"Somebody help me. Please. I need to know who I am. Please. Somebody just help me"


Chapter 8 – Reunion

Kaien bounded into the house, grinning and waving a piece of paper. "Dad! Dad!"

Ichigo rushed out of the kitchen, his eyes wide with surprise and fear. "What, what is it?" he expected to hear something about evil spirits, or hollow attacks, or...

"Lookit, lookit!" Kaien thrust the paper into his father's hands. Ichigo took it. It was Kaien's report card. Ichigo sighed with relief. At least it wasn't anything bad. His eyes skimmed down the grades. A's and B's.

"That's great Kaien." Ichigo smiled as he ran a hand through son's spiky black hair. "Really great buddy, good for you."

Kaien pouted. "You don't care, do you?"

"Of course I do!" Ichigo protested. "Sorry, my mind isn't here today, but I'm proud of, you really I am. I know you work hard for your grades and that's good."

Kaien smirked. "Yeah right. I can tell you're so happy for me."

Stop looking so much like your mother, Ichigo silently begged, Stop being so much like her, stop...stop looking at me like that, please.

"I am, don't worry." Ichigo ruffled Kaien's hair, "Well, as long as you're going for being smart, why don't you go upstairs and start your homework?"

Kaien's smirk became a smile. "Yeah, all right, I'm going." He grabbed his bag off the floor and bounced up the stairs, taking two at a time. Ichigo smiled after the boy, but still wished he didn't look so much like Rukia. It killed him sometimes.


She was steadily rising into the air, her bright white robes flowing around her, tickling her bare feet. The ground below her was dotted with people, all who seemed to be watching her intently, waiting for something to happen...

Then bright flames filled the sky, taking on the shape of a great bird. It's giant wings flapped, spitting of small embers...the wind was blowing, her hair was flying, the fiery bird was coming closer, she closed her eyes, waiting for impact...

But it never came. And after a few moments had passed, she opened her eyes, slowly at first, then fully, and found herself looking up into amber eyes...

And a voice said, "Hey."

Rukia bolted up in bed, breathing heavily. The voice was ringing in his head, over and over, just that one word, that one hey. It was just a hey. But it was driving her completely insane. "Damn it," still wrapped up in her thin blanket, Rukia drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, and rested her forehead on her knees, burying her face in the blankets. "Damn, damn, damn."

Rukia would have given anything to remember. She would have liked nothing more than to just wake up one morning with all of her memories in tact. She wanted to know who the orange-haired boy was that haunted her dreams, why sometimes she dreamed about a man who was dangling off a sword that she was holding. She wanted to know who she was.

"Damn it," she muttered again, "Somebody help me. Please. I need to know who I am. Please. Somebody just help me"


Ichigo sighed as he logged off his screen. Another day of work finished. Thank God. "I'm out of here!" he called, standing up. He looked down at his watch. "Damn it!" he swore furiously as he grabbed his coat and bolted. If he didn't hurry, Kaien would get home before him. And Kaien didn't like being home alone.

"Yes." He hissed triumphantly as he pulled into the driveway and clambered out of the car. When Kaien beat him home, he was always sitting on the doorstep (unless he went to Souken's). But the doorstep was empty. "Damn." Ichigo muttered as he let himself into the house. "Oh well, he'll probably be home in about an hour..."

"Hey Dad!" at that moment, Kaien bounded out of the living room. Ichigo blinked.

"What the...Kaien, why are you-"

"You really should lock your door when you're not home, you never know what kind of weirdo could walk in." Ichigo stopped. He blinked. He opened his mouth, closed it, and blinked again. Then he opened his mouth. And he exploded.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

Kaien blinked and looked up at his father, confused. "Dad? Is something wrong?"

Renji Abarai snickered as he watched Ichigo gape like a fish out of water. "What's wrong, Ichigo? If I didn't know better, I'd say you're not happy to see me"

"Why would I be happy to see you, exactly?"

"Because I hold the key to putting your life back together." Ichigo blinked again. Renji had never said a more cornier thing in his life, Ichigo was sure. But there was something haunting in the words. Ichigo looked over at his son.

"Kaien?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"Go to your room."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Ichigo assured the boy. It was obvious he was worried he had done something to make his father mad. "It's okay. I need to have a word alone with uh...him." He jerked his thumb at Renji. "Just go to your room."

