Authors Note

Hello again! So third chapters up, but i wanted to warn you that in a few days time i have to knuckle down and do a lot of work for school. Mainly my art GCSE coursework, so you might have to wait a short while for another chapter. I will do my best though!

I should be able to make sure that the gaps between chapters are no longer than about a week, but if it is a little longer please know that i haven't forgotten about the story (i could never do that) and there will be an update as soon as possible.

Part 3 – Nightmares

Before telling Soi what she knew, Unohana had insisted on making tea. Soi was impatient, but she knew from many other Shinigami's experiences that Unohana didn't like to be rushed. For some reason they would always come back looking distant – like they had just met the devil. Deciding that she would rather not experience this herself, Soi chose to play it safe, trying to take her mind off of the tantalizing wait by calling for a hell butterfly.

When it arrived she recorded a message to Omaeda. "Vice-captain Omaeda. I will be out for tonight on a private errand. Please take over my duties and make sure that you deliver the letter I gave you earlier to Captain Byakuya before nightfall."

To be honest, Soi wasn't really worried about letting the buffoon know that she would be out, nor was she particularly worked up by the thought that he probably wouldn't deliver the letter to Byakuya. She was simply unable to sit still, finding more peace in pretending to worry then sitting in silence, where she could easily fall into despair.

After what felt like hours to Soi, Unohana walked out of her mini-kitchen with a small tray. Setting it down on the table she began pouring two cups of green tea, handing one to Soi once she was finished.

"So…" Soi started, looking expectantly at Unohana.

Unohana smiled weakly. "I suppose I should start from the beginning." Soi nodded. "Well, although not many people knew it, Yoruichi and I were rather good friends back when she was still a captain. We would often meet for tea just like we are doing now. I think she enjoyed the peace, and I was curious about the nature of her ability to transform into a cat. When she left with Urahara I still believed she was a good person. Unlike most Shinigami, I didn't look down on her for doing what she did. It was for that reason that I didn't report her when she tried to make contact with me." Soi almost chocked at that.

"She contacted you! What- when? How!"

"Soi calm down." Soi was still reeling. How dare Yoruichi contact Unohana but not her! "Soi!" Soi looked at Unohana and froze. She was smiling, but not in the usual way. It felt fake and cruel. This must have been what the other shinigami meant when they said she was like a devil… Obviously she didn't like to be interrupted.

Soi calmed herself enough to speak. "Continue…"

"Thank you. Anyway, Yoruichi sent me a letter asking me to come to the world of the living. It seemed important so I complied. I wished to ask her about why she had left, so I took the opportunity as a blessing, deciding not to waste it by turning her in. When I got to the world of the living I met with Yoruichi in a small cave, in the mountains on the outskirts of Karakura. At first she seemed normal, but she was in her cat form. As soon as she transformed I realised why she had contacted me. Her reiastsu was going hay-wire. Before I even got a chance to ask what was wrong she collapsed. I assume it was basically the same as it was with you today."

"You saw her collapse?"

"A few times actually. You see, it seems that the transformation to a cat and back burns off illnesses; that is why she never gets coughs or colds. But for some reason those illnesses never fully go away; they lie dormant in her system until her body physically can't take it any longer. The result of this is an intense fever."

Things were starting to make sense for Soi, but from the way Unohana was speaking she could tell that there was more to come. She nodded in understanding and waited for Unohana to continue.

"However, after witnessing the extent of her illness it seems that the resulting fever is around 10 times as bad as a normal summer fever should be, if not worse. I have never seen anything quite like it in all my time in medicine. I attempted to help by using kido - i even tried my zanpakutou's abilities - but nothing seemed to have any affect.

Miss Fon, I spent a week in the real world looking after Yoruichi, and even as a captain of forth squad I was unable to do anything to stop the fever. It gradually got to the point that I honestly thought she might die from its severity. She couldn't breathe properly, let alone speak. It was quite horrible to witness, especially from someone as strong willed as Miss Shihoin. In the end i don't really know what happened. I went out to get some supplies and when I came back i found her moaning on the floor and clawing at her throat. She was like that for less than a minute before she suddenly stopped. After that she was fine. She went straight back to the way she was."

"What? How did she…"

"I don't know. I have tried to contact her since, but she never replied."

"What do you mean?"

"As soon as she stopped screaming she left, she just said she was fine and ran off."

Soi couldn't take it all in. What she had thought was simply a fever was something much, much worse; something that could kill her. No… Yoruichi can't…"DAMN IT!" Soi pushed herself from her chair, knocking her tea onto the floor. She felt her face heat up, hot tears spilling down over her cheeks. "Why didn't she TELL me!" She span around, throwing her fist out to hit whatever was closest. "Why didn't she…" Soi felt her legs give way under her. Falling to the floor, she thought about all the times she had let Yoruichi help her when she was sick.

She always healed her injures. If she was hurt during training or when fighting a hollow, Yoruichi would be there to heal her wounds and help her back up onto her feet. If she got a cold, or fell ill Yoruichi would visit her as often as she could, sometimes skipping out on her duties to bring her extra food or simply to make her laugh.

Why won't she let me help her?

"Soi Fon." Unohana was kneeling beside her, a hand on her shaking shoulder. "Perhaps she didn't tell you because she's afraid of what could happen." Soi clamped her eyes shut.

"What?"

