Last Update of 2011! Happy New Year everyone!

I'm not sure but I'l put it out there anyways...the characters might get a little OOC. And honestly I don't know much about soccer I'm only going one the games I've watched...so I'm sorry if anything is wrong.

I do not own Bleach it belongs to Tite Kubo

~*Midnight*~

"I need to sleep." I muttered to myself, rolling over in the bed. I looked over at Yuzu curled up in ball looking so peaceful as she slept. What I wouldn't give to not have a care in the world except for soccer and grades. I had thought I was so ready to awaken my powers and now it seemed I didn't have the choice even though now I wanted to keep them locked away deep inside of me.

I sighed rolling out of bed and made my downstairs. I hadn't slept at all the past couple of nights and I was suffering because of it, but I just couldn't seem to shut my mind off. Snatching my jacket off the floor I went to the window and carefully pried it open. The cold night air rushed in teasing my hair and I quickly tied it back in a low pony tail before I grabbed the side of the window and pulled myself out. I carefully stepped onto the railing just outside the window and grabbed the gutter above me to keep my balance and to grab the goalie gloves I kept stashed there.

I had learned a couple of years back that if I wore the gloves I could easily pull myself up onto the roof, which was my favorite thinking spot. And it was easier to hide them in a plastic bag and stick them in the gutter than to keep them in my room where Yuzu was always rearranging.

I slipped the gloves on and clenched my fingers trying to get used to the tight fit. I hadn't used them since I had moved into Ichigo's room since it was easier to hang from the window and work my way over to the lower roof next to it. From there I would either torturously climb higher or just sit there and think.

But the higher I can get the better I think. So tonight I needed to get as high as I could get. Sighing, I quickly but carefully stretched my arms before reaching up and placing my hands on the rough shingles. With a deep breath I jumped a little and braced my bare feet against the wall while I heaved my torso up until my waist was at the gutter. I stopped for just a second to catch my breath before I pulled myself up the rest of the way and swung my legs up.

As soon as I was up I moved away from the edge and laid down for a moment painting. Had it always been that hard, or was I just out of practice? Either way I was exhausted. I wiped the sweat from my temple then got up and carefully made my way to the peak of the roof. Once there I pulled my gloves off and sat down looking out to the river. I sighed contently and brought my knees up just a bit and wrapped my arms around my thighs. As always it was quiet and the slight breeze felt nice against my heated skin.

It was nice to do something normal and familiar for once. My life had turned upside down ever since I started high school. I still loved soccer but it was so different from previous years. I used to play the game for fun and to win, but now I was actually working towards something. The honor of my school, and as captain all of the pressure was on me to win. As far as grades were concerned I was still way above average, but it was becoming harder and more time consuming to do so. And then there was my social life, I didn't have much of one before Toshiro came to Karakura and now that he was here I felt like I at least had a little bit of a social life, even if it was just with one person. But trouble also came to Karakura along with some life changing choices.

"Don't you have Soccer finals tomorrow?" I jumped a little then looked over my shoulder and scowled.

"Don't you have anything better to do than act like my father?"

"Somebody has to. Old goat face just barely gets the job done." Ichigo smirked and sat down next to me, "So what are you doing up here?"

"I'm just thinking. How did you know I was up here?"

"You aren't very quiet."

"Oh, well won't Rukia be worried if she wakes up and you aren't there."

"Nah, she'll just roll over and go back to sleep. This pregnancy is really taking a lot out of her."

"Oh."

"Yeah she's so tired all the time. And captain Unohana keeps saying that she needs to rest but you know how Rukia is."

"Hmm."

"You know I'm trying to make a conscious effort to not bombard you with questions but you're making it difficult."

"Mm."

He sighed, "I know I'm asking a stupid question but what's wrong?"

"That is a stupid question." I grumbled.

"Regardless, answer it. You never know it might help." I didn't say anything for a moment, but I took a deep breath and rested my forehead on my knees.

"I don't think I want to awaken my powers."

"I would like to say that I'm glad, but you sound disappointed."

