Rukia sat back in Ichigo's father's recliner. She had just gotten back from a very tiring day out...Even thought it was only 7:30, she felt ready for bed. Their hectic day had started at about 10:00 in the morning...They went to the park so that Karin and Yuzu could play for a while. They had met Keigo there, and talked with him for a while whilst Karin, Yuzu, and Isshin ran about, having fun. Then, when 12:00 rolled around, Yuzu had a fit because Ichigo had forgotten to remind her of the time. They then stopped at the small take-out place down the road for a 'late' lunch. Isshin - as usual - had made a scene, and Ichigo - as usual - had beat him for it. After they finished their food, they spied the carnival a few streets away...

And that's where the rest of their outing time went. Not that she minded, seeing Ichigo on those rides was just too much. He was laughing - albeit mostly at her - and smiling and having fun, and that's all she really wanted for her friend. They had found Orihime and Tatsuki there, and they all rode a few rides together. Keigo found them also. They called Hanataro and Ganju over after a while. They also tried Hitsugaya and Matsumoto; of course the leiutenant was happy to join them, but she had to practically drag Toshiro along with her. They all had fun nonetheless - all except the ice-captain.

Her favorite part of the whole day had to have been when she went on a ride with poor little Hanataro. He gripped her hand as tightly as he could, and held her close. He tried his hardest not to scream, because on the first instance that he had, Ichigo called to him from the ground: "Hanataro, was that you? I didn't think Rukia would be that scared..." When it was over and the ride stopped, she thought he'd had a heart attack. He just sat there, eyes wide, hair ruffled, and breathing hard. She'd just laughed and pulled him gantly from the car. He was shaky, and couldn't stand by himself for a few minutes. Although he'd insisted that he was fine and that she should go, he didn't want to cause her any trouble...She stood by him for that few minutes.

It was either that, or when Matsumoto hauled Hitsugaya onto the carousel with her. She made him sit on the prettiest, shiniest, girliest pony on the whole structure. He was not amused at all.

She laughed heartily at that. She sunk farther into the chair. She closed her eyes and tapped her fingers lazily on the armrests. It was rather quiet in the house; the rest of the family was in the backyard, with the exception of Ichigo, who was in the kitchen, rummaging for something to eat. She sighed heavily. She hadn't had fun like that in a long time. Nothing in the world could ruin her happiness right now--

There were two soft knocks at the front door. She figured - by the intensity - that it was Orihime, or Hanataro. She reluctantly got up and strolled over to the front door. She was too short to look through the peephole, so she let her curiousity linger a bit longer. She wrapped her tired hand around the doorknob and straightened herself out a bit - she was a noble afterall - and opened the door, smiling.

When she opened it fully, she looked up. When she saw who it was, she immediately stopped smiling. All of the color drained from her face, and she went pale. She stopped breathing, but only for a moment. She started to shiver, and her breath was then shallow. 'Why is he here?! He shouldn't be here...'

"Hello, Rukia dear."

"Ichimaru..."

That man, that horrible man...smiled wide when she said his name in her shaky voice. "My my, Rukia, you look like you've seen a ghost!"

He smiled even wider - if it was possible - when she gulped. Her hand dropped back to her side. "What...do you want, Ichimaru?"

"Well, I was just visiting; I thought we needed to catch up." He bent down slightly.

She took a step back. "What are you implying?"

He rid his face of his smile, and put a thoughtful finger to his lips. "Well, I was thinking that we should have a little lunch date, or something."

"A...date?" She held her breath. The idea of a date, or a get together of any type with this particular man irked her beyond reason.

"Well, you could call it something else...an appointment? No no no, that sounds too formal..." He stood at his full height again. "You know what I mean, Rukia dear."

She crossed her arms in what she hoped looked like thought. "I don't know about that, Ichimaru..."

"Please," He bent down again, but put is nose mere inches from her own. He smiled menacingly. "Call me Gin."

"Okay...Gin..." She took another step away from him. "I don't think that's such a good idea-"

He stood once more, and turned from her. "Tommorow at 1:00 then. I'll come by and get you, so be ready; I don't like to wait!" He began to walk away, and put a hand in the air to wave at her. "Bye bye, Rukia dear."

She waited until he dissapeared from her sight, and then closed the door. She turned and leaned back on it, breathing heavily. Ichigo emerged from the kitchen with a mouthful of something. "Who was that?"

"No one, no one..." She stood straight, and began her trek to Ichigo's closet; she hadn't been there in a while...But it was easiest to think while in there. No one would know she was there, which made it all the better since she wouldn't be interrupted.

