When You Left

Girl of Light Writter- Aniecä

Guide:

∆ (Location Change) ∆ Viewpoint ◊ (Chapter) ◊

Ж (Flashback) Ж ∞ (Dream) ∞ ¤(Time Change) ¤ - (Special) -

◊ (The Cost of Protecting) ◊

∆ (Ishida's Dojo) ∆ 3rd Person

Ichigo ran frantically around the city to Ichida's Dojo where he would most likely be practicing. He was still holding the sleeping Rukia in his arms. Yet, he didn't have time to think about that, he just had to go.

He finally arrived at the dojo and pounded on the door until he hit something hard. "What's up Ichigo, it's like midnight. What's so important?" He said rubbing his eyes and opening them. "What is Rukia doing in your arms!" He yelled.

"I just saved her from being kidnapped, don't question me. Let us inside." Ishida sighed and opened the door wide enough to fit them in.

"Who's after you?"

"Ichimaru Gin, and it seems Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji; they want Rukia." Ishida knowing that he was defending her.

"So why'd you bring her here?"

"You're as strong as me and you're the one who is the specialist at defeating Soul Reapers, we're going against the strongest three so if anyone could protect her from them, it would be you. Since, I am going to be gone."

"Gone where?" Ishida asked.

"I'm going to the soul society to take it to them. I can enter with her key." He said holding a key attached to a diamond studded necklace. He had set her carefully down on a futon on the floor in the dojo.

"So that's the famous life key everyone has been talking about." Ishida said staring at it.

"They said the more fancy is says a lot about the person it belongs to, the color of the stone in the key reflect her attitude and the actual chain reflect the honor and level of power that they are, they family they are from, and how they died."

"So, what are you going to do there?"

"Find a way to get her out of there, she can't suffer anymore. You'll be a dead man if you hurt her." Ishida smiled.

"Don't worry Ichigo, I wouldn't dream of hurting your girlfriend here. I also wouldn't let anyone touch her." Ichigo turned around and looked at him.

"How do you know?"

"It's not just me, Yuzu, Karin, Tatsuki, Chad and Orihime all saw you guys on your date tonight." Ichigo looked surprised yet, quite calm.

"So, I don't care; I need to take care of this." He put her key on her neck.

"If they key gets to turning brown, it means she's dying and black is dead. Red means danger, blue is sad, green is sick, orange is confused, yellow is normal, purple is weak." He warned him.

"Thanks, I'll make sure I check up on her." Ichigo stepped out of the dojo with his Zapakuto, he stick it into the air and opened the gate and walked in.

"Don't worry she'll be alright, no one is going to take her back there. Even if my some miraculous way she does show up, as long as you guard that key with your life, she can always return." He nodded as he walked through and the gate disappeared.

"Be careful Ichigo, alone is different then with us and Rukia to help you." Ishida warned the clearly gone Ichigo.

∆ (Soul Society) ∆

"Hey you, how'd you get into the inner city this time?" Asked Madarame Ikkaku. Hey held up the soul key hanging from his neck. "They give any Shinigami a gate key now a days, too bad." He said smiling.

"No, I smuggled this off of Ichimaru Gin. He was going to return it to Kuchiki Rukia so that she could freely travel between dimensions with her new position."

"So why do you have it?" He asked.

"Rukia was asleep and he wanted to take me down and kidnap her but I wouldn't let him so I took her to safety, then I came her to solve the problem." He said.

"Ah, so what do you think coming here will solve?" He asked.

"I need to make sure the Shinigami here know that she's not coming back, she's not a member here so she can't and doesn't have to stay. You also can't kidnap humans, can you?"

"No we can't but if the key is in her possession we can. Was it?"

"No, she left it with Renji before she left so she could go freely."

"She's a smart girl, by that chain I can tell she's of a noble blood. The way she does was honorable, she died with a pure heart, complete pure. It's rare but there are some who do die like that. That's why she's so special. We don't want to lose her."

