Disclaimer: I don't own bleach

Sorry for the long wait, life's been pretty crazy these days... I'll try to update sooner.

Chapter five: Anticipation

..

Rukia sighed inwardly as she headed back to the barracks. She had made her report, filled out the extra paper work and even went through a second physical. "Rukia, you were gone a little over a week; you must understand our concerns, and the questions everyone's been asking. You're lucky all the head Captain insisted upon, was that physical- coughs. It was a necessary precaution, we had to make sure you weren't turned or feed from." Captain Ukitake said with another cough.

Rukia nodded, "I know, thank you for supporting me." Rukia said glancing up at her Captain.

"Anytime, Rukia, I trust you; just don't go and do the disappearing act again, okay." He said with a worried smile, patting her on the shoulder.

"Rukia, hey Rukia!" Renji called chasing Rukia through the barracks . Rukia stopped finally noticing Renji calling her, turning she smiled at the tall hunter, as he raced towards her.

"How did it go?" Renji asked out of breath, his dark worried eyes looking her over.

"You said everything we rehearsed, right, you didn't change anything?" Renji asked

Rukia jerked Renji around a corner, "Keep it down, stupid, you don't just bring that up in the open like that." Rukia hissed, her eyes searching the area nervously.

Renji scratched his head, "geez, I know that- no ones around, calm down..." Renji said, as a warm breeze swept past them, ruffling both their hair and clothes.

Rukia turned her head against the breeze closing her eyes a moment, "yes, I told them what we rehearsed." She said dropping her voice.

"You think they bought it?" He asked as Rukia began to walk again.

"I do, other wise, I wouldn't be walking around freely." Rukia muttered.

Renji nodded, "we shouldn't talk about this any more, its done." He stated softly.

"Agreed, so don't bring it back up, Renji." Rukia said simply.

..

"Ichigo, where did you go?" Kon called from the living-room as Ichigo slammed the front door shut behind him.

"It's none of you business, Kon." Ichigo replied flatly.

"It is my business, you let our Rukia leave with that weird hunter guy!"

"Tch. She's a hunter, it's where she belong, now drop it ." Ichigo shot back as he pulled a few bags of blood out the fridge.

"You're a mess, Ichigo," Kon remarked stepping into the kitchen behind Ichigo. Ichigo was a mess; he was covered in blood from head to toe, his clothes torn and barely hanging on his toned body. "Ever since you let Rukia leave you've been acting reckless, killing our kind left and right." Kon said, crossing his stubby, plushy arms.

"They're not our kind, Kon, they're turned, and dangerous, I only kill the ones who are dangerous. Only the ones threatening our existence, and putting a bad name on the rest of us vampires." Ichigo stated simply, before drinking down a bag of blood. His body healing seconds after consuming the whole bag of blood. He tore another one open, an drank it down like it was his last meal.

Kon watched him consume five bags before he was done. "Why are you still drinking so many bags of blood, its been a month since you let Rukia leave. Do you regret it? You never got to taste her sweet blood, I bet it tasted so divine." Kon went on. "It's your fault you know."

"Put a sock in it! Stop bringing that woman up, it's getting old!.." Ichigo snapped, tossing his last blood bag in the trash.

Kon pressed his lips into a line, his beady eyes boring into the back of Ichigo's head. "Fine, I'll leave you alone to destroy your self." Kon hissed stamping out the kitchen. "Stupid Ichigo." Kon complained to himself as he climbed each step of the stairs.

..

Rukia took a deep breath; sweat beading down her pale skin, as she swung her boken. Again and again she pounded her opponent back with each strike, he fell to his knees, his boken up in defense. "I give up, I give up!" He gasped, she was taking the training a little to seriously.

"He was weak, they all were weak. I'll take you out though!" Another man called clearly not impressed with Rukia's wins. He was tall and a little too toned, his muscles bulging in an unnatural way. His wavy brown hair just waving past his jaw, his green orbs leering at Rukia darkly.

Rukia smirked, he may be big and strong but she could beat him, he was far to confident and cocky. "Take her out, "Bare!" one of the guys Rukia defeated, called from the side lines.

"Looks like no ones on your side today, chicky," he smiled as he moved into a fighting stance.

