It started on a cold, windy winter day. She took her kitana and tucked it neatly inside her thick coat. Without hesitation, she flung open the manor door and ran as fast as she could before the tears spilled against her now freezing cheeks.

Flashback:

"Rukia, there is something we need to discuss."

"What's that Nii-sama?" she tilted her head quizzically.

Byakuya pulled her close to him with a single swipe of his hand and now pressed his nose against hers.

"They want me to marry someone, Rukia… and that someone is you." His breath hot against her lips now.

"I…I don't understand, why me?" she pushed against his chest to no avail.

Byakuya flicked his tongue out just enough to graze the slit of her own lips, tasting her sweetness.

"Because you are the only woman who is worthy of being my wife and bearing the next Kuchki heir. Don't you understand, Rukia? I will have no one but you." He purred, pressing gently on her lips with his.

Rukia was momentarily stunned by his actions. Why was he acting in this manner? His tongue slipped into her mouth and swiped over the top of hers, giving her a taste of his mouth. She felt as though a force had taken over her, causing her to run her hands into his kimono against his bare chest. Byakuya growled deeply as she breathed erratically to the feel of his lips cruising down her neck with sweet kisses and tender nips. Rukia felt him pull on her own kimono as the tension grew more heated between them. She looked around him room for a brief moment and then closed her eyes as she felt his tongue dance across her untouched nipple followed by a gentle sucking. Her head fell back as his hands reached up and tugged gently on her hair. Her hands followed suit and gently massaged the top of his head as he continued his ministrations on her. He looked up into a pair of hazy violet eyes and felt his heart pound hard against his chest. If only Rukia knew that he truly wanted this more than life itself; that he wasn't just ravishing her body in sheer lust. He lifted her up and as quickly as she was in the air, they landed on a soft bed shortly after. She felt him rub against her, making her body quiver in both excitement and fear as to what was ahead. Rukia's hands pulled him into her mouth for another deep, sultry kiss earning a deep moan from him. He shifted into a position in between her legs just above her womanhood. He looked down to move their kimonos out of the way and the sudden feel of her hot flesh was now pressed against his member. Looking up into her eyes, Byakuya felt a sense of ecstasy take over and kissed her again. Holding her tightly, he slipped into an untouched, pure territory that was quick to take him in and squeeze tightly around him causing him to buckle slightly over her. He looked at her face as he paused to let the sharp pain wash over, and gently kissed away her tears. The moment lasted for an eternity to her, but not too long for him. He wanted more, he wanted her always. Rukia was now on top riding him with all the intense feeling she held inside, grinding and bouncing; Byakuya pulling and pushing. Her body shook with the tingling sensation of him probing her in a place where no man had ever been, and she clawed lightly at his chest as she felt as though she was going to explode. Byakuya, feeling the same sensation pulsing in his lower region, pulled her hard down on his erection and came with her, spilling his seed inside her.

Three days later…

"Byakuya, I don't know if I am ready for this kind of commitment…" Rukia cried as they stood face to face in a heated argument.

"Rukia, if you weren't ready, then why did you agree?" he growled, now annoyed.

"Because I knew that's what you wanted!" she admitted, soon slapping her hands over her mouth.

"So, you do not wish to be my wife?" he was now angry.

Rukia shrugged, "I don't know what I want. I thought if I just said yes, after a while it would wear off. I didn't think you were serious!"

Byakuya pressed his fingers firmly against the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, "Is that why you slept with me?"

Rukia's jaw dropped, "Why the hell are you bringing that up?"

"Tell me Rukia, were you planning on using that part of your body to get what you want from me?"

She stood In front of him shocked.

"I can not believe you! You made it seem like I was the one who started it! Don't you remember it was you who grabbed me?" she shouted.

"Don't yell, Rukia!" he raised his tone a little.

"Don't tell ME what to do! You are NOT my husband!" she shouted again, and earned a hard slap across her face.

She ran as far away as she could. She had a secret cavern she would run off to and practice with her Zanpakuto, where no one could bother her. Her cheek was still stinging for the now swollen hand print on it. She couldn't believe him. He first tried to accuse her of being a slut, and then slapped her! At this point, Rukia was so pissed off and hurt she didn't even think about hiding her spiritual pressure. She stormed through the snow and up the hill, never noticing the strong spiritual pressure following her.

…

…

She made it to her hide out, and quickly acted on getting warm. She pulled out the extra blanket she stored there and started to make a fire. She sat in front of the kindling and started hitting the rocks together, hoping the sparks would catch. Rukia was already frustrated as it was, and this was aggravating her even more. She cursed the rocks and tossed them off to the side. She crawled over to her makeshift bed and curled into the blankets. Soon after, she was asleep with tears lightly frozen on her cheeks.

