Blood/Water: Chapters 14-15 + Epilogues
Still remember this fanfic? *cringes in fear*
First off, apologies to everyone who's been waiting for me to finish this. I was unhappy with my last chapters and reader feedback agreed with my secret suspicions. I guess I rushed it. Anyway, I felt like my writing didn't live up to expectations, and so I got busy with other projects and pushed the story into the recesses of my mind. But Adam would remind me, from time to time, to FINISH THAT DAMN FIC, SO YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. I finally saw his point... nothing will be perfect, and I cannot take back the whole damn saga to re-write it, so I might as well give closure to those who are still interested with the fates of our intrepid Inspector Kurosaki and our lovely 'damsel-who-causes-distress' Rukia Kuchiki.
Once again, I'm very sorry for the delay.
Ready? Here we go.
title: Blood/Water: Chapters 14-15, Epilogues
genre: mystery, suspense, alternate universe
rating: T
word count: 6000 words
warnings? Some mushy bits.
series summary: In the Commonwealth of Karakura, an innocent young woman is on trial for the murder of her sister. Ichigo Kurosaki, rookie inspector for the Metropolitan Police, feels duty-bound to investigate the case. What he doesn't know yet is that he's about to come face-to-face with the sordid, unscrupulous side of his beloved archipelago.
disclaimer: All Bleach characters are created by Tite Kubo.
Blood/Water Prologue, Chapters 1-2
Blood/Water Chapters 3-5
Blood/Water Chapters 6-8
Blood/Water Chapters 9 - 11
Blood/Water Chapters 12-13
Blood/Water: Outtakes (deleted scenes)
Blood/Water: Author's Notes, Links to Research, Maps
Adam's fake spoiler for "the man in the floral shirt" :D
Interlude 13.5: the Chief Inspector’s Office
The Shihoin paused before swinging open her office door. Through the glass she could see Inspector Kurosaki pacing about like a caged beast, still upset about a job he considered half-done.
“The Coastal Authority lost them,” she announced the moment she stepped inside. “The high tide came in and chased Aizen and Gin out of the Commonwealth’s territorial waters. There’s a chance they will capsize or run out of fuel before reaching land, but…”
“That’s a lot of crap,” Ichigo’s voice was full of scorn. “There’s not too many places to go on the high seas. Not in this area. They will be back.”
“Yes, they will,” Yoruichi Shihoin said briskly. “And when they are, the Met will be ready for them. Until that day, though, you need some rest.”
Ichigo was surprised. “What?”
“Yes, you deserve a break. A nice long break.” The Chief Inspector winked. “It’s also known as preventive suspension. And it starts the moment you walk out of this office.”
Ichigo’s eyes betrayed his consternation. “What?!”
“You need time off for psychological treatment -- don’t you ever shoot into the sea again, you idiot,” she glared. “Who the hell you think you are, Mike Hammer? You can take your tough guy act somewhere else. The fish don’t care.”
The sulky expression on Ichigo’s face made Yoruichi want to crack up but she controlled herself.
“You need to talk to someone about your problems with authority. I can’t keep covering your back until I know you won’t pull any more stupid stunts, like assaulting former Chief Inspector Jushiro Ukitake. I’ll be keeping your Glock until you return in three weeks.”
The young inspector’s shoulders slumped over, disheartened.
Chief Inspector Shihoin’s eyes softened for a flicker of a moment. She decided to change the topic to give him something to chew on. “Remember the loose end in one of your smuggling cases? The guy who rented the warehouse.”
For a moment, Ichigo thought his boss was talking gibberish. Then he remembered. “Yeah. What about it?”
“It was Chief Inspector Gin,” she said wearily. “He’s been running a smuggling business on the side for a couple of years. There were some interesting notes in Inspector Abarai’s locker. I’m still going through all the paperwork. It’s possible Abarai was gathering evidence against his boss when he was ordered to take a vacation. Abarai’s record shows he hadn’t taken a day off work since he entered the force… just like you. Renji Abarai should have known better.”
The Shihoin walked over to one of the boxes littering her office and pulled out a photo. “Looks familiar? That’s Momo Hinamori. She’s Abarai’s girlfriend.”
“Aizen wanted to get rid of Kuchiki, and Gin needed to get rid of Abarai. Momo just happened to be in the way, linking them all.” Ichigo thought about it for a moment. “So was Abarai used to blackmail Momo into cooperating or was Momo used to silence Abarai?”
“We never can tell with these slimeballs,” the Shihoin shrugged. “But they do love using other people to do their dirty work. Look at that nutcase Tousen.”
Ichigo was silent for several minutes. He had no idea there were so many wheels within wheels when he first took this on.
“You can stop emoting in my visitor’s chair now,” Yoruichi Shihoin said, as she started shuffling through her in-box. “You may go. Think of the time off as a reward.” There was an innocent twinkle in the woman’s eye that made Ichigo wary. “Congratulations. You can now spend loads of time at Sougyoku Hills. You can call it couples’ therapy.”
“The Penitentiary? Why would I want -- ” Ichigo bit his tongue mid-sentence.
The Chief Inspector was openly grinning at him.
“I did not take on this case to make Rukia Kuchiki my girlfriend! All due respect, Chief Inspector, but you can all go to hell.” He stomped off in a huff.
Yoruichi Shihoin burst into raucous laughter.
Chapter 14: Penitence Detention Facility, Sougyoku Hills
The teasing he received, however, didn’t stop Inspector Kurosaki from staying away. He was fascinated with her eyes; she seemed unable to control their fiery sparks.
Really, it wasn’t like Rukia to hope for too much. The news he came to deliver in person seemed too amazing to be true.
“You will be cleared of all charges, you know,” Ichigo said. “But you’ll have to wait for the scheduled re-trial though. That’s in a few days. The King’s Counsel is still going through all the evidence, and some of it is still being processed. The tape recorder that Kuchiki had on him, for instance… they’re still trying to piece that together. The forensics guy at Twin Fish is ecstatic about that.”
“Not any time sooner?” she asked. “How can it be a certainty?”
“My boss arm-wrestled the Superintendent into examining the goings-on for the Seireitei outpost,” Ichigo explained. “They found so many anomalies the entire force was sacked. Inspector Kira was discharged from the service. He’s been refusing to cooperate with the investigation. He’s suspected for playing a part in Inspector Abrarai’s disappearance. I don’t know if he’s going to be charged with anything. Chief Inspector Ichimaru Gin will be charged in absentia for kidnapping, blackmail, fraud, conspiracy to murder… among other things.”
“In absentia…” Rukia shook her head. “Both he and Aizen, too. This is why he seemed vaguely familiar when the police came to arrest me that night.”
“They found another red wig and all the paraphernalia. It was a strange thing to do, for both of ‘em to impersonate Inspector Abarai,” Ichigo said.
“I don’t understand the logic of that. It seems incredible.”
“It does have a twisted sense of humor to it,” Ichigo agreed. “They were probably counting on any witnesses describing them as having red hair and tattoos. Most people wouldn’t bother remembering anything beyond that.”
Rukia nodded, but she didn’t really agree with him. After all, Ichigo looked like someone she hoped to forget.
“The poor sod,” he warmed to his topic. “Nobody even reported him as missing.”
“Perhaps he didn’t have a lot of friends.” Rukia’s hands tried not to shake as they lay on the table. “Are you sure it was Momo, though?” she still couldn’t believe that part.
Ichigo frowned. “Yes. The Twin Fish lab and the Met lab identified the contents of an alcohol bottle found in Momo’s apartment. It contained highly concentrated liquid nicotine. The acupunture needles too, were analyzed… they were laced with the stuff.” Ichigo hesitated. He wasn’t sure if Rukia was ready to find out that her sister’s reluctant killer was already found dead, hanging from the rafters of her old boarding house. Suicide or not, the autopsy results hadn’t come in yet. But Aizen’s fingerprints were all over the place.
Probably not, Ichigo decided grimly. Even if Aizen didn’t lift a finger against Momo, Ichigo’s gut feeling told him that the girl was unhinged to begin with. Whatever mental cruelty that man had devised, it probably was meant to break the weak.
Aizen had singlehandedly raised the Commonwealth’s crime statistics by double digits. The Met was all in an uproar, over what some now dubbed “the crime spree of the decade.” A special task force, in fact, was formed to deal with civilian panic. Everybody was scared of their deep wells. Bottled water was being hoarded and re-sold at exorbitant prices.
