*** Hello darlings! I'm back with a new story and a story that is coming form a different angle. I hope you like it because it has been brewing in my cluttered brain for quite sometime now. Well, here I go…. Btw Tite Kubo… God bless you for giving us characters like Byakuya and Rukia… You rule!***

The Night Shift

She flicked the ashes into the glass try beside her computer and drew the cigarette up to her mouth. The screen was full of files and pictures and it was getting late.

"Ugh!" she thought to herself, "Had I only took the train this morning I would not have to be stuck in this predicament." She looked up at the time 1:35 A.M. the clock seemed to mock her. Running her fingers through her dark hair she closed her eyes for what seemed like a second.

"Rukia! Wake up!" the voice screamed.

Her eyes flew open and she turned to see her partner flailing his arms.

"Ukitake is gonna kick your ass!"

"Renji what time is it?" she yawned.

"Six in the morning! You haven't been going through the files have you? How long were you sleeping?"

Rukia felt her heart jump when she realized she had been asleep that long. Her boss was going to kick her ass and she knew it.

"Holy shit Renji! You have got to help me! He hates when I slack off and lately something has been bothering him and I can't afford to be demoted."

The mouse under her hand began to receive various clicks and swipes in the next few seconds.

"What exactly have you found on the Kuchki files?" Renji asked looking through the files on her desk already. Rukia lit up another cigarette.

"All I know is that the widower has a lot of money and is some kind of billionaire…" she puffed and blew smoke, "So he is clearly not a suspect. There has got to be…"

The phone rang and it made both of them jump. Quickly, she picked it up and gave a nervous greeting,

"H-hello?"

"Yes, I am Byakuya Kuchki. I was told by Jūshirō Ukitake that you would be handling my wife's death investigation? Rukia right?"

Rukia snuffed out the cigarette, "Umm yes. That is what I am working on right now Mr. Kuchki. Actually I am glad you called, do you think you could come in for an interview? I would just like to ask a few questions about Mrs. Kuchki." There was a silence for a minute or two.

"How about you meet me at my home… I haven't been able to leave since she passed." His voice sounded distraught.

"Very well… I will be there around noon."

"Very well Miss… Wait what is your last name anyway?" he asked.

"Oh how silly of me, my name is Rukia Kurosaki"

Rukia was a criminal investigations detective. She was high rank in her division and was looked up upon by many. For her to take a case was only because she was requested or recommended. After being adopted by her best friend's family, Rukia went to the best college in Karukura Town and had many degrees and diplomas. She decided to take the Kuchki case because no one was able to find any clues as to how Mrs. Hisana Kuchki was killed. The day she died it was spread through out the media like wild fire. Mr. Kuchki came home to find her lying on the floor in a pool of blood. They had only been married a short time, and there were no signs of hatred or infidelity in their relationship. It was a mystery as to why. Apparently Hisana was a humanitarian, she volunteered majority of her time to different affiliations so it seemed ridiculous to think she would have an enemy. Byakuya Kuchki on the other hand was from a family of business. He was constantly out at the office working and having meetings out of town. That normally would trigger instant claims of infidelity, but he was a very proper and noble man. The thought of another woman was unheard of. Someone had to have killed Hisana. There was an answer out there and Rukia Kurosaki was going to find it.

The huge oak door creaked open as Rukia lifted an eyebrow to the servant.

"Ah Miss Kurosaki I believe?" the man held out his hand to her, "Please do come in. Mr. Kuchki is awaiting your presence in his verandah."

Rukia took the man's hand and followed him inside the huge mansion. Her eyes studied everything she walked passed and took mental pictures of the slightest detail. They arrived to another huge door where the man knocked twice,

"Your guest has arrived, Sir"

Just like that he disappeared. Rukia had never really seen what Byakuya looked like. She ignored the media and always referred to it as "Smut" She had better things to do with her life than to worry about helping rumors and lies make their way into people's homes. Before she had time to think up the next thing to say, a tall handsome, light skinned man opened the door and stood before her. He was wearing a tight fitted black shirt and baggy dark blue scrub pants it looked like.

