"Ichigo?" Rukia yelled going into hysterics as she saw blood dripping down his face, "Ichigo!" she tried more frantically as his eyes began to roll. Rukia turned quickly stumbling across the room to her cell phone punching in the emergency dispatch number as she dropped back in front of his fallen form again. The phone on speaker beside the two as she continued to try and rouse Ichigo. His eyelids would crack open a little at hearing her calling him on occasion he'd even whisper her name.
"911 what's your emergency?" A kind and patient voice came through the phone's speakers.
"I-I need help! Ichigo he's…" She started unable to form a coherent sentence as she cried.
"Miss, I know whatever's going on is bad, but I need you to calm down for me okay? I can't understand you if you don't speak clearly." The woman spoke gently hoping to calm the younger woman on the phone.
Taking a breath as her tears dripping onto the floor, "His's heads bleeding." She managed.
"Alright Miss and you live?" The Emergency Dispatcher questioned. When Rukia replied the woman smiled warmly though Rukia couldn't see it, "Don't worry sweetie I've dispatched paramedics they will be with you shortly. I'm going to stay on the phone with you and ask you some questions." She told Rukia.
Rukia nodded calling out to Ichigo again when his eyes began to droop causing him to momentarily wake.
oooOOOooo
Some time and a strange ambulance ride later, Rukia sat in Ichigo's hospital room with him. She stuck to him like glue, walking with them as they wheeled him in and out of the room for tests. Paranoia on full alert because of the number of strange people hovering around her. Ichigo was barely staying awake, if it hadn't been for her being there, he probably would have fallen asleep! Then again, if it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't have been in a place like this at all…
Rukia shifted uncomfortably outside the testing room doors. They'd said she could come, but she wouldn't be able to enter the room with them that she'd have to wait outside. When they rolled Ichigo she couldn't help but ask despite a little voice in her head telling her she wasn't safe and to run away, "Is he alright?"
The young man who'd run the test flashed her a sad smile, "I'm sorry but I'm just an Imaging Technician I can't read these that's for his Doctor." He informed her.
Rukia frowned knowing full well he was probably lying to her. He probably had an idea of if he was alright or not, but he couldn't say… because of policies. Nodding in understanding they walked in silence as they walked down the well-lit hallway. Nurse's and Patient Care Technicians racing from room to room as they helped everybody. Rukia noticed the man's eyes flickering over to her every so often. He'd more than likely taken notice to her not so well-hidden trembling whenever someone got too close.
"Miss, if I may are you alright?" he asked holding his stare on her making her feel even more uncomfortable. She knew he didn't mean it… but her body just acted accordingly to other presences within close proximity.
Rukia looked at him briefly, "I'm in a hospital…" she replied more sarcastically then she realized. Rukia turned away muttering an apology under her breath as they entered Ichigo's room and the man began hooking Ichigo back up to the monitors. The man was silent until he left, he gave her a slight wave and a quick goodbye before dashing off. 'God, could I have sounded any more like a bitch?' she thought to herself as she pulled a chair up beside Ichigo's bedside.
Ichigo for the first time since they'd gotten here was resting. She frowned wondering if it was okay for her to let him sleep… he seemed too peaceful to disturb.
Rukia stared at Ichigo's face, his slightly parted lips that would release a soft stream of breath. When she realized she'd been focusing a little too long on his parted lips she blushed and turned away only to come face to face with a tall man in a long white coat. She jumped at this and gave off a startled scream. When had he even come into the room?! "Whoa their young lady, Sorry I didn't mean to frighten you." He told her with a small smile.
When Rukia simply stared at him, he held out his hand for her to shake, "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki's main Physician." he continued. Watching thoughtfully as her hand inched towards his, he grew more alarmed watching as she touched his hand and she quickly recoiled it back almost as if it'd burned her. Keeping his expression in check as he observed her as if she too was one of his patients. Something in her reactions seemed strange…
"S-Sorry, my names Rukia." She apologies as she tried to straighten up and stop her body from shaking from the presence of a man that wasn't even here. The shadow he seemed to cast over her was long and his reach unlimited.
