I don't own anything! Put away your lawyers, please!

Summary:
"When you lose someone, you usually go through the five stages of grief… denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. …I think I may be stuck on the fourth one." He helped her gain back the hope she had long-since lost. IchiRuki; AU

Rating: M (For safety and possible situations)
Genre: Romance/ Hurt/Comfort/Drama

Some quotes are from random books. More are from songs. Others I made up completely.

Inspiration: Inori~ You Raise Me Up by Lena Park, Because of You by Kelly Clarkson, and Saving Zoë by Alyson Noël, plus a lot of other stuff.

Thank you guys so much for the reviews! You're so awesome!

I don't own any of the songs/quotes/book titles/authors in here, either!

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Chapter 11:
The Last Song

Watch the ice turn to snow
And the leaves a golden glow
The clouds cover up the stars
And the wind takes us home

-Gone in October by Derek Daisey

April 30th; 5:09 PM

Rukia:

"Julliard?" Orihime's voice sounded through the room. "You got accepted into Julliard? That's great!"

"No. Not accepted yet," I corrected her, sighing. "I'm trying to have a positive attitude until I get the letter that will ultimately determine the rest of my life." I paused. "Oh, my god…"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Shut up. You're gonna get in. Has anyone seen Tatsuki?" We were at Dawn's place. Her parents were out doing whatever for their anniversary, and Austin was at a friend's birthday. So, for now, it was just us.

"Uh-uh." Orihime shook her head apologetically. "Sorry. I think she's out somewhere."

"No shit, Sherlock. She's not answering her phone." Dawn rolled her eyes. "So, anyway, Julliard. Does your dad know you're applying?"

"No. And I'm not gonna tell him. He still thinks I'm going to medical school. Sorry, daddy dearest, but the sight of blood makes me sick to my stomach. I can't." I faked a whiny little girl voice, which made the others giggle at my stupidity.

The door opened, and Austin walked in, dropping his bag on the couch.

"Hey, bro!" Dawn, in her good mood, sang cheerily, while her brother just grunted in reply, mumbling something about deranged older sisters and blackmail. "Love ya too!" She sang again, waving.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's got you so happy?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, still smiling. "Better to be happy now and sad later than to have never been happy at all, right?"

I think it was, 'Tis better to have loved and to lost than to never have loved at all,' but Dawn would always be Dawn, so stupid sayings and crap like that would always slip from her mouth.

"I guess…" Inoue mumbled to herself, a quizzical look on her face.

"Mmhm." I murmured in reply, too lazy to say anything more.

Dawn, rolling her eyes again, asked, "Okay. Orihime, what about you? Any college plans?"

"Mmhm. I like the idea of something like… Harvard or some other ivy league school like that."

Orihime could make it. She's in so many extracurricular activities, not to mention a 4.0 GPA for the entirety of middle and high school. Dawn shrugged; she obviously thought so, too.

"Okay."

"And you?" I asked her, leaning back on the couch.

"Hmm… I don't know. Either wherever my dad went to law school, or I'll become an FBI agent. Either way, I'm going back to my roots and heading over to L.A." We all knew she'd be back there eventually; that's where most of her family lived, not counting the ones who lived in Spain.

Orihime smiled, "Spend your days in front of a courtroom and doing paperwork, or tracking down the bad guys? Hmm… what to choose, what to choose?" Her voice was sarcastic; very unlike Inoue. I shrugged, and made a face.

"I'd be FBI so I could pack a gun." I said, shifting on my couch seat.

"I picked FBI for the sake of justice and all that crap," Dawn laughed, sitting back in her chair. She seemed nervous for some reason, playing with her fingers and sighing every now and then. After a few minutes of silence, I finally broke the suffocating silence.

"What's on the news?" The TV was on mute, but the news broadcaster seemed frantic and loud on the television. Dawn shrugged, grabbing the remote, and restoring the volume.

"Jasmine Holly here with the six o' clock news. Something happened this evening at…"

"Huh, maybe a kid fell down a well." Dawn said with a small shrug. "Or maybe it's another burglary."

"Don't say that!" Orihime chastised, shaking her head. "It could happen!"

Dawn rolled her eyes, and I listened.

"There was a burglary tonight at 2928 Tokiko Street. A seventeen-year old boy was attacked, and is in critical condition at Karakura General Hospital. It's unclear how…"

I couldn't hear. Couldn't see. All I could do was feel. Feel the pain, uncertainty creep into my heart, my mind. Dawn's hand was on my shoulder, but Orihime's soft voice was what rang through the living area.

"Rukia, that's Ichigo's house."

