AN: Okay, I updated the same day because I found the word for that thing onto which people are usually put on when they are injured by emergency - gurney. xP Yay for me! n_n

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Kubo-sama does. ;)

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried. He was unconscious.

"You can't wake him up… Kuchiki-san…" Rukia turned. Urahara Kisuke was standing behind them. "You're a ghost."

"He isn't dying, isn't he?" Her voice broke.

"No, he's too strong to die from that grasp." He scowled, leaning down. "Even though he has two broken ribs… He needs to go to the hospital."

Rukia clutched Ichigo's hand. I wish you could see me… Ichigo…

"I will-"

"Is that young man all right?"

"Call the emergency!"

Few people ran to them. "Why didn't you call for help or emergency?"
"I just got here… He has two broken ribs…"

Soon after, the emergency got there. While they were placing him on a gurney, he softly murmured "Rukia" and fell back to unconsciousness Rukia was standing right next to gurney

and she twitched. The sound of Ichigo's scream was echoing in her head.

Rukia was looking outside through window of Ichigo's hospital room. They sky was cloudy. It was going to rain.

Ichigo was still… Well, now he was under anaesthetic and infusion. "He should have woken up by now." Urahara said. "But until then, why didn't you ask for gigai, Kuchiki-san?" Rukia slowly turned, sighing because of the possibility of raining.

"He has two broken ribs because of me… If he sees me, I-" Ichigo moaned, twirling in bed. He opened his eyes.

"Urahara?"

"You're finally awake, Kurosaki-san!" He smiled.

"I… H-how?" He looked confused. Then he groaned, shaking his head. "My head hurts…" Wave of memories from the earlier today crushed him and he rapidly stood up. "Did you see Rukia over there?" He grabbed Urahara's shirt collar.

"I-I…" Rukia showed next to them.

"Don't you dare…!" She growled. Urahara stayed confused.

"Urahara!" Ichigo pulled him harder. "Answer me! I know that Hollow was there, that's why I'm here…" His grab loosened. "Was Rukia there?"

Rukia frowned creepily. "Urahara, I swear to you-"

Ichigo released Urahara and grabbed the free space between them – Rukia.

"Mate, Ichigo! Your inf-" Urahara tried to stop him, but it was too late. They fell onto the floor. "-usion…" Urahara murmured.

Something slapped Ichigo's face pretty hard. "Ouch… Rukia!" He yelled. She tried to escape his grasp but he was too big and too strong for her. Accidently, she kicked his ribs (the broken ones) and there was heard a painful cry. "Rukiaaa! M-my r-ribs!" He writhed out of pain. Urahara picked him up and put him back onto bed.

"Luckily, I knew this was going to happen, so I assured things that no one in hospital heard your "drama queen moment"." Urahara laughed. Rukia sat onto bed.

"I'm sorry Ichigo. For all of this…"

"She says she is sorry." Urahara said. Rukia's eyes widened.

"Where is she now?" Ichigo asked, forgetting about the pain on a moment.

"On your right side of the bed…"
"I want to see you…" He practically murmured. "Why aren't you in your gigai?"

"I will leave the two of you alone." Urahara said, heading to the door.

"Wait! How-" Something hit Ichigo's head and fell onto his lap. A piece of paper. He opened it. 'With this, bakamono!' He looked at the place Rukia was sitting on. A pencil and note were flying. Urahara went out.

"Answer me Rukia." He moved closer to her.

'You're here because of me.'

"I'm here because I wanted to see you."

'It was dangerous for a mere human to be there!'

"So… I am mere human now." He smirked. "Before you weren't afraid for my life?"

'Of course I was! How can you even think that? You can't hear my tone of saying!'

"That's the problem!" He growled.

'How can you be so stupid? You could have died if there hadn't been me!'

"If there hadn't been me, you would have died."
'What?'

"Don't be so full of pride, Rukia. The Hollow released you when it saw me. I don't know why but-"

'Because it could read thoughts and feelings, so it knew I knew you.' There was a short pause. 'It fed on Shinigamis' souls by killing the person Shinigami saw in mind in the moment they thought they would die. It was a trick, of course. Then it would capture and kill that person, just to see Shinigami brake.'

"Rukia…"

'I resisted; I didn't want to show your face. Then you suddenly appeared and it grabbed you. But completely forgot about me.' Her hands were trembling. Ichigo saw that she was trembling because the pencil and notebook she held was 'trembling' too.

"Rukia… You're trembling…" He grabbed her right hand. She froze by his touch. I wonder if he can feel me…

The door opened. "All right!" Yoruichi and Urahara came in. "We assume you cleared everything. So, Kuchiki-san… One gigai?" Rukia's hand left Ichigo's. She stood up.

"All right." Urahara said.

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked. Urahara and Rukia went out. "Ru-"

"Calm down, Ichigo. She'll be back." Yoruichi said.

The waiting endured, so Ichigo fell asleep. Urahara and Rukia entered the room. They got back from his shop. Rukia was in her gigai. She saw Ichigo sleeping and her eyes widened.

"He sleeps, don't worry." Yoruichi said, standing up from the chair. Rukia nodded quickly.

"We should contact Isshin. Stay with him, Kuchiki-san." Urahara said as Yoruichi and he went out. The doors closed and Rukia sighed quietly. She sat on the bed carefully and started observing Ichigo. He looked peaceful at first, but then she realised that he was frowning even in his sleep. Not so peaceful. Stop frowning at least when you sleep…Her small hand passed through his bright ginger hair.

