"Taicho level, you say?" Nanao asked distractedly. She couldn't figure out what had happened in last month's budget and was barely listening to the messenger.

"Yes," the messenger responded. "The 1st requests that Kyouraku Taicho goes out and investigates the site of the deaths. Three patrols have been killed so far, but no one has been able to discover the source."

"Right, of course," Nanao said frowning down at the numbers. What was she missing? She'd already accounted for the spontaneous party Kyouraku had thrown last week that she'd refused to attend. He'd thrown it under the guise of celebrating a non-seated squad member's engagement, but Nanao knew it was really just an excuse for everyone to get drunk, and she'd had no interest in being there to witness it. "I'll have him look into it just as soon as he's in. Leave the mission orders there."

"Yes, Ise Fukutaicho," the messenger said promptly. "The 1st expects his report by the end of the day."

That got her attention. There was no guarantee that she'd even see Kyouraku by the end of the day. "Wait," she shouted, but the messenger was already gone.

Nanao sighed and removed her glasses rubbing the bridge of her nose. She'd been Kyouraku's Fukutaicho for five and a half years now. After the first six months they'd come to their vague agreement and formed a working relationship over time, but she still wasn't able to get him into the office with any sort of consistency. He let her run the division for the most part however she liked, but he still didn't see any need to operate up to code. He came and went as he pleased, and the only way she ever got him to important meetings and missions was by searching him out and dragging him in by the ear. Sometimes that could take hours, and if he really didn't want to be found it could take days.

How was she ever going to get him in time to complete a high level mission today? Nanao cracked her neck and dragged the mission orders towards her. They were marked with a 1st division seal meant to be broken only by a Taicho. Well, it wasn't the first time she'd broken the seal. Kyouraku never seemed to mind when she handled his work for him. She didn't see how this would be any different. She'd just bring their third and fourth seat along with her. How bad could it be?

"Where is she?" he growled at a passing healer as he stormed into the 4th. The healer yelped and pointed down a nearby hallway.

"Shunsui, calm down," Jyuushiro counseled. "The messenger said she's alive."

"And in Retsu-san's care," Shunsui corrected. "You know as well as I do that means it was bad."

"And you know Retsu-san will be giving her the best care possible."

"What was she thinking going out there?" Shunsui demanded as he paced down the hallways following the trail of Retsu's reiatsu. "It was a Taicho level request."

"Well, how was she supposed to find you Shun? You know she wouldn't just let an order go unfulfilled. Even the messenger sending news of her injuries had to come find me instead, and it took me nearly most of the day to find you out in the 25th district. I wasn't even aware you could clamp down on your reiatsu that well."

"I've had plenty of practice with Nanao-chan over the last few years," Shunsui grumbled. "Girl can find a needle in a haystack faster than most people can find their own hands."

"I'll have to ask her for lessons," Jyuushiro said with a small laugh.

"If she's ok," Shunsui said bleakly.

"She will be." Retsu interrupted the two men as she stepped into the hall and closed the door of a room behind her. "She'll need a few weeks of rest, but I managed to stabilize her and heal the worst of it."

"Can I see her?" Shunsui asked looking past her shoulder to the door.

"Not right now. There are delicate kidos in there I'd rather you not mess up."

"I wouldn't," Shunsui started, but stopped with a look from Retsu.

"You'll be able to see her tomorrow," she said simply. "May I have a word with you privately?"

"That's my cue to leave," Jyuushiro said with a weak smile.

"Coward," Shunsui muttered.

"Hey, I'm not taking Retsu-san's wrath because of you." With that Jyuushiro fled quickly down the hall.

Shunsui followed the serene healer to her office and sighed when she shut the door. It was never a good sign when Retsu wanted a private word.

"Your Fukutaicho nearly died today," she stated simply. "And for the first time, it actually would have been your fault. She should have never gone after that hollow."

"I didn't tell her to," Shunsui defended. Hell, he always told the girl to calm down and put off work. She really needed to relax, make some friends, or take a lover.

"Shunsui-san, it's fine if you want to let your Fukutaicho run your division," Retsu sighed. "Do whatever you like, but there are certain things she can't be expected to handle. I'm shocked no one was killed today. The only reason your 3rd and 4th seat are alive is because she told them to run. Apparently Ise-san has been holding back on us all as far as her kido goes. She's at a mastery level, and it's a good thing too or she'd never have gotten away with her life. As it is, that hollow is still on the loose."

