Ichigo flexed his fingers in the black leather fingerless gloves he was wearing. Peering around the corner of the building he was pressed against, he was confident his black uniform enabled him to hide in the shadows. Looking down the wide space between the buildings, he could see his redheaded partner Renji crouched down behind the dumpster with his gun aimed toward the end of the alley. He hated this: the moment it became necessary to draw his service weapon. Although he was a police officer, he had not joined for the big guns and being a badass to boost his self-esteem. He had joined the police force to not only protect his father and two sisters but to prevent needless deaths and suffering. Too late he realized he was trapped in a losing battle in the fight to counteract the devastation wrought by the crimes committed by some people against others. Gritting his teeth as he snapped open the leather restraint that kept the gun safely in the holster, he wrapped his fingers around the massive grip on the high-powered, high-caliber weapon before carefully pulling it free. Thankfully the gloves enabled him to keep a solid grip on the weapon despite his sweaty palms. They had cornered a perpetrator: an armed robber who had just held up the clerk at the convenience store at the end of the street. The criminal had taken them on a winding path down the crowded, dirty streets over a good portion of the city before turning down into this dead end alley. Ichigo blinked back the sweat coursing down his forehead that threatened to run into his eyes. He involuntarily shuddered when the sweat trickled down his spine while his anxiety level rose remarkably. A shadow moved at the end of the alley, and he raised his gun. If anyone was going to die to tonight, it was not going to be him.

"Put your hands where we can see them!" Renji bellowed, leveling his gunsight on the criminal who stepped from the doorway where he had been hiding.

The man obediently raised his hands causing the weak light from the lamp at the end of the alley behind him to glint off the muzzle of the old-fashioned six shooter in his right hand. He held a crumpled brown paper bag filled with money and cigarettes in the other. His whole take probably totaled fifty dollars or less since cash was hardly used nowadays. The value of the cigarettes was most likely double that of the money he had stolen after holding his gun to the head of the terrified cashier.

"Drop it!" the redhead ordered, rushing forward when the metallic scrape of the gun hitting pavement echoed off the brick walls around them.

Ichigo released the breath he had been holding to suck much needed oxygen into his starved lungs. After reholstering his gun, he walked toward the man his partner was still holding at gunpoint while he pulled out the handcuffs from the holder strapped to his belt. He had just seized the criminal's wrist to clamp on the handcuffs when the thug reached behind his back with his other hand to retrieve a knife that had been tucked into his waistband. Kicking away the hand coming at him that held the knife, Ichigo quickly twisted the arm he held behind the guy's back to make him stand on his tiptoes to keep it from being disjointed.

"Dumbass scumbag! What the hell were you thinking?" an irate Renji yelled at the criminal who he finished handcuffing before his partner gave into the urge to break the arm he grasped tightly. Putting his hand on his partner's shoulder, he asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Ichigo irritably returned, shrugging off the hand of his concerned partner and friend. He had made a rookie mistake by not immediately checking the man for other weapons. It was mistakes like that which could get him killed.

~...~

"Good job, guys," Captain Muguruma complimented both Ichigo and Renji as they were getting ready to leave after their shift. "You got the bad guy but..." Allowing his words to trail off, he decided not to finish the sentence. The urge to lecture the distracted officer who had almost gotten himself stabbed was held in check by the sad brown eyes which reminded him that today was the anniversary of Ichigo's mother's murder. Instead, he grabbed his bag out of his locker, raking his hand through his short, military cut gray hair. All of his men would be going home tonight. It was always a good night when no one went to the hospital or the morgue - cop or criminal alike. Next year, he would force Ichigo to take the day off.

"Thanks, Captain," they replied in unison, bowing slightly. Both men waited for the man to leave before continuing their conversation that had abruptly halted when the Captain had entered. Plans were being discussed of where to go once they left the station. Since it was midnight, their choices were limited to clubs, all night diners, or home. Neither one was hungry or tired. A drink sounded good though.

"What about the Stardust?" Renji asked, pulling on his casual boots. He wanted to go there because they had prettiest hostesses in the whole city. He figured Ichigo might want to go because Riko worked there.

