Thanks for the favs: Ulquiorra9000 /WhiteEagle0 /akat24 /darisu-chan / tichnor6/ And to those of you following this fic too.

Disclaimer: Kubo owns Bleach. Credits to my cousin Ninya.

Chapter Eleven : Choose between a Chance at Love and a Million.

The day before the wedding was a crazy, splendid blur.

It started with waking up that morning and Ichigo made decent pancakes and cooked up some bacon and eggs. They sat around the breakfast bar in their pajamas and spent a good half hour just eating, talking and watching the news on the small TV mounted on the wall that the kitchen island was attached to on one end.

Inoue showed up with a to-do list longer than the train on Rukia's wedding gown. With just a day before the wedding, they had a lot to do. Rukia was still tired and aching but the painkillers helped and sheer will propelled her forward. Ichigo didn't look excited when she sat Inoue down and started to go over everything with her but he said nothing after she gave him a pointed look and just retreated into his office instead. Today was the first day of the time he took off work but that didn't mean he actually stopped working.

An hour later, the penthouse started to get more traffic.

The catering people came and set up a small buffet with Ikkaku managing the ins and outs of the different visitors and suppliers who came by. Yumichika arrived next with some final details about her wedding gown, her honeymoon clothes and the scandalous trousseau she was taking with her as well. Then Rangiku-san came next and she had a gazillion things to finalize with her about the wedding ceremony and reception details.

After they left, the rest of the Kurosaki's arrived for lunch. Karin came, looking in much better shape than when they saw each other last. She had a nasty bruise that was starting to go purple-yellow on her but she surprised Rukia when she insisted herself that she was fulfilling her bridesmaid's duties and attending the wedding despite her injury. Nelliel, who seemed to have patched up with her sister, had tears in her eyes when she gave Rukia a wordless hug and she understood everything Nel wanted to say to her. Grimmjow arrived shortly after the Kurosaki's left, holding a big arrangement of pink-tipped yellow roses.

"I left the car running too in case you decide to dump this loser guy and run off with me," he said with a wink and a malicious smirk. Ichigo had emerged from his office and was now boring a hole into his best friend's head as he glared.

Rukia laughed and took the flowers, smelling them for a moment. "Thank you, Grimm, but I'm afraid I can't run away with you. You see, Ichigo would just shatter to pieces if I abandoned him. He can't live without me. Right, darling?"

Ichigo turned his scowl to her which only amused her more."Sheesh, Kurosaki. I'm just teasing. Get back to your work. Grimm and I will just be out on the balcony catching up."

"Do you know that he once dated four girls at the same time in junior high?" Ichigo muttered, glancing at Grimm who was grinning broadly. "He only got caught because he returned one girl's sweater to a different one."

Rukia gave Grimmjow a look of mock-horror. "You're an unrepentant playboy, Mr. Jaegerjaques. How could a girl ever trust you?"

He shrugged. "They shouldn't because there's only one girl I care to convince to trust me and Kurosaki is just sabotaging it best he could."

"That's because she's mine," Ichigo growled at Grimm.

"Not officially until tomorrow," the latter countered with a shrug, glancing at his watch. "I have a little less than twelve hours to steal her away from you."

Rukia groaned, giving them both an exasperated smile and a shake of her head. "Will you two stop it? If you don't, I'll ditch you both and elope with someone else."

Grimmjow nodded, looping her arm through his and cocking his head smugly at Ichigo. "You heard her, Ichigo. Stop stewing about it. It's already bad enough that you have me to contend with. You don't need another man trying to steal her away as well."

She smacked Grimm's on the arm with the back of her hand, wincing slightly at the pain. "You're such a troublemaker, you know that? Stop taunting him."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "I can't. He's got the one thing I want."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "I have no problem tossing you out, Jaegerjaques."

"Don't worry about it, Ichigo," Rukia said with a sigh, steering Grimmjow toward the balcony before Ichigo could lunge for his throat. "I'll toss him out myself if he doesn't behave. He'll discover why I'm nicknamed the 'Nutcracker' at Urahara's."

Grimmjow actually looked horrified for a second and Ichigo just barked out a laugh.

"You're in for it now," He told Grimmjow, still chuckling as he went back to his office.