The older gentleman nodded still watching her carefully. It was hard not to notice how her eyes grew shifty ever time she heard a sound, or when she saw movement and if he looked hard enough, he could even make out the light tremors coursing through her body as well as the undeniable level of fear in her eyes. "I-Ichigo…" She began startling him a little out of his thoughts, "Will Ichigo be okay?" she asked her eyes no longer focusing on him but his patient laying on the bed in front of her.
The older man opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he noticed something. Her shaking had stopped and the look in her eyes held something new in them. The older man grinned slightly, "Young lady… you love this young man, don't you?" he questioned laughing as her face turned a bright shade of red. The Doctor grabbed hold of a chair placing it beside her, at the motion he noticed she'd begun shaking again, he put some space between them and he noticed the shaking stopped a little but didn't cease.
Sitting down beside her he watched as she tried to keep her focus elsewhere, "Before I answer your question there is something I must confirm with you." He began, staring at her for several seconds waiting for her to turn his way when she finally did. The look he had on his face was a serious one, "Did he hurt you?" he interrogated softly pointing at his patient. The man knew that it wasn't possible with the way the young man had spoken with him the last dozen or so times that he'd seen him, but… you never truly know right?
Rukia looked at him in shock and surprise, shaking her head rapidly, "No." she told him surprisingly clearly.
The older man tilted his head to see her better, "But someone has hurt you?" he continued with his questions leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. Rukia just focused her stare on Ichigo. She didn't speak but to the Doctor, her bodily reactions to his question spoke volumes. He watched as she gripped at the end of her shirt, how she tried to shrink back into the chair, how the rims of her eyes began to fill up with tears and she bit her down hard on her lip. It took a long minute but finally, she nodded.
"T-This is all my fault." Rukia started the Doctor remained for the most part quiet to gather information from her in hopes that he could somehow find a way not just to help his patient, but this young woman in front of him who was clearly suffering.
"What's your fault?" he asked trying to keep the conversation going.
It took her another moment to answer and when she finally did, he saw tears dropping and dripping down her exposed knees, "B-Because I-I hit him. I-I thought… I thought he was him." She sobbed softly gripping onto the hem of her shirt tighter.
The Doctor heard the door open softly and the Doctor turned quickly making a motion for the Nurse to remain quiet and to step back out. The woman shot him a questioning glance and silently exited. "You hit who?" the Doctor asked.
Rukia's eye's shifted ever so slightly to land on his patient and instantly shame and regret came to her face. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks, "I-I see." He stared. The older man frowned seeing the turmoil Rukia was enduring. He wanted to help her and he would, but with this new information he had more pressing matters and that was finding out how all this happened. He had a vague idea of what transpired but he needed her to tell him, "Young lady, I'm sorry to have to ask you this…"
Rukia flinched at his words… He was going to kick her out now, wasn't he?
"but I need you to explain in as much detail as you can the events that took place tonight." The Doctor told her grabbing out a small notepad and pen to take notes.
Rukia looked confused… but eventually nodded. It took them some time, but finally, Rukia managed to explain to the Doctor what happened. By the end of the short story, the Doctor had to resist the urge to pat her head like he would his own daughter when she was upset. Rukia continued to watch him scribble furiously on his notepad. She hadn't asked anything, but he could see the gears in her head turning, the slight movement in her face to ask the question she wants to say but doesn't.
"Don't worry Rukia. He'll be just fine." He told her flashing her a kind smile. Tears were still whelmed into her eyes but were stationary. The Doctor finally stopped and pocketed his notepad, turning his full attention to Rukia, "Ichigo has a brain bleed." He began watching as Rukia's eyes widened with worry. The older man held up his hands, "I'm scheduling him for surgery for as soon as possible. I'm going to need your signature though to approve it." He explained standing, he walked over to the door poking his head out asking the Nurse to get him some consent forms.
Meanwhile, Rukia looked at him really confused, "Why?" was all she said. The Doctor looked at her confused, "Why me?" she continued.
The Doctor looked really confused now, "Your Rukia Kuchiki, yes?" he questioned flipping through his patient's emergency documents. Rukia looked at him floored by the fact that the Doctor knew her full name when she hadn't even given anything but her first name, "Oh, I see… He must not have told you." The older man realized.
