Stay Here...

Rukia sat at her dining table while her brother-in-law cooked. She felt awkward just sitting there while someone else prepared her meal, she stood up.

"Rukia please, sit down. Dinner is almost ready." Byakuya said without even looking at her. Rukia sat down and threw her elbow on the table to rest her chin in the palm of her hand. Byakuya glanced over his shoulder when a heavy sigh escaped her mouth.

A few minutes later Byakuya placed a gourmet looking meal infront of her and took a seat across the table with his own plate. Rukia smiled.

"Thank you Nii-sama."

"You're welcome Rukia."

They ate in silence and Rukia found that she liked having her Nii-sama as company. But then again she was thankful to have any company that wasn't puffing smoke from his mouth, drinking irresponsibly or swearing to the heavens. Byakuya took his plate to the sink, washed it, then resumed his seat at the table.

"Rukia."

"Yes Nii-sama?"

"I have come to the conclusion that it is in our best interest that I Stay Here." Rukia looked up at him in confusion. "Here, in the house, with you."

"Why?"

"Why not? I have been away from home for too long. Here, I will still do my regular business, I can also help you with school or with whatever you may need."

Rukia frowned and looked down at her food feeling so small. "I'm not a little girl Nii-sama... You don't have to give up your life style just to watch over me."

Byakuya sighed. "Rukia, I'm not giving anything up...I know you are not a little girl, but I would feel much better if you were under my supervision. I am not trying to spy on you, I just was to ensure your safety and well-being."

"Thank you Nii-sama."

"On the topic of safety, I need the red heads name."

"Who? Do you mean Renji? What for?"

"Renji what?"

"Abarai. What do you need it for?"

"I want to give a precise description of him when I go to the police."

"Police?!" Rukia screeched. "Why would you need to go to the police?!"

"Im going to press charges against him Rukia."

"For what?! He didn't do anything to you!"

"No, but he hurt my sister-in-law, and she is apart of me, so in a sense, yes he did." Rukia shook her head to argue but Byakuya cut her off before she could get a word in. "The things he did are federal offenses Rukia, I will not allow a man like him to walk the streets terrorizes young women."

"Please don't do this Nii-sama."

"Rukia I don't think you understand that he needs to be behind bars."

"No! He doesn't! He just needs someone who cares!" Her eyes began to water when she realized she had just raised her voice, he hands flew to her mouth.

"He is a criminal, I will personally see to it that he is locked up."

"No!" She screamed again. "He's a good guy! he doesn't deserve this!"

Byakuya kept his cool. "What does he deserve Rukia, because he sure does. It deserve you."

"Deserves a second chance."

Byakuya chuckled. The sound actually startled Rukia. "A second chance..." he chuckled again.

"Yes." She said sternly.

"From what you told me Rukia, he is the last person on this planet that deserves a second chance. Truth be told Rukia, I don't know anyone in their right mind who would give him one."

Rukia wiped her eyes dry. "I do."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Who?"

"The smartest man I know ofcourse. This man is the bravest man I've ever met. He is the strongest man I've ever had the opportunity of knowing, and I got lucky because my sister married him."

Byakuya shook his head. "I will not help him Rukia."

Rukia silently thanked her sister Hisana, she was the first person to break down the walls to Byakuya's heart, Hisana told Rukia what cards to play if she ever wanted to get "her way".

"If anyone can turn a mans life around, it's you. You're the smartest man I know, you always wanted someone to mentor. Think of what people will say, Mr. Kuchiki saved that mans life...He really is a genius. We want him to be partners with us... People will admire what you have done."Rukia smiled to herself when she saw that Byakuya was caught in her web that fed his ego.

"I guess I could offer him a job at the office, he can work for me until his debts are repayed, who knows, maybe he will learn a few things."

"If anyone can do it, its you Nii-sama."

He nodded in agreement. "Yes. Well, I still plan on staying here with you."

Rukia smiled. "Thank you Nii-sama." She took her plate to the sink.

"What about the other boy, Ichigo."

"What about him?"

"You didn't exactly tell me the relationship you have with him."

"He's..." Rukia paused to think about Ichigo, she remembered his perfect smile, his outrageous hair, his cocky attitude..."He's nothing special, just a guy a know."

Ichigo sat in the breakroom of the Kurosaki clinic on his phone trying to avoid conversing with others. He was doing a pretty good job at avoiding people that afternoon until his sister Yuzu came to the breakroom for lunch.

"Ichii-nii? I didn't know you had work today."

Ichigo turned away from her so she wouldn't feel obligated to look at his face during their conversation. "Yeah, I'm just taking a break."

"Are you okay Ichii-nii?" Yuzu tried to look at him, but he turned in his seat so she could only see his back.

"I'm fine."

"Okay..." She left Ichigo alone.

After hearing her footsteps get farther and farther away she walked over to the bathroom and shut the door. He looked at himself in the mirror and examined his reflection. His lip was still swollen, his cheek still bruise, infact, his battle wounds seemed to be noticeable then he had remembered. He ran his tongue over the cut on the inside of his mouth, it wasn't bleeding anymore, but he could still taste iron.

He casually opened the door and crossed the hallway that lead to his dad's office. The door was open, but he still knocked on the frame.

