(A/N:) Wow... I feel like I haven't been writing like this in years. Probably because I HAVEN'T! I'm sorry guys, but I'm trying here so be patient.

I got this idea in my SLEEP and I swear I woke up at 3am JUST to write it down! And you know what that means: I HAVE THE WHOLE STORY WORKED OUT! AHHHHHHHH! The excitement! haha okay well YOU might not be totally exicted but I PROMISE you I am... cause I know for a FACT you guys will not see the twist that I have planned for this story. Now, obviously this is just the prologue - really intended for me to get comfortable with my writing again- so I don't expect you to even GUESS where this story will go... If you do though, and actually get it right - I will personally assign you AUTHOR! :P I'm THAT sure you won't know until it happens! :P

So yeah... clearly I'm excited. I'll calm down though and thank all my subscribers who have wrote to me and asked after me and tried to pull me out of my slumber with pleads, compliments, jokes and... threats? Yes... they were all rather successful (especially the threats)

Anyway... enjoy and thanks for any reviews in advance! :)

Prologue: Closing the Distance Between Us

His eyes squint, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness as the sun beats down on them. It's a hot summer morning. The kind of mornings that make the last few days of school before the holidays unbearable, as one desires nothing more than to be granted that freedom to enjoy this kind of weather early.

Beside him, short, spiky dark hair moves only slightly against the mild breeze, as Tatsuki regards him with an expression that tell him she's pissed. She's been speaking to him this whole time, and not a word has registered.

"Ichigo!" her voice is impatient, "Were you even trying to pay attention?"

He gives her an apologetic look somewhere beneath his scowl. A scowl that Tatsuki has watched become more prominent than ever in the last two years. She hates that scowl and, even more so, she hates the bitch that's behind it. After the war, Tatsuki had pressed and hammered Ichigo and the others for information, and she got what she wanted. She now knows about everything; Shinigami, the Gotei 13, Ichigo's once present powers, Hollow and Aizen. It had been a lot to take in, but Tatsuki managed it well.

She also knows about Ichigo's sacrifice. He gave up his powers to save them all and, as a result, he can no longer see spirits. Heck, even she can see the damned things better than he can. She knows that it has frustrated him beyond belief to lose his gift, but she also knows that that is not what has caused him such misery the last two years. It has been her.

Kuchiki Rukia.

The mere thought of her brings Tatsuki's blood to boil. How dare she, after all Ichigo did for them – for her – how dare she just remove herself from Ichigo like she did. It's been two years, and no one has seen or heard from any familiar face amongst the Gotei 13. Tatsuki knows that Ichigo had expected differently from Rukia. They all had. It was that faith that made her retreat that much more painful for the orange haired teen walking beside her.

Just as she risks a glance in his direction, she sees the ready-waiting pissed expression on his, "Oh," he begins, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "So it's not okay for me to zone out during a conversation, but it's okay for you to just idly walk alongside me while I try to apologise. Did you even hear one word I said?"

Tatsuki bites her lip, trying to contain her smirk. She's just lucky Ichigo's anger isn't real, or else he'd be enraged now, "Sorry." She says in her greatest attempt to sound sincere. She sees the corner of Ichigo's lip twitch in response, and she's grateful that the two of them have stayed such close friends for so many years. Though she knows that he had a much closer friendship with the Shinigami bitch.

Swallowing down her hatred for the dead girl once again, Tatsuki decides to change the subject between her and Ichigo, "So, I heard you had a meeting with the counsellor today," she begins, smirking at the memory of her own meeting, and just how nuts the woman had been to talk to, "How did that go?"

Ichigo gives her a look full of knowing, and now a proper smirk appears. Tatsuki is thankful she brought it about. It must be the first time she's seen him smile honestly in months.

"That woman needs to be locked away."

