Ok, I'm really sorry that it's taken so long to upload this. It's actually been written and ready for upload for ages, it's just my internet hasn't been working.

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and subscribed and signed up for alerts. I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long; I had to fight the block of writers! Don't worry, guys, I took him down! *cheers*

Anyway, it seems like the story is progressing quickly. I recognise this, but of course, true love doesn't run easy. Although IchiRuki fluffiness may appear in this chapter! :)

Please read and review and when you're done, check out my other story – IchiRuki again of course – it's called The Last Year of School. I hope you like it – it's completely different to this one.

I love you guys!

Rukia followed the orange haired boy up the stairs. The pair had not spoken since they left her house; neither knew what exactly they could say. Given this position seven years back, both would have been jumping for joy, but now, neither really knew what they felt. They'd only spoken briefly during their run-in at the coffee pot. Ichigo couldn't place his feelings, simply because he didn't know what his feelings were now. Seven years ago he loved the raven haired girl he was now destined to marry. It was like fate was mocking him.

He came back all of three days ago, simply wanting a quiet life, with the same amount of contact with the people he'd been avoiding – none. Now, just three days into his time at Karakura, he'd managed to get himself engaged. How the fuck? He thought, shaking his head.

He slotted the key into the lock and turned it. He felt a little angry at the turn of events – Byakuya never mentioned actually going through the marriage – he had expected the proposal simply to be something that would be called off the minute Rukia was free from this Shiba guy. Although, a little part of him had been glad that she didn't want the guy she was engaged to, and that Byakuya would do anything to make sure she'd never end up with a guy she didn't want. Although that was another thing that somewhat mystified the orange haired writer – since when did Byakuya think that Rukia wanted him? Seven years ago, he would've probably been correct with such an assumption, but now, well, it seemed like Byakuya wanted to torture him.

Briefly, during the conversation at the Kuchiki house, a thought flicked through the young writer's mind. What if Rukia specifically asked for me? It was quickly squashed though, when it became apparent that Rukia was as aware of the impending wedding as he was.

Ichigo kicked the door, with a little more force than really necessary. Tonight was planned to be a nice catch up and seeing as Rukia had inadvertently told Byakuya of said plans, he had insisted that they spend time together before they became man and wife, seeing that they hadn't spoken in so long. Fucking bastard.

He didn't notice Rukia watching with wide eyes, noting how little Ichigo had changed in his mannerisms. He had always kicked doors and such when he was mad. She followed him into his apartment, noticing the lack of photographs. She wondered if he'd kept the ones of them together like she had.

Ichigo went to use his bathroom – not for human necessity, but to get away from Rukia. He needed to collect his thoughts. He wondered if Yourichi would kill him. If only this was one of my books, the story would be fucking hilarious, fucking Kuchiki. He fumed. He splashed water on his face and cracked his knuckles. What the fuck can I say to her? He thought back to the conversation that had somehow managed to change his whole future.

"Of course, the elders can't accept a proposal where the suitor has no intention of following through and seeing as you've already both agreed to this plan, you have no choice, unless you truly wish to marry Shiba." Byakuya had said the name in disgust; Ichigo could tell by the way his lip curled ever so slightly, even though his voice was impassive.

"N-no. Ok. Ok. I'll do it."

"Fine, Byakuya – seeing as I owe you and all. But, seeing as I'm an honest man and all, I think Rukia should at least know who I am, and what I do."

"Ichigo, my future brother-in-law, I expect you to be honest with my sister, but not necessarily with the elders. I hope you understand." Byakuya wanted Ichigo to tell Rukia the truth, but not where there was even the distinct possibility of being overheard, as he still wanted the lie to be believed by the elders.

Rukia had simply looked between the two. Ichigo supressed at smile when he saw how confused the younger Kuchiki looked.

"Now then, I believe you two had plans for this evening?"

Rukia ducked her head into a slight nod in affirmation. Ichigo didn't question anything; Byakuya had a way of knowing everything, although this time he believed Rukia had something to do with Byakuya's knowledge.

"You are dismissed."

Rukia wandered around the kitchen area while she waited for Ichigo. She felt nervous. She found it odd how empty his place felt – like there was no life here, like it was simply a show home. It wasn't that she didn't like the place; she just disliked the hollow feel it had. It reminded her a little of whom she became in the last seven years. In that very instant, she was transported back seven years. She felt tears prick at her eyes.

