A/N: Like always, a pre-beta version. My beta reader currently away... Enjoy!


Truth? Chapter 12

Ichigo slumped on his comfy seat. He threw a beige color file on his desk. Information on his newest patient. It had been almost three months since Miu died and Rukia left him. Now, his life was a mess. A complete mess. Nothing seems to be fine with him. Things just got worse and worse. When he was alone or with little Rukia, his mind wondered around. Thinking about a perfect and happy life that he used to have. His own little family with the one he really loved, Kuchiki Rukia. It really hurts him to be away from her and their son. It hurts so much until at certain point, Ichigo almost killed himself. To get rid of the pain, Ichigo drowned himself with work. The one and only thing that could at least took his mind away from thinking about the pain growing inside him.

Rukia Ishikawa stayed with Isshin when Ichigo went to work. Isshin, Yuzu and Karin knew about her and what had happened between Ichigo and Rukia. They had talked to him. Giving him encouragement to go after Rukia. He did what they told him. But, Byakuya was Rukia's brother and if all of you know him, you would have probably know the reasons why Ichigo never got the chance to see his Rukia and Ryuu. Byakuya had did everything in his power to prevent Ichigo from getting near to Rukia. Byakuya didn't want his little sister to be hurt again. He made the mistake once by trusting Ichigo. Now, he wouldn't repeat the same mistake. Renji, however, somehow knew that Ichigo was being sincere with his feelings. The red-haired man tried to talk to Byakuya and the poor 3rd Captain received a death glare from Byakuya.

Ichigo sighed. He took a picture frame from the desk. It was his wedding picture. Rukia looked too beautiful in that picture. How he wished he could turn the time and changed everything. Wishes that couldn't possibly be a reality. Things had happened. He made them happened. He was the one to be blame in his own complicated problem. Not Miu, not Rukia and definitely not Byakuya.

He shifted his gaze to an A3 sized picture on his desk. Ryuu Ichigo Kurosaki's picture. His pride and joy. Rukia and his child. Ryuu was supposed to be here with him not in Soul Society. Ichigo sighed, again. He missed Ryuu and more importantly, Rukia. He placed the frame back to its original position. Then, he spotted an envelope that had been sitting on his desk for the past three months. 'Kurosaki Rukia' was scribbled on the stark white paper. Miu's last wish was to give the envelope to Rukia. Ichigo didn't know what was in the letter, but he really hoped that Miu wrote some explanations for Rukia. He knew that Rukia wouldn't hundred percent believe him if he tell her the facts about what had happened between Miu and him.

A sudden buzz of his pager in the total silence room almost made Ichigo jumped. He quickly got his composure back before retrieving his pager on his belt. He read it. Some sort of emergency in the clinic booth. Time for work, his muttered to himself.


Once again, tears trickled down from a pair of midnight blue eyes. After a peaceful and happy three months, the dam of sadness tears broke again. They broke because of her son. Ryuu was just being brought into the Emergency Room few minutes ago due to breathing difficulties. The little boy suddenly turned pale before his skin changed to bluish during his feeding session.

She didn't know what went wrong. Ryuu was fine all this time but suddenly he turned bluish. It scared her. She didn't know what to do when her son, without warning, gasping for air before turned blue. Luckily, Renji was there beside her. He'd shupo-ed for Unohana-taichou. The medic shinigami managed to bring the little guy back. Since the boy wasn't completely a soul and a small baby, there was nothing Unohana could do. She had advice them to take Ryuu back to his 'human' hospital. Renji and Rukia did as she told. The gate was opened in few mere minutes and they arrived to the hospital five minutes later. A record time.

During the fast journey, little Ryuu was barely breathing. He cried all the way, but he cried silently, without producing sound like any normal babies do. It really hurts Rukia when she looked over the infant who was gasping for air. She felt hopeless. She truly needed someone. Someone that could calm her down, telling her that Ryuu will be alright. She needs Ichigo… One truth that she couldn't deny. Deep inside her heart, she still love that man. Her first love. Only Ichigo knew how to calm her. And the fact that he was a doctor, would help her relax more. But, he just wasn't there.

She cried. Renji was beside her, as they waiting for a nurse or a doctor from the Emergency Room. None came. It had been almost half an hour already since the little guy being brought inside. No information on him. She continued crying. Renji tried his best to cease her cries.


Ichigo swabbed some iodine to a damaged skin. The patient, a five-year-old cried. He grasped his mother's arms. He wailed, struggling against the nurses' tight clutches.

"Mummy, make him stop! It hurts!!" he cried.

"It's alright Ken. The doctor only doing his job. Be a good boy, okay? He's just putting some medicines, to get rid of the bad bacteria," the mummy explained. She tighten her embraced around the crying boy.

Ichigo looked over from the wounded knee. Ken was looking directly to his amber eyes.