I looked at my phone; it was on silent, and I hadn't looked at it all day.

Three missed calls.

I recognized the number as Byakuya's. Then Ichigo's cell. And finally, Tatsuki's.

"I'll drive us," Was Dawn's immediate response to my silence, and she grabbed the keys. The metal linked with the blue fluffy keychain, and made an annoying clanging noise with the silver chain. Orihime's hand grabbed mine carefully.

"He'll be fine," She said, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

"Austin!" Dawn yelled for her brother, who came out of his room lazily.

"What?"

"Hospital, now. Get in the car." Her voice was hard, demanding, and strictly professional. He blinked, and nodded slowly, sensing the seriousness of the situation. He grabbed a magazine and his backpack, to pass the time with whatever.

The next thing I knew, I was in the car, halfway in tears, Orihime's arms around me comfortingly, and Dawn yelling at some old woman in the car ahead of us to hurry up.

"Ichigo…" I mumbled half-coherently, tears blurring my vision. "Oh, god, Ichigo…"

We were at the hospital ten minutes later.

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Dawn: I saw Orihime run to Ishida, a guy in our calculus class—oh, shit, when did they become a couple? Oh, well, it doesn't really matter, now does it? Ishida's dad owned the hospital, so of course he'd be here. Rukia was being comforted by Ichigo's dad and his two sisters. From what I'd heard, Isshin had been in the clinic, in the other building. The twins were at the mall.

I sat quietly next to Byakuya. "What're you doing here?" I asked quietly, gazing up at him curiously.

"I figured Rukia needed some help, but I don't think I'm needed much, anyway." He made a move to get up, but I grabbed his hand. He looked at me curiously.

"Don't…" I started, but stopped. I shut my eyes, tight. I opened them, looking at his beautiful face. "Don't go. I… I really need someone right now." My hand stayed on his, and he didn't move. Instead he nodded, and put an arm awkwardly around my shoulders, half-hugging me.

I sobbed twice.

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Rukia: Isshin's smile was broken as he looked at me. His hair was disheveled, and he looked like one hot mess. I tried to ignore him, until Karin sat down next to me.

"You look like crap," She said bluntly, and I smiled.

"You do, too."

"Not as bad as you."

"Uh-huh." We laughed. She looked at the double doors leading to Ichigo, where he was in surgery, where he was bleeding, where he was fighting for his life from some idiot who put a bullet in his chest.

"He'll make it," I answered her unasked question.

"I know," Her voice was thick with tears. "I know…" Her voice was closer to breaking, now, and all of a sudden, she'd buried her head in the crook of my neck, not crying, but sobbing. I turned, rubbing her back.

"Shh, Karin. It's okay. He's gonna be okay. He's gonna be juuuust fine."

And then, I was crying, too.

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Byakuya: Dawn was asleep, now, her head on my shoulder. I stroked her hair softly, and she stirred in her sleep. Tears stained her flushed cheeks, and I sighed.

They must be good friends, I thought with a smile. A boy sat to my right, and I looked at him. He looked frighteningly like the seventeen-year-old at my left; he had that dark, chocolate-brown hair, the bright hazel eyes, and the tanned skin. He was probably ten or eleven.

"You… you're Byakuya, right?" His voice was questioning. I nodded, and shifted into a more comfortable position. Dawn grumbled in her sleep. I smiled slightly. "She really likes you." He nodded to Dawn, and I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm her brother, Austin," He half-smiled. "Pfft. Of course she'd fall for you, an older guy. Guess she never learns." He leaned back in the hospital chair and I blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. D was head over heels 'in love' with a dude a couple years back. Dad didn't know, but mom did." He shrugged, and leaned forward, a hospital magazine in his hands. He threw it on the glass table. "Warned her not to stay with him."

He shook his head, and continued. "He was eight years older than her. As you get older, it may not mean much, but between a fifteen year old and a twenty-three year old, it's everything." He looked at his sister through his brown bangs. Smiled faintly. "He crushed her. Cheated on her with a girl from his college." He shook his head. "Don't break my sister's heart," Was all he said. He grinned foxily, and then walked away, probably to get a new magazine.

After a few moments, Dawn woke up. "Mmm… huh? Oh, Byakuya, hi. I'm sorry, hehe… did I snore?" She looked at me apologetically. Maybe it was what Austin said, or maybe it was something else, but I wrapped her in a hug. An innocent gesture, but I meant so much more.

She didn't question me, just relaxed and hugged me back. I'd never break her heart. Yes, I loved Hisana with all my heart and soul. But she'd want me to be happy. And right now, I was. Maybe one day I could learn to love her as more than a little sister figure, maybe it wouldn't last. Maybe it will. But I won't dwell on that.

