A/N: I haven't abandoned this story!

Oh just wait till the drama starts ladies and gentlemen! (no, it's not starting in this chapter.)

Zangetsu always regarded himself as a quiet man. It's one reason why he and Ichigo worked so well together. Zangetsu was driven by logic while Ichigo would let his emotions get in the way. Zangetsu was quiet because he didn't enjoy speaking. This gave him time to think and reflect.

So, naturally, he was the first to notice that Ichigo spent more time at work than he did at home. This worried the older surgeon. For in his time with Ichigo, seeing the man grown and go through so much only to find happiness—well, he was almost like a son. Shirayuki didn't want children but he knew she felt the same way. She'd often leave little snacks in his locker, just so Zangetsu could share with Ichigo.

He ran both hands through the mop of dark hair that he had let loose from its tie. Right on schedule, Ichigo came into the break room with his usual tired scowl.

"Ichigo" Zangetsu greeted him with a short nod. "We need to talk."

"Last time someone said that to me, I learned where babies came from." Ichigo said with a smile ghosting on his lips.

Zangetsu noticed that change when Rukia came into his life. He saw Ichigo transform like a butterfly. The usually scowling surgeon had fallen head over heels for a woman and when he and Rukia broke up, Zangetsu told Shirayuki. 'He comes into work looking like a lost puppy…'

That had all since changed. Ichigo still held his scowl but he wasn't afraid to make small jokes, to talk, or be honest to his patients and co-workers. He never opened up all the way, but just enough, so Zangetsu could see the smile in his eyes.

"You've been spending a lot of time here." Zangetsu spoke once Ichigo had taken a seat on the couch.

"Job means money." Ichigo said holding up his hand and rubbing his fingers together.

"Are you struggling with paying bills?"

"Nah, nothing like that." Ichigo stretched out his legs since the couch was empty. "Rukia's not making anything right now. Not until her tour starts and she starts getting her work out there." Ichigo explained crossing his arms.

"You are a very noble man, Ichigo."

"That and Rangiku is at our apartment. She pitches in but it's up to me to make the cash that matters."

"Understandable." Zangetsu sighed a little, using his hair tie to pull his wild dark hair into a ponytail. He needed it out of his face for work. Ichigo reached over to the coffee table and flipped through a magazine on kitchen appliances.

"Ichigo, I am sure everything will work out." Zangetsu left after saying that. He left a very confused Ichigo lying on the couch with an old magazine on his stomach, for it had fallen from his hands. What in the world was old man Zangetsu going on about now? Did he think...the he was in trouble? Ichigo sighed a little. Zangetsu had always worried about him. Today was no surprise. Not really anyway.

&3&3&3&3&

"Tatsuki." Renji poked her side.

"Taaatsuki."

"Tatsuki." Another poke but a little harder this time and she rolled over in their bed. Pineapple was lying at the end of their bed with his big pink tongue sticking out, watching as his masters annoyed one another.

Renji groaned a little and got out of bed, his wild red hair let loose and moving with his body. He turned on the cold water in the sink and set his hand under it for a good minute.

He returned to their bed and slid his now ice-cold hand into Tatsuki's shirt.

"OHMYGOD!" Her fist flew upwards and connected with Renji's nose. Pineapple barked and jumped from the bed.

"Renji? What the hell?" The redhead in question was now holding his bleeding nose with the same hand he had used to scare the shit out of Tatsuki.

"You'be got vork in half an hour. I trieb to get you up the nice vay." His said, his words congested from the blood now filling his nasal cavities. Tatsuki groaned and pulled his hand away from his face to see the damage.

"You're fine." She said pulling a few tissues from her nightstand. She handed them over to Renji and the two sat in silence for a long moment.

"How's Orihime doing?" Renji asked with both the tissues now shoved into his nose.

"Good. Uryu takes care of her." Tatsuki said pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Pineapple whined and jumped back onto the bed.

"He wants to go out." Tatsuki watched as the dog sat on their bed and stared at Renji.

