Main POV

"Hey Isshin," I said into the phone as we walked away from the soccer field.

"Uo, you know I have a cell phone right?" he replied. "I used it to text you Ichigo's phone number."

"Listen," I said ignoring him. "We're having a barbecue at Urahara's shop, come with us and bring Yuzu with you. It'll be fun."

"I've never been invited to one of Ichigo's friends things before," he said and I could hear him running over to the poster of Misaki.

"Look before you start sobbing just hurry up and come over before I change my mind," I told him and closed my phone.

"Who was that?" Ichigo asked as I caught up to them.

"No one important," I rolled my eyes.

"I still can't believe Urahara let you have a party at his house," Ichigo told me.

"You know it was really easy, all I did was invite him too," I said. "Plus, you remember, Urahara and I are really good friends, we have tea together every Thursday."

"You still on about that?" He asked.

"It's my story and I'm sticking to it," I replied.

"You know Toshiro doesn't really believe you on that," Ichigo warned me.

"He's got no proof otherwise," I shrugged. "I don't have a problem until her does. But hopefully we can get this whole thing figured out before he does."

"Yeah, hopefully," Ichigo sighed, looking down.

"Hey, what's up? You look down all of a sudden," I said and poked him in the arm.

"It's nothing," he shook his head. "So come on, what's the first thing you're going to do when you get back home?'

"How mad do you think you're gonna be if I take this through the rift with me?" I asked pulling at the t-shirt and looking at it.

"Don't you dare," he growled.

"Oh I'm doing it," I laughed. "It's mine forever."

"UOTANI~~" Urahara chimed out the front of his shop when we reached the alley to the dirt field. "Just on time!"

"Something smells good," I commented as I walked down the dirt path.

"That would be Tessai-san's number one amazing cooking, my fine friend," he said behind his fan as he loomed behind me. "And where is Karin-chan, the lovely winner of today's game?"

"She's over there," I pointed to Hitsugaya, Rangiku and Karin. Just as I did Karin ruffled Hitsugaya's hair and I could see the angry red tick marks fuming on the side of his head.

"Uh oh~" Urahara said sounding like he couldn't be more pleased.

"You find anything out about the rift?" I asked.

"I did," he nodded. "Let's not ruin this evening with boring shop talk, have fun tonight and come over tomorrow. I'll tell you and Ichigo everything then."

"Okay Captain Cryptic," I waved him off and sighed as I sat on the deck.

"Don't worry about it," Ichigo ruffled my hair softly. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it."

"Ichiiiiigoooo!" I heard and sighed. I'd forgotten I'd done that.

"Oayji?" Ichigo yelled. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Uo invited me," he replied simply. "At least my second and third daughters want to spend time with me, unlike my son and first daughter."

"Shame on you Ichigo, Karin," I teased.

"Oh shut up you," Ichigo said before grabbing my arm and dragging me away. "Care to explain why you invited the old goat here?"

"Hitsugaya was asking a lot of questions earlier, he doesn't believe that I don't remember what attacked me and is demanding I tell him," I explained.

"But nothing attacked you," Ichigo said.

"I know that but I can't tell him that unless I tell him everything else too! They're gonna kill me!" I threw my hands up. "So I invited your dad to distract him. Course he doesn't know that's the plan, I just hoped the crush Karin had on Toshiro when she was 11 was still there and Isshin would see it and bully him about it."

"You little manipulator," he groaned. "You really think he's going to lean on Toshiro all night?"

"Well yeah, he did used to be his Captain," I told him.

"No way," Ichigo replied. "I knew my dad used to be a captain but I didn't know it was for Squad 10."

"Mmhmm," I agreed. "He was Captain, Rangiku was Lieutenant and Hitsugaya was Third Seat."

"Huh," Ichigo replied thoughtfully.

"What are you two love birds talking about hmm?" Rangiku chimed as she breezed over with a bottle of sake and some cups. "Care for a drink?"

"Thanks but I don't drink," Ichigo replied.

"What? Why not?" she whined.

"It's the law Rangiku," I rolled my eyes. "Here, give me a cup."

"Don't get yourself hungover again," Ichigo warned. "I'm not always going to be around to get bubble tea with you."

"Oh no," I replied. "The horror."

"Oh yeah, Yumichika told me about your little date," Rangiku commented.

"It wasn't a date!" Ichigo threw his hands up. I just lay back on the deck and laughed.

"You know you only get teased so much because of how flustered and angry you get," I told him. "Just shrug it off and they'll get bored of bullying you."

"Yeah like it's that easy," he grumbled with his arms crossed. Rangiku poured me another cup of sake and I sipped it liberally.

"So," I said after a few moments. "Did Isshin send you or Hitsugaya?"

