4 Years Later…

Karin tried to quickly finish her duties in cleaning the classroom. She was bursting with energy and nerves. He was coming home today, after a year in Mexico. She had missed him so much, because he wasn't able to call her. She was lost in her thoughts and didn't hear Yuzu sneaking up on her.

"KAAAAAAAAARIN!!! Isn't Sado coming home today?!?!" Karin jumped about five feet, then turned around and smacked Yuzu on her head.

"Don't sneak up on me dummy! And yes, he is!" She tried to keep a straight, angry face. But Yuzu was smiling at her, and she was soon smiling back like an idiot. Yuzu knew how much she missed him.

"So does that mean you are going to be late for dinner?" Yuzu asked.

"No, we are coming. I'm sure Sado would like to see Ichigo. Rukia and him are coming over tonight too right? It will be like a welcome home party!" The girls giggled. Then Karin finished up the chores with Yuzu in tow. They were soon walking out the front doors and running full out to get home. Karin wanted to change before she went to the airport to meet him. Yuzu wanted to get started on their huge meal tonight.

Blowing past their dad, who was sitting in wait for Ichigo to arrive, they separated in the kitchen. Karin pulled out her only skirt, a swishy little black one, and her favorite t-shirt that Sado had bought her a few years ago. It was a white, form-fitting shirt with Spanish love phrases scrawled in beautiful handwriting in red ink. But here she hit a problem. Sure she would try the skirt, it was a special occasion after all, but what shoes? She was definitely NOT going to try heals, and she didn't have any nice flats. After a few minutes she just put on her combat boots.

Yuzu came in while she was putting them on, looked at them critically, and frowned.

"Those aren't very girly. They don't match the outfit." She said while changing out of her uniform.

"They do too. Black skirt, black shoes. They're fine." Karin said as she escaped into the bathroom before Yuzu could comment farther. She had let her hair grow out a bit since he had been gone. IT was down to her shoulders now. She pulled half of it into a pony-tail and let her bangs fall around her face. She didn't even think of putting make-up on, that was Yuzu's thing. Heading down to the kitchen she met Rukia and Ichigo.

Ichigo was wrestling his father and Rukia was laughing at the pair.

"He missed you babe! C'mon, humor him!" She said through laughs.

"Yeah, you would say that wouldn't you. Get off me old man!" He yelled back.

"Hey Rukia, nii-san. How are you guys?" She gave Rukia a hug. Karin was taller than Rukia now, by at least six inches. Rukia and Ichigo had been married for a few months, and though they didn't seem it too much in public, they were deeply in love. Rukia was the one Karin had gone to for advice about Sado and her. Rukia had been nothing but kind, and had helped her get through the year.

"Hello Karin, geez, can't you stop growing? I feel so short around you guys! Well, except Yuzu!" She smiled and looked to where Yuzu was glaring towards them. Yuzu had barely gotten taller in the last four years and was about Rukia's height. Yuzu also hadn't filled out much, but Karin had. She was now sprouting a full C cup, though she tried to wrap them most of the time if she could. She didn't like her friends staring when she played sport with them.

Stupid perverts.

"GET OFF ME YOU STUPID OLD FART!" Ichigo yelled as he threw his father into the nearest wall.

"That's my boy, taught him everything he knows!" Their dad said through teary eyes. Karin, Ichigo and Yuzu rolled their own.

"It's almost five Karin, you should get going." Yuzu said, still running around the kitchen.

"Ah! Right, well, see you guys later!" She said, running out the door.

"Be careful, and bring him back in one piece!" Rukia yelled after her, laughing. Ichigo pulled her backwards against him, leaning down and nuzzling her neck.

"I-Ichigo…this really isn't the…best place…"Rukia stuttered.

"I'm just glad I have you. Can't I show some appreciation? Plus, I was just thinking about how Sado must feel, being away from his girl for so long. It would drive me nuts." He said into her neck.

Rukia blushed, and smiled. These were the kind of things Ichigo would only say when they were alone, and never ever in public. But he had said it in front of his dad and sister. He was finally starting to open up more.

"Oh get a room you two!" Yuzu yelled, horrified. Ichigo smiled and lifted Rukia up bridal style.

"We'll just use yours then, since mine is a storage area now." He started to walk.

"NOOOOOO! STAY OUT STAY OUT STAY OUT!" she ran at him with a frying pan. Rukia jumped away just in time and Ichigo got the pan to the shoulder.

"OWW! DAMMIT YUZU! THAT HURT!"

"WELL DON'T MAKE NASTY JOKES YOU PERV!"

Rukia laughed, Yuzu was definitely growing up. This was the first time Rukia had ever heard her yell. She was opening up as well. She watched Yuzu chase Ichigo around for a while for making fun of her under-development, then went in the kitchen to finish whatever Yuzu had started making. This family, they were definitely something else. But a good thing, of course. She smiled.

Karin rode her bike all the way to the airport, stopping only once to grab an iced lemonade from a vendor. It was a long bike trek, seven or eight miles at least, but Karin kept going. If it was to see Sado, she would do anything. Unfortunately, she had to pass some of the worst parts of town, and she got a lot of cat-calls and horrible things yelled at her. One group of guys actually stepped in front of her.

"Hey there little kitty cat, are you lost? We could show you around if you like," he sneered and nudged one of his buddies as if it were the coolest thing he had ever said.

"No thanks, and I'm not lost. I have to be somewhere. Please move." She tried to keep her voice even, but these guys were keeping her from seeing Sado. Her conscience was screaming at her.

