Sorry I took so long, this probably still isn't as up to par as it should be, but I will try to get better. I just want to say thanks to marslily and NC2001 for their awesome reviews! It really inspired me, and made me drive to one up the last chapter.

Chapter 2: Car Rides & Spacing Out

Ichigo was frozen in his spot as Renji and Rukia exchanged their hello's. Everything happened so quickly, it was like having a bucket of ice cold water dumped on you, and Ichigo was still in shock. Fear overtook him as Rukia began to pick up her dropped bags. Now that she was back in his life again, how were they going to act around each other, would she still hate him? A thousand questions and doubts swirled in his head, then the carrot-top felt a sharp jab in his stomach. He snapped out of his reverie and realized the source of the pain was Renji.

"Get her bags!" Renji hissed in a low whisper.
Ichigo just kept staring at the red-head like he spoke a completely different language, not understanding what bags he was talking about.
Frustrated at his partner's stupor Renji indicated to the bags with his eyes and whispered," Get her bags you idiot!"
Finally everything started to click in Ichigo's brain and he tried to grab for Rukia's bags, but she had already taken ahold of them.

"Let me take your bags," Ichigo said, not meaning to sound so commanding.

"I can take my own bags," she said, with eyes narrowed. Rukia never did like being told what to do.

"I never said you couldn't but I'm the guy here, so let me take 'em," he replied, his voice growing louder by the second.

"I've been carrying my bags for the past few years, I think I handle carrying it to your car!" she retorted, clearly outraged.

"I'm just trying to be a gentleman! Now give me your friggin bags!" Ichigo yelled, starting to cause a scene. He tried to grab for her bags again but she jumped out of his reach, dead-set on not letting him win and get her luggage.

"Will you guys shut it! I can't believe you guys are twenty-three. Rukia just give him your bags before the security guards have to escort you guys out of here!" Renji yelled, scaring them both into doing as he told them to.

Rukia reluctantly turned her bags over to Ichigo. He noticed how she took great care in not letting her hands touch his own in the exchange. He grew morose at the thought that she was still angry at him for what transpired between them seven years back. Renji escorted her back to their car. Ichigo carefully placed her luggage into the trunk of the car and went around to the driver's seat and got in. As Rukia reached for the back door to get in, as she opened it Renji popped into the back seat before she could, giving her a wide grin. He propped his leg up on the seat so he ended up occupying the whole back, and set his crutches down.

"Thanks for opening the door Rukia! You're gonna have to sit up front since I need space to keep my crutches somewhere," he explained, very much to her dismay.

"Your welcome," she said through gritted teeth. The last place she wanted to be in was right next to the source of all her problems, Ichigo Kurosaki.

She took a seat beside Ichigo in the passenger side, staying as far away from him as possible like he was her kryptonite. Ichigo's heart immediately sped up, feeling ill at ease. He hadn't been this close to her in a while, but he had no idea why that should bother him. 'It's just for a month. She's only gonna be there for a month,' he kept repeating in his mind. At the same time he hoped it would be enough time to make up for his past mistake. Ichigo applied pressure to the gas pedal and they were off towards the police station. Awkward silence filled the car until Renji decided to talk, and he and Rukia began to converse. At first, all she gave was one word responses, until they began to be more comfortable with each other's presence and they were talking like nothing ever changed. Ichigo was silent since the drive began and felt, to his surprise, jealous. He envied how Renji was able to talk with Rukia like they were best friends again. Although Ichigo spent the last seven years convincing himself to forget her, Rukia used to be his best friend too, and that was something he just couldn't let go of.

In the middle of the ride, Renji said he needed to use the bathroom, the bottle of pepsi he drank had finally caught up with him. Rukia let out a few chuckles as Renji stumbled out of the car and made his way to the fast-food restaurant's bathroom. Empty silence dominated the car, as Ichigo and Rukia were left by themselves, each looking in a completely different direction. Ichigo drummed his fingers on the steering wheel out of nervousness.

"Could you please stop that," Rukia requested, growing annoyed with the noise.

