Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Odalisque ❯ Chapter 32 ( Chapter 32 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any Bleach affiliates.

 

 

 

 

Odalisque

 

Chapter 32

 

His head was resting on her lap.

 

Ichigo breathed in and out slowly as Rukia drew her hands through his soft hair. His sleeping face was pressed softly against her leg while his arms were splayed across her warm body.

 

His dress shirt fluttered against her skin as she breathed in and out. Her back was leaning against the headboard of her bed and her head lolled backwards so her face was tilted upward.

 

Ichigo stirred slightly and the cloth slipped from his hips to go just a bit lower. Rukia chuckled sleepily but continued running her small hands through his thick, bright, hair. She hummed a small tune into the dark air and used her other hand to rub her thumb against his large, calloused, fingers.

 

Everything was so peaceful right now.

 

Rukia leaned her head back a bit and continued humming. Memories of what had happened to them right before after she had sucked him dry at the office slowly crept back into her mind. Her hands worked slowly on his hair and her throat vibrated softly.

 

He had been dazed as he drove home and Rukia had simply sat in the passengers' seat, silent as a tombstone. Her chest had been thumping repeatedly with emotions she didn't want to name. Her head had been spinning from what she had done in that building. She had been thinking about what Ichigo had been doing with that nameless woman at the party.

 

Ichigo didn't speak as he parked the car outside of her building. Rukia was the first one out of his Benz and—disregarding traffic—she walked over to Ichigo's side and yanked open his door. She wasn't finished with him… not by a long shot.

 

By the time this night was over she was going to make sure that he knew she wouldn't tolerate any flirtations with other women.

 

Once they had gotten into her room she had been as ruthless as she had been in their office. Her mouth had worked around him again and again. He had come inside of her mouth and inside of her at least twice.

 

She smiled as she remembered his face when she had thrown him down on the bed, climbed on top of him, and rode him like she was the jockey and he was the horse.

 

Although she hadn't actually come to the goal of making him pass out she had come close. He had managed to stay awake for a few minutes after their final round but had fallen asleep almost directly afterwards.

 

They had slept for near an hour before Rukia woke up in a haze of fuzzy feelings, warmth, and Ichigo. She had quickly donned his cast off shirt and climbed back into the bed. That was when he had dragged his head over to her and plopped it down in her lap.

 

Now Rukia was just sitting on the bed, running her hands through his hair, and humming a tune that Hisana had taught her when she was small. She couldn't remember all of the words but she remembered the melody. It was sweet and soothing and peaceful.

 

Rukia closed her eyes and allowed images of Hisana to flit through her mind. Her pale skin, her bright, laughing eyes, her dark hair, and her soft pink mouth always curved into a smile… those had been happier times. That had been before the cancer had taken away the rosiness of her complexion, the sparkle from her eyes, and the hair from her head.

 

Hisana… Rukia thought as her fingers twirled a singular lock of Ichigo's hair. I'll come and visit you soon.

 

Ichigo shifted beneath her. She looked down a bit and saw that he had shifted his head so that it was more level on her lap. She smiled softly as the peaceful look on his features and resumed stroking his hair. She hummed softly and watched as his eyes flittered open.

 

He stayed silent as he pulled his head up a fraction, blinked his eyes, and allowed his frown to resume its watchful position on his face.

 

It almost made her chuckle.

 

Ichigo's large, warm, hand found its way to her calf and he slowly rubbed the tender skin. She could tell his mind was still foggy. Hers would be too if she had been ravaged as thoroughly as he had been last night.

 

Tonight, Rukia amended as she looked at her glowing alarm clock. It's only a little past one.

 

“What's that song?”

 

Rukia dropped her head down to look at him and frowned. “Hm?” She asked quietly, almost afraid to disturb the serenity of the moment. “What did you say?”

 

Ichigo didn't look up at her. He just kept running his hand over her smooth leg. “What you were humming, that song…”

 

Rukia frowned softly and shook her head, even though she knew he couldn't see, “I'm not sure… my older sister used to sing it to men when I was little and falling asleep. I can't remember the words now… only the tune.”

 

Ichigo expelled a slow breath of air and it ghosted down her thigh until rolled off of her knee. She shuddered softly but tried to hold as still as she could. “Oh.”

 

She nodded as she ran her hands through his hair and gently massaged his scalp. “Why do you ask?”

 

He paused both in speech and in the ministrations to her leg. She frowned softly but did not cease to gently push her fingers against his hair and skull.

 

“My mom used to sing it to me.” He whispered.

