I can't believe this story is already at chapter 10! I liked this chapter a lot, I hope you guys like it too.

Chapter 10

I Promise

Ichigo let go of Rukia as she twirled to the other side of the room. Cheeks red from hours of dancing, Rukia said, "And now for the grand finale!"

Ichigo swallowed as Rukia charged at him. He raised his arms up as Rukia jumped on him and wrapped his arms around her warm, petite body.

Well, at least he caught her.

"OOF!" Both Ichigo and Rukia groaned as they fell onto the wood floor. Ichigo rubbed his throbbing head while Rukia sat up.

"We're going to have to work on that," Rukia mumbled and got up. She extended her hand and helped Ichigo up.

"We don't have to do that for the tournament, right?" Ichigo silently prayed the answer was "no." It wasn't that Rukia was heavy or anything. On the contrary, she was as light as a feather. It was just that the sudden impact caused Ichigo to lose his balance and he didn't think it was because the floor was slippery.

"Are you kidding me?" Rukia wiped some sweat off her brow. "Every professional dancer needs to be able to perform this skill."

"We're not professional," Ichigo pointed out.

"Well we'll be just as good as one after lots of practice," Rukia said, turning off the stereo. She picked up her phone. "Hey, it's almost 4."

Ichigo cocked his head. "Yeah? What about it?"

"It's Sunday."

Ichigo put two and two together. "SHIT!" Ichigo sprinted out of the dance room. Rukia ran after him.

"Do you think I have time to shower?" Ichigo asked as turned and skidded. He lunged at the elevator and pressed the up button. The doors opened almost immediately and he dove in while Rukia calmly stepped inside. She pressed "15."

"Well, it's 3:56. By the time you get to your room, it will be what, 3:59? If you're lucky, of course. Unless you can shower and get changed in a minute, probably not." Rukia smirked.

Ichigo dusted his shirt. "How do I smell?"

"Like a seventh grader who's never heard of deodorant."

"Fuck."

The elevators dinged and opened. Ichigo rushed out, but before he made his way to the common room, he sensed Rukia turning the other way.

Ichigo glanced back. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Back to my room," Rukia answered. "No one visits me anymore." She turned and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Ichigo called out. Rukia looked back at him quizzically.

"Er, never mind. See ya later," Ichigo mumbled. Rukia furrowed her eyebrows, clearly confused, but shrugged and said "bye" and walked off.

Digging his pockets, Ichigo headed for the common room, cursing himself for his awkwardness. He had wanted to ask Rukia if she wanted to meet his family and friends but for some reason, couldn't bring himself to do so.

Ichigo combed his spiky orange hair with his fingers and entered the common room.

"ICHIGO!" Isshin caught Ichigo in a giant bear hug. Ichigo cringed and awkwardly patted his father's back.

"ICHIGO I-" Isshin drew back and sniffed. Frowning, he slapped Ichigo.

"W-What the fuck dad?" Ichigo exclaimed, his hand on his cheek.

"You smell awful!" Isshin scolded. "Like…Like…a sweaty sock!"

"Don't be surprised, Dr. Kurosaki." Uryu walked over with Tatsuki, Chad, Keigo, Mizuiro, Nemu, Karin, and Yuzu. "That's Ichigo's natural scent. Shame he doesn't smell like his name."

"Kiss my ass, Uryu," Ichigo snapped.

Tatsuki sniffed and frowned. "You really do smell bad though. What were you doing today?"

Ichigo scratched his head. "Er, working out."

"And you didn't bother to shower?"

"I lost track of time." Ichigo changed the subject. "So, got any good news?"

Everyone smiled and stepped aside so that Yuzu, who had been unnaturally quiet, was directly in front of Ichigo.

"Well…" Yuzu's face was a deep shade of crimson. "I uh…"

"Do you want your proud daddy to say it?" Isshin asked excitedly. Karin smacked his head.

Yuzu took a deep breath and raised her hand. Wrapped around her ring finger was s shiny diamond ring that glittered under the light.

"I'm getting married!"

If Ichigo was in a cartoon, there would be giant ellipses floating over his head. "Huh?"

Yuzu beamed and squealed, "I'm getting married Ichi-nii! His name is Hanakari, Jinta and he owns a general goods store across my bakery and he's got gorgeous red hair and he's just the most perfect man in the world and he proposed to me last Wednesday!"

Ichigo's mouth dropped to the floor. He turned to everyone else. "Why didn't any of you tell me before?!"