Grimmjow's momentary look of horror didn't last long though. He broke out into a smile and just shook his head at her. "You're a handful, you know that?" he mused as they walked toward the balcony. "You're a petite and pretty package of pure mischief."

She arched her brows at him. "Only old and boring people say that about the interesting ones, Grimm, and you're neither so I don't know what you're talking about."

They looked out to the majestic sprawl of skyscrapers and the bustling downtown. "I'm really glad to see you in better spirits, Ruks," Grimmjow said, his tone serious this time. "I couldn't say much that night because Ichigo was panicking enough for the both of us but I was so worried about you. I came yesterday morning but Ichigo said you were still resting. I thought I'd stay away for a day and let you recuperate."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, but as I've told Ichigo, I'm fine. I'm banged up a bit but it could've been worse. In no time, I'll be back to a hundred percent."

He pursed his lips as if deliberating whether to believe her or not. "You know, I agree with Ichigo that you're the type to downplay your suffering. You should let people worry about you—someone's got to do it. You don't worry about your own self enough."

"Because there's not a lot to worry about," Rukia said with a shrug. "While I would love for all of my dreams to come true, life doesn't have to be super-peachy for me to say that things are going well. As long as I've got a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and a steady job to pay the bills, I'm fine."

"I think you're going to get a little bit more than the basics marrying Ichigo," He said dryly, smirking. "Are you ready to be Mrs. Kurosaki?"

She winced. "I feel like I don't remember where and when I auditioned for the role. I feel like someone just grabbed me and pushed me out on stage with a script they expect me to have memorized."

Grimmjow reached forward and squeezed her hand. "Knowing you, you're probably going to just improvise your way through the entire script and come out more interesting and amusing than anything original they could've written."

They burst out laughing and she shook her head once their laughter subsided. "I don't know, Grimm. It's kind of terrifying sometimes when it occurs to me exactly what I'm signing up for."

"You won't, by any chance, consider to be Mrs. Jaegerjaques instead?" Grimmjow asked teasingly.

Rukia giggled but when she glanced at him, she caught the flash of longing in his eyes and her stomach knotted. She suddenly felt like she just pushed someone on the street and they got hit by a speeding car.

- Ichigo's right. He really does want you, Rukia. How could you have not seen it? -

Her breath lodged somewhere in her throat as she struggled for something to say.

"Grimm, I..."

"Don't," he said with a weak smile, his expression almost embarrassed as if he knew that she finally realized the truth.

His blue eyes were sad and it ripped her heart. She clutched her hands into fists, fighting the frustration, and chewed on her bottom lip as she grasped for words that would never sufficiently say what she wanted to tell him.

- How in the world did this happen? How can I be marrying a guy who didn't even want me in the first place while his best friend, on the other hand, just handed me his heart on a platter? -

"Grimm, I'm sorry," Rukia choked out, tears stinging her eyes. "I thought you were just kidding all this time."

Great. Best rejection line in the world. It belongs on a Hallmark card.

Grimmjow chuckled although she could tell that his heart wasn't in it. "I know. I didn't want to burden you with it. I shouldn't even be talking to you about this. You're marrying my best friend tomorrow, dammit. I should've just stayed away."

His distress felt like lead weight in her stomach. "B-but I... I mean, how?"

"How what?"

"How can you feel this way about me?" She blurted out indelicately and she almost shoved a fist into her mouth.

But Grimmjow just smiled and shook his head. "You ask me that question and you wonder why. I'm not exactly sure, Rukia Kuchiki. I have an idea but what good would it do to tell you now when you're about to become someone's wife in a matter of hours?"

- Because even though I'm about to sign my name next to another man on a marriage certificate, I'd like to know that no matter how much of a crock I am, the real thing is possible for me, no matter how distant that possibility is. -

It was unfair, she knew, to confront Grimmjow with feelings he obviously didn't want to have if he could've avoided them, but a part of her hungered for any indication that she could deserve something as humbling and beautiful as someone's affection without doubting their motivation for it.

Rukia squeezed her eyes shut briefly, kneading the spot between her brows with her fingers. "You know what? You're right. It will do no good to tell me now. You don't have to. I'm sorry—"

"Would you believe me if I told you I fell in love with you at first sight?" he asked with a loud sigh as if he was resigned to tell her the truth anyway. He looked away and gazed into the distance. "Would that make me sound really pathetic?"

