I don't own KHR or bleach

Also sorry for the spelling errors and OOC if there's any.

Act II; Preparations

Rukia started to look at the script again to memorize her lines. It's been 2 weeks and she still hasn't memorized all her lines. Carmen is a good play, but I would be a better play if I weren't in it. She thought, eating the last of her eggs and bacon. She drank the last of her orange juice and put the dishes in the sink deciding to clean up after school. She looks to the picture of Orihime and her eyes started to get her eyes teary. " Today is the anniversary of your death, 2 years gone and I still feel like you are next to me." She put the picture down on the table, put on her shoes and left her apartment.

While walking to school she met up with Yamamoto and Gokudera, she didn't pay attention to them he was too busy to look up.

"Rukia what are you so worked up about, you are just going to do fine we are going to rehearse this afternoon." Yamamoto grinned putting his arm around Rukia.

"Tch just don't mess up bitch, or you'll embarrass the tenth." Gokudera growled

"Gokudera are you still mad about the comment that Rukia made when we got our roles?"

"Shut up baseball idiot, I am not angry."

"Gokudera we can see the anger mark on your head." Rukia pointed out. Gokudera was about to pull out some dynamite to blow them up, but then Tsuna came out.

"Yo Tsuna"

"Good morning Tenth."

"Hello Tsuna-san."

"Hey guys, so how are you doing with the play?" Tsuna asked worried because Reborn threatened him earlier.

"Tsuna I've heard that you are the stage manager for the school play." The baby Mafioso asked while polishing his Leon shaped gun.

"Yeah, so what about it. Don't tell me that you had something to do it, did you?"

Reborn smirked and looked at Tsuna "this is a great opportunity as boss, you have to make sure that everything goes well." Reborn pointed his gun at Tsuna "or I will kill you."

"HIIIIIIIIII"

"Great Tenth, I memorized all my lines. I am ready to do this play if this is what you command"

"Okay let me test you, I'll start in one part of the play and you jump in when you're your turn." Rukia taunted Gokudera.

"Fine then I'll show you that I am ready." Gokudera proudly exclaimed 'I must not mess up in front of the tenth. As his right hand man I can do this' Gokudera thought to himself.

"Escamillo, I love you and I want to be with you."

"Carmen for you I will be at your side, never will we be separated. As our love can withstand all."

"Escamillo I want to go with to Santa Angela when your event is over."

"For you, I will win today's event in your name."

Tsuna whispered to Yamamoto "they are doing pretty good aren't they?"

"Yeah I can't believe that they memorized all that." Yamamoto said amazed at the other two.

"Baseball nut, your turn, you can use your script practice your lines" Gokudera handed his script to Yamamoto and then took Rukia's script. "Ready start."

"Um, where am I supposed to start?"

"Where it says Jose walking through town, read from there." Tsuna pointed

Yamamoto nodded and started reading. "Commander, what are you doing here?"

"I am here to bring you back. Jose you do not belong in this part of town." Gokudera started reading

"I am sorry commander, but I have fallen in love. I cannot abandon her."

"Well looks like I have no choice but to kill you in the name of the imperial guards."

"Then the sword fight right?" Yamamoto asked and then started to read from the script. "Commander why do you need to kill me?"

"Why? Because you have information that you cannot leave with Don Jose." They skipped a few lines and was at the end

"We will meet again Don Jose."

"I'll be waiting" Yamamoto closed the book and sighed. "I guess I have to learn all this huh?"

"Yamamoto-kun, please tell me that you have memorized at least some of the lines"

"Hahaha" Yamamoto smiled and Gokudera went berserk

"You baseball freak, why haven't you memorized any of the lines?" Tsuna was holding Gokudera back

"Too much baseball practice."

"What are we going to do? The play itself is in a week and you, the starting role don't have any lines memorized. Reborn is going to kill me." Tsuna started panicking

"Don't worry Tsuna-san, I'll go and practice with Yamamoto after baseball practice and practice with him." Rukia offered.

"Thank you, Rukia-san." Tsuna said while walking to school.

x-x

After school everyone from class-A gathered at the auditorium, most of the props were already made. Some of the girls that made the costumes were talking with Hana, Ryohei, and Tsuna; they approached Rukia and dragged her to the dressing rooms. Telling everyone to keep out, except Tsuna, Ryohei, and Hana, they went to the dressing room.

"What am I doing here?" Rukia asked and the girls just giggled.

"You're going to try on the dress that we made." One of the girls said and the other two giggled.

"Um, Hana can I go? I am starting to wonder about the dress."

"No Rukia, you need to try on the dress so that they can make adjustments."

"Don't worry Kuchiki it will look fine to the EXTREME." Ryohei made his point by raising his fist in the air.

