Chapter 6: The Reality

In my hands
A legacy of memories
I can hear you say my name
I can almost see your smile
Feel the warmth of your embrace
But there is nothing but silence now
Around the one I loved
Is this our farewell?

Rukia sighed deeply as she sat on the steps within Ichigo's prison. Renji was standing outside, keeping watch. She was allowed only five minutes to be with Ichigo and then she would never be allowed back in. It had taken her many hours to convince her bother to convince the Old man to allow her these few minutes with her lover that was on death roll.

Slowly the black clad woman looked down at the white dressed carrot top. He was lying on the platform just slightly above Rukia. He appeared to be resting, maybe even be fighting his inner hollow from the look upon his mask-ridden face. Even now, she could only see a quarter of her lovers face; his body was changing, forming the thick plate of a hollow.

He was going through hollowification all over again for the third time in his life. The first time was when Urahara had broken his chain of fate, the second with the vizards and finally now. It tore at her heart. Slowly she raised a pale hand and ran her fingers through Ichigo's soft spiky locks. She ran them through the hair, trying to remember the feel of his hair, the way he looked, everything. For within five minutes she would not see him again.

The young man moaned and Rukia smiled softly at him, but then frowned. It was hard to see Ichigo like this, seeing him as a lost soul. Was Ichigo really broken? Could he really be fixed? Or was she simply only clinging to that small line of hope, that one inch to make her carry out her plans, to save the man who had saved her so many times before.

She wasn't sure, but she knew she would not allow him to lose, she would get him back to normal.

However, her mind different back to the Urahara Shoten, the memory almost brought tears to her blue grey eyes.

"No."

Rukia stared at Kisuke and Yourichi carefully, unsure if she had heard the man correctly. Rukia had left Seireitei to inquire Urahara and Yourichi's help. Now, she sat upon a dark pillows, her green tea barely being held between her two hands. She was staring so hard at the two.

Yourichi looked at Urahara and then back to Rukia, "As much as I hate to say this to you, out of all the people Rukia. But, we can not help Ichigo. He is beyond our control, we can not force ourselves into his mind, hold him down by any means let alone use one of Kisuke's many experiments. You see, Kuchiki, everything that is wrong with Ichigo is here." She pointed to the side of her head then, "Ichigo is a young boy, he has gone through things that no one his age should. He has matured quickly, and even though he is strong, he can not deal with some things that haunt him, such as the death of his human friends."

Yourichi lowered her hand and rested it on her lap, "The only one that can help Ichigo, is Ichigo himself."

"But, there has to be something! Kisuke!" Rukia slammed her hands upon the table, leaning over to stare into the shop keepers eyes. "You know of the process of Hollowification! You should know how to stop it! Tell me how! Tell me how to stop his inner hollow before it is too late!"

"My dear," Urahara started slowly, "I wish I could be of service, but I can not. I have tired, for many years to find a way to reverse the process of this…condition. But I have failed, every attempt had failed. If there was some way for me to aid him, I would Miss. Kuchiki. I would…" Urahara sighed this time and shook his head slowly.

"Forgive me, but we can not help him, even if we wanted too and even if we freed him. Rukia. If he got lose as the way he is now, he would kill many people. Both spirits and of the living. We would release a hollow that no one has ever seen before, quite possibly a Vasto Lord. Koursaki's ability as a Shinigami increases everyday, his spiritual pressure grows it never stops, it never rest, constantly it passes the limits. If his hollow came out fully, he would be unstoppable. Even for Old Man Yama."

"He has done everything we ever asked and things we have not asked him to do! How can you just sit here and let him die!"

Yourichi spoke up now, speaking with a soft voice and staring hard at Rukia. "Tell me," she started, trying to make the small woman understand. "Rukia, if you where given a choice. Between letting a person, and I mean anyone, to live in shame for the rest of his or her spiritual life, for all eternity being constantly, feeding off others. Or, would you allow them peace and honor and letting them die as they are now, at this very moment, sparing them from such fate. What would you pick?"

Silence sounded throughout the room. Kisuke lowered his head and adjusted his hate with the feline woman crossed her arms over her chest. Kuchiki Rukia made no reply.

"That is why we do nothing."

It was hard to accept such an answer, even now, Rukia understood what Yourichi meant but she could not accept it. There was still a chance, still a way to save him! There must be.

She looked back at Ichigo and smiled at him. "Ichigo." She said softly. "I am going now," The carrot top did not answer, but merely remained sleeping. "I am not giving up on you and you should not give up either. I am going to go to a place, that will have all the answers I could ever need." She leaned down and kissed Ichigo on the forehead lovingly.

Then she stood, "I will save you, even if it cost me my life."

Yes, she would save him and she knew what she must do. She must do the unthinkable, she had only one chance left to save Ichigo. One last option. To go where anyone who would know what to do, that could help them, to go to the one place that Seireitei forbid. She would betray her own home if she went, marked as a criminal.

She would die with Ichigo if she failed and perhaps, be reborn with him.

She was going to Hueco Mundo.

A/N: Well, you got to love writers block really. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to get over writers block for this story. I don't know why I am having such a hard time with it.

Well, Until Next Time

Ja Ne