I miss you, I need you .:Byakuya Kuchiki:.

Chapter 14 - I'm awake and ready to save the day!

"About me? No way!"

"I asked him to rest a bit here but..."

~^Flashback-Story time^~

"Thank you for your offer... but I'm fine. Please take care of Ichigo. Right now the only one that can beat those bastards and help Alice... Is not me... Tell Ichigo I wish him a swift recovery."

~^Done Flashback-Story time^~

"Because the only one who can save Alice... is him." Kisuke said, finishing the story. I saw Alice again, giving me one last smile before those gates closed- it looked so forced.

"Me, huh? Heh.... What am I suppose to do? Alice already left! She's in the Soul Society! How can I follow her there! How the hell can I save her!? I can't do it! I just can't!" I yelled, angry at myself for not protecting her when she's done so much for me.

"Do you really think there's no way to get into the soul society?"

I snapped my head over towards him, "So There IS a way!?"

I stood up, "How!? How can I get there!? Please Tell me!!!"

"Of course I'll tell you. However under one condition. For the next ten days you must allow me to train you." Kisuke said while holding up his index finger.

"Shit! You're gonna teach me how to fight!? There's no time for that!! Who knows when they might decide to kill Alice!?! Maybe they are already doing it now!! I should try to get there as fast as possible!!"

"You don't understand." Kisuke then pulled out his cane, pulling me to the ground as I landed on my back, “The point that I want to make is.. You will die if you go there in your current condition. Do you think you can win if you fight them now? I allowed you to fight them this time because I thought it would make it easier for you to understand.”

'What's this sensation!? It feels as if...... There is a sword hovering over me.'

"With your current level of ability.... You won't stand a chance in the Soul Society! You are weak! And for you to venture into enemy territory now would be suicide."

'Suicide.....'

"You want to save Alice? Don't make me laugh! Don't use her as an excuse to go kill yourself." He stared down a me with a look that could kill before getting off of me, “The soul society usually allows a grace period that lasts a month for the maximum penalty in a convict's execution. It should be the same for Alice...." He then muttered something that I couldn't make out before coughing and continuing, "Ten days to abuse you, seven days to open the gates to the Soul Society, and thirteen days for you to save her. We have plenty of time."

I looked off, "Can I really get strong enough in just ten days?"

"Of course. If you truly wish to save Alice with your whole heart..... Then you have at your disposal a power stronger than iron but if your resolve is half-halfhearted, forget it. So for the next ten days I'm going to put you through the wringer.” He said with a smirk.

I scratched my head, “Well if I don't do this, there's nobody else who can, right?” I looked over toward him with a look of determination, “Alright! Let's do this!”

“Very good!” Kisuke said before taking out a bottle full of pills, “Take one of these pills every hour and by tonight your wounds should be better. We'll have our first session then. I wouldn't want you to die in the middle of training.” He pushed the bottle of pills into my face before I took them. He grinned a bit before walking out of the room so I could get dressed.

After I finished getting dressed I walked out of the room with the pills in my pocket.

Rukia was sitting in the living room when I walked by it, she said her goodbye to the person she was talking to before she followed me out of Kisuke's shop.

“Ichigo!” I refused to turn around and look at her. I still felt horrible about not protecting Alice, “You fool! Look at me!” She yelled as I was kicked in the back. I stumbled a bit before turning around and looking at her.

“It's not your fault. Alice left to protect me too!”

“I was there! I could have helped her!”

“....Ichigo..... What do you really feel towards Alice?” I stared at her like she had grown two heads.

“What... do you mean?”

“Do you love her? Because sometimes it's hard to tell what your relationship is with her.”

“We are....” I stopped.

'We'd always been close when we were younger... Like siblings or best friends... But after she became a singer and I was a soul reaper... I barely ever saw her. We haven't really even talked in forever. And we were so close before high school.... I don't even know if we are friends right now. But she'd tell me that we are so we must be.... How do I feel about her? Well she's close to me...

And I love her... but in what way...?'

Rukia sighed, “Ichigo... You should think this through. You don't want to get crushed or hurt when we go save Alice.”

“You're right... Wait! You coming too!?”

“Of course!! Alice is like a sister to me!”

“But, Your powers!?”

“After Kisuke told me that Brother shattered your soul body's vitals, the saketsu chain, and the hakusui soul sleep I realized that I have some of my powers from before! I just need to train some here and then rest when we get to the Soul Society.”

“So.... your powers are back?”

“Yes! Did you not just hear the explanation?!”

“I did, I did! I was just making sure I heard you right.” I sighed a bit and rubbed the back of my neck, “I'm gonna head home now, I'll see you tomorrow... In school?”

“Of course.” Rukia nods before heading back into the shop as I walk home, thinking about what I feel for Alice.

'Do I love her?'

END CHAPTER 14

A/N: OH HO HO DOES HE LOVE HER?! xD ANYWAY

SHEESH! This chapter took forever to write!

Not really- It took like 2 hours but it took me forever to actually start it! (and to upload it heh...heh...)