Rukia gave an exasperated groan as she looked at the name shining up at her from her cell phone. Without breaking her stride, she flipped the device open and put it to her ear. She didn't even get a word out before the person on the other end spoke up.

"Are you ready? Feeling nervous yet?"

"Shove it, Renji."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Rukia rolled her eyes before looking to both sides and crossing the busy street towards the large building straight ahead.

'Seretei Daily' read the large platinum letters set at the front of the building; it might have been her imagination, but it seemed to her that the building was looking down at her with a vicious sneer and she could almost hear the laughter and fingers pointed mockingly at her.

They laughed at her for thinking she even had a chance at a job on Seretei. She, a fresh out of college, inexperienced young writer with barely a dime to her name…

Shut up. She told the building in her mind; I graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in Karakura, with honors. I'm responsible and a great columnist. I have as good a shot as anyone for a job at Seretei…

Yeah, and maybe her older Brother was actually a happy-go-lucky dancer named Ricardo by night.

"If you have nothing better to do with your time other than harass me-" she started speaking into the phone, pushing her edgy thoughts away and determined to take them out on Renji with the slightest incentive.

"I should get a hobby, I know." Renji finished before she could in a monotone voice.

"Actually I was going to suggest you get a job."

"I have a job!" she heard him say in an indignant tone. "It just so happens that Mondays are slow days here at the corporation."

"Oh?" Rukia raised a skeptic eyebrow even though she knew he couldn't see. What kind of corporation isn't busy on a Monday?

One where Renji works at. That's where.

"How is it a baboon like you even got a job before me?" she wondered aloud for her friend's benefit.

"Stunning good looks and brains."

She laughed at that, the sound breaking through the stress-filled atmosphere surrounding all the people buzzing around her.

"You'll do fine in your interview. Trust me, if I could get a job, a star pupil like you is set." Renji said once her laughter died down, and she could hear the support laced in his voice and words. He might not be the type to say it straight out, but Renji was a good, caring friend when he wanted to be.

"…Yeah," she sighed, walking up to the revolving door that led into the building, having already stalled for a good few minutes outside.

"You just have to stop being so goddamn tense." Renji added with a laugh at her expense.

Her eyebrows pulled down together and she wished Renji was with her so she could at least glare at him.

"Shut up." she settled for saying instead.

She got a laugh in response, but before anything else could be heard, she heard a voice barking something in a non-too-happy manner on the other line.

"Yeah…I know, I'll be right- It was important, just give me a- Okay, okay!" she heard Renji shouting slightly mutedly, meaning he was holding the phone away from his face. When he spoke again, his voice was back to normal volume. "I gotta go, Rukia. Duty calls. Good luck with your interview."

Then she heard the 'click' that meant he'd hung up. She flipped her phone shut and shoved it into her pocket before looking up at the revolving doors. She took a resigned breath and stepped forth…

Okay, so maybe Renji had been a little right…Not that she'd ever let him know that.

She did tend to get a little over-nervous and stressed. But, hey! It was for a very justifiable reason this time! She was now only minutes away from not just a job interview, but the interview.

Ever since going to college and majoring in journalism, Rukia's sole goal had been to get a spot on Karakura's most prestigious newspaper: the Seretei Daily. She'd worked hard for it, she deserved it; at least that was what she had been telling herself for the better part of the weekend.

And Byakuya will disown me of I don't land the job… She added one, perhaps the most prominent, reason for why she was so nervous about not getting the job.

'Relax', she told herself, deciding that for once taking Renji's advice might not be such a bad idea.

It was, after all, thanks to Renji that Rukia had gone to that Halloween party on Saturday night.

Whereas, normally, Rukia would have spent that night like any other Saturday night; home alone in her bunny slippers and her laptop open as she re-checked for the thousandth time the writing samples that she would be using for her following job interviews, instead, she had followed Renji's advice graciously (aka, accepted his bribe…) and decided to loosen up a bit for once.

The result had been…Unexpected.

Rukia had to shake her head to clear the thoughts of orange hair, blazing amber eyes and hot kisses starting to clutter her mind.

No. She wouldn't think of that now. While yes, Rukia couldn't help but admit that spending those hours hidden in a closet with the masked orange-haired man resulted in what was probably one of the greatest and most memorable experiences in her life…She was resolved to forget all about it.

She didn't regret it, but that didn't mean she thought it would be beneficial to continuously think of one kiss with a complete stranger whose name she didn't even know and whom she would never see again.