"Isshin," she giggled. "We're working together on this, getting you two together."

"You shouldn't," I told her simply and sipped some more sake.

"What do you mean Uo-chan?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Don't worry about it," I sighed and ran a had through my hair.

"Are you sure you're alright to get him home?" I asked as Ikkkau and Yumichika had Renji balanced on their shoulders as I sat beside Ichigo and his sisters on the deck.

"Yeah," Ikkaku nodded. "We'll be fine."

"You'd be surprised the amount of times we've had to do this," Yumichika answered. "Don't worry about us."

"Okay, be safe," I called after them as I leaned back a little closer to Ichigo.

"You know," Ichigo commented. "Even though I had to watch my sister get beaten to a bloody pulp, everything else today was pretty fun."

"Yeah?" I smiled. "I throw a good barbecue?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "You know how to throw a good barbecue."

"Kurosaki-kun," Orehime said coming over. "Hitsugaya-kun and I are going to take Rangiku-chan home now, so I thought I'd come say goodbye."

"Okay Orehime," Ichigo nodded. "I'll see you at school tomorrow. Take care."

"I will," she nodded determinedly. "By Uo-chan." She waved to us both and then headed away to the drunk shinigami lieutenant.

"Man, everybody's clearing out," I commented, not ready to leave this comfortable thing Ichigo and I had sitting next to each other and staring out at the world.

"Mmm," he agreed. "It's early for them, this is a surprise."

"Ichigooooo~," Isshin came over slurring. "I'm going to take the kids home. You can stay here with your girlfriend as long as you like. Just make sure you get to school on time tomorrow~~"

"She's not my girlfriend!" He there his hands up.

"Suuuuure," Isshin replied and Karin got up off the deck.

"Come on goat-chin! Let's go, Yuzu is tired," Karin said and he was suddenly up and running over to his other daughter.

"Yuzu don't worry Daddy is coming!" He yelled and she just yawned.

"You should probably head home too," I told Ichigo.

"Don't say that, I was actually enjoying myself," he sighed.

"I know," I smiled softy at him. "Come on young one, I'll walk you home."

"YOUNG ONE!" He roared. I burst out laughing beside him and pushed myself up off the deck. "Oh of course, any excuse to tease me."

"It's so easy," I giggled, offering him a hand up off the deck. "See you Kisuke-kun."

"See you tomorrow Uo-chan," he waved his fan at me as he played with the little black cat in his lap.

"Ichigo," I started, staring hard at the ground in front of us. Just metres away were his father and sisters. My skin had the same goose bump feeling as the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood on end. The air around us had prickled and tightened, it felt heavy at the same time and I booked out into a cold sweat. I wasn't sure if it was the rift or a hollow and neither was good.

"Huh?" he turned to me confused.

"Do you feel that?" I asked.

"Feel what?" he asked just before the sky in front of us ripped open and a hollow forced it's way out. I heard the thundering roar as it came at us and I couldn't stop myself from screaming this time. "Uo, stay there!" Ichigo yelled and popped out his body.

The hollow swung for the three in front of us and I screamed watch out at him. Isshin grabbed Karin and yanked her out of the way but Yuzu was on the other side and wasn't as lucky. She got knocked over but Ichigo was able to distract it from her body. I felt the same tight, prickling feeling and the sky opened up again, more hollows. I ran forward, disobeying Ichigo's orders to get to Yuzu. I was no match for any of these things but I could at least give Ichigo one less thing to worry about.

Isshin also burst from his body and I ran to wear he was standing beside Karin. I watched the fight intently, waiting for my moment to dive in and pull Yuzu out of the way. There it was. I ducked under a hollow's arm and grabbed Yuzu up off the ground.

"Uo," she whispered. "What's happening?"

"Hold on for a moment," I told her, holding her tight around the waist as I dragged her out of the way of immediate danger. "Alright, get on my back. Karin get ready to run with me."

I pulled her into a piggy back and started running, Karin hot on my tail. I ran as hard and as fast as I could with the girls but I wasn't sure where to go, we'd had to cut into side streets and I still didn't know Karakura well enough to navigate away from the routes Ichigo had taught me and still get home. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket as we ran and ducked into a side alley. I could still hear the fight going on but we were far enough away for now.

"Urahara!" I called into the phone when he picked up.

"Uo-chan~ What's wrong?" He said genuinely into the phone.

"Do you still have the mod souls you created for the Bount arc?" I asked. "Specifically Nova? Because we could use a quick exit."

"I'm on it," he responded seriously. "I'll track you using the reimon in your voice and we'll get you out of there."

"It's me, Karin and Yuzu," I told him.

"I figured," he replied. "Hang in there Uo."

