A/N: okay, another urge to write a story, I have no idea where I'm going with this, but please read and review.

Enjoy.

Rukia let out a shuddering breath as she caught a glimpse of Soi Fong's falling figure in the corner of her eye, an arc of blood trailing after her. The ground was covered by fallen shinigami, their dark cloths melting into the grey backdrop of the battlefield.

It was far too late when they reached the Hougyoku and Orihime, by then Aizen had already launched his attack on the Soul Society with his countless arrancars, including the Espadas. Already without Capitains Kenpachi and Ukitake, Soul Society's fall seemed imminent.

On a far cliff that once stood the Soukyoku, Urahara watched the desperate battle below. He was spared from the battle in order to guard the newly rescued Orihime, who on the contrary gazed at the bloodshed with a wide-eyed horror.

"This, all of it, can be erased." She finally said difficultly and slowly, realizing the gravity of her words.

Urahara didn't even spare her a glance, he thought about the possibility long before when he saw her powers, "All of you were brought together for this battle. Without it, you, Ichigo, Rukia, everyone, might not even be born. Let alone meet."

There was a moment of hesitation before she saw a touch of orange in the horizon fall to the ground, so bright against the grey sky.

Thank you, everyone, for everything

"I reject."

The orange haired boy couldn't help but shiver slightly when he spotted the unmistakable small figure at the end of the corridor. The wooden sword hitched up on his shoulder suddenly seemed very incriminating.

"Ichigo," there was a slight edge in her voice, "kendo, again? I don't have time to watch you and that skinhead play fighting for another two hours."

As much as he would have liked to hide the slimy apprehension that slid into his stomach, the voice's owner saw the visible chill that ran down his spine and smiled smugly knowing that the battle was already won.

"Why can't you walk home yourself?" Ichigo wasn't going to give up that easily, the comment also stung a little. "Plus, Ikkaku wouldn't shut up until he beats me. God knows that would be the day."

Rukia scoffed loudly, she's not that easily let off.

"Because, mother told you," she was careful putting an emphasis on that particular word, "to protect your little sister from the teenage delinquents that might take advantage of her on the way home."

Rukia's smile widened at the guilt that rose in Ichigo's eyes, who almost automatically returned the sword to the boy beside him and walked to his sister's side with a look of long suffering on his face.

Walking on the path gold with the afternoon sun, Rukia forgot all about the confrontation a few minutes earlier and began talking animatedly about the new Chappy collection. Ichigo knew from years of experience that there would no end once his sister starts to talk about that rabbit, so he quietly trailed a few steps behind her and listened.

The familiarity of these quiet days was comforting. The Kurosaki family, which manages a small clinic in the town, is no different from any other: A father that can't exactly be said as normal, a gentle mother, Ichigo, Rukia, and the twins Yuzu and Karin. The occasional episodes Isshin cooked up certainly added some colours to everyone's life, but the days remained so ordinary that Ichigo had never given it a second thought.

But something always hung in the air, like the anticipation for something that he could no longer remember. He walked unthinkingly behind the dark haired girl, once again amused by how different they were and the disbelief that they were born in the same family. However there was no denying it, the day that he took her, a heavy warmth, in his still small arms was still a clear memory in his mind.

The kid hasn't grown since middle school.

He smiled inwardly, and was suddenly struck by a feeling that he had once been there before, walking behind her on the same path gold with the autumn sun. It was under a different sky, another sort of feeling saturated the air around him, an odd breathlessness. Ichigo found himself so engrossed by the sensation that he gripped Rukia's shoulder with an outstretched hand, stopping both dead in their tracks.

Rukia words stopped suddenly and turned around to look at him, both annoyed that he interrupted her without reason and bewildered by the confusion on his face. Feeling his grip abnormally tight, almost to the point of pain, the panic that rose in her heart made her shove him roughly away. The clean contact with the ground brought Ichigo back to his senses, so much so that the warfare from minutes before resumed full force.

"What the hell was that for?" Ichigo yelled up at her from the ground, favouring his sour back from the fall, the strange sentiments gone without a trace.

"Ask yourself, what the hell were you thinking grabbing me that hard?" Rukia shot back, indignant that he dared accusing her.

She took the look of utter confusion on Ichigo's face as an attempt to weasel out of another argument, so after throwing him a filthy look Rukia marched on home, alone, leaving Ichigo still sitting on the ground.

Finally shaking the bizarre experience from his head, Ichigo picked up his school bag and quickly caught up to the small figure ahead, this time keeping a careful distance.

He wondered, if she would ever know how close he came to kissing her.