I know I know. Its been like….a year since my last update. I'm reeeeeeeeeeeeally sorry, but I needed time to get my life back on track coz niggah'z got issues! :/

Enough with the heavy! You should get reading! :P

Disclaimer: It will never be mine _

Ichigo downed the last of his tea. "What's taking Inoue so long?"

"You didn't have to come, idiot." Renji bit out, harshly. "If you're not willing to wait patiently, just go home!"

Ichigo glared at Renji, his reiatsu rising. "Inoue said she might need me, so I'm gonna stay right here."

Renji breathed deeply; Ichigo's reiatsu was getting harder to take. Rukia, noting his discomfort, cleared her throat, getting both their attention. "Shut up; both of you."

Ichigo sighed, getting his reiatsu under control, while Renji shot Rukia an appreciative glance. It was then that Orihime came into the room, followed closely by Urahara.

Orihime bowed apologetically. "Gomen, I didn't think I was going to take so long and I'm sorry for making you wait."

Rukia shook her head. "No apologies, Orihime, remember?"

Orihime nodded, suddenly finding something interesting on the floor, which is when Urahara began talking.

He snapped open his fan and concealed most of his face. "Orihime is in need of your help, Kurosaki."

Ichigo was all ears, while both Renji and Rukia got closer to hear better. Urahara made sure everyone was listening before speaking.

He nodded when he saw their waiting faces. "Orihime's rejection powers are weakening and although she doesn't know what to do about it, Tsubaki seems to have an idea; a plausible idea, I might add.

"He reckons that because Orihime-san hasn't used them in a long while, they have weakened "miserably"." Urahara said 'miserably' in a way that let the others guess he was quoting Tsubaki.

Ichigo thought for second. "So what does this have to do with me?"

Renji bit his tongue to stop himself from starting an argument. Urahara smirked behind his fan, but shifted in his place. "Tsubaki has made it known that he, along with his fellow comrades would like you, Kurosaki, to "help them get stronger."

Renji grimaced, taking a guess at Urahara's meaning, but Ichigo scratched his head, earning a glare from the former. "Help? How?"

Rukia let out an exasperated sigh. "Jeez, Ichigo! Pay attention."

"I am! I'm paying attention! Just tell me how to help and I'll help you, Inoue." Ichigo said, looking at Orihime.

She blushed, smiling at him, but her smile faltered as she thought of what to say. "Umm, Kurosaki-kun, its okay, really….You don't have to do it….I'm sure we can find some other way…." She faded away, grimacing; Tsubaki was talking to her.

Ichigo mirrored her frown. "Inoue?"

She looked like she snapped out of a dream, her grey eyes falling on Ichigo. "Huh?"

"How can I help, Inoue? I'll help no matter what. I promise." Ichigo said, determined.

"Are you sure?" She asked, uncertain and when he nodded, she sighed. "Tsubaki wants you to….he wants you to help us by….hhhattahhhckhhing hhmheee."

Ichigo frowned at her (mumbled) last words. "Wha—"

"Attack her! Tsubaki wants you to attack her!" Renji yelled, finally snapping.

Orihime's lips formed a tight line at Renji's loud but accurate words. Ichigo's face went blank before it melted into one of shock. "No! I-I can't do that, Inoue!"

"But you promised…" she mumbled quietly; they all heard her words.

Ichigo shook his head. "I know I promised, Inoue, but that's just crazy! I protect my friends, not hurt them."

Orihime looked back to the ground, while Rukia looked to Urahara. "Isn't there another way?"

Urahara shrugged. "I haven't gotten the chance to get a good look at Orihime's Shin Shin Rukka, so I'm unsure of what the outcome of any sort of help would be. Orihime, your Tsubaki does have a good point, though.

"Because you haven't used them in so long, they have grown weak and may continue to do so unless strengthened again. If not, they'll continue to get weaker and weaker until they become of practically no use. This may have effects on you…"

"What kind of effects?" she asked quietly.

Urahara said nothing, only looking at her friends with a serious face, implying the effects would be bad.

Ichigo buried his head in his hands, staying still for a long moment. He then looked up at Orihime. "Alright, Inoue, I'll do it. But if I don't like how things are going, I'm going to stop straight away."

She looked up at him with a blank expression, but then nodded.

"I don't like this, Inoue-san, but if it'll help you…." Renji trailed off.

Rukia crossed her arms across her small chest. "Alright, Orihime; it's decided. But when'll you start?" She asked, looking at Urahara.

The blond scratched the back of his head. "We could start now, if Kurosaki's okay with it."

Ichigo shrugged. "I already said that I'm good; it's Inoue. Does she wanna do this now?"

Orihime was quiet for a while. "We could do it later…." She paused and winced; the others guessed Tsubaki was chastising her. "Or now." She muttered, confirming their guesses.

Urahara and the other permanent occupants of the Store scurried off to make preparations, leaving Ichigo, Orihime and the two Shinigamis alone.

"Oi! Renji! You okay, over there?" Ichigo asked, detachedly.

Renji narrowed his eyes at the orange haired teen. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Something just seems a bit off about you lately."

Renji paled, only grunting in response.

