Rukia's POV

   Out of all of the people, why did they have to take him from me?

      Tears streamed down my cheeks, and they splashed upon the grass below my feet. The river in front of me sparkled in the golden radiance of twilight. A few clouds hung in the clear sky, and a soft breeze brushed across the land, the grass rippling in response. There was an eerie silence that hung in the air.

How can the world carry on without him in it? How can the world be beautiful even though it is broken?

   My brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, had valiantly died within the Precipice World. His death occurred when he was traveling within the Precipice World, and he was killed by a Cleaner, which is the equivalent of a street sweeper. The chances of him being in that place at the exact moment, on the exact day that the Cleaner showed up was unlucky, if put mildly. The Cleaner only appears once every seven days, so why did it have to be that day? He was the proud head of the royal Kuchiki family, and he disappeared without a trace.

Death is like the wind. You cannot see it, but you can see the effects that it has on the world around it.

   It has been several weeks since his death, but I still tear up when I think about him. He was my sister's lover, and he swore to protect me when she died. But what am I supposed to do now that he too has met his end? I have tried to hold myself together and carry on, but I am still broken.

It's always a lot easier to let something fall apart than it is to hold it together.

   I heard footstep approaching from behind, and when I turned, I saw Ichigo. He was as handsome as ever in his ski jacket and black skinny jeans. Despite his confident demeanor, his eyes were filled with sadness. The gentle breeze ruffled his spiky, orange hair, and his stunning brown eyes brimmed with tears. Pained memories flooded through my mind, and I turned away from him to avoid breaking apart.

   I cannot burden Ichigo with my feelings of grief. He can hardly carry his own weight, so he shouldn't worry about carrying mine.

   "Rukia," Ichigo's voice cracked as he continued to speak," Please don't cry." I felt his strong, steady arms wrap around me, and he pulled my back against his chest. His warmth began to seep into my body, warming my very bones. I heard Ichigo stifle a sob, and he hugged me tighter.

   "Why are you crying," I asked, my own tears spilling over. Seeing this strong man cry breaks my heart.

   "I can't bear to see you grieving, because I know there is nothing that I can do to stop your tears," Ichigo said in a tight voice. He released me from his embrace, and he turned me to face him. Tears streamed down his face, but he wore a soft smile on his lips. "Now, don't cry," he said.

   "I wish it were that easy," I sniffled. Ichigo pulled me against him once again, and I twisted my fingers into the collar of his ski jacket. I can't feel a thing. It is as if my body is numb. What is this empty feeling in my stomach?

The world has slipped by me so fast, how could I not notice until I feel nothing?

   "It hurts, Rukia. I know it does," Ichigo said as he rubbed a hand over my back to comfort me," But trust me when I say that it gets better." He must understand what it is like since he lost his mother when he was a child. She was murdered trying to protect him, and he had lived with that burden for years. How was he able to put it at rest when he was unable to avenge his mother?

   "Ichigo, how could it possibly get better? He is gone, don't you understand," I asked angrily, slamming a clenched fist against his chest. It took all my strength to hold back my tears. I can't afford another emotional breakdown.

   "I understand all too well Rukia. But don't you understand? He's not gone," Ichigo pressed his lips to my ear," His heart lives on inside of his companions...inside of you." He kissed my ear sweetly, and heat lanced through my body. I smiled against his shoulder and breathed in his masculine scent.

   "Thank you," I whispered gratefully.

At least I have a shoulder to lean on, some aren't as fortunate. Some are all alone in an empty world with nothing but the solitary rain that clouds their life.

   "The rain will come, and the rain will pass. But I will always be here for you," Ichigo sighed and ran his fingers through my hair. His touch sent bolts of electricity racing through my body. The feeling was extremely nostalgic, and it brought me back to the days when I had longed for his touch. That feeling of longing had not been completely lost, but it was hidden somewhere deep inside of my heart.

   "Come on, midget," Ichigo withdrew from me and ran up to the road. "Let's go home."

Home. That's right. I still have a home to return to.

