Three days over due. School starts on Friday for me, so updating may be a bit shaky. I will continue, I'll just do my homework first. Who likes BuildaBear (its irrelevant I know). I made me a buildabear the other day, her name is Akane!

Thanks again for all the reviews, I'm nearly at 70! Which is a real surprise for me, so thanks for the support and love. Your reviews are love! I did read this chapter and if there are mistakes, (curse them) point them out to me.

I do not own BLEACH, Tite Kubo does. He has a cool pen name, Tite Kubo. His real last name is Kubo, but not Tite. Oh, all I own is the plot and ocs. Done deal.

Read, relish, and review. Have fun guys!

The morning after, or afternoon, Ichigo awoke calmly in his bed. Checking his clock that read twelve thirty, he trudged his body into the bathroom to take a shower. Last night's drive took a toll on him; he was able to fight hollows on a daily basis, but fills drained whenever he comes home from a late night drive. He brushed his teeth, put on some clean clothes, and went downstairs for something to eat. He couldn't call it breakfast because it wasn't morning, he slept past noon. It didn't stop him from getting a bowl of cereal, letting his stomach being content with the small meal. Ichigo's face revealed tiredness and annoyance. Usually, a nice, long sleep helped him when he was stress, not this time.

His dreams were becoming quite disturbing, or was it a dream anyways? His hollow self and Zangetsu weren't beings that appeared in his sleep, they appeared everywhere. As of late, ever since the arrival of Tsukiko, they had decreased their usual spats with him. Not last night, no-they were at it, it caused Ichigo problems.

"So that is what happened," Zangetsu said in a tone close to anger.

"Look I say we never tell King about this," Hollow Ichigo crossed his arms, "we keep it on the down low."

"Down low," Zangetsu's eyes narrowed to slits, "its worse than I thought, you monster!"

"Can't deny that I am," Hollow Ichigo smirked, "I am a beast, aren't I?"

"Man vs. Beast," Zangetsu sighed, "and it appears...the rain hasn't stopped, I wish for it to stop soon."

"Man vs. Beast," Hollow Ichigo sneered, "it appears Man won the war, didn't he?"

"...," Zangetsu sighed, "you think so?"

The dream was relatively short, and it didn't matter how much Ichigo called out to them, demanding to know what they were talking about, they never heard him. It was like a short film that repeatedly rewind itself, over and over again. Once the film was done, right before it went back to the film, there would be a tiny scene. A scene of Rukia and him, fighting over something senseless. As Ichigo watched he noticed that at the end of their pointless fight there was something special. Nothing big, just a simple hand slipping into a larger one. Throughout the night, the same cycle repeated itself, over and over again.

"Dammit," he was standing in front of Tsukiko's room.

The previous night he had only gone into the room so he could put Tsukiko to bed. Other than that, he hadn't been in his room for 15 years. With Rukia disappearing after graduation, Ichigo attended college in Tokyo. College was okay, not interesting, and it was pretty lonely. There had been a few girls that showed some interest in him, but he turned them down in the most kind way he knew how. "No thank you, I'm waiting for someone."

Who was he waiting for? Rukia left on her own. Back then he didn't understand, and even though the reason was living with him, he still didn't understand entirely.

One foot stepped in front of the other, last night he briskly came in and went out. The room was in a more decorated way, more feminine, but it was still his old room. The crack of his eye, he couldn't be deferred from the closet. Sighing, he walked silently to the closet door, brushing his hand on the door. How many times had she popped out of the closet only to tell him that there was a hollow attack, or to yell at him? On special occasions, just to be near him when she didn't feel like being messed with Kon. The closet brought back many memories; he wouldn't lie, even Ichigo had to sit in the damn thing for a few months after her departure. Would it be wrong of him to go in there again? Only for a little bit, to sit in the same closet that Rukia once slept in?

To hell with it. No one would have to know. "Rukia, what did I do wrong?"

"What's up Ichigo," Tsukiko opened the closet door, "what it do!?"

His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, "What the fuck Tsukiko, what the fuck!?"

Tsukiko tilted her head to the side, letting a small smirk sit on her face. Ichigo had fallen to the ground, his eyes showing annoyance, slight frustration, and shock. Tsukiko's smirk grew, her slim figure hopped out of the closet. She was wearing rainbow knee-high socks, pink shorts, and a pink top that had a giant rabbit on it. Her hair was tied into to two low pony-tails, in her hand she held a crumbled sheet of paper.

