Chapter Two

"Captain...?"

At that moment, Momo pulled away from Toshiro, realizing what she had done. Both turned to look at Rangiku in the doorway, looking absolutely caught off guard. There was a silence that washed over a room, lasting only a few minutes but feeling as though it was days. Until the silence was broken by Momo.

"I.. Need to get back to my barracks... I'll see you later, Toshiro"

The two watched the girl leave. Then, there was another silence while the woman and the boy stared after the girl.

"So, how long has that been going on?" Rangiku had a smile on her face,"You're becoming quite the charmer, if I do say so myself"

"What are you talking about, Rangiku?" Toshiro demanded and looked at his Lieutenant.

"Oh, nothing... Don't worry about it. How's your paperwork coming along?"

Toshiro felt his Lieutenant wasn't telling him something, but he didn't want to talk about that subject with her, or anyone for that matter, now or ever. "It's coming along well" He said as he moved on to the next one.

Rangiku smiled at him and sat down next to him,"I hope you're going to enjoy all those sweets Captain Ukitake gave you"

"I don't see why he gives them to me"

"I'm sure he has a special reason"

}~

Rukia started walking toward the Kuchiki Manor from the Thirteenth Squad Barracks but overheard someone who sounded like Momo Hinamori talking to someone. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, it just seemed to happened that way. She stopped walking and listened carefully.

"I don't know what came over me. I was just so excited to see Shiro that was okay that I acted on instinct and I just... Just... Kissed him!"

"I wouldn't expect that from you Momo"

"I know but-"

Rukia couldn't hear anymore, she didn't want to hear anymore, she quickly rushed past the two of them. She didn't care if Momo caught sight of her as she quickly made it to the manor. She hesitated and opened the door, remaining silent the entire time. She went straight to her garden and sat down in front of the koi pond, staring at the swimming fish intently.

"Why am I acting like this?" She asked herself over and over again,"It's not like we're together or cares for me as anything. So, why do I feel betrayed and defeated? It's not like I'm in love with him or anything"

"Sounds to me like you're in denial, child" Shirayuki commented on the girls thoughts.

"I'm not in denial, I just want to know why I feel so... Hurt by this"

"Rukia, my dear child, you may have deep feelings for this boy"

"I suppose you could be, right.. I'll keep it in mind, Shirayuki"

"I didn't expect that"

"Expect what?"

"I did not expect you to be so open minded. Normally, your stubbornness prevents you from taking things enter into your mind unless you think about it for a certain amount of time"

"I guess it seems like the most logical answer for what's going on, no matter how much I don't want it to be true"

"Why don't you want it to be true?"

"Because, from what I've seen, love only causes an unbearable amount of pain and you've seen how Captain Hitsugaya is.. To be in love with him... It'll only make the pain all the more heartbreaking"

}~~

A figure stood in the corner of Rukia's garden, watching the girl carefully as if she were a rare specimen. A smile graced the lips of the figure's mouth. In a somewhat playful, feminine, low whisper the figure spoke gently. "I promise you, Miss Kuchiki, you'll never ever have to feel that kind of heartbreak again.. Just give me time.. Then, you'll never have to feel anything upsetting ever again"

A/N: Well, what do you think? Mysterious? Anyways, I've figure everything out by now. Bold & Italics mean that a Zanpakuto is talking & Italics means someone is thinking or it's a flashback. :3 Tell me what you think!