As he walked closer, he stopped short giving plenty of room to keep her comfortable as he held out the chart. What Rukia saw made her eyes widen… She was… She was his… "You're his only emergency contact number and according to this paper if he's incapacitated, he's left all decisions about his care left in your hands." The Doctor explained watching the disbelieve settle into her eyes.
Rukia's eyes fell on him still staring in disbelief, "B-But why-why would he?" she started.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "Choose you?" he finished.
The door creaked open, "Sir," the Nurse interrupted.
The Doctor turned to signal for one more minute, "The family's here." She told him. The Doctor for a moment looked calculating then beamed and waved the family in.
The Doctor was bombarded with many questions from the family and Rukia he noticed seemed really relaxed around them. It was the twin teens that attacked her first crushing her into a tight hug, filling the air with many questions and… for the first time since he'd stepped into this room, he witnessed Rukia smile.
Ichigo's father Isshin Kurosaki spoke to him seriously and calmly until he noticed Rukia's presence, "Third daughter!" Isshin shouted rushing up to her enveloping her into a warm hug. Then continued on with more embarrassing rounds of questions, but despite that Rukia's smile only grew with the family's presence.
The Doctor stepped over, "Say Mr. Kurosaki?" he started catching everyone's attention. The Doctor took out his notepad and began to pretend to write everything down, "What is Ichigo's favorite color?" he asked watching the father eye him strangely. "Just answer it's a test." The Doctor waved him off.
Isshin looked confused, "Uh, black?"
"It's blu…" Rukia started but stopped as the twins cut her off.
"Oh come on stupid old man," Karin started with a roll of her eyes, "everyone but you seems to know its blue." She spat.
Yuzu giggled, "Yeah, Ichigo only started liking the color because he loves Rukia's eye color!" she explained making Rukia blush madly.
Was that true? Was that the reason he like that color over all others so suddenly? When they had been younger, he did use to say he liked black but… at some point, he seemed to fall in love with the color blue out of nowhere. All Rukia could do was sit there in wonder.
Karin shot a look at Yuzu, "We were supposed to keep that secret remember?" the short black haired preteen said looking at her twin with a dull stare.
Yuzu laughed softly, "Oops, I forgot about that. Remember how embarrassed he got when he found us reading his diar…" Karin quickly slapped a hand over Yuzu's mouth. Sporting the dull stare still.
"Don't mind her," Karin told Rukia tugging her sister out of the room for a moment to chat.
Rukia couldn't get the red stain on her face to subside at this information, "That is why he chose you Rukia." The Doctor said calling back her attention. Her face still heavily flustered looked confused, "The question I just had you guys answer out of all of you who got it right?" he continued.
"M-Me and his sisters?" Rukia answered still confused.
The Doctor nodded, "Yes, which means in Ichigo's frame of mind he would choose one of you three who know him so well to best dictate his wishes despite being incapacitated. So, he chose the one he trusted most. The one who knew him the most. I have little doubt that if I were to ask many random questions about him that you wouldn't have an immediate answer for me. So it makes sense to me that he would choose you. I asked that question and you answered correctly with no hesitation." He explained.
Rukia's frowned through her confusion, "But how do you know I'm right?" she questioned looking directly up at the Doctor.
He smiled at this especially when he noted she wasn't trembling, "Young lady, I have been Ichigo's Physician since he was in high school. I know a great deal about this young man and his troubles. I even know of his feelings towards you." He told her with a Cheshire cat grin.
Rukia's eyes widened slightly, "F-Feelings?" she repeated.
Isshin frowned, "You mean my idiot son never told you before he left?" he asked.
Rukia eyes shot back to Ichigo's father, 'F-Feelings… Ichigo has feelings for me?!' she thought. The idea that he had feelings for her made her both happy and sad. If he did… then why didn't he tell me? And- and when?
She must have said something because it was as if Ichigo's father read her mind, "Geez, my boy's been smitten with you since you two were racing around our back-yard throwing mud balls at each other." Isshin ratted his son out.