Timeline/Spoilers: Set during ch. 269-270 or ep. 161

Word count: 570

AN: So I guess this is proof that Pathos wasn't a fluke, and I'm the type of person who writes fanfiction now (Whaaat). My brain wouldn't shut up last night. I have at least 3 other stories /cough/ rambling drabbles /cough/ in my "Bleach" Word doc in various states of disarray clamoring for attention, but this came spewing out instead. I've always felt like the whole Rukia near-death thing was kind of glossed over because by the time Tite Kubo got around to drawing the two together again, there was no time for "oh hi you practically died" because it was all "oh hey I'm losing my powers and this is bye forever."

Disclaimer: Characters, large chunks of italicized quotes, and definitions aren't mine. They belong to my dear friends Tite Kubo and Google/Merriam-Webster.

Calando (adv., music): gradually decreasing in tempo and volume of sound, dying away.

"Kuchiki Rukia is dead"

No.

His first reaction is denial because the words "dead" and "Rukia" are so contradictory, so disparate, he can't even begin to piece the two together. The two thoughts are wholly incompatible in his mind.

"What…did you say?!"

"More accurately, she and the Noveno Espada killed each other at the same time. Her body was slashed all over and impaled with a spear. She is no longer alive."

"Don't give me that…Rukia's reiatsu faded just now…you're not even fighting her. How would you—"

It's true he felt a sudden drop in her reiatsu, but that can be attributed to anything—there's some kind of interference, something's preventing him from getting a good read on her reiatsu, the distance between them has somehow increased—anything but death. Even so, he frantically searches for her presence as Ulquiorra talks.

"Cognition synchronization. It is one of the Noveno Espada's abilities as well as his duties. He is able to convey all of the information about the enemy he's fought."

His heart drops as his findings seem to confirm the arrancar's words. She's still there, but barely. He's straining to find her; he can barely feel her reiastu, trickling slowly like a thready pulse. He senses her slowly slipping away. He's felt her weakened before, but never like this. He feels the last dredges of her soul, hanging on for dear life and shudders to imagine what would cause this kind of damage.

Coming in, he knew the of the potential dangers, they all did. They knew the risks involved, the chances they were taking, the possible outcomes and came regardless, to save Inoue. But now, he's not ready to lose any one of his friends. He stubbornly clings to the notion that they will all return home safe, alive. He will not lose anyone on this mission. He can't. Least of all her.

"Where are you going?'

"To save Rukia."

"I believe I told you she's dead."

"I don't believe you."

"Stubborn, aren't we? Is it alright to leave without killing me first?"

"…I have no reason to fight you"

"…What do you mean?..."

Every fiber of his being screams at him to leave. He longs, needs, has to go to her, but he can't. This monster of a man is standing between him and Inoue. He needs to save her; that's what they've come for, what they've all risked their lives for. Rukia would, he knows, die for the girl. He swallows; the thought flirts too closely with reality. He can feel her drifting from him, her reiatsu faint, but there. And it's the there that he clings to, that keeps him rooted in his place against his will. She won't go down without a fight, that stubborn, beautiful, warrior of woman. And though it pains him to admit it, he knows he would be useless to her right now. Even if his speed could take him to her, he has no way of saving her. He cannot heal. So against his better judgment, against all instincts to run, he stays and fights. Not only for the girl, but also for her.

He turns to fight, pulling down his mask, because every second wasted is a second too long. He sends a message out to her, his last conscious thought before losing himself in battle. Hold on, Rukia. I'm coming.

AN: So...that ended up being totally different from what I expected. Most of what I originally wrote was kept, but what was intended to be a nice, simple 100 word drabble turned into a week-long writing/editing session. Apparently my brain is not that easily placated. I played around with the idea of having excerpts from the manga, but I didn't expect it to be so long when I actually started typing out the dialogue. I ended up keeping most of it and shortening the end, but I'm still not really sure how I feel about it. Thoughts?