When Ichigo arrived home from work, he was exhausted. Walking in he smelled dinner, it smelled wonderful. Ichigo was starving, but even the smell of dinner couldn't break through his funk. Yuzu told him dinner would be in about 30 minutes. He headed upstairs after greeting his dad and sisters. Ichigo walked into his room, he sat on the bed resting for a moment before deciding to take a shower before dinner. He opened his closet and stood in shock.

"Hello Ichigo." A very familiar voice said, her tone was slightly amused, but warm and caring. Ichigo couldn't believe his eyes, she was here and he could see her. Ichigo felt his chest looking for a broken chain, when he realized he was alive he wondered if he'd gone crazy.

"Are you going to say something or stand their all day, Strawberry?" She asked with a playful smirk.

"Rukia." He breathed almost reverently. She stepped out of the closet

"It's me, I'm here Ichigo. " Rukia said, her voice gentle and caring. A warm smile on her face. Rukia was surprised when Ichigo didn't say anything, he just gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Rukia felt warm and safe in his arms, it felt like home. Rukia admitted to herself she had fallen in love with Ichigo, perhaps going as far back as her near execution. In his warm embrace Rukia could almost hope he loved her too.

"How?" He asked.

"You lit my way home, Ichigo." Rukia said, tearing up. Her face buried in his shirt.

"Welcome home, Midget." He said to the girl in his arms, his voice warm and soft.

"Thank you, Strawberry. " She said, a smile in her voice.

The pair soon made their way downstairs, Ichigo hadn't noticed on his way in that Yuzu had set an extra place at the table. They sat for dinner, it was just as Rukia remembered it. The laughter, Isshin's antics, Karin's sarcastic remarks, and Yuzu gently admonishing her family. To Rukia it felt like she was truly home.

"So Rukia-nee, how long can you stay in the Living World? " Karin asked, no longer concerned about keeping the spirit world a secret from Yuzu, their dad had explained everything to them after Ichigo lost his powers.

"I'm due back in a couple of days, in the evening. " She said.

"How come you didn't use a gigai before?" Yuzu asked.

"I couldn't get permission to before, I don't know what changed this time, but when I asked Urahara to get me one without reporting it, he said that Captain Ukatake had not only arranged it but paid for it too. " Rukia said.

"Jushiro is a good man, cares about his people. I think he was hoping this would happen. " Isshin said, thinking about his old friend and occasional drinking buddy from back in the day.

"I uh." Rukia started, not sure what to think about that, it did sound like her captain to do something like that.

"Thank you captain." She muttered to herself, grateful he would do something like that for her.

The evening was fun and eventful, they spent their time catching up and watching movies, it was Karin's night to chose a movie. Rukia was surprised when Karin chose The Lake House, since it didn't really fit her style, she wondered if Karin was trying to tell her something. About half way through the movie Rukia snuggled into Ichigo's side without realizing it. On instinct Ichigo put an arm around her without really thinking or noticing. The movie ended with Rukia and Yuzu in tears. Rukia and Ichigo noticed their position when Karin turned the lights on, the both nearly jumped apart turning tomato red. Neither Ichigo nor Rukia noticed the smirk on Karin's face, or Isshin's warm smile. Karin exchanged a knowing look with Yuzu who smiled, they were going to get the truth out of Rukia later.

...

Later that evening after everyone retired for the night Rukia sat on the rollaway bed in the twins room, she was wearing a pair of yellow pajamas that Yuzu loaned her. The girls were setting around talking, and giggling.

"So Rukia-nee, do you have a boyfriend yet?" Yuzu asked. Rukia nearly choked on the water she was drinking, almost giving Karin a second shower.

"What?" Rukia choked out, still coughing.

"Did you get a boyfriend yet, Rukia-nee?" Yuzu said again.

"No, no boyfriend yet." Rukia said.

"What about Renji-kun?" Karin asked.

