Bleach 1. The Onset of Anger

Her words cut deeper than the sword her brother had just slashed through him. "You are just a human" Those words hung in the air as he looked up at her. Didn't she care? He yelled at her as she walked away. He could barely hear the words her brother and tattoo guy spoke; it was like a fog had invaded his mind. He watched Rukia walk away, he watched her disappear into the portal. He watched her go, his voice caught in his throat. And then the rain began to fall...

And then something stopped the rain from falling on his body. He looked up to see the hat and clogs guy and then... darkness overcame him.

The days dragged on. Morning faded to day, day to night. He filled the hours with training. He pushed his body to the limit, day after day... he pushed himself to the point of exhaustion and at night, he dreamed of her. He was desperate to grow stronger, desperate to stand on his own two feet, desperate to save the woman who had changed his life. Every day he could feel the time drawing near. Rukia's time was running out. Sometimes he felt the inner darkness take over asking him why he was so desperate to save a woman who left him to die. The voice taunted him... asking if he loved her, if he wanted to play hero just to get her attention. He would shake his head free of the dark thoughts. She was just a friend he told himself. He owed her too much to let her die. He was responsible for her death sentence and as a result he was the one who had to stop it. Over and over he told himself these things but his dreams proved him a liar.

When he was alone in the dark, his body tense from the days training, his mind relived his time with Rukia and he found himself focusing and remembering the small details. Like the way her small hand clasped his when she was dragging him away to fight some hollow, the lonely look in her dark eyes he caught when she though no one was looking, the small smiles she gave him, the way that one lock fell across her face, her small compact body...

The last thought dragged a groan from his lips. That was the last thing he needed to think about right now. He pulled his pillow over his head. When had this happened, he wondered, how long had he thought of her as something more than just an annoying brat.

He threw himself into his training. His muscles grew taunt, his body lean and all the while he never forgot the woman he was meant to save. He growled and wiped the sweat from his eyes. Every pore in his body felt like it was covered with dirt, grime, sand and yet he refused to stop. Every second he slept took him further from his goal. Bankai. The word was foreign. The techniques used to gain it were unfamiliar. Bankai. It pulsed with every breath he took. He no longer felt the pain, just a steady pulse that proved he was still breathing despite the strain he was putting his body through. He charged again, sword broken… and again… body slashed. All he could see past the sweat, blood and grime was the look on Rukia's face as she walked away. He let the rage and pain take over as he attacked again and again and again.

"Enough Ichigo"

The words pulled him back to reality as strong hands held him back. Ichigo let himself fall to the floor, his breath coming from him in large gasps. He let Yoruichi pull him to the ground and sighed as she laid him on his back. "Dammit kid," he heard her mutter as her hands spread apart his shinigami robes. "What," he spat out in a clipped tone. He looked up into yellow eyes and then looked away, they weren't the eyes he wanted to see… those belonged to someone who didn't want him around anymore. He let himself wallow in self pity for a moment. Damn her. He didn't want to care, he didn't want to feel. He only wanted to get stronger, save a short dark haired brat, and go back to his life before Rukia.

Yoruichi studied the orange haired shinigami as exhaustion took over. He had thrown himself into training but she sensed he fought even stronger personal demons. She had spoken as much to Urahara and he'd agreed; the loss of Rukia continued to torment the young man and she doubted his desire to save her had anything to do with duty anymore… although she wasn't so sure that he wouldn't kill her after he had saved her. His progress was disturbingly fast. By the gods he did have potential. He had far surpassed Urahara in his speed to overcome and his strength continued to grow. It would be a close match but she was certain he could take Byakuya without dying. She settled herself in the corner and waited for him to awaken.

Ichigo groaned loudly as he sat up. He looked around and saw Yoruichi looking at him. He sneered, "What!" He watched her shrug and stand up. "It's time." She said and he rose to his feet, eager to continue his training. He shook off the pain that seemed to be a permanent part of his time in the Soul Society and threw himself into mastering his swords final form.

Rukia turned away from the light and tried to ignore the sick dread that continued to eat at her. Though her threat to Ichigo had been direct and to the point, she couldn't help but feel his precense in the Soul Society. She hoped for his sake that he had heeded her plea. It had been for him after all. She was to die for her association with the young human… they would take her life for taking his freedom, it wasn't right for him to save her. She turned and looked at the light… it wasn't right for anyone to save her. She was a murderer, a creature more deserving of scorn than pity.

"Grrrr…" he growled as the shouts of the red haired shinigami broke through his thoughts. He resented the intrusion of his space but couldn't deny the man the chance to train. Everything about the guy irritated him. His hair, his stupid grin, his freaky eyebrows, loud mouth and especially the tattoos. Ichigo glared at him out of the corner of his eye; and he hated that this Renji wanted to save Rukia as well. Who was he to her… were they siblings… friends… more. Ichigo ignored the tug of hot rage that coursed through him. The little bitch… stringing him along when all the while she had this guy on the other side… who did she think she was. "Oi," he heard the redhead call out. He looked up to see a zanpakto blade inches from his nose. "What are you looking at." A low voice growled. Ichigo sneered and shoved the blade away. "Get the fuck out of my face you fucking pineapple," he yelled standing up. He saw the man smirk. "Better to be a pineapple then a sissy strawberry." Ichigo struck quickly with his sword, catching the man off guard. "It doesn't mean strawberry, it means guardian asshole," he screamed and swung his blade again, this time managing to nick his enemy. Renji hopped back and forth from foot to foot… he'd been itching to have another go at Ichigo… he wanted to challenge his Bankai and beat it back with his own. He parried the next blow… now they were getting somewhere.

Rukia lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. Her thoughts ping ponging between two men. Kaien and Ichigo. So alike yet so… different. She had taken life from Kaien-dono… and in some strange ways… she had given that same life to Ichigo. Both men had been able to push past her walls and draw her from the shell she had long ago placed herself in. But… as alike as they were there were the differences. Kaien had never made her ache the way Ichigo did. Nor had he been able to send her into a mindless rage with the smallest of efforts. Rukia blushed at her thoughts… but they were true. There was something about Ichigo that drew her in and kept her there. With him she wanted to be weak, with him she wanted to lean and depend on someone else. It was because of him that her world had turned upside down. She had resented having to stay in the living world because of her loss of powers… but it had grown on her. His friends had become her own, and despite the angry persona he was determined to show the world… his desire to protect her was endearing and addicting and she had stayed far too long as a result. She had tried to leave several nights. Ichigo never knew how many nights she had crept out of her closet and sat at his desk trying to come up with how to say goodbye. Some nights she went straight for the window… but in those moments her eyes would dart back to his sleeping form and she found that she couldn't bear to leave. She had only gotton the courage when she felt Renji's and Ni-sama's prescence in the living world and her fear for his safety had outweighed the fear she had for saying goodbye. She looked down again…. Ichigo… she knew she had hurt him badly with her scorn. Through the pain of his wounds, she had seen the stab to his heart her words caused and as she closed the door to the portal, she saw his head drop in defeat and prayed he would live again.


	2. Who Are You?

Ichigo fell into the hot spring, groaning as the hot water soothed the ache in his bones. He felt the water ripple and glanced over to find Renji relaxing on the other side. He snorted and closed his eyes again. He willed his body to relax. He had done it… Bankai. He had achieved something most soul reapers took years, decades, sometimes centuries to complete and yet he felt… nothing. He felt hollow with nobody to share in his achievement. No, that wasn't what it was... he wasn't happy because she wasn't here to share his success. But she would see… they all would when he tested his metal against Byakuya. The heat felt incredible and Ichigo slid down further into it. His treacherous mind provided an image of Rukia and he tensed, but he allowed himself to indulge in his fantasy for a moment. His feelings for her were all over the map. One moment he wanted to feel that small lithe body pressing against his and the next he wanted to choke the life out of her. Desire mixed with resentment, love mixed with pain. He could feel a darkness creep over him, dark thoughts crept in with it. He imagined the look on her face when he saved her, and he imagined the look on his face when he took his reward. Ichigo's eyes flew open as he sat up fast. Where had that come from? Even though his eyes were wide open Ichigo could see himself dragging the small woman down to this very place. Secluded… perfect for taking his prize. He watched himself tearing off her white robes and ravaging the even whiter flesh beneath. In his mind he watched himself touching her, he could almost hear her clipped moans as he pounded into her flesh and when he turned… it was not him at all… but the hollow within.

Ichigo stood up swiftly. Who was he? Did he not even have control over this most basic side of himself? How could he have imagined things like that? He wouldn't deny that he felt desire for Rukia… hell who wouldn't. Despite the shortness she was breathtaking and he would be a fool not to want her. But, the dark voice whispered again, she deserves her punishment… you, your a reward… and I would take them both for you. Ichigo shuddered and slipped back into his robes. No, he told the dark figure inside him, she will not be punished. I will save her and then I will return to my world and she will stay in hers…. This is the way it should be. His resolve set… he would see this through to the end… and when the time came, it was he who would not look back.

Rukia opened her eyes as the door opened. It was time. She hung… suspended in air, biting her lip and letting wave after wave of memories wash over her as she awaited her death sentence. She wondered briefly if it would be painful. She had no regrets save one… Ichigo would never know that the pain she had caused him was a double edged sword. She had felt just as severed that night. She closed her eyes and saw his bright hair, his cocky grin and his warm eyes. She wished him a long life… she wished him to regain the happiness she stole away that night, she wished…. Her heart pained… she wished nothing more… and opened her eyes, tears blinded her before falling as she looked ahead and accepted her fate. Her thoughts turned to Ichigo once more and she closed her eyes; wanting him to be the last thing she saw before departing this world. Her sentence never came. She could feel the hot flames close to her face and heard the commotion below. Her eyes flew open and widened to see Ichigo.

Ichigo looked down at Rukia, his heart swelling for a moment. He called down to her, and for once was not met with a cool haughty attitude. Her emotions were laid bare to him for a moment before she regained herself. He was not entirely surprised at her reprimand, but in some small way he was touched to see that his life mattered so much to her. He didn't give a shit about Byakuya. Or anyone else for that matter. If anyone stopped him from saving this woman he would cut them down. That was when he had set his resolve; he had removed all emotion from his heart in preparation for this moment. He had grown stronger than even he had realized. He glanced down at the commotion below. Already it was captain against captain and that was fine with him. He swung onto the execution block and cut into it… freeing Rukia.

She awoke with a start. She looked outside to the cherry blossoms and recognized the scenic grounds as being ones of nobility… she was home. The recent events felt like a dream. Had she really almost died… had Ichigo actually saved her… how had he survived the fight with her brother… and Aizen… the ultimate betrayal? Her body ached, but her spirit ached worse. She closed her eyes and turned her head, it was then she felt his presence. She looked around the room and her eyes fell on the outline of spiky hair. His voice reverberated around the room. "Don't worry, I didn't kill him Rukia… and I am not here to kill you… I wanted to say goodbye. Rukia widened her eyes as he stood and walked over to her.

Ichigo sat down next to her bed. "For a while I hated you," he spoke softly, "for a while I despised you, and for a while I could think of nothing but you. In truth I still feel those things. But, and she watched as he swallowed hard and looked away… "I am glad you are ok. I am glad I could be the one to save you… like you saved me. I know you didn't want it… you didn't think you needed it… and I don't require your thanks. I am going back to my world and I know you will remain here. I think..." and in this he paused for a moment… a small blush creeping onto his face, "I think that I will miss you Rukia Kuchiki." And then as though to regain some of the composure he had lost, "See ya around Kuchiki," he said nonchalantly as he started to stand. Not wanting to be in her presence anymore for fear of feelings he didn't want to acknowledge he turned his back and started to walk away.

Rukia was dazed for a moment but when she saw him start to stand… she couldn't bare letting him walk away without doing something. She acted on impulse for once and grabbed his hand, pulling the young man back down to the ground and without warning she crushed her lips to his. She felt him tense and his mouth parted in what she was sure was going to be a protest, but in this she was wrong. She felt his hands gripping her arms and his smooth tongue pushing into her mouth. Rukia moaned and slid her own tongue against his. She didn't want to think about where she was, or how this had happened… she cared for nothing but for the warm ache his touch was causing. And then the feeling exploded. She cried out as her back slammed against the hard floor and moaned as Ichigo pushed his long body against hers. This was surprising... shocking even but Rukia couldn't think about those things right now. Urges she usually kept locked away were hitting her wave after wave and she lost the ability to think about anything as the orange haired man thoroughly kissed her.

Ichigo felt the hollow inside him howling in approval and he jerked away as if stung. He looked down at Rukia and his gut tightened. How many nights had he imagined her just as she was… her hair ruffled, her lips bruised from his rough kiss, her body laid out before his own, waiting for him to make a move. Ichigo closed his eyes and struggled to gain control of his ragged breathing. He felt soft small hands on his face and even softer lips brush against his own. He opened his eyes to see huge violet blue ones staring back at him. He could see the heat in their depths and the questions she longed to ask him. He started to pull away and stopped as he felt the sting of her hand connecting with the side of his face.

Rukia pushed herself onto her knees and slapped the young man again from the other side. She waited for his eyes to stare her down, or better yet for that bitching whiny voice to ask her what the fuck she was doing. Neither came. She was surprised when he stood up and she stopped herself from calling out to him as he walked away. His kiss had shaken her and she could still taste him when she licked her lips. She could not remember the last time she had lost control of herself like this. She watched the light fade as he closed the door behind him and lay back down. She looked at the door again. Ichigo… just who are you?


	3. Reunion

It had been a week since he had awakened in the real world and Ichigo felt the overall boringness of life weighing him down. His days had been filled with school where the only place his eyes seemed to be able to focus was on Rukia's old desk. He had avoided all conversation with his friends in hopes that they wouldn't be able to utter her name or talk about her absence. He fixed his face with a scowl and proceeded to completely ignore whatever it was that the teacher was talking about at the moment. Renji had showed up unexpectedly and Ichigo didn't like it one bit. The redhead was loud and obnoxious… it was funny that he had to stay at Uraharas place and be constantly referred to as the freeloader. He chuckled darkly and glanced over at the man. He wondered what Rukia saw in him, and he had him pinned as his only competition. Ichigo frowned, not that he was competing for her… no… he was just… he missed… Ichigo sighed heavily; he didn't know what to do. He wished he hadn't walked away from that kiss though. Even now he thought about it. He felt a smack on the back of his head. "Hey strawberry, quit looking at me," a rough whisper echoed in his ear... and Ichigo turned around and smacked the man back. "Leave me the fuck alone pineapple boy." He growled and turned back towards the teacher… he gave in and started taking notes… might as well try and pass the time.

Rukia fell back on her silken sheets and stretched. She felt great. Her body was back in shape… her powers had almost returned and her spirit felt almost whole again. She would feel a lot better if she could control her traitorous mind, but she had given up on that the past few days and let it indulge in whatever it liked… and it had liked Ichigo. That damn boy's memories were annoying at best. At least Kaien had been grown and mature and he had been a proper Soul Reaper. Ichigo was pouty and irrational and had this annoying habit of protecting her. He was human! And for a time so was she… Rukia let that last thought trail off as she closed her eyes and arched her back. She opened her eyes wide for a moment. She wasn't tired tonight… tonight she wanted to play. With her old strength had come her old aggression and with it, insomnia. She took off towards her squads training arena with the hope of getting in a good training session that would force her to rest when her squad's captain stopped her. She looked up at the white haired man. She had nothing for respect for him; He had proven time and time again to be a wise and faithful leader. His health was worse now, but it had not weakened his will. "Restless Rukia," the deep voice intoned and she sighed and leaned against the wall.

"I suppose you could call it that." She signed and raked a hand through her short locks. She saw a small smile lift the corners of her captain's mouth. "Not thinking of an orange haired substitute shinigami are you," he spoke lowly. Rukia felt the blush stain her cheeks as she shook her head. "No no no... of course not… I just can't sleep," she stuttered and blushed further when her captain handed her, her orders. "The commander has deemed your ryouka worthy of his own personal guard… or rather his own personal lookout… far too much happens around that young man. As the last representative of our Society to the living world and because of your previous acquaintance with the boy, you have been selected to watch over him…. Provided your strength has returned. Rukia stared at the captain and at the papers he thrust towards her. "I, I thought Renji had been assigned in my stead," she murmured and her mouth twitched in confusion as her captain laughed. "Renji was only selected as a temporary, with his new promotion to Lieutenant and wit the overall shortage of talented personnel we need him back here in Soul Society." Rukia's head dropped and she felt a slight pressure on her shoulder. "I didn't mean for it to sound as if your presence here would be of no help… but you are a far better representative to the real world than Renji… he sticks out far too much." Rukia nodded and accepted her papers; scowling at the little sing song voice that resounded in her mind… she would be able to see him again.

Ichigo rubbed his forehead hard… these fucking kids taking his friends and threatening his classmates had taken its toll. His brain actually hurt from the mind games they were playing. He growled again in frustration, glaring at Ishida who overall seemed unfazed by the games provided. This time they had actually gone so far as to suck everyone into a different dimension and then compounded the infraction by copying everyone so that they were forced to fight themselves for dominancy. The ultimate piss off was that Urahara had been behind the whole thing. That had really burned Ichigo for awhile but now that he lay in bed thinking of it…he was happy for the interference… at least he had felt as though he was doing something worth a damn. Then there was this whole bounto thing. He thought vampires were a thing of myth but perhaps he had been too quick to judge. And those weird little dolls that could sense them. It was bad enough with Kon... now he had a little chicken doll to contend with. What's worse his sister had seen him with the two and now his family thought he was playing with dolls again. Great. He threw himself on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Outside the sun slowly faded away and Ichigo wondered how long he had lay there. He groaned and rolled over. He was tired. All this time he had forced himself not to think of Rukia, yet all the while he thought of nothing but. What was it about her that drew him… why couldn't he forget her? He reached up and brushed his fingertips against his lips… he wished he had given into the pent up rage and desire when he had had the chance. His hollow had been his reason for stopping… anything his hollow self thought was good, surely couldn't be a good thing. But… and he smiled stupidly… he could die happily knowing that he had made Rukia Kuchiki moan. It was a happy though at least and he could feel his grin turn into a smirk as his mind took that moment further… he stopped at nudity though… he was already… alert enough as it was. An annoying sound broke through his thoughts as the little chicken doll hopped up on his chest and looked down at him. "Somebody is having some sure happy thoughts right now… and I though only Urahara was a pervert." Ichigo shoved the little doll from his chest and rolled over on his stomach. He grunted slightly as the pain but… it was better than being stared at by some strange mod soul. When had his room gotten so crowded?

Ichigo got up and grabbed his headphones and one of the strange manga Rukia had left behind. Since he wasn't going to get any sleep… he figured he could pass the time with this boring book since he had long since finished the homework that had been assigned that day. He tapped his foot to the music and flipped through the pages. Damn Rukia's taste was weird and a little perverted. He quirked an eyebrow at a particularly graphic picture but was interrupted by RinRin. He scowled… now was the time to see what these Bounto had.

The night was full of surprises… he had been surprised to find that the rogue bounto was a woman… as the sweat slid down his face he grinned… a very powerful woman. He rolled out of the way as her doll attacked again. Damn it was getting hot in here. He dodged another flame and glared… damn that undead bitch. He watched in amazement as the arm he had so methodically sliced off grew right back onto the body. This was going to be a long fight. He panted slightly as he attempted to catch his breath and peeled his back away from the wall he had been so unceremoniously thrown into. He tensed when the giant threw a huge ball of flame at him and for one idiotic moment, Ichigo wondered if this was the end. The flames never came. He looked and felt his eyes widen… Rukia!

Rukia smirked at the expression on Ichigo's face and licked the corner of her lips as his hot gaze looked over her body… she felt like walking up to the young man and smacking him upside the head for such insolence but she let him look his fill. It was kind of cute in a way to be missed so, not that Ichigo would admit to it. Now was not the time for be assaulted by damning human emotions though… there was a Bounto to destroy. Her Kidou had worked well against the monster's attack. She dodged the fire the thing threw at her and prepared for a final attack, she watched in amazement as metallic snakes wrapped around the doll, suppressing its power. This new Bounto was tough and he obviously cared nothing about fighting them… his interest was on taking the rogue Bounto in. She watched as the Bounto left… finally alone. She turned at the loud noise in the alley and saw Inoue and Sado and… Rukia rolled her eyes… Kon. She felt herself being squeezed into a tight hug by Orihime and started to back away but the young girls exuberance was catching and Rukia allowed herself to be trapped against the huge breasts and smiled slightly as the young woman continued to speak of nonsensical things.

She explained to the group that she had come here to look after the town again but her explanation died in her throat as she looked over at the source of an unknown voice. What the hell… why was Ichigo carrying a doll. She looked around… and for that matter why were Inoue and Sado carrying one as well. Had she come to the right place… Rukia had not been prepared to see this sort of thing until she looked at Inoue's doll… he was so…. CUTE.

Ichigo felt his face draw up into a sneer. God Rukia could be so lame sometimes. He felt a tinge of jealousy too… and tried to hide the faint flush that stained his cheeks. He scowled… damn he was letting her closeness affect him already. He didn't have time for this… this… desire… he needed to defeat this new enemy. Why could the same person who made him strong… turn around and make him so weak. Ichigo was confused by it all. He saw Rukia looking at him and turned away from her penetrating stare. He supposed they were all coming back with him to his place, which had turned into the meeting area for both his human and soul reaper friends. As they walked back to the clinic Ichigo fell behind the group and watched Rukia interact with his friends. He watched as she talked with her hands and how when she laughed she would occasionally touch Orihime's hand or Sado's arm. He let his eyes wonder lower but the tightening in his gut forced his gaze back to her face. He groaned inwardly…. After 15 years of ignoring the "fairer" sex… Ichigo's hormones had finally awakened and it was proving to be a distraction worse than the damn plushies. He felt her dark eyes on him as he walked past everyone and into the clinic to explain to his father that he was having a few friends over to study… he let Rukia provide the details and scowled as his father set there with his mouth open looking from Orihime to Rukia and back again. That damn pervert.

Rukia kept her smile hidden as Ichigo went flying. It would seem the Kurosaki household hadn't changed. She settled herself on the bed with Orihime as the group began discussing the Bounto. The conversation was interrupted by her phone and Rukia listened with surprise to hear Renji's voice… she was even more surprised to hear the resulting crash of him flying through Ichigo's kitchen window. She watched the two men interact and tried to hide the grin. Renji's condescending manner and Ichigo's inherent grumpiness were not a good combination and soon they were wrestling. It was obvious this meeting would have to wait. Orihime and Chad both said their goodbyes and Rukia curled up on the bed to watch the strawberry and the pineapple fight it out. She rolled her eyes as Ichigo finally realized that his friends had left. He could be so clueless sometimes. Renji rolled over and stood up. "Oi Rukia, c'mon… we have a long day tomorrow; let's go back to Uraharas… you can fill me in on what is going on in Soul Society." Rukia smirked slightly, "No Renji, Ichigo and I need to talk. I will see you tomorrow." She watched her old friend sweat drop as he stammered and stuttered over her rejection of his invitation. She held up a hand when it appeared that her friend was getting ready to argue. "It's been a long night Renji… I wish to sleep and in the morning you and I can catch up." She saw his shoulders drop and he waved his hand in dismissal. "Whatever… later," and she watched as he hopped out of the window. Finally she turned to Ichigo.


	4. An Attempt at Relief

_Disclaimer: Bleach is owned and profited by someone other than myself. Perhaps Bill Gates will buy it for me… I'm sure I can convince him we have at least one common ancestor… don't Adam and Eve count? Anyways…__ this hasn't hit lemon yet… probably limey at its worse… I'm trying not to jump into the lemon too early, but there is no reason __Ichi__ and Rukia can't have a little fun in the meantime. _

Ichigo had resented the red-haired shinigami's ride intrusion on his meeting. He had resented even more his implication that Rukia was to spend the night with him. Ichigo glared at the man and at Rukia. Just was kind of relationship did they have. The man had fought for the right to save her when they had been in the soul society, he had forced himself to train alongside Ichigo for the strength to carry out his goal, and it was him that had carried Rukia away from his and Byakuya's fight. They were comfortable with each other… more comfortable than he and Rukia would ever be and Ichigo felt the cold tendrils of jealousy eating away at him. So lost in his thoughts was he that he barely registered Renji's departure. He shook his head in confusion and looked over at his bed where Rukia sat with a small frown. He cocked his head to the side slightly, she had stayed after all. He felt himself trapped in her gaze and for a moment lost himself in the depths of it. A hard whack to his head shook him out of it. "Dammit Rukia, what was that for!" He cried out and grunted in surprise as he was knocked from his desk chair…a small lithe body pressed against him and soft lips ate at his as he hit the floor. He lay there in shock as Rukia increased the pressure of her kiss and his eyelids fluttered and closed as her soft tongue forced its way into his mouth. For whatever reason this was happening, Ichigo wasn't going to complain… he wasn't going to sit idly by either. He slid his fingers through raven locks and flipped Rukia over onto her back. She had been in control for long enough.

Rukia was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to participate. She had been surprised by her impulsive move but she was dying to know if the kiss that had kept her up at nights was real or if she had only imagined the feel of him. She gasped as she was flipped over on her back and a small moan escaped as Ichigo's fingers tangled them in her hair. She felt his smooth lips break away for a moment and she frowned at the loss of contact, she looked into amber eyes as he slowly and deliberately sucked her bottom lip between his and bit down on it softly. She was mesmerized by the display and the feelings it caused in her gigai form. She felt her eyes roll back slightly as he sucked again and she felt her head snapped back by his hands as he covered her mouth with his own.. rubbing, nibbling and she opened her mouth willingly as the tip of his tongue traced her lips. She bit back a moan as he slowly rolled his own tongue around hers, sliding it back and forth seductively within her mouth, she felt her body responding in ways she had never thought a kiss could cause. Her hips moved against his and she moaned when the contact was taken away… she caught her breath and looked up... Ichigo had set up and was struggling to catch his own ragged breath.

Ichigo swallowed and licked his lips again. That taste… it had haunted him for months and now… he was in shock… by her actions she was more than willing to lay back on his floor while he did any and everything he had ever fantasized about, but his own passion had frightened him and he had pulled away. His inner hollow had howled in frustration as he did but the way things were going in a few minutes he wouldn't have been able to hold himself back anymore. He felt her hot gaze on him and stiffened as her small body straddled his. Gods the contact felt so good. Her arms wrapped around him and her fingers raked through his hair. Her scent invaded his senses and her lips sought his. He forced his head back to avoid it and swore as she sucked slowly at his throat, scraping her teeth slowly down the column of his neck. He groaned and pushed her back to face him. He watched her bite her lip in uncertainty and Ichigo whispered softly. "Rukia, we have to stop." He saw the confusion on her face and his eyes widened as she pushed down on him. "DAMMIT RUKIA!" He cried out as a wave of pleasure hit him. He saw her lips curve into a smirk.

Rukia shifted again and pushed down harder, enjoying Ichigo's reactions. This was enjoyable from so many standpoints, but its effect on her body was not something she could ignore. She had had little experience in these matters, her manga had spelled out the act itself, and Renji had been an… hmm… enthusiastic partner but nothing had prepared her for the feelings Ichigo created in her and for some reason, tonight she was curious as to how far he would allow things to go. She wondered briefly if this sort of feelings would happen when she was in spirit form or if their intensity was the result of her gigai. She rocked against him and bit her lip. Her panties were soaked and her body throbbed with what she could only call desire. So far Ichigo hadn't moved... but as able as he was to keep his hands to himself... the rest of his body betrayed the feelings she was making him feel. Especially the part of his body she currently was grinding against. She bounced experimentally and grinned when he growled her name. He must like that, she thought and bounced again, her breath catching in her throat as his hands gripped her arms and stilled her movements.

Ichigo was seeing stars. He could barely focus to force the words out of his mouth. "Rukia, I can't do this, you have to stop… Bounto… your brother… Renji… I can't… I need…" His voice trailed off as he felt her softly kiss him. He looked down at her as she cupped his face in one of her small hands. "You are young aren't you," he heard her whisper and he flushed with embarrassment. "No," he ground out, "that's not it… I just… it's… just hard, this…" he stopped when he heard her snicker. He glared at her. "What's so damn funny?" He spat out and grunted slightly as he felt her roll her hips against him and press down as hard as she could. "It sure is," she whispered huskily and Ichigo's breath caught in his throat. This woman was going to be the death of him. He slid his hands down and gripped her small hips as she slowly, for lack of a better word, rode him. His pants were tight and uncomfortable and he ached so very badly for release, but he sat still and let her rub against him.

Rukia let her head fall back as she felt Ichigo's hands tighten on her hips. He was letting her do as she willed and she couldn't help but wonder if his willingness to let her do as she wanted was only a human trait… Renji hadn't let her do anything like this. Her experiences with sex had taken place after long bouts of training and had been rough and short lived. She had never been allowed in this position or been allowed to explore that way that Ichigo was allowing. She could sense his nervousness and his hesitancy in this area. Rukia began to move faster, rubbing herself against the rough material of the cleft of his pants. She panted his name softly and grabbed his hands; she didn't want to do this alone… she wanted him to touch her. Slowly Rukia slid his rough hands up her body and over her breasts, her eyes closed and she licked her lips. "Ichigo… for god's sake touch me," she whispered hotly and resumed her slow grinding.

Ichigo brushed his thumbs over erect nipples and watched her reaction. His mind was torn. Part of him ached to take her… but he was loath to change their already complicated relationship. Something was different about Rukia tonight, she seemed determined to finish this but why. For once he wished his father would barge in and interrupt. It was already hard to piece his thoughts together with her all over him. All he knew was that if he finished what she had started it would devastate him for her to leave again. He had an idea… and hopefully he would be able to pull it off. He lowered his head and nuzzled between her breasts… he felt Rukia stop moving and he slid his tongue slowly over her dress and closed his mouth over one of her protrusions. He sucked as hard as he could and almost smirked when Rukia cried out. He slid rubbed her other nipple and pinched it roughly, sensing somehow that that was something she would like… he was not disappointed. He bit down again and groaned when she ground against him again. His resolve was set… if she needed this… release… these feelings he would give her what he could. He wouldn't consummate completely but he would make sure she was satisfied… something dirty manga was a good thing. Ichigo slid Rukia to the floor and slowly slid his hand up her thigh…

_Authors note: heh heh…. You didn't think Ichigo was going to get completely lucky tonight did ya. Anyways next chapter should be up in a few days. I__ know this i__s a horrible teaser, but good things come to those who wait__. Till next time!_


	5. We'll Wait

_Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to another… too bad too… I wouldn't mind a small portion of the royalties about now._

"Ni-San!" The annoying voice broke through the lust and desire and Ichigo growled as the plushie flew past him. Rukia caught the small doll before he could attempt to bury himself in the valley she currently ached to have Ichigo buried in. She choked the small doll and shoved her fingers down his throat and popped the mod soul out. She threw it across the room and crossed her arms over her chest. Damn doll… why did he have to pick that moment to interrupt. Ichigo was just about to... and she shivered with anticipation as she looked over at his long fingers. She looked over at the scowling man and smiled softly... "Now… where were we."

Ichigo closed his eyes again as he felt her small hands on his chest. He had to ask. "Rukia, why?" He didn't finish the sentence… he wasn't sure what to add to that… why was she seducing him… why now… why here… why him. He hoped she wouldn't make him clarify. He waited a moment and when no answer came… he looked around. Rukia was nowhere to be found.

She had retreated to the closet. His hesitant question and the interruption brought her back to a part of her senses. Why indeed. What did she think she was doing? Ichigo was a child compared to her. He was human, she wasn't… there were a million reasons why she should have been ashamed at her depravity, but... she couldn't ignore the, even now, persistent throb of desire she got around him. She shuddered as she leaned against the closet door. She felt the material move out from behind her and strong arms caught her as she fell. Ichigo had his arms around her… the fall had pushed her skirt past her thighs and the thin cloth of her panties were the only thing separating her from him as he slid her down the length of his body. The cleft of his jeans rubbed past the aching part of her body and up her stomach. Rukia looked up at him and she could see the fire behind his eyes. His voice was husky, sexy and ragged as he whispered darkly. "I know what you need, and I don't need a reason why. Do you want me Rukia… do you want what I can give you?" His voice more than anything drove her mad and she attacked the young man… her hands pushing his shirt off, desperate to be skin to skin.

Ichigo had not known what he was going to say. All he knew was that he had been miserable for refusing her the first time and that had just been a kiss… Rukia was offering so much more this time…he would be a fool to say no. He would please her… memorize her… dream of this time in the days, weeks, months… years to come. He cared too much to say no. He allowed her to pull his shirt off and slapped her hands away when she attacked his pants. He roughly pinned her small body to the bed, letting her legs hang over the side… her skirt was hiked up… her blouse partially unbuttoned… she looked ravaged but had been anything but… he would amend that. Ichigo licked and bit the inside of her knee… trailing his tongue teasingly up her inner thigh and stopping to press his mouth to her slightly concave belly… he flicked his tongue around her naval as he traced the edge of her panties with his fingertip.

Rukia was drowning… he had barely touched her but everywhere his hands and mouth touched… was the right place… at the right time…perhaps she had misjudged the young man… he certainly didn't seem as though this was his first time. She bit back another moan as his mouth closed over an aching nipple… her thoughts jumbled and for the first time… she ceased to think. It was a symphony of motion and sound. A kiss along her throat, a sigh… a nip on her ear, a soft moan… long fingers teasing her inner thighs, a loud groan…. Wordless she begged him for more. She sat up and let him peel her dress from her… her bra had long since been discarded. She felt his hands tugging at her panties and she looked down to see Ichigo press his mouth against her and she cried out his name as her head fell back.

Ichigo watched her as he lapped and sucked through the thin cloth… he couldn't believe he was doing this with Rukia of all people. But he could think of nobody else he had ever wanted this badly. All the pent up emotions he tried so hard to hide were escaping him as he concentrate on pleasing her. It dawned on Ichigo that he cared more for this woman than he was willing to admit, he shrugged the realization off as he traced his tongue along the outer edge of her panty line, he subdued his low chuckle as she bucked her hips up, trying desperately for something he was sure she had never had. Ichigo smiled darkly… Renji was a fool. He felt the darkness in him rise up and for once he let a part of his hollow take over.

Rukia gasped as her panties were ripped from her body and bit down on her arm as Ichigo's lips, tongue and teeth attacked her. Her body was rocked with wave after wave of pleasure… all of it settling down south… building upwards until she wasn't sure she could take it anymore. And then… everything exploded… she saw white… her world went white and then, faded to black…

Rukia came to trembling and moaning his name. Ichigo stared down at her, and he didn't bother suppressing the egotistical grin on his face. He had had to grab her and jump out the window before his father could come barging into his room. He hadn't anticipated on her screaming so loud. He had had enough time to hide her gigai in the closet and throw Kon's mod soul into his empty body and pray that his father didn't open the closet. He had wrapped Rukia in his outer robe and carried her to the park. He was by no means any less aroused but he was content in just holding her. He saw her eyes flutter and then narrow in confusion over their current location. Her voice was hoarse as she asked where they were… she looked confused about that as well and Ichigo prayed she had been in her right mind when he had pleasured her or else he was in for one hell of an ass kicking.

Rukia stretched languidly and curled closer to the substitute shinigami. Her body felt limp and weightless. She vaguely remembered his mouth on her and then it had seemed like everything had exploded. She sat up suddenly and looked around. "What happened Ichigo… we were," she flushed pink but continued, "together and then everything went white and now we are here in spirit form… did something happen to the clinic… are Karin and Yuzu ok?" She scowled when Ichigo's taunting laughter filled her ears and her eyes widened at the lazy and lustful look he threw her as he leaned down and kissed her softly. "Everything is fine…everyone is ok… and we are here in spirit form because your scream woke my father up and that isn't something I want to deal with right now," Rukia felt her mouth open in shock but closed it again and turned away in embarrassment. What the hell had come over her? It was like being in that gigai reduced her to nothing but emotions. What did Ichigo think of her now? Did he see her as any less of a person for what she had done? Rukia shifted slightly and stiffened as the back of her thigh rubbed up against something stiff. She heard a low chuckle as Ichigo looked down at her.

