Chapter 3: Devil Has A Heart

(I had a lot of requests for this one, so here you go! I might get in another update today...Shadows, I think, then some others tomorrow. Have a great day! Love, Spunky)

Renji heard the bedroom door handle turn and he focused his most scathing look of hatred at the offender entering the room.

"You lying bastards! Let me outta here!" he yelled as the door opened.

He froze and blinked in surprise as Bazz-B stepped into the room.

"You?" he demanded, "You're...?"

"Take it easy, Red," Bazz-B said, giving him a look of reproach, "I'm here to help."

"What the hell do you mean, here to help? Do you quincies know a fucking thing about being honorable? About keeping your goddamned word? Let me up, you asshole! I wanna see Byakuya! If those sons of bitches have hurt him, I'm gonna fucking kill you all!"

"Is this taking it easy?" Bazz said, rolling his eyes, "because if it is, you suck at it. Calm down, Red. Listen to me."

"You want me to listen to you, after what you did? They'd better not hurt Byakuya or Tetsuya or I'll fucking mess them up!"

"Okay, okay, you'll kill us if we hurt your friends. I got it, all right? Now, tone it down a little before you give yourself a fucking aneurism."

"What would you care?" Renji snapped angrily, "You motherfucking lying bastards don't..."

Renji's words disappeared and he went still and stared in confusion as Bazz-B leaned forward and kissed him forcefully.

"Stop it, okay?"

Renji blinked several times, the scowled.

"Oh, now you're going to use sex to dominate me? Well, bring it on. I'm not afraid of you!"

Bazz let out a frustrated breath.

"Man, sometimes you really are a moron, Red. Will you get a clue? I'm not going to rape you, although I wouldn't mind at all having sex with you, I am trying to keep you from getting yourself into more trouble. I know you heard me tell Jugo this wasn't a good idea. You and Byakuya were part of the group that was willing to overlook our differences and help us when we needed it. I owe you for that. I can't let you go right now, because if I do, then your taichou's still screwed. Jugo made me your handler. I'm just supposed to keep you quiet and out of the way. He doesn't care about you. He just wants whatever Byakuya knows. Once he has that, he'll probably negotiate with Central 46 for your release. Jugo may be pretty ruthless, but he's not like Ywach. He's honest and he doesn't want any more violence than there has to be to get the shinigamis to leave us alone."

"If he's so goddamned honest, then why's he taking fucking hostages, one of them pregnant!" Renji seethed, "If Tetsuya loses his baby..."

"Hey, stop it! No one's losing nothing, here. I told you, Jugo just wants to be sure that we're safe from the shinigamis. Come on, Red, you were there! You saw it. They were going back on their word and they were going to keep me, Gigi and Lil prisoners to try to force Jugo to give'm the keys to get into the shadows. You do remember it came out what they did to us last time? The shinigamis tried to fucking murder ever man, woman and child of the quincy race! You think taking a few hostages was wrong? We're fighting for our survival now."

"All right, fine. I get it," Renji huffed furiously, "I did hear it come down that there was a quincy purge. But you know, most of us in the ranks of the Gotei today weren't even alive when it happened. It was a long time ago and you know they covered up the whole thing so most shinigamis don't even know about it!"

"I don't know who the heck knows what," Bazz-B said, "but I know that your Central 46 wasn't on the up and up when they made the deal to end the war. They know we're beat and they could just leave us alone, now that we've signed the peace treaty and gone back into the shadows, but they want more. They want in here. Why? You don't think they're going to start talking about managing our military strength or some controlling shit like that?"

"What do you expect?" Renji mused, "You guys attacked us out of the fucking blue and murdered thousands of people! And the ones you killed, except for maybe Old Man Yama had never had anything against the quincies. They died not knowing why you guys were killing them. I know that Ywach screwed with you pretty badly. I get that. But it's going to take more than a peace treaty to make the people on our side trust any of you."

"That isn't a reason to go back on the deal they made and start making more demands."

"No, I agree, it's not," Renji sighed, "But that's Central 46 for you. It's hard to make sense of some of the things they do."

"You can say that again," Bazz-B agreed, squeezing Renji's bound hand, "Look, we kinda understand each other. I don't have a grudge against you and I don't think you're holding one against me either. Let's make an agreement, okay? And don't worry, I know you won't go back on your word."

"That's kind of a cheap shot," Renji complained.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," Bazz-B chuckled, "So, here's the deal. You behave and Jugo will let me be your only handler. I'll go easy on you and I'll try to convince him to let you see your taichou to make sure he's okay. How's that?"

Renji gave him a skeptical look.

"Will you fucking let me up? I've been tied down since I got here and I need to pee and stretch my legs!"

"All right," Bazz laughed, shutting off the restraints that held him down, "Get up and take a leak. Just remember, you misbehave and Jugo will assign you a bruiser to work you over and lock you up and let you pee all over yourself. Got it?"

