Vertigo

AN: Well, this is morphing from a one-shot to a multi-fic. There will be at least 10 chapters, if the plan in my head is to be believed. Thanks for all the input, and enjoy my ramblings :]

The car ride was enjoyable the first two hours, being filled with music and light hearted bickering on what radio station to listen to. The scenery especially the fresh and green hills they passed, was enough to keep them happy during the third and fourth hour in the car.

By the next hour, Yuzu, who had more tolerance than anyone, was ready to kill her sister and throw her out the window.

They had started fighting because Karin had suggested at the last rest stop that she switch seats with Yuzu so that she could have shotgun for awhile. She'd love to not be crammed up the hot backseat anymore.

Yuzu at that point was beyond tired of being in the car and told her sister no. It was a very out of character move for the sweet girl. Karin called her selfish and it escaladed from their and just kept on going.

Isshin scolded both parties, and Ichigo was allowed shotgun in order to punish them both. It was rather too bad that he would rather sit next to Rukia. He sat up front nonetheless. As it turns out, it was nice to see the scenery from a new perspective.

After awhile, the twins made up and fell asleep next to each other. They passed a chunk of driving time in this peaceful manner.

"I'm not surprised that happened," chuckled Ichigo.

"Why's that?" Rukia asked from the back seat.

"This is a long drive. Kids get bored and when they get bored they get kinda evil." he shrugged and looked back at the passing mountains. They whooshed by, giving him a slight headache.

"You're one to speak, boy. You were twice as bad on trips as they are." Isshin laughed from behind the wheel.

"Well, thanks Dad. Glad to hear it." Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"What would he do?" asked Rukia mischievously. She loved it when Ichigo squirmed. He was so cute when he was embarrassed.

"The question isn't what he'd do when he was grumpy, it's what he wouldn't do. He hated car rides until he was seven. Then we took him out of the car seat and he was pretty happy." Isshin maneuvered down a side street, ignoring the smoldering glare that his son was sending him.

"I wasn't in a car seat that long." Ichigo grumbled.

"Sure you were! No shame in it! You just didn't meet the weight requirement for awhile. You were awful scrawny there for a bit." Isshin said thoughtfully before artfully dodging the blow sent his way from the passenger seat.

"Now don't distract the driver." Isshin whined.

"Yeah Ichigo. Don't distract the driver." teased Rukia, "It's not his fault that you were in a car seat until you were 7."

"Shut up!" Ichigo growled. It wasn't anyone's fault that he had been small! He wasn't now! And why the hell did his dad have to share that tiny tidbit with everyone? He turned away angrily and sulked. The window was a kaleidoscope of colors, swishing by quickly as his idiot father drove.

"Stop the car dad."

"Why? Look, I didn't mean to embarrass you so much…"

"No! Dad stop the car!"

The car screeched to a halt. Ichigo had thought Rukia knowing that he was in a car seat so long was bad enough, but getting car sick in front of her? That was awful.

He should have known better than to stare out the windows. Didn't he know better than that? Now here he was tossing his cookies while his idiot father, sweet little sisters and pretty friend watched. Glancing back at the car, he saw that Rukia wasn't in it. A few seconds later he knew why.

Rukia wasn't in the car because she was now rubbing her hand across his shoulder blades while he dry heaved on the side of the road.

Man she was an angel. He finished and wiped his mouth, gratefully accepting the bottle of water she handed him.

"Guess we're even now for the fainting thing," he pointed out. She laughed. He loved making her laugh.

Karin and Yuzu had woken up by the sudden stop, and Yuzu let Karin have shotgun so Ichigo could rest in the back. Rukia leaned up against him, and he leaned back. He felt so stupid for getting sick in front of her.

But now they were even, and he was pretty pleased that she had helped him. He couldn't dwell long, because he was distracted by her head flopping onto his shoulder. She was fast asleep, her eye lids gently shut, her nose twitching ever so slightly.

It was going to be a good drive after all.

AN: Well it was a little sappy at the end there, but I like it. What about you?