"I suppose some things do transfer over to spirit form… I was rather hoping that this wouldn't be one of them. I would have asked by you seemed a bit pre-occupied and I didn't want to disturb you." He laughed again and felt her punch land to the side of his face. Not even that could faze him at the moment, but it did remind him of something he wanted to ask her. "By the way Rukia… that night in Soul Society when I… when I kissed you… why did you slap me?" Ichigo saw the corners of her mouth turn upward for a moment and was surprised when she quickly sat up in his lap and swung her open hand at his face. His head was jerked to one side and then the other before he realized what she had done. He looked at the beautiful woman in shock and was surprised when she leaned over and brushed her lips against his slowly and then she turned slightly and kissed his cheek… sliding her lips down to his ear, sucking gently. Ichigo bit his lip as she laid him back.

Rukia leaned over the orange haired man, looking into his unique eyes as she ran her hand slowly down his chest, pushing aside his robe to rub against his smooth warm skin. She saw him arch back slightly and realized that he must be aching to be touched. He had held himself back so as to please her back in his room, there she had been too wanton to care or appreciate the gesture. Here in her spirit form, her emotions were checked but her body still throbbed from his closeness. She wanted to make the world explode for him as he had done for her. Even now he lay willingly and let her explore. Renji had let her do this once in a while but she decided she liked it much better with Ichigo. His skin was dusky from the sun but smooth; she slid her hand over the bunched muscles in his chest and trailed and errant finger down the center of his abs. So young… so strong… stronger than her brother… her best friend… muscles he had developed in the process of saving her… muscles and scars. Rukia leaned down and tenderly kissed one. Scars she was sure had been earn in his quest to save her. She heard his low moan and smiled. He was so reserved. She trailed her tongue over to his nipple and bit down slightly. He bucked beneath her and started to protest. Rukia held a finger to his lips and smiled slowly. "Just let me please you Ichigo… after all its only fair."

Ichigo shivered in the cool night air and watched Rukia as she opened his robe completely and kissed her way down his stomach. He exhaled sharply as her tongue slipped between the waistband of his shinigami pants. He sat up and pulled her into his lap, his arms banding around her to stop her from moving. "Rukia, no… not now… not tonight… just rest here with me… that is all I need," he whispered huskily into her hair. He felt her hand on his thigh and removed it before it explored upward. He brought the hand to his lips and kissed her palm and laid it over his pounding heart. "Don't think this is because I don't want this… you can feel how much I want you… but… in me… there is this darkness that I cannot control and… I don't want to lose control… it would kill me to hurt you Rukia… so do me this favor… wait until I can control whatever it is within me and I will give you this night again… just lay with me for now." Ichigo was surprised at the gentleness in his voice and that he had even said as much as he did. He waited for an argument that never came. He felt Rukia relax against him.

Rukia mulled over what he said. She was disappointed yes… but she could understand his reasoning and she was touched that he cared enough not to give into his basest desires. She would wait then it would seem. She laid her head on his chest and looked at the stars. So many more here than in the Soul Society. She felt his breathing even out and looked up at him. His face was devoid of his signature scowl and he looked innocent in sleep. He had so many sides… and he was so strong. She didn't sleep right away… instead she listened to his breathing and his heartbeat… and let the two sounds lull her into the first dreamless sleep she had had since the death of Kaien-dono.


	6. Guard Duty

Rukia woke to find herself in Ichigo's room. He must have woken up early and brought her home. She frowned slightly… since when had she thought of his room as her home she wondered and pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she snuggled deeper beneath his sheets… pressing her face against his pillow and breathing in his scent… she heard the commotion downstairs and groaned… Ichigo and his father were at it again. It must be time to get up. She stretched and yawned. She wondered if things would be strange between them today.

She got her answer sooner than she thought and she glared at the back of Ichigo's head. He hadn't said two words to her this morning and that was to tell her to "Hurry up" She hadn't wanted him to hold her hand or anything but a nice walk to school conversation would have been nice… I mean… after a night like the last a girl had a right to expect some things… like for some jerk to at least talk to her.

Inside Ichigo was fighting to remain calm. Being in the presence of Rukia after last night was proving to be harder than her had imagined… in more ways than one. He didn't trust himself to speak or move for that matter, except to get to school as quickly as possible in hopes that his friends would be able to distract him from this morning's shadow. He walked in to homeroom and flung himself into his seat, carefully fixing his customary scowl on his classmates and shrugging off his friends' good mornings. Her fake sing song voice drew his attention in time to see Tatsuki pull a very… for lack of a better word… excited red-haired girl away from Rukia and Inoue. He quirked an eyebrow as his classmates all greeted her and he was surprised by the fact that no one seemed surprised to see her there. He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the hallway demanding an explanation and rolling his eyes as she, once again, brought out one of her chappy toys. Turning away from her with a sigh, Ichigo went back into the classroom.

Rukia spread her skirt as she settled herself on the cool grass with the other girls and bravely tried one of Orihime's strange recipes. She watched Ichigo out of the corner of her eye, admiring the way his shirt tightened over certain areas when he stretched and folded his arms behind his head. She tried to keep her mind on the conversation but in truth she found the subject boring. She let the other girls talk while she eavesdropped on the guy's conversation. As usual Ichigo, Chad and Ishida were all quietly lost in their own thoughts… she smirked and wondered what Ichigo was thinking. She caught his eye and he turned away from her; commenting loudly that it seemed nothing had changed since their adventure in the soul society. She turned away to answer a question from one of the girls and heard the little chicken doll say that the Bounto were close… she turned over to see Ichigo take off along with Chad and Ishida. Rukia looked over at Orihime and the two of them quickly ran off to catch up with the rest of their group.

Ichigo sneered at the Bounto from the day before. The bastard was beginning to get annoying with his stupid fake snakes… at least when he cut these they stopped moving. He wondered briefly why Rukia had not joined in yet… surely her time in Soul Society had given her back her powers. He smirked slightly, unless Rukia enjoyed having him protect her. He felt a whack on the back of his head… "quit smiling and start fighting idiot." He grinned and flung himself in front of Ishida… for some reason the Bounto had focused the brunt of his attack on the Quincy. The seriousness of the situation was setting in as Ichigo saw one by one each of his friends being wrapped up and subdued by the Bounto's snakes. He felt Ishida's hand move him aside and Ichigo watched as his classmate offered himself up in exchange for Chad and Inoue. He yelled as Ishida's thin body was bound by the snakes and leapt back as flames fell everywhere. He shielded his eyes from the smoke and looked above to see the female Bounto holding Ishida. He glanced at the man who sneered and gripped his sword tighter as the massive doll drew itself to its full height and began flinging fire towards him and Rukia. Ichigo moved in front of the small soul slayer and swept the flames away… one of which slammed into the side of the van that his friends were hiding behind.

Rukia slammed her fist into his back and yelled at the young man. "Be more careful where you swing that thing… you could have seriously hurt someone." She caught the sneer he tossed her and followed him to the back of the van to see Inoue had protected everyone. Rukia shook her head and raced off after the other high schoolers towards the direction of the fleeing Bounto and Ishida. She joined Ichigo's friends in their search but it led them nowhere. She looked around the street and noticed that they were close to Uraharas… Rukia grabbed Ichigo and began dragging him towards the shopkeeper's place.

It turned out to be a good move on her part… despite his strange mannerisms and slightly perverted air, Urahara did manage to be an excellent source of information… plus, and she suppressed the giggle that threatened to escape her lips as she thought about the joke Kon had played on Ichigo, it had been well worth it to see the look on Ichigo's face. The laughter had felt good at the time… a much needed release of the tension they had all felt from Ishida's kidnapping. She had been relieved when Ishida had returned, a little worried that he was now bed ridden but relieved that he was safe. She listened as he recounted everything that the female bounto had told him. He had been right… it was fascinating... the history behind this unwanted race and it was… sad. She sat down in one of the chairs next to Ishida and looked around the room. She heard a small sound and turned to see Ichigo sitting opposite.

He glanced at the raven haired beauty for a moment before looking away. Rukia had been acting strange towards him all day. She had been keeping close to him all day… she had barely spoken or made contact with him except to hit him and call him names… but even that had been pleasant. Ichigo felt… different today. He supposed it was a result of what had happened last night. There was something about pleasing a woman that made a man stand taller. Or something along those lines. He looked over at her again and let his eyes wander over her body. She had been paler than he had imagined… and sweeter two. He picked up a magazine and flipped through it. Damn this was boring watching Ishida sleep. He could think of a lot of things he would rather be doing right now… but Ishida needed them right now he supposed. "Ichigo,"… he looked up at the sound of her voice and raised an eyebrow… "Thank you." He frowned slightly. That was weird… and he said so. He barely contained the small smile from curving his lips as Rukia stood with indignation… he decided to play along and got back in her face. Her cheeks were flushed with anger and her eyes flashed… and for a moment Ichigo forgot where they were and who was in the room… he licked his lips slightly as his eyes rested on hers… he watched them widen and he glanced down at Ishida… Dammit. He flung himself back into the chair and picked up his magazine. Perhaps it had been a mistake to stop last night. He looked over at her again and then at Ishida… and then at the closet.

Rukia read his intensions correctly and dashed over to the closet, beating him. She had barely had a moment to turn when she felt her body crushed between his and the wall. She grunted in surprise and gasped as she felt him lift her up the wall and slam his hips against hers. She blinked and tried to think as he greedily thrust himself between her thighs…his mouth hot against her throat. She wondered what had put him in such a mood, and then decided she didn't care… she liked this aggressive side of him. She grabbed a fistful of orange hair and jerked his head up so she could taste his lips. They battled for dominance, but in the end he won. Rukia gave in and let his tongue forcefully invade her mouth. His thrusts were getting harder as was he and she could feel herself responding. A soft moan broke through their heated breathing and they looked at each other. Ishida! They had completely forgotten about him!

Ichigo released the soft warm body he had been pressing into and quickly darted out the door. The room was empty. The sigh had been Ishida's. He raked a hand through his hair. Damn… this was not the time for him to be dry humping a girl in a closet. He was supposed to be guarding this man for fucks sake. He grabbed the fallen magazine from the floor and flipped through its pages. It was going to be a long night.


	7. Loss of Control

Ichigo had been right… it had been a long night, a very long and tiring night. He fought his stubborn eyelids… he didn't have time to sleep… he needed to continue the search for that damn fool Ishida and his damn Bounto girlfriend. Damn that little nerd… why did he suddenly have to get interested in girls… and why that particular girl. Ichigo shook his head in disgust… hell that lady was old enough to be his mother… and then he blanched. If he wanted to get technical Rukia was a couple of hundred years his senior… perhaps he should cut the Quincy some slack. He stretched out on the narrow mattress at Urahara's. He thought back to the hospital and slowly a wide grin stretched his features. He must have hit the right button with Rukia for her to have abandoned all reason and jump into the closet with him. He stretched again and groaned slightly as his back popped. That had been some kind of response from the little dark haired witch. He felt his stomach tighten from the memory and cleared his head. There were too many people sleeping in the room for him to be indulging in such things. He rolled over and looked across the room at Rukia. He had never seen her sleep… and the simple act took all tension out of her body. She was even more beautiful in repose.

The moonlight shone down on her from the window and bathed her face in its soft light. Ichigo swallowed hard… he must be tired because he was thinking in poetry. His eyes left her face and slid down her body, most of which was covered from his view by the thin sheet that covered her. Slowly and quietly he crept towards the small woman, his heart pounding. He shoved all logical thoughts to the side as he crawled towards her… ignoring the other bodies that littered the small room. Ichigo reached out as he made it to her side and stroked a finger slowly down her face. He watched as her huge eyes opened and smiled at the confusion on her face.

Rukia looked up into the face of Ichigo. She had never seen him look at her so… tenderly. Something had woken her… something had touched her… she looked down slightly and saw his hand resting on her hip. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She looked around to see that everyone else was lost in their own dreams and for a moment she wondered if he had been woken by her a page for a hollow. She felt his hand cupping her cheek and looked up at him… watching as his face neared her own. She licked her lips slowly, surprised when he darted forward and slid his tongue roughly into her mouth. She gasped against his lips in surprise and fell back against the floor. She closed her eyes lowly as the man above her gentled his kiss. He had never kissed her like this before. Slowly rubbing his lips over hers… nibbling and then sinking his tongue deeply into her mouth to slowly slip and slide against her own. It was achingly slow and Rukia felt a familiar heat settle low in her stomach. She hadn't been kissed like this in a long time… and had forgotten when it felt like to be cherished. At least the was the feeling she got with Ichigo.

Ichigo moaned softly, low in his throat as he sampled the soft mouth beneath his. Why did she taste so fucking good? Why did she give in so completely to him when they were alone? His mind reeled and, as though his hand had a mind of its own, he slid it up her side and slowly cupped he breast. He caught the moan that burst from her lips as he rubbed and squeezed gently… his thumb gliding back and forth across the small mound until he felt her nipple harden beneath her robes. He deepened his kiss and tilted her head back as he bit her lower lip and slowly sucked it into his mouth. He watched her eyes as they flew open to look at him and he slid his mouth lower... planting soft kisses along her jaw line… his body pulsing with desire as he heard her soft moan. "Mmmm… Ichigo,"

He bit down onto her neck slightly and sucked slowly, he felt her hands tangle themselves in his hair and he felt himself stiffen further. He knew they were taking a huge risk right now, but he couldn't stop himself and he couldn't pull his mouth off her. The stillness of the room as broken by a soft cry by Orihime and, Ichigo flung himself off Rukia… his heart in his throat... oh shit… they'd been caught.

Rukia looked around the room, her face hot with embarrassment and then she realized that the sound had simply been made while Orihime slept and she looked over at Ichigo and clamped her hands over her mouth to stop from laughing… he had the most incredulous look on his face as though he worst nightmare had just come true. She watched his expression change from surprise to irritation as he watched her body shake in silent amusement. She felt her body lifted into the air and she stiffened in shock as Ichigo pushed the window aside and jumped outside with her tucked under his arm. She started to protest but was lost her ability to speak as she was thrown against the side of the shop and the sides of her robe were roughly pushed down past her shoulders… trapping her arms to her sides and she felt her jaw go slack as Ichigo knelt in front of her nuzzling his face against her stomach… his voice harsh and husky.

"Why can't I get enough of you… you're all I think of anymore… and when I can't touch you I am on fire for you. And when you're in danger my blood boils with the need to take revenge on whatever is trying to hurt you. I don't understand"

Ichigo looked up at her and moaned achingly…."Please tell me Rukia… why can't I control this?"

Rukia looked at the young man… his eyes, for once, unclouded by youthful pride and anger. Her heart softened… and she shrugged her robes loose and leaned down… kissing him softly… and pulling him against her. She broke her kiss and whispered. "I don't understand it either Ichigo… but we need to control this… what if your friends see us… this is dangerous for you… I won't always be able to stay by your side… I will be called back to Soul Society eventually… and you won't be able to follow… I don't know what to tell you to ease your heart… but… this can't go on."

The last words had been the hardest to speak. In truth she was just as scared by the strength of the emotions he produced in her… she was running away again… and breaking his heart for the second time. She refused to call what they felt love… she wasn't sure she believed in love… and she wasn't ready to completely sell herself on the idea right now. All she knew was that whatever qualities this young man possessed… he had caught her attention and held it. And she was drawn by everything he did. She saw the hurt in his eyes and then the anger and then… something else… she pulled back slightly at the raw, naked desire buried in his amber eyes. It burned her… scared her but she couldn't pull away. She saw a hint of the darkness he kept hidden and she licked her lips nervously as the edge of his eyes gave way to black. She felt the air rush past her as Ichigo leapt in the air, dragging her behind him, his rage and spirit energy rising the further they went.

Ichigo landed in a secluded clearing and clung Rukia to the ground… he fell to his knees and gripped his head… no… no… the darkness had gained the upper hand and he felt himself torn in two as he fought to gain control of his emotions. He shuddered and cried out as his mind was assaulted with every nightmare he had ever had… every twisted thought… everything he held as evil within his mind assaulted his senses… he could smell blood and realized it was his own… his nails had buried themselves against his temple and streams of blood were pouring from the wounds. He screamed out and felt the rush of rage as it poured hot and heavy through his body… he had lost… he prayed Rukia got out of there before he did something he would regret.


	8. Transformed

Rukia stared in horror at the transformation. The boy who stood so tall and cocky had been reduced to his knees… rivets of blood trailing down his slim face. It was when he turned towards her that Rukia truly felt fear. The gorgeous gold was gone… replaced by a blackness that seemed to cause his eyes to sink further into his scowl of anguish. She watched, her blood running cold as he howled and she watched as a part of his face was covered with liquid bone. My god… what had she done? She watched as the howl died and… the furious eyes left hers and stared at the ground. She watched Ichigo pant heavily and she gasped as he slowly turned towards her… those monstrous eyes glared at her and she looked on in growing horror as a long slick tongue slid from his mouth… his mouth curving in an evil grin.

"There you are," it hissed and licked at the air for a minute. "Finally I am free of his control… free to roam… free to fuck… you… Kuchiki." The last words was nothing more than a hiss and Rukia found herself pinned to the ground, sharpened claws digging into her shoulders. She winced in pain.

"Ichigo was too much of a wuss to go through with it… but I am bound by no promise to keep you from pain… I don't care if you hurt, cry or bleed."

Rukia felt a tendril of hair being twirled around the creature's finger and his hot breath fanned her face. She struggled against the weight that held her down and found she was helpless. She concentrated on the part of Ichigo's face that was uncovered. She slid her hand down his cheek… "Please Ichigo… stop this." She cried out as the hollow slammed her wrist back to the ground and cried out as he forced her thighs apart. She felt a familiar weight settle between them as this hollow… this dark part of Ichigo thrust his body against hers. Gone was the feeling of desire… only fear remained. Somehow she had to reach him.

She bit her lip and turned away from the creature above her… its foreign mouth and teeth ripping her robes apart. She slid her hand through the orange hair that still shone through the mask and whispered softly… "If this is what you need to get over me… then take it Ichigo… I give everything to you… anything to bring you back." She felt the weight lift slightly and looked up… and though his face was still covered by the hollow mask she saw a part of Ichigo beneath the black of his eyes. She felt hope rise in her and then fall into despair as he small part of Ichigo she had seen faded to black. She watched the hollow flip his head up and howl in laughter.

"You have nobody to thank but yourself for this Rukia," the hollow hissed softly… his tongue sliding along the column of her throat. "You crushed him with your words… worse than you crushed him with your actions when you left him to die." She watched the hollow sneer down at her. "You are lovely you know… your soul… pure but there is some blackness in there I can sense." Rukia stiffened as long fingers and sharp claws snaked up her thigh. "Murderer," it hissed and Rukia turned away in shame. It was right… this was no more than she deserved. She was a murderer… a deceiver… a liar… she deserved Ichigo's rage, his hate… more so now that she had rejected his willingness to love. She felt her panties rip and watched the hollow fling them from her body… she almost gagged as the long inhuman tongue forced itself along her open robes. She felt the body between her legs tense and jumped as the hollow howled in laughter.

"Ichigo really doesn't like it when I touch YOU Rukia" It laughed again. "He wants his body back… probably so he can apologize and ignore how much he loves you." The dark Ichigo laughed at the look on Rukia's face. "Don't tell me you didn't know… pathetic… you two deserve each other… simple… stupid… weak humans. You are merely sacks of meat… ruled by emotions… worthless. Yes Princess Kuchiki… Ichigo cares about you… and I will leave you with this thought for now. I want nothing to do with such a polluted waste…" Rukia watched as the sneer grew to a leering grin. "Just know though… that every moment you are alone together that I am lurking in the shadows and as worthless as you are… I won't give up the next chance to blacken an already stained soul… be glad he loves you Soul Reaper… be happy he fights to control this side… without those feelings… you would be mine Rukia." The last words were barely a whisper as the blackness faded from his amber eyes and the mask fell from his face. Rukia watched as Ichigo collapsed on the ground. She felt relieved it was over and unbidden tears sprang to her eyes as the weight of the hollows words rested on her heart. She would not soon forget the cold feel of hollow hands on her flesh… but for now, she needed to be sure Ichigo was free of the demon.

Ichigo felt the cool air sliding over his body. It had been close and fighting for control had drained him of almost all his energy. All he knew was that Rukia was safe… and that was all that mattered. He turned his head and nuzzled against the smooth cloth. He breathed in her scent and knew she held him in her lap. An odd move for someone who wanted nothing more to do with him, he thought darkly and then sighed and looked up at the girl who held him. Her eyes were closed and Ichigo relaxed against her and turned away. "I'm sorry if I hurt you Rukia." he said softly and sat up. He was surprised when strong hands held him down.

Rukia slid her hands around him and held him for a moment. "No… it is I who should be apologizing Ichigo… I… I'm sorry if I hurt you." She sighed and looked down. She felt him sit up and let him this time. She felt an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. She smiled slightly as she felt his lips against her temple.

"Things have gotten weird between us, I think. We are moving too fast I think. I agree with part of what you said earlier. We need to slow things down for now and concentrate on stopping the Bounto. I understand that you can leave and I can't always follow you. I've held back for that reason Rukia but…" Ichigo paused and looked at the woman at his side. He wanted to say so much but… he didn't want to bare his soul to her… he cuffed the back of her head and leapt up… "I don't think I can be with someone who is so freaking slow!" he yelled as he took off to go back to hat and clogs shop.

Rukia smiled and gave chase. He was right… things were getting too serious too fast. She wanted to enjoy her time with him. She smirked… but if he thought she was going to let him off then he was sadly mistaken… after all she had needs… and he seemed to be the best one to help her with those kind of… situations. But for now she would let him play the carefree boy he needed to be… she grinned and found herself laughing as she attempted to keep up with him. This is what life could be like when you had nothing weighing down your soul. She had plenty but for now… being here… with him… she could forget and that was all she needed

_Authors Note: Sorry it's kinda short. It's 2 am and I have to go to boring training for work in the morning so __it's__ time to call it a night… but I did want to get this Chapter out before responsibility ate it away. _


	9. Reflection

It had been weeks since the incident in the clearing. Ichigo had thrown himself into resolving the situation with the hollows. They had finally found out why Ishida was so important to the Bounto and because Ichida has so stupidly created a pathway for the rejected group into the Soul Society… Ichigo found himself back in the Seireitei. The Bounto had proven to be a tough enemy, and with all the spirit particles in the air here… they had become even stronger. It seemed that lately all the Soul Society's dirty secrets were being aired. He wondered briefly if Aizen was responsible for it all… it would be right up his alley to cause such a scene. And… if you could… why wouldn't you want to distract your enemy?

Ichigo crossed his arms behind his head and stared up at the sky. He had been doing this a lot lately… staring at the stars. He supposed he was feeling nostalgic… his best memories of Rukia had all began or ended under the night sky. Maybe subconsciously he was wishing things could be different between them… or maybe he was wishing on stars. He had no idea… he rarely gave himself moments like this to think. They had kept a cool friendship as a front to their friends, but she couldn't hide the loneliness that shone in her eyes. It hurt Ichigo to see it… but… she had been right… things were better this way. Right now, if things had continued down the road they'd been on… they would have been nothing more than a distraction to each other… and that was something neither of them could afford. But still… damn he missed her.

Rukia signed as she lay in her bed. She had missed her bed… her room… Ni-sama had insisted that she come home tonight. She wondered if sensed the difference in her. The past few weeks had been hard on her body… and on her soul. She had been forced to lock her feelings for the orange haired young man away so that they could concentrate on the mission at hand. It didn't make things any easier. Unfortunately Ichigo had unlocked a floodgate of emotions in her and there was little she could do to stop them. She sighed softly and thought back to the first time she had laid eyes on the insolent man. It had been her first assignment to the living world and her heart had born an excitement she was not used to feeling. She had taken it seriously though… it had taken weeks for her to beg for Ni-sama's permission and he had finally relented and let her go. The living world had surprised her though. It was so… vibrant and busy. Rukia had had a tough time focusing her concentration on locating the hollow that was currently terrorizing the city. She had found it though… and destroyed it. She had ignored Ichigo that first meeting… thinking there was no way he had seen her but as the day slowly faded to night she had decided to track the boy down… his spiritual energy had been easy to track.

She had felt strange… sneaking into the boy's room, but she was confident that he would be unable to see her. The foot that connected solidly with her backside dispelled that theory and Rukia found herself face down on the floor, the overhead light hurting her eyes as she struggled to comprehend what had just taken place. His attitude had been infuriating and she looked over him closely… even now she blushed at how she had ran her hands over his smooth face. It seemed so long ago that day they first met. She smiled when she remembered his angry outburst at her comment on being defective and how he had tried to kick her again. She let the corners of her mouth curve into a soft smile… even then she had been drawn to him. Everything about him had been a mystery and damn he could push her buttons… especially when he had called her a little brat and ruffled her hair. The kidou she had placed on him had been in poor taste but it had been worth it to have the boy bow before her.

His derogatory remarks on her drawings, that constant scowl, the occasional smirk, his fits of rage and indignation, his fights with his father… Rukia smiled. He really had a great family… it had been comforting to be exposed to such a life. She bit her lip and recalled the night she had given him her powers. She raised her hand to her shoulder… and though the wound had healed… she still felt the pain occasionally. It had been her first time being wounded. Ironic that she bled for him before she knew him… and after they grew close… he bled for her. He had been so reckless that night.

Ichigo lay still as the wind whipped around him. He was glad for the events that he brought him to this place. At first he had resented the powers and responsibilities that had been thrust on him by the beautiful shinigami… but he had grown to be thankful for them. It had let him avenge his mother, protect his friends and it had added meaning to a life he had, up until that point, thought useless. He rolled to his side and looked across the clearing… watching the blades of grass as they whipped and swayed in the wind. He smiled slightly at how rash and foolish he had been the night he killed his first hollow. He had only wanted to save his sisters. He shook his head as he recalled how he had charged at the hollow with nothing more than a chair. His smile faded away as he remembered the way Rukia has thrown herself in front of him… saving him. She had barely known him then… and he had and continued to thank her for that night. Every time he came to her aid in battle he was thanking her for her sacrifice. When he had saved her from her execution it had been to repay her for the gift she had bestowed. Ichigo rubbed a hand over his heart; his skin still bore the scar from that night. And he recalled the intense pain and power that had washed over him when he had thrust Rukia's sword into his heart. That moment had changed his life and from there they had remained together… up until this point that is.

Rukia sighed and then felt foolish. Why could she not forget this man? He had left a permanent mark on her soul. His start as a soul reaper had been rough at best. His technique had been nothing more than to swing his huge zanpakto around. Rukia flushed red as she wondered if the size of his zanpakto was comparable to… she shook her head. When had she gotten so perverted? She smirked as she remembered the stash of manga she had found in Ichigo's closet the first night. She never knew the human world was so… contemporary in its thinking. She had blushed that entire night as she looked over the magazine… the storyline was stupid but the pictures were… enlightening. She wasn't all together innocent… after all… when you had lived a thousand years… you had to do something to break the cycle of battle. But her experience was limited and it sure didn't entail half of what had been in that manga. She smiled… listening to Ichigo and being around him… Rukia would never have guessed he was into that kind of stuff… but…he was a teenage boy… and she supposed he had to have some kind of an outlet.

Ichigo licked his lips slowly. Having Rukia live in his closet had been bittersweet torture. He was annoyed when he found out… nervous about being so near a girl. He had dismissed those thoughts under the guise that Rukia wasn't a normal girl… she was a little soul reaper brat who should be ignored and barely tolerated. His view of her had changed on the anniversary of his mother's death. She hadn't pushed… or prodded… instead she had stood by and let him tell her in his own way… let him fight the hollow who had taken his mother from him… she had let him be… and as he thought back to it… Ichigo knew that was when he had first started to care for her. He remembered looking up into her huge eyes and getting lost in them. He remembered how she had thanked him for not dying… what had stolen his heart had been her tone and the way she had so lovingly held him in her lap… running her fingers through his hair. It had reminded him of his mother in a small way and forced him to see Rukia in a new light. After that day his demeanor had changed. He no longer found her demand of his time annoying… his heart began leaping at the brief moments of contact they had had between them… he recognized how beautiful and kind she was… and felt dumbfounded that he had not seen it before. He found himself trying to steal glances of her when they passed each other to bathe… or changed for school. He had noticed his affinity for her legs… hips… breasts… but her eyes held the greatest sway. One look and he felt like taking on the world… one look and he wanted to hold her and take away some of the deep pain that lurked with in… one look and he could forget the world and everyone in it… except for her. Ichigo sighed… yeah… he had it bad.

Rukia thought back to the incident with Ichigo's mother. It had been that day that she had seen his and Kaien-dono's likeness. Like with Kaien she had sat back and watched him fight for honor… but unlike the dark haired figure in her past... Ichigo had lived. He has stood tall for a moment… rage and pain etched across his face as the grand fisher escaped but he stood… and then he had fallen… on her… against her… and despite the audience… Rukia had held him and comforted him… and thanked him for living. She wondered if it had been that moment she had fallen in love… or had it been when he had single-handedly beaten the Menos Grande. Her eyes widened slightly but then she relaxed… yes if she was honest she loved Ichigo. She supposed she was confident in admitting it to herself because of the confession his hollow had provided. She recalled the dark his of his words _"__Ichigo really doesn't like it when I touch YOU Rukia"_. _"He wants his body back… probably so he can apologize and ignore how much he loves you." _The confession had surprised her but in a way it had reassured all the doubts she had had over the past months. It made her feel better about the stolen kisses… the touches… Rukia blushed… the way Ichigo had pleased her. She smiled slightly… that had been unexpected. She would never have guessed he possessed such tenderness… or talent… she laughed slightly… it was probably those manga. A cool voice broke her thoughts and caused her to retreat beneath her sheets in a combination of shame, embarrassment and surprise.

"Get that ridiculous grin off your face Rukia… it is unbecoming of your station."

Her eyes flew to the corner of the room. Byakuya!

She watched her adopted brother stand up and move towards the door. "Get some rest Rukia… and stop thinking about him." He left before she could protest. She frowned… dammit… if her brother knew… then the whole soul society must know. Ni-sama was notorious for his refusal to voice the obvious… she felt like a fool… damn… was it that obvious.

Ichigo sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees. Damn he missed her. Damn Aizen… damn these fucking bounto… damn it to hell. He felt tense. He looked back at Shiba house… his friends were having a great time he imagined, yet he was out here thinking of her. He sighed… he didn't want to be around people. His body was tired… his mind refused to leave off the topic of Rukia and he was beginning to ache for the things he couldn't have. He shook his head and stood up looked at the sky again. One day they would stand beneath the stars together… one day when everything was calm… and he would tell her what he felt for her. He sighed and walked back towards his friends… such thoughts did nothing but cause him grief… he had more important things to worry about. He vowed this would be the last time he would give in to such weakness… at least while the Bounto were still on the loose. He looked up at the sky again… wondering if she was looking at the same sky... he smiled slightly… "Goodnight Rukia."

_Authors note: Eh… it was a little fluffy, but next chap I will be back onto the storyline… I think… heh heh. Anyways hope you all enjoyed_


	10. Attack and Injury

_Disclaimer: Bleach is owned by a man who is luckier and richer than I, I didn't create Ichigo and Rukia either (darn __it)__ I could use the money about now… the holidays are a bank breaker._

Ichigo stood quietly in the wind. He glanced down at the beautiful woman next to him. She had searched him out this morning at the Shiba house and beckoned him to follow her. He had… almost in a dreamlike state. He wasn't sure what Rukia had in mind but he hadn't wanted to wake his teammates. So far… she had said nothing… she had stopped in the same field they had shared words in the day before and positioned herself close enough to him that their shinigami robes occasionally brushed together as the breeze danced around them. He had watched the sun rise, the sky exploding with color as night faded to day. He swallowed hard as her sweet scent swirled around him. Was she torturing him, he wondered briefly as he stood in silence and then decided that it was just an overactive imagination or just wistful thinking on his part.

Rukia eyed her companion as she thought of what RinRin had stated the day before and wondered if everyone thought that she and Ichigo were so close. Not lovers… but… not just comrades either. In truth Rukia didn't know what they were. The answer to that question had kept her up the night before, but she dared not ask the man beside her for fear of what he might say. She wanted to know he held her in some sort of regard… that he had a place for her in his heart… but the other part of her feared the pain of rejection and so she said nothing. This was how things were to be between them for awhile… neither of them speaking their minds… taking the time to argue like they always did… Ichigo playing his part of the arrogant asshole whose smart remarks seemed to hit home with her… and she… the violent pixie who rationalized her over-reactions and dealings with the orange haired bastard. She smiled sadly… things had been easier before Ichigo had become so strong. She hoped he didn't grow to hate her for the life she had thrust upon him She wasn't sure why she had dragged him out here… only that… she enjoyed this… the two of them standing in silence… no words to speak… and no freaking plush animals to interrupt. She inhaled his clean scent and let a touch of a smile grace her face. Rukia heard the rustle of grass and turned to see their teammates walking towards them. Just as well… they needed to begin their hunt for the Bounto.

Ichigo looked around as his friends joined them… his heart falling slightly. He had hoped Rukia and he would have been able to spend more time together before everyone set out to hunt the Bounto. It was better that they hadn't. He shook the cloak of emotions from him… it was indeed better this way… a warrior couldn't afford the distraction of warm feelings… a true warrior needed to mirror the steel he wielded, in all things. This… whatever… that was going on between him and Rukia couldn't matter anymore after today… now was the time for battle and from the pulse of reitsu he was feeling… the Bounto were quickly taking over the weaker shinigami. He listened as Rukia ordered them all to go their separate ways… smirking as she told them not to attack on their own. Bullshit… he would attack whomever he pleased… and he let her know with his grin that he thought her words were wasted. He did notice that she had not included herself in her plans and inquired as to where she would be… she told him she would be back with her squad seeing as she was no longer seriously injured. Ichigo nodded… good… this way she would be surrounded by other shinigami and he wouldn't have to worry about protecting her. He felt himself smile as Rukia turned with a small smirk of her own.

"Don't be reckless Ichigo/"

He smiled down at her… their moment lost when RinRin flew away in a fit of rage muttering something about not losing to Rukia… Ichigo rolled his eyes and bid her farewell. As he turned he felt soft delicate fingers brush his hand. He looked down at Rukia… puzzled momentarily.

"I meant what I said Ichigo," her voice purred softly as she slid her fingertips up his corded arm, "don't be reckless."

With a small smile and a wink, the soft hand left his arm and Ichigo stood their dumbfounded. He grabbed her small arm and jerked her around.

"Aye… I can be reckless if I want Kuchiki… after all… I'm willing to put money that I have to rescue your sorry ass again."

He watched in delight as her dark eyes widened in fury.

"Yep… they will once again be singing my praises and wondering at your inadequatecy by the end of this day… mark my words…."

Ichigo didn't get the finish his sentence as a small fist crashed into his jaw and he fell over to the ground. Damn that woman could hit. He smiled and looked around, pleased by the fact that his friends had started their journeys… he dusted his robes off and darted forward, kissing surprised lips.

Rukia gasped softly as Ichigo's lips pressed against hers hard… and then soft, the contact disappearing before she had realized what had happened. She felt a calloused hand cup her cheek and the gruff sound of his voice as he walked towards the town.

"Take care…. Rukia."

She watched his tall lean form retreating and she touched her lips as if to capture the warmth of his before it disappeared. She turned, feeling foolish, and walked towards her squad's quarters. Ichigo continued to surprise her with each passing day… she smiled slightly… why should today be any different. Still smiling slightly she headed towards the Rukongai district. It was strange to walk down the dusty streets; streets she had run up and down as a child with Renji. She could still remember the cold nights… the scrapping and stealing for food… it had been a hard life, but so influential. It had shaped her into the woman she was today; it had made her work hard and instilled in her a stubborn desire to never give up or give in; a stubbornness that was the current source of the problems between her and Ichigo. Rukia tried to ignore the starved looks on the faces of the orphans as she walked by them. Her heart ached, because she knew the same pain and she had felt the same awe as she watched soul reapers wander the dusty streets; just as she was doing now.

She was so lost in her memories that she didn't notice the cloud of dust until she choked on it. Her eyes widened as she felt a surge or reitsu and she looked up. Before her stood a Bounto. Rukia adjusted her position to a fighting stance as the bounto drew her weapons… her green hair waving in the wind. Rukia's hand flew to her side and she slumped slightly in dismay… she wasn't carrying her zanpakto. She stared as the Bounto rushed towards her in the first attack and moved aside, retreating back. The bounto was saying something, but Rukia was more concerned with the strength she felt coming from the woman. She felt a surge of hot rage as the woman labeled her as trash… and giggled, mumbling something about her cuteness. Rukia wasn't sure what the woman was talking about but she knew she had to find a weapon of some sort soon. Her eyes darted around, focusing on a katana buried into the wall. She pulled out the rusted sword and waited.

