A/N: Here's the second chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Some things may be answered. Some things may be questioned. This chapter is named after the song, "From Where You Are," by Lifehouse. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Nothing.

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Chapter 2: From Where You Are

"Tell me again why we're going to this party?" Rukia complained in the limo as she rubbed her temples.

"One, Uryuu is one of your childhood friends. Two, he's one of my good friends. Three, he just won Best Leading Male Role in the movie that you wrote. And four, you look like hell and need some stress release or something to get you into a happier mood," Renji said, holding his fingers up as he counted.

"Wow, thanks Renji. You really know how to give a girl a compliment," she said with sarcasm dripping off her tongue.

"Are you sure you're all right? Ever since the end of the show you've been really weird. And by 'weird' I mean the bitchy attitude has been on overdrive tonight. And I know you wouldn't get this way about us not winning Best Picture. You're not like that," he said leaning back into the leather seats. "What's going on with you?" he reinforced.

Rukia sighed and looked out the window. "I'm fine." She turned and saw him staring at her with an eyebrow raised; showing his disbelief.

"I said I'm fine, Renji. Stop worrying about me. You just won Best Supporting Male Role. You should be ready to get wasted and sleep with some newbie actress," Rukia said with her arms crossed over her chest as she continued to look out of the window. They had just parked in front of the mansion.

Renji smirked, "Ya think?" he questioned curiously.

Rukia threw her purse at him and then looked back out the window at the mansion. "You're such a pig, Abarai," Rukia said, not helping the smile on her face from her friend's idiocy.

Renji chuckled, "You know I'm kidding. But at least you smiled. Now get the hell out of the car before I carry you out. You're going to have fun so quit whining."

She growled, but then opened the door. She walked up to the door and as soon as she took a step in and was being dragged throughout the house, she realized something she hated herself for missing. And it was already too late to avoid it.

After the ceremony, Uryuu basically grabbed Ichigo by the collar and threw him into his limo before he could protest. Now that the orange headed man was leaning against a grand piano in one of Uryuu Ishida's many rooms, he had been reacquainted with another childhood friend.

"Why was he so damn persistent on getting me here?" Ichigo asked in annoyance.

"Well if I knew you were back in town, I would have dragged you to see the rest of your friends too. Plus, you need an official welcoming back. What kind of person comes back to a town like this and doesn't kick it off with a party anyway?" she said, tipping back a glass of wine.

"Tatsuki, do you know me at all?" he questioned with attitude.

She gave a slight chuckle and placed the glass down on a tray a waiter was holding and grabbed another. "Yeah. That's why Ishida was persistent."

Ichigo turned his head slightly to give her a glare with a smirk, but then turned his head straight ahead only to be drawn to a sight that made the air catch in his throat. It was a sight that brought him back to a particular moment in time that he had forgotten about until then.

-Flashback-

He lay on his bed with his fingers interlocked behind his neck. His eyes were clenched shut, while so many things were running through his head. He laid there staring at the ceiling with the look as if no one was home inside his mind. Ever since that happened he had that aura around him. He couldn't help it – he just couldn't… feel anymore.

He saw just how much she was breaking each day from the simple look in her eyes, but he didn't know what to do. He didn't even know what to do with himself. He felt like a walking waste of space. But she was still by his side no matter how many times he left without a word or how many things he said that should have totally torn her in two. She stayed… but something new was seen in those eyes the past few weeks; exhaustion.

So far away from where you are
The miles have torn us way apart
And I miss you
Yeah I miss you

He heard his window crackle a bit as it began to open from the outside. He sat up slightly, using his elbows to prop him up. He stared calmly at the window as she swiftly hopped inside. She pulled her skirt down after it had flown up a bit from her entrance. After dusting herself off, she looked up into his blazing eyes.

So far away from where you are
And standing underneath the stars
And I wish you
Were here

It was so dark in his room, but she knew too well what his face showed; the same face she had seen for a few years now. It was a face that portrayed an empty person; an empty person that she had been desperately trying to fill ever since that happened. But that night she had come to realize something, which she had floating around in her mind for quite awhile. Although that night when those thoughts plagued her mind again, for once… she was going to stop pushing it aside.

"Hey," she said softly as she saw him not budge an inch.

"Hey," he said back in the same manner.

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they'd mean everything to me

Yeah I miss
And I wish you
Were here

"Ichigo, I don't know how to say this. And a large part of me doesn't want to, but it's something I realized that I have to. So here it goes," she said taking a deep breath and refusing to move from her standing position as his eyes remained only on her. There's so much I've wanted to share with you. So many things I've dreamed of us being. I understand how what happened can affect you a lot and I tried to help you through it. But it just seems the more I try – the more you push me away," she paused and took a deep breath and took her gaze off him and looked to the ground.

