Love & Ichigo: The dance

As they laid in bed and thought of tomorrow, they couldn't help but wonder what's life worth without each other.

"Are you ready?" Alex asked Rukia as he picked her up, not knowing this was the kurosaki home. 'She has been acting strange lately' Alex noted in his head, as she looked him in the eye.

"Want to tell me what that's about" Alex asked

Rukia turned her head, towards the window, she knew what she was doing was wrong, using him, to make her ex jealous. She knew she didn't deserve him to be so kind and nice to her, to have done the things he did.

So what else could she do but end this date though she knew it was wrong, she had to, she'd only suffer more and she wants her last night here, to be a memorable one, that's why she was going to apologize to Ichigo too, she needed his comfort, his love even if it was only for one more night.

"I'm so sorry I can't do this, stop the car" Rukia demanded sounding a little broke inside, but at the moment Alex had paid no attention to the way her voice sounded, but instead seemed to heartbroken and struck by the choice of words.

"Rukia?" he asked while he began pulling over "What are you doing"

"Alex, I just can't, I'm not supposed to be with you right now"

"What, your just going to brake our date now?" Alex said unbending

"I'm sorry, I have my reasons"

"Really? What"

"I'm sorry, but" Rukia tried to get out but had no chance in saying that at all, because she was cut off by a gentle but fragile and hurt voice.

"Let me guess, Ichigo right? You want your last night here to be with the man you love, and you feel you need to be with him."

Rukia was taken aback by just how accurate he was, hitting everything she didn't want to say on the dot.

"Yes" Rukia said "exactly"

"I understand" Alex said "Is there anywhere you would like for me to drop you off"

"No, here is fine" she said getting out of the car.

"You know" Alex said " dances really aren't my scene" he said laughing "I wasn't going to go but you asked and hey here I am, but any way, I wish you a happy future, goodbye Rukia"

"Good bye Alex" Rukia said as she watched him drive off, and took out her soul pager slash cell phone and called Inoue, who agreed to come pick her up.

'Tonight' Rukia thought to herself as she watched the girls pull up in front of her 'will be my last night with Ichigo'.

She says she's no good with words but I'm worse
Barely stuttered out
A joke of a romantic stuck to my tongue
Weighed down with words too over dramatic
Tonight it's "it can't get much worse"
Vs. "no one should ever feel like..."

Rukia heard the music play in the background, the school gym was packed with people dancing and just having a good time, living like they have no worries in the world. Rukia envied them because they could live in a way she wish she could.

Rukia was suddenly brought out of her thoughts, with a small hand waving back and forth in front of her face.

"Huh" Rukia said as her group of friends busted with laughter, all except Orihime.

"You're really out of it tonight huh Kuchiki" Tatsuki asked

"Yeah I guess"

"Did your hear, Keigo actually got Ichigo to come, and Ichigo actually convinced Ishida and Chad to come too."

"Yeah how out of the ordinary is that" Ryo agreed

"There coming as a group" Orihime added "Atleast that's what Uryuu said"

"Yeah unbelievable" Ryo said glancing at the door "As a matter of fact the guys just arrived" she said pointing at the double gym doors as they walked.

Rukia looked towards the area Ryo was pointing at when she saw Keigo and Mizurio walk in and immediately run off to some girls dancing in the corner 'perverts' then she looked behind them and there he was. He had on a pair of black dress pants, and a black dress shirt, and a red tie, Rukia's mind almost went to another place, when she heard Tatsuki say.

"Whoa Ichigo cleans up nice"

"Yeah, I agree" Ryo said

"Yeah if I wasn't so stuck on Orihime I might try him too" Chiziru added in chuckling with laughter.

Everyone turned around in horror at Chiziru.

"Exactly how long have you been standing there?" Tatsuki asked rather pissed

"Since you started gawking at the boys, why Orihime you look exceptionably good to day as always" Chiziru said before Tatsuki punched her in her face.

The sounds of there arguments drowned out as Rukia continued to stare at Ichigo, he was here, and it was the perfect scenery for her to say sorry. Rukia watched him as he eyed the dance and decorations and that's when there eye's met, and they stared at each other. She could read his look, it was of irritation and hurt, then he turned away, and began walking to Keigo.

She had hurt him, she knew that the only way to make things right again, was to talk to him and as complicated as it had become just to hold a conversation between the two, it still needed to happen whether Kami was on her side tonight or not.

Rukia got up and began to walk away towards Ichigo, when she noticed he wasn't there anymore, she looked around, she saw Keigo, Mizurio , Chad and Ishida too but no irresistible orange haired teenager, she then noticed that they were all dress alike, Black and Red, just like his Bankai, how ironic.

"Rukia?" She heard someone call after her, and even though she knew it was Orihime, she answered any way.

"Yes Inoue"

"I um did you…?"

"Did I tell him?" Rukia asked no emotion showed to the girl

"y-yes" Orihime stuttered at her coldness

"No, I haven't"

"You know, I'm sorry" Orihime started "but still, what right do you have to do this"

"Don't even think for a second Orihime" Rukia said becoming angry "That I don't love him that he's just some sort of toy I'm using."

"I didn't say it you did" Rukia turned around and got into to Inoue's face then and gripped her fist.

"I love him, and I don't want him to hurt for me Inoue san" Rukia said making the honorifics the important part of that sentence.

