A/N: I had started this last year, before injuring my wrist and never finished it. This time around I'm determined. Please enjoy. Hopefully I'll get to my regular stories soon.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Tite Kubo et al.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Christmas Carol Delight

Rukia read through the packet that Ichigo's teacher had given them right before they left for the day and furrowed her brow at the information it contained. As her friends were seniors, and were in the middle of studying for exams, the educator had wanted something light hearted but still culturally relevant to get them in the Christmas spirit. For her part, the lieutenant had crashed the school on her break, thinking it a grand idea to slip back into her "transfer student" persona with only a few the wiser as to whom she really was.

"Ichigo, explain something to me," she demanded, watching in amusement as the daiko's head shot up and his eyes filled with trepidation. There had been many instances where those words were followed by something that didn't end well for the teen.

"What, exactly, do you want to know?" he asked suspiciously. Math problems still floated through his brain and he wanted to try to cram as much information on formulas as he could before dinner.

"This 'Twelve Days of Christmas' business. I do not understand why Westerners have such a thing."

"Ah, well, you see, traditionally speaking that's more a religious thing than a secular thing. In Christianity, the twelve days are a celebration of the birth of a baby. The baby is supposed to be God's son. In centuries past there were all kinds of special days in that length of time to commemorate certain aspects of that religion, ending with something called Epiphany. I'm not clear on the details, though."

"Oh. It mentions here that there's a song about it too."

"Yeah, my dad and Yuzu like to sing it whenever they happen it hear it on the radio. Karin and I just try to block it out. It's an old English carol and sounds rather ridiculous if you ask me. It doesn't sound like it has anything to do with the true meaning of the twelve days, but I could be wrong."

"What does it say?" Rukia asked, surprised when the music that had been going quietly in the background suddenly got louder. Yuzu had been making dinner, humming to whatever caught her fancy.

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…" the younger girl began to belt out, forgetting that she had an audience. Ichigo raised a brow and leaned back in his chair.

"How's your English?" he asked as his younger sister kept singing the carol.

"It's fine," Rukia answered, her eyes going wide at the ever ridiculousness of the gifts. She'd studied hard to be able to understand the other language. "Who the hell would want a partridge in a pear tree?"

"See what I mean?"

"This is utterly ridiculous, Ichigo. The only gift that's half-way appealing is the five gold rings."

"You would point that out," he murmured, a small grin appearing for a moment. "I completely agree. There's no way that any man with any common sense would bring a woman something so weird. The only thing this demonstrates is that he can afford to spend absurd amounts of money."

"Onii-chan, you're missing the point," Yuzu interrupted as the song faded away.

"There's a point to all this?" Ichigo asked, frowning. As far as he knew, no one knew the real significance of the gifts. He remembered asking his mother once and she'd just shrugged.

"We might not know why the guy buys what he does, but they have to mean something, or they wouldn't have written the song that way. Maybe it's just to demonstrate that the 'true love' will go to any lengths to please the person singing the song."

"Truthfully, Yuzu-chan, I would just prefer little things," Rukia told the younger female. "What's the point of impressing someone if you don't even take their desires into account?"

"You do have a point, Rukia-neechan. Oh, you two had better clean up, dinner's ready." Yuzu went to get the plates as the two older "teens" cleared the table of school work. Afterward, one went to get Karin who was hibernating in the room she shared with the other females while the other went to track down Isshin.

A thoughtful expression graced the faces of Ichigo and Rukia throughout the meal and Isshin studied them in turn, wondering what had brought about the quiet. Normally they squabbled periodically; some idiotic comment of his son's leading the lieutenant to object on basic principle. As tempted as he was to do something silly just to break the tension, he decided to sit back and see what happened.

Since coming back from the war, Ichigo had been much more at peace with himself and the doctor had to wonder if it was because his true Zanpakutou had been forged and mastered or if it was because despite her duties and the utter chaos back in the Soul Society, Rukia visited him on occasion just to check up on him. She too seemed calmer and this Isshin knew was because of the responsibilities she now had. As the sole leader of her squad, she had to be the one others could come to for rational decisions.

When dessert came around and they were still lost in thought, Isshin sighed and decided to risk their collective wrath. "Is something the matter, my dear, third daughter? Has my son done something to upset you?"

"Huh?" Rukia questioned unintelligently, the ex-captain's voice dragging her from her plans. "No, Ichigo didn't do anything. He may have given me a solution to a problem that has recently presented itself."

"Problem? You didn't say anything was wrong," Ichigo cut in.

"It's a family matter, Ichigo. I haven't sorted it out in my mind yet, which is why I didn't say anything. I promise to tell you about it later."

"Oh, okay."

Karin glanced between the two in surprise. Usually her brother would demand to know what was going on, regardless of Rukia's desires. Apparently, her promise was enough for Ichigo to let things go. "So, how's the studying going, Ichi-nii?"

"I feel like my head's going to explode. A nice Hollow hunt sounds like the best thing. Do you mind if I skip dish duty and patrol, Yuzu?"

"Of course not, Onii-chan! You shouldn't worry about anything but your studies and duties as a Shinigami-daiko. You too, Onee-chan. I've got everything here."

"Thank you, Yuzu-chan, there is something I have to do." Rukia rose from the table and bowed, leaving the room to the Kurosaki family.

"Daddy, perhaps you should see if everything is alright. Ever since they heard that song, they've been weird," the sandy blonde twin said. "I hope I didn't cause any trouble with what I said."

"What song?" her sister asked.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas," Yuzu answered.