"I wanted to help Toshiro so badly, but all I'm going to do is end up making more trouble for him."

"How so?"

"If they do kidnap me wont I just make it easier for the Arrancars to awaken my hollow if my powers are already awakened."

"Maybe, but they have to awaken your powers anyway. So the way I see it your choices are either awaken your powers and learn to fight so you can at least protect yourself if one of us isn't around. Or you can be completely defenseless and when one of isn't around you can cry and scream like a little girl while they carry you off to Hueco Mundo."

I turned my head to glare at him and saw him grinning broadly, "Do you think your funny? I'm having a serious problem and you decide to joke about it. Besides I thought you didn't want me to awaken my powers."

"I didn't but the circumstances have changed. All I want is to know that my baby sister is safe since I can't be around all the time."

"I'm not a baby, I'm fifteen the same age you were when you got your powers."

"I could say some sappy thing like, you'll always be my baby sister. But I'll save us both the embarrassment."

I sighed shaking my head, "So you think I should go ahead and awaken my powers."

"I'm saying to do whatever you want. But I know it would give us all a little piece of mind knowing that you can defend yourself." I laid my head back down on my knees as I felt my chest constricting. I didn't want to cry in front of Ichigo I would look like such a baby. But he really didn't make it easy when he suddenly slung an arm around my shoulder and scooted closer. That was when I just broke down, "I'm so scared." I cried and he wrapped his other arm around me, "Finally." He breathed resting his cheek on the top of my head.

I cried for what felt like hours until I finally reached a point where I started coughing violently. "Calm down, you're going to make yourself sick." I took deep breathes trying to do as he said, but it was still a long time before my crying turned to pathetic sniffling but still some coughing.

"I'm glad you finally got that out of your system. It isn't healthy to keep things bottled up."

"You're really not one to talk." I mumbled and I felt him shrug.

"Probably not, but I know what I'm talking about." I nodded rubbing my eyes.

"Now come on. You need to get some sleep, otherwise your teams going to kill you." I laughed a little and coughed. "Hey hold on a second. Are you sick?" he asked reaching over to feel my forehead but I brushed his hand away.

"I'm fine. It's probably just from crying." He looked at me doubtfully but dropped it.

"Alright fine, let's just go to bed."

"Time out!" I called giving the gesture to the ref as I coughed into my elbow. I ran with my team to our bench and grabbed my water bottle gulping down as much as I could.

"Come on you guys, you let that last goal in way to-cough- easily." I yelled.

"We're trying our best."

"That may have -cough- been good-cough-enough during the season. But we need to-cough-do better."

"Karin, are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me-cough- just worry about-cough-breaking this tie. Now come on!" We broke our huddle and ran back out onto the field, and I coughed the entire way. The whistle blew and the other team threw the ball back into play. I kept back waiting for my girls to get the ball and kick it down to me. I rested my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath and stop my coughing. I saw the ball come flying my way and I sprinted to meet up with it.

I suddenly got very dizzy but I pushed it aside and I pushed myself harder to get beneath the ball. I stopped the ball with my chest and immediately started dribbling it towards the other team's goal. Out of nowhere one of the other team's girls cut me off and normally I would have been able to easily dodge around her but I wasn't quick enough and she kicked it back down to the other end. I cursed under my breath and looked over at the clock. There was less than two minutes left for either team to make a goal.

I watched frantically as each of my girls fought to gain possession of the ball. I kept looking over at the clock as the time quickly winded down. We had to get that goal or we would go into overtime, and I wasn't sure if I could take it anymore. All I wanted to do was collapse right where I was but sheer will and determination kept me standing.

Once more the ball was kicked to me, and once more I took it down to the other end. This time watching for other players, I ignored how light headed I was getting as forced myself to push forward. I looked out of the corner of my eye I saw that there was only thirty seconds left. If I could make this goal there was a very good chance we would win.

