A/N: I hate school! New Chapter YAY! Thank you to all my awesome reviewers! First person is hard, but hopefully I'm doing a good job.
Ichigo and I returned to the Kurosaki home to find Byakuya taking his jacket from the rack. "We're leaving?" I questioned and Hisana nodded, not meeting my eyes. Okay…what was going on? Yuzu, the sweet twin, gave me my jacket and I looked at Ichigo. His eyes mirrored my own. Confused.
"Byakuya got a call…we have to return home right away." Hisana explained shaking hands with Isshin, complimenting him on the food and thanking him for the invitation.
"Who called?" I tried again this time, with an edge to my voice.
"We're going to drop you off at Grams…" Hisana said ignoring my question. So My grandmother wasn't hurt, that's a relief.
"Thank you for coming Rukia!" Isshin said shaking my hand. "Yeah." I said feeling Ichigo's hand on my shoulder. I wanted to push it off. He had no right to touch me. He wasn't my friend. Just a classmate who knows a lot more about the Other worlds than I do. Before I could say another word, I was in the car with Hisana and Byakuya. Hisana decided to leave her car at the Kurosaki's and she'd pick it up later. Isshin told her he'd guard it with his life.
"Please tell me what's going on?" I asked and Hisana finally turned to me. Her dark eyes were sullen, "Renji called. His mother was in a car accident, and he wants Byakuya to be his mother's lawyer. The doctors say…" Hisana's voice trailed off and she looked at Byakuya.
"Don't tell her." Byakuya said not moving his eyes from the road. Oh god Renji's mom was hurt? Renji. "I need to see him!" I demanded. Renji was my best friend and I always was there for him, no matter what.
"You will tomorrow." Hisana said softly.
"No! He needs me!" I can't believe I was almost begging for them to take me to see my red-haired friend. I'd walk to the hospital if I had to.
"Rukia. Enough." Hisana said turning back around to face forward in her seat. No. No. No. This was too much for one night. First I'm attacked, thrown in a hospital, then I'm attacked again, Ichigo won't tell me the whole story. And now Renji. Oh god Renji. I held my face in my hands. The golden glow of streetlamps occasionally lit up the inside of the car through the windows.
I felt the car pull to a stop and I got out, without saying a word to Hisana or Byakuya. How dare they deny me the right to see my closest friend! Grams opened the door for me, her house smelled of roses and lavender.
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We sat and drank tea in her sitting room. Grams was kind, as always, and she listened to me when I explained the confusion.
"I need to see Renji…" I said softly staring into the light brown liquid in my cup. I pulled the string for the tea bag and swirled the bag around in the cup.
"I understand…and I can help." Grams said with a smile. I looked up from my tea and I could feel my eyes grow wide. "How?" I asked, Grams couldn't drive at night. She had what was called 'night-blindness', which meant she'd see things in the dark that aren't really there. And being a medium didn't help at all either.
"Magic." Grams said quietly and I wanted to scream. Demons. Spirits. Magic. It was the center of my world now all of a sudden. I was never normal, but I managed to fit in with the rest of the world.
I was desperate to see Renji, so I nodded my head. "Okay…" I said. I followed my grandmother upstairs, to the attic. I knew this was the place were she kept herbs and various books. When I walked in, I felt an overwhelming sense of being safe and protected. I felt like I could stand forever in this room and the horrors of the world couldn't hurt me. Grams placed a large book down onto a table. She lit two white candles and placed me next to her.
We casted a circle. A magical energy barrier that protects you while you work. Grams turned the pages of her book before finding the right one. The top it had the words in blue letters: Dreams. "Breath Rukia…Relax. This spell will take you out of your body, so you can visit Renji in his dreams." Grams explained before instructing me to close my eyes.
I wasn't scared or nervous. I remember Grams telling me about 'astral projection', it's the mental body leaving the physical body to travel. Same could be said for 'livid dreams'. Dreams where you feel everything is real and you wake up startled.
I could hear Grams murmuring words to the Gods and Goddesses. I wasn't focused on her. I suddenly felt like I was flying and floating at the same time. Being pushed and pulled at once. Then my ears felt like they were buzzing. My whole body went numb.
A white flash appeared before my eyelids.
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I opened my eyes to find that I was in a hospital. Renji was laying across three waiting room chairs, fast asleep. There was no dream cloud above his head, so I just walked towards him. People passed through me like I was air. I reached out and touched Renji's arm…
Another white flash…
(Renji's dream)
"Rukia?" He said staring at me in awe. He was standing in a green field, a patch of flowers in the middle, with his mother laying in them. "Renji!" I ran to him and wrapped my arms around my friend.
