A/N: Title Kubo owns Bleach. Not me. I don't own any of sodas, restaurants, food names, or songs used in this chapter. Thanks to everyone who added me/the story to the alerts and/or favs. It really boosts me up, since I don't know if this is really that good or not. And I really wish that people would review. Also anything bold italics is Ichigo's hollow talking and anything bold underline italics is Zangetsu, and anything bold underline is both Ichigo's hollow and Zangetsu, and anything regular italics is Ichigo, and anything italics underline is Ichigo and Zangetsu. Thank you for the reviews.
Chapter Twelve: Like a Family
The little boy looked around before crawling into Ichigo's lap and hugging him.
"Hey, buddy. What's your name?" Ichigo asked as he held the little boy close.
"Chwase…" The little boy trailed off as he buried his face into Ichigo's neck.
"Chase?" Ichigo repeated as the little boy nodded his head. Ichigo sighed and held Chase close as Rukia shifted so that she was sitting on the bed next to Ichigo again.
"Hey, sweetheart, are you hungry?" Rukia asked as Ichigo leaned over to her and kissed her hair. Chase nodded his head and released Ichigo and moved over to Rukia. Rukia wrapped her arms around Chase as Ichigo got up and changed. Ichigo came out the bathroom brushing his teeth when there was a knock on the door. Ichigo went to open it, coming face to face with Renji and Tatsuki.
"Hey, is Rukia up?" Renji asked as Ichigo moved to let the two in as he continued to brush his teeth.
"Yeah, she's sitting on the bed." Ichigo lead the way to the bedroom.
"Ichigo, can't you put a shirt on?" Tatsuki teased as he headed towards the bathroom again.
"I wasn't exactly expecting you two in my room this early, besides Chad and Nozomi." Ichigo smirked before disappearing into the bathroom again. Renji sat down next to Rukia as Chase looked at him.
"I see that he's latched on to you again." Renji said as he smiled at Chase.
"Yeah. He was latched on to Ichigo until I sat back down." Rukia smiled as Chase buried his face back into her neck.
"What's his name?" Tatsuki asked as Ichigo reappeared and walked to his suitcase.
"Chase." Ichigo pulled a shirt out and pulled it on before sitting back on the bed. "Ready to go to get food buddy?" Chase looked at Ichigo as he spoke. Chase nodded his head and the six teens stood up, Rukia caring Chase in her arms. Once down stairs and sitting at a table with the others did Mrs. Ochi come over to them.
"Morning guys. Who is this?" Mrs. Ochi asked as she spotted Chase on Ichigo's lap.
"Chase. Rukia found him in the building that she was in right as the earthquake hit." Uryu replied as he took a bite of some French toast. Chase looked at the woman who just came over and buried his face into Ichigo's chest.
"Seems like he latched on to you quickly, Kurosaki." Mrs. Ochi pointed out as Ichigo took a drink of milk and wrapped his arm tighter around the child in his lap.
"His parents didn't make it," Rukia said as she bit into a piece of toast. Mrs. Ochi nodded her head in understanding before leaving them.
"I'm surprised that she didn't try and take Chase so that he could go to child services," Orihime said as Ichigo reached for the glass of milk that was brought out for Chase.
"Chase, drink your milk please." Ichigo handed the glass to the child as he stuck the straw in his mouth. Chase drank the milk before moving so that he was closer to Rukia. Soon Mrs. Ochi came back with a couple of people.
"Guys, these ladies here are here for Chase," Mrs. Ochi explained as Chase clutched himself to Rukia, who had taken him so that Ichigo could eat more without having to feed Chase as well.
"No." Chase whimpered as Ichigo stood up and stepped in between the child services workers and Rukia, who was trying to calm Rukia down.
"He doesn't want to go. Why can't we keep an eye on him? He obviously trusts us." Ichigo watched as one woman stepped towards him.
"That may be, but he is an orphan and will be placed in a foster home. I have to take him." The woman held her hands out for Chase but the child had other plans.
"No, I want to stway with thwem," Chase said as he clung to Rukia more and shook his head as the woman reached for him more. Ichigo suddenly stiffened, feeling a spiritual pressure coming from the woman.
"Stay away from him." Ichigo growled as the woman stiffened.
"Excuse me? You have no right to stop me from doing my job." The woman retorted as she backed away from the protective teen.
