Hey everyone! I wrote this chapter in a rush just for you guys instead of doing some homework i wrote this chapter so please be happy! Glad to see everyone loved the last chapter you guys rock! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

I Work Alone, Ten

Ichigo groaned when he felt the sun's rays on his face, not only that but his entire body was sore as hell. He moved his arm to cover his face, and that move alone brought him to groan louder, this was bad. Not only did he not want to get up, but he couldn't believe that he was this weak it's not like Kira had kicked his ass, he just got one lucky punch that's all but Ichigo knew that wasn't it there was another reason he was like this, and it was all due to the girl dressed in blood.

After he left her place Ichigo had walked back home, it had taken him nearly half an hour but he finally made it back to the clinic where he was welcomed by the sight of his Father waiting for him outside.

Ichigo was limping slightly, on his way from climbing down the hill his foot had caught on some sort of rock or something causing him to trip and pull a muscle the good thing was he just needed to ice it up, and he'd be good. So there he was about to raid through his Dad's medical supply when he saw his old man waiting for him outside wearing his lab coat over a light blue shirt and dark brown pants. Ichigo frowned and then rolled his eyes.

"Of course you'd wait up for me, guess you can't trust your own son." Ichigo said.

Isshin just smirked, "You know me so well, son." Isshin said and then looked him over Ichigo still had a couple of blood stains on his jacket from when Rukia had attacked Kira, not only that but he was also covered in dirt from when he fell, and something told him he had a bruise underneath his chin.

"You look like hell, not worse than usual." Isshin said as he pulled out a cigarette from his coat pocket and lit it up as he took a long drag, Ichigo just watched him.

"I thought you quit smoking after Mom died." Ichigo said. Isshin just shrugged as he leaned against the wall staring up at the sky.

"Yeah well it's hard to quit when I got a son like you I promised your Mama I'd look after you and your sisters' Ichigo. She wouldn't have wanted you to follow in my footsteps hell I don't want you to either I just want you to be happy is that so much for an old man to ask?" Isshin asked. Ichigo snorted.

"You sound like some old geezer on his death bed; I know what I'm doing Dad so butt out." Ichigo said moving to the side to go inside and find an ice pack.

"Was it what you expected? Killing her?" Isshin asked. Ichigo stopped just long enough for Isshin to stare at him with curiosity when Ichigo didn't turn to face him.

"I didn't kill Rukia…." Ichigo said softly. Isshin was surprised this was the first time Ichigo's come home beaten up and the ghost was still alive not to mentioned he called the ghost by her name—something he's never done in the past before, Isshin stared at him in wonderment.

"Was she that bad?" Isshin asked, Ichigo shook his head, and then turned to face him, and what Isshin saw on his son's face surprised him.

"No, just the opposite she's not what I expected to be at all…she let me go." Ichigo said, and with that he limped inside closing the door shut behind him.

What Ichigo didn't know was that Isshin was still in shock by seeing the soft glint that had appeared when Ichigo talked about Rukia, his eyes had soften as if he was re-living a moment that they had possibly shared. Isshin took another long inhale of his cigarette as he looked up at the sky a smile on his face.

"Oh Misaki, I think our son has gotten himself in more trouble that I don't think I can help him with this one." He said out loud staring up at the sky, he hoped Ichigo knew what he was doing.

Ichigo limped down the stairs grinding his teeth until he finally reached the bottom, he walked to the kitchen mumbling a good morning to Yuzu in the kitchen as he pulled out an ice pack from the freezer moving to the closest chair and slapping the ice pack on his leg letting out a sigh of relief.

Yuzu turned to stare at her brother and gasped out to see a really dark bruise under his chin, not to mention he looked so tired as if he didn't have a good's night sleep, which is true since he got home around three in the morning and barely slept having dreams about Rukia in her lovely bloody dress, and memories of his Mother's death.

"Just hand me some more ice will you Yuzu?" Ichigo asked her politely, she nodded heading back into the kitchen just as Karin came in, her reaction was different then her twins.

"Man you look like hell." She said simply making Ichigo growl at her as Yuzu came back handing him another bag of ice as he placed it under his chin.

"Just shut up, I have a headache and don't need this. Where's Dad?" he asked. Normally his Dad would have woken him up with a kick aimed at his head, and be more annoying than usual but no such luck at all.

"He went to a meeting at the local hospital; I guess there have been a lot of accidents that they're going to supply them with some medicine in case of emergencies." Yuzu said. Ichigo frowned; something told him his old man wasn't at a meeting but with Urahara.

Ichigo stood up dumping the ice packs on the table; he wondered if they were talking about how Rukia had spared Ichigo life and took another victim as her own.

"I'm leaving now." Ichigo said waving as he walked out pretending not to see the worried expressions on both his sisters' faces as he walked out.