"Who is Rukia," Tsukiko purred, "someone I should know."

Regaining his composure Ichigo growled, "None of your damn business, why the hell aren't you at school, I do not tolerate ditching!"

Tsukiko pouted, "If you hadn't slept all day you would have known that there was a hollow attack that caused a lot of damage to the school yesterday."

He was baffled, "Hollow attack?"

"Yeah," she said in an exaggerated tone, "you know those evil spirits that come around eating good souls, Orihime and Uryu had to fight it off yesterday while we was visiting Grandpa."

His frown only deepened, "You know this how?"

Tsukiko countered his frown with one of her own, crossing her arms defiantly, "If you must know I did walk to school today, and when I got there it was under construction, later on I met up with Misora and her freaky brother Soken and they told me what happened, call them if you want."

She shoved the cellphone he had bought her after the forms was signed in his face, "Come on, call them, and then I'll do my victory dance." She pointed her fingers in the air while she shook her tiny hips to the side.

"I'll take your word on it," Ichigo sighed, "tell me what the hell you were doing in the closet?"

"Oh the closet," she rolled her eyes, "when we were redecorating, I saw a few futons- whatever you guys call it placed inside, like someone use to sleep in there."

Crap.

"When I got home I was pretty tired and the futon looked fairly comfy so I made myself comfortable."

"Oh..." That explained much.

Tsukiko nodded, "So who is Rukia, is she the girl who drew this lame ass picture?"

Tsukiko unfolded the sheet of paper that had been hiding in her hand. Ichigo's expression was blank. The picture was definitely Rukia's. He remembered it as clear as day, it was the first picture she ever drew in his presence. He knew it was Rukia's because it had nothing but Chappy the Rabbit as plus souls and teddy bears as hollows. She used the colors black, white, a bit of green, and gold. On the bottom right corner, there was her signature-Kuchiki Rukia. Ichigo snatched the picture from her hands.

"Hey," she snapped at him, "what are you doing?"

Ichigo didn't mean to yell at her in an angry tone, it just happened. "Where did you get this," his voice releasing hidden anger that wasn't aimed at her, "tell me."

Tsukiko was use to the tone of voice he was giving her; it didn't stop her usual cocky expression to falter heavily. His voice held many emotions and feelings, Tsukiko was only able to catch a few. Anger, confusion, despair, loneliness, hate, love. She was almost sure that there were more, but Ichigo was a complicated man and with being complicated came with disturbed emotions. Instead of being hurt or angry, she sighed-gently taking the paper back from him.

Glancing over the work, "Kuchiki Rukia," she breathed, "she's the woman who gave birth to me isn't she?"

He didn't respond.

She began to circle him, "Your silence is a dead give away, you know that?"

Ichigo watched the girl with a stoic look, her body going back into the closet. She was sitting on the edge of the closet, her skinny legs banging softly on the wall. Cocking her head to the side, Tsukiko stared at her father with slight interest, a large grin forming on her small lips.

"Mommie Dearest has a tight hold on you doesn't she," a near snort, "after all these years, are you ever going to talk about her?"

"Personally, I never thought I would ever have to," he took a seat on her bed, "do you want to talk about it?"

She shrugged, "If we talk about her, I may end up hating her more than I already do, if I meet her I will not be held accountable for my actions."

Ichigo watched as the colorful drawing began to crumble in Tsukiko's hands, and the dark glare that shadowed the girl's eyes as it fell onto the floor. He searched her, checking to see if there was true hate in her violet eyes. The only thing that Ichigo was able to detect was the emptiness and inner rage of a motherless child.

Tsukiko looked up at him, "Don't we have things to do today?"

"You're going to start your training today with a good friend of mine," he got out the bed, "but before we go, I need you to get dress, we have to run an errand."

"An errand?"

"Yeah an errand, get dress, I'll be waiting for you in a few," Ichigo shut the door. What a weird man, I'm his daughter-I'm weirder than he is.

Tsukiko landed softly on the floor beneath her. She doubted today would be such a sober time.