"If you leave without telling him, don't even bother coming back Kuchiki san"

"The decision isn't yours to make"

"He won't want you here"

And with that, Rukia knew that there friendship their bond and ties had been officially broken, all because she couldn't say 3 measly words, 'Ichigo I'm leaving'. As she watched Orihime walk away she noticed a certain orange haired Shinigami at the concession stand and he was by himself, what time could possibly be better than to pull him off to the side now and so she when she finally made it to him and he turned around all she could say was…

"Nice night tonight huh"

"Yeah" Ichigo said

"can we talk Ichigo, there are some things I'd like to get off my chest"

"Is that really such a good Idea" Ichigo asked reminding her of the last time they talked, as he got up to follow her. The walk was silent, as they past by there class rooms in the darkness and onto the roof.

"So" Ichigo began looking at the town from the view on the rooftop "What is it"

"We've been fussing an fighting and I'm tired Ichigo, so tired of us"

"So now I'm tiring you"

"No, I"

"What is it huh Rukia?, what do you want from me, I tried, you said we couldn't be together"

"No that's not what this is about"

"Then what is it about Rukia?"

I have, I have you
breathing down my neck, breathing down my neck
I don't, don't know
what you could possibly expect under this condition so
I'll wait, I'll wait for the
ambulance to come, ambulance to come
Pick us up off the floor
what did you possibly expect under this condition
So slow down,
this nights a perfect shade of

Dark blue, dark blue

"I want us to be friends again"

"Is that all" Ichigo asked

"No" Rukia said

"Then what else?"

"I, I want you to love me again" Ichigo was taken aback by this so much that he was at a loss of words, he didn't know what to say.

"Rukia… I" but they were broken from their conversation as Keigo came up there screaming his guts off for the love of Rukia.

"How dare you ravish Rukia, my love, how could you do this to me. Icchigoooooooooo!"

Rukia watched as Ichigo was dragged and pulled back into the dance, she soon followed suit, it hadn't gone the way she planned, she said some things she wish she hadn't, and some she wish she had. They'd glance at each other for the rest of the night, wanting to confess, wanting to say sorry but wouldn't.
5

Ichigo glanced at Rukia who was far off in a corner with the girls, though she wasn't laughing, she was smiling, smiling while the words 'I want you to love me again' rang throughout his head.

"Okay, it's the last song of the last dance of the end of the school year" The DJ said "And I'm playing something slow for all these love birds in here." Ichigo listened as Far away by Nickleback began to play.

"You know you should ask her to dance" Ishida said to Ichigo "The two of you have been exchanging glances all night."

This time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait

"Yeah I think I will" Ichigo said walking up to Rukia who turned around in surprise. "Care to dance" he asked sticking out his hand which was token by the petite raven haired Shinigami who followed her rash orange haired teen to the dance floor.

Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

Ichigo slowly wrapped his hands around her waist, as she put her arms around his neck, and put her head to his chest, as they swayed back and forth to the music playing. She inhaled his scent, she could tell just how much her body had missed it by it's reaction.

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

Ichigo looked down at his love in his arms, it felt so right being there, being with her, so much that he did something he hadn't done in a while, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, her head shot up so fast he thought he'd get wipe lash, but instead of getting mad he smiled down at her.

On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand

Rukia looked up at Ichigo and smiled, he had kissed her forehead, sign one to forgiveness, there eye's locked as they continued to dance to the song that fit where they were and how they feel about each other.

I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

Ichigo broke their stare to lean down and rest his head beside hers, he smelled her hair, she was still using that shampoo he gave her, it was a joke but she took it seriously it was 'strawberry fragrance'. "Your using my shampoo" Ichigo whispered in her ear, Rukia shuddered and shook her head up and down and smiled.

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

"I've missed you" She heard Ichigo say, but before she could say me too, he tightened his grip on her and hugged her then quickly let go and started dancing again and said "You don't know how much you mean to me." Rukia smiled at this too, she seemed to be smiling a lot and it was all because of Ichigo.

So far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know

Rukia almost cried when she heard Ichigo whisper 'I love you' in her ear 'and I always have' he continued but Rukia stopped him. "Promise me Ichigo" she said "Promise me you'll always love me no matter what the future brings" She watched as Ichigo looked at her then said "I promise"

I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say

"Say it" Rukia demanded "Say it please" and so he said it "I promise that I'll always love you no matter what the future brings even if you break my heart, and a Kurosaki always keeps his promises" Tears began to roll down Rukia's cheeks, she couldn't hold them in especially when he started whispering/singing the words to the song in her ear.

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long
So keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go

Ichigo tilted Rukia's head up and wiped the tears that had been falling down for quite some while now, he smiled at her then whispered 'Hold on to me and, never let me go' before he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go

Their kiss was passionate and full of all the emotion, they had thrown away from each other. Ichigo's tongue traced her bottom lip asking for entrance which she kindly obliged too, missing his taste, he continued to tease her tongue with his moving slowly, then letting her take control of it for a while at least up to the point when her hunger for him started to show and he decided to end it.

Pulling away from their sweet kiss, Ichigo took hold of Rukia's hand and led her out of the dance that had just ended and to the nearest bus stop. Though it was already eleven and they were in for an hour drive he didn't really care, where they were headed was just two damn important to him and hopefully to her too.


Author's Note: There will be one more chapter then the epilogue, the next chapter is already half way done and it has a lemon tehehe ( Swisz Phantom: Chuckles ) please review and tell me what you think. I don't own these songs, the first one is Dance Dance by Fall Out Boy, Dark Blue by Jack Maquelin and Far away by Nickel Back.