"Are you trying to tempt me?" Ichigo demanded with obvious annoyance, pulling a plain white t-shirt over his head.

"Is it working?" his friend questioned hopefully, shuffling his feet like an excited child.

"Maybe," the perpetually grumpy orange top replied, looking down to hide the hint of a smile on his lips.

"A drink and a pretty girl would be just what the doctor ordered after the night you have had," Renji said with a wink and a nudge to his buddy's ribs.

"Don't bring my father into this," the irritated carrot top muttered, slamming his locker door. His father, who really was a doctor, would suggest getting laid because his father was that kind of pervert. However, sex was only a temporary distraction that could bring with it a whole set of new problems like a stalker. Seriously considering the idea of going to the Stardust, his mind formed a picture of the lovely Riko who always took care of him there. "Yeah, let's go."

~...~

The Stardust was one of the premiere hostess clubs of the city, catering to a gamut of men ranging from high-profile city officials such as the mayor to 'regular joe' businessmen who needed a companion, a drink, and a bit of compassionate conversation for the night. Owned by Rangiku and Gin Ichimaru, they made it clear to their patrons and their employees that they were running an upscale business not a bordello. Fraternization of the sexual type was not allowed between the girls and their customers. Drinks, conversation, karaoke, and the occasional hug or chaste demonstration of affection like a peck on the cheek was allowed. No kissing on the lips, no taking off clothes, no touching private parts, and absolutely NO SEX was allowed. If either party, whether it be hostess or guest, broke the rules, they were immediately dealt with and dispatched from the building to never return again. The scary as hell bouncer, Kenny, made sure of that.

The club itself was a plain, rectangular, and unadorned red brick building that appeared to be an unassuming warehouse on the outside tucked right in the middle of the business district along the river front. Inside, it was dimly lit but inviting with the soft glow of candles on the tables and low light being emitted by the millions of tiny lights embedded in the ceiling and walls. These little lights appeared to be stars scattered across the backdrop of the walls painted the darkest blue bordering on black to mimic the night sky. The club was named for these prolific little lights because they appeared to be stars dusted across the sky. The tables were simple squares of dark, highly polished oak surrounded by U-shaped benches upholstered in the finest cotton fabric in a powdery blue color. This created individual little compartments giving relative privacy for parties of two people up to eight. Music played at a low-level to allow for intimate conversations while giving a lulling background noise to add to the soothing atmosphere. There was a separate room full of booths with a stage for karaoke. This was a place for lonely men to come for companionship, for stressed men to seek peace, and for discontented married men to redefine their thinking and go back home to their wives.

Ichigo walked into the establishment behind Renji who bee-lined for their usual spot; a space tucked in the back corner furthest away from the karaoke room and closest to the bar. Rolling his eyes, he followed his friend to drop down heavily onto the cushy seat of the booth.

"Good evening gentleman," Rangiku greeted them warmly.

Renji's eyes fixed themselves to the massive breasts of the club owner who always greeted them personally since they were regulars. Rangiku was a beautiful woman with honey blond hair that flowed down her back in waves, kind blue eyes the color of a clear summer sky, and the biggest most gorgeous chest he had ever seen. His brown eyes immediately darted over to the woman's husband who was always a fixture behind the bar. He shuddered when the man gave him that creepy, serene, and all-knowing grin while keeping his eyes hidden behind his virtually closed eyelids. That grin told him "You can look all you want buddy, but if you touch her, I'll cut your damn hand off." Raising his eyes, he looked at the woman's pretty face, keeping his eyes pinned to the beauty mark above her lip.

"Who will it be tonight, Renji?" she inquired playfully, beaming at him when his eyes met hers. She already knew who Ichigo would request so she did not even bother to ask. "Caroline? Mimi? Lola?"

"Haineko," he answered, smiling broadly. Haineko reminded him of Rangiku although he was not sure why. The woman looked nothing like her having short maroon colored hair, big teal colored eyes, and tanned skin. Maybe it was their poise and over all beauty...or the big breasts. Haineko moved like a graceful cat and almost looked like one.

