'Sup, guys. Garganta here. I am really sorry for updating that late, but my internet-connection really sucks right now. It's a horrendous amount of work just updating a simple chapter and even more so keeping a stable connection for more than 5 minutes. It simply annoyed me so I occupied myself with school for the last few days but worked always a bit on this chapter too. I hope it turned out alright, so enjoy chapter 9 of "New Life."

Rukia was tired. Her body ached. Her leg was pierced by several horns of the Arrancar. But nothing of that mattered. Right there on her lap was a shinigami. A taicho to be precise. A taicho with ridiculously orange hair. A very young taicho. Just eighteen years old. He became a taicho not even half a year ago. He was loud, rude and rash. He was always insulting her height and her fondness for Chappy the rabbit. He was overprotective. He had a problem to open himself up to anyone, although she could proudly say that he opened up to her a bit. But not much. More than to anyone else but she knew that she didn't even know half of what there is to know about him. Everyone thought there was more to him and her than just being friends. Everyone expected them to become a romantic couple someday soon. She knew that. She always was hearing at least one comment about her and that taichos relationship during a day. She wasn't sure about the extent of their relationship though. It wasn't like she didn't think about that kind of relationship with that taicho. Who wouldn't think about the next step of a friendship when it was as special and unique as hers with that orange haired taicho?

But right now that very taicho was on the brink to death. Because of her. Because she was too slow to dodge the horns being shot at them properly. Because he took the final attack that was meant to kill her. Because his torso was pierced by several horns instead of her. Since she was Kuchiki Rukia one would think she would be able to maintain her straight posture and swallow all her desperate emotions and thoughts down. But she couldn't. Not when it was him lying on her lap. Her face was wet from tears falling freely, her breathing ragged, her posture crumbled over him, her eyes desperate.

"Please don't die, Ichigo, please! I beg you, don't die!" She whispered, clutching his kimono tightly, hoping he could hear her.

She was now for close an hour sending pulses of her reiatsu out hoping to reach Orihime Inoue, since she could heal him but more so for Urahara Kisuke. She hoped he would know a way to get rid of those horns. As long as they remained Orihime's presence was pointless. The waiting was killing her. She felt how Ichigos reiatsu became weaker by the minute. She heard how his breathing became shallower. She saw how that very person who saved her life countless times, the person who turned her life upside down, dying right there on her lap. Her kimono, her hands, even her face- everything was stained with his blood. She didn't care. She didn't care how pathetic she looked or felt. There was only one thing that mattered. And she repeated it in her head the entire time she was waiting.

Ichigo can't die. Ichigo doesn't die. Ichigo can't die. Ichigo doesn't die.

Urahara Kisuke was walking leisurely towards his destination as the sun was rising in the horizon of Karakura Town. He felt the frantic reiatsu pulses of Kuchiki Rukia, one of his dearest customers, being shot out in hope to be noticed by someone. But it grew weaker, so much you could tell by now. He also recognized another more than familiar reiatsu, but it was weak. Barely there. He knew he would make it in time, so he kept his usual pace. Maybe a tad faster, but not so fast that it would ruin his entrance.

When he finally arrived his destination he wasn't that surprised at what he found there. Kurosaki Ichigo, the boy who faced death more often than someone his age should, laid there on Kuchiki Rukias lap, his skin paler than ever before, blood all over his body. Rukia, usually a proper Kuchiki even though she's an adopted Rukongai-kid, looked at him with the tiniest flicker of hope in her otherwise desperate looking eyes. Her eyes were rimmed red from her crying and her hands and face were bloody and dirty.

"Please Urahara…" Was everything she got out. Ichigo was barely breathing by now. If she wouldn't know better she would think that he is already dead.

"Oh my…I expected something like this but still…it is quite unexpected." Urahara looked back to where he came from and saw the rest of the group running towards them.

Orihime, Ishida and Chad let all out shocked gasps as they saw the state their friends were in.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime put a hand to her mouth and tried her best to hold her tears back. "What happened to him?" She whispered, her sorrow evident in her voice.

Rukia looked down, she couldn't answer. She couldn't tell that it was her fault that Ichigo was wounded so seriously. She couldn't tell that he took the attack that was meant to kill her. She couldn't tell that Ichigo threw his life away so recklessly just to save her…again.

"Kuchiki-san…what happened to Kurosaki-kun? What happened?" Orihime demanded with tears evident in her eyes.

Rukia felt her throat tightening as she clutched Ichigos kimono more tightly until her knuckles turned white. She closed her eyes as tight as she could and lowered her head more until her hair covered her face completely. Rukia couldn't bare looking in their eyes, in those sorrowful eyes of the friends of the man she held in her heart so dearly, of the man who always put his own life in risk because of her.