 

Rukia forced her hand not to stop although it nearly did. She swallowed and turned her head to the side, allowing the darkness of the room to swallow her vision. She didn't say a word, only sat and listened.

 

“She used to tuck me in every night.” Ichigo murmured, his hand still on her leg, “I remember whenever I had nightmares she would come and sleep with me just to calm me down. I was such a crybaby back then.”

 

Rukia bit her lip to keep silent even though she desperately wanted to tell him that she couldn't picture him crying in anything other than extreme physical pain.

 

“My friend Tatsuki and I went to the same dojo as kids. She would kick my ass and afterwards I would always cry. But when my mom showed up to get me I'd always start smiling. She and I would walk home together; hand in hand… sometimes she'd get me an ice cream cone. It was out time together. Just us, no screaming twins, no crazy father, just me and my mom.”

 

Rukia's stomach clenched at what she thought he was going to say next.

 

“Then one day… after she picked me up from the dojo we were walking home. Just walking home. There was nothing really special about it, except that it was raining. We passed these two guys on the street and—” he paused and cleared his throat and Rukia fought to keep her hand steady as she pulled it through his hair. “They had guns so we didn't do anything. My mom had me behind her… she was protecting me. They pushed us against the wall, took her purse, pulled away, and shot her.”

 

His voice became so low on the last two words Rukia barely heard them. Twin tears slipped down her face.

 

“I just sat there with my mom in the rain. It was so cold then. I was only nine and I had seen my mother get shot right in front of my eyes. What kind of kid deserves to see something like that?”

 

No one, Rukia answered silently, but especially not you.

 

“After that I just became so dead inside.” He continued in a low, choked voice. “It was like it was raining all the time inside of me. I would walk around for hours and not know where I was. I'd be going to school in the morning and coming back in the afternoon without realizing that a day had gone by. Time, life, and living meant absolutely nothing to me.”

 

“Ichigo,” Rukia croaked, her hand still determinedly passing through his hair.

 

“It was only when I realized that she wouldn't have wanted me to waste my life that I finally got my act together. I went to school, got good grades, became a lawyer… all that… and I still don't think she'd be proud of the man I've become.”

 

“You're wrong,” Rukia rasped immediately, trying hard to hide the evidence of tears in her voice. She shook her head and bit her lips together, her hands stilling as she did so. “She'd be very proud of you. You're her son, she'd be proud of anything that you did.”

 

He sighed thickly and Rukia felt his chest vibrate as he exhaled.

 

“It's just that…” he began, “For so long I think I tried to duck out of the rain by being such a… a… well, an ass really. I slept with tons of women, I partied, I drank and I told myself that it was normal. I told myself that I was young, alive, worked hard, and that I deserved to have a bit of fun.”

 

His body shifted so that his head was lying perpendicular to her leg. His eyes were staring up into hers and he lifted the edges of his mouth into a small smile. “But none of that made the rain go away.” He paused and Rukia watched as his hand rose from his side and brushed the softness of her face. She leaned into his warm palm and smiled gently.

 

“You made the rain stop.”

 

Ichigo statement made Rukia's heart stop.

 

She sat on the bed, his head in her lap, his hand on her face, their eyes connecting even in the darkness.

 

The power of this moment seemed to wash over Rukia. His confession, his voice, his hand… everything about this moment made Rukia's heart thump three times faster inside of her chest. Her breathing became short and her cheeks flushed with unexpected warmth.

 

“Ichigo…” she whispered, her lips tilting into his hand, “I want you to know…” she stilled her fingers in his hair and swallowed, her body shaking in preparation for what she was about to do… what she was about to tell him…

 

Her life could either be destroyed or blessed depending on his answer.

 

She swallowed and drew in one, shaking, breath. “I want you to know that I—”

 

Ding dong.

 

Rukia's mind shrieked as her heart shriveled protectively back into a shielded ball. Her head jerked up at the sound of her doorbell and she shuddered softly. So that's all that it took to jerk me back into reality, her panicked mind observed loathing. She hastily looked down at Ichigo and saw that he was no longer staring deeply into her eyes but was glaring at her open bedroom door with obvious distaste.

 

She gulped silently and slowly shifted her legs from under Ichigo's head. “Let me go and get that.”

 

She lithely climbed over the rest of him and paused to grab the bathrobe that was hanging on the back of her door. She had just crossed the threshold into her darkened hallway when she heard Ichigo call to her from the bed.

 

“Pardon?” She asked, her heart still thumping a million-miles-a-minute inside of her chest.

 

“I said,” he murmured quietly, the remnants of his eternal pain still lingering in his tone, “Tell whoever it is to go away.”