   "Hurry up!" Ichigo called out to me from the road. I grinned and ran to catch up with him. It would definitely be a long time before I would be whole again, but maybe Ichigo and I could get through it together. For the first time in weeks, I feel joy piercing through my sorrow.

*---------------------------------------------------------------*

   It has been exactly two months since my brother had died, and I had been feeling better by the day. Ichigo had always been there to comfort me and cheer me up when I felt down, and I was feeling rather content. I had only cried twice over the last week, and I think that is a record. Several weeks ago, I would cry everyday over the loss of Byakuya.

   Today had been rather lonely since Ichigo had to leave for a 'last minute mission' from Soul Society. He had left the house before I woke, but he stuck a cute little note on the closet door that read:

   Sorry, but I was called in for a last minute mission from the Soul Society. I will be back around noon, and we can have a movie night tonight, if that is okay with you. I'm really looking forward to having some cuddle time with my little midget. Stay strong for me, okay?

   Yours truly,

                   StrawberryHead

   That boy, Ichigo. He was always going out of his way to spend time with me. If Byakuya was still here, he would probably kill Ichigo when he said that he wanted to 'have some cuddle time' with me. Ichigo, while he is a total idiot, can also be gentle and sweet when he wants to be. But most of the time, he is a big annoying lug.

   I took a look at Ichigo's alarm clock. It was eleven thirty seven. Ichigo should be back very soon, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. At least I won't be alone in his house anymore, especially since there is almost nothing to do.

   My thoughts were disturbed when I heard a knocking at Ichigo's bedroom window. I slid open the closet door, and was surprised to see the face of Renji. His black eyebrow tattoos flashed in the sunlight, and his red hair was tied into a messy ponytail. I wonder why this idiot is here. He is probably the only person who is more of an idiot than Ichigo.

   "Come in," I beckoned him to enter. Renji nodded, sliding open the window. I noticed that he had a small, white envelope in his hand that gleamed in the sunlight.

   "Yo, Rukia," Renji said with a small smile. His Zanpakuto clacked against the side of the house as he struggled to balance on the window sill. He gripped the wall to steady himself, and that way he wouldn't fall out the window. It was a rather long fall, if I do say so myself.

   "How has your squad been lately?" I asked. I was glad to see that he was doing okay after the loss of his captain. Renji was in Squad 6, and Byakuya had been the head captain before he passed away.

   "It's okay," he shrugged," They are thinking of nominating me as head captain, but I don't know if I'm cut out for that kind of leadership..." I hopped to my feet and walked over to the window. Renji sighed. "Maybe it's not the fact that I'm not cut out for leadership, but I fear that I would never be able to lead Squad 6 as good as Byakuya had. What if they don't like how I lead the squad?"

   "I think you will be a wonderful leader, Renji," I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder," What is that?" I gestured towards the letter in his hand. Renji held the letter to me reluctantly, and I took it. I studied it for a moment, and I guessed that it must be a letter from Soul Society.

   It was fine parchment of such high quality that I doubted my eyes for a moment. I felt the smooth parchment. On the other side of the letter, there was a red wax seal stamped with the symbol of the 6th Squad.

   I broke the seal and opened the parchment letter, and the tangy smell of ink drifted from the the beautifully written kanji. I scanned the artistic writing and my heart seemed to skip a beat before dropping to my stomach. This was my brother's handwriting, no doubt. There was no way that it could be anyone else but him. He had the most amazing handwriting in all of the Soul Society, and he had been recognized for that.

   "I-It's from your brother," Renji said, but I ignored him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him scratch the back of his head uncomfortably. "I should give you some alone time, Rukia. See you around, I guess."

https://youtu.be/GHCkss1Hyn0

   With that, Renji jumped from the window and sped off, leaving me alone in Ichigo's room. I took a good look at the letter and began to read:

Dear Rukia,

   I have kept this letter for when my time comes and have instructed the captains of Soul Society to give it to you when the time is ripe. I wanted to write this since life is unexpected and short, so I didn't want to leave you without a trace of me left. I have been proud to see you grow up over the years, even though I rarely show my emotions. You, Rukia, are my pride that I boast about constantly. I wanted to make you proud to call me your brother. At times you must have wondered if I was proud to be called your sister, and I want to assure that I am proud of you. You are strong. You are beautiful. You have a wonderful group of friends that can support you when I'm gone, so I needn't worry.