Byakuya peered into the cave and made sure there was no movement. He knew he screwed up and was determined to make things right. He sat beside her for a moment and noticed her cheeks. Looking down at his hand, he closed his eyes. He struck a woman; a woman he truly loved. With a simple flick of his finger, the fire burned intensely on the wood. He looked over at Rukia again and pulled the blanket over her shoulder. How was he going to apologize? He watched the shadows against the cave dance across like wild fire, and then he saw it. He stood up and walked over to the wall to get a closer look. There etched in the stone was "R.K + B.K" in a lop sided heart. It looked old and judging from its position, she must have done it when she was a lot younger. His fingers traced the etching until a small voice startled him.

"What are you doing here?" she called from the blankets.

"Rukia, I came to say…"

"I don't want to hear it." She was now sitting up and had turned away.

"But, Rukia, please listen…"

"No."

He looked down at his feet for a split second before flash stepping himself directly in front of her, and pulling her into his arms.

"You will listen to me, Rukia." He said in a calm, monotone voice.

She struggled and kicked, but his hold just kept getting tighter; she figured she'd stop before he suffocated her.

"I did not mean to strike you, Rukia. I have never struck a woman before in my life, and I was just so caught off guard when you said you didn't want to marry me…" he started.

"I never said I didn't want to marry you, I just said I wasn't ready. Besides, you were the one who tried to say that I was a slut!" her voice slightly raised at the end.

Byakuya lifted her head to look into her eyes, "I never meant to say that, I am sorry."

Rukia started into his deep, grey eyes and for a second almost surrendered.

"Oh, no you don't!" she pushed him away, "This is how you got me to sleep with you that first time!"

"But it was only one time, Rukia. I never asked again because I felt like I forced you into it." He confessed.

Rukia felt guilty, he didn't force her obviously, and he ad been carrying around this guilt for almost a week. She took her seat beside him and sighed.

"No, you didn't force me… I wanted to…" she looked up at him, "I've always wanted to."

Byakuya returned her look with a smile and then looked back at the fire.

"Rukia, I love you more than life itself. I know that first night, I should have told you, but I was so nervous that I had to go with my emotions and look where it got us. I'm sorr…"

"God, would you stop apologizing? I already forgave you!" she laughed, but was a bit annoyed by it.

He nodded and looked at the entrance of the cave, "Well, I hope you have something to eat at least, I don't think we are leaving anytime soon." He said in reference to the now blinding blizzard outside. Rukia looked over his shoulder and cursed again.

"Well, the longest I have stayed in here was four days, but that's me. I don't know how you're going to hold up though." She teased.

Byakuya smiled and pulled Senbonsakura out form his coat and set it along side hers. "Well, I have had intensive training for these kinds of situations; I am a Capitan after all." He boasted.

Rukia rolled her eyes and began to walk further into the cave. "Well, the least you can do is help me find some more fire wood. It looks like were going to be stuck here for a while."

Byakuya stood up and followed behind her as she led the way into the heart of the cave. Inside, there were scattered pieces of wood and some boxes of stored food.

"Were you planning on living in this cave one day?" he joked.

Rukia shoved the wood into his chest, "No, I would come here to get away from you from time to time!"

The look on his face was priceless, he was speechless to say the least, and Rukia was proud of that. She grabbed one of the boxes and started to walk back to the fire side with a still stunned Byakuya following behind. The wood was set beside the fire as she began to pry open the box.

"I gathered all kinds of things for this kind of thing." She said as she pulled out a small kettle and some cooking hardware.

Byakuya thought he would take this opportunity to attempt to get her back, "You can cook?"

She glared at him menacingly, "What's that supposed to mean?"

With his arms crossed and a smug look on his face he replied, "Well, I figured in order to survive, you would have to be able to eat the food you cook!"

Without missing a beat Rukia countered his remark with, "And that is why you would never make it!"

Byakuya shot open his eyes, "Rukia!"

She waltzed away to the entrance to gather some freshly fallen snow to make some water. His eyes followed her every step and with every step, he knew for sure he wanted to marry her. Rukia fought off the angry snow flakes as she quickly gathered snow into the tea kettle. She stood up and looked into the cave. Byakuya sat poking at the fire with a blank look on her face. She knew she still loved him, and watching him like that made her smile. She giggled to herself as she walked back, just enough for him to hear.

"What's so funny?" he pouted.

"You are… I can't believe you followed me out here." She replied as she set the kettle over the fire.

Byakuya helped her set the pot just right and smiled, "I knew it was bad out, Rukia. Only a fool would let the love of his life go out in a blizzard alone."

Rukia looked up at him and smiled, "Love of your life huh?"

He simply nodded and started to crush up the tea leaves.

…

…

…

Well, I had been working on this one for a while now and that's what made me decide to end my last story. I have a lot of adventures planned for these two and I hope you enjoy this new ride with me! ^.^