"Yuzu wanted to tell you in person," Tatsuki laughed.

"The wedding's going to be in April!" Yuzu chimed.

"Beginning or middle?" Ichigo asked.

Yuzu blinked. "Middle, most likely. Why?"

"Just wondering," Ichigo said, stifling a sigh of relief. It would've been problematic if the wedding was on the same day as the dance contest. He smiled. "Sorry about my slow reaction, Yuzu. I just can't believe my little sister is engaged."

Yuzu's face grew all serious. "I'm 25 years old, Ichi-nii. I'm no longer a child."

"You still act like one," Ichigo teased. Yuzu pouted.

"Hey, Ichigo." Ichigo glanced back at a solemn Karin.

"Yeah?"

Karin crossed her arms and frowned. "Do you…do you think Las Noches will let you attend the wedding? What if…what if something happens and you can't?" Yuzu gasped and stared at Ichigo, her eyes begging for a response.

Ichigo thought about it for a moment. "Well, I should have my outside privileges by then, so yeah I should be able to attend the wedding." Ichigo grinned. "In fact, none of you should worry about me missing the wedding, because by April, I'll be cured and able to go back home."

Uryu was staring at Ichigo like he was a lunatic for making such a bold statement, but everyone else smiled.

"Really?" Yuzu asked.

Ichigo nodded. "Yes. My wedding gift to you will be my recovery. I promise."

"Such a bold promise from such a bold man," a familiar voice said, startling Ichigo. He whirled around and saw a tall man with slicked back brown hair. He was wearing a white suit over a dusty pink button down shirt. Ichigo suddenly realized why the voice sounded so familiar. He heard his voice almost every single morning on the loudspeaker.

It was Aizen. The Sosuke Aizen.

"Good afternoon," Aizen said with a charming smile on his face. Out of the corner of Ichigo's eye, he could see Karin blush.

"Ooh!" Isshin grabbed Aizen's hand and shook it vigorously. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Aizen!"

Aizen blinked. "Er, pleasure to meet you too, Mr…?"

"Kurosaki! Dr. Kurosaki Isshin!" Isshin said. He released Aizen's hand. He must've held it pretty damn tight because Aizen's pale hand was now red.

Rubbing his hand, Aizen nodded at Ichigo. "Hello, Kurosaki, Ichigo."

Ichigo scratched his head. Though Aizen was smiling, there was something about his sharp brown eyes that intimidated Ichigo just a little. "Hi Mr. Aizen. Er, what brings you here?"

"I always try to greet the new patients," Aizen said. "I want them to feel welcomed."

"I've been here for like a month already."

Aizen chuckled. "Well not everyone can do whatever they want, whenever they want."

"Right, sorry," Ichigo mumbled.

"No hard feelings," Aizen said. He lifted his wrist and looked down at a gold Rolex watch. "Oh, would you look at the time! I'd love to chat more, but I'm afraid I must leave. Enjoy your stay, Kurosaki Ichigo."

As Aizen walked off, Keigo tapped Ichigo's shoulder and whispered, "Dude, that guy's clothes probably cost more than what I make in a year!"

Ichigo barely heard Keigo. All he could think about was Mr. Fargo's enraged screams: THAT AIZEN IS A FUCKING LEECH WHO FUCKING FEEDS ON PEOPLE'S MONEY! I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU CALM DOWN WHEN A BASTARD LIKE HIM ROBS YOU!

Aizen was slightly intimidating, but that was only because of his power and wealth. He wasn't a "bastard." In fact, Aizen seemed like a nice person.

Besides, once I'm cured, Aizen has to let me go. He can't just decide to keep me here.

Right?

"OK Urahara!" Ichigo said as he stormed into Urahara's office. He plopped onto a leather chair. "I need to be cured by April. Ask me any question and I'll answer as best as I can."

"OK…" Urahara said, looking quite perplexed. "Want to explain your sudden change in attitude?"

"My younger sister is getting married," Ichigo said. "I promised her that I'll be cured by her wedding."

Urahara knitted his eyebrows. "You told your sister, that you'll be cured by April?"

Ichigo nodded. "I figured that would be the best wedding present for Yuzu. She was devastated when I first came here."

"And what happens if you can't keep your promise?"

"I can," Ichigo said firmly. "I will."

Urahara sighed. "I can't guarantee that you'll be cured by then. The best I can do is listen to you. Your recovery depends on yourself." Urahara opened his notepad. "So tell me, Ichigo, how was your day?"

