Okay, this is getting ridiculous! I've written three chapters for this in just a little under 4 days! And these chapters aren't exactly short either. I'm putting about 5000 words of work into each chapter, and I'm still coming out with these things rapid fire. I never used to be this good, but I guess that's progress for you. Anyway, I'll stop yammering on and let you get back to the reading.

"One more thing!" There is going to be a lot of swearing in this chapter. And I mean A LOT of swearing. Just thought I'd give you all the heads up.


Directly Following the last Chapter - Retsu and Isane's perspective

Retsu was distraught. She knew her past. She knew that she was running from it. She knew she was hiding from it. She wasn't naive. She knew that it wasn't healthy to keep such things going on. But she had grown so used to hiding her pain over the centuries that she was too scared to change now. Constantly striving to not let it catch up to her was what she did, and she was doing a fairly good job of keeping the past in the past.

Until Kaito had read her like a book and painfully ripped it out of her.

It was amazing, really. Had it been anyone else, she would have been skeptical as to how he had figured out all her hidden fears and insecurities in such a short time. But after the disaster that had come about from not placing faith in his words the last time, she didn't feel like doubting anything else that came out of his mouth at this point.

"Captain?" Came the nervous voice of her lieutenant, cutting her out of her thoughts. She was actually so nervous right now, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Yes, Isane?" She asked, failing to keep all traces of nervousness from her voice. She noticed that her lieutenant looked just as frightened and nervous as she felt, if not more.

"Wh-What happened in there?" She asked hesitantly. "I was only there for the last bit of it, so I don't know much, but what did he do that made you so..." She wrung her hands nervously as she was too hesitant to say anything further.

Retsu sighed. She knew that she shouldn't hide these sort of things from her lieutenant, but keeping these particular skeletons in her closet had been her way of life for centuries, and she wasn't sure if she could change it now. "I'm sorry, Isane, but these are things I'd just rather keep to myself."

Isane grew more worried at her words. "But captain! He made you shout and quake in fear like that! And as long as I've known you, you've never raised your voice or been scared of anything." She normally wasn't so adamant about anything, but this was her captain she was talking about, damn it! If there was ever anything wrong with her, she wanted to know.

Retsu gave her lieutenant a halfhearted smile, glad that she was showing so much concern for her. But she couldn't tell her about all this. She just couldn't, no matter how much Isane meant to her. "I'm sorry if I worried you, Isane. But these are things I have to deal with on my own." It hurt her to shut out her lieutenant, it really did. Normally she would accept any help she could get if she ever needed it. But this was one problem that she just couldn't bring herself to share with anyone. The fact that Kaito had somehow figured all of it out was evidence enough that sharing this pain only made it even hurt more.

"Captain," Said Isane with a sternness Retsu had never thought she was capable of. "He said that you've had this problem, whatever it is, since before you became captain. That was hundreds of years ago. I'm sorry, but if you could face these problems on your own, you would have done so a long time ago."

Retsu felt a multitude of emotions right now. Pride concerning the observation skills of her lieutenant. Fear because she had pieced that much together in the first place. Even bitterness over the comment about her age. "I'm grateful for your concern, Isane, I really am. But these are problems I have to face myself, and should have done so long ago."

Isane just stared at her captain in thought for a painfully long time for Retsu, and when she spoke, her words cut through her like a knife. "He said something about you getting over losing people close to you. Is that why you're not telling me? Because you're afraid that you'll lose me too?"

Retsu didn't have the heart to reply. She was too nervous to admit that she had hit the nail on the head.

Unfortunately for her, Isane understood her silence. "Captain, I've always looked up to you, even before I joined the Gotei 13. You've always been a role model for me to look up to, and when you asked me to be your lieutenant, I was overjoyed. You've always been the best captain I could ask for, and you've always been there for me whenever I've had trouble. So is it too much to ask for me to return the favor for once?"

Now Retsu felt even worse for having to shut her out. While at the same time feeling immeasurably proud. Isane had matured so much since she had first meet her. Back then she was a jumpy giant afraid of her own shadow and self-conscious about her height. She would have the strangest nightmares and shuffle about awkwardly all the time. It had taken some time, but now she had grown into a responsible adult that could actually be used as a support instead of always needing supporting herself. It was this very potential she saw in her that had prompted her to ask her to be her lieutenant in the first place, and she was very glad to see all the effort she had put into training her finally pay off. But now was not the time nor the place for such sentiments.

