AN: Ok, so this chapter was quite a bit harder to write. I hope you enjoy, however I know this chapter is worse than the first. Anyways, thank you to all the people who have reviewed for this story. Please keep the reviews coming, and I hope you enjoy. There may be a bit more fluff in this chapter, though.

"Rukia Kuchiki, what do you have to say for yourself? You disobeyed direct orders of Captain Yamamoto, and you contacted the Quincy and 2 of the Kurosaki's of Karakura town when you were specifically told not to reveal yourself," Captain Ukitake scolded his subordinate. Rukia sighed, looking down in shame.

"I'm sorry, Captain Ukitake, I had to. If I hadn't, Ichigo Kurosaki would've been killed by a hollow, and I understood that my orders were to protect and monitor Ichigo, and to also kill any hollows in the area," Rukia said, not once looking up. She heard Ukitake sigh, before he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Good job, Rukia, you followed mission orders, however, now that Ichigo and co. know that you are on a mission in Karakura town, we must figure a plan out to have you continue," Ukitake said, coughing up a bit of blood.

"I think I know of an idea. I could use a gigai in order to still monitor and protect Ichigo and Karakura town, this way I don't have to try and hide anymore," Rukia said, a glimmer of hope in her violet eyes. Ukitake sighed when he saw this, and just nodded.

"That seems like a well thought out plan. I will have you pick up your gigai from Urahara-san tomorrow morning, and you will start at Karakura high school the same day. I'll talk to Urahara, but I don't have a place for you to stay as of yet," Ukitake said, watching as Rukia tried to hide her smile.

"Arigato, Ukitake-taichou," Rukia said, barely containing her excitement as she ran off in the direction of the door to the living world. 'Ichigo, if what I see in her eyes is true, then you're in for one troublesome life,' Ukitake thought, returning to his office.

Class 1-3, the next day.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime yelled cheerfully as Ichigo walked into class. Everybody stared, in complete and utter shock. Ichigo was smiling, a true and rare smile.

"Good morning Orihime, Ishida, Chad, Tatsuki. How are you guys?" Ichigo asked, not noticing the glare he was receiving from the Quincy.

"Who are you and what did you do to Ichigo?" Tatsuki questioned, wondering what was making her old friend so happy.

"We're fine, how come you didn't meet up with us at our usual spot this morning?" Ishida questioned, not waiting for his friends response to Tatsuki's question. Ichigo scratched the back of his head, still smiling.

"Well, I kind of had to convince my dad to allow me to come to school this morning, after yesterday's incident with the hollow," Ichigo responded, never once frowning or scowling.

"Ichi-" Keigo was cut off from finishing as Ichigo brought his elbow back into his friend's gut.

"Morning Keigo, how are you?" Ichigo asked, a bit too cheerful for his usual attitude. He never got a response as the teacher walked in at the exact moment.

"All right class, sit down, we have a new student today," Ochi-sensei said, gesturing for said student to come in. "I believe Kurosaki-san already knows who she is," Ochi-sensei said, noting how some of the students had knowing looks in their eyes as they recognized Rukia. "Kuchiki-san, could you please sit next to Kurosaki-san as you two already know each other." Rukia just nodded, walking to Ichigo's row, surprised to see her friend smiling. Ichigo scribbled something and handed it to Rukia as she sat to the right of the orange-haired teen.

Midget,

Good morning, though I thought you were supposed to lay low and not be noticed by anything,

Signed, Orange Porcupine

Rukia read the note, barely containing a snicker at what Ichigo called himself. She wrote on the back and handed the paper back to Ichigo.

Orange Porcupine,

Good morning, and there has been a change of plans since yesterday. I'm still following mission orders, however, I am too be made visible, in order to protect you better, and since you already knew I was here, there was no sense in trying to hide anymore. Sorry I never made contact earlier, but the orders were to hide myself from anybody I knew,

Signed, Rukia

Ichigo grabbed another sheet of paper, oblivious to the teacher's lesson.

Rukia,

I'm glad that you and Soul Society never abandoned me. Even though I was useless, you always stuck by my side. Thank you, and don't mind Ishida, he's just worried about me, and he thought you abandoned us,

Ichigo.

