Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!

A/N: This is dedicated to one of my best friends in the whole entire world (third cousin removed twice, or is it second cousin now?) who happens to be a hopeless romantic who likes IchiRuki. Haha, not really. She just loves love stories, especially the ones that are like soap operas.

Oblivion

Kurosaki Ichigo clung to her desperately. The gates to the Soul Society were wide open in front of them that humid night. His heart was pounding against his chest rapidly as he took in slow ragged breaths. Perspiration slicked his forehead and trickled down the side of his face. His hands grasped her arm and wrist tightly.

"Please don't leave."

Kuchiki Rukia didn't want him to let go. Ordered to return to the Soul Society, she announced her leave to Ichigo and his family. Isshin was distraught at the thought of losing his third daughter. Karin and Yuzu were sad since they saw Rukia as another older sibling. Ichigo was speechless as he dropped whatever it was he had in his hands with mouth agape and a shocked expression. She truly thought it was for the better. She'd no longer be imposing on the Kurosaki family and she'd be out of Ichigo's hair. Rukia left that same night. As the gates to the Soul Society opened and she took a step forward, Ichigo came out of nowhere, running after her, grabbing her arm and forcefully pulling her back. She looked away from him.

"Let me go."

Ichigo couldn't believe she had just said that. In response, his grasp tightened. He looked at her stubbornly and held on. He didn't want to let her go so obviously, he was going to let her. He swallowed hard. "No."

Clearly frustrated, Rukia reached over with her free hand and tried to loosen his grip and pry his fingers off her wrist. "Ichigo, please, it's for the better," she said through gritted teeth.

"Better?" Ichigo echoed, "how?" His grip loosened momentarily and Rukia takes this chance to pull away from his grasp.

"I won't be imposing," she answered as she rubbed her wrist gingerly to get some feeling back into it. "And I'll be out of your life so you can live freely without me getting in your way. You need your space."

He shook his head vigorously and then asked the dreaded question. "Will I ever see you again?" His heart plummeted into his stomach when she shakes her head and tells him it's unlikely. Instantly, he grabbed a hold of her hand and secured it in his iron grip. "You can't leave me, Rukia," he said firmly and then took a deep breath before confessing to her. "I love you, Rukia." Even though his face is burning, he forced himself to look her in those beautiful amethyst eyes and comes clean. "I don't think you're imposing and you're definitely not getting in my way."

Rukia stared at him silently for a few seconds and then stepped forward into his arms. "You fool," she whispered, "I love you, too." Ichigo sighed in relief and then boldly leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Rukia wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his for a sense of closure. She left out a soft moan as he coaxed her mouth open and deepened the kiss while embracing her tightly.

Breathless, Ichigo pulled away and brushed Rukia's hair out of her face. "Does this mean you'll stay?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Rukia said sincerely with the saddest look in her eyes. Her gaze flickered over from the Soul Society gates to Ichigo, from her duty to her desires. "Ichigo, I promise that I'll come back to you," she assured him as she took his hands into her own. "I'll talk to my brother and my captain and when I'm finished with my service to the Gotei Thirteen, I'll come back and stay with you."

"It's a deal," Ichigo said quickly. "I'll wait for you. I don't care how long it takes, days, months, years. I will wait for you." Rukia nodded quickly and kissed Ichigo passionately before reluctantly pulling away and letting go of his hands. She slowly trudged towards the gates and then disappeared behind the sliding doors. Ichigo stood there alone in the streets as the door closed firmly and then dissipated.

It's been five years, six months, and eighteen days since I last saw Rukia Kuchiki. I'm a doctor now, just like my father. I'm twenty four and still waiting, but over the years, I think I'm starting to lose faith. Today is December 31st, the last day of the year. For the New Year, I've decided that I'm not going to wait anymore. I'm going to make this year a different one.

8:34 PM

Dr. Ichigo Kurosaki had finally given up. He was a neurosurgeon, successful, at the prime of his career and single. His father had pestered him about grandchildren daily and surprisingly, Ichigo and his father were on the same grounds. Ichigo wanted to settle down and he wasn't going to be young forever.

After Rukia left, he had no idea how he'd survive without her at his side. The first year was unbearable. He didn't eat and he didn't sleep very well. He was so sure that she'd arrive at any second. And then the first year passed. The second year was better for his health. His body was functioning properly, but his heart still ached for her company. By the third year, he had gotten used to his life without her. The fourth year went by so quick that he had forgotten about Rukia. When the fifth year came, Ichigo was sure that she wasn't going to come back, but he still held hope.

