I Pray

Chapter 7 – I Pray I Love You

Karin finally felt happy now that Toshiro and her had confessed to each other. She stood by the window of the hospital just watching the clouds pass by.

It was peaceful in Soul Society. The ringing of the wind chimes was like music to her ears. She was happy and all that mattered to her right now is Hitsugaya, but deep in her heart she was scared. She didn't know how long she would be in Soul Society but what would happen if she went back home? Her family needed her but she wanted to be here with him.

As her mind wandered, she felt weaker. She began to cough. Her heart felt like it was being stabbed. She felt as if she was suffocating. Karin's breath became harsh and erratic. She tilted backward and began to fall.

Not long Unohana and Hitsugaya came into the room and saw Karin on the floor sweating. They rushed over to her. Unohana called for two more other medical shinigami and Hitsugaya lifted Karin and laid her back down on the bed.

"Toshiro," Karin called out with half open eyes. Hitsugaya grasped her hand and watched her fall asleep.

The next day Hitsugaya stayed beside Karin. He hadn't eaten or slept. He didn't even budge from his seat.

"You really do love her don't you," Ukitake said walking up behind him. Hitsugaya looked up and saw Ukitake, Shunsui, and Matsumoto staring worriedly at him.

"Taichou, why don't you go and rest we can watch her –

"Gomen, Matsumoto, but I want to stay here until she wakes up."

Without another word, the four of them remained in the hospital room waiting for Karin to wake up.

Soon the door opened and Unohana came in with Yamamoto. Once he walked in Hitsugaya knew that he wanted to talk to him. Ukitake put his hand on Hitsugaya's shoulder letting him know that they would watch over her.

Hitsugaya got up and followed Yamamoto out the room.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, I'm going to make this short. We have discovered that Kurosaki Karin has the ability to access Soul Society with her soul and physical body. She also has an illness that is very rare among shinigami. Her illness can only occur in a shinigami's body. I believe there was an outbreak a few hundred years ago. There is still no cure. Also, I forbid you to see her. You must end this now and continue your duty as a captain."

Hitsugaya couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"So that's how it is? Your are going to send her back aren't you. I understand that you don't want another outbreak but you won't even help her will you?"

"We will draw a blood sample from her and find a cure for it in the future."

"But what happens when you do find a cure in time? You won't cure her because you know that if you do she'll find a way to come back here."

"Hitsugaya-Taichou! Stop this rash behavior now and do not see her again! She is a threat and therefore she shall be dealt with. You are a captain. You should act like one! Have you forgotten your priorities?" Yamamoto said furiously before leaving.

Hitsugaya clenched his fist and held back his urge to attack the first Taichou. As he walked, back into the room an awkward silence engulfed the room. Apparently, the others had heard the conversation and did not know what to say to him. They didn't want to seem like they were eavesdropping but with the two Taichous voices rising and being directed at each other it was hard not to notice.

Karin started to twitch as her eyes slowly opened. She saw five people crowded around her. She glanced around until she found a pair of sea-blue eyes she loved so much.

"You're awake." He said. Karin sat up. She felt like hell.

"I feel like hell." They all smiled at her statement as she chuckled a bit to enlighten the mood and ended up coughing again.

"Kurosaki-san, I would like you to drink these pills every four hours. They are pretty strong so you won't feel so much pain."

After about a few hours everyone began to leave. Karin just made four new friends in Soul Society. Hitsugaya of course stayed. She forced herself to walk to Hitsugaya who was looking out the window.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw her staring back at him.

"I heard you talk to him earlier. Maybe I should just go back home and forget about –

"Iie, Don't say that. We will find a way to get through with this. I won't leave you alone to suffer by yourself."

"Toshiro," Karin closed her eyes and hugged him, "Arigato."

8

For the past two months, Unohana and a bunch of other shinigamis were working extremely hard to find a cure for Karin. It wasn't going too well for Karin though.