"Where are we going?" Ichigo wasn't driving this go round, both were walking beside each other. Like the drive to Isshin's, there wasn't much talking. Tsukiko watched people go about their business, in the crowded streets. As they walked further on, the streets became less crowded, and there was less people. Tsukiko was able to enjoy the scenery; they walked into the a mid-section that was surrounded by trees. The branches of the trees blocked the sun's rays from them, a bit of the orange sun seeping through. Birds chirped, singing songs that sounded so peaceful and comforting, all the time Ichigo had a deep frown caressing his face.

"Can't enjoy the view," she pushed against him softly, "may I ask where we are going?"

His face was appeared to be stone cold, "Keep on moving, you'll learn eventually."

Tsukiko could tell that she wasn't going to get anymore answers than that. They continued to walk in silence. It didn't take her long to see into the distance and realize where they were heading. Tsukiko had been to cemeteries that had there typical six feet under scenario, and on rare occasions the wall where corpses were put into. Father John would bring the classes to where he would preach for a person's funeral. Tsukiko would never admit it to him or anyone else for the matter, despite his true colors, the man was a convincing actor-his words gave little hope to her.

It was evident that Ichigo was taking her to a cemetery. It was much different than she was accustomed to. Graves in America, they were nice, but these-she saw them beautifully crafted. Tsukiko didn't go grave robbing or anything. She always found in strange ways that in some cases the dead was honored more than the living. With the few funerals she did attend, Tsukiko noticed that the family members of the deceased weren't fairly kind to them. The orphanage wasn't limited to letting dying people live with them until that day, and Tsukiko would often walk down the halls to catch a glimpse.

Lets just say some humans can be colder than hollows.

All the graves were lined up in different lines, each holding a name. There were a few people there, all standing in front of the graves, leaving flowers and paying the respects. Tsukiko was following Ichigo now, who silently lead to the further side of the cemetery. They stopped at a grave, with a bit of flowers on it.

"Kurosaki Masaki," she murmured softly.

"I was nine years old when she died," Ichigo stared at the grave, "she was killed by a hollow."

Tsukiko flinched, "Oh, sorry to hear."

"When I was nine I didn't know what hollows were or that I could see souls," he rubbed his hand gently on the grave, "Grand Fisher, that is what the hollow was called, he pulled out a lure and I was only able to see it, I ran down to the bay-my mother chased after me."

Tsukiko remained quiet.

"It would have killed me, if it wasn't for her," his head raised to the sky, "her body was my shield from death, I never forgiven myself."

"Idiot," Tsukiko looked at him, "you're an idiot you know that."

He shrugged, "I am, guess so."

"By your words, if your mom was willing to do that for her son-her child, you should be proud."

"Be proud," his stare intensified by those words, "what should I be proud about-I killed my mother."

She scoffed, "I don't know how it is to actually have a mother, I may never will, but if I have children I wouldn't want them to mope for the next 24 years over a choice that I made, your mother chose to save you-you should at least appreciate the gift, so selfish," he heard the humor in her last words.

"You believe that," Ichigo smiled, "well then-go talk to her."

Tsukiko gave Ichigo a look that made him want to laugh, but he didn't. "You want me to talk...she's probably on the other side by now."

"So, just talk to her."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Anything."

Sighing, Tsukiko went to knee level to the grave. Ichigo stood behind her, waiting to hear some words exit the girl's mouth.

"I'm sure you know me by now," she started off carefully, "I'm Hirako Tsukiko, your idiot of a son's daughter, I don't have much to say-I don't even know what you like, but I would have loved to know you, to have a feel of mother around, even if its a grandmother's love, don't worry now that I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

Going to her full-height, she gave him "Okay I did it" look. "Are you going to talk to her?"

"Nah, today was your day, besides I talk to her everyday, come on we gotta go to Urahara's."

"You mean that guy whose going to help me with my powers?"

Ichigo nodded, "Yep, I want you to be on your best behavior."

A cocky grin spread on her lips, "Aren't I always on my best behavior?"

"Dammit," Rukia gritted her teeth, "don't these fucking monsters ever quit!?"

Today's schedule was packed for the day. Order after order, the list wouldn't end. The five lieutenants were stuck on Hollow duty the whole day. Most of them were fairly simple, but then they became harder with the passing hours. To make it easier on them, the five of them separated in two groups-one being made of three naturally. One team was made with Renji and Momo, as the others were with Rangiku, Nanao, and Rukia. It didn't make their job any easier.

