A Little Girl Named Rukia

I neigh own Bleach

Ichigo

'Rukia RUKIA!' I was gliding through the air as fast as my legs could carry us. I could feel her blood spilling to my feet, a lump in my throat and chest so big they were stinging my eyes.

'Rukia, please, don't die, you can't die, not yet, not now.' I choked out, feeling the air speed into my face as I ran through the air, looking at her in my arms. Her head was leaning on my chest her hand placed just next to it. I saw her every move, the way she heavily lifted her lids to look at me, her eyes still quite strong, but not with that sexy, playful edge I was used to, too innocent.

'Ich-I-go' something yanked on my heart

'Don't try to speak, it will be too hard, don't worry, I'll get you to Orihime first, and then we can talk all day!' I attempted to smile at her. She huffed, and closed her eyes for a moment, dragging them up again.

'I-chi-go –' I could already feel what she was going to say, I didn't want to hear it, so I looked ahead at the sky, and pretended to look where I was going.

'ICHIGO! Look at m-he!' It was that little attempted-to-be-covered-up-Choke at the end that did it. I looked back at her, fear welling and spilling in my chest, still running as fast as inhumanly possible. She placed her hand to my cheek, and smiled so very gently, her eyes flashing between faded and strong.

'I-chii-go (she spoke as if to reason with me) we both kno-w it will be too late.'

'NO! Don't say that! I will NOT let you die!' I bit my lip hard, I could feel a horrible sensation rising from my chest to my face.

'I-chigo, it does not mat-ter wether you 'let' me or no-t.' She smiled softly again, her eyes melting. 'My time has come. I shall embrace it with open arms. You need not worry, you ha-ve become a f-fine young man, I am – so ver-y proud' A strained, smile settled on her face again, I could tell it was becoming hard for her to speak. She shifted in my arms, her back arching a little as a schock of pain ran though her face.

'Rukia!'

'Shush, it's okay' she grimmanced. 'No-one said death would'nt be painful for a shinigami' she smiled settling again, her legs tucked in slightly more, her body pressed more closely into my chest. She was so, damn small!

'NO! Rukia, you are not going to DIE!' I could hear a strange glutteral tone in my voice, and my eyes stung like hell. She looked at me, her eyes fading, a smile still on her face.

'Ichigo, let me finish' I was about to protest, but she placed a hand against my mouth, a small strength still in it. It gave me hope. I looked further down, covering my eyes with my hair, but I'm sure she'd feel it eventually. My eyes had betrayed me.

'Ich-igo. You are going to liv-e a long and happy life okay? You are going to get married, to a woman too good for you.' I choked at this part, she was trying to make me laugh, and she was dying. 'And you're going to lot's of oran-ge haired children, all with that da-ft little sco-wl. And . . .' She swiped her thumb along my cheek, wiping away the tears.

'You're going to forget about me . . .' I looked straight at her then, a smile still on her face, complete honesty radiating through her eyes.

I stopped instantly.

'NO!' She smiled at my outburst and brushed her thumb along my cheek again

'Yes, Ichigo. I taught you how to fight, you surpassed me a long time ago. I have been way over my due for a long time. It is time you forget about me, and start living your life.'

'NO!' I started choking, tears flowing swiftly down my cheeks now 'No! I do not want to live in a world that has no you in it!' She frowned slightly at this and coughed. I suddenly realised we had stopped and began running again, moving faster than I could before, pushing my strength to the very limits, beyond shinigami powers, and I was at this moment too unstable to maintain a level head. For a second I worried what if he tried to take over my body now?

'Don't worry; I will lend you my strength tonight. I give you my word I will not try to take over you.' It shocked me to the bone. His voice was solemn and brutally honest. He did not want her to die either. I sped up.

'Ichigo, I am One-Hundred and seventy years old, you are seventeen. I am an old woman. You are much better suited for a woman like Inoue-San, besides . . .' she looked into my eyes again.

