InuYasha Fan Fiction / Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ The Babysitter ❯ Chapter 1

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Title: The Babysitter
Author: inuyashagirl5
Rating: M
Genre: Drama/Romance/Comedy
Pairing: Ichigo/Kagome
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach. Inuyasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of those who decide to read this fic.
A/N: I must admit, this thing would not leave me alone no matter how hard I tried to focus on another of my fics. This won't be very long, I think. Each chapter will consist of one day. I guess, all I ask of you is to leave me feedback as usual. This is my very first attempt at making an Inuyasha/Bleach fic larger than the drabbles I have previously done. I dunno how successful I'll be, but I'm gonna go with it. X3
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Day One:



This was not what he had been expecting at all!

He'd been gone for only a week, having participated in some training with Renji in the Soul Society. It had been worth the time and he felt better having done it, but all he wanted now was to be at home and relaxing. He figured a long nap would be just perfect. He could skip school for one more day. He deserved it.

But, it wasn't possible. Things at home were not normal at all.

First, there was a young boy, probably around Yuzu and Karin's age, sleeping on the floor next to his bed. It was possible the boy was a friend of one, or both, of his sisters. There was no way his father would let a boy sleep in the same room as his little girls. So, yeah, that made sense.

Until he realized, his father wasn't even home. There wasn't a sign of him anywhere. That was the second thing he noticed. His father never left home on a day the clinic was supposed to be open and he certainly wouldn't let his daughters stay home alone, or somewhat alone since there was a boy sleeping in his room.

Third, he scowled. The clinic was closed. It was Monday morning, and the clinic was closed! Just where was his father anyway?

"Oh! Good morning, Ichigo! Glad to see you home!" Yuzu zoomed past him and he blinked. His sisters were home it seemed. He could hear Yuzu's happy chatter in the kitchen, talking with Karin and...

He had no clue who owned that sweet, delicate voice. Did his father have a new nurse? A new girlfriend? No...there was no way his father would ever date again after his mother's passing. So then, maybe she was a nurse? She could be filling in for his father that might've had errands to run and that was why he wasn't home. Maybe the boy was her son?

Scratch that. There was no way the breathtaking vision he was seeing in the kitchen could be the boy's mother. She was his age and oh so beautiful too!

Long and tanned legs. They were first in his perusal. There was a mid-thigh white ruffled skirt and a light blue halter top that came into his sight next, though the clothing wasn't really what he was thinking of because she had the perfect sized waist. Skinny, but not terribly skinny and definitely toned. Her breasts were next. Perky was the first word that entered his mind, then perfect. Yes, he could just see the tops of those perfect breasts...

"Now that's weird. Ichigo's being a pervert." Karin's voice stated dryly, making Ichigo blink and look over at her. Karin merely smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief and Ichigo gulped. That was probably going to come back to haunt him. He could just tell from the look in his sister's eyes.

There was soft, beautiful laughter from the goddess at the stove, cooking breakfast. She caught his gaze and her cheeks tinted light pink before she turned her attention back on the food in the pan.

"Ne, Ichigo, was Souta up and moving when you were up there?" Yuzu questioned, knowing the young boy would be late for school if he didn't get up soon.

"Souta? The boy in my room?" He asked, and when Yuzu nodded, Ichigo shook his head. "He's still asleep."

The girl at the stove slammed the spatula she was holding down onto the stove with enough force to startle Ichigo, and then there was a spike in energy that he wasn't familiar with at all, though it didn't feel dangerous to him, but he'd remain cautious.

"Yuzu, sweetie, please tend to the food while I see to it that my brat of a brother gets exactly what he deserves for not waking up when I told him to?" The girl was eerily calm as she turned from the stove, glanced at him with serious blue eyes and handed off the spatula to Yuzu, "And make sure your brother eats. He looks terrible."

She strode past him with such grace and elegance that he was left speechless until the first shriek came from his bedroom above. Yuzu and Karin laughed together as they could all hear the girl ordering Souta to get his butt out of bed or else he would suffer a weeks worth of doing chores all on his own.

"Ooh, I'd like that!" Karin happily replied. "I hope he falls back asleep."

"Don't be mean, Karin!" Yuzu scolded her sister, "There's no way Kagome would let him fall back to sleep now anyway. Come on now, Ichigo! Sit down! Kagome was right! You look like you've been fighting every day you were away. I hope you weren't."

