Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 0: Retreat

- 12 October, Monday -

„… In the early morning hours of the 11th of October the body of an unidentified elder woman was found near the east border of Sereteii, raising the count of occurred cases of murder in the area in the last 3 months up to 7… The body had been discovered in a building, which had been vacant for months and was supposed to be renovated for an upcoming sale. The witness, who wished to stay anonym, described the scene as brutal and monstrous… By the bits of information we have gotten, it is to believe that the victim is connected to the infamous serial killer cases, which the public has started calling the scalpel killer… The responsible authority of the police, district 13. District 13 is well known for taken special cases of murder and abduction. From resources we have information that the investigating officers and detectives themselves are still in the dark. While trying to get an official statement we were met with a wall of silence. It is to believe that a order of closure had been set in motion to keep everything under wraps by Head Commissioner Yamamoto ." The reporter made a significant pause looking straight in to the camera.

"Many unanswered questions leave the cities of Sereteii in anxiety. Are we are still save, who will be next? When will the police finally catch this killer, who seems to be left on free foot without restrains? What are the detectives of district 13 really hiding and why does no one speak to us?" Behind the reporter the the police station with the significant sign of district 13 could be seen, just like two important looking officers who were just about to enter the building. In white letters on a red banner at the bottom of the screen the reminder that the shown news were the repeated footage of this morning was running through.

The words of the reporter were drown by an angry loud exhale of air from Kiyone Kotetsu as she glared at the small screen of her kitchen tv. „As if we sit on our ass all day." She growled. „I swear once this whole case is over I make sure he eats his own microphone!" She declared determined, giving her frustration about the current news some air.

As part of the district 13 police unit she was well aware how bad it looked towards the cities of Sereteii and with reporters like that man, it was only getting worse. The investigation left most of the units detectives working under much pressure, having their heads chewed out almost daily the longer the investigation went on. To make matters worse rumor had it that an extern detective was send to help the investigation soon.

"I hope they are at least nice." Kiyone mumbled, wondering what kind of detective they would get. She just had no time yet on her hands. was assigned into looking through old case files in case they missed something the last days. It was her least favorite work, searching through old dust soaked folders for any hints.

The reporter on the news was switched back to the studio, showing the usual head news reporter of channel 5. „Thank you Mister Tohru. Coming now to the weather forecast of the next days!"

The bowl in the middle of the table was relieved of some weight as Kiyone reached forward and took a cookie from it. Absorbed in thought she nippled on it, not paying to much attention to what was shown on the TV. Even as her favorite series started did the young woman kept brooding. She really hoped that she would soon be back, investigating with the others, or at least find something in the archives to help the case.

By the time Kiyone did actually pay attention back to the TV, the credits of the episode were already showing. The bowl of cookies in the meantime reduced to half of its contents. 'Damn', Kiyone mumbled under her breath, not happy about having missed the whole episode. A short look at the wall clock above the kitchen door showed her, that it was already past eleven. Standing up from the chair she went and turned the tv off. Better calling it it a day. Her way towards the bath was however haltered as someone knocked on the front door.

‚Who the hell knocks at such hour?' Kiyone wondered, turning around and walking to the door. It was far to late in the night to call it a courtesy visit. Several curses flew under her breath to whoever was standing right now outside her door. „I swear if it is Sentaro, I am going to kick him straight back down the stairs." She huffed.

Reaching the door Kiyone took a look through the spy hole of her door. Her eyes opening wide at whom she saw. Without hesitation, she unlocked the safety lock of the door and opened the door fast. She confused and shocked she looked at her nightly visitor. „Sis?"

Isane Kotetsu stood there like a forlorn puppy in front of Kiyone's door. The older sibling gave a small smile at the sight of Kiyone as the younger Kotetsu opened the door for her finally. „Good evening Kiyone. Can I come in?" Her smile did not reach her eyes.