She laughs in response, knowing full well he's right, "I know! She started asking me all about what I wanted to be. When I told her I wanted to pursue a life of professional fighting, she said – in all honesty – "Shouldn't a young, pretty girl like you consider a career less… rough?" I have cuts on my lips from biting down so I wouldn't laugh at her. What does she think? That I'm going to spend my days making sandwiches and staring out a kitchen window waiting for my precious husband to come home? Please!" Now she's laughing. A long, hearty laugh that seems to highlight just how absurd the woman's perception of Tatsuki truly was.

After a few more minutes, Tatsuki's laughter dies down, and she wants to ask Ichigo for the story of his own encounter with the school counsellor but, before she gets the chance, he speaks up, "This is my turn, Tatsuki."

He's right; they are now standing in the cross-junction where they usually part ways to head home. She missed her chance to ask him anything. I'll get him tomorrow, last day of school and all. She thinks to herself as she waves farewell to Ichigo, who raises a hand with his back turned away from her.

He seems a little easier today. I hope he stays that way.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of her cell phone ringing in her pocket. She fishes it out and pressed down on the receive button, "Moshi, Moshi, Arisawa Tatsuki here."

What the voice on the other end of the line says causes her eyes to widen in humour, "I see." She says, still watching Ichigo's retreating form, "Well… we'll see about that, Keigo. I'm willing to bet you can not beat me in penalty shootouts."

Ichigo passes four more houses before crossing the street and turning the corner so that his own home comes into view. He's almost there when he spots a dark figure in his peripheral vision. It sits poised on his rooftop, patiently. He wants to turn, so that he can look straight at it, but he knows that won't work. He's seen this before, and he's tried turning to face it. The figure is either too quick for him, or else…

Ichigo shakes his head, removing the thought. It isn't possible, and it's not worth wasting time on. His powers are dead.

A part of him is dead.

Sighing, Ichigo ignores the figure he now knows is sitting on the rooftop. He can't make it out due to where it is in the corner of his eye, and he'd given up trying a long time before today. He's asked his father about it, but the man insists it must be the young man's mind playing tricks on him. Ichigo isn't too sure, but with his father being the only person that can really see spirits, he has to trust the older man.

Though he wishes he had another's opinion.

Once again, Ichigo finds himself shaking the thought from his head. It's been a long day and thinking about her will only make it more so. It's been two years, man, he tells himself crossing the street to his house, it's time to forget her. He tells himself this… but he knows his mind is all talk. Coming up to his front step, Ichigo hears a great bustle on the other side of the door, and he knows what to expect before he even enters. His sisters are racing around the place, dressed in the nurses' outfits they wear whenever their dad needs them to work down in the clinic.

Before, Ichigo would usually leave the work to them, knowing that they often had a system worked out well before he arrived and that he would only be in their way if he tried to help. Today however, he catches sight of Karin's panicked expression and is quick to offer her help.

"Well," she says, still racing around the utility room grabbing supplies, "Zu-Zu and I have everything under control up here, but dad could really use your help downstairs. There was a three-car pile up. Two of the guys look pretty bad, but dad seems to be more worried about the other driver. I think he could do with the extra pair of hands."

That's all Ichigo needs to hear before he's downstairs with his dad. Ichigo has been working a lot in the clinic on days when there isn't much action. He's applied to medical school for college, and his dad figures it's good for him to get the feel of it before he gets there. This is the first day Ichigo's really worked on patients that were this badly injured. The sight of then causes his face to scrunch up momentarily.

There is a man not two feet from the front door, with third degree burns all up the side of his legs, his arm is badly broken and Ichigo knows that he's only being held here until and ambulance can take him to a proper hospital. The other driver looks much worse. As Ichigo approaches he sees his father working on the man's right leg, which has been severely lacerated. The bone has been snapped clean at the knee and it looks as though it's being held to the thigh by the barest of skin. His father has tied a tourniquet around his upper thigh to stop the blood flow and Ichigo is certain that whatever ambulance comes for the first driver will surely take this man with him.

