I don't own Bleach.
Previously …
She would keep loving him, no matter what. She would keep believing that her sister could save her, no matter what. She would keep living, no matter what. She would keep on fighting, no matter what.
So she would keep waiting, no matter what happened.
Ichigo, she thought, reading by the moonlight. Please, I'm waiting. Just, please, save me. Save me from what's going to happen if I don't get out of here. Just, please, I'm counting on you …
The rain started to fall outside, filling the world with either a miserable night or a new day.
Free Me, Ichigo. Free Me.
Tuesday — December 16, 2008 — Eight AM
"Hisana, I need to talk to you," Ichigo said one day after another two weeks of searching for answers. During those weeks, he had gone to the police station six times, slept for only about fourteen hours total, and ate toast and eggs that the cook had brought him every six hours or so.
"What about?" Hisana asked, rubbing her belly absentmindedly. She bit on a piece of toast and turned her attention from the breakfast she had been devouring to Ichigo, who moved his around with his fork.
"About Rukia," he answered. "We'll never solve this case … there's so much information missing and it's just so dated — it's impossible to know what happened when we're this late. I – I'm losing rapid hope to even have a chance at solve this thing."
Hisana's eyes left his. He saw her set down her fork and put her hands in her lap. "Then," she said, her voice very quiet. "What do you propose we do?" Ichigo had to remember everything that he was fighting for. He couldn't think about the law he'd actually be breaking, when he proposed his plan that he would do with or without Hisana's approval.
"I – I," he said, his eyes frantically searching the paper in front of him, looking for a clue he might have missed. He wanted to save Rukia, but he did not want to break her out of jail. "I …"
"You, what?" Hisana asked.
Rukia, he thought. I have to do it for Rukia. I've been thinking about myself and my needs for much longer than I should. I've got to stop being selfish … this is how I'm going to help her.
Then, he took a deep breath and looked Hisana straight in the eye. "This Wednesday — tomorrow — I know that Rukia goes to the park to pick up trash with a few other prisoners and a couple of guards. I know where she'll be … I can break her out of prison."
Hisana's eyes widened significantly. "B-but …" she said. "That's breaking the law! Ichigo, you'll get a one-way back to jail. Rukia wouldn't want you to do that! If she really cares about you, which, she must since she told you about Kaien, then she wouldn't want you to go back."
Ichigo shook his head. "She's been thinking about me and what's best for me since we became friends. There's no way that I'm going to think about myself. She's counting on me, Hisana. I can't just leave her. I already gave her a note saying that'd I'd come get her, no matter what."
"YOU WHAT?!?"
Hisana's eyes were as big as saucers and were ferocious; she stood up and slammed her hands down on the table. "Ichigo," she said, her voice low and deadly. "You can't do that. You can't go save her like this. There's always another way … there's gotta be."
"But what if there isn't?" he asked. "Are we just supposed to let her rot away in there? She's not safe in there as long as Metastacia's there! He'll kill her! I can't let that happen."
Hisana looked at the ground and sighed. She then sat back down and picked up her fork, continuing to eat. She didn't meet his eye. "Fine," she said. "I'll let you go … but, if you get caught, I want no part in it. I'm finally going to have a baby … I can't go to jail, even if it's for my sister. I hope you understand."
Ichigo could see tears falling down her cheeks. He touched her hand. "I understand," was all he said before she broke down and cried over her plate of eggs.
I won't get caught, Ichigo vowed. I know it.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:24 AM
Rukia sighed as she boarded the van on the way to the park. Matsumoto was jibber jabbing away but Rukia only half-listened. The half of her was anxiously waiting to get there. The note Ichigo had given her was safety tucked away into her orange jumpsuit pocket.
The note — in which gave her so much hope and yet so much disappointment with each word. She had reread it until she had it memorized. She folded and refolded it until you could hardly tell what the photograph had been of. But Rukia knew.
Rukia,
Hey, it's me, Ichigo. I'm only in here today because I was getting some of my stuff. But, it seems like you're enjoying a classic and that I've read several times. So, I'll just leave it.
Rukia … I wanted to apologize for not being there for you when I went to trial. But, I worked every night on your case and, when I got out, I went straight to Hisana's and I've been helping her. We just … we can't find anything. Your case is just so dated and there aren't any witnesses.