He had, but he'd never tell her that anyways. Instead, he'd make her happy by following her commands to sit and wait for breakfast.

"Who are they and where the heck is dad?" He could ask a few questions too. He was curious about what was going on in their home.

"Dad went on vacation with their mother. They're due back the end of the week." Karin explained whilst nibbling on a piece of toast. "And, Kagome and Souta live next door now. Their old home burned down and their grandfather died, so they had to move."

She was his neighbor too! Oh, that could be bad with all the danger that followed him around... He supposed he could protect her if he had to. Her family too.

Wait. Why was he making plans to protect a family he didn't know? Well, sure, he'd protect them, just like he'd protect any other innocent human. But this feeling inside him was different...it was unusual.

Yes, the girl was beautiful and had very stunning eyes.

But, she hadn't spoken a single word directly to him.

So there was no reason for him to want to protect her more than any of those other humans.

"Did you even hear me?"

"Sorry, Kagome. I think Ichigo's been fighting while he was away. Probably got his brain all bruised and stuff."

He blinked after hearing Karin's voice and then realized the girl was leaning down, trying to talk to him it seemed, and the young boy was now at the table trying to push down his disheveled hair.

"No, I didn't hear you. Could you repeat what you said?" He asked and then flinched when she shoved a thermometer in his face.

"Open up. You're not well." She commanded and he scowled. She may be beautiful, but she didn't have a right to order him around.

He opened his mouth to protest...and promptly found a thermometer shoved under his tongue and his chin being pushed up and his mouth closed.

Her hands were unbelievably soft and small and...he stopped scowling and waited for the damn contraption in his mouth to beep.

"That's amazing, Kagome! Ichigo's never usually that cooperative!"

"Like I said, " She murmured softly while kneeling down next to him, "He's not well."

And she smelled great too! Was there no flaw with this girl? No, he guessed to be a goddess, one wouldn't be flawed.

"Well, his cheeks are pink." Karin pipped up and then grinned. "But, I bet the reason isn't because of illness."

He glared at his younger sister. He knew she was going to tease him and he was going to retort, but the thermometer finally beeped, and Kagome leaned closer to remove it.

That was definitely her breast pressed against his arm.

Now that he thought about it. He wasn't feeling well at all.

He didn't listen to anything else anyone had to say. Not even the goddess that was trying to tell him what his temperature was. He didn't care. He knew his body was heating up and he blamed it all on her.

So he escaped. Fled to the sanctuary that was his room and shut and locked the door behind him.

That nap he wanted? Yeah, he was ready for it. A nice long and relaxing nap because he deserved it. Especially now.


He was dozing off when he heard his sisters and Souta say their goodbyes to Kagome, leaving for school where they'd be all day long. He sat up to watch them leave. The boy walked between them, though slightly closer to Yuzu than Karin.

He waited for Kagome to leave as well. He'd have the whole house to himself for the day and he really was looking forward to the silence.

Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Ichigo frowned deeply and lay back on his bad. Now that he recalled it, she hadn't been dressed in a school uniform. So, she wasn't likely going to school.

Meaning he wasn't going to be home alone all day.

That was fine with him. As long as she left him alone and didn't make a lot of noise in the house, he could deal with her being there. Just as long as she wasn't around him, he could survive the rest of the time she was there...

Which was for the rest of the week.

Damn. That wasn't going to work either. He couldn't avoid her. He needed to eat and go to school, amongst other things. This was unfair, but he'd have to live with it. It was only for a few more days. He could handle that, he had faced worse.

"Ichigo?" There was a soft rapping on his door after her voice called out. He silently groaned, but rolled out of bed and moved to open the door to his bedroom. He swung his door open with force, startling Kagome, who jumped back.

"What?" He asked roughly, narrowing his eyes on her as she straightened herself out and sent him a glare. "Look, if you don't have anything to say to me then leave me alone. I'm resting."

"Fine." She snapped and turned away from him to walk down the hallway. The unfamiliar energy sparked again. "It's not like I was gonna be nice and bring you breakfast or anything. Why would I now? You're a jerk!"

"I didn't ask you to bring me anything!" He yelled after her retreating form. She whirled back around to face him, her skirt flaring slightly with the motion, which made him pause in his retort. She was even prettier when she was angry!