"You still feel guilty? About what happened with Orihime and Ichigo? I know how you always used to protect her from bullies…"

Pineapple barked causing Tatsuki to jump a little. She hated when he did that. She also did not enjoy when Renji randomly wanted to have a sincere conversation.

"I was guilty. Then, I saw how happy Uryu made her. Ichigo…he and Rukia are perfect for each other." Tatsuki sighed a little with a small smile on her face.

"I no longer regret what I couldn't do."

Renji grinned and quickly kissed his girlfriends exposed skin of her shoulder. The dark blue tank top she wore to bed always complimented her complexion and brought out her eyes. He moved away and Pineapple followed at his heels.

Tatsuki's hand touched her shoulder and she smiled a little. Before she realized what time it was—Tatsuki jumped from the bed and rushed to the bathroom for a quick shower before she had to hurry to work.

&3&3&3&3

"Ichigo!" A voice and then a body hitting his chest, two arms wrapping around his torso. The chart in his hands fell to the ground with an echoing clang—only to be drowned away by the voices and random noises of the hospital.

He knew who it was the second his name left her lips. Her strawberry scented shampoo and delicate hands resting on his back.

"Rukia…" He breathed returning the embrace. It felt like years since he last saw her when it had only been eight hours. Maybe it was because she'd be leaving, so it felt like every moment was a final one. A goodbye. Ichigo hated that.

They broke apart and Ichigo took her wrist, running down the hallway, the nurses cursed at him. He didn't really care. He pulled open the supply closet and Rukia entered first. Couples needed their privacy.

"Hey…" He leaned down to touch foreheads with her.

"How's your day going?" She asked, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Busy, tiring, the usual."

"Ukitake called and told me when I'd be leaving…"

"Oh?"

"March 30th to May 1st."

Ichigo felt his heart sink to his stomach. March 30th was exactly 25 days from today. He wanted to hold her close, tell her he was going to miss her, tell her that he didn't want her to go. He couldn't do that though, his pride wouldn't let him.

"That's…not far away. Rukia, I—"

"This isn't the time to argue."

"Who said I was arguing? I was just going to ask if—"Ichigo was cut off again.

"I have thought this through and…"

"I know it's good for your career but why can't you stay in—"Cut off for the third time.

"I'll get nowhere here."

"Rangiku still wants you to be her maid of honor and you can't—"Fourth times the charm.

"Rangiku understands! I'm not letting anyone down."

"Stop doing that." Ichigo frowned, his good mood tarnished by her bad news.

"Doing what?"

"Answering my questions before I even get a chance to ask them!" He clenched and unclenched his fists at his side.

"Ichigo…" Rukia closed her eyes, interlacing her fingers at the nape of his neck. "Why the hell are we arguing? We should be enjoying every moment we get together…"

"I know but…"

"Just kiss me, you idiot."

Zangetsu would describe himself as an observant man. When he saw Rukia come into the hospital, smiling and speaking briefly with the nurses, he realized how much she had changed as well. When he first met the girl, she seemed a little stubborn and perhaps a bit full of herself. Then, as her and Ichigo got closer and she came to the hospital more often, he saw the hidden layers beneath her wall. She acted as if she was superior or strong because of her height. Zangetsu guessed there were deeper reasons as to why Rukia, like any girl, had insecurities.

But those depths, he would never reach. Those depths were only for Ichigo to see.

So when Rukia ran into Ichigo's arms, he felt it to be odd. She never did that before. She'd usually greet him as if he was any other person in the hospital. Then they'd playfully argue and tease one another. He'd kiss her goodbye and that was it. There was a hidden chemistry between them. As if every joke, tease, comment, or jab held a more powerful meaning.

Zangetsu knew something was troubling the young girl. He couldn't ask. Although observant, quiet, and attractive—Zangetsu didn't like to pry into personal lives. So when he saw Ichigo run into the supply closet with Rukia in tow. He only turned his back and went in the opposite direction.

&3&3&3

"A-ah…? Excuse me." A soft voice broke the two apart. This was probably lucky since Rukia could guarantee it would have gone farther. The supply closet door was open revealing the small form a nurse. Rukia recognized her face…Hinamori was her name. Her pink scrubs nearly matched the color on Rukia's face.

