Omiai Kekkon

I don't own Bleach

Chapter 9:

Urahara strolled casually down the streets of Seireitei. It had been a long time since he'd been there. He found it unsurprising that nothing much had changed. Sure, some things had changed after that mindfuck Aizen pulled, but in essential everything was the same.

He didn't know what he was expecting. He knew Genryusai-dono wouldn't apologize for falsely accusing him or banishing him. There would be no reward for helping them with the situation in Huecho Mundo.

Of course Urahara Kitsuke was no dummy, he did get paid for his help. They offered to let him come back to soul society like the Vizards, but he wasn't stupid. If he agreed to come back to soul society they'd be watching him closer than they already were.

When he reached the 1st Division barracks, he knocked and then without waiting for a reply he let himself in.

All the captains had gathered.

"Good you're here" Genryusai-dono said. "Did you bring it?"

"Of course." Urahara held up the glowing sword.

"Good you have until sundown to gather all the reiatsu you need, and then I'm sending you and a team back to the world of the living. The objective is to access the situation with the substitute shinigamis. If they seem like a threat eliminate them. Kurosaki can get his powers back because of his help with the Aizen situation."

One by one the captains lined up to give some of their reiatsu to the sword.

Urahara didn't just go to the captains. He went to everyone Ichigo and his friends ran into when they last came to soul society. In fact after a while word started to get around, and Urahara didn't have to go out and find people, they came to him.

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Shiba Kukaku was sitting on the porch of her newly built home and smoking a pipe when she felt the presence of someone she hadn't seen in twenty years.

"It's been a long time, uncle."

Isshin stepped out from the shadows.

"You look the same, little firecracker." Isshin ducked as she threw her still lit pipe at him.

"I hate that nickname" she said.

Isshin grinned, "I know. Nice house." There were two large statues of Kukaku on either side of the house and they were holding up a large banner inbetween them.

"I like to keep things interesting" Kukaku shrugged.

"How's Ganju?" he asked as he sat next to her.

Kukaku replied, "The same as ever." She picked up her pipe off the floor and began cleaning it. "So what brings you by?"

"Soul society isn't chasing me anymore, I thought I'd drop by and check in on the rest of the family."

Kukaku snorted, she didn't believe that for one second.

"I heard you met my son."

"You have a kid?" she asked in disbelief.

"Three. A knuckle-headed son, and a beautiful set of twin daughters. The girls take after their mother, but Ichigo, he looks like a Shiba."

Kukaku dropped her pipe again. "Ichigo? Kurosaki Ichigo is your son, that explains a lot. He's got your personality down to a tee."

Isshin smiled. He knew Ichigo liked to think he wasn't like his father but truth was they were more alike than most people thought.

"Everyone said he looked at lot like Kaien. I didn't notice it"

Isshin nodded. "They look a bit alike."

"So, what really brings you by? Ichigo in trouble?"

"He wouldn't be a good kid if he wasn't getting into trouble" Isshin said.

A black cat exited Kukaku's house.

Isshin frowned, he had wondered where Yoruichi had gotten to.

The cat stood on alert like she was waiting for someone. That's when he noticed Urahara approaching.

Yoruichi ran to meet her best friend. The two of them acted as if they hadn't seen each other in years.

"Two outlaws in one day, I must really be popular" Kukaku said.

"It's so lovely to see you too Kukaku-san" Urahara said with his trademark smile.

"What's with that sword you're holding?"

"Oh this little thing? It's just an invention I made to help Kurosaki Ichigo regain his shinigami powers."

Kukaku raised an eyebrow. "I take it you'll be wanting to borrow some reiatsu?"

"Just a little will do."

Kukaku took the sword and began pouring some of her spiritual energy into it. "How'd he lose his powers?"

"In the fight against Aizen" Isshin commented.

"The fight I wasn't invited to?"

Urahara motioned his hand like it was no big deal, "You know how these things go. Last minute, spur of the moment, no one is prepared. It all just happened so fast."

"Un hun, sure" she said handing him back the sword. She went to her front door and yelled "Ganju! Get out here we have visitors!"

"I'll be getting an invitation to the next big fight" she informed him.

"Who says there's going to be another big fight?" Urahara asked.

"There will be" Kukaku said just as Ganju exited the house.

"Whoa, Isshin, and Urahara, aren't they both of you fugitives? Sure you should be here? You wouldn't want to have to deal with those annoying shinigami."

"Shaddup and give them some of your reiatsu" Kukaku commanded.

"Eh?"

"We only need to borrow a little" Urahara said.

"Ichigo sends his regards" Isshin lied.

"Oh, you know Ichigo? How's that dandelion head doing?"

"He's doing quite well" Isshin said.

"Oh, well the next time you see him, tell him I'm waiting for our rematch."

Kukaku kicked him in the butt.

"So you two can destroy my house again? I think not."

"Ouch, nee-san" he said rubbing his head.

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Rukia and Renji ran fast towards the seikemon. When they got there they noticed the others hadn't left yet. Byakuya, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Ikkaku, and Hitsugaya were already there.

"I'm coming" Rukia declared.

"Me too" Renji added.

