Disclaimer: I am not a bleach expert, but I do own the profile book.

(I'm glad there are people who like this fanfic so far. It makes me very glad. I will continue to write this and hopefully get more hits. Yay hits! ^_^)

Chapter 2: Second Chance

Sakaki was lying on her bed, depressed. She had messed the entire thing up. Her one chance at become an active soul reaper again was soiled, along with the hope at winning Byakuya's heart. She was so bummed she just wanted to die.

A knock came at her door, but she ignored it. She didn't want to see anyone after her embarrassing display. The door opened on its own regardless of the fact that she didn't answer it, so it had to be someone she knew. She sighed even more depressed.

"Shorty!" It just had to be Renji, didn't it. How annoying. She felt bad now, because he had stuck his neck out for her, so she could get a mission, but she totally pissed that off.

"Go away!" she pouted, covering her head with her blanket. She didn't feel worthy in his presence anymore.

"Quit pouting Sakaki," Renji grumbled.

She was surprised. He wasn't calling her shorty for the current time being. He was in a serious mood then.

"What?" she pouted under the blanket.

"The captain told me about the other day. He said you were unfit to be a soul reaper," Renji announced.

Sakaki wanted to start bawling again. That just made her feel worse!

"I didn't believe him though," Renji said wistfully. "I think that you just haven't gotten enough training in so long, so I convinced him to give you a second chance."

Sakaki zoomed from her bed, gawking. She couldn't believe it. Renji had done it again. She could possibly do this after all.

"Really?!" She exclaimed.

"After you at least get a week of training in, yes," Renji announced.

"Am I supposed to train alone?" She asked, curious.

"No. The captain doesn't trust you to get any stronger or better if you train alone," Renji said, blankly.

"Then, who am I training with?" Sakaki wondered in a childlike manner.

"Um…well, the captain himself wants to train you," Renji sighed.

Sakaki's face went white. She now appeared horrified by this new revelation. Her head sunk and her ego deflated again.

"I'm doooooomed!" she whined, moaning.

Renji patted her back and smiled, "At least it's only training this time and not the actual mission. You can screw up there."

"But… It'll be with the captain!" Sakaki gawked.

"Calm down and just don't embarrass yourself. He'll come for you in the morning when it's time to train," Renji announced as he left her house.

Sakaki was actually very much elated to be given a second chance especially after hearing she wasn't fit to be a soul reaper. She was so sure that she wasn't ever going to be a real soul reaper ever again. She had to make sure this was different from her previous venture hunting hollows. Then she would win her crush's heart.

The next morning, she was still fast asleep in her bed when Byakuya came. He was so silent that he was unnoticed. He approached her bed and tipped it over.

Sakaki flew off her bed and peered around drearily, stunned. She yawned bleakly and looked up at him.

"What time is it?" she grumbled squinting.

"Five in the morning, now get up," Byakuya said, looking around her room.

Suddenly she realized Byakuya Kuchiki was in her home, and looking at all her stuff. She felt a huge surge of embarrassment run through her body. She had so many adorable little stuffed animals and an occasional article of clothing that shouldn't be out in the open for men to see lying just about everywhere. Her face glowed bright red.

She didn't realize he was going to see her unmentionables! This day was already beginning in disaster.

"Sakaki," Byakuya addressed her directly. "We have training to do! Get ready now!"

She sighed and as quick as possible dressed herself. She morbidly joined his side after that.

"Come," he murmured, leading her out of the building.

She followed behind quietly. She was feeling embarrassed again. What was she going to do? She knew she needed to be more confident if she was going to win this man's heart, but she was always such a screw-up around him.

Byakuya led her to the area for her to train. He seemed to look annoyed.

"You're lucky Renji believes in you because I don't," he announced coldly.

His comment ticked her off some. She glared at him.

"Well if you had just sent me on missions in the first place I wouldn't be so inexperienced!" She finally just let it all out. This was how she'd felt for a long time. Immediately she slapped her hands over her mouth, shocked at her tone towards her captain.

Byakuya's eyes widened some as she said that. He'd hardly heard her voice let alone her yell. This was a surprisingly new aspect to her. He always thought she was just a weak, extra baggage soul reaper that lagged behind the rest. That's why he never sent her on missions, but if her ability was as good as her yelling voice, his discourage for her might dissipate.