The name of the song rang a distance bell in Isshin's memory and he rose without his usual nonsense. "I think I will check on her. You girls just sit tight. Daddy will make everything right again. And you, boy, don't bother her until she comes to you."

"I won't," Ichigo agreed. He got up and went to his room to leave his body in a reposing position. Glancing down at his chest, he was still surprised at the seal that sat like a tattoo on his chest. The soutaicho had personally seen to its placement, telling the daiko it was the only way he could go home again after the war. His body could no long contain most of his spiritual energy and he didn't want to unnecessarily affect other people. Rukia had insisted it be from her division, making her his commanding officer. As she had always played that role anyway, Kyoraku had easily agreed. The older man had said that now that he had that, Ichigo was hers to rule as she wanted.

The other Shinigami had laughed hysterically at some joke that they only seemed to know and Rukia had simply smiled meaningfully. He'd scoffed but didn't make a fool out of her in front of the rest. She needed to be seen as capable; and he hadn't wanted anyone to doubt her ability to lead an entire division. His quiet subservience was probably what led her to not telling him what was worrying her. She'd handle it on her own if she could but would ask for help if she needed to. He had faith that she was strong enough to take on anything that came her way and if she wasn't, to finally ask for help if she needed it.

Giving a mental shake to get thoughts of her out of his head, Ichigo left his family behind to go patrol. Maybe some foolish Hollows and cold air would clear his mind.

He certainly needed it.

Isshin found his honorary third daughter in the room she shared with the twins. She was just closing her phone, the soul pager for once silent. "My dear, you were awful pensive during dinner, is everything alright?"

"Yes, sir, I was just on the phone with Nii-sama."

"Ah, you are that age, I suppose," he mused, bringing confusion to her violet eyes.

"Isshin-san?"

"Forgive me, dear, my mind is wandering. The mention of that old song made me remember that the noble families of the Four Great Houses often require certain things from those that would court their daughters. I thought perhaps that was what was troubling you."

Surprise had her staring at him in stunned silence. "How…?"

"I was the head of the Shiba branch family, Rukia-chan. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that now that you have bankai and are likely going to become a captain, your elders have decided that it's time you were married."

Rukia blanched, wishing he wasn't as smart as he was. "Yes. Nii-sama has been trying to figure out a way to test the selected potentials in such a way that they'll fail. He knows that I don't have the ability to handle such a thing right now. Emotionally I am just not ready for marriage. We are still trying to rebuild after the war with the Quincys and that should be my primary focus."

"Certainly. Not to mention that your heart is already taken."

Rukia started but didn't otherwise react outwardly. "You are too smart for your own good."

"I was a captain. I am here to help whenever you need it, my dear. Daddy will not allow his children to flounder."

"Uh-huh. Then why didn't you tell us who you really were sooner?"

"Well, I could not know who Aizen had gathered to his side in the years I was gone. You could have innocently told someone who was siding with him and then the jig would have been up."

"Old men and their secrets," she sighed. "Isshin-san," she started.

"Yes, my dear?" he encouraged, wanting her to lean on him. The young girl he'd known by word of mouth years ago had blossomed into a beautiful woman and he couldn't bear to see her confused.

"Do you think Ichigo will go along with our plan?"

"What exactly is the plan?"

"I suggested to Nii-sama that perhaps he should have all the potentials present their offerings like in the old song and we would see what gifts were most pleasing."

Isshin grinned, tempted to laugh out loud. "Rukia-chan, my son has literally gone to hell and back for you. I do not doubt that he will jump at the challenge. Just be honest with him about what's going on. He doesn't like to be kept in the dark when it comes to you." Stepping further into the room, Isshin laid a hand on her thin shoulder. Squeezing it lightly, he wasn't surprised when it drooped in relief.

"Do you think he'll be mad that Nii-sama is letting this happen?"

"My son doesn't understand the way marriages work in the Soul Society and you know he doesn't believe in forcing people to do what they don't want to."

"I think this is a rather antiquated way of doing things and don't agree with it either, but the elders are insisting and Nii-sama is trying to appease them."

"Ah, but as you just learned, there are ways of twisting things to your advantage. Just who do you think will know you enough to know what you like? The noble suitors who have never met you or the Shinigami daiko who you've lived with?"

Rukia smiled, her worries dissipating. "You're right. I should have a bit of fun with this too, shouldn't I?"

"Of course. We wouldn't want to make things too easy for my boy." Isshin grinned when she laughed, his heart lightening with the sound. He never liked it when his children were down. "Now then, why don't you go after my boy and make sure he doesn't neglect his studies in favor of Hollow hunting?"

"I suppose I should. I could come here on the condition that I didn't let him neglect anything. Thank you, Isshin-san."

"One of these days, I'm going to have you calling me 'Daddy.'"

"Perhaps," Rukia teased and reached into her pocket for her soul pills. Popping one into her mouth, she let Isshin catch her gigai while she left through the window.

Holding the small body between his hands, the doctor grinned and readjusted his hold. "Oh, Rukia-chan, you shouldn't give Daddy ideas." Carrying her body into his son's room, he laid it next to Ichigo's, knowing that they would be in for one heck of a surprise when they returned. The temporary soul inhabiting it had stayed silent, feeling the strength of the reiatsu that carried it. "Chappy, is it?"

"Yes, sir."

"You watch over these bodies carefully. I don't want anything to happen before it's time."

"Yes, sir!"

Had he known Chappy made a regular practice of almost breaking Ichigo's arms, he might not have left her alone with his son's body.