Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Lord Byron's poem She Walks In Beauty, or the Editors song Well Worn Hand. I do, however, own this story. -Smile-

She Walks in Beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

-Well Worn Hand-

"Wake up my love
Today I heard some bad news
Just what are we all supposed to do?
I won't let them get to you.
I don't want to go out on my own anymore,
I can't face the night like I used to before.
Take my well worn hand,
Let's lock ourselves away
We'll never, ever step outside
We'll curl up in a ball and hide"

Lonely May days always seemed to calm him. This breezy Friday morning was no different. The sun was shining, and the trees swayed in the light breeze that caressed each branch. Walking down the front steps of his apartment building, he saw that the sakura trees, which adorned the front of his building in neat lines, were still in full bloom. It was almost summer time and the blossoms were sure to scatter soon. Seeing them reminded him of his mother. As a child, his mother would take him and his sisters to the nearby park and allowed them to run on the grass with the sakura trees.

He adjusted his messenger backpack on his back. He then sighed, almost shuddered, and began the short walk from the big automatic doors that led into his apartment building to his parked motorcycle in the next door parking lot. The building he lived in had their own spaces for parking, for which they charged an arm and a leg. He'd much rather see his money go to a better place, like his schooling, for example.

The school he was attending, Tokyo Daigaku, abbreviated Todai, was the most famous research university in Japan. He was studying pre-medicine at Todai, as an undergraduate. He was on his last year. He still had no idea how he had gotten into that university. His grades in high school were not prodigious. His dad was friends with a couple of professors on the admissions committee, so he guessed that that had something to do with it. He wasn't complaining. He zipped up his leather jacket and mounted his motorcycle. After locking in his helmet safely on his head, he started his bike and sped off.

It was a calm ride. He almost felt like he was going slow motion, in a velvet reverie. These types of days had become more frequent since the death of his mother. It had been nearly a month, and his quotidian days were becoming even duller. He had a very monotonous schedule for the past month; he would wake up, go to school, eat lunch either at school or a nearby restaurant, go back to school for the last classes of the day, and then go back home and study before retiring to his bed. It was perfect for his present state of mind, however. He was in no mood to be around people or speak to anyone. He spoke to his family on the phone a couple of times during the week, but had very little communication with anyone otherwise. He knew it was not good to lock oneself away with grief, as it would only get worse. He decided to call his best friend Hirako Shinji that morning and ask him to join him at Ootobai, a restaurant close by to the art university in Tokyo. He had not spoken to Shinji since his mother's funeral. It would be good to see what he was up to.

Another person he hadn't spoken to since his mother's funeral was his childhood friend Chad. Chad was attending the community college in Tokyo. He wasn't what you would call a "high achiever." But Chad was a good friend, and he felt that a good chat with Chad would do him well. He would head to Chad's after school. Perhaps he would bring a few beers to drink over a long chat.

He parked his bike in a spot far from the entrance. He liked to give himself more time to think. He jogged up the wide steps that led up to the school with his hands in his pockets. He shook the hair out of his face as he walked past a tree planted on top of the stairs, surrounded by concrete. The automatic doors opened for him and he made an immediately left on his way to his first class. He kept his head down, thus bumping into a few people. He looked up and uttered apologies and went on his way. The long hallway ended and he got in the elevator on his right. Other students were already there, making their way up from the lower levels. The elevator stopped on the fourth floor and he got out quickly. He avoided the company of people as much as he could nowadays. He turned left then made a right at the science wing water fountain.

Walking into his classroom, he nodded his head at a few classmates and took his seat. The classroom had no windows. Some people complained that the fumes from lab experiments would suffocate them someday. There was a large blackboard that covered the whole wall at the front of the room. To the far left of it was a desk where the professor sat. Next to it, the professor had his own large, wide table in which to conduct experiments. The room was filled with tables like these, all holding two students. At the back of the class in the far right there was a shower for washing off dangerous chemicals. To its left was a long row of sinks.

Ichigo took out his white lab coat and located his lab goggles on his head. He had always enjoyed chemistry in high school, and it had become his favorite class in college. Two hours first thing in the morning usually put him in good spirits. He enjoyed having his mind challenged, it made him somewhat excited.