"I'm glad you're alive… Ichigo." She muttered sweetly. She continued playing with his hair. "For the thousandth time you put your life at risk because of me… Why? I lived long enough… You're just 18!" She caressed his hair furiously. "I-"

A wide smile appeared on Ichigo's lips. He smirked. Rukia blushed to the deepest red and quickly moved her hand from his hair. "Why did you stop caressing my hair? I loved it." Ichigo opened his eyes. Rukia was blushing even more. "Forgot you are in body now?"

"I haven't." She frowned and turned. "Idiot." She mumbled.

"I heard that." When she was standing up, Ichigo's hands wrapped around her small waist into the tight hug from the back. "I finally see your face and you turn your back on me?"

For few moments, they were silent. Rukia clutched his hands with her petite ones tightly. She turned her head to face his and their noses touched. A slight blush appeared on their cheeks.

"Ichigo… I-"

"Yes?" He asked with tempting voice.

"I-"

"Ishida-kun, Kurosaki-kun was-" Inoue Orihime and Ishida Uryuu entered the room. Rukia instantly broke the embrace.

"Sorry…" Rukia muttered, heading to the door.

"Mate, Rukia!" Ichigo tried to stop her but she was already out. I need you here… Inoue observed Ichigo's actions.

"What's wrong, Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo ran with his palm across his face.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong."

"Who was that? Were you distant these days because of her?" Ishida asked.

"It's none of your business." Ishida grabbed him.

"So you tried to kill yourself?" He said harshly.

"Ishida-kun!"

"No!" Ichigo furiously moved Ishida's hand from his shirt. "I wasn't trying to kill myself, I wanted to-"
"What?" Ichigo sighed.

"It doesn't matter."

"All right, do what you want." Ishida frowned. "But… I feel that something is wrong with that girl… She will lead you to your doom."
"I don't mind that… If she is my doom, I'm happy." Ichigo smiled.

"What is your problem, man?"

"Forbidden fruit." He started to laugh. Ishida growled. "I already ate too much of it."
"You are co-"

"Where is the poor son of mine?" Isshin dramatised, entering the room. He saw Ichigo, then ran to him and squeezed him.

"Ouuchhh! Are you completely mad, old man? You're going to crumb my ribs to dust!" Ichigo yelled. Isshin released him.

"Sorry son, but going there alone, wasn-" Isshin noticed Ishida and Inoue. "Oh…"
"Would you go out, please? I need to talk to my father." They nodded and went out.

The door closed and Ichigo sighed. "I wanted to see her… I hoped she would see me and-"

"Meet you in the hospital. You got that."

"Dad, I'm not dead! I've been worse than this!" He sighed in despair. "Is she still there? Have you seen her?"

"I'm afraid not."

A thunder hit outside and the rain started falling down as Rukia was walking to Urahara store.

The next week, Ichigo was able to go home. It was also one week since he has seen Rukia.

"Ready to go, Ichigo?" Isshin asked. No answer. "Ichigo?" Ichigo didn't look up.

"Mm-m." He silently muttered.

"Oh, I almost forgot…" Isshin drew his hand into his pocket. "She's sending you this…" He put a letter in front him.

"Who's sending it?"

"Oh son, you're sometimes pretty dump. My third daughter, Rukia, of course!" Ichigo immediately jumped off the bed and grabbed the letter. He almost smashed it because of the euphoria.

Ichigo,

I'm sorry because of the last Tuesday. I couldn't face with everything that bothered me and with you. And I still can't. I am really sorry. Don't try to find me or bring where I am staying from your father or anyone else. Because they don't know where I am.

Rukia

"What the hell?" He muttered. "Where is she, damn it?" He grabbed Isshin. "I am sure you know where she is!"

"Ichigo, calm down!"
"I won't calm down until I find that cowardly midget and tell her that-" He stopped to think.

"What, son?"
"Nothing important…"
"Son, don't be so hard and stiff. Admit it Ichigo, you love her." Isshin beamed.

"Well, I-"

"Nii-san, I'm so glad you're going home! Finally you can eat proper food!" Yuzu bumped in. "I will-"

"How can you bump in just when he should have admitted that he loves my third daughter? I thought I would be planning children's names by now!" Isshin was so frustrated, that he didn't notice that he was yelling. Ichigo blushed madly from the moment Isshin said "children" and he froze completely, while Karin came in (hearing the euphoric loudness of her father) and gave his face a red trace of her palm.

"You lame excuse for a father! How could you yell on your own daughter?" (she mimicked to Yuzu to start crying) Yuzu broke up crying immediately. She cried quite hardly. Isshin ran to her, while Karin secretly smiled. I taught you well, sis. She thought.

"I am sorry, dearest Yuzu! I didn't mean to make you cry!" Isshin started to cry too. They went out.

"Thanks." Ichigo muttered, still standing still, like a frozen statue.
"No problem. I had to stop the development of grandchildren in his head." Karin laughed in an evil way. Ichigo jerked. She suddenly stopped laughing and poked her older brother. "So… Do you love her?"

"Karin!"

"What? I just wondered." She grunted.

"Well, keep wondering." Ichigo smirked, picking his bag. Karin growled. "Shall we go?"

AN: I was reading this again and I noticed that I forgot to find one word on the net dictionary. Writhe. Sorry for all of you who had question marks above their heads because of *previjati*. -.-' It won't happen again (I hope). If anyone notices any grammatical mistake or unknown word, please say. I usually forgot about the words I don't know in English when I write, so I just put two ** and leave it for later (to find them in dictionary) and I forget. I am so sorry. y-y