 

She looked back at him and saw one edge of his mouth quirk upwards. She smiled back and nodded slowly. “Alright then.” With that she moved quietly into the hallway.

 

Rukia immediately pressed a hand to her forehead and drew in a shaking breath.

 

Jesus Christ… she thought, her mind in a mix of terror, horror, and disappointment. What did I almost do back there? She shook her head and brought her arms around to hug herself. She tightened her hold on her own body and silently wished evil upon the person who had dared to take her from Ichigo's arms at this hour.

 

Still, she thought, ceasing the movement of her trembling hands, I should thank whoever it was. They stopped me from telling him that I… well, they stopped me from doing something stupid, that's for sure.

 

Grudgingly, Rukia leaned against the door, after the person rang the doorbell again again, and peered out through the peephole.

 

Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp that shot through the entire apartment.

 

“Rukia?” Ichigo's voice floated in from the other room but she didn't pay attention to it. “Who—”

 

Her fingers fumbled with the locks and latches on her door and she swung it open immediately upon release.

 

“Momo,” she breathed, panic quickly stealing its way down her throat and into the very pit of her stomach. Her eyes ran up and down her friend three times before she was fully able to comprehend what she was seeing.

 

Momo Hinamori was standing at Rukia's door on shaking legs. Her once sparkling evening dress was ripped around her limbs so obscene slits ran up to the tops of her thighs. Her hands were clenching the fabric together but her fingers were quivering just as much as her legs. On her neck and cheeks were several lacerations that resembled nasty teeth marks. Yet her face looked even worse of a mess than the rest of her. Mascara dripped from her streaming eyes, lipstick was smeared on her cheeks, and her skin was so pale it looked even whiter than Rukia's normal shade.

 

Her eyes were hollow as they rose to her friend. “Rukia,” she whispered in a voice as dead as a sunflower in winter.

 

“Oh my God,” she gasped, her hand coming to her mouth. “Momo… what…?”

 

Momo's hands rose to her arms and she rubbed them, her shaking was increasing with every second. Her head lolled forward and she let loose a choking, sobbing, sound. “Rukia…”

 

“Shh,” in less than a second Rukia had reached out and tugged her best friend into her arms. Momo stumbled across the threshold and planted her quivering feet in front of Rukia's. Her small arms wrapped around her trembling friend as Momo's face instantly buried itself near her shoulder.

 

The young woman broke down and started to sob. Rukia's shoulder became wet instantly with the force of Momo's dramatic tears. Her warm skin was chilled by the woman's skin. It was only then that Rukia realized that it was the middle of December and that her best friend had just shown up at her doorstep dressed only in a ripped, gauzy, garment. She wrapped her arms around her tighter for warmth and soothingly ran her hand over Momo's thick hair. It had half-escaped from its bun and now hung limply over one shoulder.

 

“Momo…” Rukia whispered, the young woman held onto her best friend even tighter and continued to cry, “Shh… everything is okay… you're okay now… you're safe.”

 

Panic swelled inside of her stomach as Rukia held tight onto Momo. What the hell had happened to her? Had something with Toshiro…

 

No, her mind shot back immediately at such a thought, Toshiro would never do anything like this.

 

Rukia bit her lip and rubbed her hand along Momo's icy back. She brushed an open zipper and felt chills pulse through her body as the pieces began to put themselves into place.

 

Momo's dress… ripped.

 

Her hair and makeup… undone.

 

Her mouth… bitten.

 

“Momo,” Rukia's voice was shaking with fear. Her hands trembled as they tried to keep rubbing Momo's frigid skin. “What… what happened, Momo? What happened to you?”

 

Her voice came out in the most broken whisper Rukia had ever heard in her entire life.

 

“I—I… I d-don't remember. I—I don't r-remember Rukia!” Her voice grew louder as she sobbed. “I don't remember a-anything! I just woke up and I was—I—I was like this! I think I was r-raped!”

 

“Oh my God,” Rukia breathed. She swallowed hard and tried to think of something she could say. She wanted to tell her friend that she was wrong, that nothing as heinous as that could ever happen to her, that she was okay, and that everything was going to be alright. But she knew she couldn't. Momo's dress was ripped, her face was bitten, and her body was shaking with the tenacity to rival an earthquake.

 

Rukia knew what this looked like… and she didn't think she could lie to Momo.

 

“Rukia?”

 

Momo stiffened in her arms and immediately shrank back a bit. Rukia's head turned and she gazed with wide eyes as Ichigo came out of her bedroom, dressed in his pair of rumpled black pants that hung low around his hips.

