The Waters of Life

by Liam G

Forced to leave her home, Tia Halibel embarks on a quest to find her Father James Halibel and find out the truth behind her existence. Once outside of the Vault, she learns the bitter truth of her new life, the Wastelands are a place only the strong will survive in, lucky for her she meets the perfect guide for this new world her first day, Ichigo Shiba, Regulator of Megaton.

2. Megaton

Disclaimer insert here: I don't own or have ever owned Bleach or Fallout. Please buy the manga and game to help support those poor, hungry souls so that they may continue to produce real good stuff for us to write about later.

All characters and ideas belong to their rightful owners, except any OC monsters/characters I make up. As usual an M rating is for future violence, dismemberments, gore, language, very foul language, and of course lemons will be in, but don't expect a ton of them. Again enjoy your time here.

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As always, all stories are now edited by regfurby. I can't really say enough about how much his works mean to my stories since he became my beta. Also to Kiwifan7 who always gets a first look at my chapters to help me bring you the best stories I can.

AN and Response to Reviews will be located at the end of each succeeding chapters. See you then.

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WARNING: THIS STORY TAKES PLACE AFTER WORLD ARMAGEDDON; THERE ARE NO STANDING ARMIES, NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND NO REAL SYSTEM OF LAW OR ADHERENCE TO MORAL CONDUCT. IF HUMANITY HAS NOTHING TO HOLD ITS DARKER SIDE BACK, THEN EACH OF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THE WORST ATROCITIES ARE POSSIBLE. THOSE THINGS MAY TAKE PLACE IN THIS STORY.

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"Speech"

'Thoughts'

'Memories'

"Yet to be determined?"

XXXX

"He's still alive Masaki. Trust me, he's alive."

Kurosaki Isshin

XXXX

"Tiaaaa." He smirks as she swipes at his light touch.

"OH, Tiaaaa…" Again he can't help the grin on his face as Tia's face contorts with a slight snarl on her lips and she tries to curl away from his insistent poking.

"TIA! WAKE UP!" She bolts out of bed and a soft thunk vibrates in the air as her hand flashes out and strikes at the offending object pushing against her sleeping form. Her eyes wildly scan the room until her gaze falls upon the orange-haired male standing about three feet away from her with a large wooden board held in his hand. Wondering why he is so far away and holding a wooden plank, she asks him just that.

Ichigo smirks at her. "Well, seeing how yesterday went oh so wonderfully well for your first day in the Wastelands, and since I'm not really in the mood to get myself stabbed again…." He stops and points meaningfully back at her, specifically at her hand as he does so.

Following the direction of his pointing finger, she blushes furiously at seeing the small dagger he had given her last night being driven through the wood by her reverse grip. "Sorry…Ichigo."

"And that's why I'm over here without a nice new scar." He smirks as he pulls the board back, dislodging the dagger skillfully.

"Ass." Tia grumbles as she returns the dagger to its hiding place under her pillow, but she can't help the smile that breaks out on her face. Not even a full day with the orange-haired male has Tia feeling as comfortable around him as she did the few friends she had left behind in the Vault, though not yet on par with her best friend.

Having returned the plank to wherever he got it from, Ichigo walks back in through the door with a bag she hasn't seen on him before. Placing the bag on the bed beside her, he motions towards it.

"It might not exactly fit you great, but I think it will serve you well enough for today. I'll have to return it before long, but for now it's an emergency so it should be fine." The orange-haired man says.

Green eyes take in the bag curiously before she reaches out for it. Unbuckling and pulling it open, she sees brown, tan and grey colored leather and cloth inside. Wondering what it is, she pulls out the weighted items from the bag, and then turns Ichigo with a look of surprise.

Ichigo smiles as the blonde young woman runs her fingers over the mottled fabric with a renewed look of appreciation. "It's basically a Wastelander suit, colored to blend into most of the landscapes, including the ruins of D.C.; it will give you added protection because of the composite plates sewn over your vital areas and is somewhat resilient against heat, abrasion and minor radiation. It also won't make you stick out like a sore thumb like in that blue Vault-Tec suit." He mutters something vaguely uncomplimentary about the creator of the suit; fortunately Tia is too busy examining her new suit to pay any attention to it.

"I can't thank you enough Ichigo…" She bursts out, then hesitates, lowering her eyes as she again finds herself feeling suddenly lost in this new environment.

The orange-haired man is quick to pick up on her change in mood. "Hey, none of that now Tia. There ain't exactly a book in the Vaults called 'The Wasteland Survival Guide' is there?" He has a strange look on his face as he says it and starts to rummage about in the bag.

Caught off guard, the blonde thinks back over all the books she has read in the Vault, but doesn't recall reading the previously mentioned book. "I don't think I've heard of it... with a title like that, I would..."

"AHA! I knew it! People DO think it's a stupid title!" Ichigo cuts her off triumphantly, half-crowing and half-snarling as he pulls out something from the bag and tosses it casually to her.

Catching it with ease, Tia raises an eyebrow at seeing the simple skull motif gracing the cover of a rather thick magazine type booklet, the pages feeling strangely thick and waxy under her fingers. Flipping it open, she reads the words printed in bold on the cover page.

"…'The Wasteland Survival Guide.' Written by Urahara Kisuke. Researched by Shiba Ichigo."

She slowly looks up at the scowling orange-haired teen with her eyebrow raised even higher. "This is... for real? You researched an actual guide to the Wasteland?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ichigo gestures to the booklet. "Yes, it's for real. And yes, I did a majority of the research in there for that old kook Kisuke. He's the real reason why I'm not an official Shinigami yet, I'm still under contract with him to pay him back for all the training he and my Oba-san gave me over the years. It's also how I can get my hands on top-grade military equipment and not that badly-rusting crap most of the lowlifes use these days. The suit I wear is part of that contract, as is…."

"…That rifle you used." Tia interrupts him, her eyes gleaming eagerly. "I've never seen or heard my Father talk about anything like it before Ichigo, where did you get it from?"

Pushing the bag of clothes closer to the blonde teen, Ichigo sits on the edge of the bed beside her; Tia doesn't miss the fact that it creaks heavily under his weight.

"It is old world tech mixed with cutting edge technology invented by Geta-Boshi, aka Urahara Kisuke, aka my Oji-san - sorry, my Uncle - who is an inventor and scientist of sorts. Brilliant but mad with a touch of insanity to go with it. Pure genius could be used to describe him as well, but by the way he acts most of the time has left a definite question mark next to that. Anyways, he seems to have endless knowledge of anything remotely resembling technology both old and new in our world, and most of my equipment is designed by Oji-san, with me being the happy-go-lucky guinea pig that gets to test out his designs in the Wasteland under real-life conditions. My rifle is his latest weapon design. He took an assault rifle that had been in development from just before the start of the Great War and modified it with other technologies so I can easily switch between lethal to non-lethal rounds using what he calls Nano-rounds. He also added what he calls a Picatinny Rail System that allows me to equip different enhancements, like a flashlight, grenade launcher, and just about any type of scope or ranging system. The man's mind is a bit loopy when it comes to weapons, but he sure knows his stuff." Ichigo finishes with a slight grimace. "Tia, your weapons, did your Otou-san give them to you?"

"My Father you mean?" Seeing him nod his head in affirmative, she continues. "Yes. Why?" She sees him frown slightly as he stands up.

"Nothing, just wondering how you got hold of them, that's all…they are... unique." He pauses as he stands up. "Do you need any help getting dressed? We should get moving soon."

"No Ichigo, I think I will be fine." He nods his head once before retreating through the door, leaving Tia to get herself ready for the day.

XXXX

When Ichigo returns to her room, Tia smirks at his obvious surprise at seeing her up and dressed already without needing his help at all. She also can't help but smile as he immediately shoves his surprise to one side and runs a critical eye over her body to make sure she is isn't showing any lingering signs of paralysis or pushing herself too hard, only breaking it off when she admonishes him to ease his worries.

"I'm fine Ichigo, really I am, and please I'm not that helpless. That medicine you gave me last night seems to have worked wonders overnight, and when I woke up this morning, I wasn't feeling paralyzed anywhere." Tia remarks and pushes him gently out of the room. "I'm hungry though, so if you've got anything for me…I'd appreciate it."

Seeing him turn to stare at her again, Tia fidgets under Ichigo's intense glare before the orange-haired teen finally gives a shake of his head. "I swear it's almost as if you were…."

He starts walking off midway through his sentence, preventing her from hearing the rest of his thoughts, and before she can ask what he said, he yells back to her. "Hurry up Tia, our food will get cold if all you plan on doing is stand around all day."

Hurriedly catching up to him, she quickly picks up on two unusual features in regards to her new clothes. First they're a rather comfortable fit, and second, her lack of audible footsteps when she was running after the older teen and walking beside him now. It seems, however, that Ichigo has pre-empted her question before she can even ask, and he begins to explain the details of her suit as she falls into step beside him.

"Despite what I said earlier, your suit isn't really a 'Wastelander's' suit Tia." Ichigo states, much to her surprise. "It's more of a Prospector's or Scavenger's suit; they need to wear clothing that blends in quickly and effortlessly with their surroundings, which really helps if they run into mutants, Raiders or any kind of animal. The footwear doesn't generate unnecessary noises as they move through the terrain of the D.C. Ruins in search of their goods so they can hear other noises better. The materials used are tough and durable, but not meant for actual prolonged combat, so when we get to Megaton, I'll see about getting you a proper suit geared towards combat and survival out here." He leads her to the small kitchen area where the smell of food slams into her senses with the force of a sledgehammer; after nearly a day spent without food, it's all she can do to keep herself from salivating as her stomach rumbles audibly.

Blushing at his knowing grin, she nods as he tells her to make herself comfortable and sits down at a small four person table, looking at the few dishes Ichigo has made for them and deciding to wait until he joins her for the meal. Watching as he places a plate of meat on the floor for Kon, Tia quietly reflects upon her choices since escaping the Vault and deciding to search for her missing father in the Wasteland. She has always been told that the Wasteland is uninhabited and/or inhospitable; both notions have already been proven false through her encounters with the Santa Anna gang and Ichigo, although the inhospitable part is probably correct after a different fashion. Most importantly, during the years growing up in the Vault, she and her friends have been taught that all life outside the Vault had died during the Great War, and nothing could possibly live in the irradiated remains of the world that was left behind by those who fled for the safety of the Vaults.

Last night after her shared bath with Ichigo, she had learned the bitter truth: not all life had died on that terrible day; instead, those who survived had to fight for the rights to possess the meager resources left behind after the bombs fell. Few survivors had made it out of the major cities unscathed; most of the survivors were ordinary citizens living in isolated towns or in remote homes surrounded by what was left of America's vast wilderness or in what was once called the breadbasket of America. They had also been the first to explore the new, dangerous world that had sprung up from the radioactive horror that was now a daily fact of life. These survivors had tried to reestablish order in the remains of their society, but many failed in their attempts, and the lands ended up falling back into the lawless Wastes of the present.

The most shocking thing she had learned that night was that there were perhaps as many as upwards of a thousand Vaults in existence, not just in the former United States, but also in Canada and perhaps the richer European states that still had functioning governments back then to build their own Vaults, although no one could be certain since there was no one attempting to set up any kind of communications network to see if it were true or not. Ichigo himself admitted that the existence and location of the Vault she came from had been theorized about by his community, just that no one had made the attempt to search for it since they were not sure of what they would find. And absolutely no one had any idea of what lay beyond the ocean right now.

It was during that talk with Ichigo that she was forced to admit, if only to herself, that her knowledge of this new world she was now a part of was really next to nothing. In the Vault, she had been one of the Elite; out here, she was worse than a helpless child, her misinformation and lack of general knowledge making her easy pickings for anyone or anything that called the Wastes home. Her grand scheme of jaunting about after her Father was now little more than a pipe dream, swirling down the dirty drain as she came to the chilling conclusion that she had no chance in hell of surviving unless she somehow learnt how to live with, respond to and more importantly avoid the dangers and pitfalls of this harsh and alien landscape.

Having sated her immediate hunger and her further appetite being somewhat ruined by this renewed revelation, Tia chews thoughtfully on a chunk of meat while observing her newfound companions. First, the Deathclaw Kon who is gnawing happily at his haunch of meat, then her silent and somewhat-brooding savior, Ichigo, who currently appears to be lost in thought. Inwardly, she thanks the god her mother used to pray to that she had been fortunate enough to have met the orange-haired teen and his companion before the Raiders had a chance to brutally assault her body and leave their mark on her soul. Now, she has learned as much as she can about the immediate situation, so if she wants to find her Father and ask him all of the questions both old and new that his departure has created for her, she will need to become as strong as she possibly can in order to survive the Wasteland...and sitting next to her is the very person who can teach her the skills she needs to survive.

"...So, Ichigo...you said earlier you would teach me how to survive, does that offer still stand?" She swallows the unidentified piece of meat before turning to her orange-haired savior and asking.

Said orange-haired young man visibly shakes himself out of his stupor and looks at her, not seeming to notice the forkful of meat he has been holding up in front of his mouth all this while. "I did, and the offer is still good. However, this isn't something you can learn in a day or week; this could take months if you are serious about looking for your Otou-san. If that Overseer guy was telling you the truth, then your Otou-san is more than likely not originally from any of the Vaults we know of around here, since most of them unlike yours are dead or off-limits because they…" He breaks off looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Well, I'll explain to you in depth later on. As for your Otou-san - sorry your Father - the chances of him being in Megaton are pretty high considering how close we are to your Vault, so that will be our best and first place to look for him. If he's not there now or didn't show up, then I will teach you what I can and when I deem you ready, we'll look for him together…sound good?"

Tia smiles at him as she answers. "Sounds good to me Ichigo. And you don't have to keep correcting yourself; I do understand enough Japanese to follow without a problem. So is there anything else I need to know if I'm going to be in your capable hands once I start my 'training'?"

"Only one condition... no, make that two, Tia Halibel." His expression turns serious.

"Name them." She immediately states, waiting patiently for his answer.

Ichigo nods at her. "First: You will obey my every command when I am teaching you. Don't question me, as I will do my best to explain it to you afterwards."

Tia returns his nod. "Deal. The second?" He blushes suddenly and she gives him a puzzled look.

"Never, ever mention us taking a bath together. I don't need that damn were-cat getting any more ammunition about my private life." He ends with a scowl that somehow reminds her of a petulant child, and she stifles her giggle by hurriedly shoveling a forkful of meat into her mouth and chewing down on it.

'I wonder what Ichigo means by 'were-cat'... it sounds like some kind of Wasteland creature, but from the context it also sounds like a person?' Suddenly realizing that Ichigo's eyes are still boring into her as he waits for her reply, she quickly nods her head, not wanting to give away her amusement at his request, and fighting down the blush on her own face as she remembers the way that Ichigo's hands ran over her skin as he gently bathed her body...

Fortunately for her, Ichigo accepts her nod at face value and is immediately distracted afterwards by the realization that he has been holding up a forkful of meat in front of him all throughout the conversation. With a mild blush of his own, he pops the now-cold meat into his mouth and chews with an expression of exaggerated distaste on his features that makes her giggle out loud, smirking at her in triumph as she huffs. With that episode over, they peacefully finish up the rest of their meal, and then Tia returns to her room with Kon to pack up her things while Ichigo heads outside alone to do some scouting.

An hour later, Ichigo returns after satisfying himself that no one is anywhere in the nearby vicinity, bringing Tia and Kon out of the hidden bunker. After leading the two to a defensible spot several hundred meters away that is camouflaged by scraggly brush, he returns to the bunker and erases any remaining signs of their presence. Once he is done inspecting his work, he rejoins the two and begins leading them in the direction of Megaton, with Kon loping ahead of them to scour the landscape for any small critters to eat while Tia and Ichigo follow behind at an almost lazy pace. It is during this walk that they pick up their discussion where they had left off last night about the Wasteland and the creatures that call it home.

"So tell me, how many different forms of life can I expect to run into later?" Tia inquires of the orange-haired male as he carries his SCAR in both hands, constantly scanning the landscape around them at a three hundred degree arc with each pass.

Glancing over at her at the end of his latest sweep, Ichigo begins to name the majority of the species living in the D.C Ruins, so-called by the locals currently residing within it, along with a brief rundown on their situation. "Well, first off are the humans. Roughly half of us live in settlements of some kind, with the small ones numbering roughly about a hundred or so people while the larger towns have closer to several thousand people living within their protective walls. Megaton's population is roughly twenty five hundred, give or take a dozen. Rivet City is the largest with close to four thousand people living there at last count. The nearest settlement to Megaton is probably…" He stops to do a three hundred and sixty degree scan, before turning back to her and shrugging his shoulders.

"I could toss a rock at a map and not really be sure what to tell you. Some are close, maybe a day or two on foot; others are at least three, four days journey through dangerous territory at best. Traveling through the Wastes is done slowly and cautiously, at least until you know what to look out for and can speed things up...somewhat." He shrugged again then pressed on. "While you're generally safe within settlements, outside you need to be wary of bandits, small groups of people trying to live the best they can by robbing or stealing from lone wanderers or groups of at most three. They can be nasty folk, but at least they'll give you a clean death if they catch you. Raiders though, are far worse than bandits and roam about in far larger groups. Stay away from all known raider territory unless you outgun them and have a way to escape, or have the ability to kill them all quickly; if not…you already have firsthand knowledge of what they are capable of, Tia."

A moment of silence passes as both young adults remember the circumstances of their meeting, then the blonde teen presses him for more information. "Besides good humans and fucked up humans, what else is there for me to be wary of Ichigo?"

The currently-masked teen points at Kon. "Other than Kon, all Deathclaws are dangerous, no questions asked; they are not to be tangled with at all unless you have a high-caliber weapon, and preferably at least four or five anti-personnel hand grenades. Deathclaws can travel alone or in large packs depending on the strength of the Alpha and Beta of the pack; the stronger those two are, the larger the pack. In any case, just stay away from them. Next, we have your…"

For the next few hours, the green-eyed teen listens in wonder to the multitude of dangerous animals, mutants and other strange beings that Ichigo has either encountered firsthand, or knows of from his many forays into the Wasteland. Her savior explains to the best of his abilities each of their strengths and weaknesses, where they are most likely to be found, times of days where it is safe to pass through their territory or at least avoid them, and even how to use them to one's advantage to defeat them. Lastly, he warns her about the two largest armed groups of humans that he knows of.

"The Brotherhood of Steel should be avoided if possible unless you are introduced to them through a third party. In Megaton, that would be my Otou-san or Oba-san. They, and a few others, are former members who decided to settle down and start families, much to the Old-Man's disgust. The Old-Man being Yamamoto Soutaichou, the current commander of the Brotherhood, and head of a very old and traditional Clan from the West Coast. He's a bit of a hardass too, so mind your P's and Q's around him if you ever get to meet him. The second group is rather new to the Ruins, we've simply been calling them Mercs since that's what they do, but I've uncovered some information leading me to believe they are the forerunners of a larger group coming here from somewhere else. Haven't found enough proof of it, but once I do, I'll have to make sure I find a way to get the news to everyone."

Totally enraptured by his story, Tia nearly jumps out of her skin when a voice suddenly calls out loudly from not twenty paces away. "Ichigo Shiba!"

Peeking out from her impromptu hiding spot behind a distinctly amused and chuffing Kon, Tia's eyes nearly bug out as she sees a very young-looking and pretty woman run up to Ichigo from nowhere, then perform a flying leap into his arms. A sense of jealousy suddenly surges through her body, much to her confusion, as she watches the new person interact with her savior.

"Hey Lilynette, where's your lazy-ass Dad of a Sheriff?" Ichigo smiles as he gives the young woman a friendly squeeze before setting her back on her feet, either not noticing or not caring about the way she presses herself a bit too eagerly against him during the hug. Tia, on the other hand, could have frozen the Wasteland for miles around with her glare, not that she realized.

A cough catches everyone's attention, then a tall, dark-haired male seemingly unfolds from the rocks beside them, giving Tia an unexpected demonstration of how effectively her camouflage suit can hide her in the terrain. Walking up to the group, the scruffy-looking male runs his dark eyes over each of them, finally locking them on her tall orange-haired savior as he stops before them.

"Ichigo." He tips his weatherworn cowboy hat in greeting.

The Shinigami-in-training gives him a genuine smile in response. "Hey Sheriff Starrk….I'm home."

The now-identified Sheriff replies with a hint of amusement and a wry smile. "I can see that…Ichigo." He pauses and shifts his gaze past the orange-haired teen, nodding in the general direction of Springvale. "Trouble?"

Both father and daughter notice the sudden stiffening of Ichigo's stance, though only the older male notices Tia tensing up as well. "Don't tell her, Starrk, I will...but it's over. For everyone."

There is silence as the father and daughter duo digest his words. "So...you finished it?" The Sheriff gently prods the younger man to elaborate, his expression cast in shadow by the brim of his hat; Lilynette, on the other hand, turns away and scrubs furiously at the traces of tears that threaten to leak from her eyes.

The orange-haired young man nods at him. "I've got proof in my bags that I'll drop off, after I get Tia to the Clinic."

"Who? / What happened?" The two law enforcers of Megaton ask at the same time, the daughter clearly baffled by the name while the father's eyes immediately dart to Ichigo's companion.

Tia decides it would be a good time to make her presence known, so she steps out from behind Kon's protective shadow and walks around the hulking beast to his shoulder, giving the two strangers a slight bow in accordance with Japanese tradition. "Hello, I'm Tia, Tia Halibel….What? Is there something wrong?"

Lilynette's jaw had dropped at seeing the young beauty, and she immediately follows up by elbowing Ichigo suggestively with an impish grin on her face. "You sure know how to bring 'em home Ichigo. Don't know how that nut job Father of yours is going to take to this one, but I sure don't envy you when he finds out."

Ichigo rolls his eyes at her comment. "Yeah, don't need to be reminded of that. Besides, I already told her what to expect when I take her home after getting Doctor Ishida to give her an exam."

"An exam? She looks okay to me Ichigo." The pink-eyed girl remarks as she openly studies the blonde with a furrowed brow, making Tia back away from her uncomfortably.

Ichigo ruffles Lilynette's hair as he answers. "Just a precaution Lily...Besides taking four Tranqs and needing only one antidote to get back on her feet overnight, Tia is from a nearby Vault, one that I know a few of you must have suspected exists. Right Starrk?"

Tia looks to the Sheriff, then flinches back and gives a small scream of fright when she realizes that he is standing right beside her, having somehow silently crept up beside her without her even noticing. The Sheriff ignores her hyperventilating state as he peers down at her, rubbing his chin speculatively. "Four you say…and she's already walking on her own…" A small smile develops on his face. "...interesting. Halibel, is it? "

Despite feeling way out of her comfort zone, and sensing that something strange is being said without her knowledge, she still finds herself answering truthfully regardless. "Yes, Halibel. Tia Halibel."

Starrk's eyes dart towards Ichigo at her answer, and then settle back down on her. "Well Tia Halibel, I am Coyote Starrk, Sheriff of Megaton, and this is my daughter Lilynette Starrk, my Deputy. Behind us is our humble home."

As he finishes, he raises his hand and makes a gesture, and the large gates behind him that Tia had somehow failed to notice until now begin to creak open slowly, creating an entrance that is wide enough for them to all pass through comfortably without having to squeeze through. "Welcome to your new home, Tia Halibel. Welcome to Megaton."

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Tia's first impression of Megaton is that, based on outside appearances, the construction looks rather bland and shoddy; however, a closer inspection as their group passes nearer to some of the dwellings changes her opinion as she notes how sturdy the construction actually is, as well as how well-designed they are against the weather. Windows and doors have actual seams of rubber and other material to keep the outside elements at bay, while the roofs, although being made up of many different materials, are closely interlocked with different pipe fixtures leading straight into the grounds, denoting some sort of large water collection system in use. By the time she and her guides stop, Tia's opinion is that these Wasteland shelters are not the junky collection of random scrap material that she originally assumed them to be, but are actually a well thought out system of homes that interlock with one another to create an ideal town and defensive structure that can easily be reinforced and repaired when necessary.