She had lost all interest in eating. Her breathing became more erratic. She also lost so much blood from coughing. Every now she felt like she had to throw up. Her skin was pale as death and she appeared tired all the time even if she did have enough sleep.

Still she kept hoping and praying. Her will to live never ceased to fade away. Karin waited for him to come back to her. As she waited and prayed, she prayed to God about anything and everything. While she prayed, Hitsugaya watched her from the door before walking in.

"Sorry it took me a long time. It's becoming difficult to come here without being caught, but don't worry about it." He assured her as he saw her expression turned grave.

"Are you ready?" he asked standing back facing her bed preparing to kneel. Karin nodded as she hopped onto his back. Hitsugaya stealthily walked around the 13 divisions headquarters avoiding many guards and everyone. He finally reached a bridge.

The bridge was beautiful. It had sakura trees surrounding it, unique lanterns hanging from the trees and petals falling gracefully everywhere and onto the river and bridge. The couple stared at the sun setting. Hitsugaya reached to hold Karin's hand.

"Thank you for everything Toshiro."

As they stood together, on the other side of Soul Society, Yamamoto had finished making his speech about breaking the rules. He ordered all the guards to look for the young lovers and when they do prepare an execution for them both.

Karin began to cry again.

"I'm so scared. I don't want to die Toshiro. I'm afraid of I die my Soul won't reach it here to you. I can feel it, my body can't take this pain anymore. I'm slowly dying."

Hitsugaya held Karin close to him. Over her shoulder, he saw a firecracker lit up at the sky. It was time. Soon the guards will find them and separate them from each other forever. He continued to hold onto her. He won't let her go even if it meant that he would die with her. Hitsugaya leaned in to have one final kiss before it all ends.

The now armed shinigamis drew nearer and nearer to them, Karin had a flash back of her life up until now.

You know with each day that passes by, I pray to god I'll never forget who you are.
You mean everything to me.
I love you

She saw both her and Hitsugaya before they confessed. They were great friends and he made her smile all the time. She saw how happy she was and how happy her family was when they met Hitsugaya.

You were in my dream
Before I even knew that there was a you and me,
Now I can't wait to see your smile,
When I wake up each day,
It makes it worth while
With the kinda love you plant inside,
Specially with a heart so empty as mine.
All your soft tenderness is the one thing that I don't wanna miss.

She saw everything that happened to them in the past two months. His touch, his eyes, his hair, every part of him, and everything he did for her.

I pray,
When it's time for me to say goodbye
I'll never forget looking in your eyes,
I pray,
That I feel your touch
And that God doesn't forget our love,
I pray,
When I close my eyes,
I can still see visions of you on my mind.
I pray,
That I see you in another life,
I pray that you still by my side.
Oh I pray.

Then she thought about her condition, how life goes by so fast, and that death awaits her. Even so, she wanted to stay like this. For Hitsugaya to be the first she's ever loved and held so dear and be the last to see before she's gone.

And so she prayed.

Everything that you give to me,
Only comes in a fantasy,
It seems like life goes by so fast,
But in this time I wanna make it last. (I pray)
I hate that we live to die,
But only God knows why (I pray)
We all have a purpose,
And to see you again it'll be worth it.

She prayed and wished and prayed and wished for time to stop. To speak to god, to treasure every memorable moment of her life, and for their love to last forever.

"Oh God please, I can't do much now. All I can do now ….

I wish that I could stop time,
I wish that I could rewind,
To the very begining of every second of my life.
To ask God on my hands and knees,
To never let me forget all my special memories.
See I'm only promised today,
And if it's my time to go,
I don't want the love of my life to ever fade away,
So one last time
Let me open my eyes.
To see what my life used to be like.
Oh God.

"I pray….

Yes this is the end.

Hints - For those who don't know what's going on they can't be together so they planned to run away from everything and if they couldn't that this would be their last moment with each other before they get caught or before Karin dies.

I do not own bleach and definitely not this song in the end. The song is called 'I Pray' by Amanda Perez.

Lyrics can be found here – i didn't put the full lyrics.