Baby-sitting

-Chapter I: Eggnog-

Special Note: This fan fiction is under extensive revision. I'll add more fluffs, descriptions and scenes. Thank you for all the reviews. I'm moved. I know it is kind of selfish for deleting the other chapters but I fear that the story might be slightly different from the original. I'll do the same thing with my other fics. Please don't sue me. I just want this to make a better read. Comments and suggestion are welcomed. I'll do my best to become a mature writer. That includes lesser whining. XD

Summary: (Post Soul Society Arc) Rukia has been given the toughest and mission that even a captain couldn't handle. It was: sending her back to earth in order to take care of a... child?

Disclaimer: I can't even own a manga! How the hell can I own bleach!

"Dedicated to the ones who keep reviewing and supporting this fic and my awesome beta-reader who wants to work in the shadows. (winks) I hope this is worth dedicating."

- - - -

The infamous jigoku-chou's wings fluttered as it did its very job to deliver the message to the receiver.

The receiver furrowed her brows, shock and instant alarm was painted all over her face. Her thin lips were apart, as if it could help her grasp the 'genuineness' of the message.

She jerked.

Finally being able to move, she dismissed the jigoku-chou and without wasting any time, she dashed energetically to the first gotei's station. A large smile plastered on her face.

First gotei's station... What does he need from me? It's very unlikely for Commander Yamamoto to send me, an ordinary thirteenth-squader. mused Kuchiki Rukia, the one who had received the message.

A merit—or—

She stopped.

Perhaps I did something wrong?

- - - -

Insecurity, happiness, excitement and anxiousness all mixed up. She was too preoccupied that she almost forgot the main reason why she was there.

"Ahem!"

That grunt made her became aware of the shinigami in front of her, letting out a silent gasp.

She straightened more and put up her serious face. Seeing herself staring at his fiery eyes, she began to shiver inwardly.

She quickly lowered her body, intending to pay respect but the captain gestured that there was no need.

"I'm going straight to the point, Kuchiki Rukia of the 13th gotei. Because of your 'wide' knowledge and 'expertise' about the place, I'm assigning you to a special and important mission that'll send you to earth."

Rukia paused for a while, absorbing every thing that he said.

But why directly when he can order me through my captain? she thought in confusion. Nevertheless she managed to nod, a sign that she somehow got what he said.

Yamamoto kept a straight face. "I want you to take care of this." he declared as he reached for a big white oval object.

'What's that?' she wanted to ask but she didn't want to seem dim-witted and comical in front of him.

Seeing through her, he said, "This is what I want you to take care of." he paused to see her reaction which was blank, "Keep it safe until the right time comes."

"H-How..." she hesitated but then thought that he'd just see right through her. She inhaled and inwardly composed her voice, "How can I know when it is the right time?"

"I will contact you."

She nodded in understanding and reached the egg. Oof! This sure is heavy... she thought as she wrapped her arms around to secure the egg.

"Any questions?"

"I'm sorry but why do I have to go to earth for this?"

Yamamoto answered readily. "That is very precious to soul society. After the incident because of Aizen, I conclude that that Ashitakuro isn't a safe place for that."

Ashitakuro? I've never heard of that term before... perhaps it's classified information?

"This is a very important mission. If you can, I like Kurosaki Ichigo to participate. His knowledge at his world will help us. I will explain more when the right time comes. For now, hide yourself there and see to it that you'll be the first one that the creature inside of it sees. Needless to say that you have to put your life on the line to protect that."

Rukia nodded submissively. Then, raising a wrinkled old hand, he dismissed her.

- - - -

Ichigo stole a glance on the stuffed animal next to him. Kon was sleeping peacefully while murmuring 'Nee-san' in-between snores. He was smiling so foolishly so Ichigo assumed that he was having a dream about his deity.

Ichigo's scowl deepened. He kinda guessed what sort of dream Kon has. It was, expectedly, a perverted dream.

He tossed and shut his eyes tight but the sleeping technique wouldn't work. Thinking the fact that Kon was sleeping heavenly while he was attacked by insomnia infuriated him hell a lot.

Silence.