Another girl came up and cut me off but I fought against her for the ball and won. I quickly maneuvered around her and straight for the goal. I heard shouts of "Shoot!" and "Go for it!" but I waited till I was just a little closer. I caught sight of another girl coming at me in my peripheral vision and made a snap decision. I stopped for only a second then with all the force I could muster, I power kicked it and watched desperately as the ball soared through the air that short distance. Luckily the wind was on my side because instead of going straight it bent just enough that it threw off the goalie. The only thing I heard was the sounds of the ball hitting the net then the roar of happy and angry fans. And then I felt all of my team mates patting me on the back and screaming in my ear. I shooed them away back to their positions.

I looked over at the clock and saw five seconds left. The game was ours unless my team got to excited and let the ball through. As the whistle blew once more I watched in a haze hoping they wouldn't become caught up in our potential victory. The sound for the end of the game came and I let out a sigh of relief as each of my team mates ran back to me and crowded around me hugging and crying. I jumped up and down with them all as I sneakily made my way out of the huddle. Once outside I took a deep breath and tried to clear my hazy vision. I saw my family and Toshiro make their way towards me and I attempted to smile, but then I stopped hearing anything as my legs buckled beneath me.

"Stress mixed with flu season, it's no wonder she got sick." Mr. Kurosaki mused as I wrung out the towel and placed it back on her forehead.

"But she's going to be okay, right?" I asked stroking her sweaty hair.

"She'll be fine, Toshiro. She just needs to break this fever."

"But she's so hot."

"Well it's pretty bad, she should have told us the moment she wasn't feeling good. There's not much we can do while she's sleeping, just keep the towel cool and on her forehead. But you on the other hand." He said turning to Rukia and Kurosaki, "Rukia, you shouldn't be in here. If you get sick, it's going to be a lot worse."

"But I want to be here for Karin." She complained and I could only imagine her pouting.

"She's going to be fine. Only one of us needs to be here. And I think Toshiro has it covered. Now come on, let's go downstairs and make some tea." I heard her sighed and then her light footsteps as she followed Mr. Kurosaki out. I felt somebody brush their fingers through my hair and I looked over just in time to see Yuzu give me a reassuring smile, and I smiled back before turning back to Karin.

"Ichigo, are you coming?"

"I'll be down in a minute, Yuzu."

"Okay." She said softly before closing the door behind her. There was silence but I didn't care I just pulled her blankets up higher and then let my hand rest on her head. Kurosaki cleared his throat behind me but I didn't acknowledge him.

"Why don't you go down stairs." He said, it wasn't so much a suggestion as it was an order.

"I'm fine, but you can go if you want."

"She's my sister, I'll take care of her."

"And what are you going to do if you get sick? If that happens you won't be able to take care of your wife and she'll be left in the hands of your crazy father. Do you really want that?"

"My dad is perfectly capable of taking care of her. I know that while he may be annoying he would never do anything to hurt her."

"Well I've got it handled here."

"Maybe I don't want you to handle it."

"Just go, Kurosaki. Before you wake her up with your loud mouth." Surprisingly I heard the door open roughly and I turned around to see him standing in the door way holding the door knob.

"Fine, but you'd better take care of her otherwise I won't hesitate to knock you out of your Gigai and kick your ass." And with that he left the room leaving me a little shocked. I wasn't sure but I could have sworn that I heard a double meaning in his words.

I ran a hand through my hair frustrated and turned back to Karin holding her hand. "You idiot, why didn't you tell us you weren't feeling good. Kurosaki said you were up all night last night worried about your powers. Why couldn't you just talk to me about it? Huh? You know I would have been more than willing to listen. But know you're just like your brother. You keep things locked inside until they practically destroy you. And now look at you! Because of all the stress your immune system wasn't at its best and you got sick." I sighed and rested my head on her bed closing my eyes and still holding her hand. "I'm always going to be here for you. All you have to do is trust me." I murmured with a sigh.

I'm trying to establish a foundation for the HitsuKarin relationship...so you've been warned. I might end up rewriting this chapter because I'm not that happy with it.

Please review and I'll love you!