Kaien, hearing the seriousness in his father's voice, shrugged, picked his bag up, and jumped his way up the stairs. "He's got a lot of energy." Renji said with a smirk, standing up (he'd been sitting on the couch), "Cute kid. Looks a lot like Rukia doesn't he?"

"What do you want Renji?" Ichigo wasn't in the mood for games

"Long story short, I want you to come back to the Soul Society," Ichigo opened his mouth to shout, then closed it, then opened it again.

"Why in the world would I ever go back there?"

"Because someone you want is there―"

"There's only person I want―"

They both spoke at the same time. "It's Rukia"

Ichigo froze. His mouth was still open. "Do you have any idea how stupid you look?"

Ichigo's mouth snapped shut. Then he opened it again. Renji needed someone to yell at him. "What the hell kind of joke is this?!"

Renji sighed wearily and held his hands up. "Look, Ichigo, I need you to not go nuts and try and kill me when I tell you what I'm about to tell you."

"Talk fast and talk now and maybe I won't kill you."

Renji ran a hand through his crimson hair. "All right. What would you say if I told you that...Rukia's alive?"

"I think I'd say it's time to up your medicine dosage."

Renji nodded, "Yeah. Sounds like something you'd say." He scuffed at the floor. "Well, believe me or not, it's true. Rukia's alive. She's been alive for the past eight years."

For a second all Ichigo could think was that this was one sick joke. But he could see the seriousness in Renji's eyes. "What are you going on about?" Ichigo asked finally, trying to keep the disbelieving not out of his voice, and failing. "Start explaining, now."

Renji took a deep breath. "Listen closely. You remember how you left the Soul Society right after you got Kaien back? I mean, you didn't stick around for anything, you just assumed Rukia was dead...and I don't really blame you, after what happened, I mean, the place exploded, but..."

"But what?"

Renji looked as if he was struggling. "We...we found her under some rubble. She was alive, barely. To be honest, no one expected her to live, I mean, we brought her to the fourth division, and Captain Unohana said she'd do everything she could to save Rukia, but...her chances were slim. Really, really slim.

"But you know Rukia. She's too damn stubborn for her own good. Or maybe she's just stubborn enough. Either way, it kept her alive. Well, it kind of kept her alive. She slipped into a coma. After that there was no change. No one expected anything after that. I mean, we hoped but...really, hope can be false sometimes. Rukia seemed intent on proving us wrong though. But it took her three years."

"She was in a coma for three years?"

"Give or take a few days." Renji said with a nod, "Problem is, when she woke up, she didn't... remember anything. Her first words were 'who am I?'. Imagine that."

"Amnesia"

"Yeah." Renji looked grim. "That was five years ago. Problem is, she still doesn't remember anything. We've been trying to help her but...nothing doing."

"And the reason no one thought to me in about this is..." Ichigo was ready to explode. His fists were clenched and he was shaking with anger.

"The Soul Society's been calling the shots in Rukia's life." Renji said. "They've been deciding on what she needs to know and what she doesn't need to know. And they decided―"

"She doesn't need to know about me?!"

"Pretty much," Renji sighed, "Look, Ichigo – whoa, hey, wait!"

Ichigo grabbed Renji by his robe and flung him against the wall, pinning him by the throat. "What gives the Soul Society the right to screw with someone's life like that?!"

"Nothing, nothing!" Renji choked out/ "Look, I didn't call this, the higher-ups did, I don't agree with it at all, that's why I want you to come back to the Soul Society!"

Ichigo blinked and pulled his hand away, letting Renji slide down the wall a little. "What can I do?" He asked, running a hand through his orange hair and flexing his fingers, willing himself not to take a swing at Renji. The temptation was strong though.

"It's been five years." Renji said. "We haven't been able to do anything to help her. But you...as much as I hate to say it, I think you could help her in a way we can't."

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair, confused. "The Soul Society doesn't know you're here, do they Renji?"

"Not really"

Ichigo sighed. What choice did he have? If Renji was telling the truth, and Rukia was really alive...

"Tell me what to do"


"What?!" Orihime's shriek nearly blew out Ichigo's eardrum. "What do you mean 'alive'?!"

A short boy with dark orange hair and shining black eyes peeked around the corner, "Mom? Is something wrong?"

"What?" Orihime blinked and looked around, "Oh, no Souken. Nothing's wrong."