"I'm drained, Ichigo. I… can't do this anymore. I want you in my life so much, but if you're going to just watch life pass you by… then I don't think I can watch it with you," she looked up back into his piercing stare, still with no emotion visible on his face illuminated by the moonlight from the open window.

I feel the beating of your heart
I see the shadows of your face
Just know that wherever you are
Yeah I miss you
And I wish you were here

Her hands began to shake as the crossroads in her life was about to come. She reached her arm across her body and grabbed her wrist to steady herself. "I'm going to take the first bus out of here tomorrow morning… but I'm not going unless you tell me to," she stared deep into his eyes and she saw the slightest bit of emotion she thought.

The beginning of her statement made his chest collapse, but the part that shook him up the most was the latter part. 'She's asking me to choose for her. If I tell her to stay, she'll most likely stay with me, no matter how miserable it may make her. I… don't want her to leave…'

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the ways the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they'd mean everything to me

He let out a deep breath slowly and closed his eyes for a few moments. He let it all soak in and took a large swallow. He opened his eyes and turned his head away from her. The word seemed to refuse to leave his throat, but when it did, it was practically a whisper. "Go." It felt as if he had just stabbed himself in what was left of his beating heart. He hated seeing her fall deeper into the same crevice as him and if he could save her from the same misery… then he would; no matter how painful it would be.

That single word hit her like a rock being thrown at pure glass. Everything shattered; her body, her mind, her soul and her heart. She thought as everything in the world deteriorated around her, 'He… doesn't love me anymore.'

Yeah I miss you
And I wish you
Were here

'What am I going to do without you?' he thought as her mouth hung slightly open and her chest rose up and down. She stared at his face that refused to look at her.

She gave a slow nod in understanding and wiped a tear that strode down her cheek quickly before he could turn to see her, but he secretly did.

So far from where you are
These miles have torn us way apart
And I miss you
Yeah I miss you
Yeah I wish you
Were here

She turned towards the window and stopped before continuing. She looked behind her, over her shoulder at him, who still refused to look at her retreating form. She opened her mouth, but then hesitated and closed it. She couldn't stop staring at him; he was everything she ever wanted, but he had just given her the signal. She was leaving now. So why was she holding back? She already knew how he felt. Why couldn't she let it out one last time? So she spoke sweetly; so sweet that once he heard her, he let her words echo throughout his entire body. "I love you."

He heard her exit and without even looking at the window, he returned the favor. "I'll never stop."

She came walking into the room with an entirely different air circulating around her. Her raven hair grazed her shoulders elegantly and framed her face delicately. The lavender dress only accented her piercing violet eyes that had yet to notice him. All the music or conversation was immediately silenced. 'Why? Why is she always making my senses go haywire? I haven't been this close to her in so many years, yet she's still as beautiful as the day she left…'

She wandered into the room aimlessly, not prepared for what was literally staring her in the face. Her entire body seemed to stop functioning as her eyes wandered up the man's legs in his black dress pants, past his belt that rested nicely on his hips, further past his arms that were leaning back on the piano on their elbows with his dress shirt sleeves rolled up on his forearms, all the way up to his beautifully chiseled jaw, which then led to the revealing of his intense amber eyes.

She felt a tingle up her spine as she was left breathless. She watched motionless as he leaned off the piano slowly in shock. Rukia needed to get out of there and fast. She quickly turned around, but to her dismay, she crashed into a waiter causing the tray to fall and tumble onto Rukia as she fell to the floor.

She winced on the floor as the shattered glass scattered around her. Finally she opened her eyes and found a hand being held down to her. She followed the arm up with her eyes, and found the owner to be exactly who she tried to run from.

She looked sadly at him. Ichigo did something she didn't expect, or something she hadn't seen in years; he smiled. But not just a simple fake smile; the one you give when you pass someone on the street; he gave a sincere meaningful one. It almost seemed like… like he was the boy she fell in love with all those years ago…

"Careful. There's a lot of glass around you," he said with his hand still extended.

Rukia hesitantly raised her hand, and then finally placed it in his. 'It's been so long…' she thought as he pulled her up slowly.

They stood for a few seconds just staring at each other. Rukia's mouth hung slightly ajar, while he continued to smile. "Are you okay?" he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly in concern.

She couldn't force the words out of her throat and opted to just give a nod.

"It's good to see you, Rukia," he said softly.

The hairs on her arms and the back of her neck rose at that moment. "Yeah," she said softly as someone came and began to drag Ichigo away. Ichigo looked back at Rukia in surprise, but let the man pull him along, saying something about Ichigo making a comeback.

Rukia watched him being pulled away and finished her sentence, "It's good to see you too, Ichigo."

She took a few deep breaths and then snapped out of her daze. 'I have to get out of here,' she thought as she rushed to the door.

"Rukia!" Tatsuki yelled, seeing her old friend run away after seeing him. But she was ignored as Rukia wouldn't stop for anyone.