"Well you're going to have to because she wants her chance to live and she'll do anything to have it." He said.

"Fine, I'll take you to our leader and he can take care of it, his name is… Yamamoto Shigekuni." He said smiling.

∆ (Division 1 Headquarters) ∆

"Master Yamamoto, I your humble Shinigami bring you the Rioya leader, Kurosaki Ichigo. He wishes to speak to you." The man wore a smile across his face.

"Very well, let him talk to me."

Ichigo walked calmly into the large shrinery room. "Yamamoto Shigenkuni, I presume." Ichigo said walking up to him.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"One of the legendary five, it's quite a pleasure."

"Legendary Five,"

"She hasn't told you yet. The legendary five are a group of five; it used to be only three, Isshin, Kusuke, and Youroichi. The newest two are Kuchiki Rukia and Yourself. These are those who are living in the human world for a extended period of time and living while still being a Shinigami."

"Ah, so what brings you here?"

"Kuchiki Rukia," He answered.

"Either you're trying to kill her or you love her to the point of protection."

"I'm definitely trying to save her not kill her but I do protect her but I'm not sure if I love her but let's stay off that topic."

"What do you need from me for her? I spared her life because you gave her back her power, lived, and became a Shinigami, and of honor I allowed you to free her of her crimes, what now?" He asked.

"She's needed by your entrance program on Earth. She wants to live, she just wants to be free to live on earth as a Shinigami but live normally."

"That's what this program is. They are normal people in disguise but are Shinigami. Why wouldn't she do it?" He asked.

"They want her to lead the new section here, she just wants to work, not run in it." He said smiling.

"I'm sorry but if she's without her key like is reported we can't make her do anything, as long as she isn't in contact with her key, she can't enter. No spirits within the gates without the key, keep it that way." He said walking off.

"Hai," He said in agreement.

"Protect her with your life, because some will do anything. Also, I know you have her key, keep it that way." He said walking out.

Kurosaki Ichigo

I was surprised that a man like him would just allow someone like Rukia to just leave freely, why would he let her go, why? It just didn't make sense to me. Though I knew that one day it would to me.

I left with my guide but he disappeared after we left. Renji was leaned against the door. The guy must have been scared of Renji.

"Hi," I said showing slight signs of politeness; he did help save her life.

"Her key?" Renji asked.

"I have it, why do you ask?"

"I was wondering what her condition is, care to tell me?" He asked.

"I guess," I pulled the key out from underneath my shirt, it was red, red meant danger!

"Do you know what is going on?" He asked.

"No, if I did would I be wondering?"

"I suspected you'd be smarter than that, she's in danger because Ishida is fighting, leaving her unprotected." I smacked my head; of course, he couldn't defend her and fight at the same time. I shouldn't have left.

"I'm warning if you touch her, you and anyone acquainted with you is so dead." I warned. He tossed a key to me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Your soul key, I thought you might need it. You'll find someone who needs it, more than you do."

"Why would I need the key, if I have my key...? I'm under this world's rules. Who would need it?"

"The key has to functions, opening the inner city gate, and it's a sign of citizenship from that person, if they have it. It also in marriages here, it helps the spouse to check on the other, there are three copies of each key, family union, personal and government. They key you have is Rukia's personal key. The government has her other key and the family union key shows up when she's married."

"Souls get married?" I asked. It was quite confusing.

"Oh yes, and they can have a family too, though it's rare. Most don't unless their are new called souls, like you and Kuchiki Rukia. Souls that didn't have a true life before they died. You do know you can't marry a human, right?" He said smirking at me.

I wanted to stay calm, I wanted to yell or something, it was true I was dead and somehow it made sense. "I do now." It was all I could manage to say to him. I was depressed and I couldn't figure out how to do it but I realized it was all just natural it was my choice. Somehow also, I didn't care. "Does Rukia suffer the same as me?" I asked concerned that she could never be what she wanted, it as sad for her, at least.

