-Sorry for the delayed release. You may not believe me, but I started this around two or three weeks ago, but I hit a snag and couldn't continue, so this author's note is REALLY old. My apologizes...also, I'm not too sure about this chapter. I might be losing any 'touch' I had. ;-; If it's too serious for you, skip down some...it fluctuates between serious/non-serious moments --)

So I was day-dreaming a while ago, bored as I was, and I thought up what I think is the best possible ending to this fanfic. I just have no idea what I'm going to do to get there. Well I must do a bit of forewarning. The ending might be a little…angst...for the so-called genre of this fic.

But warning aside, I shall continue with my usual business. :D

I WOVE YOU, REVIEWERS! Your reviews, like always, make my day very happy. ^____^ I thank you from the bottom of my shallow heart. =3

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Bleach.

RECAP: Rukia finds out that Ichigo is involved in Aizen's so-called club. She assumes that he has betrayed her, and then proceeds to ignore him. Meanwhile, during Chemistry class, things get out of hand and a swarm of fan girls basically attack 'Ryoko'. During this attack, emotions run high as the girls wonder why Ryoko chose to ask Tatsuki to the dance of all people…especially when Number One wanted to ask him. With all of this number business, Ryoko snaps, and demands to know exactly who this person is.

Rukia finds out that this person goes by the name of Nell. A senior.

//end.

~__~__~__~__~__~

Nell-sama. A senior.

The room went silent for the umpteenth time that hour. Rukia could barely conceal her irritation. What was with all of these frivolous girls. Who the bloody hell cared about numbers?

"I don't care." Rukia tried to keep her eyes on the floor knowing that if she looked up she might kill them all right then and there. Sadly, with her stifling curiosity, she couldn't help but look up.

Tatsuki's mouth had dropped open….but she wasn't the only one. The rest of the room was staring at her in shock.

Just great.

~__~__~__~__~__~

The rest of the room was staring at her in shock. And then all of a sudden, the room exploded into quiet murmurs.

How can he say that?

Not care about numbers?

What is he, a priest?

He couldn't be…gay you think?

Nooooo, my Kuchiki-sama!

My prince is gay!

But gay?

This is Nell-sama we're talking about!

How can he not care and NOT be gay?

The murmurs were interrupted as the pushy blonde from before stepped forward. "How can you not care? She's number one!"

"I said…" Ryoko's hands were trembling from anger. "I don't bloody give a crap."

"How can you say something like that?!"

"Because!" Ryoko slammed his hands onto the table. "Because! How can you guys be so…so…shallow? I don't care about the damned numbers." A quiet shush encased the rooms.

"What is wrong with this college? I asked Tatsuki because I wanted to. That is all. If you're going to give anyone hell about, give it to me, but keep her out of it," he finished, decidedly irritated.

The pushy blonde opened her mouth to retaliate but the classroom door slammed open.

"Ichigooooo, where are you?" A young girl stuck her head into the room.

The entire class turned to face Ichigo who was now looking horrified. "N-N-Nell, what are you doing here?"

"Awww, Ichigo, don't be like that," Nell pouted. "I came to see my date to the dance."

Ryoko meanwhile was doing his best not to look too shocked. Nell was his date?

"B-but, in the middle of class?!"

"You guys don't seem to be doing much," she said, looking around.

~__~__~__~__~__~

"You guys don't seem to be doing much," she said, looking around. Sure put that right. The girls were fighting over 'Ryoko' and the guys were ogling over her cleavage. Not to mention their teacher had passed out on the floor.

But Rukia took this moment to give her a quick once overe. Metallic green hair. Drop dead gorgeous. And the bouncing jugs.

No wonder she was number one.

She shook herself roughly. Now she was playing with numbers? Seriously? Gods, these psychotic girls really did a number on her.

"Wow, look what you guys did to Sensei," Nell murmured, gesturing to the nearly lifeless body lying on the floor. She prodded at the body with one of her heels. "You sure she's not dead? And why's she lying there?"

"Um…there's a good explanation for that…" Ichigo trailed off as Nell looked at him expectantly. Flustered Ichigo did what all men do in times of trauma -- transfer the blame to someone else.

"It's his fault." Ichigo jabbed his finger in Rukia's direction.

Rukia's glared daggers at him. What did he just do?

Nell's response turned out to be far from what she expected. What she expected from a senior of all people, was a trip down to the dean's office. Or maybe severe chastisement. Or even maybe a slap! But not,

"He's so adorable!"

Rukia had only enough time to gape before she was half-strangled as Nell pounced on her.

"Who are you calling adorable, you old hag," she spluttered, trying to push Nell's chest off her face. "And I can't breathe with these melons in my face."

"Hag? Melons? How rude," Nell scoffed. "But you're so cute I'll just have to excuse it."

~__~__~__~__~__~

Ichigo watched in shock as his date continued to half-strangle Ryoko. He wasn't sure what was irritating him more, Nell's behavior or Ryoko's fake repulsion.

