Another Step Forward Chapter 19

Rukia sat up, pulling the cover over her naked body. She turned around and looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

Ichigo scratched his head as he leaned against his bedpost. "For the past seven years I've been in Tokyo."

"Doing what?"

"Well," Ichigo rubbed his chin, "The first four years I've been studying my ass off at University of Tokyo."

"Todai?"

Ichigo grinned. "Yup. And you said I had an intelligence of a buffoon." Rukia glared at him so he thought it'd be best to continue. "Anyways, after I graduated from Todai I attended the medical school there. I was able to finish my studies in three years and go straight into an internship at Tokyo Central Hospital—"

"What?" Rukia interrupted, "You mean Unohana-san's…"

Ichigo nodded. "She was my professor from Med. School and is now my boss. Pretty small world, huh?"

Rukia nodded and lowered her eyes to process everything.

Ichigo smiled as he patted her head. "I know what you're thinking. And yes, last time we went to Tokyo, Unohana-sensei pulled me aside and almost gave me a lecture."

"Well then, remind me to thank her."

Ichigo glared as he sat up and looked straight into the violet eyes that he love so much. "Rukia."

"Hmm?"

"Do you still hate me?"

Rukia looked into his amber eyes. She didn't know what to do. She thought about everything that he's been saying but still could not get rid of the fact that he left her. "I never hated you… I just don't understand."

"'Don't understand' what?"

"Why couldn't you tell me about this?" She asked. Rukia placed both her palms against his cheeks to prevent him from averting his attention. "Did you think I wouldn't understand if you wanted to go to Todai and become a doctor? I mean, we could have all moved there. Or I could have visited you—"

Ichigo shook his head. "It's a lot more than just my education and work."

"Then what is it?"

Ichigo sighed. "I met your brother."

Silence.

"I met Byakuya a week before I left."

Rukia dropped her hands. "Niisama?"

Ichigo nodded. "After you told me that you met your brother, a weird feeling came over me. I knew that there was no way for you to talk yourself out of your predicament so I decided to take matters into my own hands."

"Why would you do such a thing?" Rukia shouted. "Did you think I'd be grateful if you went behind my back to try and save me? I can take—"

"Yeah, yeah," Ichigo scratched his ear, "You know how to take care of yourself. I know, I know."

Rukia glared. "Then why?"

Ichigo sighed as he leaned back against the bedpost again. "I just didn't want to take the chance of him taking you away the next time you saw him. So I met with him."

Rukia was silent for a moment. "Oh. Well… what did you say to make him back off?"

Ichigo shrugged.

Suddenly Rukia gasped. "You didn't tell him about Takeshi, did you?"

"Hell no!" Ichigo replied, "That man was trying to kill me as soon as he found out that you were living in my house. Think what would have happened if he really did find out that we slept together and had a kid. I wouldn't be here right now… or worse, we would never have gotten Mai."

Rukia rubbed her chin. "True…Then what did you say?"

"Well," Ichigo looked up to think about the day he met Byakuya, "We made a deal. If I could get into a good university with a promising career to provide for you, then he'd back off completely."

Rukia gaped at him. "You two made a bet on me?"

Ichigo moved back a little from her sudden outburst. "Hey, don't take this the wrong way. I was trying to get Byakuya off your back."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "But then why were you gone seven years? And without ever telling me or calling home?"

"Because… well, that was part of the deal too," Ichigo said, "I had to prove myself in seven years. Four years to finish school and an extra three years to find my career. And if you were still waiting for me by seven years, then he promised he would never threaten to take you away again."

"Oh," Rukia nodded her head. "Sorry."

"About what?"

Rukia sighed. "For getting you into so much trouble with my brother when I should have dealt it myself—"

"Oi!" Ichigo furrowed his brows more, "I don't know about you but there is no way I'm letting the mother of my child be taken away."

Rukia looked at him in silence.

Ichigo sighed. "I know what it feels like to live without a mother. And I'm not going to let my son, or my daughter, go through that hell."

"Then think about what their lives have been like without a father."

Ichigo dropped his head. "At least I'm back now."

"Yes, but you said that you have to leave again."

"Well, I can't possible leave my job. Too many people rely on me. Besides, what if Byakuya suddenly decides to visit again and see me gone? He's going to think I'm incapable of keeping my promise," Ichigo answered

Rukia tried to contain her laughter. "Niisama actually checks up on you?"

"Yeah," Ichigo pouted, "Just to make sure I didn't run off to you."

"Well, seven years are up now. And you proved yourself true to your words, so it should be good," Rukia commented.

Ichigo scratched his head again. "I know. But for some reason that man isn't saying anything. Last time I met him I told him that I finished my end of the bargain so he should too, but he just glared at me and walked away. I shouted that I was going to take that as a 'yes' but he didn't respond. So I have no idea what to think."