"Hollows may be guilty of many things," Rangiku sliced at a weaker one's mask, "but they aren't guilty of quitting!"

Nanao would have given a dry comment to her fellow shinigami; she was too held up at the moment, bringing down several hollows at once. Personally, she wished to return to Soul Society to ensure that her superior wasn't slipping off with her absence. He may be a strong captain, but he had never been a responsible one with paperwork. She could imagine it now...once returning to Soul Society, there will be tons and tons of paperwork for her.

"Above Rangiku," Rukia shouted, "there's one above!"

Reacting on instinct, Rangiku glared up at the coming hollow, a grin appeared on her lovely features. Raising her zanpakuto above her head, in a cool sounding voice, " Growl!"

In an instant, the hollow was gone. Rangiku stood in triumphant, her grin growing larger with her victory. All the hollows in the particular district had been terminated, the street returned to its normal state. The sun poured down on to them, Rangiku enjoying the heat.

"I would love to get a tan," she squealed, "I would look great!"

"Rangiku-san," Nanao protested, "you are a god of death, there is no need for you to get a tan."

She shrugged, "I never said I needed one, I said I wanted one, and I could use a gigai too."

Nanao sighed, there was no way to talk sense into the woman. "What about you Rukia-san, what do you wish to do, return to Urahara shop?"

She was back. The feeling was surreal, as if in a dream, she was reallyback. Back to where it all began, back to where she met him. It wasn't as if she didn't expect this, she would be an idiot if she didn't expect this. Even though she rehearsed it over and over in her mind, the feeling of it all-washing all over her couldn't go away, she was actually back in Karakura Town. On the street she was standing in, if she wanted to, she could have gone to his house. Six years ago, if she recalled correctly, she had been informed that he took over the family's business.

A family clinic.

Six years ago.

"Don't be an idiot...how could I, no its impossible."

"Rukia don't say that, you know it isn't true!"

"It is true, how could I love someone like you-its insane, I can never-we wouldn't work out Ichigo."

"Rukia..."

"Now leave, and don't you ever come back."

She bit her lip. She wanted to chase after him, apologize for everything she had told him. Then he told her, as he passed through the gate. His words barely above a whisper, not even a mouse cold hear. Yet, with such a quiet tone it held the same authority that was Ichigo.

"One way or another, I'll come back Rukia."

He sounded so hurt and so authoritative. Was it even possible to be that way? It was Ichigo, with Ichigo anything was possible. Expect the unexpected, dream a little dream. Her eyes held a dull feeling, piece of laugh that was taken from her, ripped and torn into pieces. Rangiku and Nanao stared with worry at the female shinigami who seemed to be out of reality for the time being.

"Its a beautiful baby girl."

"Hello little one."

"There's your daughter, want to hold her?"

"My daughter..."

"My little Tsukiko..."

Rukia..

Rukia, hey Rukia!

She bolted in surprise at Rangiku's touch, nearly jumping a few feet into the air. When her mind was sent back to reality, and not her own warped fantasy, Rukia was met with the faces of her worried peers. Nanao may be a hard woman, not even she was able to hold her usual hard-working expression around the Kuchiki princess. Rangiku was Rangiku, when had she not shown concern for Rukia over the past 15 years.

"Oi Rukia," Rangiku pushed her shoulder gently, "is everything alright?"

Blinking her eyes slowly, "Uh...of course, I just dazed out that's all."

"Returning here must be hard for you, isn't it?"

"Of course not," her laugh was as dead as the hollow she recently killed, "its not hard at all, we should be searching for Momo-san and Renji."

Rukia went ahead of them, her small feet gracefully taking steps on the rooftops. Leaving Rangiku and Nanao to stare only in concern and worry.

"Its been a while," Nanao told Rangiku, "six years and that same look she gives us has yet to die."

Rangiku's eyes were still on the figure that was slowly disappearing from view. "No Ise-san, that look has been there for a longer time now."

Rukia was wasting energy, she knew that. She had to get some air, she had to get this feeling away. All of this, it was wrong, she had to get away. She be damned before she could get away from it all; so many thoughts ran through her-wants and needs. All she wanted to do in this town, her past wants and present. All she needed to do, past needs and present. It was overwhelming, all of it was so overwhelming. The screams, the screams of her child, the child she abandoned. His look, the look of pain he gave her when she told him she didn't love him.