"Your mummy is right, Ken. I'm putting medicine to fight the evil bacteria. I've to wash this wound, then I'll put some plaster on it, okay? It's going to be slightly painful, but you're a strong boy, right?" Ichigo smiled reassuringly.

The boy nodded; sniffed few times. Then, Ichigo continued with his work, gently washing the wound and applying some antiseptic cream. Ken gasped few times, but he didn't cry, Ichigo covered the damaged red raw skin with a cartoon car plastered. Ken's choice.

"Okay, it's done! Good boy!" Ichigo took off his latex gloves, leaving them together with his working tools as a nurse took them away. Ichigo produced a handful of candies from his coat pocket.

"Since you have been a brave boy, here are some present for you," Ichigo handed the candies over.

"Thank you," Ken sniffed. The little boy popped in a candy as his parent talked to Dr. Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Well, the wound is pretty deep. Come back in two days to clean it again and redress. I'll give some ointment to soothe the pain around the knee…" he talked professionally and charismatically. The woman nodded to his every words.

"Ms. Ueda, please take a wheelchair for this little brave boy…" The nurse who had been holding Ken half an hour ago quickly got out from the clinic booth to fulfill Ichigo's request.

"Well, I got to go now…" said Ichigo to the family. The mum thanked Ichigo one again. Ichigo ruffled Ken's dark hair before he left the family alone. In his mind, the next destination was cafeteria. A cup of coffee to help him refresh his mind and body to continue working after 27 hours shifts.

But somehow and something, probably God's will, Ichigo walked through the Emergency Room. He could just walked to the cafeteria by taking the usual route from Ken's booth. Go straight from the clinic, climb three flight of stairs or taking an elevator ride up before turning right. However, like I said, he went to the Emergency Room which was at the same level with the clinic.

Doctors and nurses were running around the Emergency Room; trying to save patients who suffered from petty small accidents to major, police cases of stabbing and slashing. Then, he saw it, or more likely a 'he'. Someone he really wished that wouldn't turned up in an Emergency Room. Ryuu. Unmistakably, that little boy was his son. A raven-orange hair colour little infant. Only one person that he knew that have that complicated hair colour combination. Ryuu Ichiro Kurosaki; his son. The little guy was on a table with a doctor and nurses surrounded him. The boy's skin was pale, too pale to be alive.

Ichigo felt that his knees suddenly turned to jelly. 'That's my son!' His mind shouted. What happened? He asked himself. But, of course he didn't have the answer to his question. He badly wanted to go over the ward, but he knew the rules. No doctor could interfere with other doctor's work, especially in Emergency Room. There was no time for chatting in Emergency Room. A doctor also couldn't treat his/her own family members. This was to prevent emotional breakdown or wrong judgments during the process.

Ichigo waited on a single chair, outside the ward. The one and only thing that he could do now was wait. Wait until the doctor, who was managing his son, finishes his work. the orange haired doctor didn't have to wait long. Fifteen minutes and three seconds after that, the doctor finally completed his work in the Emergency Room.

"Doctor!" Ichigo called as the blonde haired doctor made his way out. He turned around, facing Ichigo.

"Yea?"

"That infant," Ichigo pointing to Ryuu who had been intubated, "What happen to him?"

"He was suffering from breathing difficulties. His lungs were infected. The report said that he had a mild case of pneumonia. But he'll live. Luckily his parents brought him here, as fast as they could…" the doctor explained. Then he realised, "Why did you ask?" he asked Ichigo.

"He's my son…" Ichigo mumbled.

The doctor in front of Ichigo seemed skeptical. He looked over Ichigo's shoulder, to get a clear view of Ryuu. Then, he looked back at Ichigo. Well, there were few resemblances between this two males. Hair colour and the little boy's nose.

"Don't worry about him, Doctor--?"

"Kurosaki, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"He's going to be fine, Doctor Kurosaki. He's a strong boy…" Ichigo nodded to the Emergency Room doctor.

"I'll put him in the Intensive Care for a few days. We'll closely observe his progress. Hopefully, if nothing bad happen, he'll be release within a week," explained the doctor.

"Can I visit him now?"

"I'm sorry, Doctor. But we just put him into sleep. Let him rest for a little while before you can visit him. " Then, the doctor strolled away, without Ichigo ever catching his name.

Ichigo nodded to himself. He knew the protocols and rules. He was a doctor in that hospital. Didn't he know that patients need their rest? Maybe because the patient was his one and only son. A little five months infant. Why did Ryuu had to suffer? He was just a baby, he wasn't supposed to suffer. Maybe this was the price that he had to pay after hurting Rukia? Ichigo sighed.