He was looking forward to this day; it should prove to break the redundant pattern he had recently lent himself to. He would still grieve for his mother... but he felt that getting his mind off of her death would only do him good.

"Ichigo... you gonna pick that up?"

Ichigo knew well who it was, but took his phone out of his pocket and looked anyway. Of course it was as he suspected. She never failed to call every day at lunch. Sometimes he would pick up, but usually just let it ring. He smirked dully at his best friend over the small round table.

"It's rude to answer phone calls when one is in the company of others sharing a meal," Ichigo said. He leaned his back against the wall that was right behind his chair. Shinji smiled at this.

"Why don't you ever pick up for her?" he inquired while shaking his head at the man in front of him.

Ichigo chuckled, "I do every once in a while! It's just that whenever she calls I'm usually… busy…"

"Hmm, that girl deserves better than you," Shinji laughed. Ichigo chuckled with him.

"I suppose she does…" Ichigo brought his face down, "It's just lately it's been… difficult. She's a happy girl. And I'm presently not the most pleasant being to be around."

"Bad excuse. Isn't that one of her jobs as a girlfriend? To be around you even if you're unpleasant to be around? Shouldn't she be keeping you company and keeping your mind off of… things? Hasn't she tried to make you feel better?"

Ichigo rubbed his neck and looked around uncomfortably. He nodded briskly.

"Uh-huh, and knowing you," continued Shinji, "you probably ignored her attempts and closed yourself off completely."

"She tries, and I'm thankful, I really am and I don't want to hurt her feelings, but… her blithe and insouciant personality just makes me feel uncomfortable. She tries to 'cheer me up' but it feels like she's trying too hard…"

"Heh… so she doesn't do anything for ya?" Shinji asked, smirking. Ichigo shook his head gingerly.

"So what are you still doing with her?" Ichigo looked away from Shinji's frowning face. He didn't have a chance to answer because at that moment, a short blonde woman with a flat chest waltzed into their corner at the far right of Ootobai. They were almost secluded in that spot. Ichigo was surprised the servers even remembered that table was there.

The woman sat down in an empty chair on Shinji's right. It was Sarugaki Hiyori. She studied law at Todai. She was Shinji's longtime girlfriend. She was brash and often hurt others because of her tendency to speak before she thought. Ichigo found her insufferable.

Hiyori slammed both hands on the table and turned on Ichigo dangerously, "Kurosaki! Where the hell have you been?! No one's seen you in over a month!"

Ichigo let out a low growl. "It's none of your damn business, woman!"

"Pbbt, you've probably been sulking in your apartment all alone clinging to the artwork your mom left you," she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms indignantly under her small chest, "I bet Inoue's been worrying herself sick over an incompetent dickhead like you! Honestly, she's too good for you."

"Whatever, you crazy bitch, I have nothing to say to you! I don't owe you an explanation."

Hiyori gasped and turned to her boyfriend, "Shinji! Are you gonna let him talk to me like that?!" Shinji sighed.

"Woman, just leave the man alone and shut the hell up!" Hiyori let out a high pitched squeal of anger.

"Fine! You're such a pushover! You're not getting any tonight, I hope you're aware." With this, she sat back in her chair and pouted angrily. "What the hell you lookin' at, dickhead?" she asked Ichigo who was glaring at her.

"Something extremely unpleasant to the sight, I'm happy to report." This flared up Hiyori, but Shinji pulled her down with one arm.

"OK, I think we should get going now…I'll pay Ichigo, don't worry about it," Shinji said while getting up to reach his wallet in his back jean pocket. Ichigo stood up with him.

"No, you don't have to, it was my treat, and I asked you to come…"

"No, no," Shinji cut in, "seriously, it's cool. Don't you want to save money for that painting you were going to buy? Hey, every penny counts!" Ichigo gave in with that. He wasn't in a mood to argue.

"You're still collecting, dickhead?" Hiyori asked.

"Yes, in fact, I still am."