"Which is why it would have been a nice gesture on my part!" She yelled in anger. Ichigo didn't answer. His mind was too busy picturing her being aggressive in another, more gratifying manner. He shook his head to clear the image of her in his bed. Karin was right. He was being a pervert.

"Tch. I'm sorry, alright? I've had a rough week."

"Yeah, I'm sure being a substitute shinigami is hard work." She murmured just loud enough for him to hear, which really made him pause. How the hell did she know that? "I guess I'll go see how Kon is instead. Yuzu glued pink plastic butterflies to his ears yesterday."

Oh. That was probably how she knew. He was going to kill that stuffed idiot.

"He told you?" He followed after her as she moved into the girl's room and sent a glare to the plush lying on it's side on Yuzu's desk.

"Yes." Kagome reached out and lifted Kon into her arms, making sure he faced outwards and not towards her breasts. "Yuzu's gone to school Kon. Let's try getting these silly things off of you."

"Oh no you don't!" Ichigo easily plucked Kon from her arms, lifting the plush by one butterfly decorated ear. "What the hell were you thinking? Don't go blabbing about my personal shit!"

"I couldn't help it, Ichigo! She forced it out of me!" Kon squirmed, his little plush paws reaching out for Kagome.

"It's difficult to ignore life living in a false body." Kagome replied nonchalantly, and grabbed Kon back. "I had to know how he came to exist and why he was here. Call me inquisitive, but I had to know. So I asked and when he didn't respond, I threatened him."

"How did you threaten him?" Ichigo grabbed Kon's leg and yanked him back out of her grasp, letting him dangle and sway.

"She threatened to staple bandages all over me and bury me in the yard as if I were a mummy!" Kon cried out, making Kagome giggle and grab his torso, pulling him out of Ichigo's hand and hugging him.

"I wouldn't have really done it though." She avoided Ichigo's hands as he reached for Kon, and turned away to leave the room. "And it got you to talk."

"You're so much nicer than Rukia, Kagome!" Kon moved and snuggled closer to Kagome's breasts, releasing a soft sigh, that turned into a startled cry as he was promptly tossed across the room. "I take it back! You're evil! EVIL!"

"And you're a little pervert!" Kagome growled at him, her energy surrounding her and giving her a light pink glow. "And to think I was going to help you with your pink butterfly problem!"

She huffed and stalked off and Ichigo watched her intently. Yeah, she was definitely sexier when she was angry.

The pink glow was a bit frightening though.

"What the heck is she?"

"A miko." Kon replied from the floor, where he was still crumpled. "Or, to be more precise, the Shikon no Miko. Strongest priestess alive today and a formidable opponent to any demon that chases her, hollows too. She's also the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. No worries there though. She's good at keeping that bauble and it's energy hidden."

Ichigo hefted Kon off the floor by his head and followed after Kagome. They were on a level field now it seemed. He found her standing in the kitchen, preparing to wash the dirty dishes left over from breakfast. She tensed when they entered and glanced over her left shoulder to peer at them.

"So, what exactly is it the Shikon no Miko is supposed to do?" Ichigo smirked as he took a seat at the table. Her eyes narrowed and she growled.

"You're gonna regret that, Kon. I'm gonna pick up some sewing supplies for Yuzu today while I'm out. You might want to make yourself scarce when I get back. I'm fond of the color purple, especially when it's sparkling."

Kon panicked and struggled in Ichigo's grasp until he let him go. After that, Kon was out of the room and very likely discovering a new and safe hiding place from a pissed off miko.

"Well, are you gonna answer me or not?" Ichigo pressed her for an answer, smirking when she shot one last glare at the door that Kon had disappeared through.

"Nothing really. She just protects something others covet."

"The Shikon no Tama?"

"You're dead, Kon! You better flee this country if you hope to live! If not, I'm going to disembowel you!" Kagome's yell bordered on a growl and off in the distance there was a faint sob from Kon. Kagome took a few minutes to calm herself before answering Ichigo, who was still staring at her and waiting for her response. "Yes, it is the Shikon no Tama and I would ask you kindly to please not question me on it. The less people know about it, the better."

"And you let Kon know? That was stupid of you." Ichigo snorted, and flinched at the glare she directed at him. "Hey, don't get mad at me! It's not my fault you told him!"