I promised I'd get you out, and I will … there is not a doubt in my mind. So, on Wednesday, I want you to look for me. I might be perched in a tree or in the woods … just, look. I'll help you escape. We'll get out — together. We'll go to Mexico or America or wherever you want to go. Okay?
I promise you that. Don't lose hope in me. I'll get you out, even if I have to go back in.
-Ichigo
She sighed.
The trees rolled past and the road was slick under the car. It was raining, like it had been for a while, and the girls were talking loudly about hot guys and movies they couldn't wait to watch on TV.
Rukia just sat and watched the outdoors. Matsumoto had long given up talking to her and was now talking to another big-busted woman — who was arrested for violating the restraining order placed on her — named Nel. Rukia only knew who she was because Matsumoto would talk about her constantly; they were BFFs.
The van stopped moving and Rukia looked up. Everyone was piling out of the van and grabbing their trash bags, eager to start so they could leave sooner. Rukia tucked her hand inside her pocket, and wrapped her slim fingers around the photo before exiting.
She grabbed her bag and headed for the biggest tree in the park, picking up trash on the way. She was trying to remain inconspicuous from the guards, who were all talking by the van … not paying any attention to her or her fellow prison mates.
Suspense knotted her stomach and hope was running throughout her mind. Her heart was pounding as she came closer and closer to the tree. Either he was up in that tree — because it was the largest and had the most branches and leave to hide in — or he was by the tree line, about nine feet away from the tree.
Her eyes scanned the tree line … nothing.
She took a deep breath and continued to pick up trash, straying away from the guards as slowly as she could. Come on, she thought. Where are you, Ichigo?
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:24 AM
Kenpachi Zaraki was not one to be soft when it came to his prisoners. After all, they got themselves in here — what they did to get here, however, he did not care about — and they deserved to rot away here. There was just two people who did not deserve to be in here.
And one of them was free and the other … was living without him.
He could see, from the very beginning, that they'd be a good match for each other. After all, they were both loners, they both had strong tempers, and they were both innocent.
Ichigo Kurosaki hadn't killed his mother when he was nine. He had only been a scared little kid, caught in the middle of a bad situation — the situation that scarred him for the rest of his life. Yet, he took all the blame and was planning to live in college for the rest of his life.
Rukia Kuchiki was also living a total lie. She had been raped by someone evil, but it wasn't her boyfriend, who had been at the wrong place, at the wrong time. She had given everything for that man … she had lied under oath and took the blame for something she took no part in. She was the victim and, yet, she was here … and the murderer had gotten away.
They were good kids in school, for the time they had gone to school. They were both a little lonely and a little socially awkward, but they were good kids … good people.
Kenpachi knew right away that they were innocent and, when he looked further into their cases, it only furthered his belief. They just weren't the criminal types; Rukia was a makeshift Kuchiki noble and Ichigo was a total Momma's boy … those kind of children didn't just kill people.
He had finally, with the help of many police officers, helped Ichigo get out of jail. The real killer was here now and he was never getting out.
And he was about to set Rukia Kuchiki free.
There was this officer, named Urahara Kisuke, who had went undercover as a drug dealer and he eventually joined one of the scariest gangs in all of Japan. Metastacia — who was actually in jail now — was the leader of this gang.
For nearly ten years, Kisuke had witnessed horrid crimes and he was, after many months of rehabilitation, finally talking about them. He was a little off his rocker now, but, that was expected. For almost three days now, he had been writing about all the crimes.
And one of them was the murder of Kaien Shiba, the man that Rukia Kuchiki had "murdered." The information had just come in this morning and, once Rukia returned from her job at the park, Kenpachi was going to call her to his office and talk to her …
Maybe she could be free too.
Picking up the phone, he dialed a phone number he had memorized nearly two years ago. Like with Kurosaki, Kenpachi had been keeping close to Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo's father, giving him updates about Ichigo and his life and the case. It was the same with Rukia, only it was Hisana whom he called.
"Hello?" came a gravelly voice on the other end of the phone. It was Hisana and she sounded like she was upset. "Who is this?"
"Hi, Hisana Kuchiki, this is Kenpachi Zaraki," he replied smoothly. "I'm calling on behalf of your sister, Rukia Kuchiki. I would like to talk to you about … releasing her from prison."
Silence.
"Mrs. Kuchiki?"
There as a beep-beep-beep of the dial tone. She had hung up. Well, Kenpachi said. That was strange … I wonder if her phone just went dead?