"Oh. I thought you'd give that up since, you know, your mother died," Hiyori said insensitively. Ichigo just glared at her.

"Hiyori, compassion, yah?" Shinji said grabbing his girlfriend's arm roughly.

"Hey! I'm just stating a fact!"

"I haven't gone to a show since her death," Ichigo informed her listlessly before their arguing could continue. Shinji looked over at him sadly.

"You know there's gonna be an auction tomorrow…"

"I know. Argenteuil is being auctioned there." Ichigo looked to the side almost in distress.

"So… are you going to go?" Shinji questioned. Ichigo shuffled his feet and put his hands in his pockets. He looked down and shook his head.

"Why not? You've been looking for that painting."

"I don't… think I'm ready." Shinji stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled determinedly at Ichigo.

"You should go. It might be almost… therapeutic." Ichigo looked up at his friend.

"I'll think about it."

Shinji smiled, "Alright, you think about it. Take Inoue, if you decide to go." Hiyori scoffed.

"Pfft, he's not gonna take her even if he did decide to go. He enjoys leaving his girlfriend out of his life."

Ichigo looked at her angrily and announced, "Of course, Shinji! Why would I think of going without Inoue? She'll be coming with me if I decide to go, of course."

"Dickhead."

"Crazy bitch."

"Alright you two!" intervened Shinji, "Let's go Hiyori." He nodded his head at Ichigo. "Think about it," he said and turned to leave. Hiyori followed.

The rest of the school day passed by rather quickly. He barely noticed it go by. He barely saw his professors' lessons on the board behind them. He barely heard their instructions. He was in turmoil inside. Should he attend the auction in which they would have the painting he… and his mother, had been looking for? He didn't 

want to place himself in a situation where he would be forced to think about his mother… But on the other hand, he wanted to feel himself closer to her. Art made him feel like his mother was always there, whispering in his ear. He longed for that feeling again.

As he mounted his bike and fastened his helmet on his head, he thought about how long it had been since he'd gone to see their art collection. He decided to leave it in the attic of the family clinic, where it had always been. The attic had become almost like a shrine to his mother. He feared going inside for the memories he knew the room would bring back. He would remember admiring the pieces of art with his mother, and accompanying her on her hunts. It was a hobby of hers since she was a teen, and proceeded to pass on to her son. It was an avocation that he and his mother shared. It was special only to them.

Before his mother died, they were in search of a particular collection. His mother had always loved French renaissance art. She had chosen her favorites, and he agreed with most of them. With that, they had set off to find them. They already had five; three paintings, one marble sculpture, and one ceramic cup. The next available artwork on the list was the painting The Bridge at Argenteuil by Claude Monet. It was being auctioned in Tokyo this weekend. The painting was worth a substantial amount of money, 12.4 million to be exact. He just hoped he was the only one there interested in it; he didn't want the auction to go up too high. He had a ¥1.3 billion budget on the painting.

His father's clinic didn't make an awful lot of money, but it did help with buying these works of art. The money came mostly from his mother's earnings and savings over the years, and from a small fortune his mother had inherited from her wealthy parents. It was… a bit difficult to finance their hobby, but Ichigo and his mother always found a way.

On his way to the drug store to pick up a pack of beer to drink with Chad, Ichigo decided that he would go to the auction. He missed the closeness he felt to his mother every time he admired a painting. Tomorrow, he would retrieve the money from the bank account he and his mother had set apart for their hobby and go to the auction with Inoue in hand. He would call her after he got home from Chad's and make sure she had nothing else planned.

Coming to a halt at a stop light, he took in a deep breath. He was rather excited about his plans for tomorrow.

Sado Yasutora's front door swung open and Sado's head popped out. Ichigo smiled when he saw him and lifted his left arm, revealing a six pack of beer.

"Need some company?" said Ichigo, smirking. Chad grinned and let Ichigo in.

After taking off his shoes at the door, the first room Ichigo stepped in was the living room. There weren't many furnishings or pictures adorning the walls. A simple television, coffee table, and painting over the couch were enough for Chad. The floors were covered with white carpet, recently vacuumed. There were few things in the place, but Chad kept it very clean.

