Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this story. I am having a ton of fun writing it, and have a lot of plans for this fan-fiction. Input is always appreciated, especially criticism. I use online fanfictions to improve my writing. My goal is to one day be published, so any suggestions would help a ton! Thanks, and enjoy chapter 2!

I do not own bleach, this is a non-profit fan fiction

Rukia walks at a quickened pace down the sidewalk, cursing herself for fueling her caffeine addiction.

'You couldn't have just had a cup at home could you Rukia? Nooooo you need starbucks because its sugary and tasty and…' Rukia takes another sip of her Frappuccino, smiling sweetly as the delectable concoction of coffee, crème and sweetener trickles down her throat. 'Completely worth it.' She arrives at the station just as the train is about to depart. She skirts into the metro just in time, barely missing the doors as they close behind her. Unfortunately, she enters the train a bit too fast, and struggles to stop her momentum. The raven-haired girl clumsily crashes into a man standing with his back to the door. She is met with an unforgiving wall of muscle, and is sent stumbling backwards. Rukia desperately attempts to catch herself, but to no avail. She clenches her eyes, and awaits the inevitable pain that is to come. In a flash, the stranger she had slammed into turns and seizes her hand, barely saving her from the unforgiving floor. Rukia slowly opens her eyes to find the concerned gaze of her savior.

"Are you okay ma'am?" the man asks, pulling her upright.

Rukia shakes herself back to reality, smiling sweetly at the poor man who had to experience her "Kuchiki Grace." "Yes! I am fine!" She blurts as she struggles to cope with her embarrassment. "I am so sorry for running into you like that, I was in a hurry and didn't notice you standing here…" She trails off as she studies the exotic looking gentleman. 'How could I not notice this guy…' she thinks to herself while staring at the messy orange tuff sitting atop the man's head. He towers over her, standing well over six feet tall. His navy tee clings to his body, revealing the physic of a Greek God. She blushes slightly, as his powerful amber eyes look her over, a bit of worry present in his gaze. She steps away from the man, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "Thank you, and again I really wanted to say that I'm..."

The man, seeing that Rukia is unharmed, waves his hand in a dismissive manner before turning away. "It's no big deal really, as long as you're not hurt then everything is fine."

Rukia can feel her blood heat a bit at the man's blatant disregard for her apology. Still, she counts her blessings that he seems to be fine with the whole situation. Taking another deep breath, she tries to lose herself in the icy beverage that she so thoroughly enjoys…

"Hey, I think this belongs…well belonged to you."

Looking In horror, Rukia follows the direction the orange haired man is pointing to find her Frappuccino covering his shoes. "Oh…fuck me…" Rukia mumbles before preparing to let another barrage of apologizes loose.

Before she can begin, the scratchy voice of the conductor rings over the speaker, "Hello passengers, we are now arriving at Karakura Town. Please grab all of your possessions and prepare to depart."

The handsome man waves her off again, passing her without a hint of anger in his expression. "Well, this is my stop. Don't worry about the shoes, I'll get them cleaned somewhere, have a good day miss."

Rukia stares at the man in disbelief as he exits the metro. She stands in shock, flabbergasted by the mans incredibly calm demeanor. The doors begin to close just as Rukia realizes that she has to exit as well. She springs forward, thanking God for her slim physic as she barely squeezes through. After passing through the doors, she races after the man in order to ease her guilt. "WAIT!" she screams, her feet pounding the pavement as she chases him down.

He flinches at the shrill shriek, turning to find the short woman closing in on him. "Look, I told you it was fine, can you please leave me alone?" This time, he doesn't try to hide the attitude in his tone, as he begins to feel annoyed with the girls persistence.

Still panting, Rukia shakes her head and states through heavy breaths, "No, I can't! I'm sorry if you find this annoying, but I cannot allow you to walk away with your shoes looking like that! If you let that coffee sit for much longer they'll be ruined, and those things don't look cheap. I heard that there's a good shoe shiner a few blocks from here, the least you can let me do is pay to get your shoes cleaned."

The man groans, running a hand through his thick mane. "Look, I worked late last night and I'm exhausted, could you please just drop this whole…"

"Nope," Rukia states bluntly. She seizes him by the hand and drags him down the sidewalk.

For a moment, he considers resisting, but ultimately surrenders when he feels the girls grip tighten around his palm. 'Guess there's no escaping her' the man thinks to himself, defeated. He trudges along, following her direction as they go.

After dragging him to the end of the station, she whips the man into the chair and hands the shoe shiner a 10. "Make sure his shoes are immaculate okay? I kinda owe him one."

The man flashes a crooked smile toward Rukia while pouring the cleaning solution onto his dirty rag. "Anything for you sweet cheeks."

Rukia keeps a smile in place, despite feeling her stomach flip in disgust. Her orange haired captive notices her discomfort, and does his best to hide his smirk.

