Chapter 13 Forever

The gloom and the rain, was all that surrounded his world. It rained all the time, and the sun refused to wake up, leaving everything wet, cold and mouldy. Time lost its meaning, and after eons he would realise it had only been few minutes.

Dripping water from the slanted rooftop onto the stone pavements of his garden was too loud to let him doze off. It was the middle of the day anyway, even though the afternoons look the same as the mornings. Except that the temperature rose a little. But he couldn't say so for his own heart.

It was dark, freezing and heavy inside his chest. As if an iron cast had carefully encased it. It rattled in its emptiness, with the sounds of dried, broken pieces of his shattered dreams.

"Byakuya sama."

He jolted up from his haze and regained his focus on his dying wife. His fair features reflected the strain, the sleepless nights and desperation he had been living through.

"Hisana. Don't move." He touched her hand eagerly. She smiled. As always, her large watery eyes didn't fail to send his heart to shudder.

"Please have some rest." She pleaded, as once again her heart broke into pieces, seeing him suffer like that. She never wished things to turn out this way. She wanted to live forever, with him.

"Don't worry about me Hisana. Go to sleep. Don't exhort yourself..."

Tear rolled out of her eye as she continued to smile, "Byakuya sama. I never thought I would die before seeing my sister once again... but…"

"Hisana. I will find your sister." He interrupted, "You'll get better and we'll become a family..."

"Byakuya sama." She took in a noisy breath. The exertion was visible, as the purple veins streaked through her almost transparent skin. "I wanted to let you know that... I'm happy that I've met you."

His eyes widen in shock. The start of this conversation only meant that she was saying her goodbyes. He was not going to accept it.

"No" he barked. Clutching her hand tight he scowled, keeping his eyes from watering up, "You're not saying goodbye Hisana."

Her smile persisted, "please Byakuya sama. Listen to me." Her weak fingers returned his hold on her hand, "even if... even though… I'll never get to see my sister, I know I've received more love than I had ever deserved. Because of you. And I thank you."

"Hisana..." he wanted to beg her to stop, and to lie quietly, sleep, and live.

"I love you" she smiled.

He slouched down further, grasping her hand in both of his, as if she'd disappear if his hold slackened slightly. "Hisana... please... don't say such..."

"Byakuya sama" her eyes remained on him, as he cowered in the fear of losing her, of never seeing her again, and of never having her next to him. "I want you to be happy. Please, find someone who would make you happy. That's the only other thing I wish besides the wellbeing of my sister."

"Don't..." ability to form words, or any understandable form of communication had deserted him. The pale skin of his darkened face flustered in his inability to save her and keep her from disappearing into the naught.

Her smile seemed wider. "I never could love you the way you loved me. Please forgive me for that."

And again, her words attacked him, as if to break him down into something he dreaded, a man made of nothing but his yearnings. Kuchiki Byakuya was losing all that he cared about, everything that mattered to him. And the only thing he could do was accept.

"Have you seen…this year's peach blossoms yet..." he started after another eon. Finally looking away from her slender finger in his grasps, he met her dark eyes. His lips curved up a faint smile. He knew it would make her happy. He wanted her to be happy, forever.

When she closed her eyes and released the last sigh of content, the smile on her lips remained frozen in time, as if to etch her happiness in his last memory of her, forever.

...

It was crazy. Everywhere there was dust, and dirt and nothing pretty. She didn't like it.

She hated the ugly shades of powdered white on her clothes. It also smelled strange, even when she was having a hard time breathing.

Gin.

Her lizard brain exploded by the wave of fear and loss she felt. Fear, Loss and despair. He was dying and the little, tiny, small, miniscule flicker of hope was dying too. There wouldn't be anything left in her. Nothing whatsoever.

He was dying. Silver hair handsomely covered half of his face, only the lips would show. There was so much blood, she wasn't sure whether it was his or someone had threw him on a pool of red liquid.

His lips twitched a little. He wasn't in pain. She was though. Her screaming continued to play in repeat. Even then it wasn't enough. Everyone just watched quietly.

Gin.

It was unbearable. She tried to gasp for air, but it wouldn't work. All these time, she had thought he was safe. Every time she heard about a defeat on her own side, she was a little glad that he was on the other side. He was evil, but he was alive.

"You shouldn't have come here. But I promise you. I'll bring back what was stolen from you." He promised her, just before he knocked her out and got himself killed.

"I don't want anything back, Gin. Except you." She wanted to say but her mouth only let out more cries of pain. He was lost. With a faint smile on his lips, he had once again, left her behind.

She fell on him, shoving her face on his neck, she whimpered, shuddered with howls that erupted from the depth of her anguish.

"I love you."

A warm breath, the only one he had left, brushed past her cheek. She stilled, and jerked up. With his dying breath he admitted finally. He said all she wanted to hear. The snake who devoured everything on his path, refused to take her with him, and had finally died giving her everything he had ever had.

She screamed again. Her hands reaching for his blood soaked cheeks, rough and bruised under her palms. An insignificant part of her foolish brain pondered, how was he so scrawny, did he forget to take care of himself all these time?

It didn't matter anymore. He was gone, once and for all. So were her routine anxious eagerness of seeing him every time she had turned a corner, or of suddenly being pulled into a dark room into his arms, or waking up to see his grinning face mocking her.

She clutched him tight, not caring about her own clothes soaking up all his blood mixed with dirt, or her beautifully groomed hair mingling with the concrete rubbles.

"Gin." Her swollen lips reached for his lifeless ones. "Goodbye" she muttered, her tears dripped on his cheeks as she rested her forehead on his, creating pink streams of salt water mixed with blood. This time, she knew exactly where he was going.

Dreams were not meant to come true. They were only to be dreamt. And right now, resting her head on his neck, she dreamt of the time they first kissed, before they knew what kisses were. He tasted like mint.

They were supposed to live together, forever. He promised that time. Wanting her, loving her more he had ever wanted or loved anything in his life. Forever.

Her eyes looked through the chaos that happened around her. The only thing she cared about, was him.

But forever was too short.

...

These are the last pieces of mosaics from the past. Sadly, there won't be anymore Gin or Hisana from now on. Not too long to go now. Thanks for your patience.