I don't own Bleach.

The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok
I miss you

What happened the night before all seemed like a blurry dream the next morning when Rukia stepped in and out of the shower. She slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt of the band that she used to be in, The Seventy Ninth, and then her ID pin. After grabbing her keys, wallet, bag, and an energy bar, she headed out the door and to her car.

She put the key in the ignition and while pulling out of her driveway, Rukia turned on the radio and listened to a few numerous rap songs before finally turning it off. She pulled up and drove around the Shoten. She parked her car and got out.

She walked to the back and unlocked the door. After walking in, turning off the lights, turning the "open/closed" sign to the open side, starting up the coffee machine, she sat down on the counter, and got her energy bar.

Eating quietly she heard the owner, Urahara, getting up in the back. Not three minutes later, hat, clogs and all, he strutted in and gasped when he saw her, thinking that she was a burglar or something to that nature. "I swear, Rukia," he said, calming down a bit. "You're here before I am, and I live here. You know you're shift doesn't start till nine, why are you here at…"—he glanced at the clock that hung on the wall behind the register—"Seven thirty! Rukia, come one, either you had nothing better to do or you really don't have a life. You should get a boyfriend or something."

Rukia grabbed the nearest book and threw it at Urahara. He caught it; he had some damn fast reflexes. "Nice try, Rukia," he teased. "But you can't hit me."

Two years ago, Rukia had come in to the Shoten for a job. Young, innocent, and just out of college, she had come with a hope of working there. Urahara gave her the job on the spot. He had been like a father to her, since her own brother hadn't supported her in her writing. Hat-n-Clogs, as she dubbed him, was actually the reason she had thought of BLEACH. He used to tell her stories of spirits and the slayers that protected them when she stayed in the spare room in the back, before she saved up for own apartment. Urahara had given her so much, it was only right that she returned the favor.

In the few moments of silence, Rukia looked back at the coffee machine and noticed it was full. She got herself a mug from one of the many cupboards below the counter and asked, "Would you like some coffee, Urahara?"

"Sure, if you don't mind."

She picked up two mugs and felt a furry presence rubbing up against her leg. She looked in that direction and saw Yoruichi, Urahara's beloved cat, was there. Rukia picked up a bowl to give the cat some milk.

She filled up the cups with coffee and the bowl with milk. After setting down the bowl on the floor and handing Urahara's his cup of coffee, Rukia added the right amount of sugar and cream for herself; she could not stand black coffee like Urahara did; 'good for the soul,' he always told her.

She sipped her coffee and finished the rest of her energy bar just before the first customer arrived.

The work day had begun.

"So why have you come to me?"

The voice was different than what Ichigo remembered it to be. The man who owned the voice seemed to be tired as if he had been running millions of miles (which, in a way, he had), slightly annoyed, and worried all at once.

"I need your help," was Ichigo's answer. "You see, Rukia said that she's read me out of a book that she wrote called BLEACH. She says I'm just a character. Though she's seems different than the Rukia I know, she says she made me up, I'm just a character out of her book. I know that that's not true. I need your help getting back to the Soul Society or even Karakura town."

"Why should I help you?"

The room Ichigo was in was completely dark. There was a light or even a candle. The only light was the moonlight shining through the glass door. Ichigo couldn't see the man he had come to see.

"Because," Ichigo replied defensively, "I have to get back. Who knows what would happen in the Soul Society if I'm not there!"

"That's not a reason to send you back."

"You're one to talk Mr. Hat-n-Clogs!" Ichigo yelled. "You and Yoruichi ran away! Why? Did something happen between you and the Soul Society again? I needed you because of my damn hollow attacking constantly. I had to get stronger but you ran away when I really needed to train with you two! Why?"

"Because I like change?" he said as more of a question than a statement. "No, seriously Ichigo, I needed a break. I hate being cooped up somewhere. I came here, so I could start somewhere new. And Yoruichi came because…well that's what we do."

Silence.

"So are you going to help me or what?" Ichigo asked.

"I can't," Urahara replied. "You have to find your way back on your own."

Ichigo whirled around and stomped toward the door. "Thanks for nothing," he said coldly.

"Hey," Mr. Hat-n-Clogs replied. "If it makes you feel any better the Rukia Kuchiki you met yesterday is indeed the author who wrote our story. She based all her characters off of people she knew. She's a wonderful young woman. The only difference between her and the Rukia you know is that the Rukia you know has bottled up all her feelings up inside her while the Rukia here has had someone by her. So if you ever do find your way back, Ichigo…"

Ichigo closed his eyes. "Don't worry, Urahara. I've saved Rukia tons of times. One more time won't be a problem."

