I'm Home

Hi everyone I'm starting the story again. That last chapter was horrendous but anyways a recap of what happened Hinamori confessed to Hitsugaya, Yamamoto wants to speak with Hitsugaya and Karin is going back home for X-mas.

Yamamoto's Headquarters

Yamamoto is now talking to Hitsugaya.

"I believe that Kurosaki-san will be going back home tonight. Has she informed you yet?" Yamamoto asked.

"No. I have not yet spoken to yet." Hitsugaya replied.

" I see. Well I want you, and vice-captain Matsumoto Rangiku to accompany her on her way back home. I also would like you to keep on guard and look out for any hollows. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"You are free to go." Hitsugaya stood up and left. Rangiku was waiting outside and asked him what happened.

"Matsumoto, go pack your things we are going to take Kurosaki back to her home for a visit to her family." Hitsugaya said and continued to walk. Rangiku couldn't believe what she just heard. Within a few minutes she appeared before Hitsugaya all her things packed and ready to leave. Hitsugaya sweat dropped and said, "We're leaving tonight and we have to tell Kurosaki first."

Rangiku just smiled. "I know but she wouldn't mind. Well let's get going and find that Karin-chan so we can have more shopping time!" Rangiku disappeared with excitement on her face.

Hitsugaya sighed and went to go look for Karin.

Training Hall

"Hah! Ikkaku you gotta be quicker than that if you wanna actually defeat me!" Karin yelled blocking every thing Ikkaku could throw at her.

"Shut up! You're just like your brother!" Ikkaku kept attacking her while Karin blocked all his hits.

For the next few minutes, Ikkaku and Karin were sparring with each other neither backing down.

"Kurosaki! Tell me, does fighting run in your family's blood?" Ikkaku asked her dodging Karin's attacks.

"Hn. Dunno'. I just know I'm a natural." Karin replied. Ikkaku just smirked, their attacks became fiercer. Determination not to back down was seen through their eyes. Not too long after Karin delivered a final blow breaking both their bokken.

(Boy she has a habit of breaking things.)

Both fighters stared at each other daring to make a move until Hitsugaya walks in the training hall.

"Oi Kurosaki. Yamamoto-Taichou sent me and Matsumoto to accompany to the real world. Its best if we leave now." Hitsugaya turned around and left.

Karin bowed to Ikkaku and told him that she had fun and hoped to spar with him again.

Karin now walking to her room to get ready to leave realized something.

Hm… Something was weird about Toushiro today. Ugh!!!! Why the hell should I care. Screw this! I'm going back home! Ichi-nii, Yuzu, Otousan, I'm coming back.

Karin smiled knowing that she would be able to see her family once again after months of leaving them behind without a word.

I hope nothing changed.

Kurosaki Household

"Good morning Otousan, Ichi-nii, Rukia-nee!" Yuzu smiled happily.

Ichigo noticed that Yuzu seemed really happy but then brushed it off. Rukia also saw how happy Yuzu was and decided to ask.

"Ne, Yuzu-chan, why are you so happy?"

"Karin-chan is coming back. I can feel it. I just know it. Karin is coming back home." Yuzu said as her eyes soften. Remember when she found out that that Karin had left she locked herself in her room for a week. She even missed school for a week. Eventually she got over it and decided to hope for Karin's safety and to come back home. Isshin had told her that Karin decided in a last minute to go to school somewhere else beside Karakura High and that the new school she wanted to go to was very far away.

Yuzu didn't know the actual truth but Isshin didn't want her to worry so much so he let her believe that Karin went to school abroad. She was also told that Hitsugaya went back home before he moved into the Kurosaki home. Surprisingly Yuzu believed her father's lie.

Right when Ichigo got up to go to his room the wall exploded right in front of him and three bodies fell on him. Ichigo was on the bottom. Hitsugaya was on Ichigo as Karin was on Hitsugaya and Rangiku was sitting on all of them.

"Karin-chan!" Yuzu squealed as she quickly hugged her twin. Karin hugged her back. Then to her surprise she saw Ichigo and Rukia. "Ichi-nii…Rukia-chan?" She stared at them and they smiled at her.

"Welcome back." Rukia said.

"MY KARIN-CHAN!!! OH YOU ARE BACK!! AND YOU BROUGHT SHIRO-CHAND AND …A…MAID?!" Isshin stared wide eyed at the three shinigami. "KARIN-CHAN, SHIRO-CHAN! WHERE'S THE BABY?!!!"

Isshin was soon bashed in the head by Karin, Hitsugaya, and Rangiku.

"I can't believe he called me a maid!" Rangiku shouted.

Ichigo stared at Karin. At first he showed a small sign of anger which changed to happiness.

"Oi! Karin… go get some rest you must be tired." Ichigo said before walking away.

Karin knew that Ichigo was angry but she knew at the same time that he was happy that she was back. Karin wanted so badly drop down and cry but her pride took over.

Karin told everyone that she would go to her room and catch some Zs for a bit and when she get's up she'll hang with them. Everyone knew that even with just arriving it was all too much for her.

Karin's Room

Karin looked around her room. It hasn't changed at all. Her bed was still the same, her clothes where still there, everything was still there.

She slowly sat on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

I can't believe I'm home again. God how long has it been? They must be mad at me.

Karin's eyes began to shut slowly as she turned her head. Pretty soon she was fully sleeping.

Ichigo's Room

"So let me get this straight, Karin now lives in Soul Society, and she's there because her reiatsu is strong enough to be a potential high ranking shinigami like me?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes. We never thought it would be your younger sister. However, she was chosen to help Soul Society. We didn't want her powers to go to waste. We considered getting you but for some reason Yamamoto-Taichou didn't want you to be involved in this matter unless your sister refused."

