Chapter 8

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. This one will draw Part I to a close *sniff*. I've got my outline done for Part II and III, but I've yet to write the next chap. You see, I've been getting scenes in my head and writing them down, but they're not chonological in the story making it hard to post anything. I'm working on it, though, and as soon as I'm happy with what I've got, I'll release it. Gotta make sure you guys get quality and all. Part II takes us to a pivotal time for Ichigo, something I wasn't sure I should do, but hey, it's in my head and it won't go away. ;) From here on out, we're gonna get a little fluffier, but hopefully I'll be able to find balance with some good fight scenes.

Oh, btw, I'd really like to see some more reviews. I need some constructive criticism, not just great job or this sucks--tell me what was good and what wasn't so good. I can't improve without a little help from you, constant reader.

Here it is, the close of Part I. Enjoy.

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She managed to halt the poison before healing him would have gotten immensely more difficult. Ishida was moaning softly under her Soten Kisshun, shuddering and looking particularly miserable, but he would survive.

Inoue was kneeling beside Ishida on the hard-packed sand with the sounds of battle ringing in her ears. Chad and Renji were still fending off hollow, but the hollow seemed to disperse, looking confused, as if whatever had coordinated their efforts vanished. They were killing them with ease now. She could feel Rukia's reiatsu, a little weak but steady, and Ichigo's reiatsu was calming: he defeated whatever remained at Las Noches' Fifth Tower.

It wasn't Ishida's physical condition or the outcome of the battle that had frazzled her nerves.

Did he just say what I think he said? a dumbfounded Inoue asked herself.

Just as she called out her Shun Shun Rikka, she heard Ishida whisper that phrase that could mean so much trouble, and then she heard her name afterwords. If he hadn't said her name, she would've totally chalked it up to a fevered dream or that he was talking about someone else, but no, he just had to clarify with a breathy, "Inoue," before he completely passed out.

Oh, boy.

The wind had been knocked out of her. Why was it so hard to breathe? Inoue's skin tingled as the last year's events suddenly came into sharp focus.

They had entered the Seireitei, and she had cushioned both Ishida and herself from the fall. He'd bandaged her up while she was unconscious, and when she woke, he was looking at her weird.

They encountered Ziroubou, the kamitachi, and Ishida used hirenkyaku to get her away from his attack just in time. Ziroubou kept trying to attack her, but Ishida was always right there to stop him, a fierce look in his eyes.

Then they were disguised as shinigami. That one big shinigami was hitting on her pretty badly, and Ishida stood between them, defending her.

Oddly, handicrafts club popped into her mind. Ishida sat in the desk beside Inoue every time, and he always found a way to compliment her work. When she would dismiss him and say that he was so much better, he would look away from her and push his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose, quietly saying, "Thank you, Inoue-san." There were times she was sure he was blushing.

Inoue recalled being in class. During English, her mind had wandered again to Ichigo. What would a date with Kurosaki-kun be like? Would he kiss her? Would he eat the dessert she made with chocolate and wasabi? She had gazed over at him, just watching the back of his orange-haired head moving up and down while he was taking notes. She fumbled with her pen not even attempting to take notes, although she felt guilty about that. She sighed and looked out the huge window next to her desk, still daydreaming.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Ishida's reflection. He wasn't taking notes, either. No, he was gazing at her. Back then she was so involved in her daydreaming that she thought Ishida saw something out the window. Looking back on it now, Ishida couldn't have seen anything: the window was acting like a big mirror with the lighting at that time of day.

Now there was the way he had just held her when she nearly passed out. Both Ichigo and Renji had slung her over their shoulders like a sack of potatoes, but Ishida... Ishida held her like... well, like a woman.

It was as if the pieces of some great puzzle fell together. All this time she was longing for Ichigo, regretting that he was totally unaware of how she felt or him, when in truth she was the one who'd been blinded. It was right there in front of her the whole time.

Ishida-kun.

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While Alejandro's spirit particles were still floating in the air, Ichigo tore off his mask and flashed over to where he left Rukia. He scooped her small body up in both his arms, ignoring his injuries to carry her down to the bottom of the crater in the pile of stone and debris.

Relief washed over him as he clutched her close. She had now seen his Vaizard side and didn't pull away from his touch. The clenching feeling in his chest started to subside; she wasn't afraid of him, and she didn't hate him.

Ichigo pulled her even tighter to him, and Rukia let out a pain-filled moan, which brought back one of the worst memories he would ever have: the sight of Rukia taking a Cero and lying battered and motionless. He loosened his grip on her and shuddered thinking about what had almost happened. He dropped his head into Rukia's neck and filled his lungs with the scent of her: a hint of orchids after rain.

Once his foot hit the tiled floor, stubborn as ever, Rukia balked, "Put me down! I can walk now."

"Nope," Ichigo stated firmly, calling her bluff. He lifted his head to glare at her. "I don't think you can even stand. You're gonna let me carry you even if it kills you."

Rukia punched him square in the shoulder with all the strength she could muster, which was just enough to hurt.

"Or if it kills me," he coughed.

He expected her to put up more fight or sulk a little more about being carried like a damsel in distress; he knew she hated that. When she didn't resume her protests and her demeanor changed to something much softer, quieter, Ichigo thought there was something really wrong.

