'Rukia...'

Rukia refused to acknowledge her sister. She was slumped over the last bit of frosty land before the ice dipped into a body of water known as Heaven's all-seeing lake. The large pond could only be accessed by high-ranking celestial residents, who could use it to observe the human world from the safety of their world. The surface of the water mirrored the lives of the humans that the angel wished to be privy to.

Rukia had been abusing her right to use it for almost a month now.

Every day, all day, she watched Ichigo for hours on end. Sometimes, she'd fall asleep and Hisana would have to shake her awake. Even then, Rukia groggily rebuffed her sister's efforts to encourage her to let that man go. No, Rukia simply could not begin to imagine how she could move forward forgetting who she was on Earth and what they were. It was too painful to entertain the thought that all the love she felt, in heart and body, would be meaningless. It had to mean something. What she went through, what she felt - it had to have a greater purpose.

He made her feel like she meant the world to him. But now, they were dimensions apart, and he would move on with his life. He would never remember her or the supposedly unbreakable bond they once shared. While it was true that that was due to her wiping out his memories, she couldn't get rid of that last shred of hope lingering in her mind that perhaps he would find a way to subvert her astral abilities and regain what was lost.

But today was his wedding day.

'Rukia...'

She still didn't want to move. Her eyes that were dull from unshed tears perpetually sheeting over her vision were glued to the scene playing out in the water; an entire ballroom full of people waiting for the soon-to-be couple to walk down the aisle separately.

It was a waiting game for Rukia. Her anxiety was reaching unprecedented levels. Her immortal body was exhausted from the poison of lovemaking and pregnancy, the latter of which she was still unaware of. She was in no condition to tax herself emotionally, but she believed that she had become a sadist of sorts. It seemed that these days, she liked torturing herself with the image of her lost love living out the life she wanted to share with him.

. . .

'Are you ready, my King?'

'What?' Ichigo snapped out of his stupor. 'What did you say?'

'Are you ready to begin the ceremony, my King?'

'Ah... Yes.' he responded nervously.

The whole morning was a blur. Ichigo had come to the decision to finally marry the princess because he simply could not justify putting that choice off for so long without reasonable grounds for doing so. Although he accepted Ywach's offer, Ichigo was still wary about the ramifications of this ceremony. He was convinced that the foreign emperor had some trick up his sleeve, or some ulterior motive behind all of this. Either way, Ichigo was doing nobody any good by delaying this union.

Instead, he resolved that the second matters went south, he would be greet it with no mercy. As if his emotions would be swayed just because he might fall in love with his enemy's daughter. If the wellbeing of his country was jeopardized, he would not hesitate to do whatever was necessary to protect his people.

More than the looming suspicion over the day's agenda, Ichigo was also undergoing a storm of sentimentality he couldn't quite understand were coming from. He should have been happy that he was about to have a wife, but he only felt dread and sadness. There was a pressure in his chest that made him want to cry at times. His eyelids would feel heavy and an emptiness was hollowing his soul. He would suffer through bouts of vertigo and he knew that it wasn't because he was ecstatic about getting married.

He should have been excited about his own wedding.

He had been told that the princess was beautiful. He wouldn't know. He was forbidden to see her before their big day. According to one of his advisors, this was customary in the neighbouring nation as they felt it was bad luck to see your would-be spouse before the celebration of your promise to love him or her till the end of time. But even though his entourage was gushing over the princess' apparent physical loveliness and bubbly personality, Ichigo found it impossible to picture any woman besides the vague shadow that plagued his dreams.

The silhouette of a petite woman with short hair was stamped on his memory and no matter how hard he tried to put a face on her, he would only succeed in producing the most mind-splitting headache he had ever experienced.

But every time he remembered what he could of her, like the scent of her skin or the feathery lightness of her hair between his fingers, he was overcome with a sense of completion that he felt he had been lacking in for a month now. Bit by bit, he'd remember fuzzy characteristics about her, but never enough to piece together a clear impression of her so that he could point her out in a crowd. But he didn't really need to. What he know of this mystery woman, no matter how unclear, stimulated nothing less than bliss. It was almost like taking a drug; fantasizing about her alleviated his iron grip on depression.