Ichigo and Chad silently walked to the couch and sat down. Ichigo leaned forward and placed the beer on the coffee table. Before retracting, he pulled one out of the group. Chad followed suit.

They sat in comfortable silence drinking their beers. They needn't have said anything. They then simultaneously placed their feet on the table, and closed their eyes. It was Ichigo that spoke first.

"Looking forward to the weekend." Chad said nothing. "I'm going to an auction," Chad looked at him and raised his eyebrows at this, "with Inoue."

"You're never going to stop calling her by her family name." It was a statement, not a question.

"I've always done it," Ichigo shrugged, "it's almost like a nickname, now."

Chad smirked slightly and shook his head. "An auction, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"It's not too early?"

"I thought it was… but I guess I miss that feeling. The one I get when I admire artwork."

"I've never met anyone that loves art like you or your mom," Chad smirked.

"You should come with me again one day. Maybe you should come with us tomorrow."

"I have plans… my class is going to the Tokyo-to Shashin Bijutsukan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography."

"Alright. Well, next time, I guess." Ichigo turned his head and smirked at his friend. He grabbed for another beer. Chad already had a new one.

"I miss the good old days," Ichigo said.

"When everyone went to school together?"

"Yeah… now everyone goes to different schools… Ishida's in the United States. You and Tatsuki are in Kaseigakuin, Inoue's in LCB, and Shinji and I are in Todai…"

"We're all… separated," finished Chad.

"… It's weird, isn't it? Growing up?"

"Yeah… it seemed like just yesterday you were crying for your mom to pick you up from school 'cause Tatsuki was making fun of you."

"Hey! I'm not thinking that far in the past," Ichigo started.

Chad chuckled, "Well it really wasn't that long ago…"

"Yes it was, damn it!"

"Alright, alright…" at this, Ichigo leaned back down into the couch.

Silence dominated once more.

"I was sad, too, you know," Chad spoke. Ichigo knew what he was referring to without having to ask. "She was like my second mom. She treated all of us like her kids. Ishida that didn't have a mother, and Inoue, Shinji and I that didn't have parents at all… we were all really thankful to her. We were all really sad, too. But hey, at least you still have your old man. And your sisters."

"Heh, yeah…" Ichigo smiled. "I don't think anyone's as heartbroken as my old man. Even me. He loved her. She was his world. She was our universe. I'm just thankful that she had enough time to raise Karin and Yuzu. They're both 17. They're young women now."

"Yeah… I can't believe you guys never caught it."

"No one did. She would get headaches, but everyone just thought that's all they were… headaches."

"Did you and your sisters get tested?"

"Yeah, Yuzu had it." Chad started at this. He looked at Ichigo, shocked. Ichigo looked at his face and smirked, "Don't worry about it, they removed it."

"Surgically?" Chad asked. Chad didn't get too excited about much, but he looked worried.

"Yeah. Only she had it in her abdominal region."

"Oh… what's the difference?" Chad asked, concern still not gone from his voice.

"Mom had it in her brain. What Yuzu had was not any more or less dangerous than the one in your brain. Just… different locations. They're all still aneurysms. If you don't catch it before it bursts… well… you know what happened to my mom."

Chad relaxed a little. "Yeah… but Yuzu's okay? She's not in any danger-"

Ichigo cut in, "Nah, she's fine. They caught it in time." At this, Chad plopped back down on the couch.

"You and Karin-"

"-Karin and I were in the clear," smirked Ichigo.

"That's good…"

"Yeah. Wanna watch TV?" asked Ichigo.

"Hah, sure."

Chad and Ichigo were watching a soccer game on TV. They'd stayed in the same position for almost five hours, not saying much of anything. Ichigo felt his cell phone ring in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was Inoue again. He decided to pick it up this time.

"Hey," he said into the receiver.

"Hey! I'm… not disturbing you?" Inoue asked from the other line.

"Nah, I was gonna call you as soon as I was home from Chad's."

"Ah! You're at Chad's!"

"Yeap."

"Tell him I say hello!"

Ichigo turned to Chad, "Inoue says hi."

