Warning: A glass of lemonade. Who's thirsty? *raises hand*

After breakfast, Orihime and Uryu left for town to pick up some supplies for their soon-to-arrive pup. Rangiku accepted Rukia's help with the clean up and then shooed her on her way with instructions to go exploring outside. Rukia walked into the backyard and looked around with interest. The early morning air was cool, but the brightness of the sun promised to bring a warmer day once the dampness burned off. Noting the puddles on the ground, she vaguely recalled hearing some rain hitting against the windowpane last night and wondered if it had been before, or after Chad had been found. She frowned and hoped it was after the fact, not liking the image of the wounded man lying on the ground, blood and rain soaking his clothes as he awaited rescue.

Circling to the front of the house, Rukia carefully skirted a large puddle and then stood on the edge of the driveway wondering how far she dared travel on her own. Looking down the drive, she could just make out some houses beyond the bend. They were probably the homes of other pack members, she decided. Rangiku had spoken of an infirmary and she pondered where it might be located and if Ichigo would still be there. It wasn't that she really wanted to see him, she told herself. It was just that she didn't know anyone else or have anything in particular to do.

In the distance, Rukia could hear a vehicle approaching. Squinting she noted that it was a red sports car and it seemed to be travelling quickly for such a narrow driveway. Clouds of dust swirled up around it, hiding the view of the driver. She frowned. Something about the vehicle was making her uneasy and she stepped back onto the grass as it drew closer. Just as it was almost even with her, the driver jerked the wheel. The car fishtailed and loose bits of gravel flew up in the air. Rukia jerked backwards as small pebbles pelted her. Unfortunately, there was a large puddle right behind her and she slipped, landing on her rear in the muddy water.

Gasping in outrage and embarrassment, Rukia looked towards the driveway but the vehicle was gone. Muttering threats under her breath, she wiped her stinging cheek, not surprised when a smear of blood appeared on the back of her hand. At least one of the sharp, stone had hit its mark. She got to her feet and tried unsuccessfully to wipe the mud off herself before stomping up to the house. She'd have to have a complete change of clothes and a shower.

Thankfully the kitchen was empty. Rukia really didn't want anyone to know what had happened. Someone had humiliated her on purpose, and advertising the fact was the last thing she wanted. Removing her socks and shoes so as not to leave mud all over, she padded barefoot up to her room and then finished stripping off the muddy clothes.

The stones had stung as they hit her face and she needed to check the extent of the damages. Sure enough, a smear of dried blood was streaked across her cheek and she probed the cut carefully. It was rather deep and she hoped it wouldn't leave a scar. Checking her appearance once more, Rukia decided that a casual observer wouldn't notice the wound, which in her mind was a good thing. She didn't want a lot of people questioning what had happened. Once she found out who the driver was, she'd deal with him herself.

Grabbing a clip, she twisted her pony tail up on top of her head so it wouldn't get wet and then turned away from the mirror, only to bump into a solid wall of muscle. Strong hands caught hold of her shoulders as she rocked backwards.

"Oh! You're back." Quite taken by surprise, she stated the obvious. Her breath caught in her throat as she realised that Ichigo was standing before her as naked as herself.

"Yep, I just walked in. I heard you moving about in here and, since I need a shower too, I thought we could share."

She skimmed her eyes down his form, taking in his sculpted pecs and abs, then moved lower… His manhood was already at half mast, she stared in fascination before realising what she was doing and looking away, her face flushing in embarrassment. Ichigo chuckled and caught her by the chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't be shy. You can look at me. I enjoy it almost as much as I enjoy looking at you." He accompanied his words with actions, sweeping his hand down her body, caressing her from breast to hip and back again. "You're a lovely female Rukia, with soft skin and intriguing curves that call out for me to touch them."

Leaning forward, he nibbled at her lips while using his hands to knead her breasts gently. The combined sensations created by Ichigo's use of his hands and lips made Rukia's body hum with pleasure. Without even meaning to, she found herself leaning towards him, trying to capture his mouth for a deeper kiss and pressing her breasts more firmly into his palms.

"You like that, don't you?" he murmured as he guided her under the shower spray with him. Finding the soap, he began to wash her.

"I can do that." She reached for the bar, but he brushed her hands aside.

"Shh… You're my mate. It's my job to take care of you."

Slowly he moved his hands over her, sliding across her shoulders and down her back, around to her waist then up to her breasts. He swirled soap over the soft mounds and Rukia let her eyes drift shut as the pleasantly fuzzy feeling returned. The rhythmic movement both relaxed and excited her. Soon he abandoned her breasts and knelt before her, washing her stomach, legs, and buttocks. He nuzzled the juncture of her thighs, and her legs trembled as she recalled the amazing sensations Ichigo had managed to create within her.

All too soon, Ichigo stood up, leaving her feeling restless and achy. His body brushed sensuously against hers. "Time to trade jobs," he murmured, pressing the soap into her hands. Gulping, Rukia took the bar from him. When she hesitated and he took her hands in his, moving them about on the soap to create a lather, then guiding her palms to his chest.

