Yo peeps. I just separated this from my other fan-fic, because this is really a story and not a one-shot.

Read. Enjoy. Review. Yes, in that exact order ;)

I still don't own Bleach. Yet.

Is this the life that you lead,
Or the life that's lead for you?
Will you take the road that's been laid out before you?
Will we cross paths somewhere else tonight?
Somewhere else tonight...

And I can't tell if you're laughing
Between each smile there's a tear in your eye
There's a train leaving town in an hour
It's not waiting for you, and neither am I

Begin Chapter One:

"Rukia-Hime?"

Kuchiki Rukia turned slightly, not bothering to turn her full attention to the attendant that kneeled before the slide of her room. Through the thick rice paper, she could see the outline of his figure - the bulky armour that all of the guards of the castle were ordered to wear at all times.

"Yes?" She answered in her perfected Kuchiki tone - the tone that her brother and mother and father before her had implemented at all times, even when speaking to one another. Her voice reminded her of the stone cold looks her brother always wore - which, try as she might, she still couldn't perfect. Her large, cobalt eyes were too wide - too kind, and too intriguing to be passed off as cold.

"Byakuya-dono wishes to have an audience with you."

Rukia winced.

"Very well," Her voice, thankfully, didn't betray her nausea, "Inform him that I will be there shortly."

The shadow nodded and left, leaving Rukia to stare at her small hands, which were clenched into fists on top of her lap. Without thinking, she cleaned off of her tea table and placed the cups and pot on the mat beside the door. A maid would soon be about to take care of it. Pausing, Rukia patted the top of head, arranged her kimono, retied her obi and twisted her long, cowlick bang back into the bun atop her head. Gracefully, she opened the slide and began to make her way down the long hallway, mentally preparing herself and clearing her throat.

Arriving at the rice paper door, Rukia sat down gracefully, taking a few extra deep breaths, before bowing and announcing herself.

"You may enter."

The even voice of her Nii-sama sent shivers down her spine, but she shook them off and entered - letting her face take on an emotionless appearance. The room was dark - lit only by a few candles - Rukia wondered why it was this way, before she glanced and saw a painting of her Nee-chan pushed far back on her Nii-sama's table - a faint attempt to hide it from view. Pity and sorrow welled up in her stomach, and she had to fight back a sad smile.

It had been two years since Hisana Nee-chan had passed away - since the brightness of her home had decreased, and she began to dread the nights, when the nightmares would come and she would know that now there was no one to comfort her in the morning with a walk in the gardens. No one to tell her to smile more - to not be so serious all the time. But, as sad as Rukia was, she couldn't imagine how sad her Nii-sama was. Hisana Nee-chan had been more to him than she had ever been to her, and without her beloved Nee-chan around, Byakuya-Nii was left all by himself.

Watching him carefully, Rukia felt fear and pity. She may not love her Nii-sama as she should, but she did admire him. It was hard, seeing him all alone.

"Good afternoon, Nii-sama." Rukia greeted, bowing to the floor.

She sat up and saw him nod to her, acknowledging her greeting, before her turned back to the papers he was looking over, "I've summoned you to alert you to a proposal for marriage I have received."

Rukia blinked - surprised. A marriage proposal? How strange...it wasn't strange that someone had asked to marry her Nii-sama, he was a very popular man, loved by all of the women - it was strange that he was notifying her of this.

"Nii-sama...why-"

"I've decided to accept, and I expect you to be prepared as soon as possible."

Accept? Rukia felt anger swelling in her chest. He was accepting? How dare he! Her Nee-chan was the only woman he should love, and Rukia couldn't see any other woman taking that place in their lives. But, then again...the anger melted...she had felt sorry for him, she had wanted to see him happy. If that made him happy, then who was she to deny him this chance at happiness.

As much as it bothered her...as much as it seemed a blasphemy to her Nee-chan's memory, she couldn't keep him from it. She couldn't be that selfish, even if she wanted to be.

"Of course, Nii-sama."

He nodded to her, and then went back to his papers.

After a moment, Rukia decided to speak.

"May I ask...who, Nii-sama?" She was curious - much too curious to know what woman could have possible woo'd her brother so. When Nee-chan had died, she hadn't eve imagined her Nii-sama with anyone else - his love for her had been that strong. Who could have...? It was eating away at her.

"Takiando-san, the man you met at the cherry blossom viewing last month."

Speechless, Rukia started at him, trying to piece together what she had missed. Her...her Nii-sama wasn't marrying...a man...was he? No - there was no way that he could be...well...Rukia closed her eyes, still unable to believe it.