Ichigo walked out of the bathroom at that very moment. He observed Rukia and the faraway look that had engulfed her. I can't believe Byakuya has arranged for me to marry her. This is too fucking weird. He didn't speak; words still eluded him. He was in awe of how stunningly beautiful she had become. She had grown in the last seven years – clearly not in the height department, but out of the awkward teenager she was and into a beautiful woman. Of course, she was beautiful back then, but in an awkward teenage way. Ichigo cleared his throat.

Rukia looked up with a start. She had been so consumed with her memories, that she had forgotten where she was. She looked at Ichigo, who was not looking back at her.

Something else had caught his gaze. A white envelope with his name written in familiar scrawl.

Rukia followed the direction of his gaze and noted the white envelope with Ichigo written on it, elegantly. She saw a slight smile on his face. Shit, what if he has a girlfriend? Why would he agree to marry me if he had a girlfriend? What could he owe brother for that he'd have to abandon a girl he'd let into his life? I know how it used to be for him – he couldn't open up that easily and let people in, let alone in a romantic sense. It took a long time for him to let me in. What if he's changed? I mean I know that physically he looks so much more mature and definitely more toned and um, sexy, but emotionally? I can't read him anyone. Seven years is a long time. Rukia sighed to herself.

Ichigo picked up the envelope and tore it open, with a slight apathy. He pulled out the letter and scanned the page briefly for the important details. Not that Yourichi would write anything other than important details.

Ichigo,

Byakuya called and explained everything to me, so I know that when you are reading this, that you are engaged to his sister, Rukia Kuchiki. That's all I know. I expect details.

Also, there is talk of Bleach: The Movie. You said that the characters were based on people you knew, if you are agreeable to said production, I recommend asking your friends to act as their characters – seeing as they are so perfect for the roles. I can make conditions for permission being that we choose the actors, do not worry.

My office, 1pm, tomorrow. Bring the Kuchiki girl.

Yourichi

Ichigo grinned. His book was being turned into a movie? Awesome! Yourichi, you are a fucking saint! A bitch, but a saint! He began to laugh, out of happiness, excitement and dumbfounded shock. Rukia gave him a confused look.

Ichigo noticed and grabbed her hand enthusiastically and begun to drag her to the living area. She pulled away, out of habit more than instinct, but instantly wished she hadn't.

"Rukia. Please come and sit. I have a lot to tell you and a request for you." He merely grinned at her when her eyes narrowed in confusion.

They both continued towards the living area. Ichigo gestured for her to take a seat. She sat down on the sofa and Ichigo sat next to her, in a fairly close proximity. She could feel her heart thumping against her ribcage. She half expected it to jump out of her chest altogether.

"Rukia…" Ichigo breathed. He liked the sound of her name coming from his lips. It felt natural and right somehow. "I guess I don't really know where to start." He apologised, in a somewhat roundabout way. The same as all of his apologies. The same as they'd always been.

Rukia looked up at him, with a half expectant gaze. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Start from the beginning?"

"The…beginning?" Ichigo eyed her carefully. He wanted to know where exactly she thought the beginning of his story was. Of course, it would be woven around the events of that dark rainy night, but if that's not where she thought the beginning was, then he most certainly wasn't going to mention it. It pained him to think about it. That's why he had not said a word on the matter since it had happened.

Rukia made the mistake of opening her eyes. She hadn't expected the look in his eyes, more mesmerising now than ever before. They were like liquid chocolate, staring at her so intently. It took her back to the memories that had become so painful.

"Yes. The beginning."

"When is the beginning?" He asked, silently pleading for her not to say –

"After you left the Kuchiki house." Rukia was determined to detach herself from the situation; she couldn't bear the pain.

Ichigo sighed in defeat and interlinked his fingers behind his head. He rested back on them and closed his eyes, transporting himself into the memories from what seemed like a lifetime ago. A happier lifetime.

"You remember what happened that night, so I refuse to talk about those specific events." Rukia noted the tone in his voice. It was clear that the subject of that night was as off limits for him as it was for her. She wondered if it was for the same reasons. "However, I will tell you from what happened after I left the Kuchiki manor."

Rukia nodded. Again, she noted that he too, was detaching himself from her and the past they had together. She watched Ichigo as he took a deep breath.

"I don't want you to interrupt until I finish, Midget."

Rukia gaped at him for almost an entire minute, and then nodded, closing her mouth. Ichigo fought the urge to kiss her. He bit his lip. She just looks so damn cute. I've missed her. I've missed Rukia. Even if it wasn't how were before I left, I hope we can go back to at least being friends. I've got to marry her, we need to at least get along, he thought, resolving to work hard at a friendship.