Who was she? She made him happy.

That indescribable joy would be followed by a debilitating loneliness. Whoever she was, she brought out the best and worst in him. The murky memory of her made him the happiest, but also the saddest man alive.

'Let's go, my King.'

'... Yes.'

On his way down the aisle, Ichigo couldn't feel the ground beneath his feet. He was used to being a spectacle to thousands of people, so this room filled with only a couple hundred should have been a walk in the park. Strangely enough, their gazes felt as if they were burning holes into his body. Their eyes fell heavy on him, and he couldn't help but lower his head. Even then, their soft sighs of thrill at seeing their beloved King about to open a new chapter of his life echoed in his eardrums as loudly and malevolently as condescending chortling.

This felt wrong.

He didn't feel proud. He felt like the main freak at a circus show.

He felt sick. He felt small. He felt light-headed, but trudged forward anyway. Even if it all felt so wrong inside, he wouldn't allow anyone to see that he was suffering because if he was weak then so was his country. He had to pretend like this was all going according to plan. He had to show everyone that he was confident in what he was doing, so that they would be confident that everything would be alright.

It was a lonely life he led. No one understood him. No one knew what he was going through.

No one except...

Rukia's silhouette flashed before his mind again.

He closed his eyes and willed it to go away. He was convinced he was losing it. It must be the stress of the entire situation. Perhaps he was nervous about meeting this girl, and so his imagination had conjured an image of her in his head. That must be it. He was just predicting what his wife would be like.

He raised his head again when he finally reached the altar.

'My King.' the priest bowed.

'Thank you for doing this.' Ichigo smiled.

'It is an honour.'

'She's coming!' a guest squealed.

The doors that closed behind Ichigo when he entered now reopened to reveal possibly the most beautiful bride of all. Those in attendance chattered noisily, fawning over the woman's height, built, facial features - everything. There was an airiness about her that was charming. Her eyes always seemed to be smiling, and she grinned at the crowd with a delicate wave of her hand.

As she glided along the carpeted aisle and drew closer, tears stung the back of Ichigo's eyes.

He was disappointed.

Here was an undeniably beautiful woman in a spectacular wedding gown, and he was disappointed.

Why was that?

Somehow, he believed that he imagined this day countless times already even though he was the type of man who never wanted to wed young. He mapped everything out, from the decorations to the food and guest list - and all was just as he envisioned it except for the lady in the white dress.

He thought that she would be shorter and slimmer with a porcelain quality about her skin. She was supposed to have icy, sapphire eyes that were the same blue as the ocean he once loved to gaze at but now couldn't because it reminded him of the nameless figure that was but a figment of his imagination. Her eyes, though frozen in colour, were supposed to be invitingly hot beneath frosty lashes.

She was supposed to be the one in that dress.

She was supposed to be the one walking towards him.

She was supposed to be the one who was going to swear to love him forever.

She was supposed to love him.

Because he loved her. He told her so.

He suddenly remembered just that one instant; When she was writhing beneath him for the first time and he told her that he loved her.

Ichigo paled.

'My King?' the priest was worried. Ichigo's sudden change in demeanour was hard to ignore. His face drained of colour so that he looked ghostly against his black hair, and those scarlet eyes were wide and disbelieving. When the young man failed to reply, the churchman assumed that he was just dumbstruck at how pretty the lady looked. It was normal to be in awe of such a beautiful bride.

'My King.' the bride greeted when she stepped foot in front of him. 'And soon to be my lover.'

. . .

Yuck. Hisana almost barfed.

Hisana, being a lower-ranking celestial steward and was therefore forbidden to go beyond the vicinity of Heaven, had never been privy to the verbalization of romantic love. Intimate relationship were a myth to her, rationalized as an imaginary chemical connection that served as a necessary evil to promote human reproduction. The couple she was observing from the water was nothing more than termites acting like fools. It was so embarrassing to listen to. Had she not been so concerned for her sister, she would have already left.