"He's my friend, more like a brother. We grew up together. I think it might be too weird. " Rukia said.

"So Karin, you and Captain Hitsugaya?" Rukia asked smiling.

"How do you know about that?" Karin asked, a little bit red.

"I saw the two of you getting friendly in the park. " Rukia said, Karin's blushed deepened.

" Uh yeah, it's been a little over a year now. We met just before the war, he helped me win a soccer match against some older kids. Tosh kept visiting the Living World, he stayed with us a few times." Karin said.

"Tosh, he lets you call him Tosh?" Rukia asked, smirking a bit.

"Yeah, uh." Karin's embarrassment getting worse.

"What's he call you?" Rukia said, enjoying the younger girl's discomfort.

"He calls her Rin." Yuzu said with a smirk. Rukia grinned at the sandy haired girl.

"Uh, yeah, anyway I guess we just clicked, one day we had been playing soccer, he scored the winning goal and I just couldn't help myself, I kinda kissed him and he kissed me back." She continued, Rukia and Yuzu had dreamy looks on their faces.

"I was surprised when he told me that because Otou-san had been a shinigami I'm technically half shinigami so our relationship was allowed." Karin said. That was very interesting news to Rukia, she wasn't aware that such exceptions existed. It wouldn't work she berated herself, she couldn't use a gigai all the time and anyway Ichigo didn't see her that way, she was just a friend to him, Rukia berated herself again.

"Yuzu, any boys for you yet?" Rukia asked, surprised at how much she was enjoying 'girl talk', she thought this was what it would be like to have little sisters

"Not yet, Jinta is kind of cute, but he's too immature." Yuzu told her.

"Any other boys you like?" Rukia pressed, Yuzu turned a bit red.

"We'll there is someone..." Yuzu said, reluctant to go down that road.

"Come on Yuzu, spill." Karin said, she didn't know Yuzu liked someone else, she felt a little put out, they were twins, they were supposed to tell each other everything.

Yuzu's blush deepened.

"Ok, ok, it's Renji-kun, please don't tell anyone. " Yuzu said.

"Never." Karin said, and Rukia affirmed.

"You definitely seem to have a type Yuzu-chan. " Rukia said

"Yeah, tall, red, and not very smart. " Karin joked. All three girls laughed.

After a few moments Yuzu gave Karin a significant look, Karin nodded.

"Soooo, what's going on between you and Ichi-nii?" Karin asked, smirking.

"I uh, um, what do you mean?" Rukia asked, she suddenly felt nervous, she felt herself blush.

"Rukia-nee, what are your intentions with our brother?" Yuzu asked with a grin. Rukia suddenly felt very exposed.

"You're in love with him, aren't you? Karin asked, enjoying a little payback. Rukia blushed.

" I um, I don't I don't know what you mean. " Rukia said, her blush betraying her.

"Suuure, Nee-chan. " Karin said, Rukia deflated.

"Ok OK, yes, I love Ichigo, I'm in love with Ichigo, I have been for a long time, but it's not like he sees me that way, so if we can only be friends I'll be content with that." Rukia said. There were unshed tears in her eyes. Karin placed a gentle hand on Rukia's shoulder.

"Can you be?" Karin asked softly, her voice gentle and sympathetic.

"I have to." Rukia said, her voice breaking. Karin pulled her into a hug, Yuzu joined seconds later. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Yuzu called out, they broke the hug, and Rukia wiped her eyes.

...

Ichigo was walking by the twins room on his way downstairs for a drink, he paused at the partly open door when he heard the girls talking with Rukia.

"Ok OK, yes, I love Ichigo, I'm in love with Ichigo, I have been for a long time, but it's not like he sees me that way, so if we can only be friends I'll be content with that." He heard Rukia tell his sisters. Ichigo was in shock.

"She's in love with me." He whispered to himself, his heart felt light, for a moment he smiled, overjoyed. He couldn't believe it, the woman he loved so much it hurt loved him back. Coming to a decision he knocked on the door.