"What's wrong?" He asked, confused, at my sudden outburst of affection. I didn't hug people very often; the whole 'touchy-feely' wasn't my scene. "Oh Renji! I'm sorry! I'm sorry to hear about your mom." I said refusing to let go of him. "I wish I was here with you. For real. But Byakuya—" "Hey, hey…it's alright…" Renji cut me off and patted my head. I smiled slightly and looked around.
"This is a pretty girly dream." I teased and Renji chuckled.
"Mom used to take me here, when I was a kid…we'd run in the field for hours. You remember that don't you?" Renji smiled and I smiled too. I couldn't help it. "Yeah…" I refused to notice the fact that he said 'used-to'. I didn't want to think if his mother was alive or dead…I'd find out tomorrow. Not now. Too much happened tonight.
"Rukia…" Renji said softly, pulling my arms away from him. "I…I…I'll see you tomorrow." He finished his sentence and then disappeared.
The world fell beneath my feet. The field and flowers faded away and I was falling through the air.
My eyes snapped open and my body jerked, I was still in the attic with Grams. "How long was I gone?" I asked. "An hour." Grams answered before standing, closing the circle and leaving a small offering of food for the spirits for their help.
"It felt like minutes." I said stretching. Grams smiled at me.
"You've had a rough day, let's get you to bed…" Grams said leading the way to the guest bedroom.
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That night, I dreamt of running. Running through a field of grass, with flowers in my hair, and someone's hand was holding mine. But their face was blurred…
I was up minutes after I heard Grams in the kitchen. I ran downstairs, my hair sticking to my face. "Grams! We gotta go see Renji!" I said and she smiled, what was so funny? I looked where she was looking to find…Ichigo. Stalker! How did he know where my grandma lived?
"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked smoothing my hair with my hands.
"You left this." Ichigo said tossing me my crystal. I hadn't realized I dropped it, that must have happened when I was thrown the ground. "And I found out whose after you." Ichigo said with a smile.
"Who?" I asked taking the cup of orange juice that my grandma offered.
"This is just a guess, but we think…in the third realm. Call it the underworld. There's a battle for power going on, and whoever kills you gets the throne." Ichigo explained. I shivered in my seat.
"Why me?"
"You're the child of light." Grams answered with a smile. Oh great. More stuff that doesn't make sense.
"I'm going to see Renji." I said standing up and going back upstairs to get changed. I didn't want to talk about my other life, the secret life I only just heard of, I want to live my semi-normal life…and be there for my best friend.
A vision flashed before my eyes. Renji's mother sitting up and smiling. The vision filled my heart with happiness, maybe for once…everything would be okay.
Hisana had someone drop off my car at Grams; I'd have to thank her later. I changed into jeans and a light blue T-shirt, brushing my hair and washing my face. I was also thankful for keeping spare clothes at Grams. When I went back downstairs, Ichigo was gone. Grams hugged me goodbye and gave me a bag of cookies to give to Renji.
"Remember the light within you…" Grams whispered right before I left. The words stuck in my mind as I drove.
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The hospital was a good thirty minutes away from Grams. I was numb as I entered, parking my car and rushing to the front doors. "Ms. Abrai please…" I asked and the lady behind the counter gave me the room number.
I wasted no time, my sneakers skid against the clean hallway of the hospital. I entered the room to find Renji sitting by the bed and his mother hooked up to all sorts of machines. "Oh…" I placed my hand over my mouth; Renji saw me and quickly stood up. In a few long strides he was in front of me. "You were in my dream last night…" He said softly, his body obscuring my view of his mother.
"Renji." I said before he hugged me, I hugged him back. I wasn't going to be cold and leave him here when he needed comfort. "I'm sorry…" I said quietly, burying my face into the sleeve of his gray sweater. Renji responded by hugging me tighter. This was both a rare and awkward moment for the two of us. We didn't hug often, so it was always strange. Renji was always warm though I remembered that from childhood.
"Renji…" His mother said from behind the oxygen mask covering her face. I tore myself away from Renji and hurried to her side. "Rukia…" She smiled behind the mask.
"Hello……" I greeted quietly and she smiled again. Her and Renji were very alike; he was a spitting image of his mother. Her bright red hair was in curls and it pooled around her shoulders. Yet, she had the brightest green eyes I've ever seen. They always held warmth, love and kindness.
"How've you been?" She asked and I smiled, telling her I've been fine. I told her she would be okay. That she'd get through this.
"…Rukia…I'm bleeding internally, they believe I'm only going to have hours to live. I can't have surgery and life support is out of the question." She explained. I felt my heart break. I could feel Renji's sadness radiating from behind me. He must be tortured…
"Rukia, drag my son out of here so he can something to eat." Ms. Abrai said in a weak scolding tone to her son. I nodded and Renji didn't protest when I took him by the shirt and dragged him out of the hospital room. But I noticed that his eyes did not move once from where his mother was sitting.