He turned around. He stood there as he stared at his sleeping infant through a glass as the barrier between them. The little guy's chest rose and fell. 'He's still breathing,' he mumbled to himself. Even if Ryuu's breathing was controlled by an oxygen machine, it still made Ichigo at ease a bit. He observed the little guy for quite sometimes. Knowing that Ryuu will be in good hands, Ichigo finally left him. He went out from the Emergency Room.


Outside the Emergency Room.

Dr. Taguchi walked through the double doors of the ER. He just saved a very young boy's life and talked to his father. Now, he was looking for the mother. The blonde-haired doctor looked around. Then, he spotted two figures. A male and female. The female still crying on the guy's shoulder. Yup, they both who sent little Ryuu over an hour ago. Dr. Jun Taguchi walked towards them.

Rukia and Renji quickly stood up as they saw the doctor headed to their direction. Their hearts beating furiously behind their ribcages. Is Ryuu alright? Or is he sick? The questions shot through their mind as they looked at the doctor's tired, face.

"Doctor, how's my son?" Rukia asked. Tears had stopped rolling down, but she still sobbing. She worried about him. What mother wouldn't worry when her own blood sick and ill like Ryuu?

The doctor took a deep breath. Renji and Rukia already thinking about bad things happening to their Ryuu. Then, the doctor smiled.

"Don't worry about him. He's fine… Actually, he's doing really great. I'd connected the ventilator to monitor his breathing and we are giving him some medicines for his pneumonia. We'd to held him here for at least a week, to monitor his condition. But don't worry. He will be in good hands here…" explained Dr. Jun Taguchi.

Both Rukia and Renji finally felt at ease. Their Ryuu was okay, and that was all they cared about.

"Well, I've to go now…" said Dr. Taguchi when his beeper beeped trice. Rukia and Renji nodded and bowed at the doctor. The doctor left him.

"Don't worry now Rukia. He's fine and strong, like you." Renji put his mascular arms around Rukia's shoulder; trying to calm her down.

"I'm okay," she sobbed.

"We'll wait for him before go to Urahara Shouten." Rukia nodded. They went to the chairs and sat while waiting for little Ryuu.

The Emergency and Trauma Room suddenly burst open. Both Shinigamis jumped on their feet, hoping to see little Ryuu. However, it wasn't Ryuu. It was Ichigo. He looked despondent and devastated. Rukia watched him walked out from the busy and chaotic room. He didn't seemed to notice his wife was just twenty metres away from him. He was too preoccupied in the thoughts of his little son.

Rukia desperately wanted to call her husband over. She just wanted to be in his arms, feeling his body warmth all over her small figure. But then, her logic prevented her from to do so. Ichigo had lied to her, broke her heart to million pieces. Logically, she wouldn't want to be back with him. Not anymore… Then again, her heart told her something else.

Behind her, Renji knew that the woman in front of him was aching for her husband. Why wouldn't she? They had been in love once. They used to do whatever it takes for them to be together. Ichigo had gambled up his life just to save hers. They're still in love with each other. Renji could see clearly in their eyes. Renji sighed. He will regret this!

"Ichigo!" he called out. Rukia quickly turned to Renji. Surprised with his sudden action. 'You love him and need him,' Rukia somehow read it from her best friend's eyes. She muttered a 'Thank You' to him.

Ichigo turned to the voice direction. He knew that voice. It was a familiar hoarse voice of Abarai Renji. His amber eyes fell on the petite raven haired woman who was standing beside Renji. A woman that he really missed more than anything. Ichigo immediately quicken his paces toward their direction. He could see that her eyes were red and wet. She looked somber.

"Rukia…" he mumbled her name as he got closer. He wrapped his muscular arms around her small figure. Ichigo placed an arm around her waist and another held her head close to his chest. He rested his head on hers. He felt his shirt soaked with tears.

Rukia let Ichigo hold her body. She really needed it. Someone to comfort her, someone that she really knew. She cried on his chest, sobbing as she tried to talk. "Ichigo, our son, Ichigo. Our son… Ryuu!" she wailed in his embraced.

"Sshh… He's going to alright, Rukia…" he rubbed her back, trying to calm her down as he tried to hold back his tears.

"It's my fault! If…" she sniffed, "if I listened your… to your advice, Ryuu wouldn't be like this. It's my fault!"

"No, Rukia. It's mine…" and they stayed liked that for few moments.

Renji had been standing beside the couple, watching the dramas in front of him unfolded. It broke his heart to million pieces. Rukia really needed Ichigo, especially in a time like this. She needed Kurosaki Ichigo, her husband. Renji silently walked away from the couple. He had to accept the reality that Rukia belongs to Ichigo, not him. Her heart will forever be Ichigo's and Renji didn't have the slightest chance to replace Ichigo. He must find someone else to fill his heart.