Tonight, there was going to be a New Year's party at the hospital. Maybe he'd kiss Haruhi, the nurse who's been showing interest in him at midnight or maybe he'd finally let go of that small shred of hope he held onto so desperately. Either way, Ichigo promised himself that this year would be different.

11:59 PM

"Three... Two... One... ZERO!" the crowd shouted and hooted as the clock struck twelve. Ichigo turned to Haruhi, smiled and found that he couldn't bring himself to kiss her. The nurse kissed him on the cheek and clinked champagne glasses with him before leaving and mingling with some other doctors. Silently, Ichigo groaned and mentally kicked himself for pining over a girl who he'd never see again. So instead of kissing the nurse, he made a New Year's wish that everything would be different.

3:11 AM

Abrupt commotion roused the doctor from his sleep. Ichigo had been napping in his office when a group of doctors and nurses rushed by, carrying a patient on a stretcher. Ichigo hurried out after them in the spotless white hallways and tried to catch a glimpse of the patient. A nurse was blocking his view, but it was safe to assume the patient was a young female. When prompted, the nurse explained the situation to him.

"We have a Jane Doe, Dr. Kurosaki," the nurse shouted over the commotion. "She was in a hit and run. Severe injuries including broken bones and blunt head trauma. We're getting her to an O.R. now."

Ichigo frowned seeing all that blood spill from the head wound. Another nurse was at Jane Doe's side, mopping up the blood from the girl's hair and the white stretcher that seemed to be turning redder every second. Ichigo inclined to get a look at the victim's face to determine age, saw it, and then stumbled from shock. He stood there, mouth open as the group rushed into an empty room to begin surgery, speechless and dazed.

Five years, six months, and nineteen days was how long Ichigo waited before he saw Rukia again.

Yawning from exhaustion, Ichigo sat on the visitor's chair in his patient's room. He had been so surprised to see Rukia, considering the circumstances. She was the last person who would get run over by a car. But he was glad she was alive and concerned for her well-being. Ichigo was so glad that Rukia survived through the surgery, especially since he was the one operating. He had been so distracted that he let one of the other doctors assist him.

Rukia looked so calm and relaxed in the white patient room. The white bandages bound tightly around her head contrasted with her dark hair and everything else in the sterile room. She was hooked up to a heart monitor and had an IV in her arm. There was a breathing tube on her pale face and various other machines around her. Ichigo's fingers strummed rhythmically on the night table as he watched the hands on the analog clock tick perpetually.

His heart skipped a beat as he reached out to her slowly and caressed her cheek and brushed back her hair. His heart pounded rapidly and he couldn't recall a time in the last five years when it had beat so fast. He wondered if he still had feelings for her, and if he did, were they as strong as they used to be? Or was she just a stranger to him now? He began having his doubts about his relationship and his loyalty to Rukia. He did promise that he would wait for her no matter what it took or how long, but he was just a teenager out of high school when he said that. But Rukia did come back for him, didn't she?

As he thought so intently, he began to dread her waking up. What sort of effect would it have on his life? Rukia returning would change everything. He paused and thought about it again. He had made a wish at midnight for everything to change. Rukia's return did change everything. Perhaps it was for the better.

A soft moan dragged him abruptly out of his thoughts. Ichigo turned to her instantly and watched as she opened her eyes slowly and reached up to pluck the oxygen mask off her face. There was an odd look to her, something that Ichigo couldn't place. He shrugged it off, assuming it was because he hadn't seen her in a while. Rukia looked around uncertainly until finally resting her gaze on him and at the moment, Ichigo found himself drowning into those amethyst pools like he always have and a chill went down his spine as he felt like a teenager again.

"Rukia," he murmured, and reached over to caress her face. "You're finally awake. I can't believe you came back." There was no familiarity when his eyes probed hers. He was extremely confused, surprised and hurt when she pulled away from his touch. "Rukia?" he asked uncertainly.

Wincing as she tried to sit up, she scooted herself all the way to one side of the bed; the side farthest from Ichigo. There was a look of confusion and fear in her eyes. Finally finding her voice, she whispered, "Who are you?"

How many times was his heart going to keep plummeting into his stomach?

