Hi! This is my first story... if I do something stupid, I'm sorry. If I miss something that I'm supposed to put up here, just tell me and I'll fix it...

This is rated T for language... the first few Chapters may seem like Renji x Rukia, but the main pairing is Ichigo x Rukia

~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach...~

I hope you enjoy! ^^

Chapter 1

I was dizzy. Karakura High's schoolyard spun before my eyes, and my friends looked down on me worriedly.

"Rukia?" Orihime's brows were furrowed as she hovered over me. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…" I lied, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Something was off, I knew that much. But what? And why was I feeling so nauseous?

Tatsuki grinned. "Stubborn as always. If you don't feel well, go to the nurse."

"I'm fine. Don't worry." I assured, but another sharp pain shot though my skull, and I gasped.

"Sure." Tatsuki snorted. "That's why you're staggering like a drunk. And you're pale."

"I'm always pale."

"Ruki-chan? You ought to go to the nurse." Orihime told me, her blue eyes anxious. "You don't look very well."

The bell signaled and I only made it to my next class by sheer force of will and stubborn idiocy. When I collapsed into my chair I rubbed my temples, trying to ignore the insignificant noisy chatter around me.

"You okay, Rukia-chan?" Said Renji, my annoying redheaded friend, and slipped into the chair next to me. "You don't look okay."

"You're like the third person to tell me that in the past two minutes." I mumbled, resting my forehead against my desk.

Renji chuckled. "Then maybe it's true, midget."

"What did you just call me?" My head snapped up, eyes in a death glare.

"…I guess you can't be that bad if you could look at anyone like that." He shivered.

I snorted and returned to lodging my head between my arms.

By the end of the period, I started to feel a little better. I was still nauseous, but at least my head didn't feel like it was about to split open anymore.

Usually I'm never sick. When I was younger I never had so much as a fever, not even the chicken pox. That, of course, changed when I turned sixteen. I think that was because around that time I started seeing things. Things being spirits of the dead. I've never actually like the term "ghosts," and I guess now I know why.

Ghosts are believed to appear in shadows, to be able to go though objects and make noises that scare little children, and mostly appear at night. That only "gifted individuals" can see them, and even then they only see glimpses out of the corner of their eye, or a reflection.

What they're seeing is actually just the memories of spirits who've already passed on; generally the ones that are too painful to take with them to wherever it is they go.

Actual spirits, (the ones I know of, anyway,) wander the world until they can "pass on." To do that they need to do whatever it takes to finally get peace, like realize that they're really dead or say goodbye to family… that sort of thing. Where they go after that is beyond me. I've never really been religious, so the whole "Heaven or Hell" concept doesn't mean much to me.

As for the "gifted" part, that's merely a matter of opinion. To one person an amazing ability, to the other a pain-in-the-ass that completely ruined their life and their sixteenth birthday.

"Rukia!" Tatsuki called, waving a hand in front of my eyes. "You're spacing here! Did you switch minds with Orihime-chan or something?"

"Sorry." I grimaced. "What'd I miss?"

We were all outside in the schoolyard, by our favorite tree.

"Well, miss space-case, Renji here was just professing his love for you…" Tatsuki began, casually.

"Was not!" Renji yelled, his face roughly turning the same shade of scarlet as his hair. "Don't listen to her, Rukia!"

I just laughed. "It's ok, Renji, I love you too."

He knew I was teasing, but he still looked away and mumbled something under his breath, blushing

"Aww! How cute. Renji's embarrassed!" Orihime squealed.

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Tatsuki countered. "You're a freakin' radish! Look at yourself!"

I snickered. "I always thought he was more of a pineapple."

"Shut it, shorty." Renji growled.

"So now he's a fruit and a vegetable?" Tatsuki asked, looking thoughtful.

"Like a tomato!" Orihime chirped.

"Technically, a tomato's just a fruit." I said.

"Are you implying something?" demanded Renji.

"Why would I be implying something? Are you implying that I'm implying something?" I met his eyes, completely mocking.

"You said I was a fruit!"

I shrugged. "You said it, not me."

Renji groaned. "Just go back to being sick."

"That's mean, Renji." Orihime said. "Besides, you're the one who's sick."

Renji stared at her, clueless. "What?"

"Lovesick!" chimed Orihime and Tatsuki, giggling.

"I am not!"

"Okay, enough. Leave him alone." I said. "You're not helping my migraine."

"Fine…" Tatsuki sighed. "But it's just so fun to tease him!"