"He doesn't know about it either, jerk. Only its title." Kagome turned back to the sink, continuing to wash the leftover breakfast dishes and doing her best to ignore the person sitting behind her.

He was cute, in a rough, always scowling sort of way. She adored his bright orange hair and dark eyes and especially the fact he was way taller than her. Height was always an important feature Kagome desired in guys. It's not that she couldn't date someone her own height, but it was so much better when they towered over her. For some reason, she just liked it better when she had to look up in order to look them straight in the eyes. Ichigo was a lot taller than her and despite his slender appearance, she could see he wasn't weak. She was certain his line of work kept him in great shape.

"So why didn't you go to school?" Ichigo asked her and Kagome fought down the blush she was sure she was sporting after her inward thoughts had wandered off, wondering just what Ichigo looked like shirtless.

"I won't be going until after summer vacation is over. Our parents think it's best that way." She smirked slightly and turned to face him. "They're sleeping together, you know? Your sisters think they're just friends, but in fact, they're much more than that."

"I really didn't need to hear that. I guess I should be glad I didn't eat breakfast." Ichigo replied, his face turning pale. So his father was seeing someone. He supposed he'd be alright with that, as long as the woman wasn't mean towards his sisters. His mother wouldn't have wanted their father to be alone for the rest of his life as well.

He'd likely be seeing more of Kagome too, so it couldn't be all that bad.

"Just be glad you didn't see it. I think poor Souta will be scarred for life." Kagome frowned, recalling the terrible state her brother had been in when she had found him a few hours after the incident. "They don't know that he saw though. Best to keep that quiet and push it as far back into the brain as possible."

"That poor kid." Ichigo felt pity for the boy, but inwardly was glad that it wasn't him or one of his sisters that had walked in on the scene.

"Well, I have errands to run." Kagome dried her hands with a yellow dish towel and then faced Ichigo. "You're welcome to join me if you'd like, but, you're probably tired...eh, don't worry about it. I'm sure I can find my way around town. Your energy signal is overwhelmingly huge, I doubt it'd be difficult to find my way back to it."

Ichigo felt oddly content when she finished that sentence, believing that maybe he'd enjoy having her come back to him. With a shrug he decided it wouldn't be too bad to go with her. They could talk more and he might be able to get more insight into her priestess abilities too. He was curious what she was capable of and if she was a potential sparring partner.

"I've got nothing better to do so I'll go."

"Thank you, Ichigo." She bowed and he swallowed as he was presented with more of those beautiful, perky breasts again. He turned his gaze away and coughed.

"It's nothing."

Kagome grinned and blushed at the pink tinge across Ichigo's nose and cheeks. Perhaps this week wouldn't be too bad after all. She adored Karin and Yuzu, having always desired to have a little sister. She loved how different they were despite being twins, but how close they were as well. She could already tell that she and Ichigo would get along for the most part, probably with a few spats here and there. She hoped she could be friends with his friends as well because she had no intention of keeping much contact with her old friends. She had only told Ayumi that she was moving and the girl had been cold in responding, saying that it didn't matter what she did with her life because she had avoided them for long enough. Kagome knew telling them the truth of her travels were out of the question, so she accepted it and was moving on.

"You ready to go now? We could wait if you'd like?"

"Let's just go now." Ichigo stated and moved towards the front door for his shoes. "The walk into town isn't long, but sometimes there are bullies you have to deal with."

"I'm not worried about that.""You should be. You're tiny." Ichigo scoffed and Kagome frowned. It looked like she'd have to show him the advantages of being so small. She wasn't one to be taken lightly which is why a lot of demons feared her and avoided her at all costs.

"Feh, what ever. Let's just go." She slipped her own shoes and stepped outside.


The walk into town was quiet. Ichigo watched kagome from the corner of his eye, watching her take in all the surroundings and committing landmarks to memory. She'd even glance back over her shoulder to look where they had come from and counting telephone polls between streets. It was like she was trying to absorb every bit of information about the place.

When they came across the fabric store first, Kagome motioned for him to follow. She did need to pick up some supplies for Yuzu and herself and Ichigo briefly wondered what it was she would make. She led him around the store and he scowled deeply, glaring at the older women in the store giving them odd looks and whispering to one another. Kagome was oblivious to it all and moved to look through a basket full of different colored and shaped beads. He turned his eyes on her when she giggled and held up a bright orange bead the size of a small marble. She turned to him, holding it up and smirking.