"Hey Souken!" Kaien waved eagerly at his friend.

"Hey Kai." Souken said with a grin. "Mom, can Kaien and I play outside?"

"Sure." Orihime still looked dazed. "Kaien's going to be staying here for a few days, by the way."

"Thanks Orihime." Ichigo said, ruffling Kaien's hair. "All right buddy." He got down eye level with the boy. "I'm going away for a little while, you're staying with Aunt Orihime and Uncle Uryu. Is that okay?"

"I wanna go with you." Kaien said with a pout. Ichigo smiled sadly and pulled Kaien into a hug. The small boy held his father tightly.

"I know you do. I'm sorry, but I have to go alone. I'll be back really soon though, I promise."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, definitely." Ichigo smiled. "Be good, all right?"

"I will," Kaien nodded, and Ichigo stood up. "Hey Dad?"

"What's up kid?"

"Are you going to get Mom?" Ichigo's heart stopped. How did Kaien know? "I heard you and Renji talking―" how did Kai know Renji's name? "He told me once he knows where Mom is. Are you going to get her?"

Ichigo sighed, deciding now was not the time for questions. "God Kaien. I hope so;"

Kaien smiled. "All right. In that case, it's okay if you go."

Ichigo laughed and ruffled his son's hair. "Good luck." Kaien called after his father as he shut the door behind him. Ichigo stood on the doorstep, his hand still on the doorknob. He could hear Kaien and Souken talking inside.

"Ready?" Renji was leaning against a tree.

"One thing." Ichigo pulled a small green pill out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. A second later he stumbled as he was ejected from his body.

"What the―?!" Kon jumped up, "What's―"

Ichigo grabbed Kon but the cuff of his shirt and pulled him forward, "Listen up. I'm leaving you in charge of my body for a week, maybe a couple, maybe more, I don't know. But if you screw me up at all, I swear I'll destroy you when I come back. Got it?"

"Y-Yeah." Kon nodded, stunned. It had been years since Ichigo had called on the Mod Soul for any kind of help. This was a very unexpected thing.

"Good. Take this," he shoved an envelope into Kon's hands, "and go to Urahara's. And stay there. Understand?"

"Got it."

"Good. Now go." Kon took off. Ichigo turned back to Renji.

"All right. Now I'm ready. Let's move."


Kaien watched with wide eyes as his father and Renji walked through a door that had appeared out of nowhere when the latter had stuck out a sword and turned it in midair. The young boy didn't know where they were going. But he knew that if his father was going to help his mother...than everything would be okay. "Good luck Dad."


Ichigo sighed as Renji led him through the grounds of the Kuchiki house. "I swear Renji, if this is a joke I'm gonna rip out your―"

"Leave my body intact 'cause there she is." Ichigo froze. It was her. She had just left a room and was walking down the hall. Without thinking, Ichigo dove around the corner. Her back was to him, luckily. "Coward." Renji snickered, "Oi, Rukia!"

Ichigo peeked around the corner, just enough to see her. Rukia looked around. "Renji. I thought you had paperwork"

"Er...yeah." Renji shrugged. "I'll do it later. Look, I've got something...someone who may be able to help you."

"Oh really?" her voice was almost dead, "Listen, Renji―"

"No, you listen." Renji broke in. "Look, I know this is hard on you, but hey, don't turn down help if it's being given to you, all right?"

Rukia sighed. "Whatever Renji. Just tell me what you want."

"Well, it's not what I want," without warning, Renji grabbed Ichigo and dragged him into view, "It's what he wants."

Ichigo's breath caught in his throat. Rukia stared at him for a second, his eyes narrowing. "Do I...know you?" She sounded torn between curious and confused. Ichigo felt as if his heart was breaking.

"I...My name's Ichigo." He said finally, "And yeah, you know me."

"You look familiar..."

Renji, seeing what this was doing to Ichigo, quickly cut in. "Ichigo played an important part in your life. I know you don't remember, but maybe if he was around it would help..."

Rukia looked between Ichigo and Renji, obviously confused. "Wait a second." Ichigo said suddenly, "What are we supposed to tell your higher-ups?"

Renji winced. He hadn't even thought about that. His last second decision to bring Ichigo into the Soul Society and seemed all right at the time. But now…

"I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble."


Author's Note: So Rukia and Ichigo have met again (finally), but will they stay together? We'll see…review! ― Sam