Ichigo didn't feel like going to school, he felt like shit, he was tired, but most of all he couldn't get Rukia out of his mind. Each time he closed his eyes her face was the first thing that he saw, her pale complexion, her pink lips, and then her eyes, they were so violet and beautiful it suited her so well.

Ichigo stopped walking to smack his head at the nearest tree, he was going to hit the wall next to him, but decided a tree was safer. Seriously? Why the hell was he thinking of Rukia of all…. well he couldn't call her a person when she really wasn't. Oh, who cares what the hell she was the point was that he shouldn't be thinking about Rukia. His purpose here was to find her and kill her not to start thinking about her every ten minutes, then there was what he did, he had gently touched her cheek and he had no clue what had made him do it.

'I have to stop this; I'm acting like one of those romantic school girls.' Ichigo thought as he crossed the gate to school he could feel people looking at him even more then before but that was only natural he did have a huge bruise under his chin, not to mention he probably looked like shit, and felt it too. When he walked into class he went straight to his desk dumping his bag to the floor next to him, it was good to finally sit down, too bad for him right when he sat down Keigo appeared.

"Hey." The guy said Ichigo looked at the guy instead of being his goofy-self he looked…only one way to describe it was hollow. He look about the same as Ichigo felt and it looked like Keigo didn't get much sleep either.

"Didn't expect you to talk to me after what happened and all." Ichigo mumbled as he leaned forward. Keigo scratched the back of his head, he was nervous which meant he was also surprised to be there talking to Ichigo.

"What happened…it scared me. I can't believe you do that for a living don't you ever get scared?" Keigo asked him. Ichigo snorted.

"Of course not I've been around ghosts for so long that nothing they do bother me anymore." Ichigo said. Keigo cracked a smile but then dropped it when Ishida walked in taking his own seat. He and Ichigo exchanged a look but neither of them said a word.

"It's hard to believe he's a hunter like you, he's so quiet plus he's the President of the Sewing Club, this place has just gone weird." Keigo said as he sat down. Ichigo didn't say anything as he just looked at Ishida; at lunch they were going to have a long chat.

The moment lunch began Ichigo bumped into Ishida gave him a look, and walked out heading to the roof, climbing the stairs killed him but right when he reached the top he felt relief as he just stood there a few minutes later Ishida came walking past him to look out at the view.

"What do you want, you look like hell by the way." He commented on Ichigo who just growled in annoyance.

"Gee thanks, I just want to know one thing why won't you guys kill her?" Ichigo asked he didn't have to say who he was talking about Ishida already knew.

"Urahara-san doesn't want me to tell you but I don't really care whether you're in the association or not. It's because of her descendent, there paying the Association not to kill Rukia." Ishida said in disgust. Ichigo's eyes went wide, the Association where being paid not to kill a murdering spirit?

"That's bullshit, what kind of person would pay to keep a spirit that kills alive?" Ichigo demanded. Ishida sighed as he adjusted his glasses to his face.

"Rukia's sister is the one responsible for this after what happened the family lost everything and left Karakura Town but her sister came back she married and told her children that they weren't to destroy the Kuchiki household, and that they were to also protect the spirit that lived inside." Ishida said. Ichigo frowned, so Rukia's younger sister's grandkid was just following orders but why would Rukia's sister want to protect her in the first place?

"What was Rukia's relationship like with her younger sister?" Ichigo asked.

"You might want to ask her since you're close to her now; after all she didn't kill you." Ishida said. Ichigo grinded his teeth clenching his fist together, about to say some words but Ishida beat him to it.

"Listen here Kurosaki I have no interest in you, or your new friends but I will tell you this Rukia Kuchiki is a murder and I will kill her myself if she continues this way." Ishida said. Ichigo's eyes hardened.

"She's mine, not yours to take." Ichigo growled. Ishida smirked.

"Then let's wager a bet if you can stop her from killing then I'll leave her alone, but if you mess up I will personally send her to hell, and you will be taken out of the association." Ishida said. Ichigo just laughed throwing his head back.

"Fine, but if you try and kill Rukia make sure to take some back-up you're gonna need it." Ichigo said. Ishida just smiled.

"I work alone Kurosaki."

"Funny, so do I."

Both Hunters stared off at each other finally Ishida was the one who looked away and without another word walked away. Ichigo didn't bother watching him go instead he sighed wondering what he'd gotten himself into now, there was no way he could help Rukia out if she wouldn't talk to him about her past, but there was someone who could help him out in saving Rukia, the question was did he want to save Rukia, and if so why?

'Guess there's only one way to find out, I can't believe I'm asking for help on this case.' Ichigo thought to himself as he limped away to go find Keigo and Orihime and see if they could help him out in saving Rukia, he just hoped he knew what he was doing.

Seems like Ishida and Ichigo both want to kill Rukia but we know that Ichigo doesn't want to kill her anymore, don't worry Ishida will soon cross over in helping Rukia out too! Hope you enjoyed this please don't forget to review!