"Wow, it really is the same color!"

He wasn't pleased with the comment and Kagome laughed before tossing the orange bead into a little bag. She was getting it. Even though she didn't know what she would do with it, she couldn't pass it up. It was the only one of it's size and color in the basket.

"It's not my fault my hair is this color." Ichigo grumbled, looking frustrated and pissed and glaring over at one of the women who seemed to have snuck closer to them in the past couple of seconds.

"I didn't say anything about that." Kagome murmured, still rummaging through the basket and pulling out different beads for her collection. "I like your hair color. It's different and unique and it fits you. You have a fiery temper."

"Tch. What ever."

"I just have to get sewing needles for Yuzu, then we can go. I'm sure these women are making you uncomfortable. I bet they don't get too many guys in here."

For a quick moment Ichigo thought of Uryuu puttering around this same store buying frilly lace and pretty ribbons and frowned.

"Probably not real guys at least." He muttered and followed after her.


After leaving the craft store, Ichigo continued to lead Kagome around town and she continued to make mental notes of their surroundings.

Their next destination was the local market, a place Kagome looked comfortable in and Ichigo watched her move up and down the aisles, locating items for dinner. His dark eyes narrowed as he watched not one, but three of the store's employees, all of which were male and older, approach where she was standing looking through vegetables.

"Well, aren't you a pretty, little thing?" The man in front of the small group asked. He was very likely around the same age as Ichigo's father, just shorter, fat and bald with gray chin stubble.

"I am a woman, not a thing." Kagome's voice was sharp, proving she wasn't happy. "Don't the three of you have work to do?"

"We'd love to work you over. There's a table in the back we could bend you..."

"Go away and leave her alone." Ichigo growled, stepping in beside Kagome and placing his hand against her lower back. He had heard enough. No woman should ever be spoken to in such a manner.

"Ah. My bad. We didn't know she was taken. Lucky bastard."

"I'm not." Kagome was quick to cut in and before hope could rekindle within the three males, she continued. "But, I'd never date someone old enough to be my grandfather."

Ichigo gave them one last glare, silencing them before they could speak and followed after Kagome to the check-out. Along the way it became obvious that Kagome wasn't getting attention just from the three guys in the produce section. No, she was being watched by every male in the store. She seemed unfazed by it all and even ignored the blatant leer the bag boy was giving her while they were checking out. Ichigo was surprised that she was able to keep her calm, because he knew if they had been staring at him in such a manner, there would have been bloodshed.

"Hey, Ichigo?" Kagome looked up at him as they left the store. He gazed back with barely hidden anger, which greatly surprised her. "Is there anything that you need to get while we're out?"

"No. Let's just head home."

"Okay."


Luck was very much against them it seemed, because they weren't even half way home when they were surrounded by more guys than Ichigo could handle alone. They were a familiar bunch. He'd seen them on more than one occasion, but never when it was just him and a small woman. He knew this wasn't going to go well.

"Can I just set my things down over here first?" Kagome questioned the leader. She had an air of innocence and Ichigo wasn't surprised that she was allowed.

"Sure, baby. What ever gives us a view of those bouncing beauties." The guy leered at her chest, but Kagome paid it no mind and walked off to the sidewalk to set her things down. She rejoined Ichigo's side and smiled.

"That's better." She glanced up at him and smirked, "Try to keep up, Ichigo. I'd hate for you to be out done by a tiny girl."

"Huh?" Ichigo's eyebrow raised at her words...surely she wasn't planning on fighting alongside him.

"She thinks she's gonna fight!" The leader laughed, "Baby, save that aggression for later! We can use it for something much more fun!"

"I wouldn't baby me if I were you. But, then again, you are dumb and ugly. I guess I can't blame you."

"I'll make you regret those words, bitch!"

Ichigo was stunned as the tiny woman launched herself at the guy in front. She was fast and apparently strong to because her small fist broke the guy's jaw in just one hit.

"Tch." Ichigo wasn't one to back down either and he sure as hell wasn't letting Kagome fight this battle alone. Though, watching those soft, tanned legs in motion, lifting high enough to give them all small glimpses at her panties, was very distracting.

The two of them fought on equal ground with the larger group, but Ichigo didn't notice a change in their opponent's strategy until it was too late. They had managed to separate them, putting a large distance between them. Then three of their guys went for him, while three others tackled Kagome. She had been unable to defend herself from their combined strength. He had to hurry with his opponents so he could help her.