Rukia shook her head silently.

"I never thought it would happen to me, really, but I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you the first time I saw you come in through the door on the night of your engagement party. I didn't even know who you were or notice that you came in on Ichigo's arm," he said, his hand resting on the metal rail, gripping it tightly. "You looked like a night star in your sparkly dress and you had a beautiful smile on your face and there was mischief in your eyes and and you wore defiance like a crown, challenging anyone who would dare stand in your way. I felt quite light-headed then actually, as if someone spun me around for a while and I lost my bearings."

Rukia's heart squeezed painfully in her chest as she sucked in a breath and she knew that it had nothing to do with her injuries at all. He glanced at her and her face must've given something away because his expression softened and he smiled.

"You look like you don't hear this often," he said.

"Of course, I don't. Nobody goes around calling me a night star. I'm more like one of those neon glow sticks for ninety cents a piece—colorful, fun, cheap and resilient no matter how many drunk and party-crazed people toss it around or step on it on the floor filthy with all sorts of unidentifiable gunk."

Grimmjow threw his head back laughing and she instantly felt better to see a happier expression on his face. "You have to stop, Ruks," he said as his laughter subsided. He was still smiling but shaking his head. "You have to stop or I'll throw you over my shoulder and make a break for it before Ichigo can catch me."

She smiled weakly. "I really am sorry for putting you in this position. I didn't mean to hurt you. Believe it or not, you actually mean a lot to me even if you're a notorious heartbreaker."

He grinned. "As if you're not one yourself."

"Only on alternate Thursdays," Rukia said with a wink and he laughed again. Before she could think twice about it, she stepped forward and slipped her arms around him, hugging him close and pressing her cheek against his chest. He froze for a second before his own arms came around her.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, I hope you don't stop being my friend because of this," she said quietly, her words slightly muffled.

"I won't. I promise," he murmured, squeezing her a bit closer to him. "As much as I'd like to have what I want, I don't want to hurt you or Ichigo. I swore that the same night he introduced you to me and I realized that I couldn't resent either of your happiness."

- If you only knew how one-sided that happiness is. -

Grimmjow pulled away slightly to look at her, his expression serious. "Let me warn you though. If Kurosaki screws this up with you, my courtesy is out the window. I'll do everything in my power to make you mine, Rukia Kuchiki."

She smirked. "What is it with men and pissing contests?"

He smiled. "Both, I believe, are said to be disgusting and completely barbaric. That's probably why they go together."

They laughed together and even after that, the silence was comfortable and full of warmth.

"I'll be gone to London after your wedding," he said after a long stretch of silence. "I might be gone for a while."

"As long as you promise to keep in touch," Rukia told him with a smile. "And bring me lots of English tea."

He smiled back wistfully at her. "I'll bring you whatever you want. Just tell me."

She touched his cheek. "Just bring back yourself when you can, Grimm. That's all I want."

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I promise, Rukia."

She turned and stared out to the horizon as Grimmjow quietly turned and left. Her eyes fluttered close and she lifted her face to the warm afternoon breeze, letting the sounds of the city drown out her own chaotic thoughts.

"That must've been quite a conversation."

She didn't open her eyes as Ichigo came up behind her, his arms slipping around her waist and pulling her close to him.

"It was," she answered quietly.

"Should I be worried?" he asked and although his question seemed casual, she could tell he was nervous—maybe because the muscles in his arms that held her close were taut as if they were set to lock her in at the first sign she was going to bolt.

Rukia sighed and opened her eyes. "Probably not."

He was silent for a while. "I'm not sure about that. On his way out, Grimmjow told me that I didn't deserve stars but that since they were in my sky, I should realize just how much they light up my life and do my best to keep them there."

She couldn't help a smile. "That guy must've been a poet in his past life."

"If he somehow thinks he can just—"

"Ichigo, don't," she interrupted, turning around in his embrace and pressing her fingers against his lips. "You have no idea how good a friend Grimmjow is to you, despite appearances."

His jaw clenched. "You're mine, Rukia. You know that."

- I love the way you say that, but I know it's not for real. -

She gave him a wry smile. "There hasn't been a time that I was made more aware of that than I was five minutes ago. Trust me, it's very hard to forget. It's not every day a girl gets to choose between a chance at love and a million."

