A/N: It's been a long time! I have such a writer's block…if anyone has any ideas, suggestions whatever, I'll appreciate it. I don't own bleach!
Title: Winter Night
Summary: It's snowing and he's leaving…why isn't it raining?
Timeline: That weird arc right before Ichigo goes to train with the Vizards but they haven't left for Hueco Mundo yet.
She stepped through his window, her shinigami robes lightly flowing in the breeze, and her dark hair decorated with snowflakes.
"You'll train with them…" She said not moving from her spot.
"Yeah…" Ichigo answered sitting up from his bed, he reached over and clicked on his light. "I know you too well." Rukia said moving like a ghost to sit on his bedside. I shouldn't…be this close to you Ichigo.
He chuckled but the silence wore on. Rukia's eyes moved to the window, the snowflakes danced against the black sky and attached themselves to his window. It's snowing and he's leaving…why isn't it raining? Rukia knows he has to go and get rid of his Hollow. She's the one who told him to in the first place! There were so many things she wanted to say right now, to him. She wanted to thank him…for saving her. She wanted to tell him that he was strong, but not to get a big head about it. She wanted to tell him that the next battles will be hard but she's going to be there. So many things she wanted to say but they all just jumbled together in her brain. I have so many things to say…if only you knew.
"What are you thinking about?" Rukia asked quietly, her violet orbs moving to see that Ichigo hadn't moved.
"Getting stronger." He answered his eyes on the ceiling.
"Idiot! Can your brain only handle one thing?" She spat turning around to glare full force at her companion.
"What do you mean? Tell me Ms.High and Mighty, what's on your mind? You're not thinking about getting stronger to defeat the Arancarrs?" Ichigo retorted, it felt much more natural to fight with her.
"No, I'm thinking about you, you oblivious buffoon!" Rukia growled before she was able to stop herself. She turned back around and watched the snowflakes instead of looking at that…that…idiot!
Silence.
Ichigo didn't need words because he knew her too well. She was worried not only about him but for him, he wasn't as oblivious as she may think. Her Hollow pager went off and Rukia stood from his bed. "Wait." Ichigo said his brain suddenly comprehending what was going on.
"I can't." Rukia said her eyes piercing, "A shinigami's duty comes before anything else." She said before opening his window and flash stepping out. Ichigo groaned…he's always going to chase her. He pressed the badge to his chest and followed after her, he still was horrible at sensing reitsu's but he figured it wouldn't be too hard to find the hollow.
&3&3&3&
Ichigo found them easily enough, a hollow with tentacles shooting from its back, and it was attacking Rukia but she seemed unharmed. Rukia jumped up into the air and her hand brushed across a tentacle and it wrapped around her hand. No! Rukia's mind practically screamed when she saw Ichigo heading towards her. God no! Rukia fell to the grass, a light snow beginning to cover it. Her Zanpaktou disappeared.
"Rukia!" Ichigo called out but his voice was fading.
No…please…no…
"Rukia!" He called out again. Her hand twitched in a failed effort to get up, her body was so numb and her eyes were so heavy. "Rukia!"
'Ichigo.' Her world faded into black.
The Hollow laughed as it suddenly disappeared, Ichigo rushed to Rukia's side but she jumped to her feet. "Rukia?" Ichigo gasped as he saw her.
Her pale white face had a black claw mark across it, her eyes black holes, her lips blue and her skin…too white. The Hollow! It must have infected her or something!
"Rukia…" Ichigo took another step back.
"Do you love me that much?" This anti-Rukia asked her tongue was long and purple as it darted out of her mouth to lick her blue lips. "Is that why you keep repeating my name? Are you that much in love with me?" Anti-Rukia cackled and brought up her hand that looked more like a pale claw.
Ichigo brought out Zangetsu, to defend her oncoming attacks. His heart was thundering in his chest, Ichigo felt so helpless and he hated that feeling.