"Takiando-san...?" Even if they were...Takiando-san was a little young for her brother - he was barely twenty...

"You didn't expect me to give your hand to a stranger?"

Everything froze. Suddenly, it became clear, and Rukia was struggling for breath. A small part of her was relieved that Nii-sama was not marrying a man, but the rest of her was shocked - it was so sudden, it was too soon...Rukia felt young - much, much too young for this, but she was of age. Her sixteenth birthday had been two weeks before that cherry blossom viewing, and now Takiando's strange eagerness to spend time with her was put into perspective.

If she had known, she would have avoided him! Rukia cursed her luck, but then again, how long could she have avoided this? Sure - avoiding men was easy...but sooner or later her Nii-sama would have just given her away. At least she knew who it was.

"Don't make such a senseless face."

Immediately, her features snapped back into the Kuchiki facade. Her insides might be churning and collapsing, but she couldn't show it on the outside. No, she was a Kuchiki - and Kuchiki's did not betray their internal emotions.

"I am sorry Nii-sama," She apologized, looking downwards, pleading with herself not to shed any shameful tears. "I am honored that you have taken the time to find me a suitor. Thank you, Nii-sama."

She felt his eyes watching her for a few moments, before her answered, "That is all."

It couldn't look at if she were running away - she had to keep herself from rushing out, from abandoning all of her pride and running like a child out to the garden - she couldn't condemn herself to her room, not now. Not when she felt like she needed to escape. Rukia, after walking slowly, painfully slowly, out of the house, ran to the one place she knew she would feel calm.

"Nee-chan."

Her fingers traced the cool, hard stone of her Nee-chan's tombstone. It laid beneath a beautiful cherry blossom tree - and everytime she came here, Rukia was reminded of her Nee-chan, and it felt like she wasn't dead anymore...that Hisana-nee was sitting right next to her, and...if she closed her eyes, Rukia could hear the soft tinkling laughter that always made her feel loved and carefree.

Distraught, Rukia collapsed in front of the tree, leaning heavily on the stone. She didn't feel like crying anymore - that had passed as sudden as it had appeared, thankfully. But, she still felt an internal turmoil that kept her from standing still - she watched her small, pale hands shake as she grasped the stone. Clenching her fingers, Rukia commanded them to stop. She was a Kuchiki...and...

She wouldn't be a Kuchiki for much longer.

"Oh, Nee-chan." She missed her Nee-chan. She missed having someone to talk to - to really talk to. Someone who could see past all of the pretenses, all of the coldness that she emitted.

Calm down Rukia Kuchiki, she told herself, Relax. You must regain a hold of yourself - you need some time to reflect...some time to...mourn.

Taking a deep breath, Rukia stood up and bowed to the tombstone, before walking past the large cherry blossom tree, facing the tall stone wall of the Kuchiki garden. Untying her outer kimono, she left the heavy cloth folded neatly behind the tree, safely out of site, leaving her in her lighter under yukata. The spring breeze felt nice, and like she had done many times before, she climbed the tree and lept from one of the branches out onto another tree located outside the wall.

Finally free, Rukia managed a small smile. She had always enjoyed adventure - being able to satisfy her childish whims. She hadn't had much of a childhood...it felt good, being free like this...and she relished in it - the imminous future looming in her mind. Soon after being wedd, she would be a mother...

Huh. Rukia contemplated that - being a mother. Although she didn't mind the thought of that, she couldn't imagine Takiando as a father. He was...much too uptight, and boring. That was the worst thing about being a Kuchiki. Most of her friends, (And she used that term loosely) were unbelievably dull. Oh...Rukia slouched...she would have to be getting used to that now...

She stopped, her lamenting finally falling into place - the brunt of it was hitting her now. This was it, wasn't it? She was never going to experience more than this...her cage was getting smaller and smaller...

Horrified, Rukia let out a strangled sigh - she didn't want this to be it...there were so many things that she still wanted to see - that she wanted to do. What was she going to do now?

But...there was nothing she could do, was there? Leaning against a tree, Rukia looked to the sky - her fate was sealed - just like those clouds. They were destined to live up there their whole lives, and she too was destined to live her life as a Kuchiki...and Kuchiki's didn't marry for love...they didn't wander off into the woods, they didn't look for adventures...

"Ouch! Oi! What the hell - Goddammit!"

Rukia blinked to herself once, before looking around. Had that been...had it...