Rukia bowed her head, if only to lessen the intense scrunity of his glance. I was there when Momo performed that last accupuncture session, she mused. Hisana had kept complaining about the burning sensation on her skin. I did not understand…
Rukia wondered why she was doomed to let the people she loved most die in front of her eyes. This was not the first time.
“Are you… all right?”
His voice was hesitant. Ichigo wanted to comfort her but he couldn’t touch her. They were still in this damnable gaol.
Besides, he had no idea if his touch could actually comfort anyone.
His fists were clenched so hard, the knuckles had almost turned white.
“Thank you,” Rukia finally breathed.
Ichigo was uncomfortable with her gratitude. “Just doing my job,” he mumbled. “Really, I was. Taxpayer’s money, and all that.”
Rukia abruptly stood up. All of this was just too much to absorb in one sitting. “I want to go now,” she announced. “Good-bye.”
“Wait!” Ichigo blocked Rukia’s path. “When you get out… maybe I’ll see you around?”
She shook her head. “I have things to sort out for myself,” she said, firm yet gentle. “I thank you but… I don’t want to be paying for my freedom with my freedom.”
Ichigo tugged at her prisoner’s white sleeve. “What the hell? I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he growled. “I just said, I want to check on you.”
“Check on me or check me out?” Rukia queried.
“Where did that come from?” Ichigo snarled. “You’ve got a big head. I’m not demanding anything from you.”
“Oh yeah?” she shot back, affronted. Rukia lost her patience. “Then why are you so mad? Let go of me.”
“That’s enough. Your time’s up,” an unknown guard suddenly popped up beside them. “We don’t tolerate that sort of interaction, sir.”
Ichigo’s face grew hot. His fingers gripped her wrist in a tight squeeze, as if he could not let her go now that he managed to touch her.
Rukia cradled her wrist with her other hand. Her face darkened.
Damn it, did I just bruise her? “Hey, Rukia, I didn’t mean to --”
His stumbling apologies were almost left unheard as Rukia was snatched away from his side.
“Ichigo!” he whirled around to see her at the prisoner’s exit, trying to peer over the guard’s arm. “If you’re really sorry, you’ll be there at the re-trial so I can kick your ass.”
His eyebrows unknitted. “Sure thing, Rukia, you ungrateful little--”
Rukia stuck out her tongue at him in response. Then she disappeared from sight.
Women. Nutcases, all of ‘em. Ichigo was infuriated… but he was also strangely elated that she wanted him to be there.
“Time to go, Inspector,” a familiar figure hustled him out of the visitor’s lounge.
Ichigo grudgingly followed Hanatarou out and collected his things. “You forgot your tape recorder last time. Let me get it for you.”
As the guard rifled through stray belongings behind the counter, Ichigo just realized something. It wasn’t essential, but it was part of the whole.
“Here it is,” Hanatarou said cheerfully, and Ichigo looked at his tape recorder. He wasn’t surprised to see a fresh tape inside.
“Thanks.” Before he turned to go, Ichigo stopped him. “One last thing.”
The guard stalled as he held open the steel gate. “Yes, Inspector?”
“You’re in Byakuya Kuchiki’s employ, aren’t you.” It wasn’t phrased as a question. Ichigo wanted confirmation.
Hanatarou blinked. “It was the only favor the Kuchiki ever asked of me,” he replied. “Please don’t report this to the Warden. It’s a dreadful breach of contract. I will lose my job.”
“Why did you agree to look after Rukia?”
“I pay my debts, I do,” Hanatarou said proudly. From within the folds of his uniform, he drew out a worn photograph from a battered wallet.
Ichigo could hardly make out the figures in the crowded group shot, but in the end he identified two people: Hanatarou as a skinny teen with a nervous grin, and Hisana Kuchiki dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus and handing out gifts. Ichigo flipped over the photo and read the inscription: North Karakura Orphanage, Dec. 25.
“It was my last year at the orphanage, and my best Christmas ever. She had time to listen to all of us.”
“I thought so.” Ichigo returned the photograph and shook the man’s hand. “I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.”
He then turned to go, hoping it would be the last time he’d see Rukia confined in that dreary place.
Chapter 15: All Souls Square, Tsubaki-dai District
The cool air in the courthouse was scented with the faint perfume of jasmine and excitement.
The crowded hall was bubbling over with suppressed anticipation. It wasn’t just the pleasant breeze that marked the departure of the heavy atmosphere. The least observant members of the courthouse may have ascribed the change to the mainland’s abrupt seasons, which saw the passage of summer to monsoon overnight. Judge Yamamoto was no longer sweating beneath his superfluous hair but wearing a sweater under his robes to protect from the occasional draught.
What was different? The King’s Counsel were still the same professional litigators suddenly bored with the job at hand. The old defense team was sacked -- perhaps unnecessarily at this point, but the general public didn’t know that.
Ichigo Kurosaki knew what had changed: the mood all stemmed from the demeanor of the woman who sat a few yards away from him. Rukia Kuchiki’s last appearance in this room a month ago revealed the raw emotions of a woman resigned to her fate. Now, her conscience was cleared from any self-doubt; her expression betrayed only her absolute innocence. She was almost beautiful in her defiance. Her eyes sized up the contents of the room, and found it wanting.
The young inspector was nonplussed when she did not quite acknowledge his glance with anything more than her eyes sidling up to his before darting away.
The courts had anticipated the uproar that was sure to follow this short session. Judge Yamamoto had been briefed ahead of time by Chief Inspector Shihoin but still, the legal niceties must be made public.
Ichigo tried to suppress his grin. He noticed something else: it looked like Hanatarou the gaoler had interceded on his favorite prisoner’s behalf. Rukia Kuchiki stood at the dock, dressed not in her convict’s whites but in a simple suit that brought out the sheen in her complexion.
Unconsciously, Rukia rubbed her neck. It was as if she was checking for the humiliating collar that was no longer there.
Ichigo slouched over his seat, interested.
Judge Yamamoto banged on his gavel and brought the court was brought to order.
The lead barrister of the King’s Counsel stood up. “Your honor, I am instructed to inform the court that the Crown offers no evidence against this prisoner in the case of the Commonwealth versus Rukia Kuchiki.”
The electrifying gasp went through the rows, and Mr. Komamura continued. “The charge of murder against Rukia Kuchiki has been withdrawn. I have been further instructed to state for the benefit of the court --” here the heavy-set barrister cocked an eye at the boisterous audience, indicating for whose benefit his statements were made “-- that new evidence has been submitted by the Metropolitan Police that proves the absolute innocence of the accused on the dock.”
Judge Yamamoto’s face was rather sour, or at least the arrangement of his features made it seem so. “Am I to understand that the court is to find the defendant Not Guilty?” he bellowed. “Jury, you have your instructions.”
Ignoring the squeals and rumbles of erupting from the audience, the new forewoman consulted with her bewildered jurors for a few moments. “Not Guilty!” she squeaked upon standing up, before sitting down again, breathless.
The old judge nodded. “The court finds Rukia Kuchiki cleared of all charges and innocent beyond all reasonable doubt. She is free to go.”
It was at that moment Rukia looked directly at Ichigo, and the soft smile of his lips thawed out the chill in her heart.
The eruption of whoops and exclamations that could no longer be contained, however, created an unforeseen distance between them as Ichigo stood up from his seat the same time several burly reporters rushed to the front.
For the second time in his career, Judge Yamamoto was shocked by the behavior of the common civilian. He banged on his gavel to no avail, and gave up trying to conclude the day’s session. “The halls of justice should not be disrespected by you media hounds! Clear out of my courtroom! All of you!” he hollered querulously.
Ichigo Kurosaki, however, didn’t wait for that command. There was only one place for her to show up.
“Here, Miss Kuchiki!” Rukia was bewildered by the blinding flashes from multiple cameras and the shouts of the reporters. The bailiff was trying to summon her away from the crowd. Without hesitation, she followed the bailiff and disappeared into the judge’s quarters. A collective groan from the mediamen could be heard.
Hatch banged the heavy door shut. “Those wolves,” Hatch sighed. “Judge Yamamoto should have foreseen that!” The bailiff turned his attention to the former prisoner. “Hurry. If you take the door to the left, it leads to the judges’ private entrance to the building… don’t go through the underground parking, just follow the path and then left when you see the ‘no exit’ sign.”