"Good afternoon Miss Kurosaki. I am Byakuya Kuchki… Please excuse my attire. I know it's not proper, but I just returned from my daily work out." he said politely.

For the first time in her life she was speechless. This man before her was dangerously handsome and attractive. His long black hair was in a braid that rested neatly on his shoulder. His eyes were a deep grey and Rukia could feel the pain in them as she looked into them.

"You're fine, Mr. Kuchki."

"Byakuya if you please. Mr. Kuchki is only for boring meetings and work time. I'm not working, and you don't seem to be a boring person." he chuckled.

Rukia smiled and giggled a little,

"Very well Byakuya, you may call me Rukia as well…I'd like to ask you a few questions about your wife if I may."

The smile on his face became a small, sad frown. Obviously it was still a touchy subject for him,

"What would you like to know, Rukia?"

"When did you first meet your wife?" she started the interview lightly.

"Three years ago actually…we married six months into our relationship because it was against our families beliefs to be… involved… with someone who isn't your spouse." He said trying to make it sound as respectfully as possible.

"I see… You never suspected anything was going on while you were away?"

"Never, I trusted Hisana enough to marry her and bring her into my home. She was a good person, Rukia. Ask anyone and they will tell you. Check your archives and they will tell you also." he said in a tone that made her skin cold. It hurt him so bad for people to talk down about Hisana.

"I'm sorry, Byakuya. I'm not implying she was a bad person. These are just questions I have to ask. I've read all about her. She was indeed a good person. That is part of the reason I took the case. The media will do anything to take a good name and smear it with their smut!" she scowled at the last part of that sentence and he smirked.

"I know the media all too well." he said turning a smile.

Rukia couldn't take her eyes off him. Why was she so captivated by this man? His voice was so soothing to her, and made her feel so warm inside. His hair was perfect; his eyes were so deep and true. His lips… She shook her head and looked down at her note pad. She hadn't realized that she was busy writing his name all over the sheet instead of taking notes! Byakuya looked at her and blinked,

"Is everything okay, Rukia?" He was trying not to laugh at her faces she was making. "Oh...umm yes. I'm okay, I just can't get this blasted pen to work," she lied.

Byakuya looked away for a second.

I laughed…he thought to himself.

He hadn't genuinely laughed since before Hisana died and Rukia was the one who did it. Taking a look back at her he then noticed her. Her shiny black hair that resembled a silk sheet, tied back in a messy pony tail. Eyes as deep as an abyss and more mysterious than one could imagine. Her pale slender hands holding her note pad to her chest and her frame fitting perfectly in the seat. Her lips…

"Byakuya? Are you alright now?" Rukia asked reaching over to touch his hand.

Their skin touched and the both looked into each others eyes like something was there. She felt his soft, cool skin under hers and her body temperature seemed to rise. The hair on her arms stood in excitement. He took his free hand and placed it on hers,

"I am fine now, Rukia. Thank you"

Their hands parted and returned to their owners. The room was a bit crowed now for the both of them,

"Would you like to take a walk outside?" he suggested.

Rukia nodded and stood up before he finished his sentence. He walked to the door and opened it letting her walk by. He closed his eyes and smelled her. She smelled of sweets and crisp fabric with a hint of smoke. She was so short compared to him and she couldn't see him studying her.

What am I thinking? She is not my wife? Why am I having these thoughts about a complete stranger?

He thought as he led them to the backyard patio. He ordered a staff member to bring them drinks and some rice cakes as they sat outside.

"I hope you don't mind if we have some fruit cocktail drinks. I am not much of an alcoholic drinker, but I like the taste so I order them minus the liquor." he confessed. Rukia nodded her head and smiled,

"I'd like to proceed with the interview now that I have a clear mind."

He nodded in response to her. Deep inside he couldn't help but to wonder why her very presence intrigued him so. They never met before and he never knew she existed until today. To him that wasn't the main problem. What he couldn't figure out was why she did when his beloved wife was buried in the ground. He felt so ashamed, and yet so elated. Something about Rukia Kurosaki was driving him crazy and he was determined to know why.