She parried the Bounto's first attack but was knocked off guard when the knife extended to a fan and she slid across the dirt to avoid the woman's kick. Damn she was fast. Rukia attacked from the sky but was thrown to the side. She pushed the rubble off her body and stood to face the woman. Her laughter and the laughter of her weapons echoed across the empty streets. She knew she had no chance against the woman… but she couldn't let that stop her… there was always kidou. Her concentration was broken as the Bounto began shaking and moving as if the ground beneath her was rocking. Rukia looked for the source of the attack. It was the strange chicken doll that had ran off so angrily. She cocked her head to the side… it was strange… the doll acted as though she were jealous of her and Ichigo… but that was senseless. The loud annoying voice broke through her thoughts.

"Rukia quit daydreaming and defeat this girl already!"

Rukia snapped out of it and called out the spirit chant for her destructive art 33. The blast knocked the bounto to the ground and Rukia watched as the woman raised her arm shakingly… her skin stained with blood and blackened from the blue fire. She looked in amazement as the woman gathered the spirit energy in the air and surrounded herself within it. The shriek of laughter that came within the cocoon made the Rukia's blood run cold. This was not good… the entire Soul Society was filled with spirit particles and if the bounto could call them to heal their bodies… defeating them would take someone stronger than her.

She ignored the cries of the plush doll and stood her ground. She prayed, as she increased her reitsu, that someone would feel its rise. The bounto attacked with even greater fury and Rukia struggled to dodge her sword and the blades that shot from her fan. She felt the hot sting as the sharp metal sliced open her skin; her left arm went numb with pain. She switched the sword to her right hand and parried the blows. She stared into the manic green eyes and felt her sword fly out of her hands, her breath knocked out of her by the swift kick to her stomach.

She crashed through a rotted wood door and landed on the floor… the back of her thigh stung with splinters and she struggled to crawl across the floor to hide. She needed to reformulate her attack and she hoped for reinforcement. She saw her likeness cowering behind a door and realized the RinRin was helping her out. It was useless… the bounto had seen through the ploy and Rukia sat in silence as the bounto advanced on the small doll. Rukia made her decision.

She flew out of hiding and covered the bounto with a blanket she had found and then hit the bitch with a white lightning kidou. She fell into the corner as the bounto fell to the ground. Little by little she was realizing that she had not healed completely. The kidou she was using was weakening her body faster than usual. She looked down at the doll as she chattered on excitedly, shaking as the bounto drew herself up to her full height.

"Save us Ichigo"

The doll cried out and Rukia couldn't help but silently wish the same thing. She had been foolish to think she could hold out against the creature. She had tried in hopes that she could distract the bounto from harming any of the innocent bystanders that littered the streets of Rukongai. Rukia saw an opening in the building and darted towards it… she had to hold out until help arrived. She may not be able to wound the bounto but she could keep the woman busy.

She blocked the attacks but her body ached. Damn this bitch was strong... and angry. Rukia smiled wryly; perhaps the use of kidou had not been a good idea. Her thoughts had momentarily distracted her and she gasped as a chain wrapped around her exposed wrist and she winced as it tightened painfully. She growled in frustration as blood began to run down her arm and she whipped her arm around, untying the chain and threw a binding kidou at the bounto, followed by another destructive art. This was it… she had to run now. She gripped her shoulder painfully as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop. How could she have been so foolish? She groaned inwardly. Damn Ichigo… that bastard had been right. She hoped that he didn't come. Let her be saved by Inoue, Sado, Ishida, another shinigami… anybody but Ichigo… she didn't think she could stand him if his ego got any bigger.

She looked back and was surprised to see that the bounto had not given chase. She hopped down from the rooftop and hid in an abandoned house, RinRin sat beside her as Rukia caught her breath… a muffled sound drew her attention and Rukia gripped her Katana. It was a child… a child that had been left behind. Rukia looked down at the girl and for a moment she was five again. She ordered RinRin to take the child to safety... the words barely left her mouth as her body was flung to the streets. She coughed up blood… again and again. She looked up in horror as the bounto held the child by the head. She stood to her feet and stared back at the woman in anger. She felt the cold tip of the sword sliding seductively down her chest and she drew back as the woman attempted to slip her robe to the side.

Rukia gripped her robes together. She wasn't sure what the woman was after but she would be damned if she took her death blow naked. The woman slashed her body again and Rukia felt herself lifted into the air. So Ichigo hadn't come… she thought softly and waited for the final blow. The sky lit up for a moment and Rukia felt herself falling, her body caught and cradled gently. She looked up to see her brother's stoic face. Byakuya!

Byakuya stood slowly. He looked down on his adopted sister, her face stained with blood, he could feel that same blood seeping into his shinigami robes. He cared not. She was asleep now. He heard the excited yelling of the orange haired brat and closed his eyes… damn he wished that kid would learn to restrain himself. He heard a soft voice call his name and he looked down. Rukia's eyes had opened slightly and he saw the amazement in her eyes followed by a look of adoration. His heart panged for a moment. That look reminded him of his Hisana. He gave no indication of his feelings and turned instead to see the bounto he had attacked standing on the rooftop.

Ichigo turned to see the bounto give flight and yelled after her. Damn woman! His nostrils twitched as the scent of blood surrounded him and he looked over at Byakuya. It seemed that the man was finally allowing himself to act as a brother should. Ichigo was glad; he knew what that meant to Rukia. His heart pounded in his chest as the sight of her broken and bloody body. She had put up a good fight that was for sure. Her eyes were open and that was a good sign but Ichigo could tell she needed medical attention. He decided to let Byakuya do as he saw fit and followed the noble to his quarters, his mind plagued with thoughts of what might have happened if Byakuya had not shown up and jealousy bit at him that it had been Byakuya that had saved Rukia and not himself. He looked back at Inoue, who had followed him as soon as she felt Rukia's reitsu fluctuate and drop. She looked worried and he called out to Byakuya.

"Oi, Byakuya! Let Inoue heal Rukia while you carry her… it will be faster that way and better for Rukia."

He halted as the dark haired man stopped and looked at him coldly.

"Rukia does not require this human's services boy. Rukia will be healed by her fellow Shinigami. Your presence is unwelcome in my house."

Ichigo felt his temper flare and he was just about to let loose a string of insults towards the man when he saw Rukia grip her brother's sleeve.

"Ni-sama, if it is all right with you… please allow them a room to stay while they heal the mod soul… she… she helped me when I was being attacked."

Ichigo's heart fell at the weak sound of Rukia's voice. She sounded so small and far away… she had really put up a tough fight against a very powerful enemy. He should not have let her go alone... he should have insisted that they stay together. This was his fault. Ichigo heard the soft sigh of annoyance from Byakuya as he turned and continued towards the Kuchiki mansion. He took that as a sign that it was ok to follow and fell into step behind the man. He wanted to be with Rukia while she was being healed but was ushered into an adjoining room and commanded to stay there. He growled and flopped on the floor and Inoue sat down and healed RinRin. He waited impatiently for word that Rukia would be all right. He leapt to his feet as Byakuya walked past and demanded to know if Rukia would be ok. He listened as her brother informed him that her injuries were not life threatening and that she would rest there until she was ready to go back into battle. Ichigo asked then if he, Byakuya, would fight with them, not completely surprised when the older man refused. Something told Ichigo that no matter what happened he and this man would probably always be at each other's throats. He sensed that Byakuya knew that he held a place in Rukia's heart and that the noble didn't like it at all. Ichigo motioned to the busty redhead besides him. They would leave for now.

Rukia moaned softly. Her body ached and she felt smothered by the amount of bandages that the healers had used. She whispered Ichigo's name softly, her eyes opening when she received no response. They widened as she viewed her surroundings and then it hit her. Ni-sama had saved her. It had felt strange to be held so tenderly by a man who, until recently, had hardly spoken two words to her. She wondered what had changed in him to make him seem so caring now. Perhaps he had met someone. She flushed slightly. It was none of her business what her brother did… a bigger concern of hers was where was Ichigo. She could have sworn she had heard his cocky voice earlier, but perhaps that was just a dream. She bit her lip as she looked around the room. Surely he hadn't left her here alone. Rukia sighed softly… she was in the house of her adopted family… of course he wasn't here; Byakuya would have made him leave long ago. She felt her shoulders slump and smiled slightly with the irony of it. The one time she would have wanted his comfort and his strong shoulder to lean against, he wasn't here. Go figure… it would seem the fates did have a sick sense of humor after all. She leaned back and found herself against a warm body. Rukia opened her mouth to cry out and felt a calloused hand clamp over her mouth and warm breath against her ear.

"Shhh Rukia… it's me."

She turned in surprised to see orange hair bathed in moonlight and her mouth opened in surprise as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers. Ichigo being sweet? He hardly ever showed this side of himself… preferring instead to be cocky and abrasive… she had only seen him like this once and it had touched her heart then as well. She looked up into his brown eyes and was amazed at the emotion shining deep within them. This look… this look he only wore when he spoke of his mother… it touched something deep in her and she relaxed against the embrace and wrapped her arms around him. It felt good to be held… it felt good to have arms around her, protecting her and she could think of no one she would rather be like this with then him.

Ichigo was surprised as he felt the woman in his arms melt against him. He rested his head on top of hers and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. He had taken a chance sneaking in here tonight… but he couldn't let her think he had left her. He recalled the conversation he had had with his friends earlier and they had all expressed regret at not being able to save her, His, he felt, had been more poignant. After all Rukia was his… He let the thought trail off as he thought about the answer. What was she to him he wondered. His friend? His hollow hunting partner? His girlfriend? His would be lover? Ichigo wasn't sure which category she fell under. He felt guilt nonetheless at his late arrival. He tightened his arms around the small body pressed against his and let relief flood his body. It mattered not what she was. She was in his arms for now... and here he knew he could protect her.

Rukia listened to the steady beat of his heart and sighed contently. He was strangely silent and she wondered what he was thinking. Cautiously she stirred in his arms and looked up at him. His profile was stern and serious as he looked out into the night.

"What is it Ichigo?"

Rukia watched as he turned towards her in surprise, a small smile gracing his smooth features as he looked down at her.

"I was just thinking that I won my bet."

She watched the soft smile grow into a cocky grin and she smiled one of her own. God he was something else. Well if he wanted to play games she could give him a round he would regret. Slowly Rukia plastered what she hoped was an innocent look on her face and slowly turned in his arms. She slowly planted a knee on one side of his lap and then another, straddling him as she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. She enjoyed the questioning look he threw her as well as the audible gulp he made as he swallowed.

"What is it you would like for your reward," she purred softly as she leaned forward and nibbled on his exposed earlobe. She felt him shiver beneath her and she smiled. Her cold body was growing warmer by the minute and she pressed close to him as she took the offered lobe between her teeth and sucked slow and hard.

Ichigo's eyes went wide and he trembled. He had not expected anything like this. He wouldn't have thought with the injuries she had sustained that she would have been able to act in this manner. He grunted lightly as she sucked on his earlobe. Damn… he hadn't realized he would like something like that as much as he did, that small movement was causing his groin to tighten and her slow rocking wasn't helping matters. He pulled back and cupped her face, his thumbs moving over her soft skin. He let his thumb play with her bottom lip and watched, intrigued and aroused as she slowly sucked the tip of his thumb into her mouth and slowly slid her mouth up and down its length.

"Aye… Rukia… no."

Rukia smirked at the soft plea that escaped Ichigo's lips. She released his thumb and pouted slightly.

"But Ichigo," she whispered innocently, "you won your bet... I was merely trying to reward you but if you want something else… well you will have to let me know"

Rukia started to get up from her position, and was shocked when Ichigo pulled her back down. It was then that she registered the bulge between his legs and she looked up at him in surprise. His eyes looked as though they were on fire and she felt her own body tremble as he huskily begged her not to go… at least not yet.

Ichigo bit his lip to stop from groaning as he pulled Rukia roughly against his chest and held her there. He lifted his head to the sky as he felt her nibbling at his exposed neck. She was driving him crazy with her small movements and eager mouth. And she kept talking about reward… god he wished she would stop talking like that… it made all sorts of perverted ideas enter his mind and he was in no position to take her up on anything like that. He had come to offer her comfort and ended up getting turned on like a bitch in heat. He felt the edges of his robes part slightly as Rukia trailed soft kisses down his neck and he tightened his hold on her.

Rukia whimpered softly as pain mixed with the desire racing up and down her body as Ichigo squeezed her tighter. She pressed down harder on the orange haired shinigami and felt his hips lift against hers of their own violation.

"Oh… wow, she moaned softly and stilled her movements.

Damn they had to stop. This was Byakuya's house and he would kill Ichigo if he caught them like this. But… and she pressed down again just as hard and slowly rocked, lights exploding behind her eye lids as she ground against him, it felt so good.

Ichigo felt trapped. Rukia was torturing him he was sure of it. He dared not lay a hand on her but in a few more minutes he was going to forget that he was in Byakuya's house and that he had snuck in here to be close to her and take every advantage afforded to him. His blood boiled and his heart pounded. They had never teased each other like this and he felt the age difference in her skilled ability to turn him on. It was a reminder that this wasn't her first time being with a man. Ichigo panted slightly and leaned back on his hands.

"Just a little longer Rukia," he ground out as she bounced slightly. "just a little more and then we have to stop."

He wasn't sure if she heard him because at that moment her hands were on his chest pushing him back, pushing his robes off of him, her hips undulating against his in a slow rhythm. He grit his teeth. This was torture… not reward.

Rukia panted softly and let out a low moan as Ichigo lay back. She was amazed by his self restraint. Any other man would have been tearing her clothes off and ravaging her by now. She was just as amazed by her lack of restraint. She was never like this… what had gotten into her she wondered as she slid her hands over sculpted muscles. She shrugged slightly and sat back slightly as she pulled Ichigo back up. She was being selfish… this was supposed to be his reward wasn't it… not hers. She bit her lip and looked up at the man beneath her from beneath the lock of hair she kept over her face.

The first thought that ran through his head as Rukia pulled him back up was "oh shit" but Ichigo was surprised when she eased off his lap and stared up at him. Her dark eyes were so deep and he couldn't read them as he felt her hands cup one of his and press it to her chest. He shook and his mouth dropped open as Rukia moved his hand over her breast. He had touched her before but never skin to skin. He watched in awe as she shifted the folds of her robe and let them drop to her waist. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He looked up at her and saw the small blush on her cheeks. He reached his other hand up; cupping her cheek… he drew her forward and slowly kissed her. He felt her lean into his kiss as though she had been starved for his touch. He pulled back slightly and breathed huskily.

"Rukia… you are... so beautiful/"

He blushed slightly and slid his hand down to cup the other breast. She wasn't built like Matsumoto or Orihime, but they fit perfectly in his hands and they suited her. He rubbed back and forth in wonder at the silkiness of the flesh before him. He gulped slightly as she slid her hand through his hair, teasing the back of his neck, pulling him forward slightly. He groaned and captured one of her nipples between his lips and sucked hard. He felt her back arch and smirked as she clamped a hand over her mouth to suppress the moan that burst from her lips. He tugged harder and almost lost control as her knee rubbed down the front of his robes, nudging the current ache in his body. He pulled back and shook his head.

"Dammit Rukia… I have to stop… I need to stop… if I don't then I won't be able to."

Rukia ached at the desire that was evident in Ichigo's voice. He was right though… things were getting out of hand. She pulled her robe up, covering her and looked over at Ichigo. His chest was rising up and down rapidly. She leaned forward and nuzzled his neck.

"I'm sorry Ichigo… I shouldn't have…"

She stopped when he looked at her. She saw the desire bright in his eyes, but something else was there too… a kind of tenderness. She watched him smile.

"No… thank you Rukia… your… gift… "

She watched as he turned away blushing.

"I never knew you would be so beautiful. I'm glad you trusted me enough to give me that gift."

And then he turned towards her… his lips curling into a familiar smirk.

"Now I don't have to imagine what you look like under those shapeless robes."

Rukia smiled and felt her own face flush.

"Well I am no Orihime or Matsumoto…"

She stopped when she felt Ichigo's hand on her cheek.

"I'm glad you aren't Rukia… you are more than enough…"

Ichigo stopped before he finished that sentence. For me, is what he wanted to say, but foolish pride made him hold it in. He licked his lips and looked out into the garden.

"I should probably be going," he whispered and looked over to see Rukia nod.

She leaned against him and sighed. One day they would finish this, but he was right… he had stayed too long already and the way he leaked reitsu… Rukia was positive her brother would know he had visited her tonight. She smiled though. She was glad he had. She hadn't realized how much she had needed him till he was pressed against her. She felt him stir to leave and she stopped him…

"Stay for a moment longer," she whispered and felt him relax against her.

Ichigo held the small woman in his arms as his body calmed down. He felt her breathing even out and looked down to see that she was asleep. He smiled softly and lay her back against her mattress… tucking her sheets around her. He started to leave but knelt back down and kissed her soft lips once more. He thought he saw the hint of a smile on her sleeping face and his heart soared. He looked out over the garden and sensing no threat he ran out of the room and back into the night. He looked back as he jumped the high walls and began his trek back to his friends. The night a quiet deceiver of the hell that would commence when daylight came.

_Authors Note: Wow… I didn't think I was ever going to break from writing this thing. __It's__ considerably longer than my others. Anyways… thank you all for your wonderful reviews. It does make the all-nighters easier (not that they are hard… insomnia can be a good thing) Anyways back to the drawing board so to speak. Thanks for reading! Hope you all had a great holiday._


	11. Rest Rukia

Ichigo raced through the trees. He was still aroused from the time spent with Rukia. He smirked… damn that woman. He had gone there to let her know where he would be and to apologize for not getting their faster… he had not anticipated Rukia climbing on top of him the way she had. He wasn't sure what had put her in that sort of mood but he wasn't going to complain. Perhaps he should make bets with his partner more often, especially if his reward was going to be anything like while ago. Ichigo skidded to a stop as he felt a strong reitsu. He couldn't sense the bounto so it had to be a shinigami… but who would be training way out here. He felt the pressure fluctuate and ran towards it. Whoever it was, they were in trouble.

He felt something land on his shoulder and looked over as he ran. RinRin! He started to ask what was up when he felt a plush arm slap his face.

"Hey! What the hell was that for RinRin?"

He thought he saw the plush smile but paled when she screamed back at him.

"That's for running off in the middle of the night you fool!" "Where were you?"

Ichigo stammered… he didn't really want to admit to the small doll that he had snuck off to see Rukia… with her big mouth she would probably blow up like she did earlier. So he dodged the question.

"Is that a bounto up ahead RinRin?"

He listened as she confirmed his suspicions and commented that from the pressure emitted that the bounto ahead was more than likely Kariya. Ichigo looked up as the sky exploded with what looked like cherry blossoms and it suddenly hit him who was fighting the bounto. That son of a bitch was trying to steal his glory!

Ichigo grinned evilly and sent his Getsuga Tenshou towards the direction of the battle. That should surprise them. A wave of relief settled over him as he ran towards the pair… so Byakuya had not been in the Kuchiki Mansion when he had snuck in. Thank God for small favors. He kicked himself mentally… dammit; if he had not even tried to sense the older Kuchiki's reitsu… if he had he might have gotten a little further with the Rukia. Oh well… perhaps next time. He slowed to a walk and looked over the damage he had caused with a sense of pride and rested his zanpakto on his shoulder.

"Hey Byakuya, why ya fighting so hard after refusing to help us?

Ichigo felt his lips twitch as the older Kuchiki sneered. He knew the man hated for him to refer to him by his first name. He whispered to RinRin to move away… if this battle ensued things were going to get rough. He sat there waiting on either man to make their move. He loved this… the feeling of going into battle… the chance to prove himself, the chance to get stronger, the chance to protect those he loved. For a moment Rukia's face flashed in his mind and he looked over at her brother. He would love a chance to battle this man again, but out of respect for her he would restrain himself for now. Now he wanted a piece of Kariya.

He watched in amazement as the spirit particles swirled around him and gathered around the bounto. The bastard was healing himself. No wonder Rukia had been in the state she'd been. It wasn't weakness on her part… her enemy had had this ability as well. He looked over and saw the rage in Byakuya's eyes, it mirrored his own. Ichigo brought his sword down and glared at the bounto.

"Let's do this," he growled darkly and stood his ground as the wind swirled. He called out to his zanpakto… he would have to use his Bankai ability for this opponent. He rushed the bounto again and again; their speeds were evenly matched now. Something out of the corner of his eyes made him retreat… Byakuya had called his Bankai as well and had launched an attack on both him and bounto. Ichigo felt his rage increase at Rukia's brother. That bastard… what the hell did he think he was doing… they might now be partners but in this fight at least they shared a common enemy. He glared as the man told him he was in the way and dodged the attack thrown at him by Kariya, he sent a wave right back at him… this was going to be a long fight.

Rukia stirred awake and stretched… wincing as the movement caused a wound to re-open. Damn… it was still night. She wondered briefly if she had slept past daylight and dismissed the thought, no… her brother or one of the servants would have woken her up before then to ensure she took medicine or nourishment. She looked towards the garden again and was startled to see her brother standing in the doorway. Upon a second glance she realized that he was bleeding.

"Ni-sama!"

She started to get up but halted as her brother flash-stepped to her side, his hand firm on her shoulder pushing her back down. She looked up at him in surprise but didn't struggle against his hand.

"What happened Ni-Sama," she whispered quietly… her brother was rarely injured.

His cool regal voice echoed slightly in the room.

"It would seem the bounto have the dangerous ability to regenerate after they have been wounded… a most unwelcome ability."

She watched his eyes narrow slightly and paled… surely all traces of Ichigo's visit had faded… she gulped slightly and gripped her sheets taking a long shuddering breath as her brother spoke.

"Why does your orange haired brat persist on referring to me by my first name? Since you seem to hold so much influence I would like that familiarity to cease."

Rukia let out her breath slowly and smiled sleepily at her brother.

"I will try… he's a little pig-headed about things like that."

Her brother's eyes narrowed even more.

"Yes he is."

She watched as he stood and walked slowly back out to the garden. She barely heard his soft voice as he disappeared to his own quarters.

"Next time he sneaks into this palace to visit you dear sister… I will be waiting."

Rukia bit her lip and waited till his reitsu had faded to let out her nervous laugh. Thank goodness he had been out of the palace when Ichigo had come. Ichigo… Rukia smiled warmly as she pulled blankets around her. Mmmm… she wished he was still here with her, despite her brother's threat. Her body still throbbed slightly from the attention it had received when he was here and Rukia sighed softly. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself to get so close to someone. To think it took a boy over a thousand years her junior, a human boy to cause her to want to open her heart. She looked out into the sky and wondered what he was doing. She smiled slightly… probably being his pig headed idiot self and fighting to the death or something equally stupid.

Ichigo faltered as fatigue settled over his body. Somehow all the bounto save one had been destroyed. He thought back to how close Kariya had come to accomplishing his goal. Ichigo's blood boiled as he remembered how Byakuya had merely watched, without helping and without heeding Yoruichi orders. That bastard! Ichigo listened to Kariya's last words and couldn't help but wonder the same thing. Would he follow the same path as the bounto? Would he end up hating the soul society because he was different? He trembled and fell to the dusty ground… his vision fogging slightly as his friends surrounded him. He wanted so bad to look at Rukia but kept his gaze lowered. His body felt like it was on fire, he had pushed himself to his limits once again.

He awoke in unfamiliar surroundings and looked around, searching for some sign of recognition. He looked out into the lush gardens and sat up in surprise. He was in the Kuchiki mansion! Ichigo stretched slowly and was amazed that he was not assaulted by any pain. He flexed his arms and stood up. He was indeed fortunate to have Inoue in times like this. He walked out into the fresh air and let the scent of cherry blossoms surround him. It hit him that this was Rukia's scent and he felt his body tingle slightly. He silently explored and was surprised to find Rukia lying in the next room over. He walked in and knelt at her side. Once again she had overdone it. Why hadn't she listened to reason and stayed here at her brothers to heal completely. Ichigo could think of no other reason for her to have left than out of concern for him. He knew that had to be wishful thinking on his part though. He wasn't a fool. He knew how deeply he felt for her and knew that no matter how much he wished it… he seriously doubted that she felt the same. Her responses to him all those times had to be out of lust, maybe fondness but certainly not love. Someone like Rukia would never fall for someone like him. They argued over everything, they had nothing in common, and he absolutely hated her obsession with chappy… and then there was the age difference. Rukia had said it herself; she had lived ten of his lifetimes. Ichigo flushed. He probably amused her with his feeble attempts at pleasing her too… after all he had zero experience with women. He wanted to chalk up this obsession he had with the young woman to hormones but the way she made his heart ache was proof enough in his eyes that he felt more. Ichigo slowly leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.

"Get better… okay Rukia."

Ichigo whispered softly and kissed her lips gently before standing up. He trembled as he looked down at her. She looked so innocent and fragile… how could he not feel protective over her. Sighing he walked back out into the garden and plunked down on the walkway in front of Rukia's quarters. The groomed trees and manicured lawn screamed nobility, but he wasn't uncomfortable. He wondered how Rukia had managed to remain… normal… growing up around such luxuries. His mind kept coming back to her and he signed and looked at the sky… his thoughts were interrupted by a tall blood redhead shinigami.

"So you all healed up?"

Ichigo looked up and flashed a grin at the arrogant bastard.

"Yeah, Inoue healed everything."

He looked over as Renji sat beside him and explained that Rukia's soul still needed to heal and she had never given it that chance. Ichigo nodded. That was Rukia alright. Ichigo's temper flared as Renji accused him of causing all this by sending the bounto to the soul society and their conversation quickly became an argument. A chilling voice cut across their angry words and both men looked up to see Byakuya. Ichigo felt a cold chill crawl slowly up his spine as the older Kuchiki looked at him, his lip curling slightly as he informed Ichigo that since his business in the soul society was over that he was no longer welcome and needed to leave immediately. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder if Byakuya knew he had snuck in here to see Rukia a while back. He gulped and watched the man walk away. Byakuya had that effect, despite the fact that Ichigo knew he could defeat him if necessary. He almost grinned when Renji looked back at him and hissed that it was his fault that his captain was pissed at him. Rukia's voice cut across their bickering and Ichigo couldn't help but wonder if interrupting conversations was a Kuchiki specialty.

Ichigo turned to the small woman and grinned wickedly as she blamed them for her nap being interrupted, He shook slightly as she wrapped the plum colored robe around her shoulders. He mentally kicked himself for wishing that she has been taking a robe off instead of putting a robe on. He swallowed slowly as Rukia stood and came over to sit in-between him and Renji. Her nearness was distracting him and her closeness almost made him groan as heat settled low in his stomach. Not now! He scooted over slightly and caught the questioning look Rukia threw at him.

Rukia frowned slightly as she watched Ichigo move away from her. Had her brother said something to him? She shrugged and shifted closer to Renji… that would teach him to shun her touch. Rukia almost sneered when Ichigo didn't even notice. That baka! She listened to his thoughts on the bounto and was strangely intrigued by the maturity of his deductions. How odd that he should be so different in spirit form. Rukia forced herself to look away from him before Renji noticed. She was sure her face would give her thoughts away. She wondered if he realized how different he approached the world as a shinigami as opposed to a brash hot headed teen. She sat back between the two men and relaxed. She had plenty of time to heal now that the disaster was over. She leaned over on Renji's shoulder and placed a hand over Ichigo's. She was grateful for times like this. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air… she wished it could last.


	12. Peaceful Moments

She looked out into the blue sky, her head filled with swirling thoughts about her future, the future of the soul society, the future of the young man who had just walked through the portal to the world of the living. She sighed heavily and let a small smile grace her face. She was grateful to him. She had demanded that he not save her and somehow he had managed to overcome amazing odds to do just the opposite. She felt strangely alone in the absence of his ever-leaking reitsu. Rukia flexed her fingers and curled them back and forth, attempting to release the tension her body felt everywhere. Ichigo was gone now and here she lay, injured yet again. She wondered how much longer it would take for her body and soul to heal.

She felt like such a fool for missing the orange haired shinigami so soon after his departure. Rukia was beginning to realize just how deep she felt for him. Even with Kaien-dono, she had not felt this pang of longing. Her body was still chilled from the night before and she felt the flush stain her cheeks as she recalled how warm Ichigo had managed to make her feel. Rukia trembled and then in a fit of hot rage she threw her hand across her face. The slap echoed in the silence of the room and her cheek burned from the contact. Dammit… he was making her forget herself… making her forget who she was, making her forget her life, her family, and her friends.

"Damn him!"

She growled through clenched teeth and slammed her fist against the hard wood floor. Her hand brushed something within her sheets and she closed her fingers around the thin folded paper. Her brow furrowed in a scowl as she unfolded the small sheet and she felt a small cherry blossom fall from the crushing confines. She picked it up curiously and looked at the note left.

"You're welcome Rukia."

She felt a bubble of laughter escape her throat. That cocky bastard. Her amusement melted into a soft smile as she brought the crushed blossom to her face and inhaled its faint scent. He was so very unlike anyone she had ever encountered. So many sides.

"Oi Rukia, you awake."

She looked up with a start and instinctively hid the small note and blossom as Renji's tall form appeared in her doorway. She looked up at him and fixed a look of annoyance on her face.

"What do you want Renji," she bit out somewhat coldly as her brash childhood friend sat at the side of her bedroll.

She didn't really want to see Renji right now, but she could not turn him away… it was obvious that he had good news to share.

"I've changed squads," the tattooed shinigami said with a serious face.

Rukia lifted an eyebrow and waited for the grin she was sure was on the way. She was not disappointed as her friend leapt in the air with a loud whoop. His reaction made her smile, the news he was so happy about, took it away slightly.

"That's wonderful Renji."

She said, trying to make her voice sound cheerful. She didn't want to take away from his joy, but it burned her that despite all she had done, her accomplishments meant nothing in the way of raising rank. Damn Byakuya and his promise to her dead sister. She kept the fake smile plastered to her face and even forced a laugh as her old friend launched into a vivid explanation of why he had been considered and what all had befallen since she had been healing. His exuberance reminded her of the time she had spent with him as orphaned kids in Ryokongai and Rukia found her disappointment and jealousy fading. She was happy for him. He had worked hard the past 40 years. Still clutching the small memento from Ichigo, Rukia sat back in her bedroll and let Renji entertain her with his antics all the while her thoughts continued their persistent focus on what the future held for her now that the Bounto were gone.

Ichigo cursed slightly as he tossed and turned in his bed. He could not get comfortable. His room was too warm, his bed too soft, his room too quiet. The silence was irritating him. He usually sought the silence but right now it was torture. It was a constant reminder that he was alone for the time being in the living world. He refused to credit the absence of Rukia as the cause of his sudden discomfort and stubbornly maintained that his current state of insomnia was the direct result of the recent events. His body was in a time-lag between the soul society and his room. Ichigo nodded and scowled at the ceiling, counting the little spots of texture until sheer boredom drove his eyes closed.

The sunlight that poured through his window was as unwelcome as the loud shout his father cried out seconds before Ichigo flattened his face. His father's refusal to stop with this morning ritual was getting on his last nerve.

"GROW UP DAD!"

He screamed and shoved the limp body out of his room as he got ready for school. He was tired of leading this double life already. He started to knock on the closet door, as was habit, and stopped himself. Rukia wasn't here to wake up. He felt his scowl deepen as he began the long walk towards his school. He felt strange walking alone; not that he and Rukia had ever talked much. He found himself missing her presence now even more so than last night. Ichigo shoved his hands deeper in his pockets and walked faster. He sighed heavily and blew his breath into the air. There was once a time when he had enjoyed walking to school alone. It gave him time to think over the homework that he had done the night before, time to think about all the long walks with his mother, time to brood over his father's wake up calls.

He barely noticed he had entered the building until he heard the annoying shout of his name being called. He brought his arm up and smirked as the annoying guy's face smashed into it. Then again, some things never changed.

He sat in silence oblivious to the ramblings of the female at the front of the class as he stared at the badge Rukia's captain had given him. Tatsuki shouldn't have been able to see it, but she had. It worried him. He looked over at Rukia's empty seat and felt his shoulders slump. He could have asked her, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

He jumped in his seat as the damn thing went off. Not now! Not another hollow! He clenched his teeth in anger as he jumped out of his seat and pushed past the teacher. He barely heard the commotion as Chad and Orihime followed him.

Yes! His heart pounded and raced as he felt his sword slash cleanly through the hollow. He felt his inner hollow howl in excitement and Ichigo put on a calm face as he spoke to the friends who had followed. His body shook and he wished for nothing more than to give in to the rush of feelings flowing through his spirit, but he remained calm and found himself, once more, bored in class listening to some new transfer student talk about himself.

The guy's voice grated Ichigo's nerves and he clenched his fist even harder as the new guy took a seat in Rukia's old chair. Ichigo paled as he felt white hot rage pour through his limbs. His mind told him that the rage felt was unnecessary but he could barely calm himself down. Ichigo raced home after the bell rang and fell to his knees gasping for air as his body shook. He was losing the control he had so precariously held onto during his training.

Still breathing hard, Ichigo quietly walked up the stairs to his room and lay down on the cool sheets that covered his bed. He closed his eyes and rolled over, pushing his hand through his hair. He was losing it. He shook his head. He could hear the dry cackle of the creature within him and he sighed heavily as his silence was interrupted by an angry plushie.

"Enough! Enough, of this life already!"

Ichigo sat up and frowned at the childlike display on his floor. God, Kon was annoying. He felt a slight blush as Kon daydreamed of using his body to peep up skirts and feel up girls. Unbidden images of Rukia flitted through his mind. He gulped hard and shook his head slightly. His ears echoed in memory of Rukia's soft moans of encouragement and he screamed at Kon to shut up. He growled low as the dry cackle filled his mind again.

His thoughts were interrupted as the badge went off.

Good, he thought, a hollow. I need the distraction right now.

Ichigo grabbed the badge and felt the familiar jerk as his soul separated. He started out the window but thought again. He might as well give Kon a chance… after all; it couldn't be fun to spend eternity inside a stuffed animal.

The hollow had been pathetically easy. He almost wished for another bounto to appear… anything to give him a challenge; anything to focus the hot rage inside him on. The idiot the soul society had assigned to his town in Rukia's stead appeared to be a worthless goon. His annoyance clouded his senses and Ichigo barely felt the presence of another in time to bring his sword up in defense. He looked in awe at the new transfer student and felt a grin tug at his lips. Finally… a competitor.

Rukia moaned slightly as her eyes flew open. Her body shook slightly and her eyes widened as she realized where her hands were currently resting. Her mouth opened in shock and she pulled her hand away from between her legs. Her body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and her body throbbed for completion. She had gone to sleep remembering the night her and Ichigo had first let their feelings known and look at what happened. Her eyes darted around the room and she sighed in relief to find her door closed. She would have been even more mortified if brother had caught her or worse… Renji.

She sighed heavily and threw the light sheets off her body. She stood and tied her robe tightly. It wasn't as if she had never helped herself but to have done so unconsciously… that was a first. Rukia allowed herself to let go a nervous laugh and tried to tuck the errant strand of hair that fell across her face back behind her ear. She succeeded momentarily and scowled as the stubborn strand fell back into place. Damn hair.

She opened the closed doors and signed as the cool night breeze kissed her skin. The moon was full and lit up the gardens. Rukia crept back into the room and found a bottle of sake. She rarely drank but for some reason it seemed like the perfect night to do so.

She felt her body slowly relaxing as she sipped the potent liqueur. She closed her eyes and lifted her head towards the heavens. It was peaceful. It had been a long time since she had felt at peace with herself. Tonight she could forget that she was a poor orphan cloaked in a noble name; a murderer of a friend, and the fool who had lost her heart to the same man's image twice. She took another small sip and let the cool drink burn a path down to her stomach. She felt her kimono rustle and she looked over to see her brother taking a seat beside her.

Rukia stared in silence as he filled her cup and one of his own. She turned away and took another sip. It didn't surprise her that the sake her brother carried was better than what had been left in her room. This was unusual, she and Byakuya never dined together, much less drank together and yet here they were in the moonlight sharing one.

"I used to sit out here with Hisana on nights like this."

She looked over at him as his deep voice cut through the night air. His eyes were closed but his face displayed no sadness, no pain. This was her Ni-sama. Emotions always kept in check. Rukia smiled slightly as she turned away and gazed up into the night. She said nothing because nothing was required. Byakuya preferred the silence to conversation. She sighed in contentment as she took another sip and let her cup fall to her lap. She had never been much of a drinker, unlike the other shinigami.