Her guess that the street they are travelling on leads to the center is proven right as she notices the blocky homes giving way to larger structures at the bottom of the sloping hill they are walking down along. What stuns her, though, is the large bomb just sitting nonchalantly in the middle of the town center, cordoned off by a small brick wall and topped by a barbed wire fence to keep intruders out.

"What. Is. THAT?" Tia manages to grit out after her initial surprise, grabbing Ichigo by the shoulder with surprising force and stabbing a finger in the direction of the BOMB.

Ichigo follows the direction of her finger and sees what she is looking at. "Oh, that, that's just an unexploded Nuclear bomb leftover from the War. Don't worry about it, it's been disarmed."

Tia snaps her head at him and yells at him in a near disbelieving whisper. "Unarmed! You mean unexploded! Why the hell haven't you gotten rid of it yet!? It…it could go off anytime! What about all the people who are living here!?"

Ichigo leans his head towards her and discreetly gestures to a large muscular man dressed in strange robes speaking from a wooden pulpit that is set up beside the bomb cordon. "Because some weirdoes have got it into their heads that it's a god of some kind, and I for one don't want to fuck with Tessai-san over it. Bad enough that we disarmed the thing in the first place, the preacher before Tessai had a fit over it and left seeking a new bomb for his followers. Tessai agreed to lead the congregation until the crazy old man's return, which I know for certain won't ever happen. I found his body nine months ago…or rather, what was left of it. He ran into a group of mad Brahmin from what I could ascertain from his remains."

She seethes lowly at him, shoving aside the information on the two-headed mutant cattle that had popped up in her mind. "Why haven't you told him then?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I already told Tessai-san. But to keep the peace in the city, and because we need the skills some of their Church's experts, we keep the news to ourselves. We know it's not the best solution, but until we can find a safe replacement for their experts, it's the best we can do Tia."

He slips his arm through hers suddenly, and Tia blushes as Ichigo leans even closer to her ear, only to hear him mutter, "...Besides, Kisuke has been sneakily dismantling the bomb for years from the inside, so by now it's nothing more than a dud sitting there looking pretty."

Seeing Tia goggle at him in disbelief, Ichigo straightens up again and smirks at her. Out loud, he continues as if he hadn't just dropped that minor bombshell. "The Clinic is this way, Tia. Remember what I said, about twenty four hours in isolation and once they give you the all clear, I'll pick you up and bring you to my house. You'll be staying with my family until you're ready to leave... or stay if you want." Having removed his mask on entering the city, she sees him looking away from her with a faint blush, and she gives him a small smile in return.

"Thank you Ichigo. I would like…to stay with you and your fam…your Kazoku, if it's permissible." She stumbles a bit over the unfamiliar terms, only for Ichigo to pat her shoulder comfortingly.

"Megaton speaks mostly English Tia, so we don't mind people using it. Only us Kurosaki's, the Ishida's, the Urahara's and the former members of the Brotherhood still speak our old language to a degree. Of course, Kaa-chan might also slip back into German, especially when she gets mad at me and Goat-Chin." He gives her a smile as he leads her into a building and up a short flight of stairs, waving at the Sheriff duo accompanying them from behind. "Thanks Starrk, Lilynette. I'll stop by your office as soon as I get Tia situated here."

The smaller vedette waves back before she turns around and begins yelling at the small group of children who had followed them through the streets while chattering amongst themselves. "Off ya go brats! Nothing to see here!"

"Awww, Deputy Starrk whose the newbie with Ichi-nii!?" One girl in pigtails asks as she and her group are corralled away.

The rest of the conversation is lost as Lilynette disappears into an adjoining alleyway with the kids. Sheriff Starrk tips his weatherworn cowboy hat again at Tia and Ichigo. "Once again, Tia, welcome to Megaton; hopefully you and I can have a conversation once you're settled in."

Bowing her head slightly in respect, she answers back in truth. "I'd like that Sheriff Starrk."

He smiles faintly at her, and then turns to her orange-haired companion. "See you in a bit Ichigo." The taller dark-haired man says as he turns away.

"See you soon Sheriff." Ichigo replies.

The two of them watch as the older man meanders along the route his daughter took, then the orange-haired male gently takes Tia's hand into his.

"The sooner your exam is over, the sooner we can get you out of here….I mean to my house…ah dammit you know what I mean." Blushing again, he pulls her up the stairs and through a set of doors before she can reply, pretending not to see the teasing grin that spreads across her face.

Once inside, Tia can't help but stare around the room in fascination at how clean and well cared for this place seems to be. She's so intrigued by her examination that she doesn't see the person walking up next to her, almost jumping out of her skin when a happy and pleasant-sounding voice chirps out from right behind her.

"Hello there." Tia's head snaps towards the voice, and her eyes widen at the sight of the woman who has joined them.

Auburn hair cascades down the woman's back like a waterfall, ending just above her sculpted hips. Her chest easily rivals her own, while her physique, though denoting someone who cares for her body, isn't as overly muscular as the other women of the waste she has seen. But, most of all, the woman's kind and beautiful face is set with a pair of piercing brown eyes that convey both warmth and a hidden intelligence that is quickly taking in every aspect of Tia's appearance as well.

As the silence drags on, the beautiful woman gives a huff at Tia's slack-jawed expression and turns to her almost-forgotten companion. "Well Ichigo, I see you've done it again." The humor is evident in her voice as she graces them both with a genuine and radiant smile.

Ichigo rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Right, sorry Orihime. Hime, this is Tia Halibel. Tia, this is Ishida Orihime, she married my older snobbish…"

He is cut off by the woman, Orihime, flicking him playfully on the nose. "Ichigo! I swear you and Uryū take to insulting each other as if the sun wouldn't come up again if you didn't." Her stern reproach is belied by the twinkle in her eyes that suggest it's an old song and dance between them.

"You should know by now that Ichigo's head is denser than steel, Hime." A male voice sounds out as the owner of the voice - presumably Uryū - steps out from the same doorway into the reception area. Dark straight hair falls neatly around a set of glasses that hide the older man's eyes, but like Ichigo, his physique denotes that he has led a hard life. In fact, the way he walks towards the group reminds Tia of how Ichigo walks when he expects danger around every corner, the same sort of wary stalking gait she has observed in Kon at times. She watches in semi-fascination as Uryū stalks up to her and Ichigo, his narrowed deep-blue eyes studying her just as intently as his wife's did earlier.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ichigo indicates the newly arrived man with a dismissive wave. "Tia, this is my Itoko and the biggest pain in my ass, Ishida Uryū. Uryū, this is Tia Halibel, recently a resident of Vault One Oh One, and hopefully the newest resident of Megaton, at least until we leave again to find her Otou-san."

Uryū's eyes focus on Tia. "You are a Vault Dweller. Not many of your kind make it out in the Waste for long, how is it that you made it?" Ichigo's male cousin asks her bluntly, his piercing eyes assessing her for her reaction.

Tia's reaction comes rather swiftly as her face turns a shade of crimson and she shoots a glance at her savior, whose face remains neutral as he gestures for her to answer for herself. Stammering a bit, she manages to answer the question. "A-Actually…I didn't make it that far. As Ichigo said, I'm from Vault One Oh One; I think it's not too far from here…"

Forcefully calming herself down, she quickly goes through her last day and a half in the form of a verbal report, earning looks of sympathy from Orihime and a furrowed brow from Uryū, at least until she gets to the part where she is ambushed by the Raiders. Here, she is interrupted by a gasp from both Ishida's, who turn to look at Ichigo in shocked question.

"Is…is she…talking about…?" Orihime's eyes tear up as she fails to finish her sentence, her hands clasped tightly before her face, while Uryū's face looks torn between horror and sympathy.

Ichigo takes the auburn-haired woman's hands into his. "Yes, she is, and it's over now. Please don't say anything until I get a chance to tell her personally; I have to see the Sheriff first, followed by Oji and Oba-san, and then I want to stop back here before I go to see them tonight. I know word of my return is already circulating, but I need to do this privately. You guys understand, right?"

Tia sees Uryū and Orihime's features soften quickly in understanding; feeling that she is missing out on something important, she decides to wait until Ichigo leaves before asking her questions, sensing that whatever is involved, privacy around the matter is of absolute paramount.

In the meantime, however, she chooses to break up the moment. "Ichigo…if you have things to do, I think I'll be okay until you come back." The green-eyed teen informs him, giving him tacit permission to go and do whatever it is that he needs to do instead of watching over her.

The orange-haired male turns and gives her a look that sends butterflies through her stomach, a mixture of warmth and concern and something else in his gaze that sends heat blooming across her face. "You sure? I can wait until the exam is over…in case you feel uncomfortable….or anything..."

Smiling at him, she grabs his hand and squeezes it gratefully. "It's fine Ichigo, really. I'm sure your…ah, what's the word…"

"Itoko, you can use that." Orihime chirps brightly, her eyes sparkling as she observes the byplay between the two of them. Uryū simply smirks and pushes up his glasses, causing the light to reflect off them and hide his eyes.

"You sure?" Ichigo asks one more time, his voice low and concerned, ignoring the now-confused looks of his audience.

"I-I'm sure Ichigo…I trust you to come back." This time, both Ishida's give Tia speculative looks and Orihime's face starts to pale slightly as several possibilities come to her mind based on her knowledge of the behavioral patterns of certain trauma victims.

Quickly catching on to his wife's thoughts, Uryū claps a firm hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "We'll take good care of Tia, Ichigo. Is there anything we should know about her situation?"

Hefting his pack onto his free shoulder, Ichigo gives the older male a certain look. "She was hit by four Tranqs in the Raider ambush, and it took her a night to fully recover from paralysis after I injected her with one vial of Antidote."

The eyes of both Ishida's immediately snap to Tia in shock, with Orihime clearly paling and Uryū's face growing hard. The only thing keeping Tia from leaping to her feet is the feeling that they are not viewing her with any kind of hostility. "Did I...is there something wrong?" She asks in confusion.

The auburn-haired female of the pair quickly takes Tia's arm and guides her towards the room in the back, her other arm placed supportively on the blonde teen's back. "No Tia, we're just shocked and relieved you were able to recover that quickly. It must have been an unpleasant experience being paralyzed for so long. So, how about we get you changed into something more comfortable and get your examination over with? The sooner we clear you, the sooner you get to go home with Ichigo..."

"Umm...Sure…okay…?" Tia glances at the two males remaining behind in the room. Seeing Ichigo nod reassuringly at her, she follows Orihime around a corner and goes out of sight.

Uryū and Ichigo wait until both Tia and Orihime are out of hearing range before the older male speaks to his younger cousin. "Was she..?"

Ichigo shakes his head. "No, but it was a close thing."

Nodding grimly, the doctor changes the topic. "She said her family name is Halibel, Ichigo. Doesn't that ring a few bells for you?"

The young man shakes his head again. "It feels familiar, but I can't place it for certain yet. I was going to ask Goat-Chin and Kaa-chan, or maybe your Otou-san, but seeing how you two reacted just now maybe I'll ask Oba-san instead. At least with Yoruichi I'll get a straight answer to my questions."

Uryū shrugs helplessly at his younger cousin. "Chichi-ue told us to man the shop for a few days; he didn't tell us where he was going so you wouldn't be able to ask him anyway." He then gives Ichigo a serious look, his glasses gleaming faintly. "I know that one of the questions you're going to ask Yoruichi-san is: is she really one of 'us'?"

The shadows seem to fall over Ichigo's face as he looks in the direction of the examination room where Tia is currently being examined by Orihime. "Yeah...and if she is, the second question would be: how?"

XXXX

Tia sits on the examination table, listening to Orihime explain how the exam will go and what to expect during certain procedures, then the auburn-haired healer suddenly hesitates.

"Ah, Tia…did you…get raped?" The brown-eyed woman blurts out, her hands twisting in worry as she fixes the blonde teen with a look of concern.

Tia immediately waves her hands in frantic denial. "What!? NO! I mean, almost! But Ichigo…he saved me at the last second…he and Kon…killed them all." As memories of the encounter hit her, the green-eyed teen involuntarily shivers and hugs herself, remembering how Ichigo had coldly executed the surviving Raider woman even as she pleaded for mercy.

"He executed them, didn't he?" Tia's head snaps up at the sudden hardness of Orihime's voice, a chill making its way down her spine at this unexpected shift in personality from the bubbly woman. "I'm glad he did it. Raiders should never expect mercy, especially those of the Santa Anna. If Ichigo says it is over, then good riddance to them, and I hope that maybe we'll see the old Ichigo resurrect."

The blonde teen stares at her in mild shock and horror. "But...I…I've never thought…that he…was capable of that…I... Orihime...I mean he's been so kind with me, but that Raider, he cut her down as if she was nothing, as if her begging meant nothing! Am I... am I wrong in thinking that way?" As her voice cracks uncertainly, Orihime's eyes soften in compassion as sighs and pulls up a wheeled stool, sitting before the nervous blonde and taking the younger woman's hands into her own.

"Three years ago, you would not have recognized the Ichigo you know of today. Back then, Ichigo was one of the happiest kids in Megaton. He played with any Kodomo regardless of their age, and he was so excited when he began his apprenticeship with our Oba and Oji-san, the Urahara's. But that changed shortly after his first solo mission for them: a series of break-ins were occurring in Megaton, and Ichigo was tasked with finding out who was doing it. This is where everything begins, when everything started to go wrong for Ichigo once he found out who the culprit was behind the thefts…"

A stern voice interrupts her narration. "Hime…what are you doing?"

Twisting in her seat, Orihime fixes her husband with a stern look. "Tia needs to hear the whole truth, not bits and pieces from others, and she needs to understand what she is getting involved with once she is living with Ichigo and the Kurosaki's. For now, help examine Tia while I'm explaining things to her with regard to Ichigo's past. Oh, and she doesn't need you to exam her genitalia Uryū, she wasn't raped by 'him'; Ichigo finished him off before he could hurt Tia."

Being a doctor and having already confirmed this from Ichigo earlier, Uryū was completely unfazed by this declaration. Tia, on the other hand, was blushing up a storm at having her lack of defilement be declared out loud to a male, doctor or not. Pinching the bridge of his nose and ignoring his wife's frantic apologies to a very upset Tia, Uryū silently agrees with his wife on her judgment regarding Ichigo's past, knowing full well that his orange-haired cousin would definitely wait until it was too late to tell the young teen in front of him the details of his past.

"Very well, Tsuma." He turns to regard Tia sternly. "Just keep in mind, Tia-san, that everything you hear here with regard to Ichigo's past is confidential. The two people in question are our Kazoku, and we will not let anyone hurt them further. Do you understand?"

Stunned into silence by the implied threat in his question, Tia nods her head in acquiescence to them. "I understand completely, and I have no wish to hurt Ichigo or his friends."

Seeing Tia return his stern look with one of sincerity and determination, Uryū finally nods at her in acknowledgement. Going over to a supply cabinet, the young man pulls out several syringes and places them in a pot of boiling water to be disinfected as he listens to his wife begin her story again.

'If Ichigo's right about this one, it would explain why he really brought her here to us.' Moving over to sit next to his wife, he motions for Tia to extend her arm so that he can prepare to take some blood samples.

XXXX

Coyote Starrk slowly reads over the report Ichigo had dictated to the recording device, a piece of pre-War technology that Kisuke had brought back to life just for these situations, namely the deposing of bounties collected. Casting a quick glance at the canvas sack left on his desk, even the aged law enforcer feels no remorse for what was done to Nnoitra or his two sisters; even if Ichigo hasn't brought their ears back as proof, he had personally seen the smoke column and knew the two sisters hadn't live long once Ichigo started their executions. Pushing the stop button on the antique, he leans back in his chair, shoving the bag with its grisly contents to one side before reaching for a bottle strategically placed in one of the open side compartments of his desk. Pulling out the bottle along with three shot glasses, he fills them up and lifts one into the air, with Ichigo and Lilynette each picking one of their own and lifting them as well before Coyote speaks again.

"To the end of the journey." He toasts solemnly.

"To the end." Ichigo echoes.

"To the end." Lilynette agrees, her usual exuberance lacking.

Three heads tilt back and drain their respective glasses of whiskey.

Lilynette slams her empty glass down and shakes her head. "Damn that stuff always burns!"

Ichigo and Starrk chuckle lightly at her antics, the orange-haired teen grinning at her. "I'll drink yours if you can't handle it…"

The young vedette growls at him. "…Up yours Ichigo! I know how rare these drinks are, and I ain't being cheated out of mine!" She tries to stand, but wobbles and nearly falls back into her seat. Shaking her head again, she extends her glass to Coyote. "Give me another one Dad!"

The Sheriff shares another grin with the young man beside him and pours them each a second round. This time, it is Ichigo who lifts his glass first to make a toast.

"To those who have gone before us." He solemnly intones, the expression on his face not one that should have been seen on a young man his age.

"Hear, hear." Lilynette intones the faint blush on her face belied by the solemnity in her eyes.

Coyote Starrk tilts his head down, his eyes weary, then he raises his glass and evenly meets their gazes once more. "'Til we meet them once again."

This time after tipping their drink back, the three nurse their drinks, only allowing the burning liquid to go down their throats one drop at a time. When they are finished, Ichigo stands up and bows to the Sheriff and then his Deputy. "I have one more stop to make before I go to see Oji-san, so can we take a rain check on the bounty Sheriff?"

The dark-haired older man waves towards the door, motioning for him to get going. "We'll see you the night after tomorrow during the festivities Ichigo; I'll drop off your bounty tomorrow if you're not going to take it now."

Ichigo nods at him in appreciation. "I appreciate that. And thanks, Sheriff. See ya later Lilynette."

When she doesn't answer, both men turn to see the young lady lying face flat on Coyote's desk, a trail of drool puddling beneath her face as she snores softly.

"See you later Ichigo, seems I have to put this lightweight to bed early." Coyote grumbles good-naturedly as he gets to his feet as well and starts to shift his daughter's body.

"Night Sheriff." Ichigo waves behind him as he steps out into the darkening world outside, then his expression becomes grim. "Last stop, the Gilga place."

Wrapping his plain cloak around his uniform to keep his identity hidden due to his unique clothing, Ichigo makes his way through the darkened streets to where the merchant guilds are located, to where the Gilga family of merchants lives.

"...How am I going to tell them that I executed three of their four Kodomo, when two of them viewed me as if I were their actual brother while we were young?" Ichigo bitterly whispers to himself as he crosses the aerial bridge that connects the western second tier of Megaton to the third tier of the Northern ridgeline.

XXXX

Tia lies in her bed, looking out of the window at the multitude of bright lights dotting the velvety black skies; stars, from what one of her e-books had called them, but reading about them as compared to actually looking up and losing count of them has left her wondering if perhaps the facts in her Vault books aren't so wrong after all. Billions upon billions of bright lights now light up the skies at night with no more earth borne pollution to block them out. Neither are there any cities filled with countless manmade lights to blot out the night sky, and no more global wars that keep people locked up for years and years, cutting off human eyes from viewing the celestial show that she now has all to herself in this room.

A familiar voice breaks her out of her moment of wonder. "It's more brilliant when you are out in the deep Wastes, up on one of the smaller mountains. There, you can actually see several galaxies and even our own Milky Way Belt."

Whipping her head around to greet her savior with a smile, Tia's joyful expression fades as she realizes just how haggard Ichigo appears to be. While his body appears to be completely relaxed as he leans nonchalantly against the frame of her door, she can tell that it doesn't reach his face at all; there, she can see that the weight of whatever it is that is bothering him is taking its toll on him. Shifting in her bed, she pats a space beside her and offers him a seat, but only sees the sadness grow deeper in his eyes before he moves away from the door frame and folds his hands behind his back, giving her a wan smile.

"I just wanted to drop by and see you before I went home, Tia. Orihime and Uryū gave me an extra key so I can stop by after hours and check up on you, so if you don't mind, I'll come back later to check up on you in a few hours, okay?"

Not really knowing how to respond to his sudden depression, she ends up weakly returning his smile. Clearing her throat, she speaks to him softly. "Are you...going to see your Kazoku now?"

"Yeah, it's been three months….so I'm sure they're waiting for me." Ichigo pauses, and then begins to turn away. "Again, you'll like living there, if that's what you decide after you're cleared..."

She makes no move to go after him, sensing his need for space right now. "I'd like that Ichigo. Besides, you're the only one I know here somewhat. So I hope you don't mind putting up with me for a few months. Uryū and Orihime explained a lot of things to me, so I do understand why you would worry if I went after my Father so soon…" She stops as thoughts of her own father come to mind, and she involuntarily turns back to the display of light outside her window, wondering where in the world he could possibly be right now.

"…I'll make sure you find him Tia, I promise." She hears Ichigo say softly, before he gently closes the door behind him.

XXXX

As Ichigo heads silently back down the stairs, he sees Uryū waiting for him at the entrance of the Clinic with a plain folder in his hands. The dark-haired young man holds out the folder as his cousin approaches.

"You were right Ichigo; she is one of 'us'." Ichigo takes the folder from his older cousin's hand and gives him a tired nod.

"See you in the morning Uryū; kiss Orihime and Sōken for me too." Ichigo feels his cousin give him a pat on the shoulder.

"Give my best to yours as well, Ichigo." After Uryū closes and locks the door behind Ichigo, he leans his head dejectedly against it.

'You'll need the rest after you tell her it's over, Itoko.'

XXXX

Ichigo stands outside of his home listening to the laughter and joy coming from his family inside, ranging from his father's crude and insane innuendos, to the younger twin Yuzu berating him while her older twin Karin pounds on him. In the background, he can hear his mother laughing and trying half-heartedly to save her husband from his deserved beat down, but it's the melodic laughter of the last person that brings him the greatest sense of heartache.

Hearing her laughter brings back all the painful memories from three years ago, when he had to listen to her screaming and sobbing in nightmare-induced terror, her tearful demands wanting to know why, why this had to happen to her, why she still had to live, why they didn't just let her die. Listened and held her through her suffering, stayed strong for her all throughout those first few weeks after he had found her abused and broken body, found out the horrific consequences of his actions. Tonight, he prays that when she learns the truth from him, it will finally be all over for her, the specter that constantly hangs over her head from her past hopefully being put to its final rest now that Nnoitra Gilga and sisters have met their death at his hands. Patting Kon once on his head, he points and gives a command, and the beast easily scales over the outside wall and heads into the Kurosaki home. He waits for the reactions to come.

"KON! You're home! That…that…means…ICHI-NII'S HOME!" The door bursts open, and two fifteen year olds as well as a young woman tumble out of the house and fly straight into his waiting arms.

"Ichigo!" Karin shouts as she throws her arms around his neck and hugs him as tightly as she can, with Yuzu hugging him desperately from the other side almost as if trying to convince herself that her brother is really there.

As Ichigo rocks the crying twins from side to side, the young woman slides her arms around his waist, her purple hair framing golden-amber eyes that water with happiness as she stares up at him with unrestrained emotion. "Welcome home Otouto. We've really missed you."

With both hands occupied by the twins, he leans his head against hers in lieu of a hug. "I've missed you too, Senna. You too, Karin and Yuzu…Oh, I found something for you two, out by Yao Guai Tunnels, it's a pretty hard one to get but the rumors surrounding it made it worth the effort." Setting the twins down, he pulls out a limited edition Vault-Tec bobblehead codenamed 'Sneak' from his bag, holding it out for them to take.

Yuzu gently takes the item of the past and holds it high in her hands while studying the bottom. The faint pattern that can be seen in the dim light causes her eyes to widen. "It's signed too Ichi-nii! You are the best Aniki ever! Thank you!" She throws her arms around his waist and squeezes him tightly, before grabbing his hand. "Come inside, dinner just about done!"

Yuzu and Karin begin to pull him inside, only to pause when Ichigo doesn't move. Turning around, they see his free arm is now wrapped around Senna, whose arms are still wrapped around his body. "Karin, Yuzu...Tell Kaa-chan and Goat-Chin that Senna and I will be home tomorrow morning. Zu…I need to talk to her in private…please, for me?"