"It was good," Ichigo replied. "I danced with Rukia and saw my friends and family."

"You've never actually talked about your friends and family before," Urahara said. "Just Orihime. Want to tell me about them?"

Ichigo thought for a moment. "One of them is named Uryu. We have a love-hate relationship. We bicker a lot, but he's my best friend. Uryu has a wife named Nemu and a son named Soken. I have another friend named Chad who doesn't talk very often. Keigo is a retard who's always with Mizuiro, who has a thing for older women. My dad is also a retard and annoys the hell out of me. I have two sisters named Yuzu and Karin. I have a friend named Tatsuki who I've known since childhood."

"And you're very close to all of them?"

Ichigo reminisced his high school days. "Yeah, we're all very close."

In an unnaturally casual voice, Urahara asked, "And what about your mother?"

The tips of Ichigo's fingers and toes froze. "What?"

"You didn't mention your mother," Urahara said a matter-of-factly.

The air in the room suddenly felt very hot and Ichigo had trouble breathing. The walls seemed to be closing in on him. "We're no longer close." Ichigo gripped the leather arms of the chair and rose to his feet. "I have to leave."

Urahara's eyes glimmered. "We're not done yet."

"Yes we are!" Ichigo walked out briskly.

"At this rate, you'll never be cured!" Urahara called.

Ichigo ignored Urahara's comment and sped down the hallway and entered an elevator. He knew deep down that he had to open up, but he simply wasn't ready. He didn't want to recall that day.

"Damn, you is fine. Want to have a few drinks with me?"

"I'm married."

"Ah come on! Don't be so prude."

"Ichigo, let's go."

"Oh you're not going anywhere."

The deafening scream that had haunted Ichigo's mind for so long blasted in his ears. Ichigo had not heard the scream this loud before. Everything was coming at him like a train.

The elevator stopped and opened. Ichigo quickly walked out.

"Stay away from my son and I!"

Ichigo was running now. The corner of Ichigo's vision was turning blood red. The screams grew louder and louder. Suddenly, Ichigo heard another cry. A little boy was crying.

Go away, go away! Ichigo's head began to throb. He stopped at a door. It took Ichigo a moment to realize he wasn't standing in front of his door.

He had ran to Rukia's.

Why? Ichigo wondered. Why did I come here?

Suddenly, the door opened and standing right in front of Ichigo was the violet eyed widow.

"Ichigo, why are you here?" Rukia asked.

"How did you know someone was here?"

Rukia answered, "I have psychic powers." She studied his face. "Come in." Rukia opened the door wider and gestured inside. Ichigo reluctantly walked in.

Rukia's room was very tidy, and looked exactly like Ichigo's. Resting on top of her bed was a laptop with rabbit stickers on it.

Ichigo glanced around the room. The area around one bed was practically empty, as if no one had used it for a while.

"Where's your roommate?" Ichigo asked.

"She was checked out a few weeks before you arrived." Rukia fell back on the bed, her arms and legs spread out. "I have this room all to myself, now."

"Lucky you," Ichigo said, sitting down next to her. Rukia sat up. "Toshiro always wakes up early and usually ends up waking me up."

"My old roommate was like that too," Rukia said. "She had trouble sleeping and would always try to talk to me in the middle of the night. The longest she's ever slept was like, what, six hours?"

"That's rough," Ichigo said. "Sorry."

Rukia smirked. "You don't have to apologize for something like that, especially since it wasn't your fault at all."

"Hey, I was just showing some sympathy," Ichigo replied. "Toshiro does that with me. My dad used to do wake me up early all the time as well."

"Byakuya did that a lot, too," Rukia said in a soft voice. "He thought that if I slept too much, I'd gain weight."

"Actually, not getting enough sleep makes you gain weight," Ichigo said, smiling. Talking with Rukia was actually…soothing. All that turmoil Ichigo felt before seemed to be lifting off his chest.

Then, to his surprise, Rukia laughed. It was an uncontrollable laugh, one that made Rukia clutch her sides and her cheeks flush. Ichigo's breath caught in his throat and something fluttered in the pit of his stomach.

"What's so funny?" Ichigo asked, poking Rukia's cheek.

Her laugh reduced to giggles. "Byakuya thinks he's always right, and usually he is. So whenever he's wrong, I just die."

"You," Ichigo said. "Are easily amused."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Ichigo half-closed his eyes and stared at the floor with a small smile on his face.

"No, it's not."