Hey guys! I'm back...what? No party celebrating my return? Aww...

Well, like I promised this chapter is coming out in place of the previous chapter that came out early. I'm thinking of having chapter four come out next week rather than two weeks due to the fact that this chapter and the next are kind of slow. Believe me, they're necessary, just slow. So sorry about that!

And also my apologies for some tendencies I've given Ichigo. I realize some are my own tendencies, but it ain't too bad! What's a guy to do huh?

ENJOY!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!

Days since incident: 3.

The weekend came rather quickly for Ichigo, which to him was surprising because usually each day felt like an eternity. With his daily routine of monotony every minute felt like an hour, and every hour felt like a day. But for the remainder of this past week, time seemed to finally pick up the pace and move by much quicker.

He figured it was because of the excitement. After his confrontation with Rukia that day he had felt her seething hatred towards him turn more and more sour. He'd catch her sending him murderous glares in class, sense the intense anger she harbored for him within her lithe body. She had grown a posse, and had ultimately turned them against him as well. He'd see their sneers in the hallways, hear their snickering at him when they thought he couldn't.

They tried to get under his skin after class when they'd huddle around Rukia's desk and make little whispers about his hair or his scowl. But it wouldn't work, because Ichigo could care less what these people think of him. They could be writing his name on the walls calling him an ugly fool for all he cared.

But, the fact that he had something like this to think about was what made his week so quick. It was different from his boring routine of school, work, sleep. With this added to the mix there was a sense of new in his life for once, and that alone made him content- in a morbid kind of way.

It was now Friday, and the school bell just rang. He stood, ignoring the silent stares of the forming group behind him. Some accidentally bumped into him as they moved about to talk to their precious Rukia-chan. But, again, he ignored them and packed up his stuff and was out the door without a second glance.

Walking out of the building within the large mass of students, Ichigo couldn't help but be happy it was the weekend. Usually he didn't care much- every day is really the same, just on the weekend he could sleep long before work- but right now he felt somewhat at ease knowing the weekend was upon him.

He was free of those mongrels and their incessant jeering and for some reason he was looking forward to that extra sleep. After his last incident he hadn't been on a proper sleeping schedule the last few days, and that extra time seemed heavenly at this moment.

"Yo! Ichigo!" He turned at the sound of his name. Tatsuki came running towards him, waving her hand for him to see it was her calling out to him. Orihime was, as always, following along behind her, attached by the hip.

"Hey," Ichigo greeted, slightly annoyed at having to wait any longer for his relaxing weekend. He looked to the always shy Orihime and nodded his head, to which she replied in the same manner.

"Hey, what are you doing this weekend?" Tatsuki asked after straitening her uniform's bow. "We were wondering if you'd like to come over Orihime's and play the new Tekken game she just got."

Ichigo frowned. "Ah...sorry, I have to work this weekend." He said, lacing his voice with disappointment. In truth he'd love to go, but he wanted to rest this weekend. Plus, he had to prepare for next weekend...

Tatsuki's face fell into a deep frown. "You always have to work! Can't you just ask for tomorrow off? Just this once?" She insisted.

"Please?" Orihime added, hopefully.

Ichigo sighed, shaking his head sadly. "I'm sorry, I can't. Urahara is a stickler when it comes to taking days off." He lied. Urahara didn't mind all that much, just as long as Ichigo worked overtime the next work day. But they didn't have to know that.

"Ah, you just don't want to feel guilty about not wanting to go." Tatsuki prodded his chest with her finger. He scowled at her, shaking his head.

"No, I'm being honest." She was trying to goad him into coming. But he wouldn't give in, at least not today. "Seriously."

Tatsuki and Orihime were frowning at him now, and he did feel guilty about rejecting them. But he really wanted to rest, and playing all of those violent video games may set him off. He was a competitive player, and could lose control the moment he lost a match. Now that would be disastrous.

"Fine," Tatsuki relented. "But next time I won't be so-"

"Um..." Orihime cut in, raising her hand to point at something behind Ichigo. "Who's that?"

Tatsuki glanced up and was stunned into silence by the sight. Ichigo turned as well, and felt his face fall at the purple haired girl walking along the length of the gates. She was trotting back and forth on top of the ten foot high stone wall with her arms out, balancing herself as she took careful, yet tittering steps. She had a pleased smile on her face as a group of students and teachers buzzed around under her, all whispering to one another as they watched her insane antics.

"S-Senna?" Ichigo chocked at seeing the girl from the other day. Was she crazy? How did she even get up there?

"You know her?" Orihime asked, watching with interest as the girl turned and moved back along the gates, laughing as a teacher called for her to get down.

"Sort of," Ichigo said, watching with wide eyes. "She came into the shop the other day talking to me. What the hell does she think she's doing?"