It had come from over there...creeping slowly, Rukia looked through the trees and saw, down a small slope, the strangest head of hair she had ever seen in her life standing over a river. Granted, her life hadn't been that long, but still - she was sure that bright orange wasn't a common colour.

"Dammit!"

Ah, Rukia's eyes widened, it was a man. Then she frowned. A very poor mouthed man...and her frown deepened when she looked closer. He was covered in fresh wounds, and the source of his exclamations were the rush of pain that came with washing such horrible wounds. He must be a warrior...maybe even a samurai...Rukia crept closer, trying to get a better look at this stranger. His belongings were strewn about - blankets were shredded - he had apparently ripped them for bandages. Oooh...Rukia caught a glimpse of a pure black sword gleaming in the sunlight - and she had to admit, it was strangely beautiful. If she looked close enough she could see red blood and caked mud all over the blade.

Yes - definitely an experienced warrior...who could know how many men he had killed - how many battles that he had been in? She thought of her Nii-sama- stoic and brave, yet graceful and strong...

"Ah, damn!"

Flailing wildly, the orange haired man slipped and fell into the stream, shrieking and cursing as he was swept away in the current.

Rukia sweat-dropped. Okay. Not graceful...more like...a bumbling idiot...but, she smiled to herself, the look on his face had been pretty amusing. Sighing, Rukia began to run for the river - diving in without a second thought. Unlike the orange-haired warrior, she had known instinctively how to swim since she was very young - gliding though the thick waters like it was her second nature. She quickly made her way to where the guy was, choking and almost unconscious, and wrapped her arms around his broad chest, commanding all of the strength in her small body to haul him back to the shore.

Back-paddling, Rukia managed to drag him out before he drowned. Dumping him onto the sandy beach, Rukia smirked to herself, amused again as she watched him hack the water and debris out of his lungs.

"Are you alright?" She asked, trying not to sound too much like she was enjoying his pain.

He squinted at her though one eye, still coughing, and nodded. Taking advantage of the time, Rukia wrung her hair and sleeves out, scowling as she realized she had gotten the bottom of her yukata dirty. How was she going to explain this one?

"Thank you." He said, bringing her gaze back to him.

He was kneeling, waiting for her to look at him again, before he bowed in respect.

She waved off his formality - ignoring her Nii-sama's voice in her head, telling her to be more ladylike and stop disgracing the Kuchiki name - and responded with a small smirk, "It was my pleasure, though I was under the impression that people in this day and age knew how to swim." She had to give him some credit. He caught his scowl after a moment and simply stared at her. He had obviously been raised to treat women with respect. She frowned. How boring. Maybe this wasn't something she wanted to do.

"I don't really care for the water," He said, standing up - legs a little wobbly.

Biting her tongue, Rukia kept back a cheeky remark. He seemed to be a little sensitive, and for some strange reasons she was feeling very playful - very teasing. Hmm. She frowned for a different reason, wondering if she was more alone than she thought she was. She needed to be around more people.

"I see." She got up and began to walk back to where he had fallen in, decided to stay instead of leave.

"Oi," He followed her, walking close behind her, "Um..."

"Sit down," She instructed him, gesturing to a rock he could comfortable sit on in the shallow parts of the water.

"What are-"

"We don't want you to fall in again, do we? And," She picked at the unwinding bands of cloth around his chest, "You'll die of blood-loss with this patch-up job." And then she grimaced, seeing how terrible the wounds really were "You're going to need stitching."

He was speechless, staring at her, which allowed for her to sneak into his bag without him objecting up-front. Quickly, she found a small kit with a small amount of medical supplies, and luckily a needle and thread.

"Did you pack this?" She asked suddenly - sure that there was no way he could have thought to do it himself...he couldn't even dress his own wound, how could he know how to sow it? She pushed him to where the stone was, enjoying the cnfusion on his face.

"No - ah..." He turned a little red, "Someone packed it for me - the medical kit."

Nodding, Rukia went to removing the sopping bandages - carefully - admiring it when he didn't wince when she knew she was being too quick and too rough.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." He grumbled as she was removing the last bandage, causing her to look up.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo." He didn't look at her, which made her smile.

"Kuchiki Rukia."

She didn't feel the need to say anything more - and they fell into a comfortable silence - one which Rukia reveled in. She had never known comfortable silences...all she knew were the uncomfortable, long and painful silences that were permanently etched into the Kuchiki home. After some time, though, she had to speak again.

"You're going to need to lie down now." She had finished cleaning his wounds - and now came for the sowing.