"Dad," Ichigo calls as he approaches his busy father. Isshin turns to face his son, a relieved look crosses his face, "Thank god. I was hoping you'd get home soon."

"What can I do?"

Isshin points a point behind Ichigo, causing him to turn around. Behind him, a woman lies in another bed, looking peacefully up at the ceiling and ignoring the carnage all around her. Ichigo wonders how she had managed to go by completely unnoticed before now.

"Go talk to her." His father says, still looking at the leg he's working on. Ichigo glances back at her again. Her eyes catch sight of him and widen ever so slightly as a pink tinge graces her cheeks. She brings her gaze back to the ceiling almost immediately, biting her lip and smiling just a little. Ichigo wants nothing more than to roll his eyes. He does not want to deal with some doe-eyed girl for the next few hours. He sees enough of them at school.

"Talk to her?" Ichigo hide his unwillingness as he repeats his father's order. Why his father wants him to do something so stupid when there's such chaos around them makes no sense to Ichigo.

"She's not leaving here." His father replies simply, causing Ichigo further confusion, "Go keep her company."

Ichigo can't understand what his father is thinking. Surely if the woman isn't leaving the clinic – doesn't need to go to the hospital – she doesn't need to be treated half as urgently as the other drivers. Despite this however, Ichigo nods and makes his way over to the bed where the woman lays.

"Hello." He says in his best efforts to keep a calm expression. No point in alarming her.

The woman turns her head gently, slowly bringing her gaze from the ceiling to his eyes. A smile spreads across her face, and Ichigo realises that she cannot be more than a year older than him.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo." He says, giving her his best attempt at a smile.

"Is that the best you've got?" her smile spreads into a grin, "Surely you can do better than that solemn face." Before he can respond, she laughs, "I'm Saruwatari Kumiko, but just call me Kumi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kurosaki Ichigo."

He doesn't know why, but he can't help the smile that catches his lips. Her joyful mood seems contagious. Her deep brown eyes sparkle with a life that he only wishes he could see in his own when he stares at his reflection in the mornings. He can't help but feel a little jealous of her jubilant disposition.

"I suppose Ichigo will do for me too, then."

Now the girls gives him a sincere smile, "That's better."

That's how it starts. They talk for hours, ignoring the rest of the worries surrounding him. Ichigo has much more trouble doing this than Kumiko. She seems oblivious to the whole thing. He assumes she must know there's nothing she can do anyway. To panic would help nobody. Her strength impresses Ichigo more than he'd like to admit. It reminds him of another girl he once knew who would act very similarly in this given situation. Just as the image of the raven-haired girl plagues his mind again, Kumi speaks up.

"So…" Kumi starts after a reasonably long, but comfortable silence, "How is it that I don't meet a sweet, handsome guy like you until I'm on my deathbed?"

This catches Ichigo's attention. He turns away from the anatomy poster hanging on the wall and rolls his eyes at her. It's not the first thing she's said that could be picked up as flirtatious, but Ichigo has learned that it's really just in her personality. She doesn't mean anything serious by it.

It's not the first time he's been told he's handsome. He's heard that quite a bit the last two years actually. As he got older he noticed more girls begin to notice him. Yes, he has been called quite a few different synonyms to handsome; gorgeous, hot, sexy, fit. These phrases were not new to him, but he still found himself fighting back a blush. He won't deny that Kumi is a pretty girl herself, but he knows he's not attracted to her like that. He also knows that she is aware of this herself. She's not what he's looking for.

The thought makes something move in Ichigo's chest and he can't understand why. How does he know Kumi isn't what he's looking for? Has he found what he's looking for? He's pretty sure the answer is no. He knows what he wants; a girl who is strong, and capable, but who can also show vulnerability and who he can protect; a girl who will accept him for his bitter sarcasm and smack him whenever he steps out of line; girl who can be both smart and clueless so he doesn't always feel obsolete. A girl like…

The image of that same raven-haired girl returns and he's quick to dismiss the thought of her. It is only ever accompanied with a bad mood. He's not going to think about her now. He's spent the last two years thinking about her, and it has caused him nothing but grief. Every day he is plagued by questions. Wondering why she hasn't come back, even once to see how he's doing. She was his best friend, and she abandoned him.