'There is nothing about me that deserves even an Inch of you; I have already destroyed your life too much. I could never damage it further with my own selfish want.' I felt more tears flow over my eyes. Did she not get it? Did she not understand that she was the best thing that ever happened to me? She dried the rain in my soul no other woman could ever do that! She didn't put up with my crap, she punched me if I needed punching, and she yelled, she was violent, she was downright lethal, yet her heart was as big as her eyes. She gave me the strength I needed to protect, TWICE. She protected me only her, our souls were made for each other, how could she not understand that?

'That's not true!' I cried. I cried 'You gave me back my heart!'

Her eyes widened, and she coughed, blood coming out of her mouth. I felt my face stiffen, my eyes widened, and I could tell I must've gone pale. I wasn't crying now, just staring at her, and running. It scared me down to my bone-marrow, she may only have minutes left.

'Ichigo . . .' She tried to reason.

'No! Whatever you say, I won't listen!' I yelled, facing the sky again. I felt her breathe in softly, and exhale.

'Ichigo. Please. Stop.' I looked down at her, her eyes were shrouded. I felt anger boil from my stomach.

'No.'

'Ichigo, please.' I looked down at her, frowning deeply. Her eyes were back on me. I stopped.

She placed a hand on my cheek and smiled. Her face was a ghostly pale the blood on her lips too red against her beautiful skin. She stroked my cheek and I brought her closer to me. Breathing in the smell of lamp lavender from her. She just looked at me and smiled. Her eyelids began to drop slowly. No!

'NO! NO You did NOT just stop me so you could die!' I ran faster, two streets from Orihime's house. I couldn't even begin to think about what she said about marrying Orihime, did she not know, that her and Ishida were together?

'Ichigo, it is my time' She answered. I yelled out again, tears exploding out of my eyes from no-where.

'NO, NO IT ISN'T! Your 'time' is when we are old and shrivelled, not NOW!' I reached Orihime's house, and kicked down the door.

'ORIHIME!' 'ORIHIME PLEASE, Tell me you are in!' I cried. I heard quick running, and saw a dishevelled, sleep-awoken Orihime speed into view.

'Kurosaki-kun what i-Kuchiki-san!' She ran over to me and Rukia, and looked at my face. I don't know what she saw, but she immediately conjured up her power over the both of us. I felt her reiatsu flaring as she spread out her arms - she was trying to quicken the process. And then I heard it. The tiny little voice from my arms, I looked down, she was facing Orihime.

Orihime

'Kurosaki-kun what i-Kuchiki-san!'

I looked at the both of them. Ichigo was desperately grasping Kuchiki-san in his arms, his face stained with tears, and blood smears. His face was erratic, frantic, primal. I could feel the hollow in his reiatsu, but it wasn't an evil feeling, it was just as scared and pained as Kurosaki-kun himself. He looked a state. His skin was pale, his clothes torn and abandoned; Zangetsu was all messed up in its ties. And Kuchiki-san was there, in his arms, she already looked dead. My heart exploded as I felt my Shun shun rikka immediately work over them, it was instinctual. I had not worked so hard with Kuchiki-san to see her die. Not like this. She had done too much for me.

'Inoue-san . . .' her voice was barely a whisper, a strained choke of its former strength; I had to fight back tears. I heard Ichigo's knees give out and I looked up at the both of them, Ichigo looked like he was burning on a stake and feeling all the pain as he clutched her in his arms. She had nothing but the bandages that covered her chest, her Kosode and Shitagi must've fallen off or got blown to shreds - her Hakama were shredded just below the knees and her feet were bare. And Kuchiki-san's face was full of pain for Kurosaki-kun, not an ounce for her own, I felt sick.

'Kuchiki-san, I will fix you, I promise! Just Hold on!' I yelled, as she was about to speak. I did not want to hear her say her goodbyes; she is NOT going to die on my watch!

'Inoue-san, thank you.' I looked at her, anger, pain, confusion; they all grew inside my stomach. Anger because she wasn't healing. The pain of seeing her trying to comfort others and the dishevelment of Kurosaki-kun. And confusion – why was she thanking me?