 

She shook her head the tiniest bit and tightened her arms around Momo once again. Momo, however, was squirming to get out of Rukia's grasp. She slipped out of her arms and backed towards the door. Her hands were held in front of her mouth, her teeth were hastily gnawing at her minutely bleeding lips, and her eyes were streaming with seemingly unstoppable tears.

 

“Sweet Jesus,” Ichigo breathed, coming forward from the hallway with his arms held out protectively. “Momo… what happened to you?”

 

She just shook her head and Rukia put up a hand to stop Ichigo from coming any closer.

 

“I shouldn't have come,” she mumbled, saliva dripping from the edges of her mouth. Even more blood smeared on her bitten lips; it was a grotesque kind of coloring that only heightened the devastated look of Momo's entire countenance. “I should have—I interrupted—I—I… I'll just g-go…”

 

“No!” Cried two voices at the same time. Rukia looked over at Ichigo and he returned the stare. She swallowed hard and gently approached her terrified friend.

 

“Momo,” Rukia whispered, coming closer to her and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “It's okay. It's alright. None of that matters right now. You interrupted nothing. Right now, the only thing that I care about is taking care of you, do you understand?”

 

Momo's eyes flickered twice between her and Ichigo before she nodded once, slowly.

 

“Momo,” Ichigo said, taking a few steps forward. He stopped when Rukia sent him another warning look. “Do you know what happened to you?”

 

Her body trembled as she shook her head. “N-no.” Her hands came up to her mouth again and she gulped in large breaths of air. More tears streamed down her face and Rukia lifted her sleeve to help wipe them away. “I j-just woke up-p in an of-ffice,” she hiccupped, “And I lo-ooked like t-this.”

 

“Oh my God,” he breathed. His heated eyes met Rukia's and she nodded once.

 

Rukia cleared her throat and gently eased Momo's face away until she was staring into the young woman's terrified eyes. “Have you called Toshiro yet?” She asked in a very calm and collected tone.

 

The amount of tears increased twofold. Momo's head swung back and forth and her teeth sunk into her lower lip once again. Rukia's eyes wandered to her pink mouth and near the corner she saw a scar that could not possibly have been made by Momo's worrying teeth. Her eyes darkened and she nodded.

 

“That's okay,” she whispered, “But we need to tell him. Soon, okay?”

 

“But not now.” Momo's voice was pleading.

 

“Not now,” Rukia promised. In the corner of her eye she saw Ichigo disappear into her bedroom. She heard the rustling of clothes and fought the twang of pain that entered her heart. Ichigo was getting ready to leave…

 

That's probably for the best, her mind told her half-heartedly, I need to be with Momo and he needs to be—

 

He suddenly reappeared. He was wearing his black dress pants, an undershirt, and was carrying his coat in his hands. With a small blush Rukia realized that she was still wearing his button-up shirt underneath her robe. She was about to open her mouth when he pulled his keys out of his pocket and nodded towards her.

 

“Go and get dressed Rukia, and find something to cover Momo, we need to take her to the hospital.”

 

If Rukia hadn't been holding Momo in her arms her jaw would have dropped clear to the floor.

 

“T-the hospital,” Momo sniffled, raising her head from where it had resumed its place on Rukia's neck. “But w-why?”

 

“Momo,” Ichigo said, his voice stern but kind. “Right now is the best time to gather evid—”

 

“What he means,” Rukia interjected, cutting Ichigo off as swiftly as she could. He frowned at her but she frowned right back. Sure, he might have had the right intentions, but his lack of tact could have made Momo freak out completely. “Is that right now, you still have what they need to get the guy that did this to you.”

 

Momo's eyes squinted in fear and misunderstanding and Rukia bit her lip. She had to find the best possible way to explain this.

 

“You said you can't remember anything, right?” She asked, hoping against hope that she was wrong about this.

 

Momo nodded once.

 

Inside of her chest, Rukia's heart fell into the pit of her stomach and began to burn. “W-Well,” she cleared her throat, she couldn't be weak at a time like this. Momo needed her, “That probably means that you were drugged.”

 

“Some drugs get out of your system in as little as twenty four hours,” Ichigo supplied, coming to stand directly behind Rukia. She could feel his comforting warmth seeping through her clothing and into her back.

 

“That's why we need to get you to the hospital. They can document your injuries, they can check for any… residue inside of you, and they can get a sample of your blood and your urine to test for any drugs. Okay?”

 

Momo's eyes watered even more and her bottom lip trembled, “They'll have to touch me?” She whispered. “Down… there?”

 

Rukia nodded once.

 

“But… but…” she swallowed and turned her head to the side, completely hiding her face from both Ichigo and Rukia, “I'm so sore.”

