AN: I decided to do something different. I'm warning you now because this is a romance story. If you're looking for an all out kick ass kind of story, well, then you'll have to wait as I have one in the works, but it's not this one. This is ooey oogey smooshy smut. Cause Toshiro and Rukia should have that every now and then...

So, come aboard, AU (obviously) OOC (um, yeah)

I do not own Bleach, or Princess Cruise lines of whose ship I used to describe in this story.

On the Way to Alaska

By: Abarai Starsha

"I'm so excited we're going on this cruise together, Shiro-chan!" Momo said as she bounced in her seat. Toshiro rolled his eyes and moved their car forward in line.

"Will you stop with that name, Momo?" He said. He was agitated and wasn't sure why he agreed to this cruise in the first place. He moved the car forward.

"Tickets and passports, please," said a blond haired man at the gate. Toshiro handed them over as he gave the guy a once over. He looked like Izuru. He closed his eyes. He was not going to go on vacation seeing that bastard everywhere he went. He opened his eyes again and realized that the blond hair was the only thing this guy had in common with the bastard in mind. Toshiro shook his head. Indeed, why did he agree to this?

As if reading his mind, Momo put her hand over his. "This will be the perfect way for me to show you how sorry I am and how committed to you I will be from now on."

"Sure, by running away from the situation."

"Would you rather we stayed there where everything reminded you of my mistake?" She asked as tears came to her eyes.

"Momo, please stop," he said as he squeezed her hand, "We'll work through it and this cruise will be fun." He said reluctantly. He removed his hand from hers as he took the stamped passports and tickets back from the blonde.

"Please drive to parking lot B-1. From there someone will meet you with a cart for your luggage. They will give you further instructions on boarding procedures. Thank you for choosing Kuchiki Cruise Lines and I hope you have a great trip!"

Toshiro gave the man a nod and pulled away. He inwardly sighed. He had the vacation time built up, the other managers promised to keep watch over his division while he was gone, but he felt like he couldn't afford to take this one month cruise. Anything could happen and all of his work would be for nothing, but Momo had been so insistent. She even blamed him as her reasons for straying saying he was working all the time. After her affair with Izuru she was desperate to keep their relationship going. He wasn't sure if he could ever forget what he saw that night when he came home earlier than expected…

"Toshiro, B-1 is the other way," Momo said quietly, not wanting to interrupt his thoughts. She was hoping he was thinking of a way to forgive her for what she had done. With Toshiro working constant long hours she had missed him. She thought that after knowing how much of a work a holic he was she would be used to it. They have been friends since childhood. They grew up together, went to school together and simply got together.

When he got a job at Seireitei Corp in Osaka, he worked long hours and moved up the corporate ladder quickly. In just three short years he was selected to be one of the thirteen project managers the company had. That made him the youngest to ever complete such a feat. He was labeled the white haired prodigy by fellow managers and even the president of the company, Yamamoto. To celebrate, he asked Momo to move in with him.

She thought now that he was a manager he would be able to spend more time with her. She quickly found out that that wasn't the case. She filled her days with her own job at the flower shop she owned and spent her nights lonely. It wasn't surprising that when Izuru entered her shop and started flirting with her, she soaked up every bit of attention he gave.

"Damn it, why don't they mark their parking lot more clearly?" he said as he shoved the gear into reverse. He made the proper turn and guided the car through the lot and turned into the next available space on the end.

"Come on, this will be fun!" Momo said as she touched his arm.

"Yeah," he replied as he opened the door. It didn't get far before he felt like he hit something. "What the hell?" He got out of the car and found that the door knocked someone down. "Oh crap, I'm so sorry, here, let me help you up."

He grabbed a hand and instantly realized it was a woman he knocked down. Her small slender hand fit almost entirely inside his own. He gently pulled her up and found himself staring into the most beautiful set of eyes he has ever seen. They were the prettiest shade of violet. The woman was short. He inwardly smiled at the fact she was slightly shorter than himself. She had raven hair that fell to her shoulders and a bang that ran down the center of her delicate face. She wore a knee length navy pencil skirt with a white blouse. Her oversized tie matched her skirt. The cruise lines colors.