Kagome struggled against their hold. It was really pissing her off how they were manhandling her person in such a lewd fashion. Some guys were just big, perverted jerks. If only they weren't human, because then she could purify their hands off and get them to stop groping her breasts.

"You should stop fighting us." Kagome stilled as the blade of a knife was pressed to her throat. "Take your lumps like a good little boy, Kurosaki. Maybe we'll let you live."

"You fucking coward!" Kagome hissed and flinched only slightly as she was nicked by the blade as the guy pressed it more firmly against her throat. A small trickle of blood slid down to her chest.

"You just stay still and silent, hon. We're not going to rough you up yet."

"Hey, let her go!" Ichigo shouted angrily. Seeing the trail of blood on Kagome's throat really pissed him off. He wouldn't hold back. "Tch. You didn't learn your lesson the last time? I guess I have no choice but to give you a repeat performance."

Kagome's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Ichigo wasn't just strong, he was fast too! The guys he was fighting didn't stand a chance! Not against such a powerful person, whose aura was pulsing with his anger. Ichigo was really upset. Oddly enough, Kagome was touched by his concern.

'I really can't let him do this on his own. Looks like I'll have to use that tactic.'

She let her body slump back into the guy holding the knife to her throat. The fake faint forced the guy to shift his own weight to support her, bringing the knife away from her throat for just a few seconds.

A few seconds that gave her an advantage.

In those few seconds, Kagome had the guy's wrist in her grasp and was throwing him over her shoulder and to the ground below. She followed it up by stomping on his wrist as he tried to reach for his dropped knife. There was a loud, audible snap, followed by the guy's shrieks of pain.

"Oh, oops! I didn't see your hand there!"

"I'm not surprised. He's easy to miss." Ichigo added as he joined her and kicked the guy in the gut. He directed a glare at the few remaining bullies and growled. "Get lost or I'll do double to you."

"He means, we'll do double." Kagome cracked her knuckles and grinned. "I haven't even warmed up yet."

They scattered, leaving their battered buddies behind. Kagome scoffed at their cowardice before moving to gather her things from the sidewalk.

"Let me carry those." Ichigo joined her, scowling as usual. He stopped when he noticed her neck was still bleeding. He couldn't let her walk home like that.

Kagome sputtered as she watched Ichigo remove his shirt and he smirked a little at the response before handing her his shirt.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"For your neck. You're still bleeding." He replied and at her confused look he added, "You can wash it when we get home. It's not like it hasn't had blood on it before."

"Um, alright. Thank you." She folded the shirt and pressed it against the wound. She could have healed it on her own, with her own energy, but such things shouldn't be seen in public and they had gathered a small group of on-lookers during the fight. "We should go. I'd like to not look like this before Souta gets home. I don't want him to worry.""Not to mention the sight of you would probably make Karin and Yuzu worry too."

The rest of the walk home was uninterrupted by pests, something Kagome was glad for because she knew her neck was still bleeding and the scent could cause nearby demons to hunt her. Of course, they'd still end up purified, but she wanted to avoid unnecessary danger to Ichigo and his sisters. Though, she definitely believed now that Ichigo could handle himself.


Both of their shirts were already in the washing machine by the time their siblings came home. Kagome fed them a snack before sending them off to do homework. Souta hung back for a few seconds, worried brown eyes watching her face.

"Hey, sis?"

"Don't worry about it, Souta. Go do your homework and I'll call you when dinner is ready." She cast him an apologetic smile and Souta frowned, but nodded and walked away. "Guess I failed to keep him from worrying. It's growing too fast."

"It?"

"His spiritual power is increasing. It's not surprising considering our family's ancestry. We do come from a long line of powerful priests and priestesses. Before us was our father..." Kagome paused and shook her head to clear out the unwanted images from her past and moved to the fridge, "Dinner cannot cook itself."

Ichigo didn't question her sudden change in topic. Seeing the slight moment of pain in her eyes had let him know that their father had met a horrible end. She obviously didn't like to talk about it and he knew how that felt having lost his own mother.

He helped Yuzu to set the table, then enjoyed the very delicious dinner Kagome had made, ignoring the way Karin would smirk every time he looked at Kagome. It was hard not to look at her when she was making every attempt to include him in their conversations.

