(A/N) Thank you all for the reviews that you have given, I really appreciate them. I would like to clarify some questions that some of you have asked or might ask.

We will learn more about Hitoshi in chapter four, and we will get to know Tatsuki more as Rukia's relationship grows with Ichigo and with Tatsuki herself. Secondly, I would like to clarify that Healing Our Dreams is third person limited. So naturally, the only way we will learn about Ichigo's past is as Rukia learns about it.

Here's chapter 2. Hope you guys enjoy it.

The sun was setting around Karakura, as Rukia was getting up from the bench she always sat at in the park. She had actually managed to enjoy herself at the park this time, unlike last time when she met the carrot top. It had been a week since the incident with Kurosaki had occurred at school, and things haven't gotten any better for her since then. As Rukia walked away from the park, she noticed it was getting a bit nipper as the sky started to change from light blue to evening red.

Rukia was on her way to one of her favorite places in Karakura. The place was only a short walk from the park. It was a small family owned café. The café wasn't a popular attraction for most people, but it always had that welcoming feeling Rukia enjoyed. She had always gone there after her jogs or whenever she had time to. She could just relax there while slowly drinking a nice coffee blend. Rukia would also go to the café, so she could talk to the oh-so-over joyous owner of the place, though she would never admit that to him. He had always been very loving to her, and would even offer her free coffee if she'd promise never to leave for the popular franchise across the street, but Rukia took that as a plus.

Rukia hadn't been there in a while and was missing the older man who ran the place and the coffee itself. Last week she was unable to go to the park, much less go to the café. It was all due to Kurosaki that she had a miserable week, leaving her at school longer than intended. Rukia would have gone the Saturday before school, but she was feeling too bitter to do anything else after her jog that day. Thanks to Kurosaki of course.

Rukia carefully opened the door trying her best not to be spotted, but the door chimes had a mind of their own, and the smallest one let out a ring. And on cue, a man quickly jumped over counter and ran towards Rukia.

"Rukia-chan!" the older man sang cheerfully.

He looks to be in his early forties. He has black messy hair and a five o'clock shadow, but both his hair and beard suited him very well. He had on a bright red button-up with stylish black pants and both fitted him well.

"Oji-san," Rukia coyly said, trying to hide her mortified blush. He would constantly greet her as if it was the last time she would be coming to the small café. It always caused her to feel great embarrassment with the other customers, but luckily, today it was only her.

The older man was frantically pulling at his hair looking at Rukia with much dread, "Where have you been, Rukia-chan!"

Rukia slowly lifted a finger to answer the man, "Um-"

"Oh no, don't tell me Rukia-chan. You've left poor little 'Masaki's Café' for that bigger one across the street!" cried out the man, pointing an accusing finger at her.

As the grown man moped around on the floor, Rukia stood there with her sweat dropping, rolling her head at the melodramatic man.

"Of course not, I've been busy at school," she said it quite loudly, making sure to reach the man.

He instantly got up, "Oh Rukia-chan, why didn't you say it in the first place. You silly girl," he beamed at her.

Rukia slapped her forehead, "The usual please," she mumbled, shaking her head.

"Ah," she said to no one in particular after taking a seat at a small rounded table, in the corner.

The café was dimly lit with soft classical music playing in the background. It was like a home away from home for Rukia. She'd even bring her schoolwork to the café on numerous occasions. Rukia had gone across the street once over the summer, but found it too loud and bright for her likings, good thing the owner never found out. He would have cried clinging onto Rukia's legs for a week.

Rukia gave a long sigh as she sat there waiting on her cup of coffee. School really had been terrible last week. After her fist day, she thought she wouldn't have to stay after school, boy was she wrong! The very next day Kurosaki had told her he wasn't going to stay that day, and that she needed to stay to clean by herself. When she asked why, he told her it was none of her business, and that she should happily return the favor without nagging at him. And she thought he let her leave the previous day as an act of apology.