"Fine I'll try it on." Rukia took the coat hanger that held a dress inside the bag and went to change.

x-x

Yamamoto was practicing his lines and Gokudera was helping him. Yamamoto was laughing at Gokudera on how easily he got mad.

"Shut up baseball idiot, you need to learn all your lines for next week." Even though he didn't want to admit it but Yamamoto was fast at memorizing his lines. The three stage managers walked to the stage.

"WE NEED YOUR ATTENTION TO THE EXTREME."

"Thank you Ryohei, now we would like to present you to the star of this play, Carmen." Hana raised her hand pointing the side of the stage. Everyone started to hear footsteps coming from that direction. Rukia walked to the stage nervous on how everyone would comment.

"R-Rukia?" Yamamoto asked, not knowing what to say. Gokudera just stared at her, blankly. Rukia just looked at them 'do I look that bad' but they were all speechless for a different reason.

She was wearing a red and black dress, with a billowy-layered skirt that rustled when she walked. The outer layer was almost ankle length. Her tank top had a rose-shaped pin; the tank top left most of her abdomen and her back exposed. She had a bow on her hair on each side. To finish it she had a black chocker with a red star. Making her look like an exotic flamenco dancer.

Most of the boys started to catcall at her; all of the girls were amazed over the costume that the costume crew made.

"Gee thanks, I guess." Rukia looked around feeling embarrassed for the attention that the dress was getting, she ran to the dressing room to change back. The others started to whisper about her in the dress.

"Wow, Rukia looked amazing." Yamamoto said talking to Tsuna, Gokudera, and Ryohei.

"I told her that she would look amazing to the EXTREME"

"That bitch sure did pull it off." Gokudera admitted

Rukia came back to the stage in her Namimori School uniform and ran to the guys.

"So are we going to start rehearsal soon?" Rukia asked

"Why did you change out of that costume it looked cute?" Yamamoto asked making Rukia blush.

"We will start in a few minutes Rukia-san." Tsuna said and walked to Hana and Kyoko who were talking to ach other.

x-x

"Okay when Rukia says 'what is wrong with him?' shoot the light at her" Hana commanded at the people who were handling the stage. "Yamamoto, you do have this part memorized right?"

"Yeah, I think so." Yamamoto smiled at her. Gokudera sighed and opened the script to the page they were rehearsing.

"Okay start." Hana ordered

"Carmen, I want to give you this ring." Yamamoto said kneeling down giving Rukia a ring. The ring was gold with a red crystal, Rukia ordered it and bought it a few days ago for the play.

"Jose, I don't know what to say." Rukia took the ring and put it on her index finger.

"Carmen I will give my life to you." Yamamoto stood up closing on Rukia's face "I want to make you mine." Coming closer and closer, Rukia couldn't move, she wanted a distraction quickly.

"Cut" Hana ordered, making Rukia sigh in relief. Yamamoto grinned at her and pats her on the head.

"How was that?" Yamamoto asked

"That was great, if I didn't know any better I would say that you were actually declaring to Rukia-chan, Yamamoto-kun." Kyoko said giggling from the scene and Rukia who had a touch of red on her cheeks.

"Okay start after the kiss scene, and GO" Hana ordered. A girl ran to the stage where Yamamoto and Rukia were standing

"Jose, please come my mother is ill and she wants to talk to you before she dies." The girl grabs Yamamoto's hand dragging him away

"Please, Carmen think about my offer, until we meet again." Yamamoto and the girl walked away leaving Rukia alone on the stage.

"What is wrong with him?"

"Cut" Hana Ordered "we will stop here, go home and rest. Monday we will rehearse the whole thing."

x-x

Tsuna, Rukia, Yamamoto and Gokudera went home together. Rukia looked depressed and the guys wanted to ask but found it better not to.

"Um, Rukia are you ok?" Yamamoto asked.

"I'm fine don't worry. I got to go now before it gets late." Rukia started to run.

"I wonder if she is alright?" Tsuna wondered and the baby hitman appeared on his shoulder.

"Baka-Tsuna, you still need to learn to read the emotions of people. For now all three of you leave her alone."

"But Reborn."

"Her past is still a mystery to us, she will reveal her past slowly. You three don't see it, but she doesn't trust any of you guys. She feels that you are using her, yet she feels that it is her duty to protect you Dame-Tsuna."

"Reborn." Tsuna and the others were in an awkward silence

"Kid, so is there anyway that we can open her heart to us?" Yamamoto asked

"Just keep acting the way you always do, she will come to you guys when she is ready. Until then not a word about this, don't question her about anything. Do you guys remember that drawing in her sketchbook that girl with the hairclip?"