'Thank you for being there when I needed you, you were the best friend I have ever had.' I could hear her choking on her own voice. She was crying? I looked at her face, and there she was, the strongest woman I had ever met, crying, trying not to let Kurosaki-Kun see.

'Please, could you do me one last favour?' I was about to protest, she was NOT going to die! Ichigo just looked lost, and burning, it was awful.

'Look after Ichigo for me? He needs someone like you, he needs a strong woman to take care of him, and you are the strongest one I know!' Her voice hitched, and tears rolled down my face. Me strong? Me of all people, after those incidents on the dome, after Tsukishima? How on earth was I strong? I felt my knees collapse, and Kuchiki-san's eyes widened, she turned to face Kurosaki-Kun.

'Well go on, help her, NOW!' She demanded a surge of strength flowing though her voice again, I felt hope. I saw Kurosaki-Kun shift. He didn't want to let go of her, he looked at me, and faced me apologetically. Now I finally got it. Kuchiki-san wasn't merely asking me to take care of him; she was asking me to love him, like she did unto him. She was asking me to take her place, so Ichigo would be happy, and it was tearing her apart, yet she would rather die unhappy, but knowing we would, than with him without love. So on the one hand; I had the option, disobey what Kuchiki-san said, possibly ruining our friendship forever, but with a chance that she might fight through for Kurosaki-kun's sake. Or accept her offer by trying to make Ichigo happy, as she died. I knew instantly what to choose.

'Ku-Rukia' I began, hoping she wouldn't mind the informality, she didn't, just smiled weakly. Ichigo looked at the both of us, a look of pure anticipation and fear on his face – he had run out of tears to shed.

'I'm afraid, Rukia, I cannot take upon your offer' I stated, looking at my spread-out hands. Her and Ichigo's face perked, hers set into a frown, and his into a sort of, soft, thankful one.

'You see, there is already a man I have to care for, for life, and Kurosaki-Kun, well, he just doesn't cut it for me.' I finished, smiling. I looked at her slightly shocked face. She nodded and looked at Ichigo.

Ichigo

'. . . he just doesn't cut it for me' I felt the hope of a smile cross my face at Orihime's words. She wanted Rukia to live and be happy, not to die alone. Rukia turned to face me, a frown across her face, and bags under her eyes. But I felt hope, I could see her eyes strengthening with Orihime's words. She stared into my eyes.

'Ichi-go' She coughed again, and that hope flew out the window the moment I saw her eyes, they were defeated, she had been hoping beyond hope that Orihime would say yes, to look after me, because she couldn't anymore.

'Ii-chigo' her face crumpled and tears began to seep through her eyelids.

'I don't want you to be alone!' She tried to shout. I felt numb, pain had long left my body, all I felt was numb.

'Then don't DIE!' I yelled, facing her. She just looked at me, blinked heavily a few times, and opened them slowly, her usually bright violets, were now fading to a almost blind-looking pastel hue. She placed a hand on my cheek.

'Ichi-go' She frowned softly again. 'I don't know what to tell you that will stop you hurting.' I clasped the hand that was on my cheek. And brought my face closer to hers.

'Just tell me the truth, please, it will stop my pain, I promise' It was a low blow, using myself as a tactic to get her to try and stay alive, but if it meant death if I didn't I would do it a million times over.

She sighed, a frown still on her face, closed her eyes, and then re-opened them, all the 'anger' was gone, all I could feel was an explosion of love from her eyes, something I'd never got before and it hit me like a jet plane.

'K-Kurosaki Ichigo, you will always remain the most important person in my heart. I Lo-'

I didn't need to hear it, I could feel it in the air around me, and she was telling me through her eyes, so much better than words. I closed my eyes as I crushed my lips to hers, pouring every last ounce of my whole being into that one, measly little kiss. I felt her arms wrap weakly around my head, stroking my hair. She pulled away first. I opened my eyes, and her face was slightly flushed, she was smiling. She looked alive. I could feel the smile on my face. She spoke.

