A/N: This story is in poem form; each verse is a haiku. Gin's lines are in bold, and Rangiku's are italicized. Enjoy!

~Raye Lynne

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Redemption

I stand here, hoping

Praying with all of my heart

That you will listen.

Do you have a heart?

All your treacherous actions

They say otherwise.

I beg you, listen

I came to apologize

My dear Rangiku.

Don't dare call me 'yours'

After all you've put me through

I have moved on, Gin.

You cannot expect

After you abandon me

That I will still wait.

You leave; you return;

You leave again, no sooner:

I've finished with it.

You persecute me

For chasing after a dream?

And you won't listen.

Tell me why I should

Why is it that you deserve

Yet another chance?

I know I've done wrong

I can see that I've hurt you

I am so sorry.

Don't flatter yourself!

I stopped crying over you

A long time ago.

Don't lie, Rangiku;

I can see your suffering,

You anguish your pain.

And I am here now

With only one desire

To make it all right.

Had not your master—

Aizen, the traitor – fallen,

Would you have returned?

I can't say I know.

It's not what you want to hear,

But it is the truth.

There'll be no more lies;

I've followed that road—you know—

We all make mistakes.

The thing with mistakes:

One's supposed to learn from them

And yet, you do not.

Back across the years

This runs far deeper than you know

What you've done to me.

I can remember

I used to be there, with you

I long to be again.

It's not that simple

You have done so much damage

That can't be mended.

But I can still try

The best remedy I know

Three words: I love you.

Don't you dare say that!

You don't know how I'm tortured

Just let me alone!

You can't comprehend…

I wish I'd never met you

Ichimaru Gin.

You cannot mean that

All our happy memories

You would forget them?

I can see no light

To end this dark tunnel of

Deceit, betrayal.

You spoke of a 'dream'

What of it? I want to know

What drew you away?

I would fantasize

Of strength, power, following

The path, like a star.

But some dreams can lie

My star fell, and I realized

I'd been drawn astray.

To be without you

Matsumoto Rangiku

Is no dream of mine.

You words hold comfort

But I fear to believe them

I want no more pain.

I will not leave again!

Do you believe I can change?

That is a promise.

You say you love me,

You said that before, as well

How can I trust you?

Those three little words

I have never meant them more.

I would change—for you.

What is it you want?

My forgiveness, or my love?

Do you even know?

I do know it, now:

I'd have both, if you'd let me.

All I want is you.

What if I say no?

If I refuse to believe

What will you do then?

I'll do what I said:

I will change my ways for you

I've made a promise.

If you won't forgive

I'll work to prove you were wrong

For you, I can change.

I'd do anything

To reverse what I have done

To you; this I swear.

Please, Rangiku, please

I've always loathed sad stories

Don't let us be one.

Words so passionate

I hardly dare to hope, yet—

I want to believe.

No regrets, I vow

Believe in me, and in us

I beg you; a chance.

Forgiveness takes time

And changes take time as well

And that time will test.

And with forgiveness

Love will follow, but, this time,

It's your turn to wait.

One last, final chance

All that I needed, and more

I've missed you so much.

No promises, Gin

None from me yet, but perhaps

Someday…we will see.