Ichigo was talking to many people as he smiled and nodded to whatever was being said. He really didn't care at the moment. His eyes kept darting around to see if he could catch a glimpse of her again. It came to a point where Ichigo couldn't take it anymore.

He looked down to his watch, "I'm so sorry guys. I really should be going. There is someone I have to see," he said with an apologetic look.

"But the night is still young, Kurosaki!" the drunk Best Supporting Male yelled from behind as he draped an arm around Ichigo's shoulders.

"Yeah, I know Renji. But I have to talk to someone still," Ichigo said untangling his arm off his shoulders.

Renji pulled him aside and whispered, or what he thought was whispering to Ichigo, "I heard from Tatsuki that Rukia took off awhile ago. She tried to ask where she was going but she was in a big hurry or something!"

"Jesus Abarai! Stop yelling in my ear!" Ichigo said pushing his away a little. "And you probably had enough to drink tonight. Why don't you relax a little?" Ichigo suggested.

"Relax?! We need to celebrate! I won an award! That's amazing!" Renji yelled with surprise on his face.

Ichigo chuckled, "Yeah, yeah. Go celebrate then. I'll see ya later," he said beginning to walk away.

"Hey Ichigo! I'm happy you're back man!" he yelled with a goofy smile.

"Yeah, me too," Ichigo replied. "And congratulations."

Rukia had run out of that house as fast as possible. It was all too confusing; so unreal. She ran all the way down the driveway of Ishida's mansion and down to the dock he had set up on the lake.

She leaned on the railing and looked down on the water. The night sky was clear and the moon shined down on the lake, making the moonlight sparkle off the calm water. What was she supposed to do? He told her to leave. He didn't want her anymore. How was she supposed to act around him? She sighed and continued to watch the moving water dance the moonlight along its surface.

"Nice night, huh?" she heard a voice behind her. She was startled at first, but sighed. She didn't turn to look, but only responded as she continued to look out at the water.

"Yeah, it's beautiful," she said in response.

He walked up next to her and leaned on the railing. "Why are you running?" he asked like it was as simple as the question 'Do you know what time it is?'

She was surprised how straight forward he was, "I'm not r-"

"Yes you are," he cut her off.

She turned to look at him, who was looking out at the lake. Her mouth hung open slightly, but then she sighed and turned back to the lake. "Why do you care?" she asked softly.

He gave out a disgusted chuckle. "What kind of question is that?"

They stood there in silence for a moment. "How did you find me?" she asked.

"You never could go very far when you ran. Plus, you always had a fascination with the river way back when. I figured the lake was the closest bet," he reasoned out.

'He remembers little things like them,' she thought to herself and the turned to him.

"Why did you come back?" she asked the one question many people in the world were probably wondering.

He turned to face her now as well. "Does it matter?"

"Why can't you give a straight answer?" she asked back in agitation.

"I asked if it mattered because even when I was here you never once tried to talk to me! Why the hell would you care if I came back or not if it was just the as it was when I was here?!" he began to raise his voice.

"Are you blaming me for us not talking?!" Rukia yelled back.

"Yes! Yes I am! You didn't once want to see me!"

"You know what? You're absolutely right! I didn't want to see you! Happy now? Everything is Rukia's fault! Ichigo did nothing wrong whatsoever!" she yelled waving her hands around in the air.

He looked at her in disbelief. "Oh give me a break! When I first heard you came to this damn city all I wanted to do was see how you were! It had been two years. I figured we could have kept the past behind us!"

"Kept the past behind us? Are you serious, Ichigo? You thought we could shake hands and introduce ourselves like nothing happened? So much has happened; so much between us. I was afraid to see you again," she said softly the last statement.

They stood for a moment in silence just staring into each others eyes, which were anything but cold. He opened his mouth and spoke with the same softness as her. "You were afraid of me?" he asked in confusion as his chest began to feel heavy.

"I can't do this," she said quickly as she turned around and was ready to run out of there, but he grabbed her arm before she could.

She turned slowly back at him and stared into his hurt eyes with his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Why were you afraid?" he asked softly.

She stared up into his amber eyes that were begging for her to answer. There was something about the way he was staring at her that made it impossible for her to leave without telling him the truth. So she told him. "I didn't want to feel that pain again."

He was shocked by her response and let his grip on her arm weaken. She then took the opportunity to run. He didn't attempt to run after her, but just watched the distance between them grow. He was thinking one thing that was tearing him inside out. 'I don't want to hurt you anymore.'

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Interesting? Well just let me know. Um, the next update will not be for awhile because I realized just how much I've been neglecting Keep Holding On, and I know I'm keeping a lot of people waiting. So I'm going to focus 100 percent on that. So let me know what you think about this and hopefully it won't be too long of a wait for this story. Thanks again! Later