"Yeah, I've got it," Renji said off-handedly.

"Good," Bazz said, patting him on the face and making him scowl, "I knew you could be reasoned with."

"You call that reasoning? What? Are you trying to join Central 46's douche bag squad?"

"Now you're asking for it..."

"Just kidding," Renji snickered, "Thanks Bazz. I really have to pee."

"Go on," Bazz said, giving him a friendly shove, "Don't mess the floor."

He chuckled again as he watched the red-haired shinigami hurry towards the commode.

"Cute..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Even deep in sleep, Byakuya could feel the strange power of the blindfold that Haschwalth had placed over his eyes. It kept his mind in a continuous spin and caused him to amble into past arenas, reliving moments from that past or just invading his dreams.

But knowing that it's affecting me isn't enough to make it stop, he thought, fending off a tempting swirl of dizziness as his weariness worked to undo him, I can't fight it forever. I know how to fight torture and drugs, but this is much more difficult...

"Relax," Haschwalth's smooth voice instructed him, "There is a lot of aggravation in your heart. I understand. You have been captured by the enemy, and the stress of wondering about your comrades, fighting the drugs you were given and resisting this intrusion are beginning to overwhelm you. The blindfold won't hurt you, Byakuya. It is only a means to an end. I want to know what you know and I am going to get the information I want, no matter how much you resist. And I ask you, why are you resisting at all? You saw what those men did to us. We had an agreement signed and only needed to take our comrades with us and leave, but those lying snakes broke their word right in front of you. I know you are aware. You watched it practically alongside me. Now, do the right thing. Give me what I want so that I can negotiate your release."

Byakuya fought off the feeling of vertigo and exhaustion and answered in a low, rough whisper.

"No!"

"You say that like resisting is an option for you," Haschwalth scolded him calmly, "As the moments go on, it becomes less and less of an option. But, time also passes for Renji and Tetsuya, doesn't it?"

"I-infusions!" Byakuya panted, "Tetsuya needs infusions of his husband's r-reiatsu. If he doesn't get them, his reiatsu will destabilize and he'll..."

"I already knew about the importance of keeping his reiatsu stable," Haschwalth informed him, "We too, have some males who can have children, Byakuya."

Byakuya's head spun forcefully at the words, dropping him back into a very old and fireshot memory.

He walked slowly alongside Soujun, gripping his father's hand tightly and looking ahead of them in the darkness.

"Not much farther, segare," his father said soothingly, "Look ahead there. Do you see?"

Something bright and white was approaching them.

"What is he?" Byakuya asked, his hand clenching his father's more tightly and his grey eyes widening, "Is that...an angel?"

The radiant being came closer, his grey eyes meeting Byakuya's and his lips smiling.

Segare, this is...

Byakuya broke out of the memory, gasping and struggling madly against the restraint field. He thought it strange that Haschwalth didn't move right away, but remained still and silent for a long time.

"What was that, Byakuya?" the quincy regent asked finally, "Was that a dream or was it a memory?"

Byakuya glared into the blindfold and gave no answer. There was a long silence, then something snapped around his wrist and Byakuya felt the restraining field relinquish its hold on him. He started to surge to his feet, then felt a sensation like overwhelming exhaustion come over his strained body as Haschwalth steadied him and removed the blindfold.

"Move slowly," Haschwalth advised him, "That device ensures you will not have the strength to move quickly or walk very far. Come with me."

Byakuya had no intention of being a compliant captive, but to his chagrin, his body weakened at even the thought of resistance, until he was so weak that he had to hold onto Haschwalth just to stand. The quincy regent led him to the bathroom and allowed him to relieve himself, then started to remove his yukata. Byakuya pulled away and collapsed onto the floor as Haschwalth knelt beside him and shook his head in disapproval.

"I only mean to help you bathe. I would let you do it yourself, but you are too dangerous. I think you know this. Relax and let me help you."

Left with little other choice, Byakuya allowed the quincy to lift him and guide him in under the hot spray of water. He could have cried out in relief if he hadn't quickly clenched his teeth. The water splashed down on his bare skin, soothing and slowly reviving him. Knowing better than to put up any fight, he simply stood dazedly with his eyes closed as Haschwalth tied a wrap around his waist and entered the shower. With hands that, strangely, felt as gentle as his own attendant's back home, the quincy lathered soap onto his pale skin and slowly bathed him, then let him turn to wash the lather away before working shampoo into his hair and massaging his scalp. He could almost forget he was a captive, just this side of breaking down and giving in to the enemy. It was that thought that made him stiffen and open his eyes. They met Haschwalth's tiredly.

"It was a quincy?" the regent inquired, tilting Byakuya's head back to rinse the shampoo away, "Was your father a secret supporter of the quincies, Byakuya? It's not relevant to what I was looking for. I'm just curious."

