Unchained World

Part 13 Give Your Heart a Break

How was he supposed to wake her up from her sleep when it was obvious she was in no position to endure a night with him with no energy? He could let her sleep, kami knew how much she had gotten in the past week. Maybe his dad was right, maybe she did need a night to just let go even if it was only for a few moments.

He himself had a difficult time acting his age because of his soul reaper responsibilities yet he couldn't imagine what Lucy was going through. She was supposed to be going to school not cooking meals, going grocery shopping or doing laundry. She should be hanging out with her friends after school not tending to their needs and assisting his father in the clinic. That didn't even cover her adapting to Japan.

Lucy was a teen from an entirely different universe than his; he had no idea how she was adapting to her new life. She seemed to be doing well but he knew she could just be masking her true feelings, she did lose her family and friends when she came to Karakura. He'd like to think she was doing alright like to say he knew one hundred percent. He didn't until she let him in, something she had deigned to do as of yet.

To add on top of everything she had these soul reaper powers thrust upon her without even realizing what they were and she had to fool Aizen and fight both him and Ulquiorra in quick succession. Not to mention studying up on Japan-customs, mannerisms, history etc-to teach her friends while enriching her own horizons. She's had no time to herself to truly come to terms with everything.

Maybe keeping busy buried everything until it couldn't be contained anymore; that was no way to live. True she seemed to embrace such drastic change even he knew she'd break. It was best to get it out right away instead of letting it simmer and steep into something more volatile. Her first excursion with Mr. Boulder was more than enough proof.

Ichigo lowered himself to lean against his headboard, hands crossed behind his head as he waited for either sleep to take him or Lucy to wake up. His brown eyes flicked to a softcover sitting on his desk, he knew the book was one the sleeping blond had harrassed-used her pouty lips and doe eyes-him into buying for her. Of course, he couldn't say no-and it was not because of her pout-to her since she hadn't asked for much-except for pads and tampons or hygiene products-so he felt it was alright to buy her the book-it was only five hundred yen on clearance-Lucy walked out of the store with a wide smile that day.

His hand closed around the colorful cover of the book, opening to the first page. Might as well see why she was so happy to have it...

He hadn't even finished one chapter before Lucy's peaceful slumber turned into a nightmare. At first, her brow scrunched and her hand latched onto the leg of his pants, her grip hard enough to wrinkle the fabric. Then she started thrashing, tears streaming down her face mouth opened in a silent pained scream. Her serene facial expression morphed into one of pure agony Ichigo actually felt himself panicking more than he heard of Orihime's abduction.

"No...Aquar...ius...no.......no.......don-NO!" Lucy's silent plea turned into a raucous scream almost leaving her voiceless.

Ichigo threw the book-Kokoro-away before roughly shaking her shoulders, calling out for his dad in his trepidation.

"Wake up, Lucy, it's just a nightmare! C'mon wake up!" Ichigo shouted over her cries, shaking her harder with every word until she was almost at chest level with him.

Footsteps thundering in his direction-barely heard over the blonds terrified screams-alerting him of someone approaching. His door caving in signaled that person arrival. Immediately whoever came in force Ichigo to release his roommate, he tried to fight back but found whoever was in had more strength than he did in his current state. Ichigo let go but he was far from happy about it. His Lucy was screaming in agonizing emotional pain, there was nothing he could do to help her until she either woke up or slipped back into a peaceful dream; he doubted that would happen considering how she was acting at the moment.

His dad-Ichigo finally realized who had come to their aid-hunched over Lucy whispering calming things into her ear as he gently shook her awake. Apparently, his dad was doing something right since she woke up at his insistence. Her brown eyes blinked rapidly at his father, trying to get some sort of symbolism of where she was. Those same eyes-just a few shades darker than his own-frantically flitted about the room almost as if she didn't recognize anything around her.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, her eyes locked on him and recognition flooded her irises. She knew where she was, who she was with, and how she got there. Then those same eyes grew hazy with tears, an absolutely crestfallen expression darkening her features it made his heart hurt in a strange way.

Isshin glanced over his shoulder at his son and gestured him to come comfort the older girl. Ichigo did as he was asked.

Hesitantly Ichigo wrapped Lucy up in his arms once he sat back down on the bed. Lucy came without a fight, clutching onto him like he was the only thing keeping her alive, her head buried against his neck silently crying. His head rested against her, his arms tightening until she was practically draped across his lap. He did not mind her position at all it was comfort she needed there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Shh, let it out Lucy, let it all out." He whispered quietly into her soft hair. Isshin silently let himself out, his son had everything under control.

With no inhibitions, Lucy let out the wails that were begging to come out. Like he had guessed she bottled everything up until she couldn't anymore, she needed to cry it out to move on. To get over everything as best she could.

Her entire body shook with her sobs, each wrenching itself with such force it was a wonder she was still able to make those sounds. Nothing hurt more than losing everyone you loved, it didn't matter that she still had her old friends with her, didn't matter that she now had a true family. That's what the Kurosaki's were; her family.

None of that mattered at that moment. She had lost her family, her guild, her friends, her mother and father, even her gatekeys. Everything was lost; she had nothing. Sure during the fight with Aizen she had come to terms with what she would be losing, knew what she had said goodbye to. She knew it, however, the loss didn't truly hit her until this latest nightmare.

Just thinking about it made her cling harder to Ichigo, he was her rock in that moment as she let go of everything she was hiding. She missed her guild, missed her keys, missed her other friends, even missed her old landlady. It was time she mourned for everything lost in her life, what better way to lose herself than in the arms of the one person who was there for her in this new world when she woke up? 

A/N: Hope this update more than makes up for my lack of posting new material-even though these chapters have been waiting since late July to early August-there's no excuse but I can only say life got in the way and I had no access to wifi. I'll try not to take so long next time.