Just because kissing him felt like my whole body had turned to fire and my skin prickled with excitement and wanting to be with him…It was just a one-time thing, Rukia. Forget about it.

It wouldn't be long though, before Rukia found out just how wrong she was.

Having composed herself enough to look professional and secure, Rukia had asked the receptionist about her interview and the blonde woman had barely looked at her before directing her to go to the fifth floor and wait for a 'Mr. Ukitake' to receive her.

Now Rukia found herself clenching her hands to stop herself from fiddling with the edge of her pencil skirt or the collar of her white button-up shirt as the anxious knots began to twist in her stomach where she sat in a single chair just outside a closed door where her interview would take place.

Relax; breathe. She instructed herself. Renji could do this…If that idiot was able to do it, then she sure as hell would not allow herself to be surpassed by him. She would get through the interview splendidly and her brother would be so proud of her he might actually hug her.

Okay, so that was a long-shot.

"Miss Kuchiki?"

Her neck nearly snapped as she twisted her head to look at the speaker. "Y-yes!" she mentally cursed herself for stuttering. Now was not the time for that.

The man who had stepped out of the office looked at her and his lips curved easily into a smile that seemed a natural expression on his face. He had long hair that was pure white and pulled back in a low ponytail; despite his hair color, his face was unlined and he didn't seem to be much older than his late thirties. He had gentle chocolate brown eyes that appraised her silently.

"Well, Miss Kuchiki, I'm Mr. Ukitake." he said in a kind voice as he extended his hand to her to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Rukia immediately felt all the stress-knots loosen in her stomach and she was able to stand and shake the man's hand with a calm smile. "Likewise."

"Come in, then." Mr. Ukitake said as he started to go back to his office. Rukia followed and watched as he closed the door behind them, then went around a large wooden desk cluttered with loose newspaper articles, manila folders and dozens of pens. He sat on a comfortable-looking high-backed chair and motioned for her to sit on one of the less luxurious seats across from him.

"I trust you've had a good morning?" Mr. Ukitake asked pleasantly once she'd sat down.

"Yes, thank you." Rukia said, feeling a bit more at ease in the man's presence, but beginning to feel the eagerness for the interview to start.

"Good, good." said Mr. Ukitake. He started rummaging through some of the cluttered files screwed around his desk, laughing good-naturedly as he complained that his two assistants, by the names of Kiyone and Sentaro, where to busy arguing with each other to be of much help in the office.

Rukia smiled and waited patiently for the man to arrive at the desired folder.

"Ah, here we are." Mr. Ukitake said, taking out the neatly placed contents of one of the folders. "Rukia Kuchiki; graduated from Gotei University,…"

And so, it began.

-x-

Almost forty-five minutes later, Mr. Ukitake and Rukia sat in the same spots, at the end of the famed interview.

"You're a brilliant writer, Kuchiki. I know Seretei would benefit a lot from having you as a columnist."

Rukia smiled at the complement. "Does that mean I get the job?"

Mr. Ukitake's smile faltered slightly. Rukia felt her heart drop just a little. The white-haired man folded his hands before him on the desk before speaking in a regretful tone. "I'm afraid that a job isn't possible right now for you." he started, making her heart sink lower. "Right now, things are getting rough at Seretei. A lot of good reporters and writers are getting fired, things will be difficult from now on. Only the best can remain onboard."

Rukia bit her lip to stop herself from saying she was the best. She could handle it; she'd spent the last years of her life working for it. For now, she knew, it was best to stay silent as Mr. Ukitake finished.

"As I said, you are a terrific writer. But as things stand at the moment, your lack of experience makes it impossible for me to give you a job here right away. However,"

She felt the tiniest spark of hope.

"I can offer you an internship. It isn't a steady job, and it doesn't pay. But if you play your cards right, and you can demonstrate that you deserve it, you could be looking at a real job at Seretei by next month."

Rukia stared. An internship…It wasn't a job. It had no pay…But it was still better than nothing.

"That would be great!" she declared, eyes wide as she clung to that hope he had just handed her.

Mr. Ukitake chuckled at her sudden enthusiasm. "That's the spirit!" then he looked at her more seriously, but traces of a smile never left his face. "You'll have to work hard though, Kuchiki. Twice as hard as you would normally have to, and with none of the pay. There is no guarantee that you'll get the job, or a definite time when you can get it. But I have confidence in you. If you are as great as you seem to be in your samples, I have no doubt that you'll get the job."

Rukia couldn't help but beam at that. "Thank you, sir. I'll won't let you down."