Rukia thanked the bailiff and followed his instructions. Within moments, she blinked, and found herself out into the dewy morning. She was at a loss. What do I do now? Rukia thought dully. And where do I go from here?
“Rukia.”
She whirled around and saw Inspector Kurosaki standing there, a hooded expression in his eyes. He clutched, awkwardly, a bouquet of carnations and roses.
“What do you want?”
“I figured you could use some company. There’s some place I thought you’d like to see, the moment you get out.”
“And what place is that?” She bristled. “Somewhere quiet and secluded, where you can get to know me better?!”
“Damn it woman,” Ichigo protested. “There’s nothing in your record that says you’re a sex fiend. How many times do I have to tell you it’s not about that?”
Rukia dithered. “Sorry. So where do you want to take me? If it’s anywhere --”
Ichigo wanted to take the liberty of shushing her with a finger placed on her lips, but instead he reassured her with a glare. “If you speak any louder, the reporters out front will hear you. You have a choice to talk to them or to go with me. What will it be?”
Chagrined, Rukia reached for the flowers.
“These aren’t for you,” Ichigo’s features relaxed as he held out the bouquet. “They’re for your sister.”
The walk to the Karakura cemetery was quiet and companionable. Rukia was embarrassed because she couldn’t remember all the strange and personal things she had mentioned in passing when she used his tape recorder in gaol. Ichigo was likewise restrained, unable to remember all the topics he shouldn’t bring up in case it upset her.
It occurred to Ichigo that maybe he should talk about himself to fill in the gaps of silence. Yet Ichigo didn’t like to talk about himself. It was one of the reasons why he became a detective in the first place. He was the one supposed to be posing the questions, not answering them.
Ichigo led the way, doing it more out of instinct than having a real sense of direction. Among the rows of the Commonwealth dead, all was quiet except for the rustle of leaves crunching beneath their feet.
They spoke at the same time, all at once.
“Did you really think --”
“I would like to know --”
Ichigo rolled his eyes and let her speak first. Rukia came to a stop in front of a simple tombstone of chiseled black stone. It stood out in its elegance, making the more elaborate markers in its vicinity look gaudy.
There was no hint that Hisana was exhumed and re-buried in the monumental weeks since she was first laid to rest. A gardener transplanted fresh moss and grass on the recently disturbed area. Ichigo had a pretty good idea who ordered such a thing to be done.
“How did you know where to find Hisana?” she said as she rested the spray of flowers on her sister’s tomb. It was not the original question on the tip of her tongue.
“You said you never got to say goodbye,” he answered, a lump in his throat. “I know how that feels. That’s why I made a few phone calls, to ask where your sister was buried.”
Belatedly, Rukia looked around and realized that Hisana was resting among the Kuchiki clan. “It’s okay,” she said to Ichigo. “She’s still among family.”
“It’s not okay, damn it,” Ichigo frowned. “Her life was cut short. She should be here with you instead of…” Instead of me.
“I know that. But it’s not something we can change now, can we?” Rukia rested her hand on the stone and caressed it. Hisana, I’m sorry we didn’t have more time, Rukia said to herself. Her eyes were blinking furiously.
“Hey, you don’t have to fake anything around me.” His voice was low. “Come on, let it out.”
The words of permission -- no, that was wrong, Rukia didn’t need permission -- the words of encouragement Ichigo spoke triggered a tsunami of grief in her. Rukia had spent her entire time in gaol trying to be strong for herself. But now she could show weakness and properly mourn for her beloved sister.
Rukia wept. The sobs escaped her throat. She clutched herself in her unchecked sorrow, the ache in her heart finally rising dangerously to the surface. And when she could not longer support her sadness and she was about to sink to her knees, Ichigo caught her.
“Let it all out,” he demanded roughly, and so Rukia did. Without meaning to do so, Rukia grasped on to the front of his shirt and bawled for what seemed like an eternity.
Stunned, Ichigo could only do what a guy could do in that situation: he held on to her with empathy and kindness. He eased her down to the ground, so Rukia could cry curled up in his arms. He pushed aside his mixed emotions, and accepted that it was oddly wonderful to give comfort to Rukia when she most needed it.
Besides, the top of her head smelled nice.
Too bad his shirt was mucked up beyond repair. Ichigo didn’t try to stop her, though. It was only when Rukia started to make sniffling and snorting sounds when he decided enough was enough. “If you mistake me for a giant tissue for your snot, I will have to arrest you for disorderly conduct.” He offered a handkerchief, none too clean, as an alternative.
Rukia pushed him away slightly and blew her nose. “Ew,” she said, studying the handkerchief. “How long has that been in your back pocket?”
Ichigo shrugged. “Beats me. Feel any better?”
She wiped the last of her tears away, trying not to breathe in as she blew her nose again. Rukia crumpled the cloth in her hand. “Yes I do. Thank you, Ichigo.”
Rukia stood up on her own and dusted off the grass from her clothes in a businesslike way, as if she was ashamed of all the emotions she had let loose.
Ichigo was not fooled. Still, he got up without a word.
Purely by accident, her right hand rubbed the sore spot on her left wrist where a tiny bruise remained. Perhaps Rukia could now ask him to crash at his place after all? The unavoidable intimacy of her breakdown suddenly made it possible. Or maybe I can crawl into an unused closet in his place, Rukia mused. I doubt if he’ll notice.
“Rukia, don’t take this the wrong way, but if you have no place to stay --” Ichigo started, and then blundered. “Hell, Dad loves meeting notorious people.”
“What?!”
“I meant to say you can stay with my family for the time being, if you don’t want to go back to the Kuchikis.” There. He had acknowledged the riff between in-laws that may never heal. “Our clinic is on Grandfisher Street. My dad is nuts but my sisters are okay. And the beach is nearby if you like to swim.” He reddened, and then shrugged. “I’d offer my apartment but it truly sucks. And you have made it clear that you’re scared of me.”
No, I’m not scared of you, Rukia thought. I’m just… exhausted.
It was at this awkward moment a stately black car drove up by the lane. A bald man got down, carrying an umbrella even if there was no rain. He moved with easy familiarity among the tombstones, and headed towards them.
“Miss Rukia,” Ikkaku said. “Your brother has been looking for you since court adjourned.”
Rukia hesitated.
Ikkaku tilted the umbrella to shield all three of them from the view of the limousine. “Don’t be too hard on him,” Ikkaku mumbled. “I’d understand if you won’t ever forgive him. Just try hear him out.”
Ichigo was torn between beating up the man sitting in the car or his employee. In the end, however, Ichigo knew this wasn’t his battle. He stood back, and waited for Rukia’s decision.
She glanced in her brother-in-law’s direction, and thought she saw the silhouette of his proud head droop like a withering cherry blossom.
Hisana loved this man, she thought. But I do not want to give Nii-sama a second chance.
Still, curiosity tugged at her mind and overwhelmed her resentment.
Rukia looked to Ichigo.
“The offer still stands, if you ever change your mind,” he said.
Rukia nodded. “Thanks.”
“Inspector Kurosaki,” Ikkaku said by way of neutral greeting. Ichigo accepted the acknowledgement, and nodded back.
Not knowing exactly what motivated her, Rukia let Ikkaku lead her towards the limousine. It was a long drive from the graveyard to the Kuchiki residence in town, and Byakuya had much explaining to do.
Rukia would give him that much time before informing her brother-in-law directly to his face that he should go to hell.
She would use the strength borrowed from Ichigo to do that much.
But Byakuya Kuchiki had his own agenda: he surprised his sister-in-law by getting down from the limousine himself.
“Ikkaku, why don’t you give Inspector Kurosaki a lift home,” he said quietly. “Then come back once you’re done.”
“I’m off-duty, so no formal titles, please,” Ichigo automatically scowled. “And I like to walk. See you around, Rukia. Goodbye, Byakuya.” He then walked away, although he had to control the intense urge to grab Rukia and run.
Ikkaku felt slighted. “Oh, for all the punks in the world,” he complained. “I’ll force that guy to get into the car. I’ll be back, boss.” He handed Rukia the umbrella and trudged off.
Rukia studied the landscape beyond her brother-in-law. She did not want to look at him. Her crying bout had weakened her. As she watched Ichigo disappear into the background, with the car trailing him, she felt even more drained than ever.