He decided to open the window adjacent to his bed, finally realizing that merely bearing and convincing his mind to go to sleep was futile. The night was tranquil, still and peaceful tonight. He noticed. Or maybe it was always like that but he never cared and acknowledged it since he was thinking loads of things after Rukia has been 'kidnapped' to soul society.

Now he was back from the ruthlessness of Soul Society to the peaceful and regular Karakura night, he had appreciated the regularness of the world.

Peace was all he neded but then a purring voice of Kon came. "Nee-san..."

His eyes narrowed and threw a glare at the talking stuffed animal. Bastard... how can you sleep and I cannot?

"Nee-san..." Kon purred again, this time Ichigo came closer to heed what was he dreaming—and maybe to entertain himself as well. "That bastard Ichigo is taking you away from me... but I won't let him..."

A vein popped out of Ichigo's fist as he clenched it. He considered the idea of kicking him out of his slumber but Kon's last words kinda struck him.

He rolled to his side and clamped his hands together, Idiot. I went there to save her dirty, stupid ass from death, not to take her back.

He started to reminisce but an image of Kon doing something perverted on his body flashed back instead. He clenched his fist tighter.

Damn him... what else has he done to my body when I was gone? His face crinkled, at that time he felt a jolt to knock him up but the breeze gradually calmed him down that eventually led to a deep slumber.

The next day...

Ichigo tucked his body together as cold air traveled at his spine. He shivered but paused when he felt something weird on his body. His rear was cold but he could feel some warmth around his arms. Still feeling groggy, he used his hand to let it wander around the queer 'object.' His sense of touch said that it was a smooth but hard and composed object. Being lazy to guess what was that stupid thing, he cracked on eye open but he saw nothing but the usual bedroom setting every morning. Having thought it was weird since he was still feeling something, he rolled down his eyes...

"Waah!" he crept backwards till he reached the corner of his bed when he saw a peculiar oval object. "What the hell is this?" he pocked it to test the safeness. When the object didn't budge he started to creep towards it then studied it warily.

"Ichigo."

He froze as eyes narrowed at the oval-shaped object. Did it just talk and call my name?

"Idiot. What are you staring at, I'm here." the same voice said and Ichigo immediately darted his eyes to the direction of the voice.

There sitting in his closet reveal the very, very familiar elfin shinigami in her school uniform.

Ichigo looked shocked and struggled to keep his voice composed, he wasn't sure if he this was all a dream. "Wha-What the hell are you doing here!" he pointed a trembling finger on Rukia.

She ignored his 'warm' greeting and changed the topic, "Aren't you gonna go to school?"

Silence.

Ichigo took a glance at Kon's direction before he had drifted to dream land for he should have had jumped to Rukia but was gone.

Maybe Rukia has already done 'precautionary procedures.'

"Thanks for warming this thing up." Rukia said flippantly as she reached for the egg and smoothed it with her hand.

"W-W-Warming that thing?" he couldn't believe how disgraceful 'that' thing made him. It has been only minutes since he got up but too much confusions and surprises have already greeted him. "What do you think of me? A freaking stupid hen!"

She smiled darkly. "You could say that." she teased, "I'll explain things later. I don't want to be late at school." She went to the window then took a side-glance at the still-startled Ichigo. "By the way, thanks for opening to the window because I didn't have to sneak through the front door."

He let out a defeated look. Now he knew. His life was 'back to abnormal.'

- - - -

End Notes: The first chapter, finished 'editing'. This can be edited further so don't worry. Okay so this isn't really the extensive revision I am talking about. My beta is currently enjoying her vacation so this isn't beta-ed. Sorry! I'm bored so I decided to tweak some of this fic. Don't worry, I won't be deleting chapters again by the time my beta comes back. For now, please bear with me! Besides, I think I've leaned some of Beta-sama's techniques... Ehehe.

We're not a perfect people who can find faults without help so if you find anything weird, OOCs, wrong grammars, wrong spellings, wrong pronunciation (private joke) tell us and we'll be happy to change it. Oh, if you would please do so, please point out the things that you want to be changed. Kindly site them. I think it won't help if you would just vaguely say: There are a lot of grammatical errors.

Thank you for reading! You can send emails if you want. I am not hostile. Check-ie my profile.