   Don't worry about me, because I am in a better place now, where there is no sorrow or sadness, or hurt or fear. But the only thing about this world that I will miss is love. Loving and being loved are the two desires of our heart, of everyone's heart. I know that I made it hard to see that over the years because of my loss, but you shouldn't do that. As you read this now, there is probably someone in your mind, and I believe I know who it is. Don't be afraid to love.

   Please take over as the new head of the Kuchiki house when you have matured. Be the strong woman that I know you are. The pain you are feeling is only temporary, so it is important that you continue to carry on. You are not alone in the world, Rukia, never forget that.

   P.S. I never disliked Ichigo, I was just jealous of his ability to always protect you and be there for you. I realize how wrong I was. I can now be proud to give you away to him. He is like a son to me. A very annoying son with a stupid hair color.

   P.P.S. Your older sister, Hisana, would be so proud of you.

   P.P.P.S. I'm sorry that I won't be able to walk you down the aisle, when you do make that decision.

   I love you,

                   Your big brother, Byakuya

   Tears streamed down my face, and I attempted to hold back a sob. I fell back onto Ichigo's bed and wept into his pillow. The minutes crept by slowly, but my tears did not dry. The world could have never been more cruel than to take my brother away like this and leaving me to pick up the pieces.

Why do the best people in this world meet the cruelest ends?

   My brother still had a long time to live. He was older than most, but still too young to go. I still have so many things I needed to ask him, and so many things to discover about his personality and his past. Couldn't the world have let him live just a little bit longer?

I didn't even get to tell him goodbye... But he was taken anyway.

   "Rukia," Ichigo called from behind me. I looked up to see Ichigo standing beside the bed where I lie. He stared coldly at the letter in that was still clasped in one of my hands. "What is that?" he asked sternly.

   "A letter," I said hoarsely," F-From Byakuya." Ichigo's caramel eyes seemed to soften, and he looked at me sympathetically. "What do you want," I asked bitterly as I wiped the tears from my face. Why does he have to be here? Why doesn't he just abandon me like the rest of them have?

First it was my elder sister Hisana, then it was my lieutenant Kaien, and now it is Byakuya who is leaving me. Why hasn't Ichigo been taken away from me yet?

   "The only thing I want to see is your smile again. That's all that I've wanted for two months now. After that happened, I can't tell if you're laughing, because between each smile there's a tear in your eye," Ichigo said sadly," So that's why I brought you this."

   Ichigo pulled a garment from behind his back, and held it out for me to take it. It was woven from a silvery white thread, and I took it from Ichigo's hands gingerly. I held the scarf to my face and breathed in the scent. This scarf was Byakuya's scarf, and it was the scarf passed down to each generation of the Kuchiki family.

   "This is Byakuya's scarf..." I said, awestruck. How did he get this? This big idiot has an even bigger heart. He went out of his way to retrieve this for me, and all because he wants to see me smile and be joyful again.

   "Yeah, sorry about lying to you about it being a last minute mission. I went to-" Ichigo trailed off when I threw my arms around him. I couldn't contain the emotions welling up inside my heart any longer.

   "Thank you," I shed tears of joy," This is all I could have ever ask for. Thank you."

   Ichigo drew back a few inches and grabbed the scarf from my hands. He smiled and wrapped it around my neck, careful not to wrap it too tight or too loose. My heart fluttered in my chest when Ichigo gazed into my violet eyes.

   "You look amazing," Ichigo smiled. He brushed his hand across my cheek, and he stroked my jaw with his thumb. His hands were warm, and I felt a fuzzy feeling in my stomach. The power held within Ichigo's body flowed through his fingertips into my own body, rejuvenating me.

