I only have one regret…too bad this is the end of the line for me. You were my only regret. My last thoughts were of you as death embraced me.

Chapter 1:

"Shit! What the heck!?" yelled a voice in surprise. I felt the sand shift as my body slid out of its burial spot. I felt a searing hot pain go through my body calling me forth from death's embrace. My right eye weakly fluttered opened. I could not feel my left eye. Light blinded my eye briefly. An obnoxious orange spike ball filled my vision as my eye grew accustomed. "What the hell…it's a Midget!" the orange ball yelled at me. I opened my lips to yell at the ball to shut up, but I could not. My lips did not move nor did my throat. I tried again, but all I could manage was a soft pained wheezed. Pain coursed through my lungs at my attempt. I felt death's grip tighten as my vision narrowed. The spiked orange let out a soft curse mixed with disbelief and relief, "Shit, Rukia..."

"Stay with me," commanded the spiked orange ball, "Don't you dare die on me Rukia!" I smirked at the orange ball, 'death obeys no one.' The spiked orange ball laughed at me, "Smirk all you want, but you will not die. Death can go fuck off and find another victim." As if death could hear, I felt it's grip on me loosen. I could hear death's chuckle as the dark cool embrace was instantaneously replaced with hot searing pain. My body convulsed. Every breath I took felt like someone was pouring boiling hot liquid into my lungs. Every cell in my body screamed in agony. My good hand clasped tightly onto something as I tried to ride the waves of pain. I wished death would come back. I cursed the spiked orange ball fervently for sending me straight to hell. I screamed.

"Where is Orihime! Orihime! I need you to heal her," commanded the spiked orange ball. I could hear in between the waves of pain. "Rukia, you will survive this. You will not die, you midget." I think that was directed at me. What a cocky bastard. I thought briefly, before I was assailed by another wave of pain.

"She is..." a softer feminine voice replied timidly, "My powers aren't that powerful." My body jerked from the soft touches all over my body or what was left.

The spiked orange ball voice broke, "Please Orihime...can you please try. If she were too..."

"I will try Ichigo, but I can't promise anything," the feminine voice assured with determination, "for you I will…"

It was too much. I could not hold onto the conscious world, I faded away as the spiked orange ball placed a soft kiss on my forehead. He whispered into my ears, "Thank the heavens that I found you. And alive. I don't think I could live with myself if you were gone from this world. And when I find out who the fuck this to you-they will have hell to pay."

OOxxxxOO

I opened my eyes to a tan canvas ceiling. A tent, how the hell did I get here? A palm leaf shade playfully waved as a breeze went by. It was quiet. I gingerly sat up. I felt a dull ache ring throughout my body. Swinging my legs over, I pushed myself off the cot. My legs collapsed beneath me. Thank goodness for this sand, I thought grumpily as I spat out sand from my mouth. Sitting up I brushed off as much sand off my face as I could and the white nemaki I was in. I frowned. How long have I been out? I tried to remember how I got here, but as I did another fearful thought bubbled. A ripple of panic coursed through me. Stop! Let's focus on getting up. I can think about that later. Focusing on the task at hand, I grabbed onto the cot. Strenuously, I managed to get onto my feet. Sweat began to drip from my face at my attempt. Sand that I had missed began to roll down with the beads of sweat. Sand…I hate this. Another annoyance added to my pile. Shakily my legs held momentarily. "Yes!" I shouted with triumph. But it was cut short as my legs collapsed again sending me backwards onto the cot, "….shit!" I yelled out in anger. I lied there as I tried to suppress a sob threatening to break because of my predicament.

An unknown voice outside of the tent startled me. Instinctively, my body sprang into action as it went into a defensive stance. My body screamed at the movement. I steadied myself against the cot as I prepared for a fight.

"Well aren't you the epitome of a sight for sore eyes," commented someone behind me. I turned to look behind me in surprise. A young tall man with an outrageous orange short spiked hair in a deep blue yukata stood behind me with his arms crossed. His brown eyes twinkled with happiness.

I gritted my teeth and asked, "Who the hell are you?" I prayed that I wouldn't have to get into a fight. It would be an easy win for him.

Surprised he retorted, "I don't think that is how you say 'thank you' for someone who saved you from death's grip, midget." He paused when he saw my tension, he asked softly, "Rukia, what the hell happened?" I assumed a friend, since he made no act on attacking me.

I frowned at the name he directed at me. Noticing that I had loosened my stance, he slowly approached me. Shuffling through my mind, I tried to remember. Nothing… A small dull pain in my head arose. "Rukia?" he asked quietly. I held my hand up as I closed my eyes concentrating harder on the name. It felt foreign but familiar. I glanced at the young man again. This time a slew of emotions were evoked. The strongest of them was longing and something else; third in place was 'regret' mixed with 'fear'. My frown deepened at the emotions. Why do I have the urge to kick and hug this jerk?

"Rukia, look at me," he commanded. I looked up at him. My heart skipped a beat. He was about an arm's length away from me. Up close, I could see he was quite handsome even with the scowl he was giving me. I heard him take in a sharp breath in. "Who the hell did this to you?" I could sense the dark vengeance rising in him at the cause of my predicament.

My memory finally recalled the dream. He is that stupid spiked orange ball from my delirious dream of hell. "What happened? Tell me who did this to you," he asked again as he tenderly touched my face. I flinched at the touch. He quickly brought his hands behind his back and mumbled, "Sorry". He waited for my reply.

I tried again to remember, but the dull pain began to sharpen as it spread throughout my head. Ignoring the pain, I continued to force myself to remember. But I had nothing except for that dream. The panic I had suppressed earlier came back in full force. My legs could not take any more exertion. They collapsed beneath me. The young man sprang forward catching me. It felt like a thousand knives were stabbing into my head incessantly. Without thinking I buried my face into his chest. I could feel his hesitation before his arms tightened around me. I began to sob, "I don't know…I don't know." I gulped as I realized, "I don't know who I am…"