where I was sitting and knelt beside me.

"Buu ... I ... I'm sorry ... I'm sorry, a lot Kurosaki-kun." I said drying my tears in shame. I felt his warm hand on my back, comforting me like a little girl.

"It's okay, Inoue." and I saw him smile. But his face ... did bring a memory to my mind. It was the same face with which he said goodbye to Kuchiki-san, a melancholy face, as happy as well as sad.

That was the first time, that I felt that what I did was not the right.

I took out a tissue and he offered to accompany me my home. We walk talking about many things. He said had thought about it a lot, and that knew that I was a very special girl. He never said in words that I liked to him, but said so many good things about me, as I said about him.

"I didn't think you saw me like that." said scratching his head something embarrassed "I think you can see the best in people."

"Don't say that Kurosaki-kun!" I said and he smiled with my reaction, I blushed to the ears, thinking that I should get used to his look. "Y-you are a great person, you are a superhero!"

"Huh? A superhero?" He said, looking skeptical, until we got to my house.

"This ... eh, do you want to come in?" I asked in a shaky and embarrassed tone.

But he, still smiling, shook the head. He hit me gently on the forehead and said.

"You should not let in guys like that to your house Inoue." complained almost in a scolding. For a moment I felt like one of his sisters ... the way he looked at me, the things we talked about, his words always imbued with a deep affection ... "See you tomorrow." He had crouched a little, and had kissed my lips suddenly, erasing everything I had thought. I was left blank and he left as if nothing. I could not appreciate his reaction or anything, for the quick withdrawal. My legs failed, and I collapsed in the entrance of my apartment, not daring to touch my lips and erase their warm trace.

That night I could not sleep, because of the butterflies that fluttered under my navel, while remembered every event that afternoon.

This is how they began, my true golden days. My dream had begun, and although there was still something there, making weight in my heart, I did my best to ignore it.

He sent me a text, and we met in the middle of his house and mine, on my way to the institute the next day. When I saw his face when we met, it seemed that he had thought much more things, and doubts had arisen, deep circles under the eyes gave him a double tired face. During that week, he did not seem sure about anything that concerned us. However, since was Ichigo-kun, he did everything was supposed to do anyway, no matter what he really felt or thought.

So he kissed me again as a greeting and goodbye every day, we took each other's hands the third day, and we even had dates after school, to have an ice cream, or to play games. We had fun like two great friends, but every once in awhile, I would lean on him, or he would hug me awkwardly. Sometimes he taked my hair between the fingers, and say they were pretty. He protected me when we went on the street and let me enter the places in first, always gentlemanly. He had even scared a couple of guys who had messed with me. Saying he was annoyed by the idiots who harassed women.

The day the others at the school asked me if there was anything between us, I knew it was my fault. I had done an obento to Ichigo-kun and even he had turned green when tried it, has thanked me and accepted it.

Tatsuki-chan knew everything since I had confessed to Ichigo-kun, she had been sincerely happy, and had said that we were both important people in her life, that she expected us to be very happy but if Ichigo-kun hurt me, she would castrate it ... whatever that was.

So she kept silent, or growled if someone thought that some attitude of Ichigo-kun or mine was strange or too close.

But that day Keigo-kun pointed to the obento, then to Ichigo-kun and when he was going to point to me, Ichigo-kun hit him by throwing to the ground.

"Do not even think about pointing to her." Ichigo-kun groaned with my obento still in his hand, and looking at a sore Keigo-kun on the floor. "I should not even tell you, because it does not concern you at all, but just to stop bothering us ... Inoue is my girlfriend."

I was as surprised as everyone else on the roof that day having lunch. Tatsuki-chan was the only one who did not say anything, and in fact she looked with acceptance at the fact that Ichigo-kun had stamped poor Keigo-kun on the floor.

However, neither Chad-kun nor Ishida-kun seemed happy, and they looked at me in a surprised way.

"It's ... is that true, Inoue-san?" Ishida-kun asked with the glasses sliding down the partition of his nose. I nodded ashamed, with the heavy attention of everyone on me.

Ishida-kun without saying more, took his lunch and headed for the exit.

"Eh? Ishida-kun!" I screamed without understanding why was leaving.

"I remembered that I have things to do." He said and left.

I looked at Ichigo-kun to understand something, but he did not look Ishida-kun left, his eyes were down and did not seem happy at all.

Keigo-kun got up and touched where Ichigo-kun had hit him.