 

“It's okay,” Rukia told her, gripping her hand tightly. Momo winced but didn't let go. “I'll be there with you the entire time.”

 

There were a few moments of silence before Momo raised her head and nodded once.

 

Rukia exhaled a breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding in. “Okay, let me go get dressed and Ichigo,” she turned to her lover and looked at him with earnest eyes, “Would you get Momo a proper coat?”

 

“Sure,” he nodded and went over to her coat closet. Rukia didn't have a moment to wonder how he already knew where it was before she rushed back into her room and quickly found something to wear. She hastily found a dark, forest green, day dress in the recesses of her closet and gingerly pulled it over her head. The insides of her legs hurt far too much to wear jeans—thank you Ichigo—and she didn't have time to find anything more. She hurriedly ran a brush through her hair and grabbed a jacket that was flung over the back of a chair.

 

When she came out into the hall Ichigo was standing ready, keys in one hand, doorknob in the other. Momo was standing a few feet away from Ichigo and huddled in one of Rukia's longest coats. Both of them were staring into opposite directions, as if they were almost embarrassed to be looking at one another.

 

Rukia came towards them and nodded, “Alright,” she said, her voice firm on the outside even though she was shaking on the inside. “Let's go.”

 

*~*~*

 

Ichigo wearily rubbed a hand over his face and looked at his watch simultaneously. It read nearly four thirty in the morning. He groaned softly and wondered what the hell was taking so fucking long.

 

Beside him, Rukia yawned hugely. She tried to cover it up with her dainty hand but to no avail. He snorted softly and prodded her with his elbow. She blinked blearily over at him and raised one tired eyebrow.

 

Ichigo exhaled and nodded over to the tacky coffee machine near the side of the waiting room. “You want another cup?”

 

She looked balefully down at the dregs that were left inside of her own cup and shook her head. “No, that shit tasted like rat piss.” She smiled ruefully at him and shrugged, “But thanks for the offer.”

 

“No problem,” Ichigo muttered, “And yeah, it does taste like rat piss. If I had thought to take Momo to my dad's clinic we'd be having a five course meal made by my sister.”

 

Rukia raised an eyebrow and then shrugged. Obviously she didn't doubt him.

 

Ichigo rubbed a hand over his face and sighed, “But the equipment here is more advanced for treating…” He trailed off before saying the two words that neither of them wanted to say.

 

Rape victims.

 

She nodded once and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence… again.

 

Ichigo squirmed against his seat and tried to find a comfortable position in which to sit. That, of course, was impossible, as his ass had gone numb twenty minutes into sitting on the damn thing.

 

“What's taking them so long?” Rukia whispered softly, her fingers teasing the sides of her Styrofoam cup. “I mean, if it's just a routine exam… I don't understand why this would be taking, well, as long as it has.” She bit her bottom lip. “I should be in there. Damn nurse… just because I'm not technically family…” she growled and crunched the cup in her hands. “Still… it's been so long…”

 

“Maybe Momo is being difficult,” he mused as he readjusted himself. Again.

 

Rukia jolted up in her seat and turned to give him one of the deadliest glares he had ever seen.

 

“I didn't mean it like that!” Ichigo defended immediately, putting his hands up in case she decided to attack, “I just mean that sometimes p-people like Momo—” rape victims “-tend to not want to be touched… you know, down there. It could be making it harder for them to do the exam.”

 

She leaned back down into her seat and nodded, “Oh.” She shifted her hips and rubbed the right side of her bottom. “I guess that makes sense.”

 

“Yeah.” Ichigo shoved his eyes closed and leaned his head back against the nicotine yellow wallpaper. They were the only two people in the waiting room and had been since they first got here. Nearly four hours they had been here. Nearly four hours of silence, worry, stress, and disgusting coffee.

 

Ichigo pressed his left hand to his forehead and slowly rubbed his thumbs against the bridge of his nose. God what he wouldn't give for a glass of scotch right now… or bourbon… hell, anything alcoholic would be a blessing. Anything to release the tension in his head.

 

Rukia shifted behind him and he suddenly felt her small fingers become entwined in his. His eyes opened and he glanced down at the woman holding onto his hand. He swallowed softly and she gave him a weak smile.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured softly, keeping her eyes pinned on his, “I know you didn't have to come, but you did, and… well, just thank you.”

 

He turned his head away and tried to hide the small—yet panicked smile—that had crept up on his face. “Psh,” he snorted, “I was just being a decent human being. Anyone would have done the same.”

 

She squeezed his fingers and nodded, turning her head away to look down the hallway.