"I'm sure." he smiled warmly.

"When do I start?" Rukia asked now, already eager to get home and celebrate with a bowl of ice cream and a marathon of her favorite movies.

"As soon as possible. Is tomorrow good for you?"

"Tomorrow is perfect." she nodded.

"Wonderful. Be here tomorrow at eight thirty sharp."

"I'll be here." Rukia started to get up, but Ukitake paused her.

"One more thing, Kuchiki." she sat again and waited for him to go on. "Since you will be an intern, you will work under the supervision of one of the workers here."

"Oh?" Rukia looked at him, unsure. She had expected to be supervised, yes, but she'd figured she'd report directly to Mr. Ukitake. But that would have been too much to ask for as an intern, she guessed. Too bad, she'd really started to like him too.

"He is one of our best reporters, and a tremendous writer." Ukitake said, just as he put his finger on a button of the telephone machine sitting atop his desk among the general mess. "Though he does have a bit of a temper. Nothing you can't handle though, I'm sure!" he finished in a bright note. However, his easy manner seemed more suspicious to Rukia now.

A temper, huh? Well, of course she could handle it. There hadn't been a man born yet that Rukia Kuchiki couldn't handle. The only reason she was bummed was that she was sure to be starting pretty low if she was being put under the supervision of a guy who, most likely, no one wanted to work with.

"Call Kurosaki up here, Kiyone." Mr. Ukitake spoke into the speaker of the black telephone.

"Right away, Mr. Ukitake!" an eager voice said on the other end.

"Before you go, I'd like you to meet him." Mr. Ukitake explained as he leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Rukia nodded as she steeled herself for whatever came in through that door.

The minutes passed with almost torturing slowness, each tick of the clock promising something ominous. Not even Mr. Ukitake's somewhat soothing presence could ease her now, for some reason.

And then the door opened…

Revealing a tall, slightly tanned, scowling, orange-haired man.

"Miss Kuchiki, I'd like you to meet Ichigo Kurosaki."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rukia thanked whatever god there was for the fact that there were no flies in that office…Because at least a dozen of them would have easily fit into her wide open mouth. The moment the man had stepped through the door, her jaw had dropped to the floor and her eyes had nearly flown out of her sockets. Her mind went blank before-

"You!" before she even knew what she was doing, Rukia leapt out of the seat and pointed at the orange-haired man accusingly.

Said man's amber eyes widened briefly and something flashed through them, too fast for her to recognize. Then it was all gone and his face was a mask of indifference. Something unlike what Rukia remembered seeing that night, from which every detail was forever burned in her memory. For a moment, she wondered if she'd confused the man from the party for some other bright-haired guy…but dismissed the improbable option quickly. Different as he may look with his professional clothes and deep-etched scowl, Rukia knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was indeed the same man she had kissed only two nights before.

"You two know each other?" Mr. Ukitake asked, glancing back and forth confusedly between Rukia and the orange-haired man.

Rukia opened her mouth to answer, but the word that came out immediately was not hers.

"No."

Simple, flat. She gaped in open disbelief at the orange-haired man.

His eyes weren't even on her as he looked away with a mildly bored expression and his hands in his pockets.

"I've never seen her before." he added then, for good measure.

Rukia felt her body freeze on the spot. Whether it was purely from shock or anger she didn't quite know.

She didn't know what she would have said; she wasn't quite sure that she could speak at all in that moment. Fortunately, Mr. Ukitake saved her by speaking up first.

"You will work under Ichigo's supervision from now on." he said to her, and she turned to face him again. "He'll guide you through the process of getting acquainted with the workings of the newspaper, and possibly help you polish your skills along the way. Not that your skills aren't good as it is." he added the last part possibly seeing the expression on Rukia's face.

"Wait a minute!" a voice spoke up loudly, without an ounce of respect in it.

Rukia whirled her head around to look up disbelievingly at the orange-haired man. How dare he raise his voice like that at a superior?

She would be even more surprised by his next words.

"No one said anything about working with some kid who doesn't know the first thing about writing!"

Rukia's blood ran cold at the word 'kid'. If that wasn't bad enough, the words that followed…

"Kuchiki is our new intern, Ichigo." Mr. Ukitake spoke calmly, not the least bit ruffled by the younger man's outburst. "She may lack the experience, but she has a great amount of potential to be just as good as you." he said, and the man's -Ichigo's- frown deepened at this.

"She might even surpass you, given time." Mr. Ukitake added, giving Rukia a playful wink.

