Note: Kudos to Daughter of Unending Darkness, who's review sparked the idea for this chapter, therefore giving the story one more chapter than I originally planned. Kudos!

Miracle ― XVIII

"No Kuchiki-san today?"

Ichigo, who had been sleeping with his head on his desk, jerked awake as the teacher's voice rang through the room, starting the day. He looked over at Rukia's desk. Sure enough, said desk was empty. Ichigo narrowed his eyes at her empty desk, wondering where she was.

"Well then, Kurosaki-kun, will you take her work to her?"

Ichigo blinked as his name was said. There were a few snickers as the teacher waited expectantly for Ichigo's answer. "Er…yeah. Sure."

How easy it was for everyone to label them a couple now. Of course, they had Miyako to thank for that. Rukia's annoying friend who had insisted on spreading rumors. Annoying.

The day passed more or less uneventfully. Without Rukia, Ichigo was forced to each lunch with Keigo, who was thrilled to have his best friend back. Ichigo got annoyed after only five minutes, a new record for Keigo.

The orange-haired teen was glad when school ended. He got a folder from the teacher and darted out of school, mentally calculating how many more days he had left until graduation.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

He had just left the school grounds when the unfamiliar voice reached his ears. He looked over his shoulder and found a brown-haired girl with dark eyes standing behind him. Miyako.

"What?" He turned around fully, not caring that he sounded rude. This girl had caused Rukia a lot of frustration, he had no reason to want to talk to her. Miyako shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable.

"You're uh…going to see Rukia, right?" She asked, then hurried on before Ichigo could answer. "Could you give her this?"

She shoved a folded up piece of paper into Ichigo's hands then turned and took off in the other direction. Ichigo stared after her, then looked down at the note in he had just received. What was the girl playing at?

"This sucks." Rukia groaned, leaning back no her pillow. She waited for an answer, but all she got was a sneeze. "Bless you."

"Thanks." Renji said, his voice thick. Rukia bit her lip to keep from laughing. Renji sounded so weird when he was sick. The two friends had spent most of the afternoon on the phone with each other. Their parents were going to ground them for eternity when they saw how high the phone bill was, but they didn't care. They needed someone for company, as they were both currently home alone.

"Oh yeah." Renji said suddenly, as if he had just remembered something. "My mom wants to know when your graduation is."

"Why?" Rukia asked, surprised.

"Why?" Renji repeated. "Because she wants to see you and Miyako graduate, stupid. And I think she wants to meet Ichigo too."

"Ichi―?"

"She listens to my phone conversations. Sorry." Renji truly sounded it too. Rukia just rolled her eyes before telling Renji the date.

"What about yours? That is, if you actually manage to graduate."

"Haha." Renji grumbled sarcastically. "It's about a week after yours. And I will graduate."

"Well that's good. I'll have to make sure I'm talking to Miyako by then, because she's going to owe me money."

"For what?"

"She put money on you graduating. I put money on you not graduating. And until I see it with my own eyes, I won't believe that you'll actually manage to."

"You'll come all the way up here just to see me graduate?" Renji asked incredulously. "Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"Don't start." Rukia grumbled under her breath. "I don't need anymore people worrying about my health, all right? Just…don't."

"Okay, okay. So―"

Ding-Dong

"Oh man." Rukia groaned and threw the covers over her head, sighing.

"What's up?"

"Someone's at the door. Screw it, if it's important, they'll come back."

"Lazy."

"Damn straight."

Renji just laughed. "So, as I was saying―"

Without warning the blankets flew off of Rukia. She yelled in surprise and fear, alarming Renji at once.

"What, what is it?"

Rukia looked around, her eyes wide with surprise. And they fell on the laughing orange-haired teen standing in the corner, clutching her blanket.

"Rukia―!"

"You ass!" Rukia snapped, grabbing her pillow and throwing it at Ichigo, who didn't even bother deflecting it before it slammed him in the face. The boy continued laughing. "Renji, I have to go." Rukia fumed into the phone.

"What's up? Should I call the police?"

"Yeah, they're going to have to arrest me for murder." Rukia hung up the phone to Renji's laughter. "How the hell did you get in here?" She shot at Ichigo, who was finally starting to calm down.

"You guys keep a spare key in the planter in case you lock yourselves out." Ichigo said simply. Rukia scowled, trying to remember when she had told him that. "Anyways, here." He threw a folder down on her bed. "Everything you missed today."