"That night was the last straw. I couldn't take anymore…" he began, slipping into his memory, narrating out loud for Rukia to hear.

"I ran to the train station without really knowing that there was where I was headed. I realised there and thenthat I really had to leave this damned town, as I promised you. I didn't hesitate as I bought my ticket. I had tried to figure out where I was headed, but I truly didn't know. I closed my eyes at the ticket machine at jabbed the touch screen with my finger. I hit Tokyo and that's where I ended up. The entire train journey I pondered about where I end up in life. I reached Tokyo a little into the early hours of the morning. I checked into a hotel for the night, just to get my head down. It was there, the very next morning that I met Yourichi Shihoin. We got chatting and she discovered my love for Shakespeare and writing. She offered to let me stay with her as long as I did the menial chores she detested. It was a strange arrangement, but at least I was guaranteed shelter and food. Another chore she had me do was to write. At first, I wrote on pen and paper, but as I got a small job working soon after, I was soon able to afford a cheap laptop. Everything I wrote, she edited. A few months after I left, Byak – I mean - a nameless donor, donated a large sum of money to me – just to help me out. I bought myself a huge place – bigger than here, but continued to write for Yourichi. I liked it, I got lost in my own world. When I turned 19, I bought myself a motorbike. I like to think that I named it, but really it was Yourichi. She named it Getsuga Tenshou."

Rukia recognised that name from somewhere, yet she couldn't place it. She didn't say a word as she waiting for Ichigo to continue.

"Of course, everyone recognises that name for a completely different reason now. They recognise it as the name of the creator of the Bleach series."

Rukia remembered now and nodded. Orihime had referred to Ichigo as Mr Tenshou at the coffee shop yesterday. She wondered why it was relevant to Ichigo's recollection of the past seven years.

"Of course, there was no way in hell I was going to publish under my true name, so I kind of stole my bike's name. It works, especially as I always left little notes for the people back here in the dedications. I wanted to remain anonymous. I didn't want to talk to anyone from here, let alone have them know what I was doing. I didn't speak to anyone. I left answer phone messages and locked myself away from them. For the next few years, I made my money writing the Bleach series, as I still am."

Ichigo opened his eyes and they met with Rukia's violet orbs. She was completely engrossed in the story. He smiled a faint smile.

"Then, not a month ago, Yourichi – who knows I had an aversion to Karakura and any one of its residents – stated that I needed to move back here. She also moved close to the area. I chose this part of Karakura to avoid everyone. I saw Orihime and I presumed her daughter – Renji did confirm later that it was indeed her daughter and that Uryuu was the father – and concealed myself from her. The next day, I went to visit the grave."

Ichigo was sure Rukia would know whose grave he was talking about.

"I had intended to make sure I was nowhere in sight when my family approached the grave, but somehow, it didn't work like that. I didn't realise until my sisters were either side of me, lighting candles. But I'd hidden myself again, I didn't want to be recognised, thus, they didn't know it was me. But, I decided to not run away any more. I spent the day with my family. Then, in a tradition that had started after I'd left, Renji came round. So obviously, I couldn't avoid him. But my family and I did fuck with him a little before revealing who I was." Ichigo laughed at the memory.

"So then, it was his idea that we fuck with Tatsuki, Orihime, Uryuu and Chad before revealing who I am. So we, well Renji, told them that I was a guest of the Kurosaki's and that he'd promised my father that he'd introduce me to them. So I was introduced to them as Getsuga Tenshou."

Ah, that explains why Orihime addressed him like that. Questions bubbled at the tip of her tongue. She bit down on her lip, intent on keeping quiet until Ichigo had finished.

"Of course, that's when you decided to come and flaunt my mother's ring in my face. I felt so betrayed by you, that you could do that! Not to me, but my mother. I thought you had more respect for the… the dead. Then when I saw you fighting me for the ring, I saw how willing you were to defend it. I decided you deserved to keep it and gave it back to you. You seemed attached to it, and I can't blame you. It truly is a beautiful ring, and suits you as perfectly as it did the day I presented it to you."

Rukia felt a blush rise up in her cheeks. She got a fluttery feeling in her stomach that she hadn't felt for years.

"So then, this morning I was round visiting my family, making up for the lost years, when Byakuya calls me up. He said that he needed me to propose to you as if I was a noble or something to save you from this Shiba guy. There are reasons I couldn't say no, please don't question this. Anyway, I headed over to the Kuchiki mansion after first coming here and changing my clothes and that's everything, I guess."