 

Ichigo stared at the wall and he sighed, thinking about what Rukia had just said.

 

Just what are you doing here, Ichigo? He asked himself.

 

His fingers curled in hers and he shook his head. He honestly didn't know what the hell he was doing. Never in his entire life did he think he would be sitting in a hospital waiting room with a woman that he was sleeping with, waiting for her best friend to come out from a rape exam.

 

This is just too fucked up to be real. He grumbled in frustration.

 

But still, it wasn't like he could just leave Rukia and Momo here. After all, neither one of them had a car and he seriously doubted that Momo would be able to ride the metro in her condition. Really, if they were just talking about things from a transportation angle then there truly was just him available to help them.

 

I'm being a good Samaritan. He thought to himself as Rukia's fingers rubbed against his. The feeling sent tingles down his arm. That's all I'm doing.

 

The automatic doors to the hospital slid open and both Ichigo and Rukia glanced over at them. Ichigo's stomach tightened immediately when he saw a very large man pass into the room. His eyes were drawn to his hair and he instantly recognized—with immense detestation—the bright red coloring.

 

“Abarai,” he growled, at the same moment Rukia gasped and cried out his first name.

 

Ichigo's grip on Rukia's hand increase tenfold as Renji Abarai looked over at the two of them, raised his tattooed eyebrows—whether in surprise, disgust, or both—and frowned.

 

“Rukia,” he strode over to them quickly and looked down at the two civilians from rather his lofty perch. “What are you… two… doing here?”

 

“Renji,” she made a move to stand and as soon as she did Ichigo rose as well. His hand was still wrapped around hers and he held it close to him as she situated her dress. “Forget us, what are you doing here?” She pause and frowned at him, “You work this early?”

 

His gaze became slightly sheepish. “Yeah well… extra hours and all,” Renji's eyes were on Ichigo's for a moment before they flitted back to Rukia's. “I got a call about a… well, I can't tell you but I came here to collect a report.”

 

Ichigo could hear the slight hitch in her breath as Rukia spoke. “About Momo Hinamori?”

 

Ichigo squeezed her hand and looked carefully up at Renji Abarai. He started a bit and frowned, “How did you…?”

 

“We brought her here,” Ichigo told him, his voice accentuating the word `we.'

 

Renji looked coldly at Ichigo and nodded. “Ah, well then, I guess I might as well start with you two.” He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook and pen. He looked up at Rukia and spoke directly to her. “Now, Ms. Hinamori appeared… where and when?”

 

“She came to my apartment at around one in the morning.” Rukia said clearly, waiting as Renji scribbled the facts down on the paper.

 

“How did she seem?”

 

“Terrified,” Ichigo interjected, cutting off Rukia's answer. “Her dress was ripped, her lip was bloody, and she was shaking.”

 

Renji's pen stilled in his hand and he looked up, his eyes now blazing hot, “You were there?”

 

Ichigo nodded once. “I was.”

 

“At one o'clock in the morning?”

 

“Yes.” Ichigo received a small amount of satisfaction at the murderous way Abarai looked at the moment.

 

Renji looked down at Rukia, his hand shaking and his eyes blaring with icy fire. “Rukia what the—”

 

“Not now,” She cut in sharply. Her eyes were deathly narrow and her mouth was set into a very firm line. “Both of you,” her head shot over to Ichigo's and she glared at him as well. “Just stop it.”

 

“He started it,” Ichigo grumbled, keeping Rukia's hand imprisoned in his own even though she had started tugging it away in anger.

 

“I did not,” Renji hissed, his fist tightening around his pen and his teeth grinding together angrily. “You pompous ba—”

 

“Renji!” Rukia snapped at him; she ripped her hand from Ichigo's and delivered a swift punch into her friend's kidney. He winced and rubbed the spot delicately as she furiously strode to the reception desk. “Men… I swear…” she spoke a moment with the receptionist and then pointed towards the back. After a moment, the woman sitting behind the desk nodded and Rukia walked swiftly into the hospital.

 

That left Ichigo and Renji standing alone inside of the reception area. The two of them were angrily sizing each other up, their eyes glaring out to the sides. Ichigo was rather positive that—even though Detective Abarai was a bit bigger than him—he could take him on. Ichigo had speed on his side, whereas Tattoo Head only had muscle… and a gun. He brought his hands—the right one feeling oddly cold now that Rukia wasn't holding it—to his sides and then started to cross his arms.

 

Renji turned his head sharply to Ichigo and snarled angrily. Ichigo just allowed a smug smirk to cover his face.

 

Neither of them said a word as they simply stood.