(about an hour later )

They all gathered in the impossibly large basement and waited for the teens to begin. Orihime stood a good distance away from Ichigo, fidgeting.

Ichigo scowled deeper at the thought of attacking someone he fought so hard to protect.

And then they begun; Orihime calling out her shield to stop Zangetsu. Ichigo had a deep scowl etched into his features, but he continued, nevertheless.

Rukia frowned. She didn't want to watch this. She didn't want to see her ex-boyfriend attacking one of her closest (living) friends. She quickly turned on her heel and fled upstairs.

She went straight to the kitchen and rummaged through the pantry. Deciding that this was a bit rude, she left empty handed and sat on the front steps of the Store, letting her thoughts take her places.

She hadn't been sitting there for long before a deep voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "You know, you still haven't told me what the captain wanted."

She closed her eyes, a small smile gracing her lips. Renji never missed anything. "Yeah, maybe it's a sign that I shouldn't tell you."

He plopped down next to her….like, right next to her. He saw her eyes open at this and smirked. "Or maybe it was a sign that you needed some time to get your head around whatever your brother called you about."

She sighed. "Seriously, Renji. You're starting to scare me. What do you, read minds?"

Renji shook his head. "No, Rukia, I don't read minds, I read you."

She looked up at him, then away, her cheeks going a brilliant red.

She had to tell him, and she had to tell him now. "Renji…I…" She trailed off as a voice spoke to her in her head.

"Why….why are you going to tell him?"

Sode no Shirayuki?….w-what do you mean? I have to tell him. Rukia thought back.

"But…are you ready to lose him?"

…

"Then don't tell him. Telling him could mean that he would distance himself from you."

Well, what do you want me to do? Just go off and get married without telling him?

…..

We both know that I can't do that.

"You know that you're not ready to lose him. You cant lose him. We cant lose them."

What….what do you mean?...Sode no Shirayuki? Sode no Shirayuki?

…

"Yo! Rukia? Don't space out on me." Renji said, exasperated, waving a hand in front of her face.

Her eyes fell on him, her thoughts on her Zanpaktou's words. "Huh?"

"You were all "Renji, I….." and that was it. You okay over there?"

He leaned in unconsciously, causing strange things to happen to Rukia's heart. "Renji…about the other night; when I told you that…that—"

"That you loved me. Yes, what about that night?" he grinned.

Jeez! This man wasn't making this any easier. "Well, you see—"

"Your feelings have changed since then…?" he inquired quietly, his grin all but gone.

Rukia looked at him silently for a looong while, then without warning, burst out into an uncharacteristic fit of laughter. Renji frowned at her until the laughter died down.

"Ahhh, I'm sorry, Renji. But it took me just about forever to realize what I felt was real. You really think my feelings would evaporate overnight?"

He felt a little guilty. "Oh. Right. Sorry." He mumbled, taking her hand in his much larger one. He brushed his lips against it with surprising gentleness.

She felt her face heat up, as well as another thing. Her heart ached. It ached hard. She, in a few weeks, would be tied to another through marital bonds, and Renji—if he hadn't recovered—would be stuck in a completely different world.

Tears prickled at her eyes as she began to mourn. Renji picked up on this and a look of acute worry donned his features. "Rukia? Did I do something….wrong?" he looked at her hand in his.

She shook her head, tears falling from her eyes. "No. Not you…I just still feel tired."

Renji frowned. "You want me to take you home?"

She didn't want to leave Orihime, but she did need to be alone. "No. I'll go alone."

Renji didn't like it one bit, but then Ururu came out of the store, with a request from Urahara. "He says its your turn."

Renji nearly exploded. Was Urahara serious? Ichigo was the Orihime-attacker, not him. And besides, Ichigo could find out about Renji's predicament.

Renji sighed heavily, watching the retreating form of Ururu. "You sure you don't want me to walk you home?"

Rukia nodded. "I'll be fine."

He frowned, but let her go. She'll tell me when she's ready….it can't be that bad.

There was silence. Rukia was okay with that. In fact, she enjoyed it. Her apartment was so different to the constant noise that always seemed to be associated with the Urahara Store. It wasn't that she didn't like the noise….she was quite a noisy person herself, when she wanted to be. But she enjoyed the peace; the serenity. It was a nice break from all her inner turmoil.

Her break didn't last long, as her thoughts returned to her up and coming marriage to one of the Tejima boys, then to Renji, then back to getting married.

She felt her vision blur as tears formed in her eyes. When the hell did she get so damn weak? Why did she cry at the stupidest things?

And it was stupid. Whatever her feelings for Renji were, Rukia's duty was primarily to her family. The Kuchikis had adopted her, taken her in; what was marriage but a small way to show her loyalty to her clan?

A small groan escaped her lips before she mentally slapped herself. Get a grip Rukia. Family first.

She sighed, her petite frame sagging, before she straightened her shoulders and resigned herself to the fact that in a matter of weeks, Kuchiki Rukia would be no more. Instead she would be a married woman.

She would be Tejima Rukia.

And there you have it! Poor Rukia….poor Renji!

My next chapter is coming out reeeeal sooon….like in January.

Hahaha, nawww! I wont make you wait that long! Expect an update soon! IF you Review ;P

~Sewa-san~