Rukia was surrounded by darkness, no matter where she looked there was nothing.

"Hello is anyone there?" She yelled, her voice echoed through the infinite darkness.

"Hello!" She tried again.

Ichigo watched as she wandered in the endless black oblivion.

"Rukia!" He called, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Rukia I'm here!" He called again, he reached for her arm, but his hand passed through it.

"Rukia I'm here, Rukia look at me, Rukia, Rukia! RUKIA!"

"Rukia." He gasped setting up in bed. Ichigo looked at the dark room, just nightmare, they had been happening more often since that day. It had been several months since Ichigo gave up his powers to save the Soul Society, since he gave her up.

"Ugh, stupid nightmares." Ichigo muttered, he looked at the clock, 6 AM. According to the calendar, tomorrow was the first day of Obon.

Ichigo got out of bed, he walked to the closet and got his clothes out. Looking in he saw the futon that was still in the closet, her futon.

Ichigo closed his eyes, before he picked the pillow up. It still smelled like her, like cherry blossoms and strawberry, and something indefinable, but also so Rukia. Ichigo drew comfort from the smell, Ichigo hoped she was ok, that things were going good for her. He knew she was somewhere safe, that he would eventually see her again, she wasn't gone forever. Ichigo knew when he died one of the first things he would do in the Soul Society would be to seek her out, without her life seemed empty, pointless.

"I miss you so much, you blasted midget." He admitted to the empty room.

...

Rukia sat at her desk in the 13th Division, her paperwork finished for the moment, her eyes drifted to the calendar. It was hard for her to believe it had only been a few months since Ichigo sacrificed his powers to save them all, it seemed like decades now to her. Rukia hadn't really been herself since that day, the day she had to say goodbye to Ichigo. Rukia had been promoted to Vice Captain when her brother finally withdrew his objections, she had been keeping busy dealing with her work and her Captain's during the times he fell too ill to do it. Rukia was glad for the work, it kept her from thinking about what she lost. In truth Rukia was going through the motions, but her heart wasn't in anything, she felt like a part of her was missing.

" I can't believe I miss that strawberry so much. " Rukia whispered. "Oh, Ichigo." She sighed.

Captain Ukatake watched his Vice Captain with increasing concern, it was obvious to him that Rukia was slipping into depression. He decided that he would have to do something about it soon, before she lost herself completely in the darkness. The question was what could he do about it?

He leaned back resting his back for a moment, his eyes caught the calendar, he noticed the date.

"Perfect." He muttered to himself.

"Rukia, please come to my office when you get a moment." He called

...

Ichigo walked out of the shop carrying the a small box, he felt stupid doing this, but somehow it just seemed right. Well, if nothing else, he hoped it might make him feel better. He made his way home.

"Hi Ichigo!" He heard a familiar, but not entirely welcome voice.

"Oh, hey Orihime." He said to the bubbly redhead. It wasn't that he disliked her, he was eternally grateful for everything she did during the war, but right now her excessive bubbliness got on his nerves. Ichigo wasn't unaware of her intrest in him, and she was an attractive girl to be sure, but he just couldn't make himself feel anything beyond friendship for her. Ichigo didn't know what to do about it, he didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't help how he felt. Ichigo felt like part of his heart was missing.

"What are you up to today? " She asked.

"Just some shopping." He said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh, what did you get?" She asked trying to keep the conversation going.

"Something for my room. Hey I need to get going, it was nice seeing you. " He said as he made to walk away.

"It was nice seeing you to Ichigo." She said, feeling a little deflated.

Ichigo felt bad brushing her off that way, but he just couldn't bring himself to socialize today.

When Ichigo arrived at home he went straight to his room. He took the object out of it's box, he had a little difficulty setting it up, so he decided to try reading the instructions.

"So that's how it goes together, hmm." He muttered to himself as he finished putting it together. He put the batteries in and turned it on, he admired his work, somehow he did feel a little bit better.

"This is stupid, no way it'll actually work. " He muttered to himself.

...

"You called, Captain ?" Rukia asked as she entered his office.