Chad nodded his head.

"He says hi too," Ichigo said to Inoue.

"Tell him I say hi to Tatsuki too! And that I hope to see them soon!" squealed Inoue, giggling with glee.

"Uuh, she says hi to Tatsuki, and that she hopes to see you guys soon," Ichigo repeated to Chad.

"Mmm, same," replied Chad, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Same, he says," Ichigo said, turning away from Chad. Inoue giggled some more, and Ichigo smiled.

"So, why were you going to call me?" Inoue asked.

"Oh, uh, what are you doing tomorrow?" Ichigo questioned.

"Umm, I was gonna go see a movie with a couple of friends from my university…"

"Well cancel, 'cause we're going to an auction." He heard Inoue gasp on the other line.

"R-Really? O-Okay, I'll tell the girls we'll go next week… what time?" She sounded excited, to say the least.

"Well it starts at six-thirty, but I'll pick you up at five so we can have dinner beforehand, sound good?" suggested Ichigo.

"Sure! I'll be ready by five!"

Ichigo smiled. "'Kay."

"Thanks for asking me…" Ichigo could almost hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey, you're supposed to be my girlfriend! No need to thank me." Inoue giggled on the other line at this.

"I know, I was just being… polite. You sound good, Ichigo…"

"Thanks, Inoue."

"Sure. Well… have fun with Chad!"

"Sure, Inoue, talk to you later."

"Bye…" Ichigo hung up quickly. She really loved him. He wished he could reciprocate. She wasn't the one for him… it was obvious to him. He hated himself for not being able to break up with her.

Ichigo thought about this for a few minutes before getting up from the couch. He put down an empty can of beer he had been drinking on the coffee table and turned to Chad. Chad turned off the TV and got up after him.

"Gotta go?" asked Chad.

"Yeah. Gotta get an early start on a project due Monday. I'll be gone all day tomorrow, and then I'll only have Sunday."

"Alright. I gotta get to bed anyways; I have to go jogging early tomorrow morning."

"No, see, you don't actually have to. You're just obsessed with it," Ichigo said, pointing an accusing finger at Chad.

Chad shrugged, "It's a good time to think, gather my thoughts."

"Good," Ichigo said, patting Chad's back, "well I got to get going."

"Yeah, man. Hey, come back anytime," Chad said, walking Ichigo to the front door.

"Yeah, sure. I'm leaving you the rest of the beer," Ichigo smirked.

"That'll be gone by noon tomorrow." Both Ichigo and Chad laughed heartily at this. Well, Chad probably not as much as Ichigo.

Before mounting his bike, Ichigo stuffed a stick of gum in his mouth and chewed. He checked himself to make sure he was okay to drive. He hadn't drunk that much had he? Whether he had or hadn't, he needed to get home, so he mounted his bike and put on his helmet.

When he got home, he put phone to charge and got out his laptop. He needed ideas on the research paper he had been assigned for physics. He wrote all his notes on his laptop, one his parents had gifted him on his first year of college. He made himself a sandwich and dimmed the lights in his living room. He sat down on his couch and propped his laptop on the left armrest and turned on his laptop. Looking at the clock in the computer he saw that it was ten PM at night. This was to be a long night of research. He just hoped he would wake in time to go to the bank the following morning.

At exactly ten PM, Neliel Tu Oderschvank heard keys jingle in the keyhole of the front door, and watched as Kuchiki Rukia walked hastily inside their spacious apartment. Nel giggled at her from their couch. Rukia's hair was disheveled, and she still had her Kinokuniya Shoten, Books Kinokuniya, uniform on. She was carrying her book bag in her arms which appeared to have a large rip at the bottom. As such, all her books and papers were falling out. Upon noticing this, Nel laughed even harder.

"It is not funny!" Rukia exclaimed from the door. She struggled with the book bag a bit more until she just dropped it and all her things on the ground in a huff. "Aah! Whatever, leavin' it there." She stepped over the small heap and walked to the couch where Nel was comfortably seated.

"You can stop laughing now," Rukia said to Nel, sitting next to her.