"All right then," she replied, turning her attention to the affectless orange haired man sitting beside him. "I'll get Riko for you."

"What will be it tonight, guys?" Gin asked from behind the bar while his wife sashayed her way to the back where the girls were taking a break.

"Whiskey for me," Ichigo requested.

Rangiku was out of earshot before she could hear Renji's order. She opened the door to the break room where several of the girls sat resting or even dozing between customers. The room was filled with plush couches and ornate silver and glass-topped tables. The tables were covered with women's magazines and silver trays filled with sweets, fruit, and other indulgent snacks. A silver tea service and coffee machine sat on a table against one wall with china cups and saucers. She took care of her girls; she babied them, she pampered them, and she treated them like daughters.

"Riko, Riko, Riko!" Rangiku called sweetly, her voice rising with each time she said the name.

Riko put down the magazine she had been reading to give her boss a smile. There was only one reason and for only one customer that her boss called her that way. She hopped out of her chair, checking her make-up and hair one last time. Her shoulder length brown hair that was the color of strong coffee was swept up in a messy bun to leave her lightly tanned shoulders bare from the strapless dark purple dress she wore. She had worn this tonight hoping he would be here. Biting her lip with anticipation, she paused at the door to take a few deep breaths. She would have to force herself to slowly walk with elegance instead of charging out like a giddy school girl to find the cop with spiky orange hair who always asked for her. She wondered what kind of night he had experienced at work.

"Don't chew your lip," Rangiku chided, grasping Riko's shoulders to turn the nervous woman to face her. Pulling the ever present tube of sweet pink lipstick from her pocket, she touched up Riko's lips and wiped the lipstick from her teeth with a tissue. "Now, you're perfect for him. He ordered a bottle of whiskey. It's been a really bad day."

Riko smiled in acknowledgement. He had been coming here long enough that they knew how bad of a day he had by what drink he ordered. Beers signaled it was just another day. Vodka meant that it was a little more stressful than normal. Whiskey was the telltale sign that it had been the day from hell. If it was a tequila night...oh, shit was the only way to describe his shift. She hurried out into the dimly lit club, seeing the wild red pineapple ponytail of his buddy Renji all the way across the room. Due to their frequency of visits and the time she had spent with them, she would feel comfortable calling them both friends, especially Ichigo. They were always polite, never got touchy feely, and left a more than ample tip before leaving. Besides, she just plain liked Ichigo as a human being, a man. Sometimes she wondered if it was because he saw her as a human, a woman, despite her job. Some men did not realize being a hostess did not equate to being a whore. She was simply their companion for the evening for conversation and laughs, karaoke and drinking; no kissing, no fondling, and absolutely NO sex allowed. Rangiku, Gin, and the huge, terrifying bouncer named Kenny made sure that if the customers attempted any of these three no's they were promptly tossed out on their ass.

Riko sat down beside Ichigo, offering Renji and her fellow hostess, Haineko, a smile and nod of hello. She liked the pretty woman who was one of the few hostesses she would dare to call a friend. Upon seeing Ichigo's empty glass, she leaned forward to refill it before picking it up to hand it to him.

"One of those days?" she queried, watching him gulp down the whole glass in two big swallows.

"Yeah. I made a really dumb mistake," he answered succinctly. He did not offer further details, and he was glad she did not ask for more details. That was one of the things he liked about her. She allowed him to talk at his pace, listening to what information he wanted to share without whining or pressing him for more. She also did not laugh with an annoying fake laugh while babbling mindlessly about anything and everything.

"You're still a man you know," she said, pulling her legs underneath her while she propped her elbow on the back of the seat. "Just because you're a cop doesn't mean you become some programmed robot every time you put on that uniform. You still have thoughts...feelings...things from your personal life that affect you."

"But they're not supposed to. That's what we're trained for. When we're at work, we're supposed to act automatically, appropriately, without thinking or hesitating...or forgetting," he muttered, slamming his empty glass down on the table.

"But you're human," she argued, watching him slosh a bit of whiskey onto the table when his hand faltered while he was pouring his drink. She noticed the trembling of his hand before he reined himself in to calm down and bring the glass to his lips.