The shoe shiner sends a wink toward Rukia before turning and beginning to clean the coffee from the man's shoes. Rukia watches the whole time, frowning as she notices the man's grim expression throughout the entire session. "You know, most people would at least act like they appreciated the gesture," Rukia growls.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember asking for this," the man states defensively.

The two lock eyes, the tension between them building to a fever pitch.
"Sorry to break up the lover's quarrel, but I'm done. You two can leave now, you're scaring me if I'm being honest."

"WE'RE NOT LOVERS!" The two scream in unison, scaring the shoe shiner into a deep silence.

After the shoe shiner finishes, the orange haired man, inspects his shoes. He can't help but feel a bit appreciative as he admires the revitalized Italian leather. "Wow, I hate to admit it but they look fantastic!" Just as Rukia begins to swell with pride, the man lets a mischievous grin spread across his face, "thanks midget!"

Rukia's face darkens to a beet-red as her rage finally boils over. "DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME MIDGET YOU…YOU..." She struggles to find an insult as her frustration clouds her mind. Her eyes settle on the man's orange mane, and she smirks as she shouts "YOU STRAWBERRY."

The man is caught completely off guard at the unorthodox insult, staring at the girl in complete shock. "Str…Strawberry?... of all the possible insults in the world, you settled on strawberry?"

Rukia points to his hair, grinning, "What? I think it's fitting, don't you?"

The man ponders for a moment, before realizing the context of her barb. He scoffs, turning away swiftly to try to mask the blush burning at his cheeks. Unfortunately, it seems the girl did not miss this detail, as a triumphant grin spreads her lips to their limit. "Alright fine, I'll admit that that was pretty good…" He pauses for a moment before asking, "Do you speak Japanese?"

Rukia, confused by the random question, retorts, "Uhhh, yea. Now, why is that relevant?"

The man blushes as he admits, "Well, considering my name is Ichigo, your barb is actually a lot better than you originally thought."

Rukia bites her lip as she desperately tries to hold back the laughter that is clawing at her throat to escape. She clenches her eye lids shut, and does everything in her power to keep herself from bursting. Despite her efforts, it is to no avail. She explodes into a fit of hysterical laughter as she points and mocks . "ICHIGO…ICHIGO STRAWBERRIES…IM DYING…I CAN'T…AHH, MY STOMACH." Rukia falls to the ground, clutching her sides as tears stream from her eyes.

Ichigo's blush overtakes his whole face as he watches the girl literally roll on the ground laughing. "Alright you've had your fun, and you repaid me for the incident on the train, can I please go now?"

Rukia gasps for air as she tries to compose herself, brushing dirt from her sundress after picking herself up off the ground. "Oh come on now, I can't torture you that badly if I don't formally know you, can I?" She extends her hand to the man as she officially introduces herself. "My name is Rukia Kuchiki, it's a pleasure to meet you Ichigo…"

"Kurosaki." He takes her hand and nods his head as he states, "I'm not really sure that it was a pleasure, but it sure was…interesting to say the least." The two smile, letting the handshake linger for a moment before pulling away.

"Welp…I'm off to class…thanks to this whole debacle I'm gonna be late for sure."

"Wait…you insisted on putting me through all of this even though you knew it would cause you to run late?"

"It's not like I wanted to, it's just that I was raised to do everything in my power to do right by other people. I wronged you, so I was obligated to correct my mistake, regardless of the situation it put me into," Rukia groans. She begins to take her leave, mapping the fastest route to the college as she does.

"Look…in all honesty what you did was really sweet…my car is parked outside. Want me to drive you to your school?" Ichigo offers, blushing slightly as he does.

Rukia spins on her heels, relief washing over her. "YES!" She exclaims. "I could still make it in time for my first class if I had a ride!"

Ichigo gestures toward the exit as he begins to leave. Rukia follows, fighting the urge to skip with delight.

Rukia settles into the leather passenger side seat of Ichigo's BMW, appreciating their craftsmanship as she sinks into their soft embrace. Ichigo walks around to drivers side and settles into his seat as well. He hits the push to start button, prompting the car to roar to life. Shifting the car into gear, the monstrous motor propels the car forward, and the two are on their way. "Karakura U I presume?"

Rukia nods in confirmation as she searches the radio for a good tune. For a time, the two drive in silence, with only the faint sound of the radio filling the air. For some odd reason, they both feel comfortable with it. While most people would attempt to engage in some form of small talk to break the tension, the two are more than content to just sit and enjoy the company. Mostly because there really is no tension to break, a phenomenon both find odd, yet neither questions. Rukia relishes in the relaxation of the smooth ride. She finds that she enjoys when Ichigo accelerates quickly, as the G-force pressing against her chest sends a rush through her. She had never been in a car this powerful before this, and she finds it exhilarating. Ichigo looks over at Rukia to find her with a slight smirk resting on the corner of her lips. He notices her unique eyes as they shine a magnificent violet against the morning sun. Her hair shimmers brilliantly, as a single rebellious strand rests between her sparkling eyes. It is the first time Ichigo has truly looked at Rukia, and he finds himself hoping it is not the last. As they approach the University, Rukia feels obligated to offer her thanks. "Hey, you really saved my butt my driving me, thank you."

