Chapter: Viet Nam Prisoner

Shalan's Say: Wow… this chapter is going to be depressing… I just thought you should know this… Ichigo… may not come home… ever… hang through to the end though 'kay? Ya'll know I'm not gonna end this story yet…

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One year. It had been a whole year since she had heard from him. After she had returned to the United States she had been honorably discharged, to have her child. The baby that slept in her arms curled up against her breast. She looked out the window, her eyes patient, her body tired. Suddenly a flash caught her eye and she stood up, placing the baby in her crib. The black car drove up and her face lit up, Ichigo had come home.

Then Uryu got out of the car, escorted by a chaplain. Suddenly her heart clenched, Ichigo wasn't coming back… She collapsed in the doorway before they could get up the steps, she fell to her knees, her hands in her face, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Rukia…" Uryu dropped to one knee and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his uniform.

"Ur-Uryu…" she pressed her face harder against his jacket, tears pouring down her face.

"He's not dead yet…" he whispered into her ear and her eyes widened as he continued. Suddenly sound returned to her world and she heard her baby screaming from inside the house. She stood up and invited the other two inside.

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Ichigo panted heavily, blood running from the numerous cuts and lesions on his face. His swollen muscles were painfully sore, his body in so much pain he wanted to scream… but he wouldn't break. He couldn't break.

"If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy." Ichigo muttered under his breath and the soldier next to him looked over, just barely able to lift his head.

His body shuddered. His body soaked in his own blood. The abuse and torture that he had been through in the past few months had shocked his system… and it was still getting used to it. The grimy areas around him, the disgusting stench of the Viet Cong. The sorry excuse for a code of conduct that they had.

Blood had caked on his ripped uniform pants, forming something of a gross scab. His mind reeled. He had to get back to the states… he couldn't break to these damn dinks.

"If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way." Ichigo muttered again as he was lifted from the hook that he was hung from. The men dragged him out of the room, his legs broken severely. He stared straight ahead, his face swollen and bruised, his shoulders as straight as pain would allow.

The man asked him a question… and instead of answering him… Ichigo continued doing the same thing he did every time… reminding himself that he was a United States soldier… and he had to protect the country he loved.

"Strong leadership and communication are essential to discipline. Discipline is the key to camp organization, resistance and even survival. Personal hygiene, camp sanitation and care of sick and wounded are imperative. Officers and non-commissioned officers of the United States must continue to carry out their responsibilities and exercise their authority in captivity. The senior, regardless of service, must accept command. This responsibility and accountability may not be evaded." Ichigo quoted, it earned him a slap from the nine-tails that was in the man's hand.

"What is your name?" The man asked in Japanese and Ichigo lifted his head.

"When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause." He jaw set. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Rank."

"First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps." He tilted his head up proudly.

"Number."

"640283495." Ichigo replied. He knew the rule book like the back of his hand. He would only comply to certain things… and if they thought they were going to get information from him they were dead wrong.

"Age."

"25 I assume. I was born on July 15, 1940 in Tokyo, Japan." Ichigo stared straight ahead.

"Where are the leaders of your platoon located?" The man stared back.

"I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America." Ichigo continued his quotation and received another lash from the nine-tails. "And I will never forget my promise…" he closed his eyes as the lashes came again, and again. Rukia. And the calm of unconsciousness took him over.

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She stared out over the concrete street at the little kids who played happily together. They didn't understand the gravity of the situation. She looked over as the door opened. The three year old stared at her mother for a moment before running and hiding behind a wall. "Arisu?" Rukia peeked around the corner with a smile.

"When's daddy gonna be home?" Arisu asked and Rukia's eyes darkened. The little girl was too young yet… she couldn't know… not that her daddy may never be home.

"In a few days sweetie…" Rukia lied, she hated lying to her daughter… but it was necessary. Rukia squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

"Rukia!" Kazumi's voice broke through her haze. Uryu had gone back over after a year of being home. Kazumi smiled softly as Rukia looked over. The pretty red-head was standing behind the screen door to her porch.

"Hey Kazumi…"

"AUNTIE KAZUMI!" Arisu pummeled into Kazumi's legs.

"Hey big girl… how is my favorite person in the whole wide world?" Kazumi smiled, Arisu wrapped her arms around Kazumi's neck as she was lifted to her aunt's hip.

"Great! I found a lady bug today! But it flew away…" She was talkative. She was bright. She had her father's hair. The long orange locks were pulled back in a long French braid down her back. Her bangs brushed her forehead like a plume.

"You found a lady bug? Really?" Kazumi smiled as their noses touched.

"Is Uncle Uryu coming home today?" Kazumi furrowed her eyebrows.

"You know about that? Your mommy must have told you…" Rukia shook her head.

"I haven't said anything…" The brunette was secretly jealous… again… for the second time she had to watch Kazumi and Uryu kiss… she closed her eyes. She hadn't felt his touch since that year… not that she hadn't imagined it… oh god those nights alone, her windows open, letting in a muggy summer air. Those times her body had cried for him, only to realize that he wasn't there… all the times she had to hide her tears from her daughter.

"Kazumi you're wearing the clothes that you wear when you do something special… and it's not my birthday… and it's not mommy's birthday… so Uncle Uryu is coming home…" Kazumi sighed. The girl was too smart for her own good. Rukia's plain white dress reached her knees. The scoop neck of the top showed her collar bone. The short sleeves were loose around her upper arms.

"Yes, he is… now let's go before the plane gets here…" Kazumi laughed as they walked out, Rukia shut the door behind herself. Her eyes glanced around the neighborhood again. It was so peaceful, so different from the world of Viet Nam.

"Ichigo…" Rukia whispered. She had changed her name. If he wasn't there to marry him she would at least have his name. While she was still pregnant she had changed her name to Rukia Kurosaki… so that their child would have his name… so that she would have some memory of him. She brushed her daughter's hair from her face. She looked cute in her pale pink pinafore. Her eyes were dark blue, like her mother's, but her hair… Rukia smiled, oh her hair was her father's alright… there was no doubt about those orange locks.

"Mommy?" Arisu took her mother's hand and Rukia looked down with a slight gasp.

"Arisu…" She pulled her daughter into her lap as they drove off, pressing her lips to her daughter's head. "I love you…"

"I love you too mommy…" she giggled and Rukia smiled. She was so like her father.

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Rukia sighed softly as she waited, her daughter's hand in hers. She could hear Arisu's voice, saying mommy, but she held on as the three year old attempted to drag herself away from her mother in the crowd.

"Look… there's Uryu!" Kazumi smiled and Rukia looked up but what she saw made her jaw drop.

"ICHIGO!" She burst from the crowd, tears streaming down her face. His arms wrapped around her as she slammed into him. He was bruised, he was thinning, but he was still Ichigo. "Ichigo… Ichigo… Ichigo… Ichigo…" it seemed to be the only word she was physically capable of saying. "Ichigo…"

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TAA! How did they find him? How is he walking? HOW THE HELL DID THE GET HIM NOT TO STINK? I mean MAN those death chambers must smell like rotting flesh… not to be gross or anything… XDDDDDDD

Shalan