The thought kind of knocked the wind out of him. That is how he feels, isn't it?

Abandoned.

Just then something else Kumi said sticks out to Ichigo, "You're not on your deathbed, either," he points out plainly.

Now she's laughing and this time her laugh causes Ichigo to become unnerved.

"You're wrong."

Ichigo sighs and rolls his eyes for good measure before asking, "How am I wrong?"

She's not looking at him now, as she replies, "Because you can't see her."

Ichigo's eyes widen now. Who can't I see? Those who are dying are known to be able to see spirits. Could it be she's seeing a normal, just floating around the clinic. He used to see them all the time and it was never a big deal. She's not frightened so she can't possibly see a hollow. Ichigo's mind races as he tries desperately not to hold out hope. Could it be a Shinigami? Could it be…?

He tries to focus his thoughts on the current situation. So there's a chance that Kumi can see ghosts. That doesn't mean she's dying… he could see them all the time before…

He wants to rattle his brain, tell it to just think about what she sees, and not worry about why. But he can't shake this feeling he has now: the feeling that something is looming behind him. He figures he should be used to this feeling, after seeing that figure out of the corner of his eye every day for at least the last year, but this is different.

Compared to the figure on the roof, this presence has something the other doesn't. Ichigo can almost feel the energy coming from this one where the other feels… empty. No way, the thought seems almost impossible; I'm feeling spiritual energy. And it's not just any spirit energy.

He hopes he's not mistaken.

He puts on a disbelieving face, trying to call her out, "Who can't I see?" he asks, half hoping for everything to be revealed, half hoping that she'll tell him she was kidding.

She looks beyond him for a minute as if she's heard something he can't hear. Once again he feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise. When she looks back at him she waves a hand and smiles, dismissing the subject, "Nevermind," she chuckles, "just a dying girl's imagination."

Ichigo was just about to repeat that she is not going to die, when he finally sees it. On the pillow, covered slightly by her brown curls but now visible and in plain sight, lay layers and payers of gauze, slowly becoming saturated with blood. Ichigo sees her expression change as Kumi acknowledges his realisation. Her smile fades and, with a sigh she turns just a little, just enough for Ichigo to take in the full horror of her situation.

Her skull is missing. A sheer huge amount of her skull is gone from the back and, worse than that, a large fragment is now plainly seen protruding from her brain.

"My spine's snapped," she starts, her voice a little less cheery, but still far too bright for someone in her predicament, "The car hit me from behind. I was thrown back onto the windscreen. They found me about two hundred yards from the crash,"

Ichigo just stares at her, shock leaving him as his brain finally registers everything.

"Before you ask; yes, I do know that the back of my head is gone," She smiles, "You're dad told me that they can't move me, because if they do the blood will rush to my head and…" she trails off, but Ichigo doesn't need to hear the rest. He knows what his father meant when he said that she wouldn't be leaving the clinic. He didn't mean that she would be fine in the morning and didn't need hospital. He had meant that she would be dying here. Tonight. He feels his heart sink. Trust him to become attached to someone who was about to die, because he really needs more pain in his life. He knows that is a selfish thought. He isn't the one dying, but he knows most of the lump in his throat is caused by sadness. Sadness that such a happy and energetic life is to be lost so young.

She doesn't deserve this…

"Well…" she says after another few minutes, "At least I get to spend my last breaths with a Calvin Klein model." She looks around the room, hiding a devious smirk, "Any chance I'd get to see you in you're underwear? Maybe strike a pose?"

She laughs at his utterly mortified expression and, suddenly Ichigo's laughing too. They laugh for ages and it feels good. He knows he hasn't laughed like this in a very very long time.

