Epilogue

Rukia was nestled in her room fast asleep under her blankets. On her bedside table were her photographs of everything she had done in her life. From acting in Hollywood to her son's college graduation one picture stood out from the rest. It was one of Rukia, in the year 1920, riding a horse on the beach in the surf. Behind her was a pier, the Santa Monica pier in California.

The wreck of the Titanic sat in eerie stillness not to be disturbed for eternity letting the spirits rest in piece. A being seemed to run through it and as it did the ghost ship came back to life little by little until the Grand Staircase in all its magnificence materialized in thin air. Surrounding the staircase were people, all those people who had perished when the ship went down. The doors were opened by Ikkaku and Yumichika and the being swirled in, materializing into the form of Rukia at seventeen years old. Lining the staircase and egging her on up were Ishida and Toshiro. Ukitake took her by the arm and led her up the stairs like a father throwing the bride away.

On top of the staircase in a black tux stood Ichigo and Byakuya was behind him in his captain's uniform. Ukitake left Rukia with Ichigo, bowed to the two of them and headed back down the stairs. Rukia was wearing a stunning white dress and Ichigo lifted the veil from in front of her eyes. They took each other's hands and Byakuya acting like a priest gave the statement.

Closing their eyes Rukia and Ichigo shared in the first embrace of forever and the other departed souls smiled and applauded. Ichigo and Rukia after eighty-four years were together at last.

~The End~