Byakuya blinked slowly and shook his head firmly, making the dizziness return forcefully. He pitched forward slightly and Haschwalth captured him in strong arms.

"N-no," he stammered, "We didn't ever see any quincies. I think that must have been a dream."

Haschwalth's eyes narrowed skeptically and he started to ask more, but was forced to stop the questions as he realized Byakuya was rested against his shoulder and sleeping on his feet.

"It's fine," he said quietly, caressing the naked shinigami's temples and breathing in his warm, sakura scent, "I'm sure that you've told that lie so often in your lifetime that you must, by now, believe it."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, how do we get into the shadows?" Ichigo asked impatiently, earning a disapproving scowl from Uryu, "We made a plan for when we get there. Why are you stalling?"

"I'm not stalling," Uryu said, looking around the breakfast table in Kisuke kitchen, "It's just that we really need to be on our toes when we go in. We can't just go off half-cocked, like you usually want to do. We need to be careful. Haschwalth might expect this. In fact, he probably will. We need to be prepared to defend ourselves if he does."

Kurushimi downed his glass of orange juice and shrugged.

"You are looking at the one who defeated Ywach," he commented.

"Who barely defeated Ywach!" Uryu snapped, "And he didn't do it alone."

"I remember," Ichigo said, giving his lover a charismatic grin and making Uryu rub his temples in frustration, "So, are you going to tell us how we'll get into the shadows?"

"You guys can't open the gate," Uryu said sternly, "You have to be in the presence of a quincy, who will open it for you. And...mind control won't work, and force will only make the locking mechanism jam."

"So, the gate is mechanical?" Kuri asked.

"The gate is spiritual," Uryu corrected him, "That's one thing the surviving quincies have in their favor, I guess, is that only someone who wants to let others in can do so. There is a spirit guardian built into the gate that recognizes us and allows us and our guests to pass. Luckily for us, it isn't controlled by the quincy monarchy. It's a sentient guardian, so it will not just betray us to the regent. We'll be able to slip in, as long as we are quiet."

"Once we're in, how do we get to the palace?" Ichigo asked, taking a bite of his food.

"And how do we find where they're keeping our loved ones?" Kuri added.

"We can't take the gate that goes directly into Silbern," Uryu reasoned, "That one's going to be guarded too closely, but there are other places we can come out. I know of one that's not far away, but is secluded. We can use that one."

"Then, we should go," said Kuri, starting to stand.

"Wait a second," Kisuke chuckled, laying a hand on Kuri's shoulder and nudging him back into his seat, "I'm not done with your provisions. I'm getting there, but I want to be sure that we're not just going to send you in and get you slaughtered. You're planning an invasion and traveling with a guy who just turned down being king! You've gotta be careful."

"We will be," Ichigo chuckled, "Me and Kuri are just really worried about our friends."

"And my husband," Kuri added, "Tetsu-hana and I have both lost our husbands and children in the past. It was a miracle we found each other and made our babies together. I don't want our happiness to end the way the others did."

"We won't let that happen," Uryu promised, his face losing some of its sternness, "Look, I know you and I butt heads a lot, but Tetsuya's my friend too. I don't want anything bad to happen to any of them. I'm just being careful."

"I understand," Kuri said, frowning more deeply, "But it doesn't make it any easier to be patient."

"When have you ever been patient?" Ichigo teased.

"Good point."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya felt some of the haziness in his head fade away, and he found himself lying in a room in what appeared to be an infirmary. He sucked in a worried breath and reached for his abdomen. Relief flooded his pale face as he encountered the rounded area on his belly, and felt the warm reiatsu beneath it.

Thank kami.

He turned his head one way, then the other to study the room. The kido left him weak and drowsy, but he realized quickly that his captors had underestimated him, leaving him alone as he was. He started to climb out of the bed, but was stricken with dizziness and intense nausea that left him reeling. He clung to the bed and leaned over, emptying his stomach into a trash bin, then stood panting as approaching footsteps made him groan in protest.

"What are you doing awake?" an old quincy healer chided him, "and out of bed? Do you want to lose those babies? Your reiatsu is out of balance. I am not the father, but I can stabilize you. It will just take a while. But you must lie down and save your energy. You don't want to end up in an early labor, do you?"

"N-no," Tetsuya managed shakily, "I just want to go home. I w-want to see K-kuri."

"You will see him soon, my boy. Don't worry. Haschwalth-sama doesn't want to keep you here longer than necessary. But you aren't making his job any easier by getting out of bed and riling yourself. Lie down now. Rest a bit."

"B-byakuya?" Tetsuya panted weakly.

"He is not being harmed," the healer promised, "Haschwalth-sama made it very clear that he is not to be damaged in any way. You don't need to stress yourself out, worrying. Rest now, and I will take care of you."

Tetsuya laid back on the bed, his head spinning as the healer employed another sleep kido.

Kuri?

Where are you?

I think the babies may come early...