"I'm sorry, Isane," Retsu apologized again. "I know that you're only looking out for me as I've done for you so many times. I know that you probably could help me with all these difficulties."

"So why don't you let me?" Isane pleaded.

"Because," Began Retsu sadly as she hung her head in regret. "Even though your heart is in the right place. Even though I place more trust in you than anyone else. There are some things that I'm not ready to talk about just yet."

"Then when will you be ready to talk?" Asked Isane. "You've had hundreds of years to get ready to talk about whatever it is that's hurting you so much."

While Retsu winced in irritation at another remark at her age, she knew that she couldn't hold it against Isane. "I'm not certain myself." She said sadly. "If possible, I was hoping to stay quiet about this til my dying days. But as I have to watch over Kaito until he recovers, I have a feeling that I'll have to face my past very soon."

"If talking to Kaito is causing you so much stress, then just have someone else look after him!" Panicked Isane. "I'll do it myself if I have to!"

Again, there was that surge of pride. "I'm sorry, Isane," She realized that she was doing a lot of apologizing today. "But I'm responsible for his condition, and without reason at that. If anyone is going to help him recover, it has to be me."

"Without reason?" Gasped Isane. "But you saw the way he acted. The way he taunted you."

"He wasn't taunting me at all, Isane." Retsu said remorsefully. "Unlike what I assumed earlier, he can hear in his sleep. Not to mention that he can also talk in his sleep whenever he falls asleep while focused on something." Isane's eyes widened in comprehension. "I was the one who told him to focus. I was the one who wouldn't listen to his objections on the matter. I was the one who misunderstood his dreams. His dreams about nothing more than pleasant conversations and sharing jokes with me. Dreams he had because he had come to trust me in the short time we've known each other." Now Isane looked just as guilty as Retsu felt. "Do you see now, Isane? I'm the reason he's so badly off. So I have to at least try to set things right."

Isane looked down at the ground despondently. "Alright, just... Be careful, okay?" She finally requested. "That look in his eyes... That way he acted... It reminded me so much of Aizen after he turned traitor."

"I know, Isane." Admitted Retsu. "I drove him to act that way, so now I have to undo the damage I've caused. Before it's too late."

"How are you going to do that?" Asked Isane curiously.

Now, Retsu actually smirked. "How does a person win any battles? Be they wars of the body, or of the mind?" Isane now look thoroughly confused. She honestly had no answer for that.

"They create a strategy of course."


The Next Day

Retsu was content with the day thus far. Everything and everyone in her division were running smoothly, as they always were. The friends and family of some patients were stopping by to wish them a quick recovery, as they always were. It was these simple things that brought her joy in life. Oh, and she also had a plan to treat Kaito today while countering his cold words with some choice words of her own. Things were going to go well today.

"Unohana-taicho." Came a cold and subtly embittered voice.

"Yes, Kuchiki-taicho?" She greeted pleasantly, already prepared for an encounter with this particular captain, as well as another certain captain and lieutenant.

Byakuya glared at Retsu for a few seconds, seeming to search for something. What it was he was searching for, she was unaware, but he didn't seem to find it. "I'll get right down to business. I'm fully aware of what you've done to my nephew."

"I expected as much." She sighed, trying her best to mask her pain and regret. "I take it you're here to see him today?"

"I've already spoken with him today, as I did yesterday." He explained, sounding vaguely concerned. "He seems to have changed a great deal in the time since he first arrived in Seireitei."

"I suppose I'm largely the one responsible for that." She admitted sadly. "The Kaito I knew in the short time before I injured him seemed like such a relaxed young man. And now, because of my misconduct, he's become so cold."

Byakuya coughed lightly into his hand and fidgeted with his hairpieces and then his scarf nervously, and quite possibly self-consciously. "Well, I'm not entirely sure if 'cold' would be the exact choice of words I'd use to describe his change in attitude."

Retsu blinked in confusion. "I suppose he acted differently around you that he did me." She reasoned. "You are his uncle after all, while I'm just the woman who caused him serious injury."

"Um... That's not exactly the point I was trying to make." He said nervously as he averted his eyes from Retsu and gained a faint blush upon his cheeks.

'There is something seriously wrong here.' Realized Retsu worriedly. 'Kuchiki-taicho never hesitates in his words. He always maintains eye contact when talking to someone. And he most certainly never blushes. What happened to make him act like this?' As soon as she asked herself that question, her mind supplied her with an answer. 'Kaito? Could he be lashing out at anyone now? Even his own family? From what little I've heard on the subject, he never has been on good terms with his uncle, but for him to go out and make him act like this? What exactly have I done?'

