pre beta-ed ver. Enjoy


Truth? 9

The reality finally hit him hard. Rukia was gone and soon enough, she will take their son with her. She will settle down in Soul Society in the Kuchiki Mansion. Abarai Renji will be beside her. Abarai Renji, not Kurosaki Ichigo who broke her heart. Ryuu will grow up, probably without knowing his biological father. Ichigo knew Renji loved Rukia some time ago. He maybe still in love with her. The red haired man will never break her heart. He will be the one that will comfort her when she needed someone. Someone who will lend his shoulder for her to cry on. Someone who will love and care for her. Someone who will mend her wounded heart.

"Ichigo," the sweet and soft voice of Ishikawa Miu brought his wondering mind back. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Ichigo managed a nod and he sighed. Two days back, Rukia left him, possibly for good. A couple of day without her was hard, too hard for him. No one to comfort him other than Miu. "Miu, she knew about us. She left me and soon enough, she will take Ryuu too," said Ichigo. From corner of his eyes, he saw her expression changed.

"How did she know? I thought we already planned everything perfectly."

"Who knows? She saw me... us. I don't know when, but she knew that you are pregnant and being hospitalized here. Her brother and her best friend also knew. Nii-sama almost beat me, if it wasn't for Rukia," he explained. Both went silent.

"What now?" Miu asked.

He didn't reply. Yeah, what now? He asked himself. Ichigo took a deep breath. He exhaled. "Let's not worry about her. She got her brother and Renji. Everything will be fine for her," his voice was almost inaudible.

"Don't you worry about her? She's your wife!" exclaimed Miu, who was startled with his answer.

"I know! What else can I do? She might look strong to you, but in the inside, she is so fragile. I broke her heart. She trusted me and I lied. Things got exacerbate when she knew about you! I shouldn't have kept any secrets from her, especially this one. I should have told her. At least, if I told her, things will surely be different. She will understand. But because of my idiocy, I kept it secret!"

Miu was shocked with his respond went silence. So was he. Ichigo tried to clear off his mind from everything that had happened. His once perfect plan had crashing down on him. Suffocating him. Will he ever make up with Rukia?

"I need some fresh air," he muttered. He stood up and walked out of that room, not bother for a reply from Miu. After six years knowing each other, it was the first time they got into an argument.

"Hey Ryuu. It's daddy," whispered Ichigo as he carefully caressed the infant's hand. Ryuu Ichiro Kurosaki reacted to his daddy call by moving his tiny, wire-free limbs in circle movements. All the wires and tubes covering his small body were finally removed that morning. His health was doing great and might be release from the hospital soon enough.

"You seem energetic today, huh?" asked Ichigo. He continued stroking his son body. For an hour, Ichigo sat beside the little Kurosaki. Ichigo knew the probability for him never to see his child again was very high. Byakuya would never want him to be near Rukia or Ryuu. He was a strict man and still is.

Ichigo sighed for hundredth times. "Ryuu, I'm sorry for everything that I had done to your mommy. I never wanted things to turn like this. I was just doing my job as a friend... Mommy might never forgive me, so I want you to take care of her. Don't break her heart like I did." He kissed the infant's forehead. "I love you so much," he mumbled as one drop of tear fell on Ryuu's hand. He gave Ryuu Ichiro Kurosaki one last stroke on his hairless head. He never wanted things to become like this. Then, he turned around to exit the ward.

--

Miu stared at the door for a period of time. She knew Ichigo was angry but he didn't have the right to be so. Rukia was his wife, for crying out loud. He should be worried about her even if she got her brother and friend. He still has a big responsibility to her. Damn it. Sometimes, Ichigo was too unpredictable. His emotions sporadically trounced his rational mind to think about his status as Rukia's husband. But then again, they both culpable in this problem. They should have not kept anything secret from her.

Miu Ishikawa inhaled deeply before expelled the carbon dioxide gas from her body. She felt like a jerk right now. She knew that someday, this will happen. She should have distance herself from Ichigo when he was getting married. She never meant to be the third person who broke up someone's marriage, but she just did. How could she ever make up things like this? Once again, Miu sighed.

From a drawer beside her bed, she took a piece of paper and a pen. Then, she brought the stationary to her moveable desk. As she shifted her body to a more comfortable postion, she began drafting what to write in her mind. An apology letter or an explanation letter? What should she say? After few minutes, she took a hold of the pen and began scratching few letters on the clean white paper. They read, Dear Rukia. From there, more words were wrote down. Finally, the clean white paper was covered with words from head to bottom, explaining the truth about the relationship between Kurosaki Ichigo and Ishikawa Miu.

She read once, then again. Satisfied enough with her letter, Miu reached for an envelope from the same drawer. She folded her letter neatly and put it inside the brown coloured envelope. She sealed it with its self-adhesive. Using the same pen, she scribbled 'Kurosaki Rukia' on the envelope recipient's space. Then, she put back the letter and pen to the drawer.

Miu laid back. Her breathing suddenly became rapid. Something was wrong. First thing came to her mind was she's dying. Tears trickled down her face. God, please save her baby. That was all she thought as her fingers searching for the emergency button. Her slender fingers reached the remote that consisted with an alarm button which connected to the emergency alarm at the nurses' station outside. She tried to press the button, but her fingers were too weak. Miu took a deep breath, collecting all her remaining strength in her body, before pushed the bright red button. A long beep was produced. Knowing that the nurses outside had been alarmed, Miu Ishikawa slowly closed her eyes.

Seconds later, a nurse came bursting from outside. Upon seeing the almost lifeless body of Miu Ishikawa, she turned to another emergency button that will alert the doctors. She pressed it harshly and rapidly. Then, the nurse went to the patient. "Mrs. Ishikawa! Please respond!" she called as she checked her vitals. They were weak. She put a finger under Miu's nose. Her breathing was decreasing.

"Doctor!!" the nurse screamed. The patient was dying, so was the baby that she was carrying.

A doctor came with couple of nurses tailing him. The nurses began the manual breathing installation as the doctor checked on Miu again. They had to save both mum and baby.

"Doctor, please save my baby..." Miu Ishikawa whispered before she went totally blacked out.

"Ma'am! Stay with us!" but it was useless. Miu Ishikawa wasn't awake anymore. She couldn't hear anything. She was unconscious.


A/N: I know I promised 2 chapters before year 2009 ended, but I couldn't make it. Very busy right now. So sorry.
School's around the corner and I'll be taking my 'O' Level in October.

Btw, in the end, there will definitely be an Ichiruki, as requested. Thanks to all who patiently read and reviewed. Hey BLEACHISAWESOMEANDIMAWESOME XP, your review is WOW~ o0 and others too. A big thank yous for all of you.

Please reviews!

Love,
BlackBrightField2007 (I'm Ichiruki fan, don't hate me for making Rukia suffered in this story! . I suffered too, ya know~)