"I'll take care of the hollow," Shunsui said darkly. In fact he'd quite enjoy taking care of the hollow. He stood up and Retsu stopped him with a touch to his arm.

"The Kido Corps were alerted."

"Alerted to what?"

"The monitors in the research division went off when Ise-san was fighting. They know she's at a mastery level now," Retsu said sadly.

"And the Kido Corps want to take her," Shunsui concluded.

"They are already submitting their case to the Soutaicho," Retsu confirmed.

"He'll never transfer her. He knows the 8th is only running like it is because she's there."

Retsu sighed. "Shunsui-san, I know you're trying to maintain your distance from her, but it obviously isn't serving her any better than your closeness with Yadomaru-san served Yadomaru-san. We're soldiers. Bad things happen no matter what choices we make so perhaps its time to stop trying to prevent the inevitable and instead embrace what you do have. I've seen too many people die not to know it's better to appreciate the here and now. You and I both know the Soutaicho will transfer her if you don't put up a fight for her to stay. She's proven she's valuable beyond paperwork. He'll find you another administrative aide. He can't risk losing a kido master to something as simple as not being kept from missions above her level. If you fight it, you'll have a chance of keeping her, but you know that would mean things would have to change. You couldn't go back to pretending that you simply tolerate her presence. The choice is yours."

"If she wants to go, I'll let her."

"If she'd wanted to leave," Retsu said, "She'd already have done it."

"That was before staying almost got her killed."

Shunsui was exhausted. The hollow had been hard to track and he'd spent most of the night shunpoing through forest far outside the districts. When he'd caught up to the monster he'd been too annoyed to give it the time of day. He'd simply lopped its head off in a surprise attack from behind and started the long trek back. He'd made it back to the 4th late the next morning and spent the last two hours trying to fall asleep in an uncomfortable chair next to Nanao's bed, but it wasn't working.

A groan from the bed alerted him that she was coming to. "Nanao-chan?" he asked. Her eyelids fluttered and he was met by those big indigo eyes. He'd only seen her with her glasses off once or twice before in the past five and a half years, and every time the color surprised him. She groaned again and tried to sit up, but he put a restraining hand on her shoulder to keep her still.

"Retsu-san said you shouldn't be moving around a lot. Do you want water?" He handed the glass over to her and helped her shaking hand keep it steady while she drank. Her arm was black and blue where one of the Hollow's tentacles had wrapped around her at some point in her fight. She was lucky her wrist hadn't been broken.

"Kasaki-san and Enjoji-san?"

"They're alive, thanks to you," Shunsui said setting the glass down on the side table. "What were you thinking taking on that mission?"

"I was thinking I couldn't find you and someone had to do it," she said and rolled her eyes. A coughing fit shook her and he could see pain flash across her face. The hollow had nearly bitten straight through her on her left side and several ribs were broken. She was probably regretting regaining consciousness.

"I'm getting Retsu-san," Shunsui said quickly. "Hang on." He didn't want to leave her coughing and obviously in pain, but he didn't know what else to do. Catching a healer by the collar he sent him off in search of Retsu and returned to Nanao's side. The coughing had subsided and she was trying to get to the water glass again. He caught her as she nearly tumbled out of bed. A small shriek left her mouth at the impact with his arms. "Sorry," he mumbled, helping her back into the bed. "You are allowed to ask for help you know."

"I thought I could reach it," she grouched and grimaced.

"You nearly died," he chastised. "I think you should probably lie as still as possible."

"I'm fine."

"You really are the most stubborn woman I've ever met." He flopped inelegantly into the chair and thrust the water glass towards her again. She took it with a sniff. "Nanao," he started after a moment, but was cut off when Retsu entered the room. The next half hour was spent in the lobby while Retsu tended to her now conscious patient. When he was finally allowed back in Nanao looked like she was on the edge of sleep again.

"I really am ok," she said quietly. "It isn't your fault."

He laughed humorlessly. "I was deliberately hiding from you and doing my job, which you therefore had to do for me. Then you nearly got killed. I'm pretty sure that qualifies as my fault."