And he walked out into the night and shut the door behind him.

It was around two, that Rukia took a break and decided to eat lunch. She went to the deli across the street and got herself a sandwich, a bag of chips, a soda and walked back to the store, eating and reading by one of the windows.

After she finished eating, Rukia went over to one of the cash registers, taking over for Tatsuki (another girl who worked there) and started working again.

The bell that hung over the door jingled. She looked up and the first thing she saw was orange.

Orange.

She looked down to the person's face and gasped. She quickly finished with the next customer and ran over to him. "What are you doing here?" she hissed pulling him aside.

He was wearing a pair of light blue jeans and a white t-shirt, covered up with a flannel, blue-button up t-shirt. His hair was unruly, as usual. He looked down at her and asked, "What do you mean, 'what are you doing here'? I'm here to work."

"How did you get a job here!?" she asked. "And more importantly where did you find a gigai over night? And I thought you were going home? Remember, you didn't need my help?"

"All in time, the answers will come," he said sarcastically and walked ahead of her. "Where's the manager, Urahara?"

"He's in the back," Rukia replied immediately. "But, wait. I'm still confused."

"I'll tell you later," he told her.

And just like that he disappeared to the back. Rukia sighed and crossed her arms. She waited for a matter of thirty seconds before going back to work. He was going to answer her questions soon? Hopefully…

The sun was setting in the sky when Ichigo and Rukia left from work. After emerging from the back, Urahara called Rukia over to explain how the place worked for Ichigo. So, for the rest of the day, until closing time, they had walked around the store. Rukia had pointed out the numerous kinds of books, stopping every once in a while to show him a really good one.

He noticed that they went right over the romance section and never stopped. That struck him as odd. Didn't all girls love romance?

She showed him how work the coffee machine and the cash register. And by the time they got done it was seven-o-clock, closing time.

"Where are you going to stay?" she asked.

"Well…I was going to ask you…if I could stay at your place," he avoided her eyes. He was probably embarrassed by the fact that if she said yes, he would be staying at woman's house.

"Yes, you may," she replied.

They sat awhile in silence. "So," Ichigo started. "How do you think you can get me back into your book?" He looked over to her and she looked ahead at the road.

"I'm still not sure," she replied, honestly. "But I'll try my hardest to find one way or another."

After closing up, they out to her car and the whole car ride was silent.

When they reached Rukia's apartment complex, they walked inside, took the elevator to the third floor, and walked to her door. She grabbed her keys and unlocked the door.

They walked inside and turned on one of the lights. She set her stuff down on the counter in the kitchen and hopped up on it as well. "Well, you've already been in here before," she said. "But here it is, home sweet home."

He looked around. It was a nice place. He noted that there weren't any pictures of any family members or friends in her living room or kitchen. This Rukia was strange, he concluded. The way she acted, so carefree and yet serious at the same time….This might be how his Rukia was on the inside but she had never told him her true feelings.

Rukia walked over to the living room and sat down on the couch.

"AHHH!" she heard a muffled cry.

At once, she jumped up and ripped off one of the couch cushions. Under the seat was a stuffed animal, a lion. "Kon?" Ichigo asked walking over.

"Ichi…" they heard Kon mumble. "Ichigo where are we? Did you save Rukia?"

His eyes must have fully adjusted because he looked over from Ichigo to Rukia and she saw tears form and spill down his eyes and cheeks. "Rukia!" he yelped and jumped to give her a hug. "I was so scared, Rukia," he started.

"Kon," she said grabbing his two arms and holding him up.

"Wha—what are you doing, Rukia? Gah!! That hurts!"

She studied him for the longest time. "Yep," she finally concluded. "He's exactly like I pictured him." She set him down on the couch and he sat there confused.

"What?" He questioned. "What do you mean?"

After explaining the fact that this Rukia was the Rukia that wrote their story and a thirty minute session of trying to convince Kon that he was indeed only a character from a book, Rukia asked, "Kon, how do you think you got here? I mean…I didn't read you out yesterday and I haven't even touched my book today let alone read it. How could you get here?"

Kon was silent for the longest time. "Well…" he started. "I was just wondering what Ichigo was doing and if he had completed whatever mission he was sent to do and then…I don't know…I just closed my eyes and ended up here. Strange, isn't it?"

"Very strange," Rukia agreed.

"Let's not worry about that now," Ichigo said, seeing the distraught look upon Rukia's features. "I'm hungry, do you have anything to eat, Rukia?"