She stood sullenly beside Hisana’s marker, and leaned against it for support. “You wished to talk to me.”
“Rukia,” Byakuya Kuchiki said, his voice more humbled than she had ever heard it before. “I have lost the right to call you sister. I have wronged you by doubting you. By wavering in my belief of your innocence, I hurt you. I should have done absolutely everything in my power to protect you. I did only what I thought was expected of me, but in fact it was my silence that condemned you in the eyes of so many.”
He took a deep breath before proceeding, each sentence going out precise and unhurried, as if he wanted Rukia to understand how deeply he had thought and repented his own actions.
“I have wronged Hisana by doubting her trust in you. I should have known that you would never have hurt her, as I have now hurt her in death. I feel that I have betrayed her love and her trust, for you were always Hisana’s most precious sister, even before she found you.”
Rukia looked at him the moment he spoke these words. It did not surprise her that Byakuya’s head was bowed low, as if he had no right to raise his head in Hisana’s presence.
“I would beg forgiveness of Hisana if I could, but the dead cannot absolve the living. I doubt if you can ever forgive me, as I will find it impossible to forgive myself. I am truly sorry, Rukia. If there was anything --”
“Enough speeches,” Rukia silenced him. “I want you to know that I am angry and hurt. But I hope there will be a time I will no longer feel these things, as you are my only family in the world now.”
Hoping that she would not recoil from his touch, she held out her hand to her brother-in-law. He accepted it.
When Byakuya Kuchiki lifted his head, his stony façade had broken. His face glistened with silent tears.
Ichigo’s Epilogue: at the Karakura General Hospital
Several days had passed since Rukia Kuchiki had been set free, but there was one last thing Ichigo wanted to clear up in his cluttered mind. He had already seen Shunsui and Nanao, who were sufficiently recovered to show up at the Twin Fish Office. He made sure to apologize to Ukitake, who brushed it off with a cheerful offer of green tea. Ichigo even showed up for that psychological counseling the Chief Inspector told him to get.
Yet there was still one person he needed to see before he could consider the case truly closed.
Ichigo made his way to the Yumisawa district where Kisuke Urahara was still convalescing at the Karakura General Hospital. Apparently the man needed physical therapy... or perhaps he just liked the presence of nurses looking after his every whim. Being the occasional lover of Chief Inspector Shihoin, Ichigo reflected, might do that to a man.
He found the man in bed, dressed down casually in his patient’s gown but still wearing that ludicrous striped hat. It tipped forward in recognition.
“Oh, a visitor at last!” Urahara cooed. “If it isn’t the elusive Inspector Kurosaki, savior of falsely accused heiresses and defender of truth and justice in the Commonwealth.”
Ichigo grunted, as he settled down in a chair beside the bed. “I just wanted to ask something,” he admitted.
“Ask away, Inspector!” Urahara said airily. “I’d say anything to help an officer of the law.”
Yeah right, Ichigo thought. I’m sure you would. “Just this,” he said out loud. “When you saw me in the court house… why couldn’t you give me a more coherent clue, old man?” he scratched his head. “You could have saved a lot of time for everyone concerned.”
Urahara peered at the young inspector from behind his fan. His eyes were almost prancing with delight. “Wasn’t it clear enough to you?”
“Hell,” Ichigo said, “It was clear as mud. You’re lucky I didn’t think you were a crazy person who escaped from Hueco Mundo who just pissed off another crazy. That Tousen is some nutcase.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t get it right away.” Urahara cocked an eyebrow. “And Yoruichi said you were promising! God save the Commonwealth if there are inspectors dumber than you.”
When Ichigo made some protesting noises, the man added, “that’s in all the classic mysteries, boy. Arsenic is famous for making skin pale and hair shiny. Everyone who’s read a vintage whodunit knows that.”
Ichigo Kurosaki wasn’t about to admit he read nothing but Shonen Jump off-duty.
“Thank you for checking up on me,” Urahara said, proffering a business card. “It’s quite decent of you. The hospital administration will be kicking me out in a couple of days.”
“That’s good.” Ichigo didn’t know what else to say to this man.
“You know… now that Rukia Kuchiki’s a free woman, you should come drop by my candy shop. Show that card to my assistant, Ururu… she’ll give you a ten percent discount. And for you, the chocolate cherry rabbits are half-price until Sunday.”
Ichigo couldn’t believe his ears. He wanted to tear up the card. Why did people assume he had the worst intentions towards Rukia Kuchiki? But grudgingly, he put it in his wallet all the same.
Urahara beamed. “Good luck with the future in-laws,” he said, smirking. “Do you wish me to put in a good word for you with my landlord?”
Ichigo wanted to strangle the man.
Rukia’s Epilogue: 200 Cherry Blossom Lane, Seireitei
The old man was sitting in the beach deck, enjoying the seascape. He heard the noise of a slow bustle inside the house, and figured that the new mistress of the house had finally arrived.
“Grandfather Kuchiki,” she said. “It’s been a long time.”
Ginrei Kuchiki greeted Rukia with an avuncular embrace. “I am glad you decided to stay.”
“I did not want to come back here so soon,” Rukia answered with all honesty, “But Nii-sama insisted. The Karakura press was getting intolerable, especially after Hisana’s assets were turned over to me.”
Ginrei nodded, his eyes partly closed.
Rukia misunderstood the old man. “Nii-sama didn’t force me to come back,” she clarified, “And I can leave whenever I want to. I just thought… it would be Hisana’s wish, for me to remain near.”
Ginrei leaned a gnarled hand over her young one. He was touched by her stumbling explanations. It was time to change the topic to something more hopeful. “Did you give your thanks to the young inspector?”
A passing shadow behind the palms paused, and waited for the reply.
Rukia’s eyes went blank. Surely Grandfather Kuchiki was joking. “I think Ichigo knows that I’m thankful,” she replied vaguely. “He must be busy fighting crime, and all that.”
“No, he isn’t,” Ginrei shook his head. “Ikkaku told me that Inspector Kurosaki was put on administrative leave. Apparently he didn’t follow protocol while working on your case.”
“Oh.” Rukia was dumbfounded. He hadn’t thought of mentioning that important detail when he accompanied her to Hisana’s grave. Suddenly she felt guilty all over again. She wanted to shake off this self-doubt.
“Do you think I can invite him over, Grandfather?” Rukia’s voice was uncertain. She knew there was a boat somewhere with her name on it, but it was a hazy idea in her mind, just like all the money suddenly in her bank account.
“No, Rukia,” the older Kuchiki replied, stroking his chin sagely. “Not if you wish to treat each other as equals. A man like that must be met on his own turf.”
A slight flush colored Rukia’s cheeks. She shook her head. She wasn’t ready for the possibility of this yet. There was too many painful associations to recover from first. Didn’t she just promise herself she would not set foot on mainland Karakura until she felt healed and everyone had forgotten about her?
Perhaps in another lifetime, she would barge in and take charge of Ichigo Kurosaki’s life just to irritate the hell out of him. Then maybe if he was worth it she would never leave his side.
It wasn’t fair - because of those tapes, and that scene at the graveyard, Inspector Kurosaki knew her much better than she knew him. She’d need to rectify that, somehow. All she had of him was a worn-out handkerchief and the knowledge that he’d saved her life.
But I am a Kuchiki now, Rukia reminded herself. I cannot abandon this new life that Hisana wanted for me. At least… she amended, not yet.
Standing behind the palms, Byakuya seemed satisfied by this conversation. He moved on without announcing himself.
Seeing that she was getting lost in her own thoughts, Ginrei drifted away and left her to enjoy the serene solitude of the dusk.
Rukia sat down. Propping up her feet, she watched in silence. The moon began to rise and the ocean’s waves licked the shoreline. And for the first time since her sister died, she began to feel at peace with the world.
Her fate -- whether she liked it or not -- was now entwined with Ichigo’s. She had been in desperate need, and he had answered that call. As much as she hated the idea of being rescuee, something in his demeanor said that he felt the burden of always being the rescuer, too. Rukia would have to return the favor one day, perhaps to even out the score.
His real kindness was not in taking an interest in her case, but in his taking an interest in her welfare after all mystery had ended.
Yes. She would definitely see Ichigo Kurosaki again.
-- finis --
Thank you for reading. Comments are love, and any corrections will receive hugs and e-strawberries dipped in chocolate.
