Hey guys! Thought I'd make an AU cuz there is not enough of them around here.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Bleach characters (Boohoo) or random songs which might appear but I do own my OC Tsukiko. Rated M for people's naughty potty mouths, violence and sexual themes later on. Angst, drama, romance and some humour.

Summary: Set five years after leaving high school. The death of a friend from high school brings together a group of people who haven't met since high school and have moved on with their lives, or so it seems. Deep feelings are stirring but obstacles from the past and present are going to prove difficult to get rid of if they are to create a better future. (A/N, i have to guess the years, as you'll see)

Pairings will progress through the story but one pairing in there for certain is Ichigo and Rukia but the rest you'll have to wait and see.

Prologue

'We have written to inform you of a funeral being held for our beloved son,

Kojima Mizuiro

who sadly passed away on Sunday 1st February 2013.

Day: Sunday 8th February 2013

Place: Karakura Town Cemetery

Time: 11:00am

We hope you can attend

Yours truly,

Mr and Mrs Kojima.'

"Mizuiro has died?! My god! He was such a nice guy, shame he got cut down at such a young age."

A small, black haired woman in a yellow night gown murmured to herself. She paced around her luxury hotel room as she came to terms with the shocking and unexpected news. She sat down heavily on the blue satin covered bed, tapping gently on the piece of paper which was conveniently faxed to the hotel she was staying at.

"Hmmm, it's this Sunday coming up." She walked over to the bedside table and picked up her mobile phone. Flipping it open, she pressed the speed dial button and held the phone to her ear. After few moments ringing, a deep male voice could be heard.

"Rukia."

"Nii-sama, could you possibly get me a plane ticket today because I'm coming home tomorrow."

"What about the fashion show?"

"I'll have to miss it, something more important has come up."

"I understand. I will fax the tickets to the hotel in a few moments."

"Thank you very much Nii-sama. Bye."

"Goodbye."

She closed her phone, placing it back on the bedside table and walked over to two glass double doors, opening them, she walked out to the balcony, leaning on the railings and watched the bustle of New York below and the lights shining brightly in the night sky.

Typing away on a light blue laptop, in a small café, occasionally watching the busy people walking to work and sipping her herbal tea, a little tingle alerting her of an e-mail was heard. Sighing, she stopped word processing and took a look at her inbox.

'Mother? How odd' she thought as she saw her mother's name and a bold 'IMPORTANT' written as the subject. Opening up the e-mail, she skimmed through it and her heart almost stopped when she read it.

'Mizuiro's dead? That can't be right?'

Reading over it again just to make sure, she shook her head sadly. Just then she felt a vibration in her coat pocket. Taking out her mobile, she looked on the display screen to see who it was before she flipped it open to answer it.

"Hello Hitomi."

"Tsukiko-san, I just called to say I'm at the hotel and I have all the necessary paperwork for you to sign."

"Thank you."

"Is something wrong, you seem down."

"I just got an e-mail, from my mother, informing me of a classmate of mine's recent death."

"I'm so sorry to hear that."

"I'm thinking of going."

"I see, where is the funeral being held?"

"Karakura Town Cemetery."

"Karakura Town?" said the surprised Hitomi

"Yeah, I was planning on going back home after finishing up here in England anyway."

"I see, shall I book us the tickets?"

"Yes thank you."

"When will we be leaving?" Tsukiko looked out the window and saw that it began to rain.

"Wednesday."

"And the award for the most talented upcoming chef goes to…Inoue Orihime!!" The spotlights hit a surprised Orihime as she gasped and got up off her chair. Applause radiated around the room as she walked up to the stage and accepted her award. Taking a good long look at it she adjusted the microphone and began to speak.

"I'm completely shocked! I don't know what to say. Thank you everyone for your support. This award has fuelled me to continue to challenge the very rules of cooking and experiment and create even more fabulous dishes. So…thank you everyone and I dedicate this award to my late brother Sora, who is always with me when I create my unique dishes. Thank you, thank you…"

"Thank you…thank you very much…"Mumbling in her sleep, she slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the morning light.

"Oh, it was just a dream." She turned over on the bed and saw a bright gold knife, fork and spoon trophy, crossing over each other, on the bedside table.

"Or maybe not." She smiled.