"Come in. " He heard Yuzu say.

Ichigo walked in, all three girls were setting on Rukia's bed. Ichigo thought it looked like Rukia had been crying.

"Hey, I need to borrow Rukia for a few minutes." He said when he walked in. She stood up to follow him, he saw Karin place a comforting hand on Rukia's back, she gave the older girl a kind encouraging smile. Rukia smiled back before following Ichigo to his room.

...

Karin watched Rukia follow Ichigo out, she hoped Rukia would be ok, that everything would work out. Karin knew Rukia made Ichigo whole and happy.

"I hope she'll be ok." Karin said

"She will, Onii-chan loves her like she loves him. " Yuzu said, a look of absolute certainty on her face.

"How can you be sure?" Karin asked, her face a little worried, she loved her brother very much, and she'd come to love Rukia almost as much, she didn't want Rukia to get hurt.

"The way he looks at her." Yuzu said, and Karin gave her curious look.

"Huh?"

"He looks at her the same way Toshiro-kun looks at you. " Yuzu explained, Karin smiled and blushed.

...

Rukia wondered why Ichigo wanted to talk to her in private. He sat in his desk chair, she sat on the bed. Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. Rukia was starting to worry, Ichigo was nervous about something, his face was turning red.

"Rukia, I um, I'm not sure where to begin, I um, I need to tell you something. . " He said before stopping, and scratching the back of his head nervously.

"It's ok Ichigo, just tell me." Rukia said, a treasonous part of her mind wondered if he was going to confess his love, she stomped down on it.

"Rukia, I'm glad you're back I missed you." He said

"I missed you to." She said with a smile, inside she felt a little disappointed. As she turned to go back to the girls room she felt Ichigo's hand on her shoulder.

"Wait Rukia, I wanted to tell you, um I um. I heard you talking to the twins. " Rukia's eyes widened and her stomach dropped. She felt her face turning pink.

"I, I uh." She stammered. He placed a gentle hand on her cheek. He swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Rukia, I um, I love you, I have for a long time, I'm so in love with you it's painful. Rukia you stopped the rain, you gave me purpose and hope, life without you is empty, so cold and empty that I almost forgot what hope was. You're perfectly named, you're the ray of light in my dark world. You said I lit your way home, but you're the light that guides my heart home, you are my heart's home. " He said softly. Rukia teared up, her mind shutdown repeating he loves me, he loves me, he loves me, she couldn't think all other thoughts were gone, so she did the only thing she could, she gave in to her instincts. Rukia kissed him, it was warm, sweet and loving.

"I love you so much Ichigo." She whispered.

"Rukia " He whispered as he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, and pulled her into his lap, Ichigo deepened the kiss. Rukia melted against Ichigo snuggling further into his lap. After a couple of hours of talking and kissing it was bed time. Rukia stood to go to the girls room.

"Wait Rukia." Ichigo said. She turned back with a smile on her face.

"You can sleep here tonight if you want to. " He said.

"Ok." She said with a smile, her voice gentle and loving. Rukia headed towards the closet, as she opened the door to climb in she felt Ichigo's hand on her shoulder.

"Uh, I um didn't mean the closet." He said, his voice nervous his face red.

" I just mean we can sleep, I don't mean we have to do anything, just sleep. " He quietly added. His face growing redder

"That sounds nice." Rukia said, she followed Ichigo to the bed, he got in and held the covers for her. Rukia laid down and felt Ichigo wrap his arms around her.

"Good night Rukia, I love you so much."

"Good night Ichigo, I love you too, I can't tell you how much. "

A couple of hours later Isshin found them asleep, Rukia's head was resting on Ichigo's shoulder, his arms around her. Isshin smiled. "At last, my children are whole. Goodnight Ichigo, goodnight Rukia my third daughter, I love you both." He said in a whisper. They didn't wake, but Ichigo tightened his hold on Rukia.