'Thank you' she smiled. I could see tears in her eyes, and she hitched in her throat. She placed her hands quickly on my chest, and I felt a huge surge of reiatsu enter my body.

'Sayonara'

And that's when her body went limp, her hands dropped from my chest, and her head tilted back.

3 Years later . . .

"Paaa-chan?''

A soft thump pounded through the room.

''Paaaaa-Chaaaaan! another thump

''OI. DAD!"

'BOOM'

"OW, JEEsuS WHAT?" A twenty year old Ichigo Kurosaki awoke from his slumber, clutching at the small child who was seemingly jumping on his chest. He held the little girl at arms length, in the air her short black hair wafting above his face, a little black tail whipping around her legs (Which were momentarily suspended in the air above her father also).

"It's that day again"

'Ahh, yeah, three years goes fast, eh Rukes?' He smiled and ruffled her hair, setting her down on the bed.

'Sure does papa, do you think Mama will think I have growned?' he smiled at her pouty little face.

'I'm sure she will, she'd say, 'Oh have'nt you grown into a big girl now!'' She smiled at this and jumped on her knees

"Yeah! Coz I'm a reawy big gurl now, mummy won't even be big enough to see me!" She exclaimed, a joyous smile appearing onto her face as she threw out her arms. Ichigo smiled and laughed as he brought his daughter into a soft hug, resting his head on her little shoulder as she leant against his.

'Do you think she knows who I am?' She asked softly. Ichigo's face hardened and his eyes grew gaunt as he pulled his daughter in closer, and remembered that day.

'Oh I'm sure she knows absolutely everything about you, after all, she died so you could be born.' He murmered softly. And felt little fists clutch at the back of his hair.

'is it my fault she is dead then?' He heard a sniffle, and pulled his daughter back so he could face her.

'No. Don't you ever think that Rukia. Your mother died after a long hard battle with the arrancars and gave me you so I wouldn't be lonely. You must, never ever think that it is you fault.' He saw the little girls face crumple up as she tried not to cry.

'But if I wasn't here then maybe she would be!' Ichigo was alarmed. He gripped his daughters shoulders and faced her. A gentle expression on his face.

''Rukes, do you know why you were born in a matter of hours instead of nine months?"

"Becauseee . . . You and Mum were really fast baby-makers?" She spouted innocently. His face started going red, he had to remember she really was being innocent; she was three years old, if Renji had been there . . . he thanked the gods silently.

He chuckled "Not quite." He placed his hands on the little girl's shoulders and looked her straight into her eyes – her mother's eyes. "you see, your mummy knew that she was going to die, and that because of that, I was going to be alone, and rather than save up her life-force in an attempt at sustaining death, she decided to give me all her power right then, so you would be born. It's an ancient Shinigami technique that can only happen between two people who love and trust each other so much, two soul-mates are fighting together in battle and one is on the brink of death, they can transfer everything they have to create a child, but at the cost of the reminants of their life. You see, your mummy didn't want me, or uncle Byakuya to be lonely, and she knew that even if she didn't die then, she would eventually, and then we would be left with no-one. She loved us all very much."

"Me too?"

"You too." He finished, hugging his daughter again, trying to keep back the pain that had never quite left him after that day. It was his fault. Nobody else's, he should've been there to protect her.

"Paa, it wasn't your fault either. Mummy just wanted you, and me, and Jii-chan, and Auntie Karin, and Auntie Yuzu, and Renji-chan, and Orihime and Uryu-chan, and Uncle Byakuya all to be happy. If my heart is correct, I know she loved us all very much, even me. I don't think she'd want you or me to blame ourselves, she'd stand up strong, with her arms folded, and shout at us saying 'it was my choice, I love you all very much, so stop this nonsense!" she finished, imitating the image she had of her mother in her head, stood strong and proud on the bed with her arms folded and a scowl on her face. Ichigo was shell-shocked

"How did you know that? She would do exactly that!" little-Rukia flung her legs in the air, and bounced on her bottom, back down on the bed. Looking through the window into the sky.

