I DON'T OWN BLEACH if I did Yumichika would still have long hair /drool.

Thanks to the people who alert and review each one means a lot!

"I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves."
Mary Shelley

Chapter 3

Fourth Division

"Oi! Where is the blue girl?" Kenpachi was wondering around the fourth division looking for Lapis. He had a few choice words to say to her, and hiding from him wasn't going to work. "Get out here Lapis!"

"Zaraki? Why are you yelling at my medical staff?" he turned slowly the smile on his face fading, as he locked eyes with the most fearsome woman he ever met in all his days.

"U-Unohana.." he coughs uncomfortably, "Bring Lapis out here me an her gotta talk!"

"Now, now..What have I told you?" she said her face the picture of serenity.

"M-May I please see Lapis." Kenpachi said with great effort.

"Very good! I knew you could be sweet. I'm afraid she isn't here, she had a request to visit her family."

"You! You had me ask and she isn't even here! Damn it woman, you will be the end of me." Kenpachi said his face was inches away from Unohana's. She met his gaze undaunted, and only smiled as he walked away. "See you tonight Zaraki."

"You know it!"


Eleventh Division Barracks

"Yumichika, you gonna see her again?" Ikkaku asked as they finished up the last of the daily reports.

"Of course." He hummed as a hell butterfly floated in to give Ikkaku a message. "Ikkaku..Trouble?"

"Nah, Just some report about finding a nest of hollows outside of Rukongai. They are getting organized and a little smarter since Aizen deserted." Ikkaku looked at his friend and couldn't help but wonder if he was even aware he was falling for that girl. Not that Ikkaku really cared, he would be his friend until he drew his last breath. He did care though if she hurt his friend. That can't happen...not again. It was almost impossible to drag him back from that hell. "Yumichika..you sure about this girl? I mean I support you, but it's clear..."

"I know, she is wrapped in secrets. Ikkaku has it occurred to you that they may not be her secrets?"

"Eh? She is, maybe.. not at fault, you mean?"

"Something is wrong with her..a darkness hides there. I think she is protecting a grave secret, and someone is keeping her on a leash." Yumichika stomped his foot in frustration. "I can't stand that!"

"Operation rescue the damsel in distress? ALRIGHT!" Ikkaku hit his fists together. "But, first Lunch!"

"Ikkaku, don't let her hear you say that. She would get pissed!" he said grinning as he remembered her little fit last week.

"Ah, she is all about her independence eh?"

"If thats what women's liberation is about, I'm all for it. You should have seen her get mad! It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Ikkaku, she even stomped her foot at me!"

"Hehe, you are far gone already buddy."

"Isn't it great!"

Fourth Division

He had a plan, and even got Unohana's approval now he just had to turn the corner and get the girl. Behind the barracks he saw her laying down on a blanket asleep, the long hair was splayed out from tossing in her sleep. Her face was twitching and she was whimpering, it was clear she was having a bad dream. Yumichika sighed to himself, the beautiful should never need to frown like that. The nightmare must have gotten worse a single tear formed on the corner of her face. He moved quietly toward her a reached down to wipe it off, when suddenly three hell butterfly's drifted by. They hovered around her face and then landed on her hair. One butterfly floated over and drew up the tear and floated away, another seemed to fade away. The last one flew to his finger, and he lifted his digit up curious at what he just saw.

"Help.. her.. please." he heard a voice much like a child singing, fill his head. "We fear...he will...kill..her..soon."

"Who will kill her?" he asked inside his mind, not really expecting an answer.

"The Axe man." it whispered then floated away.

"What the hell? Who is that?" Yumichika put his hand on her shoulder and she jerked awake.

"Sorry to wake you but I didn't want to be rude. Standing here just looking at you is nice but, I like your company just as much."

"Yumichika? Hello.." She stood up trying to collect herself, and a sudden panic hit her. "How long have you been watching me? Nothing weird happened, right?" she asked looking around and noticing a dead butterfly on the ground. Yumichika wanted to ask who the Axe man was. Hoping to get some kind reaction or by some miracle, a answer. He decided against it, the reason being she didn't trust him yet. Last thing he wanted was to force her to lie to him.

"Nah, is that butterfly dead?" he asked reaching toward it, she picked it up before him and held it between her hands. He saw a blue spark and the wings flickered and then it flapped away. "Ah, I guess not." he replied and watched her gather up the blanket that she was laying on.

"Yumichika, you must be tired by now." she said her blue eyes shining in the afternoon sun.

