Chapter 1: The Following Morning
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP….Rukia cringes as she hears the alarm going off again for the third time. "Ichigo must be tired…" she thought to herself. She knew that after their conversation earlier in the morning that he had a difficult time falling asleep. BEEEEEEEEP….."but dammit I couldn't fall back asleep and I am awake and dressed ready for school, and he is just lying there hitting the snooze button on his alarm clock…..BEEEEEP"…."ENOUGH" hollers Rukia as she slings open the closet door and hurls a pillow at Ichigo's head. Ichigo jumps up with a start, "what the hell is your problem Rukia!" Rukia glares at him, "we will be late for school this morning because your lazy butt refused to wake up" Rukia looks Ichigo up and down and suddenly her face turns beet red "you need to put some…some…cl-clothes on…." Ichigo looks down and realizes that he hopped out of bed so quickly he didn't realize that all he was wearing just his tidy-whities. Although he can feel his face turning red he looks at Rukia and smile "like what you see…" Rukia opens her mouth and closes it then turns around and shuts the closet door. Ichigo smiles to himself as he gets dressed realizing that he may pay his boldness.
Ichigo and Rukia walk to school in silence. They are in the last year of high school and will soon entering college next year. At least that is what Ichigo plans on doing, Rukia is not really of this world so he is unsure of her plans, but can't imagine school without her. "So Rukia what are you dreaming about every night" Ichigo asks. Rukia stops walking and looks at Ichigo knowing she will have to come somewhat clean about her dream "I have had the same dream every night for as long as I can recall. I am lying on the ground looking at the sky, there are flames subsiding around me and I hear someone call my name, but I can't see who it is. As far as what I dream about that requires you to wake me up, I do not know." Ichigo looks at Rukia as if trying to determine if she is telling the truth finally he says "well that is weird. I wonder if it is a premonition of something to come. If it ever changes will you let me know?" "Of course Ichigo" Rukia says quietly. They continue their walk to school in silence.
Rukia and Ichigo finally arrive at school by the time second period has already begun. As they enter the classroom together they can feel all the students' eyes staring at them inquisitively. "Rukia and Ichigo arriving late together as always. Since you two seem to enjoy spending time together you will not mind spending your time after school cleaning together will you…"their teacher tells them. "No mam" they say in unison. Rukia looks at Ichigo, "dammit Ichigo if only you would wake up on time we wouldn't always be late…" Ichigo looks at her a shrugs "then don't wait for me leave when you get dressed…" Rukia is glaring at Ichigo as if she wants to kill him, no one not even their closest friends know that they have been living together now for years. "Idiot" she whispers "now everyone is looking at us wondering what our relationship is…" Ichigo clears his throat, "like I said when you finished getting dressed instead if meeting me at my house just go to school alone." Rukia shakes his head "he thinks he is so smooth" she thought to herself, but still people in the classroom were looking at them suspiciously, "it is going to be a long day"
Rukia looks at the clock, it is an hour before lunch. She glances over and sees that Ichigo who is pretending to read is sound asleep. She is sleepy herself. She decides to rest her head on her arms and maybe take a catnap…..
Rukia is standing in the center of a burning field. She looks around and cannot see anything through the smoke and flames. "I am alone" she thought to herself. She does not recognize where she is. "Is this how I will die by being engulfed in flames" she cries to herself. Suddenly she feels a sharp pain in her chest and looks down to see blood forming pooling out of a wound. She slowly slumps to the ground which is covered with snow. The flames are beginning to subside. Above her is a clear blue sky and in the distance someone shouts her name…."Rukia, Rukia …RUKIA!"
Rukia feels herself being shaken, "Rukia" she hears her name again and slowly looks up. Ichigo is staring down at her with a concerned look on his face. She reaches up to rub the sleep out of her eyes and realizes that they were wet and that her face was covered in tears. She has no idea why she was crying. She had her dream again and it was different from her usual dreams though she could not explain now. She looks at the clock and realizes that it is lunch time. "Rukia" Ichigo says in a concerned voice "what do you dream about that makes you cry…." Rukia stares at Ichigo "I don't know Ichigo…I just don't know." Ichigo reaches his hand down to Rukia who accepts it and helps her up, "let's go grab a bite to eat, Rukia." Together they walk out of the classroom unaware that were holding hands.