Angst, sadness, reconciliation and a decision. Ooh, what an action packed chapter!

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Ichigo was fuming. He had never pegged Rukia as a liar, not when it was about something serious. Sure, she'd put on a fake act – the perfect schoolgirl – but she had never been a liar. Or so he had thought.

Finding out that not only did she know he was leaving, but had lied to the others by saying she didn't know where he was? It took the piss. At the time, he figured everyone he was called by just wanted him home. But no, they knew nothing. Why would she do that? Did she want sympathy?

Ichigo sighed. This was exactly the reason he had planned to not tell anyone he was here. Bloody Yoruichi. He had needed to expand his characters in his books, to add more. His plan was to come back here, observe people – not even his friends and family, just strangers on the street, for inspiration. Tokyo was all well and good, but there weren't any characters that stood out for him there. He knew Karakura had those types of characters he was looking for; he figured he'd come, he'd watch, he'd leave. Yeah right.

Ichigo snorted. "So… where to begin? Let's see, I know you remember Rukia starting school. Stupid bitch walked into me on the way to school and then I got all riled up seeing her in class. So sensei stuck her with me. That really pissed me off. Then somehow, I got used to her always being around, I dunno. Then she was my friend, and in less than 6 months, she had become my best friend. Sorry, Renji, but that really was the case."

Renji just nodded, afraid to say anything in case Ichigo kicked off.

"Now, this. This gets repeated to no-one. Not Orihime, not Tatsuki and most definitely not Rukia. About this time, Rukia was walking to my house on her own from her place. I told her to wait for me, but being as stubborn as she was, she walked anyway. I was about halfway to hers, when I heard screams for help. Really fucking panicked screams as well. So I followed the noise, and found two people in the dark alley that was a bit of a short cut to my place from hers. It was dark, but I could tell that there was a man, forcing himself onto a woman. Naturally, I punched the bastard in the head. But I wasn't quite fast enough. When dickfeatures fell to the ground, I turned my attention to the girl. Guess who?"

The three men listening to the story could not believe their ears. Ichigo's fists were clenched, anger evident in his eyes.

"He never raped her, but jeez, she was a mess. I'd never seen her so fucked up. Her clothes were ripped, her neck was bruising. He'd ripped her shirt apart, bitten her neck, forced his tongue down her throat, forced her to touch him, and touched her. I. Was. Not. Fucking. Fast. Enough."

Ichigo slammed his fist onto Chad's table. "I took her back to mine. Rukia… she could not calm down. She was terrified that he'd come back for her. She stayed at mine that night, we shared a room, because she was so scared. She asked me not to tell anyone, but after then, she never felt safe. That's why she was always holding my hand. We weren't anything more than friends, not then."

Ichigo paused. He had spoken more in the last few days than he had in seven years.

"We did get closer though. We were slow, but not long after that, we decided to try being a couple. It worked well," Ichigo snorted. "At least, it did, until I wanted to move on. I proposed, but it wasn't the night I left. Maybe 6 or 7 months previous to that? I can't really remember. She accepted. But she was worried about Byakuya's reaction, and the reaction of the elders. I tried so many times to talk her round, but she was too afraid to even tell you, our friends. It pissed me off, but I put up with it. Until, our last day of school. We went to school, we got ice cream, and we headed to her place. I had my phone, keys and wallet on me. That's it."

Ichigo inhaled. "We fought. I got pissed about it again. I told her I'd had enough of hiding it and that I couldn't stand it any longer. It almost felt like I was only there until Byakuya married her off to some noble. She refused to tell anyone, again. So, I said, fuck it. I said tell them, or I'm leaving. I'll walk from us, this town, from everything. She apologised that she couldn't love me openly, and that I should leave. I couldn't stand it. I was so angry I just had to get out. It felt like I meant nothing to her. I jumped out of her window. It was raining and before I knew it, I was in front of the train station. I made my decision and never really looked back."