For the remainder of the week they had both stayed to clean the classroom. Neither talked, looked, or even helped the other. They would stay after school for at least an hour because if the sensei came in the next day and didn't like the room, their grades would surely be docked, and Rukia wouldn't have that.

To make things even worse, another sensei had also announced before class was over on Friday, that they would be doing their first group assignment this coming up Monday, as in tomorrow. Rukia wasn't looking forward to it at all. She could already see herself going crazy and killing the carrot top.

"Why the long face Rukia-chan?" the older man said, taking her out of her trance. He sat her caramel macchiato down in front of her.

Rukia tried her best to look as sincere as possible, "Oh, it's nothing Oji-san."

"Hm…" he said, putting his hand up to his chin. He stood there, looking at Rukia for a good half minute before grinning at her. "You're having guy trouble, aren't you Rukia-chan?" he teased with a playful grin.

"Why of course not, Oji-san," she turned and told him in a sweet, fake voice. Rukia turned away from him and took a small sip from her drink. Sitting the cup down, she mustered the sweetest smile she could give. Rukia was trying her best not to be caught, but the man didn't give. He was smarter than he looked.

"Rukia-chan…" he nudged playfully, crossing his arms at her.

"It's school," she told him shortly after with a sigh.

It didn't bother her much that he wanted to know. He had always been such a great listener whenever Rukia needed to vent, and he would even give her advice. Rukia also saw the man as a fatherly figure; she had known him since her last year at lower-secondary school. Once she even admitted to him that she talked to him more than to her own brother.

He sat down in front of her and smiled, "What about school?"

"It's this guy," she started out. She immediately wanted to slap herself when he started to grin from ear to ear.

"Ooh… I knew it! Rukia-chan, you're finally growing up, bout time you left those books," he eagerly exclaimed, clasping his hands.

"No, no it's not like that." Rukia couldn't hide her blush. However, he just kept smiling and teasing.

"He's a moron, brash, a jerk, and I hate him," she said it in an exasperated voice, bringing the man out of his bantering. Just the thought of him and her being together sent shivers down her spine. It was such a repulsive thought to her.

The man quieted down and started to listen to the flustered girl as she explained her ordeal. Rukia told him everything from the time in the park, her upcoming assignments with him, and how she had been too busy to go to the park and the café last week due to the boy. Rukia held a bitter voice as she explained. It seemed all her troubles revolved around the young man.

The way she described him felt vaguely familiar to the older man. He propped an elbow up to the table and rested his chin on it and asked, "Rukia-chan, what does he look like?"

"Orange," she dryly said, and the man's eyes widened. Rukia saw the surprised look on his face and shook her head.

"I mean orange hair, tall, and always has a stupid scowl, like he has a stick up his ass," she chuckled the last part, not noticing the older man's sly grin.

"Is that so," he slowly said. Surely, he was scheming something up. "Well Rukia-chan, I have the perfect solution to your problems." Rukia raised an eyebrow at the man.

"And what's that?" she sounded intrigued and leaned over in anticipation.

"Well," he looked ready to pop, "I think it's about time you and my son go out."

"What," she sounded taken aback, "I've told you already. I don't have time for such trivial things, as dating," she frowned at the man and crossed her arm across her chest.

He would always ask Rukia to meet, go out, or even get married with his son, at least once a month. It had become a common thing for the man to say, almost like a trade mark, one Rukia always found humorous.

"What's he like anyways?" she asked with a tinge of curiosity. He had never described his son before. For all she knew, his son might be ugly, greasy, and weird.

The devious man smiled once again, "He's sweet, handsome, tall, though he can be an idiot at times," he began to tell her, jovially. "He's also in the same grade as you, I believe. You're in your last year of high school and seventeen now, right Rukia?" he asked.

"Hmm, doesn't sound half-bad at all," she admitted to herself. If he were anything like his father then he would surely be deemed good looking, and who isn't an idiot at times?

"Rukia, Rukia…" the smirking old man was trying to bring Rukia back to reality.

