Just a quick heads up. This weekend I finally got some free time and I hate to disappoint everyone but it will NOT be spent on this story. A really really really close friend of mine ALSO has some free time and we've decided to get together and hang out. I hope this is long enough.

So, enjoy this one for now.

RUKIA'S POV

I got in the passenger seat of our car and waited. Byakuya got in the drivers seat, closed the door and started the car. We backed out of where we had parked and I glanced at him. Why wasn't he saying anything about what had happened?

When I went to reach for the radio, his voice stopped me. "Don't. We have to talk."

Leaning back, I placed my hands in my lap. "About?"

"You know what about."

"He's not that bad, brother."

His hands gripped the steering wheel. I hadn't really seen Byakuya like this before. He was usually calm and collected. It was weird to see him like this. If felt almost as if I didn't know who he was. "You don't know him like I do."

My fists balled up in my lap. "And you don't know him like I do."

He gave me a sharp look. "I will no have my sister running around with some hooligan."

I rolled my eyes at the word hooligan. "You're so dense! No he isn't!" I covered my mouth with my hand. Had I really just yelled at Byakuya?

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing." I looked out the window, too afraid to meet his eyes.

The silence that I had hoped would follow, didn't. "I don't want you around him anymore. If you don't obey my rules, I will take you out of school. You are to have no contact with him. School is the only exception. And even then I want you to have limited time around him. He's trouble Rukia. Are we understood?"

I opened my mouth to object. To tell him off and just scream at him. But I didn't. Instead, I stared at my hands and nodded. "Yes, brother."

"Good."

As soon as he put the car in park, I swung open the door and ran to my room. I fell onto my bed and cried. I felt so ashamed. Was I really so weak I couldn't stand up to my brother? Wiping my tears, I made a decision. It was my life. Which means my decisions. Byakuya couldn't keep treating me like a child and making choices for me.


ICHIGO'S POV

I don't know how long I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling. It seemed like hours had gone by but in reality, it was probably no more than one or two. The thought of Rukia seemed to be the only thing I could concentrate on.

That was it. I had to see her. I just had to make sure she was okay. There was no telling what Byakuya would do.

Throwing the covers off myself, I slid my window open. As quietly as I could, I crawled outside and onto the roof. It wasn't as easy as all those movies made it seem. My foot slipped once or twice, but I made it safely onto the ground.

I shivered when the wind hit my skin and silently cursed myself for not bringing a jacket. I looked back at my window. My bright orange spikes fell in front of my face when I shook my head. There was no way I was going back up there for a jacket.

Without another thought, I ran through the front gate of the house and straight for Rukia's place. Believe it or not, the last time I had shown up at her house had been a total accident. I had been walking home when I saw Byakuya pulling out of their driveway.

Unfortunately, I would have no such luck this time. And now that it was dark, it would be even harder to spot. Time passed as I looked around for her house. Then, I saw it. It wasn't a huge house, but it was pretty freakin' big. "Finally," I groaned.

All the lights seemed to be off. Except one. A purple light shined out from the window. Looking around, I found a good tree and began to climb up. By the time I got to the very top, I was missing a shoe and was covered in cuts. The branch was just a little shorter than her window, but with my height, I could easily see.

The room wasn't too small. It had a bed, a dresser, a closet and any other normal thing a room would have. That's when I saw her. She had just walked into her room. And of course, she was in only a towel.

I reached over and tapped on the window. At a break neck speed, she turned towards me and covered her mouth to stop the scream. She held up a finger and closed the shades. I waited for a moment and then she reopened them.

Now, she was wearing some blue boxer shorts and a grey tank top. She carefully opened her window and stepped back. I grabbed the ledge and pulled myself in. "Hey," I said, grinning.

She had her hands on her hips, "What the hell are you doing here? If you get caught here, brother is going to have a fit. He'll have you arrested!" She whispered harshly.

"Don't worry about it."

She took a seat on her bed, "Why are you here?"

I sat down beside her. The was small with a lavender cover over it. "I wanted to make sure you were okay," I whispered.


RUKIA'S POV

A blush lit up my face and I tried desperately to hide it. "Oh, well, I'm okay."

"Did he yell at you?" He asked.

I caught a look at him and could see the concern on his face. "Yeah. He said I'm not allowed to talk to you anymore."

He tensed up beside me and I rested my hand on his, "That doesn't mean I'm going to listen to him."

Our eyes locked and he smiled, "Good. I don't want to stop talking to you."

Before I could lean in and kiss him, I stopped myself. I remember how that had ended last time. So, I stood up and smiled at him. "Me either. I'm glad we're just friends."

His smile faded slightly, "Yeah, friends."

"So, what happened to your shoe?" I asked, looking at his foot.

He looked down and laughed, "Your tree ate it."

I laughed along with him. "Rukia? Who are you talking to?"

My eyes widened and I turned towards my door. I could sense Byakuya on the other side. Rushing over to Ichigo, I spoke low, "Get under the bed and do not come out until I say it's safe. Understand? No matter what you hear or anything. It has to be my voice. I'll lift up the bed sheet and tell you to come out."

"Rukia?" I looked back at my door.

"Hurry." Ichigo crawled under my bed as quickly as possible and curled up. Grabbing my remote, I turned it on. Then, I laid down on my bed and pretended to sleep.

I heard my door open and tried to keep my body from tensing up. "Rukia? Are you awake?"

My breathing stayed even and I snuggled closer to my pillow. "It must've been her T.V." I heard the clicking signalling him turning it off and suddenly a hand brushed across my forehead. "I'm sorry Rukia. Goodnight."

His footsteps faded as he closed my door and I waited. Five, four, three, two, one. I got off my bed and lifted my covers up. Ichigo stared back at me. I smiled, "You can come out."

He crawled out from under my bed and stretched. "Dang, you need a longer bed."

I laughed, "Maybe you should just stop sneaking into people's house's in the middle of the night."

Waving a hand at me, he rolled his eyes. "That's not that problem."

"Oh whatever."

He looked over at me, "I should get going."

I nodded, "Yeah. Thanks for coming over and checking up on me."

My heart fluttered a bit as he grinned, "It was no problem. I just wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Thank you."

He gave me one last smile and crawled out the window. I watched him climb down the tree, pulling on his shoe and run off. Sighing, I closed my window and laid back down on my bed.


The next morning, I awoke to the sound of my alarm clock blaring in my ear. I switched it off and got up. The time was six o'clock, meaning I had about an hour and a half to get ready.

I took a shower and put on my school uniform before it even turned seven. I ran down the stairs and managed to trip over the rug in the hallway in the process. I landed with a thud and groaned, "Dammit."

"Rukia?" I looked up to see Byakuya standing above me.

He reached down to help me up but I did it on my own, moving away from his hand. "I'm fine," I said, wiping an imaginary piece of dust from my skirt. As if the great house of Kuchiki would have dust. "I'm ready to go."

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

As fast as I could, I made up a lie. "I've got a project due today and I have a few more things I need to add to it."

He seemed to take that as a good enough response and we left moments later. Student were filing in one by one as we pulled up and I immediately spotted Ichigo.

"Remember what I said?"

My hand froze on the handle, "Yes."

"Good. Have a good day."

I didn't bother saying it back and instead closed the door and ran inside. "Hey Rukia!"

I smiled at Keigo and entered the school with him, "Hey, what's up?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Nothing really, are you ready for our date tomorrow?"

Putting on the sweetest smile I could, I nodded. "Yep! It's going to be a lot of fun!"

There it is. Hope you all enjoy. Thanks for all the reviews. All but one or two have been great. You guys are amazing. This story would be nowhere without you.