"I'm not supposed to be. Nobody thinks of cops as people...with emotions and thoughts who have problems of our own," he told her, turning to look at her. His eyes held hers which were a rich and inviting dark brown color in addition to being so kind and gentle when they looked at him. That was another thing he really liked about her: her eyes were just like his mother's eyes. The beginning of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. It seemed there might be quite a few things he liked about her. She was a really good friend.

Riko chewed her lip when the strong emotion in his eyes made her stomach clinch. His warm chocolate-colored eyes darkened as she studied them, filling with that familiar and unnerving mixture of love and sadness. She both loved it and hated it when that happened. What, or who, was he thinking about when he looked at her like that? Raising her hand to his cheek, she willed her fingers not to shake as she touched his shockingly baby soft skin. He may be a rough, tough cop but his skin was not anything like the hard, steely facade he most often wore. Her eyes moved to his lips that were full and dark pink. If it would not get her fired and him thrown out, she would give in to the temptation to kiss him.

"What is it?" she asked instead to break the spell that had fallen over her and would get them both into trouble. "What are you thinking?"

"You remind me of my mother sometimes...your eyes," he clarified when confusion clouded those lovely eyes of hers.

"Oh?" She traced the strong square line of his jaw down to his chin. Using her forefinger, she tenderly outlined his lips. Since she could not kiss them, she still wanted to touch them in some way to comfort him. Or was it her own curiosity she wanted to sate about those inviting lips? Her eyes moved back to his. He appeared to be so hurt, indescribably mortally wounded, at this moment.

"My mother was killed on this very day twenty years ago. Some years it still hurts just as badly as when it first happened. This is one of those years," he remarked, draining the glass of its dark brown contents.

"Ichigo, slow down," she whispered, grabbing the bottle when he picked it up again. Her lips were mere inches from his as they both leaned forward and pulled on the bottle in a tug of war. "This won't help."

"What will, Riko? What will make the pain stop?" he asked, unshed tears glistening in the corners of his eyes like diamonds.

"I-I d-don't kn-know," she stammered, snatching the bottle from his hand. She scooted away from him, pulling his head down to her lap. By brushing her fingers through his silky orange spikes, she attempted to comfort him the best way she knew how. Her breath caught in her throat when his strong arm wrapped around her legs that were under his head.

"Have you ever thought about leaving here? Getting a job somewhere else?" he inquired, grabbing her hand that was stroking his head.

"Of course I have," she admitted, forcing herself to keep breathing when she felt his smooth lips against her palm. Pulling her hand from his, she lay it flat on his chest to keep him from doing anything else that would take her breath away. He was not usually this forward, but he had more than his fair share to drink tonight. Staring at the half empty liquor bottle that had arrived full, she patted his chest. "There's nothing else I can do to make this much money. I'm saving up to move out of the city. I want to get away from all of this...mess. I want a small country home where I can grow vegetables and flowers and sell them at the local market."

"Do you want to get married?" he asked, looking up at her from her lap.

"Maybe...I don't know...I haven't really thought about it," she answered shyly, chewing her lip again because his staring was making her nervous.

"I'd marry you," he offered, his eyes blinking very slowly due to his very drunken state.

"Hmph," she snorted, pushing him to a sitting position. She knew he was completely plastered to say something like that. "The silly things you say when you're drunk. It's just not fair, Ichigo."

"You are a good friend, Riko. I'm not too drunk to say that," he confessed, pouring himself yet another drink.

"You can have one more after this then I'm calling you a cab," she informed him in a no-nonsense manner.

"You are a very good friend, Riko," he repeated, patting her on the head like an obedient puppy who had successfully performed a trick.

"Yeah, I know," she rejoined with a sigh and roll of her eyes. Friend. She sighed again with despair, glad he was drunk so he did not pick up on the sadness of her exhalations. He might as well have told her,"You have a snowball's chance in hell of ever being more, babe."

My beta, xfang-girlx, had already gone through this once before I made additions. Hopefully I did not add any mistakes.