 

“So…” Renji spoke after five minutes of rather uncomfortable and testosterone-fueled silence. “You and Rukia.”

 

Ichigo cringed mentally at the insinuation but nodded anyway. “Yeah… me and… Rukia.”

 

Abarai snorted and he shook his head. “My own fault I guess…”

 

Ichigo's eyes became less tight but his posture did not lose any rigidity. “What do you mean by that?”

 

Abarai's eyes became slits and he tightened his hands into fists. He turned to Ichigo and moved so that he was facing him directly. Ichigo's gaze became hard and he glowered at the towering man. He was breathing hard, his nostrils flaring in and out, and Ichigo could tell that his temper was a mass of fire barely banked.

 

“I've been in love with Rukia Kuchiki ever since we were kids.” He stated shortly.

 

Ichigo's stomach lurched painfully.

 

“Even when we went our separate ways I still thought of her as the perfect woman. She's Rukia Kuchiki.” He shook his head and passed a hand through his hair. “But after all that time… I never did anything to win her. I just thought I'd stay on the sidelines and wait for an opportunity. But no…” he looked up at Ichigo and snorted with disgust, “She has someone else… you no less.”

 

“Shove it Abarai,” Ichigo snarled, “You should just accept that you acted too late.” He also wanted to add that if he thought that Rukia was perfect then he was seriously demented. She was anything but perfect.

 

Maybe that's why I'm attracted to her, Ichigo mused silently. All those annoying faults just add together to create something… magnificent.

 

“I am accepting it,” Abarai hissed back, jerking Ichigo into reality and moving his face so that it was less than an inch from the slightly shorter man. “I'm just making sure you understand that if you so much as injure one hair on her head I will come after you with everything I have. My nine mil, my rank as a detective, and the backing of the police department. Do I make myself clear?”

 

“Perfectly,” Ichigo growled, his nose brushing Abarai's. “Now why don't you go to Momo like a good little detective and do your fucking job?”

 

The two men stood perfectly and rigidly still in the heated room. Both of them were glaring at each other with the full force of their hatred-filled eyes, both were breathing heavily, and both were just itching to rip out the other's throat.

 

“Please tell me you two aren't going to start making out.”

 

They both turned at the sound of Rukia's voice echoing through the waiting room. Ichigo blinked when he realized that a pale—but whole—looking Momo Hinamori stood beside her, her body still wrapped in Rukia's coat, although out of the bottom peeked a polka-dotted hospital gown.

 

“No!” He shouted immediately, jumping back a bit and sending a swift glare over to Renji. “Christ Rukia, you should know that I don't swing the other way.”

 

A low growl came from Renji but when Ichigo looked over at Rukia he saw that she wasn't angry, per se, her cheeks were just tinted a rather interesting shade of pink.

 

Is that because she's angry or because she knows I'm right? He wondered as he shoved his hands into his pockets and tightly gripped his keys.

 

Rukia turned her head away and blinked at the floor.

 

Ichigo grinned smugly. Because she knows I'm right.

 

Beside him, Renji coughed lightly and strode forward, his hand relaxing its grip on the pad and pen he was holding. “Ms. Hinamori, I presume?”

 

Ichigo watched as Momo nodded gently, she hugged Rukia's coat tighter to her and swallowed, “Soon to be Momo Hitsugaya actually.”

 

Something inside of Ichigo became warm as he heard Momo talk about her impending wedding. After everything she had gone through, the girl still had it in her to think about the future… to be happy…. His grin softened and in his mind his opinion of Momo went up several points.

 

“Alright then, my name is Renji Abarai, I'm a police detective with the Karakura Police Department. If you would, I'd like to ask you a couple of questions. Do you think you're up for it?”

 

Momo nodded twice and then looked at Rukia for support. She nodded encouragingly and motioned to Renji. “He's one of my friends, Momo, you'll be safe in his hands.”

 

“O-Okay,” she murmured, her big, gray, eyes looking up at the detective as if he was half small fluffy kitten and half enormous pit bull. “I don't know how much I can tell you but… I can try.”

 

“If you'll come with me please,” he said, holding his arm out in a guiding yet non-threatening manner. “We can discuss this in private.”

 

“I'll be right here,” Rukia said softly as Momo walked into a small alcove in the hospital corridor, Renji followed after a moment, his pen and pad ready.

 

Rukia stood and watched them go, her eyes dark and filled with troubling thoughts. Ichigo slowly came up to her and stood behind her. His shadow was deep and dark across her skin but she didn't seem to notice him as he stood.

 

“Is she okay?” He asked after a few moments of silence.