"Hisana wasn't one for indulgence either."

Rukia felt a slight breeze and when she looked over Byakuya was gone. Somehow he always knew what to say. She sensed his heart weighed heavy still with the loss of his wife. She couldn't help but think of Ichigo. She wondered what he was doing in the living world and if he even noticed she was gone.

He watched with growing horror when Hirako pulled the remains of a hollow mask down over his face. His mind supplied images of his own transformation and once again Ichigo felt the shudder of rage well up inside him as his hollow screamed.

"LET ME OUT!"

He tightened his grip on his zanpakto and prepared to attack. His attention was drawn from the blond student by a powerful reitsu. He turned to see a huge hollow chasing after Kon and the other mod souls. He flashed to the rock where his friends hid and stood his ground, the transfer student forgotten. Something about this hollow was familiar to him.

The bastard was huge and he struggled to avoid the creature's vicious attacks, and then the hollow was gone and so was Kon.

"Dammit Kon," he muttered beneath his breath and started off after the huge hollow.

He stopped as the blond guy yelled at him and he turned.

"I don't want your friendship."

He turned again and gave chase, a strange coldness settling in the pit of his stomach. He knew that reitsu from somewhere and he could only think of one hollow he had faced so far that had gotten away and that was the grand fisher.

Ichigo growled and felt his fist tighten. He hoped it was. He needed this.


	13. Trashed

He was still confused by what all had happened last night. He had been sure he'd felt another shinigami's reitsu, but when he had arrived… the hollow had been destroyed and the other shinigami had disappeared.

Ichigo clenched his teeth in anger at the transfer student's interference last night. If the fool had not distracted him then he would have been allowed his vengeance. Blood pounded in his ears so loudly he barely registered the commotion that was going on in the classroom. He lifted his eyes to see the Vizard with his arm thrown comfortably around Orihime's and he saw red.

He stood and calmly and walked towards the tall blonde and swung his arm around to grip the student's shoulder. He squeezed as hard as he dared and dragged the man out, oblivious to the stares of Orihime and his classmates. He threw the blonde against the wall and stood over him. He ached to let all the rage and anger he felt go. He fought the urge to smash his fist into the smiling face below him.

Ichigo listened as the vizard droned on about how he was different than those he considered friends. His attention was drawn when the blond warned him that if he continued to be a shinigami then he risked losing his identity to the hollow that reside within him. Ichigo paled. How could the guy know how close he was to doing just that?

He could remember a time when he had lost to the hollow. He had almost hurt Rukia. She had never completely divulged what had happened that night but his inner hollow's reaction whenever he was near the beautiful shinigami was proof enough to Ichigo that things had gotten out of control.

If his increase in power was anything to go by on those few occasions when he had let his hollow go… then the vizard was right… his power would consume them all. He released the blond and fell back. He watched the cocky grin that spread across the thin face that stared back at him.

"Don't tell me you didn't know."

Ichigo turned on his heel and walked away… the words last spoke haunting him for the rest of his day. He had never considered how dangerous his power was to the people he cared about. Even that day his hollow had almost taken Rukia… Ichigo had never once considered the fact that he could be dangerous to everyone close to him. The weight of that realization weighed heavily on him as he went through the motions of his day.

He waved off his classmates and made his way home. He found himself back at the spot where he had spent the night with Rukia. He remembered his relief when she told him that he hadn't hurt her. He had faint memories from when the hollow had been in control of his body and he had fought it every step of the way, especially when he saw Rukia's face from the depths of the hollows own eyes. That had been the trigger that had given him the edge to take his body back. He never wanted to lose control again.

Ichigo sat down on the ground and leaned against the hard trunk of the tree. He looked up as a small blossom fell across his lap. For a moment his sorrow was gone and he almost smiled when he thought of the gift he had hidden in Rukia's sheets. He looked up into the blue sky and felt his heart ache. Even though Rukia had told him they could not be together… her actions by far betrayed her words. He almost laughed when he thought of all the times she had thrown herself on him. He couldn't help the ache that settled low in his groin, but even that depressed him.

Why was he so hung up on someone he wasn't meant to be with?

Even worse… what was he going to do about his inner hollow?

He couldn't not be a shinigami; that was as much a part of him as breathing and he couldn't even remember life before he had realized his powers.

Ichigo stood and raked a hand through the stubborn orange spikes of his hair as he walked the rest of the way home. He fell on his bed in silence, oblivious to the inquiries of the plushies who shared his room. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now. The one person whose opinion he cared about was trapped in the soul society and he highly doubted that he would be seeing her anytime soon. Byakuya would make sure of that.

He sat up as his door opened and he was startled to see Karin standing there. His sister hardly ever bothered him and the look in her eyes worried him.

Ichigo looked down as a small hand wrapped around his wrist and he listened in surprise as his sister confirmed her knowledge of his powers. He refused to confirm them for her, but he was stunned that she knew. How many more people were aware of him? Hat and Clogs had said that his high level of spirit energy had the ability to awaken the potential in other humans, but Tatsuki and now Karin… next thing he would have to explain this to his father and Ichigo could not imagine a worse scenario.

He closed his eyes and tried to drown out the feelings he didn't want to deal with at the moment when he felt a powerful reitsu. His eyes flew open and he sat up… he had never felt reitsu this powerful on earth before. He scrambled off the bed and looked out the window in growing horror. He wasn't sure how but he knew without a doubt that his friends needed him. He sought their spirit energy and found a faint pulse that was immediately shadowed. He fumbled for his badge and fell out of his body running. If the chill that had settled over his body was any indication this new enemy was a true threat.

Rukia closed her eyes as rivets of sweat slowly slid down her neck. Her hair stuck to that same flesh in damp tendrils. She stretched even further and groaned slowly. It felt good to move her muscles again… if felt good to push herself. She felt eyes on her back and she turned to see who was watching. She was surprised to see the kind face of her captain. She spun on her knee into a kneel and bowed low before the white haired man.

"Captain."

Rukia looked up when she heard no reply and saw nobody there. She felt the air for his distinct reitsu and found nothing. Odd. She shrugged it off and resumed her yoga stretches. She needed her muscles limber for the training session she was about to put herself through.

The past week had felt like a lifetime to Rukia and more than ever, she felt out of place here in the Soul Society. She missed the boxed juices; the loud mornings of the Kurosaki residence… she missed quiet evenings and golden eyes. She frowned as she waxed sentimental over her life on earth.

She felt a warm hand on her bared shoulder pushing her down… the muscles in her thighs burning in protest. She looked up to see Renji standing over her, his face lit up in an almost obscene grin. She slid out from beneath his hand and shot her foot up, smirking when it connected solidly with his upper thigh.

"Dammit Rukia!"

His yell echoed through the empty training room and Rukia grinned as she threw another kick intended for a more private area. She missed her mark as her best friend leapt out of the way and gripped her ankle in his fist.

"Stop it you little bitch!"

She almost giggled as she threw a right hook into the taller shinigami's gut. The resulting groan that sprang from his lips was most satisfying and Rukia straightened up.

"Why do you always have to sneak up on me Renji?"

She inquired daintily as she continued stretching, making sure to keep the vice-captain in sight. She watched as he rubbed his stomach and glared her way. Rukia grinned. He was such a baby sometimes.

"I thought you might like a head's up you little brat."

She quirked an eyebrow at the term and stood up again.

"Do you want me to kick your ass RENJI?"

She screamed his name and threw a binding kidou at her intruder. She grinned as he fell to his knees, struggling against the invisible chains. Rukia watching in satisfaction as he struggled and used the opportunity to kick him in the side.

"You know Renji; Ichigo broke that same kidou in half the time it's taken you to loosen it. You should be glad he is still human or you might not have obtained your level so easily."

She saw his face turn various shades of red, much to her satisfaction. She sighed and released the kidou.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Rukia stood over the man as she tapped her foot.

"Hurry up Renji… you are interrupting my training."

She watched him grin as he brushed his shinigami robes off and stood to his full height.

"Funny you should mention Ichigo, Rukia."

She scowled at her friend and threw her chin in the air.

"And… so what if I did… I was merely making a point."

She watched the already impossibly wide grin grow and the very sight of it made her weary. Renji only smiled like that right before he was about to do or say something very bad. She tapped her foot faster as she waited and growled in impatience. God, he was infuriating.

"Renji," she growled through clenched teeth and watched the color drain from his face. Even though he outranked her it was good to see he still remembered that it was only Byakuya who held her back.

She watched him run his fingers through his hair and smile.

"Guess who will be going back to the real world?"

Rukia felt her heart quicken and a smile tug at her lips. She remained calm on the surface but inside she was a mass of jumbled nerves. She wanted to jump into the air and whoop in glee, but not in front of Renji. She non-chalantly busied herself with straightening up the training room. She could feel Renji's eyes on her.

"Would it be anyone I know Renji?"

She looked back at him and saw him smile.

"Look in the mirror dork."

She let the corners of her mouth turn up and sighed softly.

"Thank you for telling me Renji."

She looked again and saw that he was gone. Rukia felt excitement course through her and she grinned. She couldn't wait to walk through the gate again. Back to the living world… back to her new friends and teammates… back to Ichigo.

He glared at the huge man who just moment ago had almost cleaved through Orihime. For a moment he turned to his busty classmate and bade her to leave. He felt the power coursing through his body and he did not need anyone close by for him to worry about hurting.

Ichigo looked up into the cold eyes of his enemy. He sneered darkly and released his bankai. These bastards would pay for the souls they had devoured and for the damage they had inflicted on his friends. He barely recognized his own voice as he inquired as to who was responsible for Chad's injury. He shook inside as his blood thickened and his muscles tightened.

He watched darkly as the beast before him drew his own zanpakto and Ichigo froze… how could this thing wield a spirit sword. His thoughts had distracted him and he felt the force ripple through his bones as he was flung to the earth. He watched helplessly as Orihime was thrown as well.

He felt the force behind the blows that rained on his broken body but he could not move. He had lost control and he heard the harsh laughter of his hollow echo in his ears. That bastard! Ichigo tried to fight his darker side for control but it resisted and his head snapped back as he was picked up and flung back to the ground. He felt his eyes roll up into his skull slightly and he saw a flash of movement. Ichigo struggled to focus on the two figures that now stood between him and the huge man.

Ichigo watched in amazement, he had never seen the two of them fight. He was at a loss of why they continued to support him. He should be the one who supported them… his powers could not hold a candle to theirs and he felt shame wash over him. Once again he had failed to protect those dearest to him and once again he had to rely on others to do his duty.

Trash. Trash they had called him and Ichigo felt every bit like the garbage he had been compared to. He lay on his bed, his body covered in bandages, yet the pain he felt in his soul hurt worse than any physical wound ever could. He had failed. They had called on him and he had failed to save those people. He had almost lost Orihime and Tatsuki. How could he ever have thought himself a shinigami?

Every step hurt as he made his way into the classroom. The physical pain he could deal with fine… he was used to that. It was the fact that he was about to face Orihime for the first time since that day and he wasn't sure he could bear to look at her. He stared down at her, the adoration in her eyes made him sick. How could she look at him in such a way?

He had tried to apologize but the words stuck in his throat. His lips had refused to form the words he knew they needed to hear. Failure. Weakness. He reeked of it. Even he could not stand such a stench and it would not be one he would be able to wash off so easily. His arm fell and rose again in a steady motion as he rubbed the blackboard clean. He appreciated the simple thoughtlessness of the task. His mind was already overworked as it was. He heard his name called and turned to see who wanted his attention now.

Ichigo dropped the eraser to the floor as he recognized the people who stood in the doorway. Was it possible for so many shinigami to congregate in once place? He stood dumbfounded as they explained their purpose. His spirit fell as he realized the soul society had thought him so incapable they had sent even a captain to ensure he did not fail again. If he had thought to fell worthless before… his depression had doubled. He was offered one conciliation… at least Rukia wasn't here to see what he had become.

"Idiot!" "The guys who tore you up the other day."

Ichigo gulped and turned around in horror to see a shapely silhouette in the windowsill. He looked at her shoe clad feet and let his eyes wander up shapely legs to her distinctive haircut which billowed in the wind. His heart pounded and he refused to believe that the woman he couldn't shake was standing before him. He couldn't have stopped himself from saying her name if he had tried… it pounded in his brain with every beat of his heart.

"Rukia."


	14. Stand tall Ichigo

She stood there with her arms folded over her midsection as the wind whipped through her hair. Something had happened during her absence. Gone was the trademark scowl. Her appearance had been met with a look that bordered on amazement. Ichigo Kurosaki looked dumbfounded.

The look was so undesirable on his handsome face that Rukia couldn't help but take action to knock it off. She smirked slightly before planting a foot solidly into his strong jaw and looked on with satisfaction as he stumbled back into Renji's waiting arms. The dumfounded look was gone now, but his demeanor still hadn't changed.

Rukia swung her hand back and forth across his smooth skin and fought off a smile as he broke free of Renji and screamed in her face.

"YOU BITCH!"

Rukia growled and pulled her red glove on as she smacked the taller man on the forehead and dragged his spirit body out of the window.

Her heart pounded and raced as she dragged Ichigo behind her. It felt incredible to have her strength back. She stopped dragging and slammed the orange haired student against the wall. She looked into dilated brown eyes and instead of anger she saw something else.

Ichigo looked down at the enraged shinigami and registered briefly that she had not only kicked him but she had slapped and dragged him away from his body. His past depression was forgotten as rage and desire took over and he gripped the smaller woman's shoulders, lifting her up as he turned and slammed her back against the same wall. He crushed his lips cruelly against hers, bruising and biting as he struggled to taste her once more and punish her in turn for the abuse he'd received.

He felt her fight him, her arms pushing at his chest. He countered the problem by pressing even closer, forcing her arms to come around his neck as his hand slid over her collarbone to cup her chin roughly. He slid his other hand low to cup her bottom and pull her against him.

Rukia felt her eyes roll back slightly as Ichigo jerked her mouth open with his hand and she couldn't stop from moaning when his tongue rubbed roughly against her own. She felt his wide hand grip her from behind and she felt her legs give way and wrap around his slim waist. Her body was reacting on its own. Nothing she was doing came from conscious thought. Rukia wasn't sure what had come over the man but she wasn't going to stop it. She slid her fingers through orange hair and fisted them, pulling his mouth harder against hers as she bucked against his hips.

Ichigo growled low in his throat and pushed the skirt up with his hand. He broke the kiss and panted hard as Rukia tightened her legs around his waist. He kissed her harshly again as he brought his hands up to untie the knot at her throat.

Rukia felt the vibration of her soul reaper phone and knocked his hands away from her throat as she flipped it open. A hollow. Good. Just what she was waiting for. She looked at the shinigami in front of her, his eyes clouded with lust and anger. Good… he would be aggressive in this state. Rukia slid her hand seductively down the center of Ichigo's chest and cupped his arousal. The groan it elicited was so loud it vibrated through to her very core. She leaned forward and whispered hotly.

"Do you want me Ichigo?"

The darkening of his eyes gave her all the answer she needed and she smirked cruelly as she maneuvered her body so that she straddled his waist from behind.

"Too bad… we have work to do."

Ichigo howled within. Even now the brat teased him. He felt animalistic as his blood pumped through his aroused body, thick and hot. He started to pull the woman off him when he felt a sharp slap against the back of his head.

"Move it baka… there may be people in danger." "GO!"

Ichigo shook his head and leapt into the air towards the area the hollow was reported to be in. His vision was cloudy at best and his entire body was on fire and throbbing for release. He had lost all ability to think logically when her small hand had touched him THERE. He would have never thought that another's hand in that area would be so… he didn't have the words to describe it. All he knew was that when she touched him his heart had stopped and when it started again it beat in double time. Her legs wrapped around his waist were distracting and he was almost positive that Rukia was angling her feet in such a way that they would brush his thighs in teasing strokes.

Rukia ordered the man beneath her to stop and she quickly hopped down from his back. Her legs shook slightly and her anger returned when she saw that Ichigo's face was set in that desperate cowardly look again. What the hell was wrong with this man? She sighed angrily and planted a foot against his ass sending him over the railing.

"Go and get him you idiot!"

Ichigo landed on the cement painfully and slowly stood to his feet. His mind was about as far from fighting as it could be and he couldn't believe Rukia was kicking him around in a time like this. His movements felt sluggish and Ichigo felt some of his wounds reopen as the hollow sent him flying. He could hear Rukia yelling at him; ordering him to fight, to win.

Something about her was different. She had gotten stronger. She reminded him of the woman she had first been when he had met her and the authority in her voice startled him now as it did then. It was then he realized what had attracted him to her in the first place. Even though she was probably shorter than the rest of the shinigamis in the soul society, they all obeyed her when she demanded it. She wore authority well. But she was full of shit if she thought she could order him around. He yelled at her to shut up, but even now he didn't mean the harsh words. He was just too grateful for her presence.

Ichigo turned to face the huge monster and was startled to see his inner hollow staring back at him. It taunted him… reminding him of how close to taking over he was and Ichigo felt a familiar despair creep over him. He shook the image just in time to dodge the hollow's attack. He could hear Rukia's harsh voice echo around him; asking what he feared, asking why he had not transformed into a shinigami in so long. Ichigo looked back at her and closed his eyes. He glared down at the hollow below and swung his sword down swiftly, cleaving the monster in two.

He turned to look at Rukia and found her back turned towards him as she looked out over the city. He approached cautiously and wordlessly stood beside her. Her words stung.

"You've grown weak Ichigo."

He frowned and reached for her only to have his hand slapped away.

"Don't touch me."

Rukia turned to look at him and saw the hurt and confusion on his face and she slapped him.

"Do you think I want you when you are like this ICHIGO?" "I can't stand to see you so weak and pitiful, what happened to the aggressive man from while ago? What happened to the boy who took on the entire soul society just because he thought I wanted to be saved? Back away Ichigo you disgust me."

She sneered and turned away so that he couldn't see the worry on her face. It was much more serious than anybody realized. He had truly been deeply wounded by his defeat by the arrancar. She expected to feel his hands on her again but when she felt nothing she turned to see him leaning over the railing… a strange expression on his face.

"I don't think I can fight like this anymore."

Rukia's brow furrowed as she frowned.

"Fight like how Ichigo… from what I saw you haven't been fighting/"

She watched as he turned to look at her and the hollowed hungry look in his eyes made her heart ache. She had to fight the urge to comfort him. If she went to him now he would never regain that cocky attitude that was Ichigo. She fixed a hard stare on him, willing him to explain; disappointed when he turned away.

Ichigo felt his heart sink even more. This issue with his hollow was costing him more and more. He was even losing face with Rukia. Her words had struck deep and echoed around his mind. Weak, pitiful, disgusting… and she was right. He was all of those things right now and all because he was afraid of a part of himself he feared he could not control. He had lost control several times and even when he had been with her. He turned to the beautiful woman who looked out over the city. He studied her profile, memorizing it. He watched as she turned towards him, violet eyes met brown and held.

Rukia searched the face that she had grown to know so well. Before she had realized it she was standing before him, her palm cradling his cheek.

"Talk to me Ichigo before whatever is eating away at your heart does away with it completely."

She spoke softly and brushed her thumb back and forth over warm smooth skin. She watched as he looked away at the ground. She leaned forward and let her lips play over his as she whispered.

"Don't you trust me Ichigo?"

She held the gaze that met her own and slowly pressed her lips to his again. Rukia wanted answers but she knew the words she had thrown at him moments before had been reckless with his already dampened spirit. She nibbled on his lower lip softly and kissed him again.

Ichigo stood there fixated on the movement of soft lips on his. He swallowed hard as familiar warmth settled low. Rukia never failed to excite his emotions and his body was reacting fast to her slow movements. He wanted her now, more than ever.

Ichigo slowly cupped the small face and pressed back against her as he deepened the kiss she had begun. He was deliberately slow, wanting nothing more than to make her feel the same burning ache he currently felt. He felt her lips part and he slid the tip of his tongue along their edge, teasing her by only slipping the tip in for a taste and retreating before she could return the gesture. He felt her moan against his lips in frustration and he smirked.

He slid the tips of his fingers down her throat over her shoulders and against the sides of her small breasts as he slowly pushed his tongue against hers. He felt her shudder and brushed his thumbs over the tips through her school uniform. He felt her squirm against him as her strong arm wrapped around his neck.

Rukia knew things were going too far, but she wasn't enough of a masochist to want to stop him right now. She had dreamed of him doing these very things and she was loath to stop him. She curled her fingers and slid them through his spiky hair, moaning softly as he kissed along her jaw line, sucking hard at the spot right below her ear.

The soft moans and pants that echoed in his ears were making him throb harder and he lifted the smaller woman in the air and sat her on the railing. He tightened his grip on her small hips and positioned his own between her thighs. He leaned her back and tightened his lips around a nipple as he pushed hard against her. His head snapped back at the sheer pleasure of the movement. He looked into wide violet eyes as he repeated the gesture and groaned loudly.

It felt better then he could have ever imagined and frustrating at the same time. He pushed the grey skirt higher and pushed the damp cotton panties to the side. The moist heat against his groin made him ache further and he pushed against it, desperately trying to get closer. Ichigo panted hard and knew all he had to do to finish the act was to shove his shinigami robes away, but he held back. He didn't want his first time to be like that, but he couldn't stop moving against the lithe woman and she made it even harder when she wrapped her legs around his waist and tightened her thighs around his hips.

"Fuck Rukia"

He moaned her name and slammed his hips against hers, grinding hard, his arms shaking as he gripped the railing, using the bar to propel his body faster.

Rukia gasped again and buried her face against the robe clad shoulder and held onto the orange haired soul reaper thrust harder and harder against her. The railing shook as he ground against her and she could feel the effects of his motion running down her thigh. She felt a pressure building at the base of her spine and she arched her back, trembling… she was so close.

"Rukia."

His strangled moan told her he had reached completion and she held his trembling body against hers as she caught her breath. Disappointment filled her to know that her own release wouldn't be anytime soon, but it made her happy to know she had helped Ichigo reach that same plateau. She fell against him as he dragged her body off the railing and fell to the ground. His smooth face was flushed and his eyes were still closed. Rukia smiled as the man beneath her continued to whisper her name like a kind of mantra. She kissed Ichigo slowly and stood up.

He looked up at her and struggled to focus as the incredible pleasure he had felt faded slowly. He hadn't thought it possible for them to do this when he was in spirit form and she in her gigai. He stood and shook his head, blushing at the coy smirk Rukia threw him.

"Are you ready to go back strawberry boy?"

Ichigo scowled at the name and glared at the beautiful woman in front of him. He couldn't stay mad at her long and he felt his lips tugged upward in his trademark grin.

"Shut up Rukia."

She smiled and walked with him back towards the school. He wasn't completely back to his old self but this was a start. She fought the sudden urge to take his hand. Damn… they hadn't even completed the act and already she was acting like a love struck teenage girl. She looked down at her body and snorted. Then again a teenage girl was precisely what she was right now.

As they approached the building the school bell rang and Rukia caught a glimpse of Orihime. She looked over at the orange haired man and rolled her eyes. Apparently he had seen her too and the sadness she thought she had alleviated clouded his features once more. She sighed angrily. This damn human male… he was worse than a girl when it came to moodiness. She started to knock the breath out of him again but decided against it. She would wait till he was back in his body.

She spotted Renji from afar and waved at the tattooed man. He met her in the hall, dragging Ichigo's body behind him. She grinned slightly at the man.

"I'll take it from here Renji."

She saw a strange smirk on her best friends face and scowled at him, demanding to know what he thought was so funny.

"You two were gone a long time yeah?"

She hid the blush and yanked Ichigo's limp body away from her fellow shinigami and threw it at the stunned orange haired soul reaper. As soon as his spirit was inside she gripped the muscled shoulder and dragged him towards the spot where she had last seen Orihime.

Ichigo heard Rukia speaking to someone but he was too steamed to care. How dare she drag him around like luggage? He started to say something but felt his body lifted so that he could stand and he looked up to see Orihime. He paled slightly as he stared at the girl whose life he had almost forfeited.

"Inoue... I"

He began weakly and felt Rukia's fingers digging into the back of his neck as she forced his head down and told him to apologize for being weak. He wanted to glare at the short woman but he didn't dare. He knew he needed to apologize but he would do it his own way. He signed and promised his classmate that next time… he would protect her. He looked over at Rukia and thought he saw a slight smile. Ichigo stood tall for the first time that day and he knew, somehow, things were going to be alright. He had let himself get prideful in his strength. It was fitting that he be shown that he needed to get a lot stronger, and with Rukia here… he knew he would succeed. He listened as her and Orihime chatted and leaned against the wall. For the first time in a while, he felt content and as he listened to his friends catch up… he even forgot to worry about the hollow entity that lurked within.


	15. The Threat Realized

Ichigo shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his pressed grey pants as he walked the familiar path from the school to his house. He glanced at the woman who shadowed him and let the corners of his mouth turn upwards in a smile. The more he thought about it the more he enjoyed having her with him; as long as she wasn't talking that is. It seemed every time they opened their mouths it was to argue. He thought of earlier when they had finally left Orihime and how they had argued and yelled about where to go next. He had wanted to walk through the park and prolong the moment before he had to deal with his family. Rukia had wanted to go straight to his house, insisting that there was no reason to delay going home.

She was hiding something from him… he knew it, but he wasn't sure what it was. Her desire to get to his house in a hurry was not reassuring him any. But in the end he had given in and so here he was, walking with the woman, quite literally, of his dreams towards his boring and loud household. He looked at her again out of the corner of his eye; at least she had called it her home too.

Rukia walked in silence. If they weren't careful they would be late. She was unsure of how the rest of the shinigamis planned to enter Ichigo's house but she knew they were not a patient lot and it was best if her and Ichigo arrived on time.

She could tell he knew something was up and was surprised by the silence. Hmmm. It gave her something to think about. If what had happened earlier was what it took to ensure his cooperation, Rukia decided she had better be sure to talk with Urahara soon to make sure her gigai wasn't** too** functional. It did give her something to think about though.

She had not anticipated Ichigo's reaction to her arrival earlier. She had expected surprise, shock, maybe even happiness but not the animalistic surge of lust she had just experienced. Perhaps this was what kept her drawn to the man. It seemed that his personality was on a continual shift.

When she had first encountered the angry teen he had been brash, rude and arrogant. She had seen the soft heart beneath the harsh exterior but it had remained hidden for the most part. His transformation as a shinigami and his continual rise in power had only served to increase his arrogance and anger; he only showed his tender side when he was alone with her. Now… he was different. He seemed calm on the exterior but she could see the tension in every move he made. Something had him on edge and whatever it was had affected his power's stability.

She had not been there when he had achieved bankai and for him to have done it in such a short time it must have required a change in personality. For that matter she had not been there when he had regained his abilities as a soul reaper. She subconsciously raised a finger and tucked it under her chin as she continued to follow him. She could think of nobody in soul reaper history who had survived the cutting of their soul ribbon and Byakuya was too thorough to have botched such a precise task. His recovery must have required a great deal of sacrifice on his part.

Rukia scowled slightly. It was one more thing to ask Urahara when she saw him. She was positive that he had something to do with the change in Ichigo. She looked over at him as the wind whipped through his clothes and ruffled the already tangled locks of hair. She found herself smiling slightly as she studied him. He fascinated her still. Her heart beat sped up as she recalled the look of pure lust in his eyes as he had emptied himself against her body. The power he kept in check was chilling in its ferocity.

Ichigo sighed as he opened the door to his room. Thankfully the house had been empty and he had not had to come up with an explanation of why he was bringing a girl home. He was tired from the emotional rollercoaster he had ridden earlier. The fact that Rukia had followed him here eased some of the uneasiness that had begun growing in him during their walk home.

He barely held back the growl of annoyance as Kon sailed through the air towards Rukia and he closed his eyes and sighed as she stopped his progression with the bottom of her foot and proceeded to crush the stuffed doll into the wood floor. He looked carefully down the hall and closed the door.

Rukia smirked as she looked over the small room she had shared with him a few months earlier. Nothing had changed.

"This small room is just the same."

She smirked at the reaction she knew her remark would elicit. He was so defensive about his room and she held back her laughter as he ordered her not to compare it to her brothers. The idiot obviously hadn't paid attention when he had been in her room… the room she had chosen to reside in at the Kuchiki house was no bigger than his own. If he had paid attention he would have noticed.

She looked towards the door. Apparently their entrance into the house had not gone unnoticed. She saw Ichigo's face redden slightly and hid a smile as he flung his door open, yelling at his dad and sisters. If she hadn't already been used to the scene it would have probably shocked her. She could never imagine talking to Ni-sama in that tone. If she did she was pretty sure he would have dissected her spirit body into a thousand pieces with his bankai.

She kicked her feet back and forth as she waited for the hot-tempered teen in front of her to calm down. She watched him, amused when he sat on the floor he had so rudely demanded that she sit upon and asked her to tell him about the arrancar. She smirked as Renji's voice called out for them to wait and looked in amusement as Ichigo looked from side to side in confusion as to where the outburst had come from.

Ichigo looked up to see a group of shinigami hanging upside down from his light fixture. What the hell! Ichigo watched in growing horror as the group righted themselves one by one and settled themselves in his room. His light fixture was broken and he was too pissed to even be remotely amused by Matsumoto's bad joke. He watched as Kon rushed towards the scantily clad woman and almost smiled when he was knocked to the side. He decided that avoiding unwanted attention must be something women were trained to do from birth, seeing how Rukia and Matsumoto did it so well.

He felt his eyes drawn to the opened shirt she wore as well. He couldn't help but look. Matsumoto could not have come by her, what did Kon call them again… valleys naturally. Ichigo swallowed and looked away before his body caught up with his eyes. He sat cross-legged on his floor and listened as Renji and the other soul reapers filled him in on the new threat.

He cocked his head to the side as Renji's explanation was horribly illustrated by Rukia. God. Her drawings were getting worse, if that was even possible. Ichigo was no Da Vinci himself but at least he had the good sense not to try and draw when he knew he wasn't any good.

Rukia knew it was coming. As soon as she had opened her sketchbook she had caught the roll of Ichigo's eyes. That little bastard was going to insult her again… she knew it. As soon as the words left his mouth she threw her book right into his face and looked on smugly at the red mark it created. She growled in frustration with the orange haired boy but settled back into a comfortable position, closing her eyes as Renji explained things.

She had already heard the explanation but she had to admit, for being such a hot headed guy, Renji sure knew how to divulge important information. At least to someone like Ichigo. She looked over at Renji in horror when he told Ichigo that she had been selected because she knew him the best. Rukia was stunned that he would say something like that. She shook her head and tried to correct him but the damage was done. She heard the small giggle from Matsumoto and knew that as soon as she went back to the Soul Society and as soon as she had downed her customary two jars of sake the whole society would know that she, the great Rukia Kuchiki, was in love with a human boy. Just great.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and bristled slightly when Renji continued, stating that he was chosen because he had been the closest to Rukia. He didn't like to be reminded that the man sitting in front of him had any relationship with Rukia. He looked around at the other soul reapers and rolled his eyes. Ikkaku was looking off into the distance, Yumichika was staring at him as though he was a piece of meat, and Matsumoto had her fingers held up in a "peace" sign. Could they get any more lame?

Rukia could almost see the sarcasm that Ichigo was dying to use on the current situation. She wanted to laugh as well because it was kind of funny to look at it from his point of view. She could tell that the captain has caught Ichigo's interest though. It was strange that someone who looked so young could hold such a high rank, but the small captain had proven his worth time and time again. She listened as the captain explained the ranks of Menos and she was surprised to find that even she had not known some of the things he had explained.

Ichigo listened intently. Here was the level he would have to reach in order to be of any use to his friends and teammates. He would need to become stronger than a captain, stronger than a god by the way Hitsugaya was explaining it. It was only now that he could fully understand the danger the soul society faced as well as his town. He clenched his teeth and he felt his body tense as muscles tightened. From the serious faces that stared back at him, he knew that time was precious and he knew they were counting on him to turn the tide.

Ichigo deepened the frown he wore. Who was he for some many to depend on? He wanted to be that man, but until he sorted out this hollow situation he could go no further in his training. A face flashed before his eyes like a distant memory. The vizard! Ichigo wondered if the offer to train him was still on the table.

Rukia watched as Ichigo grew lost in thought. She wished they were alone so that she could find out what it was that had him looking more serious than usual. With their meeting over, the other shinigami were not examining Kon and Rukia tried not to laugh as Renji shoved his hand down the plushie's mouth to retrieve the mod soul within. Her friends were truly ignorant of the way things were here in the living world.

Ichigo stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. He had enjoyed the visit and the information but it was time for them to go. Things were getting out of hand and even though Kon annoyed the hell out of him, the poor doll didn't deserve to be picked and prodded.

"Hey!"

He yelled out, annoyed when his outburst was ignored.

"Hey! When are you guys going back?"

He glared at Renji. He wasn't going to play hotel to these people. He could explain one, maybe two friends but not six. He didn't have enough room to house all of these people and he didn't feel it was his responsibility to do so. They came to the real world, let the worry about it.

He glared at the busty blond on his floor when he informed her that his house didn't have enough room. Ichigo looked in horror as a bright flush stained his cheeks as he watched Matsumoto finger the buttons on her already strained blouse. What the hell did she think she was doing!

Ichigo paled as the woman looked at him with a blank stare and watched as she then looked down at her skirt, pulling it up a little. He looked over at Rukia and then at the woman on his floor and covered his eyes.

"You still can't stay here if you lift up your skirt!

Rukia felt a hot rage building up inside her at Matsumoto's actions. How dare that bitch! She looked at the commotion Ichigo was making and saw the gaps he had made between his fingers and she felt her mouth drop down in shock.

"Why don't you close that gap between your fingers?"

She saw Ichigo glance over at her and her anger grew as she caught the self-conscious smirk he tossed her. She was ready for his company to leave and as soon as they did he was going to catch a piece of her mind. How dare he look at another woman after what they had done earlier? Rukia was pissed but she hid it well. It would be too embarrassing to lose her temper in front of everyone.

She was relieved as one by one her fellow shinigami left Ichigo's house. She watched Renji walk off and sighed. She was shocked when Ichigo asked her where she was planning on staying. That bastard! How dare he try and push her away. She would just ask the head of the household if Ichigo was going to keep being an ass to her. She smiled when he yelled at her to come back and as she kicked off her shoes she put on her saddest most serious face. She almost ran into Ichigo's father as she hurried to get away from the whining man behind her.

Rukia almost smiled as the Kurosaki family bought her sob story hook line and sinker. She was surprised to see the tears well up in Ichigo's sister's eyes and for a moment she was glad the dark haired one wasn't around. That girl was just too much like Ichigo and Rukia was sure she would have seen through her lie. She smirked as she felt Ichigo's tall frame brush against hers and she cut her eyes to the side and threw the man a thumbs up.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at how lame Rukia was being at the moment. He had listened to her stupid story and he couldn't believe how quickly his father and sister had bought it; and now he had to watch as Rukia dropped her sophisticated soul reaper act and took on a persona not unlike his fathers. Ichigo cut his eyes over to his father and watched the old man hug the life sized poster image of his mother. God… was he the only sane one in his family besides Karin.

Rukia stared in wonder as the head of the Kurosaki household sobbed and cried out to the image of his deceased wife. She liked Ichigo's family but the scene she was witnessing was just weird. She looked up at Ichigo and was more than happy to follow him out of the room.

Rukia sneered at the small cot that Yuzu had pulled out for her. She looked at Ichigo, confused for a moment.

"I was planning on sleeping in your closet."

She thought she saw Ichigo's cheeks turn pink as he turned away.

"My family knows you are here this time. It's not proper for girls to spend the night in a boy's room. Besides, my father is too perverted for that anyways; if you don't like the sleeping arrangements then talk to him."

Rukia frowned and looked down at the items she had brought with her to make her closet a bit nicer. Apparently she hadn't thought this through completely. She had forgotten how prudish Ichigo could be and how cloistered the living world was when it came to situations between the opposite sexes.

It had burned Ichigo when she had called his closet dirty. It wasn't dirty it was just cluttered and anyways it didn't matter… she couldn't sleep in his room anyways. He trembled slightly as he recalled his actions earlier that day and flushed. He was still trying to adjust to the fact that he had gotten off in such a manner. He had imagined that moment so often in his dreams and fantasies that he was somewhat disappointed that he hadn't taken more time. He scowled for a moment. It wasn't as if they had **done** it or anything.

