Thank you to Blood Heron for betaing this chapter! I really hope you'll like it…

IX: ALL TOGETHER


Three months, one week and two days ago

At 6.59 AM, all was quiet in the Kurosaki household.

At 7.00, an alarm clock rang.

At 7.01, multiple screams shook the tiny house. Halfway through, those who hadn't been woken by the alarm clock were startled out of sleep and joined the scream.

At 7.04, every scream died down.

Then the stampede started.

At 7.35 Ikkaku, Ichigo and Renji dragged Yumichika away from the bathroom mirror and Rukia, Hitsugaya and Tatsuki finally managed to wake Matsumoto up again. The group assembled in the front yard, joining Yuzu and Karin.

Renji rubbed his forehead, trying to tune out Yumichika's whining. 'Why does it have to happen to us! I mean, it wasn't so difficult…We only had to meet at Ichigo's to discuss Tatsuki's newfound powers, who could train her and how and whether she would fight by our side – I'm not happy with the decision, I know I voted for "one more fighter is always handy", but still… Anyway, we certainly weren't supposed to fall asleep!' he sighed. 'Great. Now we'll also be late for school.'

"What time is it?" Ichigo wheezed, still panting for the race.

"7.37." Karin announced. "We'll never make it…"

"DON'T WORRY, BLOOD OF MY BLOOD! DADDY WILL FIX IT! Daddy always fixes everything!"

Ichigo slapped a hand over his forehead, while Yumichika wrinkled his nose. "Excuse me, who did you just called bloody?"

"Do not worry! I have the perfect solution!" he walked to a mysterious think covered with a big, white cloth and unveiled it with a flourish. "Ta-dah!"

The Shinigamis stared. Then blinked. Then stared some more.

A lime-green Toyota Yaris stood, gleaming in the morning sunshine and utterly sparkling with car wax.

"With my trusted vehicle, I shall bring you all to school safely and on time!"

Nine pair of eyes turned to Ichigo, half-imploringly and half-menacingly.

The boy cleared his throat. "Dad, I don't think that…"

"NONESENSE! Come on, get in! We'll be there in no time at all!"

Rukia sighed. "Well – It's not like we have a choice. Besides, we can't afford being late."

At 7.40 AM, a lime-green Toyota Yaris shot out the Kurosaki's driveway and swiftly turned right, covered about 10 meters on two wheels, then plopped down with thud – and several shouts, too.

"DAD! Slow down!" Karin shouted, cursing the fact that, even if she was sitting in the front seat, she couldn't reach him – and whack him.

"DON'T WORRY, MY LOVELY DAUGHTER! DADDY HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!" Isshin replied as he passed with a red traffic light.

Yuzu closed her eyes and prayed. 'Please, don't let the policemen see us….Please, don't let the policemen see us…'

Renji groaned as Ikkaku's elbow hit his side with a sniper's accuracy. Another turn – with two wheels ending up on the sidewalk, this time – and a series of thuds came from the hood.

Yumichika turned a bit, "Ca…Er, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, are you all right?"

Ikkaku snorted, "Of course they are! They're probably better then us – after all, they do have two large airbags. OW!"

"Serves you right!" Matsumoto replied, then giggled. "It's fun, you know! We should do it more often!"

"You're simply out of you mind, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya grunted.

"That's only because you can't stand upright, taichou."

"MATSUMO-WAAAAH!"

Renji growled a couple of curses under his breath.

Being sandwiched between Arisawa and Ikkaku and shaken like milk-to-be-turned-into-butter with little-to-no probability to arrive at school on time – let alone in one piece – wasn't exactly his favorite way to start a day

'I still can't believe we fit all in this sardine can…'

The car swayed again and he caught a glimpse of Rukia sitting on Ichigo's lap – 'To save room, my ass!' – and stealing a kiss from him while everybody else was too busy staring at the lorry that had just passed a bit too close to their tiny car.

'Oh, please! It's not even 8.00 AM! My stomach just can't take it!'

Instinctively, he turned the other way – and his gaze fell on Tatsuki's small frame, crushed against the car door.

Right as he watched her, Kurosaki senior changed direction rather abruptly – eliciting another scream from Karin and causing the back-seat passengers to slide and fall all over each other.

So it happened that Ikkaku crashed against his back and pushed him forward – and somehow, when his senses found their focus again, Renji realized that the hand he had put forward to avoid a rather painful meeting with the car window, indeed had not been pressed against the door.

Unless doors were soft and warm.

The red-headed Shinigami swallowed hard. He was all but trapping Tatsuki against the car door and his left hand was currently trapped between their bodies and pressing lightly against her chest.

Renji reckoned that the next time he would have let his head smack against the window… That was, if he lived long enough to get a "next time."

Luckily for him, Tatsuki's arms where trapped – one against the cold metal of the door, the other between her body and his own.

However, her scorching glare left no doubt on his fate as soon as they would get out.

He tried to move back, but Ikkaku's not-exactly-feather-like weight was still firmly placed against his own back.

Renji growled. "Make a bit of room, will ya!"

"In case you haven't noticed, we're all packed!" the bald Shinigami grunted in reply.

"My uniform is all wrinkled! How can I go to school looking like this? My clothes won't match my appearance!"

"Don't worry, Yumi, I'm sure you'll manage."

"Well, beauty goes hand in hand with elegance and tidiness, you know! But I suppose that my good looks will make up for that…."

Ikkaku rolled her eyes. "That's not exactly what I meant, but…"

Renji gritted his teeth, still struggling to detangle himself from that compromising – and positively fatal – position.

Matsumoto laughed. "Relax, Abarai. We're almost at school."

'Oh, please tell me she didn't notice…' He thought as his complexion turned a nice shade of red to match his hair.

With a frightening screech, the car halted in front of the school – and almost tipped over, as Karin pointed out.

"Here we are!" Kurosaki Isshin announced cheerfully.

Kurosaki Karin muttered words that a girl – especially one so young – shouldn't have known.

From the sidewalk, Orihime smiled and waved, while by her side Ishida impassively observed the whole scene, his Cool Uncaring Quincy Act ® unfaltering.

Then, the car door opened and Tatsuki fell out – with Renji on top of her.

Orihime froze mid-wave, her hand still stuck in the air. Ishida's eyes widened considerably, while his Cool Uncaring Quincy Act cracked and fell to the ground.

Tatsuki blushed – but that didn't lessen the effect of her glare. Quite the contrary.

One single look could have had iron melting and marble statues covering in fear.

Renji didn't wait for her eyes to burn a hole in the middle of his forehead – or for her knee to came in contact rather forcefully with his…lower region. He did the only thing he could: he shot to his feet and ran for his life. Quite literally.

Never mind he had defeated her only the previous day – there are certain things not even the infamous Zaraki Kenpachi would dare to face.

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