Back at the office, Rukia collected all the information she gathered from the Kuchki home and began to file it away.

"Kurosaki…" Ukitake called from his office.

Rukia jumped out of her chair and seemed to fly into his,

"Yes Sir?" she asked.

"Rukia how is the Kuchki case going," he questioned.

Rukia was a little embarrassed to talk about it because she really hadn't gone very far given the nap she had the night before.

"I had an interview with him today. I think it went very well, I collected some clues and some…"

"He is very handsome isn't he?" Ukitake interrupted.

Rukia was caught by surprise, "Excuse me?"

"Byakuya Kuchki. He is a very handsome and desired man, yet he never once had an affair… Do you think he is attractive?"

Rukia didn't know what to say. What was her boss getting at?

"I don't think I get what you're implying, Sir…" she stated.

"Rukia, I am not saying that he murdered his wife, but think about it for a second. How well did your meeting with him go?" he said picking lint off his shoulder.

"I…well, it went very well…"

Too well actually. Byakuya was like a dream…he was like the perfect man.

"Do you think our suspect could be a jealous woman he wouldn't have an affair with?" she blurted.

"All I am asking is that you take note of the visitors and instead of writing his name everywhere you could start taking the names of the women who come around."

Rukia's cheeks turned bright red. How did he know that? Then it hit her when she realized she was holding her notepad face up towards him.

"Shit…" she said quietly.

Ukitake started to chuckle as he heard her swear. Rukia was his prized detective and seeing her like this was very amusing.

"Rukia," he called out before she completely vanished into her office.

"Sir?" she called back.

"If you like we can arrange for you to do your night duty at his home… Maybe you won't fall asleep again!" he chuckled.

Rukia was beyond embarrassed and shut the door to her office.

"Oh my God!" she sighed.

"I've got a shit load of work to do now…" he mind drifted for a second,

"Although maybe I should take Ukitake's offer and spend the night… I mean my shift… at Byakuya's…

Her eyes grew large with her thought.

"What's wrong with me?" she whispered aloud.

She sat back at her computer and started clicking and typing away. But the entire time she was "working" her mind kept thinking about her lunch meeting with Byakuya. He was in fact too perfect. The meeting had its share of heartache, but there was something there and she was determined to find out. She typed in all the notes and files and saved them to her computer. Then she began a different search. A search of her own… one that she was going to find very shocking.

"Pardon me, Sir? Who was that beautiful young woman you had in your company today?" the servant man asked.

Byakuya smiled, "Her name is Rukia. She is handling Hisana's case now."

The servant smiled back. He hadn't seen Byakuya smile in a very long time. He had been in Byakuya's family since he could remember and he knew Byakuya like the back of his hand. Taking in how he smiled at the mention of her name made him grin; how his eyes seemed to be coming back to life like before. Then it occurred to him… He remembered Rukia's face. Could it be? he thought to himself. Has it started again? Byakuya noticed the distant look in his confidant's face.

"Taro? Is everything okay? You seem off…" Byakuya asked.

Taro bowed, "I am well sir. I would ask if I may… to use the library tonight. There is something I must find…"

Byakuya smiled, "As you wish dear friend. I am going to shower and then retire. I am very tired and I have a long day tomorrow. Don't wear yourself out in those books now. You get some rest as well."

They bowed to each other and went their separate ways. Byakuya seemed lighter than normal and almost appeared to float to the bathroom. Taro was nervous and excited because his mind could not make up its mind. He hurried to the library and pulled out the family archives. He was determined to find this particular answer. For Byakuya's and Rukia's sake… he MUST know!

*** And there you have it…The new beginning of my new story. I hope the separation issues were fixed. Like I said I'm kind of new at this and I was just a bit too excited to start. ^.^ I hope this story goes on to be a good one… It's playing out in my head and I'm eager to get it out, but I must sleep now. Please review… Thank you Babes! ***