I've always been able to see ghosts.
Kurosaki Ichigo, twenty-seven years old and head surgeon of the Karakura General Hospital, stopped in his tracks as he heard an all-too-familiar commotion coming from the newly arrived ambulance.
"Dr. Kurosaki!"
He heard his name being called and immediately turned to see the paramedics rushing into the hospital, pushing a stretcher and yelling instructions frantically as they went.
"Dr. Kurosaki!" the young brown-haired paramedic wore a distressed expression that was rare on his normally carefree face as he called Ichigo again once he had jogged up to the stretcher.
"What is it Keigo?" Ichigo didn't bother with formalities as he addressed his longtime classmate.
"She suffered from multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen about an hour before we made it to the scene." Keigo began to inform Ichigo as they rushed along the white halls of the hospital. "We suspect her stomach and her lung were punctured; bleeding is profuse."
Ichigo only spared a quick glance at the bleeding patient lying on the stretcher; her face was half covered by an oxygen mask kept in place by one of the paramedics and her eyes were closed, but her chest moved weakly up and down, signaling she was still alive.
"Get her ready for surgery immediately." Ichigo instructed in the confident voice of an experienced doctor. Keigo and the others immediately nodded and Ichigo followed, preparing himself for the procedure.
Maybe it's because I work at a hospital, and I'm around death often.
Ichigo's forehead glistened with sweat and his eyebrows were furrowed in absolute concentration as he worked.
Several doctors stood around the table illuminated by a bright light. They all wore the customary surgical gowns, latex gloves and caps, and masks that only left their eyes visible to each other.
As they worked, the constant beeping of machinery was as much of a reassurance as it was a pressure builder.
"Dr. Kurosaki, her vitals are-"
"I know!" he cut the female doctor's anxious voice off with a shout that came out louder than he'd meant due to frustration.
"We're loosing her," he growled, looking listening to the erratic beeping filling the atmosphere. "I'm going to shock her." he announced.
Whatever it is, for as long as I can remember…
Ichigo removed his surgical mask and looked down with saddened eyes.
The woman -hardly older than a girl, really- looked so young. Her pale face was surrounded by thick dark hair and despite its coldness, he knew it should have been a beautiful face.
The eyes of his colleagues all glanced down pitifully.
With a heavy heart, Ichigo looked at his watch and spoke over the flat noise of the machine.
"Time of death, 2:44am."
I've been able to see the souls of the dead.
Ichigo rubbed his tired eyes as he gathered his coat and other belongings from his locker.
"Kurosaki-kun…"
He turned at the sound of Inoue Orihime's soft hesitant voice. Her large gray eyes looked at him sadly.
"I'm sorry." she said.
Inoue had been his next door neighbor before he'd even entered Med school. She was one of the few people who understood Ichigo to a certain extent; she knew he had a tendency to beat himself up when he lost someone on the table.
"Don't worry about it, Inoue." he said gently, forcing a smile unto his face. "It happens. All part of the job." he spoke the words he'd repeated constantly but never quite could believe himself.
Inoue, however, either did not notice his lie or didn't call him on it. She merely nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Kurosaki-kun."
Before she left, Ichigo asked, "Want me to walk you?" he offered, knowing it was dangerous to walk out of the Hospital that late at night; especially for someone like Inoue.
"That's okay." she said quickly. "Uryu-kun is driving me home. I'll be fine." she assured him.
Ichigo nodded and the auburn-haired girl bid him good night and left.
The bright-haired surgeon waited until she was out of sight before letting the smile slip from his features.
Before he knew it, he punched his closed lockers with a loud clang. "Damn it." he cursed, not because of the pain in his knuckles.
She was so young…her whole life ahead of her. he lamented. Another one he couldn't save. More blood on his hands.
Feeling wretched, Ichigo allowed himself to slump against the row of lockers, his forehead pressed against the cool metal and his eyes closed.
He didn't know how long he spent like that, but he was brought out of his miserable position by an unfamiliar voice he assumed to belong to one of the late-shift nurses.
"That doesn't look particularly comfortable." the voice spoke. It wasn't high-pitched, like Inoue's, but it was distinctly female.
"Piss off." he didn't care about being rude; Ichigo wasn't known for his manners, but everyone at the hospital knew not to interrupt him when he was in one of his moods.
"That's not a very nice way to talk to a woman. I take it you don't go out much?"
A nurse with an attitude. Just what he needed.
"I don't need this." he muttered under his breath as he straightened from his position and started to turn to leave…but stopped at the sight before him.
"What's with the face? You look like you've seen a ghost."
The woman's words were lost on him as he stared.
Before him stood a slight woman, with dark hair framing her haughty face and a pair of indigo eyes.
He recognized her instantly.
He had seen her die less than an hour before.
"I'm Kuchiki Rukia. I need your help."
A/N: So I picked this story back up...but with a twist. I've re-written it, and as you can see, this is pretty different from what I originally wrote, but it works better with the idea that I have in mind. There will be changes in plot and in the events themselves, but the general outline of what I had planned is still here. Just...different. The concept of Rukia as aghost and Ichigo a human who can see her is still there. And yes, their characters might also be different since Ichigo is a doctor -not a college student- and Rukia only just died, which makes for a whole different characterization than from someone who had been dead for over a year.
Personally, I like it better this way and I can work with it better now. I know its not what you were looking for, but I still hope you'll give this story a chance :) Reviews are always welcome and appreciated^^