"Technically you both could marry a human but I wouldn't recommend it seeing that you're dead, and you can't create lives. You're dead, not alive. It was your choice. Her Gigai can't, nor will it ever be able to. She can create a soul and add it to a Gigai that is possible; there you have created a life. It's possible but it's illegal."

"What is?" I asked.

"Living in a Gigai to answer the needs that you have brought upon yourself by being human of course." Renji answered. It was clear to me known, that's why Rukia wouldn't allow anyone to get close to her, she was afraid it would be seen as infraction. Why had she let me then?

"Answer me this." I said.

"Fine, this I will answer."

"Why then would she ask me to teach her how to date someone?" I asked him.

Renji just simply smiled. "Your dead are you not, it's not infraction if she's dating one of her own, like you or I or anyone who has died."

"So... I could date her." He smiled.

"If you have the desire to, while most refuse to, you do not refuse this settle thing."

"Hey I lost my need to live, so have she? Why can't I solve this simply?"

"Your hiding your feelings, the Gigai gave her something she never had, feelings, that's why she doesn't like it her. Shinigami drain feelings, she's empty without them. She was the best because she never felt then, now that she has, she's fallen."

"Then I'll make sure we're both top shape. I'm stronger because of her, so certainly she can too." I answered him.

"I know if anyone could train her, you could." I said gently.

"She's beaten me, her skills surpass mine."

"Interesting, one day I will to challenge her." He said walking off leaving me there. One day I will challenge her, he said. One day I hope to be a challenge to her.

∆ (Ishida's Dojo) ∆

I arrived back at the dojo and there was a vary tired looking Ishida sitting on his porch, and next to him lying on the ground on a futon was Rukia. She looked tired herself too. I can't believe she was that tired, she must have joined in the action as well.

"There you are, I was beginning to get worried. There's not a scratch on you, surprising."

"There was no fighting, just a lot of listening to rules. As long as she doesn't have her key, she isn't expected to follow the soul society rules. But I have to if I have my key."

"So where are you taking her key to, and yours?"

"I'm giving her mine so if she needed to leave that place she could while not being under their rules and I can do likewise." He nodded.

"How was your fight?" I asked.

"Nothing too bad, it was an invasion. They just stopped. She was fighting too but then they stopped when then saw her. It must have been that she didn't have her key, she's a normal being without it." I nodded.

"Should I wake her up?"

"No, she joined in the fighting, she tired as well." I nodded picking up her really light fragile figure and carried it home.

"Sleep well Rukia, for tomorrow should not be exciting, there is no need to be excited to wake up." I said closing the door to her room.

∆ (Kurosaki Home, Rukia's Room) ∆ Kuchiki Rukia

I awoke sensing a quite strong spirit energy radiating from my neck. I looked down and there was a key, engraved on it was 'Kurosaki Ichigo'. It was Ichigo's spirit key, he must have gotten it somehow. He gave it to me?

There are only three reasons you would have someone else's' spirit key. One, you married them. Two, you're protecting it. Three, you stole it. Why would he give me his. It was probably to protect it so he could stay away from the rules.

I left my room and went into the kitchen. I started making pancakes and bacon for everyone to have for breakfast. I had gotten used to this routine. Now Yuzu and Karin would enter and I'd tell to watch the food so I could go wake up Ichigo. They had something against waking him up. I had slept in his room and I knew he was a light sleeper, why they'd have a problem I didn't know.

"Morning Kuchiki-chan, how are you?" Yuzu greeted.

"I'm fine, a little tired but other than that I'm fine. Karin, how are you?" I asked trying to be as cheerful as I could to annoy her.

"I'm fine but I wish today was Saturday."

"It is; why are you awake so early?" I said smiling.

"I don't know, I'm going to eat then go back to bed. Go wake up Ichigo." She ordered.