The feeling that he's being watched has become stronger, and Ichigo has to focus hard not to turn around to check his surroundings. He's not going to waste Kumi's time with his own petty problems. He's going to do whatever he can to make her comfortable.

She's flicking through his Ipod, after asking to check out his music. Ichigo is watching his dad attend to the other driver's with his sisters ready at hand.

"More." At her order Ichigo leans over and shovels another small spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth, "Careful you don't get brain freeze." He warns, then realises how stupid his words were. Kumi gives him a look that practically slaps him for his stupidity without even moving, and then she laughs.

"Cause that's the biggest worry my brain has right now."

Ichigo rolls his eyes again, embarrassed further by her laughing. She's unbelievable.

After a while the ambulance comes and both the other drivers are taken away. Ichigo would ask about Kumi, but he knows now what his father meant when he told him she will not be leaving the clinic tonight and so he decides not to leave her side. Isshin comes over once more before heading upstairs. He wears a grim look on his face that tells Ichigo the paramedics only further proved Isshin's theory. Kumi was a goner. There was no way to get her away from here and we can't possibly help her where we are. It was a miracle they got her to the clinic without her bleeding out.

Kumi tells his dad to cheer-up and, at Ichigo's suggestion, calls him 'Goatface'. Isshin's incredulous look leaves the two teens in fits of laughter once more and even Isshin lets out a chuckle and tells Kumi that he's 'glad somebody could pull his son up out of his rut.' Kumi tells him it was no big deal and Isshin takes his leave, but not before giving Ichigo a look that he knows means Masaki would be proud. Another thing that does not go unnoticed to Ichigo, is the quick glance his father tries to throw in the direction Kumi had been looking before. After Isshin leaves, Ichigo and Kumi are alone in the clinic.

Sort of.

"Who's this?" she asks suddenly, getting Ichigo's attention back as he turns to look at the Ipod. Ichigo feels his heart sink.

He had forgotten that picture.

"Ichigo! This isn't working!" her voice was weighed down with frustration. The cake is not looking the way the book tells her it should be. That's what she told him when he came over to help.

He tried not to laugh. Kuchiki Rukia, the noble full of grace and poise was covered in flour and egg. He tried so very hard not to laugh but, sometimes, trying just isn't enough. He quickly found himself doubled over in laughter while Rukia's face grew hot enough to fry the egg whites on her cheek. Pointing this out to the girl only made Ichigo laugh harder though.

After her foot found his face and he scraped himself off the floor, Ichigo turned to the recipe book and read through the ingredients and measurements.

It didn't take him too long to realise that Rukia didn't put in quite enough flour and for that reason the cake mix was too runny. In no time at all, the mistake had been rectified and Ichigo had Rukia pop the mixture into the oven as instructed.

"Thanks, Ichigo…" she said reluctantly, causing the orange haired teen to smirk. It was Karin and Yuzu's birthday that day and Rukia had woken up wanting to bake the twins a nice cake. Her heart was always in the right place, even if she hasn't a clue how to actually bake. The thought made Ichigo smile more at the raven-haired midget.

"Come on," he said, "I'll teach you how to make icing."

Three hours later, the twins came in the door behind Isshin to hear laughter resounding from the kitchen. Following the noise, they found their brother and Rukia, both covered in batter, icing and flour. Their lesson had undoubtedly turned into a row, which had resulted in food being thrown. They were now trying the fresh batch of butter cream frosting that was intended to go on the cake.

"Okay," Ichigo said through a chuckle. He readily acknowledged that his sides actually ached from laughing so hard. Looking at Rukia, he could tell the same could be said for her. Her cheeks held a radiant glow after the day full of baking and she stared up at him with eyes that sparkled with laughter. Bringing his finger up from the bowl with a heap of icing on it, he held it out to her, "Will this batch do?"

Still laughing she brought her lips up to the icing on his index finger and quickly sucked it off. They hadn't thought anything of the action, until Ichigo's father began 'woo'-ing them from the kitchen door.