Ichigo had his hands on Rukia's hips and a rather guilty look on his face. She pushed his hands away and quickly slipped from the room, combing her hair with her fingers in the process.

"Sorry, Momo." Ichigo cleared his throat while fixing the teal colored scrub shirt he was wearing.

&3&3&3

When Rukia returned home, she found Rangiku crying. "Rangiku?" She took a few quick steps to her friends' side, forgetting to shut the apartment door in the process.

"What's wrong?"

Rangiku shook her head and smiled. "Sorry, I've been so emotional." Rangiku smoothed Rukia's hair and plopped back down on the couch. "Tired too." She added with another smile.

"What's wrong?" Rukia repeated with worry evident in her indigo eyes.

"Nothing, Rukia. I'm happy. Tears of joy, my dear." Rangiku snuggled into her pillow and her breathing turned soft and shallow.

"She's asleep…" Rukia mumbled straightening her position. She closed the apartment door and decided to call it early for the night. Ichigo wouldn't be home until at least 11:30 and it was only 7:00pm. For some reason, the time felt far off.

Rukia stripped off her yellow dress and kicked aside her white shoes. She tied her hair into a sloppy bun and searched their room for a clean nightgown to wear. 'I have to do laundry tomorrow…' Rukia thought idly as she went through her drawers. She pulled out one of Ichigo's old shirts, it had a hole in the collar and the red was faded into an almost pink color.

She pulled the shirt on over her head. It smelled like him. She fell onto their un-made bed, still a tangle of sheets and the comforter. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly to her chest.

"How will we ever survive?"

&3&3&3&3

[Sometime in October]

Rangiku, Rukia, Ichigo and Hisagi had gone away for a little vacation. It was a rainy evening so they all stayed in the hotel. They told stories, drank, and enjoyed each other's company. There was even a piano in the dining room of the hotel and Rangiku convinced Rukia to play some songs. Rukia refused to sing though…which disappointed Ichigo but at the same time made him feel special.

He was the only person she openly sang to. In the shower, around the house, wherever. If he asked and she was inspired enough—she would. If not, she'd whack his shoulder and tell him to stop pressuring her. That weekend was blissful. Rangiku and Hisagi weren't worrying about their wedding yet. No one argued or fought over something petty. It was one day out of 365 that felt unique.

That rainy day in October was the day that Rukia bought the strawberry shampoo that she uses to this day.

&3&3&3&3

Rukia tossed over in their bed. Staring up at the ceiling and letting her mind go.

'Memories are strange.'

'We have the ones that stay in our hearts forever—good or bad.'

'Then we have the ones that just meld together and become a collective blob. I can only remember bits and pieces of my childhood.'

'But my time with Ichigo is like a dream. It sounds foolish and very shojo-ai manga. It is the truth. We were sitting by the fireplace at my brothers' house, he had an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into his form. We don't always have moments like that…sure; we have our times when our shared silence is comfortable…'

'I guess we're not just the same…like other couples, I mean. Our memories are not filled with mushy-gooey fluff…we've got bad and good memories together. Jagged memories that sting to think about. Soft memories that keep us warm on cold nights—like these.'

Rukia heard the bedroom door open but made no effort to sit up.

'Maybe memories are so weird and wonderful because life is. They go hand in hand…'

She felt two arms go around her in the darkness and someone breathe a sigh of content into her hair.

'Almost like Ichigo and me.'

A/N: Okay, that's all for this chapter! Remember to review/comment/questions/etc.

You know I love you. 8D

I will try to update faster but school and colleges get in the way. Argh.

Important Question: I want to make an 'amv' (not sure what to call it because I don't always use anime, I use video games too). But I'm not sure about a pairing? I've got something special in mind for an IchiRuki one. So, throw some pairings at me in your review! They can be crack/crossover/whatever…just give me the characters and what game or anime they are from. {Or give me a song you really like and maybe I can work from there?}

Thanks!

Have a lovely weekend!