I'm back! I'm back, I'm back, I'm BACK! :D This is so exciting! Have you guys missed me? I've missed you guys! I finally got over that writer's block! YAY!

Okay, so this is new, I'm doing a BLEACH fan-fic. I'm not done with the series yet and I'm actually going to start passed where I am so I'm going to be making it up as I go. It's set after they get Orihime back from Heuco Mundo.

One-sided Ichigo/Orihime with Ichigo/Rukia and slight Rukia/Renji.

Summary: Ichigo and friends return to Karakura Town from Hueco Mundo with a new member, the little Arrancar Nel. Seeing as how Nel has a strange attachment to Ichigo, he's in charge of taking care of her. How will Soul Society feel about this and how does Rukia feel about him?

The summary sucks, blehhh. Oh well.

****DISCLAIMER: I'm only doing this once so pay attention! I DO NOT OWN BLEACH NOR WILL I EVER OWN BLEACH.

Enjoi!


"I-ITSYGOOO!"

I spun around to face the portal to Hueco Mundo and, of course, I saw the little Arrancar, Nel, running towards me. The green haired three-year old had tears streaming down her face and her arms spread open towards me. Damn this kid, couldn't she leave me alone?

Sighing, as well as rolling my eyes, I opened my arms as she leapt into them and buried her face in my chest while she shook with tears. I patted her back soothingly so as to calm her down and it seemed to work, seeing as how her sobs quieted down and her shaking reduced to a little twitch every now and then.

"Shh, Nel, it's okay," I reassured her, hugging her close. "What's wrong? Where's, uh…where's your 'brothers'?"

"N-Nel wants t-t-to stay with Itsygo!" she cried into my chest, her tiny hands gripping onto my Shihakusho tightly as to ensure I don't push her away or set her down on the floor. "N-Nel still wants to pway with Itsygo!"

Again, I rolled my eyes and looked back at the others for a little assistance. They just smirked at me. Bastards. I turned my attention back to the child in my arms and saw that she was looking up at me with those big, round eyes of hers that were a murky grey color.

"Nel…now, it's really time for us to say goodbye. I have to stay here in the World of the Living and you need to go back to your brothers and Bawabawa in Hueco Mundo. We'll see each other again," I told her, hoping to let her down easy so she'll leave happy knowing we might see each other again.

Her lip quivered at me telling her this and her eyes watered even more. Oh no. She was going to cry again. I hugged her to me right when she opened her mouth to yell out, "I wanna stay with Itsygo! Nel wants to stay with Itsygo!"

She beat her little hands against my chest and sobbed and I just held her to me, waiting for her to calm down so I can leave her but no. It didn't look like she was going to give up on staying with me. I sighed.

"FINE!" I yelled, exasperated and tired. I just wanted to get home. "You can stay with me, Nel."

I could feel Rukia and Renji smirk at me and Inoue smiling in adoration. So what, I had a soft spot for the kid! Who can blame me? Sure, she's annoying and stuff but there's something about her and she just wants to stay with me. It's cute, but the others don't need to know that. Nope, I can keep that to myself. Yup, all to myself. No one will ever know…


I adjusted Nel on my shoulders as Renji, Rukia, Inoue, and I all headed back to our homes, Chad and Ishida having parted ways with us a couple blocks prior. The child had insisted on riding on my shoulders and I could feel her drool on my head in her sleep. Gross, but at least she was asleep.

Inoue walked silently by my side, looking down at her feet and not saying a word. I wondered what was troubling her but I wasn't going to push her if she wasn't going to talk. Rukia and Renji walked on my other side, also not saying a word. What was with everyone?

Inoue suddenly stopped walking, her head low as she looked down at her hands. We all stopped as well to face her but she still looked at the ground. Rukia was the one to step forward, her hand raised slightly towards Inoue, reaching out as a way to comfort.

"Inoue…is something wrong?" the midget asked, concern etched into her tone.

Inoue finally lifted her head and gave her a strained smile, her right arm gripping her left at the elbow. She was holding something back and I wanted to know what it was. "No, K-Kuchiki-san, I'm fine," she assured us, not doing a very good job at it.

Inoue turned to me then, her lip twitching as a small forced smile. "I-I'll walk the rest of the way myself, Kurosaki-kun," she said, adding on to our worry for her.

"Are you sure?" I asked, lifting Nel off of me slightly to give her to Rukia but Inoue raised a hand as a gesture saying, 'Let her rest.' Inoue simply nodded at me and waved to us as she began walking by herself, her shoulders hunched somewhat. Now I was really starting to worry.


"ICHIGOOO!" my father roared as he lunged to tackle me to the ground but I reflexively lifted my leg and kicked him in the face, sending him flying back into the wall. This man never gives up, does he? But he's my father so I'm stuck until I can get out of this place.

Rukia walked in ahead of me and settled Nel, now in her little gigai from Urahara, on the couch. The green haired Arrancar instantly curled into a little ball hugged the nearest thing to her, that being Kon, and nuzzled her head into the stuffed animal. The action in itself was adorable, Rukia and I smiling at little Nel. Maybe her being here wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Oh, Masaki, look!" exclaimed my mental father as he hugged the poster of my mother with tears running happily down his face. "Only gone a few weeks and Ichigo has brought home our first grandchild with Rukia-chan!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rukia cough awkwardly with a hint of a blush on her cheeks. She's blushing? Why would she be blushing? I mean, yeah, what my dad said was awkward and embarrassing but she shouldn't be blushing unless…? Could she-? Does she-? No, she couldn't, she's Rukia! Why would she…and for me?

"HEY! Old man, the kid isn't ours! You crazy…!" I yelled at my insane father, but he just went on and on about how he knew Rukia was 'the one for me' and how Nel was 'the cutest grandchild we could ever produce.' Nel doesn't even look like either me OR Rukia!

I sighed as I gathered the sleeping, and drooling, Nel into my arms and carried her into my room, Rukia trailing behind me as we left my father to his crying and assumptions. Crazy old man. I couldn't have a normal father, could I?


Well, what do you think so far? I'm not done with the series yet so I'm going to be wrong about a few things…okay, wrong about a lot of things so don't get mad. I'm basically improvising this whole story so go easy on me! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. I'm a review/comment whore so feel free to, well, REVIEW! Thanks :D

-alice