"Nope, I feel great!"

"You must be sick of my negativity, and your way of ignoring my oddness will only get more difficult. Don't worry, I won't think less of you if you don't came around anymore."

"Don't be in such a rush to push me away. I can decide my own feelings for myself. I do wish you would hurry up and trust me."

"Oh, the kiss." she laughed and shook her head as they walked to her room. "You are growing impatient. I will reward your tenacity, with a kiss. Come on in." she opened her door and waited for him to enter.

"No, a deal is a deal. I will hold up my end of the bargain, and you will too. Besides how could I counter a kiss from you?"

"Counter? What do you mean?" she looked at him her hands went to her hips she was tomato red.

"I have to keep us on equal terms, if you gave me a kiss before I earned it. I'm not sure what I would have to surrender to you."

"Oh, I see. You are either a brilliant strategist or really are same sex oriented. If you are it's fine, just stop telling me I'm pretty."

"I prefer the word gentlemen, it's a more beautiful sounding word, and one kiss from me will put any questions of my preferences to rest. SO hurry up a trust me!"

"You are a truly amazing man." she said laughing with her hair flying around her in the breeze.

"Of course. Realizing that is your first step! Now meet me at this spot this evening alright." he handed her a paper with a map. She looked up and he was gone, leaving behind a pleasant flowery smell.

LATER THAT EVENING

She was sitting there on the edge of the forest waiting for Yumichika to arrive, as her thoughts seemed to scream at her to run off. She waited there feeling her pulse pound and wondering if it was fear or excitement. She closed her eyes and reached out, she could sense his presence coming. He was about three kilometers away, and moving fast. Changing her target she could hear the butterfly's humming and flapping their wings. Standing up and moving three steps to her left, she straighted her clothes. Next she made sure her hair was pulled up without dropping in the hairpin. Then, she put a smile on her face as he appeared in front of her.

"Been here long?" he asked looking at her with interest. "You look breathtaking in dark green." he held up his arm and she curled her eyebrow up. "Come on we are going to the cliff." She didn't reply just wrapped her arms around him as he took them to the edge of the forest. The cliff was a famous spot where you could see a nice sunset. When they arrived he spread out a blanket for them to relax on, while the sun made it way to the horizon. She wasn't looking at the sun going down but his eyes.

"Wisteria..Your eyes wisteria."

"Are you looking at me?" he said smiling and moving closer to her.

"Yes, you are a very handsome man. It is hard not to look at you. I wonder though...if you would look even more beautiful if you grew your hair?"

"Ah I can't, I made a deal with Ikkaku. Until he gets a girl, I have to keep it short, he is afraid I'll get all the girls." he said completely honest, and she threw her head back and laughed as she slapped her knees. He saw her laughing and couldn't help but think it was his favorite view in the world. They sat there together in the brief silence and she felt him come up behind her.

"I won't bite." he said and she leaned back into his lap.

"I don't know what I'm doing.." she said quietly and tried to get up.

"We are having a moment, shh." he said reaching around to put his finger on her lips.

His soft/strong tactics were beginning to show the cracks in her armor. She relaxed again as she lay there looking up at him from his lap. His face was so open, unlike most seated officers he had a warmth that surrounded him. In the vastness of this place is it possible to grasp happiness? She was fighting the urge to hold her hand up and touch his face. His hand came down and moved hers to his face. She stretched her hand open and moved her palm over his cheek.

She was laying there drifting to sleep in his arms as the wind picked up slightly. He put a barrier around them and kept watch over her as the rain fell. Lightening crashed in the distance loudly and she jerked up. In a panic she broke the barrier and the rain came down fierce soaking them.

"What happened!"

"It's only a storm Lapis. Come on I'll take you home." he yelled above the wind and rain beating on them.

"It's impossible to work with us! Just give up and leave me alone!" she was screaming and walking away.

"No!"

"Get back, go away! You can't get close to me I'm bad, I don't want you involved with me!"

"What are you doing?" he ran after her and tackled her just a lightening flashed to reveal the drop off. "Look! You could have fell!"

"I-I didn't know.." she started shaking from nerves and the cold.

"I'll take you back home." he picked her up and flash stepped. She leaned up to him and put her arms around his neck.

"Yumichika, I don't want to go home. Please anywhere but there."

"Alright, I know where to go." He took her to the secret training ground under the Sokyouku. Renji had told him about it and he had been going there to practice. It would completely mask their reiatsu and no one will there.