Ichigo looked truly angry now. "Don't get carried away with Grimmjow's romantic ideas."

"I'm not," she said with a long, resigned sigh. "Otherwise, I'd be running after him."

Ichigo's hazel eyes were burning and for a second, she worried that he'd be the one running after Grimmjow to pummel him to the ground.

She placed her hand on his chest. "Don't worry about it. I'm not the kind of girl Grimmjow deserves. I just let myself enjoy, even just for a minute, the thought that I could mean to someone that much. That someone could love me and not just merely consider me an obligation. It's nice, you know?"

And with that, Rukia turned and walked away.

.

.

Isshin had talked her into staying at his house with the girls so that she and Ichigo could prepare separately tomorrow and meet up at the church. It was some kind of wedding tradition apparently. If they knew the truth, Rukia and Ichigo could just hang out tonight, get dressed together tomorrow and show up on stage like a duo for their performance.

Grabbing her purse, Rukia shrugged on a blue-green cropped cardigan over her white tank top and her favorite baseball cap and made her way to the kitchen. She froze by the hallway when she heard Ichigo's agitated voice floating through his office door which had been left ajar.

"This is not a good time for this... We can talk when I get back...Riruka..."

Riruka.

He was talking to her.

Her heart pounding, Rukia forced one foot to move forward but she was having trouble. As much as she didn't want to be within earshot of Ichigo's intimate conversation with his on/off lover, she couldn't will herself to move.

"Of course, I'll stay with her..."

She heard him sigh out loud and Rukia pressed herself closer to the wall just inches away from the doorway, trying to catch more than just bits of his conversation.

"I know what I said... This isn't about you, Riruka... this is my decision..."

To be perfectly honest, whatever she heard didn't seem as bad as she feared. As broken up as those statements were that she could catch, it would seem like he was saying no to her. It should make her feel better that she didn't catch him longingly talking to the love of his life but for some reason, it made her panic all the more.

Before Rukia really knew what she was doing, she was riding the elevator down. Since she didn't really have any clear memory of arriving at the condo, she stood around the vast, hotel-like lobby after getting off the elevator until she figured out which end of the hall led to the main entrance.

"Can I help you, miss?"

A sharply-uniformed man standing behind the concierge counter furrowed his brows at her slightly as if he was trying to figure out who she was. Omaeda, could be read in his name tag.

Rukia smiled and held up her cell phone. "I'm good, thank you. Just calling a cab."

He looked even more puzzled by her response. "Uh, we can call one for you, if that's what you'd like. Is your driver indisposed? We have a car service available for all our residents. Do you, um... I mean, pardon me for asking but do you live here?"

- Yes, I'll officially live here starting tomorrow. But only for a year. -

"I demand you let me in! I don't care what he says. I need to see him!"

She and Omaeda both glanced up at the source of the snappish command and the clinking of high heels on the marbled floor. Rukia noticed earlier that there was a tall woman talking on her phone in the other corner across from her but she had her back turned so she didn't pay her any attention. The woman was now marching up to the concierge desk, her familiar, breathtaking face set in a look of fierce determination.

It was Riruka Dokugamine.

She didn't seem to notice Rukia though. She was heading straight for poor Omaeda, her shoulders shaking with the effort of her stride, one hand clutching her cell phone and the other a fancy-looking, gold-embellished, black leather handbag.

Omaeda grimaced and shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Ms. Dokugamine but if Mr. Kurosaki doesn't consent, I can't let you in."

"I can't believe this!" she exclaimed in frustration, pounding her clenched hand down on the counter. "You've never had a problem letting me in before. Do you know who I am? It's important that I see him. I have to talk to him tonight. It can't wait. He's getting... Oh! I hate this. He's getting..."

"Married tomorrow," Rukia finished before she realized she'd even spoken the words out loud. "I know."

Both Riruka and Omaeda turned to her and color drained from Riruka's face when recognition dawned in her eyes.

"You." Riruka's lyrical voice was dripping with disdain. "You're the little gold-digger who's swindling him!" she lashed out, practically jabbing a finger in Rukia's face.