"Kuchi-" Orihime looked with a surprised expression at the hand on her shoulder and then at its owner. "Ishida-kun?"

"It's enough, Orihime." Ishida said looking at her sternly. He immediately saw how distressed Rukia was and knew how much a harder time Orihime gave her with her questions.

Urahara watched the scene with slight interest until he turned back to the task at hand.

"Tessai, I guess we need you to remove these horns from Kurosaki-sans body."

Tessai looked at Urahara questioningly. "With physical force or kido, Urahara-sama?"

"Whatever you think the quickest solution is." Urahara answered as he hid his serious face with his fan.

Tessai nodded and looked at Chad. "Yasutora-sama."

Chad looked at him and immediately understood. "Yes." He nodded with a serious expression on his usually neutral face.

Rukia looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Urahara motioned her to leave Ichigos side for the moment until he realized that she couldn't. He and Ishida helped her up and carried her to the wall where she was before and let her lean against it. Orihime was at Ichigos side on her knees with her hands folded in front of her face and tears streaming down. Rukia watched her from under her bangs and felt her chest tightening until it reached the most painful degree.

I wish I could be by your side right now…Ichigo. Every time you save me and fight for me you get injured so badly. And every time you get injured so badly…in one way or the other…I am not right by your side.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes again and she didn't even try to stop them.

Rukia heard a binding kido incarnation and knew what they were about to do. She looked again towards Ichigo and saw how his body was completely immobile and how the binding kido held his body securely in place so Tessai and Chad could remove the horns with their brute force from it. It was too much for Rukia, she couldn't stand the morbid sound as they ripped with everything they had the horns from Ichigos body and she couldn't stand all the blood that gushed of his wounds. It was gruesome. What made it all the more gruesome was that Ichigo didn't make a sound during the ordeal. No grunt, no scream, no gasp- not the tiniest sound. It was almost like he was already dead. But she knew he wasn't. There still was this tiny flicker of his reiatsu that she could sense.

After what seemed like hours the horns were all removed from his body and Orihime began to heal Ichigo with her Shun Shun Rikka. Rukia knew she could finally calm down. Ichigo would live. He would survive. Everything else didn't matter to her but the mere fact that he would live. Her heart slowed down to a normal pace, her body stopped trembling and everything else went black.

With a long groan Ichigo woke up, his eyes fluttering as they tried to adjust to the light. He tried to sit up but the pain in his torso wouldn't allow him to move at all. He looked around and recognized this place immediately.

Hat-and-Clocks. Figures.

Ichigo resigned himself to the fact that he couldn't do more at the moment then lying around so he closed his eyes just to have them shot open after a few seconds. Without thinking he tried to sit up again.

"Rukia!" He managed to get out before groaning again in pain as he fell back to the futon he laid on.

"I'm here behind you. You shouldn't try to sit up as you obviously still are in pain."

After the pain calmed down again Ichigo tried to move his head that he could at least make out were Rukia was exactly but she moved to sit at his side.

"Rukia, are you alright? Are you hurt? How's your leg?"

Rukia hid her feelings behind a mask of annoyance, since she didn't want to appear all emotional in Ichigos presence. She had to appear strong, she needed to be strong.

"I'm fine you fool, I had to endure injuries much worse than a few scratches on my leg! You should be more concerned about yourself! You nearly died! Why…why did you take the attack, Ichigo?" The last part was asked in a very soft whisper. Rukia didn't look at Ichigo, her eyes were shut tightly and her face was hidden by her hair as she held it low. Ichigo looked at her hands and saw how her hands were on her lap, clutching her kimono tightly.

"What kind of a stupid question is that?" Was his response.

Rukia looked up, curiosity but also annoyance visible in her eyes. "What do you mean with stupid question? I am serious here! Why would you take the attack that was supposed to kill me, Ichigo? You nearly died! Can you imagine what it would have done to me, if you died because you tried to save me?" She asked, her walls, behind which she always felt so secure and invulnerable, crumbling down bit by bit. She couldn't hold it up anymore.

"I don't care midget. I'd rather die saving you than living on without even trying. And by the way, it didn't do anything to you since I'm still very much alive so would you please stop bothering me with all the 'what if's'?" Ichigo responded, looking away annoyed.

"You are so reckless, Ichigo." Rukia said softly with a small smile.

"I could swear you called me reckless a couple of times before." Ichigo smirked.

Rukia shocked them both when she took hold of Ichigos hand with both of her hands and held it to her chest. She looked down again, avoiding Ichigos eyes again.