Stepping aside Kiyone gestured for Isane to come in. „Sure, come in. I make us something to drink." ‚Something warm.' She added in her mind, a shiver running down her spine, as the cold air of the outside come creeping in. Taking a notice on Isanes buffed eyes and how she looked Kiyone could make a good guess what brought her sister here, or at least that it was damn serious.

Both woman went to the kitchen, Kiyone giving a worried glance to Isane who put her jacket over the back of the chair and sat down. Taking her eyes off her sister Kiyone went to prepare some tea for them, setting a kettle with water on the stove and turning it on. Sleep was forgotten from her mind, her concern centering around Isane, who seemed to be absent with her mind. It was unusual for Isane to just come by, not counting the odd hour she choose to do that…

Watching her sister rub her temple in a circle motion she got concerned. It was a habit Isane had used over the years whenever she got a bad headache. Kiyone shortly went away, leaving Isane alone. Her older sibling did not seem to take notice of her absent, Kiyone found her in the same position she had left her some minutes later.

„Isane?" Looking up Isane saw that her sister held out a glass with water in the one hand and a small pill in the other. „Common, take something to help that headache." Kiyone ordered.

Thankful Isane took the painkiller and emptied the glass of water, without setting it down once. The constant hammering in her head making it even harder on her to focus. The whole impact of the night seemed just to be to much. She could not think rational at this moment, it just felt to unnatural. She was here, but yet it did not feel like it, as if she was detached from herself. There was no questioning if she had done the right thing, if perhaps the situation could have been handled different.

All Isane remembered was an unmistaken feeling of being trapped and swallowed, causing a claustrophobic anxious feeling inside her. Fears and uneasiness had completely overtaken her. She run away, could not take the closeness that had been there. She had just needed some space. Just air to breath again… or not? Then why was the simply thought of returning filling her with dread?

The whistling of the kettle set Kiyone in motion again who had taken a stand against the cupboard close by the stove, while she kept an eye on her sister. Turning her attention to the kettle Kiyone prepared two cups with tea, filling them with the hot water. Putting the kettle back on the stove she turned the hot plate off, bringing the cups with her to the table.

Having noticed the cold hands of Isane, Kiyone wondered how long her sister had actually been outside walking around.

„Thank you." Isane murmured as she took the cup in both hands. The warmth spreading instantly. Not wanting to burn her own hands she set it down on the table but kept her hands close enough around it like a cocoon.

„You look like someone kicked you." Kiyone finally said as she sat down. There was a bad deja vu feeling in her guts about the way her sister acted and looked. She had hoped to never see Isane like that again. She blew the hot steam away from her before taking a careful sip of her tea trying to avoid getting burned.

„Everything ok?" It obviously not but she had to try and get Isane talking. She could not just expect her to spill out everything, even as her sister. Isane was never the type, it was not like she did not talk, but more of that she kept most of her own emotions bubbled inside her, till they seemed to flow over. It was one of the traits Isane had never grew out of, even during their times living under the same roof.

Isane did not answer right away, running her thumb absent minded over the rim of the cup. The cold had by now left her hands, Her expression was troubled as she tried to come up with a own solution for something she did not speak off. The painkiller had yet to work. „Could I stay here?" Her voice was still low in volume and she starred at the cup rather when at her own sister while talking. „Just a few days…"

‚That bad…' Whatever happened, it must have been quiet serious Kiyone concluded for Isane to distancing like that. „No problem…" For once she was happy that she had not fully gone through with her plan to redecorate Isanes old room. „..you can use your old room." While this situation felt like a deja vu, it felt not the same. A few years ago she may have had demanded an answer right away, going so far as to ignore Isanes state to get to the bottom of what was going on. But now? She was older, she had learned from her mistakes. Or maybe it was simply the way Isane looked shortly at her, which made her forget to say anything.