"I can't believe you take away Inoue-san from us." He complained even while rubbing himself. "After Kuchiki-san is gone ..."

And then it happened. Ichigo-kun opened his eyes a lot and we all saw it coming, he was furious.

"You want to close your fucking mouth for once!" he shouted, furiously pushing my obento out of himself and rising to his feet. "I've lost my appetite! I'll go talk to Ishida." He growled and stood toward the exit.

The silence fell on everyone after that. My stomach tightened so much that I could not pass a mouthful. No one understood that overreaction of Ichigo-kun, but those of us who knew him as shinigami knew why.

Then Keigo-kun apologized many times to everyone, I still do not know how many times he apologized to me and he wishes me the best with Ichigo-kun.

I didn't go after Ichigo-kun. But when returned, he had a broken lip and a black eye. They had fight with Ishida-kun. I did not understand why, and it bothered me a lot, but he still pissed off, snarled at me saying:

"You don't understand anything."

And that day, we did not go home together.

The day our friends found out, it was our first fight. It was the day I went blank, with his words embedded in my skin, without even being able to cry.

He apologized the next day, but never detracted from the meaning of his words, nor did he hint that he wished to end with me. After that, everything went on smoothly.

Everyone got used to us being a couple, and even nobody gave importance when he began to tell me just Orihime and I Ichigo-kun to him. Ishida-kun eventually also came back to be in our group, but he hardly crossed words with Ichigo-kun.

The Kurosaki family welcomed me with the love and energy that characterized them, but their father at some point of that dinner, took it aside to Ichigo-kun and asked him if was sure of what he was doing. Ichigo-kun was deeply annoyed and did not answer, avoiding my gaze when noticed that I had heard everything

For my part I was deeply happy. That he held my hands, his warm breath on my neck, the smell of his hair, or his voice, made my heart jump, and wish that the rainy days would never come back.

But in real they had never left.

I loved Ichigo-kun deeply, but I felt the same distance as always. I knew him so well that knew perfectly well that had not made the sun shine completely once for him.

And the first time I thought that clearly, the tears came spontaneously from my eyes. I dried them quickly, preventing them from falling on the face of my dear Ichigo-kun while he slept on my legs, and pressed my hands over my mouth preventing any sound that would wake him up.

He did not see me cry that time, or any other. Sometimes without reason and for the most insignificant things, my eyes betrayed me and I began to cry without having the slightest control of it.

Sometimes I thought about many things, like the real reasons why Ichigo-kun had decided to accept my feelings. I was sure he like me deeply, but no more or less than his best friends or his family, but did he love me? Sometimes I thought he did, and sometimes I was sure not. Sometimes when we talked about the future, his face was always emptied of emotions, and his words was very flat. He did not expect anything from what was coming.

One day, almost a year since we started, he went for me, to my work in the bakery. I was excited for a good working day telling him that I would start a great bakery one day where the employees could eat what they wanted and at great prices. When I had asked him what would do in his future, he replied with indifference that would see what would study or what would work on.

I kept silent, disappointed, and with all the previous emotion deflated around me.

"If we continue like this, the logical thing would be to get married." he commented carelessly suddenly.

"Get married?" I asked, almost feeling the steam coming out of my ears. He had nodded without paying any attention to my embarrassed and sometimes exaggerated reactions. "Are you sure?"

He had only come up and dropped his shoulders, and had returned the gaze to the front, without speaking again.

I looked at him feeling that in my chest, heavier than ever. Then I looked at the sky, it began to cloud.

"Why don't you look at the sky never, Ichigo-kun?"

He left his thoughts, frowned a lot and looked at me without understanding my question or my tone.

"What are you talking about, Orihime?"

I stopped, the hair covered my eyes, and I didn't want to look at him anyway.

"Sky." I said "You always avoid looking at the sky"

He looked at me a second, without saying anything.

"I don't know what you're talking about, had not noticed." He responded and started walking. As we were holding hands, I had to resume my steps too.

"Nor never ..."

"Eh?" said turning to look at me, since I was one step further back.

"You never talk to me about Kuchiki-san." I said and looked up to see how his eyes widened. Since that lunch in which Keigo-kun had made him angry, it was implied that the Kuchiki-san theme totally decomposed Ichigo-kun, and none of us mentioned her again. "Why?"

He returned the gaze to the front without stopping.

"Tsk. What does Rukia have to do with all this?"

