A/N- okay so this is the home stretch. Thanks to everyone that took the time to read and review. You don't know how much that pumps me up for more writing. You other authors know what I'm talking about. Anyways, I'm pretty long winded as you can see and I wish I could put more into this story because I really like the premise and there was so much more that can/could be done with it; but I'm already so far behind on other stories I didn't get as deep as I wanted. (But I end up rewriting things so this may get a revision in the future.) So sorry about that but I hope you still enjoy it. Please review.


o

Grimmjow was staring at the ceiling of his room. His hand behind his head, he was stark naked laying on the grossly disheveled sheets of his futon.

Tatsuki was stiff, unmoving wrapped in the blankets, her body cut and bruised. Unless you looked closely and saw her peaceful breathing, the room looked like a murder scene.

His music was still blasting in his room, though it was a mellow offering from COTD called Carnival. It wasn't soothing his mood though, not the way he wanted. Grimmjow was still anxious and angry. During the night of rough sex, he had haphazardly formulated a plan. Now it was time to execute it.

He stood, shunpo-ing across the room pulling on his hakama as he opened his door. Rukia would be at school, now was the best chance he had if he was going to go through with it.

"Clean up the girl." Grimmjow said to one of the many shikigami that kept the mansion up.

"Is she dead?" the whiny voice of Luppi, a new youkai that had joined their lovely household several years ago, said looking into Grimmjow lavish but gruesome room.

"NO." Grimmjow said angrily. "She's asleep. That's what satisfaction looks like, bitch."

"She looks dead." Luppi said covering his mouth with his sleeve as he turned away from the gory carnal scene.

"Get the fuck outta here." Grimmjow roared as he turned and headed down the grandiose corridor.

"Where are you going?"

"OUT!"

"The mistress has told us all to stay in the palace during the day Grimmjow, you of people should know that."

Grimmjow turned around slowly, his eyes narrow slits of seething anger.

"I'll be sure to tell her if you leave." Luppi said smugly. "Ja na."

"Hmph. No you won't." Grimm said dissolving into a thick black smoke and racing toward an unprepared Luppi.

.

One thing killing Luppi had done was make Grimmjow have to change his clothes. He was wearing black pants that complimented his long lean legs and a white button down shirt with the collar turned up. He had on dark sunglasses that covered the turquoise markings under his eyes, and he was wearing tight uncomfortable human shoes, but otherwise he looked like anyone else walking the streets of Karakura.

Rukia needed no spell to keep them in the palace, in the past her word had been enough. Grimmjow was glad for that.

He had glided through the human traffic, mostly undetected. He as sure this city overrunning with reiatsu some of its occupants took notice of him and knew there was something off about him, but not enough to concern themselves with him.

He was standing in an underground subway station looking at a map of the city.

"I know you're here. Every city has one." He said, his eyes boring into the map, not really knowing where to being. "Where are you?"

Suddenly he looked down to his left seeing a girl with dark ponytails and huge sad eyes staring up at him. She smiled but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"I can help you." she said plainly, grabbing is hand.

Grimmjow, puzzled, allowed himself to be led and got onto the train with the girl. She was very odd and melancholy. It made him of all people, uncomfortable.

He began looking around at all the humans reading, talking, and sleeping, chuckling to himself at how easy it would be to kill them all, then he looked down to his side. The little girl was staring at him anxiously.

He shifted in his set nervously wondering if she somehow heard what he was thinking. She seemed to know him but if she really knew him, she wouldn't have so easily taken hold of his hand.

The two sat in silence for the extent of the trip that took him to the outskirts of Karakura.

"We're almost there." The girl said just up the sidewalk from him, waving as they were walking a quiet neighborhood with small shops dotting the landscape.

"Urahara Shop?" Grimmjow read the sign over the building the girl had brought him to.

"Come inside." She beckoned him forward with a wave.

Grimmjow followed the girl into the building that looked like an old-fashioned candy store.

"Ah, thank you Ururu." A man in a green and white bucket hat said from behind the counter. He had thick sandy blonde hair sticking out wildly from the cap.

"You're welcome." The little girl said disappearing into the back of the store as the man opened a fan and covered his lower face.