„Does she know you are here?" Kiyone asked. Kiyone had only met Isanes girlfriend a few times, but she had seemed like someone who cared deeply about her sister. Kiyone hd absolutely no idea about what was going on.
It was hard to miss the twitch in Isanes posture, how she bit her under lip and her hands tightened around the cup. „We.. We had a fight."

„Damn…" Kiyone cursed. She had hoped that her mind was just playing tricks on her, that she had been wrong… Her eyes widened slightly as Isane started shaking, a light panic settling in the pit of Kiyone's stomach. Rushing to her side, she did the only thing which came to her mind, wrapping her arms around Isane and holding her.

„Do you wanna talk about it?" Kiyone asked carefully. She was not the best when it came to handling such emotional situations. Her sister was trembling and sobbing in her arms, running her hand up and down Isanes back, she tried to help her calm down.

Isane shook her head strongly. Her hands holding tight the fabric from Kiyone's long sleeve sweater. She was tired, of talking and thinking at this moment.

She waited till Isane had at least stopped trembling, her crying giving her small hiccups, which surfaced now and then. Only as she was sure that Isane was good enough did Kiyone take a small step away. Her sister definitive looked like, I-just-have-cried-my-eyes-out-and-had-an-emotional-breakdown person, in a short like a total mess. Isanes eyes were buffed red from crying, worse when before, her nose running, The two strands she kept on the side of her head having loosened out of their bindings.

Pulling up the sleeve from her sweater a bit over her hand, Kiyone held the fabric and wiped away the tear trails on her sister's cheeks. She gave her sister a comforting smile to let her know she wasn't alone. „I am right back." She said in a even voice, stepping away from her sister and looking around. Wordlessly she got some tissues and gave them to Isane, who took them thankfully, blowing her nose.

Getting in a crouched position to look up into Isanes face Kiyone spoke, taking her hands into hers. Isane had stopped crying, her eyes focused at Kiyone. „Listen sis, I have no idea whats going on…but you can stay here as long as you need." Kiyone was not fond into prying on other peoples relationship, if she could avoid it.
There was enough of such things at work now and then. From what she had taken glimpse of, Isanes relationship had seemed to be perfect, her sister always seeming to having this happy glow around her when she spoke about her girlfriend, heck she even had seen them interacting together. But maybe that had been the problem?

There was a strange look in Isanes eyes as she studied her for a moment. Kiyone wondering again if she was missing something here she should be aware of? The look disappeared and Isane smiled, a smile which did not reach eyes but showed gratefulness.

Kiyone was giving herself a headache trying to image Isane and her girlfriend actually fighting with each other. It felt kind of out of character for both of them. The younger Kotetsu sibling had to remind herself, that people had more than one face, having witnessed some of these in her job.

Having her own fair of experience with love trouble in this manner, Kiyone knew how taxing this emotional roller caster could be. Granted usually it was her sitting on the chair balling her eyes out and Isane comforting her. There had been only two times where their roles had been reversed making this the third. Her sister looked like she could need some rest, but for sure she would not be able to get it here on the chair. „Wanna go in the living room and watch something to fall asleep?" Kiyone softly said, squeezing Isanes hands.

Isane shook her head. The painkiller was finally working, but she felt drained and exhausted. All she wanted to do was close her eyes. „I think I rather go lay down. Thank you… and I am sorry…I am keeping you awake and you have work in the morning." Her voice hoarse from the crying.

„Don't be stupid sis, you would do the same for me." Getting up from her crouched position she helped her sister up from the chair. Before Isane could do anything Kiyone hugged, caging her arms. „Go get some rest for now."

„Good night." Isane went to her old room, the door closing behind her.