Tatsuki looked back to Ichigo. "Well...since you know her: Get her down!"

Ichigo knitted his brows together. "How?" He asked in confusion. "I don't really know her! I wouldn't know what to say to get her down!" He said, feeling his heart leap into his throat as she began to wobble back and forth.

"Holy..." Orihime whispered with shock as the girl cried out as she lost her balance.

"Shit!" Ichigo cursed, dropping his bag and sprinting forward towards the gates. He acted on total instinct, and wasn't fully aware of himself pushing through the pile of bodies to get to her until after he was standing directly below her with his arms out.

"Ah!" Senna dropped down, her foot slipping and her body tilting off over the edge. Ichigo braced himself as she came flying down to him, the gasps and shrieks of the students all around making his head throb. Her body fell into his arms, and he was shocked by how much force she brought with her.

They crashed to the ground, his body slamming hard into the dirt while Senna slammed into him. He groaned, closing his eyes as pain traveled through his lower back. Why me? He couldn't help but ask.

"That was fun!" Senna cheered, still sitting on top of him. "Let's do it again!" She laughed, pumping her fists into the air.

"What the hell is your problem?" Ichigo yelled at her once he regained his composure. "You could have died!" He bellowed.

Senna looked down at him as if for the first time noticing him. "Oh! Strawberry-kun! Nice to see you again!" She smiled at him.

He just growled and pushed her off of him. "Don't call me that!" He hissed, standing and wiping himself off.

She stood alongside him, pouting cutely. "Why? It's your name, right?" She inquired.

Ichigo gritted his teeth. "No! It doesn't mean-! Ugh!" He wanted to pull out his hair. "What are you doing here anyway, Senna?"

She again smiled, linking her hands behind her back and kicking her feet in a rhythm. "Eh, I followed you here this morning and decided to wait for you to get out so we can hang out!" She said as if proud of herself.

Ichigo balked at her. "You what?"

"Kurosaki! That your girlfriend?" Ichigo turned to the group of students were watching the scene. They were all watching him and Senna with interest, all still mystified by her daring performance. He scowled at them.

"No-"

"What's going on here?" The group turned as Rukia came up to the scene, her little groupies fluttering about her like the little bees they were. She placed her hands on her hips, her school bag being carried by one of the guys. She glared at Ichigo, frowning as he stood next to Senna.

"None of your-"

"Hello!" Senna said cheerfully, waving. Ichigo growled with frustration. Why were people cutting him off so much lately?

"Who are you?" Rukia asked, raising a delicate brow.

Senna beamed at her, racing forward to extend out her hand. "My name is Senna! How about yours?" She asked, smiling from ear to ear.

Rukia looked down at the hand, frowning in contemplation as she lifted up her own. Senna took hold of Rukia's hand and began to shake excitedly.

"Geez..." Ichigo grumbled, rubbing the back of his head as he watched the group start to disperse. They had lost interest, and were now off to their selective locations for the weekend. Ichigo wished fervently that he was one of them, but Senna was done shaking Rukia's hand and was back in front of him with a childish smile on her face.

"So, are we going?" She asked him, bouncing from foot to foot.

"Why are you so full of energy?" Ichigo said with a frown. He didn't like the aura she brought with her, it almost made him just as excited as she for the most mundane. But he couldn't let such emotions take form, otherwise he'd grow fond of them and would never be happy unless he had them more often. And the more the emotions came...

The higher the risk.

"That any way to treat your girlfriend, strawberry?" Rukia sneered at him, her own posse having diminished as the scene wore thin. She was standing just about alone now, her bag now draped over her shoulder. He spotted the limousine outside the gate waiting for her.

Just as he was about to retort that Senna was- by no means- his girlfriend, said girl perked up, poking him hard in the chest. "Yeah! Is that any way to treat me?"

Ichigo began to grind his teeth again.

"Oh! So that's why you won't hang out with us ever!" Tatsuki and Orihime were now standing beside Rukia, the former pointing at him accusingly.

Ichigo felt little bugs crawl over his skin in frustration.

"Ah...good for you Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime said, supportive. She held onto his bag, waiting for the moment to hand it back to him.

Ichigo quickly snatched up his bag. He has had enough.

"Alright!" Ichigo growled, grabbing onto Senna's hand and dragging her away from the other girls. She yelped in surprise at this rough contact, but then moved to keep pace with him as she waved goodbye to the others, who watched with curious gazes as the two left the premises.

"Geez, if Ichigo had a girlfriend he should have just said so." Tatsuki remarked, sighing as she shook her head.

"Why would he keep it a secret?" Orihime asked, watching the two go with clenched fists.

"Probably because he's an idiot." Rukia said vehemently, turning and walking towards her limousine with a deep frown. Deeper than she would have wanted it to be.