"I'm sure everything is going to be fine. Niisama is a man of his words," Rukia patted the orange hair, "But when are you leaving? And how long this time?"

Ichigo smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not going to disappear and severe all ties with you again. But I do have to go to my job. I might be able to transfer to Karakura Hospital, but that's going to take some time. And Unohana-sensei is determined to keep me close by."

Rukia let out a small, disappointed, look. "Then what's going to happen?"

"Well, I do have enough room to bring you and the kids to Tokyo. But Takeshi told me he didn't want to leave here."

"Oh—Wait. Takeshi? Did you already ask him?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo laughed. "You have no idea what happened in Tokyo. Apparently that son of ours eavesdropped into the conversation that I had with Unohana-sensei while at dinner. The next day he and Karin found my address and somehow got into my apartment."

"Karin too?"

"Yup," Ichigo nodded, "I swear that that kid has your ability to snoop around until he gets everything that he wants."

"Oi. That's more of your trait, not mine."

"Whatever. Anyways, I had no choice but tell the two about what happened. And Takeshi really wants to meet your brother now."

"I bet. Well, does anyone else know?"

Ichigo rubbed his chin. "Yeah… on the day we got back from Tokyo, Ishida and Renji figured it out?"

"How?" Rukia asked, "I mean, yeah, maybe Ishida, but Renji could never figure out something like this."

Ichigo nodded. "Well, Renji was standing by and got all the information from Ishida. Anyways, a previous patient of mine from Tokyo just moved here. When Ishida got his charts, he noticed my name. I never expected that kid to move here so I didn't expect something like this to happen."

Rukia nodded.

"But I didn't tell them about Byakuya," Ichigo said, "And I wasn't planning on until after you found out."

Rukia crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, thanks a lot for telling me so soon," she responded sarcastically, "So, where do we go from here?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Dunno. One thing is for sure, Takeshi has NO intention of moving to Tokyo."

"Well, I'm not surprised," Rukia responded, "When I first got the offer to open a gallery in Tokyo, I had the option of moving there. But Takeshi was so set on not moving that I decided not to either."

"Hey. Since we have my apartment to use, just sell yours. No need to spend more money on that place."

Rukia thought about this for a second but shook her head. "It was a present from Ukitake-san and I want to keep it. Besides, I need a place to run off to whenever you annoy me."

"Bitch," Ichigo sneered. He reached over to his pants on the floor and pulled out his wallet. "Here's my business card, and—" Ichigo pulled out a card and grabbed a pen from his desk. He wrote something on the back and handed it to Rukia, "—This is my address. You guys can visit whenever you like. Takeshi already figured out the password so there's no need for me to tell you guys it." (A/N: read the bottom for more info on what I mean by 'password')

Rukia looked at the card and turned it over to read the address. "Zangestu's Living Apa—You live in this expensive place?" she shouted.

Ichigo smirked. "Yup. I know the old man that owns it and he gave me a pretty good deal. Still planning on keeping that apartment of yours?"

Rukia kicked Ichigo under the blanket. "Baka. I didn't know you made this much money. Next time we go shopping, I'm going to have fun."

"Oi! There is no way I'm letting you spend anymore of my money. I have to save up for Takeshi's education. Not to mention that I now have to plan for Mai as well—what?" Ichigo looked at Rukia who was suddenly silent.

Rukia shook her head and smiled. "I didn't know you were already planning for Takeshi's future."

A big grin appeared across Ichigo's face. "Why? Feeling flattered all of a sudden? Well, you can express your gratitude by letting go of that blanket and—OW! Why'd you kick me, woman?"

"You just don't know how to take a compliment and stop there," Rukia glared.

"Che. Whatever," Ichigo pouted… then smiled with an evil glint in his eyes.

While Rukia was still reading his card, Ichigo grabbed the blanket and yanked it off of the clueless, raven-haired woman.

"ICHIGO! What are you doing?"

Ichigo pulled her into his arms and laid her on the bed. "I'm just accepting you compliment," he said with a smirk. And before Rukia could respond he smacked his lips onto hers and held her tightly against him, with absolutely no opposition from her at all.



A/N: Silly Ichigo and his hormones hehe

Anyways, I pretty much wasted one chapter to relieve the uncomfortable aura around Ichigo and Rukia. The next chapter is just there to show Ichigo and the kind of father he is... well, just read on and see for yourselves!

FYI: to those who are confused about what Ichigo meant by Takeshi already knowing the password to his apartment, let me clairfy. In Japan, high class apartments have doors that does not have a key hole but a small machine attached to the doorknob so the owner can punch in their password to unlock their door. It's kinda like what you find in a hotel but instead of a card it has buttons with numbers on it. You can find more info. on it on the internet

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