Once the meal was over, Kagome shooed their siblings off to watch television or finish their homework if they had yet to complete it. Then she moved about the kitchen, cleaning up their messes and preparing to wash the dishes. Ichigo pushed her to the side of the sink and handed her the dish cloth. She got the message and thanked him for his help.

"That was a pretty impressive punch you threw earlier. Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"That was nothing." Kagome laughed lightly, "My friend Kouga made sure I knew how to defend myself from those who desire what I protect."

"He did a good job. That punk you hit probably needed to have his jaw wired back together."

"What a bunch of pathetic idiots." Kagome scoffed, "Ganging up on and overpowering a girl...how manly of them. I was happy to break some of their bones."

"Just be careful, Kagome. They're not likely to forget what you did. They confront me at least once a week."

"And probably get their asses handed to them each time too, huh? You were incredibly fast, Ichigo, but, I bet you could move a lot faster than you did."

"I could probably have killed them, not that I would. The only things I take out are hollows."

"Hollows?"

"Hollows are evil spirits that prey on humans with psychic energy. They come in many different forms, but they always have a hole in their chest and a white mask."

"A white mask?" Kagome asked softly and Ichigo glanced over at her to see her face pale and her eyes wide. He turned to her quickly, knowing something was wrong.

"Kagome, what is it?"

There was a crash from upstairs and then a startled shout from Souta. Kagome moved quickly away and towards the stairs.

"Ah! Ichigo, there's a strange boy in your room!" Souta cried out as he rushed towards his sister.

"Who the heck are you calling a boy? And what were you doing in Ichigo's room?"

Kagome moved Souta behind her as a girl emerged from Ichigo's room. Her aura was different than a human, but somewhat similar to Ichigo's. The girl moved to step around her and follow Souta, but Kagome let her aura flare in warning. The intent of her message was clear and the girl stopped abruptly to stare at her with wide brown eyes.

"Rukia, dammit! I thought I told you to stop climbing in through my window!" Ichigo shouted, stepping up behind Kagome and placing his hand on Souta's head to calm the panicked boy.

"Who are they?" Rukia turned her concerned, yet curious gaze on Kagome, then back to Souta. "I'm a girl by the way, runt."

"His name is Souta." Kagome hissed and sneered at Rukia, "He is also my brother. So I'd watch your mouth if I were you."

Karin and Yuzu joined them in the hallway to see what the ruckus was all about, Upon seeing Rukia, Karin tugged on Souta's arm and smirked.

"It's alright, Souta. I thought she was a boy at first too." She grinned smugly at Rukia, "Let's go play the new Soul Caliber game before bed! That'll calm your nerves."Karin tugged away Souta and Yuzu, though her sister could be heard protesting about the video game as they walked away.

"Who are you and what do you want with Ichigo?"

"I don't want anything with Ichigo and who I am doesn't concern you, reaper."

"With an energy like yours, I think I have a right to worry. Ichigo is my friend." Rukia absorbed the fact that the unknown girl knew what she was, but didn't call her on it. She waited, feeling out the girl's energy and trying to figure out what she was. Her aura felt close to that of a priestess, but something was different.

"Ichigo is my friend as well. I would never intentionally harm him, just as I am sure he would never intentionally harm me."

"Come on you two..." Ichigo tried to interrupt their little spat, but Rukia was quick to cut him off.

"How can you be his friend? I have never, ever seen you before and he's never, ever mentioned you before either!"

"Of course not! We only met this morning!"

"Alright, that's enough! Both of you shut up!" Ichigo moved his way between the girls. "Rukia, I met Kagome this morning when I returned home. She is babysitting my sisters and she now lives next door. Kagome, Rukia is a friend of mine as well as a soul reaper. We often fight hollows together."

At the mention of hollows again, Kagome went silent and took a small step backwards, reminding Ichigo of her reaction just a short while earlier. He reached for her wrist, clasping it gently in his hand. She blinked up at him and frowned.

"I should get the kid's lunches for tomorrow started. They can't make themselves, you know." Kagome pulled from his grasp and hurried back down the stairs.

"Your new next door neighbors are hazardous to you and your family Ichigo. That girl's aura is large, probably larger than yours is she lets it fully go." Rukia frowned with concern for her friend. It was already bad enough that some hollows targeted him, but they would definitely want the girl if they ever felt the power she held, "What is she? The truth, Ichigo. They'll want to know in the Soul Society if extra security will be needed for this area."