Ichigo ran his fingers through his hair, still as unruly and orange as it was when he was just eighteen.

Rukia smiled and lent forward. She gently placed a kiss on his cheek. Ichigo looked at her, eyes wide. He didn't know what to make of the gesture. Rukia just smiled a simple smile. A genuine smile.

"Thank you. You know, I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much."

"I just wanted to tell you everything of any note that had happened to me since I left. There wasn't all that much, but in the space of three days, I've been reunited with my family and friends, paid back an old debt, visited my mother's grave and gotten myself engaged in an arranged marriage to my ex-girlfriend. How the fuck did I manage that, when my intentions when I got off that train was to keep to my goddamn self?" Ichigo shook his head.

Ichigo words had stung Rukia just a little, but she understood that it was just his way of summing up. He hadn't meant them nastily.

"That's just Karakura's effect on you, Strawberry."

"You know, I meant it yesterday, when I said I missed you. There were times when I needed my best friend."

"Is that all I was to you? A best friend?" Rukia asked in a small voice.

Ichigo allowed a sad smile to grace his face.

"Rukia, do you know how much it pains me to sit here across from you and pretend like it doesn't hurt?" Ichigo's face visibly paled. He clearly didn't mean to say that.

"It hurts you to sit with me?" Rukia whispered.

"Deeply." Ichigo confirmed.

"But, why?"

"Because I left you. And it was possibly the biggest mistake I've ever made. You turned out beautiful, you know, even if you didn't grow any. You know what makes it hurt the most though?"

"No?"

"That I was given numerous chances to come back. Someone managed to find me, fuck knows how. He wanted me to come back. For you. And I said no."

"Who was it?" Rukia asked, curious now.

"That's confidential, sorry Shorty." Ichigo grinned.

"Hm. So then, you had a request?" Rukia asked, remembering something Ichigo had mentioned earlier.

"Wha – Oh yes! How are your acting skills?"

"Er – what?"

"Well, have you read any of the Bleach stories?"

"Of course, I don't know anyone who hasn't. Even Byakuya has read them!"

Ichigo simply nodded at this information like he had expected it. Rukia didn't quite comprehend the meaning behind the nod.

"Well, I'm not sure if anyone realised, but my characters' personality and appearance were heavily based upon people I encountered here, in Karakura. I didn't really encounter anyone in Tokyo, except for Yourichi. If you think about it, you could probably work out who I based each character on."

"Wait, so you're saying you based one of the Bleach characters on me?"

"Of course I did." He made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world.

"Which one?"

"I'm going to let you guess. Can you work it out?" He asked, playfully.

"Hm, give me some clues."

"Alright, we'll work on some of the characteristics. I'm sure you'll be able to figure them out. Let's start with Zabimaru."

"Ok."

"Zabimaru is a red haired hot head with a number of tribal tattoos."

"Zabimaru is Renji?"

"Bingo. Next we have Karate champion, tomboy Minori."

"Tatsuki?"

"Right again." Ichigo grinned. "Then we have her best friend, auburn-haired Kesshun who has a weird taste in food."

"That's Orihime?" Rukia was surprised at how obvious it should've been.

"Yeah, you're good, Midget. Ok, The tall, half Mexican Diablo who knows how to pack a punch but doesn't like to be violent?"

"That's got to be Chad."

"Indeed. Ok, Quincy, the nerd with the glasses?"

Rukia laughed. "Uryuu! Ichigo, you're mean! Uryuu is not a nerd!"

Ichigo laughed too. It was easy to be around Rukia.

"Ok, how about the main character, Zangetsu? Orange haired, short temper…"

"You based your main character on yourself?"

"Yeah. Only because I know how I feel and I can work with that. Ok, Zangetsu's love interest, Shirayuki, short, dark haired, with purple eyes and an insatiable love for a certain rabbit?"

"Me?" Rukia looked up into Ichigo's soft ochre eyes as they smouldered at her.

"Yes."

"I'm your love interest?" Rukia squeaked, in disbelief.

Ichigo nodded, his eyes serious, but his mouth twisting into a playful smile.

"What does that mean?" Rukia paused. "Or is it just because that's how it was when you were here so that's how you wrote it?"

Ichigo sighed.

He lent forward slightly, so that the tip of his nose was resting on the topmost part of her ear.

He whispered softly, "I'll let you figure that one out for yourself."