Edit: 12/12/08 thanks to Adam for playing grammar cop. ♥
First off, apologies to everyone who's been waiting for me to finish this. I was unhappy with my last chapters and reader feedback agreed with my secret suspicions. I guess I rushed it. Anyway, I felt like my writing didn't live up to expectations, and so I got busy with other projects and pushed the story into the recesses of my mind. But Adam would remind me, from time to time, to FINISH THAT DAMN FIC, SO YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. I finally saw his point... nothing will be perfect, and I cannot take back the whole damn saga to re-write it, so I might as well give closure to those who are still interested with the fates of our intrepid Inspector Kurosaki and our lovely 'damsel-who-causes-distress' Rukia Kuchiki.
Once again, I'm very sorry for the delay.
Ready? Here we go.
title: Blood/Water: Chapters 14-15, Epilogues
genre: mystery, suspense, alternate universe
rating: T
word count: 6000 words
warnings? Some mushy bits.
series summary: In the Commonwealth of Karakura, an innocent young woman is on trial for the murder of her sister. Ichigo Kurosaki, rookie inspector for the Metropolitan Police, feels duty-bound to investigate the case. What he doesn't know yet is that he's about to come face-to-face with the sordid, unscrupulous side of his beloved archipelago.
disclaimer: All Bleach characters are created by Tite Kubo.
Blood/Water Prologue, Chapters 1-2
Blood/Water Chapters 3-5
Blood/Water Chapters 6-8
Blood/Water Chapters 9 - 11
Blood/Water Chapters 12-13
Blood/Water: Outtakes (deleted scenes)
Blood/Water: Author's Notes, Links to Research, Maps
Adam's fake spoiler for "the man in the floral shirt" :D
Interlude 13.5: the Chief Inspector’s Office
The Shihoin paused before swinging open her office door. Through the glass she could see Inspector Kurosaki pacing about like a caged beast, still upset about a job he considered half-done.
“The Coastal Authority lost them,” she announced the moment she stepped inside. “The high tide came in and chased Aizen and Gin out of the Commonwealth’s territorial waters. There’s a chance they will capsize or run out of fuel before reaching land, but…”
“That’s a lot of crap,” Ichigo’s voice was full of scorn. “There’s not too many places to go on the high seas. Not in this area. They will be back.”
“Yes, they will,” Yoruichi Shihoin said briskly. “And when they are, the Met will be ready for them. Until that day, though, you need some rest.”
Ichigo was surprised. “What?”
“Yes, you deserve a break. A nice long break.” The Chief Inspector winked. “It’s also known as preventive suspension. And it starts the moment you walk out of this office.”
Ichigo’s eyes betrayed his consternation. “What?!”
“You need time off for psychological treatment -- don’t you ever shoot into the sea again, you idiot,” she glared. “Who the hell you think you are, Mike Hammer? You can take your tough guy act somewhere else. The fish don’t care.”
The sulky expression on Ichigo’s face made Yoruichi want to crack up but she controlled herself.
“You need to talk to someone about your problems with authority. I can’t keep covering your back until I know you won’t pull any more stupid stunts, like assaulting former Chief Inspector Jushiro Ukitake. I’ll be keeping your Glock until you return in three weeks.”
The young inspector’s shoulders slumped over, disheartened.
Chief Inspector Shihoin’s eyes softened for a flicker of a moment. She decided to change the topic to give him something to chew on. “Remember the loose end in one of your smuggling cases? The guy who rented the warehouse.”
For a moment, Ichigo thought his boss was talking gibberish. Then he remembered. “Yeah. What about it?”
“It was Chief Inspector Gin,” she said wearily. “He’s been running a smuggling business on the side for a couple of years. There were some interesting notes in Inspector Abarai’s locker. I’m still going through all the paperwork. It’s possible Abarai was gathering evidence against his boss when he was ordered to take a vacation. Abarai’s record shows he hadn’t taken a day off work since he entered the force… just like you. Renji Abarai should have known better.”
The Shihoin walked over to one of the boxes littering her office and pulled out a photo. “Looks familiar? That’s Momo Hinamori. She’s Abarai’s girlfriend.”
“Aizen wanted to get rid of Kuchiki, and Gin needed to get rid of Abarai. Momo just happened to be in the way, linking them all.” Ichigo thought about it for a moment. “So was Abarai used to blackmail Momo into cooperating or was Momo used to silence Abarai?”
“We never can tell with these slimeballs,” the Shihoin shrugged. “But they do love using other people to do their dirty work. Look at that nutcase Tousen.”
Ichigo was silent for several minutes. He had no idea there were so many wheels within wheels when he first took this on.
“You can stop emoting in my visitor’s chair now,” Yoruichi Shihoin said, as she started shuffling through her in-box. “You may go. Think of the time off as a reward.” There was an innocent twinkle in the woman’s eye that made Ichigo wary. “Congratulations. You can now spend loads of time at Sougyoku Hills. You can call it couples’ therapy.”
“The Penitentiary? Why would I want -- ” Ichigo bit his tongue mid-sentence.
The Chief Inspector was openly grinning at him.
“I did not take on this case to make Rukia Kuchiki my girlfriend! All due respect, Chief Inspector, but you can all go to hell.” He stomped off in a huff.
Yoruichi Shihoin burst into raucous laughter.
Chapter 14: Penitence Detention Facility, Sougyoku Hills
The teasing he received, however, didn’t stop Inspector Kurosaki from staying away. He was fascinated with her eyes; she seemed unable to control their fiery sparks.
Really, it wasn’t like Rukia to hope for too much. The news he came to deliver in person seemed too amazing to be true.
“You will be cleared of all charges, you know,” Ichigo said. “But you’ll have to wait for the scheduled re-trial though. That’s in a few days. The King’s Counsel is still going through all the evidence, and some of it is still being processed. The tape recorder that Kuchiki had on him, for instance… they’re still trying to piece that together. The forensics guy at Twin Fish is ecstatic about that.”
“Not any time sooner?” she asked. “How can it be a certainty?”
“My boss arm-wrestled the Superintendent into examining the goings-on for the Seireitei outpost,” Ichigo explained. “They found so many anomalies the entire force was sacked. Inspector Kira was discharged from the service. He’s been refusing to cooperate with the investigation. He’s suspected for playing a part in Inspector Abrarai’s disappearance. I don’t know if he’s going to be charged with anything. Chief Inspector Ichimaru Gin will be charged in absentia for kidnapping, blackmail, fraud, conspiracy to murder… among other things.”
“In absentia…” Rukia shook her head. “Both he and Aizen, too. This is why he seemed vaguely familiar when the police came to arrest me that night.”
“They found another red wig and all the paraphernalia. It was a strange thing to do, for both of ‘em to impersonate Inspector Abarai,” Ichigo said.
“I don’t understand the logic of that. It seems incredible.”
“It does have a twisted sense of humor to it,” Ichigo agreed. “They were probably counting on any witnesses describing them as having red hair and tattoos. Most people wouldn’t bother remembering anything beyond that.”
Rukia nodded, but she didn’t really agree with him. After all, Ichigo looked like someone she hoped to forget.
“The poor sod,” he warmed to his topic. “Nobody even reported him as missing.”
“Perhaps he didn’t have a lot of friends.” Rukia’s hands tried not to shake as they lay on the table. “Are you sure it was Momo, though?” she still couldn’t believe that part.
Ichigo frowned. “Yes. The Twin Fish lab and the Met lab identified the contents of an alcohol bottle found in Momo’s apartment. It contained highly concentrated liquid nicotine. The acupunture needles too, were analyzed… they were laced with the stuff.” Ichigo hesitated. He wasn’t sure if Rukia was ready to find out that her sister’s reluctant killer was already found dead, hanging from the rafters of her old boarding house. Suicide or not, the autopsy results hadn’t come in yet. But Aizen’s fingerprints were all over the place.
Probably not, Ichigo decided grimly. Even if Aizen didn’t lift a finger against Momo, Ichigo’s gut feeling told him that the girl was unhinged to begin with. Whatever mental cruelty that man had devised, it probably was meant to break the weak.
Aizen had singlehandedly raised the Commonwealth’s crime statistics by double digits. The Met was all in an uproar, over what some now dubbed “the crime spree of the decade.” A special task force, in fact, was formed to deal with civilian panic. Everybody was scared of their deep wells. Bottled water was being hoarded and re-sold at exorbitant prices.