NO MERCY! NO MERCY!

"But we just wanted to hang out kitty cat, c'mon, how about a game?" again he nudged his buddies, as if it would work this time around. What he didn't expect was the right hook to the face.

"Dude! I said I have to be somewhere, fuckin' MOVE!" She yelled, and rode past them. The buddies yelled and ran after her. They were fast, and she pushed her legs harder, but one caught up, and threw a stick into her tire. Her bike flipped, her as well, and landed with a horrible crunch. As she untangled herself from the metal, the guys caught up. One gripped the back of her hair while another grabbed her hands. She glared at all of them. The ring leader came up to her, sporting a huge black eye, and went to hit her.

"YOU LITTLE BITCH! You think you can just run away?! Well, now I'll show you a good time, though it might not be good for you." His hand swept across her face, but she caught it in her mouth and bit down. The guy howled in pain. She pulled the guy holding her hands towards her and head-butted him. The guy behind her got a boot to the nuts. She took off towards the airport, putting as much distance between her and the guys as possible before they could follow. She allowed herself a small taste of glory at winning but soon remembered that Sado had asked her not to fight.

Well, I didn't really have a choice now did I?

She arrived at the airport after another half hour. It was now eight, and she tried to find a schedule of the planes coming in tonight. She found one and realized she still had two hours to kill. She went to his gate, looked around, and saw a bathroom nearby. After cleaning up as best she could, she e-mailed Yuzu that she was there and the time of his plane. Yuzu said she would save them some dinner in the fridge, and wished her best of luck.

Relaxing into one of the chairs, Karin's mind began to wander, and soon she dozed off. She awoke only when two strong arms wrapped around her and a deep voice whispered her name. She looked up into the eyes of Sado. Her Sado. His hair had gotten longer, and his skin was darker, but besides that he was the same.

"Sado! You're here! I'm so sorry, I fell asleep. I missed you!" she hugged him around his neck. He laughed, his voice sending shivers down her spine.

"I missed you too Karin. You've really grown up." His smile faded a bit when he saw a scratch on her cheek. "What happened mi vida? Have you been fighting again?"

"No, just some guys causing trouble on the way here. It's no big deal. " She yawned.

"Well, if you say so. Let's get home though. Did Yuzu cook for us tonight?" He had always loved Yuzu's cooking.

"Yep, it's waiting for us. Let's go!" He set her down, and they walked towards the luggage retrieval area. A huge duffel bag came around and Sado went to get it, but Karin beat him to it. She swung it onto her back, but the bag dwarfed her, and she couldn't stand up straight. It was really heavy, but she smiled and started walking, or waddling actually. Sado laughed and picked the bag off of her back with one hand, swung it over his shoulder and pulled her into a hug. She eased into his massive chest.

"I will carry it mi vida, plus I thought it was going to crush you!" He laughed again. Karin was so glad to see him again, she didn't even argue. They headed out of the airport, and Karin asked how his grandfather was doing. That was the reason he left. His grandfather was really sick and needed surgery, and Sado wanted to be with him during it, and afterwards when he needed help recovering.

Sado's face fell slightly. "He didn't recover from the surgery like we thought he would. He is ok for now, but we think he might not make it another five years. I am trying to convince him to come to Japan with me. Then I could look after him all the time."

"Do you think he will come?" she asked, looking at him with sad eyes. He looked at her and smiled.

"If you looked at him like that he would. But I don't know, it's up to him." He reached down and grabbed her hand. Karin blushed, but didn't pull away. She was always like this, whenever he did something like that. They walked for a while longer, talking about what Mexico was like and how her family was, until they came to the place where the boys had tried to get her. They were still there, leering at other girls that walked by until one spotted her.

The gang leader walked towards her, glaring, and he rest followed. But they hadn't seen Sado yet. She squeezed his hand unconsciously, and glared back at them. Sado looked at her then followed her line of vision. He tensed and stopped, pulling Karin to a stop as well. The guys kept coming, until they saw Sado. The leader didn't seem effected though.

"Oh, so you think your big, bad dad is going to save you huh? Well, you got that all wrong. I'm going to cut up that pretty little face of yours!" He spat. He lunged, but didn't get far. Sado grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, while pushing Karin behind him, and hoisted him off the ground. He glared at the guy, who looked like he was going to piss himself.

"First of all, you never talk to a woman that way, it's disrespectful. And second, I'm her boyfriend, not her dad." And he tossed the guy away without any effort. Karin stood stunned behind him. Had he just said that? She looked at his face, but there was no sign of a lie.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! You can't just throw people around like that!" The leader had gotten some of his gusto back, now that his feet were back on the ground. Sado easily threw him down again and grabbed Karin's hand.

"Let's go, I'm sure your family is worried." She followed him silently, until she felt the arm wrap around her waist. She was picked up and thrown away, into the waiting arms of two boys. Again, she was restrained, but this time there was a knife to her throat. The boy pushed slightly, and Karin could feel the trickle of blood.

Sado swung around, furious. The other boys stood in front of Karin, and he saw the hands of one of the ones who held her start roaming. Karin's eyes were wide and fearful, looking straight at him. She whimpered as a hand crossed her chest, and Sado saw red.

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Ok, ok, forgive me please! I am still in the process of finishing Bleach, but school and work etc. etc.. This one does take place four years later, it's just a little bit of foreshadowing. I will finish this and then continue with the story line. I hope you are all doing well, and thank you for subscribing! I'm outtie, peace.