"Je suis desole!" she said as she stood up. She was about to say something else, but his eyes stopped her. She had never seen teal eyes before. He was short by standard men sizes, but he stood a good three inches over her. His spiky white hair and those eyes made him stand out. She blushed as she realized they were still holding hands.

"What did she say?" Momo asked from the other side of the car.

Slightly blushing, she removed her hand. "Je suis desole! Cela a ete ma negligence qui a cause cela!" She said as she looked at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak French. Do you speak Japanese?" Toshiro asked her. She looked slightly confused as she switched languages.

"You don't speak French? I'm so sorry, I thought that…Never mind. My apologies for getting in your way earlier," she said as she indicated to where she had fallen. "It was completely my fault."

"Not at all, I should have looked out before opening my door." Toshiro said as he looked at her. Momo came up beside him and snaked her arm around his.

"Should we get the luggage out?" She asked as she eyed the new comer.

"Ah, yes, please get out your luggage. Someone will be by with a cart shortly. I ask that you take with you anything of value and to not leave it in your car. While we do provide security over the lot while you are away, we are not responsible if something should happen."

Toshiro nodded. Standard arrangement.

"I also ask that you make sure you leave your car in gear or park with the parking brake set and any alarm you have turned off. My name is Rukia and I am one of the attendants aboard the ship. If you have any questions about any of the tours we offer at the ports or anything regarding your stay with us, please let me know. Once the cart comes up, we can catch a ride to where you will board the ship."

"Thank you," Toshiro said. She gave a short bow in return.

Just then a golf cart pulling a trailer made the short trip down the row and stopped behind the car. A tall man in his mid twenties stepped out. His hair was as bright as the sun.

"Good morning and welcome aboard!" He said, greeting the couple as he moved to take their luggage. "Morning, Rukia," he said with a smile.

"Good morning, Ichigo. Are you coming on the trip?"

"Yeah, I'm the replacement black jack dealer." He said with a grin. She smiled back. Toshiro's eyes narrowed as he looked between the two.

"Shiro-chan, should I let them take my make-up bag or should I carry it myself?" Momo asked. She turned to look at him. "What's with that scowl?"

"Nothing," he sighed. Yeah, what was with that scowl? "What did you ask, Momo?"

"I asked about my make-up bag."

"Why would you want to carry it?"

"I don't know…In case they lose it?"

Ichigo overheard their conversation and his face took on his own scowl. "I've never lost a piece of luggage in my entire time working this job, ma'am."

"And how long would that be?" Toshiro asked.

"About five years, sir." Ichigo replied as he stepped in front of the short man.

Rukia stepped between the two and gave Toshiro and Momo a warm smile. "Ichigo-san is our best handler. I promise, he won't lose anything and everything that goes in his cart will be in your room."

Toshiro couldn't help but stop scowling after her smile. He found himself just staring at her, losing himself in her eyes. Rukia smiled again and looked away, breaking the moment.

"I'll trust you," Momo said as she handed Ichigo her make-up bag.

"Thank you. All I need is to double check your ticket against my check list to make sure I have the right room." Momo looked to Toshiro who handed them to him. Ichigo's eyes grew. "You're in the owner's suite. Room 8067."

"Is that good, Shiro-chan?" Momo asked as Toshiro's anger at his nickname grew.

"It is good, Hinamori-san," Rukia offered. "It's one of the best rooms we offer. It's a suite of two spacious rooms and a wrap around balcony view."

Momo's eyes grew wide with excitement. She threw her arms around Toshiro's neck and kissed him. "You make me so happy, Shi-Toshiro."

Rukia smiled at the couple and signed off Ichigo's clip board.

"Well, this takes care of one set of big spenders," Ichigo whispered. Rukia playfully punched his arm. "I heard there's a set that speaks French." He continued as he absently rubbed his arm.

"Yes, they are due to arrive soon, so can we please get going?" She said softly so as not to be rude in front of the guests.

