Well, since the story is such a hit, I thought I'd give you more. No real intro for this chapter, so I guess I will just jump right into the story!

But first, a thanks to our most recent reviewers:

Oh, and I feel really stupid about this, but I can't remember if I gave Nanami an age… I mean she's about as old as Rukia was when she first met Ichigo from living in Soul Society for so long. But in the Human world she's going to need a human age. Nanami's age: 17. About the same age Ichigo was when he met Rukia. Tee Hee. See what I did there?

So, while ignoring my Homework, I will explain that Kon appears in this chapter (Yay!). However, Ichigo's family will not be making much of an appearance. Nanami will mean her Grandpa Isshin and Aunt Karin and Yuku, but then they will be more or less forgotten. I'll try to make the reasoning as clear as possible later on.

Anyway…

Okay, here's the people that reviewed for the last chapter:

Guest (First Reviewer)

Xxsakurachan97

hunterofcomedy

Onizuka Audrey

CheezuKe-KiXD

Quickslice

Galaxia

Lucidiam

the end of everything

Kaneko Aikawa

sky1011

Elfen Children

Galaxia and sky1011: Thank you for pointing out my mistake. I will fix that. (So embarrassed!)

Jucidiam: My grammar and spelling suck so many asses, no matter how many times I go through and re-read the chapter. For whatever reasonI catch a few of them and then skip over others. Shit happens, I guess. That's why I'm looking for a Beta, but…no one wants me. Sad face. So even though I've read this a thousand times, I'd like for someone to look it over and tell what the hell I'm doing with my life! (Just kidding.)

And thank you all for letting me know what you thought of the reunion between Ichigo and Nanami.

Also, to answer another Reviewer's comment, Soul Society is not the bad guy here. They actually help in a way, but will cost a heavy price from Ichigo. You'll see why later (hopefully in the next chapter - not this one).

Here we go!

Chapter Four: I'm Going Home

Staring at the front door, I wasn't sure what to do when I got inside. Do I go in a hug everyone like I belong? Or do I hang back and let the chips fall where they may?

I sighed heavily. In any case, I figured it was a good idea to conceal my Spiritual Pressure, in case a Hollow sensed my presence and decided to show up.

Stepping around me, the tall, orange-haired Soul Reaper reached for the door handle. He paused, looking over his shoulder. "Are you ready?"

I gulped down any doubt I had, and nodded. "As ready as I'll every be."

A small smile touched his lips as he turned the knob and opened the door. We stepped into a warm house, and the smell of food wafted at me. I may not have been hungry, but it still smelled good. The walls of the room were painted a pale grey that almost looked like a dull silver color. The walls were decorated with small picture frames, and most of the people in those pictures liked alike.

"Yo, Kon! Where are you? I need my body back."

I blanched, completely taken aback by what he just said. "Y-Your 'what back'?" I stuttered, but he didn't hear me.

About the same time, footsteps were heard and another man came around the corner. He was dressed in Jeans and a black and grey stripped t-shirt, white socks on his feet. In his hand he was carrying a stuffed lion animal.

And the fact that this man looked exactly like Ichigo in every way was a little unnerving.

The second Ichigo scuffed. "Why should I? Serves you right for leaving poor Rukia in the house to defend the kids all by herself. What if that Soul Reaper you sensed got past you, huh? What if he came right for the house? Then what?"

He even sounds just like him, I thought. What did I just walk into?

The Soul Reaper Ichigo clenched his fist, clearly annoyed. "Hey! Knock it off!"

The human looking Ichigo just folded his arms over his chest. "Make me."

"Stop acting like a child, will you? No one here is impressed. And you know Rukia can sense the different between us, so stop trying to act like the man of the house." He groaned in annoyance. "So, seeing as though I asked nicely, you better give me my body back."

Ichigo number two got a weird look in his eye, smirking. "Well, you know, someone has to keep Rukia occupied while you're out playing hero." He chuckled.

This time the first Ichigo got right up in…well, his own face. "Kon, you sick bastard! I swear to go I'm going to kill you…!"

The other one sneered. "Oh, yeah?! And-" That was when he finally noticed the second Soul Reaper in the room – me. He backed a step away from who I hoped was my real Dad and looked over at me.

"Hey, who's this lovely young woman we have here?"

Looking back at me, The Soul Reaper Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, but just then something came hurling through the air. It hit the Ichigo holding the stuffed animal in the head with an amazing force, making both me and the other Ichigo jump with surprise.

"Kon! Give Ichigo back his body. And for the tenth time, keep it down! I just got Izuro down, so you better not wake him."

When the object in question came into contact with the orange haired head, the body fell limp, face blank and expressionless. Close by, a small green pill rolled next to his head.

I gasped. "A Mod Soul." I felt stupid not realizing it before.

I had only read about them. I never would have thought I would come across one still intact.

Grunting in annoyance, the real Ichigo picked up his body. "Damn Kon. He's so annoying sometimes." There was a moment's hesitation before he fused with his body, effectively sealing away his Soul Reaper powers. It was amazing to see all of this in real life, actually happening.