"That was a given" Byakuya said.

"Oh, is the gate ready?" Urahara said as he appeared followed closely by Isshin. Handing Rukia the sword he said, "We thought we'd let you do the honors."

Rukia gripped the sword. She could feel the reiatsu off all the people who helped, even her own, inside. They had gathered a lot. Ichigo would come back at full strength, no, better than what he was before.

The kido corps placed a seal on all shinigami sans Isshin and Urahara and they departed for the world of the living hell butterflies leading the way.

Urahara briefed us on the way. Apparently one of these fullbringer enemies has the ability to insert himself into someone's memories. What a cowardly move!

As soon as they got to the world of the living a desperate scream could be heard.

Rukia's heart gave a wrenching tug. She knew that voice. "Ichigo" she muttered as she speed off in his direction.

What a horrible sight Rukia came upon. Was Ichigo crying? The Ichigo she knew didn't cry, never. How could…? She was so shocked she almost forgot what she was there for. She caught a glimpse of Urahara and Kurosaki-san in her peripheral and with a slight nod to them she stabbed Ichigo with the sword.

Ichigo turned to look at her in shock.

Oh how she missed his face.

A big smoke cloud appeared obscuring her view. She tried to wave it away.

She used to visit him. When Ichigo first lost his powers she would visit him even though she knew he couldn't see her. She had hoped that maybe he would be able to know she was there. But after a while it just became painful to see him everyday knowing that there was nothing she could legally do to give him his powers back.

Her sneaking out wasn't very subtle either because Ukitake-taichou knew. He allowed it for the first couple of months but then suggested that she stop because it would only her hurt in the end to watch him grow old. He was right she knew that, so she stopped coming.

She honestly hadn't know if she'd see him again, and now that she had….Well she supposed she wouldn't be happy until she saw him smile again.

Right now they were in no smiling situation.

Those fullbringer assholes were still around. How dare they use Ichigo in their plans and then just turn their backs on him?

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Rukia couldn't believe she was turned into a plushie. It was so embarrassing. Yes, she found plushies to be cute but she never wanted to turn into one. And being hit by her own backfiring kido? That was just sad. The others all went back to soul society but Rukia got to stay behind. They told her it was so she could keep an eye on Ichigo and make sure he's alright after everything that happened, but she knew they were just giving her a moment to talk to him.

They went back to Urahara's place. Well Sado went home confused when he woke up. Inoue was still passed out, and the fullbringer Riruka was passed out as well.

Rukia and Ichigo stood outside Urahara's shop. Both of them stood there just looking at each other, not quite sure what to say to each other.

Finally, after what felt like hours Ichigo said lightly, "You cut your hair."

Rukia touched said hair. "Yeah, I see yours grew out some."

Now it was Ichigo's turn to finger his hair. "Really? I hadn't noticed." He shrugged in his nonchalant way and smiled. Rukia couldn't help but to smile back.

"I…I…It was a boring two years without you" Ichigo managed to choke out.

"Of course it was" Rukia said sarcastically, "You're life was so boring before you me met."

Ichigo chuckled and rolled his eyes. He was trying to be serious. Rukia always did bring about the more playful side of him. He had a flashblack of going to see Don Konoji's show together, the way she complained when he went to rescue her the first time, and then the second, the way she didn't even know how to open up a juice box. All the memories he had been trying so hard to repress for the past two years came rushing back.

"I missed you" Ichigo blurted out. His cheeks tinted pink as he turned his head to hide.

Rukia didn't know what to say. Did she say it back? Could she let him know? Or would it be better if she kept it to herself. She supposed she didn't have to tell him she used to visit.

"I miss—"

"KUROSAKI-KUN!"

A sobbing Inoue came charging out of the shop and barreling into Ichigo. She arms circled him into a death grip as she sobbed into his chest.

Rukia felt a sense of ease that she didn't have to admit anything embarrassing. At the same time a dark feeling crept upon her. She wondered how close Inoue and Ichigo became in her absence. Ichigo was patting Inoue's back. Were they together? It was kind of obvious that Inoue had a crush on Ichigo, even two years ago she had admitted it. Did Ichigo return those feelings?
"Inoue-san, you shouldn't be up" Urahara said in his whimsical way from the door.

"It's okay, I'm fine" Inoue said wiping her eyes.

They went back into the shop anyway.

"Where is everybody?" Inoue asked.

Ichigo and Urahara gave her an update.

Rukia leaned against a wall in the shop knowing that she should be leaving soon. That always seemed to be the problem, whenever she came to the living world she got too attached and didn't want to leave. Of course she knew of her responsibilities, she could never stay here.

Ichigo watched Rukia intently. He felt that if he looked away, even for one moment, she would disappear. Knew he had his powers back, he just used them and he could still feel them but he just knew she was going to disappear again. Ichigo had been hearing her voice for so long. In his dreams she was always there just a little blurry and out of reach. He wondered what she was going to say earlier before they were interrupted.

"Ichigo" Rukia said snapping him to attention, "she's awake."

AN; I didn't see a need to go over everything that happened. You've all either seen it in the anime or read it in the manga.