"Okay, okay… okay. I'm fine." She laughed some more.

"Ugh! Nel!"

"Okay!" exclaimed Nel, making herself stop laughing, "What the hell happened?"

"'What the hell happened?' You left without telling me you were leaving, so I had to close up all by myself, and then I had to take the train 'cause you took the car, and-"

"Whoa!" interrupted Nel, "You knew I had to send that money to my parents…"

"Yeah, but you could have told me you were leaving so I could have prepared myself mentally!"

Nel laughed, "Miss Spoiled not used to the big bad metro?"

"Hey! It was only my… third time on one of those things!" Rukia said, counting the times she had been on a subway with her fingers.

"And apparently things didn't go so well…" Nel leaned her head forward and looked at her ripped book bag.

"Ugg, you don't want to know," Rukia responded, closing her eyes in discomfort.

Nel sniffed around a bit, "Do I smell vomit?"

"Some kid upchucked all over me on the train."

Nel laughed loudly at this. Pinching her nose she said, "Go take a shower!"

"Yes, yes, I'm going," said Rukia, getting up from the couch, "could you pick up my stuff?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll put it in your room." With that, Rukia set off for a shower.

Coming out of her shower, Rukia heard her cell phone ringing. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body hastily. She flipped her phone open quickly when she saw it was her brother.

"Nii-san!" she said into the receiver.

"How are you, Rukia?" greeted Kuchiki Byakuya, in his usual calm and collected voice.

"Fine and you?"

"I am well. I have called to inform you that Takashi will be picking you up tomorrow at five thirty sharp."

"Great, thank you so much for lending him to me, Nii-san!"

"It is no trouble, you are a Kuchiki." Rukia smiled. Technically, she wasn't. Nonetheless, she considered herself as such much.

"Yup, I guess I am. Are you sure you don't want to come? You used to love going to art shows and auctions with Hisana and I…"

"I cannot attend tomorrow, but perhaps one day I will accompany you once more."

"Alright. Thanks so much, Nii-san, I'll call you Sunday and tell you how it went."

"I look forward to it. Goodbye."

As Rukia hung up the phone, Nel came waltzing in and plopped herself down on Rukia's bed. "Who was that?" she asked.

"Nii-san," responded Rukia, "called to say Takashi was comin' to pick us up at five thirty."

"Oh, cool! So what do you wanna buy at the auction?"

"The Bridge at Argenteuil," Rukia said, drying herself off and looking for undergarments.

"Oooh, Monet."

"Yup, can't wait! I've been looking for that painting! So glad it's finally up for auction."

"I pity the fools who go against your family in an auction," Nel giggled. "I think your brother's the richest man in Japan at the moment."

"Probably," Rukia replied, "I'm really excited about this auction for some reason… I have a weird feeling about it. Like something really good's going to happen."

"Well, that's good, yeah? You'll probably get that painting!" exclaimed Nel, leaning forward to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Oh I'm not worried about that…" Rukia was moisturizing her legs. "I just have a good feeling about it."

"Okay, well you go ahead with your 'good feelings'," giggled Nel.

"Shut up and help me get this on my back!"

Nel giggled again and hopped off the bed. She had to admit she was excited. She liked auctions, too. Not that she would buy anything, but she enjoyed the auctioning process. She lived vicariously through Rukia whenever they went. Kuchiki Rukia was ruthless, and never lost something she wanted to anyone. And with all the money her family had, 12.4 million was chump change.

A/N: This is my first story =). Read and review! Before you do, however, please,

READ THIS:

I'd like to thank my wonderful friend jazzjackrabbit for alllll help she gave me! She gave me some wonderful ideas, and I'm so glad I went with them!

I've been working on this for about three weeks now. I hope it turned out well! I can't say when my next chapter will be out, but I'll try hard to get it to you before three weeks! I hope you enjoyed… Again, first story, I do accept flames -smile-. I'm very open to criticism.

Also, I know Rukia calls Byakuya her Nii-sama in real Bleach, but in my story, they're closer than that, as they've been through a lot, so she calls him Nii-san. It's just a preference :-)