I did as I did everyday, well most days, some days on rare occasions the smell of food would wake him up, some days he was already up, and others he was simply at the table waiting for breakfast.

"Ichigo, wake up." I said in a calm matter. I learned that he could be quite jumpy if you woke him up crazily, and if you did you'd have to close the door immediately.

"Rukia is that you?" I nodded and smiled. "Morning, I'll be out soon. What are we eating?" He asked.

"I made pancakes and bacon." Ichigo's stomach growled and I smiled and walked off to finish breakfast.

"Ah, there is the fine young lady who has been wonderful to us for the last few months." I blushed and smiled again. Mr. Kurosaki had a way of making people happier.

After I finished breakfast, I set out them on the table and Ichigo walked in and joined me at the table to my left. "So who were you on a date last night with Rukia?" Mr. Kurosaki asked. I started choking and Karin and Yuzu laughed while Ichigo was in shock.

"Breath stupid, breath and swallow," Ichigo yelled, finally after he smacked me in the back a few times, I swallowed and rested.

"Dad, you can't ask her that, it's not polite." Ichigo defended me, and himself. Yuzu and Karin who probably figured it out by now somehow or spied on us knew and I didn't care, like they'd tell.

"I would like to know what kind of people she's hanging out with Ichigo." I took a deep breath and started acting.

"You don't need to worry about me Mr. Kurosaki. All my friends are Ichigo's friends; you can ask him." I said being happy. He'd hurt me later for this but I was good at acting, or maybe they were just all naïve and stupid.

"Ichigo," His dad asked.

"Rukia and I have to leave, we're going to be late, bye." He grabbed my arm, and pulled me out of the house as fast as he could. We ran for a while until we got settled.

∆ (Park) ∆

"That was close." He said. I nodded sitting calmly on a bench watching him catch his breath, he pretty much dragged me a good 30 meters from his house to the park.

"Were you serious about going on a date again some other time?" I asked trying to use this time we had to our advantage.

"Yeah, I enjoyed it." He said. "Did you?"

"Of course, why would I ask if I didn't want to?" I asked.

"I thought you were thinking I was joking last night."

"No I was serious, I wanted to know."

"Oh, well yeah, we should do another time, this time without the whole city and all our friends watching us."

"What," I asked.

"It turns out you told Orihime who told Tatsuki who met up with Chad, Ishida, and my sister who were spying on us."

"Why would Yuzu and Karin be spying on us? It doesn't fit their personality at all."

"They thought that I was spying on you. They wanted to make sure I didn't mess up your first date here."

"That was nice of them, I bet those six were surprised to see up going to a restaurant on a date."

"Not really," He said, why wouldn't the think it was surprising. I myself would have been for sure.

"Why wouldn't they?" I asked.

"Nothing, it was just that if anyone was going to help you it'd be me. Orihime knew that we were going, and she told Tatsuki. Karin suspected that we'd go on a date. Yuzu was clueless, yet surprised. Chad and Ishida thought the same as Karin."

"I still don't get it, why would they suspect that we were going out, we left no clues that would lead them to that idea." I tried to act clueless to the fact that I knew I liked him, did he like me?

"Yeah, it surprised me too. So when do you want to go out again? This time, for real you and me?" He asked.

"Are you asking me out on a real date Kurosaki Ichigo?" I said surprised, acting again but yet again I was surprised he'd be that straight forward.

"Yes I am, how about now?" He asked.

"Sure, I guess." He said pulling me off to somewhere this time more gently not like an escape but a form of guidance. I really can't believe that he's taking me out.

∆ (Ishida's Dojo) ∆ 3rd Person

Orihime walked over to Ishida's place. She knocked on the door. He looked weak and tired. "Ishida, are you alright?" She said coming to his side and helping him get back to his futon.

"I'm fine, just tired." Then he passed out.

"Boys, always lying so they don't cause trouble. If you'd help yourself girls like me wouldn't have to." Orihime said sighing. She picked up her cell phone and called Ichigo.

