Sorry for the late update, but as I said last time, don't expect regular updates for next one and a half month.
I'm so busy, I didn't even get to read the new stories and recent story updates. I've saved a list of links on my laptop, so that I can read them later.
It was that nightmare again. Someone or something was pulling her down in the dark, murky water. She was drowning; trying to grasp something that can help her keep her head above the disgusting water.
The dream usually ended there, but tonight it was different.
Tonight, she was surrounded with men who looked rather familiar. Suddenly they leaned forward and started shoving her down. She was yelling for someone to come and save her.
Her strength finally left her. Unable to fight them, she stopped struggling. The last thing she heard while drowning deeper, was them laughing at her.
Rukia woke up, when a splash of cold water hit her face. She was surrounded by all the kids and Ukitake-san.
"Wha-what happened?" she asked, out of breath.
"You were screaming for help and thrashing wildly. We tried to wake you up by shaking you. You didn't respond, so we had to use the water." Ukitake-san supplied.
"Oh... I was having a nightmare." She looked outside the window, it was still dark. "…sorry to wake you up at such an early hour."
He just smiled at her and told her to get some sleep. What he did not tell her was that she had been doing that a lot lately, except tonight it had gotten too out of hand, and she had to be awakened by splashing cold water over her face.
Rukia could not sleep after that. The unexpected meeting was the reason why she was so panic-stricken. In the park, the two men who approached her, were Uryu and Chad. She hoped that they believed her act. It was certain that they would tell Ichigo about her. The only question was, would he come to meet her? Moreover, if he did, how should she react?
The next day, she was on alert all the time. Looking out for a familiar man with outrageously orange hair and a scowl on his face. She was trying to keep her cool, so that if he shows up, she wouldn't mess-up and blow her cover. Furthermore, if she couldn't deceive Renji with her act, she would never be able to fool Ichigo. He knew her far too well to get tricked by her acting skills.
That day, she decided against going to the park and headed straight to the orphanage.
Ukitake-san returned home with a grave expression on his face. He wanted to talk to Rukia about the people who visited him yesterday. He thought about it after they left yesterday and whole day today, and came to a conclusion that she has a right to know about those people. He called her in his office, from where he did all his work for the orphanage. He made sure that nobody would eavesdrop.
"Take a seat. Rukia, we have to talk about something important."
"Is everything alright?" Rukia asked after looking at Ukitake, who was looking pensive.
"Rukia, yesterday two men came to ask me about you." He waited for her reaction. To see if she was willing to carry on this conversation.
"Then… they must be the same men who met me in the park. They said, they were looking for me. I told them that I lost my memory and I don't remember them." She said fidgeting with hem of her tee-shirt. Her reply surprised him.
"Why? Don't you wish to regain your memory? Those men can help you in some or the other way. They might know something about your life in the city." He tried to convince her.
Rukia recognized that this conversation had to be stopped, otherwise her secret will be out. Ukitake-san would suspect her intentions about not wanting to regain her memory.
"I….I've been having nightmares recently. The things that I see are dreadful and scary. I think, those are the events that happened to me in the city. I'm afraid to remember anything… Because, if I do, then I wont be able to live peacefully. I don't know if I want to go back to that life. Please let me stay here. I swear I won't cause any trouble. I don't want to leave this place. Please." Tears were welling in her eyes.
The man sighed. He had first-hand knowledge of her panicked state, after she got those nightmares. He did not want to make it tougher on her.
"I understand. It is your decision to make, but be sure to tell me if you ever change your mind." Ukitake could make out that she was hiding something, or may be she was truly scared. It wasn't his place to tell her to do something she didn't wish to do. For now, he was going to watch out for her.
Rukia hated herself. She was being deceitful again. What she was told Ukitake-san about her nightmares wasn't actually a lie, but it also wasn't the complete truth. Just for her selfish intentions, she was deceiving every person she has ever known. Was there any meaning to such a living, this was just…. existing. Being alive, without any reason whatsoever. What was she going to do this time? Run away, again? No. She was fed up with running away from her troubles. She was going to stay and face her problems. Nevertheless, she needed a helping hand and she knew whom to call.
The first thing Rukia did after she left work the next day, was call Renji. She dialed the number with shaky hands. A public pay-phone wasn't the best medium for this kind of conversation, but she was desperate and she needed to talk to him.
She wanted to tell him that Uryu and Chad had seen her. If they tell Ichigo, he was sure to come looking for her (she anticipated that much).
After her conversation with Renji yesterday, she felt a bit calm. That is why she was here in the park, at her usual spot.
A surprise was waiting for her. Well, not really, since she predicted it. Ichigo was standing in front of her.
"How are you, Rukia?"
I know, not the best of chapters. Actually, it's pretty poor writing on my part. Please don't hate me for it, I wrote it in a hurry.
Read & Review.