Stand By Me
"Ichigo you can't do this, you can't go" Rukia said to Ichigo pleading with him
Rukia watched as Ichigo paced back and forth as if deciding what to say, to make her change her mind. No he just couldn't go, not anymore, not since she had gotten pregnant. Her baby was going to have a father whether he liked it or not.
"Rukia it's just not that simple" Ichigo said
"What's not simple, stay with me." Rukia said trying to convince her husband "You don't have to fight Ichigo"
"You know damn well I have to fight, I have to end this" Ichigo said "Who's going to kill Aizen huh Rukia? Byakuya, Renji, Kenpachi?"
"I don't know, just not you"
Ichigo sighed it was true he didn't want to go he didn't want to leave her, but he had to, he had to kill Aizen. The fact that she was pregnant, wasn't helping either.
"I'm the only one who can kill Aizen even you know this"
"So what your just going to leave me, leave us" She said putting her hand on her eight month old protruding belly
"I'm leaving to protect you" Ichigo sighed walking up to her pulling her into an warm hug as he spoke to her…
"Rukia if I don't fight and Aizen prevails he'll kill us all, you ,me and our baby and I can't have that, I fought so hard to have you Rukia to have what we have now and I'll be damned if I let Aizen take that away from me"
Rukia pushed off of him, not able to stand the fact that he was going to leave as he spoke to her again.
"You're my wife and I love you and him, but as a husband and father it's my duty to protect my family any means necessary even leaving them"
"What about us" Rukia pleaded once again "What if you die, he won't have a father I won't have you"
"I won't die, but if I do, Aizen dies with me and I have done my job in protecting my family"
Silence filled the air once again. Rukia's eyes full of tears began to wander around their house in soul society as she felt him near her once again. He pulled her around to face him but she wouldn't look him in the eyes and only said…
"What do you want Ichigo"
"I need you to stand by me" Ichigo said awaiting an answer
"I'm sorry Ichigo I won't"
Rukia watched as Ichigo smiled down at her and not a fake smile but a real one, the one he always gave to her, the one she loved the most. She watched as his lips met hers in a sincere but passionate kiss as she responded to him, never being able to object one of his kisses. Their lips locked slowly with one another as she moved her hands around his neck and his hands slowly pulled her into a hug.
Their kiss ended as the need for air came once again and he began putting butterfly kisses on her lips then stopped remembering their was one final battle he needed to attend to.
"I love you Rukia" Ichigo said planting one last kiss on her lips as he got on one knee and repeated the same notion to her stomach. "And you too kiddo" Then he left and right as the door closed Rukia broke down and cried, she couldn't think of anything else to do.
Ichigo trotted through the streets of soul society towards Soukyou hill. He knew eventually Rukia would try to follow him to bring him home and away from battle, but he couldn't have that, she couldn't get hurt especially with their baby in her stomach. There was no way in hell he was chancing that,
Rukia sat up as she felt her baby begin to kick ,but it wasn't just any kick like none before, it was the hardest yet. It was like he already knew daddy was gone, and might not come back. And that was sign to go get him. Rukia walked out their home only to see Rangiku, Ikkaku and Yumichika waiting out side but before she could say a word, she blacked out.
Rukia awoke to the sound of Renji screaming to get reinforcements ready. She couldn't help but wander for what. Then she remembered everything, the fight, the war and Ichigo.
"Renji what happened?" Rukia asked eagerly
"Sorry but were under strict rules to keep you confined in this room with around the clock surveillance" Renji said as he watched her get up and near the door and try to escape but he threw his body in front of it with his arms crossed.
Renji watched as Rukia became mad and when I say mad I mean turning Incredible hulk here people..
"AND WHO THE HELL GAVE YOU THAT ORDER" Rukia screamed
"Ichigo" Renji said "He is in charge of this war you know?" Renji watched as her face became stricken with pain and bottled up emotions as tears began to weld up in her eyes. Renji was about to comfort his best friend until a knock on the door was heard and a lieutenant 4 messenger appeared.