'My King... And soon to be my lover.'

Yuck! What a corny thing to say.

But Rukia wasn't laughing. If anything, those words shook her. Hisana noted that Rukia's aura changed after hearing that. Aizen's disciple stiffened her shoulders and a barely audible whine escaped her. It was obvious that what that human girl said cut right through her immortal heart.

'Rukia, don't do this to yourself.'

'I'm fine.' Rukia finally spoke.

Hisana took that as a good sign that Rukia was opening up and she rushed over to the younger sibling's side. She rubbed the arms of the despairing angel, hoping that this kind of touch was soothing. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect; Rukia leaned away from her sister and craned her head to better see the newly-acquainted duo. Her bottom lip quivered. She used to dream about being in that woman's position.

Rukia was shutting everyone out. Hisana just wanted to be let in so that she could help. But Rukia had become obsessive in her solitude, unwilling to do even the most effortless of her obligations to instead sulk over a human who didn't remember her. The Council had high hopes for her, and they still banked on her potential being of great use to Heaven. With this in mind, they agreed to give her time to recuperate before she formally resumed her assigned tasks.

Out of the two sisters, Rukia had always been the more headstrong. Hisana knew this and so was confident that Rukia would only need a few days to regain the strength she had lost in the human world.

Yet here she was, an entire month later, obsessing over a mortal King.

Why would she subject herself to that much grief? And why was she grieving in the first place? Love was just an arbitrary concept, it didn't actually exist, especially not to beings like them who were meant to be above humanity. They weren't meant to love, hate, or even feel anything whatsoever. And right now, Rukia's love for the King was as strong as her hatred for the blooming bride - it was a flurry of emotions that Hisana knew was tearing her sister up from the inside out.

What should she feel?

Rukia didn't know how to feel.

It was his wedding day. He was getting married. He would have that family he always wanted.

She should be happy.

But she was devastated. She wanted to strangle that foreign woman.

'Rukia...'

'I'm fine.'

'You're not fine. I know you too well.'

Rukia retreated back into silence. Hisana just waited for the time when her sister needed her again.

. . .

What horrible timing.

The priest was going through the formalities of the ceremony as effortlessly as if he were reading from a script. Everyone in the ballroom was listening intently; some spectators were already in tears. The bride was beaming, grinning from ear-to-ear with a pretty blush on her cheeks. However, Ichigo's ears were deaf. As far as he was concerned, the priest's speech was as good as white noise - and just as insignificant.

No, he couldn't be here right now. There was no way he could focus.

Ichigo's thoughts were far, far away. His wedding was the last thing on his mind.

So what was he thinking about? Who or what was so important the great King couldn't enjoy his own wedding?

The exact image of Rukia was now in full clarity.

Here he was, getting married. And all he could think about was another woman; the one who he was convinced was but a figment of his imagination.

He was reliving the night they slept together for the first time. The memory of that was coming back to him at this very instant, even though he was about to marry another woman.

It was sacrilege. It was immoral.

But he couldn't stop thinking about her. And he didn't want to be snapped out of his dream-like state anyway. His whole body was buzzing happily, and for once in a very long time, he felt at genuine ease. Just being able to see her - even if it was only in his mind's eye - brought a satisfying peace to him.

He saw white skin that threatened to be as bitingly cold as the depths of the Pacific, but felt as hot to touch as the most gentle fire. His fingertips tingled delightfully as they relived the ripples of her body as she writhed beneath him, only for him to caress her everywhere. And her scent; her sweet fragrance that greeted him the morning that she left him and he had forgotten about her.

'Ichigo...'

The sound of her voice; there was surely no note more melodious than his name escaping her lips.

How could he have forgotten about her? How could he have ever allowed those mesmerizing eyes to leave his thoughts?

And that was when it clicked.

This was the woman he had been with the night before his strange depression sparked.

This was the woman who made his heart mourn and his soul break in her absence.