Ichigo stared at Rukia in shock as she claimed not to know who he was. "Rukia, it's me, Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo." The name didn't seem to spark her memory since she just sat there with a confused look. Shoving his emotions aside, he looked at her not through the eyes of a lover, but a doctor. "I'm your doctor," he said, attempting to sound pleasant.

"Oh, Dr. Kurosaki," she murmured. "What happened?" she asked as she looked down at her bandaged arms and torso. Her legs were bandaged as well. "I can't remember anything," she confessed with a worried look.

'Amnesia,' Ichigo thought as he looked at her. "You were hit by a car," he said, trying not to sound blatant. "Hit and run," he said. "You banged your head up pretty good so your memory must have gotten affected." Standing up, he looked away from her and called one of the nurses to check her vitals.

"Jane Doe have a name?" Haruhi asked as she looked through the door at Rukia. "Or do you know her, Kurosaki-sama?"

"Kuchiki Rukia," Ichigo answered as he started to fill out an information sheet for references. "She's my..." he trailed off as he was unsure what word to plug into the sentence. She wasn't an ex and she was officially his girlfriend. "Nakama, she's my nakama," Ichigo said with a sullen sigh. "She has a case of amnesia," he finished and brushed past Haruhi into his office.

Ichigo sighed as he supported his head on his hand with an elbow on the desk. Well, things were certainly different now that Rukia didn't even remember him. He wondered how much she did remember though. What would Isshin say when he found out that his 'third daughter' came back? Ichigo recalled how fond of Rukia his father was and always believed she would be the one to give him grandchildren. For a while, Ichigo thought that too.

"Kurosaki-sama, she's asleep. She's got good vitals and looks healthy despite her injuries," Haruhi said cheerfully. "It's late, you know. You should get some sleep too. Big day ahead of you tomorrow, Mister Neurosurgeon!"

"I think I'll just crash here tonight," Ichigo said, thinking about some of the recovery beds at the end of the hall or some empty patient rooms. "It's Rukia. I'm worried about her," he explained.

"Oh?" Haruhi asked. "She sounds like she's very dear to you."

Ichigo chuckled, "something like that. But I haven't seen her in five years, six months and nineteen days, not that I'm counting or anything."

Haruhi smiled. "I wish you luck then. I hope she remembers you soon."

"How are you feeling today, Rukia?" Ichigo asked with a fake cheerfulness as he approached her in the morning. She was sitting up in bed with her hands on her lap. Her gaze was fully concentrated on the birds perched outside by her window.

Startled, she looked over to Ichigo with wide eyes. "Rukia?" she echoed, "That's my name?"

Ichigo involuntarily winced. Haruhi must have not said anything. "Your name is Rukia Kuchiki," he stated. If she didn't even remember her own name, would it mean that she didn't even remember anything about the Soul Society and her Shinigami powers? "I hope you're feeling much better."

"Much," she answered and turned away from him and continued watching the birds. "You know me, don't you?" she asked quietly.

It was Ichigo's turn to be startled. "What?" he stammered.

"Kurosaki-san, a doctor doesn't sit at his patient's bedside and wait until they wake up and they certainly do not greet them with a touch to the face." Ichigo was at his wit's end when he tried to come up with a white lie for her. "You know me. I heard you say that I finally came back. From where?"

"Your home," Ichigo answered, deciding that his assumption that she forgot everything was confirmed. He decided to keep his answered short and simple for the time being. "I haven't seen you since you went back so it was a bit of a shock to discover that you were my patient."

Ichigo quickly checked her vitals and inspected his work on her head before leaving. "Kurosaki-san?" she called out when he reached the door frame. He stopped and turned around. "I have a favor to ask of you," she started. "Please don't tell me everything that happened. I would like to remember everything on my own without the aid of anybody."

"Sure thing," Ichigo answered and forced a smile onto his face.

Much to Ichigo's surprise, it hurt more than he thought it would when he went to check on her in the morning. In the morning, all her features were accented by the sunlight and he saw that she looked much different than last time he had seen her. For starters, she wasn't a midget anymore. She had definitely grown a few inches and her hair was a little bit longer. She looked at least twenty now.

It hurt, seeing her like this, beautiful, but confused.

It hurt the way she looked at him with eyes of a stranger.

It hurt the way he couldn't tell her the truth.

But most of all, it hurt the way she called him 'Kurosaki-san,' like he was just a stranger to her and not a dear friend.