"Thank you for not dying…Ichigo." She said softly.

Ichigos eyes softened. "Stupid midget." He answered with a low voice as he ran his thumb over one of her hands.

After Ichigo fell asleep again Rukia sent everything she knew from the Arrancar and Ichimaru Gin to the Soul Society via her Soul Phone. She got very soon a message which said that every taicho and fukutaicho and every available third seated officer plus hand chosen officers from the taichos were sent to Hueco Mundo for a big offensive attack. Even Yamamoto-sotaicho would go with them. She and Ichigo got another few days to rest in the living world at Urahara's and she would get informed about every new development. She was glad that she and Ichigo wouldn't have to go there again so she wouldn't have to worry about them. She was worried though about her brother and Renji, but she knew they were strong and could take care of themselves. She knew there weren't so many Arrancars left and the strongest, the Espada were already dead. According to the taicho of division 12, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, most of the remaining Arrancar were at third seat level or lower. Just a handful or less was at a higher level. The goal of the offensive attack to Hueco Mundo was to capture Ichimaru Gin and take him back to Soul Society to punish him for his crimes and for the betrayal of Soul Society. Rukia was confident that everything would go smoothly and that peace would finally engulf the living world and Soul Society.

She would be right.

"How is Kurosaki-kun doing, Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked after Rukia leaved Ichigo alone so that he could rest.

"He is fine right now, but still in pain though. He still needs a few hours to rest." Rukia answered.

"Kurosaki really never thinks when he is in any kind of fight. It never ceases to amaze me that he survived every fight with his…fighting attitude." Ishida sighed as he pushed his glasses up.

Chad just stood there and grunted in response.

"I think that you all finally can see him tomorrow. Urahara told you that you all can say as long as you want, didn't he?"

They all nodded in response.

"Fine, than I will see you tomorrow."

Rukia excused herself and went to her own room to rest some more, even though her leg was healed thoroughly by Orihime. She didn't feel any pain anymore and scars weren't likely to be proof of her failure in that fight. She needed to rest, although 3 days already passed since their fight with that Arrancar, but she was still emotionally tired, wondering when and if Ichigo would finally wake up from being unconsciuous, her rollercoaster-feelings of Ichigo dying in her arms and finally being safe, her guilt and shame about being nothing but a obstacle in Ichigos fight.

Never in her life had she felt such fear and despair for someone who was on the brink to death. Not even for Shiba Kaien. He was her mentor, her teacher. He was the first one to treat her like her would treat any other student. He was with her as she achieved her Shikai. He had the most wonderful woman as a wife, a woman she idolized. And yet, the pain in her heart she felt as he died was not as much as the pain in her heart she felt as Ichigo was so close to death she never wants him to be again. Rukia laid down on the futon in her room and closed her eyes. She held the hand Ichigo has rubbed with his thumb so lightly close to her chest and allowed a smile to appear on her face. It brought the most beautiful feeling she ever felt to her and it was the most intimate interaction she ever allowed anyone to have with her, although it wasn't really intimate at all.

She couldn't sleep. She couldn't sleep and didn't really know why.

I guess I need some fresh air.

She left her temporary room and was on her way outside but her feet dragged her towards another room. She saw how in that room the light was on, although it was weak. She looked around and realized she was in front of Ichigos room. The door was slightly ajar.

Should I…?

Rukia couldn't but peek inside and so she did. The curiosity got the better of her.

What she saw inside made her eyes grow wide in surprise.

What does she do with my Ichi- with Ichigo?

She opened the door completely to reveal a startled Orihime still with Ichigos hands tightly in her hands and pressed to her face.

"Ku-…Kuchiki-san, what a-are you doing here?" Orihime asked while laughing nervously.

"I was about to go outside when I saw that the light in Ichigos room is on and wanted to check…what are you doing? I told you that Ichigo needs to rest." Rukia replied seriously.

"I know…I just…I…sorry." Sighing in defeat Orihime left the room without looking back.

Rukia still couldn't believe how Orihime took advantage of Ichigo just for some superficial physical contact. It made her angry. She sat down next to Ichigo and looked down at his face. Through all his tough attitude and rude behavior his true self was the most exposed when he slept. At these times his face always looked so relaxed, carefree and peaceful, his scowl nonexistent. It made her smile.

I can't believe…I actually feel that way towards this fool.

She let out a small sigh and closed her eyes as she leaned back against the wall to relax. Even though her position was extremely uncomfortable sleep actually took her over this time.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes as the sunrays got more and more persistent in brightening up the sky. He let out a huge yawn and tried to sit up, which he was able to do since the pain wasn't that bad anymore.