Ichigo went to his room and lay back against his pillow. He had been kind an ass to her all day since that moment on the roof and a part of him felt bad for it. He hated that he had lost control like that. Hell… he was sure nothing he had done had been impressive to Rukia. He had humped her like dog in heat and had not even been courteous enough to ensure that she received the same explosion of pleasure that he had. He looked out the window and sighed; relationships, if that's what you would call this thing between them, were just too damn complicated.

He grunted slightly as his door opened and turned his head away.

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo sighed and looked over at his new house guest, glaring at the short woman.

"What the hell do you want midget?"

Rukia was appalled at the sneer he threw back at her. And all of a sudden a picture of him halfway covering his eyes as Matsumoto lifted her skirt flitted into memory and she pounced on the moody teenager.

She heard a satisfying smack as her fist connected with Ichigo's hard jaw and she watched as his face was turned to the side. She waited for him to whine or yell but was surprised when he simply closed his eyes and remained turned from her. She pouted. Damn… you would think he would be in a better mood all things considering.

Rukia grinned evilly. Well… if Ichigo was going to act like this then he deserved whatever evil torture she could come up with. She had found in the past few months that she rather liked getting him worked up. She slowly licked her lips as she planted a knee beside his hip. She swung her other leg over his thin waist and slowly lowered her body to sit on his lap.

Ichigo grunted again as a familiar weight pinned his lower half to the bed. He immediately felt his body respond and sighed. Damn hormones. He refused to look at the raven haired girl as she rubbed her hands up under his shirt, but the goose bumps that sprang up on his skin were more than an indication that her touch was working. He felt the muscles of his abdomen jump at her touch and he turned his head to glare at the woman.

"Get off Rukia."

She smirked at his choice of words and slowly trailed a errant finger down his chest,

"Well, what is it you think I am trying to do Ichigo?"

She was met with a flush and almost laughed as he turned away and mumbled what sounded a lot like an "I'm sorry". She grinned.

"Oh, so you are sorry now are you? You weren't worried about it before Ichigo; frankly I was quite surprised at how selfish of a lover you have become."

Ichigo growled low in his throat at her teasing tone. He sat up fast, not caring that he very nearly dislodged the coy woman atop him.

"You can go to hell Rukia!"

Rukia was taken aback by the ferocity of his tone and slowly her good mood faded. She pushed the boy back to the bed and hopped off of him.

"You are such an ass Ichigo."

She started to walk out of his room when a powerful wave of reitsu hit her. What the hell. She fumbled for the beeping soul pager and her mouth dropped open as she saw six distinct blips racing towards various locations. Her heart pounded. This was too soon. They weren't ready for an attack of this caliber.

Ichigo looked from Rukia to the window and back again; their recent argument forgotten.

"Are they coming here?"

He needed to assure himself that his family was safe from harm. He was surprised at the response Rukia gave him and wondered why Rukia and he weren't included in the planned attack.

Rukia stared at the soul pager; the sheer coldness of the arrancar's plan settled in. They planned to eliminate all people with reitsu, no matter their level. It was cold, calculated and so very like Aizen. She heard the concern in Ichigo's voice as he inquired about his fellow classmates. She knew he felt responsible towards them since it was he who had awakened their powers.

She looked over the pager. Orihime was safe, she had a captain and vice captain staying with her. Sado, however…. Rukia turned to Ichigo and together they raced out of the small window into the night.


	16. Defeat

Ichigo's heart pounded as he raced across the pavement towards the place where his friend lay. He knew Sado was strong but there was no way he would be able to survive a run in with an enemy of this level. Hollow or not, Ichigo couldn't abandon one of his friends and he found himself grateful that his journey was not made alone. The dark haired woman who matched him step for step appeared just as concerned for his friend's safety as he was and Ichigo prayed that he would be able to keep her out of harm's way.

Rukia looked to the side and rolled her eyes at the look on Ichigo's young face.

"Listen, I don't need or even want your protection. If you are so anxious for someone to protect then protect Chad or yourself for that matter."

Ichigo scowled and picked up his pace to speed past the short woman. He couldn't sense any change in Chad's reitsu but his gut told him they didn't have time to tarry. He rounded the corner to see the arrancar move in for the kill and his blood surged as rage rushed through him. He flashed to Chad's side and clamped an iron fist over the mutated hollow's wrist, a moment later and he would have been too late.

He held onto the arrancar's wrist away and squared off to face the man. He felt his head cock to the side slowly as he looked upon the face of his enemy and sneered as he released the man's wrist. Ichigo caught the sight of blood pooling over his friend's chest and demanded that he back away. He knew his words wounded the bigger man's pride but he needed Chad out of the way so that he could fight the arrancar without distraction; he had already let one of his friends down and he didn't intend on repeating the mistake.

Ichigo threw away the guilt that rose at how harsh he had been to the man who had always watched his back. He wanted to ensure that nobody he gave a damn about was around in case he lost control of the hollow inside him. The last thing he wanted was for his friends to see what he had become, what he truly was. He felt her presence behind him and sighed; she would have to leave as well.

She stood there arms crossed glaring at the taller shinigami. Whatever he had said to Chad had obviously upset the man and she inquired as to what words had been exchanged. Her temper flared at the obvious lie he replied with and she closed her eyes in her annoyance.

"Fall back Ichigo."

She wanted this arrancar to herself. For months she had lain in one bed or another in an attempt to heal a body that was continually injured. She had trained harder for this very moment and she intended to fight. She was tired of standing idly by while her friends fought to protect her because they saw her as too weak to protect herself. She was a shinigami too dammit. She studied the profile of the teen in front of her. He was too tense. Something was eating away at him still and years of battle experience had taught her that if you entered the field with your mind somewhere else, you would only risk losing your life. His life had grown too precious to her for her to sit by and watch him throw it away.

Rukia swallowed the soul candy she had brought with her and exited her gigai. She was almost amused at the flapping of Ichigo's jaw when he saw her in spirit form. She smirked.

"Surprised Ichigo?"

He shouldn't have been; after all he had been there when they had heard the explanation from Urahara. She closed her eyes in calm repose as she explained everything again, scowling when he questioned why she had joined the fight against the Bounto when her powers had not yet returned. The fool. Did he think that she would have just lain in bed while her friends fought such a powerful enemy?

Ichigo was still trying to get over seeing Rukia in spirit form. He had only seen her as such the night she had given him his powers. Gone was the school girl uniform and in its place he could feel the raw power of Rukia's reitsu; it was high for a shinigami of her level. He started at the woman before him as she explained how she had been called back to duty early when the Bounto had appeared. Ichigo scowled as he put together what she was saying but before he could put his thoughts into words he saw a movement flash out of the corner of his eyes and felt Rukia's gigai press against him screaming for him to step aside in a sing song voice.

Ichigo opened his mouth in shock and looked to Rukia for an explanation. He rolled his eyes when she told him that the gikon occupying her body was a chappy. God… she really **was **obsessed with freaking bunnies. He stared at her in horror when she told him that she had wanted to use chappy for his gikon but had been given Kon instead. For the first time since coming into contact with the perverted mod soul, Ichigo was grateful for the mistake; especially if it meant saving his body from a cute and warped possession. He shuddered to think of the damage such a creature would have done to his well established reputation.

Rukia watched as her gigai pounded Ichigo's head and tried not to smile. She started to comment on how well her gikon had Ichigo under control but a flash of movement made her draw her zanpakto and just in time; apparently the arrancar had grown tired of their banter. Her blood pounded as the familiar excitement of battle rushed through her veins. It had been a long time since she had been able to stand on her own in a battle and she reveled in the rush of power. She thrust her sword back at the arrancar, surprised when he blocked her attack with just a hand. She looked down at him and shuddered slightly; the evil aura that poured from him chilled her soul and for a moment she was hesitant to continue.

Rukia sneered when the arrancar tossed aside her introduction; it made no difference to her if he knew who dealt his ending blow but she at least wanted him to know the name of the sword that did it.

She held her sword out and spoke softly as she made the familiar graceful arc.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

She swung her sword into formation and crouched down as she listened for her enemy to be silence by her ice attack. She was surprised when the arrancar broke free, but smiled. She was disappointed that he had played right into her hands, but grateful in a way that she had not been forced to use more of her energy. She looked up as a column of ice shot out from the ground, imprisoning the arrancar and turned away as the beam began to shatter.

Rukia looked around for Ichigo, disappointed that he had not witnessed her quick removal of the arrancar. She supposed she shouldn't be completely surprised; after all she had left him with her gigai. A sudden thought disturbed her and she hastened to find the two. Not that she thought Ichigo so crude, but he wasn't himself lately and the chappy gikon had a reputation for teasing.

She scowled as she found them lying in an alley, her gigai on top of Ichigo and in the process of breaking his arm. Rukia walked up and stared down at the scene as Ichigo groaned.

"What are you fools doing?"

She felt a small satisfaction when orange hair rose and Ichigo looked at her dumbfounded to see she was alive and unhurt. She glared at the younger man's assumption and growled slightly.

"Of course. Do you think I would have returned here if I hadn't of beaten him?"

Ichigo's pain was forgotten. How could she have beaten the arrancar so effortlessly? Perhaps he had underestimated her or perhaps in the process of finding out he had feelings for her; he had forgotten how strong she really was. Either way the woman standing before him now was not the same woman he had rescued atop the sacrificial alter. Rukia had grown stronger and Ichigo felt his respect for her grow even more.

He looked at her again and noticed the snow white sword she held. Her blade was beautiful, a perfect complement to the woman who held it. Ichigo wondered if the name Kuchiki provided you with a sword and powers that complimented both a shinigami's beauty and deadliness; at least it had in Byakuya and Rukia's case. He turned as the annoying gigai on his back explained the history behind the sword the small woman held and wondered how the hell a gikon would know the history behind the beautiful blade when it had been trapped in a soul candy dispenser. Ichigo found himself caught up on the words the gigai spoke and his heart slowly pounded as he looked upon Rukia in a new light.

He swallowed hard and shivered slightly as he thought of his own zanpakto. His was as black as hers was white and at the mention of purity Ichigo couldn't help but wonder that if Rukia's blade meant purity then what did his mean. He felt the cold laughter of his forgotten hollow echo in his mind and he felt almost grateful when the gigai's baby talk ruined the moment.

Rukia felt Ichigo's piercing stare on her and she licked her lips slowly, almost smiling when her gigai squeezed the immobilized arm harder, earning a loud yelp from the pinned man. Her smile faded as the gikon provided Ichigo with the reason behind her low rank. She sighed when she thought of how silly it all must sound to a human like Ichigo. After spending so much time in his world, Rukia was well aware of how unreasonable her situation was. Her thoughts were cut off by a powerful wave of reitsu and she gripped her sword tighter in anticipation of the enemy's arrival.

Ichigo jumped up, throwing the cutesy gigai off his back. He looked up and saw the source of the reitsu. Something about the arrancar sent a cold chill to crawl up his spine and Ichigo could see the insanity gleaming in the wild eyes that gloated from above. He gripped his zanpakto. The arrancar above seemed to be waiting for them to make a move.

Rukia could feel wave after wave of reitsu speed past her body and looked in horror as the arrancar landed. Compared to the one she had fought earlier, this guy was in a class of his own. She glanced over to her orange haired counterpart and given the expression on his chiseled face, she knew he felt it too. His face betrayed a hollow's hunger and his cruelty could be read in the wild grin that stared back at them. Rukia looked again at Ichigo; he wasn't ready for an enemy this powerful.

"Damn! Ichigo! RUN AWAY!"

Ichigo turned in time to see the petite shinigamis stomach being punched through. He watched as Rukia's body convulsed and blood trickled past her soft lips. He felt his heart pound in anger as the arrancar picked Rukia up and flung her to the ground as though she was something that could be easily discarded. When he saw her broken body lying there he let of all the anger inside his soul. He felt his muscles tighten as his rage soured. His howl was one with the hollow inside as he charged the arrancar; desperate to distance the man from his fallen comrade.

Ichigo fell back as the man released a huge burst of power and he watched wearily, he could feel the hollow lurking behind his eyes, watching through him, looking at an enemy that he could only hope to beat. He knew he was no match for the man in front of him without the power of his bankai and even then it might not be enough. Ichigo knew time was running out. He was not sure how deep the arrancar had penetrated but Rukia had yet to move. He could feel the smallest pulse of reitsu coming from the small body, had he not he was certain he would have already given into rage; but he had to hurry.

He lunged again and was forced back as his enemy bade him to use his bankai. Ichigo looked back and saw the small woman being comforted by the gikon, the jeering voice of the arrancar reminding him of the crime he had yet to make the bastard pay for. So he wanted bankai did he? Ichigo called forth his final form and lifted his head as his body crackled with new energy. He would not be defeated again. He would not lose to this unholy creature from Aizen and he would not fail to protect Rukia. He had failed Orihime but he could not fail Rukia, not the woman who had given him so much.

Rukia weakly rolled to her side, partially blinded by the wave of light that surrounded Ichigo.

"Ichigo."

She whispered weakly as she tried to lift her damaged body off the ground. She lifted her hand and paled as blood tricked down her wrist. She had been wounded almost as deeply as when attacked by the bounto. She could see the hatred behind Ichigo's golden eyes as he stared down the arrancar who had pierced her. Rukia could see the tension in every breath the man made. She had to stop him before he risked it all; she had to let him know she was ok. She watched the hard brown eyes widen and knew she was too late.

His attack shook the ground, but through the dust Ichigo knew he had missed. His body felt light, his soul on fire. He grinned, his eyes darting side to side as he searched out his enemy. There. He lunged and felt his sword connect against the impenetrable hand as his body was flung to the side. The power this Grimmjow exuded was intoxicating. Ichigo struggled to regain his footing and barely dodged the next attack. He felt the blood as it flew past his lips and flew to the ground, his stomach partially caved in by the brutal kick it had received.

He barely felt anything after that.

His body jerked from side to side and he saw his blood as it splattered the air red but he was numb. His vision was growing dark as he struggled to drag his beaten body to a standing position. He was shadowed momentarily and then he felt fist after fist as it slammed against his face. He closed his eyes and could see the jeering grin of his hollow starting back at him. He could faintly hear the insane laughter of the arrancar through the dark refuge of his mind. He blinked and saw his hollow standing before him, as pale and serpentine as always.

"Help Ichigo?"

The pale form whispered darkly and Ichigo opened his eyes as he sent his Getsuga Tenshou towards the blue haired bastard. He felt a dark power rising within but he ignored the implication and dammed the consequences. If beating this man meant submitting to the pale figure in his mind, then so be it.

He grinned boldly and called out to the arrancar if he was still boring. He switched his sword from hand to hand in excitement as he waited for the arrancar's next move. A hissing voice stopped him as blackness covered his vision.

"Wait," he whispered, "just a bit longer." "Wait."

He knew it was fruitless but he had to try. He didn't trust that which he did not understand and he was nowhere near understanding what lay within. Ichigo wasn't ready to give up control yet. He wanted to win on his own, separate from his hollow. He growled as he felt the blackness inking over his eyes; it was only a matter of time. He was saved by the unexpected arrival of a familiar face. He had only seen the shinigami once before he had risen to the heavens with Aizen to be labeled a traitor to his own society.

He watched as the arrancar left with the shinigami known as Tousen and while a part of him raged for the man to return and fight, another part of him was thankful for the departure. Ichigo was warrior enough to know when he was outmatched. He sank to the ground as Grimmjow left. He struggled to his feet and looked over to see Renji walking towards him. A familiar shame was upon him again as he realized he had done nothing… proven nothing… and protected no one. He had lost.

He watched as Orihime healed the raven haired shinigami he had left behind. Ichigo could not bear to look at the red haired woman and looked at the ravaged body of Rukia. He could feel the eyes of the other shinigami on him and he knew what he must do. The vizan had once offered to train him and he had turned away. He saw no choice now but to acquiesce. He reached over and touched the soft skin of her hand; his fingers curling beneath her palm. He felt his heart tug as her fingers tightened slightly around his and he looked up to see her eyes open briefly beneath the golden glow of the healing shield. He slipped his hand away and stood up, walking away from the horizontal woman.

Rukia slowly felt life creeping back into her body and she sat up, her hand slowly rubbing over her newly healed abdomen. She looked up to see the figure of Ichigo standing over her. His abrupt kindness had been comforting while she was being healed but the look on his face grated her nerves. He was blaming himself again. God… his annoying habit of taking blame was pissing her off.

"Don't tell me you think you are responsible Ichigo… GET OVER YOURSELF!"

The last words were shouted at the orange haired man and she was met with the same deadened expression. Rukia clenched her fist and turned away.

"I don't need you to protect me Ichigo. Get that pathetic look off your face idiot!"

She peaked at the tall man and she frowned as he turned from her and looked off into the distance. She knew what was eating at him. Ever since that night when she had seen the darker side of Ichigo, he had been distant with her, giving into his emotions only when lust or an occasional sweetness forced him. He was afraid of his hollow and he was afraid of what he would do when in that form. Rukia looked away and offered the suggestion that he see Urahara about it; surprised when he declined her offer.

Rukia turned back towards the young man and his eyes held hers as he explained his reasoning. She felt her anger soften as she looked deep into his brown depths. Ichigo was keeping something from her. But she wasn't sure what. She stood up, ignoring the protests from Renji and Orihime.

"Let me help you then Ichigo."

She reached over to touch his arm, disappointed when her fingers slid down soft robes. She wished they had been alone so that she could talk to him the way she wanted to. She wished the others would leave. He needed someone right now. He was so alone right now, isolated by his condition and struggling to understand how to make the best of it. But they weren't alone and she wouldn't say what she wanted to in front of their comrades. And so… she let him go… let him walk away into the night; let the burden eat at him some more and she sank back to the ground in defeat. Ichigo had shut her out and there was nothing she could do.

_Authors__ note: Sorry it took so much longer than usual… that annoying thing called life got in the way__. Thanks for all the fabulous reviews so far. Hope you all enjoyed!_


	17. Imagined Betrayal

He wondered the streets of Karakura alone. He hated that a part of him had been tempted by Rukia's offer but he could not risk subjecting her to "it" again. Ichigo refused to name the entity that rested inside him, to name it would have been giving it power and it had enough of that as it was. He looked around and found himself back at the grave of his mother, unsure of how he had arrived. He stared at the weathered stone and thought back to all the times throughout the years he had visited this very spot.

Ichigo looked up with a start as it began to sprinkle, the small drops growing larger in volume and frequency with time. He sighed softly. His life seemed connected to the rain. It had rained the night his mother had died. It had rained the night he had been turned into a shinigami. It had rained the night Rukia had left to go to the Soul Society. And it was raining now. It was fitting in a way. He felt as though his world had been falling apart ever since he had become aware of evil inside him. It made him question every part of himself.

His mind drifted to the look he and Rukia had exchanged. It was rare for her to allow her walls to come down in the presence of others, but he had seen her worry and concern for him in the violet depths and it had touched something deep within him. For the first time in his young life he found himself wanting to lean on someone other than himself.

Ichigo felt his face grow hot as he remembered his actions on the roof the previous day. He had been so needy, so unlike himself and she had accepted him; let him touch her… use her. He groaned inwardly as he remembered the feel of Rukia's body against his and how hot it had been between her lithe thighs. He wished he had taken more time, been gentler… been a better man. He sighed and raked a hand through his brilliant hair. He rubbed the spikes back the opposite way and a grin tainted his lips at the silly gesture.

He slowly sat down next to the stone marker and leaned against it. He knew what he had to do but he did not want to pledge his loyalty to the Vizan. He wanted to beat this on his own but… he could see no other way. The words he had spoken atop the roof had been true. If Urahara had known a way around the hollow he would have already told him. It made no sense to keep the way of control a secret. Ichigo had no choice. He closed his eyes and listened for a moment to the steady downpour.

The steady sound soothed his thoughts as did the familiar landscape. Ichigo looked out over the sea of gravestones and closed his eyes. He wasn't sure where to go now. He had no idea how to find the strange blond boy and he didn't want to go home. He would rather die than let his family see how wicked he had become and he couldn't face Rukia. He shook his head slightly and leaned his head against the cold stone. He would stay here for now, at least until the weather cleared.

Rukia called out his name hoarsely. She had declined the other's offers of help. She sensed Ichigo's inner agony and knew that he would not want an audience to whatever was on his mind. Hell… she didn't want an audience either. His demeanor worried her and that look he had thrown her. She was still reeling from it. He had never looked at her like that; it was as if he was looking into her very soul. The apologetic furrow of his eyebrows had told her exactly what the dense bastard had been thinking. He had been blaming himself for the injuries she had received. This stubborn need of his to be the sole bearer of everyone else's sorrows was getting on her last nerve. She felt a drop of water hit her cheek and she looked up at the sky.

Dammit… not the rain.

Rukia growled as she prowled all of their usual spots; the rooftop of the school, the park where his sister and her friends played ball. There was no sign of the shinigami and it wasn't as if she could miss him, his hair alone was a beacon in such dull dark weather. The rain fell harder and Rukia blinked the water away from her eyes. Where the hell was he! She was barely healed, soaked to the bone and it was getting late. She stumbled over an unseen object and sprawled face first into a huge puddle of mud. She screamed in frustration and wiped the grimed from her face as she realized what had caused her fall.

"ICHIGO!"

Ichigo opened his eyes slightly as an echo of his name reached his ears. He looked around slowly, confused when he saw nothing but misty landscape and then his eyes caught a dark flash of movement. He barely registered the short woman's reitsu as her fist crashed into his left cheek. Ichigo found himself face down in the sodden ground and rolled to his back to face his assailant. His eyes grew wide when he saw Rukia standing over him.

He grunted out as her foot slammed into his stomach and he fell back coughing.

"Why?"

Ichigo spat out as a trickle of blood slipped past his lips. He wrapped an arm around his abdomen and looked up into Rukia's angry face. He couldn't understand why she was attacking him. He studied the anger evident on her face and couldn't help but flash a grin.

"You know you are cute when you're angry midget."

He scowled when she made no move to say anything and frowned.

"Yo shorty!"

The only evidence she heard him was a slight rising of a dark eyebrow. Ichigo slumped and snorted angrily at the lack of reaction.

"What the hell Rukia!" "I haven't…

His protest was cut off as a pair of soft lips pressed against his, silencing any further attempt to speak.

Rukia slid her hands through soaked orange spikes and dug her nails into the young man's scalp. She angled his head up and pushed her tongue past protesting lips and moaned as his familiar taste tingled against her taste buds. She slid her hands slowly down Ichigo's smooth neck and tore open his shinigami robes.

She was hurt by his distant attitude, angry by his weak human emotions and turned on by his drenched angry appearance. The past months had been hell on her body and on her soul. Injury after injury, battle after battle and all she wanted from the man beneath her was some sort of comfort and the idiot walked away. He had once again chosen to go his own way alone and Rukia had had enough.

Rukia pushed the robes down around the slim waist and raked her nails down virgin skin. She ground against the younger man and panted as his teeth nipped at her neck. She was tired of holding back and waiting. She was tired of sneaking kisses and exchanging touches; she needed more and she was getting it right now and to hell with the consequences.

Ichigo's mind was reeling as the small woman clawed at him. He pinned her hands to his side and bit down on her silky neck, grinning wickedly as she cried out and arched back. He attacked the exposed column of flesh and sucked hard at the spot where neck met shoulder; the pressure applied ensured there would be a mark. He slid his lips lower, snaking his tongue into her robes, tasting the salt and rain on her skin. Ichigo groaned and shifted his position beneath the woman. Despite the wet robes and the cool night air he was rock hard already and he greedily took everything the dark haired shinigami gave him.

Rukia registered the tented bulge beneath her and smirked as she freed her lips from his. She pressed her chest against the bared one of her amused partner and looked down at his flushed face. She slid her hands slowly over the sculpted and scarred flesh and watched his reaction. She licked her lips slowly as his muscles jumped reflexively under her touch and slid one hand slowly up into the bright hair.

Ichigo lost himself in her deep eyes as she rubbed her hands over his body. He leaned back to allow her better access and slowly slid a hand up her flexed thigh. The rain continued to fall around them but the look in her eyes transported him to another place and time. He heart felt as though it would escape the confines of his chest but he felt oddly at peace as he allowed the beautiful shinigami to touch him as she willed. He felt his lips curve into a smirk as he slipped his fingertips under the dark robes; the silkiness of the skin they met created a different ache within him. He groaned out softly as he felt hands toying with the ties of his pants.

"Rukia"

She looked up into his hot gaze as she slipped her hand into his loosened pants and watched as brown eyes grew wide and snapped shut, pleasure etching across sculpted features. The lighting made her feel dangerous and the power she wielded over Ichigo washed over her in ways the rain never would. Rukia slid her fingertips along the stiffened length and grinned cruelly as she wrapped her hand around it, squeezing slightly, testing, and watching to see what sort of reaction her efforts would reveal. She was not disappointed. She watched a portion of his bottom lip disappear between his clenched teeth and the silence of the night was broken by his loud moan.

Ichigo let his head fall back as she stroked him. He could feel his cheeks growing hot and he suddenly felt confined within the dark robes. He lifted his hips, urging the movement to continue and growled when the teasing hand disappeared. He opened his eyes and looked ahead and then down to see dark locks trailing down his stomach as Rukia placed soft kisses against the scars on his body. He was mesmerized by the sight and licked his lips slowly. The look the older woman threw him caused his breath to catch. Her eyes flashed devilishly and Ichigo felt his jaw drop as he witnessed a flash of pearly white teeth clamping down gently on his arousal through his robes.

Rukia grinned wickedly and scraped her teeth over the tip, letting go and laughing at the sigh of relief that burst from the orange haired shinigami. She playfully slammed her fist into his shoulder and cried out in surprise as her body was flipped over and pushed into sodden grass.

"Ichigo!"

Rukia looked up, laughing as the water from his orange spikes dripped onto her face and she pulled the intense expression towards her and kissed the familiar scowling face.

"I l…"

Rukia let the rest of her sentence trail off as she realized what she had almost said. She looked up into the softened gaze that stared back at her and bit her lip as she turned away. She felt her hand lifted up and looked again at Ichigo as he brushed his lips back and forth across the back of her hand, kissing it gently as he watched her.

Ichigo could have completed the sentence for the sexy woman beneath him, but he was too afraid to let his own confession slip. Instead he focused on letting her know he knew without actually saying a word. He kissed the smooth skin of her hand and leaned lower to capture her lips again. He nibbled slowly as he pushed apart her robes, baring her torso. His hand brushed against bare skin and he smirked slightly against swollen lips. He had wondered if her undergarments transferred when she was in spirit form, apparently they did not.

Ichigo took advantage and covered the silken mound with his rough palm, squeezing it roughly as her nipple slid through his outstretched fingers. He felt the hot moan against his neck as he trailed his lips over her earlobe, sucking on it slightly as he rolled the hardened bud between thumb and fore. He slid the tip of his tongue over the delicate shell of skin as he moved her lithely muscled legs apart.

Rukia arched back as the teen played with her ears and shivered as his touch grew more intimate. She fisted her hand in the sodden hair and arched again as wandering lips closed over her nipple. He was showing no hesitancy in actions that were growing bolder by the minute. She bit back a moan as his teeth raked over the sensitive bud and closed her eyes to heighten the feeling. He was still going too slowly, but she would enjoy it for now. She was still trying to wrap her mind around how she had almost blurted out her feelings and decided that being in human form was bad for a shinigami's health. She gasped and tore open her eyes to see Ichigo's clever tongue dipping into her naval.

She trembled as she remembered the last time he had been in a similar position and she almost laughed when she thought she heard him whisper an apology for earlier. Right now she didn't care less if he was the sorriest bastard in either world. She moaned again as his tongue swirled lower and she panted roughly.

"Don't stop."

Ichigo yanked the shinigami robes to the side and then down around slender hips. He looked up to watch the young woman's face as he exposed her. His traitorous vision caught sight of something else and he sat up. He looked again to the spot where he had seen the flash of blood red and his eyes darted around, stopping to rest on a low branch. There sat Renji, anger etched on his tattooed face.

"Ichigo?" "What is it?"

Rukia saw the look on the stern face and glanced in the direction of his gaze. She squeaked and pulled her robes over her exposed skin when she realized Renji was watching them. Anger replaced indignation and she rolled to her knees as a wave of hot fury washed over her.

"RENJI!"

She watched as the lieutenant flashed to the ground and then to her side, his gaze menacing with a forgotten hurt as he bowed low. "You called Kuchiki."

Rukia scowled as she struggled to right her loosened robes and slammed her fist into the redheads face. She watched as blood trickled from the broken nose and unleashed a flurry of blows upon her peeping tom. She was surprised when he didn't resist her treatment and as a left hook sent him crashing to the ground Rukia realized he didn't care. She saw the imagined betrayal on his handsome face and her heart felt numb. She had thought his feelings long gone after they had decided to be just friends; she had been mistaken. Rukia could see the anguish in his eyes and she started to go after him as he sulked away but stopped as a warm hand rested on her shoulders.

Ichigo felt a pang of jealousy and anger at the interruption but the look on Renji's face had solidified his confidence that Rukia no longer cared for him in that way. Had there still been something there he would not have looked so wounded. He sighed as he straightened his torn robes and looked over the graveyard. He regretted the interruption but in a way he was grateful. As close as he had been to his mother, losing his virginity in front of her grave was not something he wanted to do. He still felt her spirit sometimes and the thought of her seeing him with a girl like that was… disturbing to say the least. Of course had it of been his father, Ichigo was sure the rotten pervert would have been cheering him on and throwing hints and directions from the sidelines.

He squeezed the warm skin beneath his hand.

"Let him go Rukia… this is a talk that needs to happen later; now is not the time to chase after him. Talk to him later, give him time to think."

Rukia sighed. Sometimes, despite his youth, Ichigo did make sense. She secured her zanpakto and brushed an errant hand through her damp locks. The rain was over and had been for some time, but Renji's appearance had succeeded where the rain had failed and her heart felt heavy by her dampened spirits. He had held onto a childhood fantasy for far too long and she supposed this was the best way of forcing him to give her up. She was pretty certain it had been crystal clear what her and Ichigo had been about to do from his perch in the park. Rukia frowned. It seemed as if fate was laughing at her once more; once more despite both being willing party to it… they had been interrupted again.

Ichigo picked up the sword that had fallen off and slipped it over his shoulder as the moon began to peek out from beneath the clouds. He slid am arm around Rukia and nudged her to follow him. He looked down and gave into a moment of tenderness as he kissed the top of her dark head. He felt her eyes on him as he looked ahead.

"Let's go home."


	18. Still Friends

Ichigo quietly slipped out of his bedroom window. He looked at his bed and the small shinigami inside it. They had walked home in silence, hand in hand. He knew he was acting out of character but, this would be the last night he would see the beautiful soul reaper and he wanted it to be a memory they both could look on fondly in the days ahead. The request to stay with him had surprised her but she had acquiesced, in a way, sensing the change in him. She had fallen asleep hours ago but he had been unable to let her go. Ichigo had refused to sleep; instead he had concentrated on memorizing the innocent sleeping face beneath the fan of dark hair. He scowled at the sentimental thought and took one last long look before jumping to the dewy ground below. He was unsure of where to start; the vizard had not given him the location of their whereabouts during their last meeting and he had never been good at detecting small amounts of reitsu.

He hesitated briefly, a part of him aching to return but he knew what he needed to do and he turned to walk away. Ichigo walked with no destination in mind, his mind consumed by other things. He stopped before a large crater in the earth and his mind flashed back to his first experience with the arrancar. He sniffed. The area smelt of death and in his mind's eye he could still see Orihime laying on the ground; body bloody and beaten because he had been too weak to protect her. A part of him realized that the young girl had feelings for him, but he refused to acknowledge them. Doing so would only distract him further and he was having enough trouble with emotions he felt for Rukia.

In his mind he could still see the insane grin of Grimmjow and he scowled deeper. He would defeat the bastard, even if it meant sacrificing his life; he would not lose a second time. It was then he felt a strong pulse of reitsu calling him. Ichigo raised his head and looked around. This was the reitsu he had been searching for! He took off in a run. _Finally._

* * *

Rukia stirred and groaned sleepily. She felt something soft against her chest and she wrapped her arms around it securely. A faint sigh of pleasure rumbled from the soft object and Rukia threw the thing back in horror when she realized what it was.

"Nooo Ni-san, I thought we were in love!"

Rukia grabbed the perverted stuffed animal and nailed him to the floor with her foot.

"Go to hell you freaking pervert."

She yawned and rubbed the stubborn sleep out of her eyes. Rukia looked around, surprised momentarily at her surroundings and then she remembered what had happened the night before and smiled. She was faintly irritated at waking up alone but she imagined Ichigo was taking a shower or getting something to eat or some equally habitual human trait. She smiled softly as she smelled the oversized shirt that covered her body. Despite being worn by her last night it still carried his clean scent and Rukia found herself liking it more and more with each inhalation. She blushed when she realized she was wearing an old pair of his boxer shorts. He had insisted on her wearing his old clothes, refusing to allow her to sneak into his sister's room to retrieve her own sleeping attire for fear that she would wake his sisters.

She smiled sleepily. Last night had been nice. She had wanted to continue where they had left off but had been talked out of it by the disturbing images Ichigo described; most of which involved his father bursting into the room. So she had dropped the subject. Rukia allowed her lips to curve in a soft smile when she thought of the colorful shinigami; he really could be sweet when he wanted to, even if it was tainted by gruffness.

"You're thinking about Ichigo again."

Rukia jumped and looked down at the accusing stare of the worn plush doll and sighed. She looked at the clock and eeped before kicked Kon across the room again as she darted into the closet.

"Don't even think about it Kon."

Rukia shut the door and changed out of her attire and into her school clothes; chucking wryly when she heard the door to the room open. Finally the idiot shows up. She frowned slightly as she opened the closet door again and saw no sign of the moody teen. Where the hell **was** Ichigo? She opened the door slightly to make sure nobody was in the hallway and started down the stairs towards the door when she felt strong hands on her shoulders. She allowed herself to be tugged around, expecting to see the scowling face of Ichigo and was surprised to see and unshaven Isshin.

"Rukia, where is Ichigo? Have you seen Ichigo?"

She steadied herself against the shaking and pulled away.

"No… I haven't. Why? Didn't he come down this morning?"

The looks on the Kurosaki family's faces told her otherwise and Rukia sighed.

"Ok. I will find him."

Silently she finished her statement. _And when I do I will beat the living shit out of him._She waved good-bye and raced out of the door.

_Ichigo, where on earth did you sulk off to __now?_

Ichigo glared up at the mocking stares of the other vizard. The blond boy's smugness was wearing thin.

"I am not here to join you. I don't want to join you. I am going to use you and hopefully when I am through I will have a better understanding of how to control this guy inside me."

He smirked at the outraged looks they shot him and was not surprised when they assured him that in the end he would be one of them. Ichigo pulled out his soul reaper badge and knocked his soul free. If they wanted to play hardball then hardball it was… either way he was going to learn their ways, even if he had to beat it out of them.

He had barely crossed swords with the annoying blond when out of nowhere a young girl appeared knocking the blond to the side. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as she then turned and challenged him. He viewed the child with disdain and maintained his refusal at joining their team. He watched the girl carefully as she muttered under her breath and turned away. He snorted. Stupid child did she really think she was tough enough to go against him. His arrogance died as she turned back around, a hollow mask adorning her head.

His eyes went wide as her fist slammed into his gut and he coughed blood as he looked down into dead eyes.

"Figure it out Ichigo and show us your hollow or you are seriously going to die."

The voice beneath the mast was cold with malice and Ichigo listened as it taunted him to power up and use his bankai. He shook the blood out of his eyes and glared at the girl. Using his bankai was the last thing he wanted to do. Instead he waited and watched, blocking attack after attack. His strength faltered and he felt a pulse of evil as the blackness coated over his eye. _No… dammit not again._

Ichigo heard the hiss of annoyance from his hollow as he struggled to push the entity back into silence.

"Stop fighting me Ichigo. It's my turn now."

He screamed as liquid bone burst forth and covered half his face. The pain was excruciating and he felt himself sink into darkness as his hollow took control.

The vizard watched in growing anticipation at the transformation of Ichigo. In a flash his hand was wrapped around the young girl's throat, choking the life from her.

Ichigo felt strong hands holding his body down and he could hear the hollow growling in anger and then… it was over. He felt a release as the mask shattered and the hollow was plunged back inside. Ichigo struggled to remain conscious as he looked up into the smug face of the blond boy, but his strength was gone and he fell to the floor as his body gave into a deep sleep.