"Thanks a bunch." Rukia grumbled, picking up the folder. Luckily it didn't look like much. With finals so close, the teachers weren't bothering to teach them anything new. "Well, whatever. I'll have it done for tomorrow."

"You'll be in school tomorrow?" Ichigo asked, surprised. He sat down on the bed and rested a hand on her forehead. She pushed it away, looking annoyed.

"Please. My parents are the only people I need worrying about me right now. Don't start."

"All right, all right. Leave my head on please."

"I should take it off anyway." She said, a little grumpily. "For scaring me like that. You're such an asshole."

Ichigo grinned. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. So did you mean what you said about murdering me?"

"Every last word. Just come a little closer. I don't feel like moving."

Ichigo inched towards the door, just a little fearful for his life now. There was no doubt in his mind that, had he been anyone else, Rukia would have killed him. But he was Ichigo. So instead of worrying too much that Rukia would kill him, he simply said, "Do you want help with that work?"

"You really wanna come near me when I'm armed with a pen?" Ichigo smirked.

"If I get to be close to you, I guess I'll take that chance." That softened her at once. She made a face.

"I don't really need help. But…company would be nice."

"So where is everyone?" Ichigo asked as he settled himself on the edge of her bed. She started going through the folder.

"Dad's working. Mom's grocery shopping. She really didn't want to leave, but I told her too. She doesn't need to spend all her time worrying." Rukia pulled a paper out of the folder at random. "This looks easy."

It was the review sheet for math. "What's your idea of easy, again?"

Rukia laughed and grabbed the pen that was sitting on her bedside table. The cap, Ichigo noticed, was chewed almost in half. Rukia enjoyed biting her pens, for some odd reason.

"You forget, I spent an entire school-year working with the hospital tutor, who probably knows more than every teacher in our school combined. I learned a thing or two."

Ichigo scowled. "Damn you and smartness."

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome."

Rukia just rolled her eyes, smiling, as she started scribbling down answers to the problems in front of her. She was right. She didn't need help.

"All right, I get it, you're a brainiac. Do you need to keep showing off?"

"Yeah, I do." She didn't even look up from her paper. "I'm proving to you that I'm better than you in any and every way possible. And that includes being smarter than you."

"Oh yeah?" Ichigo challenged, smirking. He grabbed the folder away from Rukia and, before a protest could escape her lips, he kissed her. "Are you better than me at that?" He said when he pulled away.

"Of course I am."

"Prove it."

And, knowing full well that she was doing exactly what he wanted, she leaned in and kissed him right back.

"Well?" She asked with a laugh when she sat back again. Ichigo blinked.

"I don't know. I couldn't really tell. Better try again."

And she did. With pleasure.

Neither of them noticed the bedroom door open.

"Oh!" They jumped and looked around in surprise. Hisana was standing in the door, fighting with the smile that was threatening to cross her lips. And losing terribly. "Hello Kurosaki-kun. I didn't know you were here."

"Sorry Kuchiki-san." Ichigo said at once, hoping he sounded respectful. He was still a bit high from the kiss. "I was just here to drop off Rukia's work―"

"I could tell." A small laugh escaped Hisana's lips before she turned away. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

And she was gone. "Ten dollars says she's going to call your father." Rukia grumbled as she took her work back from Ichigo. "The gossip hotline."

Ichigo laughed, but on the word gossip he remembered something. "Oh, Miyako gave me this." He pulled the note out of his pocket. "To give to you."

Rukia took it and, without so much as a second glance, threw it on her bedside table. "I'll read it later." She said indifferently. Ichigo made a face.

"You sure about that? She's trying you know?"

Rukia sighed. "Yeah, I know. It's just…hard. Thinking about this year…I'll let her sweat for a little while more. Don't worry, I will talk to her, though. Renji's been saying forever that I should."

"So I'm more influential then Renji?" Ichigo asked, smirking. "Go me!"

Rukia rolled her eyes. That was going to go right to his head.

"Are you sure you feel okay enough to go to school?" Hisana asked, a little unsure, as she gave her daughter a once over. Rukia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah Mom, I'm fine. More than fine. I'll be okay, don't worry."

Okay, so most of that was a lie. She felt okay, she probably could have used another day of bed-rest, but she'd be fine enough to get through school. Then she'd come home and crash. No big deal.

"Rukia, please take it easy today." Hisana cautioned as her daughter made her way towards the door. Rukia just rolled her eyes again.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll fine."

"She's never going to grow up with you smothering her." Byakuya said from behind the morning paper. Hisana sighed.