"I'll stop you if I think that you are dangerous to the child, who obviously wants to stay with us." Ichigo saw Byakuya and Ukitake come over to them.
"Ichigo, what's going on?" Ukitake asked as he saw the small boy from yesterday cling to his subordinate. Ichigo explained what was going on, while using his spiritual pressure to explain what he thought.
"Can I help you at all?" the woman who was trying to take Chase asked.
"Yes, I was wondering if you would let the child stay, he is in good hands. I know the group and they wouldn't let anything happen to the child." Ukitake watched as Rukia stood up and came up to stand by Ichigo, Chase still in her arms.
"I can't do that-" the woman was cut off as she suddenly collapsed to the ground Ichigo bent down and helped her stand back up. "Thank you."
"You're spiritually aware, aren't you." Ichigo watched as the woman looked at him in shock.
"How did you…?" the woman trailed off as Mrs. Ochi and her colleague left the group noticing that the child wasn't going to be leaving the teens.
"I'm spiritually aware also. What caused you to collapse was something that people who are mildly spiritually aware to." Ichigo explained as Ukitake nodded his head in agreement. The woman nodded her head in understanding before leaving. Ukitake turned to Chase and smiled at the child as he looked back at the captain.
"What's your name?" Ukitake asked the child as Chase looked at Ichigo before reaching out to the orange-haired teen.
"Chwase." Chase replied as Ichigo took him and watched as Mrs. Ochi came back again.
"Well, you guys win. The women saw that Chase was in good hands and would be well protected. Everyone cheered before going outside to start helping people again.
"What really changed their minds, if you don't mind me asking," Ukitake said as he watched as Ichigo held Chase in his arms while Rukia walked next to them smiling at the picture.
"When Ichigo stated that he would stop them if he thought that they were dangerous for Chase." Mrs. Ochi smiled as Ichigo pressed a kiss into Chase's hair before kissing Rukia's hair as well. Ukitake nodded before bidding good bye and walking away.
Well, looks like things are going to get difficult for them, Ukitake thought as he went outside and watched the group of friends search a house, the girls leading the wounded to Isshin while the boys-mainly Ichigo and Chad- pulled the rubble off and placed it into a pile that was away from the house. Chase sat on a small block of concrete, watching the teens as they worked. Rukia came over to the small boy and crouched down.
"Do you want to come with me and help?" Rukia asked as Chase looked at her. Nodding his head, Chase held his arms out-signaling that he wanted to be carried by Rukia. Rukia picked the boy up and walked towards Isshin. Isshin saw her and smiled.
"Hello, Rukia. Whose this?" Isshin asked as Rukia set Chase down on a chair.
"His name is Chase." Rukia explained the situation with Chase before Isshin looked at him.
"He's okay. No injuries that I can see. If something should happen, then bring him back to me." Isshin watched as Rukia sat down with Chase in her lap, smoothing his hair down as she sighed.
"Thanks, Isshin." Rukia smiled as Ichigo came over to them and smiled.
"Hey, is he okay?" Ichigo questioned as he crouched down and kissed Rukia's cheek. Rukia nodded as she pressed a kiss into Chase's hair. "Rukia?"
"I explain later." Rukia replied before releasing Chase into Ichigo's arms. Ichigo hugged Chase before standing up.
"Alright. Let's go back to the hotel." Ichigo smiled as Rukia stood up and smiled at Chase who was making a funny face.
"Okay." Rukia agreed before waving good bye to Isshin. Ichigo, carrying Chase, lead the way as Rukia walked beside him with a smile on her face. Tatsuki noticed the three and grabbed her camera.
"Guys, look over here!" Tatsuki shouted as the three looked over at her. Tatsuki took the picture and smiled. "Got it!"
"Let me see it," Rukia said as she walked over to Tatsuki.
"No, I'm going to do something with it." Tatsuki smirked as Ichigo sighed.
"You guys look like a family, you know that?" Nozomi asked as she and Chad appeared next to Tatsuki.
"You think so?" Rukia questioned as she took Chase from Ichigo and smiled as Ichigo wrapped his now free arms around her.
"Yeah." Tatsuki replied before taking another picture of the two soul-reapers and the little boy.
A/N: So what do you think? Is it good so far? Is it horrible? Should I quit writing this story? I would like some feedback please! Read and Review please!