Ichigo followed her, intrigued. "No one? Are you saying that no one rang my doorbell?"

'Sarcastic idiot...' "It was just Hanataro..." She opened his door.

"Hanataro?" What did he want so late?"

She slid his closet door open to find Kon asleep. She picked him up carefully, and set him to the side. She climbed in, and smiled nervously at Ichigo. "He just...wanted to thank us for a good time, that's all!" She closed the door quickly.

"Oh...Hey, he thanked us before we left!" He beat on the closet door. "Rukia!"

--

She curled even further into the corner of the closet. Why was he here? What business does he have with her? Why is he suddenly being so...friendly? She wanted answera, but didn't dare ask the one person who would give them to her. She supposed she would have to live with what she did know: he is there. He knows where she is. He could be watching them at any given time...He could've been watching them before tonight. He probably had been...

She shuddered. Thinking that way made her sick to her stomach. A phsycopath may have been watching her every move. Hard telling what he'd seen and what he hadn't...She flushed of color. What...he'd...seen...Oh, how badly she wanted to be invisible right now. She blushed as she thought of all the embarrassing things she'd done for a while.

"...Rukia...?" Kon sat up, and rubbed his beady eyes with his paw. "What are you doing in here? I haven't seen you in here for a long time."

She was still blushing because of her previous thought. "Oh, I was just...thinking..."

He sprung up and jumped into her lap, rubbing his face onto her chest. "Have you finally realised your love for me, Rukia? Are you ready to give yourself to me- GMMPH!!"

She grabbed the back of his head and shoved his face into the wall next to her. "There is no way I would EVER give myself to you, Kon. If you tried being nice and sweet like other guys, maybe you'll get me to like you as a friend." She dropped him.

He looked back at her, eyes shining with forming tears. "You don't...like me...?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, fine. Be cold. I see how it is..." He began to fake-cry.

She slid the door open and put one foot out. "Shut up, Kon."

"But Ruuukiaaaaaa, don't you like me even a little?"

She stopped and thought. "A little." She climbed out of the closet the rest of the way, and shut the door behind her.

--

She sauntered back into the livingroom, restless. Ichigo was now occupying the soft recliner chair, and was munching away on the perfectly-shaped rice cakes Yuzu had prepared earlier. He looked to her with a mouth stuffed full of rice. He swallowed, and then adjusted himself in the seat. "What was that about, Rukia?"

"It was nothing Ichigo, stop worrying. I'm a big girl, you know I can take care of-"

"Who was it at my door?"

"I already told you, it-"

"It wasn't Hanataro. I'm not stupid, Rukia. I know you wouldn't be that jumpy and nervous if it was just Hanataro. If anything, it'd be the other way around! Now who was it?"

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Ichigo, it was no one!"

He jumped up and clenched his fists. "I know someone was there!"

She flinched slightly. Outside of battle, she'd never seen him this upset or angry. Except for the...anniversary...but it was far from then. Why was he so worked up about this? "Ichigo..."

"What if they had hurt you? What if it was Aizen? Or Ichimaru? Or Tousen?"

She cringed slightly at the correct name.

He hadn't noticed. "What if they'd taken you away?! I'd have to come after you again! What if they took you away and I couldn't find you? What would you do then?!" He had walked over to her and towered over her while speaking. She stood, slightly frightened at his fierceness, and swallowed hard.

"Ichigo-"

"What if they'd killed you?" The emotions that showed in his face were many and in disarray, but she could definitely pick out anger, curiosity, and worry. "What would I do then?"

She let her head hang a bit. Should she worry him further and tell him it was, infact, Ichimaru? Or should she lie and say something else...? "It was Uryu. He said that he felt a different spiritual pressure around, and I immediately assumed the worst. That's why I was so worked up. He asked me not to tell you so you wouldn't worry..."

"I wouldn't worry! I'd just go out and search a bit..." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"He told me that he'd keep a close watch on those pressures." She looked him in th eye, hoping that he would take the bait...

He sighed. "Good thing...see? Why did you have to hide that from me?"

"...He asked me to..."

"Oh, right." He turned from her. "Well, you can go back to whatever you were doing..." He went outside.

She turned around and sighed. She felt horrible for not telling him the truth, but she couldn't tell him that Ichimaru Gin had stopped by for a visit and wanted to go out for lunch tomorrow... He wouldv'e freaked and insisted on going to kick Ichimaru up and down the street a few times. "Too bad he wouldn't stand a chance..." She mumbled to herself.

She plopped down onto the couch, and groaned loudly. She was not looking forward to tomorrow...