Uryuu dared to speak. "But, you are back…"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "I know. I've got my fucking bitch of an editor to thank for that. Yoruichi knew not to mention this fucking place in front of me. Difficulty is, her boyfriend lives here. She was always coming back here. I needed inspiration for new characters. Tokyo didn't work for me. She knew where I'd come from, she knew my characters were inspired by people from here. Okay, she didn't know that they were inspired by people I knew, but that's not the point. 'Let's go back to Karakura, Ichigo. I need Kisuke; you need inspiring. I'll get you set up with a place, wherever you want. It makes sense.' I argued for nearly a year about it, but she won me over in the end."

Ichigo rubbed his temples and leaned back in the chair.

"I get back here, and all my intentions to stay the fuck away from everyone go to hell in a hand basket. I don't know why. I missed everyone, of course I did, but I've become so detached from everything. Everyone's trying so hard to treat me as they always did. But I'm not the same person I was at 18." Ichigo made a face displaying his incredulousness. "I'm 25. I earn more money than I know what to do with. I have…" Ichigo paused, whilst he counted on his fingers. "4 houses, two of which I rent out. I have my bike. I have my books. For the last seven years, that's been enough. I don't know how to relate to everyone. Even bloody Rukia, still trying to act the same. It's pissing me off. You treat me like I'm 18 and I treat you the only way I know how. You guys… not much has changed, yet so much has. Uryuu – you got married, and had kids. I wasn't there for that. Renji… took care of my family and Rukia. Jeez, that midget still pisses me off. Now she realises. Now she bloody realises."

"Realises what?" Chad probed.

"That she should have just told Byakuya in the first fucking place. Did you know he wants me to marry her? Yeah. Weekend after next, apparently. If that isn't the most jacked up thing ever. Rukia is my ex-girlfriend. Not many people want to marry their ex, but can I help it that I still love that midget even after all this? 18 year old me would be jumping for joy right now, but I don't know her anymore. I told her I still loved her, but now I'm questioning that. Do I, or do I still love the Rukia I loved when I was 18? The years have changed us all."

"Ichigo…"

"She lied to you all. She knew I was leaving town. I told her. She knew. Yet she played dumb. That's not the Rukia I remember loving and wanting to marry. I need to see her. She's a lying bitch and I'm going to call her out on her shit. Where is she, Renji?"

"Ichigo –"

"Renji, now isn't the time to lie to me. Where is she? I know you know."

"She's at…at work."

Ichigo slammed his empty cup down on the table and walked out. Uryuu picked up his phone and began dialling numbers frantically and imploring his friends to do the same.

"Orihime, love, get down to the Sandwich Box."

"Uryuu, what's going on?"

"Ichigo's going to confront Rukia. It's going to get messy. Rukia's at work; Ichigo stormed off down to the Coffee Pot. Go to the Sandwich Box and sit in there. Go in through the back door and get the table by the window looking onto Rukia's workplace. We need to be close enough to be able to step in, but somewhere neither of them can see us."

"Okay, I'll see you there."

"Isshin."

"Hello, Renji! What's up?"

"Ichigo's going to pick a fight with Rukia, whilst she's at work. We need to be there."

"I understand."

"We're going to meet in the Sandwich Box."

"We'll be there."

They proceeded to call all the rest of their friends and headed down to the Sandwich Box, a little café opposite where Rukia worked. It was spacious inside and the windows had been decorated with a film which meant you could look out, but if you looked in, all you'd see was a mirror of yourself.

"He's not here yet?" Renji asked, as he pulled up a seat next to Tatsuki.

"No. Are you sure he's coming?"

"Yes." Chad spoke. "He definitely was going –"

Chad was cut off by a loud VROOM. The group inside the sandwich shop eagerly peered out of the window. There was Ichigo, clad head to toe in his leathers, climbing off of Getsuga Tenshou. He removed his helmet and put it with his bike. He looked seriously pissed off, ready to fight a war.