Kiyone was sure her sister was not yet ok. She kept her ears perked up to listen to any sounds from her sisters room, just in case, while she moved around in the kitchen. They actually had not really drunken anything at all and so she emptied the cups in the sink. As she put the cups down she looked up at the ceiling, remembering suddenly that Isane did not have answered her question if her girlfriend knew that she was here. The answer seemed, obvious, yet Kiyone would have preferred a verbal answer more. She rubbed the back if her head. Reminding herself that she did not involve herself in her sisters relationships…

— — - — — —

Silence was like the loudest disturbance in her mind, as it let her realize the situation and what had happened. With her hands balled to fists she starred at them, her head bowed low as she stood in front the table. She could not grasp how the floor under her feet was slowly dissolving. Blinking harshly she steadied herself, clearing her view, she took a calming breath, collecting herself.

Partly at fault for the occurred situation she had no one to blame but herself. It should have went in a different direction, the night, the talk. But it didn't. And now she had to look at the shards of it, another weight on her shoulders. But one she had caused by herself, because of cowards and insecurity. Because of nothing more than… not finishing her own thought she shook herself out of this melancholy.

Looking up she starred at the untouched food, the one she had prepared for Isane and herself, just having finished it as her girlfriend had come home. They had been supposed to eat together and then talk.

Was it worth it, she wondered. Was it better. Her nails digging into the skin of her palm.

In the end, none of the food got eaten from either of them. They had not even gone so far as to sit down. Retsu Unohana sighed, she scolded herself from thinking about what if's. One by one she took the plates and other utensils from the table and put them in the sink. The food carefully made in a box, maybe she would come back, and want to eat something Retsu thought. As the food was put in the fridge she started washing the dishes. Just to keep herself from sitting down and not doing anything besides thinking. She had to stop a moment.

Rubbing the covered collarbone she took a moment to collect herself. Part of her had known that they would have such a talk one of these days, it had bound to happen. A talk she should have done without others taking care of it instead.

Retsu had thought about it. Thought about the talk, explained the situation towards Isane calmly. But she just would not had thought that it would end like this… or maybe she just had hoped, deep inside her, that it would have stayed away from their lives forever, a matter which resolved itself without them ever having to mention it. It had been a good illusion till tonight.

Looking at the clock above the kitchen door she saw that it was past midnight. The apartment felt big and empty now that she was once again alone here. Looking around Retsu saw the broken cup she had, not on purpose, shattered. Guilty she went and got the hand brush and the dustpan to clean the shards off the floor, throwing them away. Cleaning afterwards away the content of the broken cup which had spread along the ground.

Her phone which lay on the counter vibrated and gave a short ring signal for an incoming message. Her passive face expression hiding the emotion torment inside her. There was a seed of hope coming to her mind as she went to look from who it was. Retsu picked up the phone, her expression going back to troubled. It had been from Kiyone, Isanes little sister. At least Isane was alright…

She was alright and that is what counted, sending a short thank you to Kiyone, she asked her to look out for her sister. From the message Retsu guessed that Kiyone was not yet told from anyone about some of the ongoing events. It would have been hard to believe she would have otherwise contacted her.A thought which troubled her even more, at least this way now, she knew that Isane was ok.

A rueful expression crossed Retsus face as she glanced at the place she and Isane had been standing facing each other, before everything seemed to explode. There had never been a real disagreement between them before. It had been unexpected. Retsu guessed that she did not know Isane as good as she had thought.

Their first real disagreement and confrontation. It was nothing unheard of for couples to fight, yet Retsu could not remember any in which she had ever had an outcome like this. It had not never crossed her mind that such thing could have happen with Isane. Being a woman, who had her fair share of experience, she had to take note that there were still many things she had no idea about.

Knowing that Isane was at least at a safe place Retsu turned the lights in the kitchen off. She could not think clearly, everything seemed to remind her of them. Keys rattled and the sound of clothes moving was heard in the silent apartment, followed by the closing of a door and the sound of it being locked. A forenoon apartment left behind.

To Be Continued…

- - - -

AN:

Thanks for whose who had Reviewed the first time I posted this old draft chapter during my nanowrimo. I plan to have the next chapter up this week. (I left the Warning away this time...as in a review it was pointed out that the pairing should be obviouse xD which indeed it is! ;) )