This is my first fanfic, even though I've been watching Bleach and reading Bleach fanfiction for almost a year now! I was gradually waking up this morning and it just came to me... how's that for inspiration? Be gentle...

Originally, this was a one-shot...

Chapter 1 takes place around or just after Episode 127 of the anime... after Urahara orders Orihime not to fight in the upcoming Arrancar war... right after Rukia finds Ichigo's reiatsu in the Vaizard warehouse... but just before Rukia and Orihime depart for Soul Society for their training...

P.S. This version was edited by renagrrl... thank you so much!

CHAPTER 1

Rukia was busy putting her small corner of the twins' room in order. After what had seemed like weeks, she had finally detected Ichigo's reiatsu from within what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse... a warehouse which was protected from Shinigami intrusion by an unusual barrier. Normally, this would raise concern with her, but from what she could detect of Ichigo's reiatsu, he was alright and engaged in some sort of training. Additionally, she was able to witness Inoue Orihime departing the barrier on her own, so it obviously didn't keep everything in or out. From Inoue's reaction to seeing Rukia upon her departure from the barrier, Ichigo was doing fine inside and simply did not want to be disturbed. Rukia was satisfied with that.

Orihime... Rukia would be dead right now if it wasn't for her, due to their recent battle with the Arrancar. Rukia had felt very sorry for Orihime after hearing of Urahara's order that she would not be allowed to fight in the upcoming Arrancar war. She had decided that perhaps, if Orihime received some better combat training, Urahara might be forced to rescind his order. Therefore, she had decided to take her back to Soul Society to receive as much training as it could offer in the short amount of time they had before the war. She continued rustling about, putting her things in order as she prepared to depart, and failed to notice one of Ichigo's sisters appear in the open doorway.

"Rukia-chan, where are you going?" Karin, Ichigo's raven-haired younger sibling, said from the doorway after a few moments of watching her.

Rukia froze, but then quickly put on her school-girl facade. "Ka.. Karin-chan! I'm going to be staying with Orihime-san for a few days to help her with some school work!" she lied. She didn't like lying to Ichigo's family like this, but had found it necessary on numerous occasions, if only to ensure both their own safety and Ichigo's.

Karin, however, wasn't buying it. She stepped forward a few feet, closing the door behind her. "Rukia-chan... please. I know who and what you are, Shinigami. I know my brother is one of you as well. Please... tell me... have you found him?" Karin replied plaintively.

Rukia knew at that moment that there would be no more lying to the more spiritually aware of Ichigo's sisters. "Ichigo... is safe. I'm not exactly aware of his condition or circumstances, but I know that he is still here, in Karakura... and he is where he is of his own free will," Rukia replied quietly.

Karin's face relaxed for a moment. However, a confused look then spread over her face. "So... then... where are you going?"

After a moment, Rukia understood her confusion. "Ichigo needs to be alone for now... doing whatever he is doing. Orihime needs... help... and I'm taking her back to where I am from to give her that help, as best as I can. There really isn't much more I can do here as long as Ichigo is off on his own."

Karin nodded, then sat down on Rukia's bed. Rukia sat next to her, noting that it seemed like Karin had more to say. After a few more moments, Karin spoke up again.

"Rukia-chan... do you love Ichi-nii?" she suddenly asked.

Rukia froze. Romantic love? That must be what Karin-chan was implying... she had never really thought of such a thing. A Shinigami... and a human? Even if such a thing were possible, it was almost certainly outlawed by Soul Society... even if Ichigo was a Shinigami representative, he was still human. "Wha... why of course not! What made you think of such a thing?" she stammered in reply.

Karin looked slightly disheartened by her words, but after a moment, replied. "Well... I've seen the way you look at him when you think no one is looking." She hesitated, then continued. "Also... I've seen the way Ichi-nii looks at you when he thinks no one else is looking... and the way his behavior changed when you started living with us. He... suddenly became himself again. He hadn't been himself... for a while. He had been... sulking a lot." She hesitated for a few more moments, then said, "I think he might love you."

Rukia remained frozen. Ichigo... in love with her? It was another concept she had never even considered. They argued so much. But yet... he did save her life, on several occasions, risking himself and even others in the process. But wasn't that just him paying her back for that debt that he thought he owed her? She could never quite understand that either... in Rukia's opinion, she had risked Ichigo's life more than any supposed favor she had done him by giving him her Shinigami powers. Yet... now that she thought about it... she had to admit, without even realizing it, she had been...gazing at him...when she thought no one was looking... and she had thought on more than one occasion that he had been doing the same. After a short while, she realized that maybe there was some sort of love between them, after all.

Finally, Rukia replied. "Honestly... I don't know, Karin-chan."

That answer, as ambiguous as it was, seemed to satisfy Ichigo's raven-haired sibling. She nodded, and after a moment, got up and headed for the hall. However, she turned back to Rukia just as she was about to depart down the hall. "I'll tell Dad and Yuzu that you are at Orihime's. Please... when you return... take good care of Ichi-nii."

Rukia wasn't quite sure how she should answer that, but decided to reply honestly. "I will."

END

Hopefully that wasn't too OOC! Let me know what you think...