"Dad?"

Isshin was sitting at his desking scribbling on papers with his right hand and typing furiously with his left. His eyes never left his work when he replied to Ichigo.

"Hmm?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Isshin nodded. "Sure."

Ichigo walked into the office and took a seat infront of his dad's desk. There was a minute of silence Before Ichigo clear his throat.

"Hmm? I'm sorry, what did you say Ichigo."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "I haven't started talking yet."

"Oh well, what did you need?"

"I need some advice."

"Mhmm..."

Ichigo crossed his arm and settled back into his chair. "Should I come back another time?"

Isshin shook his head. "No I'm listening, go ahead talk."

"No you're not."

Isshin continued to write and type. Finally he put his pen down, but his full attention went to the computer. His eyes shifted as he scanned the screen. Ichigo was slightly annoyed his dad was not focusing on him, he cleared his throat again.

"Im sorry Ichigo, what did you need?"

"Advice, I just need some Advice."

Isshin's eyes finally pulled away from the computer. "What happened to your face?"

"That's what I wanted to talk about...kinda.. It's part of it."

Isshin leaned over his desk and grabbed ahold of Ichigo's jaw to pull him closer so he could examine his face. Ichigo followed his fathers eyes as they shifted steadily around his face. Finally he was released.

"What did you do this time?"

Ichigo scoffed, slightly offended by his dads accusing tone. "I went to go see Rukia last night...I kissed her...then I spent the night at her house."

Isshin shook his head disapproving. "Ichigo you and Rukia didn't.."

Ichigo wasn't sure if his father was actually listening to his words. Normally his dad would be making perverted jokes and trying to get him to draw pictures and act out what exactly happened, but instead his dad sat there with his eyes pulled together.

"No, I wouldn't do that... Im not stupid." Ichigo blushed a bit. "It wasn't like that... In the morning, she made me breakfast and I was helping her around the house with so me stuff, then her friend Rangiku stopped by for a bit, then he boyfriend.. Or ex.. Or.. I don't know what he is.. But He shows up unannounced and..." Ichigo watched his fathers's reaction as the story progressed, his face showed lack of interest then his eyes began to tiptoe to the computer screen again. "So then he he comes at me! And we went a few rounds in the middle of the living room, then her brother-in-law shows up! He put everyone in their place and I was like, fuck this I'm out. So I hopped in the car and drove home."

Isshin sighed, "So what do you need advice on?"

Ichigo frowned because of the lack of interest his father showed. "I just wanted to know what I should do next... Like, about Rukia... I want to make sure she's okay.. Should I call her, or stop by to visit? And if so, when?"

"Her brother-in-law is there right?" Ichigo nodded. "She will be fine."

"but-"

"But what. You need to stay away from her Ichigo. Let her family deal with her issues, it's none of your business." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "What now?"

Ichigo looked away. "Just wasn't the advice, I wanted to hear."

"What did you want me to say?"

"I don't know... I just..." He paused not really knowing where his train if thoughts were going. "I don't know."

Isshin turned back to his paper work. "Is that all you needed?"

"Yeah, thanks." He replied sarcastically and on his way out the door he was sure to slam it as hard as possible.

Ichigo walked over to his locker and pulled open the small door with great force. His face was bright red from anger.

"Ichii-nii?"

Ichigo saw his sister Karin in his peripheral vision. "What?" He said coldly.

She raised her eyebrow. "Rude.. What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

"Ichigo, I'm not stupid...Hey, where are you going?!"

Ichigo snatched his keys off the hook in his locker. "Out."

"Out where? You're on shift!" Karin shouted as he began walking away from her.

"Not anymore." Karin stood up to follow him but he stopped in the doorway. "Karin... Stay Here."

Isshin stared out the window as he watched Ichigo get into his car and drive away. He sighed heavily and sat back down at his desk.

"Daddy? What's wrong with Ichii-nii?" Yuzu's sweet voice asked.

"oh nothing sweetie, he's just inlove."

"If he's inlove, why is he acting so mean?"

"Because he doesn't know he's inlove."

"How can't he know? Doesn't he feel it?"

"He only knows what his heart feels, he doesn't know how she feels."

"Who?"

Isshin smiled at his daughter. "Yuzu, tell Karin to make daddy a 'special' coffee please."

"okay!" Yuzu happily walked away.

Isshin put his head on his desk. "Ichigo... out of all the girls in town... You had to fall for a Kuchiki.." He chuckled to himself. "

Hello! I haven't been here in a bit :) but I was waiting to update so I could update on this particular day! One year ago today, the 29th, I wrote the first chapter to this story! I know this has been a bumpy road and I want to thank everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed! As this story is almost at its end I have come to a question that I've been avoiding since the it started. This story was inspired by a dear friend of mine (I will explain more of this when I write the last chapter), she ofcourse is "Rukia". After all was said and done, my friend ended up heartbroken and alone... since this story is inspired by her, I don't know if I should end it that way... Im an ichiruki fan and I like fluff and happy endings.. But I am going to let you readers decide. So please, review & decide if you want an IchiRuki ending, or the actual ending, a.k.a nobody is happy. So you guys can decide! :) thank you for dealing with all my late updates and bad spelling errors and horrible grammar.