The group watched on through the one way glass as he stormed in, took Rukia by the arm and dragged her outside.

"Quick, Orihime, crack the window open." Karin whispered. The wife of Uryuu obliged.

"Oi, oi, Ichigo! What's with you?!" Rukia took in all of Ichigo. He looked incredibly daunting in his motorbike leathers with a heavy scowl in position. Something was wrong.

"You're a liar, Rukia. You're a god damn liar and you know it."

"I – what? What are you talking about?" Rukia folded her arms across her chest.

"When I left, you told none of them why. You had them worry for no good reason. Couldn't possibly tell them that I left because you told me to." Ichigo snorted.

"I – Ichigo, I didn't –"

"Oh come on. We've avoided the topic of that night, but perhaps we should really have spoken about it? I gave you the choice – tell your family about engagement or I'd leave. I specifically said I'd leave us and this town behind. You told me to go, did you, or did you not?"

"I did, but I –"

"You were a coward Rukia. You were too afraid to stand up for what you wanted. If you'd told Byakuya then, I'd never have left. As it is, you're marrying me anyway and I got to leave and write my books."

"Ichigo! You're not marrying me for my sake – you said it yourself – it's to pay my brother back."

Ichigo laughed humourlessly. "Ha. You're real funny. Byakuya gave me enough money to start out writing. You don't think I'm unable to just give him that money back? Are you stupid? I earn more than what he leant me in 2 days now."

"You're lying."

"Why would I lie, Rukia? Pray tell, what exactly do you know about me and my life?"

"Ichigo, I –"

"Do you know how much I earn? Do you know how many houses I own? Do you know my favourite place in the world? Which countries I've visited? The languages I speak, the instruments I play? What about my vehicles? My bike… yeah, that's an old story, everyone knows about the bike… what about my other vehicles? Go on, tell me."

"Ichigo!" Tears are streaming down Rukia's face and she just can't stop them.

"Karma's a bitch, ain't it? Let me answer those questions for you. I earn about 85 million yen a year, give or take, I own 4 houses, and I rent out 2. I've visited America, England, France, Australia, China, Russia, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the Bahamas. I speak Japanese, English and French. I play the guitar, and occasionally, the piano. I own Getsuga, an Audi and a Maserati. Now, listen to me, I may no longer know you as close as when we were teenagers, but I thought I knew the core essence of who you are. Apparently not, but that's the Rukia I knew and loved."

"Stop! Stop it! Ichigo! The Ichigo I knew and loved was not a man to bandy about material things – he cared about people more than things!"

"When there are no people in your life to care about, the material things are all you are left with. I worked for my wealth… but if I hadn't left here all those years ago, then I would never have achieved anything. I guess I should thank you for that, midget."

"Ichigo Kurosaki! Listen. To. Me. For. Once. In. Your. God. Damn. Life! You made that choice. You! Not me! You walked away from everything and everyone in Karakura. You should be grateful everyone has welcomed you back with big open arms. Ichigo Kurosaki – the boy – yes, boy, who couldn't face reality and ran away, rather than face shit head on!"

"I couldn't face reality! Are you kidding? You string me along for over a year, promise yourself to me as my wife, accept my mother's ring, when you of all people knew what it symbolised to me and then tell me that you can't tell anyone about me! Was I that much of an embarrassment? What was I to you, just some dirty little secret?"

"Don't even start this shit with me, Kurosaki! You didn't and don't know half the shit I put up with at the Kuchikis'! You don't know half the shit I've been through!"

"And? I was there for you for all the shit you endured for the time I knew you, Rukia! If you'd found a bloody backbone, we'd probably have already married by now! But no, you couldn't even tell our closest friends and family, in case the fucking Kuchikis' found out! When did they ever give a shit about you?"