Because for now, I'm content.

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Rukia: Five hours.

It played in my head like screams from a horror film. Nearly five hours I'd been stuck here, worrying and wondering over the man I loved. And yes, I admit it, I loved him to bits. To shreds. I'll never stop loving him.

Isshin sat down next to me, and handed me a cup of coffee. I took it wordlessly. He spoke when he saw me make no move to drink.

"It'll get cold. Drink it, come on. You need the caffeine."

"No, I don't." I said stubbornly.

Isshin sighed. "You haven't slept since you came here, I can see it." I'm sure a two-year old could see it. Bags under my eyes, slouchy posture, irritated nature.

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I'm just so… so…"

"Worried?"

"Mad, is more like it." I swallowed down more tears. Isshin smiled faintly.

"Why mad?"

"Because," I laughed bitterly, looking at the ceiling. "Because your son's an idiot… no offense," I added, smiling brokenly.

Isshin shrugged nonchalantly. "None taken."

"Ichigo's the best thing in my life right now," My eyes welled up with tears. "I've gotten so used to him, so used to being wanted." I shut my eyes tight. "That… that I can't imagine being without him… Oh, god. I can't believe this…" I was sitting Indian-style on the uncomfortable couch, head in my hands.

Isshin took one of them, and held it. "It's gonna be okay," He murmured, and he was more of a father than mine ever was, in that one moment. Without me noticing, the doctor made her way out, a somewhat happy smile on her face. 'Dr. Unohana' is what her name-tag said.

A nurse was stuck to her side, clipboard in hand.

"We have some good news about your son," The nurse, Isane, said happily. "He's in stable condition, but is asleep for now. Only one person is allowed in at a time."

Isshin smiled comfortingly at me, and nodded. "Go," He said, "I can annoy him later. He'd wanna see you."

I couldn't even nod; I was outta there in no time.

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"Better wake up soon, I swear to God," I whispered, holding his hand tightly. The sounds in the room were annoying, the only thing keeping me from sleeping. I wanted to, so badly. I was exhausted, seriously, but I couldn't sleep.

I glared at the clock, which told me it was a little past midnight, and then to the heart monitors, which told me he was alive. Just barely, but alive.

I sighed shakily, gripping his hand and laying my head down.

Wake up.

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"Oh my god, hi." Mitsuki hugged Byakuya. She held his hands. Her fingers were cold.

"Mitsuki?" He was surprised. What would his sister be doing here?

"I heard what happened to Rukia. I wanted to see if you guys were okay."

"Where's Renji?"

Mitsuki bit her lip, "He's on a plane to Tokyo." He heard a slight choke in her voice.

He hesitated on asking. "Why?" Dawn looked from brother to sister. Her eyes were trained on the mysterious woman who claimed to be Byakuya's twin. She smiled at the older woman, who smiled back, albeit sadly.

"His aunt Luce," Mitsuki finally sighed, "Luce Abarai. Hibiki's sister, you remember? Well, she…" She laughed bitterly, "She took him in. The judge thought it was a good idea, seeing as how she has a few kids of her own…"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. He's not even my family. I shouldn't be so shook up. After all, he'll come see me…" She smiled, and looked around. "Uh, Rukia? Where's Rukia?"

"In the hospital room, with Ichigo." Dawn finally spoke, motioning towards the crème colored double doors.

"Oh," And the Kuchiki woman said nothing more. She merely nodded, and sat down next to her brother, looking at this new girl plastered to his side. She was cute, but very young as well.

Mitsuki wrung her hands together nervously. She looked at her brother, mouthing out, in a bit of a warning,

Don't screw up. Please, don't.

I'm sorry.

"That doesn't change a thing, you bastard." She smiled, wiping away tears. She deleted Renji's text to her, and slid down the hospital wall.

I don't really fucking care. Just come... and see me again. Don't break it to my heart.

Don't break it to my heart...

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Dear Diary,

It's… ah, been a while, huh?

I still feel, dreadfully so, like a total moron spilling my feelings to a book. But after all that's happened… rediscovering my sister, finding Ichigo, and actually—yes, actually—getting a tiny bit closer to my father. Maybe someday I'll be comfortable enough to call him 'Daddy' or something stupid like that.

I wonder what Hisa would say. Something like… 'It'll be okay,' or she'd just change the subject, like she always did, and say, 'Thank goodness you and daddy are on good terms!' or something equally stupid and naïve.

I know if anyone ever reads my diary, and finds this page—they'll never know what's wrong, considering I haven't updated in forever.