"You didn't tell me to go on that mission," she pointed out.

He sighed. "The Kido Corps are putting in a request for your transfer."

"What?" She tried to sit up and only made it halfway before collapsing again.

"You set off the sensors in the 12th. Apparently you're at a master level."

Nanao brought her hand up to cover her eyes and groaned. "I was afraid of that. It's why I held off using those levels against the hollow as long as I could."

"You didn't want them to know?"

"I knew they'd try to recruit me if they did."

"Wouldn't you like to be a part of the Kido Corps?" He was genuinely surprised that she had no interest. It seemed only natural that she'd want to go with her strengths. It'd be much easier for her than what she had to deal with at the 8th.

"If I did, wouldn't I have already gone?" she asked with a sigh. "I know kido is my strong suit. I just don't want that to be the only thing I know. If I went to the Kido Corps I'd just spend the rest of my life tucked away studying kido. It isn't what I want."

"You've never even thought about it?"

"When I was younger," she admitted. "I discussed it with Yadomaru-san. She said she'd support my decision, but that there was more to life than kido. She thought I could be more than what they'd let me be. I took the advice to heart."

"I'm sure she had something better in mind for you than this."

"And what's so bad about the way I am now?" Nanao asked defensively.

"That isn't what I meant to imply Nanao-chan," he corrected quickly. "I simply meant I'm sure Lisa-chan wanted something better for you than chasing after a delinquent drunk Taicho."

"She was ok with it," Nanao said with a slight shrug.

"She didn't have to work half as hard as you do," he admitted.

Nanao's face stilled and Shunsui recognized the professional mask she put on when she felt like her real emotions may be inappropriate. "I'll try to be more efficient in the future, sir."

"Again, not what I meant," he said. "Lisa-chan had more help from me."

"You two had a different relationship. You owe me nothing, sir."

"That's not true." Trust this woman to make his life difficult even when he was trying to admit he was wrong. "I'm the Taicho, not you. I should shoulder my share of the responsibility, beyond that I think you believe that I don't like you." She opened her mouth, probably to deny it, and he cut her off. "I've kept you at arms length on purpose, and it has nothing to do with me not liking you. Besides the nagging, you're someone I'd very much enjoy spending time with. I have no doubts we could be very good friends if I ever stopped being a complete annoyance to you."

"You aren't a complete annoyance, sir," she said giving him a rare half smile. It faded quickly though as a cut in her lip split open again and made her wince. "Either way you don't have to explain yourself to me."

"Yes, I do," he said simply. "At least I do if I'm going to ask you to stay."

"Are you asking me to stay?" Her eyes watched him intently and he worried once again what would happen if he truly let this woman into his life.

He wasn't lying when he said he knew they could be friends. Over the past few years he'd learned enough to know that they had similar tastes in music, food, literature and half a dozen other small things. She could keep up with him mentally in games and matches of wit, and she had a deep seeded streak of loyalty and honesty – two things he valued dearly. It didn't hurt that she was beautiful too. They had their fights, but he'd always known the minute she got close he'd not be able to stand losing her. In their line of work that was unacceptable. Apparently all the precautions in the world hadn't helped though; he was already unwilling to watch her walk away.

"I am, and you should refuse me."

"I'm not going to refuse as long as the Soutaicho approves it," she said quickly.

He held up a hand to silence her and frowned. "Nanao-chan, if you stay we can't go on the way we have been. You should refuse me until you set conditions that will make your life more bearable."

"Sir, are you demanding that I give you an ultimatum?" she asked obviously confused.

"Essentially yes." He couldn't believe he was having her do this, but he wasn't going to get the notice that she'd died doing his job while he got wasted, and it'd honestly been so long since he'd stepped up to that particular plate that he needed her to let him know what she needed. She was too proper to ever offer it up unprompted, unless he'd pushed her over the edge into a fit of anger and he figured the girl was in no state to be put into a rage.

"Ok," she said cautiously. "Then it'd be nice if you came into work at a set time every day, even if it was only for a few hours, so that I'd know when and where I could find you."

"I'll be in at one every day, rain or shine," he agreed simply.

She quirked an eyebrow at him and then continued. "It'd be nice if you could take over one of the training classes. Our higher seats do an admirable job, but I think the recruits could stand to learn from the best."