Strangely, Rukia managed to smile sweetly at her. "Actually, I'd prefer fun-sized to little, financially self-advancing to gold-digger, and marrying up to swindling." Not really sure what spirit possessed her but when Riruka's eyes just widened unattractively in her face, Rukia smiled. "Nah, I'm just kidding. Yes, I'm Rukia Kuchiki—nice to meet you."

"You're Ruk—You're Mr. Kurosaki's fiancee?" Omaeda blurted out, looking completely bewildered as he darted glances back and forth between her and Riruka.

She flashed him a quirky smile. "Busted. It was fun while it lasted, Omaeda-san. Now, don't you just be nice to me because of Ichigo. I know I look like a homeless person and I appreciate that you didn't just toss me out the door."

She probably wasn't helping because the poor man's cheeks just turned beet red. "I'm sorry. I should've—"

She laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Sheesh. I was thanking you."

"Unbelievable," Riruka muttered under her breath, drawing Rukia's attention back to her.

"It looks like Ichigo isn't letting you in," She said with a shrug. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't let you either because I still technically don't live here yet."

Riruka's eyes narrowed. "Whether you do or not means nothing. Ichigo's will never bend to your will."

Rukia winced. "Which is unfortunate for you, then, because that means you can't come in even with an invitation from me, were I being civil to you. You can talk to him all you want but if he doesn't budge then you're out of luck."

"That's what you think," she said haughtily, straightening her shoulders. "Ichigo and I have an understanding and he cares about me. The arrival of a pesky nobody like you is immaterial."

Rukia's nose wrinkled. "How can an immaterial nobody be pesky? If I were really an immaterial nobody, you wouldn't consider me to be anything now, would you?"

- I knew I was provoking her but I couldn't stop myself. -

Her eyes were flashing, her nostrils flared, and Rukia knew that Riruka was about to lose it right then and there.

"Look, before we get really nasty, could we move over to the side so poor Omaeda here could do his job and look a little less anxious?" She said, gesturing to the side of the grand foyer."I don't imagine he relishes the idea of having to break up a catfight."

"Catfight?" Riruka repeated, laughing throatily without humor. "I'm not a crass, juvenile sixteen-year-old. I have a lot more dignity than that."

Rukia cocked her head up at her, smiling faintly. "Then prove it because right now, storming up the concierge desk, tormenting Omaeda, throwing your weight around, and mouthing off at someone's fiancee you've never even met before just because Ichigo doesn't want to see you only makes you seem like a crass, juvenile adult."

Miraculously, something about what she said must've reached Riruka because her expression lost a bit of its contempt as if she'd caught herself. Omaeda shot her a look of gratitude as Riruka strode toward the lounge area.

"Look, I know the truth," Riruka said in a low voice, whirling around all of a sudden. "I know what Isshin made him do and that he picked you of all people. Ichigo told me all this when he suddenly had to put our relationship on hold. You can't blame me if I hate you."

"I don't," Rukia answered sincerely, despite the sting of Riruka's confession that she knew the truth. "Neither Ichigo nor I wanted this and I'm sorry if you're caught smack in the middle of it too."

Riruka was silent for a moment, studying her intently. "You mean it, don't you? That you didn't want this."

She shrugged. "I don't like complicating my life most of the time. This whole thing is a massive complication. I wouldn't have signed up for it."

Riruka looked like she was analyzing a mathematical theorem in her head.

"Listen, Riruka," she started, exhaling deeply. "I don't know what's going on between you and Ichigo but I'd really like to stay out of it."

"As if you could when you're the giant elephant in the room with us," she snapped irritably.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "First you call me little, then you call me a giant elephant. Which one is it?"

"It's not funny." Riruka Riruka gritted her teeth.

"I wasn't trying to be," she retorted and immediately sighed, regretting her continuing snarkiness. "I'm sorry. I'm just very tired. And I'm not feeling well. And I'm—"

"A giant pain in the ass."

She and Riruka looked up and saw Ichigo striding toward them, his face grim and his hazel eyes narrowed.

"Looks like you two really have something in common," Rukia muttered under her breath, glancing at Riruka whose entire expression changed into one of utter worship for a second before it faltered with unease.

"Ichigo, I—"

"I don't really want to hear it, Riruka," he interjected, shooting her a warning look.

Hurt flickered across her face and Rukia became irritated. "She came to see you, Ichigo. Even if you didn't want to see her, at least be nice about it!"

Riruka gasped, glancing at her.