"And what of you? I notice you've been very…liberal, lately, considering you know the way she spends most of her time."

"I've decided that Rukia is old enough to make her own decisions ― and mistakes, if it should come to that." Byakuya hoped it wouldn't. Hisana raised an eyebrow at the paper hiding her husband.

"Right. So who knocked some sense into you?"

"Hisana, you should really stop meddling. It's going to get you in to trouble some day." Hisana laughed as she gently jerked the paper from her husband's hands and kissed him.

"You know you love me."

"I have to. It's the only way I tolerate you."

Hisana just laughed again.

"Do you feel okay, Rukia?"

It was lunchtime. Ichigo had gone over to Rukia's desk so they could walk out together. He had noticed that the raven-haired girl was unnaturally pale ― even for her.

"I feel fine." Her voice was as strong as ever, of course. "Come on, let's go."

Neither of them noticed Miyako in the back of the room, eating by herself, listening to the conversation.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Rukia stood up, looking thoroughly annoyed now. "Jeez Ichigo, you sound like my…my…"

As soon as she stood up the classroom had started spinning. She groaned and rested a hand on her head, trying to make everything still again.

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked cautiously, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you…all right?"

"Fine, fine." She shook his hand off, taking a step forward. "And you sound like my mother, for the record."

Normally Ichigo would have shot back some sarcastic remark. But right then he was too worried about Rukia, who was swaying slightly now.

"Rukia…"

Without warning her knees buckled. "Rukia!" Ichigo's panicked voice as he dove to grab Rukia was joined by another. In a flash, Miyako was at Ichigo's side, looking worriedly at Rukia. The girl's head was rested against Ichigo's chest, her breathing labored and uneven.

The teacher, who had been at the front of the room talking to another student, made her way back at once, concern etched all over her face. "What happened?"

Ichigo was too busy trying to wake Rukia up to bother with the teacher, so Miyako answered. "She…fainted. I think. Should I get the nurse?"

"No, go to the office, have them call an ambulance. The nurse won't be able to help her." Miyako nodded and took off. Ichigo never took his eyes off Rukia.

"Kurosaki-kun…what's wrong with Rukia?"

Ichigo looked up in surprise. Those were the first words Miyako had spoken since they had taken their seats in the waiting room. Ichigo had left the girl long enough to find a payphone and call Hisana. After leaving a message on the answering machine, he'd gone back to wait. It had been nearly half an hour.

"Don't say you don't know." Miyako added before Ichigo could say just that. "I know you do, I know Rukia would tell you. She trusts you much more than she's ever trusted me."

There was a note of bitterness in Miyako's calm voice. Ichigo felt compelled to try and contradict the girl. "That's not true." He said finally. "You're Rukia's best friend―"

"I was." Miyako sighed heavily. "I really screwed things up with her. It just made me so mad…she was suffering on some way, and she wouldn't let me in, she wouldn't let me help her…and that's all I've ever wanted. I just want to help her. But she made me so mad, keeping her secrets, not letting me in…and I know she told you, because of the way you started acting towards her…I just hated it. And I messed everything up. Renji was right, I don't know how to deal with my feelings." She laughed bitterly. "I just thought he was trying to protect Rukia like he always did. He had a crush on her when we were twelve, you know. But long-distance relationships never work out. Anyways, he always stuck up for her, so I figured this time was no different then all the others. I suppose he knows the secret too?"

Ichigo saw no point in lying. He nodded Miyako gave another bitter laugh. "No surprise. I'm the only one in the dark."

She looked expectantly at Ichigo, who shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's not for me to tell you. That's up to Rukia―"

"Who won't tell me!" Miyako sprang up, tears in her eyes now. "Please Kurosaki-kun, if you don't tell me I'll never know, I just want to help―"

"I can't." Ichigo said quietly. "It's about Rukia, not me. That's something you'll have to take up with her."

Miyako glared at him through her tear-filled eyes and turned to run out, running almost headlong into Hisana, who jumped back in surprise.

"Miyako―"

The girl didn't wait another second. In one swift motion she swept past Hisana and down the hall, out of sight. Ichigo sighed. Hisana looked after her in surprise, then turned back to Ichigo, who just shook his head, sighing. Hisana looked weary as she dropped into Miyako's vacated seat.

"Have they told you anything?"

Ichigo shook his head again. "I wish they would. I'm worried."

"What happened?"

Ichigo explained the short scene at school. Hisana listened, a small smile crossing her face. "It's gonna be impossible to get Rukia back to school now. She's not going to want to face anyone."