All I know is that I miss Ichigo. The orange haired buffoon. My orange-haired buffoon. I loved the idiot, and that's a fact.

Now, if only he'd wake up.

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Three days later:

For three days, all I've done is eat, barely sleep, read Hisana's diary, or wait for Ichigo to wake up. I felt a prolonged sense of dread as I turned the page.

Dear diary,
Byakuya proposed! I… I don't think I've ever been so happy. Of course, we're really young, so we're gonna wait. Spring, that's what we decided. After college, after we get jobs, after everything, we're getting married. Our flower girl's gonna be Byakuya's niece, and Rukia, Mitsuki, Asuna, and Soi Fon are gonna be my bridesmaids. Yoruichi already grabbed the position of Maid of Honor.
Oh—well, I have to go. I have a flight to catch. I'm leaving you here, though, my dearest little diary. I don't see much point in taking you. I won't have any time to write! Ha!

I promise I will tell all when I come home. Bye!

-Hisana

A tear splashed onto the page.

That was it. No… no, no, no… it couldn't be through. It couldn't be over. I began tearing through the pages, looking for another entry. The tears were falling freely, now. Ichigo was almost gone—barely in my grip. Hisana's gone, now. Completely. Absolutely. Now that her diary's finished, who'll care enough to keep her memory alive?

I let the book drop, my face dropping into the palms of my hands. I leaned over Ichigo's bed, begging him silently to wake up. I couldn't let him go.

I couldn't let the best thing in my life go away, too.

Ichigo's eyes fluttered open slowly, and the first thing he caught sight of was Rukia's tangled mess of ebony hair. Her shoulders were shaking in a blue cardigan, her jeans ripped at the knees. She looked terrible.

"Rukia…" He whispered.

Rukia's head jolted up. "I-Ichigo?" She choked on his name, a sob ripping through her lips. He blinked, and pulled her close.

"Shh, Rukia. Shh, it's okay. It's alright." He murmured, stroking her hair. He didn't get a thing about this. He had just practically returned from the dead, and here Rukia was, crying tears that were probably not formed because of joy.

"You're such an idiot," She muttered, "Scaring me half to death like that. I hate you." She buried her head into his chest, careful to avoid the IV needles sticking out every which way.

He smirked. "You do not. What's wrong?"

"H-Hisana. Hisa's gone!" She sobbed like she was just now accepting it. She was. "She didn't f-finish… she…" A sob interrupted her. Ichigo spotted the book on the floor, and hugged her harder.

"She's not gone. She's with you." Ichigo was not normally a very mushy man, but this was an exception. He didn't really believe in Heaven, or God, or anything else like that. He didn't believe his mother was watching over him. But she needed guidance. And he'd be there for her.

"I love you." She mumbled sleepily.

Ichigo could feel his own eyelids drooping. What the hell had just happened? "I love you, too."

I love you.

"Sorry."

"For what?" He asked later that day, when he'd woken up again.

"For crying on you the minute you woke up and not being all Happy-Chappy." Rukia looked up, guiltily. The diary was stuffed into her purse, and she was looking at Ichigo sadly. She looked at the Spanish soap opera on TV, not getting anything but pretended to look mildly interested.

"It's fine." He looked up at the hospital TV screen.

"I understand, you know. About losing someone."

"Your mom." It wasn't a question. She nodded to herself. "I remember."

"You're not gonna ask about her? How she died?" He looked at her oddly. Usually that was the first thing a person asked when he brought his mother up which was, let's face it, not too often.

"I don't know any fragile way of stepping on your heart without breaking it."

Ichigo chuckled at his girlfriend. "Look at you, all philosophical."

"I'm just surprised you knew that word." She taunted back, grinning.

"I was nine. We were walking home from the dojo. I used to take karate when I was young. You know, with Tatsuki. It was raining, and you know how little kids get when it rains. They see puddles, and forget everything, running forward." He sighed. "I ran into the middle of the street. A car was coming. My mom..."

"I get it," She interrupted, a soft smile on her face, "You don't have to say anything more." She touched his cheek. "Nothing else." She kissed him. And as they let out every emotion capable of feeling when you go through something as traumatic as almost dying, they failed to notice a snickering shadow looking through a crack in the door.

Isshin Kurosaki smiled happily. "That's my boy..."

That was… rushed. Ichigo's shot, then he's in the hospital, then he wakes up, and then Rukia starts crying cuz she randomly accepted her sister's death. Sorry if there's any confusion… review or PM me and I'll clear anything up.

Plz plz plz plz review!!

-tsuki