"Are you going to come to the beach with us after school today?" Orihime asked, unpacking her lunch.

I looked down at the combination honey bread, peanut butter, olives, blueberry yogurt, salami, and various types of food that did not in any way belong anywhere near eachother. My stomach churned, reminding me that I'd been nauseous.

"Uh… I don't know, Hime-chan." I said, fighting back the urge to flee to the nearest bush and puke. "Can't you wait until tomorrow? Wouldn't it be better to go on then?"

"The beach is always crowded on a Friday." Tatsuki reminded me. "If we go today, we'll probably get a parking spot, unlike the last time we went."

"Who's coming?"

"Me, Orihime, Chizuru, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, and a few others. I'm sure Renji will come if you are." Tatsuki grinned when Renji flipped her off. "So, please?"

"I don't have a swimsuit…" I said weakly, trying to find another excuse not to go.

"You can borrow one of my old ones." Tatsuki offered, like she knew what I was thinking. "And if you have to puke in the car, we'll bring extra towels."

"If she's gonna puke in the car, I'm not sitting by her." Renji announced. "Just making it clear."

"Yes you will." Orihime said knowingly. "You always do."

"So, are you coming?"

"…yeah." It was no use. They'd get me to come one way or the other, and I'd prefer the way that's less painful, thank you very much.

"It's going to rain…" I said, thinking aloud. I had no idea how I knew that, but I did.

The sun blazed sarcastically in the cloudless sky, just flaunting the proof that I had to be wrong.

"…stop mocking me." I muttered, turning a page of my paperback book. It was worn, with the pages dog-eared and slightly bent; a sign that it was well loved.

The sun glowed vainly when Renji sat next to me.

"Why are you talking to yourself?" he asked, clearly doubting my mental health. "And there is no way it's going to rain. It is ninety four degrees out here, and there aren't any clouds."

I glared at him. "Your point?"

Yeah. I was just saying the same thing to myself, but when someone else tells me I'm going insane…

He shrugged. "Whatever."

"Rukia-chan!" Orihime called from the water. "You should come in the water. It's great!"

I smiled. "No thanks, I'm fine out here!"

Renji eyed the water hopefully, and then turned to look at me. To the water, back to me. Water, me, water…

"Just go already." I sighed, exasperated. "If you're going to have that look on your face, go. You don't have to sit here if you don't want to, Renji."

He grinned. "Thanks Rukia!" He ruffled my dark hair and sprung toward the water, splashing Keigo and Mizuiro.

"Dork." I ran my fingers through my hair, but it still managed to remain in my eyes.

Tatsuki plopped down on my towel, replacing where Renji'd just been. "You look like you're having fun." She commented.

"Beaches aren't really my thing. I'd rather just sit here and read… which I haven't been able to do, what with all of this noise."

Tatsuki made a face. "Nerd!" she accused. "You should take whatever's been shoved up your ass out and have some fun for once. Do you even know what fun is?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "Do you even know what one-piece swimsuits are? This thing makes me uncomfortable."

"Don't be so self-conscious. You're cute and you know it. Plus it shows that you do have boobs."

I went pink. "What do you mean by that?"

She laughed. "It's just that the clothing you tend to wear makes you look flat, that's all. But" Tatsuki stopped me before I could voice that I was offended. "You know how much Orihime wished she could do that, hide behind jackets. Jackets only make hers look bigger."

I glared at her. "So you've just called me a nerd," I counted on my fingers. "Self-conscious, have no fashion, and insulted my boobs."

"How did I insult your boobs? It was a compliment. I just said that it showed that you have boobs-"

"New subject." I demanded. "Preferably one that doesn't involve boobs."

Renji's head popped out of the water. "Did you just say something about boobs?"

I groaned. "We weren't talking about boobs."

"Yes you were. I heard you!"

"You couldn't have heard us. You were underwater! There's no way- you know what? Just shut up. We weren't talking, aren't talking, and will not be talking about boobs."

Renji returned to swimming, grumbling. Tatsuki chortled. "Not your favorite subject, eh?"

I ignored her and returned to my copy of Romeo and Juliet.

I'd just reached the part where Romeo was climbing the balcony when the clouds started rolling in.

"Whoa!" Keigo said, pointing toward the sky. "Guys, look!"

The sky, which had been a clear, stunning light blue, had turned a dull gray. Thunder rumbled near by, and enormous storm cloud was steadily approaching.

"Quick! Let's get out of here." Renji said, leading the others out of the water.