–

Ichigo grumbled lowly to himself as he dragged Senna down the block away from the school. He didn't know where he was taking her, nor did he know why he was taking her anywhere, he just knew that he needed to get her away from the school. He was going to get it now for having been associated with this weird girl, and he didn't need the attention.

There goes my weekend...

"So, where are we going?" Senna chimed, following along with his long strides with ease.

Ichigo stopped and turned to her. "We aren't going anywhere." He said. "Why the hell are you following me around? We don't know each other!"

Senna tilted her head to the side in that childish manner again. "Well, I figured we hit it off pretty well at the shop, so I thought maybe we could be friends." She said, smiling the whole while.

Ichigo rose his brows at her, shocked. "We could be friends, I guess...but stalking me and making a spectacle of yourself isn't the best way of going about it!" He berated.

"But if I didn't do it you wouldn't have been as interested in me as you are now!" She giggled.

Ichigo's mouth opened then closed as he processed that. Technically, it was true. Had she come to him in a normal fashion he would have apologized and said he was too busy for friends. Having too many people around him was dangerous, and he didn't want to jeopardize the lives of anyone should he undergo one of his Changes.

"That was still a reckless thing you did back there." He said, his anger lifting. She had good intentions, just odd methods. He couldn't be mad at her for that.

Senna shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it worked didn't it? I have you here talking with me rather than you brushing me off like you did to those girls before." She said, grinning slyly at him.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Wait...how did you hear all that? You were five feet away behind people!" He said, staring at her.

Senna winked. "I have my ways." She said, turning on her heel and raising her finger into the air. "Alright! Kurosaki Ichigo!" She cheered, gaining the attention of a few people on the street. "Let us embark on our journey!" She said and walked off, not giving Ichigo the time to protest.

Groaning, Ichigo gave in and followed after her, his shoulders sagging as he imagined his weekend seeping away between his fingers.

–

Later that night, Ichigo felt as if his body was going to shut down at any second.

After Senna had dragged him to just about every shop in Karakura, jabbering away about this and that, Ichigo had returned to the shop to work. Chad had been there today- thank god- so the work load wasn't too much for the orange haired teen. But Senna had kept him moving, and his fatigue had only been exacerbated when Urahara got him lifting boxes for nearly four hours straight.

So, yet again in his forever tormented life, he practically crawled through the door towards his bed. He kicked off his shoes and tossed his shirt over to the corner as he hefted himself up and plopped down hard onto his mattress, sighing in content as he felt the warmth of the blankets envelope him in their comforting embrace.

As he lay silently under his blankets, breathing evenly as the touches of sleep came close to his mind, he couldn't help but admire what he had done today. It had been so long since he had a pleasant evening with another soul, and today's adventure had actually been somewhat fun- even if Senna tended to seem somewhat off her rocker.

He had learned a bit about her. She was staying with her uncle somewhere in uptown Karakura for a few months, coming from Tokyo where she lived in an apartment near Tokyo Square. She had graduated high school last year and was on vacation from her first year in college- much to his surprise. He couldn't really picture the free spirited Senna sitting down doing homework diligently. The image clashed with itself.

She was a fun girl to be with, and Ichigo half hoped he could have another day like this- minus the incident at school.

Soon enough sleep was upon him. He faintly heard lowered voices from down below his apartment in the shop, but ignored it as his mind slipped.

After what felt like only five seconds of bliss, there was a knock at his door. He frowned, curling up under the sheets in an attempt to maintain sleep. It was most likely Urahara coming to bug him before he went home to his wife and kids, but Ichigo wasn't in the mood for the older man's idiocy.

The knocking grew louder and faster. He groaned, turning over to glare at the door as if it offended him personally. As the person behind the door wouldn't quit, he finally stood with a grunt and stomped towards the door.

"Dammit old man what in God's name do you-"

Ichigo was stunned into silence when he opened the door and found Rukia Kuchiki standing there on the other side rather than his boss slash land lord.

"Hey,"

Ah, sorry y'all for the hasty ending. I had planned on a longer chapter with this one, but what I had planned didn't work out so I deleted it and left it as such! I had planned to put down Ichigo and Senna's whole adventure together, but it felt too...boring. Too cliché ya know? So I just implied that they had a good time. Sorry if that disappoints you!

Again, my apologies for the slowness. Next chapter will be a bit more fun, trust me! And then chapter five will have some CHANGE-y action (Sort of. You'll see ;))

Oh, to reviewer Thornspike: Yes. The rated 'M' applies to what's going to happen between both IchiSenna and IchiRuki. But don't worry! Senna's part won't be as great as Rukia's!

Wait until you see what I've got in store for all of you...

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