This was the part of him missing.

He knew who she was. He could feel it.

But the extent of his memory stopped there. Aside from remembering their most intimate nights and finally being able to attach a face to his previously unexplainable crush on a woman he thought didn't exist, he didn't recall any more details about her. He had no idea where she came from or how they got to know each other. He only knew that he did know her and that she was important to him.

And really, that was all that counted. He didn't need to remember everything that transpired between them. His feelings were valid as they were. They were reason enough for him to believe in who she was and what they were, however ambiguous it may seem at the moment.

But then he thought; why wasn't she around? Why did she leave? If he was so agonized over her, then it could have not possibly been a mutually agreed upon separation. Why didn't she want him anymore? Did he upset her? Had they gotten into a fight?

'I could never love someone like you!'

Tears stung his eyes.

'I could never love someone like you!'

She could never love someone like him; she had said that.

And it hurt. It hurt so much.

But he didn't hate her for it.

Because he knew that was a lie.

It had to be. How could she deny how enmeshed they were? If he felt this way, surely she must feel the same. Surely, he wasn't alone in this pure and painful form of love that he didn't know existed until she came along. He didn't know that he could fall so intensely for someone that he physically could not function without that same love to sustain him. A feeling as strong as that couldn't be one-sided. She must have, at some point, fed his undying affection for her with her own.

But her name; What was her name?

He knew what she felt like. He knew what she sounded, what she tasted like.

But still, who was she in name?

What was her name?

'My King.' the priest cleared his throat.

'Huh?' the life returned to ruby eyes. He gaped at the minister as if he just realized where he was. He glanced at the bride, who was now evidently a little nervous that her groom was getting cold feet. Murmurs could be heard from the gossiping crowd, who were busy theorizing why the King was momentarily disoriented to the point where he needed to be shaken back into reality.

Was he not attracted to her? No, he's just a little scared. Maybe he's the type of man that fears commitment? Nonsense, the King is an honourable man!

None of that conversation was helping Ichigo.

'My King?' the priest repeated.

'Yes?'

'I said, if you wish to bind your life to this princess in holy matrimony, please kiss her.'

'Is that not what you want?' the foreign lady asked in a wavering voice. She grasped his arm with her hand, locking her eyes on his. Though he was staring right at her, he couldn't see his reflection in her glossy pupils. He tilted his head to the side, weighing his options.

He didn't love this woman. He was aware of that long before this day. How could he? They were only allowed to meet on the day of their wedding. He didn't mind though, not if it brought about societal progress. He never thought that having a fulfilling love life was necessary to be happy anyway. So really, he shouldn't be hesitating to kiss her.

But he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that if he sealed his fate, there would be hell to pay. What about the woman he had just remembered? The one who made his heart race dangerously and gave him happiness even just in thought?

He had so many questions, so many factors to consider, but he didn't have enough time. There more he was stalling, the less confident the people were in him. Plus, his dawdling showed that he did not have good faith in Ywach's proposal. Which, in turn, would discourage his own people from having faith in him.

'My King?'

There was too much at stake. There was no time.

He had come this far. Why ruin a perfect opportunity for someone he didn't even remember?

Someone who left him, alone and miserable?

She couldn't be more important than the fate of his people, could she?

Ichigo kissed the bride.

. . .

'No!' Rukia screeched.

Her pain echoed all throughout Heaven. What remained of her heart broke into a million shards so small she would never be able to piece it back together by herself. Not thinking, she reached for Ichigo's image in the water, only succeeding in creating redundant ripples that obscured the frightening picture. Due to the disturbance, the lake reverted back into an ordinary body of water that reflected nothing. Rukia was both glad because she couldn't clearly see them kissing anymore, but also angry because she had already seen it.

She couldn't even feel betrayed. She wanted this. He begged her not to do this, he cried and she hurt him. If she hadn't left, none of this would have happened. At any rate, from the very beginning, this was the plan. This was her assignment. She finally achieved what she had been sent to do in the first place.

But to complete her mission in exchange for her happiness? She no longer believed that the price was right.