* * *

Rukia had searched all over the town. She had walked into the city. To the school. The park. Uraharas. The graveyard. Everywhere she could think of and still no sign of her orange haired counterpart. Not even a trace of reitsu could be found. She had even gone so far as to contact the soul society, only to be told that they could not detect his reitsu and were unable to locate him.

Heart heavy she made her way back to the clinic and opened the door to the anxious expressions from the remaining Kurosaki family. Rukia bit her lip and shook her head in defeat when asked if she had found him.

She sighed and made her way up the stairs, walking past Yuzu and Karin's room. She sat on Ichigo's now cold bed and laid back. Where could he have gone to? She crossed her arms over her stomach and stared at the ceiling, grateful that Kon had not yet appeared. She was certain that he had disappeared so that he could deal with his hollow, but it seemed as though he had dropped off the face of the earth and that sort of thing only happened when one was inside an underground training room. Rukia felt her brow furrow as she rolled over to her side and hugged her body. The house felt strangely empty without Ichigo's loud bitching and yelling. Rukia closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. A horrifying thought crossed her mind. Renji's reitsu was missing as well. What if… She shook her head slightly. No. If those two had decided to fight they would not have been level headed enough to use an underground facility; they would have met and had it out right then and there.

Renji. Rukia could still see the hurt on his face from last night. She had heard rumors while in the soul society of why he worked so hard, but she had still been getting over Kaien-dono and had paid no attention. She should have; she realized that now. So many years had passed since they had been together and her love for the man had turned into the love one had for a brother; they would never be together the way he wanted. Rukia just wished he had realized it before now. Of course things might have been different if she had not met Ichigo. His physical resemblance to Kaien had been the first thing that had drawn her attention, but it was his sense of honor and stubborn pride to protect those he loved, without regard to his own life, that had captured her heart. He was perfect in her eyes except for one little thing. He was human. Rukia wasn't foolish enough to discount him for that alone; there was also a huge age difference between the two of them.

She rolled to her stomach and sighed. She hated being in a gigai. When she was in spirit form she never thought about things like this… these weak emotions never got in her way. She still was unsure what to do about Renji. Ichigo had said to wait, but she had never been patient. She looked out into the fading daylight and hoped things would not be awkward when she and Renji saw each other again.

* * *

He awoke with a start and immediately his hand flew to his abdomen where the sword from his dreams had remained. It all seemed too real to be a dream. The aches of his body told him he was not mistaken and slowly a foggy memory of the past events played in his mind.

He had done it. He had faced his hollow and won, but at what cost. Even now the encounter shook him and humbled him to know that he harbored such evil. The hatred in his hollow's eyes, in his voice. A king. That was how the hollow saw him. A king and his horse. The analogy was not far off; after all didn't a king call upon the power of his steed when his own failed him. The thought shamed Ichigo and for once he sympathized with the being within. In the times the hollow had overthrown him, he too had known what it was like to be shut away from the light. Ichigo sighed and turned over. There was little hope of him going back to sleep now; his mind was still too wrapped up in a waking dream. He remembered emerging from the beast that had formed from his body, victorious at last. The sight of the reptilian remains had intrigued him momentarily before he had ripped off his mask and fell to the earth.

Ichigo thought back to that moment again. Interesting the shape his hollow had taken. He struggled again to find a comfortable position and finding none had got to his feet and stared out at the stars. Two days had passed since he had left Rukia and he wondered if she felt the same emptiness he was feeling now.

* * *

Rukia stood atop the clinic and looked out at the starlit sky wondering for perhaps the hundredth time where the orange haired brat was. She still had not felt his reitsu and it had been two days since she had last seen him. Truth be told she was starting to worry against her will. She sat down and hugged her knees to her chest and sighed. Wherever he was she hoped he was getting the assistance he required to continue fighting.

The wind that tugged at her locks mimicked the way his breath had tickled her neck the night before as she lay in his bed. Rukia smiled ruefully. One night and already she missed the strong warm body; one night and she already missed his scowl and his hair and his stupid bitching. She sighed, frustrated by the feelings she could not control.

"You're thinking about him yeah."

Rukia jumped slightly at the interruption and looked at the face of her childhood friend. She smiled teasingly at the familiar face.

"Which him are you referring to Renji, you know I have so many young men to think about."

Face devoid of his usual smile or scowl, Renji sat down next to the smaller shinigami and shrugged.

"You just told me which him Kuchiki… nice clothes by the way."

He noticed the scowl on her face at his bland attempt at humor and sighed.

"I want to talk about the other night."

Rukia looked at the red head in surprise. She had not anticipated him being the one to broach the subject. She nervously cleared her throat and asked him to go on.

Renji looked down, his thoughts consumed by the sight he had seen. He had merely been following Rukia's reitsu to make sure she was alright. He had never expected to see her and Ichigo like that. He had suspected her feelings for the younger man, but he hadn't thought Ichigo cared much for girls, even if the girl in question was Rukia. He had crept through the trees, so as not to risk a beating by the hot tempered girl and his deception proved to be his down fall. Right there for the entire world to see, Rukia arched back, her upper half naked in the moonlight as Ichigo made his way south. The sight had ripped his heart in two. Renji had held out a small hope that all his effort had not been in vain and that there was the slightest chance that Rukia still harbored feelings for him now that he was in a position of act on them. He had waited. He had wanted to wait until he was in an honorable enough position to openly court the younger sister of Byakuya. Apparently he had waited too long… his vice captainship had come too late. He felt a small hand on his arm and turned to look at the beautiful woman.

"Renji?"

He cleared his throat again, trying to decide which route to take. Should he confront her with her actions? Should he confess his feelings for her? Should he reiterate all the reasons why she and Ichigo shouldn't be together? His heart fought his mind for the right thing to do. He decided he loved her too much to hurt her and took a deep breath before speaking his mind.

"Rukia. We have known each other a long time. We grew up together. We fought together. If he makes you happy… then that's ok with me."

The last words killed a part of him to say, but he knew it was what she needed to hear. It wasn't a complete lie. He did want her to be happy, but the selfish side of him wanted her to be happy with him and not some orange haired brat who resembled the face of the man she remained hung up on.

Rukia stared in shock at the tattooed face that looked back at her. Of all the things he could have said, this was not one she expected. She cupped the strong face and studied his deep eyes and her heart ached at what she saw in their depths. She knew he had spoken the truth, but she also knew what it had cost him and she wrapped her arms around strong shoulders.

"Hey… Rukia…"

Rukia punched the muscled back.

"Shut-up Renji."

She felt his glare.

"I don't need your pity."

Rukia smiled as she pulled back from the tall man and cuffed him upside the head.

"Of course not idiot and I am not giving you any."

She bit her lip slightly and stood up, refusing to look at her closest friend.

"Thank you Renji… for understanding."

She turned to look at the man and a small smile touched her lips as he raised a hand, waving her off.

"Eh… go to bed brat. It's nothing to get all emotional about."

Rukia felt lighter somehow as she eased herself off the rooftop and back into Ichigo's bedroom window.

"Good night Renji," she whispered before closing the window against the cool night air. She settled into his now familiar bed and smiled slightly before falling into the first decent night's sleep she'd had in a long time.

"And goodnight to you Ichigo."

_Author's Note: Thank you all for the awesome reviews and I apologize for the lateness of the chapter (I usually have one out by now) blame it on the time consuming thing called a job. sigh if only I could get paid to write or watch anime… one can dream. _


	19. As War Approaches

Ichigo laughed in excitement. He could feel his strength increasing every minute he trained. The young girl was proving to be a worthy adversary and he still struggled to best the brat. He called forth his hollow again and again, his resistance growing slowly. He could only last for 4 seconds now and the slow progress was grating at his nerves. He wanted more power now! Not for himself but for his family, friends and for Rukia. He had seen firsthand the awesome power Aizen controlled, even if it was all an illusion. Ichigo was not foolish enough to think that he would be able to stand a chance against the traitorous ex-captain in his current state. He had to get stronger.

He was distracted momentarily by the commotion on the sidelines and he looked up to see what all the fuss was about only to be thrown to the side by a roundhouse kick from his young sparring partner. He growled and moved to pay the little bitch back when a familiar voice called out his name.

Ichigo looked up and saw his classmate.

"Inoue."

Her presence surprised him and he slung his huge sword over his shoulder as he walked over to greet her. The news that his absence was worrying everyone didn't surprise him; the news about the true goal of Aizen barely fazed him. In truth his mind was too absorbed with his training to take much of it in, but a part of him was touched by the fact that Inoue had taken the time to search him out. Ichigo was surprised she had been able to find him, with his reitsu hidden so well.

Ichigo smiled at the young girl when he saw her face furrowed in worry.

"Don't worry Inoue. I will defeat Aizen. I have to. I want to and this time I won't fail."

He smirked at the visible relief his words gave the redhead and stood from his seated position.

"Thank you for telling me all this Inoue. I would stay and talk but I have to train."

He walked away without a second glance and called out to the bitchy blond who had been in the process of kicking his ass.

"Hey Hiyori! Hurry up. We're restarting my training."

Inoue watched the tall shinigami walk away from her and her heart fluttered at the cocky grin that rested on his handsome face. This was the Ichigo she knew so well. This was the Ichigo that she had missed. This was Rukia's Ichigo.

The last thought caused the small smile on her face to falter slightly as she took her leave. As in love with Ichigo as she was, she knew he barely acknowledged her existence. After all… it had been Rukia who had put the smile back on his face, not her. It has been Rukia who Ichigo spent all his free time with, not her. She hoped that Matsumoto was right about everything, but it still didn't kill the blossoming jealousy that rose in her heart. She wished again that she wasn't so tall, that her hair wasn't so red, her boobs weren't so big… perhaps if she looked more like a certain shinigami then Ichigo would finally see her for her and not as some classmate or ally in battle.

The irony of her thoughts escaped her as she exited the barricaded warehouse, startled to see the familiar face of Yoruichi.

"So you are here then. Come. Kisuke asked me to find you and bring you back to the training facility."

Inoue bowed slightly and fell into step behind the dark woman. She wondered what Urahara could possibly want with her. Of all her comrades he had taken the least bit of interest in her and for him to do so now was very strange in deed.

She felt her lips settle into a soft smile. Kurosaki-kun was himself again. The thought filled her with such warmth that she started humming softly, oblivious to the odd look the older woman threw her. She was happy to see the man she had fallen in love with, his brow set in the familiar scowl he seemed so odd without. Her smile lost some of its luster when she thought of him and Rukia. Inoue really admired the dark haired woman but in her heart she still felt a twinge of jealousy when she thought of the two of them together.

She blinked as she found herself in Urahara's training room. This was where Ichigo has regained his powers. She stared as the strangely dressed shopkeeper fussed over her and stood in silence as she witnessed her classmate's struggle against the tattooed shinigami. She could sense in him the will to grow stronger and she felt a similar feeling well up in her. She wanted to train as Chad trained. She wanted to grow in strength and be someone that Ichigo could rely on… someone like Rukia.

She listened to Urahara as he explained the war that would be upon them and nodded in agreement. She knew the danger she would be putting herself in and the shopkeepers next words struck a chord deep inside her. He was going to remove her from the war front. Inoue bit her lip and felt the hint of tears well behind her eyes.

She didn't want to be useless. She didn't want to **be** the helpless female who stood by and watched everyone she cared about risk their lives. She needed to fight, needed to prove herself worthy of the friendships she had made, the experiences she had lived through and most of all; she needed to prove herself worthy to Kurosaki. Inoue knew he looked through her when he saw her that he discounted her fighting skills along with everyone else… and this was the one chance she had to change his mind.

She wanted to stubbornly stand her ground, wanted to argue but she knew it was useless. Kisuke was right. She had lost her ability to attack in the last battle and even though she had great skills as a healer, she would only be a burden if she could not join in the fight as well. She looked up as Chad argued and fought for her right to participate and she felt grateful for his support. He had always been a good friend and he continued to be one as more and more often he and she were left behind in Ichigo's wake.

Inoue felt the tears starting to fall and excused herself. She didn't want them to see her cry.

* * *

Rukia walked in silence through the shadows. She liked the stillness of the night. It was beautiful. She leaned against one of the walls that lined the empty streets and breathed in the cool air. This world was so different from her own. The ways, the customs, the technologies; it was all so very different. She was grateful to have befriended Ichigo when she did. She shuddered to think how different her life would be without him in it. She wouldn't have even been able to open a juice box. Rukia smiled at the memory. How clueless she had been when she had first arrived. He had shown her the ropes and he had filled the void in her life that Kaien-dono had left. She smirked. He had infuriated her with his cocky smart assed mouth, his lack of proper respect for her station and somehow he had wormed his way into her heart to the point that every day she lived in this world without him felt like an eternity.

She grit her teeth in frustration. Where was he?

A flash of movement caught her eye and Rukia's hand flashed to her side for the ever present soul candy dispenser. A second later she knew she didn't need the gikon. The movement had been made by a familiar face and Rukia stepped from the shadows to confront the young girl.

"Orihime!"

Inoue looked up in surprise, still lost in her thoughts of Ichigo; she barely saw the small figure rushing out at her from the shadows. She blinked and stammered her classmates name as she felt warm hands on her upper arms.

Rukia grabbed the young woman before she fell and linked arms with her to walk her over to the sidewalk. She listened as the redhead detailed the news that Urahara had dealt her. Rukia listened silently, her anger growing with every word Inoue said. How could Urahara had done something so cruel? Why shouldn't Inoue be allowed to fight if she wanted to? This was her world, her town, her friends; she should be allowed to protect what she held dear. She had a higher claim to that right than a soul reaper. Aizen planned to destroy everything she knew… she shouldn't have to stand by and watch.

Inoue's attitude about the entire matter was pissing her off. It was obvious the girl cared so why would she not stand up for what she wanted. Rukia leapt from her seated position and grabbed the woman's blouse in her fist, glaring down into startled eyes.

"It's not OKAY Inoue!"

She protested loudly. Asking why Inoue would throw everything away with no regrets. This human was so sweet and gentle… why wouldn't she just give into the anger Rukia was sure she felt.

"Wouldn't you regret throwing it all away? Well wouldn't you! Don't LIE to me!"

Inoue felt her body being shaken with every word the brunette screamed at her. She wouldn't regret not fighting. That wasn't it. Over the past few months she had grown closer to her classmates and the thought of being left out made her feel lonely… but at the same time, the last thing she wanted to be was in the way. She explained her feelings to Rukia softly and watched as the anger left the violet eyes.

Something in the woman's words touched Rukia. She could empathize completely. She had felt pretty much the same way when her powers had been drained by Ichigo. Having fought her own battles for so long, sitting on the sidelines had been reprehensible to her. She had felt lonely and useless.

Rukia placed a hand on the small shoulder of Orihime and sighed softly.

"You were never a burden Inoue. None of you were a burden to the other; not during all the battles you fought in the soul society."

She smiled softly and cupped the younger woman's cheek, watching as her eyes widened and shone with unshed tears.

"If there were any of you missing I would not be where I am today."

Inoue slumped slightly. Rukia's words washed over her, healing the wound Urahara had dealt her. She smiled up at her friend gratefully when she offered to help her find her place. She felt guilty for her earlier thoughts. No wonder Ichigo held this girl in such high regard. Kuchiki-san was such a good friend.

Rukia smiled at the girl, a sudden movement made her fly back as a young girl crashed in between her and the redhead. She had no idea who their intruder was, but Inoue seemed to know her. From what she could understand, someone named Hachi wanted an audience with Inoue and Rukia stared in shock as the girl grabbed Orihime and took off into the night. Seeing no other alternative, Rukia gave chase and followed the strange reitsu.

Orihime once again found herself in the strange underground facility. And once again she found herself amazed by Ichigo's strength, stamina and progress. His power seemed to grow by the minute and she felt the warm pulse of his reitsu washing over her as she sat in front of the gentle healer in front of her.

She listened, amazed to find that someone other than herself was able to make and generate barriers. His words of wisdom warmed her and she watched in amazement as he restored Tsubaki-kun. She hugged the tiny man, ignoring his loud protests and smiled in gratitude at the older gentleman. She would be able to fight now alongside her friends. Inoue smiled brightly. She would no longer be a burden.

"Do you still wish to fight Orihime?"

She looked up and nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes. I wish to fight alongside my friends."

Inoue knew the man's advice held great wisdom and he was no mistaken about her. She abhorred violence, but Rukia had been right. This place was her home. Everyone she loved and cared about resided her and she could not sit by, not when she had the ability to fight and protect, and let her loved ones be killed. She thought about all the times Tatsuki had protected her when the cruel kids had teased her about her hair. She had made sure Chizuru never got too touchy feely. And when Inoue's brother, Sora, had died… Tatsuki had been there to comfort her. Orihime would not sit by and let her friend's life be threatened by the arrancar and Aizen.

She watched Ichigo fight the small girl. His mask scared her somewhat, but she sensed that it was the mask that gave him his boost in strength and ability. So this was the hollow Rukia had mentioned. She could see why Ichigo had been so worried. The raw power of this "hollow" was enough to send chills up Inoue's spine and it was discerning to watch the object of her affections be possessed again and again.

Inoue stood to leave. She bade the huge man farewell and thanked him again for restoring her abilities. She took one last long look at Ichigo before taking her leave.

Rukia walked around aimlessly. She felt a strange pulse of energy around empty lot that Orihime had walked into. She had tried to follow only to find herself flung back by an invisible barrier. She had felt a familiar pulse and her heart had skipped a beat when she realized that the reitsu she had felt could only have belonged to Ichigo. The knowledge soothed the part of her that had been worried about the rash young man. Her attention was drawn by the reappearance of Orihime.

Rukia was amused by the flustered girl's attempts to explain and held up a hand to stop her.

"It doesn't matter. I am sure Ichigo has a lot on his mind right now. As long as I know he is safe, I am content."

She smiled at the redhead and held out her hand.

"Let's go Inoue."

Ichigo panted harshly as he struggled to catch his breath. He had seen Orihime's reappearance but he had been too caught up in his training to give her the time of day. His guilty mind flashed a picture of Rukia and Ichigo frowned. He should have thought to tell Orihime to let Rukia know he was ok. He grinned and chuckled to himself when he pictured the hot tempered reception he was sure to receive once he reappeared in the "real" world.

He ignored the commotion around him. The vizard group was an interesting lot, but they were too loud for his liking. He scowled as he continued washing the dishes. As expected, the new guy was getting stuck with the bitch work. He hated being the "new guy". It never changed no matter what you did. Whether it be a new job, a new school or just a new group of friends. The new guy always got stuck with the shit jobs.

He glared at the perverted girl in uniform and tried unsuccessfully to ignore her constant bitching and porno magazines. She had tried to lend him one earlier and even though he had been tempted to "research" he had declined. He didn't need the distraction. The last thing he needed right now was to be reminded of the beautiful woman he had left in his bed. All warm and soft and sweet… the unbidden thoughts caused a low ache to form in his stomach and he turned around to complete his task. God he missed her. He even missed her whiny hollow obsessed voice and violent rebuttals. Ichigo smiled slightly at the thought and then frowned again. He was progressing too slowly; he could only hold his hollow form for 10 seconds… nowhere near enough time to complete a full attack.

Ichigo wondered if his fear of losing control was what slowed him down. When he was in hollow form it was a constant struggle for control and even though his inner evil had submitted to his will… Ichigo could feel the tight tension between the two of them when he called forth the hollow's power. Because of this he was still hesitant about using this newfound power.

It didn't matter. He had to keep getting stronger. He had to protect Rukia, Orihime and his family. Ichigo slowly dried the last dish and grinned wickedly as he threw the cheap china at his sparring partner, a loud chuckle bubbling up from his stomach when the dish made contact. The loud cursing was amusing and he called out to the girl.

"Oi. Come on. Break time is over."

Still laughing, Ichigo blocked her angry attack and switched to hollow mode. His power was stronger than before, but even he knew… he still had a long ways to go.

_Meanwhile in the Soul Society_

Rukia smiled as she blocked the quick attack and threw back a kidou of her own. There were advantages to training with Orihime. If one of them was badly injured, Orihime's abilities were such that they could heal at a faster rate. She resisted the urge to look up at her captain. She could feel his reitsu and his eyes on her. She wondered if he approved of her training with a human. Rukia was doing this for Orihime though, and her captain was the kind of man who would understand that.

She dodged another blinding attack and watched as Orihime wiped a thin trickle of sweat from her face. Rukia had wanted to dislike the girl when she had first met her, but after a time the woman's sweet nature had won her over. She had never been able to make friends with girls before now. In the soul society she had been ostracized because of her family name and her familiarity with men made her a poor companion when it came to talking of "girly" things. She had had no common interests with girls her age, preferring training to talking.

Something about this young woman had made it easy. No. That wasn't right. Ichigo had made it easy. He had destroyed her disdain for humanity with his blunt bravery and by doing so he had allowed her to soften her approach and make friends with people like Orihime. The fact that Orihime was mature enough to not let their feelings for the same man come between them was admirable to Rukia and as she increased her attack she found herself enjoying the young woman's company more and more.

Rukia barely dodge the next attack and smirked. Inoue was learning. They still had 2 more months till the war. If she kept her pace, she would prove an even greater asset than anyone dreamed.

Ichigo growled slightly and then he felt his body grow slack as an evil reitsu permeated the training grounds. He knew this reitsu well. Grimmjow had returned.

He felt his body suddenly pinned to the floor and he struggled to free himself of the other Vizard. He refused to listen to their reasoning to let the other soul reapers handle the arrancar. He needed this fight. He wanted this fight. He dreamed of taking his revenge on the bastard that had hurt Rukia and now was his chance. Ichigo ground his teeth and yelled at the Vizard.

"Dammit. It is times like this that I have been training for too. If I don't go now then WHAT'S THE POINT!"

He felt the arms holding him disappear and he stood to his feet, finally freed to pursue the evil bastard who had dared lay a hand on his Rukia. Ichigo ignored the flush that stained his cheeks at his reference to Rukia and flashed up the long stairway. He closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh air of earth deeply; opening them he saw his first glimpse of real daylight in a month. He was not disappointed. There in the sky, waiting for him was Grimmjow.

"I've been waiting for you shinigami."

The man's voice still held its familiar chill and Ichigo smirked back at his enemy.

"That's my line… no matter."

Ichigo drew forth the dark power within and slowly slid his hand through orange spikes.

"Let me show you Grimmjow… how much I have changed."

He slid the hollows mask down and rushed towards the arrancar. Finally. He could taste his revenge already.


	20. Dealing with the loss of Inoue

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, well just the stuff Clorox puts out.

He lay there blood pouring, muscles aching, sweat running down into his eyes and yet as real as these aches and pains were; he could feel nothing. He lay there, trapped in a never ending nightmare of failure, his pride and ego shattered. Even with all his training, he had not been able to defeat Grimmjow. Rukia had saved him. The vizard had saved him. Even an arrancar had stepped in and saved him. All his previous pain, all his hard work… it had been for nothing.

"Nothing DAMMIT!"

He slammed his injured fist against the firm mattress beneath him and winced in pain. He felt soft hands on his arm and he flung them away. He couldn't stand the thought of being touched or comforted. He deserved none of that. He had earned this pain, he had a right to this pain and he wanted nobody to take it from him.

Rukia watched, heartbroken by what she saw. Despite Hitachi's best attempts, Ichigo's body was still beyond repair. All attempts to contact Inoue had failed and Rukia was beginning to fear for the fate of the young woman. She sighed as she sat in the corner and drew her knees closer to her body. She bit her lip when she saw the dark blood seeping through white bandages that covered the angry force held captive in his room. The waves of anger that pulsated from the young man were frightening and she stood to lock the door. No matter how much he might abhor her touch, he still needed to be healed and watched over; and letting his freshly spilt blood dry into his wounds was not a part of the program. She sighed and quietly locked the door; better to not let his sister's see the extent of their brother's damaged body. Rukia walked to the bed and gently pulled back the blankets to reveal Ichigo's bare bandaged chest. She felt a hollow ache when she saw the various wounds that had been re-opened by his temper tantrum.

"Shhh. Be still Ichigo. I'm not going to hurt you; I just need to change your bandages,"

She watched as he struggled against her aid weakly. His actions and the fact that he refused to look at her were a slap to her face, but she persisted in his treatment. Rukia slowly slid her hands over his, unwrapping the sopping bandages from his wrists and hands, setting them into a pile on the floor. She continued to unwrap his damaged body, the pile of used bandages growing higher with each area uncovered. She swallowed hard at the bare skin she had revealed. His smooth chest has been cut open in several places and the blood continued to flow freely, despite the several stitches Isshin had used.

Rukia slowly and methodically dipped the white cloth in the still warm water, wringing it free of its excess and slowly she began to wash away the blood. She felt her heart pound strangely at the sounds humming in Ichigo's throat. His moans were soft, but unlike the times when they had been alone in the past; these moans were not made out of pleasure, but out of pain. Rukia frowned as she washed the rag out and started over again, the water in the bowl slowly turning crimson with the stain of blood.

Ichigo turned away from the woman above him. He couldn't bear to see the disappointment he was sure would be in Rukia's eyes. He had let them all down. Everyone was depending on him, depending on his growing strength and it wasn't enough… sometimes it seemed like it would never be enough. The time for war was drawing closer and closer and he could ill afford to be laid up in bed at a time like this. Despite his resolve not to look at the dark haired shinigami currently washing and dressing his wounds, Ichigo peeked up at the woman and was struck at the ethereal beauty that shone down on him. Forgetting that he didn't want to look into her eyes, Ichigo found his own wide open and his damaged hand rose of its own accord and rested on the smooth skin of his beloveds arm. He struggled to focus on the beautiful eyes that stared down at him but the medicine coursing through his veins was proving to be too much for the orange haired shinigami and he shut his eyes regrettably.

Rukia felt her lips twitch slightly at the stubbornness still evident in the young man and shook her head.

"Baka."

He was so damn hard headed. She sighed in relief at the soft rise and fall of his chest. Good. He was sleeping again. She gently wrapped new bandages over his body, blushing when she considered that this was the first time she had been able to look at him unobstructed. Usually when she got her hands on him her mind was so distracted by his hands on her she had never really appreciated all the hard lines and sculpted muscle that made up Ichigo's chest.

Rukia slid her hands gently over the soft skin of his upper chest and trailed her hand slowly down his abdomen. She bit her lip as her fingertips traced the hard planes of his torso. Even here he was a mass of contradiction; hard muscles covered by baby soft skin. She flushed hotly when her wrist was pinned down by long fingers.

"That's really not fair you know."

Ichigo smirked slightly as the raven haired shinigami and closed his eyes again as the warm heat from her hand seeped into his clammy skin. He managed to lift an eyebrow when the woman beside him pouted and asked him why it wasn't fair. He yawned his reply softly.

"Because it's not as if I get the chance to feel you up without interruption midget."

Rukia glared at the insolent teen and smiled. This was the Ichigo she knew so well. Of course that didn't mean that she was going to let him get by with calling her a midget either. She studied his sculpted body for a place that was devoid of injury and smiled deviously when she found a perfect place to begin.

She reached over him, flirtatiously sliding her hand over his pectorals and brushing her fingertips over the air hardened nipples. Rukia smirked as she squeezed her fingertips around the protruding pair and twisted slightly.

Ichigo cursed loudly and knocked the pale hands away.

"Dammit Rukia, that hurt!"

She small woman laughed and reluctantly let go. She smiled down at the man and teased him playfully.

"Aw. Poor Ichigo. Would you like me to kiss it all better?"

Ichigo scowled as his cheeks flushed and looked away for a moment, before grinning stupidly at Rukia.

"What would you think of me if I said go ahead?"

His slightly perverted inquiry earned him a cuff against the side of his head and he felt his body shifted over as Rukia lay beside him, her hand protectively covering his heart. Ichigo sighed and tried to move his arm around her, annoyed when the injured appendage refused to budge.

"Be still you idiot! If you haven't noticed bonehead you are injured. Besides… I'm not a little weakling and I don't need to be held."

Her words had come out harsher than she had intended, and of course she had been lying but Rukia took advantage of his incapacitation and she cuddled against the large warm body. She reached down and pulled the blankets up over him, grateful that she had had the forethought to lock the door. She felt warm lips brushing the top of her head and she looked up to see Ichigo looking down at her. The intensity of the teen's warm amber gaze worried her slightly and she sat up. In spite of his actions earlier, the look he gave her was one that bordered on annoyance and wonder.

"Do you want me to leave Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked at the beautiful woman by his side again and he felt his mouth twitch as Rukia attempted to hide the pout that was currently curving her full lips. The whole scene was surreal and he still felt like he was dreaming but shook his head no. He lay back and stared at the ceiling, a strange relief washing over him. He had been so worried that his inability to protect her from that Grimmjow bastard would render his very presence disgusting to the soul reaper.

He had not anticipated such a warm response from the occasionally cold woman beside him, but having seen the care in her eyes he was glad he had forgotten his resolve not to look. He wanted more than anything to tell her how much her support of him meant. For the first time since discovering the strength of the feelings he held for this woman, Ichigo found himself wanting so much to be able to tell her how he felt but his stubborn pride held fast. This was not the right time for such things to be spoken. With all the activity around them, they didn't need any more distractions.

He felt his mouth twitch in a small smile as he recalled that heated moment in the cemetery. More than anything he wanted to stop being so damn noble and so damn hesitant and just finish what he and Rukia had both started. There was no right time for that moment either; not so long as Aizen maintained his desire for more power; a desire that even now threatened everything Ichigo held dear. A soft voice broke through his thoughts.

"What are you thinking of Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked over and shook his head slightly.

"It's nothing."

Rukia frowned slightly. This big idiot. She knew that deep scowl well enough by now to know that he was lost in his own depreciating thoughts. She hated that his body was in the shape it was in, as her wicked mind could think of a hundred ways to procure a proper answer to her question, but since it wasn't she resolved to wait for a better time to play her games. The constant rollercoaster of emotions this man evoked in her was beginning to take its toll. Damn Aizen and his lust for power. She sighed and rested her head against the freshly bandaged chest.

"Liar."

Ichigo automatically grinned and winced as the instinctual response earned him a fresh dose of pain. It was unnerving to be seen through by such a small slip of a girl. His own family was not even able to read through his deception as easily as this death goddess. He stared at the ceiling, secretly enjoying the soft feel of the woman against him. Her feathery touches were lulling him to sleep but he fought it. Times and situations like this were a rarity between the two of them; usually the air was filled with loud threats and arguments when the two of them were alone together.

"I like this." He sighed sleepily as he yawned, the words falling out of him without any thought behind them at all. His eyes were already closing even as his lips formed his next words.

"I like it when we don't have to fight… so, soft… stay here Rukia… you really do care when no one is looking midget… my… little…"

Rukia listened as the softly whispered words trailed off into a light snore and she raised her hand in wonder at the small unshed tear that clung to her lashes as she blinked slowly. She had never heard Ichigo's voice so full of wonderment and something in his voice had touched a part of her she hadn't known existed. She wiped the unwanted tear away and quietly crawled out of bed. She sat in the corner, drawing her knees up to her chest as she watched the young man sleep. And she did something she hadn't done since she had been a little girl. Rukia wept.

Long gut wrenching sobs shook her small frame and she kept as silent as she could so as not to wake him. Her body shook as her tears fell and she felt ashamed. Soul reapers were not allowed to feel emotion; it was weak, unsightly and so very human. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly. Why did it have to be so hard? She was consumed by guilt again; the guilt of killing Kaien, and the guilt of altering this young man's life in such a way that he was forced to fight and train with every breath taken. What kind of woman was she? She was a destroyer of every man she had ever loved. She wept until the tears stopped their flow and the wracking sobs faded to slow trembles. She shook her dark locks out of her face slowly as she sought composure.

It was in this moment that the face of a young redheaded woman flashed through her mind and Rukia flipped out her phone to contact Inoue again; closing it slowly when she received no reply. Inoue should have made it to this world by now and her presence was sorely missed. Only she was would be able to speed up Ichigo's healing process. Rukia studied the sleeping figure and wondered again what he saw in her and why he had chosen her and not Orihime, especially when it was so obvious that the young girl was desperately in love with him. In some ways Rukia felt guilty for that as well. If she hadn't of shown up would Ichigo feel the same way about Orihime?

She looked up to see Ichigo's expression remained unchanged in his sleep and her thoughts turned to the way he had fought against the arrancar. She had avoided thinking of that up until now, her body still turned cold when she recalled the night she had gotten a good glimpse of the entity he kept locked inside. Somehow he had turned that raw power in his favor and was using it to enhance his already formidable skills. This must be why he had sought the vizards; he had needed to tap into this source of strength without losing control.

Rukia studied the prone body lying on the small bed. The results hardly seemed worth the risk, for Ichigo had still been unable to defeat Grimmjow. She shuddered again as she remembered the bone white mask and black eyes that had bored into the insulting face of the arrancar. The smile, that wicked grin, had not changed from the last time she had seen it and it had grown evil wilder as he had looked at her. The hollows words and voice still echoed in her head from that night long ago.

_"__Just know though… that every moment you are alone together that I am lurking in the shadows and as worthless as you are… I won't give up the next chance to blacken an already stained soul… be glad he loves you Soul Reaper… be happy he fights to control this side… without those feelings… you would be mine Rukia."_

The sight of that hatred brought to the surface again made her skin crawl and she turned away from the sight of his battered body as a soft knock broke her dark thoughts.

"Rukia-chan, can we see ni-sama?"

Rukia flushed slightly as Ichigo's father voiced his own perverted ideas as to why the door had been locked and she bowed slightly as she opened the door.

"Please lower your voices, he just now has fallen back asleep."

She felt her cheeks practically glow from embarrassment as Isshin elbowed her conspiratorially and chuckled as he asked what she has been doing to wear his son out so thoroughly. She was only too glad that Karin had kicked the perverted head of the household on his ass, before she had been given a chance to respond. If Isshin only knew the thoughts she had been having earlier he would have known how close his observation had hit home.

Deciding this was the perfect opportunity to excuse herself from the equation, Rukia bid the Kurosaki family goodnight, telling them that she needed some fresh air. She turned and looked at Ichigo from beneath the stray lock of hair she kept in front of her face and left silently for her favorite place, the roof.

_Ichigo felt his heart beating rapidly beneath his chest and he could feel the various rivers of blood as they trailed down his battered body. All he could see in the darkness was the manic blue eyes of the arrancar. Visions of his fallen comrades flashed in his mind, one in particular caused the remaining blood within __him to burn with anger. He blinked but could still see the discarded figure of Rukia lying on the wet muddy pavement, her perfect skin marred and broken by the reckless demon. _

_He tried to call out to her but no words came out. He felt his lips move again, forming the shinigami's full name, but no sound penetrated the darkness that surrounded him in this nightmare. Ichigo knew it was a dream, he knew he had held Rukia not an hour ago… but that knowledge did nothing to soothe his reaction to the scene that played before him. He could hear the insults shouted down at him by __Grimmjow__ as they echoed faintly in his mind._

_Pathetic._

_Failure._

_Weak._

_Ichigo covered his ears with his hands as he fell to his knees, trying to block out the words. His hollow echoed them and laughed in his own bizarre way. Ichigo groaned slightly and looked ahead. He could see Rukia now, the look on her face broke him. Those huge sad eyes beseeched him to do something, anything but lay there and though every muscle strained to fulfill her request, Ichigo's body remained earthbound. __He opened his mouth and yelled his frustration, cursing the arrancar, cursing his current injuries, cursing himself; he fell face first to the ground as defeat crushed him. Ichigo felt the familiar feel of Rukia's soft hands on him and her voice tickle his ear as she spoke._

_"You really are just a boy Ichigo, and I can't wait__ any more__ for you to get stronger."_

_Ichigo jerked up to see the bright red glow of a cero as it hit the center of his chest, slowly __disintegrating__ him, his hollows laughter echoing all around._

A sharp pain shot through his head as he crashed to the floor. Ichigo sat up, cradling his throbbing head and he felt his eyes narrow as he discovered he could move his arm with no difficulty at all. He tore the bandages off it roughly, staring in shock at the unbroken skin. Inoue! But how? When? He sniffed his hand to make sure and deepened his scowl. It was Inoue's reitsu, but where was she and furthermore, where was Rukia?

A flash of movement caught his attention and he turned to see the young captain of the 10th squad in his window. His anger at such rude interruption was replaced by concern as the young captain ordered him to hurry and come quickly.

Ichigo grabbed his badge, pushing his soul out of his body so that he could follow the white haired boy.