Tentatively, she rubbed soap across his body and a low rumble emanated from his throat. Licking her lips, she continued to wash him, noting how his male nipples pebbled as her hands passed over them. Stealing a glance up at his face, she saw that his eyes were closed and his jaw was clenched. A small smile appeared on her mouth as she realised the power she had over him.

He became absorbed in her task. Never having explored a male's body before, she found the activity fascinating. His muscles quivered in response to her touch, shifting under her palms. Circling around him, she washed his back, then boldly moved lower, smoothing soap over his hips and buttocks, then down the back of his legs. Her heart beat quickened when she moved in front of him again, working her way up his legs, then skirting around his manhood, which was becoming more erect right before her eyes. Finally, feeling incredibly brave, she washed his stomach and slid her hands down the dark arrow of hair. The back of her hand brushed over his shaft and she was surprised at how hot and silky the skin was. Gently, she ran a finger down his length and gave a brief chuckle as the organ jumped in response. A groan sounded above her. Daringly, she slipped her hand around him and explored his length and shape, all the while marvelling that something of this size could actually fit inside her. The sack at its base caught her attention and she cupped him, testing the weight and texture, before returning to his erection.

Suddenly, Ichigo gripped on her shoulders, pulling her upwards. He crushed her against his chest and pressed a hot kiss to her mouth. "Do you know what it does to me, when you touch me like that?"

She shook her head. Running his lips across her jaw, then raking his teeth down her throat, he murmured against her skin. "It drives me wild. It makes me want to bury myself deep inside you."

His words caused an unexpected thrill to run through her and she felt a heavy heat pooling between her legs. Memories of their night together flooded her brain, after the initial discomfort, it had all felt so good, the way he'd slid in and out of her, the pleasure growing and then washing over her, her body moving uncontrollably…

Suddenly she realised that she wanted, no needed, to feel that way one more time. Reaching up, she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back, pulling him closer to her, rubbing her body suggestively against his. Ichigo growled in response.

"Do you want me, mate?"

She looked up at him and nipped at his chin, then rained open mouthed kisses over his collarbone and chest. "Yes," she breathed, licking at his nipples and moving against him once more, trying to ease the ache that was growing within.

"Good."

His voice was smug, self-satisfied, but she was beyond caring. She almost cried with relief when he picked her up, stepped out of the shower and set her down on the vanity. Pulling her legs apart, Ichigo stepped between her thighs and fingered her intimately, purring when he found her moist and ready. Quickly positioning himself, he pushed into her and Rukia cried out, the feeling of being filled by him almost sending her over the edge.

As he rocked within her, she bit her lip, trying to mute the sounds of pleasure building within her, but it was too much. She found herself panting and moaning out loud as his movements once more transported her to a magical place filled with the most exquisite of sensations. Her soft cries seemed to spur Ichigo on and he gripped her hips even more tightly, increasing the pace of his thrusting. Rukia held onto his biceps to keep herself steady and vaguely noted the hard planes of his face, his eyes closed in intense concentration…The feelings building inside her were driving her crazy and she felt she would never get enough. She dug her fingers into his arms. Her muscles tightened, she was sure she'd explode any minute… Unable to contain herself any longer, she threw back her head. A scream ripped from her throat and then everything blurred.

Afterwards, Ichigo had carefully dried her off and carried her to bed. He was exhausted from being up all night and had said he just wanted to rest for a little while. Within moments of his head hitting the pillow, he was asleep. Presently he was spooned to her back, his breath warm on her neck, his arm was wrapped around her waist effectively trapping her in place. She'd dozed a bit herself, feeling pleasantly relaxed from their earlier activity. Now half awake, she idly stroked Ichigo's arm, thinking that she could become addicted to experiences like that.

Sounds from outside drifted in the partially open window. Somewhere a car door slammed, reminding Rukia of her encounter with the red sports car and the puddle. She was curious to find out who owned the vehicle. When she did, she'd give them a piece of her mind for the idiotic stunt they'd pulled. The memory reminded her that she had a pile of muddy clothes on the floor that needed attention as well.

With a sigh she realised that they weren't going to be washed if she just stayed in bed. Carefully, she eased out from under Ichigo's arm, trying not to wake him. He muttered slightly and rolled over before settling back down, his breathing deep and even. For a moment she stared at him. His face was relaxed and the controlled edge that always seemed to be a part of him was temporarily erased.

He was certainly good looking, strong and dominant, much more so than Renji had ever been. Rukia scowled at herself. It was instinct for a wolf to be drawn to a dominant mate, but she felt guilty for comparing the two men. Of course, Ichigo would seem appealing. He was older, an Alpha. But, she retorted, who knew what Renji might become in the next few years? Not that it mattered anymore. It was best to put her old friend out of her mind and look to the future.

After a few hours, Rukia had just finished the laundry when she heard a sound behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Ichigo leaning in the doorway, his shirt hanging open and his hair messed up from sleep. He looked incredibly sexy and her heart beat faster at the sight of him. Sliding her eyes over his body, she noted his toned stomach and long denim encased legs. The jeans rode low on his hips and she forced herself not to blush as she recalled those same hips moving against her.