"Which one?"

"There is a sword play class at three in the afternoon every Tuesday and Thursday," she said. "It's attended by the higher level recruits who are most on top of their duties. It would be a special incentive to have that class taught by you personally."

"Done."

"Are you serious?" Nanao asked skeptically.

"Make a list, Nanao-chan, and I will meet your demands as I can," he confirmed. "Although if that list includes staying sober at all times and conforming to dress code you will be out of luck."

"And what would I owe you for all these changes?"

Of course she couldn't accept it at face value, not that he'd given her any reason to believe he'd willingly do work. "No more taking on missions that are meant specifically for me without my approval," he said. "As long as you don't demand that I am in the office all day every day, which I assure you I will fail at, I'll leave my reiatsu signature more open so that you can find me."

"And that's it? Your request is that I do less of your work?"

"I would also like you to attend some of the division parties and events. It works both ways. If you want me to be more a part of the 8th then you need to be too."

"I hardly see how parties qualify as being part of the 8th," she said rolling her eyes.

"It's part of who we are," he said with a small grin. "No one is all work, Nanao-chan. You run the division efficiently and the recruits respect you, but how many of them like you?"

"I don't need them to like me."

"You do if you want me to be an active Taicho and set the tone for the division," he said calmly. "We don't run the 8th with fear tactics or cold professionalism. We'll leave that to the 12th and the 6th. Do you remember the 8th from when you were a child?"

"Of course I do."

"Then you know we're more than a division, if we do this right, we're a family."

"Don't think I don't know what you're really asking me to do," she said coldly.

"And what's that?" he asked amused. Of course she'd see to the heart of things instantly.

"You're asking me to put my heart on the line every time we send anyone into the field. To know them personally and bleed with them."

"Being a true leader comes at a very high price," Shunsui agreed. "It's a price I've been unwilling to pay for many years now. If you are asking me to do this, if you want to stay and run the 8th at my side, then you have to be willing to go all in too. Being an officer isn't all about paperwork."

"The 6th does fine," she defended.

"Then transfer to the 6th."

"You're opening us both up to what happened with Yadomaru Fukutaicho all over again," she said quietly.

"Yes," he answered seriously. "So ask yourself if it's truly worth the risk. If it isn't, I'm content to let you transfer to the kido corps and go back to keeping the division as handicapped as possible. You're forcing my hand Nanao-chan, make sure it's what you really want."

She was silent for a long moment and he couldn't decide which way he wanted her to choose. If he was honest he didn't want to see her go, but he knew it would hurt a lot less to see her walk away now than lose her later to some tragic event.

"I want this," Nanao said finally meeting his eyes. "No matter the cost. We owe it to the troops and ourselves. All in. Bankai, I suppose you could say," she finished with a small laugh.

He gave her a small grin and sighed. "Get some sleep. You and I will start training when you are released from the 4th." He stood up to leave and was stalled when she spoke again.

"Training, sir?"

"Of course. I'm not going to work and go into the field with a Fukutaicho whose ability levels I know nothing about. If we're going to work as a team I need to know you have my back and when I need to have yours."

Nanao mulled it over for a second and then nodded her head curtly. "I'd prefer to do it privately."

"Can't wait to get me alone, can you?" he asked with a smirk.

"Surprise has its advantages, sir," she said with a shrug. "I'm no Kenpachi. I don't need to brag or have the enemy know my weak points. In a real fight, the point is winning, not playing fair."

Kyouraku gave her a savage grin. They'd suit each other just fine. What others would have called cowardly, he considered practical. He wanted her to walk out of fights alive, and for that she'd need a viciousness many starry eyed recruits didn't understand. Hell, even some of the upper ranks got so hung up on their honor that they failed to see that in a war only the winning side was in the right. "In private then Nanao-chan. Our weaknesses will be the other's secrets."

A/N: Thank you SxN, Lillololly, 0Sam0, DressedWithBlack, LadyAlandra, Megiddo, SiriusHarryPotter, and BendersLastCircuit for all the reviews. I'm glad there are still ShunsuixNanao lovers out there :) I'm also glad you're enjoying the fic since it's a bit of a different format from my previous fics and I wasn't sure how it was going to play out. Love hearing what you think!