"Oh…" she gave sheepish nod, "Yea, I'm seventeen now, and this is my last year of school," said the flushed girl.

"Perfect, he just turned eighteen over the summer, and he's also in his last year," he threw Rukia a wide smile.

&-&

Rukia looked down at her empty caramel macchiato. Time had flown by, and she hadn't even realized it. When she turned to the window she gasped in surprise, realizing it was already pitch black outside. Her brother would surely be upset at her.

"What time is it?" she asked rather hurriedly, getting up from her chair.

The man looked at his watch then back up at Rukia, "It's almost eight."

Rukia quickly reached for her pocket to pay the man, but he kindly refused the money as he has done so for the last three years. Rukia thanked the man then turned to rush home.

"Rukia-chan?" the older man called out, stopping Rukia from opening the door.

Rukia turned to look at him, "Hai?"

"I'll give you a ride since it's late. You know how the city gets at night, especially with pretty young ladies like yourself," he said while getting up from the table and heading behind the counter. "I'll just turn off the heaters. I won't take long."

"No, it's okay," she solemnly said, not wanting to be a hassle.

"Nonsense, now sit down and wait. I won't take but a minute," he ordered her in a friendly manner.

Rukia threw the older man a soft nod and took a seat by the door to wait. It was nice of him to offer her a ride without even knowing where she lived. She had really come to appreciate him even though he could be a total clown half of the times.

"Okay, let's go," he said, coming out from behind the counter and heading towards the door. Rukia followed him outside and waited for him to lock up.

He drove an average family car, and she liked the feel of it while heading down the road. Rukia hadn't been in many cars before. She always walked or used public transportation, and her brother rarely found the time to take her out to places.

The drive was calming as the passing streetlights put Rukia into a soothing trance. Though it didn't last because the older man quickly made it to her house in less than seven minutes, versus the twenty it might have taken her if she would have walked.

"Thank you again, Oji-san," she thanked him while getting out of the car.

"Don't worry about it, and Rukia… don't worry about that idiot, just get to know him a little better," he leisurely said, waving a hand at her. He never lost that sly grin since the mentioning of the orange haired boy, but Rukia didn't think twice about it.

Rukia watched as the car slowly started to drive off and waved mindlessly. Standing there for a while, Rukia wondered why the man would say such a thing. After a while of pondering, she put the thought behind her. She hurried to the front door, hoping her brother wouldn't have noticed her long outing.

She softly closed the door behind her then slyly looked to her left and right. She began to grin since everything seemed okay. No movement was coming from her brother's study or upstairs, and the lights are all off. Rukia carefully walked away from the door and headed towards the stairs. She was worried for nothing at all. Then she heard what seemed to be shuffling newspaper.

"Rukia…" a somber voice revealed itself.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia gasped as she heard him. She turned to his voice, and found him sitting down in a couch within the room next to her with the lights turned off.

"It's late Rukia," he said in an intimidating tone, and Rukia cringed when she heard him the second time.

"I am very sorry, Nii-sama. I won't do it again," Rukia gravely apologized, staring at the dark sitting figure. She was hoping that he wouldn't persist because she wasn't in the mood for a calloused lecture and wanted to get ready for bed.

He just sat there for the longest time staring at his younger sister, managing to keep her in anticipation, "Very well then," he finally said. Rukia gave him a nod and headed upstairs.

Rukia quickly brushed her teeth, got her uniform ready and changed into her chappy pajamas. She laid there in bed staring at her ceiling and quickly got lost with thoughts of the old man's proposal. Today had been the first time that she hadn't flat out opposed on meeting the guy. She wondered what tomorrow would bring her, if things would get worse or better with the carrot top. She hoped for the latter as she finally drifted off to sleep.

Thank you for reading. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me. I would love to answer them. Please review to let me know how you like the story.

And again, thank you to everyone that has reviewed, alerted, and put this story on their favorites. And my other stories too.