"Rukia..." he began.

"Ichigo, are you alright?" Her hand found its way to Ichigo's hot, flushed cheek, effectively cutting him off. He was still breathing quite heavily from the exertion and was drenched in blood and sweat, and still worse, his expression was haunted.

"I'm fine. Anyway, that's my line!" Ichigo was so frustrated. He just rescued her, and as beat up as she was, she just asked how he was? He wasn't even that bad compared to her, at least he thought so. She almost... Ichigo couldn't even think it.

"How is that your line, idiot?! You're bleeding from everywhere! I'll be fine," Rukia pursed her lips. She shifted herself in his arms and saw red slowly blossoming on the bandages covering his chest. "On top of all the wounds you just got, your other injury reopened. Where's Inoue?," she sighed. With that, Rukia's mind flashed back to how he laid there on the ground which was still stained a dark black-red with a dying Ichigo's blood.

Ichigo barely nodded, "It's not too bad, though. You're worse off than I am. Stop worrying, midget, I..."

"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered suddenly. "You... you were gone for a moment there, and I nearly died along with you."

She placed her hand where blood began to spread, her deep violet eyes shining with the tears that welled up unchecked.

"Never do that to me again, you idiot." She gulped and tried to force down the sobs that threatened to break through, but she failed miserably, openly weeping in Ichigo's arms.

"Rukia." That was sharper than he'd hoped, but Ichigo was thrown completely off guard by holding a crying Rukia. He decided he really, really didn't like it when Rukia cried.

Ichigo stopped, checking his words before they left his mouth. "Rukia," he repeated as he rested his chin on her head, his voice now barely more than a whisper. "You scared the hell out of me just now, when you were lying there. You didn't answer me and... I almost didn't get there in time... " his voice trailed off. Then he appeared to have a new thought pop into his head, and his voice found new vigor. "You knew you were weak to begin with. Why the hell didn't you run?!"

Rukia gazed back up into Ichigo's eyes, so piercing that she drew back a little. She knew she would have probably been obliterated if Ichigo hadn't come along when he did, but that didn't matter. The tears stopped and were replaced by a steely gaze.

"How could I run? Do you think I could just leave you there?" Rukia questioned in horror.

On top of that, Ichigo had once again so easily dismissed her as a shinigami. She was a warrior with so many years experience on him, one who goes into battle with the grim knowledge her death could come at any time. His dismissal of that made her fume. "I told you not to waste your cares on me when we first entered Las Noches, when we split up, and I meant it. I've been a shinigami for much longer than you."

"Quit being so stubborn!" Ichigo demanded. "If I have the chance to save you or Inoue or Ishida, Chad or Renji or anyone, I'm going to take it every time!"

Those words were a dagger to Rukia's heart. So, came the dreadful realization, I'm just one of his nakama... not something more...

Biting her bottom lip and letting her eyelids fall, Rukia tried to shake it off nonchalantly and become her cold, walled-up self again. Even though he'd probably miss it because he could be that dense, and even if he saw it and didn't understand, she absolutely did not want Ichigo to see how much that comment hurt her.

Instead, not in control of her emotions for the third time today, her body became rigid in Ichigo's arms, her eyes narrowed. "Maybe you need to stop playing hero," Rukia spat. "You," she emphasized in low tones, "you'll never know what it did to me, finding you here," she stated angrily, nearly choking on the last word as she poked him hard in the chest (still carefully avoiding he location of his injury, though) to drive her point.

At this, Ichigo wilted. Rukia felt his body bend over slightly as he shut his eyes tight, almost like someone kicked him in the gut. She softened--but only a little--at this. She hadn't meant to hurt him that badly, but she was furious at him for almost dying... for doubting her... for not loving her.

You fool, Rukia, she chided herself silently. Look what you've gone and done.

A painfully long, silent moment passed. Ichigo looked down at the woman in his arms, his brow even more tightly knit, eyes narrowed. "Yes, I do know," he responded firmly. His voice rose in anger, frustration and hurt as he unloaded the contents of his heart. "What do you think it was like for me to helplessly watch as Aizen bore a hole into you and take the Hougyoku? Did you know it was agony? How do you think I felt just now, seeing you lying there, wondering if you would ever open your eyes again after you were hit with a Cero? A Cero, dammit! I died a little every second I waited for you to answer me. Yes, I do know," he finished, nearly at the top of his lungs and nearly out of breath.

Rukia blinked. He was yelling at her, not that when it came to Ichigo she should expect something different, but the words he said were vastly different than anything she'd heard him say before.

"Ichigo..."

"Yes, I do know," he repeated, quietly now, his face so close it completely filled her vision.

Before she could register what was happening, Ichigo pulled her body into him, laced his fingers up through the back of her hair and smashed his lips to hers. He kissed her fiercely, holding her so tightly it hurt her wounds, but Rukia didn't care. It took her by surprise, but Rukia willingly gave in to him, her body melting into his as his lips pressed so firmly against hers. The sheer urgency of his kiss radiated throughout her entire body like a shock wave. And she returned every emotion.

There was no denying how he felt now.