Byakuya coughed into his hand nervously. "Well, regardless of anything else, I must be going now. I have to have a talk with my sister and brother-in-law." And with that, he left.

'Now I know something's seriously wrong.' Panicked Retsu internally. 'Never before has Kuchiki-taicho referred to Kurosaki-taicho as his brother-in-law. It's always been Ichigo Kurosaki, and they've never gotten along all that well. What exactly did Kaito say to him?'

With her uncertainty like a lead weight in her gut, Retsu went off to Kaito's room.


As Retsu approached Kaito's room, her uncertainty grew. If he was willing to lash out at his own family, what would he have in store for her?

'No, I can't think like that.' She reminded herself. 'Remember Retsu, you've planned for today. No matter what biting comments he throws your way, you can handle them and counter them. Now you just have to take those first steps through that door and handle your time with him as well as you can.' Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, Retsu walked into the room.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the bitch what got me in this mess in the first place!" Came the clearly angry voice of Kaito. "Come back again today to rub some salt in these festering wounds of mine, ya wench?"

Retsu was shocked. She already knew more or less what she could expect today from Kaito, and this certainly wasn't it. She was expecting an icy verbal assault from him, but was instead being treated to a raging hothead.

"What 'cha staring at, Suicide Bitch?" He demanded loudly. "Ya think a guy in a hospital bed is hot stuff, do ya? No wonder you became a medic if that get of on that kinda messed up shit!"

"Suicide... Bitch?" Repeated a stupefied Retsu.

"What are ya, a parrot?" He asked irritably. "Yeah, Suicide Bitch. That's what you are. I mean, just look at that damn hair 'o yours. It looks like a fucking noose! What, do ya wear it like that 'cuz ya miss your daddy an brothers an sisters? Is that it ya little bitch? Ya miss 'em all so much ya gonna kills yaself wit ya own hair? Is that it, Suicide Bitch? Ya know I kinda like the sound a' that. I'm gonna call you Suicide Bitch from now on, Suicide Bitch. Ya got that, Suicide Bitch?"

Now Retsu was thoroughly confused, and also rather offended, with a touch of self-conscientiousness about her hair for good measure. 'Is this what Kuchiki-taicho was referring to when he said he wouldn't describe him as cold?' Wondered Retsu. Not wanting to look like the helpless victim of verbatim again, but also not wanting to offend him any further, she coughed lightly into her hand and did her best to compose herself. "I know that you're upset about how events played out, Kaito, and that you have every right to be angry at me, but do you believe that such language is really necessary?"

"Do I believe that such language is really necessary?" Mocked Kaito. "I don't care whether it's necessary or not! Do you have any fucking idea how funking boring it is in here? The only things I can do all day are insult everyone that comes by, and read who knows how many fucking back issues of Seireitei Communications day in and day out! I don't care that Mr. Hitsugaya makes pansy ass ice sculptures! I don't care that Captain Clown Face publishes weird medical stuff like reflex stimulants and that Hollow bones, skins, and livers are safe for consumption! And I certainly don't give a fuck that you send in your own overly feminine shit to this rag you Shinigami call a publication!" He punctuated his outburst by trying, and painfully and comically failing due to his broken arms to throw the magazine in his hands at Retsu.

"Be careful!" Panicked Retsu as she rushed over to have a look at his arm while he continued to shout various obscenities at her.

"Damn it to hell!" Cursed Kaito as he clutched his arm in pain. "You're just as annoying as that fucking, amoral, retarded, stuck up, unrepentant, loser, of a prick of an uncle of mine!"

Doing her best to ignore all the the foul words Kaito spouted in his rage, Retsu still managed to catch a few discernible words from his venting. "You don't seem to like your uncle very much, do you?" She said knowingly.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Outburst Kaito. "Wasn't that obvious enough from all the shit I was spouting about 'im just now? What of it? Ya wanna make something of it, Suicide Bitch?"

"Not at all." Replied Retsu, slightly straining to keep her voice even. "I just can't help but wonder what he's done to make you hate him so."

"Ya wanna know why I hate 'im, Suicide Bitch?" Kaito smirked. "It's simple, really. He never gets along with my dad, and even nearly killed him at least three times before I was even born! And that's not even mentioning the fact that he tried to go through on an execution of his own adoptive sister, who he was asked to watch over as a last request by his late wife because she was her actual little sister! I've got eight choice words to say to him about that! WHAT THE HELL MAN! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL! Your late wife, who you say you loved more than anyone else in your entire life, and you completely ignore her dying wish because of some outdated honor crap? You are seriously fucked up in the head!"

