Disclaimer: As always, Bleach does not belong to me – only this story does.

Author's Notes: This was a really frustrating chapter to write. Seriously. I just want to get to the other chapters already. But I understand that these parts of their everyday life are important too. (^~^) Please please please send me your reviews – whether they're good or bad I simple want to know that there are readers. I would love to get inputs too. Ideas are infinite and I'd love to hear from others. By the way, after this, I'll be time jumping to when Ruki & Grimmy become teens/young adults.

Don't forget words, phrases and sentences encased in ' / ' are thoughts. Lots of love ;)

Rukia wasn't sure what her father meant by having a new mother. Despite her limited grasp of the meaning of a new mother, she had seen kids with more than one of one or both parents. They still seemed like what she had with her father. In fact, she was even less than they were having only one parent. But still, something would definitely change in her family dynamic with the entrance of a new mother; not to mention another brother.

Looking across the dining table to the boy with strangely pale blue hair chomping down fries and a chicken leg, he does seem like a lot of fun. He wasn't like the children she would play with in the park but different wasn't necessarily bad. There were many times that little Rukia had felt so lonely in their sizeable house. Truly it had always been filled with helpers going about their chores. She even had her own set of caretakers. However, there is a distance between Rukia and these people. Something that no amount of smiles and of time spent together would bridge. But this boy, Grimmjoww, would be her equal - older than her even. This is another person besides her father that she can really share her heart to. He could be someone to look up to and one who would teach her lots of games and things that only older siblings can. With that thought, a wide smile was easy to spread on her lips. She now has not just one but two people to put in her heart. Maybe the house can be warmer and livelier with these new members. Keeping that in mind, Rukia went back to the happy meal in front of her.

After eating, Rukia wasn't sure why Ms. Matsumoto and Grimmjoww didn't come home with them. The mother and son were dropped off at this tall building where people greeted them by the door. It seemed to be a busy part of town too. So many people were walking around and even in and out of the same building. There were a few buildings nearby as tall as the one they went into. Although with Rukia's sight, she couldn't really tell.

On the way to the building the streets kept getting busier and busier coming from the park where there hardly were any cars. Despite getting an small apple pie and a chocolate brownie with marshmallows which both came with vanilla ice cream on top, the two kids were rewarded with their own cones. These were consumed inside the car during the ride. Truthfully, Byakuya seemed apprehensive when they were given another serving of dessert to enjoy on the way but it seemed Matsumoto was able to convince him to think otherwise. Rukia wasn't going to complain. Her father wasn't the type to usually let her get extra servings of dessert but perhaps this is a benefit of having a mother - more sweets. And as any child, Rukia was like it already.

When they reached their destination, they said goodbyes and left Rukia awfully confused.

/ If she was to be her new mother and he her new brother, shouldn't they all be living in the same house now? /

Looking up at her father and tugging on his hand holding hers to get his attention and said, " Papa. "

" Yes, Rukia? " Byakuya looked down a bit at his daughter. They were still walking back to their car. It wasn't far just a few paces from the lobby in the loading/unloading area. Today was one of those rare days that Byakuya drove himself and the rest of them. Upon reaching the car, Rukia was strapped in the backseat with the seatbelt by Byakuya before heading to the driver's seat. Rukia waited until her father was also strapped in before continuing.

" Papa, I thought Matsumoto-san is my new mama. But why aren't they coming home with us? "

Releasing a breath, Byakuya responds, " Well, we just thought that becoming a new family would be easier for you and Grimmjoww if we did it slowly. Being together in one house might be too fast for the both of you right now. " He paused to look at his daughter's face - gauging her reaction to the revalation and just to see if she understood his meaning. Her face blanked for a few short moments followed by the furrowing of her cute little brows. After a minute or two, she nodded her head; signaling that she had processed what has been said and perhaps understood it too. Wide violet pools looked up at her father.

" Ok. I think that's right. "

With that Rukia smiled up at Byakuya and looked out the window back to the building her new mother and brother disappeared into. A flash of bright color caught her attention in the building's lobby, where Matsumoto and Grimmjoww went into. Much to her delight, the wild bright blue hair could not be mistaken to be anyone else other than her new sibling. He was standing by the glass panes, still inside the building, waving his arms. Despite being far away, Rukia could tell that he was smiling brightly at her. The ecstatic wave of his arms were to wish them well on their trip back to their own home; perhaps because they did not manage to exchange words when they were in front of each other right before parting. Though confined by the seat's straps, Rukia waved as hard as she could back to the little boy. Noticing this, Byakuya looked in the direction Rukia was facing and he too immediately recognized the boy. To be honest, there weren't many 10-year-old boys with light icy blue hair. He could only smile at the thought of the kids already bonding somehow. He pressed a button to his side which surprised Rukia when her window slid down. She wasn't aware that their windows are heavily tinted. This little surprise only made Rukia more excited and happier.

Even though they've only known each other for not more than a day, she was feeling really excited to be with her new family.