Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Note: Don't worry Rukia is alive, for now.
Chapter 9: Returning
It had been a week since Ichigo had left. He didn't come to school. After Uryu's visit he kept his spiritual pressure down so nobody knew where he was. Rukia almost couldn't stand what she had done. Rukia made a suicide pact that if Ichigo didn't come home within a week she would shoot herself with hado 33 to end it all.
She cried everyday. She cried until she couldn't cry tears, but still cried. She didn't put any efort in school because she put all her strenght into not commiting suicide from sadness. Her heart felt like it was broken into nothing but little pieces. She knew all this was her fault and that unless Ichigo came home she wouln't be able to stand living.
After Ichigo left the hotel he stayed in a different hotel every night to keep of everyone's trail. After a week he traveled home while everybody was asleep. He sneaked into Rukia's room and saw something he would regret the rest of his life. He saw Rukia having a nightmare in her sleep. He knew what it was about by the almost silent begging Rukia was doing in her sleep, "Ichigo please don't leave me...I love you".
Ichigo wanted to wake her up right then and there, but part of him wanted her to feel what it would have been like to lose him like he would have lost her the way the she had planned to leave him. Instead of waking her up he wrote her a note and put it in her hand. Afterwards he left for Urahara's shop. When he reached the shop he sneaked through to Urakara's room. He entered his room and said,
"I know your awake hat n' clogs" he said before Urakara sat up and spoke,
"Good to see you Ichigo. Why might I ask that you are here at such a late hour?"
"I know you are prone to invent things and was wondering if you could help me with something without anyone knowing I'm back in town"
"And what do you want me to help you with?"
"Do you know about whaat Rukia planned before I left?"
"Yes I do"
"Well I want Rukia to know what it would be like if I did that to her in a nightmare"
"I think I just might have something in mind"
"What would that be?"
"I invented a device thaat when you put sprit energy in it you can alter someone's dream. I originaly wanted to get back at Tessai for a prank he pulled and I haven't used my invention since."
"Sounds perfect"
"Great, let me get it" he said as he got up and left the room only to return quikly with the device.
"I hope you go back to Rukia after your done with that" he said after handing it to Ichigo.
"I will" he said before flash stepping away.
Rukia woke up to feel the note Ichigo left her in her hand. She sat up and unfolded the note to start reading it.
Dear Rukia,
I realize that you are hurting inside like me, but I cannot come back until you know the pain I would have felt if you had left me. I promise I will come back when you know that pain. Please stay alive until I come back. I wanted to commit suicide like you do now. I even got some rope to hang myself, but didn't want to leave you alone in this world.
with love,
Ichigo
Rukia knew she would have truely hurt his heart to leave him, but didn't know if the pain she felt now would be the same as he would have felt if she had left. She got up and went downstairs with the note in hand. As she walked to the kitchen Karin took notic of the note.
"Morning Rukia, whats with the piece of papper?" she said as she looked at it.
Rukia looked at her with her usual sad face and told her, "Ichigo left me this note". Everyone looked at Rukia as Karin said, "What does it say?"
Instead of speaking she handed Karin the note. After she read it Karin was pissed.
"Who does he think he is to say you need to know more pain? He is nothing, but big jerk who wants to play with your emotions"
"I understand what he means. I am hurting, but I know Ichigo will come back. If he had left forever I couldn't take it ether" she said before she sat at the table and ate. After breakfast she went to school and told the teacher the same escuse that Ichigo had the flu. After school she just went back home and went to her room to cry. After she finised crying she sat there until it was dinner time. She just ate and went to bed without speaking a word. She fell asleep and started to dream.
After everybody else was asleeep Ichigo sneaked back in and went into Rukia's room. He saw she was having a nightmare like before. He used the device Urahara gave him to start altering Rukia's dream. She was comming through the window after killing a hollow and Ichigo waited for her in the closet as soon as she landed Ichigo came out of the closet and stabed her. He took her downstairs to Isshin for healing.
Before he left he said "I'm going to leave, don't bother trying to find me" and he vanished. Before Rukia woke up her dream turned into Ichigo saying one last thing, "Now I will come back". She woke up to find it was morning. She hurried downstairs wanting to see Ichigo at the table, but she didn't see him. She returned to her state since Ichigo left when the door was unlocked.
She looked and seen Ichigo walk through the door. When she seen him she was surprised to see him about to cry. He embraced her and started to speak at tears stained Rukia's shirt, "Rukia I'm so sorry for leaving you! I'm so sorry for making you have those nightmares! Most of all I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you! I just wanted you to understand the pain I was in!" She was shocked to Ichigo cry. Since they met she hadn't seen him shed a single tear and now he was crying because of how bad he felt.
"Its alright Ichigo, I understand now" she said as she soothed him.
"Thats not the only reason I'm back" he said as he pulled out a purple velvet box and got on one knee. "Rukia Kuchiki, will you marry me?"
"Yes Ichigo I'll marry you!" she said as she pulled him into embrace. He took out the gold ring and put it on Rukia's finger. It had a purple stone that matched Rukia's eyes. Everyone was shocked at Ichigo's proposal, mainly Yuzu. She walked right up to him and punched him in the stomach. He fell to the floor and the velvet box fell with him as Yuzu yelled, "You cause her so much pain she considered killing herself and you come back here and propose!". Yuzu had never been the violent type, but she was PISSED. Just as Ichigo was getting off the floor she kicked him in his stomach, making his cough up some blood.
"That kick was for showing back up!" she said as she prepared another kick.
"And this one is for having the nerve to propose after the pain you caused!" she said as she kicked him again, making him cough up more blood.
"And this is for not contacting us!" she yelled as she kicked him a third time. This time it was so hard Ichigo started to choke on the blood he was coughing up. Yuzu stopmed to her room with Karin following behind. Isshin helped Ichigo up and he stoped coughing up blood.
"Ichigo are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm alright"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah I'm fine"
"Good" she said before she kissed him on the lips, "If you ever leave me again you will wish she killed you just now".
"Don't worry, I will never leave again" he said before taking her hand, "Do you want to do anything my wife to be?" he said while looking into her eyes.
"Yeah, but latter in your room" she said seductively.
"What ever you want" he said with a grin.
"Just don't make too much noise" Isshin said with a grin as left the room. Ichigo was about to punch him when Rukia grabbed his wrist.
"Now would you rather punch him or make out with me?" she said as she inched close to him. Ichigo started to kiss Rukia passionately. He had missed her so much.
"Why wait till tonight?"
"I don't want anyone to hear us moan"
"Then how about we go out to the mall and pick you a dress?"
"Sounds good to me" she said they walked to the door.
"Wait, which would you rather have, a store bought dress or a custom made one?"
"Custon, but where are we going to get one?"
"Who do we know who can make anything out of thred?"
"Uryu" she said realizing what Ichigo planned.
"So when do you want to tell everybody?"
"How about next week?"
"Sounds perfect"
I wonder how Orihime will take the news. Happy ,angry, jelus, depressed, or maby even suicidel. About the note at the top, its to foreshadow. Constructive critisism welcomed.