'Now I get it,' Realized Retsu. 'He hates his uncle because hates his ethics.'

"And that's not all!" Kaito continued. "I know the real reason he didn't give a fuck about his fucking late wife's fucking last wish, too! It's because he's a fucking closet homosexual! A total fruitcake! I mean just look at the bastard! News Flash Uncle Fruitcake! Calling your hair pipes some fancy ass name, and saying that your fancy ass scarf is a fancy ass family heirloom, and was made by some glorified fancy ass knitter with a fancy ass name that's too fucking complicated to pronounce, using some fancy ass silk, and is worth enough to buy a shitload of mansions, doesn't make you sound like any less of a Fruitcake! In fact, it makes you look like even more of a Fruitcake! Because only a Fruitcake would go out of their way to remember all the fruity details about it! I'll bet his wife didn't even die of sickness! No, she probably slowly poisoned herself because she came to the realization that she was married to a fucking homosexual, and couldn't stand the revelation!"

'Swearing aside, that would explain Kuchiki-taicho's odd behavior earlier in the hall.' Retsu realized, both annoyed by the massive amount of swearing she had just been subject to, and shamefully amused at Kaito's very vivid reasons for hating his uncle.

"Alright! Enough ranting about my homo uncle! It's no fun ranting about someone who ain't even here. So I'll start ranting about you instead." Kaito decided.

Now Retsu was worried. She had prepared for a cold and bitter Kaito, not the raging volcano that she was currently dealing with. "I'd really rather that you didn't-"

"Oh really?" Asked Kaito sarcastically. "Well I'd really rather that you didn't beat me within an inch of my fucking life, and then try to sweep it all under the rug! So I guess that we're both disappointed then!"

"Kaito, do you really think that getting angry at me will solve anything?" Retsu asked. Hoping that one of the lines she'd prepared for the Kaito she'd encountered in this room yesterday would work on this one.

"No, I don't. But it sure as hell makes me feel better!" Kaito rebuked. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, that's right. I was talking about what an uncaring bitch you are!"

That struck a chord with Retsu. "Uncaring? I look after my division as if they were family! You have no right to-"

"As if they were your family? How pretty. Yeah, it's so pretty it makes me wanna blow chunks!" Mocked Kaito. "Who the fuck do you think you're kidding? 'Cuz it sure as hell ain't me! If they were really like your family, then wouldn't you care enough about them to share your oh so painful past with them? I'd understand if you didn't tell some of your lower ranked officers, but you're keeping quiet about it to your own lieutenant?"

Retsu's eyes widened in shock. 'How on earth could he have known-'

"Yeah. That's right. I heard you yammering away with Giant Girl yesterday. You two were right outside my door! And I have some of the best hearing you're ever likely to come by! What the fuck did you think would happen?"

Now Retsu was thoroughly confused and offended. 'What right does he have to talk to me like that? Last time I checked, he was the one in the hospital under my care, and I was the captain of an entire division! He should be treating me with more respect.' She thought angrily.

"Now you listen here," She began sternly. "I have been leading this division since before you and your parents were even born. You're just a patient under my care. I may have been the one to cause you those injuries in the first place, and without any reason, but I will not stand by and be told by some foul mouthed upstart how to handle my affairs. I don't have it in me to harm you any further than I already have, but you have no right to treat me so callously." Some part of her was aware that was the first time she had really gotten angry in hundreds of years, but she didn't really care about that. She may barely know Kaito, but she would not sit idly by and allow him to keep her at a disadvantage.

Kaito just looked at her in boredom and yawned over dramatically. "Are you quite done yet, Suicide Bitch?" He asked tiredly. "Because if you are, then I have a few choice words for you too. You can preach on and on about how you're the one with authority here, or how you treat your lackeys like family, or even how I'm a foul mouthed jackass. None of that shit matters at all to me, because I just really hate your guts right now, Suicide Bitch. And anyway, from where I'm standing, or rather temporarily crippled because of you, almost all of that shit you're spouting is nothing but a pack of lies."