Yuzu and Karin both study their brother's face, and seeing the sadness on it, the same sadness that shows up whenever he needs to speak to Senna alone, they nod in quiet understanding. Each time he and their older adopted sister disappear for these private talks, they wouldn't be seen again until the next morning, with Senna acting as if everything was fine, and Ichigo taking a few days longer before he can act normal enough to relax and ease back into their family life. Both twins know tonight won't be any different, so they give him a nod, with Yuzu giving his hand a soft squeeze, then they both head back inside leaving their older siblings standing outside alone with each other.

"Ichigo…" Senna's arms tightened around his waist, her head nuzzling slightly into his neck.

Without speaking a word, Ichigo dips down and lifts her in a bridal carry. "Not a word until we are there."

"Okay, Ichigo." She lifts and wraps her arms around Ichigo's neck as he begins to climb the outer walls of Megaton's inner structures, remaining silent until he gently sets her down on a high tower overlooking the Wasteland, his own private get away whenever he needs to decompress from his time spent out in the Wastes. Only Senna is ever allowed to come here when he isn't around, although it takes her far longer to make the climb under her own power. Opening the well-maintained door, Ichigo leads Senna inside and turns on the small mole-oil lamp before he begins removing his suit. He pauses as Senna sits down quietly in her customary chair, watching him without saying a word. She knows that most of the scars on his body are due to Ichigo doing everything to keep his promise to her, and it is one of her habits to memorize every last one of them whenever she is given a chance to. This time, however, he gives her a pained smile before moving into the darker shadows where she can't see him change, and reappears wearing a more comfortable, if threadbare set of shorts and t-shirt.

Stepping out once more into the light, he drapes his discarded suit over the back of his chair before turning to look at his older adopted sister, then he hesitates, suddenly not sure of what to say. Raising his eyes to meet her amber gaze, he starts to say something but feels his eyes starting to water. Hurriedly turning away before she can ask him what is wrong, he scrubs quickly at his eyes and takes several deep breaths to try and calm himself down.

Senna slowly lowers the hand she had instinctively reached towards Ichigo, watching as he takes deep breaths in a visible attempt to calm down. Finally, he sits down on the bed opposite her, patting his lap and giving her a weak smile. "Senna, please come and sit here."

Rising easily, the purple-haired teen glides over to her adoptive younger brother and gently slides into her usual place on his lap, her head resting in the crook of his neck and her arms wrapping themselves beneath his armpits before clasping him tightly over his shoulders. She has considered many things in his absence, and seeing him nearly break down in front her, she is even more convinced that she needs to take action.

"No more Ichigo," She suddenly whispers into his neck. "I don't want you coming home with any more scars because of me. Promise me that the next one will be your last hunt for them. Promise me, Ichigo, that you'll stop pushing yourself... like this." Senna's voice hitches at the end, her sorrow finally breaking through her usual façade, and her arms tighten further around his body.

She feels Ichigo's arms tighten around her body in response, pulling her body closer to his. "I….can't Senna, I can't promise you that…" Her eyes squeeze shut, tears threatening to fall. "...because…because I'm here…to tell you that…" She hears his breath hitch and his voice become unsteady. "... that it is finally over."

Senna's eyes snap open, her amber orbs dilating for a fraction of a second as her mind tries to process and understand the words her adoptive younger brother has spoken to her. She feels him shuddering under her embrace as he fails to hold in his sobs, and her own quiet sobs starting to rack her own body as she too gives in to the long held desire to cry out her heart's torment. For two and a half years, Ichigo has brought her here, each time to give her news he executed yet another one of her attackers, and each time they would hold each other here until the tears ran out. This time, both their tears will run out forever as the last three monsters who had stolen her life, killed her family, and ripped away her most precious possession in a night of deranged depravity are finally erased from the Wastelands for all time. She closes her eyes and releases all her grief and relief with her wails, the sound of her mixed sorrow and joy filling the room while her greatest support, the one true constant in her life holds on to her as if not only her life depended on it, but his as well.

Time passes as their sobs eventually grow fainter, and just as before, Ichigo wipes away the traces of their tears before he stands up with Senna in his arms to make his way to their bed. This time though, she stops him hesitantly.

"I…I want to bathe first Ichigo….with you again….please…" Her adoptive brother does not pause at her request, murmuring his compliance immediately as his bond with the purple-haired teen has long since transcended all such petty embarrassments between them.

Feeling her feet touching the floor, Senna steps away from Ichigo and places a hand on his chest. Without looking him in the face, she gently traces his rippling chest muscles, slowly sliding her hand down to his abs before she grabs the bottom of his shirt and pulls it over his head.

"Senna?" He is not sure what she is trying to do.

"Tonight Ichigo, you are not my adoptive Otouto and I am not your adopted Aneki…" Her voice does not quiver as she methodically works to unfasten his shorts, letting them fall loosely around his ankles. "Tonight, and only tonight….we will be lovers Ichigo."

Turning her golden gaze up to meet his eyes, she sees him swallowing as she slowly unbuttons her dress and lets it fall to her feet, pooling on the floor with her bra and panties joining them in short order. With his heated gaze still firmly fixed on her flesh, she takes his hands and guides him to the empty tub, which she fills with hot water before turning to him and closing the distance until there is nothing separating them.

"I…I want this Ichigo. I still won't marry you, and you know why I won't allow you to…so please don't ask again, ever again, because my answer will still be no…Tonight, let's forget about everything and just be…us, just us, for just this one night." She lifts her chin, gently pulling his face down to hers and sealing their lips together for the first time, her heartfelt words resounding through the room. "I love you Ichigo…with all of my heart."

XXXX

Ichigo sits in the chair opposite of the occupied bed looking at Senna's peaceful sleeping face, her nude body covered only by a thin sheet. For three full hours they had shared everything they had with each other, at first moving with gentle and hesitant touches as they finally became one, then gradually exploring each other's bodies with increasingly heated caresses and kisses until not one inch of skin was left untouched or unexplored by their increasingly heated caresses. By the time they both fell asleep from exhaustion, Ichigo had been greatly and pleasantly surprised by Senna's willingness to allow him to do anything with her body, and he had constantly made sure to coax out her physical and vocal adulation to his satisfaction before he allowed his own pleasure to peak and be fulfilled.

Now, sitting there and watching as his love sleeps peacefully, he bitterly wonders if he can simply return to the role of just being her overprotective younger brother, especially after he had finally made love to her. In his mind, he keeps hearing the echo of that one accursed phrase over and over again, the phrase that dashed his hopes and dreams and left his soul screaming in rage as tears of despair start to well in his eyes. He knows full well why Senna will not allow him to take her as his wife, and the knowledge that she only does this out of her love for him only serves to drive a deeper pang into his heart.

"Ichigo..." A sleepy voice snaps him out of his dark thoughts, and he quickly returns to his lover's side.

"Senna…I thought you were asleep." He whispers, his hand coming to rest on her head and threading his fingers through her silky hair, smiling as she murmurs in content.

Finally, the young woman shifts in the bed and sits up, the sheet falling into and pooling on her lap as she faces him with an expression he cannot decipher due to the poor light filtering into the room. His hand instinctively reaches out to clasp hers, feeling inward relief as her fingers automatically intertwine with his. It is the only reassurance he has that Senna has not somehow reverted back to her catatonic self, but her next action has him worrying again.

"Tell me everything…about yesterday, Ichigo. Leave nothing out." Her voice sounds weary to him, a weariness borne not of physical exhaustion but of the soul, and he cannot help but clasp her hand more tightly... but he still does as she asks.

Telling her of his actions over the past week, he leaves out no part of the story; not the part where he assassinates every last one of the Santa Anna, not the part where he cruelly executes the Gilga Siblings, and not the part where he rescues, patches up, and brings Tia to Megaton.

When he finishes his story, he waits for Senna to speak. What she asks has him staring at her in mild bemusement, however.

"So, what do you think of this Vault girl? Her name is Tia right?" Golden-amber eyes study Ichigo's face as she waits for his answer. Seeing no reason not to, he answers her honestly.

"Well, I guess she's unique, that's for sure. She's definitely tough, after hearing how she escaped from her Vault and especially what she said she did to that security guy I'll even bet my next bounty on it. She's also pretty knowledgeable about Vault-Tec engineering stuff, and she told me how her Otou-san taught her stuff that I didn't think anyone but me and Geta-Boshi knew. If she wasn't raised in a Vault, she could have fit in here perfectly." He finishes his assessment of the unexpected companion he had picked up in his travels.

Senna smiles as she sees the soft look in Ichigo's eyes as he speaks of Tia, waiting until he finishes before patting the bed beside her. "I'll keep it warm until you get back Ichigo. So go, keep your promise and see if she is doing well."

Ichigo turns his warm chocolate eyes on her, and she feels a sudden flutter in her stomach followed by a sudden pang in her heart. "You sure? There's no hurry for me to check in on Tia right now..."

She cuts him off with a warm smile. "I am, Ichigo. Just bring me something to eat when you return…I'm hungry."

Ichigo can't help the small laugh that escapes him. "Insatiable."

"Absolutely." Both chuckle again as Ichigo rises from the bed, then he turns around and leans down to give the older teen a gentle peck on her lips.

"I won't be long." He picks his shirt and pants up off the floor and leaves silently, missing the considering look on Senna's face as her eyes follow him out of the door.

XXXX

Tia is already awake when Ichigo returns to the Ishida's Clinic wearing nothing but a loose set of worn shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of woven sandals. In her mind, he reminds her of one of those strange hermits living on a deserted island wearing threadbare clothing from one of her books; Robinson Crusoe is the first that comes to mind. She sets down the current book she is reading - courtesy of Orihime - called Fahrenheit Four Fifty One, a book written in the past about a possible dystopian future where books are outlawed and burnt. She finds it intriguing how none of the past writers truly believed that an apocalyptic scenario like the one they are currently living in would actually happen, and instead devoted their time towards creating stranger and stranger possible futures in their tales. Marking her page with a thin strip of metal, she sets the book down on the small night table next to her bed letting Ichigo know she is done with her book for now.

"So, how did your test go?" He asks as he sits in a chair beside her bed.

Tia shrugs her shoulders as she answers. "Fine, I guess. Uryū said nothing jumps out in my blood work and my physical was normal, nothing was broken or out-of-place if that's what you're worried about. Orihime says that I'll be free to leave with you in the morning."

He smiles at her. "That's good news then. I'm sure my Kazoku will love having you stay with us…"

"…You didn't tell them yet?" She sees his eyes droop down slightly at the question, before coming back up to look at her.

"Yeah, sorry…I had to take care of something tonight, but no worries about tomorrow morning. I'll make sure everything is taken care of before you leave. Promise." He gets up to leave but Tia grabs on to his hand.

"Are you okay, Ichigo?" She asks him in a concerned voice, her hand squeezing his warmly as she remembers the haunted and pained expression he was wearing when he came to visit her last.

The blonde teen sees his body tense slightly, and then his form slumps in resignation. "Yeah…everything is okay Tia. Get some sleep; I'm sure you'll need it."

Nodding her head slowly as she realizes that she won't be getting any answers from him, she replies. "I…sure I will Ichigo. Goodnight then, and I'll see you in the morning..?"

Noticing the question in her voice, he gives her a small smile. "First thing. Again, goodnight Tia."

She quietly lets go of his hand, and neither say another word as he exits her room.

XXXX

Kurosaki Masaki is sitting at the kitchen table and nursing a cup of morning tea when her oldest two return from their night out. This time, she notices that both of them are acting differently from the previous times where Ichigo kept Senna out all night in order to tell her news of how he has caught and 'punished' another one of her attackers, then help her with her subsequent emotional breakdown. Today, Senna's smile is more genuine than before, more radiant somehow, whereas Ichigo seems resigned and even depressed as he follows her into the house. Deciding to confirm her suspicions, she speaks up as they stealthily enter the house and shut the door.

"Ichigo, Senna. I already have some tea made." Both teens jump, then freeze as their heads robotically turn to face her, evidently not expecting to see their mother sitting at the kitchen table and looking at them expectantly.

"K-Kaa-chan?" Ichigo squeaks out.

"M-Mom?" Senna joins her adoptive younger brother in his embarrassment.

Narrowing her eyes at their suspicious behavior, Masaki quirks one of her eyebrow at them before asking. "Something you wish to tell me, Senna, Ichigo?"

Ichigo's face pales slightly, while Senna's becomes beet red. "No. / Nothing."

She lowers her head slightly at this all-but-confirmation of her suspicions. "Uh huh. Senna, can you give Ichigo and I some time alone before you wake Yuzu and Karin?" The Kurosaki Matriarch asks her adopted daughter.

Senna nods her head rapidly and gives Ichigo's hand a squeeze before walking away briskly from them, clearly feeling her adoptive mother's gaze on her back. As she ascends the stairs to the upper level, Masaki's gaze falls upon her oldest male child, and her nose wrinkles slightly at the faint yet familiar smell emanating from her son.

"Ichigo." Her voice and gaze holds a hint of disappointment.

Sensing that she already knows what had taken place last night, her son pulls out a chair and sits down across from her, sighing out as he speaks. "It just... happened. Senna said it wouldn't happen again. It…was just a onetime thing Kaa-chan."

Masaki shakes her head tiredly. Her son clearly does not understand why she is so disappointed with him. "It should have never happened to begin with, Kurosaki Ichigo." Her harsh whisper causes her son to flinch as if her words were lashes on his skin. Taking a deep breath, she leans back in her seat and fixes him with her sternest glare.

"Ichigo...I know what and how you feel about her. I can see it in your eyes and your actions, and I can see as well that it has changed for you after last night." His face pales and he opens his mouth to protest, but she cuts him off before he can say a word. "Don't deny it Musuko; you have been in love with Senna for far too long to let this be a 'one time' thing with her. You do remember what she said when she refused your proposal Ichigo? The reason why she believes herself to be a burden to you? If she hasn't changed her mind despite everything we have tried, I doubt she ever will."

Seeing her son lower his head while gritting his teeth, she sighs again inwardly. Despite his hardened exterior, her son still cares very deeply for his loved ones, and this empathy is the same reason why he is unable to come to terms with Senna's decision and his feelings for her. Reaching out, she takes one of his hands in hers and covers it with her other hand. "Ichigo, I know you would try and make her happy, and I know that you would never tire of her or give up on her like she fears you will...but in the back of her mind, she will always feel like she is a burden to you, feel that she is less than a person because she is incapable of giving you what you desire most. Don't even try to deny it; we both know what I'm saying is true."

Ichigo scowls while visibly blinking back tears, and she squeezes his hand consolingly. "I am truly sorry that we couldn't do more for Senna, Ichigo. You know just as well as I do that your Chichi-ue, Ryūken-oji, and Kisuke-oji did everything they could for her. I love her as if she were my own flesh and blood, Ichigo, as does your Chichi-ue, but that is all we can do for her now. Please, Ichigo... don't make this any harder for her than it already is, let her be happy just being your Aneki."

Sliding further down in his chair when his mother stops speaking, the orange-haired teen scowls even more fiercely. "I know! I know... I know that what happened last night only made it worse for me Kaa-chan, not because we…you know, but because she told me it would never happen again. For one night only we weren't Otouto and Aneki, she said. She even reminded me why she would never marry me, and told me I have to accept that even if all I want in this world is to make her happy..."

Watching her son valiantly try to hold himself together, Masaki finds herself sympathizing with him. In his position, she too would move heaven and hell for her loved ones, but as his mother, it was her duty to guide him away from his flawed path. "Ichigo…I wish things had happened differently for you and Senna, but the past cannot be changed. She loves you Musuko, but Senna has decided she can only love you as her Otouto, not as her husband, even if she wishes it were not so. There are things we cannot change about ourselves, Ichigo, any more than she can change those things about herself. Adding to that is that she knows she is different from 'us', and she has long since accepted that fact. You, however, still hold out, refusing to accept what you are and hoping that something will change between you and her, Ichigo. You may have gotten what you wished for, but is this the outcome that you truly wanted?" She squeezes Ichigo's hand. "Please, Ichigo, allow Senna to know she will always have your love as her Otouto, allow her to have her measure of happiness until her last days with 'us'. Please."

With her hands on her son's hand, she can see the storm of emotions swirling in his brown orbs, the memories of his actions and the depth of his regret bubbling up from within until he finally gives voice to them, meeting her sympathetic gaze with an expression of pure heartbreak.

"Why Kaa-chan, why did I let myself fall for my emotions again?" Ichigo's slightly swollen red eyes shines with his unshed tears. "I already ruined Senna's future once because of my stupidity. Why is it that I can't stop making the same mistake over and over again?"

Masaki feels a pang of sorrow go through her heart. The scars left on her son's heart by the Gilga sisters' betrayal truly ran deep. "You have a good heart Ichigo; Loly and Melony knew that and used it to their advantage to help their Aniki. No one faults you Ichigo, not even Senna. It is not a crime to be kind-hearted. The only one who still blames you for that terrible day, is yourself." There were certain things she wanted to say about the Gilga sisters who betrayed Ichigo's trust, and about people who abused and took the kindness of others for granted, but she chose not to give voice to them; Ichigo did not need to hear them. She squeezed his hand again. "Ichigo...Senna has moved past that day, and some day so should you too. However long it takes, please learn to love and accept her as your Aneki and accept that nothing more can happen between the two of you. You may not be able to accept it now, but one day Ichigo, you will learn to understand that some things just aren't meant to be."

Patting his hand, Masaki stands up and starts to leave when her son stops her by grabbing her hand again. "I won't make any promises Kaa-chan, but if she ever changes her mind, I want your blessing."

This she has no problem with, although she is fairly certain that Senna has already made up her mind otherwise. Not looking at her son, the Kurosaki Matriarch simply nods her head and disengages her hand from his. "If Senna says yes, you will have it, and your Chichi-ue and I will be happy for you both. Now, before I start breakfast, is there anything else I need to know?"

Giving her a grateful smile, Ichigo takes a deep breath and shifts his mind away from the previous topic. "Yeah, we have a new guest coming to live with us. I saved a Vaulty yesterday and she should be getting clearance soon, so…." He pauses when Masaki shakes her head in exasperation.

"…Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo…you keep bringing strays home, and we'll have to find a bigger place to live soon. Now, does this 'Vaulty' have a name?" Masaki opens up the wind-powered ice-box to retrieve the Brahmin sausage just as her son speaks up, and his next words cause her to freeze.

"Yeah, her name is Tia. Tia Halibel."

XXXX

The moment Isshin stepped into the kitchen he knew something was different about his family. Senna and Yuzu were playfully hip-checking each other as they got ready to cook breakfast, while Karin sat quietly to one side reading her workbook. His wife, though, had a look of deep thought running through her mind as she sat with a forgotten cup of tea in front of her. Wondering what is going on, he brushes her hand as he approaches and sees her eyes slowly regaining their focus, then her smile forms once she notices him. Mouthing a simple sentence to him, he smiles back and asks his oldest for a cup of coffee.

He barely hides his shock when, instead of her normally faked smile, Senna greets him with a genuine smile and happiness dancing in her eyes, even giving him a kiss on his cheek in greeting. Scratching at his cheek, Isshin looks at her quizzically and she smiles back at him.

"I'm okay Tou-chan, honest." She hands him his usual mug of coffee then quickly turns around and rejoins Yuzu at the counter while humming cheerfully to herself.

Catching his wife's eyes again, she shakes her head to let him know she'll tell him later why Senna seems so different and cheerful. Sipping from his mug, the Kurosaki Patriarch silently ponders on what could have happened last night that has his oldest daughter being what he can only describe as the happiest he has ever seen her being after spending a night in retreat with Ichigo. Normally both teens would return home subdued for the first few days; Senna projecting a faked air of happiness and a forced smile, while his boy would only answer in grunts or one word answers while brooding on his own. Normally it would take them about three or four days before returning to what the family would call 'normal', at least until the next time when Ichigo would leave for one of his 'hunts', then the entire cycle would begin again. After his son returned, he would again spirit Senna away to his private tower to inform her of his latest successful 'punishment' on members of the Santa Anna, then comfort his adopted sister as she let out her grief.

As his eyes wander absently across the room, he notes that an extra plate has been placed at the table. "Dear, are we expecting a guest for breakfast?"

The darker haired twin answers him without looking up from her book. "Not a guest, Goat-Chin. Ichigo found us another stray."

Looking to his wife, he sees Masaki mock-glare at their daughter while she admonishing her lightly. "Would you stop calling your Otou-san that Karin? Just because Ichigo does, doesn't mean you have to as well."

"Why Kaa-chan? I mean he does look like a goat with that stupid stubble on his chin." Karin points at his stubble, then frowns when he gives her a cheesy grin in return].

Masaki gives her husband a heated lidded look that none of the three teens can see as she replies to her younger child. "It has it uses Karin."

There is a moment of silence, and then the two older children pick up on what she's saying. "EWWWWW!"

Senna and Karin shout out, the older teen blushing furiously, while his youngest just looks confused. "We don't need to know about that Kaa-chan! Don't corrupt Yuzu!" Senna whirls around and points at Karin "And I'm not a damn stray Karin!"

The two dark-haired siblings stick their tongues out at each other while the lighter-haired twin still seems to be trying to work out what her Mother's words meant. Evidently giving up, she turns to her mom and changes the topic. "When is Ichigo coming back Kaa-chan?"

"Soon Yuzu. As soon as his friend is released from the clinic, he'll be bringing her home." Isshin is the only one who catches the slight furrow in Masaki's brow and the look of deep thought that momentarily appears in her eyes.

"Ah, what's the story behind Ichigo's newest stray, Senna?" He ducks the towel thrown at his head by his oldest.

Huffing at her miss, Senna turns back towards the counter and begins to recite what she knows about their soon-to-be guest and potential new family member. "It seems that Ichigo saved a young woman yesterday…at the old Springfield School. He told me he had to save, and I quote, 'her dumb Vaulty ass' after she blindly stumbled into a group of Raiders that had taken up residence there…"

Isshin's thoughts froze the moment Senna said 'Vaulty', and when he turns his eyes to look at his wife, he sees her sigh and mouth out a name he had hoped wasn't true.

'Tia.'

"Tou-chan!" Yuzu shouts out as she grabs his arm. Isshin blinks, then looks down and realizes that his heavy duty coffee cup now lies crumpled in his fist. "Are you okay Tou-chan!? What happened!?"

Brushing the front of his nightwear in a half-hearted attempt to wipe away the mess of coffee, he forcefully switches to his goofy persona to throw off his daughter's worry. "No worries Yuzu my dearest, your handsome Chichi-ue just forgot his amazing strength that's all!"

Karin and Senna share a brief look, but neither says a word as their youngest sister hurriedly helps their father clean up. Isshin ends up sulking when his youngest orders him to sit in his chair quietly while she cleans up his mess, pouting at his wife's quiet laughter as she watches their youngest manhandle him, with Yuzu telling him to stop being so hard on their thinning supply of mugs.

"Yuzu, only Goat-Chin uses those mugs. Besides, Ichigo can always find us more cups when he goes back out into the wastes." Karin drawls out.

Senna dips her head and turns away from them, looking rather awkward. "That...might not happen for awhile Karin…he doesn't have a reason to leave anymore."

The other four occupants of the room freeze as their minds process the meaning behind those words. Masaki's eyes quickly capture Isshin's in mutual shock and surprise, and then they both stare at their oldest daughter as she fidgets beneath their gaze. Karin's book slips from suddenly limp fingers, her mouth hanging open as she gapes at Senna in shock, but Yuzu's reaction is the most telling. Their youngest daughter suddenly slams into Senna's side, wrapping her arms around her older sister's waist and burying her head into her side to hide the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

Gently rubbing the sandy-blonde-hair of her youngest sister, Senna gently speaks up again, her voice filled with emotion. "Don't cry anymore Zu…I…we are going to be okay now. He doesn't have a good reason to leave us anymore. We should be happy, not sad."

