Chapter 25

**Karakura Town**

"Strange…you don't look like a shinigami but your soul smells so delicious. Oh well! It doesn't matter because I'm just going to eat you anyway!" The creepy looking hollow said as he stomped towards Rukia's limp body. He leaned over and took a whiff of Rukia's scent with its long white nose. "Mmmhhh" He said. He then stretched his arm and went to reach for her…

"Nake, Benihime" Urahara yelled and a red energy blast quickly vanished the prying hollow. The hollow turned into small particles next to Rukia's body. Urahara then made his way to Rukia's unconscious body on the sidewalk and frowned. He was happy to have made it in time before something worse happened. He gently picked her up and figured he would heal her at his shop.

"Urahara!" Isshin called. He had sensed Urahara's spiritual pressure and found it odd so he decided to check it out. His eyes darted to Rukia's unconscious body and widened in shock. As he took in the scene in front of him his heart ached with pain and worry for her, the baby, and Ichigo. Her arms hanged lifelessly, there was blood dripping from the side of her head and her dress was torn and dirty.

"It looks like she got thrown by the hollow. We can take her to the shop and-" He was cut off.

"No. Let's take her to the clinic. I'll be able to aid her better since she's in a gigai." Isshin said in a serious tone trying to keep composed in the distressing situation. Urahara followed with Rukia in his arms. They didn't want to move her battered body more than needed.

**Kurosaki Clinic**

When they got to the clinic Isshin led them to a bright white room that had all kinds of medical equipment. Urahara put Rukia down on a medical bed while Isshin immediately go to work by setting up an IV and hooking it up to Rukia as well as a heart monitor to check her and the baby's heart beat.

Urahara stood in a corner watching as Isshin frantically checked everything a doctor should. He could tell Isshin was trying hard not to give into the despair and fears of his daughter in law and his future grandchild's lives being at risk. Isshin stepped out of the room to go run some tests.

Urahara took this chance to go by Rukia and heal the small wounds and bruises on her body with kidou. He also tried to feel if she had been inflicted with any of the hollow's energy. He was disappointed but not shocked when he felt the hollow's energy within her. He took a small glass tube from his robe and with a chant put some of Rukia's reiatsu in the tube. He quickly put it away.

A few minutes later he heard the door open again. Isshin walked in and made his way to the side of the bed. He stared at Rukia with sadness in his eyes.

"Thanks for healing what you could." He said as he noticed most of the bruises and scrapes were gone.

"That's what friends are for." Urahara said. He took a deep breath before telling some of the information he knew. "Your son doesn't know she's here. Apparently she wanted some snacks from this world and she must have not had anyone to come with her because she came alone and specifically said not to say anything to Kurosaki-kun or Byakuya."

Isshin sighed heavily before speaking. "I'll wait until I'm done running her tests before contacting Ichigo then. I want to make sure everything is fine so he doesn't panic on his way here."

**Kuchiki Mansion**

Ichigo was the first to get home. The physical aspects of his job as a fukutaichou weren't a problem for him but the stacks of paperwork drained him to no end. He headed to the master bedroom with a smile on his face. He had missed his wife and growing baby bump. He opened the sliding doors and looked around surprised to not find her there. He exited their bedroom through the other sliding doors that led to the garden to look for her there.

After an unsuccessful search of the Kuchiki gardens he remembered something and smiled. 'The kitchen…why didn't I think of it sooner.' He headed towards said destination but when he got there he looked around at no avail.

"Is there anything I can help you with Kurosaki-sama?" A servant asked.

"I'm looking for my wife." He said simply.

"She came in a few hours ago but left slightly disappointed since we didn't have any of her requested foods." The chef said as he left what he was doing to walk towards Ichigo. "She appeared to be in the mood for snacks from the world of the living."

Ichigo's eyes widened with fear at this. "Thanks for your help." He said and left.

'She wouldn't leave on her own, that's impossible…she knows better than to risk her life and that of the baby…she wouldn't…' His thoughts were interrupted.

"Ichigo." Byakuya said causing Ichigo to jump slightly at the intruding voice.

"I think she's gone." Ichigo said with fear drenched in his voice as he turned to see Byakuya.

"What are you talking about?" Byakuya said.

"Rukia…I think she left alone to the world of the living. I'm going to look for her!" Ichigo said and turned around.

Byakuya was surprised but didn't need to hear the details. Without further questions he caught up to Ichigo. "I'm going with you."

**Karakura Town**

Ichigo and Byakuya arrived at Karakura. They immediately tried sensing for her reiatsu with no luck.

"Instead of looking around for her aimlessly it might be wise to contact the shinigami stationed here." Byakuya suggested.

"No." Ichigo said and closed his eyes. He then focused his energy and sprit threads emerged from the ground. A few seconds later he found Rukia's.

"Let's go!" Ichigo said and shunpoed to his destination.

Byakuya followed. He hated to admit it but he was quite impressed by Ichigo. He was happy to see that his love for Rukia showed in everything he did.