 

Rukia nodded once, “She'll be fine physically. She told me that the doctors would have to do some tests to find if a drug was used. There was no semen in her vaginal area but there was bruising. They don't have any DNA yet but they're hoping they'll find some in the bite marks.” She swallowed and raised a hand to press it to her mouth. “I just… I can't believe something like this happened to Momo.” She turned to Ichigo and he saw tears brimming in her eyes. It should have frightened him but, oddly enough, it didn't. “My Momo, my best friend. It shouldn't have happened to her. I should have insisted that we go home from the party together.”

 

Ichigo took two steps forward and drew Rukia into a warm hug. She melted easily into his embrace and he tightened it infinitesimally. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her cheek pressed against his jacket. He heard her inhale deeply and slowly rubbed his hand over her back.

 

“Whoever did this,” he said softly, his words coming out in soft puffs of air, “Is sick, twisted, and deserves to be destroyed.”

 

He heard footsteps coming and saw Renji and Momo shuffling towards them. Ichigo's arms wrapped around Rukia even tighter and he spoke so the two approaching people could hear him as well. “We just have to have some faith. I wholeheartedly believe that Renji Abarai will be able to catch whoever did this.” He paused and sent his penetrating glare towards his… his… rival. He was staring back with equal fortitude and his jaw was clenching hard at the sight of Rukia in Ichigo's arms. “Isn't that right, Detective Abarai?”

 

Rukia's head rose but she didn't loosen her arms from around Ichigo's waist. She swallowed and looked over to her friends. She blinked twice at Renji, her eyes still misting, and said, “Right… Renji?”

 

Momo looked up at the detective and swallowed hard, her fingers fiddling with the edges of Rukia's jacket. She didn't have to say anything but they all knew that she was depending on him the most.

 

Renji nodded once, his eyes still glued to the locked forms of Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. “I'll do my very best.”

 

Rukia smiled softly, “Good.” She slowly detached herself from Ichigo's grip and finally went over to Momo. She held out her hand and the young, slightly trembling, woman and took it gently. The two stood there, their femininity contrasting equally with the two men in the room.

 

“Alright,” Rukia murmured, she turned to Renji and nodded, “Thank you, Renji. I know you'll do all you can.”

 

She turned to Momo and squeezed her hand gently, “Now we need to go and tell Toshiro.”

 

Momo gulped and pulled the coat tighter around her entire body. “Will he understand?” She asked in a voice as quiet as it was fearful.

 

“Of course,” Rukia murmured, her hands gently massaging Momo's wrists, “He loves you, never forget that. Love can conquer anything Momo, you know that…” she smiled gently and nodded, “Especially a love like yours.”

 

Momo hesitated for a moment before nodding softly and hugging Rukia's jacket around her even more.

 

Finally, Rukia turned to Ichigo and looked at him with quietly pleading eyes. “Would you drive us there, Ichigo?”

 

Out of the corner of his eye Ichigo could swear that he saw Renji surge forward, like he was going to offer to take them to Toshiro's apartment in his squad car, but he held himself back. It was as if he knew that his time was up. This was Ichigo's show now. His mouth closed and he cleared his throat softly.

 

Ichigo looked over at Rukia and nodded once. “Yeah, I'll take you guys where ever you want to go.”

 

With that one sentence Rukia's face melted into something so beautiful that Ichigo's heart started beating something furious. He swallowed and tried to force away the feeling.

 

“Come on,” he murmured, his body going towards the exit to the hospital. He reached out and placed a hand on the small of Rukia's back. He could have sworn that he heard Abarai suck in a small breath at the action but he didn't care. Rukia was with him, he was with Rukia, and together, they'd take Momo home and make sure that she was alright when she faced her fiancé.

 

As he opened the doors to his car for the respective women—both were sitting in the back—what Renji Abarai had said came running back through his mind.

 

“I'm just making sure you understand that if you so much as injure one hair on her head I will come after you with everything I have. My nine mil, my rank as a detective, and the backing of the police department. Do I make myself clear?”

 

Ichigo slid into the drivers' side and listened closely to the address they gave him. He immediately started the car and began to mindlessly drive in the early dusk of the morning.

 

Do I understand? Ichigo wondered to himself as he turned the corner. Just what does Rukia Kuchiki mean to me?

 

 

 

 

(A/N: Alrighty, lots going on in that chapter!

 

Second Disclaimer: I have never been the victim of sexual violence. I've never known anyone who was a victim of sexual violence. All I know of sexual violence I've learned in school and from Law and Order SVU. If offense at any point in this part in the story I apologize. Please take into consideration my lack of knowledge and the fact that this is just a story.

 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!)