"Yes, please take a seat, I have a special mission that you're uniquely qualified for. " Captain Ukatake said. He called for tea, and made some small talk until it arrived.

"Rukia, I need someone to go to Karakura and make sure there are no serious issues, there are so many spiritually aware people in the area that there is some concern they could draw menos class hollows. You're familiar with the area, and with the people, you're also powerful enough to handle any menos that arrive. " He said.

"I see, um when should I leave?" She asked, feeling nervous, part of her was afraid of seeing everyone, especially Ichigo, part of her was excited to possibly see Ichigo, to feel his familiar presence even if he couldn't see her.

"Tomorrow morning would probably be best, it gives you time to get things wrapped up here. You will probably be gone for 3 or 4 days. " He said.

"I'll get ready." She said.

"Thank you Rukia, give my regards to your friends when you see them. " Ukatake said. Rukia suppressed a smile as she left his office.

...

"Here Onii-chan, go help Otou-san hang the lanterns out front." Yuzu told Ichigo, he walked out to find his father on a wobbly ladder.

"I'm here to help." Ichigo said with the same amount of enthusiasm he would have for watching paint dry. Isshin wasn't expecting the sound, he fell off the ladder and landed on Ichigo. In seconds the two men were arguing as they entered the house, the lanterns still setting on the ground. Arguing soon turned to fighting, after a couple of minutes Isshin ran wailing to his wife's poster.

"Oh Masaki, our son is trying to send me to see you. " Isshin cried with giant fake tears. Karin rolled her eyes at her father's antics, she was in a good mood, she would be meeting with a certain white haired captain with mesmerizing green eyes this afternoon, not that Ichi-nii knew she had a date. Her dad knew of course, he told her to tell 'little shiro ' he said hello. Karin had been surprised when she found out her dad had been captain of the 10th Division before Tosh, she was even more surprised that they knew each other. It embarrassed her to no end when her dad called Tosh 'little shiro" or ' second son', Tosh stopped correcting him a couple of months ago, and usually just rolled his eyes. Karin finished her lunch, she ran upstairs to get ready for soccer practice.

After Ichigo and Isshin finally got the Obon lanterns up, Ichigo headed out the door to go to work.

...

Isshin sat, by his wife's poster straddling a kitchen chair backwards. He dropped the crazy act since his children were out, Ichigo working, Karin practicing soccer, and whatever else with Toshiro, and Yuzu visiting a friend's house.

"Oh Masaki, I wish you were here" He said with a sad sigh. "Ichigo isn't doing good. Part of his heart is missing, it's eating him up inside. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help him you'd know the right words to say, the words to make him feel better. You were always better at that than I was. " He said setting on the chair backwards, he rested his chin on his arms, he looked at the poster for awhile, as if she could give him answers from beyond the grave.

"I miss you more than I can say beloved, someday when the kids are grown I'm going to turn the Soul Society inside out if that's what it takes to find you. I promise I will find you, no matter how long it takes. Until then Masaki, I love you so much, so very much." He finished as he felt a familiar presence nearby.

"Hmm, I wonder?" He contemplated.

...

Rukia stepped out of the sankaimon, she took a deep breath, for a moment she was overcome with a wave of nostalgia. She felt a familiar presence behind her.

"Hello Ishida-san, how are you? " She turned and asked politely.

"I'm well Kuchiki-san, yourself?" Uryuu Ishida asked, somewhat confused. Why was she here and why now, why not before?

"May I help you with something?" He asked, polite but distant. They may have fought a war together, but she was still a shinigami and he was a Quincy.

"I'm just checking a few things for captain Ukatake. " Rukia said, looking around and feeling the spirit energy around the area.

"You wouldn't know where I could find Sado and Inoue?" She asked.

"Sado has a gig tonight, he's probably getting ready. Inoue works at the bakery around the corner from her house, she'll be working till 5." He said

"As for what else you're looking for, I'm certain you know where to find it." He said

"Huh?" Rukia asked, confused.

"Don't worry about it, you'll figure it out I'm sure. " He said, made his goodbyes before turning and walking away, leaving a perplexed shinigami standing in the park.