Once back in his body, Ichigo blinked a few times and rubbed the back of his head as he stood to his feet. He picked up the Mod Soul pill and placed it in the stuffed animal's mouth. For so many reason's placing the Mod Soul pill in a body that never lived to begin with shouldn't have worked. But even I was surprised when the toy sprang to life, waving a paw at Ichigo.

"Arg! You complete dim-wit! I was about to ask this beautiful young lady here her name when you had to go and ruin it!" The stuffed animal motioned to me angrily.

Did he just say…? I giggled aloud. I guess Mod Souls really could live in nonliving beings, whether they were alive to begin with or not. And this one seemed to have its own strange personality.

Kon turned to me, facing away and ignoring the orange haired man fuming behind him.

"Ah! She laughs – and what a lovely sound!" He leapt into the air and instinctively, I caught him in my arms. "Oh, and what a lovely warm and soft embrace! I swear, Ichigo, you should bring girls home more often. This is the best time I've had in a long time." Smiling, he snugged into my arms and...

Wait. Was he trying to…?

Aggravated and slightly disturbed that a plush toy was hitting on me, I took the stuffed animal by his face, clenched hard, and slammed him into the nearest wall, holding him there. "Sorry. I don't play with annoying toys."

When I remove my hand, the toy in question slid down the wall with tears streaming from his black beady eyes, a red print where my hand used to be. "I-Impossible…"

To that, Ichigo smiled, looking triumphant. "That's my girl."

With the bright smile on his face, and the kind way he was looking at me, I found myself filling with warmth; I was appreciating that someone noticed me. Back in Soul Society, the only attention I got from anyone was from Hisana. Of course I wanted her approval and opinion on things, but it would have been nice for Byakuya to do the same. He never praised me, only telling me that I could do better. In all honesty, when one pushes herself to the absolute limit, what could make her go farther than she can?

A voice traveled down the hall, breaking my train of thought. "Ichigo? Are you coming to dinner or what? Your food will get cold if you…wait…" A small form appeared from the same direction the badge thing had come from. The woman standing before me was on the short side – I definitely passed her by a few inches – and was wearing a simple yellow sundress with a white and pink apron with a bunny on the front. She had deep violet eyes and short layered black hair. The same black as mine - and Hisana's - but mine was much longer.

The woman stared wide eyed for a moment, and then scowled at her husband before quickly fixing me with a glare. I nearly flinched.

"Ichigo… Who is this? And why have you brought her into our home?"

The man in question turned from his wife and looked to me. "Tell Rukia what you told me." When I looked at him incredulously, he nodded his head once, as if confirming my inner thoughts about who this woman was. "She needs to hear it."

Rukia.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I bring a message from Byakuya Kuchiki."

To that, Rukia's eyes widened a fraction. "Brother…?"

I nodded once, trying to stay serious, but how could I when I was finally meeting my family?

"He requested that…that your daughter be sent away. It was no longer safe for her there, in the world where souls resided." I didn't really have a message to her from uncle Byakuya, but what I said wasn't too far from the complete truth.

Almost on instinct, Rukia reached a hand out for her husband, clasping his large arm in her little hand. The look on her face was horrible; it looked like someone had brought her worst nightmare to life and made her watch it. And I could bet anything that if she was alone, she would have had tears in her eyes. I felt horrible, knowing what I just did, but…I also know how to fix it – how to make that look of horror disappear.

"They sent Nanami here to find her family," I said slowly, taking a very small step forward, my hands clasped behind my back. (They were shaking.) "Byakuya Kuchiki and Hisana Kuchiki believed that she could be safe and live peacefully here, where she belonged. They told her how to find her family. And now she…she's home."

Slowly—as slowly as I moved toward her—realization lighted her clouded face, and soon, a tear really did fall from her face.

"All she's ever wanted was to know her parents," I said, fighting tears myself. I knew better than to cry in front of a man. But when meeting your parents for the first time in 17 years…how could you not? "She…never even knew their names. She never knew how old they were or what they were like. She only knew what they did to save her life."

After a few moments of studying me, with a small voice, Rukia said, "…Nanami?"

A lone tear escaped my eye and traveled down my cheek. I nodded, not sure I could say anymore.

At a speed I didn't think she could move, Rukia's little body slammed into mine, and I was once again in a warm embrace. And this time I didn't hesitate to hug back. For some reason she felt familiar—her presence alone was something I had felt before. Once, a long time ago. It was something babies never forgot: the sense that their mother was near.

I felt a hand on my head, and I looked up and found Ichigo smiling widely, happy to see his wife's reaction. I could also see in his eyes how happy he was that I was here. I never got to experience the loving look from a father, and having him smile at me while having my mother hold me in her arms was something like a dream. I knew I could never be anywhere happier than right here.

"Welcome home, Nanami."

Well, it was kind of short. Sorry. And there's a reason why Nanami isn't calling Ichigo and Rukia 'dad and 'mom'—trust me, there is a method to my madness. She's also going to hear about what happened to Ichigo and Rukia, and why they had to give her up. It's a long a winding process, but we'll get there…in the next chapter!

I hope you noticed the difference in reactions to Nanami meeting Ichigo and her meeting Rukia. There is also a reason behind that. It's a girly thing, lol.

For now, I have to end it here. If you have any comments or questions I could answer, you know how to reach me.

Thanks For Reading!

-Aly