We grabbed our stuff and started toward the car. The few families that decided to come to the beach were doing the same. A father was soothing his little daughter, telling her that everything was ok and there was nothing to be afraid of. I felt a small pang of envy. She was so lucky, to have someone to wipe away her tears…

"C'mon Rukia. We need to get to the car…" Renji took my hand and pulled me along. I kept looking back at the sky over my shoulder. Something didn't feel right…

Keigo's van was just in sight when it started to drizzle. Chizuru and Michiru, a brunette that I don't know very well, squealed and shrieked at Keigo, telling him to unlock the doors.

"It's raining! Hurry up!" Chizuru said, trying to pry the door open. I didn't get what the big deal was. They were just swimming, why did it matter if they were getting wet?

Pretty soon we were all shivering and scrunched together, getting Keigo's seats wet.

"Damn that's cold." Mizuiro said, shaking out his hair like a dog. Keigo cranked the knob and heat started blowing. I pulled a t-shirt over my head, and then froze when I realized something.

I stood and cursed. "My necklace! That's what it is!"

Renji looked up sharply. "You forgot it?"

"Yes…"

"I'll go with you." Renji said. "You guys go ahead. We'll be fine." He slammed the door shut before they could protest.

"Thanks, Renji…"

"No problem." Instantly we were drenched. The rain had gone from a light drizzle to absolutely pouring. It felt like thousands of little needles were stinging my skin.

I know what you're thinking. We've just abandoned our only ride home to go search for a piece of jewelry in this weather. We must be crazy. Or at least suicidal, right?

That necklace was given to me as a gift when I was young. It's the only thing I have that belonged to my family. I never once thought that they'd abandoned me. Even as I grew up in the streets, I never resented them. I couldn't.

It was in those streets that I met Renji… but that's a story for a later time.

"There it is!" Renji pointed over to the small cliff they'd been using earlier to jump into the water. The silver chain of my necklace glinted near the edge.

Lightning flashed overhead. Looking closely, it almost looked orange…

"I've got it!" I yelled over the wind. "Renji! Renji?"

But Renji was gone. I squinted through the rain, searching for his spiky red ponytail, and found nothing.

Turning towards the storm cloud oversea, my heart froze into an ice cube in my chest. That wasn't the wind.

It was howling. A horrible, bone-chilling, evil cry.

Two large, clawed hands tore itself from the storm cloud, ripping it in two. I was paralyzed, unable to comprehend what I was seeing. It emerged from the remains of the cloud.

The body was ugly; a dark, morphed thing that was hunched over, but still stood well over twelve feet tall easily. There was a hole through its body, right where its heart should have been. Its face was pale white with red markings. Wait… it wasn't a face. It was wearing a mask.

What was the most unnerving were the eyes. They were a sinister gold, with narrow slits for pupils and gleaming with open malice… and fixed directly on me.

The air around me suddenly seemed bitter and metallic, and hard to take in. I've never felt this way before. So helpless… Like a rabbit being hunted by a fox…

So this is true fear. I found myself thinking. Is this where I die?

The creature's mouth twisted into a sneer.

"This is it? You're too weak. Too human…" it spat, sounding just as it looked. "You can't possibly be the Kuchiki."

It reached out its massive hand, and I found myself screaming.

"Hey, ugly."

The orange lightning flashed again. A black fluid started leaking from the monster, and I gasped when the arm that had just been reaching for me was sliced cleanly off.

"If you're looking for a fight, you've got one. Just look over here!" There was another flash of light, and the monster screamed. The light had arched and somehow found itself in the center of the creature's forehead.

Nothing happened for a second. Then the monster cried out again, and its mask split in two, and then its head, then its neck… and it seemed to dissolve into ashes.

"So… are you alright?" the angel asked as the rainfall stopped.

He had to be an angel. He couldn't be human. He was too beautiful.

His eyes were a stunning mix of amber or cinnamon, and were watching me with concern. His features were perfect, not too rough but not delicate either. He was dressed oddly though; in a worn outfit of black that looked like something from ancient Japan. In his hand was a large sword with two types of metal; one part silver and the other some shiny dark metal.

His hair was an impossible bright orange that challenged the setting sun, and he managed to pull it off.

He sheathed his sword. "Can you walk?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. The recent events rolled through my head as I processed them.

My legs gave out, and the boy caught me wordlessly. I felt that I was safe in his arms…

Gazing up at him my thoughts went hazy, until finally the void of unconsciousness pulled me under.

At least if I really was crazy, there was an angel watching over me…