"Ichigo speaking, if you haven't noticed I haven't answered the phone and probably won't I'm somewhere so leave me a message."

Orihime sighed and called Rukia. "Hey Orihime, what's up?" Rukia asked sounding quite annoyed to have to answer her phone, the reason unbeknownst to Orihime at this point.

"Ishida passed out from blood loss, the floor is covered in it. You need to help him."

"Alright, we'll be right there, don't worry." Rukia hanged up the phone and Orihime looked at her bleeding friend. 'Please be okay, Ishida.' She said to herself trying to stop the bleeding, it was rather, quite bad.

Moments later Rukia and Ichigo jumped in the room and ran to Ishida's body. "Think this is from last night?" Ichigo asked.

"I think so, he must have temporarily healed himself thinking it would seal on it's own but Soul Slayers cuts don't just heal." Rukia said looking at the scar.

"Is he alive?" Orihime asked.

Rukia rested her head on Ishida's chest and checked his pulse. "Yes but it's a bit too faint for my liking. I'll heal him as best I can here, but most of it needs to be wrapped at the clinic. Ichigo…" Rukia didn't finish her sentence; Ichigo pulled out her phone and called his dad.

"Hey, Orihime called." Orihime sighed and Rukia proceeded to heal the major cut going from his neck down to his spleen.

"It's definitely not good; I think it did go pretty deep. I'm surprised honestly that's he's alive, and didn't die from heart death or at least blood loss. He held on extremely well."

"Yeah, he was awake a few minutes before I called; he answered the door, if he didn't. He'd probably be dead right now," said Orihime, sadly.

Within minutes an ambulance and Yuzu, Karin and Mr. Kurosaki had arrived halling off Ishida. Due to the cramp ness of the ambulance, neither of the three were aloud, but they could walk easily to the Kurosaki Home.

∆ (Kurosaki Home) ∆

Orihime sat in the waiting room of the small house, waiting for news to be brought out of the operation room. She knew that Rukia being a Soul Reaper and all could heal his cuts but could he recover or was it just too bad to be able to heal.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine Orihime." Ichigo said comforting the girl.

"How do you know, Rukia was too stunned to even tell the report of the damage." Ichigo had forgotten that, only she truly knew the devastation it caused. He'd have to find out. Just earlier she had broken down, and neither him nor Orihime could stand to see her cry.

Ж (Flashback) Ж

After Ishida had been taken away by the Kurosaki Clinic, someone wouldn't say a word. Orihime was worried but not too much. What worried her more was that the young helper hadn't said a word that reassured her that he would be okay.

"He's alive still, right?" Orihime questioned. Rukia simply nodded. Ichigo could sense a feeling of darkness draping over the dojo, he may be alive but not for long was his guess.

"Is he going to make it?" Ichigo asked. The girl didn't make any signs saying that it was yes or no; she simply sat on the grown and cried into her knees. Ichigo looked at Orihime who refused to look at him. He walked over at sat down next to Rukia and hugged her.

"Rukia, are you going to be alright? You've seen so many die that it's okay if he were to die right?" He could see her saying something smart right there like he'd be able to join that other kid to beat all the soul reapers now, which would cause her to smile but nothing to that effect came.

"I've never seen anyone die, everyone I see already died. I'm making their life better. Nothing would ever make his life better. He'll lose all his soul power or become a soul reaper himself if he were to die. Either way he can never die, ever." Rukia only cried louder.

"All lives come to and end, you should know that. I guess he's part of that 10 too, huh?" She nodded and kept crying. He held her tighter as she cried into his shoulder. He could sense it but not for sure but he was sure she thought he would die.

"Can we go see him, I want to say good-bye." Orihime said to the window but was talking to them.

"Don't hope he's dead yet, he will make it, he has to, I know he will." Ichigo said.

"She's the expert, wouldn't she know if he could or not."