Finally I can move again. Lying there 3 days straight just sucked.

He turned around in his room after he heard very tiny and soft snoring sounds which you could immediately identify as feminine and as Ichigo realized who it was he couldn't stop the grin that appeared on his face.

She's gonna kill me if I ever mention how cute she snores… but it isn't really cute at all. And I wonder why she actually slept here…

He blushed slightly and shook his head at his thoughts. As Ichigo tried to get up he grunted in pain but managed it finally and stretched his arms over his head while he shook his legs to get some feeling back in them after the lack of use.

Rukia woke up to the noise he made and watched him. She frowned as his torso was yet again covered by a thick layer of bandages.

I wish I could at least make a small amount of his injuries become mine.

Ichigo felt like someone was looking at him so he looked around and found Rukia wide awake, frowning.

"Yo. Why were you sleeping here? And what's with that frown?" He asked her curiously.

Rukia felt how a blush crept across her face. "Wha-What's it to you? I don't frown!" She got on her feet and glared at him.

"You did frown, don't deny it. And it matters to me that you were here while I was asleep…I mean…"He looked at her from the corner of his eyes."…you could have done things and I wouldn't even be aware of them." Ichigo mumbled.

Rukia felt how her face turned the darkest shade of red she could imagine. "YOU PERVERT!" She punched him hard in the face and he flew to the next wall. "How dare you even think that I-I…you pervert!"

Ichigo groaned as he held his bruised cheek but smirked towards her. "I was just kidding you know…"

"I don't care!"

Ichigo became scared as he saw how 4'8½" of pure midget closed the distance to him and suddenly he felt way smaller than she was. "Hey, you don't want to really kill me do you?" He asked with fear evident in his voice.

Rukia just smirked evilly at him. "That would be too easy…"

"Kurosaki-san, are you awake…" Urahara opened the door to see how Rukia stood before Ichigo, who was huddled against a wall of his room, as Rukia with an unhealthy looking red face had her fist raised threateningly. "How heartwarming, a lovers' quarrel. I just wanted to say that if you are wake up and feel good enough to move again that breakfast is ready." He grinned slyly as he pulled his the corner of his hat over his eyes.

"Shut the hell up, Urahara!" Ichigo shouted with annoyance as he blushed.

"You didn't even deny it, Kurosaki-san!" Urahara said before he ran away while giggling madly.

"That guy annoys me already so early in the morning." Ichigo muttered.

"Don't think that this is over, Ichigo." Rukia grinned at Ichigo devilishly.

"I'll keep that in mind, midget." Ichigo said nonchalantly, as he raised to his feet.

He really didn't deny it.

Ichigo and Rukia made both their way to the room were breakfast was held together and to Ichigos surprise all his all comrades were there.

"Uryuu…Chad…Inoue…Yoruichi-san…what are you all doing here?"

"We wanted to make sure that you are alright, Kurosaki-kun! I am so glad that you feel better now!" Orihime chirped happily.

"We are glad that you are fine, Ichigo." Chad says with his deep voice.

"I wasted about 3 days for you to finally be able to stand on your own feet since Yasutora-san and Inoue-san were so worried about you and I just decided it would be weird if I weren't here with them, Kurosaki…" Ishida muttered as he pushed his glasses up. Never would he admit that he too was the tiniest bit worried about the wellbeing of his rival.

Ichigo could just smirk at that and decided to mess a bit with the Quincy. "It's actually Kurosaki-taicho to you, Uryuu."

Ishida looked flabbergasted. "Wha- why am I the only one who has to call you a taicho?" He shouted.

Ichigo sat down on the table with Rukia beside him and leaned forward on one arm towards the Quincy. "Because I say so."

"You little…" Ishida grumbled under his breath with a nerve popping on his forehead.

"Anyways…thanks guys for coming." Ichigo mumbled uncomfortably as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand.

They all smiled at him or nodded or just grumbled in response, only Ishida still grumbled unintelligible curses under his breath to Ichigo.

Breakfast went on with easy chatter were Ichigo didn't really participate actively but still couldn't help but smile at this all too familiar scene with all of them together. He nearly choked on his tea as a sudden thought came to his mind.

As they all looked at him weirdly and after he stopped Rukia who clapped him way harder than necessary on his back he looked around the table.

"I wondered how they all took the news of my death. Did you hear something or saw something? What about school and all of our friends?"

"Well…" Ishida began but Orihime beat him to the full explanation.