Rukia gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. It's me he's riled up about."

"You got that right," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I went to start your sandwich and then when I looked for you, you were nowhere to be found. I thought of maybe a hundred different things that could've happened to you until I called the concierge and was told you were down here. Do you have any idea what you put me through?"

"Very little, I imagine, except that you're just overeager to worry and nag about me."

"That's because you don't always take your welfare into consideration so I have to do it for you," he countered.

"I didn't ask you to and you're certainly not obliged to volunteer," Rukia shot back. "You were in the middle of a phone call that sounded like something I didn't want to interrupt so I just decided to go. I was just heading over to Isshin's once I got a cab."

"A cab?" he repeated. "Why the hell would you take a cab over to my father's? After what happened to you, you're just going to jump into a random taxi on your own?"

"Not everyone is a criminal, Ichigo, and my life doesn't stop just because of one unfortunate incident. Did you think I was just going to cower behind Ikkaku-san and get driven around in an armored tank wherever I go?"

His jaw tightened in exasperation. "Don't be overdramatic, midget!"

"Don't be such a mother hen then, stupid !"

Both of them glared each other off for a moment before Ichigo's scowling mouth softened into a reluctant smile. Rukia smiled back.

And then Riruka cleared her throat. Ichigo closed his eyes briefly, as if just remembering the awkward trio they were making.

"Riruka, I'm sorry for my behavior but now is not really a good time," he said gently.

Riruka glanced between her and Ichigo, her face now inscrutable. "I can see that. I made a mistake coming here."

"No. It was nice to meet you at last," Rukia said, smiling brightly at her. "I actually heard a lot of great things about you. I admire the whole fair trade campaign you and your company advocate. You're a very astute and successful businesswoman and philanthropist. The whole Ichigo issue aside, I think you're a very admirable person."

"Thanks, Rukia, for talking like I'm not here," Ichigo muttered under his breath but she could tell he was somehow amused.

"Thank you, I guess," Riruka replied slowly as if long-ingrained good manners were prompting her along no matter how flummoxed she was about the situation. "I'm going,"

"Can we drop you off?" Rukia asked and Ichigo gave her a sideways glance.

Riruka shook her head. "No, thanks. I can just call my driver to come and get me."

So she'd sent her driver away. She was planning to stay for a good amount of time—probably overnight.

"It's not a problem dropping you off," Rukia said before swivelling over to Ichigo with a meaningful look slash deathly glare. "Right, Ichi?"

He opened his mouth, most likely to protest, but he wisely shut it and just nodded instead.

"Okay," Riruka finally said, squaring her shoulders and thrusting her chin up as her composure returned.

.

.

The drive from Ichigo's pricey condo building, was nothing short of awkward for the three of them. Seeing that she was dressed a little less nicely than Riruka, Rukia thought she should sit in the back but Ichigo narrowed his eyes at her and told her that she was to sit in the front seat. Because he could be dense and said it out loud, she felt more guilty about Riruka. The woman embarrassed beyond measure at that point, volunteered to sit in the back. To compromise, Rukia said she would sit in the back with Riruka too. Ichigo's expression kept getting grimmer and grimmer and he bit out that he wasn't a driver to sit up front alone. So Rukia said she'd drive and Riruka could sit up front with her and Ichigo could sit in the back. He said there was no way he was letting her drive since she didn't even have a license.

Before Rukia could suggest anything else, Ichigo leaned down and wrapped an arm around her thighs, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before dumping her in the front seat, strapping on her seatbelt and pressing his fob key to lock the door in place. Then he opened the door of the backseat for Riruka and helped her in without a trace of his uncivilized behavior with her.

- Maybe I brought out the barbaric in him -

But she rested her case and just sulked in her seat as Ichigo drove off. Her midsection ached from when he thoughtlessly tossed her over his shoulder but it was nothing compared to her irritation.

Thankfully, Riruka's condo was only a few blocks away. It shortened the awkward silence in the car. As Ichigo pulled up in front of the entrance, Rukia slowly turned in her seat, to face Riruka who was unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Will you be alright?" She asked.

Riruka glanced at Ichigo briefly before gracing her with a faint smile and a quick nod. "Thank you for the ride home," she said politely.

Rukia grinned. "No problem. Have a good evening, Riruka."