Ichigo laughed shortly. The sound was weird in his ears. "Yeah, probably not. But that's just Rukia for you."

Hisana's smile was short-lived as she down the hallway. "I knew I should have kept her home today. But she insisted…"

"So of course you'd never be able to stop her." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "When Rukia gets an idea in her head, nothing can stop her."

"That sums her up quite nicely, actually." Hisana agreed. "Still…I shouldn't have let her just leave."

Before Ichigo could say there was no point in Hisana blaming herself, the doctor that had taken Rukia came into the waiting room. Hisana stood up at once, worry filling her eyes.

"Dr. Kaname―?"

The doctor smiled pleasantly. "Rukia's all right, Kuchiki-san, other than being sick, of course. But you know what a normal cold can do to her, with her immune system―"

Ichigo bit his lip, suddenly guilty. A cold. That was exactly what he'd had the day he had kissed her. Was this his fault?

"I'd like to keep her for a couple of days―"

"Oh Rukia will love that." Hisana said with a content sigh, smiling. "Well, as long as she's all right, I don't care."

The doctor laughed a little. Apparently he knew Rukia as well as they did. "Would you like to see her?"

Hisana started to nod, then looked back at Ichigo, who had his hands shoved into his pockets and was looking at the floor. "Can he see her first?" The woman asked. Ichigo looked up in surprise.

"If he wants." Kaname said, looking between Hisana and Ichigo in surprise. Normally it was next to impossible to keep Hisana from Rukia's side when she was in the hospital. "Down the hall, third door to your left." He told Ichigo, masking the surprise quickly. "She's asleep now, though."

"Got it." Ichigo gave Hisana a small smile before starting down the hall. Kaname stared after him, waiting until he had gone into Rukia's room before looking back at Hisana. "One of her school friends?"

"Oh he's so much more." Kaname laughed.

Ichigo looked down at Rukia's still, small form. He hated seeing her in a hospital bed. It hurt too much. "Hey Rukia." He sighed as he grabbed the chair from the corner and sat down, slipping his hand into her smaller one. "You really scared me you know. Idiot. You shouldn't have come to school if you were still sick. Idiot."

He thought for a minute, then went on. "Guess it's my fault though, eh? I was such an idiot, I wasn't thinking…I should have known better. But for heaven's sake, it was just a cold…no excuse though, I guess. Like I said, I'm an idiot. Stupid. Whatever you want to call me. I'm sorry."

He sighed, dropping his head to look at his knees. "I'm sorry." He muttered again. "So…so sorry."

He shifted his eyes to look at her, then looked down again. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, Rukia. I know you didn't ask for this, any of this, and I know it's not your fault, but I still wish it didn't have to be like this. I hate seeing you like this. It hurts…a lot."

He sighed, holding her hand a little tighter. "I never really thought about it before." He muttered, more to himself than to her. "I mean, I know I care about you, I know I worry about you…but those are all things friends do. And you…you're so much more than a friend to me. I love you, Rukia."

And the second he said it, he knew he meant it. And so did she. "About time." Her soft, hoarse voice drew Ichigo's gaze back to her. His temper flared at once.

"How long were you listening to me?!" He raged, forgetting where he was. A small laugh escaped Rukia's lips as her eyes opened carefully and she pushed herself into more of a sitting position.

"Pretty much right when you started talking."

"You…you…" There were no words bad enough for Ichigo to call Rukia now. "I don't believe you!"

She laughed again. "And I love you too."

Well. That wiped all angry thoughts from Ichigo's mind. After a blank minute he reached out and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into a hug. She sighed contently and returned the hug, resting her head on his chest.

"You have no idea what that means to me." He murmured.

"Oh, I think I do."

Neither of them noticed Hisana out in the hall. The woman was biting down on her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"A busy-body as always." A quiet voice said behind her. She'd called Byakuya at work, and he'd left at once.

"You're standing here listening too." She pointed out to her husband, who wasn't quick enough to conceal the knowing smirk on his face. "So…looks like our little girl isn't so little, anymore. She's in love. What do you think, Byakuya?"

Byakuya shrugged, indifferent. "He's okay for her."

Hisana just rolled her eyes and looked back at the couple. Well, whatever Byakuya said, she knew Ichigo was much, much more than okay for Rukia. He was exactly what she needed.

Author's Note - I realized that I'd never done an official love confession in this story so...I did one. Anyways...review please. One more chapter, then an epilogue (for real this time). - Sam