"Are not you worried about her, Ichigo-kun?" I said ignoring his words. "Don't you want to see her? Are you not sad?" I said trying to keep my voice steady, and at the same time following his quick step.

"What if it's like that?" he muttered without turning around. "Does matters?

"It matters!" I said beginning to cry at the exact moment it started to rain too. He did not hear my cry, between the strong rain and the thunder. He did not stop either, but hurried the step even more, while we began to get wet. "If you would share that with me ..."

"It would not change anything!" He interrupted me annoyed. "Damn, stupid rain-"

I kept crying while we ran in the rain. Then he stopped suddenly.

I stopped by his side, almost falling for the abrupt stop. I had heavy hair soaked by rain, like my clothes. I looked at him, looking up through the thick drops, and saw how he looked towards the front with a face that I had not seen him until almost two years ago.

The heart jumped in my chest and I looked forward too.

In the rain, there was a small figure as wet as us, who was looking at a cell phone in her hand, which she covered with the other so that it would not get wet.

"Kuchi-"

"Rukia." Ichigo-kun interrupted me, without realizing it. He kept looking straight ahead, unable to believe what his eyes were seeing. Then turned around to see me surprised and exclaimed. "Can you see her? Is she there, right?!" He had let go of my hand and was holding my arms tightly, almost hurting me. His eyes were so excited, they left me speechless, while the orange hair fall to the shape of his head.

I barely nodded in my stupor, when we both heard a scream that was lost under the incessant noise of the rain. When we both looked forward, Kuchiki-san had already seen us and was running in our direction.

Ichigo-kun released me straightening up, and I'm sure that just because his emotions were too confused, he stayed where was, and did not go out to meet her.

The figure of Kuchiki-san was getting closer and closer. She was still as small and thin as ever. Was as drenched as we were, and her black hair fell damp down the cheeks of pale color, similar to marble.

She was as beautiful as I remembered her. Maybe even more.

She seemed as excited as Ichigo-kun and her white-toothed smile stood out in the gray of the rain. She did not wear her Shinigami clothes, but did wear a pretty dress that looked like of spring, instead of the time we were. Clearly she was in a gigai, that explained to us the fact that Ichigo-kun could see her.

"Inoue." she said once in front of us, in her elegant voice. She touched me with long, thin fingers on one arm and smiled sweetly.

"Kuchiki-san." exclame, sincerely happy to see her. I had heavy eyelashes from the water, and I tried to dry my face of traces of rain and tears, knowing that it was a total disaster. Ichigo-kun beside me, was still speechless and surprised.

Kuchiki-san turned to him. I did not dare to look at them.

"Ichigo." I heard that she said "Huh? Why that idiot face?" and that puzzled me so much that I could not help looking at him too.

"What? Who are you saying idiot, damnit?" answered and on his face ... it was as if life were returning. In the middle of that storm, under the rain, the sun shone again, and I could see it with my own eyes. "This is my face after you disappeared for two years!"

"Eh? So long?" answered Kuchiki-san sincerely surprised, she put a hand to chin. "I'm sorry, the time is different in the Soul Society, and I had no mission here."

"Sure, and if we don't find you now, you would not even have visited me!"

"Eh?" she said pissed off. "Of course I was going to visit you later, but I'm on an important mission here in Karakura!" she picked up the cell phone, and almost hit Ichigo-kun's eyes with it. "After I finished it, and if time allowed I would go visit you all." concluded very sure of herself.

"If time allowed you?" he replied skeptically.

I watched them discuss, and I felt totally out of place. What was I doing there? Kuchiki-san had unwittingly brought us back to Ichigo-kun, the real one. These two ghost years, these two years in pause had suddenly disappeared before her presence.

The three of us ran to a bus stop to take shelter from the rain. Kuchiki-san was in the lead, Ichigo-kun was following her and I was after them.

Ichigo-kun offered his jacket to Kuchiki-san, scolding her for not knowing what kind of weather there was in Karakura before appearing. But she refused, and blamed Urahara-san for not providing her gigai with appropriate clothing.

"Uh, by the way Urahara gave me the good news." Kuchiki-san said suddenly looking at us both. "Congratulations." said smiling.

"Eh?" Ichigo-kun said without understanding, but I understood it immediately.

"I mean, I congratulate you, because the only one who came out winning is you, damn moron." she said putting a hand on his shoulder, before Ichigo-kun even understood more than the insult added ."You should make Inoue happy, Ichigo."