"As you wish," Ichigo finished loading the cart and motioned for the couple to get in the back seat of the cart. Rukia settled in next to Ichigo as they took off and left the parking lot. As they neared the boarding area, Ichigo stopped to let out his passengers. "See you later, Rukia." He said as he continued on to the loading side of the ship.

"Once you're checked in at the front, the maid for your floor will show you to your room on deck 8 and help you get settled in."

"You said if we had any questions that you would be able to help us. How do we find you once we're aboard and on our way?" Toshiro asked. His teal eyes burned into her own. She felt her breath catch before she mentally slapped herself back to reality.

"I-I usually man the Shore Excursions Desk on deck 4," she replied. "There is a ship wide phone list by your phone if you need to call me. Only in the Owner's suites is my room number listed in case you needed something and couldn't find me at my post."

"Rukia!" A big booming voice called out from the other side of the ramp. A golf cart sped across and stopped right in front of her. If there were another layer of paint on the cart, he would have hit her. Toshiro narrowed his eyes at the new comer. "Why are you not in the parking lot greeting our other guests? Do you really want me to report you to your brother?" he demanded.

"Renji-," she said as she gave an apologetic look to Momo and Toshiro. By now, the tall red headed tattooed man was out of the cart, his huge hand wrapped around Rukia's thin arm. "Renji! Ow…stop!" she hissed as she was pulled away.

"I don't know what you think you're doing standing here chatting while you're supposed to be out in the parking lot greeting our VIP room guests! If your brother didn't own the company, Rukia…"

"What? If my brother didn't own the company, what?" Rukia demanded as fire coursed through her veins. "You know, ever since you became my boss you've been nothing but a complete ass! Let me go so I can do my job."

"You wouldn't even have a job if it were not for your brother!" he sneered back. Toshiro stood by and watched the whole transaction while Momo was off looking at how massive the ship was. Rukia tried to free herself from Renji's grasp, but he only tightened his grip.

"Let me go, Renji! I seriously don't think my brother would be happy to know you're interfering with my job!"

"You're standing around talking to – "

"Me," Toshiro said as he walked up next to Renji. He turned and looked at the short man. His teal eyes were cold as his tone. "She was talking to me and helping me get checked in. I do believe that is the custom of your company for someone who is staying in one of the Owner's suites?" His eyes never left Renji's.

"You're?"

"Hitsugaya Toshiro," he held up his ticket with 8067 printed on it. Renji's mouth unhinged. He quickly tried to recover.

"Hitsugaya-san, it's a pleasure to have you and your wife –"

"Save it," he said in his cold tone. "First things first, you will get your hands off this lady. Second you will go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before you concerned yourself with this lady and you will let her do her job. I thought she was handling us very well. Third, Hinamori-san is not my wife." Why he added that last bit in there, he wasn't sure.

Renji said nothing, but let go of Rukia's arm. He bowed to Toshiro and walked back to his cart and got in.

"Another couple is due to arrive shortly, Rukia. Please get out there as soon as you can." Renji said as he drove off.

Toshiro turned his attention back to the raven haired woman who was now rubbing her arm.

"Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" Toshiro asked. His eyes showed concern and not a trace of the coldness he showed earlier.

"I-I'm alright. My deepest apologies, you never should have witnessed that. It was totally unprofessional of me to – "

"Unprofessional of you?" He scoffed. "You would think that big red headed baboon would have some manners when it comes to dealing with people in general. Who was he?"

"H-he is m-my boss, Abarai Renji. Well, he's more like my supervisor." Rukia replied.

Toshiro nodded making a mental note of his name.

"If you would come this way, I'll show you to the reception area and get your key."

"Don't worry about it."

"Excuse me?"

"You have to get back to the parking lot and help others find their way here, right?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"We just go up this ramp and the reception area is right there?"

"Yes but I'm -"

"Don't worry about it." He said as he went and poked Momo in the back of the head and led her up the ramp. Rukia shook her head and flagged down Ichigo who was returning.