He complied without a word, or a grimace - which earned more of her respect. Yes, she concluded, he was definitely a seasoned warrior. While she sowed, she counted all of the scars that littered his body - there weren't many, and they weren't bad - most of them only slightly silvery and very thin. Actually, his skin was surprisingly soft - when it wasn't mutilated. But thick - was his entire body muscle? She could barely push the needle through some parts, but it did get done, and Rukia was proud of herself. She had never done this much - and her work looked pretty good. Washing the wounds one more time, she dried them and applied the bandages - taking extra care to do them perfectly...and she might have been trying to show off a bit, but she would never admit to it.

"It's done." She announced after double-checking her work, offering a hand to help him up again. He took it after considering it for a moment, barely putting any of his weight on her, which made her roll her eyes. Men.

"Thank you," He replied - a small smile on his face, "I think you've saved my life twice today with this."

Laughing, Rukia packed up the small medical kit and returned it to his bag, ignoring the mess of his belongings all around them and the impulse to organize everything.

"So, Kurosaki-san," Rukia asked - brow furrowing when calling him by his formality didn't feel right - , "Where are you from and...if I may ask, where did you get these wounds?"

"Ah, Kuchiki-san," Rukia shivered. That was her sister's title, "I've never really been from anywhere - I've moved around since I was young. And these, well...I don't know if I should tell you...you might regret saving me."

"Regret saving you? What are you - an assasin?" She asked jokingly - but stopped short when he smirked in not the nicest way.

"Something like that." He stood up and began to gather his things, "I'm a thief - and if any of my comrades knew that I was telling you this, they would demand that I either kidnap you or kill you."

Rukia's heart jumped, "Are you going to do either?" She asked.

He contemplated for a moment - but Rukia caught the teasing twist in his face, "No. Come on, killing you after you saved my life? Kidnapping you? What kind of man would that make me?"

So...Rukia thought to herself, he was a thief who had honor...how backwards.

"Thank you for that, I suppose." And she leaned backwards, admiring the colour of the sky and the arrangement of the clouds. She felt warm - inside and out, knowing that she had done something good for the day.

This was her way of giving him a change to leave without feeling awkward - but he didn't, instead he fiddled around with his bag, and then with something else that she couldn't see. But she ignored it - feeling somehow comforted - somehow safe, even though she was five feet from an admitted thief. His presence was...soothing...and then her face began to burn as she realized how foolish her feelings were. She felt like a child.

Not being able resist, Rukia shifted and peeked out of the corner of her eye, trying to see what he could be doing.

"Fishing?" Her tone was more incredulous than she had meant it to be, but it slipped out before she could compose herself.

He snapped his head back to her - grinning slightly. "Yeah - I'm starving." He set up a fishing reel and arranged a net at the edge of the river, and Rukia had to stop herself from laughing right out. She had never seen anyone so ill-prepared for the wilderness - if he actually managed to catch any fish with that pitiful reel in the shallowest area of the river, he was an extremely lucky man.

Walking up to stand beside him, Rukia peered over his shoulder as he watched intently; waiting for a fish to swim into his trap.

"That's not going to work." She decided to put it bluntly - how was he ever going to survive? Rukia decided just then that he must not be a very good thief if he couldn't survive by himself. Usually thieves were resourceful - they were cunning...Watching him stare with a goofy grin on his face at the water definitely communicated he was not any of those things.

"What? Why?" He demanded, looking extrememly dissapointed.

"For so many reasons." Trying not to look to smug, Rukia dug into her sandal and pulled out her emergency yen - enough to buy food for herself whenever she needed it. "Here - and, take some fishing lessons...please." She dropped the money in front of him and turned away, knowing in her heart that she would really rather not have to go back...her expression grew sour and her happy aura dissipated - shattering all around her.

"Oi - " He suddenly appeared beside her - looking at her with concern, "Are you going to travel in the woods alone?"

His tone made Rukia bristle - "Yes - unlike some people, I can take care of myself."

"Oh," He shook his head defensively, "I don't doubt that...but..." He began to glare at her, "You might think you can take care of yourself, but the world is a dangerous place. I don't care if you don't want be to, but I'm going to make sure you get home safely. I owe you that much."

Growling, Rukia huffed, "You owe me nothing." And she turned to stalk away - perhaps her revelation about having to go home had put her in a bad mood, but she didn't want to have to be taken care of...and this thug, ah - she winced - it was wrong to call him that, this man shouldn't have to worry about her. Escpecially with those wounds.