"Not sad. Happy. For you." They hear Yuzu mumble, her voice barely audible over her sniffles. Isshin looks away and tries to rub at the speck of dirt that must have gotten into his eye, feeling his wife give him a squeeze on the shoulder.

Turning back with a slight cough to clear his raspy throat, the Kurosaki Patriarch watches as Senna kisses the top of Yuzu's head then prods her into letting go of her waist and helping her finish prepping breakfast.

'That's why she's so different…'

XXXX

"Now listen to me carefully Tia…" Ichigo begins as he leads the young blonde up a stairway to the Eastern rise of Megaton. "Goat-Chin will more than likely try to attack me when I open the door, so stand back and stay behind me until I've dealt with the crazy lunatic."

The newly released green-eyed woman simply nods her head once more as she listens to Ichigo's rather bizarre instructions regarding his Father's unusual welcome home greetings. Ever since he arrived early this morning at the clinic to see if she was cleared by his cousins, Ichigo has been giving her nearly nonstop advice and warnings about his 'crazy-ass' Father, and from the giggles Orihime tried to cover-up and the barely concealed snorts from Uryū, she gets the feeling that at least some of them have to be true.

Before leaving the clinic, the two had also gone over her Japanese enunciations at her insistence, since she not only wanted to make a good impression on her host family, she also wanted to do the best she could to adapt to their mannerisms; considering she was half Japanese herself, she had become rather curious in learning more about her parents heritages. After going through the basics quickly, Ichigo told her not to hesitate in asking questions about certain celebrations or festivals like Obon which they had celebrated during his absence, or time-old traditions such as the tea ceremony which his Father would sometimes ask his younger sisters to perform. Personally, she has to admit that she is looking forward to seeing an actual Japanese tea ceremony being performed for the first time.

Now, as she half follows and is half dragged behind the very nervous young man who has made such a huge impact on her life, her thoughts are focused entirely on the hand that is firmly latched onto hers, and she cannot stop the blush that spreads across her face. Now and then, they would pause as Ichigo is hailed by some resident of Megaton or other and he makes polite introductions for her without revealing anything about her origins, but for the most part she passes her journey in a dreamy cloud-like state.

This however, only lasts until she meets Tatsuki and Ulquiorra Cifer.

The first warning she gets is when a woman's loud and angry voice barks out at them from a higher level, causing Ichigo to cringe visibly.

"Don't you dare move from that spot Kurosaki Ichigo! I have a bone to pick with you, you jackass!" Tia looks up to see a mop of black hair moving away from the over-head railing, with another head of black hair surrounding piercing emerald eyes peering down at them for a brief moment later before their owner too disappears from the railing. She turns to look at Ichigo for an answer, only to see him pacing beside her.

"Shit, shit, it's Tatsuki and she's pissed dammit. Okay, just keep behind me Tia, I got no clue as to why she'd be pissed at me right now but if we stay calm we can get out of this alive…" The inane babble coming from the taller orange-haired teen abruptly cuts of as he screens her from the furious looking woman who turns around the corner of a descending crosswalk and stomps heavily over to them, followed by a slim man who trails behind her at a more leisurely pace.

Peering around Ichigo's shoulder, Tia studies the obviously angry woman as she approaches them. At her full height, she stands just a bit shorter than herself. Her skin is deeply tanned, with black spiky hair that is left unkempt on top and the sides while trailing down her rear in a loose ponytail to almost the lower half of her back. The intense gaze coming from her black orbs are the complete opposite of the shorter male following behind her however. Much like the woman marching towards them, he has tanned skin topped with shoulder-length messy black hair, but his acid-green eyes are filled with amusement and, dare she say it, familiarity with the currently hostile display of his partner, if the way his hands stay firmly in the pockets of his duster is any kind of indication. Both the newcomers wear similar clothing to that of the Sherriff and his daughter, making it most likely a uniform of some sort, and both are visibly armed, the female with a pistol holstered on either side of her hips, and the male with a rifle slung over his shoulder.

As the woman - Tatsuki? - Stops in front of them, Tia does her best not to laugh as she immediately begins to berate the stunned young man. "Holy shit Ichigo, what the hell is your problem you bastard!? You go and see Dad and Lilynette yesterday without needing to be reminded, but you don't even bother to stop by and see me! What the hell gives!? I thought we were best friends you asshole! Just wait until I…whoa….Ichigo, who is this?" Tatsuki's mood does a drastic shift from angry to curious as she spots Tia's blonde hair sticking up from behind Ichigo's shoulders, and the blonde sees the immediate calculation followed by realization in those intense dark eyes.

"You have got to be kidding me! Another one Ichigo!? Goat-Chin is gonna go nuts when he sees her… and, wow…she's a looker just like Senna." Tatsuki's voice drops low and becomes speculative as she gets a really good look at the blonde standing half-hidden behind one of her oldest and best friends.

Palming his face, Ichigo gives a low groan then finally waves his hand from Tatsuki to Tia when he realizes what he suspects would have been a lengthy tongue lashing has somehow turned into a meet and greet session. "Suki, this is Tia Halibel. Tia, this is Tatsuki and her husband, Ulquiorra Cifer. They are my other best friends and among the oldest I have besides Orihime, Uryū and…Chad…"

Tia can't miss the slight hitch and hurt in his voice when he mentions the last name, neither does she miss the tightening around the eyes of the two newcomers at the mention of that name. Knowing that there has to be a story behind that reaction, she resolves not to ask unless Ichigo gives her the go ahead. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she moves out from behind her escort and offers her hand for Tatsuki to shake. "Nice to meet some more of Ichigo's friends. As he said, my name is Tia Halibel, but calling me Tia is fine."

After shaking Tatsuki's hand, her husband steps up to shake her hand as well. To her surprise, Ulquiorra speaks in a rather cultured voice. "It is a pleasure to meet you Tia. May I inquire as to how you met Ichigo?"

Husband and wife exchange a quick look when Ichigo's brown eyes narrow dangerously for a split second, while Tia fidgets slightly in discomfort. Apparently making up his mind, Ichigo slowly motions the two Cifers closer so he doesn't have to speak above a low whisper, and he gives his two friends a quick and sterile rundown of the events leading up to his meeting with Tia and his subsequent escort of her to Megaton, telling them that the entire unedited story is on file at the Sherriff's. Unsaid is that he is trusting them to keep quiet with the information, since as Deputies for Megaton they both have access to the mission archives.

With the quick briefing over, the three of them separate and Tatsuki pats Tia on the shoulder. "You got unbelievably lucky Tia…incredibly lucky." The spiky-haired deputy remarks with a hint of sadness.

Ulquiorra grips Ichigo's shoulder and speaks lowly to him. "It is over now Ichigo, now you need time to rest your body and heal your soul, as does Senna. You should hurry home before someone else decides to try and stop you."

Nodding his head, Ichigo shares a quick hug with Tatsuki and a promise to bring the girls over for dinner during the week, then he takes Tia's hand in his and begins to hurry along in the direction of his family's home.

Tatsuki slips her hand into her husband's and they watch in silence until the younger couple disappears from view, up the rampway to the next level. The spiky-haired woman turns to her husband. "Is this a good thing, Ulquiorra? Ichigo and Senna have always had this one thing holding them together, but now that it's gone…"

"…Only time will tell, my Love. We should head over to your Father's and report in for our shift, and then we can read the report Ichigo submitted when he claimed the bounty on Nnoitra and his sisters." His green eyes had followed his friend's retreating form with unease since learning of the deaths of the last three members of the Santa Anna, and with the rescue of this beautiful young woman from their grasps before she could be violated, he cannot help but feel a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "She may see Tia as a reminder of what should have happened in the first place..."

XXXX

Ever since their arrival at the front door to the Kurosaki residence five minutes ago, Tia could only stand and watch with increasing apprehension as the young man who had single-handedly killed off an entire pack of Raiders, saved her from a fate worse than death and taught her everything she knows about survival in the Wasteland acts like he is about to delve into the lair of some terrible beast. Crouching furtively to one side of the front door, he mumbles frantically under his breath while rummaging around in his backpack; every once in awhile, she hears him curse rather interestingly under his breath and dig even more frantically in his search for... something. Finally deciding that she can't take any more of this insanity or suspense, she starts pushing him towards the door.

"Come on Ichigo...I don't believe for one second that your Fath…Otou-san is really that crazy. Look, I'm getting hungry and I don't want to stand out here for ages listening to you mumbling and searching for who-knows-what, so just open the door already!" She really wants to think the best of her savior, but his immediate shushing and the look of fear and incredulity on his face as he yanks her down to his level nearly makes her lose her patience with him.

Covering her mouth with his hand and not appearing to notice the faint blush forming on her face, he tenses and quickly scans their surroundings for a heartbeat, before relaxing fractionally when nothing happens. "Are. You. Insane!?" He hisses at her quietly. "Don't let him hear you until I'm ready!"

Seeing him dive back into his pack, she is about to snap at him in irritation only for him to utter a quiet but triumphant cry, his eyes lighting up and his hand pulling out...a small piece of rope. "Ha! I knew I grabbed this for a reason."

"Huh?" Is the educated response she gives on seeing the very ordinary piece of rope that her savior is now uncoiling in his hands.

"Never mind, just make sure you are standing behind me when I open the door, and you'll finally understand." He carefully slides over to the door, reaching out and tying the rope around the handle with exaggerated care, then shifts back and ever so quietly pulls on the rope until the handle turns and the door opens a crack.

Forcing her even further back with his body, much to her growing ire, he suddenly yanks the door open with a swift tug while yelling into the house. "I'm back!"

To say she is stunned at the response is a massive understatement. As the door opens, a large blur flies out through the opening and lunges at empty air, followed immediately by Ichigo landing a swift and devastating punch to the back of the heavy-set older man who barely stops himself from falling over after missing his intended target. Tia has just enough time to glimpse the look of surprise on the older man's face before he is effectively blindsided by Ichigo's vicious punch, followed by a painful-looking overhead hammer blow that sends his face smashing into the ground. Before she can even say anything, the man's foot snaps out despite his awkward position on the ground and slams squarely into Ichigo's gut, only for the younger male to take the hit with barely a grunt and grab on to the offending foot.

"Wrong move Goat-Chin." Ichigo's voice all but drips with the promise of escalating violence as he tugs on the extended limb, dragging the bigger and heavier body of the older male along the ground before whirling twice and throwing the man back into the house through the open door with what she can only describe as a war-cry, then charging right in after him.

Standing in shell-shocked awe outside the house, she hears Ichigo shouting from inside. "You're dead you damn loon!"

She winces at the sounds of something heavy crashing into something solid, followed by muffled thuds then the sounds of something rolling on the ground and bumping into things. In all honesty, she doesn't know what to feel or believe now; if anything, it seems that Ichigo was understating just how eccentric his father is... and she is supposed to live with these people?

Taking a few tentative steps towards the doorway, she briefly halts when the sounds of a renewed scuffle can be heard, followed by a young woman's voice pleading for the two combatants to stop. Stepping into the residence, she pauses just inside the doorway and waits for her eyes to adjust to the dimmer light; right away she sees Ichigo with his legs twisted around an older man's neck and his arms pinning one of the older man's free arms at an extremely odd angle, while the man's other arm is firmly locked between the twisted legs of her savior. As she watches the older man's face slowly turn red from the lack of oxygen, she notes that the man has gravity-defying black hair, stubble around his mouth and a slightly scraggly beard. Standing around and watching the two men wrestling on the floor are several females with varying expressions on their faces, and the blonde teen finds herself subconsciously analyzing each of them.

Of the two younger females, one has light-brown hair that hangs just past her shoulders, her dark-brown eyes reminding her of Ichigo's warm chocolate as she stares at the men fighting with obvious disapproval and a hint of unease. The other teen has black hair similar to the older man, but her hair stops just short of her neck, her dark-grey eyes reflecting clear boredom at the scene going on in front of her. Across from them is the woman who is obviously Ichigo's mother, the stately brunette holding a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter as she watches the two males wrestle on the ground like little kids in front of her. She could tell from how often Ichigo spoke about his mother on their way to Megaton that he adores her; taking in the woman's light-brown hair that flows down her back in waves and her warm brown eyes filled with affection that compliment her lightly tanned skin, she can see why he feels that way about his mother.

The last person, though, stuns Tia as soon as she lays eyes on her. The young woman standing beside Ichigo's mother has olive skin, rich purple hair and beautiful golden eyes that are currently tearing up with mirth, the air being filled with the melodic sound of her infectious laughter. Knowing that this person can only be Senna, Tia can't help the slight pangs of guilt at their similar yet vastly different circumstances, nor the bigger stab of jealousy that forms in the pit of her stomach as even she has to admit that the older teen is breathtakingly beautiful. She also finds herself unable to ignore the look of fondness Senna is giving Ichigo as she watches him pummel the older male into the floor. Those looks persist until the other teen notices her presence, then as their eyes meet, Tia sees a variety of emotions she can't decipher flicker across those golden orbs, the young woman's suddenly heavy gaze seeming to measure the worth of her soul. Just as suddenly, the young woman shifts again and gives her a genuine smile; blinking at the abruptness of the change, Tia has to wonder if she has passed some sort of test.

"Ichigo, do you want to introduce your guest?" Masaki asks as she finally notices the shocked looking blonde standing just inside their doorway.

"Huh? Oh yeah." The orange-haired male elbows the older man in the face, planting his head in the floor one last time with a pained grunt, before hopping to his feet easily. "Sorry Kaa-chan. Everyone, this is Tia Halibel."

As Ichigo begins to introduce her to his family, Tia studies their faces for their reactions, while still keeping half an eye on the confusing purple-haired young woman.

"Tia, this is my Haha-ue, Kurosaki Masaki." Tia could have sworn there was a flash of recognition at her last name in the Matriarch's eyes, but if there was it's gone again just as quick.

"Nice to finally meet you, Kurosaki…san." The blonde greets her with a small polite bow.

Masaki smiles at her greeting. "Welcome to our home Tia. I look forward to your stay with us; Ichigo has already told us what little he knows about you, but I still do hope you can enlighten us further about your life in the Vault."

"I'll try my best." The blonde replies with her own smile, then Ichigo clears his throat and continues to introduce the rest of his family.

"This is my Imouto Yuzu…Hey!" Tia barely has time to react when the younger teen jumps over Isshin and throws her arms around the blonde, looking up at her with starry eyes.

"Hi! I'm Yuzu, I hope you like to cook and sew…" She is interrupted by her] darker-haired twin.

"Zu, give her a break, she just got here. You can torment her later." Her words come out in a lazy drawl, matching the look of feigned boredom in her eyes.

"Karin! I do not such thing!" The sandy-haired teen, on the other hand, appears to be very sincere and earnest. Tia finds herself liking the teen already despite her surprising introduction. She focuses back on the darker-haired teen when she addresses her directly.

"Sorry for that Tia, Zu likes it when she has someone new to play with. I'm Karin by the way, the twin who won't bother you all day." The black-haired teenager remarks with a slight smirk as her sandy-haired twin pouts.

"Nice to meet you Karin." Tia greets her with a smile. Ichigo had mentioned the twins, but it is still surprising to see how unlike each other they are. Finally, she turns to face the person who has held her attention all this while. "And you must be Senna." She says as she extends her hand. "Ichigo said you were his…ah, dammit what's the word…"

"I'm his Aneki. It's nice to meet you too Tia." Senna replies, but doesn't take her hand. Instead, she steps over her adoptive father who is still lying on the floor and gives Tia a warm hug, much to Tia's surprise. The young woman chuckles at the blonde's obvious confusion. "We Kurosaki's like hugs as you can see."

Completely disarmed by Senna's open friendliness, Tia blushes slightly and nods. "Thank you."

A croak sounds out from the almost-forgotten figure on the floor. "W-What about me Musuko…" Isshin tries to speak, but a foot to the middle of his stomach cuts him off.

Glaring down at his father's prone form, Ichigo folds his arms defiantly across his chest. "This crazy-ass bastard's my Tou-chan, although I still insist on a blood test to prove that."

"Ichigo!" Masaki's voice is stern, but her face reflects playful understanding at the antics of her son. Tia, on the other hand, gapes at the not-quite-accusation leveled by Ichigo on his father, and indirectly his mother.

"What!? You can't seriously think we believe he's our Chichi-ue…he ain't right in the head! Who greets their kid after not seeing him for three months with a flying drop-kick!?" Ichigo empathizes the point by digging his heel deeper into his father's stomach and drawing out another pained groan from the man.

Isshin, using Ichigo's distraction to his advantage, grabs his son's ankle and flips Ichigo to floor face first while springing upwards to his feet to engulf Tia, Yuzu and Senna into a bear hug. "Welcome home my Fourth Musumesan, just ignore your ignorant dork of an Aniki and give your Tou-chan a big hug!"

"Can't breathe!" Yuzu cries out with a squeak as her father crushes her between the larger chests of the two older teens.

Stunned by the sudden reversal of events, Tia's mind instinctively falls back to fight or flight responses set on overdrive by events of less than two days ago, and she reacts swiftly. Much to everyone's surprise, she manages to grab Isshin's thumb with her free hand and reflexively twists his wrist in the opposite direction of his body, forcing him to release them from his hug. She doesn't stop until she is forcing his body downwards with one hand pressing against his shoulder, all the while still maintaining control of his thumb. She holds him in that position for a moment longer, then she blinks, sees the stunned looks on everyone's faces, and instantly lets go of Isshin when she realizes what she has done.

"Oh my god! I am sooo sorrryyy Kurosaki-san! I just…reacted…I am so, so, so sorry!" Tia's face begins to redden from her embarrassment.

Karin though looks at her with new wonder as she points at her father, who is flexing his shoulder with a pained grimace. "You have so got to show me how you did that! That was awesome!"

Looking at Tia in renewed surprise and awe, Ichigo suddenly notices his mother giving Tia an intense look of calculation. Then, she notices her son staring at her, and like a flipped switch her demeanor completely changes back to her usual cheerful self. Giggling and ignoring Ichigo's incredulous look, Masaki pats her husband's head as she brushes by him.

"Don't fret so much Tia, as you can see Isshin can handle a little-bit of pain. Isn't that right Dear?" Even Tia sweats a little, along with the rest of the Kurosaki children at how sweet-but-deadly her voice sounds.

"Ah…of course my Love!" Isshin jumps up and places his hands on his hips like an old-time superhero. "Nothing can defeat Kurosaki….urggg!"

Removing his fist from his father's stomach, Ichigo snarls at him. "That's for nearly killing my Imouto you old Goat. This is for crushing Senna and Tia."

Another blur of movement, and Isshin finds himself face down on the floor after his son sweeps his legs out from underneath him. "Why so violent, Musuko of mine?"

Ignoring his father, Ichigo cocks an eyebrow at the still embarrassed Tia. "Still don't believe how crazy it gets around here?"

Snapping her eyes up at her new friend, Tia slowly processes the events of the past few minutes, then finally shakes her head and sighs. "I can safely say you were holding out on me Ichigo."

XXXX

Masaki and Isshin sit across from Senna and the twins, Ichigo having taken Tia upstairs to his room so she could get a change of clothes from Senna and also to show her how the bath works. Looking at her children, the mother of the house begins to speak to her three daughters.

"Not a word about our visitor yesterday, Tia doesn't have the survival skills needed to dash out into the Wastes after her Otou-san like Ichigo and his friends. The only way we will allow her to leave Megaton is after she completes her training, and that will begin a few days from now. I'll be asking Aneki to do her training as well as yours." The brown-haired matriarch softly declares.

Karin sits up and stares at her mother with surprise. "Why Oba-san? Why not you Kaa-chan?"

Isshin answers for his wife. "Because we wouldn't train you correctly Karin. At least with Yoruichi, we know she won't coddle you or keep you from making mistakes like your Haha-ue and I would more than likely do. That's why Ichigo trained with them instead of us, we…we would try and protect you from the harsh reality that is the Wastelands and the D.C. Ruins." He sighs, reflecting on how much his son has changed since then and wondering, not for the first time, whether he wants his daughters to end up like that. It doesn't help that he doesn't actually have a choice. "Once you are done training with your Oba-san and Oji-san, then and only then will I or your Kaa-chan feel comfortable enough to take you with us on our trips to Rivet City or The Citadel."

Senna grips each of the twins' hands at that point, drawing their attention to her. "You should listen to Otou-san and Okaa-san, Karin, Zu. Believe me, I-I wish I had had that training when I was younger…it might have ended differently for me."

Even Karin can't stop her tears from falling when she realizes what their older adopted sister is admitting to. Burying her head into Senna's stomach next to Yuzu's, she hears her older sister cooing to them while gently stroking their hair.

"Shhh, don't cry about that anymore Yuzu, Karin…I told you what Ichigo said to me last night, that he won't have to 'hunt' for them any longer. It is over for all of us now."

Refusing to allow his true feelings to show in front of his children, Isshin stands up and makes his way to the counter while mumbling about refilling his coffee. With his back to his children, he grips the edge of the counter so hard that he almost swears he can hear the metal groaning in protest under the pressure... then a soft pair of hands touch his, and Senna speaks softly to him.

"Don't, Tou-chan. We've cried enough for one lifetime, haven't we?"

Relaxing his grip on the counter and placing his other hand over hers, he can only nod his head stiffly in answer, not trusting his voice to speak.

"Oi, what's going on?" Ichigo questions, having returned to the kitchen only to see tears on the faces of his younger sisters, his mother looking extremely solemn and Senna with his Dad at the counter.

Masaki turns to regard him gravely. "Senna told the twins, Ichigo." Again, she doesn't add. The Kurosaki Matriarch isn't surprised that her youngest two have yet to come to terms with Senna's revelation from earlier today.

"Oh…" Is all Ichigo says, before he hurriedly makes his way over to his younger sisters, hugging them both and kissing them on their heads as they grab him in their own tight hugs.

"It's... it's really over Ichi-nii?" His light brown-haired sister asks between her quiet sniffles.

Ichigo kisses her again on the head. "Yeah, it's over. I don't need to leave for a good long while Yuzu. I'll be sticking close to home for the foreseeable future with you guys."

Karin squeezes her older brother tightly. "Good, we've all missed you too much Ichigo."

"I'm sorry Karin…" Ichigo trails off as he sees Senna looking back at him, sorrow, guilt and regret etched into every inch of her body as her eyes trace over the scars hidden beneath his clothing, her mind remembering the positions of every single one and the way he had obtained each of them in his process of avenging her.

Senna sees Ichigo shake his head lightly, forcing her to meet his gaze, and the sheer depth of emotion in his eyes almost takes her breath away. 'It's not enough. It won't ever be enough for what happened to you.' His eyes seem to convey that message back to her, and she feels another pang of guilt stab her heart.

XXXX

Tia slips beneath the surface of the hot water, a sensation she thought she'd never experience again after leaving the Vault, but here she is now having her second hot bath in three days. The memory of her first once again brings a blush to her face as her skin tingles from the phantom touch of Ichigo's fingers.

'Get a grip Tia Halibel. It was a onetime thing.' She berates herself internally as she slowly surfaces and blows bubbles into the water with her nose, stamping down hard on the traitorous part of her mind that recommends that she should try to make it a repeating affair. 'Gah! Who I'm trying to fool…'

Tilting her head back and taking a deep breath, she reflects back on her life in the Vault before her hasty departure, weighing her life up to that point. Sure, she knows she had a best friend in Amata and a potential future husband with Steve, but she also knew that she would have faced a lifetime of hardship from the Overseer and the assholes littering the Tunnel Snakes, both past and present. Frowning, she now remembers the first few mediocre job choices selected for her, most likely a subtle insult from Amata's father to show his contempt for her intellect. After reading a few of the files she had stolen on her Pip Boy during her first night spent with Ichigo, she had finally come to the conclusion that the Overseer of her Vault was nothing but a male chauvinistic pig at best, a complete misogynist at worst.

She remembers briefly meeting a few of the older women mentioned in the files during her life in the Vault, many of them who were smarter than their male counterparts within the same job fields, including her old teacher, Ms. Misato Ochi. Even the Overseer's late wife would have been a better choice to lead the Vault, seeing as she had come from a well respected family and had finished in the top of her classes throughout her life. How she had met and married Amata's father, Tia would probably never know, and at this point there was no need to know any longer. The older woman had died under mysterious circumstances, leaving Amata's father in the position of Overseer, and there was nothing more she could do about it now.