"I have dreams about her alot. We sit on a hill in the sunshine, and I sit on her lap, she plays with my hair and tells me stories about when she was little, running round defeating the bad-guys with reji-chan" Ichigo felt a lump in his throat, this was definitely like Rukia "and then she would tell me about how when she met you, she thought you had strange hair, and a bad temper" he snorted at this, the lump softening a bit. "But when she got to know you, you were the bestest man she'd ever layed eyes on, despite your bad taste in art." He laughed fully at this.

"That definitely sounds like the woman I knew." He smiled, his eyes saddening a bit.

"I'm sorry papa, am I upsetting you?" His little girl faced him with fierce, but gentle eyes, a small hand placed on his stomach. He lifted her to his chest and sat her up against him, hugging her softly, and his face resting on her little shoulder.

"No, not at all, please tell me more"

"Well she told me to tell you that you need a shave, and that you need a wash" he laughed aloud

"when did she tell you that, cheeky monkey?" She giggled against his shoulder.

"Last night. I was dreaming I was drifting through snow with a Lady with white hair, and then mama came to greet us. She said to tell me that the lady would help me, and that she could always ask her for help." Ichigo nodded, it sounded like her Zanpaktuo. "What did she look like? Apart from the white hair?"

"She looked alot like mummy when she was younger, except her hair was longer. And she had bright Orange lines all over her hair"

"Orange lines?"

"Yeah, they were like sea waves, but orange, and in her white hair."

"Well that sounds a bit peculiar" he kidded

"Heey, she was very pretty. She looked very storng too, she had a sword that looks like mummy's but it was completely black, with red bits int-inter-intertw"

"Intertwined?"

"Yeah, that."

"Well this lady does sound quite peculiar, definitely your mothers side there" He stuck his tounge out at his daughter, she frowned

"Heyyyy! She said she was alot stronger than you, and that I would be able to beat you in any fight!"

Ichigo smirked

"Oh I doubt that little one, after all, you are only three, you have a bit of a life ahead of you before you go down the route of a shinigami" He could tell Rukia would agree with this, he almost felt her presence, nodding.

"Anyways, how do you know what Mama's Zanpaktou looks like?"

"Well, there's that picture of you and her in the shrine, and she showed me once, but she said I'll have to wait a while until I could wield my own."

Ichigo nodded at this

"Like I said, you have a life to live, your mummy wants' you to have one too"

Rukia smiled at this, the thought that her mama and papa could still agree on things, even if they couldn't see each other anymore. It still made her sad though. The thought of how many people she knew her parents had lost before, she was born.

"Papa, what was Obaa-san like?"Ichigo looked down at his daughters soft expectant eyes and smiled.

"Much like your mama in a way, very caring and gentle, she would do everything in her power to keep her family safe and happy, she was a wonderful woman. Your Uncle Byakuya told me that's what Auntie Hisana was like too. You have strong women in your family rukes, be proud of that." He smiled down at her, and she gleamed.

"Is that why my name is so long? Rukia-Masaki-Hisana-kurosaki?" He laughed back down at her.

"I guess it is yes."

"So why don't I have Yoruichi too then?" She pondered.

"Well kiddo, that's because you have some of her powers – on the day you were born, that day your Mama died, she gave you some of your powers as a token to your mother. Rukia had helped her out in a couple of spots, and she wanted to show gratitude. So you got the same abilities as her, and these lovely ears, and your tail, we thought seeing as you had them, there would be no need for a fourth name." He finished smiling at her.

"I have such a good family don't I papa?"

"You certainly do Rukes, don't forget that, now come on, time to get you ready so we can go to mama's grave."

End

Okay, so, carry on, leave off? Not sure what to do with this one really – I hoped you who read it enjoyed it. It kind of grew out of a completely different Idea, so I just cut that bit off and ran with this. Hope you enjoyed it!