Ichigo considers offering another dismissive response, but stops himself, instead opting to be a bit more genuine. "You went out of your way to make things right, I think that deserves a bit of good karma."

Rukia smiles toward Ichigo, a genuine, warm smile that makes Ichigo's heart skip. Rukia leaps from the car the second it stops, slamming the door behind her as she calls, "It was nice meeting you Ichigo!"

He simply watches her go and smiles, not bothering to call out a response of his own. He waits for her to enter the building before he puts the car in drive. Just as he prepares to leave, the cellphone in his left pocket begins to ring. Ichigo slips his hand into his pocket and pulls the phone free. He accepts the call, and hits the nine button before speaking. "Aizen." His voice sounds deep and robotic in his ear, a detail he has yet to get used to.

"Hello there," Aizen begins in his usual casual demeanor. "You did a marvelous job dealing with that Italian! That'll teach those fat fucks in Chicago to try to move into my territory."

"What do you want," Ichigo asks, not caring for the praise. His mind is set upon the reason behind Aizen's call, his next job.

"Well, since you did such a good job with the Italian, I figured that you deserved another high-profile gig! Now I understand that you have a code against killing women and children, but hear me out."

"No deal."

"Hear. Me. Out." Aizen lets a bit of venom slip into his words this time. "I am willing to triple your last paycheck if you take out this target."

Ichigo's eyes grow wide as a conflict of interests rages within him. He curses himself as he asks, "Who's the target."

Aizen's tone is triumphant as he states, "the name is Rukia Kuchiki."

Ichigo's stomach flips as he hears the name. "May I ask why you want her dead?" Ichigo feels beads of sweat race down his brow as he awaits his employers response.

"Well, much like the Italian, the Kuchiki family seems to be pressing into my turf."

"The Kuchiki family, sir?"

"Ah, I forget that you haven't been here long. Alright, to keep it simple I'll explain it like this. The Kuchiki family is right off of the boat from Japan. They immediately made it big in the States, with Rukia's older brother Byakuya becoming a business tycoon in a few years. Everyone in LA think's they're on the up and up, but the truth is that they are directly linked to the Yakuza back in Tokyo. That's where all the funding for Byakuya's business ventures came from. That Byakuya took LA by storm, both the business world and the underground. He established the Kuchiki family as one of the biggest crime syndicates in Los Angeles, and muscled out all of the competition. Well, besides me of course."

Ichigo considers his next words carefully. "What is there to be gained by killing the sister? Wouldn't killing Byakuya be more effective in bringing down the Kuchiki's?"

Aizen's laugh pierces the phone as he states, "My, my, I never imagined the infamous Shinigami would be so narrow minded." Aizen's laugh continues for a short time, before he composes himself and continues. "If I were to send you after Byakuya, it would certainly cause turmoil for a short time. But the family back in Tokyo would surely send a competent replacement in a matter of days. That would put me right back to square one. But if I were to take away what Byakuya cares about most, it would crush him. Killing the girl leaves Byakuya a shattered, broken man blinded by rage at the helm of the biggest crime organization in Los Angeles. Then, I just have to chip away at the Kuchiki empire until it's nothing but ashes." The cold, emotionless calculation in his voice makes Ichigo shudder. Aizen's voice comes over the phone once again, as he attempts to goad the Shinigami into an answer. "You know what, four times. Four times your payment from the last job for Kuchiki's head."

Ichigo feels his jaw clench as he wrestles with this dilemma. The logical part of him tells him to takes the job, but his morality screams in defiance. "I'll think about it." These are the only words Ichigo can manage to force from his throat.

"Splendid! Let me know as soon as you can my good man." A click quickly follows this statement, leaving a conflicted Ichigo sitting in his car. He leans forward, resting his head against the steering wheel as a sense of self loathing weighs heavy upon him. Ichigo stares downward at the perfectly shined shoes, images of Rukia's violet eyes flashing through his mind.

He grits his teeth as he tries to force these images from his head, frustration coursing through him. From a dark place in the confines in his mind comes a voice, goading him on as it tries to convince him to accept Aizen's offer. "Come on Ichigo, think about it. This could change everything! What's one dead girl in the grand scheme of things?" Ichigo tries to suppress this voice, but it continues. "We both know the money is going toward a good cause, so tell me, why does it matter? What's one more kill for the Shinigami? You don't even have to do it. Just shut off your mind, and let me work." "SHUT UP!" Ichigo screams, bashing his hands against the steering wheel. The pain rushing from his palms is enough to send the voice away, but the damage has already been done. Closing his eyes, the orange haired assassin pictures Rukia one more time, thinking to himself 'I just had to meet you...'