Rukia bowed her head, if only to lessen the intense scrunity of his glance. I was there when Momo performed that last accupuncture session, she mused. Hisana had kept complaining about the burning sensation on her skin. I did not understand…
Rukia wondered why she was doomed to let the people she loved most die in front of her eyes. This was not the first time.
“Are you… all right?”
His voice was hesitant. Ichigo wanted to comfort her but he couldn’t touch her. They were still in this damnable gaol.
Besides, he had no idea if his touch could actually comfort anyone.
His fists were clenched so hard, the knuckles had almost turned white.
“Thank you,” Rukia finally breathed.
Ichigo was uncomfortable with her gratitude. “Just doing my job,” he mumbled. “Really, I was. Taxpayer’s money, and all that.”
Rukia abruptly stood up. All of this was just too much to absorb in one sitting. “I want to go now,” she announced. “Good-bye.”
“Wait!” Ichigo blocked Rukia’s path. “When you get out… maybe I’ll see you around?”
She shook her head. “I have things to sort out for myself,” she said, firm yet gentle. “I thank you but… I don’t want to be paying for my freedom with my freedom.”
Ichigo tugged at her prisoner’s white sleeve. “What the hell? I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he growled. “I just said, I want to check on you.”
“Check on me or check me out?” Rukia queried.
“Where did that come from?” Ichigo snarled. “You’ve got a big head. I’m not demanding anything from you.”
“Oh yeah?” she shot back, affronted. Rukia lost her patience. “Then why are you so mad? Let go of me.”
“That’s enough. Your time’s up,” an unknown guard suddenly popped up beside them. “We don’t tolerate that sort of interaction, sir.”
Ichigo’s face grew hot. His fingers gripped her wrist in a tight squeeze, as if he could not let her go now that he managed to touch her.
Rukia cradled her wrist with her other hand. Her face darkened.
Damn it, did I just bruise her? “Hey, Rukia, I didn’t mean to --”
His stumbling apologies were almost left unheard as Rukia was snatched away from his side.
“Ichigo!” he whirled around to see her at the prisoner’s exit, trying to peer over the guard’s arm. “If you’re really sorry, you’ll be there at the re-trial so I can kick your ass.”
His eyebrows unknitted. “Sure thing, Rukia, you ungrateful little--”
Rukia stuck out her tongue at him in response. Then she disappeared from sight.
Women. Nutcases, all of ‘em. Ichigo was infuriated… but he was also strangely elated that she wanted him to be there.
“Time to go, Inspector,” a familiar figure hustled him out of the visitor’s lounge.
Ichigo grudgingly followed Hanatarou out and collected his things. “You forgot your tape recorder last time. Let me get it for you.”
As the guard rifled through stray belongings behind the counter, Ichigo just realized something. It wasn’t essential, but it was part of the whole.
“Here it is,” Hanatarou said cheerfully, and Ichigo looked at his tape recorder. He wasn’t surprised to see a fresh tape inside.
“Thanks.” Before he turned to go, Ichigo stopped him. “One last thing.”
The guard stalled as he held open the steel gate. “Yes, Inspector?”
“You’re in Byakuya Kuchiki’s employ, aren’t you.” It wasn’t phrased as a question. Ichigo wanted confirmation.
Hanatarou blinked. “It was the only favor the Kuchiki ever asked of me,” he replied. “Please don’t report this to the Warden. It’s a dreadful breach of contract. I will lose my job.”
“Why did you agree to look after Rukia?”
“I pay my debts, I do,” Hanatarou said proudly. From within the folds of his uniform, he drew out a worn photograph from a battered wallet.
Ichigo could hardly make out the figures in the crowded group shot, but in the end he identified two people: Hanatarou as a skinny teen with a nervous grin, and Hisana Kuchiki dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus and handing out gifts. Ichigo flipped over the photo and read the inscription: North Karakura Orphanage, Dec. 25.
“It was my last year at the orphanage, and my best Christmas ever. She had time to listen to all of us.”
“I thought so.” Ichigo returned the photograph and shook the man’s hand. “I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.”
He then turned to go, hoping it would be the last time he’d see Rukia confined in that dreary place.
Chapter 15: All Souls Square, Tsubaki-dai District
The cool air in the courthouse was scented with the faint perfume of jasmine and excitement.
The crowded hall was bubbling over with suppressed anticipation. It wasn’t just the pleasant breeze that marked the departure of the heavy atmosphere. The least observant members of the courthouse may have ascribed the change to the mainland’s abrupt seasons, which saw the passage of summer to monsoon overnight. Judge Yamamoto was no longer sweating beneath his superfluous hair but wearing a sweater under his robes to protect from the occasional draught.
What was different? The King’s Counsel were still the same professional litigators suddenly bored with the job at hand. The old defense team was sacked -- perhaps unnecessarily at this point, but the general public didn’t know that.
Ichigo Kurosaki knew what had changed: the mood all stemmed from the demeanor of the woman who sat a few yards away from him. Rukia Kuchiki’s last appearance in this room a month ago revealed the raw emotions of a woman resigned to her fate. Now, her conscience was cleared from any self-doubt; her expression betrayed only her absolute innocence. She was almost beautiful in her defiance. Her eyes sized up the contents of the room, and found it wanting.
The young inspector was nonplussed when she did not quite acknowledge his glance with anything more than her eyes sidling up to his before darting away.
The courts had anticipated the uproar that was sure to follow this short session. Judge Yamamoto had been briefed ahead of time by Chief Inspector Shihoin but still, the legal niceties must be made public.
Ichigo tried to suppress his grin. He noticed something else: it looked like Hanatarou the gaoler had interceded on his favorite prisoner’s behalf. Rukia Kuchiki stood at the dock, dressed not in her convict’s whites but in a simple suit that brought out the sheen in her complexion.
Unconsciously, Rukia rubbed her neck. It was as if she was checking for the humiliating collar that was no longer there.
Ichigo slouched over his seat, interested.
Judge Yamamoto banged on his gavel and brought the court was brought to order.
The lead barrister of the King’s Counsel stood up. “Your honor, I am instructed to inform the court that the Crown offers no evidence against this prisoner in the case of the Commonwealth versus Rukia Kuchiki.”
The electrifying gasp went through the rows, and Mr. Komamura continued. “The charge of murder against Rukia Kuchiki has been withdrawn. I have been further instructed to state for the benefit of the court --” here the heavy-set barrister cocked an eye at the boisterous audience, indicating for whose benefit his statements were made “-- that new evidence has been submitted by the Metropolitan Police that proves the absolute innocence of the accused on the dock.”
Judge Yamamoto’s face was rather sour, or at least the arrangement of his features made it seem so. “Am I to understand that the court is to find the defendant Not Guilty?” he bellowed. “Jury, you have your instructions.”
Ignoring the squeals and rumbles of erupting from the audience, the new forewoman consulted with her bewildered jurors for a few moments. “Not Guilty!” she squeaked upon standing up, before sitting down again, breathless.
The old judge nodded. “The court finds Rukia Kuchiki cleared of all charges and innocent beyond all reasonable doubt. She is free to go.”
It was at that moment Rukia looked directly at Ichigo, and the soft smile of his lips thawed out the chill in her heart.
The eruption of whoops and exclamations that could no longer be contained, however, created an unforeseen distance between them as Ichigo stood up from his seat the same time several burly reporters rushed to the front.
For the second time in his career, Judge Yamamoto was shocked by the behavior of the common civilian. He banged on his gavel to no avail, and gave up trying to conclude the day’s session. “The halls of justice should not be disrespected by you media hounds! Clear out of my courtroom! All of you!” he hollered querulously.
Ichigo Kurosaki, however, didn’t wait for that command. There was only one place for her to show up.
“Here, Miss Kuchiki!” Rukia was bewildered by the blinding flashes from multiple cameras and the shouts of the reporters. The bailiff was trying to summon her away from the crowd. Without hesitation, she followed the bailiff and disappeared into the judge’s quarters. A collective groan from the mediamen could be heard.
Hatch banged the heavy door shut. “Those wolves,” Hatch sighed. “Judge Yamamoto should have foreseen that!” The bailiff turned his attention to the former prisoner. “Hurry. If you take the door to the left, it leads to the judges’ private entrance to the building… don’t go through the underground parking, just follow the path and then left when you see the ‘no exit’ sign.”
