A/N: This is a rather depressing story. It wasn't quite how I planned it either; it sort of took a life of its own. Title is from Chapter something or other in Volume 19. Anyway, enjoy, and please review.
Behind Me, Behind YouRukia walked through the streets. The sky was changing from dusk to evening and it was getting dark. Everything was quite, strangely silent. Almost eerie.
There were no Hollows to destroy, no spirits to perform konso on. It was almost as though there was a Shinigami in the area, but there wasn't a registered Quincy or Shinigami for miles.
'Then again,' the sensible part of her mind pointed out, 'there were four unregistered Shinigami in Karakura at one time.'
"I wonder who's here then," she asked herself. Then she grinned at her own folly. "Like they would show themselves to me."
The streets were deserted, or so she thought.
A small, orange blur ran past her, giggling madly. Another, blur, this one dark, followed after the first. The orange one, a small girl, squealed, "Eek! The Hollow's gonna get me! Help me Daddy!"
The black one, a small boy, roared playfully. "I'm gonna eat your soul!"
A deep resonating laugh reverberated through the streets. "Oh no!" the voice was that of a man. "Run Masaki!"
Rukia froze and looked up slowly. A tall, orange-haired man stood a few feet in front of her, staring right past her. "Ichigo," she whispered, almost inaudibly.
The man she once knew made no recognition that he had even heard her. He knelt down and caught both of the small children in his arms as they tried to run past. "You two go home, now. Mommy is going to be making dinner."
The black haired boy nodded. "Okay Daddy," he answered.
"Tell Mommy I'm going to be home in a few minutes."
"Okay Daddy!" the orange haired girl, Masaki, giggled.
"Hey that's what I said!" the boy exclaimed.
"So what. I said it too!" Masaki stuck her tongue out at the boy.
"Now, now." Ichigo patted both the children on their heads. "Go home, you two."
"Okay Daddy," they chimed together, and ran off in the other direction.
Ichigo rose to his feet, watching them run off. He was silent for a few moments, and when he finally spoke, he didn't turn around. "Long time no see, Rukia."
"They're adorable, Ichigo," she whispered. "Whose are they?" she asked.
"Why do you want to know?" he asked in return. "Jealous?"
Rukia blushed, and was quite pleased he hadn't turned around yet. "Of course not!" she answered indignantly. "That's all behind me!"
"Then why do you need to know?" he asked.
"Because I'm curious!" she answered heatedly.
Ichigo shook his head, still facing the other direction. "If it's all behind you, then I'm not telling you."
Rukia growled. "Behind me, behind you, it doesn't matter! I'm just wondering."
"I'm not telling. We're all in the past. I have no duty to you anymore, and thus, no reason to tell you." Ichigo answered after a minute.
"This has nothing to do with us," she growled.
He didn't respond.
After a few moments of silence, Rukia sighed. "Fine. I was just passing by. You obviously don't want to be found, and I won't tell them you're here…" she turned to go the other way.
"…I'm happy to find you well, Rukia. You… " Ichigo trailed off, then he sighed. "Stay safe."
She let a small smile cross her lips, despite the fact that he couldn't see it. "You too, Ichigo," Rukia said and then used shunpo to leave quickly so he couldn't see or hear her sadness.
In leaving so quickly, she failed to see Ichigo turn around and look at the spot where she had stood, the look on his face something akin to longing.
Because despite what either of them said, they really weren't quite behind them yet.
END