Main POV

"JESUS CHRIST WHY CAN I NEVER WAKE UP NORMALLY IN THIS HOUSE!" I screamed from under Rangiku as she pinned me to the mattress.

"You see why I prefer your place?" Ichigo asked unsympathetically from the wardrobe. He was pulling on a t-shirt, almost fully dressed as I wrestled with the buxom blonde.

"How long has this been going on you little traitor!?" She demanded while I tried to flip us over. I heard the door open and close, meaning Ichigo had just left me wrestling Rangiku by myself.

"How am I a traitor?" I returned.

"You said you'd tell me if you found out he liked you!"

"I did!" I replied.

"But you didn't tell me you knew because he was your boyfriend!" She yelled at me.

"I didn't need to!" I finally managed to throw her off me and onto the floor. "I did as promised."

"You're a crafty one Uo," she glared at me as I sat up on the bed, looking around to see if I could find something to cover my bottom half. "I'll see you down stairs."

I climbed out of bed then, grabbing a pair of panties and some jeans before trying to get my bra back on without taking my t-shirt off. Fuck winter was cold. I hurried down the stairs then, wondering what the hell the others wanted.

"So," I started when I descended the stairs and walked I to the living room. "To what do I owe the rude wake up call?"

"We have reason to believe, whatever came through the rift when you were attacked," Hitsugaya said as I sat down. "Has done it before. Or something of the same kind. Captain Kurotsuchi detected an energy signature similar to the one that came out this time, almost 10 years ago."

"Spooky," I replied dryly. "What's that got to do with me?"

"You're going to tell us the truth about the night you were attacked."

"For the last time," I growled. "I don't know anything about being attacked."

"I was afraid you would say that," he signed.

"Well you enjoy being disappointed," I told him. "I'm heading back to bed."

"No fair," Ichigo said as he came back into the bedroom to find me tugging on a jacket and organising my things. "I thought you said you were going back to bed."

"I'm going to see Urahara," I told him. "I'm sure you're right about my brother now. Hitsugaya said a spiritual pressure similar to mine came through the rift 10 years ago. And I'm sure since he has access to Kurotsuchi's files he knew this all along."

"I'm coming with you," he said.

"I know," I agreed.

"What're you going to do when you hear what he has to say?" He asked as we headed down the stairs to get our shoes.

"I'm not sure, I imagine I'm not going to like what he has to say," I explained. "So trying very hard not to murder him is a good start."

"Trying?" Ichigo asked.

"Implying I might not but it's the thought that counts," I shrugged as we walked down the familiar road. I walked with my hands in my pockets for a while before smiling to myself and holding out a hand. He looked down at my hand and stuttered.

"The secret's out," I shrugged. "Rangiku knows and soon I imagine the whole soul society will know. No use pretending I'm not your girlfriend. Unless of course you're embarrassed." I grinned at the last part, teasing him.

"You're ridiculous," he rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand, tugging me forward a bit and practically dragging me down the road. I giggled after him and laced our fingers together.

"But you loooove me," I laughed.

"I mean, I said I think I love you," he points out and I laughed, rolling my eyes.

"Well I know I do," I shrugged. "So I guess I'll wait for you."

"What a grand gesture," he grumbled sarcastically. "What would I do without you?'

"What you've always done, get yourself into lots of trouble and wait for me to show up," I smiled and then scowled instantly when I saw the dirt path in front of us. "Great," I grumbled. "We're here."

"Uotani~~" I looked up to see Urahara waving his fan affectionately from the deck. "Ichigo-san, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"A word," I replied. "Regarding the rift, what you know about other energy signatures coming through it and why you didn't tell us before."

"Ah," he replied. "I wondered when you'd figure it out."

"When we'd figure it out?" I growled and grabbed Urahara's robes, pulling him by his collar towards me. "How about we get a new policy, you tell me everything you know as soon as you know it. Got it?"

"Got it," he nodded and I let him go.

"You only agreed to that because I brought Ichigo," I grumbled and he chuckled.

"Your strength and skills are no where near threatening, Uo-chan. Your lovely boyfriend however, just that scowl alone, wooo, very scary," he openly mocked the both of us.

"I'm getting real tired of your shit Urahara." I crossed my arms as we were invited inside.

"Tea?" He asked and I nodded.

"Did my brother pass through here 10 years ago?" I asked. "He would have known who you were. And I've been thinking you didn't really ask many questions about where I come from, what Bleach was, you just outright believed me, as if you already knew."

"He did," Urahara agreed. "I didn't know he was your brother right away, not when I sensed you come through the rift. You see I'd been watching the rift a lot longer than anyone else in the seireitei. It's a natural phenomena that's been occurring since before I even made captain. It's not often that people cross through it but when your brother did he came to find me. Although I must admit it was rather odd seeing a young man raving about Ichigo Kurosaki when for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was so special about an eight year old boy."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He tried to stick it out here, but your brother, he was always one for the action. He asked me to train him," Urahara told me. "So I did and eventually, once he thought he'd learned enough he asked me to get him into he soul society so he could train to become a shinigami."

"And what'd you do?" I glared at him, girding the teacup dangerously hard.

"I couldn't let him use my senkaimon, everyone would know there was a ryoka in the seireitei," Urahara replied.

"So he's here then?" I butted in.

"No," he shook his head. "I called in a favour with an old friend to use their private senkaimon and he was able to pass through that way."

"And why'd you do all that, why help a random stranger with a crazy story?" I demanded.

"He said he'd try to change things, for the better," Urahara answered. "I figured someone who'd already seen everything happen would know how to swing things in our favour, maybe even stop Aizen before all of this went down."

"And did he?" I scowled.

"Nope," Urahara shrugged. "I was played."

"I highly doubt that," I rolled my eyes.

"You're right," he grinned and waved his fan at me. "He was just unable to do anything significance. And after a few years, he just enjoyed making friends with all the characters he knew and loved."

"Great," I scowled. "You said he came through normally?"

"He most certainly did," he nodded.

"So he had what? About 5 days before the rift closed when he came through?" I asked.

"Uo," Ichigo said.

"I'd say so," Urahara nodded.

"So that means he had 5 days to think about leaving us. He had 5 days to try and come back," I reasoned. "He only had two younger siblings then, but still, he abandoned us for a stupid cartoon."