Her legs staggered on an unknown building, "I lied, trying to protect, I'm sorry."

She slapped her face a few times, forcing herself to oblige to her mind's commands to remain calm. What she did was for the better. No matter how much it pained her-tortured her, and disturbed him, it was for the better. They had to make sacrifices, sacrifices for the child-for Tsukiko. That torture, it was irrelevant, Tsukiko was all that mattered.

Tsukiko.

Sighing, Rukia headed towards Renji's and Momo's reiatsu was, being alone made the memories return.

"Why hello little Kurosaki-chan," the man known as Urahara Kisuke fanned himself, "how are you doing on this lovely day?"

Tsukiko saw the man as a colorful character, not was colorful as Grandpa Isshin, still colorful though. A large grin was set on his face as he fanned himself, sitting on his porch with his employees at hand.

Using his fan as a pointer, "These people are Tsumugiya Ururu, Hanakari Jinta, and my right handy man Tsukabishi Tessai."

Droopy girl. Red-haired Maniac. Bulky glasses guy.

"Uh...hello I'm Hirako Tsukiko," she waved at them, "and please its Tsukiko or Tsukiko-chan."

"Oh my, you have a the name of Hirako-san, wouldn't he be pleased to know." A slight glance at Ichigo who was standing behind her.

"Shut up Urahara," he said through gritted teeth, "the Viazards don't know anything about her."

Can't be too sure of that Kurosaki-kun!

"Vaizards?" She looked up at Ichigo, "what are vaizards?"

Realizing his mistake, "Oh no-no need to worry about that, Urahara teach."

"Oh my, Daddy isn't staying for his baby's lesson, that's not nice."

"I want her to be able to control her powers," he growled at the man's humorous tone, "its up to her if she wishes to become a shinigami."

Kisuke's grin grew. He could tell Ichigo didn't like the idea of Tsukiko becoming a shinigami. The face he made when he said shinigami made it only more obvious. As he said, its up to her not him if she wishes to live that lifestyle.

"Shinigami," she rolled her tongue, "I came here for control."

"Control, I can help you control and defend yourself altogether," Kisuke nodded, "it'll be a pleasure to train Kurosaki-kun's pride and joy."

"Yeah especially if the kid's cooler than he is," Jinta snickered, "cute too."

"Alright," Ichigo hissed in Jinta's face, "do you want me to tell Yuzu that you're flirting with her niece."

Jinta frowned, "I'm not flirting, I'm speaking the truth, she's cute."

The two had a long glaring contest before Tsukiko pulled Ichigo by the collar of his shirt.

"Okay, I get it I'm cute, now when do I start this training?"

"Feisty," Jinta growled, "that's how I like them."

In a swift movement, Tsukiko's shoe connected with Jinta's head. Forcing the man of 26 to push his face down into the wooden floor, where there was blood flowing (comically) and the breaking of wood.

"I guess you like them bitchy too," she hissed through gritted teeth, "I'm the top bitch here, beware me."

Kisuke chuckled, "My, my, my it seems Kurosaki-kun's bundle of joy has his temper-only scarier, this will be fun."

Tsukiko cocked an eyebrow at the giggling businessman. She didn't feel uncomfortable around the man, but she could swear that this training session would be far from ordinary. How the hell do you train to control mad spiritual powers? Ichigo glanced down at Tsukiko, then his eyes returned back to Kisuke whose grin appeared to grow. He really wanted to stay...

"Urahara, I'm leaving Tsukiko in your care, so I expect no shitty business with you," he patted Tsukiko's shoulder, "don't cause too much damage while I'm gone."

"Sure Ichi," she gazed at his retreating figure.

"Well my dear Tsukiko," Kisuke pointed his fan into the air, "welcome to the Urahara Shop!"

If anything happens to her Urahara, I'll have your head.

Oh...this is going to be good!

The last words were Kisuke, I love him so much. I'm a Kisuke fangirl. Will Rukia see her daughter? Take guesses...who will meet Tsukiko first? What is Kisuke thinking, not telling Ichigo Rukia is in town?

Thank you guys once again for the support (I know it may sound beauty pageant style) I really do appreciate it people, if it wasn't for you this story would have remained a one-shot.

Have a great day!