She suddenly remembers seeing a footnote in her own file that suggests the Overseer may have been intending to deny her a marriage license to a gentleman from her own class if she did not toe the line. His line, that is. She growls in irritation at this memory.

"Fucking bastard."

"Who's a 'fucking bastard'?" The sudden question nearly has Tia popping out of her bath water ready to fight, only to find herself face to face with Senna, the older purple-haired teen having entered the bathroom while fully dressed and is now looking at her quizzically.

"You scared the hell out of me Senna!" Tia drops back into the water and futilely tries to cover herself.

Senna's eyes twinkle in merriment as she leans against the now closed bathroom door. "No need to cover yourself Tia-chan, you definitely don't have anything to be ashamed of, that's for sure."

The blonde's face quickly grows red as she sputters out a rebuttal and covers herself even more frantically. "Don't….don't say such things like that Senna, it's embarrassing!"

Shaking her head, Senna pushes off the door and walks over to the bath. "I came to see if you needed someone to wash your back…" Her expression grows positively impish. "On the other hand, if you'd rather I get Ichigo…"

"NO!" Tia immediately blurts out; feeling like her face is on fire. "I mean, no, I'm okay…with you washing my back, not Ichigo." She tries to hide her intensifying blush as memories of her previous bath become prominent in her thoughts once more.

"...Ah, I see he was telling me the truth about what happened out there." Senna doesn't bother to hide her laughter at seeing Tia's shocked expression. "Don't worry, I won't tell Tou-chan...I know you don't want the fact that you shared a bath with Ichigo to be blabbed all over Megaton, unlike Yoruichi who did blab about her bath with him the moment they came back from Ichigo's first mission with her. Poor Ichigo, he had to hide his face for a week."

"He... he told you?" Tia asks in a shocked tone as she watches Senna pull up a stool beside the bathtub, the other teen gesturing for her to lean forward as she lathers up the washcloth.

Senna giggles as she answers. "Ichigo and I are best friends Tia, as well as siblings…both can be read as kyoudai. Since this section of Megaton is a predominately Japanese community you'll get used to it eventually, especially since I believe you are half Japanese yourself. The twins, well, Yuzu will love helping you learn about our heritage during your stay with us."

"You're Japanese?" Tia interjects as she looks at Senna with surprise.

A light laughter fills the room. "Yes I am, I know I don't I look like it much but I am. My Otou-san was three quarters Japanese, the same with my Okaa-san, and the rest of my genes is European which somehow accounts for my predominately Western looks. Here, tilt forward a bit more, it'll let me get your lower back better."

Allowing the older teen to wash her back and rinse it off, Tia suddenly feels Senna fingers gently threading through her blonde locks. "Hmm...You still have a couple of knots in your hair, hold still while I brush them out."

As the purple-haired woman picks up a comb and brush and carefully works out the knots in her hair without yanking her hair from her scalp, Tia finds herself looking up at the other girl and relaxing under her ministrations. "Ichigo tried the other night to get them, he succeeded mostly…"

Senna hums in agreement. "He is very good with getting knots out of our hair, and he still does mine and the twins' hair after we get done with their baths. It is the only thing he feels he can do for them still; he didn't expect them to grow up so fast without him being around, but that's not really his fault, he had to spend so much time out in the Wastes…doing whatever he was doing. Anyway, he ended up finding out the hard way about how much the twins had grown up in his absence when he accidentally walked in on Karin one night as she was getting out of the bath. He still can't remember the punch that broke his nose, all he remembers is seeing Karin raging at him, then intense pain, and then blackness. Karin told us that she socked him right in the face and he was knocked out when his head hit the floor. Both Kaa-chan and Yuzu had no idea what to do, and Tou-chan just laughed hysterically at him all night; at least, right up to the point where Ichigo threw him out of the house…through the window."

Tia giggled at the image, having already witnessed an example of a brawl between Ichigo and his father. "Ichigo is very lucky to have you guys for his Kyoudai. I'm an only child…"

"Were an only child, Tia" Senna interrupts her. "Now you are a part of our Kazoku…our family. Also, Ichigo told me about how he met you…"

"He did?" Tia asks quietly, knowing that this is a sore subject for the older female.

A gentle hand cups her cheek, and her face is tilted up again as green eyes find a pair of golden orbs looking at her with understanding. "It's okay Tia. I am hardly the only victim of the Santa Anna; I am just one of the few that survived. Not one of us is to blame for receiving 'his' special attentions or that of his gang afterwards…"

Tia's eyes start to water as she remembers what Orihime had told her the night before. The brief details of how Senna had been subjected to repeated and deviant assaults over the course of eighteen hours with almost no pause, and nothing had been held sacred in regards to her body. How, when Ichigo had found her that morning, she had been close to death from the blood loss and tremendous physical abuse she had suffered throughout the attack. She also heard how Senna had suffered debilitating nightmares for the first few months that had woken up the entire Kurosaki household with her screams, before Ichigo went on his first 'hunt' and found the first seven of his targets, members of the original twenty Raiders to make up the Santa Anna, after they had separated from the main group to raid caravans traveling to Big Town. Tia remembers how she had shuddered after listening to Orihime tell her exactly what Ichigo had done to them.

'Ichigo found the first group of Santa Anna living on top of one of the old abandoned highway overpasses. After sneaking into their camp at night, he easily captured them one at a time as they slept in their drug induced hazes. The next morning…he stripped them of all their clothes, both male and female, and then he removed their genitals and breasts in the same way they had been known to do to their victims before killing them. He cauterized their wounds so that they wouldn't die from excessive bleeding, not until he was done extracting his payment from them for their crimes. What Ichigo did next has become legend throughout the Wastelands, a warning never to cross him or get on his bad side... he bound their wrists with the heaviest objects he could find lying around and secured their ankles to the guardrail. Ignoring their screams, he threw them one by one over the side of the overpass so that they were forced to hang upside down in agony. He then set up camp and kept watch on them for several days to make sure that no one came to rescue them. No one did.'

Orihime had swallowed there, looking fairly grim. 'It was only much later afterwards that Uryū's Otou-san, Ishida Ryūken explained to me just how cruel that method of execution is. The human body isn't meant to pump blood upside down, so the excess blood ends up pooling in the head with each pump of the heart. This results in a buildup of pressure, which not only is excruciatingly painful, but only continues to increase as time passes. Eventually, the pressure grows too much, and... well, I don't know how long it took for them to die, but what I do know is that their deaths were anything but painless or easy.'

Orihime's description of Senna's ordeal and her own remembered trauma shatters the mask of steely resolve she has put up; Tia's head falls forward into the crook of the other woman's arm as her body shivers uncontrollably, unable to stop her own terrified memories of the Santa Anna from finally taking over. "I…I was so damn frightened and scared out of my mind…I couldn't move no matter what I did, unable to scream at them to stop, to beg for my life…and when he…when he took his clothes off and started to take mine off…I…I…couldn't stop him…I knew he was going to rape me….and then he was going to let the rest of them take turns afterwards…I…" Her voice cuts off in a strangled gasp, tears flowing down her cheeks as she recalls the details of her near rape in horrific detail.

Senna pulls the shivering blonde deeper into her arms. "Shh, shh...It's okay now Tia, it's over and you are safe now. No one is going to hurt you now…just let it out." The older girl strokes the grieving teen's hair as Tia leans out of the tub and wraps her arms around her, crying uncontrollably.

Placing her cheek on top of Tia's trembling head softly, the purple-haired teen whispers to the blonde-haired teen one more time. "Don't hold it in, Tia-chan; use it to get stronger, for your sake."

'…and for his.' She finishes in her mind.

XXXX

Ichigo helps Yuzu and Karin with their schoolwork while their parents quietly sit to one side, waiting for the two older teens to rejoin their family for a late lunch. Each of them are aware of what the quiet sobs echoing from upstairs must have meant, but they give the two their needed privacy. When the two young women finally come down the stairs, no one moves or says a word as Masaki leaves her chair and stops before them just outside of the kitchen, and then pulls them both into a gentle embrace. Ichigo and Isshin studiously avoid listening in to whatever is being said, but judging from Tia's reaction, the impact of the Kurosaki Matriarch's words must have helped, as she rapidly nods her head and wipes the moisture from her eyes with a growing smile on her face. Senna is given a kiss on her cheek, and the three females finally move into the kitchen to rejoin the rest of their family. Standing at the head of the table, Masaki looks at the twins.

"Yuzu, Karin, get ready to go out with Senna and Tia. You are going shopping to help Tia get some new clothes, so she has something to wear other than those borrowed ones." Ichigo groans at this, then he places a hand on the twins' shoulders.

"Nothing useless you guys; I'm going to let your Aneki use my money for your 'little shopping adventure', so make every cap count."

Senna's eyes triple in size as she stutters out with expertly faked horror. "Y-you're letting me use your caps Ichigo? Orihime was right; there are aliens abducting people out in the deep Wastes! Who are you and what have you done with 'our' Ichigo!?"

Face going red, Ichigo snaps back at his older adopted sister. "Oi, what the hell do you mean by that Senna!? Just because I'm letting you use my caps doesn't mean I'm a fraud!"

"…I have to agree with Senna-nee, you must be an imposter…our Onii-san is the cheapest person we know…" Yuzu mutters as she stands behind her older sisters, clutching at their clothing as if hiding from a dangerous predator. Karin simply holds out her arms protectively in front of her sisters while glaring at Ichigo suspiciously.

Staring at each of his sisters in turn, Ichigo finally turns on his heel and stomps out of the kitchen with a scowl forming on his face, a low growl emanating from him as he disappears upstairs.

Watching the orange-haired male leave in a huff, Tia turns back as the three sisters burst into giggles simultaneously. "Did I miss something?" She wonders out loud, trying to make sense of the situation.

Karin chuckles as she answers. "Not really, it's just that Ichigo is known in our family as the cheapest person alive. I don't think he's spent more than a few hundred caps on himself over the past three years. He's pretty stingy when it comes to his caps."

"Oh…" She can't help but wonder what it means then, if he was willing to spend his caps on her?

Isshin smiles at the development, and then he pulls out a pouch from an inner pocket in his shirt. Tossing it to Yuzu, he sends her a conspiratorial wink. "That's for your sweets and other 'unnecessary' items that your Aniki won't let you buy, but feel free to give him nightmares by pretending to use his caps for payment."

Giggling again, Yuzu rushes to her father and gives him a big hug as does Senna afterwards. Karin just rolls her eyes as she watches the others, while Tia shifts nervously before the Kurosaki Patriarch.

"Tia…it is okay to accept our gift you know." Masaki remarks, placing her hand on Tia's shoulder to calm down the blonde-haired teen.

Taking a deep breath, Tia nods back at her. "I know, but…but I don't know how I'm going to pay you back for everything you have done for me, and for allowing me to stay here…"

"Oh hooey, you being here means we'll finally be able to crack open the 'Ichigo Vault'." Senna remarks loudly with a huge smile on her face, winking at Tia.

"I heard that!" An angry male voice shouts from upstairs.

"Good, you cheap bastard!" Senna shouts back as Yuzu sinks to the floor in a giggling fit.

The sound of Ichigo stomping back down the stairs has all four girls turning, only to see him with several pouches in his hands. Handing three to Tia and three to Senna, he glares at his older adopted sister. "Make sure she ain't getting swindled at the Market; I heard the new clothes merchant is selling shoddy clothes that he claims to be the best the Wastes have to offer, it might be worth checking out but I have my doubts."

Pinching her younger adoptive brother's cheeks fondly, Senna puts on a highly exaggerated sneer and mimics the tone of a snobbish high-class lady. "I do know how to shop Ichigo my dear, now stop being a worrywart; we'll make sure she gets very good bargains. Now, let's get going, Yuzu, Karin, Tia!"

As the others troop out after Senna, the green-eyed blonde shyly gives Ichigo a nod in gratitude for his generosity, before following behind the excitedly talking Yuzu, the bored looking Karin and the cheerful looking Senna. Moving to close the door behind the leaving group of girls, he catches Tia shooting him one last look, the conflicting range of emotion in her eyes catching him completely off guard as the door shuts between them.

Wondering what that was all about, Ichigo hears his mother and father start to leave the hallway, and he stops them without looking in their direction. "So either of you going to tell me what you really know about Tia's Dad, James Halibel? Don't look so surprised, when even Oba-san wouldn't tell me a thing, I knew something was up, so who wants to start first?"

XXXX

Tia stands beside Karin, watching in amazement as Yuzu and Senna corner the man selling clothes like a hungry pack of wolves. It had started innocently enough, their group having entered the shop and began to browse through the goods the man claimed to have acquired from various 'outlander' suppliers. While many of the clothing seemed well-made in her opinion, the other three girls began to point out their deficiencies with ease. From substandard stitching; to the obviously washed and pressed pre-Great War clothing that wouldn't hold together during their next washing, each article was inspected with great care and scrutiny until the older merchant finally got angry at their criticism of his goods.

'Get out if you think I am trying to sell you bad goods! You little brats don't even know what the hell you are talking about!' Spittle flew out from his mouth as he ranted, showing just how angry he was as he yelled.

At that point, Karin had grabbed her arm and pulled her back a few paces with a quiet murmur. "Oh shit, he's done it now…"

What comes next has her gaping in amazement: little Yuzu had finally had enough and had hit the man so hard with a poke of her finger that it actually shoved the man back two steps, pain and incredulity flashing across his face at the absurd feat of strength.

"You slimy, cheating, worthless Bandit! I know for a fact that you must have had these things pulled out of some underground bunker or storage because I can feel how weak the threading is in my hands from the mold they must have had growing through them! Also, the leather you used in some of your clothes was improperly treated because they already show signs of cracking and splitting, and no honest leather smith or master craftsman would ever sell such shoddy wares! Lastly, I can see the wear and tear that you tried to hide in the elbows of your shirts and the fading at the knees of your pants!"

Senna places her fists on her hips as she chimes in with her younger sister. "And what's with the carefully hidden peepholes in the changing rooms? Did you think we wouldn't notice them? I can't see your office out front, which means that it must be adjoining the changing rooms' right? I think maybe we should send Karin and Tia to fetch Tatsuki-san and have her inspect the rooms back there, don't you agree Karin?"

A voice Tia recognizes from this morning speaks out from right behind her and Karin. "No need to go looking for me, I'm right here Senna."

Every head in the shop turns to see Deputy Tatsuki Cifer and her older sister Deputy Lilynette Starrk stepping in through the front of the store, both in their uniforms and armed. Walking slowly towards the altercation between the Kurosaki sisters and the merchant in charge of the shop, the two Deputies eye the establishment with growing scrutiny. The merchant, having started to sweat beneath the barrage of accusations by the Kurosaki sisters and now paling at the scrutiny of his shop by the Starrk Deputies; hurriedly latches on to their presence like a limpet as he attempts to defend both his goods and his good name.

"I-I am glad you are here Deputies! I want these troublemakers arrested for accusing me of …of deviant behavior, and falsely alleging that I sell bad goods!"

Lilynette's quiet voice shuts him before he can gain any steam. "Keep your mouth closed if you know what's good for ya; we're here because they ain't the first ones to have complains about this shop Greensmith. In fact, theirs would make the fifth complaint this week...that's an awful lot for a shop that's been open only a month or two, don't you think so…Sheriff?"

Cold sweat breaks out on the merchant's head as he turns back slowly to see Coyote Starrk and Ulquiorra Cifer emerging from the back rooms, a look of disgust clearly showing in older man's eyes. His green-eyed Deputy takes up a flanking position to the merchant while Starrk uses his full height to tower over the shaking man.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Alan Greensmith; the peepholes in your office paint a very ugly picture of what you have been doing here, on top of the very interesting meeting I had last week with certain angry parties. I have also received reports from the Canterbury Merchant Guild that you have skipped quite a few large payments due to them, in regards to several loans you made with them in helping you get this place started up. They've asked me to investigate this manner for them." Seeing almost all the blood rush out of the corrupt merchant's face, Coyote presses on vindictively.

"I couldn't help but notice a safe back there when we were looking around, so maybe we should check and see if you have their payments handy? That way, when they send their representatives to collect your debt later this week, you will have little problem paying back at least a portion of the debt you owe them. After all, it makes for bad business if one of Megaton's merchants were found to be…delinquent in their loan payments, shall we say?" Taking his hat off as he finishes speaking, the black-haired man dusts some invisible dirt from it as he watches for the merchant's reaction.

What happens next seems to play out in slow motion for Tia. Seizing his perceived opportunity, the merchant immediately bolts from the Sherriff with clear panic in his eyes. His path of escape takes him on a collision course with the two female Deputies near the exit; perhaps thinking he can barrel his way through the two women, he is brutally disabused of that notion when Lilynette's fist drives into the left side of his ribcage, followed by Tatsuki sending a vicious uppercut crunching into his lower jaw that throws his entire body backwards a few feet only to land heavily on his back. The four law enforcers quickly surround the downed merchant, Ulquiorra casually rolling the man over onto his stomach with a booted foot before kneeling down to shackle the man's wrists behind his back. Dragging the man to his feet as he stands up, the green-eyed Deputy gives an annoyed grunt at having to hold the man steady, the merchant swaying drunkenly on his feet with blood dribbling from his lips.

The Sheriff places his hat back on his head. "I guess that answers most of the charges against you, Alan Greensmith. Take him to the holding cells Deputy Cifer. Deputy Starrk, please check if Yoruichi wouldn't mind stopping by to open up his safe for us." Starrk pauses as he takes in the four younger women standing innocently to one side and watching the proceedings with interest. "I have a proposition for you four if you are interested."

The four of them look at him, with Senna showing visible interest. "How can we be of help Sherriff?"

"After hearing how much you and your sisters know about the conditions of his goods, which is more than I can say for myself, would you mind helping me go through them and see what is of value and what isn't?" The older man queries of Senna.

Yuzu pokes her fingers together nervously. "Sheriff Starrk-san, we…we were just trying to find some good clothes for Tia-nee, and we still haven't found anything yet…"

Sensing the distress in the youngest of the Kurosaki siblings, Coyote Starrk grins at her. "How about this: in compensation for your help, I'll let you pick out fifteen complete sets of clothes for Tia from the confiscated goods, and the rest of you can have five sets each, sound good to you little Yuzu?"

"Deal Sherriff-san!" Yuzu and Senna shout as they both grab Tia by her hands and drag her deeper into the store, with Tatsuki chuckling as she follows up behind them. The Deputy pauses as someone taps her on the shoulder, and she turns her head to see the Sheriff standing behind her.

"Yes Father?" Tatsuki asks, seeing Coyote lean in closer to speak with her.

"Keep an eye on Senna for me…I have this strange feeling in my gut, and I hope I'm wrong." Starrk quietly says, before straightening up and heading towards the front of the store.

Tatsuki feels an ominous chill go down her spine, remembering her husband's words from earlier this morning. Seeing her Father take up position outside the door, she resolutely turns away and heads in deeper into the store, following the chatter of the Kurosaki girls. "Dad, Ulquiorra...I hope you two are wrong."

XXXX

Worried brown eyes scan the front of every shop as he passes by, the few hours that had passed since the girls had left and had yet return from their shopping stoking his increasing worry until he had no other option but to head out to check on them himself. Finding the shop that he had mentioned to Yuzu, he halts in surprise at the sight of his Aunt leaving the store, the Sherriff walking out behind her. Running up to them, he is stopped by Yoruichi's outstretched hand before he can ask what is going on or enter the store to check if his sisters and Tia are inside.

"They're fine Ichigo; they're just helping the Sherriff, Lilynette and Tatsuki with a inventory problem." His mother's older sister reassures him, easily translating the worry in his eyes.

His Aunt's words help, but he still hopes to get first-hand confirmation of the fact; glancing into the shop, he is unable to see anything clearly due to the brightly lit outdoors contrasting sharply with the darkened interior of the shop, but he hears Yuzu shouting with glee at finding something and then Tia yelling back about 'improper attire', which is then followed by Karin asking if the blonde already has a boyfriend. He can't help but snort at their banter while straining his ears to hear Tia's answer, even though he already knows of her potential love interest back in the Vault, but he misses hearing her answer when Yoruichi snaps her fingers in front of his face.

"Oi. Earth to Ichigo. Earth to Ichigo…"

Blinking in confusion, he sees his Aunt grinning at him and he rolls his eyes with a theatrical sigh of evident long-suffering. "I heard you the first time Oba-san…no need for the theatrics."

His senses blare a warning and he immediately ducks, avoiding his Aunt's head slap by a narrow margin, then he skips out of his Aunt's lethal range. "Dammit Oba-san, I was only kidding!"

Glaring at her Nephew for avoiding her initial swipe, the purple-haired woman jerks her thumb back at the shop. "Your sisters are helping take inventory of the clothes so the Sherriff can accurately determine how much we would have had to shell out if Canterbury had sent their representative and this guy had skipped out on repaying his loans. Loans that Megaton could ill afford to pay for him, and we would have been held responsible for because several of our merchant guilds were dumb enough to vouch for him. We got lucky though, seeing that Senna and Karin found his hidden stash beneath a concealed trapdoor where he was keeping several containers filled with good quality clothing and a ton of caps. Seriously, Starrk, this just proves the point Kisuke and I were trying to make at last month's meeting, that we need to screen these new merchants a hella lot better in the future or it'll come back to bite us on our asses."

The Sheriff makes a tired sound of agreement "I agree with you Yoruichi; I'll be sure to bring this up at the next city council meeting next week, along with a full disclosure as of what had transpired here today." He remarks with a shake of his head.

"Fair enough Starrk-san. See you tomorrow night for the wedding." Giving him a hearty pat on the back, Yoruichi is about to walk away when she sees Ichigo's face paling out of the corner of her eyes. "Wait...Don't tell me you forgot, Ichigo!?"

Her orange-haired nephew looks frantic. "I…I…Shit! I forgot Mike and Nadia were getting married! What do I do!?" He's about to turn away when she grabs his wrist and places a bag in his hand.

"No one has gotten them lamps for their new home, go see the Otts', I heard they got some really nice antiques in from somewhere down South; and when you are done there, the girls should be ready for you to carry their stuff home."

"What stuff?" He looks blankly at her, then his head whips back to stare at the shop and he groans in sudden understanding. "How...How much shit did you promise them!?"

Coyote Starrk smirks and shrugs noncommittally. "Between the four of them, I think about thirty outfits, give or take a dozen." Both he and Yoruichi exchange a wicked grin as Ichigo's eyes nearly bug out at the stated amount.

"I hate you both…" Ichigo takes one more look at the dark interior of the store, then he turns and begins to walk in the direction of the shops that specialize in household items; his very audible grumbling causes quite a few of the other town residents to steer clear of him.

Watching Ichigo leave, the two older adults refrain from speaking until he is out of sight. Once he is gone, the] taller male mutters from the corner of his mouth.

"He is acting differently from the previous times Yoruichi; is this because he no longer has to chase the Gilgas?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrow in thought; remembering what her younger sister had told her when she stopped by the Kurosaki's to see Masaki after breakfast, she is still having difficulty trying to understand why Senna would even allow what had happened last night to transpire, especially after rejecting her nephew's heartfelt offer of marriage. "Perhaps, Coyote; in either case I will be keeping a close eye on them, so don't worry."

The Sheriff lowers the brim of his hat, casting his eyes in shadow. "I still worry for them both Yoruichi, more so Senna than Ichigo… she…well you know what I mean."

XXXX

Looking around Ichigo's room after she had returned with Senna and the twins along with their new clothes, Tia can understand why he has no problem giving up his room to her and sleeping in the attic loft with Kon. Ichigo's room is basically a storage room for him, his uniforms and weapons hanging neatly from their places on three of the four walls, while the fourth holds shelves with various items he has collected over the few years he had spent out in the Wastes. His bed is still firm and springy from the lack of use, as are his pillows; according to him, the only thing he has used this room for during the past three years is as a place to change after he takes a bath or showers.

