AN: The fifth chapter is now complete. I really don't know where I am going with this or where it will end up but I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am writing it. Thank you for continuing to read.

The store was closed up a few hours later when the business died down. "Well that wasn't so bad. I thought it would be worse but it was pretty easy to figure out how the store worked." Ikumi was locking the doors while Ichigo put the stock away.

"You are right." Inside Ichigo's head all he could think about was that something was going to happen now. Yoruichi, Kisuke, and his dad were planning something and this is when it would begin.

"I am going to go make dinner. The owner said he was going to leave supplies for dinner." Ichigo immediately got worried. What would he leave? Ichigo was trying to prepare for anything, but there was no out thinking that man. Even Aizen couldn't do it.

"I am going to go use the shower first then." He left Ikumi and walked down the hall and into the bathroom. He was worried about the adult's plans but he was not exactly against them. He did have feelings for his boss. He just needed to figure out a plan to get it done. After her reaction to Yoruichi he was fairly sure that she felt that way. Then there was the day where she held him. That wasn't like her at all. There was definitely something there between the two of them.

He got out of the shower thinking that he sure hurry up since dinner would probably be ready soon.

"Shit, forgot my clothes." He wrapped his towel around his waist and opened the door to go to his room only to find Ikumi standing in front of him looking like she was about to knock on the door.

Her eyes went wide. Ichigo was standing there in nothing but a towel. She looked at him and saw all of his scars again including the one from the mugger. It was a shock but what really caught her eye was how sculpted he was. She hadn't paid much attention to it before but his chest and abs were chiseled out of marble. The blood rushed to her face as she stared.

Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Stare any longer and I may have to charge you." His Inner Yoruichi was coming out.

She came out of her daze and averted her gaze. "Sorry, I was just telling you dinner is ready." She took off down the hall looking embarrassed with an extremely red complexion. Ichigo chuckled to himself on that reaction. At least that solved any worries about how she felt.

"I am starting to feel like I understand why Yoruichi found this fun." He went to his room to change into some clothes.

If he had been spiritually aware at the time he would have found the goddess he mentioned rolling on the floor trying to hold her stomach because all the laughing she was doing was actually causing her pain.

Ichigo got to the kitchen to find a small table that had two plates of curry sitting on it. Ikumi was sitting in one of the chairs waiting for him.

She noticed his entrance. "I hope you like curry. I may be a mother but I don't know how to cook much of anything."

Ichigo could see that she was clearly still embarrassed from earlier. It made him a little proud that he had this kind of effect on a woman like her. "It's alright. I am a terrible cook so anything you make would be better than what I what I would make. My little sister Yuzu is the cook at our house."

As he sat down the lights to the store cut out. The whole room went dark and nothing was working.

Ikumi got up from the table. "I guess the power went out. Let's look for some candles or flash lights."

Ichigo was suspicious but got up and opened some of the cupboards in the kitchen and when he opened the 3rd one he found evidence to prove who the people were behind this were.

In this cupboard were two of the most romantic looking candles with a note.

Ichigo, this is in case something happens to the power. Enjoy dinner!

Dad.

Could he be any more obvious? He grabbed the candles and matches with them. "Ikumi, I found some candles." He set them on the table and lit them using the matches. She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Are you trying to turn this into a date, Ichigo?" She said it with a look that said she was kind of hoping he was while still trying to hide the fact she was hoping he was. He decided to tell her.

"I am not, but I think someone is." Now she was just confused.

"What are you talking about?" He handed her the note that was he found with the candles. She just started laughing. She knew all about his father's personality. She could that eccentric doing something like this.

"I have been trying to figure it out for a while." They both sat down and starting to eat their food before it got cold. The feeling they got from eating in the candle light definitely brought about an intimacy that they hadn't had before.

"What do you mean you have been wondering for a while?" She continued eating while raising her eyebrow once more in his direction.