He stayed in one piece and didn't know what to answer. But she did not give him the opportunity either and turned around to look at me.

"I can no longer watch his stupidities." she smiled at me with a thumb to the sky. "Take care of him for me, Inoue."

I didn't say anything, but it was not necessary either, her cell phone started ringing. She opened it quickly and checked it before our eyes.

"Your mission?" Ichigo-kun asked.

"No, a hollow, but I'll have to take care of him anyway." said, closing the cell phone. She smiled sadly at us, towards Ichigo-kun especially, but then she looked forward and added:

"It stopped raining."

And she stretched out a hand to the front, which got wet with a couple of last drops of rain. I looked at Ichigo-kun, and I could see the same surprise that was in me at the last words that Kuchiki-san had said.

'It stopped raining. But it will do again, as soon as you leave.'

Without thinking, I snatched the phone from Kuchiki-san, who looked at me surprised.

"Orihime?" Ichigo-kun asked without understanding either, while I checked the Hollow's last warning.

"I'll take care of him." I said with a sure tone.

"What? Are you kidding? Ichigo says something to her." Kuchiki-san replied worriedly.

"No, I'm sure, it's near Ishida-kun's house, he's probably on way there." I said, returned the cell phone to Kuchiki-san and nodded again.

Kuchiki-san was not at all convinced, but Ichigo-kun took a step toward me.

"When you have spoken with Kuchiki-san, I will wait for what you have to say to me, Ichigo-kun." I told him. I did not want to add more, because knew he would understand me. He nodded, and didn't say anything.

Then I turned to see Kuchiki-san, hugging her tightly.

"Inoue."

"It was good to see you, Kuchiki-san, thanks again." I whispered in her ear, and ran away before started crying again.

I did not turn around to see them, nor did I stop at any time on the road. Look at the sky, and I worry about the fact that it seems that at any moment it will start to rain again.

End POV Inoue Orihime

"Inoue!" the shinigami shouted watching the girl running away, then turned to the orange hair. "Are you really going to let her go alone?"

"Of course." He responded by looking at the figure of his girlfriend disappearing into the distance. "I trust her and her power, is not it a disgrace to show concern for the comrades in the battle?"

The little brunette then remembered Renji's words when they made the promise to return alive in Las Noches. She nodded with a small smile.

"Anyway, it's not like I could do much." added, and Rukia looked at him sadly.

"You don't need to look at me like that." Ichigo growled. "I'm fine."

"I do not know what you're talking about." she replied looking forward, although Inoue was no longer visible. The young man sighed and smiled slightly.

"Hey, and how are everyone there?" asked, stuffing his cold hands into the trouser pockets. "What have you done?"

The little brunette did not seem to listen, but the ex-shinigami knew perfectly well that she had heard him, so just kept silent waiting for the answer and looking at her. He felt a strange sensation in the chest. He was so happy to see her, but everything was so unreal. After almost two years, just like that, she had appeared again ... but could not shake the feeling that it would end long before he wanted to.

"Ru-"

"They're all fine, and I ... I've continued with my shinigami labors." responded at last. Her eyebrows were contracted and made a sad diagonal outward.

There was a new silence in which Rukia's face and her aura of absence, tortured Ichigo a little more, and the sense of momentariness. He supposed that was the way life was, and that was death, too.

"Rukia." said then. "Were you really going to see us if time allowed you?"

The brunette without looking away, shook her head.

"No. It was a lie."

"Eh? Why?" Asked he surprised, she remained still and did not look at him. "Rukia!"

"It was a mistake to use this gigai." whispered and rested one of her hands on the chest, over her heart, squeezing her clothes. "But I believed that my spiritual energy would attract what I am pursuing and I would quickly finish this mission." she smiled with some pity. "I don't know how you do it, but you always find me."

She raised his big violet eyes, and could see again that sad face in Ichigo.

"Rukia."

"I'm sorry, I promise you I will not do this you again." she said and went out of the bus stop, to the surprise of the orange-haired one.

"Hey, Rukia, what are you talking about?" he exclaimed, chasing her but did she not stop the escape. "Rukia!" He shouted annoyed and grabbed her arm when reached her, the little woman cut off the contact immediately.

"Don't touch me." she said, and to Ichigo's mind came the exact memory of the time she saved him, when she is gone with Byakuya and Renji of own free will. It was the same hurt look, the same broken and shattered voice.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo said annoyed beginning to despair.

