Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach :( nor Ichigo or Rukia. I wish I did though
{Rukia's POV}
I lay there, writhing and wincing in pain, trying and unsuccessfully, to get out of its grip, to see the faces of the ones I loved and cared about, especially HIM, I thought. Ichigo was idiotic at times, I admit, but at the same time he was strong, protective, and particularly caring. I chuckled, which turned out to be a bad idea as all that I coughed up was blood. I thought, I so didn't deserve Ichigo in the first place. I didn't even deserve to know him and all that I've done to him after we've met is to bring him trouble and change his normal life forever. I couldn't help but feel guilty. At first, when I transferred my Shinigami powers to Ichigo, I thought of him as this idiot who I would leave as soon as my work was finished. But after defeating more hollows with him, I have come to the realisation that I actually cared if he lived or not, and now… this. Orihime wouldn't ever do this to Ichigo. She was always so consistent to him and the way she looked at him made me feel sad. How can someone feel so strongly over someone else? Even I couldn't, I thought. This was just another reason that I should die now – to finally make way for Orihime to chase after Ichigo. Farewell, my friends, I thought, I will not be bothering you again. The pain washed over me again. The fight isn't over yet, I realised, but I just couldn't help but think about the ones that I bonded with. Ichigo, Renji, Orihime, Byakuya nii-sama, Captain Ukitake… even Kaien-dono.
Finally, I had the sudden strength to stand up again. For the ones who I loved, I thought again, I will defeat my enemy.
{Ichigo's POV}
Hang in there Rukia, I thought; I'm coming for you. A million thoughts raced through my mind, what if I don't get there in time? I closed my eyes, that won't happen, I tried to tell myself but that nagging feeling kept coming up. Well, I thought, then I would have to avenge her, and… you shook it off. It won't happen, I finally decided. I prayed over and over again for Rukia to be okay and sped up. I glanced on the left side of me. Renji was there, looking forward with eyes full of determination. I sighed, Renji certainly cared a lot about Rukia. They were childhood friends after all, weren't they? But secretly, I envied him. Oh how I wished I knew Rukia for MY whole life! I couldn't even deny this – I always actually LOVED (I blushed then) Rukia, and I realised that after we defeated Orihime's brother.
I put those feelings aside, and went back to concentrating to rescue Rukia once and for all this time.
{Rukia's POV}
"It's not over yet!" I glared at my enemy with new sparks of determination in my eyes. "This time I will not be saved, but will save the others!"
"Hn. Trying to play hero eh? Well, well, I guess I will have to kill you now. Before I was thinking of torturing you and leaving you to die slowly. But since you broke free, I will have to kill you some other way!"
"Nonsense! Some no mai, tsukishiro!" The opponent was shocked at first, but then sniggered, "I see. You still have a bit of reiatsu left eh?"
But then, a circle of ice surrounded him and closed in on him. Then, the enemy that stood in front of me was now ice.
I panted, my reiatsu is fading, I thought, if he's still alive then I might not have a chance. I was just about to turn around when I heard the ice shatter behind me. My eyes widened.
{Renji's POV}
Crap, I thought, my leg is killing me. It's not my fault that straight after battling my enemy and barely killing him that I have to go chase Rukia now. I looked beside me, Ichigo seemed very deep in thought. He's just worrying about Rukia, I tried to tell myself but I knew that Ichigo always had a crush on Rukia. As for me, I thought of her as just a very, very good friend. I turned to face forwards again and kept going.
{Ichigo's POV}
My strength is fading, I could feel it. But I just have to rescue Rukia first before worrying about myself. I still kept praying that Rukia would be alive once we reached her…and we were getting closer and closer…
{Rukia's POV}
The ice shattered. "Impossible!" I thought out loud.
"Who said?" The enemy smirked, "I suppose you forgot the fact that my Zanpakuto is fire type and the special ability of it is that it breaks through anything that holds me in a fixed position, and since your ice was holding me down, I simply have to activate the special ability of my sword."
I simply just stared at him, with horror in my eyes.
"Now DIE!" he rushed towards me at incredible speed.
I barely dodged but he pivoted on his spot and slashed me on the back. "Aargh!" I fell to my knees. He was running towards me, about to slash my head off when I used my Zanpakuto to block myself in time. However, he struck too hard, and broke through my Zanpakuto and stabbed me right through my chest. However, it wasn't as hard as it was supposed to be as I used my Zanpakuto to block myself.
"Gah…" I coughed out more blood.