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:27 AM
Hisana threw the phone down before Kenpachi had a chance to tell her anything else. Releasing Rukia from prison … then that meant Ichigo was going to break the law for no reason but to put himself back in jail.
Trying to slow her rapid-beating heart, she ran to the counter of her kitchen and grabbed her purse. She pulled out her cell phone, quickly finding Ichigo's number on speed dial. She hit the 'send' button and waited for the ringing.
It rang four times before going to voicemail.
Shit, Hisana and then ran for the house phone. She quickly called Kenpachi back. When she heard him mutter a hello, she quickly shouted, "Mr. Kenpachi! Oh my gosh, thank God! I need your help … Ichigo needs your help. You see, he has this plan …"
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:32 AM
Ichigo ran and ran and ran. The road had hit a dead end a long time ago, so he had shut it off and got out and started sprinting through the forest, looking for the end. He had to take the back ways to the park so he could help Rukia make her escape.
His lungs tightened and released as he breathed harder and harder. He hadn't run like this since he took karate as a kid. It felt good in one aspect but he was just so out of shape.
Keep going, he thought. Do it …
"For Rukia," he said out loud and then he kept repeating her name over and over in his head. Each time he heard the light crunch of the leaves under his feet, he repeated her name. He could remember everything she had done to him and for him.
As thoughts of her consumed his mind, he ran faster and faster.
Sooner than he expected, the tree line appeared. He stopped suddenly and crept up to a huge tree, right at the end. There was a small patch of exposed grass but it wasn't too much … hope she could sneak away quickly.
There, his mind registered her midnight sooner than he expected. She was standing next to a large tree only about ten feet away. He would have called to her, but he didn't want anyone else to hear. So, crouching down low, so the grass reached up over his head, he crawled over to the tree.
He stood on the other side so the guards' views would be blocked by the tree. Rukia didn't seem to notice him even though he was only a few feet away from her. It was so strange; he had been obsessing over trying to break her out for months, he actually kinda forgot what she looked like.
His memory hadn't registered her hair being so shiny or her eyes being as bright. Her skin was more like porcelain than an ill person's clamminess. She looked like an angel in an orange jumpsuit.
Smiling lightly, his heart pounding, he whispered, "Rukia … are you there?" Her ear's immediately perked up. Quickly, he said, "Don't stop picking up trash. I want you to stab the ground once for yes, twice for no. Okay?"
She stabbed the ground once, picking up a piece of trash and then putting in her yellow trash bag. "Okay, I want you to come to this side of the tree on my mark. Got it?" Stab. "Good, and we're going to take off your orange jumpsuit … it'd be too noticeable with all these guards. Do you have clothes on under it? Pants and a shirt at least?"
Stab.
"Good. Okay, come now. Slowly, don't make them suspect anything."
Slowly, Rukia made it to the other side of the tree. And, when she was also blocked from the guards by the van, she looked up at him. Her eyes were piercing his, like she was staring into the deep depths of his soul.
"Ichigo," she whispered, grabbing his jacket and clutching onto it like, if she let go, he'd disappear, leaving her all alone again. "Ichigo …" Tears leaked from her eyes.
"… Yo," he whispered, smiling crookedly down at her.
"Thank you, Ichigo," she whispered, leaning into him. "Thank you …"
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:34 AM
Another two weeks had gone by because he could finally call someone again. He picked up the phone, made sure there was a dial tone, and then called another payphone, one where a man of his would be posted.
"Hello, Radio Club," the voice on the other line said. "How may I help you?" The translation was something like this — Yes boss, I'm here, what's up? What do you need?
"I need to place an order for an orange TV," he said. Are you around the target with orange hair? Can you see him? What's your angle.
"Yes, sir, I have one right here." Yes, sir, he's in view. "Would you like to purchase it?" Do you want me to kill him?
The man chuckled darkly. "Yes, ship it immediately." Kill him as soon as they start to go away. "Thank you, I'll be expecting it soon." Good luck and get it done.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:34 AM
The car screeched to a halt. Luckily, Hisana was already out and waiting by the door. She quickly ran down the steps, nearly slipped, and then ran to his car.
When she slammed the door shut, Kenpachi raced off through the line of trees that separated her mansion from the highway. He drove too fast to be safe but today they couldn't be safe. "What the hell was he thinking?!" Kenpachi roared. "That idiot is going to get himself killed or worse, be put back in jail!"