Rukia read this and smiled, knowing her best friend never forgot and had also forgiven. But was slightly annoyed when she heard that Ishida would think that she would just abandon her friends. Suddenly, Ichigo and co. heard it, the thing that they never thought they would here as often now. They heard about 20 hollow howls, all at once.

"Ochi-sensei, may I go to the bathroom?" Ichigo asked, watching as Rukia popped a soul candy into her mouth.

"Yes, but be back A.S.A.P." Ochi-sensei said, noting how Ishida, Orihime, and chad all seemed to be worried. "Yes Orihime, you can go to the bathroom, and Chad, Ishida, you may escort her," Ochi-sensei said, noting how it had been a while since Ichigo had to go to the bathroom with them.

The hall

"Baka! What do you think you're going to do?" Rukia questioned as they ran. Ichigo looked quite thoughtful for about a minute before responding.

"Simple, I'll be the bait, since my reiatsu's on the rise again, the hollows should come after me, and then you can attack it and kill it in one blow," Ichigo lied, trying to lead Rukia to believe him. 'I'm actually hoping to regain my powers much faster this way,' Ichigo explained to himself, 'Then I can protect everybody again'.

"Ichigo, don't lie. I know you're trying to regain your powers faster, and I can say it won't wo-" Rukia was cut off as Ichigo used a soul candy, reappearing out of his body, holding his shikai Zengetsu.

"Now, what were you going to say?" Ichigo asked in a cocky voice, watching as his body returned to class. "There seems to be 20 hollows in all. I say we take on the 5 in the southern part of town, letting Chad and them take care of the ones in the northern edge of town, and we then regroup at the western quadrant of town." Rukia just looked on in amazement. The hero of the worlds, who sacrificed his powers for the lives of others, had already regained his power faster than his father had. 'This is why you hold a place in my heart, Ichigo. You are truly one remarkable man and shinigami,' Rukia smiled, receiving a confusing look from Ichigo. "Rukia move!" Ichigo yelled as a look of worry appeared on his face when he pulled the violet-eyed girl out of the way of a hollow's attack. "Rukia, you ok?" Ichigo asked, clashing with the hollow, attacking vigorously. Rukia just stood there, dumbfounded as she tried to regain a grasp on what had just happened. She quickly shook her head, ridding her thoughts of confusing things. She unsheathed her Zanpakuto, jumping above the hollow which was locked in a battle with Ichigo. She brought down her sword with so much force that after going through the hollow, slammed into the ground creating a crater, kicking up dust everywhere.

"Ichigo, thank you," Rukia said, waiting as the dust cleared.

"It was nothing. Are you sure you're ok? You've been spacing out today," Ichigo said, his eyes filled with concern and worry. Rukia just nodded, before heading off towards another hollow. She didn't even move from her spot before she was stopped. "Rukia, I can't let you do this. I'll do this, but you have to go back to your Gigai, I, I just don't want you to get hurt." Rukia looked into Ichigo's eyes, and her insides just seemed to melt as his amber eyes pierced her violet eyes, a look of pure worry from his eyes.

"I can't do that, and you know it. I have to do my mission, which is to protect and monitor you, along with protecting Karakura town. I promise, that'll be the last time I drift off into thought," Rukia said, trying to make herself believe that. 'What the hell? Does the orange porcupine actually care? And what the hell happened when I looked into his eyes? It felt like, my insides turned to mush,' Rukia questioned, confused.

"Alright, but if yo-" SLAM! Ichigo was cut off from finishing as a hollow slammed it's arm into his side, causing Ichigo to fly and crash into a tree, breaking it in half. The hollow quickly turned to Rukia, who just stared in shock. It started charging at Rukia, until it heard Ichigo's voice from behind. "Excuse me, I was in the middle of saying something! Getsuga!" Ichigo yelled, standing up, blood pouring down the right side of his face, covering his right eye. He swung his sword, creating a huge blue wave in which disintegrated the hollow upon contact. "As I was saying, as long as you don't drift off anymore," Ichigo finished, collapsing to the ground in a state of temporary comatose.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=To Be Continued-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

AN: Ok, I know not the best chapter, but I'm having a slight writer's block as of right now. R&R please