Name: Alphabet Soup IV — Midnight Mission
Rating: PG
Description: Midnight cravings was something that Ichigo thought people lied about. But ... then Rukia sends Ichigo on a mission: To get her strawberries in the middle of the night.

Author's Notes: Rukia is 5 months pregnant in this one. I didn't skip the wedding. Just read to find out. It was the end of August in part III, and it is the beginning of October in this one, so there was a one month skip. She was 4 months pregnant then, and 5 now.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters.Thanks to CrystalRaindrop007 for Beta'ing!

Alphabet Soup IV — Midnight Mission

"Ichigo, I want strawberries."

Ichigo groaned and rolled over in his and Rukia's bed, opening one eye to stare at her. She was wide awake and sitting up in bed, her hands folded over her stomach and her violet eyes blinking innocently at him. When he closed his eyes, groaned, and rolled over again, she reached out and began to poke his bare chest.

"Ichiiiii ... "

Pulling himself half up, he stared sleepily at her face.

"Hu ... ?"

"Strawberries," Rukia was more forceful this time and Ichigo sat up, crossing his legs in his lap and using the soft cotton of his pajama pants to curl his freezing toes inside of. It was October, and one of the coldest nights yet.

"Now?"

"Yes?"

"That a question or statement?" Ichigo asked, yawning deeply. Rukia sat back in bed, her sock clad feet coming out to kick him. It was half-hearted, and Ichigo barely felt it as Rukia curled her arms inside her pink pajamas.

"Now!"

"Fine, fine."

Ichigo pulled himself, half-asleep, from the bed and groaned as he pulled on a black, tight sweater. Rukia smiled and curled under the blankets on his side of the bed. He rolled his eyes as she poked the very top of her head out from the blanket; only enough to stare at him as he pulled on his shirt. Leaning over on the bed, he kissed her forehead as he sighed.

"The things I do for you."

She smiled and covered her whole head under the blanket as he walked out of the room.

He jumped out of the nearest window and hugged his arms tightly to himself as the wind hit against him. It. Was. Cold... Rukia. Would. Be. Dead. If. She. Weren't. Pregnant.

His whole body was shivering as his bare feet padded against the grass.

Where the hell was he supposed to find strawberries at this time of night? It was midnight, for goodness sake! Well, at least this was better than the onions in her ice cream she had asked for last week. Or not. Those had been in the house. Strawberries were not. Byakuya never ate strawberries, and Ichigo was pretty sure he knew why.

"So, care to share why the wedding hasn't taken place yet?"

Ichigo jumped out of his skin as he turned around to see Renji smirking at him.

"Care to tell what the hell you're doing out at this time of night?"

"Hmm ... nope. Wedding?" Renji prodded. Ichigo shivered.

"It was put off another few weeks because Rukia was feeling real bad there for a while. I think it's about twelve days until the wedding. Why do you care?"

"No reason, just my captain wouldn't tell me until I finished my paperwork. Blackmail."

"Renji?"

"Huh?"

"You suck."

Ichigo walked off without another word and Renji followed him, his hands stuffed deeply in his pockets as Ichigo shivered beside him.

"What are you doing out at this time of night?"

This time, the question was directed toward Ichigo.

"Strawberries. Rukia want's strawberries."

"Ah. I see."

Silence.

"I see? That's it?"

"Yup."

More silence.

"Renji, where can I find strawberries at this time of night?"

"I haven't a clue."

"Will you help me?"

"Why not?"

The two men walked in silence for a while until they reached the market. All the shops were closed. Go figure. Ichigo sighed and wrapped his arms more tightly around his body all the while complaining about his cold feet.

"So whatever happened to going AWOL?" Renji asked. "That still the plan?"

"Was up until the moment that me and Rukia's wedding was pushed up. Can't go missing until that's over."

"Ah."

Silence.

"Renji?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there anywhere to buy shoes around here?"

"Why the hell didn't you wear any?"

"Because Rukia soaked them last night when she dumped a bucket of water on me."

Renji sighed and Ichigo glared. Renji said, "What did you do to piss her off this time?"

"Nothing!"

"..."

"Fine, fine. She asked if she was fat ... and c'mon! What kind of answer did she expect? She's five months pregnant, for goodness sake!"

Renji sighed and shook his head as they continued to walk along. When they noticed that there was not one shop that was open, or that carried strawberries at that time of night, Renji sighed, saying something under his breath that Ichigo missed completely.

"Huh? Say again?"

"I said, pee-brain, that there is this one place somewhere about ten miles from here that is open all night."

"How do you know about it?" Ichigo asked, trying to avoid saying, 'Let's go.'

"Hmm ... I've lived here for about ... lemme see, one hundred years? I tend to know my way around."

"Fine. Let's just get this over with."

Two hours and ten minutes later, Ichigo climbed quietly back into the window with the prized strawberries, in a small box, clasped tightly in his hand. He landed on the floor and welcomed the soft carpet on his feezing feet as he looked over toward the bed.

Rukia was curled into a tiny ball on his side of the bed, the blankets covering everything except her soft, black hair and her two small, thin hands as her fingers grasped the thick quilt. Ichigo smiled as he walked over and sat down beside her, gently running his hand down her back.

"Hey, Rukia, you awake?"

Rukia rolled over and stretched, smiling sleepily up at him as she yawned, her hands above her head and her bright violet eyes drowsy and sleepy.

"Hey, I got your strawberries."

Rukia sat up and took them as he handed her the box.

"Thanks, Ichi."

"Hey, since when did I become Ichi?" he asked, frowning as he climbed over on her side of the bed; she liked to sleep on his side often for some reason, but he never complained.

"Mmm ... I dunno."

She offered him a strawberry and he took he, nibbling on it as she put the rest of them beside the bed and curled up beside him.

"The baby kicked."

"What?!" Ichigo asked, his eyes, the strawberry falling out of his grasp. Rukia smiled and nodded, reaching up to grab his hand. She placed it on her stomach and said, "She'll kick again."

"She?"

"Easier than 'the baby'," Rukia explained, closing her eyes as Ichigo's hand gently caressed her soft skin. When the baby did kick, his eyes lit up happily and he forgot about his frozen feet. Rukia smiled as she began to drift off to sleep.

Ichigo laid down beside her and she curled close. His hand was still on her stomach and hers was on top of his as they fell asleep together.

"By the way, the strawberries taste weird."

Ichigo groaned.

"Demanding woman."

The baby kicked again against Ichigo's hand; she didn't want to be ignored, either.

"You didn't like the strawberries either, huh?" Ichigo asked Rukia's stomach. Rukia smirked.

"Nope. She says daddy sucks."

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Thanks."

Useless ... fluff ... stupidity ... What did you think? I had a lot of fun writing this.

NOTE: Boy or girl? I will be taking all name suggestions, too.

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