Hey, I hope this is good, I haven't written for bleach in like ages so I thought I'd try.

Actually I cant see where this came from, I was writing smut for goodness sake and then this came into my mind, oh well I hope it doesn't suck, I haven't written in present tense in a while too...

For a withering existence

Agony, pure agony.

Why'd it turn out like this?

Her face is paler than it has ever been, he wonders where he was when this all started, or why had no one called on him to let him know.

Now he is glad Urahara had never been very fond of doing what soul society tells him to.

Whenever he asks, everyone simply shakes their heads as if he was some stubborn little child they were talking to, well most of them do surpass his age by centuries, however after all he's been through in the past few years, do they really think he still remains as an spoiled fifteen year old?

The few that actually give him straight out answers always say the same sentence which, from being repeated so many times for him already seems to be painfully engraved inside his head 'She didn't wish for us to tell you, she said you had probably forgotten about her already'.

Dumb girl, he can never forget about her. Ichigo finds that conviction to be even stronger now, that he has this image, so heart breaking and disturbingly beautiful of his partner, his Rukia laying almost lifeless on a futon Looking like a stark contrast of black and white as the disease has gotten ridden already of the precious peach tone her skin used to have back then when they lived in Karakura town.

Actually Ichigo hasn't been able to sleep for quite a few days, since her demise became imminent and started chasing them like a loaded truck that gained terrain with every passing second.

First it had been Unohana; he hadn't wanted to believe her. 'There has to be a cure' he said, but Unohana hadn't been able to find one, and neither had Mayuri though he had never seemed very interested to begin with. Then it had been Hachi, and even Inoue same results everywhere.

Apparently even Inoue's power couldn't reject something that was born with Rukia without killing her.

So finished the search and depleted of his resources he wonders if there is any way to save her. Hell he'd even go to Szayel if that could save her. Ichigo can't though, because the Espada is dead and the woman next to him is soon to follow.

Worst thing off, the moment he found himself unable to leave her room except for his basic needs Ichigo acknowledged the truth, he's in love.

With her.

With a dying woman.

With Rukia.

.

.

An hour passes

There's a rattle in the next room. Byakuya hasn't come in since Ichigo arrived.

Ichigo places no blame in the guy. Being through this once must have been bad enough. Had this been how the sixth squad's captain felt when Hisana died? If it was then Ichigo could comprehend why the man had become an ice cold fortress.

After seeing his wife succumb it is probably unbearable to see her sister die as well, and to the same illness none the less.

When you thought about it this is tougher than seeing her die in battle, because it's drawing near and far and burning him with the cold of that winter which had been upon Soul Society for a while now.

Who knows, maybe it is Sode No Shirayuki shedding her last tears.

He's been wondering for a while now. Has she surrendered? Whenever Rukia wakes up she talks in a calm fashion, just as if every hope of living she harbored had already withered. It hurts him to see her like that; he can't accept she's dying. And while for Ichigo it'd be perfectly understandable to have her sobbing and cringing, seeing her apparent aloofness makes him wonder if she knew already about the disease that plagued her body even before it was diagnosed after she passed out on a mission.

Her hand moves to cover his. Slowly her blue eyes open, that's the only thing that hasn't been taken away from her, still as lively as ever.

"Ichigo" She manages to croak out.

He has seen her like this for days, but even if they were give another hundred years he can never become accustomed to the frailness on this formerly strong woman.

It is just not right.

"I'm here"

"Lay down, just for a bit" And he just can't say no.

Without even thinking it his hands wrap around her middle.

"I don't want to leave" Surprise spikes on him, whenever she's awake they normally tend to talk about the old times, leave aside everything else, or simply keep quiet as she debates in between the morphine.

"Then don't" He hears her weak chuckle.

"If only I could" Rukia's face contorted in sadness "I'll really miss all of you"

"We will too"

A moment later she had him trapped in a deadlock sobbing in his chest. If her calmness had impressed him and made it more painful that she seemed to have resigned to life, this is earth shattering.

A thousand lies run to his mouth, as his instinct of protecting her overcomes his common sense and he wishes to tell her it's ok, and you'll be fine. Even though those are the fattest lies there have ever been in the story of humanity.

Ichigo wraps his arms around her, and slowly like tiny icicles her sobs engrave in his heart marking it forever.

Ichigo can never love another woman in the world, never ever again.

There's something that he realizes though, She's never been aloof to the situation, Rukia has always been very concerned about others she'd thought it'd only make it harder on everyone if her suffering showed, So she bottled it up, kept it inside so no one could see it.

But he can and right now Ichigo finds himself in the imperious need of seeing her smile once again. And when she looks up, meeting his eyes with her blue orbs he can't contain himself anymore and Ichigo's mouth comes crashing down on hers, hot, sad, wet and demanding.

Rukia surprisingly responds in the same fashion.

When they part they are both sweaty, panting in release of held feelings.

For what could be a century or a second they lay in the futon, clinging to each other for dear life.

Then he says "I love you"

"Me too"

"Forever"

.

.

.

It's been two days and there she lays with him. Ichigo can sense it drawing near.

He can feel Zangetsu sad too, after all when a shinigami dies his or her zampakuto follows right away.

If right now there was a possibility of exchanging her life for his he'd gladly do it.

She reaches out for a kiss, and he will grant her every wish.

They part and for a moment she stays still, for someone who didn't know she'd just be asleep.

Her unresponsive hand is still clutching his.

For once he allows his tears to be seen.

.

.

Rukia Kuchiki

Beloved partner and Sister

Be forever in our hearts.

Until we can meet again someday

A/N: Ok that was kinda depressing I dunno where it came from srsly, Review please.