Fake? Isn't it that you want it to be fake? Great. Now his conscience was an ass. It had been quiet all freakin' year. Why pick now to make a come back and ruin his oh-so-peaceful life?

Of course it had to be fake. What guy would be repulsed by Nell?

Well…

Shut up. Just shut up.

If you say so. King. But…

Ichigo's internal strife was interrupted by Ryoko's cry.

"You're strangling me! I-can't-breathe!" Ryoko was now trying to kick Nell off. "Ichigo, get your crazy friend off of me!"

BAMN.

"All right! Pay attention for a moment, my cute students." Ichigo turned to see the dean stride into the room followed by a cat, who was looking highly amused.

"Falling in love is all fine and dandy…" Urahara was now standing behind the teacher's desk. He made no move, though, to help the fallen lady beside it. The cat even sat down next to her and started licking his paw. "But you've given your poor teacher a heart attack, and she is now dead." Ichigo wasn't sure if he was joking. His face was impassive…Ichigo wasn't sure if the dean was going to burst out laughing or burst into tears.

"And as you need a substitute, I shall place my cat in charge." The cat jumped on top of the desk, and gazed at the students through his beady yellow eyes.

"That is all! Please give Yoruichi-sama your full undivided attention."

Ichigo stared at Urahara as he walked out the door, dragging the lifeless body of the teacher behind him. The students were left behind looking flabbergasted. The cat purred.

What the hell?

~__~__~__~__~__~

When the dean walked in, Rukia couldn't have been happier. Surely he would remove this raving nightmare off of her. But as his speech went on, she realized that no such thing would happen. He left a cat in charge. A cat! It was if he was going out of his way to support these…these…foul actions that she had the misfortune to fall under.

"What kind of dean is he," she demanded indignantly. "Surely a proper leader would not leave a cat in charge!"

Nell laughed. "Your bad-boy act is so cute."

"Bad-boy act!? Cute?"

"Yes, care for me to elaborate?"

Rukia looked horrified.

"No thanks."

Nell chuckled and stood up. "It's too bad you're so short." Rukia's mouth fell open. Oh no she didn't. She rose indignantly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Nell quirked an eyebrow.

"Just that you've got nothing on my Ichigo." Her…Ichigo?

"Y-you're Ichigo?!" She spluttered.

Nell frowned slightly. "Of course he's mine."

Rukia gaped at her.

"Ano…"

Rukia and Nell turned to see Tatsuki staring at them.

"What," the two hissed.

"The bell already rang," she snapped. "If you two want to be asses and flirt all day that's fine with me, but can you guys get off my desk so that I can get my stuff?"

Rukia was shocked. The class of eyes had vanished instantly leaving behind only Tatsuki, Nell and Ichigo.

"F-Flirt?! With Nell?" Rukia couldn't have been more outraged. "Are you serious?"

"First names already, huh? If you liked me, you just could have said so," Nell laughed. "You didn't have to be so defensive back there." Rukia silently cursed her tongue's betrayal.

"Move Kuchiki-san. I need my stuff."

Rukia could only gape in disbelief as Tatsuki pushed her aside. If she didn't know better, she'd think that her friend was mad at her. But for what? For insulting Nell? Surely she wasn't that shallow…

"I'll see you later, Kuchiki-san." Tatsuki walked out the room.

Ichigo burst out laughing. "Man, you've really messed up now."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Ichigo, while you explain to Ryoko-kun the mysteries of women, I'm going to go catch a bite to eat. I'll see you later?"

He could barely manage a nod, he was laughing so hard.

Rukia was enraged. "You idiot, what just happened?"

Ichigo was rolling around on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "You… are…so…dense," he said between spurts of laughter.

"Ichigo! Answer me, you fool!"

When he saw the genuine look of confusion on her face, his laughter slowed and he sat up. "You really don't know?"

"Yes, I don't know." She crossed her arms. "You're taking too much enjoyment in this."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Help me up then," he said, extending his hand. "All that laughing wore me out. I can barely move."

"Help you up? You're the size of a mammoth!"

Ichigo glared at her. "Do you want me to tell you or not?"

She gritted her teeth. "Fine." Rukia grabbed his hand and proceeded to pull him up. He wasn't kidding. He literally couldn't stand up.

"What do you weigh, like five hundred pounds?"

"Shut up midget."

After a couple of seconds of fruitless pulling Ichigo groaned. "Is this really the strength of the only person in this school to beat me at kendo?"

"S-shut up. Your heavy."

"You're too weak for this job, eh?" Ichigo quirked an eyebrow.

With a growl, Rukia put all her strength into one last desperate attempt. Ichigo rose a whole two feet off the ground before gravity made itself apparent and started pulling down on him, hard. But he wasn't going down alone.

Thud.

Rukia groaned, opening an eye to see that she was sprawled on top of Ichigo, now lying on the ground looking thoroughly disgruntled. A faint blush stained her cheeks.