After Ichigo had beaten his father into a state of unconsciousness, the twins were presented with their cake and Yuzu asked that she take a picture of the chefs.

That is the same picture that Ichigo looks at now. Both of them are standing side by side, covered in cake batter, Rukia is laughing as egg white – which she threw – continues to drip from his orange spikes. He's standing there wearing his usual scowl, but he knows that he was happy that day. He was happy every day that Rukia was with him.

He wishes he had told her that.

"Guess this is farewell then…"

"Seems so."

"Just a friend." He tells Kumi. She nods before looking back through more photos. He thinks he's off the hook until she shatters that hope by speaking again.

"Where is she now?"

Ichigo glances up again, "What? What makes you think she's not around?"

Kumi looks around like she's trying to hide something. Her eyes focus on whatever is supposed to be behind him, and she can't help but look suddenly very apologetic. Like she's just been given evidence to something, "I'm sorry. I should have thought…"

Ichigo still hasn't replied, but she speaks anyway, "How did she die?"

The orange-haired teen shakes his head, "She didn't die." He's trying to make it as honest as he can, "She just… went away."

Kumi gives him a sympathetic look but doesn't push anymore. She looks behind Ichigo again, and tilts her head a little.

"Well… maybe I'll meet her where I'm going."

Despite himself, Ichigo smiles, "Maybe you will." Maybe you already have.

Kumi takes a sudden raspy breath and Ichigo is brought back to her immediately. Impossible. In a few short seconds her life has all but drained completely from her eyes. It's as if she's being helped along. Ichigo watched Shinigami do this before. Helping those doomed to death pass away a little quicker to avoid suffering too much pain. Now he's certain. Certain that there's someone else there, but he has to be sure…

Leaning in to Kumi, Ichigo brings his lips to her ear and quietly asks her the question he so desperately wants answered. She smiles up at him, it causes strain on her and Ichigo can see her energy is fading fast.

She nods. He closes his eyes and smiles.

"I knew it." Her voice is raspy.

He cocks an eyebrow at her words, "Knew what?"

"I knew it was her…"

He knows just what she means. Leaning in one more time, he knows this will be one of the last things he'll ever say to her, "Tell her I said 'yo'."

She laughs feebly but it still holds as much of a brightness as always, "I knew you had to be cheesy, underneath it all."

He smiles back at her, "Shut up," his face softens as he takes hold of her hand, "She'll take care of you from here out."

"Just when I was getting used to you." She takes another long deep but strained breath, closing her eyes. He knows they won't open again.

Squeezing her hand with his own he whispers, to whoever can hear him, "Thanks…"

Then, finally standing, he releases Kumi's now limp hand. He cannot believe how much a girl he's never met before today has changed his life. She's given him certainty. A certainty that things are going to be different form here on out.

She really is here.

"Take care of her, Rukia…" with that, he leaves the clinic.

Coming into his room that night, Ichigo closes the door behind him. He goes to turn on the light, but before he can he feels it. It's nothing like the feeling in the clinic. This is the same presence that has been on the rooftops. It's never been this close however. It's lurking in the corner of his bedroom, where the shadow is heaviest, but Ichigo can make out its form.

"What do you want?" he asks the darkness, his finger lingering on the light switch.

He can feel the grin spread across its face he can feel it, "Oh Kurosaki," it laughs and Ichigo feels a sudden and pure unease seep through him, "Surely you can guess."

And he knows. He knows exactly what it wants before the words dare to leave the forms lips.

They want…

"You."

(A/N:) Sooooooooo you guys excited yet? No? Well then all I can do is ASK that you stick with me so I can show you all just why I'm so giddy about this little tale!

I'm gonna pull the whole 'It's my birthday' card and ask for reviews. It's not really my birthday... but it was! Like last November... but that's not the point. Reviews? Haha! :P

I hope you enjoyed this prologue!
Thanks for any reviews in advance!

Hugs! :)

Dreaming~