"Well, the thing is my dad, Yoruichi, and Urahara are all friends. And when they get together they are planning something. So when I saw Yoruichi the other day I was sure they were up to something. Then we got here and I knew it was going to happen this weekend. It seems they are turning this into a romantic weekend for us." She looked at him shocked. At first she scowled at the name of the purple haired girl that brought out her ugly side. That woman urked her even though she only met her that one time. Also to think his dad had planned all of this. He must have seen something in her that made him do all of this. She didn't think she was that obvious at the start.

"Just because of some candles you think it's a romantic weekend for us. You really think that they would do all of this?" She was sure she already knew the answer and she was hoping she would be able to thank his father later for all of this.

"Well the candles are definitely a hint, but I won't tell you what the note that came with the box of condoms in my room said." At that she spat out the wine she had been drinking.

"What! He left condoms? He really has high expectations." She took another drink from the cup trying to hide the embarrassment. Trying to keep her composure. She kept trying to act like this was just a funny joke in hopes that she wouldn't ruin anything before knowing. She needed him to make the move.

Meanwhile Ichigo looked at her and saw the embarrassment she failed at hiding and the look she had in her eyes. Ichigo didn't want to have an awkward weekend with his boss so he decided that the best thing to do was to get it out in the open.

"Yes, my dad really is a pervert since he left condoms. To think he assumed that we would just have sex. He probably set all this up because he noticed how much happier I have been since the night by the river. He probably assumed that it was because of you and that I fell in love with you." Ikumi had frozen halfway during a bite of food. She was surprised at what he was saying. Is he saying his dad was wrong?

She snapped out of it. "Oh really why would he think something like that?"

He could see the worry written all over her face. This woman who sat across from him always seemed so tough to him, but Ichigo knew better. He knew that the only way to get that way was to go through the pain of loss. She had the same look in her eyes as he always did. He could see the fear of being hurt. The way she kept people at a distance to protect herself and her family.

"Probably because he was right." Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she looked up to the boy sitting across from her. He smiled back. It wasn't a mischievous smirk or a goofy grin, but a warm smile that invited her in.

She couldn't believe it. Was this really happening? She hadn't felt anything since Kaoru's dad. There had been no one and now in less than a week this punk kid has taken her heart and offered his.

"Are….Are you saying you love me? Why would a brat like you like some old lady like me?"

That smile never left his face. "Why wouldn't I? You are a strong, beautiful, and intelligent woman. You are an amazing mother while still able to be a tough boss and take care of everyone. How could I not?"

She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She could only watch as the boy got out of his chair and walked over to her and leaned down. She closed her eyes and felt his hand cup the side of her face. She leaned into it. She felt the titles and roles she held fall away. Right now she was not a boss. She was not a mother. She was a woman. A woman that wanted to be kissed.

His lips connected with hers. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in years but she welcomed it and returned it all the same. Warmth spread through both of them. Both of their hopes had come to fruition.

Unknown to them a figure that had been standing in the corner had smiled and decided she had seen enough and left the building wishing them luck. (She was also a little upset since she had plans for the whole weekend if they continued to be that dense and she was looking forward to using them.)

When they broke a part Ikumi found herself standing and being embraced by Ichigo. She didn't remember standing but really didn't care. She let her head rest into the crook of his neck while he held her close.

"You know many people would look at this and say this was wrong."

"I don't care."

"I have a kid."

"I know."

"I am your boss."

"Does this mean I get a raise?" She smacked him in the back of the head. The both chuckled a little.

"Look. I am not a school girl. I need to know this isn't a crush. That this is serious." Ikumi was shaking. Her nerves were getting the better of her. This wasn't her. She was the strong confident single mother that could face anything without flinching. In less than a week Ichigo had turned her into a nervous school girl.

"Of course it is." She couldn't think of any other reason to hold back. She was of course worried. The last love she had was ten years ago and he was the same age Ichigo is now and he had abandoned her to raise a kid on her own. But that was then and he wasn't Ichigo. No more holding back.

She pulled away from his embrace slightly and grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in and kissed him.