"We told Tatsuki-chan and Asano-kun and Kojima-kun the truth about Soul Society and they took it really well and the rest was really sad that you died but thought of you that you were so brave because you wanted to stand up for that little girl and they held a minute's silence at school and your family became many flowers and stuff to help to get through their loss and stuff and-"

"Uh, I guess that's enough, I can actually picture it now. That must be really weird for my family…how took my sisters all of this attention, Chad? Did you keep your eyes on them?"

"Of course, Ichigo. I kept my promise. Your black haired sister, Karin, took it well but your other sister, Yuzu had a hard time, especially at school. But she begins to get used to it. Since a few weeks she seems happier."

"That's good to know." Ichigo says with a little relief.

"You know, Kurosaki-san, I actually have some really interesting news for you." Urahara begin with his typical smirk. Ichigo just looked at him curiously. "Your father visits here a few times as you can guess, to have a cup or two of sake with friends you know, my dear Yoruichi also accompanies us sometimes-" He got hit at the back of his head as Yoruichi growled at him.

"Get to the point already!"

"I was about to do that just now."

"Stop whining and say what you wanted to say!"

"Alright, alright…as I was about to say before I was rudely interrupted-" Yoruichi shot him a glare at that."-your father visits a few times and the last time he was here, he told me that Yuzu-chan actually saw a real soul. Her reiatsu finally reached the point to see an actual soul."

"Is that true? That means she can see me now?"

"It's pretty likely that she can see you now, Kurosaki-san. You still have tomorrow left to rest here, you can visit your family today sometime or tomorrow."

Rukia put her hand on Ichigos leg, surprising them both again with another bold move of hers but she didn't take a hand away. "I would prefer you stay here today and rest some more and tomorrow you can visit your family."

Ichigo put his own hand on hers and enclosed it in a firm yet tender grip. "My sisters and the old man would be really mad at me if I wouldn't show up with you, so we will visit my family."

Rukia blushed furiously as she heard Urahara clear his throat in such an obvious way that it was clear he just wanted to embarrass them but she didn't pull her hand away from Ichigo until he released the grip himself. They both didn't look at each other nor did they speak unless they were talked to.

Still they enjoyed the company of their friends and the possibility to catch up on each other. They told them how Aiko was doing and they were all glad to hear that Ichigo and Rukia found her so quickly. Rukia also told them finally how big a part a certain strawberry played in her promotion since she waited for Ichigo being conscious to put him into an uncomfortable position. She knew how he hated to be the center of just…anything, so she waited for him to be awake to tell that fact.

Ishida, Chad and Uryuu left early in the evening, since they couldn't take chances on missing more classes than they already had and gave Ichigo an excuse go to bed that early. He was actually dead tired but wouldn't admit it. Rukia walked him to his room and stopped in front of the door. Ichigo turned around and spared a tender smile for her.

Rukia felt her heart beating faster the longer she stared into his eyes so she broke the eye contact as fast as she could, though it wasn't fast enough in her opinion. She looked down at the floor, her heart beating way to fast as she couldn't manage to form just one simple sentence in her mind that she could actually say at a moment like this. She gasped in surprise as Ichigo raised her head again with a touch so soft she felt like she would melt away any moment.

Why am I feeling like this, it's not like something will happen here at Urahara's, it just wouldn't be….right!

"Goodnight, midget." He said softly, barely audible.

She would have felt annoyed hadn't he pulled her into a tight hug, enclosing her whole body in his big and strong arms. At first her body stiffened but not even a second later she relaxed visibly and closed her eyes.

This is such a beautiful feeling.

"Goodnight, strawberry."

I'll never want to be somewhere else anymore.

Yeaaahhh, it's done finally. Chapter 9 is finished. Yeah, I know, that Arrancar-stuff was kinda lame what I did there but honestly, I just didn't want write whole chapters of fighting and permanent angst and always coming up with new weird semi-Spanish names for swords, attacks, and Arrancars so I don't really care how THAT turned out :D I actually used that fight to push the relationship and emotions between Rukia and Ichigo into a new level. They get more touchy-feely with each other. I hope you liked this chapter and all that cutesy stuff I tried to put in their without making them act OOC. I think they would be that way if their actually would ever be a pairing between those two in Bleach. Or a pairing at all, since these two are the only ones who actually would make sense as a couple.

So review and I expect more reviews than for the last chapter!

And by the way, I think I actually could recommend a couple of other stories: "Agreed to in innocence" by Theresa Crane (I really enjoyed that one, it's really fabulous! (complete)) and "The replacement captain: Ichigo Kurosaki" by Kreion (it's really fun so far and gets updated in a reasonable pace. I really enjoy this one too. It's still in progress.) Check them out!