Rukia thanked the bailiff and followed his instructions. Within moments, she blinked, and found herself out into the dewy morning. She was at a loss. What do I do now? Rukia thought dully. And where do I go from here?
“Rukia.”
She whirled around and saw Inspector Kurosaki standing there, a hooded expression in his eyes. He clutched, awkwardly, a bouquet of carnations and roses.
“What do you want?”
“I figured you could use some company. There’s some place I thought you’d like to see, the moment you get out.”
“And what place is that?” She bristled. “Somewhere quiet and secluded, where you can get to know me better?!”
“Damn it woman,” Ichigo protested. “There’s nothing in your record that says you’re a sex fiend. How many times do I have to tell you it’s not about that?”
Rukia dithered. “Sorry. So where do you want to take me? If it’s anywhere --”
Ichigo wanted to take the liberty of shushing her with a finger placed on her lips, but instead he reassured her with a glare. “If you speak any louder, the reporters out front will hear you. You have a choice to talk to them or to go with me. What will it be?”
Chagrined, Rukia reached for the flowers.
“These aren’t for you,” Ichigo’s features relaxed as he held out the bouquet. “They’re for your sister.”
The walk to the Karakura cemetery was quiet and companionable. Rukia was embarrassed because she couldn’t remember all the strange and personal things she had mentioned in passing when she used his tape recorder in gaol. Ichigo was likewise restrained, unable to remember all the topics he shouldn’t bring up in case it upset her.
It occurred to Ichigo that maybe he should talk about himself to fill in the gaps of silence. Yet Ichigo didn’t like to talk about himself. It was one of the reasons why he became a detective in the first place. He was the one supposed to be posing the questions, not answering them.
Ichigo led the way, doing it more out of instinct than having a real sense of direction. Among the rows of the Commonwealth dead, all was quiet except for the rustle of leaves crunching beneath their feet.
They spoke at the same time, all at once.
“Did you really think --”
“I would like to know --”
Ichigo rolled his eyes and let her speak first. Rukia came to a stop in front of a simple tombstone of chiseled black stone. It stood out in its elegance, making the more elaborate markers in its vicinity look gaudy.
There was no hint that Hisana was exhumed and re-buried in the monumental weeks since she was first laid to rest. A gardener transplanted fresh moss and grass on the recently disturbed area. Ichigo had a pretty good idea who ordered such a thing to be done.
“How did you know where to find Hisana?” she said as she rested the spray of flowers on her sister’s tomb. It was not the original question on the tip of her tongue.
“You said you never got to say goodbye,” he answered, a lump in his throat. “I know how that feels. That’s why I made a few phone calls, to ask where your sister was buried.”
Belatedly, Rukia looked around and realized that Hisana was resting among the Kuchiki clan. “It’s okay,” she said to Ichigo. “She’s still among family.”
“It’s not okay, damn it,” Ichigo frowned. “Her life was cut short. She should be here with you instead of…” Instead of me.
“I know that. But it’s not something we can change now, can we?” Rukia rested her hand on the stone and caressed it. Hisana, I’m sorry we didn’t have more time, Rukia said to herself. Her eyes were blinking furiously.
“Hey, you don’t have to fake anything around me.” His voice was low. “Come on, let it out.”
The words of permission -- no, that was wrong, Rukia didn’t need permission -- the words of encouragement Ichigo spoke triggered a tsunami of grief in her. Rukia had spent her entire time in gaol trying to be strong for herself. But now she could show weakness and properly mourn for her beloved sister.
Rukia wept. The sobs escaped her throat. She clutched herself in her unchecked sorrow, the ache in her heart finally rising dangerously to the surface. And when she could not longer support her sadness and she was about to sink to her knees, Ichigo caught her.
“Let it all out,” he demanded roughly, and so Rukia did. Without meaning to do so, Rukia grasped on to the front of his shirt and bawled for what seemed like an eternity.
Stunned, Ichigo could only do what a guy could do in that situation: he held on to her with empathy and kindness. He eased her down to the ground, so Rukia could cry curled up in his arms. He pushed aside his mixed emotions, and accepted that it was oddly wonderful to give comfort to Rukia when she most needed it.
Besides, the top of her head smelled nice.
Too bad his shirt was mucked up beyond repair. Ichigo didn’t try to stop her, though. It was only when Rukia started to make sniffling and snorting sounds when he decided enough was enough. “If you mistake me for a giant tissue for your snot, I will have to arrest you for disorderly conduct.” He offered a handkerchief, none too clean, as an alternative.
Rukia pushed him away slightly and blew her nose. “Ew,” she said, studying the handkerchief. “How long has that been in your back pocket?”
Ichigo shrugged. “Beats me. Feel any better?”
She wiped the last of her tears away, trying not to breathe in as she blew her nose again. Rukia crumpled the cloth in her hand. “Yes I do. Thank you, Ichigo.”
Rukia stood up on her own and dusted off the grass from her clothes in a businesslike way, as if she was ashamed of all the emotions she had let loose.
Ichigo was not fooled. Still, he got up without a word.
Purely by accident, her right hand rubbed the sore spot on her left wrist where a tiny bruise remained. Perhaps Rukia could now ask him to crash at his place after all? The unavoidable intimacy of her breakdown suddenly made it possible. Or maybe I can crawl into an unused closet in his place, Rukia mused. I doubt if he’ll notice.
“Rukia, don’t take this the wrong way, but if you have no place to stay --” Ichigo started, and then blundered. “Hell, Dad loves meeting notorious people.”
“What?!”
“I meant to say you can stay with my family for the time being, if you don’t want to go back to the Kuchikis.” There. He had acknowledged the riff between in-laws that may never heal. “Our clinic is on Grandfisher Street. My dad is nuts but my sisters are okay. And the beach is nearby if you like to swim.” He reddened, and then shrugged. “I’d offer my apartment but it truly sucks. And you have made it clear that you’re scared of me.”
No, I’m not scared of you, Rukia thought. I’m just… exhausted.
It was at this awkward moment a stately black car drove up by the lane. A bald man got down, carrying an umbrella even if there was no rain. He moved with easy familiarity among the tombstones, and headed towards them.
“Miss Rukia,” Ikkaku said. “Your brother has been looking for you since court adjourned.”
Rukia hesitated.
Ikkaku tilted the umbrella to shield all three of them from the view of the limousine. “Don’t be too hard on him,” Ikkaku mumbled. “I’d understand if you won’t ever forgive him. Just try hear him out.”
Ichigo was torn between beating up the man sitting in the car or his employee. In the end, however, Ichigo knew this wasn’t his battle. He stood back, and waited for Rukia’s decision.
She glanced in her brother-in-law’s direction, and thought she saw the silhouette of his proud head droop like a withering cherry blossom.
Hisana loved this man, she thought. But I do not want to give Nii-sama a second chance.
Still, curiosity tugged at her mind and overwhelmed her resentment.
Rukia looked to Ichigo.
“The offer still stands, if you ever change your mind,” he said.
Rukia nodded. “Thanks.”
“Inspector Kurosaki,” Ikkaku said by way of neutral greeting. Ichigo accepted the acknowledgement, and nodded back.
Not knowing exactly what motivated her, Rukia let Ikkaku lead her towards the limousine. It was a long drive from the graveyard to the Kuchiki residence in town, and Byakuya had much explaining to do.
Rukia would give him that much time before informing her brother-in-law directly to his face that he should go to hell.
She would use the strength borrowed from Ichigo to do that much.
But Byakuya Kuchiki had his own agenda: he surprised his sister-in-law by getting down from the limousine himself.
“Ikkaku, why don’t you give Inspector Kurosaki a lift home,” he said quietly. “Then come back once you’re done.”
“I’m off-duty, so no formal titles, please,” Ichigo automatically scowled. “And I like to walk. See you around, Rukia. Goodbye, Byakuya.” He then walked away, although he had to control the intense urge to grab Rukia and run.
Ikkaku felt slighted. “Oh, for all the punks in the world,” he complained. “I’ll force that guy to get into the car. I’ll be back, boss.” He handed Rukia the umbrella and trudged off.
Rukia studied the landscape beyond her brother-in-law. She did not want to look at him. Her crying bout had weakened her. As she watched Ichigo disappear into the background, with the car trailing him, she felt even more drained than ever.
She stood sullenly beside Hisana’s marker, and leaned against it for support. “You wished to talk to me.”