She pretended that she couldn't hear him grumbling to himself, following after her, while she stomped through the trees, finding her way easily through the trees and bushes. She also pretended that she wasn't fighting down the sudden irrational want to stop the silence. Why on earth did she want to speak to him so badly? She was a Kuchiki, damn it...her clan was the best at its stone cold silences.

"What did you say your name was again?" He asked suddenly - and Rukia knew that he was now starting to see the large stone wall that surrounded her home. He was starting to piece things together.

"Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia." Rukia almost didn't want to tell him...she was always treated different when people knew who she was. It was that same cold indifference that she should pride herself on...unfortunately, she didn't enjoy it, nor did she enjoy receiving it. But that was the world of the nobles...the world that she was condemned to.

"Kuchiki..." She heard him say it softly to himself, but other than that he didn't say anything. He didn't stop following her and he didn't stop her and demand her to answer his questions. In fact...Rukia was shocked that he didn't kidnap her like he had threatened teasingly before. Kidnapping a Kuchiki would guarantee him and his thieving pals riches beyond what they might imagine. Not that her Nii-sama would want her back for her company...no, it would be about pride. Imagine, a man like Byakuya Kuchiki, letting his sister be taken by a vile, loathsome thief...it was almost laughable.

She stopped underneath her tree - the same one that she would be climbing to get over the wall, and spoke while she began to climb, " - her face paled and her heart stopped when she looked back at him, watching her carefully, and was momentarily side-tracked. Her fingers slipped, and she toppled backwards, her life flashing as a small yelp escaped from her throat. Eyes closed, Rukia gasped when she was caught in a pair of warm arms - warm, but hard arms that most likely bruised her shoulders and lower back. It took a few moments for her to be able to open her eyes again - and when she saw him looking down at her, a very amused expression on her face, Rukia couldn't stop the heat on her face. She blushed and flushed at the same time - unable to form any coherent words.

"Ah...I won't thank you." Rukia muttered, pushing him away from her, embarrassed that something so ridiculous had happened.

"No," He smirked, "I suppose I'm the one who should be thanking you." And Rukia was caught up in his choice of words, before she remembered herself.

"Well," She sputtered, "I guess this is goodbye, Kurosaki Ichigo" and she offered him her hand - something that, as a Kuchiki, she knew that she shouldn't do but...she wanted to be able to offer him this, and damn her formalities if it meant not showing him that she really was thankful she had met him today.

He scratched the back of his head, but took her hand in his - grasping it carefully, causing Rukia to snort in an unladylike fashion.

"You're not going to break me."

He rolled his eyes, offering her his cupped hands to help her over the wall, to which she ignored and climbed the tree to her left, hefting herself to the top without any trouble.

"Goodbye, Kuchiki Rukia."

She looked down at him - and for the first time that night they really looked into each other's eyes and Rukia was mesmerized by the fire that burned in those amber orbs, causing her palms to sweat and for her to almost lose her hold on the rough tree bark. And then she dropped - dropping out of his life forever. She swallowed the hope in her chest -the hope that they might meet up again, somewhere else.

From that day on, she didn't think of it again. She went along her duties and obeyed her Nii-sama- waiting with a gloomy, anxious spirit for her wedding to descend upon her. She visited her Nee-chan almost everyday, fighting the urge to leap over the wall and run away. Rukia didn't know why, but she felt, for the first time, strange about escaping. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but...she was afraid of disappointment. She was afraid that there wasn't going to be anything exciting out there for her, and that there was going to be nothing left to look forward to.

One day, however, after a fairly taxing morning (she had gone with her Nii-sama to meet with Takiando-san and his Otou-san; they spoke about the wedding and living arrangements and such. It hadn't been the best morning, and Rukia felt her mood deteriorating...) she swallowed her fear and made her way to the tall wall, almost feeling a sense of true freedom as she landed safely on the other side.

Tacked up on the large tree she climbed down, with an arrow, was the yen that she had given to Ichigo. She wondered when she began to think of him without the formalities...when she began to think his name with such tenderness.

Fingering the money, Rukia smiled sadly to herself. So...this was the life that was laid out before her. Rukia cringed at how much she wished she could change everything, how much she wished she could leave everything behind. But, she was a Kuchiki. And it was her horrible luck - her horrid fate - that she couldn't have been born into the same world as that orange haired man, Ichigo.

"Ne, Kuchiki Rukia?"

She jumped - accidentally yanking out the arrow she had been thinking about pulling out. Her ears burned - and she couldn't stop herself from staring, slack-jawed, looking very much like a fool. He grinned at her, his flaming eyes still the same as she remembered.

"Are you ready to thank me yet?"

End Chapter One