Kitsune. Grimmjow said to himself, the smell was undeniable. Obviously this one was the one for Karakura and probably for surrounding areas. Kitsune, or nine tailed Fox spirits were said to have very old powerful magic, be very intelligent and wily. Just what Grimmjow needed.

"How did you know?" Grimmjow said nodding to the back of the store in regards to Ururu.

"I can normally tell when anyone is looking for me, or needs me. That fact that a youkai that's been hiding out in the mountains with his mistress is looking for me some 3 months after he arrived, intrigued me."

Grimmjow clenched his teeth, stepping back defensively not at all liking how much the fox already knew about him.

"My name is Kisuke Urahara." The blonde said with a bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you Grimmjow Jagerjacques."

"Hmph. You know all that. Do you know why I'm here?"

"I can guess, and let me tell you right away so there's no mistake. I won't kill the boy or do anything to harm him. He's going to be very powerful whether he stays with your mistress or not."

"Tsk." Grimm said nonchalantly trying to mask the surprise at the fox's accuracy of recent events. "I didn't come here for that."

"Hoo. Really?" Kisuke said lifting his head his gray eyes piercing from under the brim of his hat, studying the angry youkai before him. "Oh, you're telling the truth. Pray tell, what did you come for?"

Grimmjow smiled wickedly. He made his request plain and simple.

"And if I do this thing for you, how will you repay me? All the finery you're draped in doesn't even belong to you."

"My body and my mind are my own."

"Are they?"

"They will be, and then you can make use of those."

"Ahh. I'm glad to hear that." Kisuke said circling Grimmjow, hiding his face again behind his fan, though Grimmjow could feel the odd man's eyes all over him.

"Wait! You don't mean?"

"Hmm. Oh no, not that you're not a very handsome specimen." Kisuke said covering his sly grin with his fan as Grimmjow blushed. "No, I have some 'things' that need to be disposed of, and I hate to get my hands dirty with it so I'd like you to take care of it."

"Fine."

"Excellent. Follow me." Kisuke said walking towards the back of the store.

"How long is this gonna take? I have to get back so I won't be missed."

Kisuke turned around and stared at the man studying his neck and shoulders.

"I have a few tricks so it shouldn't take a few hours."

O

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Rukia asked as she and Ichigo ate outside during lunch. He had made sure they were far away from their classmates.

"I'm fine." Ichigo said as his shaky voice cracked.

Tell her! Tell her!

"RUKIA!" he said jumping up and standing at attention.

"Hmm?"

"Ah.. I'm in love with you!" He blurted out in one breath, and then held it waiting for the answer.

A wide smile broke out on Rukia's face. He was so cute.

"I feel the same way." She said grabbing his hand.

He felt his whole body overheating just from her touch. His cock swelled uncomfortably in his pants.

"Ah." He said rubbing the back of his head. "What do we do now?" He hadn't planned anything past telling her his feelings.

"Whatever you want?"

Ichigo's mind raced.

"Don't just say that type of thing so suddenly. That could mean-" Ichigo's ramblings were cut off by Rukia's soft lips on his. His eyes closed and his mouth opened to hers. He flicked his tongue in her mouth and she mewled yieldingly. His hands slid around her waist as his head angled down to continue their deepening kiss.

They kissed for several minutes, until the passion heated up too much for the school grounds. Ichigo suddenly wished he had picked a better location for his confession.

Rukia looked up proudly at Ichigo. If he hadn't been so drawn to her, she was set to use magic to be with him. But this was so much better. He loved her, he actually loved her. She couldn't stop smiling. Her mind already moving ahead to having him by her side in her palace. Waking up beside him…

The two tried to calm the growing desire between them by talking about school work. But Rukia sat right under him as he stroked her thigh or nuzzled her neck. As lunch was ending, Ichigo leaned over and kissed Rukia in between talking about the upcoming festival and what she would wear.

"So are you guys a couple now?" Keigo asked walking up behind them.

"What? What are you doing here?" Ichigo said startled by the intrusion jumping to his feet, his face comically contorted in anger.

"I wanted to know what you brought for lunch. I was looking everywhere for you?"