Hollow-Rukia attacked him without mercy; her voice was high-pitched and mocking. He hated it. He had to save her…but how? Suddenly the violet returned to her eyes, "Ichigo… RUN!" She screamed, not in the hollow voice, but in her desperate voice that he heard only once before when he was saving her in Soul Society. She screamed this way while on the bridge; he could have heard it miles away.
The pitch black covered the violet and the hollow laughed again. "What's with that look? Hmm? Little boy…why do you look so afraid? I love you. You would never hurt me right?" Hollow-Rukia said in a sickening voice.
"Shut up! Leave Rukia alone!" Ichigo yelled and suddenly anti-Rukia had her hand on Zangetsu. It glowed with a bright white light and then…it was just a sword. An ordinary katana…it was nothing more, nothing less.
"Zangetsu?...What have you done? Get out of Rukia! Leave her the fuck alone!" Ichigo gasped, he felt vulnerable without old man Zangetsu. "Rukia! Can you hear me? Fight it!"
"Hehe! Now will you attack me?" Anti-Rukia jumped backwards and Ichigo held the katana up. He did not want to do this.
The snow fell down from the sky, it was too pure for a scene like this. Ichigo's hands shook as he held the blade.
"Ichigo…" He heard Rukia's voice; it was soft this time, gentle almost. "Run." She said again before the anti-Rukia jumped forward and before Ichigo could react…
Rukia drove her chest into the sword.
The hollow left her body, having no use for its host anymore. The crimson red blood splattered against the pure white snow and dripped from Ichigo's hands. "R-Rukia! Rukia! ANSWER ME!" Ichigo said as her body fell limp against his.
"Thank you…Ichigo." She whispered her violet eyes slowly loosing their light.
"R-Rukia…no…" Ichigo gulped as his knees threatened to buckle.
"I can leave my heart here…" Her head lifted from his shoulder and she pressed her lips against his with her one last bit of energy. He could taste her blood in his mouth and feel the warm liquid dripping down his hands, he was sure some of it splattered on his cheek. He kissed her back, as if his kiss could heal her wounds and bring her back to him.
Rukia pulled away and rested her head back on his shoulder, her eyelids shut and her hand fell limp. It was snowing and she was gone…why the hell isn't it raining?
"Rukia…" Ichigo used one hand to wrap it around her slim figure and he held her close, the snow was cold but she was colder, her cheek against his neck. "Rukia!" He yelled this time, Ichigo's eyes filled with tears, he couldn't cry but his heart was so torn…he was close. He should have run…but he didn't…for his own selfishness…he thought he could save her but…he failed. He shut his eyes tightly as his form trembled.
He didn't deserve to be thanked.
His eyes re-opened as he felt cold tears running down his cheeks, he looked up to see that the sky was still a dark gray but those weren't tears. It was raining.
A/N: I just kind of starting writing and this is what came out! Um…remember to credit if you mention any of my work and review please.
This is something that I was going to add after the last line, but I liked the last line so much that I took it out.
It was raining. No one was left to pull Ichigo out of his depression. He trained but couldn't put his heart into it. When the winter war started, Ichigo found himself lying on the desert sand with a gash through his chest and other cuts and bruises. Grimmjow was telling him to get his ass up but he couldn't find the strength.
Why? Because Rukia was his strength and he just rested there until he slowly saw the edges of his vision get darker.
He saw a pair of violet eyes, a pale face and dark hair. "R-Rukia…" Ichigo murmured as her face came into view. She was above him, holding his head on her lap. "I'm so tired…" He said softly, his eyes beginning to close.
"It's okay…you can sleep…" She whispered her eyes soft and caring. She lifted her hand and ran it across his eyes. Ichigo let all his worries melt away and the battles that he fought were just memories. He was free from the weight that his hollow had on him and he could finally see her again…
'Thank you…looks like I can leave my heart in your hands…'
'It always was…' Rukia said softly
A/N: Yeah so that was the 'directors cut'. Okay I'm done. You may commence your review! Haha Suggestions are welcome!