"What the bloody hell, midget?!" Ichigo opened his eyes to see his roommate's violet ones staring right back at him.

"R-Ryoko?"

Coming to her senses, Rukia slapped Ichigo as hard as she possibly could.

Ichigo clasped his cheek in shock as Rukia stood up and dusted off her pants.

"That's for throwing me down again," she grumbled, putting on a frown. That wasn't true of course. It was mainly to hide her red face. It wasn't for naught though. With that slap, she had somehow managed to get rid of that damned blush.

"You jerk," Ichigo muttered, rubbing his cheek. "That hurt!"

Rukia sighed. "Sorry." She offered up a hand. Ichigo eyed it suspiciously. Wasn't he acting a bit too nice?

"No thanks," he grumbled. "See what happened the last time you offered to help me."

She frowned slightly. "I said I was sorry."

Ichigo pulled himself up. "Hey…can I ask you something?"

"What?" Rukia glared at him. If it wasn't bad enough he was making her emotions go hay-wire. Now he was asking questions?

~__~__~__~__~__~

"Hey…can I ask you something?"

"What?" Ryoko glared at him, and Ichigo could feel himself heating up.

"It was like…" Ichigo cupped his hands and made squishy gestures.

~__~__~__~__~__~

Rukia's face went blood red. Had she forgotten the bindings? Or perhaps it was because his hands had been directly on her…

"Stop that!" She kicked him in the shin. "Don't make obscene gestures!"

"Well how else was I supposed to put it?" Ichigo looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"Well yeah, fine then." Rukia sighed. Nii-sama was going to kill her.

"I'm…a girl…" Rukia averted her eyes. She could feel her face start to heat up. The accursed blush was making it's second appearance.

"EHHHHH?!"

"You don't have to sound so shocked," Rukia muttered glaring at him.

~__~__~__~__~__~

"You don't have to sound so shocked," Ryoko muttered glaring at Ichigo.

Tatsuki had watched the entire scene from the doorway. From the part where Ryoko had fallen on Ichigo, to the confession, to the hysterics and she had never felt more awful.

Ryoko was a girl.

Tatsuki clenched her fist. What was this? She shouldn't have come back for her pencil bag, at least then she wouldn't have to know. Maybe there was some merit in that old saying, ignorance is bliss. It was bliss…it was…

"Why…are you…?"

"Disguised as a guy?"

"Er…yeah."

"Nii-sama thought it'd be safer."

"Nii-sama?"

"Sh-shut up. He's over-protective…" Tatsuki could just imagine the sort of pout he…correction she was wearing.

"So what's your real name?"

Tatsuki couldn't listen anymore. She pushed away from the door. It was better if they didn't see her. But as she made her way from the room, she couldn't help but overhear Ryoko's reply.

"It's Rukia. Kuchiki, Rukia."

~__~__~__~__~__~

"Tatsuki! Let's go eat lunch. Everyone's waiting," Orihime waved, clutching a bento. Tatsuki was walking towards her, but her head was bent.

"Sorry Orihime…I don't feel like eating."

"Eh?" Orihime's smile dropped. "Tatsuki? Are you okay?"

She didn't receive a reply. Instead she heard her mumble as she walked by,

"Rukia huh? It somehow fits her."

Orihime stared at her friends retreating back. Rukia?

~__~__~__~__~__~

Nell walked away from the room looking happy. That little boy was adorable…though it was too bad he hadn't let her get in a proper hug. Didn't matter. She'd get another hug from Ichigo later.

"Nell-san…"

Nell paused to see Aizen walking towards her. "Yes, sensei?"

"Would you call together the members for me? I want to distribute some papers for the next meeting…"

Nell smiled. "Sure.""But there's a new member I need you to get as well." Her eyebrows shot up.

"New member?"

"Yes…he goes by the name of Kuchiki, Ryoko."

~__~__~__~__~__~

Ehhhh…seems like that one was really short too. D: But I didn't want you guys thinking I was dead or I dropped this or something because of all of those wonderful reviews. Seriously. If it wasn't for you guys, I would have dropped this fic a loooong time ago.

Ah, I apologize for the waaaay OC-ness of Tatsuki and Nell. Somehow that was the only way I could properly work them into the story.

I also apologize for any and all mistakes.

Please review! It's literally keeping this fic alive. =)

On a side note, when I first started this story, I used to think that anything above 1000 words was reaaaalllly long. XD So much that, when I went back to look at the first chapter earlier this month, I was shocked to see it was so short. Show's how much of an idiot I was then. XD

Next Time:

The club's first meeting? The mysterious papers are…

And it seems that the Dance is soon! Dance preparations are underway…and now how will Ichigo handle the roommate situation, now that he knows Ryoko is actually Rukia?

//end.

(Side-note: I actually wasn't planning on making Nell Ichigo's date. It was supposed to be Karin (in a non-creepy way, because she wanted to see what a college dance was like)…but somehow it ended up being Nell instead. XD

Anyways…

Until next time

^_______^