Chapter 2

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Violet eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked tiredly and looked slightly up. First her eyes met her own arms, which her head was lying on, and then met with a face, not so far away from hers.

She slowly sat up and noticed that a blanket was draped over her shoulders.

"So I fell asleep." she thought and smiled. Her gaze fell to the sleeping boy in front of her. "Still sleeping, huh?"

Sleeping.

Rukia smiled at the word. Yes he was only sleeping. Safe, alive and only sleeping.

She moved her hand to his and rubbed it carefully, not wanting to wake him, but somehow wanting just to feel him. Feel that he was getting warmer and feel that his pulse had sped up.

Rukia stood up and yawned before heading towards the bathroom to throw some water in her face.

When she entered she looked at her mirror image. She had small bags under her eyes, and they were slightly red from her tiredness, her hair was messy, her lips were dry and her skin was pale.

"You're a mess." she thought and sighed as she turned on the water.

When she came out she felt refreshed and went back to the bed. He was still sleeping.

"God I hope he'll get better soon. I hate seeing him like this." She frowned until her stomach growled.

She went to the door to find something to eat. Before she shut the door she peaked into the white room to make sure everything was as it should be. It was and she quietly closed the door.

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When Rukia came back she found Ichigo, still lying in his bed with his pillow lifted so his head was higher, slightly awake and still scowling as always.

"Finally awake, huh?" she grinned. "Feeling any better?"

"Yeah, but my shoulder is killing me." he said and smirked with his most common smiles. The ones that were subtle and self confident.

"Hmm does it hurt that much?" she asked and mentally slapped herself. What a stupid question.

"Don't get me started." he said in a joking voice.

"You really shouldn't try to move it. It's broken. In fact surprisingly many of your bones broke when you were attacked. Do you want me to get you some painkillers?"

"No im ok." he answered and his eyes was blinking slowly, showing he was about to fall asleep again. "Well maybe I would need some coffee." he said in a mix of sarcasm and seriousness.

"But you can't drink baka."

"Why not?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Because you can't use your left arm." she replied sighing as she took a seat next to the bed.

"I can use my right." he said smugly.

"But the table is on your left and im not going to be sitting here all the time you know." getting a bit annoyed by his stubbornness. She actually didn't have any intentions to leave him nor have anything to do if she went home, but there was no way in hell she was going to admit that. "Besides you should avoid moving too much around."

"Not move around!? That's ridiculous. Once my shoulder heals I'll be totally fine." he argued.

Rukias forehead creased a bit in a strange mix of pity and guilt. Ichigo noticed.

"What?"

"Ichigo it's not just your shoulder you know."

"Well I got my head shaken up pretty bad, too, so im not sure about how much I remember." he said with a hardly noticeable frown.

"Well I can tell you that you've got several bone fractions, the ones most fatal is the one in your skull, jaw, shoulder and two ribs. Furthermore your body has been but up awfully bad and it will take time to heal. Last there is the worst wound, which is the gash in your chest. It is so deep that it damaged your heart. The doctors feared they wouldn't be able to sow you back together again." she said as she felt it sting in her eyes again. But she continued. He had to know. "And because of that, you will have to take it carefully, even when you get out of the hospital. Which also means you will have to let me care of hollows until you're completely healed. Its unbelievable you didn't die." she said and lowered her head a bit when she finished.

Her explanation hit Ichigo like a brick. That much? He didn't speak. Just lowered his head and looked down at his torn hand.

"Just… get some more rest, you're obviously not rested yet and coffee is not going to help you either." she said and tried to fake a smile but failed.

Ichigo obeyed reluctantly and before Rukia even could lean back in her chair he was asleep again. She sat for a moment, just looking at him in the daylight. Somehow it made him look healthier than in the dark night.

Rukias cellphone rang. "A hollow?" she thought.

She opened it, but on the screen was Orihime's name. She put it to her ear and answered the phone.

"Yes?"

"Hi Kuchiki-san! I heard about what happened to Kurosaki-kun and I thought that… maybe I could… come and visit?" she said quietly and a bit nervously.

"Yes of course. It's not me to decide whether you can or not." she said, getting a bit more cheerful to hear her friend's voice.

Rukia could almost feel the orange haired girls mood brighten as she spoke again.

"Alright im just outside I'll be there in a minute." she said happily.

"Ok I'll se you then." Rukia ended the conversation and closed the cellphone.

"Great now I'll have to explain it to one more with an even worse reaction." she thought and looked at Ichigo. "Though Ichigo had the most silent reaction, it was the most painful to see."

The door opened slowly as a head popped in.

"Hi Kuchiki-" she said and gasped. "Oh god, Kurosaki-kun!"

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