Stretching her arms, hearing a slight cracking of joints, she looked over at her hotel clock. "9:00am. Great! plenty of time!" Suddenly her Blackberry began to ring, indicating an e-mail. Taking it off the bedside table, she pressed a few buttons and looked over at who sent it.

"Tatsuki-chan! Wow it has been a while." She said excitedly as she opened up her e-mail. She began to read over it when her face turned into a mixture of shock and sorrow.

"Mizuiro-kun!! He was such a lovely guy!" Reading over the day of the funeral.

"Sunday 8th? That's soon! I think I should go. What kind of flowers should I bring? Should I bring flowers for his parents? Oh what to do, what to do?"

Her ramblings where interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Room Service!" Came the voice. She quickly got out of bed, wrapping a white fluffy dressing gown; she paced over to the door and opened it. She moved out the way as a man in a black and white suit pushed a trolley into the room. He took off a tray and placed it on her coffee table.

"Breakfast Mademoiselle Inoue and the chef sent his compliments." He said in a French accent.

"Ah, merci beaucoup! And tell the chef thanks for the food." She rummaged through her purse and gave the man a generous tip. He looked at the money and smiled gratefully.

"Oh, merci beaucoup Mademoiselle Inoue! You are too kind." He wheeled the trolley back out the room, leaving her to eat her breakfast.

'I guess I'll have to book my ticket soon, it will be nice to see who turns up. But that can wait because today I going to climb the Eiffel Tower!' She thought happily to herself as she buttered up a croissant.

"I can't seem to shake off these feelings of death. Every time I pass a bridge, I just have the urge to just climb over the edge and jump off. It would be better if I just ended my life now and be done with it."

A man was lying down on a brown, leather chaise langue, fingers twiddling together anxiously. Another man sitting on a reclining chair, tapping on a clipboard. Thick black glasses perched on his nose as he observed the man.

"The death of your wife has hit you hard, so it is understandable to wanting to follow her. These are all feelings of grief but you have to remember you have two young daughters who need you by their side, whatever happens." He looked over at the clock. He placed the clipboard on the desk as he looked over at the other man.

"I'm afraid that is all we have time for today, but we will carry on next week. My secretary will deal with you payment for this session." The man sat up on the chaise langue and shook the other man by the hand.

"Thank you ever so much Dr. Schiffer, you're helping me so much."

"Not at all Mori-san." He led the brown haired man to the door and showed him out. Before he could go back into his office, he was called back by a soft female voice.

"Dr. Schiffer, there is something here for you." His secretary walked from around her desk and gave him an envelope but she was looking quite sad.

"Thank you Arisawa-san. Is there something the matter?"

"You will know when you read it. Oh, You're next appointment is at 5:15pm." He looked at his watch. 15 minutes break.

"Thank you."

He closed the door behind him and sat heavily in his chair behind his desk. He slid his finger underneath the flap and opened up the envelope. Pulling out the white card, he read the fancy script writing, taking in the contents.

'So Kojima-san has died? Not much of a surprise, the way that man lived, it was bound to happen.'

A light on his telephone blinked. He pressed it and let the voice be heard in the room.

"Dr. Schiffer, have you read it?" Tatsuki's muffled voice was heard.

"Yes, I have." There was a tense pause as each thought about the invitation.

"Will you be attending?" Asked Tatsuki.

"I'm not sure. I'm really not sure."

The sound of drums being played aggressively was heard across the giant living room, annoying a man sitting on a red beanbag, talking on his mobile. Two other men were playing on a fighting game on a games console, each pulling weird faces as they were beating each other.

"Oi! Can you keep it down?! Can't you see I'm on the fucking phone?!" Shouted a heavily tattooed, red haired man. He was duly ignored. He grumbled and continued with his conversation on the phone. He suddenly pulled a horrified face, before shaking his head.

"Yeah, yeah I'll tell the rest of them, see ya on Sunday." He switched off his phone, throwing it down on the beanbag he was sitting on.

"Guys!" Shouting over the noise of the drums and T.V. but was ignored.

"Guys!!" Still being ignored. His eye twitched in frustration. He picked up a beanbag and lopped it at the tall man playing the drums, hitting him in the face and knocking him off his stool. Ignoring shouts of anger, he strode over to the back of the T.V and yanked the plug out the socket, the T.V went blank.