He slammed on the gas when they pulled out into the highway, flipping on the siren. People immediately pulled over as he raced — reaching nearly 100 miles an hour — down the highway. Please, Ichigo, Hisana. Just wait for us. Don't do anything yet. Please, wait for us.
There was a sign that read, "City Park — five miles."
Kenpachi went faster.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:37 AM
In the trees, a young man around nineteen or so, held up his gun. He watched as the woman in the orange jumpsuit, Rukia Kuchiki was her name, clutched onto his target, Ichigo Kurosaki's, jacket. He watched them and wanted to barf.
Ugh, he thought. It's a couple … great. I have to kill the romantic.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:37 AM
"Wha-what are you doing here?" Rukia asked, letting go his jacket. "I mean … I got your note. I was waiting, I just … I didn't think …"
He lifted up her chin. "Explanations later. I'll tell you when we're halfway across the world. Come on, I'll help you take this off." Rukia nodded and then she unzipped her jumpsuit, shaking it off her shoulder. She only wore a pair of shorts and a tank top under it, so Ichigo slipped off his jacket and put it around her shoulders.
Then, he said, "Okay, stay low to the ground. I'll make sure no one's looking."
Rukia nodded and crouched low. Ichigo poked his head around the side of the tree and saw that the guards had nearly disappeared around the other side of the van … it looked like another one of the convicts was giving them trouble. She had strawberry-blonde hair and huge breasts … Ichigo had no idea who she was.
Quite by accident, he caught her eyes and she winked.
She was helping them escape. He mouthed a silent 'thank you' and she nodded. The guards looked back but Ichigo had already disappeared around the tree. The woman then turned around and ran … the guards ran after her.
"Go, now!" Ichigo said harshly.
He and Rukia ran as fast as they could to the tree line.
Sirens were in the distance. Ichigo's heart was pounding. Why were their sirens? Who was coming? Were they mere reinforcements or was it … Hisana? Did she go to the police, or worse Kenpachi? Were they coming after him to haul Rukia and him away again?
"Damn it," Ichigo cursed. "Come on, Rukia! We have to hurry!"
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:38 AM
"Stop the car, stop the car!" Hisana screamed when they reached the park. Kenpachi slammed on the breaks, creating black streaks on the pavements.
They both slammed their doors shut at the same time and Hisana took off running to the tree line screaming. Kenpachi yelled at the guards to get all the prisoners back into the van and then follow the girl and then he took off as well.
They saw a bob of an orange head in the distance. "Ichigo!" Hisana yelled. "Come back! Rukia … we … oh no …" she collapsed on the ground, clutching her rounding stomach. "Come on, baby, not now. I – I have to go save Aunt Rukia …"
She was breathing hard when Kenpachi reached her. He bent down to help but she yelled, "Go! I'll be fine! I'll just call Byakuya … damn it, go Kenpachi! Save my sister!" She had already pulled out her cell phone, dialing her husband's number.
Kenpachi nodded and took off yelling Ichigo and Rukia's names over and over … but they didn't stop running. At one point, Rukia looked back, her eyes full of fear. He saw her lips move, like she was telling Ichigo something but he just shook his head and kept running.
When Kenpachi reached the tree line, he jumped over branches and felt sharp thrones poking him in the arms, through his uniform. He kept his eyes on Ichigo the whole time.
He called out, but he was too late. And then there was a shot.
And everything stopped.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:40 AM
"Ichigo!" Rukia heard a familiar voice call. She looked back and saw her sister running toward her, waving her arms madly. Rukia's heart filled with guilt and regret. Her sister was here, trying to stop him … what could have happened? Did she turn him in? What was going on!?
"Come back! Rukia …" and then her voice died away. She knelt to the ground, clutching her stomach helplessly.
"Ichigo!" Rukia said, worried as he tugged on her hand harder. "My sister! She's hurt! We have to go back … please!" Tears were escaping her eyes and falling down her cheeks relentlessly. "Please, we have to go back! I have to see if she's okay!"
Ichigo shook his head. "No, we can't!" he yelled. "If we do … we'll only have to go back. I told her about the plan yesterday and she – she … she turned me in! Kenpachi is here and he's only going to drag us back to jail! Then we'll never get free!"
Rukia nodded and they kept running.