"I can see it in your eyes, Ichigo." she mumbled with glazed eyes. As her shoulders had begun to shake hugged herself. "But this is the life you should have lived if I had never come to this city, you will not recover your powers, never."

"What? What with that?" he shouted annoyed.

"You have the silly illusion that if you can see me, you will be a shinigami. Idiot, it's not like that!" her eyes shone, was about to cry, Ichigo held her by the arms. "Let me go!"

"No, I will not." he said seriously as never before. Rukia was surprised and tried to get away from the grip, but he did not give up. Ichigo then slipped one of his hands into her back, and grabbed the wet cloth tightly between the fingers. He pushed her to him, until Rukia's forehead hit his chest.

"What are you doing, idiot?!" the shinigami yelled embarrassed, and made strength with her hands, but the orange haired one finally hugged her. When doing this, by surprise she stopped struggling. He rested the nose on Rukia's shoulder "...Ichigo?"

"You have no idea, how I had wanted to do this." murmured in her ear. "So long ago ..."

"Wh-what the hell are you saying?" Stup- "

"You're the stupid one!" Ichigo grumbled, interrupting, straightened and separated a little looking at her. "Don't you understand anything? What does it have to do that I has lost my powers, with you Rukia? What does it have to do with not having seen you in two full years, huh? Tell me!"

"Everything, idiot!" said Rukia exploding and cutting off the contact at last with her own hands. "As long as you see my face you will think of a past that will not come back, Ichigo!"

He shook the head, and tried to catch her again, but she took a step away.

"No, stop it." said the brunette with a serious and firm voice. "You also know it Ichigo, just look at the life you've started to lead, how happy you are, it's the correct course of your lif-"

"No, it's not like that!" shouted clenching his fists so hard on the sides of the body, that he thought would break them. "I thought it was the right thing to do, but it's all wrong!"

His voice sounded loudly in the empty street. His throat burned and the chest pain began to increase, more intense than those two full years, more intense than every June 17. He had grabbed the clothes that covered his chest with one hand, and had the eyes closed, while breathed between gasps.

"Inoue is waiting for you, Ichigo." Rukia said and as soon as finished, the first drops fell.

The young man heard Rukia's voice and opened his eyes without being able to believe what was happening.

"No! No! No!" he shouted, approaching and taking her again, as it began to rain. "I don't care about my powers! You must listen to me!"

The brunette allowed him to grip her, maintaining a serious expression, absent and distant, while her face was wet from the rain. She had made a resolution and Ichigo knew it.

"Listen to me!" he shouted, trying to make her react. "I like her, but you-"

"Don't."

"Rukia!" Ichigo shouted beginning in despair, the rain was drowning him.

"It's time to wake up, come back to reality."

"No!"

"Be happy Ichigo."

"No! Shut up! Don't protect me again! Don't decide for yourself!" and he could not be as strong as the little shinigami. Tears ran along with the rain from his face contracted with pain. He bent forward and captured her in a tight hug as began to sob at the words thought would stop the rain.

The brunette heard the words in her ear surprised, but they did not seem strange to her. She knew Ichigo's feelings as well as her own, and although had never heard them with her ears before, she knew them with the heart. She pressed the fingers into Ichigo's jacket, which had not accepted before, and thanks the rain that covered her crying.

"Please ... come back with Inoue, Ichigo." she pleaded with a thread of voice, fearing that if remained trapped in that embrace, she could never leave.

Rukia always believed that the most painful hug and farewell would suffer in her existence would be the death of Kaien-dono in her arms.

She was wrong.

Inoue returned to her home soaked from head to toe. Ishida had eliminated the hollow long before she appeared in the place, so had no choice but to return to her apartment.

In the silence of the place, she had prepared a tea that could not be drink, while heard how it was raining outside.

She changed the clothes and sat on the bed, in the darkness of the room. She was not even able to look at her brother's portrait, or talk to him.

Absently took a towel and began to dry her hair. The rain became increasingly intense.

At one point she stood up and walked slowly to his window, when reached it dropped the wet towel at her feet.

Looked through the glass and felt that she was soaking without even being outside.

Ichigo was, alone, under his window, getting wet in the rain, without looking up and who knows how long ago.

"Ichigo-kun." she whispered, resting a hand on the glass, almost feeling his pain. Then her knees trembled, and fell with them to the ground, as began to cry again.

The rain will never stop again.