Ichigo was purple in the face from rage, and Rukia fared no better, with tears streaming down her face. The group inside the sandwich shop gaped. The three men Ichigo had just told the story to was less shocked than the others, but still, hearing it from one and having it all confirmed in this manner was just unbelievable.

"They gave me a home, Ichigo! They gave me a place to live, paid for my education, my food – my life!"

"And I would've given you all of that! But no, you encourage me, in my rage enduced state to leave town and then lie to all the people here, saying you knew nothing, other than you thought I was leaving to go back to the clinic and that we'd fought? That's some first class Kuchiki shit you pulled, right there!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?! I thought you were being your normal idiot self! I never thought you'd act upon it! We did fight, and you said you were leaving, but if I thought you weren't serious, then I wasn't lying! Don't you… don't you dare accuse –"

"Oh, because I clearly sounded like I was joking that night." Ichigo snorted.

"Ichigo." Rukia's tone had quietened. "Why are we fighting over this? We were young, and we both made choices back then that we might regret now. Sure, the things in our lives have changed, but I'm still Rukia, and you're still Ichigo. Arguing over things that happened seven years ago… what are you trying to achieve?"

Ichigo closed his eyes and released a heavy sigh. "Rukia. It has been seven years. Seven quiet years. I went at my own pace for the most part. I had allowed myself to become content with my lot. Truth be told, whilst part of me did want to return home, another part of me knew it'd be a disaster. Shit, Rukia, people got married and had kids whilst I was gone. My kid sisters grew up and graduated. I was there for none of it. People got on with their lives without me, the same as I got on with my life without them."

"Ichigo… you're wrong. You're so wrong." Rukia walked up to Ichigo and stood less than two feet from the leather clad man. "Your sisters and father were never the same. Our friends were never the same. You were still talked about. Everyone still wondered about you. Even me. Actually… especially me. I haven't moved on. I told you about the box… yeah that comes out more often than I'd care to admit. The police wouldn't look for you, unless you'd been missing a week, but you phoned home and said you were safe in that time period. The police just apologised and said they couldn't help as you were an adult. I'm sorry if it seemed like I was lying. I really wasn't, it was what I genuinely believed."

Ichigo nodded. "I believe you."

"You… do?"

"Yes."

Rukia sighed, as the tears began to dry. "I'm so glad. I always hated when we fought."

"Ah." Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck.

"Actually, people always had this impression we fought a lot, but mostly, I remember you and I just being… together."

"Hn. We fought more and more in private in the few months before I left. Let me ask you something. If the tables had been turned, and you had wanted to go public and I refused because I was worried about what people would say, how would you have felt, after putting in over a year and a half into a relationship?"

Rukia stepped forward and lowered her voice once more. The group in the sandwich shop held their breath and unconsciously leant towards the window in order to hear.

"I would have felt used and like I was an embarrassment or a source of shame… No, oh, no."

Ichigo's amber eyes locked with hers intensely. Neither could force themselves to look anywhere other. He nodded slowly.

"Ichigo, what did I do?" The once dried tears began to fall once again. Ichigo stepped closer to her and wiped a tear away.

"Do you get it now? Why I left? Why I couldn't stay? How could I? In my mind, the idea that I was only there until your brother found someone suitable to marry you to, just grew. That night, your words… it was like you confirmed it. I just couldn't stay where you were." His hand cupped her cheek.

"No! That was… that was never my intention! Ever! I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I really fucked everything up, didn't I?"

"No. I was the one who made the decision to leave and I'm sorry to say, I'll be leaving again."

"Ichigo! No! You can't leave again! Please, I –"

Ichigo pulled out his helmet. "You can come too. Jump on the back; we'll go get you some leathers and we'll go. Or you can stay. Your choice." Ichigo swung his long legs over his bike. "You've got about 30 seconds to make a choice, midget." With that, he pulled on his helmet and turned the key in the ignition. Getsuga roared to life and Rukia very quickly made a decision.