Yet somehow, deep inside, she thought that she may never have had to pay that price. That maybe, he would get married and all his problems would be solved - then she'd be able to return to his side and pick up where they left off.

Of course that was unreasonable and unrealistic, but that hope kept her sane. It was a dream that she clung onto to avoid her reality.

'Ichigo, why?!' she demanded though he couldn't hear her.

'Rukia!' Hisana scooped her sister up in her arms.

'You said you loved me, so why...!' she struggled against Hisana. 'Why are you kissing her?! Why...!' she choked on her own tears and burst into anguished gasps and sobs. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and balled her hands into fists so tight that she drew blood. Hisana desperately tried to hush her, burying her head in her chest and rocking her back and forth in a maternal effort to soothe her ache. If this continued, Rukia could get into more trouble than she was already in. It was a miracle that the Council overlooked Rukia's misdemeanour, so Hisana wasn't about to bank on another miracle happening.

'Rukia, please!' Hisana croaked over her sister's wailing. 'Rukia, you could get yourself in trouble, so please... Please stop crying. Rukia, please!'

Rukia was deaf and blind to anything but the stinging of her chest. Her tears stained her sibling's robes and the ruckus she was making surely disturbed so many heavenly residents, but she didn't care at all. She was in pain; so much pain that she felt her deathless body crack from her very bones.

'Rukia, Rukia, please! Please, please don't cry! Please!'

'Ichigo!' Rukia pulled away and headed back towards the all-seeing lake to try and conjure the reflection up again. She had to see more. She had to see what him again. Even if hurt her, she wanted to see him again. 'Ichigo! Ichigo!'

'Rukia, stop!' Hisana grabbed her by the waist and tried to heave her backwards. Rukia scratched and pushed against her sister's hands. Hisana winced as she was wounded, but Rukia was not to be controlled. She was seeing red and she didn't have a good grip on what was happening. 'Rukia, please! Stop!'

'Ichigo!'

'Rukia! Do you want to be imprisoned for the rest of your life?!'

'Aren't I already?!' she spat back, anger flashing in her eyes. Then the pain returned with a vengeance. 'Aren't I caged as is?! I... I...'

Ichigo!

'I just want to see him!' she whimpered. 'I just want to see him, I just want to talk to him, please let me see him, please!'

'Detain her.' Aizen calmly commanded as he waltzed in with ten lower-ranking officials.

A/N: Thank you to everyone supporting this story!

I guarantee that the next chapter will wrap the past up. I didn't realize how much ground there was to cover. I could have concluded The Thousand Year Grudge bits in this chapter, but I felt that it was too long.

Thank you to blissbeat, Cate-Deriana, Shirayuki992, jobananasan, NieveDrop, achalida, and the Guest reviewer!

blissbeat, thank you so much for your kind words, you're always so nice! Urahara will also come into play in this story! You'll see how Aizen and Urahara are connected in later chapters - which is a backstory that was actually composed by NieveDrop! I'm very excited to reveal what she had in mind for it.

Uncertain Feels, I have heard of it, but I don't see how that's relevant to me.

Cate-Deriana, you're too kind! Aizen will be one of the biggest players in this story.

Shirayuki992, no worries, you know you can always rant to me! I'll happily listen. I did hear about it. Good for him that he felt he concluded his work the way that he wanted to, but it won't change how I feel about the ending.

jobananasan, three weeks! Part of is that he wants to evolve into a higher being, but there's another reason behind his experimentation that will be revealed in later chapters - during the present time. How Urahara and Aizen came to be involved with each other will also be explained. I think at that point, Aizen was careless. You'll see how in the past, Aizen was reckless and he had to learn from his mistakes, turning him into the calculated person he was during the real timeline of Bleach. LOL at the Ishida imagery.

NieveDrop, yes I totally agree that I was very imbalanced the past couple chapters! And don't even worry about it, you've just been the best! So patient and insightful!

Thank you so much, everyone!

Working hard on the next chapter for you guys!