"That's fine, I don't need anyone on my side." Rukia shot back, as his boken came down over her; she quickly blocked his attack and swung one of her own, the two locked in a battle of strength. Rukia had to admit, he was good, but he was slow and she took advantage of that.

Rukia gasped as his boken slammed into her back; knocking her to the floor, the air knocked from her lunges. "Lucky strike." She uttered, leering at the cheering past losers; silencing them instantly. Rukia glanced over her shoulder at Bare, who smiled down at her as his boken came down over her head.

Rukia rolled out the way, just barely missing the attack, quickly she sprang to her feet swinging her own attack. He was getting slower and missed his chance to block her attack; he stumbled back a step, a look of anger flickering across his round face. Rukia made her move; lunging at him, knocking him back, he fell on his butt, a curse escaping his thin lips.

"Rukia, Captain Ukitake has asked me to summon you, its urgent!" A fellow hunter called as Rukia was just about to bring her boken down over Bare.

"I'll be right there," Rukia said glancing back down at Bare, he was scrambling away on all fours. "Where are you going big guy, you give up!" Rukia called with a smirk.

"This isn't over yet!" He said leaping to his feet, turning he pointed his boken at her, "you'll see, I'll make you taste defeat." He growled, as the tip of his boken fell to the floor at his feet, his green eyes twitched as he noticed.

"Well see about that!" Rukia called over her shoulder.

..

"Captain, you summoned me," Rukia said stepping into his office, and easing the door shut behind her.

"Rukia, I have a mission for you." Ukitake said from behind his desk.

Another gopher mission, no less, Rukia thought taking her seat. Captain Ukitake had kept her around, not allowing her go out and hunt vampires. To tell the truth she was sick of it, it was boring. The only action she got was in the training room, and that was growing dull.

It had been a little over a month now, she was fully healed, so there was no reason to keep her off the battlefield. Every inch of her body craved to be out there, fighting. The thrill of the fight had been kept from her for so long, it almost hurt thinking about it. She loved the chase; the way her heart sped up with excitement when she was on the trail of a vampire.

She even enjoyed the fights where she was close to losing, and shed have to push herself harder to beat him, those were her favorite fights. They tested her strength and pushed her to be stronger. Yes, her fingers longed to grip the hilt of her zanpakuto; she had waited long enough, this was just painful.

"You don't seem too happy, do you want this mission?" Ukitake asked, coughing into his handkerchief, his question breaking Rukia's chain of thought.

"No, it's not that, Sir, it's just.." Rukia trailed off, closing her eyes a brief moment. "It's nothing, Sir." she said clasping her hands in her lap.

"Good, because this is going to be a big mission, you're going to need your zanpakuto." He added with a smile.

Rukia fought the urge to jerk forward in her seat; she couldn't believe her ears, she was going on a real mission.. Shed get to use her zanpakuto. "When do I leave?" Rukia asked trying to keep the excitement from her voice.

"Tomorrow night, once your partner returns from his mission, so be ready to leave." Ukitake said, dabbing the blood from his lips.

..

Rukia took the long way back to the barracks, enjoying the cool summer night. She knew she wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight, she was far to excited for that. Suddenly a certain carrot top popped in her head, she hadn't seen him in so long. Would he be on her side this time, or would he be the one shed have to fight?..

A flood of nervousness rushed over her, she wanted to see him, she hopped their paths would cross.

Rukia racked her hand through her raven colored hair, with a defeated sigh. She couldn't see him, what was she thinking- he was a vampire.

"Evening, Kuchiki." Another hunter called with a slight wave as he passed.

Rukia jerked her gaze from the ground,"Evening," Rukia called back with a nod.

..

"Rukia!" Byakuya called joining her in the family garden.

"Byakuya?" Rukia said in question turning to look upon her brother as he strolled towards her, his long black hair loss around his handsome face.

"I heard about your mission, congratulations." He stated stiffly, his gray eyes watching her closely.

Rukia was more than shocked by this, and only gaped at him a moment, "Thank you.." She finally blurted out.

"Don't go and do something stupid, you are no longer a nameless nobody, you are a Kuchiki now, don't you soil it." He said turning to leave.

"I'll do my best.." Rukia muttered, turning to gaze down into the pond once more, her reflection rippling softly in the dark waters.