"Yeah, so what about it, Reborn-san?" Gokudera asked

"Her name is Orihime Inoue, she is known as the Shielding Princess, something must of happen to her to make Rukia feel this upset."

"So do you know what happen Reborn?"

"Yeah, but I cannot tell you, it is up to her to tell you. Come on its getting late, go home and rest the three of you." Reborn ordered

x-x

Rukia closed the door quickly and went to lie on her bed sobbing, she felt sick. She felt alone, she wanted to get to know Tsuna and the others but her heart didn't let her. She didn't made dinner, she just wanted this day to be over. The phone started to ring, he wanted to ignore it but decided not to he picked up.

"Hello" Rukia answered

"Rukia-chan, are you feeling alright, you don't sound good." Kyoko responded on the other line.

"I am under the weather, sorry that I can't come to Haru-appreciation day tomorrow with you guys."

"Hold on I'm coming over to see you. I want to make sure that you are okay."

"Wait Kyoko-chan, I am feeling better really." Rukia protested

"I'll see you there Rukia-chan." Kyoko hung up on her. Rukia knew that she would be coming; she decided to go to the living room and wait until she comes.

x-x

Ryohei came back from his extreme training and saw Kyoko packing up some clothes and her pajamas in a bag

"Oi, Kyoko where are you going?" Ryohei asked

"Rukia-chan isn't feeling very well, so I am going over to her house to see if she had something to eat."

"Wait Kyoko, let me take a quick shower to the extreme and let me go with you." Ryohei ran to his room to take a quick shower. Kyoko could only sigh and waited for her big brother.

15 minutes later Kyoko got tired of waiting. "Onii-chan are you done I am about to go without you.

"Hold on Kyoko." Ryohei came down he was wearing a black sweatpants with a black shirt, he put on his red sweater, and he was carrying a bag as well. "Lets go to the extreme. Mom, dad I am going with Kyoko to Rukia's house." With that they left.

x-x

Rukia was falling asleep when she heard a knock on the door. She almost dragged herself to the door to answer. She opened the door and it was Kyoko and Ryohei.

"You don't look so well to the EXTREME."

"Onii-chan lower your voice, Rukia-chan isn't feeling well."

"What are you two talking about, I am fine."

"Fine? Rukia-chan you are pale." Kyoko went and touched Rukia's forehead "and your burning up."

"I am feeling fi-" Rukia fainted and fell on the ground. All that she could hear was onii-chan.

x-x

Kyoko and Ryohei were inside Rukia's house. Ryohei was carrying Rukia and put her on the couch.

"I am going to make some stew in the kitchen for when she wakes up, onii-chan keep her company." Kyoko left and left Ryohei and Rukia in the living room. Ryohei sat on the floor and Rukia was lying on the couch, Rukia started to murmur something in her sleep. Ryohei started to get closer to see what she was saying.

"I am alone." Murmured Rukia a tear started to fall from her cheek. Ryohei used his thumb to wipe away her tear, got closer and whispered in her ear.

"You're not alone, Kuchiki. You got Kyoko and me. You also got Sawada, Yamamoto, and octopus-head. You are never alone; open your heart to us.

Rukia slowly open her eyes and looked around, sleepily she sat up and Ryohei sat down next to her giving her the medicine that Kyoko brought.

"Kyoko what's this?" Ryohei asked grabbing a bottle from the bag Kyoko brought.

"Its medicine for Rukia-chan, give it to her when she wakes up." Kyoko smiled at him. He nodded and picked Rukia up.

Rukia lied down and put her head on top Ryohei's lap and fell asleep

"Thank you Ryohei-nii-san" Rukia murmured before going to sleep. Ryohei couldn't help it but to smile at her. Kyoko popped her head out to see Rukia and Ryohei. She smiled and walked to Ryohei and Rukia, she put her hand on Rukia's forehead.

"Her fever went down. She looks so peaceful, huh?" Kyoko giggled

"Yeah she looks peaceful to the extreme." Ryohei whispered. He grabbed her bridal style and took her to her room put Rukia on her bead and was going to leave her room. "It's midnight already?" while looking at the bunny-shaped clock he turned around but Rukia grabbed his arm.

"Don't go, Ryohei-nii-san" Rukia was holding his hand. Kyoko giggled

"Onii-chan stay with her I'll go sleep in the guest room." Kyoko walked out and left closing the door behind her.

Ryohei sighed and lied down next to Rukia molding to her shape so that he can hug her.

"Good night, onii-chan." Rukia murmured in her sleep

"Good night to the extreme, Rukia." Ryohei planted a kiss on her cheek "I'll protect you like I protect Kyoko." he smiled before he fell into a deep slumber.

Please review

A/N: I want to thank Miss Samurai for the description of the dress, thanks also for those who have reviewed.

Until next chapter