   "B-Byakuya said that he was proud of me," I whispered, and I recalled my brother's words in the letter.

   "I bet he is," Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes. His words struck me like a hammerblow, and I wondered how he knew what Byakuya felt.

   "How do you know?" I asked him in confusion. Ichigo smiled and pulled me closer until only two inches stood between us. I could feel his warm breath against my skin, and my blood rushed to my face. Once again, I longed for his touch to soften my grief stricken heart. And maybe, I longed for him to touch me, even if there was no reason behind it.

   "He told me after our battle in the Soul Society," Ichigo said sweetly," He told me how proud he was. I'm proud of you too, Rukia. You are truly strong." I felt all of my sadness and grief fade away from me, but I knew it wasn't completely gone. But at this moment, Ichigo seemed to drown out any sorrow that I clung to.

   He tilted his head slightly and pulled my mouth to his, kissing me passionately. I leaned into him, and I felt like he was the only thing that mattered. Just us in this moment together, and the rest of the world was locked behind closed doors. We finally broke away, and Ichigo pressed his forehead to mine.

I think that some people are put in our lives as our guardian angels, and even when everybody else has been stripped away from us, they are there to pick us up off the floor and clothe us again with their love. Maybe that's how life is for those who survive.

   "Now, how about that movie night I was talking about," Ichigo said with a smile. Somehow, all of the pain had disappeared, and I found myself smiling too.

   I groped for his hand, and when I found it, I twined my fingers with his. His hands were warm, just like they were the day we first met. He had placed his hand over mine to grip my Zanpakuto, and he had plunged it into his soul. Even from the beginning, I had known his heart.

I believe that a single red thread connects those who are destined to be together. The thread may stretch and tangle, but it will never break.

*---------------------------------------------------------------*

   Six months. It has been six months since Byakuya's death. It was amazing how fast time seemed to fly by, and I didn't realize that it had been half a year until Ichigo pointed it out. I am proud to say that I haven't cried over Byakuya in four months.

   I have Byakuya's letter kept in the closet where I sleep along with Byakuya's scarf. Sometimes, I feel lonely when Ichigo has to leave the house, so I will read the letter and breathe in the sweet scent of Byakuya's scarf that still lingers. I can feel him walking beside me everyday, helping to guide my footsteps, and at my other side, Ichigo stands to protect me.

   Each day, I feel better than before, and I think that my wounds are beginning to heal as time progresses. As the old saying goes, time heals all wounds.

   I snapped to attention when I heard Ichigo mumble something into my ear. His arms were wrapped around me, and he had pulled the blankets on his bed up to our shoulders. My face was pressed against his warm chest and I breathed in his sweet scent.

   "Huh?" I asked. I hadn't realized that I had zoned out

   "I just asked if you were awake, midget," Ichigo laughed. I had decided to sleep with him last night because I was feeling kind of depressed. He let me sleep in his bed, but I found it hard to sleep because he had nearly cuddled me to death. After half an hour, he had finally settled down so I could go to sleep.

   "What do you think, idiot? You are squeezing the life out of me?" I jested, my voice muffled by his chest. Ichigo chuckled and slipped his hand under my chin, tilting my head to look up at him. He smirked at me before pulling me into a slow and sweet kiss.

A part of me has always loved you from the beginning.

   "Ichi...go," I sighed against his mouth. My heart began to pound faster against my sternum.

   His lips were soft and warm against my own, and I felt my heart melt inside of my chest. I twisted my fingers into his white t-shirt, and I could feel his heartbeat against my nimble fingers. Ichigo tucked my hair behind my ears sweetly, but never once did his lips leave mine.

I suddenly realized that this was how it was meant to be. All things happen for a reason, a reason that I don't know. But maybe if I hang in there a little longer, I can figure it out. My brother may be in a better place, but I know that there is no better place for me other than right here, and right now. Maybe, even time will be able to erase the scars left behind.