Moments later a black portal opened up and a redhead in a Ninja costume popped out, he reached out for Karin and took her hand while I took his. Going through his portal and alternate dimension/univers/thing was weird. I also couldn't believe in this universe the Bount arc was cannon. I wonder what other shitty fillers were cannon here.

"There," Urahara said as we came through the other side. "Safe and sound."

"I'll send Ichigo a text," I said, sliding Yuzu off my back and helping her down to the ground.

"Hey, we're safe and sound.
We're at Urahara's Shop,
come get us when you can.
You be safe too,
-Uo"

I sent off the text and sighed as I looked at my phone. I shook my head, getting into a sulking funk right now would do no one any good. I looked at the two, clearly frightened girls, even though Karin was putting on a brave face, I could see through it. I went over to Urahara and asked for some bedding for the two of them, so I could get them settled. They were in middle school but still so young.

"You think they'll be okay?" Yuzu asked as she slid under the covers. We'd set up in Urahara's sitting room, having moved the iconic wooden table to the side.

"You know," I said as I moved over to her. "I know they will. Your dad was a Shinigami Captain when he met your mother, you don't get to be that without being strong and skilled. And Ichigo, he's been known to regularly storm other worlds to rescue his friends. They're gonna be fine."

"I don't believe it, old goat-chin was a captain?" Karin asked me, slipping into the bed on my other side.

"Not just any captain, he used to be Hitsugaya's Captain," I told her and her face light up with glee.

"I'm gonna give him so much shit," she chuckled, sliding down into the bed completely.

"Uo?" Yuzu asked as she looked over at me sitting in between the two beds. "You aren't going to bed?"

"I'm gonna stay up for a little bit longer, Ichigo will be mad if I don't watch over you two," I replied. "Don't worry about me, you just get some sleep so you'll be well rested for school tomorrow."

"Okay," she nodded, resting her head on my lap instead of her pillow. I shifted over closer to her bed so she would be more comfortable and stroked her hair while she settled. I looked over at Karin who was now facing the other way, eyes closed and face peaceful, but I could tell she was still awake. I reached over and ran my palm over her forehead, moving the hair covering her face. I had myself in the position where I was now stuck stroking the hair of both Kurosaki sisters while they struggled to get to sleep over worry for their male family members.

I don't remember feeling this tired before in my life, I thought as I was propped up against the wall. It must be the adrenalin wearing off. Tonight definitely didn't go how I was expecting and I wondered if Ichigo would be mad at me for inviting his family to this barbecue instead of walking Karin home first before we all went to the shop. I felt personally responsible for the attack, of course I could never predict the hollows, but I put them in the position that they were in.

Ichigo POV

"They're in there," Urahara whispered as I got to the shop with my dad, following him through to where the sitting room was. I opened it up to see my sisters both tucked up in bed asleep. Uo was in between them, hand still resting in Yuzu's hair while she slept with her head in her lap. I smiled softly, at least I could rely on her to keep my sister's safe. I hadn't thought about how I was going to get the three of them out of there, just that I had to protect them. But Uo thought of that for me. I shrugged off my jacket and put it over her, shifting Yuzu so she was in bed on her own pillow instead of Uo.

"It wouldn't do any good to wake them up now," I told them, exiting the room. "They should sleep here tonight."

"And what are you going to do?" My dad asked.

"I'm going to take Uo home," I replied as I sad down and finished the tea Tessai had prepared.

"Oh," he started."I had no idea you were that grateful," he started wiggling his eyebrows and I punched him in the throat.

"You damn fool, that's not what I meant," I growled. "Thank you for the tea," I said before getting up and storming, quietly, into the other room. I easily scooped Uo into my arms and carried her out of the shop, ignoring my father behind me.

The most challenging part of carrying the unconscious Uotani was that I hadn't thought about how I was going to get her front door open. I got to the door and thankfully I didn't have to search her pockets for keys because Renji opened the door after a minute or two of fumbling.

"What happened?" He asked as he stared at her unconscious form.

"Some hollows attacked on the way home, my dad and I took care of it," I explained. "Meanwhile Uo got my sisters out of there. She just fell asleep at Urahara's, she's fine."

"You know where her bedroom is," Renji said moving out of my way and going back to his bed on the couch. "Let yourself out too."

I kicked the door closed behind me and carried her through to her bedroom. I'd never noticed before how peaceful her face looked while she was sleeping. She never looked too troubled when she was awake, but you could always tell her mind was on other things, even when she was laughing at you. I shoved the door all the way open with my foot, thanking god she'd left it ajar when she'd left this morning and lowered her down onto the bed. She started to stir when I put her down. Damn, I was hoping not to wake her up.