(Author's Note: Hello! This is my first story. It's short, yeah. All feedback is welcome! I want to grow, so please point out any and all goods and bads. Thank you!)

It didn't take Ichigo more than a fraction of a second to notice the figure leaning casually against the frame of the open window. Their head was cocked down, the moonlight filtering through wisps of their dark hair. One petite hand rested on the hilt of an all-too-familiar zanpakuto. Black shinigami robes fluttered in the gentle night's breeze. If the stranger wasn't so comically tiny, Ichigo might have suspected the pose to belong to Kisuke Urahara. Without warning, the figure lifted its, no – her head. Nostalgic violet eyes glinted back at Ichigo, who was still unable to move. A smile was painted delicately on her lips, radiating warmth and happiness.

"Hey, Ichigo."

Ichigo was shaken out of his stupor long enough to take a stunned step back. "R- R…" he couldn't complete his thought, although it was only one word long.

The woman popped up gracefully and strode onto the comforter of Ichigo's bed. Before her tiny foot could even produce an indent in the fabric, she was settled on the floor. Her hands were at her hips, not offensively, but openly. "Is this how you're going to greet me?" she prodded coyly. The look in her eyes told that she was just as anxious as Ichigo. Her heart beat against her chest swiftly, echoing inside her head.

"Ichi- Oh!" Rukia's breath was suddenly cut off as Ichigo almost seemed to trip forward and embrace her tightly. Her eyes went wide, then abruptly filled with tears. Had three years changed him this much? Seldom had Ichigo ever held her like this. Rukia forgot how much she loved being inside his arms. If her own weren't pinned to hers sides, she would embrace him back. He let go much too soon, trying to sputter out her name. He couldn't get past the first syllable.

"R- R- Ru…" his eyes were the size of saucers, still too amazed to believe this was true. "Rukia," He finally managed, although no more than a hushed whisper. Her name almost felt like it was carried by the wind as it tickled past her ears. She had waited so long to hear him say her name.

'Ichigo…" She grinned again, a single tear stained the fair skin of her cheek. Emotions overflowed inside her: happiness, warmth, joy, euphoria- to name a few.

He finally relaxed his posture, and the biggest smile she had ever seen blossomed over Ichigo's face. "Rukia… Welcome home."