"He lived this far, what makes you think he couldn't go farther, right?" She nodded still not turning around.

Ichigo sighed, he pulled Rukia up to her feet and grabbed her hand snaking his hand around her waist to hold her up, as if she was too weak to stay up. "Come on Orihime, let's go." She nodded following them; Rukia's and Orihime's faces would forever haunt him. Especially Rukia, he promised himself he wouldn't let her cry, and what was she doing now, crying.

He wanted to blame Ishida but it wasn't his fault… well not entirely. Sure Ishida had not taken care of his body and bleed to death but he had handed Rukia over to Ishida, trusted him. Ishida would die protecting Rukia and I don't think she could handle that if that was the purpose. He had to be alright, for both of them.

Ж (Flashback Over) Ж

"Orihime, I'm going to check on Rukia. I need to make sure she's okay."

"Okay, I'm worried about her too. Tell her that for me, will you?" Orihime said grabbing his hands before he left.

"Yeah, I will." Ichigo said giving a smile to the girl and going to see Rukia.

He walked into her room. He didn't bother to knock, he never did. "Is he alive?" she asked. He nodded, he was that was for sure. The thing had not yet beaped, he was breathing, and his heart was beating. "Thanks."

"For what?" He asked, confused.

"For comforting me back there, I really didn't expect you to."

"Of course I would Rukia; I can't stand to see you cry. When You Left, all I could remember was the face I saw you at in the castle, lifeless, hopeless, death, pain and sadness. It hurt me to see you like that. I promised myself never again but here you are again, not smiling." She smiled. "See that's what I like to see." She returned to a frown.

"I was lonely too."

"What?" He asked confused.

"When I was in that tower, I was lonely in addition to the feelings that you said. I missed you, you had become a essential part of my daily life. It scared me to know I relied to you so much."

"Hey, you should try relying on yourself more, I was lost without you. I was unconscious, being tortured, and killed." She smiled at seeing that. "It's funny to know what I did to get you back, and then realize that you wouldn't come."

"Yeah, because I wanted to save you the pain of having me taken away again; when I was taken away, I felt horrible. I had become part of you then I was ripped a part, if I knew how much it hurt a heartless girl like me, how much could it hurt someone with a heart."

"Hey I died too, I don't have a heart, though we both have the emotional aspect of it."

"You think so?" She said, frowning.

"I know so, you care about Orihime, Chad, Ishida, Kon, Yuzu, Karin, Dad." He said.

"And you, I care a lot about you. I don't want you to hurt."

"Neither do I because I caused you so much pain, I took your power, almost go you killed, all because of my family."

"They were my friends too."

"Would you sacrifice your powers to just anyone?" He asked.

"No… but," He put a finger to her lips.

"See, you care about me too." She smiled.

"Of course I did Ichigo, I trusted you with my powers. I have always trusted you with my life, if you were to have lost those powers, I would have died." He jumped. "I see you didn't know that, but I trusted you enough to give them to you."

"Can I ask you something?" He asked. She nodded. "Actually, can I do something, and will you do something for me?"

"I guess, what do you need?"

"Close your eyes." She nodded and closed her eyes. He brought his face close to hers and let his lips meet with hers for moments until they both needed air. After they were done she opened her eyes and he smiled as he saw his second favorite face on the girl, next to her smiling. Her confusion, it was intriguing to watch her brain catch up.

She touched her lips, he knew what she was feeling, it was something that happened in movies so often, and he could predict it. She had never been kissed, neither had he for another fact.

"You… you kissed me." She finally managed to say.

"Yep, it took you long enough." He said smiling triumphantly.

"Why?"

"Because I like you, isn't that obvious?" He asked, she shook her head.

"You like me?" She wasn't sure, her brain was dead.

"Yeah, I think I'm pretty sure, I do." She said. He hugged her as she was crying, for she was happy to be loved, something she never had. It was so foreign to her, it made her feel great.