"Get outta here!" Ichigo shouted picking up a rock and throwing it after Keigo as he ran.

"I'm sorry." He said calmly to Rukia.

"That's okay." Rukia giggled. "He likes you."

"Yeah, I wish I could say the same."

"Oh, you like him too."

"Yeah, I guess he does grow on you."

"You love your friends, don't you?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Your number one on my list now." He hugged Rukia and rolled in the grass with her.

Suddenly his face fell.

"What is it?"

"I hurt Inoue the other day."

Rukia froze in his arms, and then sunk her face into his chest.

"Not on purpose. I mean she just didn't understand how I felt about you and … well I hurt her. That's why she's not at school today."

That's not why.

"Tatsuki's gonna be on my ass too, once I tell her. She's one of my oldest friends that why she thinks she can tell me what to do. She stayed home today to hang out with Inoue-san I guess. I'll have some apologizing to do to both of them but I'm sure they'll be happy to see we're together."

Rukia's mind was spiraling. She hardly noticed anyone in class but Ichigo, so she hadn't notice Tatsuki not being there. And Tatsuki couldn't be with Orihime unless….

"Ah, Ichigo. I have to go." Her stomach churned anxiously.

"What? Am I being to clingy?"

"No! It's nothing like that I just forgot something really important I need to check on. I'll see you tomorrow at your place ok?"

"O-ok."

Rukia raced away from him like her future depended on it.

.

Rukia was speeding down the corridor of her palace just minutes after she had left Ichigo. If Grimmjow's room was still sealed, she'd break it for sure.

Upon reaching his room, she slowly extended her hand for the door, not at all fearing the barrier but deathly afraid of what may be inside. There was no barricade and she slid open the fusuma.

Her heart stopping seeing a girl in his bed, shikigami tending to her.

Rukia rushed to the futon.

Tatsuki. Shit!

Panic and aching regret flooded her as she saw the girl sleeping soundly though her arms were bandaged as was her chest and stomach and she had bruises all over her face. Rukia started a healing kido.

What will Ichigo think if he knows that I allowed this? What was I thinking?

"What are you doing in here?"

Rukia spun around seeing Grimmjow standing in the door, pulling off his sunglasses.

"Why, Grimm? Why did you take her?"

"No reason. I wanted to fuck. She was the first person I came across," he said causally stepping in the room.

"She was the first person?"

"Why are you so angry? Ulquiorra's still fucking that Orihime chick. She loves that cock too." He said snidely.

"SHUT. UP!"

"What? What's made you so squeamish? You almost killed the bitch now your upset cause Ulquiorra's fucking her and I brought home that one."

"You don't understand."

He tilted his head as he looked at the worried girl. She genuinely looked like a frightened little child. By youkai standards though she was well over a hundred she was still considered to be very young, though it was rare to see her look so unsure. Then it struck him.

"Ooohh. You're worried your little boyfriend's gonna be pissed you been fucking with his friends. Ha! Good luck with that." Grimmjow said leaving the room and waving Rukia off with a snicker.

"This isn't funny!" Rukia shouted angrily barreling towards him.

She suddenly, just within reach of him, reeled back, wrinkling her nose.

"SAJOU SABAKU!" Rukia shouted jumping back as ropes of light appeared and wrapped around Grimmjow.

"What the fuck? Rukia!"

"QUIET!"

Grimmjow fell to his knees.

"You smell of a Kitsune. How can that be, since you weren't supposed to leave this palace during the day?"

Grimmjow turned his head, saying nothing.

Rukia called several large shikigami.

"Take him to the dungeon and put him in a cell."

"Why are you doing this?" Grimmjow growled struggling against the restraints. " Do you think that boys going to want you now? Do you think Ulquiorra's going to give back his toy? And if he did, she's damaged goods now, she ain't never gonna forget what happened to her. Even if you put a spell on her to fix her memory, that body's not going to forget."

Rukia tried to close her eyes, her mind to the truth, turning her back as Grimmjow was being dragged down the hall.

"Once you tell him you're a youkai he'll know you had something to do with this!" Grimmjow shouted desperately. "Just let me go and let's leave this place, Rukia. Please! RUKIAAAAA!"