He smiled, "No more strength left now eh?"
I tried to smirk but there was now so much pain it was unbearable. "I have… one… one m…more tech…technique."
"What?!" My enemy was clearly shocked by this.
"San no mai, Shirafune!"
{Ichigo's POV}
Oh shit, I thought. I can feel more Hollow reiatsu now. It seemed that the others also noticed. Then suddenly, a Hollow pounced upon Chad. He managed to push it off with ease but more came.
"ICHIGO! GO TO RUKIA NOW! WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM!" Renji shouted as he barely fended himself with the swarm of Hollows.
I nodded and rushed off.
{Rukia's POV}
"San no mai, Shirafune!" My voice was loud and clear as I commanded my Zanpakuto. Immediately, my sword began reforging itself and causing it to go straight through my enemy's chest.
"I…Impossible!" He said, stunned. And with that, he talked no more.
{Ichigo's POV}
Almost there, I thought. I was panting by now but if I slowed down, Rukia might be dead by now. Using the last ounce of my strength, I moved at full speed…
{Rukia's POV}
I smiled to myself, my enemy was finally defeated. But I knew that I couldn't go on much longer either. Then memories came flooding back to me. The only other time I used this technique against an opponent was against Aaroniero Arruruerie. I almost died then as well if it weren't the backups. But this time, all the backups were still battling their own enemies. Suddenly, the world seemed blurry to me and I fell unconscious.
{Ichigo's POV}
Finally here. I turned around to see Rukia's blade pierced through her enemy's chest and her herself lying beside, unconscious, dead perhaps. I forced myself not to think that, but looking at the amount of blood that was on her, she might be on the edge of death. I rushed over…
{Rukia's POV}
I woke up to see a world that I haven't seen before. It was very bright, white seemed to cover the majority of it, with a patch of black next to me. I was looking everywhere, confused. Didn't my enemy kill me just then? Perhaps this was the death you had to live after dying when you're a soul. But then, someone walked towards me. Someone that I couldn't seem to make out, but she looked a lot like myself. Suddenly, it dawned to me.
"Nee-san?"
She just simply nodded. And smiled.
I had a million questions to ask but the first one that came to my lips was, "Am I dead?"
This time she shook her head. I was beginning to get irritated by her not answering with words when she spoke, "You still have something to do before you can finally rest in piece. But after that event happens, you will be able to come back."
"What is it?" I asked.
But she simply nodded and disappeared, as the world began to disappear with her.
This time, I woke up for real. I saw Ichigo, looking at me as well. I tried to smile but everywhere in my body felt numb.
"Rukia! Are you alright?"
I nodded my head with effort and looked up to see Ichigo with his eyes filled with tears.
"You're not. Look at you, you look almost dead. And your reiatsu has practically all faded now."
"I…Ichigo…"
He looked me directly in the eyes, his eyes still filled with tears.
"G…Goodbye I…Ichigo…" I pushed myself to say, "I…I love…y…you."
He wiped the tears out of his eyes, "Don't be silly. You'll be saved soon…"
{Ichigo's POV}
I wiped the tears out of my eyes, "Don't be silly. You'll be saved soon…"
But when I looked at her again, the light out of her eyes has gone. "Rukia? RUKIA?! ANSWER ME!"
But, even as much as I wanting her to be alive, I knew it wasn't possible.
"NOOOOO!!"
~1 year later~
{still in Ichigo's POV}
I woke up, suddenly. Without any reason. And it was 4 o clock in the morning. "Sheesh…" I muttered under my breath.
It was still kinda dark but the sun should be rising soon. So, I scribbled a note and put it on the kitchen table. Even Dad shouldn't be up now.
I left the house to take a walk in the park quite close. This place brought memories, memories that left me hurt forever. This was the park where Rukia used to make me kill Hollows when excused from class. Holding back tears, I kept walking. Fresh dew was on the grass and it was getting warmer now. Sunrise.
And then, I saw someone walking towards me. Someone walking towards me from the direction where the sun was rising. Someone who I once cared about. Someone who I loved for my whole life. It was… Rukia.
I was so lost for words that all I did was run towards the light, Rukia. She started running too until we met…
{Orihime's POV}
Where was Kurosaki-kun? I thought. He should be here, unless he's fighting Hollows again. But I can't sense any Hollow presence right now? Where was he?
{um… no one's POV?}
Ichigo was eventually found dead, lying on the ground of a park. No one could explain how he died, and when he died. The only thing that they found out that he was smiling…