It felt good to be in spirit form again and Ichigo increased his speed, confused slightly when their destination appeared to be Orihime's house. Just as well. This would give him an opportunity to thank her. Her healing powers were truly extraordinary.

Ichigo flung open the door, momentarily surprised by the number of soul reapers that were present in the room. His gaze fell on the small figure in the middle and desire punched him in the gut as she turned her eyes upon him. Oblivious to the others in the room he whispered her name, surprised when she did the same. Her expression was difficult to read but it drew him all the same. He turned reluctantly from her towards the huge screen currently buzzing to life, surprised by the appearance of Rukia's captain. For a horrifying moment, Ichigo thought that Rukia was being taken away again but as he listened to the soft spoken captain his fears were replaced with outrage and disbelief. Inoue a traitor? Never. He knew Inoue and he knew she would die before she betrayed her friends.

Ichigo looked up enraged as a new voice rang out from the communicator and he looked up to see the bowed figure of the soul society's commanding general. Ichigo sneered. How did such an old codger get into such a high place of power was beyond him but he was in no mood to deal with his meddling.

He grit his teeth as the old man called his friend a betrayer and Ichigo felt a small hand on his arm and his name whispered in an attempt to disrupt his outburst. He shook the warm touch away and moved up to the screen his voice ringing around the room as he called the commander's bluff.

"Bullshit!"

He would have said more but he felt a much stronger hand on his shoulder and pulled away from Renji as he was told to calm down before he made things worse. Ichigo's mind reeled. Worse? How could things get any worse? The soul society was in chaos, Inoue was in Aizen's possession now and everyone who had the power to change that was merely standing around with a thumb up their asses.

He listened as both Renji's and Rukia's requests to go after Inoue were turned down and he watched as two other captains were called in to ensure their cooperation. He turned and glared at the commander. He may be able to stop Rukia and Renji, but this bearded man had no hold over him and his actions.

He squared his shoulders and turned his glaring eyes to the screen.

"I won't ask the soul society to lend a hand, but at least tell me how to get into Hueco Mundo. Inoue is a part of us; I'll go save her myself."

He watched as the old man's eyes opened and glared back at him before telling him that his request, if you could even call it one, was "unacceptable."

Ichigo listened in shock as he was told to stay put and wait for orders and that his powers were needed for the upcoming battle. He did not disagree but he would be damned if he would sit idly by while someone as dear to him as Inoue was subjected to whatever that sick bastard Aizen had planned. He stood there fists clenched, his shoulders trembling as he fought to control his anger.

Rukia stood there numbly and watched Ichigo, his shoulders slumped head bowed. She resisted Renji as he tried to lead her through the portal. She didn't want to leave Ichigo with this burden; not alone. She whispered his name brokenly and stared at his dejected figure before whispering her apology. She stood there looking at him until the portal doors closed and she shut her eyes and made the journey back into the soul society. She felt Renji's lips against her ear as they walked behind Byakuya and Kenpachi, assuring her that this wasn't over.

Rukia nodded slightly, her thoughts still on the young man they had left alone in the real world. She was sure Ichigo would not heed the commander's warning and she looked at her brother's haori covered back. She hoped he would understand that Inoue was her friend too and not try and stop her from joining Ichigo in Hueco Mundo. She felt responsible for danger Orihime was now in. Had she not convinced the young girl to follow her to the soul society to train, she would never have been in the portal and she would have never been so easily taken. Rukia sighed, her heart aching slightly. Now she had another sin to add to her growing list. She thought back to Ichigo's hollow words. He had seen the black stain and no doubt with every action she took and every person she grew closer to that stain had grown; confirming what she had known all along since her abandonment by her sister… she really was a bad seed.

Her thoughts were causing her to lag behind the group, a fact that was thrown in her face by Byakuya's cool stern voice.

"Keep up Rukia."

She nodded quietly and picked up the pace, her mind drifting back to the last image she had glimpsed in the real world… Ichigo. She wished she had fought harder to stay, but she knew she had done the right thing… now she just hoped that Ichigo would do the one thing he had a horrible habit of not doing… wait.

Authors Note: I would like to thank all of you for the reviews and adds and I would like to apologize for the long long long (well for me it was long) wait for this update. (two words "retail inventory)

Anyways if there were or are mistakes, I do apologize. I was in a hurry to go ahead and get this out before my fic grew anymore cobwebs. Again thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed and for those of you clammering for a lemon… I should fulfill that request by chapter 25 (I know… I know… it's a ways away, but lets get real… these two get zero alone time and being the good little soul reapers they are… business before pleasure and Aizen needs to be dealt with in a serious manner)

Thanks again!


	21. Entering Hueco Mundo

_Note: Here I begin to deviate greatly from the manga and the animated series. Well not so greatly yet, but read on and you will see. __So things will get more interesting from here on out. I welcome any critiques/criticisms as well as suggestions. Enjoy._

He stared at his made bed. He vaguely remembered walking out of Orihime's house, his fingertips tracing of her possessions in an attempt to gain a real feeling of who the young woman was. He rubbed his wrist unconsciously and then ran his fingers through his hair. He vaguely remembered his day at school, the cajoling from his teacher, the argument with Tatsuki. He rubbed his jaw slowly. He did remember the power of her fist crashing against his skin and the unshed tears that had shone in her eyes. Ichigo had been surprised to learn that she had been aware of his hidden powers and he knew that being left out had hurt the tough girl. He wanted to assure her that everything would be all right and he wanted her to know that yes he knew where Orihime was and yes he was going to make sure everything was all right; but he had been unable to form the words… choosing, instead, to walk away and mutter that they needed to forget about him for awhile.

He looked over at his shut door and listened to the muffled sounds of his family below. He had already told his dad he would be gone for awhile and his dad's lack of response had been a welcome surprise. He had not told Karin or Yuzu… he knew the latter would be heartbroken by his absence and for the first time he was not sure he could say he would be back with a straight face.

After facing Grimmjow this second time; Ichigo was unsure of how long he would be able to last in a place filled with hollows and arrancar, many of which would be much stronger than Grimmjow. He looked over at his desk and the picture of his family he kept beside it. He undid the backing and slowly slid the small picture he kept hidden. He turned the small picture around and stared at Rukia's sleeping figure. She looked so innocent when she slept and he felt a small pang in his heart.

He frowned slightly and reluctantly put the photograph away. He straightened the items left on the clean desk and looked around at his simple room. This place had been a sanctuary of sorts all these years; it had seen him through the tough time as well as the happy. This was the room he had run to everyday he had come home, his body beaten by those who bullied him about his hair and his mother's death. These walls had kept his secrets and this had even been the place where he had first met Rukia.

Rukia.

Even the thought of her name drew a pang of longing and Ichigo turned to look at the closed doors of his closet; and just for old times sake he knocked on the closed doors, half expecting to hear the muffled sound of cursing coming from within. Ichigo felt his lips twitch and he slowly walked over to his open window, the breeze from the outdoors ruffling his hair. He looked over his room one last time and leapt into the welcoming darkness of the world outside.

He walked slowly to the one person he knew would be able to help get him to Hueco Mundo, Urahara. The former soul reaper was a veritable source of knowledge and he had maintained just enough mischievousness to want to rebel against the commander's order to remain outside the Hollow realm. Ichigo was not surprised to see Urahara waiting for him, since the man also had the uncanny sense of knowing when he was most needed.

Ichigo stopped in front of the little shop, looking up as it started to thunder. The rain. It was a good sign, significant in a way. He looked at the shopkeeper, seeking his eyes beneath the brim of his green and white striped hat as the man calmly blew a slow stream of smoke from his pursed lips and welcomed him.

Ichigo followed his mentor into the shop, listening as Urahara explained his reason for having everything prepared and expressed his regret at forgetting a young girl's emotional reaction.

"I feared Aizen would one day realize the uniqueness of Orihime's powers and in an effort to take her out of the equation, I underestimated and disregarded her feelings – of everyone involved, I am the most culpable in her disappearance and I intend to see that every effort is made to bring her back."

Ichigo looked over at the blond and raised an eyebrow at the man.

"You realize that your actions will be in direct violation of the soul society's orders."

He watched Urahara's lips curve into a sly grin.

"You realize that such violations are the reason I reside here don't you Kurosaki? Violations are the least of my concern at this point."

Ichigo raised his other eyebrow slowly, scowling when his expression was met with cold derisive laughter from above. He looked up to see Ishida sitting, a bored expression pasted on his cold face.

"It took you long enough Kurosaki."

Ichigo glared and then turned as a deeper voice answered his next question and he looked at the imposing figure of Chad. He was as confused by their presence as he was by their desire to enter Hueco Mundo with him. He was grateful for their support, but he could not risk the distraction of trying to protect them. He needed every ounce of his strength if he was to make it to Inoue and back without losing his life in the process. He held no illusions to what kind of danger he was putting himself in, he needed to be sure that his friends realized what the risks were before they took them too.

If Ishida had regained his Quincy powers, he would be a formidable ally, but Chad… Ichigo cared about his friend, this gentle giant who had always defended him and who he had defended in return. Theirs was a bond built by the blood they had spilt and their comradeship had been tempered by a lifetime of battle; but Chad was not strong enough to undertake this kind of mission. Ichigo turned to his friend to break the news gently and felt his body pushed back by Chad's fist crashing against his sword.

"Don't discount my powers Ichigo. Is this not enough?"

Ichigo looked into resentful brown eyes and turned away.

"You can't carry this burden by yourself Ichigo. We are brothers. Let me help you, I deserve to carry this burden along with you and Ishida."

Ichigo looked as he heard the growing anger in his comrade's voice. Chad was right, but his powers…

Chad's raised voice broke his thoughts and Ichigo felt his resistance crumble slightly.

"Dammit Ichigo! Inoue is my friend too!"

Decision made, Ichigo turned towards Urahara and nodded once. So, he would not be alone in this mission. Chad was right, Inoue was not just his friend, and he had no right to refuse Chad or anyone their desire to protect. He looked at Ishida, who had remained above it all.

"You coming Ishida?"

Ichigo almost smiled as the white clad young man prissily jumped down to join them and he clapped his hand roughly on the thin shoulder.

"Good to have you back to your old self again Uryu."

He laughed as he was told to keep his hands to himself and let his hand fall as it was pushed off. He stood with his friends and faced Urahara. He felt a small twinge and caught the disappearance of a strand of spiky hair behind a large rock. He looked up at the shopkeeper and asked that he make their excuses in lieu of their absence. Urahara's reassurance eased his already troubled mind and Ichigo stood; tense, as the shopkeeper muttered the commands to open the gate to Hueco Mundo. He didn't care how they did it or what the odds were against them… they would bring Inoue back, no matter what the cost.

Rukia sat in silence against the partially closed door to her brother's quarters. She had been summoned to his chambers on rare occasions before now, but the resulting conversations had never been good. Things were always awkward with Byakuya; even more so now that he had saved her life… twice. Rukia has never felt close to this man, and yet she valued his opinion more than any other. He had saved her from a life of poverty and his family name had given her an unwanted prestige. His cool voice interrupted her line of thought as he called her in.

"Rukia."

She flushed slightly as she turned and slid the door open. She was met with the white clothed back of her brother. She bit her lip and silently entered his chambers, closing the door quietly behind her. The room was warmly lit and smelled like her brother, crisp and clean.

"Closer Rukia. "

She gulped slightly, intimidated by the deep voice that resonated around the small room. It was little wonder the sight of this man made men cower away. His very presence was tinged with regal pride and those dark eyes seemed to stare right through to your very soul. Despite it all, Rukia stood and walked to the other side of the small table to sit across from the older Kuchiki.

She knelt, quietly waiting for further instruction. She did not wait long.

Byakuya slowly dipped his pen once more in the ink and delicately signed his name to the last form in the stack of papers. It was ironic to reach the second highest position in the soul society on the merit of your strength, only to be made to sit and sign papers all day. He could feel the nervous tension in the young woman who sat across from him and her temperament was so reminiscent of her late sister's Byakuya almost smiled.

He missed his young wife, and he was still adjusting to the whole role as brother to this younger version of her. He studied the woman across from him with hooded eyes. Her sister had been prettier, more feminine; but Rukia had an inner strength that Byakuya admired and he appreciated her candidness when it came to her conversations with him.

Rukia watched as Byakuya put his pen away and steepled his fingertips. She felt his gaze drifting over her and she bit her lip in anticipation. This conversation would either be about one of three things; Hueco Mundo, Renji, or Ichigo. Rukia prayed it was not the latter of the three. She respected her brother's decisions in all things, except when they concerned a certain orange haired boy.

"You are getting careless Rukia."

She looked up into dark eyes and she felt her brow furrow in confusion.

"Careless Ni-sama," she inquired sweetly?

Byakuya nodded briskly.

"Yes Rukia careless. You are far too enamored with that human boy… and it shows."

She looked away, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. How could he know? She thought she hid it so well, and for Byakuya to know; especially when he was so rarely in her presence… this was not a good thing. If he knew then the whole society knew. She was panicked by the thought and wondered if Renji could have said something… maybe Matsumoto, certainly the others had remained unaware.

Byakuya saw the blush and it confirmed his growing suspicions.

"It is not something that would be obvious to just anyone. I only notice because of how well I know your reitsu. Your infatuation shows in the obvious way your reitsu fluctuates in his presence and in the way you address him when you think no one is watching. Your eyes give you away Rukia; just as they did your sister before you."

Rukia bit her lip and bowed her head, unsure of what to say next. There were laws forbidding the union between a soul reaper and a human and the punishment for such an involvement varied depending upon the severity of the involvement. Of course, strictly speaking, when she had transferred her powers she had already broken one of the more severe laws. She waited for her brother to continue and raised her head to look at him from beneath her dark locks.

"Ni-sama," she began only to have her sentence cut off.

"Enough Rukia. You know the laws and you know how I feel about that boy. He is not worthy of the name Kuchiki. His powers may be formidable, but he is still a human and you, Rukia, are a shinigami."

He paused and gauged the sadness in his little sister's eyes; deciding to change the subject momentarily.

"Who is this Inoue to you Rukia?"

Rukia was almost grateful for the change in subject and hurried to answer the question before the subject shifted back to Ichigo. She paused and hesitated, struggling to put her feelings into words.

"She is… one of the sweetest people I have ever encountered brother… she is my friend and Ichigo's friend… and she is in trouble and…"

She stopped as her brother raised his hand to silence her.

"So what you are telling me is that this man and his friends mean so much to you, you would willingly risk your very existence to aid him in this foolish quest? You would place this girl's life above the life of your comrades, the existence of your home; your squad… even me?"

Rukia gulped slowly. She had not thought of it that way. The way Byakuya said it, it did indeed sound foolish and selfish. She considered what would happen if they failed and she considered how she would feel if she stayed here in the soul society and let the others do as they pleased. At best they would thwart Aizen's plans and save a good friend; at the worst they would all die and the war would go on. Rukia knew then that she could never sit by while Ichigo and the other's risked their life. Inoue was her friend too. Something she had said to Inoue a while back rang in her head. She had told the girl that without her help and assistance she, Rukia, would not be where she was today. It may seem as if she was placing the life of one above the life of many, but Rukia owed Inoue and she intended to return the favor. Rukia stood up and looked down at her brother.

"Ni-sama, I would place her life above everything else. I made a promise to protect her, to help her get stronger and what kind of shinigami would I be if I went back on that now. I understand the risks. I understand your concern, but I can't let that stop me."

Rukia took a deep breath before continuing.

"I am going to Hueco Mundo, with or without your blessing. I can't sit idly by anymore. Ichigo needs my help, our help and so does Inoue."

She saw her brother's eyes darken slightly at the mention of Ichigo, but continued before he could say anything.

"Whether you wish to see it or not, Ichigo is a valuable part of the soul society. Without his help we would have had a great deal more trouble dealing with the Bounto and in case you have forgotten, I wouldn't be here today had he not interfered. I do not know what exactly I feel for him, but that is not your concern. I understand the laws forbidding the union between soul reaper and human, but that line has been crossed before and Ichigo is far from being just a mere "human."

She waited for a response and when none was forthcoming she turned to leave; stopping as she felt her wrist caught by a vice grip and scowled as her view was partially obstructed by a soft brown cloth. She peeked out from beneath the cloth to see her brother's lips curved in a faint smile.

"Take this Rukia. It will protect you from the dust and sand you will find in Hueco Mundo."

Rukia stared in shock at the stern captain. This was not a reaction she had anticipated. She felt her wrist freed from Byakuya's grasp.

"Go. Rukia. Besides, that orange headed brat couldn't navigate Hueco Mundo to save his life. Subtlety is not his strong point and Hueco Mundo is no place for a kid to be left to run around."

She felt a second cloth thrown over her shoulder by the seated captain and she looked at him questioningly.

"For Renji; you were planning on including him in your little soirée were you not?

Rukia nodded dumbly and folded both cloaks over her arm; sometimes her brother was simply too well connected. She turned as she opened his door to leave.

"What about the commander? Won't letting us go get you in trouble Ni-sama?"

She watched as Byakuya shook his head and turned away to resume his work.

"I was only ordered to bring you back to the soul society. I was not given orders to ensure that you remained here. Do as you please Rukia… you have made it clear you no longer need me to look after you. Now get out… you are interrupting my work."

Rukia grinned slightly and slowly slid the door shut, whispering her thanks to the thin fabric before going to find Renji. If they hurried they would be able to catch Ichigo before he departed from Uraharas.

Ichigo so far was unimpressed by the lack of grandeur Hueco Mundo had to offer. Their arrival had been met with little to no resistance, much to his dismay. He had so wanted a welcoming committee to test his new powers on, but that test of strength was going to have to wait. The vizard had warned him that by entering the realm of the hollows, his struggle against his own hollow would grow increasingly more difficult; but on the plus side he would be able to sustain transformation longer than he had on earth. Ichigo had decided to take the good in with the bad, and despite the time spent in the realm so far… his hollow had remained deceptively quiet.

The childlike hollow and her friends that were currently leading them around concerned him. He was unsure of whether or not to trust such creatures. They appeared to be harmless, but he still wasn't sure about them. Sure the kid was cute, but her comrades were annoying. Their actions had distracted him and thus he and his friends had fallen into a huge sand trap. The creature that emerged was unlike any hollow Ichigo had ever seen and was proving to be very difficult to eradicate. Ichigo twisted his sword to the side, waiting on the huge looming figure to attack and was confused as the monster suddenly fell to the side, his huge body kicking up a cloud of sand. Ichigo shook his head and froze as a familiar reitsu washed over him. He turned slowly and his eyes widened to see the two lone figures standing atop one of the large dunes. Renji! Rukia!

Ichigo slowly moved towards the figures, his steps were unsteady and unsure; he had been so sure that the previous day would be his last with Rukia for a long time… and now here she stood before him. Something in her eyes caught his attention and as she moved towards him and he felt his lips part in a welcoming grin.

The force of her welcoming punch knocked him back and Ichigo watched from watery eyes as the beautiful woman turned and gave Renji a high five. It was almost automatic. As Rukia's hand hit against Renji's… Ichigo felt another crushing blow connect to his face and he fell to the ground, his mouth full of blood and sand.

Rukia sneered down at Ichigo and clenched her fists tightly. It had felt so good to slam her fist against that jaw. It had felt even better to watch Renji do it; though she was certain he had enjoyed it a lot more than she had. God she was pissed. Ichigo's actions had wasted so much of their time and on top of it all the stubborn ass had left without her. He had to have known she would never sit back and let everyone else do the hard work while a friend of hers was in trouble. He had to have known. Hell. She had almost given her life to save his and his family's the first night they had met. If there had ever been a time to be selfish it would have been that night.

"You stupid jerk!"

Rukia ignored the fact that her words echoed across the desert. She ignored the shocked look from Renji and the confusion in Ichigo's eyes. She wanted nothing more than to jerk the man up from the ground and thoroughly beat the shit out of him, but she restrained herself. There would be time for that later, right now they didn't need to be fighting amongst themselves; at least not in such an open place surrounded by hollows. She glared down at the, now sand covered, man and his current expression. He actually looked thoroughly lost as to why she had hit him. Rukia rolled her eyes and bent down to his level.

"What did you expect Ichigo? Why did you come here and why the** hell**did you not wait for Renji and me? We only needed to go back to the soul society for appearances, there was no way they were going to stop us from coming after her… so **why** Ichigo? Why do you always have to play the hero?"

The last question was screamed at him and Rukia almost slapped the smooth stubbornly set jaw as the young shinigami asked how he was supposed to have known they were coming back. Rukia leaned back away from him, her face a mask of mixed rage and exasperation at his cluelessness.

"You should have known Ichigo, because you know us. AT least I thought you knew us. How could you ever think that we would sit around while you ran around "saving the world" I can't believe this. You are so…"

Rukia felt the breath taken from her as Ichigo's lips covered hers and kissed her hard. Immediately her traitorous lashes fluttered and her arms automatically came up to press against his chest. She was oblivious to the fact that they were not alone until Renji's cough of disgust dragged her back to reality and she automatically shoved Ichigo off her, landing another decisively placed punch to his gut. She ignored the groan and grunt of surprise. Her face felt like it was on fire. She looked around at Ishida's vague attempt to hide the disgusted curl of his upper lip and Chad's turned head. The desert was eerily silent in that moment until it was broken by the whining lisp of the green haired child that sat atop the huge sand worm.

"Ewww, nasty sloppy shinigami. You leave Ithigo alone. You guyths are sick."

Rukia felt her jaw drop slightly at the young girl's insults and she saw the hot blush that stained Ichigo's cheeks as he stood up, slowly dusting his shinigami robes off. She looked from Ichigo to the strange trio that was accompanying them. They were clearly hollows and arrancar, but somehow they seemed so… innocent considering their surroundings.

She felt warm palms on her shoulders and nodded as Renji intoned that they should get out of this place before they drew any more attention than they already had. She patted his hand absently and told him to go ahead with the others, stating that Ichigo and her still had things they needed to talk about. She glared when he raised a tattooed eyebrow and dared him to say anything. Her glare was not challenged and she watched as Renji gathered the others telling them that her and Ichigo needed some "alone time."

Rukia was infuriated by his tone and its implications, but she ignored her best friend and turned to look at Ichigo. The flame haired brat was still looking off into the distance, refusing to meet her gaze. Rukia rolled her eyes yet again at such a powerful fighter sulking like a scolded child. She started to lay into him again when his soft voice cut through the silence.

"I **am** sorry Rukia. I just figured your brother wouldn't let you out of his sight when you got back. And I never thought the society would agree to letting you come here."

She watched as he turned away and looked at the still night.

"I didn't want you to come here Rukia. I don't think even I realize how dangerous it is here and then there is Grimmjow and… I don't want to see you hurt again Rukia."

Ichigo paused, frowning because he was sure he was going to reveal more about his feelings then he wanted to. He started to leave it at that, but he could sense the growing frustration in the petite girl and, after being subjected to her methodical punches, he wanted to clear the air before his own was knocked out him again.

"Look. I know you are strong. You are. Even more so than I ever gave you credit for. But this is Hueco Mundo and the battles will only get tougher the closer we get to Aizen. Without Inoue here to heal us, this mission is far too dangerous for you Rukia."

Ichigo ran his fingers through his spiky locks and sighed.

"I was almost happy when Byakuya came to get you, because I knew that he would protect you. I knew he wouldn't let you out of his sight, certainly not to come and help me and my friends. I was ok with that. I was secure in that knowledge. It eased me to know that at least you were safe. "

Ichigo scowled and turned to the soul reaper.

"Why** are** you here Rukia? I know Inoue is your friend and I know you feel somewhat responsible for what happened but that is no reason to risk your life. I want you to…"

Rukia flashed to his side and covered his lips with her palm.

"Don't you dare say it Ichigo! I am not going home. You are right, she is my friend and I am responsible; but more than that… I want to be a part of this battle. I am tired of you trying to protect me Ichigo! I am not a child and I have more battle experience than you and Renji combined, so lay the fuck off Ichigo!"

She screamed the last word and then crossed her arms, composing herself. She closed her eyes and turned her nose up slightly.

"And for your information, the reason Renji and I are even here is because of Ni-sama. He doesn't approve but he wasn't foolish like you in trying to stop me. Even he knows how important this mission is to me."

Ichigo looked down at her and sighed. He should have known he was going to lose this fight. Rukia had a point, he wasn't exactly sure about what since he was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Byakuya, the never bending brother, had let Rukia go. He scanned the desert for the outline of their friends, a thread of thin smoke gave away their location and he sighed inwardly. At least they hadn't completely abandoned them. He recalled the hot flush of Rukia's cheeks earlier and his friend's reaction to the spontaneous display of affection.

Ichigo raked his hand through his hair and grinned sheepishly. He was lucky Rukia hadn't of taken his head off, or his tongue for that matter. In an effort to make a truce with the beautiful shinigami, Ichigo walked up to the woman and sat down in the sand, leaning his head slightly against her hip.

Rukia frowned for a moment at the unexpected gesture and out of habit she ran her fingers through his bright hair. She knew he was sorry and she wasn't going to make him apologize again, although she ought to. She too saw the thin trail of smoke and sighed. She guessed Renji had made everyone stop so that they didn't get lost. She looked down as Ichigo pulled away slightly, his nose crinkled. She scowled down at him.

"What is it Ichigo?"

Ichigo shook his head, trying to clear the pungent smell out of his nose. He knew he would probably earn a new bruise from the comment he was about to make, but he couldn't help it.

"Damn Rukia… that cloak you're wearing smells like you pulled it off a camel's back. Where the hell did you get it and why are you wearing it when it smells so nasty."

Rukia felt her mouth open in shock and looked down into smiling brown eyes. What nerve. She searched in vain for a witty retort; a small grunt was all that escaped her lips as she was pulled down against a hard chest. She started to struggle, irritation flowing through her as his grip tightened.

"Let go of me Ichigo. We need to join back with the group."

Ichigo shook his head no and scraped his teeth against the smooth skin of her milky white neck.

"No… we need to stay right here for a few minutes so I can get this out of my system."

Rukia growled slightly, the angry noise fading slowly into a small murmur of approval as Ichigo's mouth attached itself to her neck. Immediately she felt her annoyance turn to desire and she lulled her head back to allow his aggressive mouth plenty of access. For a moment she forgot where they were and why they were there. No matter how familiar his touch, he never failed to excite her senses and Rukia wondered briefly if this was all a ploy to get back into her graces.

Her mouth formed the question but her words were stolen as hungry lips attacked her own. She turned slightly in his now slackened grip and committed herself to his kiss. She smiled coyly as a hum worked its way up from Ichigo's throat, tickling her mouth as she slowly pulled away.

Ichigo frowned as he lost contact with the soft lips and leaned forward again, capturing her full bottom lip between his own and sucking gently. He felt a cocky grin lifting the corner of his cheeks when his actions wrought a moan from the small woman. She was right, as much as he hated to admit. They had been gone for far too long from the group, and despite the rightness that he felt in their actions; he knew that keeping the others waiting was only being selfish. He felt Rukia pulling away and he reached up, capturing her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"You know Rukia, when this is over I won't let you get away from me so easily."

Rukia smirked when she heard the huskiness behind his tone and smoothly pulled free of his grasp, taking a moment to nip at his thumb.

"You know Ichigo that when this is over I won't be trying to get away."

She leaned down and licked at his lips, closing her eyes when he kissed her again.

Ichigo stood up, effectively ending the impromptu peck, and stretched. He turned back to his fellow shinigami and grinned slightly.

"I expect one hell of a reward when I kick Aizen's butt ya know."

He thought he saw Rukia blush slightly and he straightened up in surprise as she pounced on his back, her strong thighs gripping his hips.

"Rukia what.."

He felt an open hand slap his ass and scowled when the woman atop him shouted "giddyup Ichigo."

He pouted and blew out a harsh sight as he slid his hands under the backs of her thighs to keep her steady. Honestly… the nerve of this woman.

As he ran towards his friends he felt her breath tickling his ear and he almost lost his footing on the sand.

Rukia nibbled slowly at his exposed earlobe before whispering softly to the younger man.

"When you beat Aizen, I'll be like this in front of you. How's that for a reward Ichigo?"

She felt his step falter and almost laughed aloud. It was nice to be able to joke and tease at a time like this. It was in this regard that Ichigo so favored the late Kaien-dono. She saw the pink flush that stained his cheeks and barely caught his words as he raced towards the thin stream of smoke that snaked into the horizon.

"I can't wait."


	22. Battles Ensue

Ichigo glared wearily up at the arrancar before him. His body ached; his skin was torn and bloody. Damn he wished Inoue was here; he sorely needed her healing powers right now. He recognized the slight build of the white clad figure before him, had seen this man before; he had been the smaller of the two who had originally attacked Chad and Orihime. He had not shown his power that day, but his reitsu was chilling enough to put Ichigo on edge. He sneered and tightened his fist as he looked into cold green eyes. The arrancar above him seemed to gloat for a moment as he cocked his head to the side and looked away momentarily. Ichigo was not prepared for the next words he spoke.

"You know don't you? Is it not evident by now boy? Rukia Kuchiki is lost to you. Her body will soon be claimed by one of the espada and she will become just another part of his already immense power."

Ichigo stood there, his scowl deepening. He felt frozen in place. Rukia dead? No. He refused to believe such a lie. Rukia, who had unlocked his powers. Rukia who had saved him from Grimmjow. She was stronger than that. This arrancar was lying.

The pale man smirked slowly and looked off into the distance for a moment before moving his gaze back to the shinigami's face. The very shinigami whose powers he had written off so early in the game. He had made it further than Ulaquirra had ever dreamed he would. He smiled coldly.

"You don't believe me do you? Even though you can feel as well as I how weak her spirit pulses. Stubborn to a fault. You are truly your father's son shinigami. Ironic is it not, how he failed to save his wife from being eaten by a hollow and here you stand now facing a similar dilemma. How ironic indeed."

The arrancar stared into the shinigami's disbelieving face below him.

"Another interesting fact shinigami. It will be Kaien, the squad leader Rukia so coldly murdered as well as her first love, who will take her life today. Seems life's circle is coming together here in Hueco Mundo. But you wouldn't know anything about that time in her life would you boy, I doubt Rukia had the courage to tell you how she ran her sword through a fellow squad member. No. You didn't know. Pity."

Ichigo raised his sword and screamed up at the arrancar, calling him a liar and refusing to believe his cold words. Rukia would never hurt anyone she didn't have to. To hell with this. He was not going to sit here and listen to these lies; Rukia needed him. His heart was sinking though; he could barely feel Rukia's reitsu and what he could distinguish was fading fast. No. He had to believe. He had to believe that she would be alright. He had to believe that she was strong enough to defeat her enemy. Even as he struggled to find faith in the woman he loved, Ichigo feared the worst. He growled and rushed the arrancar, swinging his sword in a downward arc, his arms shaking as his attack was tossed to the side.

Ichigo stared into the arrancar's dead gaze and swiftly turned on his heel, his decision made. He was unsure of what he could do, but he would not stand by while Rukia was eaten or maimed. He knew she would be pissed if he interfered but if her life was at stake how could he not? Ichigo threw his huge sword over his shoulder and turned his back to the deadly arrancar.

"I'm going now. I have no reason to fight you. I don't believe that Rukia is dead, but I do know that she is in trouble and I cannot waste anymore time listening to your lies."

Ichigo stopped short as the arrancar flashed in front of him his gaze bland.

"I cannot allow you to pass."

Ichigo sneered and snorted in disgust.

"I don't have time for this. My comrades need me. You have not inflicted any pain on me or my companions. We are still enemies, but since I have no cause for revenge against you, fighting you holds no interest to me. Now move aside Ulaquirra before you piss me off."

The arrancar smiled slowly and stepped aside. Ichigo walked by him, halting in surprise from the arrancar's next words.

"You say you have no reason to fight me shinigami. What if I were to tell you that it was I who brought your precious Orihime to Hueco Mundo in the first place? Would you want to fight me then?"

Ichigo turned his head slowly and looked into the emotionless green eyes, his own narrowing as the implications of what Ulaquirra was saying sunk in. He growled his next words through clenched teeth as he swung his sword; holding its sharp edge against the arrancar's cloth covered neck.

"What did you say?"

He watched as the arrancar's lips twitched and parted to repeat his confession. Ichigo jerked his arm hard, watching as a thin trickle of blood seeped from the open wound he had inflicted on the man's throat. The sight brought no satisfaction due to the shallowness of the wound. Ichigo raised his sword and swung it at the man; sand flew up into his face as his blade sank into the ground. He turned towards the flash of movement and felt a fist slam into his chest.

He fell back, coughing in pain and holding his side as he struggled to remain standing. Damn the bastard was strong. He growled and stood to face his new enemy. He felt the pressure of the situation and knew he could not tarry in this battle. He could barely feel Rukia at all and he did not have time to play with this new enemy. He knew he must defeat this man quickly and hurry to the woman he loved; he would not accept failure.

Ichigo called forth his bankai and slid the hollow mask over his face. Immediately he felt the surge of dark power flowing through him and he charged towards the white-clad figure of his enemy. He swung his blade down and leapt back, firing off his specialty Getsuga Tenshou. He fell to the ground as his mask broke and waited for the smoke to clear. He felt a small body land against him and he ruffled the small child's hair. He wasn't sure why this small girl kept following him around, but she had proved useful a few times in battle; as much as a child her age could be useful. Ichigo felt his jaw drop as he witnessed the arrancar standing amid the foggy aftermath of his attack, unharmed.

"No fucking way."

He uttered softly as he stood to his feet, his sword clenched tightly in his hand as he watched the mutated hollow's lips curve slightly and in that moment Ichigo knew he had failed.

"Was that it? Was that the limit to your power? I think it was. How pathetic. I had so hoped you would be a worthwhile opponent. It seems I was correct in my assessment of your skills after all."

Ichigo watched as the arrancar raised his hand, a red glow illuminating from the pointed finger. He threw the young hollow out of the way and reached above to pull down his hollow mask just as the cero slammed into his body. The pain was almost unbearable and Ichigo grimaced as the blast tore through his mask, cracking it in half, and searing his skin. He fell to his knees, his ragged body pouring blood with every beat of his heart.

He looked up as the arrancar approached and thrust his sword up toward the man's chest, his sword was stopped before it could pierce the skin and Ichigo felt his head drop. Why wasn't his new power enough? He searched for a sign of Rukia's spirit energy, his body shaking as he found none. Ichigo closed his eyes briefly, refusing to believe she could be dead. I'm coming Rukia. He promised silently and looked up to see the arrancar's uniform tore open to reveal his number.

He was only ranked 4th.

Ichigo stared in shock. He had been so sure he had been fighting the strongest of the espada. But this man was only 4th in ranking. He had never felt so stupid in his life. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and looked down at the hand protruding from the new wound. He looked up into the cold green eyes as he fell to the ground, his blood seeping into the porous sand.

Ichigo trembled with rage as the arrancar walked away. His path would not end here. It could not end here. He refused to accept that this was the end. He felt new life pour into him as he recognized a small twinge of Rukia's spirit energy and he struggled to turn his body over. Every breath he took offered a new wave of pain as his expanding lungs pressed against cracked ribs. He closed his eyes against the searing brightness of Aizen's false sunny sky. For the first time since becoming a soul reaper, Ichigo was truly afraid.

He could scarcely move his body. His blood continued to pour from him at an alarming rate and worse yet he did not have the strength to assist his comrades; not even Rukia. He struggled into a sitting position and leaned against a rock, his head cradled in his hands as he fought this new mental anguish. Ever since the creation of the arrancar, Ichigo had tasted one bitter defeat after another. The training he had committed himself to for the past 3 months had been for nothing. He was stronger. He was faster. He had more power than he had ever dreamed, but it was not enough. He needed more.

As he sat there, he felt a strange sense of glee building up within him. His hollow seemed pleased with the turn of events and for a moment Ichigo was transported back into his soul and brought face to face with the entity. He stared into his colorless double and scowled as the carbon copy smiled at him.

"Ready to give up being the king Ichigo?"

Ichigo shook his head and brought his sword up, pointing it at the hollow.

"Do you want to fight for it again?"

He watched as his hollow smiled.

"Fine. Have it your way Ichigo. You know you are nothing without me. You can only truly attack now when I lend you my powers and even that is no longer enough. I refuse to give any more of my strength to you when all you do is lose and I am forced to feel the pain of your ignorance."

Ichigo perked up at this small revelation and looked closely at his hollow.

"You mean you have been holding back all this time?"

