Angelic Vestige

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach.

Summary: Spend all your time waiting for that second chance, for the break that will make it OK. Rukia crosses to the other side of the river to a place Ichigo cannot follow. What is that shadow she has left behind? Inspired by Sarah McLachlan's song, 'Angel'. IchiRuki, slightly angst.

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Chapter 1. By the River

All was dark.

Rukia found herself standing in total darkness, without any means of knowing how she got there. It seemed that she was now positioned somewhere near a river, because she heard that gentle lapping of waves as they washed over the river banks.

Rukia inched forward gingerly, her flingers clutched tight upon the handle of her sword. The crooning of the rushing water was like a lullaby, beckoning her forward into an unknown unconsciousness.

As she stood there, uncertain which way to turn, Rukia spotted a dimly glowing light in the distance, illuminating the ripples of the dark, chanting river.

The pale, flickering light was slowly weaving its way toward Rukia, away from the hushed murmurs of the water. Swaying feebly in the pressing darkness, the small ball of silvery light seemed to be a beacon of hope for Rukia in such a strange, barren land.

Unsure of what she was doing, Rukia took another tentative step toward the fluttering white light, dancing and wavering in a simple paper lantern, hoisted unstably in a pale white hand. Rukia heard the soft rustling of robes on the ground and she looked up into the face of the approaching person, whose face was sharply illuminated in the bright light now flooding from the lantern.

And her heart missed a beat…as she stared with wide eyes into a familiar yet long-gone face, so startlingly resembling her own.

'Hi…Hisana? Nee-chan?'

Rukia found her voice trembling as she gazed into the tired yet beautiful dark eyes of her deceased sister. Without doubt it was her, clad in a faded kimono, with her elegant yet pallid complexion and the gentle aura of reassurance that Rukia had always felt in her presence. Yet now her features seemed dim and eerie in the flickering light of the lantern, as if through the years in some unknown presence she had become faded in herself.

'Yes, it's me, Rukia.' Hisana whispered.

For several long moments, the sisters stood on the bank of the dark river, staring into each other's long missed faces. Then Rukia took another step forward, stretching out her hand as if to take Hisana by the wrist.

But Hisana backed away from her sister, and Rukia felt only the soft brush of Hisana's sleeve on her fingers. As Rukia looked enquiringly at her sister, Hisana bowed her head and said quietly, 'No, Rukia, you cannot touch me. For I belong to the realm of the dead, and you are from the world of the living.'

There was a lonely shadow cast on the ghostly pale face of the sister long since gone as she spoke in a hushed, exhausted voice. 'Are you angry with me, Rukia? For leaving you behind all those years ago?'

Rukia shook her head slowly. 'It's OK, nee-chan, it's OK.' She whispered. 'I know those were difficult times, and it would be impossible for us both to survive…'She stopped. It was hard to remember what had happened so many years ago. Her memory was blurred and misty, and she had long since parted with Hisana…the only person who had meant so much for her, who had brightened up her troubled years in the toughness of Rukongai was Renji. And she had nothing to relent about her sister who had abandoned her in all the mayhem…Rukia could understand how Hisana must have felt throughout the years, the guilt, perhaps, and the remorse, and Rukia had gladly forgiven all that had occurred when Byakuya told her about Hisana's story, about the quest to seek her long lost sister...

'I ask for your forgiveness, Rukia, for I had greatly wronged you.' And Hisana bowed in the dim flames of the lantern, her dark hair rippling in the cold air.

'But that was so long ago, nee-chan…' 'Tears were starting to brim in Rukia's eyes and she tried to change the subject. 'Anyway, what is this place? Why are we here?'

Hisana straightened up. For a moment she was silent. 'Here?' She slowly hoisted the lantern so as to cast more light upon the landscape beyond, yet still all Rukia could see was the twisting shape of the great river. 'This is the gateway to reincarnation…a new life after death.'

'The gateway to new life?' Rukia craned her neck to look more closely. 'It's only…a river?'

''Yes, the river is the gateway. It bridges the two different worlds of living. By crossing the river, you step from the world you have left behind, into a new realm of the unknown…for your new identity, your new lifetime.'

'So that's it?' Rukia was curious. 'How do you cross it?'

'Ah, never mind that. There's always a boat to paddle you across.' Hisana smiled.

'If that's the case…'Rukia frowned, 'Why are you still waiting on the bank of the river, nee-chan? Why haven't you gone on…to the other side?'

A mournful shadow crept up the pallid cheeks of the sister, and Hisana sighed. 'Hitherto lies the indefinite…and I am not prepared to go. You see…when you go on, you have to abandon your previous years. You have to leave behind your memory. And in your new life, you will not remember anything that has taken place in the other world, your happiness, or your sorrows…'

And it dawned on Rukia why. And startlingly she thought she understood every bit of feeling there was in Hisana's words.

'For Byakuya-sama? You're waiting…for him?'

Hisana only nodded. But Rukia saw the tears trickling down her face.

'I'll wait for him, Rukia…be it fifty years, or five hundred…I owe him all this time…' Then she fell silent.

Rukia didn't know what to think. Why was she here then? Was she meant to go on?

But then…

The lantern flickered as Hisana suddenly took a step closer.

'But you should not be here, Rukia. It's still too early for you to come. Your mission has not been accomplished. There are people waiting for you out there. There are promises waiting to be made. You must go back. And when the time comes…when you are prepared to face it…and until that time…you can wait until that time…'

Rukia could not quite understand what was going on, or what Hisana had wanted to convey to her. She heard her sister whisper, '…Rukia, get prepared, OK?...Here, let me give you a push…'

And the fluttering light of the lantern was glowing too brightly, and Hisana's pale, delicate face was fading into the blinding light…

Rukia opened her eyes.

-To be continued…

A\N: The first chapter is much much longer than I first expected…I had this planned a long time ago! And finally I got the determination to type it out! The plot is rather rotten though, and I think all this might be rather confusing…but I'm trying my best! IchiRuki is always my most beloved ship, apart from UraYoru! So, R & R please! Ta ta

-hell butterfly