"How long has it been since your last mission?" he asked, curious now.

After her outburst, Sakaki hid her face shyly in her hands. She thought he would get mad at her. Instead though, he asked when she'd last gone on a real mission.

"A few years ago….three," she murmured.

For once, Byakuya gawked. He was usually so calm and uncaring, but now she had actually made him gawk!

"That long?" he asked truly shocked.

Sakaki just nodded not wanting to make further offense to him.

Byakuya bent over a bit rubbing his brow. He looked annoyed again.

"I've got work to do, don't I?" He sighed.

"I'm sorry cap..."

"Lets just begin," He sighed, taking her arm and leading her to the open dirt area in which they were to train.

She just followed not bothering to finish the sentence he interrupted because he wasn't in a good mood. She trained with him until he decided to take a break, but he was very strict and refused to give her one.

Byakuya realized after some time this girl had potential even though he didn't realize it at first. It wasn't like she was great right now, actually she sucked, but she had spirit. He could tell she was trying her best to sty in his company, and there was power behind all that uselessness. Amidst all the training he heard an awkward noise emit from Sakaki's stomach area and realized she was hungry.

Sakaki was very hungry, but she would not complain about it to her captain because she thought of it as a sign of weakness. Even so her stomach was growling because it was about two thirty pm and she hadn't eaten a thing yet that day. She was too busy trying to prove herself to the man she loved!

"I'll be leaving for a while, but keep on training. I'll give you a punishment if I see you slacking while I was gone!" Byakuya said then disappeared with the quickness of his flashstep.

She did not dare ignore her captain, not when she was this determined to win him. She had to continue, even if it meant the deterioration of her health. It wasn't long before Byakuya came back with a small white bundle filled with what smelled like food. Her stomach growled more and she about drooled, almost missing the hard, wooden dummy she was swinging at. She tripped and bumped her head against it slightly.

Again she had embarrassed herself. She half sulked as she sat there on the ground. She watched as Byakuya settled himself under a cherry tree. It would have been a beautiful scene if the cherry tree was in bloom and captain Kuchiki wasn't so serious looking, but still they were both majestic in their own ways, especially when together. It left her breathless.

"Sakaki," Byakuya called to her in a gentle tone that surprised her, because she had never heard him speak that way to her before. "Come here."

For a moment she was still too stunned to even approach. But her stomach basically yelled at her, because it was so hungry. She slowly mozied over to him, kind of shyly. She didnt know what to expect this time.

"Sit," he ordered, unveiling a small bento box bought from a food stand somewhere in the Rukongai. It smelled so good that Sakaki started to drool again.

"Here. Eat this," he handed her the box full of food with a straight face. "You'll wear yourself out if you don't eat. If you're going to train with me you need to bring lunch." He was being stern now, but it seemed maybe liked he cared a bit for her.

"Yes captain," she agreed and started eating. The bento box was even more delicious than it smelled. Plus it was from Byakuya which made it extra special. She smiled cutely as she finished off her lunch.

Amidst her eating she noticed that he wasn't enjoying a nice lunch too. Wasn't he going to eat? Now Sakaki was bothered by him buying her lunch. She felt like she had to make it up to him, but first she was going to ask him.

"Don't you have any lunch?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm not hungry," Byakuya announced coldly.

"Are you sure?" she prodded further.

"No. Just eat yours and stop worrying about me," he grumbled, annoyed.

Sakaki bit her lip as she took another bit of a little octopus shaped hot dog. She still couldn't let this by without some way to make it up to him. She just had to!

"Um…captain?" she asked softly.

"Hmm," he murmured, still annoyed with her.

"You…bought me lunch. I want to return the favor, because you didn't have a lunch today. Uh…so I want to make you a lunch for tomorrow," Sakaki announced nervously.

"No," Byakuya announced.

"Please!" Sakaki begged getting up close to him, "You spent your own money on me and I've got to return the favor!"

"No!" Byakuya stood up, extremely startled though by this girl. "Training is over for today. Go home. Tomorrow, meet me here the same time as today, and bring your own lunch this time!" He grumbled and flash stepped out of there.

Sakaki was a little confused, but she walked home. She thought her day was productive until lunch. Even though Byakuya refused a lunch from her, she was going to make one for him anyway. She felt like doing this was her own step forward to win over his heart.

(Yay! End of chapter two! I hope you all like it so far!)