She heard Kenpachi call Ichigo's name, telling him to stop and then to Rukia, telling her that she had to stop and talk to him, he had news. She had to keep telling herself that they were lies, all of his words were lies. They were just going to put Ichigo and her back in jail.
They had to keep running. They had to keep going.
Ichigo was thinking along the same lines. He could hear the truth pouring out of Kenpachi's mouth but he had to make himself believe that all his words were false. Everything that he had done for Ichigo … the father figure that Ichigo had looked up to … was telling him lies.
"ICHIGO!" Kenpachi roared. "Stop! Come back!"
"I can't, I can't," he muttered under this breath. Rukia looked up at him, clutching onto his hand for dear life. She was scared out of her mind … like she should be.
The whole plan was going wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen.
There was a shot and Ichigo felt himself go down. He could hardly register the pain. All he heard were the screams of Rukia; his eyes were unfocused and everything was blurry. And then his eyes closed and everything went black.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:40 AM
The young man hiding in the trees pulled out his gun so the target was in view. He smiled. First Kaien Shiba and now Ichigo Kurosaki, he thought. Brilliant.
Then, he fired.
Wednesday — December 17, 2008 — 10:40 AM
Ichigo crumpled to the ground beside her. The shot was still ringing in her ears as she fell down beside him. There was blood that mixed into with the snow that hadn't melted yet. His eyes were crossed and he was looking around helpless.
She crawled so she had his face in her hands. "Ichigo," she said. "Don't leave me! Stay with me!" The gun shot, she noticed, was in his chest … it looked fatal. "Come back, Ichigo! Come back to me! Please!" Tears were falling harder than she could ever remember.
"Go! The guy's getting away! Go, catch him!" Kenpachi roared, coming next to Rukia. She heard the crunching as the guards went to go search for the man who had just shot Ichigo.
Would they find him?
Did they ever?
Kenpachi had stripped off his uniform coat, so he was only wearing a thin shirt, and was pressing it up against Ichigo's chest. "Rukia," he said, looking her straight in the eye. "Go find your sister and call 911. Now, do it. Ichigo needs you. We might be able to save him."
Rukia nodded and stumbled to her feet. She took off running to the small strip of grassland between the big tree and the forest. She fell more times than she bothered to remember, and blood was dripping down her arms as the branches cut her.
"Hisana!" she yelled when she couldn't see her. "Hisana! Help me!"
She finally found her, on her hands and knees, breathing deeply. "Hisana!" she said desperately. Her sister looked up, her eyes widening.
"Wha-what was that?" she asked.
"I – it was Ichigo …" she replied, falling to her knees. "Someone shot him … just like Kaien … just like Kaien." Tear, more tears kept coming. How many had she stored up for this? It seemed like years of water was pouring from her eyes. "We have to call the police. Kenpachi could maybe save him …"
Hisana already had the phone next to her ear. She was muttering something into it but Rukia couldn't catch the words. She looked down at her clothes and saw the blood … Ichigo's blood.
She cried out and fell into Hisana lap. Her sister immediately started brushing the hair from her eyes, trying to calm her down. "Get here! Now!" she screamed into the phone. "Rukia, Rukia," she said softly, taking Rukia's face into her hands.
"I – Ichigo," Rukia cried, leaning into her sister. She clutched onto her jacket. Hisana stroked her hair like she used to when she was little.
Hisana said something into Rukia's ear … something that sounded like good news. But Rukia couldn't hear and she didn't want to … she didn't care. Ichigo was going to die because of her, just like Kaien. Ichigo was never going to see another day and Rukia would.
And it was all her fault.
Her eyes closed and she welcomed the darkness, hoping it would take her wherever Ichigo was. Whether that was heaven or hell, life or death, she didn't care. Everything was over now. She didn't care what happened to her. She just …
She just didn't want to be alone anymore.
Not now when Ichigo was dead and Kaien was dead. Not when she would have to go back to jail. Not now, not ever … she couldn't live with that much guilt again.
Her train of thought stopped as she sunk into the deep depths of unconsciousness.
A/N: Ohmygosh! Only ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT!! :( I'm so sad! :( Speaking of sadness, how did you guys like the chapter? Was it good, bad? Stupid? Let me know! :) And did anyone catch the reference back to the one particular episode in the Bleach series and that's also going to be in the movie?? Tell me! :)
Please review!
-Liz