"What the fuck Renji?! We were playing that!!" Shouted a black haired man with a 69 tattoo on his face.

"Shut up Shuuhei, I was chatting and you idiots were ignoring me, so that's what you get, besides this is my apartment so I can do what the hell I like!"

"So what's crawled up your ass and died?" An extremely tall man with long black hair walked over to the couch and sat next to a blue haired man, looking annoyed that his drum playing was rudely interrupted.

"Kurosaki called."

"Kurosaki Ichigo! Why's that bastard calling you?" frowned a blue haired man, who was lounging on one side of the couch.

"He's my mate, or have you forgotten, anyway you remember Kojima Mizuru?" Blank faces stared back at Renji.

"You know that small guy who hung out with Kurosaki and his mates and went with us to the clubs sometimes back in high school?" Everyone all sighed when they remembered who Renji was talking about.

"Oh that guy!" Remembered Shuuhei, snapping his fingers. "What about him?"

"He's dead." Everyone just looked at Renji. If they were shocked then it didn't show.

"Poor bastard." Said the tall man.

"How did he die?" asked Shuuhei

"Something about falling off his yacht, when he was drunk entertaining some girls." Said Renji

"What a way to go." Said the blue haired man.

"So I'm going to the funeral."

"When is it?" Asked Shuuhei, playing with his black chocker.

"This Sunday."

"Hmmm, I might as well go, anything to get out of practice and away from that bastard Aizen." Muttered Shuuhei.

"Grimmjow, Nnoitra, you coming?"

"Yeah might as well, got nothing better to do." Said Grimmjow uninterested.

"That's surprising, usually you're screwing some blonde bimbo." Chuckled Nnoitra.

"Could say the same for you, but then again no one would want to fuck a skinny greasy fucker like you." Smirked Grimmjow, waving his hand dismissively at Nnoitra.

"What was that?!" Growled Nnoitra.

"You heard!" Nnoitra jumped on Grimmjow, pushing him back onto the couch, wrestling with him. Shuuhei and Renji just looked at them and sighed before walking off into the kitchen, leaving the pair to fight it out.

"Who were you chatting to on the phone Kurosaki?" Asked a small girl with short brown hair.

"Probably his girlfriend, ain't I right, Ichigo?" Nudged a hyper guy with shaggy brown hair who came and sat down next to Ichigo.

"Shut up Keigo! No, I was talking to Renji." He began picking at his food in his bento box as he sat with his friends on a wooden picnic bench.

"Oh that guy. What was you chatting about?" Keigo's nosiness was irritating Ichigo.

"Why do you have to be so nosy?! If you must know I was telling Renji about what happened to Mizuiro." Keigo fell silent for a moment before gaving Ichigo a frown.

"Oh…right." He went back to eating his food moodily.

"Come on Keigo, you know you want to come to the funeral, you gotta let go of the past." Ichigo placed a hand reassuringly on his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah well that's easier said than done ain't it." Keigo continued eating his food.

"So when is it, Kurosaki?" asked the brown haired girl, taking a sip of water from her glass.

"This Sunday coming up."

"You better tell Dr. Unohana that you're taking time off." Said the girl warningly.

"Yeah, yeah I know but she's nice so she would agree." They both chuckled. Suddenly a beeping noise was heard. Ichigo swept back his white coat and looked at his pager.

"What is it this time?"

"Dr. Yamada wants in Surgery Room 1 now." He scrambled off the bench as he began stuffing his bento box back in his bag.

"Lucky you! I've been waiting ages so I could watch an operation!" Grumbled the girl jealously.

"Yeah well you should be like me, hard-working." He laughed at her as she pouted at him. Ichigo turned his attention to his friend, who was playing with his food miserably.

"Keigo, think about it ok? This is your last chance to say goodbye." He had a hand on his friend's shoulder, looking at him seriously.

"I'll think about it." Mumbled Keigo.

"Alright, text me if you're gonna go. I better get going. See you guys later!" Ichigo slung his back over one shoulder and ran to the entrance of the Karakura Town Hospital.

'Man, Sunday is gonna be a rough day, I can just know it.'

You like? It will only get better! Thanks for reading and please review so I know what you all think. Everyone's coming together in the next chapter and things from the past rises to the surface.