Rukia stared and felt grateful to the man suddenly. He had unknowingly prevented a very unprofessional outburst that would have jeopardized her internship without having even started it. There was also the added bonus of his last remark having made Ichigo scowl even harder.

Rukia couldn't fight the urge and, still turned towards Mr. Ukitake, looked over her shoulder to give Ichigo a smug smirk.

Ichigo narrowed his amber eyes at her before looking up at his boss again. She could tell he was about to protest some more, but so could Mr. Ukitake.

"That is all. You are both dismissed." said the ever-calm white-haired man. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kuchiki." he added with a smile. Rukia returned it and reached to shake the man's hand and, after another formal 'thank you', she turned to leave.

She forced her gaze to remain on the door that led outside as she brushed past the orange-haired man. She felt his narrowed eyes boring holes into her back the whole time, but managed to remain unruffled and walked out in a dignified manner.

Once outside, she hadn't even finished shutting the door behind her when she heard the orange-haired man's loud voice snap.

"What's the big idea Ukitake?"

She closed the door completely, but the voices still carried through the wood. She suspected very few walls could keep that man's voice muted.

Taking a quick glance across the room to make sure no one was watching her, Rukia pressed her ear against the wooden door and strained to listen to the voices.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Ukitake's soft voice said.

"You know what I mean! What kind of punishment is this?" That was unmistakably Ichigo.

"It isn't a punishment, Ichigo. It's a…Opportunity."

"How exactly is this 'opportunity' not a punishment?"

"Well, for one thing, it's an opportunity for you to keep your job." There was soft laughter from one of the voices. The other, rougher one, remained silent. "After last month's incident, many consider you lucky for still being here."

"I get that…But how does that equate to me having to babysit the newbie?"

"This is a chance for you to learn to tolerate and help others instead of trampling over everyone you meet. Yamamoto was gracious enough to allow you to keep your job; mostly because you are an undeniable asset to the Seretei. But he believes, and I agree, that you must learn to work well with others. Supervising an intern seems like the perfect opportunity for you to do just that."

"This is a load of crap. You're just dumping her on me because no one else wants the job! This is your excuse to punish me!"

"Think of it as you like, Ichigo. Whether you like it or not, Kuchiki is now your responsibility. As such, any mistakes she makes will be reflected on you. Therefore, I would advise that you help her do well."

"This isn't fair."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. Keep in mind what I said though. Try to use this as a chance. Who knows! Perhaps you'll even make a new friend!"

"Unlikely."

"Just remember, Ichigo. This is the last chance Yamamoto is giving you. Don't waste it."

After a few seconds of silence, Rukia realized just in time to jump back from her place before the fuming orange-haired man yanked the door open and stepped out.

The moment he did, his amber eyes met hers. She looked up at him, feeling a mixture of emotions that where too many to name, but amongst which anger, confusion and, admittedly, disappointment stood out.

In his face, she saw deeply edged lines marking his scowl; he glared at her for a moment like she was the cause of all his problems, and then just as quickly he brushed past her, bumping her shoulder in the process, and left without looking back once.

Rukia stood stupefied.

For a brief instance, she couldn't help but let her mind remember clearly the soft, yet smoldering amber gaze that had held her only two nights ago; then the image was shattered by the angry glare of the scowling man she'd met today.

What had…happened?


A/N: Well, I know this chapter was a bit on the boring side...or a lot. Sorry about that. Its just that, well, its necessary. And yeah, the IchiRuki took a 180 degree turn here...I told you I'd make it hard for them XD Ichigo was pretty horrible here, but don't worry. His attitude and response will be explained in the near future, and there will be more actual IchiRuki in coming chapters.

On a brighter note, HOLLY SNOT! ZOMG! I got a freakin LOT of reviews last chapters! Thank you guys so so much you've made me so happy!

DanceOfTheWhiteMoon, ali6220, M.O.N.S.T.E..POCKY., Nivek01, Aizawa Ayumu, Rukes, E'Clair Soldier, shinzlefritz, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, -AnGeLiCaNiMeKiTtY-, Prizz, Lunar, novicestar, Crazy Otaku Fangirl and MeoNg

Thank you guys sooo much! I just...Wow. I did not expect all the love :D I hope I don't disappoint anyone, (please don't take this chapter as indicative of the rest of the story, it gets better I promise *sheepish smile*)

So, I guess it should be obvious but, according to amount of reviews, this will be the story I'll be focusing on from now on ^.^ Thanks again to everyone :)