A few minutes later Ichigo stopped in front of the Kurosaki clinic. He sensed that Rukia and his father were not in the house but in the clinic side of the house. He also sensed Urahara. 'Something had to have happened.' He thought worriedly but hoped for the best.

Byakuya noticed his ominous aura but didn't think anything needed to be said. He simply followed.

Ichigo headed to the room he knew his dad liked the most because it had the best equipment. He opened the door and was greeted by the sight of his unconscious wife lying on the bed hooked up to monitors, an IV, and a bandaged head. His eyes instantly became teary but he held back the tears.

"R-r-rukia…" He said and walked to the side of the bed ignoring the other men in the room. He then kneeled down and gently caressed her right hand since that one didn't have the IV needle in it.

"What happened?" Byakuya asked trying to sound composed by masking his shock and fear. His eyes had also become a bit watery so he averted everyone's eyes and focused on Rukia.

"She came and said she was only here to buy a few snacks at the store…a few minutes later I sensed a hollow and her reiatsu peaked. When I got to the scene I was able to kill off the hollow before he inflicted any further damage." Urahara answered in a dim tone.

"Dammit!" Ichigo yelled trying to control his anger.

"I already took some tests. The baby appears to be fine as well as her…she's just unconscious due to the impact of hitting her head so hard on the sidewalk." Isshin said in hopes of calming Ichigo's worries.

"Thanks dad." Ichigo said softly.

Urahara, Isshin and Byakuya left the room to give Ichigo some time alone with his wife. They sat in the small waiting area.

"I think I should probably get going, I didn't tell anyone I was leaving the store. Call me if you need anything." Urahara said.

"Thanks Kisuke." Isshin said.

"Thank you very much for you help." Byakuya said as well. Urahara gave them a sympathetic smile and walked out the door.

"Do you drink coffee?" Isshin asked the noble.

"Is that some kind of tea?" Byakuya asked.

"Something like that…I'll be right back." Isshin said and went to prepare three cups of strong coffee (an extra one in case Ichigo wanted some).

A few minutes later Isshin came back and set a cup in front of Byakuya.

"Thank you." The regal man said as he put down the magazine he was reading and took a careful sip of this 'coffee'.

"This drink is quite flavorful." Byakuya commented pleased.

Isshin was about to continue the small conversation when Ichigo came out of the room and sat down defeated on the couch.

"Rukia-chan is probably going to be sleeping all night. You can prepare a room for yourself and Byakuya and I'll watch over her tonight that way I can check on her some more if she wakes up." Isshin said to Ichigo.

"No. I'd rather stay with her…I'll call you if she wakes up." Ichigo said with determination. He wanted to be by her side at all times and be the one to protect her. He also wanted to be the first to see her face when she finally awoke.

"Ok." Isshin said and handed Ichigo his coffee. Isshin and Byakuya kept Ichigo company for a few more minutes until they finished their coffee

The following morning came and Rukia was still unconscious. Ichigo went to take a shower and to take a small nap. Byakuya was in the room watching as Isshin ran some more tests.

"She has been unconscious for some time now. Is this normal? Will this affect the baby?" Byakuya asked concerned.

"The baby's heart rate appears to be fine which is an indication that nothing should be wrong. Rukia-chan's vitals are also fine which means that physically she is ok but…" Isshin hated to tell him the next part. "I'm not sure what type of damage she received to the head. We'll have to take her to the hospital to find out." He said solemnly and took a seat on the chair next to Byakuya.

About an hour later Ichigo came back in the room. Even with a nap and a shower he still looked the same. He had bags under his eyes and they could tell he had been crying since his eyes were slightly puffy and red.

"So what's going on with Rukia dad?" He asked softly without meeting his father's eyes and took his spot on the chair closest to the bed. He set his wife's hand carefully in his own.

Isshin relayed the dreaded information to his son. Ichigo lowered his head to Rukia's tiny hand. "Dammit Rukia…all this because of some stupid snacks…why couldn't you just wait until I got back." He said with a shaky voice. He then set her hand down and left the room.

Byakuya and Isshin heard some ruckus after he closed the door. They knew Ichigo was taking out his anger on the innocent walls and random items around him but decided to let him be. They both knew firsthand the pain of losing their soul mates. Byakuya had lost Hisana to a sickness that slowly killed her and Isshin had lost his wife instantly due to a hollow. They had an idea of what Ichigo was currently feeling but hoped that he would never fully go through the pain of losing the one you love.

Urahara showed up at the Kurosaki Clinic during Ichigo's rampage.

"Urahara..." Ichigo said looking up to see the man.

'Oh boy...' Urahara thought. Telling Ichigo the new information he discovered was going to be harder than he thought.

Hi everyone! So here's another chapter. It's kind of angsty and I felt kind of bad for Ichigo while writing it :(…

Anyway, thanks for reviewing and adding the story to your faves/alerts =D