"Abarai fuku-taicho please excuse me if I am interrupting anything but we've just gotten surveillance in on the fight"
And with that Rukia's eyes widened at that information. If she couldn't go then maybe she could see him.
"No" Renji said "I know what you're thinking and the answer is no"
Rukia realizing what he was saying testified.
"But Renji, I need to see him to know that he's okay"
"I've been given strict orders" Renji tried to finish until Rukia interrupted him..
"Damn the orders, he's my husband and I'm pregnant with his kid and your going to deny my right to see him" Then suddenly Rukia felt Ichigo's rieatsu drop, it was obvious Renji felt it too because he hurried Rukia as they entered the surveillance room to see Aizen & Ichigo already bloody and beaten.
"Getsuga tenshou" Ichigo said as he fired another at Aizen who easily deflected the blast, then shunpo'd behind Ichigo and stuck Kyoka Suigetsu (Aizen's Zanpakuto) through Ichigo's back then sent him crashing to the ground.
Rukia watched as Ichigo hit the ground hard and blood began to splatter around his body until he moved and sat up.
Ichigo felt Aizen's presence once again and tried to defend himself but Aizen was too quick as he punched Ichigo into the nearest tree sending him sky rocketing as the dirt flew up.
Rukia could feel it Ichigo was dying and it hurt, it really, really hurt.
"Get up" Aizen demanded until he picked Ichigo up and through him on his feet himself.
"Shut up" Ichigo replied as he held Zangetsu's Bankai form in front of him.
"I wish your wife and soul society could see they're so called Hero in the last moments of his life, looking so pathetic"
"Shut up, how many times do I have to say it before you get it through your mind I refuse to die"
"Why make promises you can't keep ryoka boy?"
"What are you talking about?" Ichigo said as there swords meant in a simultaneous order, as Ichigo landed Zangetsu through Aizen's Shoulder but at the same time was cut across the chest for leaving himself so wide open.
Rukia watched as they battled it out and with each cut each word she could feel him losing, him dying. There wasn't a second that went by that his rieatsu didn't fade just a little. She was so focused on the battle she didn't notice herself crying.
"I'm sure you promised Kuchiki Rukia you would survive" Aizen said landing his sword through Ichigo chest once again as he took Zangetsu and shattered it to pieces.
Rukia watched as Ichigo coughed out blood over and over as Aizen pushed his blade through Ichigo only to withdraw it quickly and hold it to his neck.
"You came here prepared to die today didn't you?" Aizen said pulling Ichigo up to his knees so he had better access to Ichigo's neck. Ichigo looking up at Aizen no fear what so ever in his eye's said
"I came prepared to kill you"
"Is that so Ryoka boy, because I see you're the one with a sword up against your neck"
"Yeah I guess your right but remember this if it's not me who will kill you then its captain Yamato"
"You put up a good fight but you end here"
Renji watched as Aizen lifted his sword and began to strike to Ichigo's neck, he knew what was going to happen next, then he remembered Rukia, he looked to see her eye's full of shock then all of a suddenly they turned light blue as if she had just traveled to another world which indeed she did.
Rukia opened her eye's to find herself on top of a blue building, it was very dark there and it was raining the only sounds were of the thundering and the only light was the lightning, she looked around she didn't understand where she was at until she turned around and saw a figure, it was a man he was soaking wet, he had a beard and some glasses on.
"Who are you?" Rukia asked the strange man
"I am surprised you do not know me, from the descriptions Ichigo has given to you"
"Zangetsu?"
"Yes?" Zangetsu asked
"But…how…you…I…" Rukia said confused
"Your letting him die Rukia"
"Ichigo isn't going to" but she was cut off
"He is as of now" Zangetsu watched as her face scrunched with pain, so he decided to help her as he caught her attention once again, as she paid attention to him.
"Do you want to save him, do you want to save Ichigo?"
"Of course" Rukia said "more then anything"
"I recall he asked you a question, he said he needed you to Stand by him"
"Yes but what does that have to do with" but she was cut off once again
"Just stand by him, through thick and thin, and all the battles to come, the cuts and blood, he needs to know this Rukia, tell him" Zangetsu said as he began to fade away
"But how?" Rukia asked "he's in battle"
"Just call out to him and he will hear you" And with that Zangetsu faded away and Rukia was suddenly back with Renji as she watched Aizen bring up his sword, but she knew what she had to do.