Hitsugaya said as Ichigo began to lighten up. Ichigo got up and walked to the window and sighed. "I should have known something like this would happen."

"But even if you were here Ichigo, Karin wouldn't have listened to you. Don't look at me like that. It's true and you know it. She would have –

Ichigo grabbed Hitsugaya by the shoulders and pushed him against the wall. "I know she would! Damn it I know!" Tears began to well up in Ichigo's eyes as he slid to the floor and Rukia got up and wrapped her arms around Ichigo hushing him. Rukia looked up at Hitsugaya and Rangiku and told them to leave her and Ichigo alone for a bit.

Hitsugaya and Rangiku opened Ichigo's door to reveal Karin standing in front of them tears also welling up in her eyes. Before either of them could say anything Karin vanished.

She didn't know where she was going but she didn't care. Anywhere away from her home would be fine.

After running a while Karin decided she would sit down for a bit. She looked around her and saw that she was at the Karakura Park.

Karin was about to sit down when she felt a reiatsu pass her. As she turned around, she saw a hollow getting ready to eat a little boy.

At this moment she truly understand her decision she made when she accepted to stay in Soul Society.

Without waiting or anything just like Ichigo, she pulled out a plaque and her soul came out of her.

Not too far from her Ichigo, Rukia, Rangiku, and Hitsugaya felt a reiatsu and headed towards Karakura Park. There they saw a hollow. But they also saw Karin.

Karin was holding the little boy in her arms. She laid him down on the ground and pulled out her Zanpakuto. Within a few minutes the four shinigami saw Karin was defeating the hollow.

"Ichigo, I know you are worried about her, but consider her feelings. She didn't recklessly choose to go to Soul Society. She did it all for you and your family. Just like how you accepted Rukia's powers 5 years ago. Your sister is strong. Can't you feel it? She wants you to understand her. You should because there is nobody else in this world who could understand her more than you because if you think about it, what's happening to her somewhat already happened to you." Hitsugaya said standing beside the other three shinigami as he watched Karin purify the hollow with ease.

Ichigo now understood what Hitsugaya meant. Although he hated to admit it but the once dragon shorty he knew was right. He was no longer angry at Karin but understanding about her decision.

The Next Day

Karin woke up and realized that she had overslept. She quickly took a shower and got dressed. She headed downstairs and noticed how quiet it was. Right when she sat down on the breakfast table Ichigo, Rangiku, Rukia, Yuzu, Isshin, and Hitsugaya all popped out of nowhere.

"Merry Christmas Karin!" They all said.

Karin rubbed her eyes and looked again. She saw the tree was up and there were many presents underneath it. She saw food suddenly being brought in to the room and placed on the table. She saw that everyone was there.

Karin didn't know what to say or do. She felt a burst of happiness flow through her veins.

Through out the day everyone stayed in the Kurosaki household. Everyone was talking happily, singing, playing, eating, drinking, and bonding.

As usual, Isshin was acting abnormal, Hitsugaya was serious, Ichigo and Rukia were play fighting, Rangiku was chatting excitedly with Yuzu and using Kon as a model dressing him up in all kinds of clothes.

Karin couldn't express how happy she was but then she thought, in an hour she would have to leave again. When would the next time she'd be able to see them again. Now with her getting stronger the enemy might want to go after her. Will she be alive to see her family again? She didn't know.

She brushed it all off and just spent the rest of her hour with her family before she goes.

An Hour Later

Ok, it's time to go.

Karin got up and went to Ichigo's room, she looked around and saw that everyone even Kon was there except for Isshin and Yuzu. Karin had already said good-bye to Yuzu and Isshin.

Now it was time to say good-bye to Ichigo and Rukia.

Well here we go.

Ichigo stood before Karin. Taking her into his arms, "Karin, it's really weird being the one to wait. I never thought waiting would be this hard. But now I understand. I'm sorry I never told you anything when I used to be the one leaving, saving the world. But I understand it all. I just want you to know that I'm here for you all the way. If you going to Soul Society to be a shinigami is your choice, then I support you. Just promise me, come back safely, and set your mind to a reason why you became a shinigami. Don't lose sight by being obsessed with your power. Use it wisely." Tears leaked from Karin's eyes as she hugged Ichigo.

Rukia couldn't take anymore and flung herself at Karin and hugged her. Karin and everyone in the room was surprised heck even Rukia was surprised.

Karin prepared to leave but then realized something. Turning, she faced Ichigo and said, "Someone told me to give you a message."

Ichigo nodded for her to continue.

"I met some one and he said Ichigo, make one wrong move on Rukia, I'll personally visit you. And his name was Kuchiki Byakuya." Karin smiled eying both Ichigo and Rukia. Everyone but Rukia and Ichigo laughed. Instead, they blushed and said thanks for the message.

With all the goodbyes set and done, Karin began to vanish as she saw Ichigo, Rukia, and Kon waving goodbye to her.

Feeling the weight go off her shoulders, Karin took a deep breath and smiled. She can move on now without feeling guilty over choosing to stay in Soul Society.

"Ne, Rangiku-san, and Toushiro it feels good to be alive right?" Rangiku and Hitsugaya both knew fully well that after going back to the real world she would feel a lot better. Karin smiled happily leaving the real world until next time.

OMG You have no idea how long this one took me! I wasn't sure if I should have put the x-mas part in since I already wrote an x-mas special but yeah. I'm done with this chappie. Yatte!