She looked over at him and her face lit up. "Actually," she said. "I've come up with the wonderful invention." She got up and Ichigo's and Kon's followed her as she walked to her kitchen. She picked up her bag and started going through it.

She pulled out a cell phone. "I made this wonderful thing called a telephone where we can order take-out food!"

He smirked. "Haha, very funny," Ichigo replied. "Just order something, I'm starving."

Rukia shook her head but dialed the number for the pizza place down the street. She asked for a large, supreme pizza and for it to be delivered.

After hanging up the phone, she joined Ichigo on the couch. Kon had gone off somewhere, probably to explore the town, see if there were any women there that were worth perusing.

"So Rukia," Ichigo said conversationally.

She looked toward him. He continued. "Urahara said that you based all of your characters in your book off of real people that you knew. Ishida was based off the guy in the book store who reads there practically all day, named Uryuu. Inoue is based off of the girl you work with, Orihime. Even Tatsuki is someone you know."

"Yeah," she replied. "What's your point?"

He looked away from her. "Well I was wondering…who am I based off of?"

Her eyes down casted. "Actually," she replied, "no one, really. I just wanted a main character whose only job wasn't always to save and fall in love with the damsel in distress. I wanted to create a normal teenager, well as normal was one can get, and have him be thrown into this world where Death rules and to meet people that he never thought existed."

He nodded pleasantly as she continued.

"I wanted my character to be different in his physical appearance," she went on, putting a hand up and brushing his bright orange hair, "as well as mental."

"What do you mean?"

"Your rebellious attitude is what I mean. The way you never gave in to anyone no matter how bad they treated you. You just beat them up, told them to leave you the hell alone, and went on your merry way."

He laughed out loud. "You know, I never knew that someone could pin-point me exactly, but here you are surprising me."

"Of course," she replied getting up. "I am the author of your story, you know. I know everything you've done and everything that you're going to do."

He smirked. "Really?" he replied, standing also. He saw her bent over the fridge trying to find something to eat or drink. It was then that he noticed her curves. In his world, when Rukia always wore dresses there could have been a house under there and Ichigo would have never noticed. Now though, when she wore tight-fitting jeans a t-shirt that complimented her curves he could feel a slight blush rise to his cheeks. He had never felt comfortable around women…except for women in his family.

He really hoped she didn't notice.

"But one of the most important parts of my main character," she said as she stood up and handed him a can of soda. "Was that he was very uncomfortable around women, especially the ones that thrust themselves at him."

He looked down at her and he noticed that she was looking at him intently. He looked away from her deepening gaze and they both heard the doorbell ring.

She looked away and set her pop on the counter before going to the door and answering. It was the pizza man. She came back to the counter, grabbed her bag, and paid the man.

She received the pizza in return and walked to the counter setting it down. She got two paper plates and handed him one. He opened up the box and got his pizza as did she.

An hour later, an empty pizza box, and a long time without words Rukia finally asked, "Who did you go see to help you?"

"You mean you don't know?" he asked.

"No."

He set down his plate and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Rukia rolled her eyes; something else she had given him, no manners.

"I went to see Urahara."

If Rukia had been eating any food or drinking anything she wouldn't have chocked. "Urahara!" she replied. "What could he do?"

"He's the Urahara from the book. Now don't ask me how this happened, but I think he came out of the book on his own to escape the expectations of the shinigami life."

Rukia laughed nervously. "That can't be possible," she told him. "He's the one who gave me the idea for the story! He was here before I even started writing BLEACH."

Ichigo slouched a bit. "Oh," was all he said in reply.

"So how do you think Kon got here?"

Rukia didn't answer. Instead, she was still thinking about Urahara. What did Ichigo mean that Urahara ran away? What was going on? Urahara did used to tell her all those stories but did that mean that they were true? Was the story Rukia writing an actual event on something that was occurring now?

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked again.

She looked toward him, suddenly coming back to reality. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if how you thought Kon got here."

She looked down at the floor and thought about it. There was no possible way Kon could have gotten here on his own. Rukia hadn't read him out of the book…so how exactly did he end up here?

And there was only one person that came to mind when she thought about whom to go to with many such questions.

Urahara.

A/N: Okay, that's it!! I hoped you enjoyed that chapter…yeah, blah blah blah … Little bit of IchiRuki-ness at the end…mmm, that's pretty much it. Please Review!!

Chapter Preview:

"What do you mean everything you've been through? What do you mean seven years ago? You save the character, Rukia Kuchiki, when you're fifteen. Are you saying you've fought the Arrancar and all you other enemies already?"