Life Sentence

Rukia tried to wake up, but a veil of darkness swept over her and she could not see. Even when her eyes were open fully, there was only darkness. She couldn't speak, but she could hear voices whispering to her.

"Rukia..." The voice called. It repeated her name several times, almost chanting it. The voice was tinged with sorrow. The mournful cries reminded her of the nightmares...The way she whispered Kaien's name as she kneeled over his corpse.

That made her shoot bolt upright. Her eyes widened and she watched as someone stepped back from her. She rubbed her eyes for a second and then froze, staring at her hands.

Wasn't I strapped to a table before? Is this another dream?

"Rukia? You're...You're..." Ichigo pounced on her, hugging her tight in his powerful grip, though it was somewhat more relaxed than usual.

"Ichigo...What's going on?"

Ichigo gazed into her eyes and smiled. "You're going to make it. We all are. We just have to get out of here."

"Kaien..." Rukia whispered. "Where..."

Ichigo looked down to the floor. The sadistic mastermind behind this nightmare...The seemingly invincible monster that could control the world...Here he was, sprawled out on the floor, a crimson puddle beneath him.

"Should we leave him?"

"No." Rukia rolled off of the table. Her legs buckled beneath her and she fell beside her former husband. She glared at him and lost control of her emotions. She screamed and grabbed him by the neck, choking what little life remained in him. His eyes flickered open and he stared back. He tried to say her name, but his throat was clenched tight.

"Rukia! Enough!" Ichigo dragged her off of him and kicked Kaien in the ribs. "I want some answers from you."

Kaien looked up while gritting his teeth. He cursed and nodded reluctantly.

"Why are you doing all this? Why are you so obsessed with Rukia? Why do you want her dead?" Ichigo asked question after question cutting Kaien off with another one before he could answer the first. When he was done he folded his arms and glared at his enemy.

Kaien gazed down at the floor and sighed. "Rukia ruined everything! We were going to fake my death and leave the country to take over the world! She was supposed to stay inside and cry, she was never supposed to follow me!"

"What?" Ichigo cocked his head.

"She followed us into the forest. We still went ahead with faking the death, but we tried to make her leave and never come back. She didn't take the hints and was too persistent! Worst of all she fatally wounded me and held me back from my dreams of conquest! I had to lie in a hospital bed for years, fed through a drip with organs and blood from complete strangers! She ruined me!" Kaien took a deep breath and let out a deep growl.

"I swore one day I would get out of the hospital and get everything back! I hired Urahara to deal with business and build my empire while I was still resting. I also asked him to take care of a very personal matter...I wanted him to destroy the woman that destroyed me! Rukia Kuchiki!"

Rukia's eyes narrowed. Her mistake had given birth to the spiteful demon Kaien Shiba. The man she had married was the side that stopped him from going insane, but the instant the blade sank into his chest, that kind man died. The cruel, manipulative side took control and the new Kaien Shiba was born.

Kaien spat on the floor and cursed.

"I swore...I would take revenge for what happened! Was going to see to your death one way or another and I would continue to hunt you down until the day you died! I sent the finest mercenaries, the most depraved murderers...But they all failed. You somehow managed to get through it all alive! When Urahara was reported dead I knew I had to get serious, but even then, my plans all fell apart!"

Kaien grinned menacingly. "With that little injection...All my efforts will have not been in vain. I will finally be able to watch you die!"

"You bastard!" Ichigo wrapped an arm around Rukia. He may have tried to ignore it, but Rukia felt the tremors. Ichigo was terrified. He knew time was running out...

"Kaien...I'm sorry." Rukia crawled out of Ichigo's grip and approached Kaien. "I never meant to stand in the way of your dreams...I just wanted to make you happy." She smiled weakly and Kaien's murderous scowl faltered.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Kaien..." Rukia snatched the knife off of the ground and raised it above her head. "I should have finished things back then." She brought the knife down and closed her eyes, not wanting to watch. Kaien cried out as the blade sank through his chest, bringing back horrible memories.

"You bitch!" He grunted as Rukia twisted the blade and forced it in further. "I'll...Kill...You!" Kaien's words were sluggish and he was beginning to sway.

Rukia twisted the knife once more and yanked it out, bringing forth a rushing flood of crimson. She hurled the knife across the room and sat back against the table leg.

Kaien reached forward, trying to get Rukia, but his arm fell short and he fell face first on the floor. He gave a short spasm and the lay still. His reign of terror was over.