Smiling to herself, the blonde begins to put away the clothes Senna and Yuzu had procured for her by helping the Sherriff take stock of the thieving merchant's inventory. She still finds herself amazed at how effectively Senna and Yuzu had shut down the corrupt merchant, as well as how easily Lilynette and Tatsuki had subdued him when he tried to escape. Once again, Tia thanks her Mother for her luck in meeting the right person out in the Wastes, giving her a new chance at life here in Megaton; a shudder passes through her once again as she recalls just close she really came to dying, or worse.

A light knock at the door causes her to turn around, and her eyes light up as she sees Ichigo standing in the doorway. He is wearing a simple white shirt wrapped snugly around his toned muscular upper body, and his baggy cut-off white cotton pants end about halfway down his calves. She notices his own cheeks bleeding red as his eyes quickly travel up and down her body; looking down, she flushes bright red when she realizes that not only is she not wearing a bra beneath her light beige shirt, her legs are also exposed all the way up to where her shorts end, high up on her thighs.

Before she can say anything, she sees Ichigo's head snap forward as a small hand smacks his head from behind. "Stop staring Ichigo, it's impolite." Footsteps recede down the hallway as the owner of the voice, probably Karin, continues walking on.

Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, Ichigo glances back up at Tia with a look of embarrassment before hurriedly averting his eyes. "Sorry about that Tia, I wasn't expecting you to look…so relaxed."

Shaking her head shyly, the green-eyed blonde waves at him with a hand to reassure him that he hasn't done anything wrong. "D-Don't worry, I'm not really that embarrassed Ichigo. Come on in and give me a hand with your stuff, since I don't know where to put anything without moving your stuff... I don't want to end up putting it somewhere where you might not be find it later."

"Sure." Heading over to a weather-beaten bureau, he starts pulling out clothes and transferring them into a canvas bag he had pulled out from a cabinet. "So, what do you think of your first foray out into the wilds known as shopping?" The orange head asks her curiously.

Tia smiles as she remembers the fun she had as she watched Yuzu and Senna tear through the merchant's inventory looking for the best items to get her. She recounts to Ichigo how each time the two girls found something they liked, they had roped Karin into forcing her to try on the item, while providing teasing and appreciative commentary. She very deliberately does not mention that they had also forced her to model undergarments for them, her face reddening as she remembers some of the risqué articles they had given her to try on, a few of which she had stashed away in the bottom of one of her bags that she would put away later, in private. She finishes up her tale by mentioning some of the new clothes that the other girls had chosen for themselves, and then she pauses as she thinks about the merchant.

"Ichigo, what's going to happen to that man? I heard the Sherriff talking about handing him over to the merchants of Canterbury to let them deal with him." The blonde teen grows alarmed when she notices Ichigo stiffen visibly. "What? What is it?"

His shoulders sagging in reluctance, Ichigo keeps his voice as neutral as possible. "Out in the Wastelands, being a merchant is supposed to be one of the few occupations where your word is your bond. You sell or barter your wares in good faith; if you cheat and deceive your customers, it affects the reputation of all the other merchants out in the Wastes. If the goods you purchase are no good…well, you can imagine what happens when something you are counting on fails when you need it the most. Death could be the end result. Since that merchant was selling clothes that might end up being used in the Wastes, if they failed at a crucial moment and left someone exposed…" He shakes his head in disgust. "A merchant who cheats or sell defective goods is no better than a Bandit or Raider."

Green eyes widen in shock at the implication in Ichigo's words. "They…they plan on…"

The young man cuts her off. "Don't blame yourself for his actions Tia. Sheriff Starrk told me that the man, Alan Greensmith had been under suspicion for some time even before he opened up his store. At first, all we had was a complaint that he had refused to exchange damaged items without proof that the buyer didn't cause the damage in the first place. This kind of behavior is highly irregular for a merchant, and the Sheriff started keeping an eye on him. When a representative from Canterbury stopped by the Sheriff's office and gave him notice that the man had failed to pay his loan on time twice, well...it was only a matter of time after that before he was caught red-handed in his act. Think of it this way, Tia: you were simply in the right place at the right time to get a boatload of free clothes."

The blonde simply stares at him in disbelief at how blasé he is being about the whole thing. "So…he is going to get killed, just for being a thief? That... that doesn't sound like justice Ichigo…"

To her confusion, she sees him give her a puzzled look before shaking his head for a second. "I forget, I still have a lot to teach you besides survival." He pauses, seeming to gather his thoughts. "Regarding the fate of Alan Greensmith...If he is lucky, they will only cut off his hands, if not…then not." He turns to regard Tia solemnly. "Tia, you have to understand this: out in the Wastes, your equipment literally makes the difference between life and death. You need to know for certain that your equipment, including the clothes you wear, will protect you and hide you as promised. You can't afford to have something fail in the middle of a firefight, or they fall apart when you are trying to blend into the background while hiding or stalking. The Wastelands will not give you a second chance when you make a mistake; if the equipment protects your life fails to do what it is supposed to, then what you end up forfeiting is. Your. Life."

Seeing Tia's face pale and knowing that he has driven his point home, the orange-haired young man continues. "On the surface, his crime of selling shoddy goods may seem petty and small. Perhaps it was motivated by simple greed and not malicious intent. However, his crime of selling shoddy goods could have cost someone their life if their clothing failed out there in the Wastes or worse, the D.C. Ruins. Every single person who purchased goods from his store could have died due to his defective products. Do you think I would ever want that to happen to you out there?"

Seeing how serious Ichigo is being, Tia can't help but lower her head in agreement. The thought of cutting off the man's hands still feels abhorrent to her, but at least she now understands the reasoning behind it. "Is...Is there any chance of him walking away from this event unscathed?" Despite that, she still wants to know if there is any compassion left lingering in this new and harsh world she now lives in, and she is left greatly disappointed by his answer.

"Yeah, he could, but he would be sent without food and water out into the Wastes wearing nothing but his undergarments if he is lucky." Ichigo admits to her easily. "It is nothing more than what he deserves anyway."

The silence that falls between them grows to uncomfortable levels, until it is finally broken by Tia's sad voice. "There really is no room for the weak, is there Ichigo?" She asks, staring into his eyes as she does so.

Knowing what she is searching for in his eyes, he meets her gaze evenly and puts as much sincerity as he can into his answer. "Maybe one day, in the future there might be."

XXXX

Lying against Kon, Ichigo idly flips the pages of the new book he had found out near Paradise Falls during his previous sweep to ensure that the old encampment used by the slavers from time to time was still abandoned from the last time he had sent them a message that they were no longer allowed to operate in that area with impunity. He still feels pissed he hasn't found their main avenue of travel yet, but he knows he is getting closer after successfully ambushing the last slaver caravan heading West. It was unfortunate that the sole slaver he had kept alive for interrogation had only just joined up with the gang, and as such hadn't been trusted enough to learn many of their secrets; fortunately, he did mention taking notice of some of the landscape markers as they passed through the small mountains leading into the Wastes. With the man pointing out the relevant locations on a map, he had gotten a rough idea of how the slavers were getting in and out without being spotted, and once he finished helping Tia with finding her Father, he planned to travel to that spot and wait in ambush again, maybe get a few friends to help him capture some of the more veteran slavers for further interrogation.

A creaking of the stairs alerts him to someone coming up the wooden steps to his makeshift room in the attic. Closing the book, he hides his surprise when his Father's head comes into view; what surprises him more is that Isshin doesn't have his goofy persona showing, instead he is displaying the more serious expression he only puts on when he wants to have a serious discussion with his children. The older male stops at the top of the stairs, folding his arms across his chest as he surveys the attic loft, before he finds and holds Ichigo's attention.

After they stare at each other silently for a while, Ichigo huffs out and speaks first. "Kaa-chan told you."

Isshin nods. "She did Ichigo. I won't speak of it because I'm sure she made her point clear." Ichigo is thankful for the understanding he hears in his Father's voice; he certainly wasn't looking forward to a lecture from Goat-Chin of all people.

"Yeah, she did. So, what brings you up here then? Normally you'd leave me alone for the first few days…" The teen stops when his dad rolls his eyes.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you that we've decided to start training the twins in a few days, and we want you to stay out of it."

Frowning, Ichigo just nods his head once in answer. He doesn't like the thought of Yuzu or Karin getting hurt, but he also knows from firsthand experience that this is the only way he can help to prepare them for future danger.

Seeing that Ichigo is not planning to argue with him, Isshin nods his head in approval. "I'm glad I don't need to explain it to you. Now, if you are feeling up to it, tell me what you did when you found them."

Ichigo's eyes change slightly as he clenches his fists once before he slowly recounts his tale of tracking the last band of Santa Anna back to their latest hideout, which happened to be the old Springfield School. He admitted he was surprised by how close they were too Megaton and figured they were going to try and ambush a few of the caravans. Describing how easy it was to set up a blind, he slowly recounts his preparations for ambushing them at night until Tia accidentally stumbled across them and his plans flew out the window. Isshin notices the hard look that covers his son's face as he finishes his story.

"I let Melony and Loly die the same they let their own victims die and as for Nnoitra, I let his ass get eaten by ants."

Isshin grimaces at the tale; he isn't surprised that his son would use Nnoitra's greatest fear against him when setting up his execution, but hearing that he burnt the two Gilga girls alive meant that Ichigo had chosen not to forgive his two childhood friends for their betrayal. While he certainly understands his son's motivation for doing so, it is still an act that would leave an undeniable scar on Ichigo's heart, a heart that already bears too many scars for its own good.

Sighing tiredly to himself, the Kurosaki Patriarch turns away and begins to head back downstairs, giving his son one last bit of advice as he leaves. "Don't forget who you are Ichigo; you have a long life to live yet, always remember that. Goodnight, Musuko."

"...'Night, Goat-Chin." Ichigo replies as his Father's back disappears down the stairs. Listening to the sound of his Father descending the stairs, he is about to open his book again when he hears a new set of footsteps climbing up the wooden steps. This time, a head of blonde hair appears in his vision, checking out the loft for several seconds before its owner focuses on him.

"You really didn't have to give up your room for me." Tia states simply as she stands at the top of the stairwell.

"Kon's a living heating element, I'll be fine up here." He deflects, patting the chest of the Deathclaw softly snoring behind him.

She gives a shake of her head before closing the distance between them and kneeling down in front of him. "I could have slept with Senna or the twins on a futon, or maybe a few blankets like you're doing."

"Senna likes to sleep alone, and the space in the twin's room wouldn't leave you three much free room." He counters. "My room on the other hand doesn't get much use, even when I'm here... it's just a place for me to store my equipment and keepsakes until I leave for the Wastelands again on a new job or…well, when I went looking for the Santa Anna. Besides, Tia, I do have my own place along the Wall, so if I wanted to I could always crash there...but the twins, they don't like it when I stay there. They miss me enough already." He shakes off the slight grimace that threatens to form on his face.

Tia leans closer to him. "You'll have plenty of time to make it up to them now Ichigo. I won't insist upon your time to help train me; Masaki-san told me that she would arrange for my training with her older sister…your Oba-san, Yoruichi. The one I know you call a were-cat…" She giggles when his eyes go wide.

"Don't you ever let her know you learned that from me…you don't know how vicious she can get." He hisses quietly. "If you doubt me, look for the faint scar over Geta-Boshi's left eye, he got that from calling her 'his lazy Hime' one night." Ichigo shudders from the memory of seeing blood gushing freely from his Uncle-in-law's head when he was only seven.

Tia holds in her urge to scoff, having witnessed firsthand that Ichigo's warnings held truth to them. "Fine, I won't you big baby. Anyway, thanks for letting me use your room. I'll see you in the morning then?" She asks as she gets back to her feet.

"Yeah. You sure about not going? You'd be able to meet a bunch of people and it would help you with getting acclimated to Megaton later on." The orange-haired teen asks her pointedly.

A tired yawn escapes the blonde, and she hurriedly covers up her mouth. "I'm fine...I think I'll use the next few days to rest Ichigo. Besides, I get the feeling I'll be here for more than a few months anyways. Plenty of time to meet everyone eventually."

Ichigo nods at her reasoning. "Alright then Tia. Goodnight, and don't hesitate to ask any of us for help if you need it." He remarks as he watches the blonde make for the stairs.

"I know. Goodnight Ichigo." She gives him a smile and wave, then she leaves him alone once more with Kon.

Looking down at his book and realizing he isn't in the mood to continue reading it, Ichigo leans over and blows out the candle he had been using. Grabbing the light blanket lying on the floor beside him, he shifts around the warm bulk of Kon before settling down and letting his mind drift into slumber.

Only Kon's lone open eye catches the hidden observer as they leave the attic quietly.

XXXX

The next morning, Tia walks into the kitchen and finds Ichigo sitting at the table, eating a plate of scrambled eggs and some strips of unknown meat. Glancing up from his meal and seeing her come in, he gestures for her to sit. Getting to his feet, the orange-haired young man makes his way to the stove and pulls on a mitt before pulling out a second plate heaped with the same meal that covers his stoneware. Setting the plate in front of her, he moves over to the icebox and pulls out a large container, then pours her a glass of what seems to be some kind of milk before topping off his own glass with the same.

"If you're wondering, Kaa-chan and the girls are busy helping with making the food for the wedding feast." He comments, placing the container back in the icebox. "Goat-Chin is at the Clinic for the day, and won't be back until he has to get dressed for the wedding. So it's just you and me for the next few hours. Anything you want to see or do?"

The blonde teen shrugs her shoulders as she takes her first tentative bite; finding it surprisingly delicious, she washes it down with some milk and answers his question. "How about a tour? I didn't get much of one yesterday."

The orange-headed male hums in thought, then he nods decisively. "Okay, a tour it is then. Oh, we also need to stop by and see Oji-san, he wants to get some measurements from you." He shovels another spoonful of egg into his mouth while waiting for Tia's response.

Swallowing her own mouthful, the blonde looks at him in puzzlement. "What measurements Ichigo?"

Not looking at her directly, he vaguely waves his hand up and down her body. "For your custom-made suits. I know I told you that you would need them later for your training, right?"

"Oh. I forgot." She gives him a weak smile and proceeds to finish her breakfast.

After they finish their meal, Ichigo cleans their dishes, while Tia quickly makes for the bathroom and gives her face a quick wash, before putting on her first set of new clothes. A pair of light-brown cotton pants that end just above her ankles and a billowy yellow shirt that gives her room to breathe, along with a bra that - much to her delight - fits her snugly, and she mouths a silent word of thanks that her new comfortable panties don't ride up her butt cheeks like her old Vault ones tend to do. Pulling on her socks and slipping her feet into a pair of leather loafer-type shoes, she makes her way back downstairs, only to see Ichigo wearing a rather unusual body suit of olive-drab coloring with black combat boots.

Seeing Tia's quizzical look, Ichigo explains to her what he is wearing. "This is the standard BDU of the Brotherhood of Steel, only without the connection points. It's what they wear to connect them with their Power Armor; me, I just like the comfort and flexibility it offers me. So, you ready to go?'

Still admiring his outfit with mild awe, she gives him an absent nod. "Yes."

He offers her his hand; shaking herself out of her stupor, she takes it somewhat bashfully, and as he leads her out, she wonders out loud why he leaves the door unlocked if everyone is out of the house.

The Shinigami-in-training just gives her a knowing smirk. "No one is fool enough to break into a house that a Deathclaw lives in."

"Oh." Turning to look over her shoulders, she spots Kon sleeping on his back beside the front porch, much the way a dog or cat would do from the pictures she had seen in her books. Speaking of which...

"Ichigo, are there any normal animals, like cats and dogs left in the world?" Tia asks as she and Ichigo travel across the skywalk leading to the other side of Megaton.

Shaking his head slightly as he thinks, Ichigo tries to recall the number of said animals he has seen over the years. "Yeah, there are a few, but not as many as you would think. Most have gone feral over the generations, and even the few that are kept as pets have regained much of their feral instincts. I can only think of two dogs that live with a group of Caravaneers and one cat in Rivet City that are what you could call 'normal' in the sense of being a pet; most of them though have a mean streak that you should be wary of, if you encounter them that is."

Nodding her head, Tia falls silent until they come to a stop before a rather savory looking storefront. Giving the structure a once over, Tia sees the sign over the door, 'Urahara Shouten' written with both English and Japanese characters in faded paint.

"This…is your Uncle's store?" She asks in mild disbelief. After seeing the quality of Ichigo's equipment, she had been expecting something more... visually impressive.

A grin forms on Ichigo's face. "Yeah; a shady storefront for a shady owner."

Giggling at his description, the blonde teen is startled by a voice that calls out suddenly from within the shop. "Shiba-kun, you wound me with such words and in front of such a lovely guest of a young woman too." Turning in the direction of the voice, Tia finds herself blinking at the sight.

As it turns out, the owner of the voice is a blonde haired man wearing what she can only describe as the most ridiculous set of antique clothing she has seen so far. As he rounds the corner of the storefront, her eyes dart to the white and green-striped threadbare hat perched on top of his messy dirty-blonde locks, the shadow cast by its brim somehow managing to enhance rather than hide his steely grey eyes as they focus on the two of them with hawk-like intensity. The same lethal but graceful gait that both Ichigo and his cousin Uryū possess is mirrored by the man, the plain green shirt and pants that he wears under an innocuous open-fronted brown haori with an interwoven black and white diamond pattern lining the bottom hem somehow putting her in mind of the wolf in sheep's clothing from her childhood stories. But the distracting sounds of wood clanking on metal has her looking down, only to see a pair of footwear she has never encountered before.

"Do you like them, young lady?" The blonde older man asks with a grin. "They are called clogs, or Geta if you prefer Japanese. Very traditional, very comfortable."

"And that is why we call him Geta-Boshi, Tia." Ichigo cuts in before she can reply. "Dumbass shoes to complete his dumbass clown outfit." Only Tia seems to notice the faint twitch of the other male's eye at the casual insult.

Before Ichigo can continue with his unflattering description, a hidden paper fan suddenly snaps out from inside the older man's sleeve and strikes the orange-haired teen squarely on his forehead. "Now, now Shiba-kun, you can't be insulting your Elders can you?" He waves the fan mockingly in front of Ichigo as the young man tries and fails to grab it.

After missing his fifth attempt to snatch the paper fan, Ichigo settles instead for jabbing the older man painfully in the face. "Shut it Geta-Boshi. Tia, this is my annoying Oji-san Urahara Kisuke. Oji-san, this is Tia Halibel, the one I told you about the other night."

The blonde man, Urahara Kisuke recovers just as quickly as she has seen Isshin do, and he extends his hand for her to shake with nary a look of pain showing on his face. Shaking the older man's hand, she notices that his eyes are studying her face intently, then he lowers his head and the brim of his hat hides both his eyes and his thoughts. Releasing his hand, she looks over at her guide, only to see him frowning at his uncle.

"Oi, moron. Are we going to do this or what? I still have to show her what I can of Megaton before I need to get back home and get myself ready for the wedding." Without waiting for a response, Ichigo pushes open the door to the shop and gestures for Tia to enter before him.

His uncle suddenly seems to bounce back from his bout of introspection. "Of course, of course. That is why I took the liberty of seeing the Sheriff and picking up your bounty for you, Ichigo Oi... you didn't really think I was going to do all this for free, did you?" Kisuke laughs as he follows behind the two teens, then freezes when a new voice stops all three of them in their tracks.

"You will if you ever want to share my bed again this month, Kisuke." Purrs a woman's voice seductively.

As her vision adjusts to the darkness inside the shop, Tia's eyes widen in surprise at the woman behind the counter who had just spoken. Purple hair tied in a loose ponytail cascades behind a dark-skinned face of female perfection, her golden-orbs seeming to glow in the low light of the shop as she studies the group that stands motionless before her. Her features are nothing short of perfection in Tia's opinion, and her eyes involuntarily wander down the firm and tight features of the woman, blushing as she takes in the size of the woman's bust which causes the teen no small amount of awe at how fully and firmly they stick out. She idly recalls catching a glimpse of her talking with Sheriff Starrk outside the store yesterday, before Senna had distracted her with yet more clothing, and her stunned gaze is apparently noticed as the woman who she now knows is Ichigo's Aunt Yoruichi speaks up again with that same purring accent in her voice.

"My, my, Tia Halibel; if you want to see them, all you have to do is ask…Ichigo, of course, has seen them plenty…" The purple-haired woman pushes her breasts together to emphasize her point, causing both teens to erupt in furious blushes.

"Dammit Oba-san! That was entirely your fault you pervert! I didn't ask to see them; you just shoved them in my face and told me to clean them…" He cuts himself off when Tia turns to glare at him, the laugh from his Aunt and the perverted grin on his Uncle-in-law's face clear indicators that he has once again blurted out more information than he should have. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he does his best to ignore Tia's piercing stare as he continues. "…As I was saying, I did not, repeat, did not ask you to show me your goods, it's given me no end of trouble…I mean, sheesh, Suki still teases me to this day and asks me if I like…"

Seeing the pleased smirk developing on Yoruichi's face and Kisuke nodding at his comments almost proudly, he throws up his hands in disgust. "Oh, screw this. Tia, this insane pervert is married to the lunatic shopkeeper behind you; her name is Urahara Yoruichi, she's my Oba-san on Kaa-chan's side; she's also Kaa-chan's Onee-san. She'll be one of your future trainers teaching you how to survive out in the Wastelands. Oba-san, this is Tia Halibel, the one I told you about the other night."

Seeing his blond companion seemingly frozen in her spot, Ichigo nudges Tia forward to get her to greet his Aunt. Tia, on the other hand, is simultaneously dumbstruck and awed by the fact that the beautiful woman before her is not only the same person who would supposedly maim anyone who calls her a were-cat, but is also going to be her Wastelands survival trainer. Swallowing hard, she tries to speak up as politely as she can. "H…Hello Urahara-san…"

To her surprise, the purple-haired woman flippantly waves her off. "Oh for crying out loud, no honorifics here kid…it sounds so weird coming from someone who hasn't really used them their entire life. But if you need to call me something, how this? I'm Yoruichi-Sensei, and you are Tia-chan, at least until you prove to me you've got what it takes to survive out there with nothing but your skills, knowledge and more importantly, your instinct to survive whatever is thrown at you. That's how we did it with Ichigo, Uryū, Tatsuki, and Ulquiorra, and that's how it's gonna be for you and the twins when I start teaching all of you."

Tia notices one possible name missing from the group. "You didn't train Orihime?"

The purple-haired woman smirks at the blonde. "You are quick; I'll give you that Tia-chan. No, Masaki and Isshin trained Orihime and Lilynette. As well as a few others whom you'll meet tonight and over the next few days…"

Seeing Tia's eyes glance over to her nephew, she looks at him too, then taps her finger on the counter to get his attention. "What?"

Knowing that trying to keep secrets from either his Aunt or Uncle would only prove to be futile, the younger male answers her truthfully. "She's staying home tonight; Tia wants a few days of rest after what she's been through, so I only brought her here to get her measured for her suit. So, can you help her Oba-san?"

Blinking once, Yoruichi nods at them amicably. Straightening and stretching at the same time in a cat-like manner, the golden eyed woman waves for the younger woman to follow her into the back, while casting a glare at the two remaining males. "I catch either of you trying to peek, I'll dig your eyes out with a teaspoon."

Both men hurriedly back away while raising their hands in surrender, letting the women disappear into the back without a single word of protest. Waiting until he hears the thin wooden panel of the changing room slide shut, Ichigo turns to his Uncle and motions towards another section of the store. Walking in silence through the deceptively large interior of the store, they enter through a hidden door and join another man in the back as he looks over two weapons that are partially disassembled with parts being swapped out. Finding seats nearby, Ichigo and Kisuke watch as Tessai quickly reassembles the two weapons and places them on the table alongside another copy of Ichigo's SCAR. As he wipes away the sweat beading his forehead, the black-haired man finally takes a seat with them, the orange-haired teen handing him a steaming cup of tea.