"Sorry," Ichgo responded, stopping his fingers. Without anything to distract him, he was left to his thoughts. Maybe she wasn't really angry with him, it could have been jet lag. Perhaps she had forgiven him for his past choices. Trying to find something to talk about, he decided to go for small talk and ask how she was doing.

"So how have you been, Rukia?" he asked, slightly pausing before saying her name. It sounded so foreign on his tongue after not saying it for the past few years.

"Fine," she said, her voice laced with disdain towards him. 'Shit!' he thought; she still hated him. Ichigo was struggling to strike up any kind of conversation in order to make the situation less awkward. He sifted through questions that would provide better results this time, finally he decided to go with one question he had been yearning to ask for a while.

"So how did you get into law enforcement? I thought you wanted to be an artist?" he asked, with genuine curiousity.
Her body stiffened at the question and she responded with venom coating her every word, "people change Ichigo, remember?"

"Ichigo I don't believe you!" Rukia screamed, her eyes started sting, but she tried her hardest to stay strong.

"Rukia, will you just go, already? I don't want to make this harder than it should be," he replied back in the calmest tone he could muster up. In his heart, he knew he had to do this, for her sake.

"But why? I just don't understand," she said back, truly confused at the turn of events, tears threatening to spill.

"Look...it's just that...people change Rukia! I just don't love you anymore!" Ichigo yelled back, aggravated with himself more than anyone else. He knew she would hate him, but this was what had to be done. If this was the only way to make her go, he had to do everything to push her away. Ichigo could barely look at her face, fearing she'd see the truth in his eyes.

"I see...i guess i was a fool then, goodbye," she softly whispered. Rukia turned and ran, with tears streaming down her face. She hated herself for actually believing he loved her.

With her last words, Ichigo felt a painful clench in his chest, not knowing if he could bare the thought of being the source of her anguish.

Tension filled the air, as he remembered that he said the same thing to her a long time back. 'So she still remembers, huh? Great.' He noticed her hands were clenched tight as if she were in pain, and he looked out his window, not wanting to make her suffer more. Just then Renji came back, and the mood lightened considerably as he began to converse with Rukia again. Ichigo remained silent as a stone for the rest of the ride. He began to curse Yoruichi in his head, not knowing what she was thinking when she paired them both together.

Renji and Ichigo found themselves waiting outside of Yoruichi's office again, as Rukia was in there being briefed. As the two officers took their positions at their desks, they both stared in wonder through one of the office windows where Rukia was standing. She had changed a lot. Her hair was slightly longer, and in a high ponytail, showing off her sculpted cheekbones. Her eyes were the same as ever, sapphire, but somehow it seemed as if they had lost their glow. Her attire was very clean-cut, she looked like a business woman more than a cop. The most surprising was her height, she had grown quite a bit, almost reaching Ichigo's shoulder now, whereas before she barely reached his chest.

"I had a hard time recognizing her, the only reason I knew it was her was because of her eyes," Renji stated.

"Yeah, she certainly isn't the little Rukia we knew," Ichigo replied.

"No...She certainly isn't. She's...she's a...woman!" Renji exclaimed, having hard time taking the new Rukia in.

"Yeah Renji, that's usually what happens to a girl. They go from baby, to girl, to woman. Next, she'll be an old..."

"I know! I'm just saying, I never thought she'd, i dunno, fill out?" he said, cutting Ichigo off.

"You perv! She might be taller, but she is still short as hell," said Ichigo.

"Hey, did you notice something different about Rukia? Not physically but in her behavior," asked the red-head.

"I was thinking the same thing. Did you see the way she looked us. She hates us!" stated Ichigo.

"Hey! She hates you okay?" Renji blurted out faster than he could think about it. Ichigo grew morose, knowing what his partner said was true. The only one Rukia seemed put off with was himself.

"Sorry that was uncalled for, she probably has jet lag or something," reassured Renji.

"No I deserved that. It's my fault, and I'm sorry you guys stopped talking because of me," apologized Ichigo. After that day, Rukia quickly got her things together and left, not saying goodbye to anyone, including her long time best friend, Renji.