"Ichigo, you asked me to stand by you and I will and I am right now, forever, in the future I will always stand by you no matter what, in every fight, so get up," Rukia screamed as Aizen's sword came down but was stopped by Ichigo's hand in the nick of time as he pushed Aizen back, pulled him forward then threw him into the ground.
Ichigo had thought he heard Rukia telling him, that she would stand by him no matter what. He thought he was hallucinating until he heard Zangetsu speaking to him.
"What are you stupid, grab me" Zangetsu commanded as Ichigo picked up his broken sword.
"Was that" Ichigo asked
"Yes it was Rukia"
"But how?"
"She wanted you too know she loves you and doesn't want you to die" Zangetsu said as they watched Aizen get up
"Then she should know that as well" Ichigo answered preparing himself for Aizen's attack as he watched him begin to generate as much power as he could. His rieatsu a fiery yellow
"We only have enough strength for one more strike Ryoka"
"Then I'm gonna give it all I got" Ichigo said as they began to run to each other and he too began to generate all of his remaining power his an ocean blue color.
"Now" Ichigo heard Zangetsu say "Call out my name"
"Zan" Ichigo said as they were getting closer to each other. "get" as they're power reached it's peak "su" Ichigo said as the two collided.
4 years later
Rukia awoke to the cry of her son, she turned to look at the clock it was 2:43 a.m., she wondered what had woken him up so early so she went to check and see. He was sitting up with his PJ's half on, wiping his Violet eye's.
"What's wrong Kai?" Rukia asked her 3 year old son
"Mommy, dwaddy gone?"
"Did you have a bad dream?" Rukia said her concern for him off the charts
"It was scwary" Kai said as he sniffled his nose
"Why don't you come and tell me and Daddy all about it"
"Okay" Kai said as he took his mother's hand as she led him to their room and he looked at his sleeping father and screamed..
"Dwaddy, dwaddy, dwaddy, wake up" Kai said as he jumped on his father.
Ichigo woke up to find his Son playing dog pile on him, he thought of Kai as a true blessing the same thing he thought of Rukia so he picked his son up.
"Hey little guy what's wrong?"
"He had an nightmare" Rukia said as she sat down on the bed eyeing Ichigo with worry.
"Yeah, what about?" Ichigo asked
"Thwere was this scwary guy and you were fwightin him, then he tried to decrapiwate you, thwen you stwopped him, and said Zangwetsu, then I woke up,"
"Really" Ichigo said looking at Rukia who was as shocked as he was. "You know as long as I have my big strong son Kai by my side nothing can happen to me"
"Really" Kai said
"Really, now off to bed you go, kiddo" Ichigo said giving him a hug.
"Okay" Kai said as he kissed his mother goodnight then ran into his room, snuggled up against his pillow then slowly fell asleep.
Ichigo and Rukia had settled back into bed by now, her face pulled up to his as they kissed passionately, then she stopped and said.
"I hope your right"
"I am" Ichigo said as he rolled her on top of him "You know I really love having Kai around" He said in-between the butterfly kisses he was planting on her neck.
"m-me to-too" Rukia said stuttering from the contact on her neck
"We should try for another" Ichigo said stopping to look at Rukia to see her decision. Rukia smiled knowing exactly what he was up too.
"I agree" She said pulling him up to meet her lips once again, as he flipped them so he was on top.
"That dream" Rukia said " Was about the war"
"Yeah I know" Ichigo said working on her kimono "That reminds me of something I forgot to say to you"
Rukia surprised stopped him to look each other in the eye.
"And what's that?" She asked
"Thank you Rukia for Standing by me"
When the night has come So darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me If the sky that we look upon And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
oh stand by me, stand by me
Should tumble and fall
or the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
whoa Stand now, stand by me, stand by me
Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me.
This story was inspired by the movie stand by me inspired by the book The body by Stephen Spielberg.