Ichigo gazed longingly at Rukia's face. She was asleep on the couch inside his office after their meeting in front of the Emergency and Trauma Room. She looked peaceful enough. Her lips were slightly parted indicated that she was in a deep sleep. Her chest rose and fell as she breathe. Everything about her was mesmerizing him. Just like the first time when Ichigo fell in love with her. Oh, how he regretted each and every single thing that he had done to hurt her.

"I love you," he whispered to her ear. Ichigo removed few strands of raven hair, tucked them behind her ears. He planted a kiss on her forehead and took a long last look at her. Then, he left the room to continue his shift.

Rukia waited until she heard the door clicked into its place. A drop of tear rolled down. 'He loved me?' She asked herself. Did she really heard him right? Or was that an illusion? Rukia stared at the door. Somehow she could see Ichigo's image moved from where she laid to the hallway outside the office. Rukia sighed. Was is because of Ryuu that she became like this? Loving Ichigo once again because of Ryuu was sick? Or did she still really love him?

She sat there, thinking about everything. Ichigo, Ryuu, Byakuya-nii-sama and last but not least, Renji. All men that were awfully important to her, more than anything else in the world. They had been there when she needed someone. Ichigo was her first love. He was there to calm her down, made her feel happy again and completed her life. Ryuu, that little son of hers, was her strength for the last five months of her life. Ryuu Ichiro Kurosaki was the fruit of her love toward Ichigo. Her son had made she felt that there was still some reasons for her to keep on living. Nii-sama, well, he was a good, over-protective brother who would try anything in his power to prevent Rukia from getting hurt, mentally and physically. He was such a good brother for a strict man like him. Kuchiki Byakuya was a good brother. Then, there was Abarai Renji, her best friend since the days of Rukongai. He had always treated her slightly special than any other kids around their turf. It became a habit then it turned to a feeling. A feeling that turned to something really unique and important to a certain woman. Renji fell in love with her. Once, Rukia had thought about returning his feeling. Well, that was when before she met Kurosaki Ichigo.

Rukia exhaled a sigh. Too many things jumbled up in her mind right now. Endless problems that all started with that certain woman. If she never met her, things would be different right? If she never knew about her, right now, Rukia would probably be in her house that she shared with Ichigo; doing her house chores and cooking dinner. But then, she would never found out that Ichigo was cheating under her nose… Now, thinking of that theory, would she rather come across Miu Ishikawa and Ichigo's life or never know about it? She sighed, again.

Rukia stood up, wanting that stressful thoughts to go away. Far, far away from her. She really wished that she had an amnesia. One and only solution to stop this hectic brain-ransacking thoughts and images from destroying her.

The small woman walked to her husband's desk. That desk, she had sat behind it few times and the last time, that desk and chair had witnessed a sad show. She said her goodbyes to Ichigo inside this office, three months ago. Now, she was back. If little Ryuu didn't have that breathing difficulties.

His desk was still like the last time she saw. Neat and tidy. Every single items were at their positions. Nothing seemed to be out of order. Pencils and pens were in a couple of dark color coffee mugs on his desk. Neat pile of paperwork stood beside the single unit of laptop and phone. There was a new picture on the desk. A picture of their son, a day after Ryuu was finally discharged from NICU and a week before she came to bring the baby back to Soul Society.

Her big midnight blue eyes gaze tumbled on a white envelope on his desk. The envelope was standing beside Ichigo's family picture. Something on that stark white color paper really took her attention. Her name was stencil on it using a black ink pen. Her heart beats rose rapidly. A letter for her? From whom? She took the envelop, scrutiny the letters on it. Definitely not Ichigo's writing. The words were beautifully written on that paper with big letters. Ichigo could never do that, no matter how hard he tried. That carrot-top doctor writing was a mess, not even when he tried to write nicely.

She turned the envelope around. No sender's name. She decided to open the letter, since it was meant for her, right? It got her name on it. She tore the seal. Inside there was a few paper, neatly folded together. She took them out. A long letter to read. She went to Ichigo's chair behind the desk. She sat before started reading the letter. Her heart beat still increasing as she read the mysterious letter from a mysterious writer.

'Dear Kurosaki Rukia,' it said and she continued reading the letter from an unknown sender…

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A/N: So tell me what do want me to put in the letter? XD ... FOr those who still confused about this story, basically Rukia accidentally met a woman that she thought was Ichigo's misstress of somesort. Then, it happened that the woman was pregnant and she was diagnosed with cancer. Rukia gave birth to Ryuu Ichiro Kurosaki while that woman gave birth to Rukia Ishikawa. That woman, Miu Ishikawa, died after Rukia left Ichigo.

Do you enjoyed it? Thanks for reading the chapter that I wrote in an airplane at 38000 feet above sea level with a -59.6 degree F at 2.23am with the cruise speed of 590mph. XD

Please Review. Thanks again!