"Stop being so dramatic, sometimes I think you're a chick. It's all done and said for, go apologize to her if you have to," Renji said, not wanting to dredge the past.

"Shit!" the carrot-top said.

"What?" Renji asked, raising one eyebrow at his partner.

"It just hit me! She's gonna be my partner!" exclaimed Ichigo, his level of anxiety increasing by tenfold.

"Uh...yea...what were you thinking about the whole car ride," retorted Renji, surprised by his partner's idiocy.

"I dunno! I mean, did you see the way she looked at me?! I'm afraid she'll kill me before this job does!" yelled Ichigo, trembling at the thought of being left alone with Rukia. Correction, Rukia with a gun.

"What are you two girls gossiping about? Get your asses in here already!" Yoruichi interrupted, disappearing into her office. She took a seat in the huge leather chair behind her mahogany desk. Rukia rose from her seat in front of Yoruichi and made her way out of the office. Sparing a quick glance and smile towards Renji. The two male officers stood in front of the Chief and listened intently.

"Ok so hopefully by now, everyone has been reacquainted with each other. I have already explained to Rukia that her current situation is temporary, and after Abarai is well enough, she will be reassigned a new partner. Currently, I have sent her off to settle down and unpack. I know everything was very out of the blue and I apologize for that, but as you both know crime doesn't wait. There have been a series of murders that have taken place in Karakura for the past few months, you both have already handled one of the cases. Each incident involves brutal murders and missing organs. Countless eye witnesses all claim to have seen the murderers running away from the scene with a mask on. At each site, it is assumed that the very same odd mask is left on the victim's face. Kurosaki you will partner up with Rukia in order to solve this case. Abarai you will be in charge of paperwork while you are out of action. Understood?" she explained in her most serious business voice.

"Well I get all that, but why is Rukia partnered up with me? And why is she here in the first place?" Ichigo enquired.

"It is in my opinion that she is more than qualified for this job, so I don't want to hear about anyone giving her a hard time because some of her relatives hold high positions. She is one of the best officers this line of work has ever seen, and she has solved every case she's been on. Rukia has personally requested to be transferred here in order to solve this case. That is all I will reveal to you for this moment in respect towards officer Kuchiki. If she wishes to explain to you more, that is her choice. I have placed the case files on each of your desks," answered Yoruichi.

Just as the two officers turned to leave, the Chief added one more detail in, "Oh by the way Ichigo, Rukia will be sharing you desk until we can get another desk put in place. That is all."

Ichigo growled to himself, deeply frustrated with is current predicament. Relief engulfed him when Rukia was nowhere in sight. He remembered the Chief mentioning something about settling down. While Renji walked off towards the water cooler, Ichigo walked towards his desk and started to absentmindedly shuffle through his papers, while in deep thought. He started to go through scenarios of different disasters that would occur the next day. Each scenario produced worse and worse results overwhelming the orange haired officer. He slumped down in his seat and dragged his fingers through his hair. He was so perplexed by how one single person could change everything, but mostly, all his feelings of regret washed over him with renewed vigor. He slumped over with his hands on his knees and shut his eyes, trying to get his feelings in check. A faint murmur could be heard in the background, but Ichigo decided to ignore it. The noise got louder and louder until something smacked him on the back of his head extremely hard.

He let out a loud, "FUCK!" while cradling the back of his head with two hands. When he looked up, Ichigo was greeted with the image of his previous partner, Renji, holding his crutch like a weapon in mid-air and balancing on one leg.

"Finally, where have you been? We gotta get going soon, so hurry up, you gotta drop me off at my house," Renji said, annoyed at his partners newly obtained habit of spacing out.

"Oh, right, sorry. I was just thinking about...never mind, let's just go," Ichigo replied, just wanting to forget about work and a certain raven haired female for a while.

Yay! Ta da! Ok so some people might be a little OC but I will try to stay in character. The next chapter will probably talk a little more about Rukia and how she feels, as well as Ichigo's.
PLEASE REVIEW!! Criticism is once again welcomed, and I will try to utilize it to the best of my ability.