"I couldn't help her. Yoruichi realises what that means. I don't think even she knows what's wrong with her body." She reached around and turned Soi to face her. "I struggled to stay in my right mind when I saw her in that state. Did you think that maybe she just didn't want to put you through that pain?"

Soi sniffled quietly, fresh tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She's trying to protect me…

Soi tried to sort out her thoughts, but they were a mess. I can't cope with this. What if this time she doesn't get better? What if she actually… Blanking her mind she forced the thought out of her head. No, she really couldn't cope with this. She was too tired.

Feeling a cold shiver run down her spine, Soi forced herself to stand. Unohana put a hand under her elbow to help her steady herself but Soi just shrugged her off. "I need to think about this. Thank you for your co-operation today."

Unohana sighed, noticing the obviously forced calm tone. "Captain Soi Fon. In your state I would prefer it if you would stay here for the night."

"Thank you but I am perfectly able to get back to my quarters." Knowing full well that this was a lie, Unohana walked over to her chest of drawers, opening the bottom draw and pulling out a spare set of sheets.

"You can sleep on the sofa."

"Bu-" Unohana looked Soi in the eyes, daring her to protest any further. "Thank you."

Yoruichi's dreams were filled with screaming. Sounds of pain, anger and fear piercing through her mind like knifes. Nightmares were all part of the deal with her illness. As soon as she began regularly collapsing she found she would start having restless nights, her dreams haunted by strange noises and shadows. But this time there was a girl. A girl yelling at her and screaming at her to stop.

What was she doing? She must be doing something otherwise the girl wouldn't be telling her to stop. Where was she? That girl… Turning around she found the girl, curled over on the floor, shrouded by a dark mist. Black hair… "Stop it, stop it… please… STOP!" Yoruichi tried to step back but found herself locked in place. There were chains! She was chained to the floor.

That was when she saw the dagger in her hand. It was bloody. Panicking she checked every inch of herself, finding no cuts at all. Crying sounds brought her to look back at the girl. Yoruichi noticed a tinge to the floor the girl was resting on. It was red, sticky.

Yoruichi's eyes widened in shock. Her heart was pounding. Slowly the girl began to move, crawling towards her, yelling in pain at each movement. She tried to reach out to help the girl, forgetting that she was still holding the dagger. It sliced the girls arm, cutting deep into her flesh and sending her falling backwards. Yoruichi opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. The girl looked up at her, tears streaming down her face. Yoruichi just stared, open mouthed as she realised just who this girl was. "Yoruichi-sama… please… don't…"

There were slashes all over her, some light and already healing, but others fresh and bleeding. One caught her eye. It was the one losing the most blood - a deep stab to the chest. It was healing, but it looked slow, like it was still causing her a lot of pain.

"Do you see now what you have done?" A voice called out to Yoruichi. It came from nowhere in particular, echoing sickeningly through her ears. "Do you see how much you hurt her?" Yoruichi found herself staring at the girl, watching in fear as she lay panting on the floor.

"Every time you hurt her you leave a scar."

"No…" she whispered, backing away, only to be tripped over by the restrictions on her ankles. She felt bile rise in her throat and reached up to cover her mouth with her hand.

"HAHAHAHA! Do you see now! This is your doing! That hole in her chest was caused by you. "

"No. No no no no." The voice continued to laugh, the sound deafening in Yoruichi's ears.

"Yoruichi…sama…" The girl began disappearing, fading away with the mist and into the black abyss that surrounded her. Wait! Yoruichi reached out to her, desperately grabbing at the mist, pulling against the chains that bound her to the floor.

"SOI!"

Yoruichi woke with a start. She was covered in sweat, and for the first time in years she felt tears rushing down her face. She had never had a dream like that before. Nightmares were normal but nothing could match up to that.

Forcing her muscles to move she pushed herself out of bed, supporting herself on the wall as she quickly made her way over to the door. Opening it, Yoruichi began rushing down the corridor, struggling to stay upright as she felt her stomach turn and her head spin. Reaching the bathroom just in time she threw herself at the sink, not bothering to shut the door as she was violently sick. She couldn't get image of the beaten Soi out of her mind; blood pouring from the wound in her chest.

The thought made her even sicker, but for some reason she didn't care. All she wanted to do was see Soi. When she finally stopped throwing up she laughed to herself.

"Yeah, like I can really just walk up to her now." She said out loud, ignoring the foul taste in her mouth. She thought back to the last time she had gotten ill with Unohana. It had been about a week after she had started passing out that she began having nightmares. Then it had taken another week, (the week Unohana was there), before the whole thing was over.

So if it takes two weeks altogether, that means I'm half way… it's been 7 days. She thought back once more. It was on about the 12th day that I completely went out of it.

In the last week Yoruichi had gotten worse very quickly. The nightmares had gotten to a point where, although she didn't talk about it or show it, she was too scared to fall asleep. The 12th day onwards had been the worst. Because she hadn't been sleeping her body began to go into overdrive, leaving her unable to control whether or not she was asleep or awake. That meant even the day time was filled with nightmares – and they were always worse than the one before.

They were never like this one though. God, I don't think I can take seeing that again, especially if they get worse like last time.

Yoruichi ran some cold water into the basin, washing away the vomit and then filling it with clean water. Slowly steadying herself she splashed her face with the liquid, swallowing down a handful to wash away the taste in her mouth. She sighed.

"This is just the beginning…"