"It's not my place to tell you, Rukia, not that I know much anyways." Ichigo replied. He knew what Rukia said was the truth, and things could become more dangerous for them. He couldn't just tell Rukia that Kagome was in possession of something that was meant to be kept secret though. "But, let them know that things could pick up here. If Kagome chooses to tell you, that's for her to do so."

"I trust your call, Ichigo."

"Oh, and you won't be able to stay here for the time being. Kagome and Souta are staying here until ou parents return. If you have to come over, use the front door."

"Fine, I'll go stay with Orihime for now. I'll see you tomorrow at school, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."Once Rukia was gone, Ichigo made his way to the kitchen. He could hear Kagome humming a nervous little tune as he got closer. She looked up at him briefly, worry evident in her gaze, but then she set back to work preparing lunches for the next day.

"Did your friend leave?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. She sometimes stays here, but she's going to go to Orihime's tonight." Ichigo grabbed her arms to still her rushed movements. He stared down at her thoughtfully for a few seconds before realization set in and he frowned deeply.

"Ichigo?"

"Your father was killed, wasn't he?" She flinched in his arms, letting a soft, startled gasp escape. She tried to pull away, but he wasn't going to let her go. "Did you see it, Kagome?"

"Please, don't. I don't want to talk about this." She whimpered and tried pulling away again, but he held firm.

"I want to know, Kagome. Please, tell me what happened to your father."

He caught her as she collapsed against his chest and she cried. He hadn't wanted to make her cry, but he had his suspicions about her father's death and he needed to know. She calmed after a few, still sniffling as a few tears escaped.

"I didn't see it at first. I only heard the horrible cry. It was very frightening, so I went to my parents." Kagome swallowed thickly, "My mother was still asleep, but my father...he wasn't there."

Ichigo rubbed her back gently and urged her softy. "Go on."

"I found him outside, just in front of the sacred tree, fighting with something I couldn't see at first. It became visible as I watched my father fight against it."

"It had a white mask and a hole in it's chest?"

"It did." Kagome nodded, "It told him that it wasn't there for him, but something more powerful. It's eyes turned to where I was hiding and I panicked and ran. I heard my father call out for me and when I turned back..."

Kagome sobbed loudly and buried her face in his chest. Ichigo didn't need to hear any more. He knew. Kagome's father had been killed by a hollow that had been coming after her. He held her and let her cry. He knew exactly how she felt and he would tell her as soon as he was able.

"Kagome?" Souta's soft, hesitant voice spoke up from the doorway and Ichigo lifted his head to look over at the boy. His sisters were standing behind him, watching as Kagome cried in his arms.

"She'll be okay, Souta. I promise." He stated and he meant it. He'd do what he could to keep them safe from hollows. It was his job to do so. This was also something he would share with Rukia. It probably was a good idea to have extra security for the area.

"Come on, Souta, Yuzu. Ichigo will take care of her. Let's head to bed." Karin nudged the other two towards the stairs, only stopping once to look back at her brother. She wasn't sure what she was seeing, but it looked right. To Karin, it looked like her brother was meant to comfort Kagome. He must've really understood her pain to be able to comfort her as if they were best friends. She shrugged it off. She wanted to make sure Souta was alright before retiring to bed for the night.

Ichigo waited for his sister to leave before speaking to Kagome. The subject wasn't something his sister needed to hear.

"It'll be okay, Kagome. Trust me." He spoke softly, keeping his voice calm and gentle. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed the subject."

"I would have had to tell you eventually." Kagome answered, and then turned her head to the side and pressed her cheek to his chest, "I was saved by a soul reaper, but he never told me his name. Just that I would be safe and that he was sorry he hadn't arrived sooner. He looked so sad and left once my mother found me."

"There's a possibility Rukia may know him. Maybe you could give her a description?"

"I think I would like that."

"Good. I'll ask her to come by after school. Maybe I'll even ask the others to come over as well. I think you'll like them, Kagome." He released her and stepped back. She wiped at her eyes and nodded at his words, making him smile just a little bit. "Alright then. I'm going to bed. Don't stay up all night."

"I won't." She giggled softly, "Goodnight, Ichigo and thank you."

"Don't mention it. Goodnight, Kagome."