Rukia covered her ears with her hands, panic seizing her. She had to get a hold of the situation.

She could send them all away. No, but if she did that, Grimmjow would be free to reveal what she had done out of jealousy and ignorance.

What was she going to do? She had come so far; it was all coming together so beautifully, now all this. Was she so blindly going after the boy that none of the rest mattered.

It was all different now, Ichigo loved her.

Her mind was grasping at straws as she sat slumped in the hall, her hand wringing her hair.

She could kill them…. Her mind and heart vehemently rejected that idea.

No, even now, that wasn't an option. She was sure Ulquiorra would comply with her command to release the girl, but she couldn't, she wouldn't do that until after tomorrow night. And Grimmjow, he would just stay confined…indefinitely.

Why had he gone to see a Kitsune, anyway?

"Do you think he's still going to want you .." She closed her eyes to Grimmjow's taunts.

No, she couldn't. She wouldn't turn back now. Once they made love, she claimed him as her mate and she got him away from Karakura he'd forget about them. That's right. It was as simple as that.

She stood and took several deep breaths. Yes, everything was still fine.

o

Rukia couldn't sleep that night, tossing and turning the whole time. She still hadn't told Ulquiorra that he would have to relinquish Orihime. She didn't have it in her to restrain him as well if he turned on her like Grimmjow did.

She could fix all of it, every bit with just the right spell. Make him forget about his family and friends. But that was such an integral part of who he was and she didn't want to tamper with that. He loved her, she believed him and somehow they would get through all this.

Rukia had tried to eat that morning to no avail. She instead dressed for her day. She was wearing a beautiful light floral yukata as she arrived at Ichigo's house early the next morning.

Ichigo seemed to know the instant when she arrived. He was wearing a navy blue yukata and black sash. He was incredibly handsome.

"Hey, I was trying to call you to see if you wanted to have breakfast," he said running out to her before she was bombarded by his crazy family.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to charge my phone."

"It's ok. Alright .. just to prepare you, my family is just plain weird, my father's the worst. They say the stupidest things. What's ever on their minds, so please bear with them."

All the worries she had, seemed to melt away as she looked at Ichigo and smiled.

"Ok."

"Ooooh. She's beautiful Ichigo." Yuzu said running from the house. "She looks like a doll."

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Well she's not and you can speak directly to her, Yuzu. Rukia this is my sister Yuzu."

"And this is my twin Karin." Yuzu said linking her arm in with her sister who was red faced at having stared at the beautiful dark haired girl her brother was dating now.

"Hello, Yuzu, Karin. It's very nice to meet you both." Rukia said with a bow.

"Oooh. She's so polite onii-chan." Yuzu gushed.

"Welcome to the family Kuchiki-san!" Isshin said coming from nowhere and picking up Rukia in a big bear hug. She wiggled like a rag doll in his grip, laughing as he swung her around.

"PUT HER DOWN OLD MAN!" Ichigo shouted.

"What? She's family now. Just because you and Karin don't like hugs doesn't mean Rukia won't."

"I love hugs too, Otou-san!" Yuzu shouted gleefully.

"What happened to Kuchiki-san?" Ichigo snarled.

"I told you son, she's family now. Family is on a first name basis."

This is a family.

Rukia giggled and beamed happily, feeling warmth she hadn't had in a long time. Though it wasn't as unfamiliar as she thought. An image of she, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra visiting a festival a long time ago flitted through her memory. That had been a wonderful night.

Yuzu laced her arm in Rukia's and drug her and Karin ahead of her father and brother as they headed to the festival.

The festival was overrun with revelers. Ichigo sighed in embarrassed exasperation as his family pulled Rukia this way and that all day and into the early evening.

The girl didn't seem to mind at all. She was eating up the interaction with them.

The full moon was high in the sky and the festival was just now hitting full swing as fireworks were going off all over the city.

.

Grimmjow had his last three fingers clasped his index fingers pointing down and his thumbs pointing up towards his head, as his hands lay against his lower abdomen. The shikigami had not gagged him as he lay restrained on the dungeon floor, in a tiny cell. Rukia didn't directly instruct the mindless familiars to do so, which she should have.