"What on earth are you talking-"

"You shut everyone out!" He cut her off. "You never let anyone close to you! You're always bottling up your emotions! You never really take any action! All you do is sit around, look pretty, and clean up the battlefield after a problem comes up! You thought I wouldn't know about any of this? Well shows what you know! Remember how I said I only had back issues of Seireitei Communications to read? Well I got bored with those a few hours ago and decided to read up on fucking history instead. Just for a fucking change of pace. And you know what I saw about you? You've never really done anything all that great! You just scare some of the weaker bastards into line, and patch up whoever! And I'll bet I know the reason you never do anything! It's because you're afraid you'll fail everyone! Just like you did with your family!"

"Enough!" Shouted Retsu fiercely. "I will not tolerate your foul mouth, your insults, your ranting, or your analyzing and berating of my life any longer! You're intolerable at your best, and you make me wish I had killed you at your worst! I know you're angry at me, but right now you're not making this any easier on either of us! So just sit down and let me get to work!" By the end, Retsu was panting deeply. 'I can't remember the last time I've ever gotten that angry... Maybe never. All I know right now, is that the longer I'm forced to be around Kaito, the more he's going to bring out the worst in me.'

"Oh, shut up about that." Said Kaito, who was actually being the calm one right now. "You're stuck with me now, so get used to it. I'm not going anywhere until I'm fully recovered, and I know you're not going to stop coming back to patch me up. You feel too guilty about how much you messed me up to not keep coming back. The fact that you even came back today after how much I tormented you yesterday proves that much, bitch. So just shut up about me bringing out the worst in you and get to work!"

Retsu's eyes widened in shock again. "How did you know what I was thinking?" She asked, fearing the worst.

"What the fuck are you talking about, woman?" Snapped Kaito. "I can't read minds. I'm not a psychic or anything like that shit. I just listen to the crap that come out of your mouth and come up with the best way to be a jerk about what you say."

It was then Retsu realized with no small amount of embarrassment that she had been think aloud. "Well, regardless of what either of us has said, I'd appreciate it if you'd please quiet down so I can get to work now." She said as she began his healing session for the day.

"Oh, you want me to lower the volume on my insults?" Asked Kaito sarcastically. "I suppose I could do that. I don't exactly wanna be stuck in this fucking hospital forever, after all."

Retsu winced at his remark. "That's not exactly what I had in mind when I said-"

"That's your problem." Remarked Kaito, actually keeping his word about quieting down. "You're always acting like you're so perfect, and nice, and tender, and calm, and it makes me wanna blow chunks. News Flash, Suicide Bitch. I'm not buying the act, so quit trying. When was the last time you ever loosened up anyway? When was the last time you even had a boyfriend, or did the nasty? If ever?"

Retsu tensed at his line of questioning. Obviously angry about it.

"That's it isn't it?" Smirked Kaito. "You've never had sex have you? I bet you've never even had a boyfriend. And if you did, I bet he's dead now. Just like everyone else you ever cared about in your entire fucking li-"

"Enough!" Exploded Retsu. "I see now that you're nothing more than an uncaring demon! You open up my old wounds with a knife yesterday, and now you're twisting it! What do you plan to do tomorrow? Pour acid on it? You know what? You're right! I've never had sex! I've never had a boyfriend! I haven't even felt anything akin to a strong emotion for the past few centuries until I met you! You're right! I always keep my emotions bottled up! I don't form attachments! And I certainly don't like being reminded of it! But in all my life I've never met anyone more infuriating than you!" By the time she was done, she was breathing in heavy pants, completely exhausted from her venting.

Kaito was quite for a few seconds, with Retsu wondering what was going through that devious head of his. "I've got just two words for you, Retsu." He smirked. "I. Win."

It was at that moment that Retsu finally couldn't take anymore, and stormed out. When she opened the door however, several members of her division fell through the doorway.

"Well, well. Looks like we had a few spies." Smirked Kaito. "Hope you don't mind people pointing and whispering at you, Retsu. Because they're gonna be doing that for a long time to come." As he burst out laughing, Retsu took her leave, not really caring that gossip about her would no doubt spread like wildfire for a long time to come.

Retsu was outraged with the day thus far. Everything and everyone in her division were running poorly, as her entire division was no doubt in a gossip frenzy about her, different than usual. The friends and family of some patients were rushing out in a panic because of the outraged captain, different than usual. It was these simple things that brought her sorrow in her life. Oh, and she also had a plan to treat Kaito today while countering his cold words with some choice words of her own. A plan which quickly snowballed under the heat of a burning mad Kaito. She thought things were going to go well today.

She was wrong.


How do you like that everybody? Was it good?

"One more thing!" I'm contemplating changing it from Retsu x Kaito, to Retsu x Kaito x Isane. Tell me what you think in the reviews.