She said nothing more before she slipped out of the car and hurried inside the building.

"She's very beautiful," Rukia remarked after a moment of silence passed as Ichigo pulled back out on the road.

"She is," he answered without glancing at her and it stung even though she knew that Ichigo was only confirming what she already said.

"I can see why you fell in love with her."

"I'm not in love with her," Ichigo said quietly, his eyes still focused on the road. "It was never like that with Riruka."

"What was it like then?"

He finally gave her a quick glance, his expression wryly amused. "We were friends. We were attracted to each other. Things were very casual at first but after a couple of months, I found it convenient when she suggested we saw each other exclusively. It was just easier to be with someone who knew exactly what I wanted and what I couldn't offer."

Rukia's jaw dropped. "You're saying you dated her because she was convenient?"

He winced at her tone. "We both found it convenient. I didn't pressure her for time or attention which she mostly pours into her career. I wasn't one of those whimpering idiots who kept following her around like dogs, asking her to get married and have babies. Riruka wants none of that. Our arrangement was just as convenient for her as it was convenient for me so don't make me out to be such a bad guy."

"A woman about to tear out her perfectly-pampered hair, falling apart in your main lobby, doesn't strike me as someone who only had convenience invested in your arrangement," she muttered, crossing her arms. "And seriously, how many women do you have arrangements with? Are you building yourself a harem or something?"

He laughed. "No. I barely have the energy or the sanity to keep up with you."

Her eyes narrowed, unconvinced. "I don't know about that. Riruka seemed expectant about getting entry into your condo earlier. She said the concierge never had a problem letting her in before." The implication dawned on her and she groaned out loud. "Oh, no. Don't tell me."

"I didn't have sex with her at my condo, Rukia, if that's what you're thinking. I told you before—I don't bring my romantic affairs home."

After a few minutes, they arrived at Isshin's place. Ichigo pulled over but didn't move out. "Did Riruka say anything unpleasant or offensive to you?" he asked, his tone more serious this time.

"Nothing I haven't heard before," Rukia said with a light shrug, turning her head back to face him.

His brows knitted with a frown. "I'm sorry."

Her mouth curled up into an ironic smile. "What are you apologizing for? Calling me the same things yourself the first time we met? Or that your girlfriend mouthed off at me too?"

His lips thinned into a line for a second. "Both. I'm sorry for the terrible things I said to you the first time we met. I wasn't myself at that time. And I'm sorry to have put you in this position with Riruka. I broke things off cleanly when I told her I had to get married."

"She knows the truth," She said slowly, lowering her eyes, feeling downright defeated.

Ichigo sighed and leaned back in his seat. "She knows most of it. I made the mistake of telling her when I tried to explain why I was breaking it off. I thought it would help her understand better."

"I'm pretty sure she loves you, Ichigo," she told him with a small smile. "It's not that big a revelation, really. She loves you and it hurts her to see you marry someone else—especially for the kind of reasons you have. It probably stings more for her to know that you're not standing up to your father and telling him that you're marrying her instead."

"It never once crossed my mind to marry her," he said, turning his palm up and catching her fingers with his. "I never imagined Riruka in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle, coming toward me, smiling so beautifully it made my chest hurt." Then he stared at her and smiled. " If I were fantasizing about you, you'd be striding down the aisle wearing sneakers with your wedding dress, taunting convention and tossing me a smartass grin," he said before they burst out laughing.

They had the sides of their heads pressed against the leather seats, their hands entwined, grinning and staring at each other while cocooned inside the car as the gentle summer rain stirred around them.

"I'll have the rest of your stuff brought over tonight," he said, rubbing the tip of his nose with her lightly. "And I'll see you tomorrow at the church aisle, Mrs. Kurosaki. Don't be late."

"I won't be," Rukia murmured, wrapping her arms gently around herself, fighting the shiver that had nothing to do with the cooler temperature.

- Tomorrow, I'm marrying Ichigo Kurosaki. -

Me: Okay I admit, Grimmjow was a little ooc (just a tiiiiny bit). I remembered in the anime, when Ichigo and Riruka met for the first time. Riruka's reaction was like ~ he's soooooo hot!~ remember that?

So on. Again, what do you think about this chap? I mean all the scenes. Feel free to say anything. Don't hold back!