"Ingenious workmanship Boss. If I didn't know who had done this, I would have thought it was your work. Despite his skills and focus in Biology, Chemistry and Genetics, Halibel-san certainly knows enough of his way around Mechanics and Blacksmithing to increase the durability and flexibility of those two weapons, despite the limitations of living in a Vault." The light shining off the man's glasses hide his eyes, but there's no hiding the admiration in his voice from the other two.

Ichigo picks up the pistol, weighing it and grunting his approval. "Balance is much better Tessai-san; did you rework the receiver too?"

Pointing at the pistol in the young man's hand, the older male gives a brief rundown. "The Forty Five didn't need much work, just a composite handle and some cleaning to improve the automatic firing; the same though can't be said for the MP Seven. I had to replace the receiver with a newer alloy one to give it a better life span for sustained usage during long periods of auto and semi-auto firing. I also added three Picatinny rails on the top and sides for extras like your SCAR, and I modified it to accept our new Nano ammunitions; she won't be caught empty handed next time Shiba-dono. Lastly, I built her SCAR to the same exact specifications that the Boss used for yours." The muscular man motions towards the heavy combat rifle which Ichigo lifts up and inspects.

"Nice job Tessai-san. It'll take her some time, but she'll get used to it." Putting the rifle down, he leans back in his seat and idly changes the topic. "Goat-Chin and Kaa-chan told me about who James Halibel is, but I didn't get a chance to ask why he went into that Vault to begin with. So, are you going to tell me Oji-san, or are you going to try and blow smoke up my ass, then tell me that it's none of my business in a less than polite way…?"

The blonde man gives him an amused look. "Actually, it is your business Ichigo." Seeing the orange-haired teen give a start of surprise, he correctly surmises that Ichigo wasn't expecting that answer from him. As his nephew straightens up and leans forward, Urahara begins to tell his story. "James and Catherine Halibel, they were a couple who were both equally brilliant in their respective fields when I first met them. They were originally forced together to work on a rather unusual project…."

XXXX

"Nice body, Tia-chan."

The blonde can only watch as a deep shade of red envelops her entire body, being rather obvious even through her tanned skin as she stands naked in front of a mirror, with Ichigo's Aunt holding her chin in one hand and looking her up and down appraisingly.

"T-Thank you?" Her eyes involuntarily squeeze shut as she feels a finger-tip running up and down her spine, and a quiver of almost-pleasure rippling throughout her body.

"Nice and firm. Good muscle sculpture, hard yet soft in the right places, but your hair needs to be shorten some, it's too long in your face. I'll get Orihime to cut it for you later on, or perhaps we'll leave it tied into braids if you want..?" The older woman muses as she lifts Tia's arms up and away from her body, holding them in position. "Stand still, I want to get these measurements right."

"O-Okay Sensei…" She tries not to fidget as she feels the cold press of a metal-tab under her arm pits.

"So what do you think of Megaton Tia-chan?" Yoruichi asks as she measures the teen's arm from the inside of her armpit to her wrist.

Tia answers truthfully, her mind following the metal tab as it changes places against her skin. "I don't know to be honest. Ichigo plans to show me around when I'm done here."

A less than subtle grunt coming from behind her makes her glance into the mirror to see the older woman writing something on a pad of paper. "Make sure he takes you to see Burns & Smithers for some sweets, that pair of lovebirds make the best sweets in Megaton and, in my opinion, in the Wastes in general."

Sweets. Within the space of a few days, she had gone from escaping her Vault, to surviving an ambush by Raiders, and now to discussing sweets with her future trainer. "...Okay, Sensei."

It seems her pause doesn't go unnoticed by Yoruichi. "What's on your mind Tia-chan? If you don't ask, you won't get an answer."

Biting her lower lip in brief hesitation, she steels herself and recounts the brief conversation she had with Orihime about Ichigo. Yoruichi simply listens quietly until she is done with her tale, then she offers up her own experiences.

"Raiders don't believe in mercy or compassion, as such they act upon those base emotions and...well, the truth is that in our eyes, they are scum, less than animals and insects. Killing, raping, thieving and all those other things they do reek of needless violence and depravity. Regulators and other groups have only one standing order when it comes to Raiders: no prisoners are to be taken. I know Ichigo has explained this to you; what he didn't tell you is that Senna isn't the only loved one he has lost to the scourges of the Wastelands, she is just the one that has hit him the hardest. Isshin's Itoko, Kaien, and his Tsuma Miyako were both killed in a Raider ambush, their bodies desecrated and torn apart for their sick pleasure. Ichigo was probably eight or nine back then...When news got back to us about their deaths, Isshin and Masaki led the party that hunted down and wiped out the gang with far less compassion than Ichigo gave the Gilga siblings."

Tia hears a slight sniffle from behind her, and she drops her head to avoid watching as Yoruichi wipes a tear away. "Kaien and Miyako were good people, and we still miss them to this day." The purple-haired woman concludes stiffly.

Feeling rather awkward in the ensuing silence, the green-eyed teen tries to change the subject by asking if Yoruichi really is Ichigo's Aunt. The older woman gives her a small smile and goes along with the change in subject.

"Why, yes I am. In fact, I am the second oldest. Just to clear it up for you, Ryūken and I share the same Otou-san, while Masaki, Yūshirō and I share the same Okaa-san. It accounts for our different looks."

Tia boggles at that rather complex bit of family history. "Ah, who's Yūshirō?" She finally asks.

Yoruichi grins as she measures Tia's hips. "He's our dear Otouto, and he currently still serves the Brotherhood. You'll meet him if you and Ichigo stop by the Citadel, the old Pentagon building that we took over when we descended upon the ruins of D.C. Because of a shift in the Potomac River after the War, it is nearly an island upon itself; only a small retractable bridge and a secret underground passage still connects it to the Mainland, making it a perfect place to fortify and conquer from... or at least so we thought. Time and changing attitudes found us stuck here, and well, some us went even further and left the Brotherhood."

The blonde-haired teen remembers Ichigo mentioning that to her before. "So, how many left the Brotherhood?"

Yoruichi takes on a faraway look as she brings their names to mind. "Besides me, Ryūken and Masaki, there is Isshin, Starrk, his late-Tsuma…"

XXXX

Forty minutes later, Ichigo turns his head when Yoruichi and Tia come out of the back room laughing together and trying not to look at him. Rolling his eyes, he knows his Aunt must have been talking about him, but he doesn't bother asking about what since it is generally safer for him to simply not know. Getting to his feet, he slings the weapon cases onto his back and tips his head towards his Uncle and Tessai, who is watching from the shadowed doorway of his hidden room.

"I better get her out of here before Oba-san tells her any more embarrassing shit about me Oji-san, Tessai-san. I'll see you guys at the wedding." Heading towards the door, he nods towards Tia and Yoruichi. "And thanks, Oba-san for the loan." Ichigo tosses a small bag to his Aunt, who discreetly slips it back into Tia's pocket.

"Take her to see Burns & Smithers and get her something nice to eat. Tia, if you change your mind, Ichigo will make sure you get something nice to wear." The older woman commands them with a smirk.

Bowing her head slightly to Yoruichi with a smile on her face; the blonde-haired teen replies with genuine warmth in her voice. "I think today and tomorrow I'm gonna rest. If the training sounds even half as harsh as you say it will be, I want to be at one hundred percent for it. Thank you, but I'll pass for this one."

The older woman nods, then her golden eyes stop on her nephew's face. "If Kisuke starts today, we should have her suits done by the end of the week Ichigo. Bring her back in three days so we can do a test fitting and make corrections."

Ichigo nods in acknowledgement. "Hai Oba-san. Later Geta-Boshi."

Bowing her head to the two adults, Tia hurries after Ichigo and tries to take one of the cases off his back. Tessai walks up to join Yoruichi and Kisuke, and the three adults listen as the two teens bicker over who is going to carry what until the door closes behind them. Shaking her head, Yoruichi makes her way behind the counter again and settles back on her chair, before turning her bored gaze on her husband and their best friend.

"So…anything interesting you two want to share?"

XXXX

After visiting the candy shop during the last part of their tour, Ichigo and Tia come across Senna making her way home alone with several bags hanging off of her arms and shoulders. The two teens walk briskly to catch up to her, Ichigo calling out her name.

"Senna. Senna!"

Hearing her name being called, the purple-haired young woman turns towards them and her golden eyes widen with joy, but as she joins the two of them, Tia notices that her face seems rather flushed. "Are you feeling sick Senna?" She asks worriedly.

Ichigo also notices the pale complexion of his sister, and placing a hand on her forehead, he touches the same spot with his lips a moment later. "She's right; you seem to be running a fever Aneki. Drop those bags, we'll take it from here."

Tia grabs three bags while Ichigo grabs the rest. Both the teens take a place on either side of the older teen and slip an arm around her waist. Senna gives them both a grateful look and offers them her reassurances.

"I'm fine Ichigo, Tia. I just felt a bit under the weather suddenly. Kaa-chan sent me home to get ready and told me not to worry about anything, but…" She suddenly stumbles and would have fallen if they hadn't been holding on to her, both teens panicking and trying to hold her steady.

"Senna! / Aneki!" Nearly dropping the bags in their haste, the two younger teens quickly shift their weight and allow the older teen to lean fully against them.

"I…I don't feel so good, Otouto…take me…home." Her head lolls heavily against Tia as she speaks, her eyes drooping shut.

The blonde looks worriedly to her companion. "We better get her to bed Ichigo, maybe one of us should go see your Itoko for help, or maybe go find your Otou-san..."

Ichigo makes a snap decision. "I'll go and get Orihime and Uryū; Goat-Chin will make a big deal out of nothing if I got him. Senna, where is the loon anyways?" He really hopes she knows, so he can avoid stumbling across his Father and getting him involved.

"Tou...Tou-chan is with Kaa-chan and the twins, at the Hall... he's helping them with getting it ready for Mike and Nadia's wedding. He…he also said there are no patients left at the Clinic…should find Hime there with Sōken…" Senna's voice drops even lower as she seems to sag in their arms listlessly.

"Dammit, just hold on until we get you into bed Senna…" Ichigo mumbles, his mind working overtime as he struggles to shift her weight over to himself.

"…Is she going to be okay?" Tia interrupts him with worry in her voice.

"Yeah, she gets these spells from time to time…a side effect from…" His eyes find her green eyes over the slouching form of his adopted sister, and she sees him mouth the rest of his sentence.

The two easily carry the older teen between them and arrive at the house without arousing too many worried inquiries of Senna's health. Dropping their bags in the front hallway of the house, Ichigo gently picks up Senna and carries her to her room. Tia follows behind him silently; worry builds up as to why the older teen would suddenly feel sick. Stopping outside the door to Senna's room, she can only watch as Ichigo places her in bed and pulls the covers up to cover her. Again, she feels something wrong in her gut when she sees him slowly move the other teen's purple locks away from her face, much as a lover would do.

Ichigo takes a seat beside Senna's bed and gently rubs her hand beneath the blanket, watching and waiting until her eyelids begin to flutter open. "Hey Senna. You okay now?"

Her hand shifts beneath the covers as she grips his hand lightly. "I'm sorry Otouto…it came back again didn't it? I really wanted to see Nadia get married today..."

Shaking his head, Ichigo bends down and kisses her forehead. "I know, but I think it'd be best if you stay in bed for a few days. If you want, I'll go get Orihime…" He pauses when she shakes her head no.

Knowing how stubborn she can get when she sets her mind on something, he drops the topic. "In that case, I'll tell Mike and Nadia you're sorry for missing their wedding, but I'm pretty sure they'll still miss seeing you tonight."

She gives him a weak smile. "Thank you Ichigo." Pausing, she looks at Tia. "Why don't you go in my place?"

The blonde-haired teen shakes her head negatively. "I…I still need a few days to adjust myself Senna, to get used to this new life; I'd rather stay here tonight to be honest. I could cook us an easy dinner later so the Kurosaki's don't have to worry about us if you like."

Senna gives her a small smile as she lightly pats her adoptive brother's hand. "Hear that Ichigo? I'll be okay with Tia here watching over me. So go and have some fun Otouto, you need it."

Frowning at his adopted sister, the younger male finally nods his head in acceptance. "Okay. But if you need anything, you know where to find me tonight Tia. Senna, you try and get some rest, and maybe the day after tomorrow the three of us can browse through the shops together. I heard that a new shipment of Pre-War books was found recently by salvagers working near the old Corvega Factory."

"I'd like that Ichigo." The purple-haired teen looks at his blonde companion. "Tia, are you sure you don't mind taking care of me while the rest of the family goes out and leaves us to have fun?" She smirks as Ichigo rolls his eyes in exasperation.

Tia giggles as she answers, having also caught Ichigo's action. "I'm sure we'll be able to attend other weddings in the future…" Her words cut off as she sees the expression on both Ichigo and Senna's faces change suddenly, with Ichigo looking bitter and Senna looked saddened. To her dismay, she realizes that she may have accidentally breached a very sensitive subject for the pair.

Feeling rather uneasy in the resulting silence, Tia gets up and heads for the door the moment she hears the sounds of the Kurosaki family returning home to prepare for the wedding. "Ah…I'll let Masaki-san know that you'll be resting at home Senna." She says in a low voice, shutting the door quietly behind her as she leaves.

Seeing Ichigo look towards the door with a complicated expression on his face, Senna gives his hand a faint squeeze. "You should go and get ready yourself, Otouto…"

Nodding his head, he bends down and kisses her cheek lightly. "I'll miss you when I'm dancing tonight. I was looking forward to showing off my lessons I got from Orihime."

"Having two left feet doesn't mean you can dance." She teases him, grinning as Ichigo rolls his eyes at her again.

"Har har har Senna. Just you rest tonight; we'll be back before you know it, and then in the morning we'll see how you are feeling."

She pushes him lightly. "Yes, yes Doctor Shiba-kun. Now go on, get out of here."

Ichigo gives her another kiss on the cheek before getting up to leave. Watching him go as he closes the door behind him, Senna's eyes are drawn to the pile of clothes lying on her bureau. 'Thank you Ichigo. For everything.'

XXXX

In the kitchen, Tia listens to the youngest of the Kurosaki siblings give her final instructions on how to make the perfect Miso soup, while the other members of the Kurosaki's continue getting ready to leave for the wedding. Nodding her head absently at the appropriate moments in Yuzu's instructions, she wonders if she'll remember half the things she's been told so far in her distracted state, then her attention is diverted when Ichigo's voice breaks up the conversation.

"Oi Yuzu, just let her use one of Kaa-chan's recipe cards that are in the bottom drawer by the ice-box. She can't go wrong with using one of those, can she?" He sends Tia a knowing wink over the light brown-haired teen's head, and she returns him a half-hearted smile.

Yuzu looks like a light bulb just lit up inside her head. "Oh! I forgot I wrote those down! Yes, use any of those Tia-chan, they are all Kaa-chan's easiest recipes that even Ichi-nii could follow." The sandy blonde-haired teen beams at her older brother for the suggestion before turning to whisper to Tia in mock conspiration. "At least someone will appreciate my hard work at ensuring our recipes don't get forgotten."

"Shut it twerp." Ichigo playfully flick's at his younger sister's forehead as she dodges and sticks her tongue out at him.

"Ichigo, Yuzu." Masaki's stern voice stops the two siblings from escalating their playful squabble. As the two of them stand down, she turns to the newest member of their family. "Tia, the recipes are very easy to follow, since they were written clearly enough for even Ichigo and Isshin to follow if the girls and I were not going to be home. If you still have any questions, just ask Senna and she'll tell you what you need to know. Now, children, it's time for us to go. Tia, we should be home sometime after midnight."

The blonde bows her head slightly at the true authoritative figure of the Kurosaki household, before giving the older woman a measure of reassurance with her smile. "Please enjoy yourselves, and don't worry so much about Senna and me. We'll be okay for a few hours on our own."

She promptly finds herself losing the air in her lungs as the Father of the house pops up and squeezes her tightly. "Thank you my Fourth…."

The man is quickly and unceremoniously dropped by fists to either side of his ribcage the Kurosaki Patriarch giving a weak gurgle as the dark-haired twin exchanges smirks with her brother at the results of their joint effort. "Leave her alone you old coot. See ya Tia."

Yuzu waves back at Tia as she leaves the house second after her twin, with Isshin groveling as the next to leave and Masaki softly promising him a cold night if he doesn't behave, leaving only the orange-haired male as he gives her a soft smile before he closes the door behind him.

Standing by herself in the hallway for a few minutes, she takes in the sudden silence and allows her body to relax, the green-eyed teen looks upstairs and comes to a decision. Making her way upstairs, she moves down the hallway until she is standing in front of Senna's room. Overcoming her slight hesitation, she knocks politely for several seconds, and then waits for the older teen to answer. With no response forthcoming, she carefully opens the door just enough for her to peek inside the room.

Seeing Senna lying on her side and facing away from the door, her head barely sticking out from beneath the covers, Tia pushes the door open a bit wider and clears her throat. "Ah, I'm gonna make us something in a few hours…is there anything in particular you want me to try and make Senna?"

The other teen stirs slightly at the sound of Tia's voice. "Just some soup and rice will be fine, Tia. If I feel up to it though, I'm gonna try and take a bath later. Can we wait until then?" As she turns over in the bed, the blanket drops to reveal her face.

Tia instinctively schools her features, her heart pounding wildly at the flash of emotions she could have sworn she had briefly seen in the other girl's eyes. It reminds her eerily of the look Amata had given her just as the blast door closed, a look of longing and resignation at knowing she was probably saying goodbye forever.

"If you need anything Senna, please ask…" Her eyes linger over the other girl's face, looking for some sign, any sign to confirm that what she just saw wasn't just her imagination. Seeing Senna give her a warm but tired smile, the blonde teen starts to wonder if it really was just her imagination playing tricks on her mind, especially with the earlier thoughts she had.

"Maybe you can wash my back if I need help?" Senna's voice startles Tia out of her thoughts, and her request takes the blonde teen even further by surprise. When telling her about Senna, Ichigo had told her that the purple-haired girl didn't let anyone help her with bathing, anyone but Masaki that is.

She isn't sure what has changed now, but she has no intention of refusing this request. "Sure. I'm going to go read for awhile, and then I'll start on dinner when you're done your bath." Waiting until Senna gives her a brief nod before burying her head back under the covers; Tia closes the door behind her, then stands in the corridor for a few seconds debating if she should go find Masaki or Ichigo immediately. In the end, she decides not to disturb them at the wedding over just a gut feeling.

'Maybe, it's just me…'

XXXX

To say Urahara Yoruichi is beyond exasperated would be an understatement, as she finally spots her younger sister and her husband along with their older brother, Ishida Ryūken, near the table of the parents of the newly married couple. Dodging numerous requests to be heir partner for the next dance, the golden-eyed woman smoothly rebuffs their invitations, citing her need to spend some time with her family.

Since the wedding began, she had been on the constant lookout for her adopted purple-haired niece, hoping to ease the growing worry in her gut, but with each minute that passed without her seeing Senna that worry only grew. Sidling up to her brother, Yoruichi slips her arm through his as she greets her siblings.

"Hello Ryūken-nii, Imouto... oh, and you too Isshin-kun." She sees the former Shiba male fake a pout at her obvious tease.

"You do know I'm older than you Yori." The black-haired Kurosaki male remarks boastfully back at his sister-in-law.

His momentary pride is shut down immediately by her swift rebuttal. "Age wise that is true Isshin-kun, but I don't need to remind anyone here that mentally, even my Mei Yuzu and Karin are far more mature than you." She pauses, and then gets to her main question. "Speaking of my Mei, where is Senna?"

Masaki frowns as she answers her older sister. "Senna's in bed, she had a relapse of her illness earlier Yoruichi-nee. She's not alone though, Tia stayed behind as she too wanted a few days of rest after everything she's been through."

Yoruichi had carefully positioned herself where an interested party could hear their answer; in her peripheral vision, she sees the Sherriff of Megaton lean towards his older daughter and say something quietly, before the two of them slowly begin to move through the crowd in the direction of her younger sister's house. Knowing that Coyote Starrk is just as worried about her niece as she is, Yoruichi feels a sense of relief coursing through her now that the Sherriff is on his way to check up on the two home-bound teens. Turning her gaze back fully to her siblings, she sees Ryūken's eyes following the Sherriff briefly before they sweep down towards her, the question in his eyes easy to interpret.

'I'll tell you later.' She mouths discretely to her brother.

Looking back to the main group in the center of the wooden dance floor, she immediately spots Ichigo and the bride dancing together while the crowd clap and cheer them on with exuberance. Her eyes quickly find Yuzu and Karin standing to one side with their cousins Ururu and Jinta under the watchful eyes of Tatsuki and Orihime, while Ulquiorra and Uryū are having a quiet conversation with Mike, the groomsman, along with Hirako Shinji, the Captain of Megaton's detachment of Regulators.

It is with a hint of sadness she turns away from the group, knowing that two of their precious teens aren't here celebrating the marriage of two members of their age group. She draws herself into her thoughts as she ponders on the what-ifs of Kisuke's current research.

'Hang in there Senna, Chad…we're close, so very close now.'

XXXX

Staring down at the bundle of clothes sitting on the edge of the sink counter, Senna slowly lifts the shirt she had used to hide the three items now lying before her blurry eyes. Her fingertips ghost hesitantly over the first vial, and then she firms her resolve, picks it up, twists the cap off the small glass bottle and drinks it down to the last drop. Placing the emptied vial to one side of the tub, she picks up the second vial and drains that one just as quickly as the first, placing it next to the first vial when she is done. Almost immediately she feels the effects of the two vials begin to course through her body, and she forcefully holds herself steady by grabbing onto the edge of the sink as she gazes one last time into the mirror that is slowly being covered by condensation.

Taking a deep breath and pushing herself away from the sink, she walks calmly to the steaming bath and quietly steps into its hot embrace. Sliding down and settling herself into a comfortable position, she lifts the third item from the cloth and blinks as the light reflects off its shining metal surface. Closing her eyes, she doesn't flinch or make a sound as it digs into her skin three, four times, then she repeats the process again with the other side. Letting it drop when she is done, she leans back in the soothing water and allows her mind to drift into darkness.

XXXX

Tia looks up at the clock on the wall and realizes that twenty minutes have passed since Senna had said she was going to take a bath. The older teen had given her a mild scare when she suddenly spoke to her from the top of the stairs and informed her that she was feeling well enough to take a bath on her own, declining Tia's offer of help with washing her back. The sense of dread that had been gnawing at the pit of her stomach since earlier had only grown since then, and she had found herself glancing up at the clock every few minutes or so. Suddenly realizing that she hasn't heard a single noise emanating from upstairs since the sound of water flowing had stopped earlier, the sense of unease rapidly builds up with full force, and the lack of noise and her growing hunger has her climbing the stairs while calling up to the older teen.

"Senna. Senna, are you okay?" There is no reply, and she quickens her steps as she heads towards the bathroom.

Stopping just outside of the upstairs bathroom door, she hesitates, then gently knocks and calls out again.

"Senna. Are you okay in there?" Again hearing no reply, she tests the handle; finding it unlocked, she slowly pushes the door in...

And steps into a scene of blood.

"SENNA!" Tia screams in panic and terror, rushing towards the bathtub filled with a crimson-tinted liquid and pulling the slightly submerged woman up out of the tepid water, then hurriedly pulling out the plug to allow the cooling liquid to drain from the tub.

Trying to find the source of the blood as the water slowly recedes, Tia lifts Senna's arm out of the water and immediately spots the red liquid dripping from the underside of the other teen's wrist. Carefully turning it over, she pales at the four deep incisions in her wrist, each of them leaking crimson life fluid. Her mind scrambling to remember everything she can of First Aid, she keeps the arm with the wrist facing upwards and quickly scans the room for something to use as a bandage or tourniquet. Spotting the set of clothes left lying on the counter, one that her mind absently notes was obtained from the corrupt merchant yesterday, she rummages through them up and snatches up the shirt. Carefully placing Senna's arm on the side of the tub with the wrist facing upwards, she begins to tear the shirt into long strips to bind the wounds, but on hearing the remaining bath water swirl down the plumbing, she glances at Senna and immediately regrets the decision.