Rukia sobbed and Ichigo shuffled close to comfort her. "Rukia...It's over...It's finally over!" He smiled briefly, until he realised Rukia wasn't smiling back. "Rukia?"

"Ichigo...Can we go home?"

"Of course! We can go home! We can have a party with all our friends and we can stuff our faces. Then we can just sit on the couch and watch TV...We can watch a movie, anything you want...I promise!"

Rukia's eyelids dropped down so her eyes were only half open. She giggled lightly. "I'd like that..." She murmured.

"Good. Isane's already called for help. The police will be here any minute and we can get out of here and-" Ichigo froze midsentence. Rukia was shivering uncontrollably. He removed Kaien's jacket and draped it around the small woman. He then cradled her in his arms and waited.

"Ichigo?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sleepy..." Rukia muttered, her head rolling to one side.

Ichigo fought back tears and squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't go to sleep yet Rukia...Stay awake for just a little longer..."

Rukia said nothing in response. Ichigo shook her gently and felt a slight relief when she made a quiet groan. "Rukia...I love you...I'll never forget you...Never."

"I love you too..." Rukia sighed.

They shared a kiss, trapped in their warm embrace and their undying passion. They both wished the moment would never end, closing their eyes and envisioning happier times and the life they could lead together. The dreams of the hopeful...The blissful ignorance of those who near the finish line of life's great race...

Unfortunately, that life was not to be...

Rukia shied away from the kiss and her head rolled back, her body going limp. "Sleepy..." She whispered one last time before her eyes drifted shut and she stopped moving.

Ichigo felt for a heartbeat, but there was none. Silently, he laid her body down and rose to his feet. He gave one last look at the girl before his vision was clouded with tears.

Twenty minutes later the police finally arrived. They found the prison abandoned. Only prisoners were present. All staff had disappeared mysteriously. They searched the majority of the prison and came up with nothing, until they entered the execution block.

Five people were found locked inside...Only three of them were alive.

The three survivors were identified as Isane Kotetsu, an officer with the Karakura Police Department. Kiyone Kotetsu, a former secretary at the Karakura Prison a.k.a 'The Cage'. The last survivor was one Ichigo Kurosaki, convicted of armed robbery, murder and resisting arrest one year ago.

The first deceased was a man who looked similar to the Kurosaki boy, though no relation was found. The survivors claimed he was Kaien Shiba, though no records of such a man ever existed. An enquiry was launched into the strange occurrence. He was allegedly the manager of 'The Cage' following the disappearance and eventual death of the previous manager Yammamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

The other deceased was one Rukia Kuchiki, renowned for being falsely accused of murder and wrongly incarcerated. She was discovered to have been injected with Sodium Thiopental, a drug used for lethal injections at the prison.

The reason as to why she was executed was eventually disclosed. Allegedly Kaien Shiba attempted to kill them all, though he was incapacitated shortly after administering the injection to Miss Kuchiki. The motive was not explained, but further investigation is taking place.

Rukia Kuchiki was buried near her home in Karakura.

Isane Kotetsu has spearheaded a task force to investigate into the events that happened and their correlation with the massacre at an un-named town known only as 'No Man's Land'.

Ichigo Kurosaki and his family were payed a substantial sum in compensation for his cruel and unlawful treatment during these events.

'The Cage' has been cleared away and a memorial site is to be constructed to commemorate all who were lost. It is to be called The Rukia Kuchiki memorial.

Ichigo stepped out of the taxi and watched the car speed off. When it was out of sight he proceeded up a set of stone steps until he was at the foot of a statue in the image of his beloved. He stared into the lifeless, stone eyes of Rukia and instantly, his heart sank.

He looked down at the plaques that were on the base of the statue. It bore the names of all those who were killed in the riots, the shootouts, the escapes. Be they guard or prisoner, their name was there. Reading through the list, Ichigo was reminded of his past. No matter how hard he tried to accept it and move on, the past always caught up.

In a way, his heart and soul had been forever trapped within 'The Cage' locked in a cold damp cell for eternity. His misery was never ending, even now, three years on. The nightmares never ceased, the pain was always there.

Ichigo stepped back and turned away, gazing out at the setting sun. In the distance he saw a lone tree in the middle of a children's park. In his mind, it turned to a gallows. Ichigo blinked and it returned to being a tree. He sighed and walked back down the stone steps and walked away.

Ichigo, and everyone else who survived...They were each handed a life sentence, but of a different kind. They were sentenced to live on, never forgetting the nightmare...Forever tortured by their own grief...

Sometimes Ichigo would think to himself...

Was Rukia the lucky one?

END

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