The colorless fiend laughed loudly and hopped atop a jutting piece of landscape, squatting as he stared at his nails.

"Sure. Why should I let you have all the fun Ichigo? Did I not tell you that I tire of being the horse all the time? I would give you my full power if you would give in and let me have control, if only for battle."

Ichigo sat down and considered the offer. He thought that when he pulled his mask he had been using the full range of the hollow portion of his power. He had not considered that his hollow had been holding out on him; but was he willing to give up control of his body to secure a victory. He vividly recalled the last time his hollow had taken over and he was loath to allow him a second chance. There was also the factor that once in control, would his hollow give up that control without a fight. Ichigo was inclined to think not, and once suppressed he was unsure if he would be able to fight the hollow back into submission.

"Don't decide right now Ichigo. Why don't you suffer defeat a few more times, break a few more bones, lose a couple of more pints of blood, maybe even a comrade or two before you render a decision to my offer. It's up to you. It would be better that way for me anyways, because if you die with regrets those feelings will give me the birth I yearn for. So do what you want King. I merely await your command."

Ichigo sighed. What the hollow said made sense; after all if things continued the way they had been, Ichigo was sure the pain he had inflicted on his body would be dull compared to the pain he would feel if he lost any of his friends because of his own weakness. An image of Rukia flashed in his mind and made the decision for him.

"I accept. But you will only take over during a time of my choosing and you will give me back my body when the battle has ended. I know these words mean little to you and I know you will fight me for that control. I only ask that if I lose that battle, you will not touch her. Promise me that and I shall give you a chance to be King."

He watched the cold smile transform his hollows face as he bowed down.

"As you wish. I will take over for you when you call and if you fail to win your kingship back, I will leave your little girlfriend alone; at least for a while. And that is the best you are going to get from me so don't try to position for a better bargain. "

Ichigo sighed. He had been hoping for more, but he would accept this for now. He would not let go of his control easily and he would not use this bargain until he was face to face with Aizen. He stood up and nodded once.

"Agreed."

Ichigo blinked and opened his eyes, wincing at the bright light and childlike face that met him. He grunted softly as he stood up, relieved to find that the blood had ceased to pour from his wounds. He ignored Nell's shouts of excitement and moaned softly as he sank back to the ground; his feet refusing to support him. As he fell back to the earth, he couldn't help but look, hazily, up at the blue sky and pray that Rukia was alright.

Rukia lay, shivering, in a pool of her own blood. Her thoughts scattered due to the pain coursing through her heart and body. Kaien-dono. How she had longed to see his face again, to be given a chance to apologize for taking his life. This has not been the reunion she had been expecting, but she felt at peace for the first time since his death. Her own close brush with death had reminded her of something she had forgotten in the face of all her misery. Kaien had not hated her for killing him that day. He had thanked her; he had given her his heart, grateful that he had not had to die alone. Those words were what were sustaining her right now; that promise she had made so long ago… never to die alone.

She moaned as she drew her body into a kneeling position. She spat the pooling blood from her mouth and crawled slowly towards the light. She could see the faces of all her companions in the back of her mind and she unconsciously settled on one in particular. She coughed as she moved slowly towards the opening in the wall. As pain set afire every nerve, Rukia thought of Ichigo.

Rukia closed her eyes as she recalled the day she had first met the proud substitute shinigami. She remembered the fire that had shown in his eyes; a fire that gave his heated argument to protect his family substance. It was his eyes that had drawn her in; her judgment broken as she slid her sword into his flesh without a second thought to the consequences such an action would bring.

She trembled slightly as her lips attempted a curve upward. She could feel her life's force ebbing and found humor in the fact that the constant blue sky was annoying her. She longed for the shades and hues associated with sunset; thinking it only fitting that the sky should reflect her life's end. Selfish, she knew… but she wished for the dark purples, pinks and especially the oranges; anything to bring her closer to the man she loved as she expelled her dying breath.

Rukia found it ironic to know that at one point in her life, she had readily accepted death; she felt deserving of no one's mercy. Now, she found tears forming in her eyes, an unfamiliar tightness squeezing her chest with ever move she made. She had never been a weak woman, and she didn't feel weak now; just lonely. Even suspended in the air, she had not been alone. Her eyes widened slightly as she felt the wetness of tears on her cheeks, and she let herself do something she had not done in hundreds of years; Rukia cried.

She collapsed just a few meters from the opening in the huge tower. She struggled against the weight of her eyelids, trying to focus on the hated blue sky ahead and found she could go no further. Weary and tired, she lay back on the ground, her shinigami robes cold and sticky from the blood that had continually poured from her wounds.

She curled slowly into a fetal position and tried to contain what little warmth her body had left. Rukia faded in and out of consciousness, the one thing that kept her clinging to the small shred of life that continued to burn within her, were her friend's reitsu levels. Though they waned and fluctuated, they let her know that they were still alive, and she clung to that knowledge as she struggled to escape the tower that would be her grave.

Rukia blinked as she came to, surprised to find that she was out in the open. She was unsure how long it had taken her to crawl out of the dark tower, but when she opened her eyes, the bright glare welcomed her. She coughed and slowly wiped away the trickle of blood that escaped her lips. Rukia laid her face against the cold earth and sighed. She had made it and though she had told Ichigo not to come and save her, she couldn't help but hope that he would do as he always did and come running to her rescue. Not that she wanted to be rescued, but she did at least want to see him one last time. She felt a tired dead weight settle in her limbs and she wondered briefly what would happen when she died. What would it feel like? Where would she go? All the questions she had never been given the chance to ask before.

As dangerous as her current position was, Rukia closed her eyes and gave into the sleep her body was crying for. She steadied her breathing and dreamed of a time when her life had not been so burdened, of the man whose existence she had finally ended today and of a different and much preferred likeness of him. She was unaware of the dark shadow of an approaching enemy, nor that her parted parched lips whispered the name of an orange haired shinigami while she slept. Rukia felt no more pain and slowly slipped into the unconsciousness she had been fighting since her defeat.

Ichigo's head hung and his chin rested on his chest as he rested his eyes, his thoughts muddled by his pain. He could feel Nell crawling over him, but he ignored her loud cries for a moment. Rukia's reitsu had finally faded. He shook his head slowly, a deep voice echoed around him. Ichigo tried to pinpoint where he had heard the voice before but his mind was too foggy. He could sense two powerful forces colliding but everything else was lost to him. He tried to open his eyes when he heard Nell's shout and felt her body lifted off of him. He could make out a figure but he could not tell if it was friend or foe.

Ichigo lifted his head and groaned when a trickle of blood ran into his squinted eye. He wiped the unwanted intrusion away and slid to the ground. The cool earth was a welcome relief from the warm air that surrounded him. He felt a foot sliding under him, kicking his body over. It was then that he opened his eyes, horrified to see Grimmjow staring down at him.

This wasn't happening. Not now. There was no way he could fight in this condition. If only Orihime was here.

As if reading his thoughts the arrancar thrust a figure forward, pushing her down on her knees, his voice barking for her to fix the fallen shinigami. Ichigo registered the huge breasts and long red hair, but his foggy mind could make out nothing else. The sound of his name drew him and he focused his eyes on her gray ones.

"Ori..Orihime."

His voice sounded scratchy in his ears and he was hushed by Inoue as she created a thin shield around him, rejecting his injuries. Ichigo wished in that moment that she could reject weakness with her powers, but he was too spent to ask. He could only stare at the woman he and his companions had come to save. Her attire was one of an arrancar, but there was no denying that this was truly Inoue.

Ichigo felt his wounds closing, mending; her powers repairing him so that he might battle once more. This was a battle that he had to win. He had twice failed to protect Rukia from the pain this man enjoyed inflicting. Here was his chance to protect Inoue, just as he had promised so long ago. As his body healed, Ichigo studied his classmate. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated her powers, and a warm flush stained her cheeks. Ichigo reached his hand up, slightly cupping her cheek and coughed slightly.

"Does it hurt Inoue?"

Her startled gaze stared back at him and he dropped his hand to the ground.

"Does it hurt when you have to heal us?"

He watched as she shook her head no and resumed her fallen hand's position above him. He could feel his strength returning and he glanced at his waiting adversary. The arrancar had no changed, save for he once again had his arm… no doubt courtesy of Orihime. Ichigo turned and studied his friend. He knew so little about her and she knew even less about him; and yet he could feel her concern for him in the heat of her gaze. Ichigo cocked his head slightly to the side, noting the faint flush that stained his friend's fair skin.

He sighed and looked away, he realized now why this girl hardly ever met his gaze, why she flushed at his touch, why she seemed so distant and the thought saddened him. Any man would and should have been thrilled to have the attention of such a beautiful woman; but his heart lay with Rukia and his Rukia lay dying. The pain that thought brought him caused him to sit up. He was not completely restored but he was eager for this battle to begin and end. He craved a victory over this man. He needed a swift victory if he was going to have a chance at finding Rukia. Ichigo prayed to nobody in particular, as he stood to his feet, that Renji had felt the fade in reitsu and had gone to investigate.

He glared at the blue haired maniac in front of him, his lip curling slightly at the smile the arrancar flashed in return.

"Why so angry shinigami? You should be grateful for the chance to battle me again. I have given you life so that I may take it away and all you can do is glare? You should be thanking me, praising me for the god that I am. And soon you will Ichigo. Soon you will be on your knees, begging this god to take away your life and release you from your pain."

Ichigo was sickened by the laughter resonating from the smooth voice and raised his sword.

"I will never bow Grimmjow. You fancy yourself a god? You stand before one now. A god of death!"

Ichigo began his attack, pulling down his hollow's mask and rushing his enemy. He brought his sword down and ignored the loud clash of metal to bone as the edge of his zanpakto slid down the exposed bone of Grimmjow's cheek. He leapt back and felt the blackness inside slipping over him; his hollow's manic voice ringing in his ear.

"Shall I dispatch this filth in a fashion befitting a self-proclaimed god?"

Ichigo shook his head no fiercely and swung again. He didn't need his hollow interfering. He wanted to destroy this man on his own. Twice the bastard had beaten him, as soundly as any enemy he had ever faced. Twice he had watched the woman he loved put herself in his way. Twice he had been made a fool of and Ichigo had no intention of succumbing a third time.

He threw the hollows mask from his face and called forth his bankai. He felt the inky darkness swimming behind his eyes as he battled for his existence.

Orihime watched, horrified by the transformation she was witnessing in Ichigo. The kind amber eyes were turning yellow, the whites fading into an inky black and his solemn face stretched slowly into the maniacal grin of a hollow. She whispered his name and froze, a cold chill racing down her body as Ichigo turned and glared at her. Inoue barely registered the raspy voice that spoke to her from the mask, but she followed his instructions and summoned a barrier around her and the small hollow child she had found with Ichigo.

The fight that ensued was incredible and horrifying in its intensity. Orihime could scarcely keep up as the surrounding desert was transformed into a swirl of dust, black and white forms as well as flashes of orange and blue escaped the dusty swirls. The earth quaked and she watched as patch after patch was broken open by the power of their combined fury. She could sense the desperation in Ichigo as he fought for her, for this small girl and for the chance to save Rukia.

As heartbroken as that thought made her, she held no illusions that this fury he had unleashed upon the arrancar had anything to do with her. She too had felt Rukia fade and she prayer her friend would hold on to life until Ichigo could save her.

Rukia stifled a small moan as she felt her small body being pulled across cold sandy dunes. Her arm felt as though it were being yanked from its socket and the errant grains of sand that slipped beneath the folds of her kimono were beginning to become unbearable. The fact that she was being dragged told her that she had been found by her enemy, but she could not figure out why she was being moved. Wouldn't an enemy have just finished her there on the spot? Why go to the trouble of dragging her and taking the risk of your enemy regaining consciousness?

She was perplexed but chose to keep her mouth closed and her body as limp as possible. She struggled to concentrate on her friend's reitsu's, but found it difficult to locate any but Ichigo's. His powerful aura surrounded her even now and she wondered how powerful his enemy must be for him to have gone all out. Rukia felt the ground beneath her shifting and bit back a cry of pain as her body was hauled into the air and flung across a shoulder. She stiffened out of instinct as her captor's hand slid up her exposed thigh and froze as cold laughter echoed off the walls.

"I had a feelin you were awake Kuchiki, too bad ya didn't want to play anymore of your pretend games. Who knows what goodies I woulda had a chance to feel up."

Rukia's mouth fell open in shock as the unwanted hand inched up further and she lashed out at her captor. Her attempted blow was deflected easily as she slid weakly to the ground. She had lost too much blood, and the swift movement had taken what little strength she'd had left.

She looked up to see the insanely wide smile of Ichimaru Gin as he beamed down at her and something inside her snapped. From nowhere she felt her strength surge and she lunged at the former soul reaper, her hands curved into sharp claws and she raked them down his smooth face with a grim satisfaction.

Rivets of blood dripped from his jaw and Rukia watched with growing horror as her captor merely tipped back his head and laughed heartily. The sound echoed horribly in the empty hall and Rukia watched as small lights appeared against the wall, illuminating the darkness to reveal each of Hueco Mundo's remaining espada – the end of the hall remained hidden in darkness but Rukia could sense the man that waited within it – her enemy, the enemy of the Soul Society and its chief defector... Aizen.


	23. Decisions, duty and relief

Aizen watched as the former vessel of the Hōgyoku rose to her feet and stumbled. How pathetic, he thought coldly. Byakuya would not be pleased to see his adopted sister acting so. Aizen chuckled softly at the thought, his deep voice echoed hauntingly within the dark halls of Hueco Mundo. He watched as violet eyes snapped up to look directly at him and listened with amusement as Rukia screamed his name, lunging at him only to be felled to the floor by a swift uppercut into her abdomen courtesy of Gin.

She felt the blood pooling in her left cheek where her teeth had cut into the flesh and she spat it out weakly. Her last lunge had robbed her of her body's remaining strength and she found herself too weak to even detect her friends' reitsu. The fact that she had to search at all told her that things were not going well. Immediately she thought of him and then turned the thought away. Thinking of her friends would only prove distracting at a time such as this. She felt as well as saw the flash of movement and looked up into dark brown eyes as Aizen, the betrayer of the soul society, stood before her. She felt a chill go down her spine but stood defiantly, her voice steady.

"Let Orihime go and end this foolishness."

Rukia narrowed her eyes as his deep laughter echoed once more and felt her arm squeezed in his vice like grip.

"Why should I? I've not held her against her will. She came willingly at the chance to save you all from a ruin you sought anyways."

He paused and swept his hand out towards the great hall.

"Foolishness? There I was nothing more than a captain, and one of thirteen at that. I was regarded as weak because I spoke patiently and was not quick to draw my sword. Here, I am a GOD. These espada, these hollows bow to my every whim and all this without having their feeble minds trapped in my illusion. Let the human go? End what I've begun? I think not Kuchiki."

Rukia saw the insanity hidden in the deep brown depths of his eyes clearly in that moment and knew that he would not listen to reason, for reason held no sway with this man anymore. She thought as to the reasons she had followed Ichigo into this dark realm, she thought of Orihime's kind heart, and did the only thing she could think to do in the situation, she offered herself in Orihime's place.

"Take me then Aizen. Let Orihime go back to earth and take me in her stead."

Aizen stepped back and regarded the younger sister of Byakuya. She had not always been so sentimental, only after spending so much time on earth had this emotion crept into her repertoire and he found himself disgusted and intrigued by it. He sneered.

"Oh do not worry yourself about that Rukia, I am taking you; not in the human's stead but simply as yet another added motivation to draw in the errant shinigami you helped to create."

He paused to let his declaration set in, enjoying the way the defiant soul reaper's eyes darkened at the mention of his plan.

"Yes, I am waiting for the one they call Ichigo. I wish to test his mettle again. He is such an… interesting soul reaper. Hardly trained and hardly seasoned and yet he was able to defeat captain after captain all in pursuance to save your worthless life Kuchiki."

Aizen slid the back of his hand across a silken cheek to tuck away an even softer strand of midnight hair, amused as clenched muscles twitched beneath his hand.

"He is more determined than ever now that you have allowed him to mar your innocence. A fascinating game you have been playing with your body, allowing him teasing touches – drawing him further and further under your spell. And they call me evil."

"Don't look so surprised Rukia; I can see the stain of sin on your soul as clearly as if it were me you had sinned against. It only makes my goal all the more attainable and I thank you for it. "

He caught her wrist a moment before her hand would have crashed against his cheek.

"Tsk tsk soul reaper, best to control your temper with me. I wish only to use your death as a last ditch effort to send the boy over the edge so do not tempt me to take your life any sooner."

Rukia felt herself flung back against Ichimaru as Aizen faded into the dark hall, his voice playful as he instructed his lieutenant to find her suitable accommodations. Her pride stung at being so easily manipulated, and the easy way he had played her and her friends emotions was humbling. He had known Ichigo would follow and that she would chase after him. Renji, Ishida and Chad were all innocent bystanders caught in an effort to test a madman's strength. She knew that when she and Renji failed to appear that her brother and the other captains would come for them. Her foolish attachment to her human companions had placed the soul society in danger.

She let herself be led away and walked without resistance into one of the many stone chambers that lined the halls of Hueco Mundo. As the door slid shut, Rukia fell to the hard cold floor. She should never have fallen for the soft amber eyes and bright orange hair of a boy who had resembled the man she'd had such a powerful infatuation for. Her awakening emotions had destroyed everything. In that dark place the hissed words of Ichigo's hollow came back to her… worthless… pathetic… murderer. Rukia looked towards the tall skinny window that bathed the room in moonlight. She felt the faint steady pulse of reitsu that could only be Ichigo and closed her eyes – praying, willing her comrade away even as her soul called him forward.

Ichigo stood shaking slightly, his victory over Grimmjow felt hollow. His reunion with Orihime felt hollow. The only small joy he allowed himself to feel was the far away faint pulse of reitsu that told him without a doubt that Rukia was still alive. Ichigo sighed deeply, his body relaxing some in light of this revelation. His situation was no less urgent and he needed to rest; he needed to heal, but there was no time for that now. He sensed the danger of remaining in this valley of destruction and so he walked to where Inoue stood, considering his options. Inoue, for all her unique powers, was still human and suffered the slowness of a human. Decision made, Ichigo swiftly hoisted his classmate over his shoulder; things would go much faster if he carried her. He felt her body stiffen and wondered for perhaps the thousandth time in his life why he remained immune to her feminine charms. Even now with her body draped across his shoulder he felt nothing more than the affection one has for a dear friend. He felt his lips curve into a grin when the beautiful girl apologized, embarrassed for not being very light.

"Relax Inoue, you're not that much heavier than Rukia and anyways I don't mind – we can all move faster this way."

He howled in pain as the little hollow child kicked him in the shin and berated him for talking to Inoue in such a way. Ichigo scowled and shrugged slightly. He didn't see what the big deal was; he had merely spoken the truth. His lips curved wryly. The truth. The truth was he would have preferred to have Rukia over his shoulder, on his back and in a thousand other positions that had nothing to do with transportation. He thought back to her whispered promise of pleasure should they make it back to the realm of the living. The large breasts pressing against his back reminded him that the woman over his shoulder was not Rukia and the barren landscape remained a constant reminder that he was far from home.

Ichigo had taken no more than a few steps when he felt Inoue freeze in his arms and Nell cried out to look behind him. He turned to see the beaten and broken body of Grimmjow moving slowly towards him. Ichigo grimaced and gripped his zanpakto. Why wouldn't this guy just admit defeat? Even as the thought crossed his mind an arc of red sprayed the ground and he watched as a huge scythe sliced through Grimmjow. Ichigo raised his eyes in disbelief as his enemy fell at his feet, a victim of one of his own kind.

Ichigo grit his teeth as a strong wave of spiritual pressure radiated from the skeletal espada before him. He moved in front of Grimmjow to stop his comrade from delivering the final blow.

"How could you? He wasn't even capable of defending himself. He wasn't a threat to you, you BASTARD!"

Ichigo almost faltered as the huge scythe came down against his own sword and he felt his knees tremble under the immense strength of the blow. Incredible. This espada was hardly more than skin and bone and yet his strength was massive. Ichigo moved back as the espada laughed and opened his mouth wide to show his branded rank – his cold dry voice combined with the 5 that shone burnt into the skin of his tongue sent a chill up Ichigo's spine.

"Foolish soul reaper, did you even consider there would be stronger enemies than this worthless shit lying on the ground? You struggled so hard for victory and see how you have been rewarded… your opponent lies dead and you have me to thank. What is your name soul reaper? If it is interesting enough perhaps I will remember before I take the life you fought so hard to keep."

Ichigo sneered, "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki. Remember it if you like; it may be the last name you scream before I send your damned soul to hell."

A deep cold laugh echoed across the blood spattered valley.

"So be it shinigami."

A sharp snap followed by a flash of white drew Ichigo's eyes away and he saw a second espada appear behind Inoue, restraining her. His anger flared and he barely moved away in time to avoid another swing from his opponent.

"Damn you leave her out of this," he whispered his voice shaking in rage as he turned to face the skeletal espada. He received only laughter in answer and moved away again to avoid a direct blow, Orihime's voice echoing across the valley – screaming for the espada to leave him alone, begging to be allowed to heal him before he fought again. In her voice Ichigo heard her desperation and again the truth of Rukia's words came back to him, Inoue truly did care for him more than a friend.

He shook his head, he could not think of that right now. He could not think of Rukia. He could not allow himself to wonder what had happened to her, he could not allow himself to even consider the possibility that he had lost her. He barely registered the words that spilled from his enemy's mouth and he could have cared less. His wounds continued to bleed profusely and he drew on the power of his zanpakto in an effort to staunch the bleeding.

"Come at me and let us end this Espada."

He had underestimated his opponents speed and felt the desperation in his actions even as he attacked. His doubts were confirmed as his sword was caught by the espada's bare hand and Ichigo felt himself flung against the rocks. A second crash drew his attention and he struggled to lift himself to his feet once more, he couldn't believe the incredible nerve of the bastard to go after a defenseless kid, even if she was a hollow. He could scarcely believe it as the espada spoke to Nell as though he knew her. What the fuck was going on. Ichigo looked into the cold dead eyes of his enemy and the wide grin on his face.

"Aw, you didn't know did you shinigami. Well let me make a proper introduction. This is Nell… a former espada. I thought I had killed the little bitch but I guess not. It seems I have gotten sloppy. No matter I will just finish crushing her head the rest of the way in."

Ichigo stared in disbelief. There was no way that this small child was a former espada, the very thought was insane. He watched as the skeletal espada raised his blade to dispatch Nell and he felt his body shoot forward to shield the young hollow. His sword vibrated as he brought it down upon the slim shoulder and Ichigo was struck by the fact that even in its bankai form, his sword was unable to cut through the espada's skin. He blinked as his mind flashed back to his battle with Zaraki long ago. Could it be that his spiritual pressure, even now, was not high enough to damage this enemy?

His thoughts were cut off as his body was flung aside, his blood spattering against the sand as his wounds opened again. He heard a faint pop and looked over towards the swirling sand, his eyes settling on the spot where he had last seen Nell; gone was the hollow child and in her place stood a beautiful woman. Ichigo felt his eyes sliding up the scantly covered body, settling on the broken mask that set atop her head. He watched as the woman walked towards him, a gentle smile on her face.

He stiffened as he felt her arms sliding around him, her hand resting dangerously high on his leg. Her voice held the same timber as Nell's but the childlike lisp was gone.

"I remember everything now. Thank you Ichigo, I will handle things from here."

He watched as she stood and started to protest when the wind blew the back of her shirt up, revealing the branded 3 on her slim back. He caught the mischievous glint in her eyes as she looked back at him.

"As you can see, this shouldn't take long."

Rukia slammed her weakened body against the heavy door and slid to the floor, exhausted by her efforts. The room was altogether too much like the tower cell she had spent so much time in before being rescued by Ichigo.

Ichigo.

The name pounded in her head with each beat of her heart. Damn Aizen. She knew Ichigo would come now, no matter the cost. She hated being his weakness.

Ichigo.

She signed against the tidal wave of memories she associated with that name. Feelings, emotions… what a mess.

Inoue.

More memories, more emotions – guilt mixed with friendship and concern.

Ichigo and Inoue.

Rukia felt a hot flash of jealousy flood her emotions as she imagined them together followed by shame. She slammed her fist against the stone floor and winced as tears sprang to her eyes. Her battle with "Kaien" had weakened her emotionally as well as physically. She rolled to her back on the cold floor and stared at the ceiling. She had to get out of here but how. She was still recovering from too many injuries to attempt kido, her zanpakto had been taken away and she could hear the guard pacing the floor outside her cell.

This entire situation was her fault. She should have known that gigai was faulty from the start. Had she not remained in it, the Hōgyoku would never have matured. Urahara wasn't completely innocent either, but she had been the one to foolishly awaken Ichigo's powers and by doing so she had involved him and his friends. That once act of innocence was a slap in the face right now as she felt her friends reitsu levels steadily fluctuating and falling. Her actions since becoming a soul reaper had done nothing but endanger those she cared for: Byakuya, Kaien, and now Ichigo and his friends.

Ichigo.

There it was again. She whispered it aloud, letting the letters roll off her tongue. She remembered the last truly alone moment they had shared and felt the hint of a smile curve the corners of her lips. Thinking of him in that way made the pain go away and lessened the overpowering guilt she felt. She remembered the first time she had kissed him. She remembered the first time she had felt his hands on her and how it had felt to be brought to life – emotions held in check for decades flooding her senses as she reveled in being wanted and wanting in return. She felt so safe with him around. He just had that effect.

Her eyes snapped open. No matter what, she could not allow Ichigo to be lured to this place. She had caused him so much pain in the past when he had rescued her; she had to escape on her own. For him to come here would mean his death. Aizen had proven his immeasurable skill during his departure from the soul society and though Ichigo grew more and more powerful with each new encounter he was no match.

She looked at the slim window as a thought crept into her mind; slowly she stood and walked over to it, leaning over to look down. She gasped as she was met with nothing but faint darkness. It was impossible to gauge how far the drop was. Even if she was able to squeeze through, there was no way she could survive that kind of fall.

The sound of a latch releasing drew her attention to the door and she glared as Ichimaru Gin appeared on the other side, his mouth stretched into an all too familiar grin. His voice was soft and surprisingly cheerful.

"How are the accommodations? Are you enjoying your stay here Rukia?"

She watched his slitted eyes open slightly, his smile widening further.

"No? Well I do agree it is a bit small compared the tower cell, but it is definitely better furnished."

Rukia glared darkly but said nothing. She watched as he started to set the tray her held down and lashed out with her foot, missing her intended target. Rukia watched as the contents of the tray scattered across the floor and flew at her captor, raking her nails down his slim face enjoying the way his skin parted beneath her fingertips. This was what she had been reduced to. Her spirit too drained to use her powers, sword gone; she had nothing left but animalistic instincts and had her teeth been sharp enough Rukia really believed she would have bitten the smug bastard. The fact that he stood there, his chest shaking with laughter as blood ran down his face, staining his white hakama caused something to snap within Rukia.

She screamed in rage and rushed to attack again, only to have her arms bound behind her back as she was flung to the ground. She felt her body lifted into the air and cried out as she was thrown hard against the wall, her face held in an iron grip. She opened her eyes and stared into those of Aizen. She had never been this close to the former captain and the level of spiritual pressure he wielded was choking the surrounding air. She struggled to breathe and her pride rebelled against the strangled gasps that escaped her lips.

Aizen looked down at the feisty soul reaper and smiled coldly. He examined her critically sneering slightly at her current level of power.

"You should know better than to attack an unarmed opponent, especially when you hardly have the power to stand on your own two feet Kuchiki or didn't your older brother teach you that."

He leaned forward and smiled cruelly.

"Did Byakuya teach you anything little Kuchiki? You certainly don't act like nobility. Perhaps he merely took you under his wing because you reminded him of his beloved Hisana. Tell me my dear Rukia, just how often did you thank Byakuya for his patronage? Often I hope. It was far more than a weakling like you deserved."

He watched as his veiled insults struck home and chuckled coldly as Rukia fought harder against his Kido spell. The temptation to further enrage the petite woman proved too deliciously inviting and Aizen leaned forward further; his lips close to the delicate shell of her ear.

"Is that why you can't restrain yourself brat? Was Byakuya too busy fucking your brains out to teach you any manners? Or was that Renji? Perhaps they simply passed you back and forth among them… your reputation certainly proceeds you if such was the case."

He tightened his grip as she fought harder against his spell. Her spiritual pressure escalating through her rage. He flung the pale face to the side and stood over her, a small smirk twitched the corners of his mouth.

"I suppose you should know that your brother and a few of the other captains have crossed over into this world to rescue you. You seem to be the harbinger of trouble for all your comrades. Pity that they should have to lose their lives for the likes of you."

Aizen turned and strode out of the room, pausing at the doorway his back still turned.

"Don't worry Kuchiki; I am not completely without mercy. You shall see **every** one of them before you die. I will have my espada bring you their heads. A special gift from me to you. Until then, au revoir."

The slamming door brought on the release of the kido that bound her and Rukia rushed towards the door, almost losing her footing on the stone floor as she slid on the spilled food from before. She grabbed the bars that covered the opening in the door and screamed.

"Aizen, you fucking bastard. Come back here. Leave them alone. What do you want from me! Come back… don't…"

Her voice trailed off as she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face freely. She wiped them away furiously. She remained kneeling, every muscle in her body tensed as her rage continued to build. Her senses sharpened as something inside her howled and Rukia clutched her head as a single word beat itself into her brain.

Monster.

Rukia felt her fingertips slipping as they slid over the formation of smooth bone, her vision fading beneath the inky film that steadily coated her eyes. She gasped in pain and fought a transformation she wanted no part of. In her desperation she slid her fingertips beneath the bone growing over her jaw and tore upward, her voice piercing the silence of Hueco Mundo.

"Nooooooooo!"

Ichigo looked up in confusion as Rukia's voice burst through his thoughts. He turned to Inoue and saw the same puzzled expression on her face. He could feel Rukia's spiritual pressure growing. Was she in battle? Was she injured? Ichigo's mind raced even as he watched the skeletal form of his enemy beaten down by the transformed Nell. Amazing. Whereas he had been unable to even make a single cut against the espada's pale skin, in two blows Nell had put him on his knees. Who… no, what the hell was she?

He struggled to his feet only to be flung back to the ground as Nell's now heavy adult body crashed into his, hugging him fiercely despite Inoue's protests.

Inoue!

Ichigo looked over to see the man who'd had her held back lying on the ground, the apparent victim of the massive cero blast Nell had flung to the side. He stiffened as he felt Orihime's hands sliding protectively over his body and lay back as she called forth her powers to heal him.

Orihime bit her lower lip as she allowed her hands to remain on Ichigo's chest a fraction longer than what was necessary and started to pull away. She gasped as one of her hands was captured by Ichigo, his fingers holding hers tightly. She felt a hot flush staining her cheeks as she stammered his last name; silenced by the slightly cocky grin he flashed her.

"Thank you Inoue."

Orihime shook her head quickly.

"You don't have to thank me Kurosaki-kun. I'm happy to be able to help."

Ichigo let his gaze soften and lifted his free hand, resting it casually on his classmate's knee.

"I'm glad you're safe Inoue. As soon as these wounds are closed up I will have Nell open the portal to the living world. I want you safe from here before I go and rescue the others."

Orihime felt her heart flutter slightly under Ichigo's soft, sleepy gaze and her body pulsated warmly under his heavy hand. She felt her lips curve into a slight frown at the words spoken.

"No, Kurosaki-kun. I cannot leave yet. I know you all came to save me and I am grateful, but there is something I must do before I can allow myself to return. Something only I can do."

Ichigo stared up at the redhead confused slightly.

"Whatever it is Inoue, you don't have to do it alone. Let us help you."

He felt her hand slipping from his as his last wound closed over and watched as she stood up.

"I'm sorry, but no one can help me with this."

He called out to her, as she backed away from him, her face alight with a determination he had never seen in her before. He watched, his body refusing to move, as Inoue walked up to her previous captor and softly commanded him to take her back to Aizen. He called out to her, as the espada ripped open a portal. He stood slowly - painfully, frozen in place as Orihime turned from her chosen path, tears streaming from gentle grey eyes.

She blinked past the watering of her eyes and took one last long look at the man she loved, the man who did not love her in return. She memorized him in that last long look, his lean staggered stance, his unruly orange hair, the familiar scowl that continually twisted his handsome features into a sterner look that belied his youth. Inoue took in the stunned look in his amber eyes, her heart breaking when all she saw was the concern one would have for a friend. She had seen the devastated lost look that crumbled his features when he watched Rukia walk away enough times to know she would never have a chance.

She closed her eyes as she walked away into the portal.

_I am sorry for leaving you Ichigo. I never wanted to leave your side, but I don't belong and I don't want to watch you receive injury after injury just to save me. I want you to be happy – even if it's not with me. I have to accept that I can no longer sit on the sidelines. I have to accept the specialness of my abilities and I have to accept that only I can end this and I think Aizen knows this too. So I will commit myself back to this world and my fate so that none of my friends have to suffer any more. Especially you Ichigo… I may never say the words that beat in my heart. I know that I am not like the rain now – not to you for I cannot touch your heart and I cannot connect it to mine. _

She turned one last time as a final tear slid down her cheek.

_Good-bye Kurosaki-kun. _

Ichigo yelled for her to turn back even as her espada captor followed and his knees hit the dirt as the portal closed. His hand balled into a fist as he beat the ground in his fury.

"Dammit to hell Inoue! WHY!"

What could she do that he could not help with? Why did she have to go it alone? Why would she run back to the enemy now that he had rescued her?

He paused as a realization hit him. This was what he put his friends through all the time. Always he was telling them to stay put, always he was telling them he had to go it alone and he was always the first to rush in. But he was a shinigami and Inoue was… something completely different.

He felt his eyes narrow in hatred as the skeletal figure of his enemy shook slowly with a wicked laughter. Ichigo scanned the desert, his eyes resting on the fallen and now child-like form of Nell. He glared as the espada struggled to his feet, his cold dry laughter echoing in the silence of the desert.

"So the little bitch healed you while I was distracted. It will matter little in the long run soul reaper. I can see your future written all over your human face. In my world… you are already marked dead."

Ichigo felt his muscles tense as the espada gripped his weapon and charged. A flash of movement caught his eye and he shielded them as dust swirled around him. He watched as Nell stood before him, her sword finally drawn. He watched as the espada skidded to a stop, his thin face stretching in horror as Nell uttered a single word.

"Declare."

He watched her final transformation and attack on the skeletal espada. He stepped back as an arc of spilled blood sprayed close to his feet and watched as she landed blow after blow. He would never have thought such a whiney child could have transformed into such a powerful woman. His brow furrowed. Woman. Rukia.

Rukia!

He had forgotten about her in the ensuing battle and Orihime's departure. Dammit. He thought back to the scream he had heard and frantically sought to identify her reitsu from the other powerful levels that could be felt throughout Hueco Mundo. Why so many?

Ichigo felt something dark tugging at the back of his mind and felt Zangetsu shudder against his palm. Something was not right. There were too much powerful energy in this place and Rukia's reitsu did not feel right. It was there, pulsating faintly but she felt far away. He was drawn from his thoughts as something wet land against his cheek and looked up to see Nell's body shrinking back to childhood, her hollow mask cracking even further as she fell into the sand. He looked up to see the long lithe figure stretching towards the sky, scythe raised as he prepared to deliver the final blow.

Without even thinking of the consequences Ichigo threw himself in front of her attacker, crying out as the weapon buried deeply in his healed body. He coughed as dark blood welled in his open mouth.

Dammit.

He fell slowly to the ground, his arms wrapping around the small hollow protectively. He looked up, vision blurry and saw a flash of brilliant pink hair before collapsing to the ground. He tried to lift his heavy head up from the sand but it was useless, his wound was too deep. He thought he heard the sing-song voice of a little girl as his consciousness faded. Ichigo coughed again and willed his eyes to open once again. Startled he looked into the face of Kenpachi and his small lieutenant.

He reached out weakly, convinced he was hallucinating and groaned as his arm fell against the ground beside his head.

Dammit. He was being protected again. Saved again.

He closed his eyes slowly, letting the world of Hueco Mundo fade as the sounds of battle surrounded him. The Soul Society had come after all.

_Ok, I left it hanging but don't worry… I am working on __**my**__ version of the "final battle" for Chapter 4. It has been a long time since I updated. Forgive me, it won't happen again. Thank you all for reading – I hope I haven't deviated too far. Till next time._


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