A wave of desire unexpectedly rolled through her and she found it unsettling. Was she turning into some sort of sex-maniac? How could just looking at the man have that effect on her? She'd admired good-looking males before, but this attraction for Ichigo was somehow different, more uncontrolled, more intense…

Did he find her attractive too, she mused. He'd said she was a lovely female, but was that just mating talk or did he really mean it? She wasn't quite sure why it mattered to her, except that it would make for a level playing field if they both had an equal physical attraction to the other. Until she knew how he really saw her, she certainly wasn't going to tip her hand!

Trying to sound unaffected by his presence, she casually addressed him. "I see you're up. You must have been tired after being out so late last night." She busied herself with folding her towels, keeping her eyes firmly averted and her body angled away from him.

"Yeah. We didn't find Chad until almost two-thirty and then, by the time we got him back to the infirmary, it must have been after three. I stayed with Tatsuki, his mate, until he woke up. He was pretty groggy, so I need to head back there in a bit and, if he's awake, question him about what exactly happened."

"Does he need a doctor?"

"No. He was lucky. The bullet went straight through, missing any vital organs, so it only needed cleaning and a few stitches. Blood loss was the biggest problem, but thanks to his werewolf genetics, he'll be fine. Unohana, our nurse-practitioner, was waiting for us when we got back. She gave him a transfusion, cleaned the wound, and stitched him up."

"Is she one of us?"

"Uh-huh. We're fortunate to have her, and if something really serious is wrong there's one local doctor who knows about us and can be trusted."

"We have a similar set-up back home." Rukia nodded in understanding as she tidied up the laundry area, still avoiding looking at him. Her heart rate was back to normal and she wanted to keep it that way. Grabbing the box of soap and the fabric softener, she put them back on the shelf, then started to clean the lint trap in the dryer. "I'm glad your man is going to be okay and that he's receiving good care."

"Would you like to come along when I go to see him?"

"Sure. I'm almost done here. It will be good to meet some more of the pack."

She rinsed her hands, then stared blankly at the wall for a moment, wondering if she'd see the red sports car parked somewhere. If so, she could pretend a casual interest in the make or model and that might lead Ichigo into revealing who owned it. He wouldn't have to know the real reason she was interested.

She sensed Ichigo straightening up from his position against the door jam and walking over to her. Lightly, he put his finger under her chin and guided her around until she was facing him.

"You seem to be avoiding looking at me. Why?"

"No reason." She said, darting her eyes everywhere around the room except towards him. "I'm just busy with the laundry."

For a moment Ichigo seemed to consider her answer. He opened his mouth to speak, then frowned. He stroked her cheek with his finger. "There's a cut on your face."

Rukia quickly moved her hand upwards, knocking his aside, and covering the cut. He hadn't mentioned it earlier on, apparently more interested in other parts of her anatomy. She'd forgotten it was there.

"I didn't notice it earlier. What did you do?" He brushed her hand out of the way and examined the cut, his breath warm against her face.

"I must have scratched it on a branch or something when I was out earlier, looking around the yard."

"Hmm… It doesn't look like a scratch to me it's deeper than that, more like a puncture wound. Are you sure you just got too close to a branch?" The weight of his stare forced her to look at him. Ichigo gazed down at her, his face passive, his eyes unblinking.

Gathering her courage, she boldly pushed past him, grabbing the pile of folded laundry and walking towards the door. "Of course I'm sure. It's nothing to fuss over."

Inwardly, she almost tremble. Turning your back on the Alpha and walking away when he'd asked you a question just wasn't done without some form of retribution, but she needed to get away. Ichigo was too close, too compelling, and she wanted to keep her thinking clear.

"Rukia.."

He growled a warning and she stopped, slowly turning around. Her mouth had gone dry and she felt a frisson of fear in her belly. So far Ichigo had only been kind to her, his dominant Alpha personality hadn't been directed at her before. Now, she was getting a taste of what made him the leader of the pack. His eyes were cold and stony, seeming to bore a hole right through her and leaving her in no doubt as to his displeasure over her actions. She clutched the laundry to her chest as if it were a shield and raised her chin slightly, exposing her throat in an age-old sign of submission.

Licking her lips, she replied. "Ichigo, it's nothing, just an unfortunate accident while I was outside. Why don't you get something to eat, I'm sure you're famished since you weren't here for breakfast. I'll just put these away and be back in a few minutes. Then you can show me where the infirmary is and introduce me to Chad"

As she babbled on, she used her eyes to plead with him not to make a federal case out of it. For some reason, she just didn't want him to know about the sports car. It was her problem to solve, she had to be able to hold her head up around these people and not always be taking refuge behind her mate.

Ichigo continued to glare at her for what felt like ages and she was sure he was going to press her for details, but then he seemed to rein in his temper and sighed loudly. "Fine. I'll meet you at the back door in fifteen minutes." Giving a sigh of relief, she started to leave but he spoke again and she froze. "Rukia? Don't make it a habit of pushing me too far. You might not like the results."

She gave a quick nod and went upstairs, thankful for the reprieve she'd just been granted.

I will reply to questions only.

And hi ShiraYukideathberry I remember you..one of my fav. reader in my one last chance fic..:)