He was chanting. He was never good at spells; strength and speed were his forte. Casting a spell to break a kido was even harder; otherwise, he would have been out long ago. But he kept chanting. He could feel the chains around him weakening; soon his strength alone could break them.

.

Ichigo had finally been able to get Rukia from his family and they were walking further away from the main festival, along the bank of the river.

Ichigo squeezed Rukia's hand, as her fingers were laced in his. He took a deep breath stopping at a certain spot.

Rukia looked up at him smiling, seeing his face dark and hard.

"What is it, Ichigo?"

"Remember when I told you my mother was killed?"

"Yes."

"It was here."

Rukia looked around, her heart sinking trying to picture a young Ichigo frightened out of his mind as his mother was attacked and killed. Sorrow gripped her heart as she fought back tears.

"The one thing I never told anyone….is I saw who did it. Or really what did it?"

"Hmm."

"It was a monster. A youkai."

Rukia's eyes widened.

"What did it look like?" She said coldly.

"It was a woman, a beautiful woman, with long hair that had barbs on the end of each strand. I think she was after me and my mother tried to protect me."

"Harionago.* The youkai you saw. She uses her hair to ensnare and kill men."

"Hmm." Ichigo said digesting the new information before he somberly continued. "I never told anyone. I didn't want them to think I was crazy and take me from my dad and sisters."

The stood silently, the noise in the distance keeping them from thinking it was all a dream.

"They're everywhere. Youkais. Obake. Ayakashi. Whatever you want to call them. I've seen them more often than not."

"Hmm."

"You don't seem surprised."

"I'm not. There are a lot of things in the world that most people wouldn't understand."

"When I said the youkai was after me Rukia, don't you wonder why?"

"Probably because you were young and defenseless."

"No. That's not it." He said pulling away from her and walking a short distance away. He took a deep breath before he continued. "There's something inside me. I knew since the day my mother was killed. I changed into this….. thing. And I tried to fight. I really did." His voice cracked in anguish. "I tried to save her, but I wasn't strong enough. Ever since that day, it's been there, growing stronger. Its getting harder and harder to control. Sometimes I can feel it taking over me. Then you came along and I felt peaceful inside. But I was afraid to tell you about me, about it, until the other night. Then I knew you'd understand."

"But I don't understand?"

"Don't you Rukia? You protected me the other night."

"What?"

"It was you, wasn't it. In the white kimono. You protected me from that thing that I thought had Yuzu."

"How did you-"

"When I woke up the next morning, it all seemed to fade away like a dream. But when I saw you that next day I got the same feeling I had when I saw the woman that night and it all came back to me."

Rukia was confused. That was strong magic that she had used to help him forget and yet he had broken it.

"Yes, it was me…." She said finally. "I am a Yuki-onna* youkai."

"You were beautiful, you ARE beautiful regardless. I on the other hand…"

Sudden fear was awash in his features as he spoke now.

"I want to see you." Rukia said walking to him and taking his hand. This new set of circumstances explained a lot in regards to is power and their attraction to each other.

Also, Rukia knew in almost all cases one's youkai form was the personification of the persons soul or their greatest strengths made manifest. Ichigo was already so incredible she was more than a little curious to see him as a youkai.

"I feel embarrassed now." His cheeks flushed like a little boy.

"It's only fair, you've already seen me."

"Not here though, in case someone comes by. I don't want to scare anyone. Beside in the past when I've changed, sometimes I can't control myself."

"I know a place."

Rukia took Ichigo's hand and led him away from the water.

"This may make you dizzy the first few steps, but you'll get used to it after a while." She said shunpo-ing towards her palace.

One step, Ichigo was reeling. Her second step Ichigo gripped her hand; her third step he was more balanced and on the fourth step as she landed them both in the mountains, he stumbled as they came to a stop.

"What was that?"

"It's called shunpo or flash step. You can go great distances in a short time with a few strides using that technique. We're at the base of the Karakura mountains now."

"What, really?"

"Yeah."

"Teach me that." He said smiling excitedly.

"Later. You owe me a look first."

.

to be concluded

*Harionago - A woman with a thorn-like barb on the tip of each strand of her hair

*Yuki-onna - The snow woman.