"Rukia…" Renji sat down on one of the chairs, the soda I just bought him in his hand and the cookies from Grams on his lap. "She's going to die…isn't she?"
"Don't talk like that!" I said sitting beside him. "We have to stay positive Renji…" My words were in vain. It was clear that his mom didn't have much time left. I debated whether or not to tell Renji about my vision earlier this morning. I didn't want to give him false hope. And Grams even said something about remembering the light within me.
"I'll be right back…I need to speak to your mom in private." I said standing. Renji didn't even look up.
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"Hello Rukia…" She said when I entered. I sat down and took her hand in mine, she looked worse. Like she was staying strong for Renji and when he left the room, she allowed her weakness to be shown. She looked so frail. "Are you going to send me to heaven?" She asked me and I gasped. No. That wasn't my plan. "It's going to sound crazy, but I'm going to try and heal you…" I said taking my crystal out of my pocket and placing it in between our two palms.
"Not even you can defy fate…" She said with a smile.
"I can try." I closed my eyes; a golden light glowed from the crystal. I heard Renji's mom gasp and I imagined that golden light growing and circling us.
I opened my eyes to find Renji's mom in tears, "I'm so glad…" She said. I did it! I healed her! She's going to be okay!
"Rukia, you opened my eyes…whatever you did…and I saw all the wonderful memories of my baby." She said before withdrawing her hand from mine. She sat up and was smiling. "Before I forget…give this to Renji…" She said handing me an envelope.
"Speak of the angel…" Renji's mom said when Renji entered the hospital room.
"Mom…"
"Hush, hush…" She said before reaching out her arms, wanting to embrace her only son. I stood up and left the room. This was their moment. I had no right to intrude. I saw Grams in the hallway; she ran to me and embraced me. I was stiff. I had no energy to hug her back.
"You've got such a pure heart." Grams whispered and suddenly I heard Renji yelling.
"You're doctors! You're supposed to help people! Don't touch me. You all just stood there while her heart slowly stopped beating! Bring her back! She can't be---She's not. Get your hands away---! You're doctors! Do something!" I pushed away from Grams.
"No Rukia!" She called after me, but I was already in the hospital room, the doctors were trying to bring Renji's mom back to life.
"Renji!" I yelled over the noise of the doctors and the machines. "Rukia!" He moved his way towards me and fell to his knees.
I stood there silently watching as Renji's mother, her body jolted as they tried to restart her heart. Renji had his face hidden in my shirt, his arms securely wrapped around me. And at that moment, I realized how death can make us be children. He was shaking but not crying. The doctors then pulled the sheet over her head. What's the point…of being a 'child of light'…when I can't do a damn thing! I couldn't save her! Oh Renji…I'm so sorry…so sorry…
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September 7th, 2008 (Sunday)
Renji slept over Grams last night. We stayed up until 3 am just talking about our childhood. His mom was like a mother to me. It was like I lost two moms in one lifetime. My own mother died when I was 5. Grams raised me. Celina, who often told me to call her Mom, but I preferred Ms. Abrai. She had battled drug addiction and drinking her whole life. Renji was her shining star. I still have the letter she gave me…I don't know if I should give it to Renji or not…He's…still grieving.
Grams explained to me that what I did…since I could not heal her. Because she was meant to die. It was her time. Grams said that I unlocked the beautiful memories of Renji's childhood that Celina forgot due to drinking and drugs. The memories were hidden and because of me, she was able to pass peacefully.
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I sighed quietly before clicking off the light. Laying in bed with my eyes open, I could hear Renji gathering his things in the next room. He decided to go home…I could only imagine how much pain he's going through. I suddenly hear my bedroom door open and Renji walks in, bumping into whatever is around. I sit upwards, "I'm leaving…" He stated rather flatly.
"I know." I responded, only seeing his shadow in the darkness.
"I'll see you at school…"
"You're going? Renji! You can't!" I scolded. With his mental state, he shouldn't and everyone in this town will hound him for answers and smother him with pity. He'd hate that and so would I.
"Yeah well…I'm not just going to sit around the house." Renji's voice was so unemotional and detached. I couldn't blame him though.
"Well…goodnight."
"Night." Renji patted my shoulder and then my head before leaving. I fell back onto my pillows and clutched one to my chest.
Tonight…I knew I was going to have nightmares.
A/N: So yeah major debate on whether or not to show the letter this chapter…or later…so um I'm gonna show it later obviously. Not a lot of IchiRuki…sorry. I just got carried away with the Renji and his sweet mother, and this does connect to later chapters; I promise!!
Remember to review! Have a lovely weekend! ::hugs::