Only her quick reaction allows the remnants of her breakfast and lunch to heave onto the bathroom floor instead of splattering Senna's uncovered body, as Tia finally sees firsthand the abuse that had been wrought on the body of the purple-haired teen at the hands of the Santa Anna. As she continues to dry heave onto the floor, her horrified gaze is drawn back to older teen's body, a living testament of what she might have had to endure if Ichigo hadn't saved her, the proof of the horrific ordeal that Senna had endured and had barely survived. She now remembers that even when helping to wash her back, Senna had taken great care to keep her body covered at all times; she hadn't questioned it at the time, but now she finally understands why.

Starting near the neck beneath her collarbone and traveling downwards are numerous long-faded lines that crisscross the entire front of Senna's body. Bile again threatens to erupt from her throat as she takes in the damage on Senna's breasts, one of the areola being mangled almost beyond recognition, while the other is bisected by a scar that starts from her shoulder and ends below her ribs. Smaller scars littering her stomach and sides indicate that she had been stabbed repeatedly during her ordeal, while longer scars that stretch across her pale olive skin suggest torture by being sliced repeatedly. The worst ones, though, are the multitude of tiny starburst scars that litter Senna's womb and ovaries, before disappearing into the thatch of purple pubic hair that conceal her genitalia. The scars had to have come from a narrow, pointed weapon, and it could only mean that someone had cruelly, and deliberately, targeted that area of Senna's body.

A small whispery breath pulls her from her state of shock, and she almost leaps towards Senna, the finger held to her throat indicating a very weak pulse.

"SENNA! What did you do!?" Tia frantically slaps the purple-haired woman a few times trying to rouse her to consciousness, and to her immense relief, Senna's eyes slowly blink open in response to the external stimulation.

"I-I'm going to get help, just hang on!" The blonde tries to move away only for the other teen to weakly grasp at her hand, the slender fingers providing no more grip than a wet piece of paper, but feeling to her like the heaviest of shackles. She stands there, her entire body trembling as the fingers weakly slide over her hand and clasp it gently.

"Don't." The golden-eyed girl softly commands. "It is too late Tia, too late for anyone to stop this."

At Senna's calm and accepting words, the pit in her stomach yawns even wider; the involuntary twitch of her hand accidentally dislodging the two bottles from the side of the tub and sending them clattering to the floor next to Tia. Slowly bending down and picking them up with her shaky hand, she reads the labels and immediately recognizes the names from her time spent working in her own Father's office: the first is a blood thinner, and the other is a powerful opiate used to sedate patients in extreme pain. Sagging to her knees, she stares blankly at the bottles through her increasingly blurry vision, barely feeling the hand that squeezes her own gently in comfort and just wanting to ask those dimming golden orbs why.

"Why Senna? Why did you do this?" Tia voices croaks out in confusion.

"I'll tell you…if you promise me two things…Tia. They aren't very hard things to keep…but I think only you will keep them…" A weak breath. "Promise me…and I'll tell you."

"I promise! I swear it Senna, but please let me get help first! Please!"

Senna smiles, her teeth covered in watery blood. "Promises first Tia-chan….we don't have much…time."

She promises in a hoarse voice, feeling warm wetness flow down her cheeks. "Tell me, and I swear it…"

A hand weakly reaches out and cups her cheek. "First promise Tia…Keep Ichigo happy…guard his love…One day, give him what I could…never give him…" A faint gasp. "You…and…he are…so…alike…knew…the….moment…I…seen him…looking at you…the same…way…he does…with me..."

"I-I don't understand Senna, what can I give him that you can't?" She stares desperately into the fading golden orbs, hoping to find an answer.

The other female's lips twitch in a small smile. "You'll understand…when…the time comes….Tia. Promise me…" Senna's eyes begin to drift shut, her breathing slowing down until she is shaken roughly.

"I promise dammit! Senna, I promise! God dammit, stay awake! Please!" Choking sobs fill the room now, Tia's hands grasping tightly to the limp hand lying within hers. Senna's eyes flutter open again, but it clearly takes her more effort to stay awake this time.

"Good... good girl…Now…the second…promise is easy…Promise me…you'll…tell them thank you…for...letting…me live…this…beautiful…dream…" Her voice audibly weakens towards the end, and very real terror starts to set in for Tia.

"Senna! Dammit…what dream!? Stay awake dammit! SENNA!" She doesn't want to know what dream it is, doesn't want to hear it. All she knows right now is that Senna is slipping away from her, sliding into a never-ending sleep.

The purple-haired teen's eyes are no longer focused on her, seeming to gaze beyond the walls of the bathroom. "These...last three years….have…h-have been the happiest…..days of m-my…life…Tia. I…don't…want…..to…..to wake..up…and find…..the….dream….is...over..." The last words come out as a quiet exhale, and Senna's head droops limply to the side. The hand within her grasp slowly slides from her cheek, numb fingers tightening reflexively to hold it in place.

Tia stares blankly at the silent body for a few moments, before a haze of action descends on her mind. Sliding her arms beneath Senna's body, she carefully lifts her out of the tub and places her on the floor, leaning her against the side of the now drained tub. Blinking through the blurry wetness of her vision, she fumbles with the cloth strips, wrapping them quickly around the puncture wounds then holding Senna's arms above the level of her heart to slow the blood flow. Knowing she can't do anymore unless she gets help, Tia flies towards the bathroom window and throws it up, screaming as she does.

"HELP ME! GOD, PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP ME! ANYONE! SOMEONE! PLEASE!"

Against all odds, she hears a familiar voice answer her from nearby. "Tia?"

Looking down, Tia nearly crumbles at seeing the first two people she met after Ichigo walking towards the Kurosaki home.

Quickly she shouts down at Sheriff Starrk and his daughter Lilynette. "Sheriff Starrk! Senna cut herself and took some drugs! She's dying, Sheriff! Please help me! Help me save her!"

The taller male begins to run for the front door. "Lilynette! Go back to the wedding and inform Isshin and Ryūken that we have an emergency and we'll meet them at the Clinic! Hurry! Tia, I'm coming up! Find anything you can to wrap her body in, we need to keep her from going into shock!" Coyote Starrk's voice is loud and determined, his presence giving her hope even as she hears the front door of the residence slam open and hurried footsteps thundering up the stairs.

The bathroom door slams open, and she sees Coyote Starrk standing in the doorway, panting lightly and looking slightly disheveled. The moment he catches sight of Senna's limp uncovered body, he curses again and whirls around. "Towels! Where can I get a towel or blanket!?"

She blinks, and remembers seeing Ichigo grabbing her blankets from a hidden closet, located right beside the closet holding the bath towels. Both closets are situated in the wall opposite the bathroom door, in the same direction that Starrk is looking at now. "The wall you're facing, there are two closets, one contains blankets and the other one contains bath towels." She rattles off the information quickly as she moves back towards Senna's limp form.

The Sheriff quickly spots the false wall and pulls it back to reveal the neatly stacked bath towels. Pulling out a few, he enters the bathroom and quickly wraps them around Senna's body in several layers, then slides his arms beneath her body and lifts her in a princess carry.

"Quickly Tia, follow me." Starrk enters the room closest to the bathroom and sits on the bed, holding the now-wrapped teen easily in his arms as he gives directions. "The makeshift bandages are okay but they won't last, get a few more bandages and towels here and find something to bind them with."

Doing as she is told, she quickly stumbles from the room, grabs several more bath towels from the closet and bring them back to the room. The dark-haired Sheriff immediately grabs and tears long strips from them and binds them more securely on top of the blood-soaked ones already bound around Senna's wrists.

"Tia, find something, anything we can use as a tourniquet, the bandages won't hold if we can't slow down her blood flow." Starrk's voice gently and urgently reminds her, and she immediately starts moving again.

Remembering the rope hanging coiled on the wall in Ichigo's former room, she runs over to the room and throws the door wide open. Glancing to where she knows she has seen it, she finds several coils of rope, grabbing them along with the small knife he had given her from the top of his bureau before running back to the room where Starrk is trying to save Senna. Uncoiling the rope as she bursts into the room, she begins to cut long pieces off and hands them to the Sheriff who immediately ties them tightly around two towel strips high up on Senna's arms, before quickly tying a few more around the blood-spotted towels on Senna's wrists. With that done, he wraps a large blanket around Senna's body and lifts her again in a bridal carry, just in time to hear the sounds of someone burst in through the front door and bound up the wooden stairs two at a time. She automatically turns to face the door as the thundering footsteps draw closer.

"SENNA! SENNA! SE…." Ichigo's voice cuts off as he appears in the doorway, his face paling drastically at the sight of Senna wrapped in blankets and carried in Sheriff Starrk's arms. "S-Senna?" His voice comes out as little more than a shaky croak as he stares at the limp form of his adopted older sister.

She sees his eyes blurring with water as he stares at the limp form of his adopted sister. He doesn't move even when Starrk begins to speak to him, he only stares.

"Ichigo, Senna's badly injured, we need to get to the hospital right now." The Sheriff pauses, but doesn't see any movement from the orange-haired teen. "Ichigo?"

Sensing that the younger man might be mentally shutting down, Starrk immediately changes tactic. "Tia, slap him. Now."

She slaps him, and the young man nearly staggers as he refocuses on the present. "Glad you're back with us Ichigo. We need to get Senna to the hospital now, so start moving. The more time we waste, the more danger she's in. Move!"

The Sheriff's last word comes out as a barked order and the two teens scramble to obey him. Shaking his head rapidly to clear out his shock, Ichigo grabs Tia's arm and begins to guide her out of the room and down the stairs, the Sheriff following them closely behind with Senna cradled carefully in his arms. As they exit the house, Ichigo suddenly scoops Tia up in his arms, and both the brown-eyed teen and Sheriff Starrk begin running faster than she even thought possible, their surroundings passing them in a rapid blur. Within two minutes they cross the doorway to the Ishida's Clinic, a distance that had previously taken her almost an hour to cover when Ichigo escorted her back from the clinic. She absently notes that both the Sherriff and Ichigo show no signs of exertion from the blistering pace, and would normally have wondered just who these people really are, but right now all she cares about is making sure that Senna is safe. After Ichigo places her feet on the ground, both he and the Sheriff hurry inside the clinic and disappear from sight before she can do or say anything.

Doing her best to follow them in, Tia retraces her footsteps all the way to the operating room that she had her checkup in. Peering in through the door, she glimpses Isshin standing to one side, his normally happy demeanor replaced with fear and worry as his gaze remains solely fixed on his daughter's blanket-wrapped, limp body being gently placed on the table by Sheriff Starrk. She sees Uryū standing to one side, his hand gripping the shoulder of a clearly distraught Ichigo, while an older, white-haired man with Uryū's features directs Orihime to prepare for the operation. The final person in the room is a woman she has never seen before, her black hair tucked neatly under a cap of some kind and standing near the doorway. Noticing her looking in, the woman points behind her, then quietly shuts the door, preventing her from seeing any more and keeping out anyone who might get in the way of the operation.

For a long moment, Tia stands there staring blankly at the door, half expecting it to open again and let her look in. When she finally accepts that it will not be opening again anytime soon, she slowly turns around, only to face a sea of worried and anxious faces all staring at her from inside the waiting room. Seeing that her attention is finally on them, Masaki quickly makes her way over to the young blonde and gently grabs her by the shoulders.

"Tell me what happened Tia-chan." Her voice is soft, commanding, and holds no reprimand.

Unable to hold in her feelings any longer, Tia begins to cry profusely as she tells Senna's adoptive mother what had happened after they had left for the wedding.

XXXX

No one knows how long they waited; only that Tia had cried herself into an exhausted sleep after explaining the entire horrific sequence of events to a shocked and tearful audience. Their wait comes to an abrupt and violent end as the door to the operating room slams open and Ichigo stumbles out in a daze, his eyes wild and feral as he gazes blankly at the room filled with family, extended family and friends. His mouth works silently, trying and failing to convey his thoughts and feelings, then he gives Masaki and the twins an indecipherable look. His gaze shifts to Tia, who had woken up when the door slammed open, and the lost look in his eyes sends a feeling of intense dread reeling through her body. Turning away from them, he simply pushes past the others and dashes out of the clinic without saying a word.

Having remained on her feet all throughout the wait, Masaki slowly turns to stare at the door to the operating room. The occupants slowly file out; Coyote Starrk is the first to exit, his hat pulled low over his eyes, and he gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze as he passes by. Cold fear gripping her heart, she takes a half-step forward only to halt as her nephew comes out next, his arm wrapped around his wife and her face hidden in her hands. She watches as Uryū steps into a corner and pulls Orihime fully into his arms, her silent sobs visibly racking her body as she buries her head into his chest.

'No!' Masaki's mind screams out, trying to deny what she is seeing, refusing to accept what she is seeing. Turning back and taking another step towards the room, she finds herself being wrapped in the arms of her older brother, with her sister-in-law Kanae standing behind him and wiping at the silent tears that course down her cheeks.

Ryūken speaks up, his usually calm and collected voice sounding raspy and wet. "We... we did everything we could for her, Imouto. I…I'm so sorry…" He tightens his hold on his baby sister as his words finally register in his younger sister's mind.

Masaki's legs nearly give out from beneath her, and she would have fallen if Ryūken wasn't holding her up. "N-No! No! No Ryūken! Please…" She is cut off by her husband's wail of grief, a sound she had only heard once, years before.

"No...Not my Senna! Please, don't take her away! Please give her back!" The Kurosaki Patriarch's sobs echo clearly from the room, a torrential outpouring of grief from a broken man.

Hearing this final confirmation of their worst nightmare, Karin and Yuzu tear themselves from Tia's arms and rush into the room, their grief-stricken wails soon joining with those of their Father's. Her mind in a daze, Masaki gently pulls away from her brother and pushes past him into the operating room, nodding distantly to the black-haired woman who gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving, then she closes the door behind her before joining her family in vocalizing their anguish and sorrow.

Left alone outside in her grief, Tia finds herself starting to tremble violently until a pair of arms suddenly wrap themselves around her. Giving a watery look towards their owner, she sees Ichigo's Aunt Yoruichi gazing sadly back at her with her golden-orbs shining like liquid gold.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this Tia-chan, do you understand me?" The older woman growls out softly, squeezing her once for emphasis. "If anyone is to blame, it is us...We should have kept a closer eye on her than we did, we even suspected that something was wrong with her by how she was acting, but even I... even I didn't think she'd go this far…"

Tia tries to vocalize her thoughts, her regrets. "Y-Yoruichi-Sensei…I had a feeling, but I…I didn't want to believe, didn't want to think she…was…" The words start to choke in her throat; seeing understanding dawn in the older woman's eyes, she forces the words out, struggles to continue speaking. "…I-I thought she was fine…but…the bath went on too long…there was no sound…and then….and then I found her….like that…all bleeding and..." Fresh sobs burst from her again as she lets herself be held, desperately drawing comfort from Yoruichi's arms around her shivering body. Her own arms tightly wrapping around her would-be mentor, she tearfully whispers the promises that Senna had sworn her to keep into Yoruichi's ear.

'Dammit Senna…why, why couldn't you have just waited a little while longer?'

Almost as if mirroring her thoughts, a loud crash sounds out from Kisuke's direction as he slowly removes his fist from the dent in the wall. Turning in place, he starts to stride towards the entrance of the clinic, only pausing when Yoruichi asks him where he is going.

The shopkeeper's words feel distant as he answers his wife without turning. "Watch over Tia, Yori; I need to make sure he holds it together until after the funeral. Then…then he can do what he needs to do to grieve."

XXXX

AN: Sorry it took so long to finish this chapter folks, a lot of personal issues have come up in regards to the fire we had in July and with me getting pretty sick a lot lately led to me not feeling motivated or having the energy to do anything including writing seriously. I am glad to report that the motivation is back but the updates will still be slow as I have to find a new place to live when my lease is up this February. Our landlord sorta when crazy last month from being nice to demanding we leave two months early in a matter of days, at least until we told her to have our unused rent money in her hands. Since then, not a peep from her, guess she spent it already.

So with that out of the way, I am happy to say I am currently re-writing the next chapter for Naberius because as I was sitting around doing nothing but trying to recover from my various ailments, I read my own story again and realized I was writing a colossal blunder in regards to the plot for the next chapter. Hence, I had to discard the chapter at 4000 words and start all over with a new approach. If everything works out, it should be ready sometime in late January or early February. Then new chapters for all my other stories will follow after that in no certain order.

Now before I go, I forgot to mention that for those of you familiar with the Fallout universe, I will be taking liberties to help me in writing my stories. Most of you are used to me throwing canon and lore out the window if it doesn't suit my writing; expect nothing less for this story as well. And for those of you who play the game, I think you might see familiar references to certain things in the story as it progresses. I will give credit to the actual mod authors at the end of the chapter they appear in for the use of their materials. One I fixed in the last chapter. So, I will see everyone with the release of the next Naberius Heir chapter.

Liam

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Response to Reviews: Thankfully no one asked any questions that needed to be answered, but thank you again to you guys and gals for the awesome reviews and I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.

XXXX

Ichigo's stealth suit inspired by the mod 'Reinforced Chinese Stealth Suit' created by gaijune.

XXXX

Translations List
Honorifics

-san (さん) : Used to address people with a generic level of respect (equivalent to Mr/Mrs/Ms)

-sama (様) : Used to address people with a higher level of respect (equivalent to Master/Madam)

-chan (ちゃん) : Used to address people with familiarity (usually females)

-kun (君) : Used to address people with familiarity (usually males)

-dono (どの): Used to address people with great respect (equivalent to Lord/Lady)

-ue (上) : Used to address one's parents with great respect

Addressing people by their family name without honorifics can be seen as disrespectful.

Addressing people by their given name without honorifics implies a high degree of familiarity.

People may not always use the same honorific when addressing the same person; it depends on the situation and what they are feeling at the moment.

Special

-tachi (たち) : Used as a suffix to refer to a group

Family Titles

Chichi (父) / Otō (お父) : Father, usually addressed as Chichi-ue or Otō-san/sama (also written as Otou)

Haha (母) / Okā (お母) : Mother, usually addressed as Haha-ue or Okā-san/sama (also written as Okaa)

Ani (兄) / Onī (お兄) : Older Brother, usually addressed as Aniki or Onī-san/sama (also written as Onii)

Ane (姉) / Onē (お姉) : Older Sister, usually addressed as Aneki or Onē-san/sama (also written as Onee)

Otōto (弟) : Younger Brother, usually addressed as Otōto-san/chan (also written as Otouto)

Imōto (妹) : Younger Sister, usually addressed as Imōto-chan (also written as Imouto)

Sofu (祖父) / Ojī (お爺) : Grandfather, usually addressed as Ojī-san/sama (also written as Ojii)

Sobo (祖母) / Obā (お婆) : Grandmother, usually addressed as Obā-san/sama (also written as Obaa)

Oji (叔父) : Uncle, usually addressed as Oji-san (not to be mistaken with Grandfather/Ojī-san)

Oba (叔母): Aunt, usually addressed as Oba-san (not to be mistaken with Grandmother/Obā-san)

Itoko (いとこ) : Cousin (can be written with different Kanji depending on age, gender and which side of the family they come from)

Oi (甥) : Nephew

Mei (姪) : Niece

Kyōfu (教父) : Godfather, usually addressed as Kyōfu-san/sama

Kyōbo (教母) : Godmother, usually addressed as Kyōbo-san/sama

Ōoji (大叔父) : Great-Uncle, usually addressed as Ōoji-san

Ōoba (大叔母) : Great-Aunt, usually addressed as Ōoba-san

Sōsofu (曽祖父) : Great-Grandfather, usually addressed as Sōsofu-sama

Sōsobo (曽祖母) : Great-Grandmother, usually addressed as Sōsobo-sama

Keifu (継父) : Stepfather

Keibo (継母) : Stepmother

Mamamusuko (継息子) : Stepson

Mamamusume (継娘) : Stepdaughter

Relations

Otto (夫) / Goshujin (ご主人) : Husband, usually addressed as Goshujin-san/sama

Tsuma (妻) / Oku (奥) : Wife, usually addressed as Oku-san

Musuko (息子) : Son, usually addressed as Musuko-san

Musume (娘) : Daughter, usually addressed as Musume-san

Magomusuko (孫息子) : Grandson

Magomusume (孫娘) : Granddaughter

Ryōshin (両親) : Parents (also written as Ryoushin)

Sofubo (祖父母) : Grandparents

Keifubo (継父母) : Step-parents

Fūfu (夫婦) : Married Couple

Kyōdai (兄弟) : Brothers (can also refer to Siblings in general)

Shimai (姉妹) : Sisters

Itoko (いとこ) : Cousins

Kodomo (子供) : Children

Mago (孫) : Grandchildren

Kazoku (家族) : Family

Shinseki (親戚) : Relatives

Dōhōshu (同胞種) : Siblings

Nakama (仲間) : Comrades

Tomodachi (友達) : Friends

Senpai (先輩) : Senior (also written as Sempai, can be used as a suffix '-senpai')

Kōhai (後輩) : Junior (also written as Kouhai, can be used as a suffix '-kouhai')

Sensei (先生) : Teacher, Doctor, Respected Person

Deshi (弟子) : Student, Apprentice

Informal

Tō-chan (父ちゃん) : Dad (also written as Tou-chan)

Kā-chan (母ちゃん) : Mom (also written as Kaa-chan)

Nī-chan (兄ちゃん) : Big Bro (also written as Nii-chan)

Nē-chan (姉ちゃん) : Big Sis (also written as Nee-chan)

Jī-chan (爺ちゃん) : Gramps (also written as Jii-chan)

Bā-chan (婆ちゃん) : Granny (also written as Baa-chan)

Disrespectful

Oyaji (親父) : Old Man

Sochi (其方) : Junior (usually son)

Jiji (爺) : Old Geezer

Baba (婆) : Old Crone

Bō (ぼう) / Bōzu (ぼうず) : Boy (also written as 'bou/bouzu', can be used as a suffix '-bou/bouzu')

Boya (ボヤ) : Boy (literal translation, used as a suffix '-boya')

Insulting

Teme (てめ) : Jerk, Bastard etc. (can be used as a suffix '-teme')

Dobe (どべ) : Dumbass, Moron etc. (lit. Dead Last)

Baka (バカ) : Stupid

Hentai (変態) : Pervert

Chibi (チビ) : Midget, Runt

Gaki (ガキ) : Brat (can be used as a suffix '-gaki')

Speech

Yare Yare (やれやれ) : My my (exasperation)

Ara Ara (あらあら) : My my (surprise)

Maa Maa (まあまあ) : There there (comforting / calming down)

Moshi Moshi (もしもし) : Hello (greeting over a phone)

Hai (はい) : Yes

Ano (あの) : Umm...

Are (あれ) : Huh?

Yosh (よし) : Alright! (excited)

Yosh yosh (よしよし) : Good good (approval)

Itadakimasu (いただきます) : Let's eat (appreciative)

Gochisousama deshita (御馳走様でした) : Thank you for the feast (appreciative)

Arigatō Gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) : Thank you very much

Dōitashimashite (どういたしまして) : You're welcome

Ohayō (お早う) : Good morning

Konnichiwa (今日は) : Hello/Good day

Konbanwa (こんばんは) : Good evening

Nicknames

Geta-Bōshi (ゲタ帽子) : Hat-and-Clogs (refers to Kisuke's choice of clothing)

Yagi-Ago (山羊顎) : Goat-chin (refers to Isshin's scruffy beard)

Ichigo (苺) : Strawberry (a play on Ichigo's given name)

Ichi (一) : Shortform for Ichigo (一護)

Tats (竜) : Shortform for Tatsuki (also written as Tatsu)

Suki (好き) : Shortform for Tatsuki (also means to Like)

Hime (姫) : Shortform for Orihime (also means Princess)

Yori (ヨリ) : Shortform for Yoruichi