Rukia decided to check on Inoue first, she made her way to the bakery, she looked into the window from across the street. Orihime was waiting on customers, her head popped up before she shook it off. Rukia was sure she hadn't been seen, she decided she might contact Inoue later after she made her preliminary checks.

Orihime had tried to talk the owner into making a Wasabi flavored cake with red bean paste filling and coffee icing, he hadn't been impressed. He never took her suggestions, she was just trying to help, she thought to herself a little hurt. He asked her to keep an eye on the counter while he made made a special order that was due at noon tomorrow. Orihime felt something familiar in the back of her mind, she looked up and for a moment she thought she saw a familiar flash of black robes and raven hair.

"It couldn't have been her, you're seeing things Orihime, you need a macha leek tea. That'll perk you right up." She said to herself, before going back to work. They wanted a yellow cake with dark chocolate icing, it sounded boring to her. It would be better with red bean paste, Orihime thought.

Rukia had been surprised when she checked on Ichigo's sister Karin, she was in the park by the soccer field, that wasn't surprising. That Karin was currently setting in captain Hitsugaya's lap with her arms around his neck was surprising, if Rukia didn't know better she would have sworn it looked like they were kissing. She looked closer, only to gasp on shock, they were kissing.

"When did that happen?" Rukia muttered, her mind running away with several possibilities, some that made her blush. For just a moment she imagined herself setting in Ichigo's lap, his arms around her, as they exchanged gentle but passionate kisses. Rukia hugged herself as she imagined it, for a moment her whole body seemed to turn red. She shook herself out of it.

"Baka, it can't happen he can't even see you, he didn't think about you that way anyway. " Rukia berated herself.

Rukia made her way across town to the place she was dreading and looking forward to. She stood out in front of the Kurosaki Clinic. She saw the Obon lanterns, she smiled at the irony of that. To Rukia it didn't look like anyone was home, she felt drawn to go in anyway.

As Rukia phased through the door she felt warm and welcomed, as if the house itself was greeting her. Rukia walked through the living area and kitchen, looking at the table she remembered all of the meals she had with Ichigo and and his family here. She could almost taste Yuzu's excellent cooking, she smiled thinking about Isshin's antics, she really missed her time here. They had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome. Yuzu and Isshin had been especially welcoming, they made her feel like part of the family. Karin had eventually warmed up to her, and treated her like a big sister. Ichigo was, well he was Ichigo.

Rukia reluctantly made her way upstairs, she looked into the twins room. She remembered many nights laughing together, or giggling over this boy or that. Rukia thought that must be what it was like to have little sisters. Rukia was surprised that the rollaway bed she had used was setting in folded in the corner, almost as if it was waiting to be used again. She touched it, running her fingers over it, letting the memories take her back for a moment.

Rukia left the room, she stood in front of the door with the 15 on it, part of her wanted to run, but she slowly walked into the room. Ichigo's room hadn't changed a bit, she walked around the room. Rukia felt melancholic longing in her heart, she sighed. Rukia opened the closet and gasped when she saw what was in the it.

"He got that for you, Rukia-chan. " a very familiar voice said.

"Isshin-san, he he." Rukia said, her voice breaking. Rukia couldn't believe he put an Obon lantern on her futon in the closet.

"I think he was hoping it would guide you home. He doesn't know I know, but he misses you so much." Isshin said with a warm smile. Her emotions in turmoil Rukia sat on the floor, she tried to stop the tears running down her face. A sob escaped her, followed by another and another. The dam broke, and her walls collapsed, the emotions she held in check for so long overwhelmed her. As she collapsed in a sobbing heap on the floor she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, and hold her gently. It was warm, and comforting, a father's loving embrace.

"Welcome home my third daughter, we've missed you. " He said, to the girl sobbing in his arms, his voice warm, gentle and caring.

"Isshin oka-san." She gasped between sobs. He just held her tight and let her cry.

"It's ok Rukia-chan, everything is going to be okay. " Isshin said as he held the sobbing girl.

"It'll be ok, I promise. "