“Rukia,” Byakuya Kuchiki said, his voice more humbled than she had ever heard it before. “I have lost the right to call you sister. I have wronged you by doubting you. By wavering in my belief of your innocence, I hurt you. I should have done absolutely everything in my power to protect you. I did only what I thought was expected of me, but in fact it was my silence that condemned you in the eyes of so many.”
He took a deep breath before proceeding, each sentence going out precise and unhurried, as if he wanted Rukia to understand how deeply he had thought and repented his own actions.
“I have wronged Hisana by doubting her trust in you. I should have known that you would never have hurt her, as I have now hurt her in death. I feel that I have betrayed her love and her trust, for you were always Hisana’s most precious sister, even before she found you.”
Rukia looked at him the moment he spoke these words. It did not surprise her that Byakuya’s head was bowed low, as if he had no right to raise his head in Hisana’s presence.
“I would beg forgiveness of Hisana if I could, but the dead cannot absolve the living. I doubt if you can ever forgive me, as I will find it impossible to forgive myself. I am truly sorry, Rukia. If there was anything --”
“Enough speeches,” Rukia silenced him. “I want you to know that I am angry and hurt. But I hope there will be a time I will no longer feel these things, as you are my only family in the world now.”
Hoping that she would not recoil from his touch, she held out her hand to her brother-in-law. He accepted it.
When Byakuya Kuchiki lifted his head, his stony façade had broken. His face glistened with silent tears.
Ichigo’s Epilogue: at the Karakura General Hospital
Several days had passed since Rukia Kuchiki had been set free, but there was one last thing Ichigo wanted to clear up in his cluttered mind. He had already seen Shunsui and Nanao, who were sufficiently recovered to show up at the Twin Fish Office. He made sure to apologize to Ukitake, who brushed it off with a cheerful offer of green tea. Ichigo even showed up for that psychological counseling the Chief Inspector told him to get.
Yet there was still one person he needed to see before he could consider the case truly closed.
Ichigo made his way to the Yumisawa district where Kisuke Urahara was still convalescing at the Karakura General Hospital. Apparently the man needed physical therapy... or perhaps he just liked the presence of nurses looking after his every whim. Being the occasional lover of Chief Inspector Shihoin, Ichigo reflected, might do that to a man.
He found the man in bed, dressed down casually in his patient’s gown but still wearing that ludicrous striped hat. It tipped forward in recognition.
“Oh, a visitor at last!” Urahara cooed. “If it isn’t the elusive Inspector Kurosaki, savior of falsely accused heiresses and defender of truth and justice in the Commonwealth.”
Ichigo grunted, as he settled down in a chair beside the bed. “I just wanted to ask something,” he admitted.
“Ask away, Inspector!” Urahara said airily. “I’d say anything to help an officer of the law.”
Yeah right, Ichigo thought. I’m sure you would. “Just this,” he said out loud. “When you saw me in the court house… why couldn’t you give me a more coherent clue, old man?” he scratched his head. “You could have saved a lot of time for everyone concerned.”
Urahara peered at the young inspector from behind his fan. His eyes were almost prancing with delight. “Wasn’t it clear enough to you?”
“Hell,” Ichigo said, “It was clear as mud. You’re lucky I didn’t think you were a crazy person who escaped from Hueco Mundo who just pissed off another crazy. That Tousen is some nutcase.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t get it right away.” Urahara cocked an eyebrow. “And Yoruichi said you were promising! God save the Commonwealth if there are inspectors dumber than you.”
When Ichigo made some protesting noises, the man added, “that’s in all the classic mysteries, boy. Arsenic is famous for making skin pale and hair shiny. Everyone who’s read a vintage whodunit knows that.”
Ichigo Kurosaki wasn’t about to admit he read nothing but Shonen Jump off-duty.
“Thank you for checking up on me,” Urahara said, proffering a business card. “It’s quite decent of you. The hospital administration will be kicking me out in a couple of days.”
“That’s good.” Ichigo didn’t know what else to say to this man.
“You know… now that Rukia Kuchiki’s a free woman, you should come drop by my candy shop. Show that card to my assistant, Ururu… she’ll give you a ten percent discount. And for you, the chocolate cherry rabbits are half-price until Sunday.”
Ichigo couldn’t believe his ears. He wanted to tear up the card. Why did people assume he had the worst intentions towards Rukia Kuchiki? But grudgingly, he put it in his wallet all the same.
Urahara beamed. “Good luck with the future in-laws,” he said, smirking. “Do you wish me to put in a good word for you with my landlord?”
Ichigo wanted to strangle the man.
Rukia’s Epilogue: 200 Cherry Blossom Lane, Seireitei
The old man was sitting in the beach deck, enjoying the seascape. He heard the noise of a slow bustle inside the house, and figured that the new mistress of the house had finally arrived.
“Grandfather Kuchiki,” she said. “It’s been a long time.”
Ginrei Kuchiki greeted Rukia with an avuncular embrace. “I am glad you decided to stay.”
“I did not want to come back here so soon,” Rukia answered with all honesty, “But Nii-sama insisted. The Karakura press was getting intolerable, especially after Hisana’s assets were turned over to me.”
Ginrei nodded, his eyes partly closed.
Rukia misunderstood the old man. “Nii-sama didn’t force me to come back,” she clarified, “And I can leave whenever I want to. I just thought… it would be Hisana’s wish, for me to remain near.”
Ginrei leaned a gnarled hand over her young one. He was touched by her stumbling explanations. It was time to change the topic to something more hopeful. “Did you give your thanks to the young inspector?”
A passing shadow behind the palms paused, and waited for the reply.
Rukia’s eyes went blank. Surely Grandfather Kuchiki was joking. “I think Ichigo knows that I’m thankful,” she replied vaguely. “He must be busy fighting crime, and all that.”
“No, he isn’t,” Ginrei shook his head. “Ikkaku told me that Inspector Kurosaki was put on administrative leave. Apparently he didn’t follow protocol while working on your case.”
“Oh.” Rukia was dumbfounded. He hadn’t thought of mentioning that important detail when he accompanied her to Hisana’s grave. Suddenly she felt guilty all over again. She wanted to shake off this self-doubt.
“Do you think I can invite him over, Grandfather?” Rukia’s voice was uncertain. She knew there was a boat somewhere with her name on it, but it was a hazy idea in her mind, just like all the money suddenly in her bank account.
“No, Rukia,” the older Kuchiki replied, stroking his chin sagely. “Not if you wish to treat each other as equals. A man like that must be met on his own turf.”
A slight flush colored Rukia’s cheeks. She shook her head. She wasn’t ready for the possibility of this yet. There was too many painful associations to recover from first. Didn’t she just promise herself she would not set foot on mainland Karakura until she felt healed and everyone had forgotten about her?
Perhaps in another lifetime, she would barge in and take charge of Ichigo Kurosaki’s life just to irritate the hell out of him. Then maybe if he was worth it she would never leave his side.
It wasn’t fair - because of those tapes, and that scene at the graveyard, Inspector Kurosaki knew her much better than she knew him. She’d need to rectify that, somehow. All she had of him was a worn-out handkerchief and the knowledge that he’d saved her life.
But I am a Kuchiki now, Rukia reminded herself. I cannot abandon this new life that Hisana wanted for me. At least… she amended, not yet.
Standing behind the palms, Byakuya seemed satisfied by this conversation. He moved on without announcing himself.
Seeing that she was getting lost in her own thoughts, Ginrei drifted away and left her to enjoy the serene solitude of the dusk.
Rukia sat down. Propping up her feet, she watched in silence. The moon began to rise and the ocean’s waves licked the shoreline. And for the first time since her sister died, she began to feel at peace with the world.
Her fate -- whether she liked it or not -- was now entwined with Ichigo’s. She had been in desperate need, and he had answered that call. As much as she hated the idea of being rescuee, something in his demeanor said that he felt the burden of always being the rescuer, too. Rukia would have to return the favor one day, perhaps to even out the score.
His real kindness was not in taking an interest in her case, but in his taking an interest in her welfare after all mystery had ended.
Yes. She would definitely see Ichigo Kurosaki again.
-- finis --
Thank you for reading. Comments are love, and any corrections will receive hugs and e-strawberries dipped in chocolate.
Edit: 12/12/08 thanks to Adam for playing grammar cop. ♥