AN

Happy morning fellow reader!

So this is the first chapter to my first Fanfic. I hope the Characters are not too OOC.

As my mother language is German and not English I'm excusing myself for any grammar or spelling mistakes that slipped through the correction program.

But enough of that, have fun reading and I'm appreciating any sort of critical comment.

Oh yeah before I forget:

Disclaimer : I don't own Bleach or the its characters. I'm just a fan.

Chapter 1 Enterlude:

The sun was slowly setting as Soi Fong left her apartment and headed to work. She was early, so she decided to walk instead of taking the subway. Trying to get her head clear after hours of studying she looked through the windows of the shops that were just closing.

The sign of the bar was already in sight, swinging in the wind, looking as if it would come down on the first one, who was careless enough to stand underneath.

Just when Soi was about to enter "The Seireitei" her Mobil began to ring. Looking at the phone she could see "Rangiku", the name of the big busted girl she shared the apartment with, flashing on the display.

It has been three years since Soi had moved in at her apartment, 3 years since they became lovers.

"Three years... So it's been already three years since you left me ..." Soi was deep in thought about her past when a cheerful voice in her ear brought her back to the present.

"Soi ? Hey Soi can you hear me ? "

She looked at the phone. Without realizing she had answered the call but hadn't said a word yet.

The woman on the other side of the line now grew slightly worried.

"Are you OK ? Answer me!"

"Yeah sure I'm OK. Sorry the reception was pretty bad that's probably why you couldn't hear me. So what's the matter ?" she felt a bit bad lying at the woman she cared so much about but she didn't want to think any longer about the events of two years ago.

"You just left without saying a word !" , more words that reminded her of that time, she felt her heart ache, "so I wanted to ask where you are heading ?"

Soi rolled her eyes

"I'm going to work of course, it's Orihime's and my turn today. Just because Ukitake gave you the night off, it doesn't mean I'm free too!" she told her sounding angry although there was nothing to be angry about.

"Besides I told the brat that I'm leaving"

The brat was Toshiro Hitsugaya, he was living with the two of them since he had tried to steal Soi's briefcase and Rangiku talked her into not pressing charges against him or worse. Because he was so " awfully cute" as the busted girl used to say, she wanted to help him. Pretty much without asking she let the boy stay at their apartment and sent the street-kid back to school.

"When will you stop referring to Shiro-chan as brat ?" The voice on the phone asked rhetorically

"But it's a pity that you have to work today, 'cause Shiro-chan is at Ukitake's visiting Momo, so I thought we could have some quality time together" she added half mockingly.

In fact Soi really was disappointed, it was getting harder and harder for the two women to get physical with Soi having exams and the brat always being in the apartment.

That's why she was really happy when the blonde told her that Toshiro would stay out the whole night and offered to visit her at the bar so that they could walk home together.

When Soi entered her workplace she was greeted with the words:

"You are late!"

They were coming from Nanao Ise, the serious looking accountant and manager of the Seireitei who was also replacing Ukitake Juushiro, the owner, most of the time as he was ill 360 days a year.

Suddenly Shunsui, bartender and boyfriend of Nanao ( at least in his thoughts) appeared behind the dark haired woman.

"Don't be so harsh Nanao-chan, she's just five minutes late!" he said grinning and trying to embrace the woman of his dreams.

As she wasn't really in the mood for arguing she just gave him a deadly glare and as fast as he had appeared he vanished behind the counter.

Slightly chuckling because of that strange couple, Soi promised never to be late again and scolded herself mentally for chatting too long with Rangiku.

As expected for the time of the day, there were no customers yet, except for a really young looking

raven-haired girl sitting at the counter, curiously observing Shunsui mixing a drink.

"I'm sorry Soi, but she's already mine" sounded a manly voice from behind her

It was a tall boy with spiky orange hair.

"Ichigo! Don't you have the day off?" she stated in surprise.

"I just wanted to see where he's working." the girl had received her cocktail and then joined the two colleagues.

"Rukia, this is Soi. She is also working here, Soi this is my girlfriend ..."

"Rukia. Nice to meet you." she interrupted him holding her hand out

"Nice meeting you too" she said shaking the girls hand." I'm sorry but I have to get ready for wo..."

Soi was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass.

All eyes were now turned to the back of the room, where one could see two human figures and some boxes, filled with, now, broken glass, lying on the floor.

"Orihime, you are as clumsy as always!" laughed Ichigo while the smaller of the two figures rubbed her back, blushing.

When she lifted herself from the ground, she waved hello to Soi and tried to help the tall guy, she had dragged down with her, stand up as well.

"I'm so sorry Ikkaku-san" she said bowing before the man with the bold head.

He was hired by Ukitake to deal with drunks and other aggressive subjects if necessary.

"Don't worry, I fine. Hopefully there are some spare glasses in the cellar." he said turning back to the door.

"I'll help you carrying them!" Orihime offered but was cut off by Ikkaku's loud voice while his face was filled with slight terror.

"NO!"

When he realised how harsh he had sounded he tried to smile a friendly as possible an told the scared girl to accompany Soi in case guests were to come.

The other members of the crew had of course watched the whole scene and tried hard not to burst out laughing, except for Shunsui who had fallen on the ground behind the counter while holding his stomach in pain and Nanao, who was counting the broken glasses into her daily calculation of expenses.

Soi smiled an thought that maybe today, work could be bearable, above all when she thought of the the talk with her lover and the night after work.