AN: it's a tiny bit later than I said it would be but here it is guys....identity revealed! Please excuse an OOCness as I only thought the reactions fitting...I'll shut up now and let you read ^_^ ENJOY!!

Chapter seven: Memories

The next few days passed quickly. Kenpachi had healed from his wounds and nobody had seen hide-nor-hair of Ichimaru or Tousen. Though the strangest thing was that Kenpachi's dreams of the darkness had stopped. He wasn't sure if it was because of something Unohana had done or if the older, red girl had managed to force him away, but all he knew was that he'd had dreamless nights of sleep ever since his inner battle.

He hadn't seen Unohana since he'd left her sleeping form, because…well…let's face it, the Captain of the eleventh division couldn't be seen hanging around the fourth division unless he was being forced to be there.

He'd also been thinking about their trip to the living world now that he had time. It had been a very close call at the karaoke bar. Much closer than he was comfortable with. Remembering the way she looked at him and said his name at that moment, the way her warm breath felt on his lips…it was enough to drive him mad! It had been a very, VERY long time since he'd been with a woman and he'd forgotten what it could feel like to be that close to someone.

Nothing he did seemed to help ease his frustration with himself. He couldn't even enjoy his better fights when he trained with Ikkaku. At this point he almost wished the rebellion army would show up just so he'd be able to kill something without being reprimanded.

He now sat on top of his division building, watching the sun set over the horizon, and let his thoughts drift to the charming Captain that seemed to occupy most of his thoughts lately. He wondered where she was…what she was doing…but most of all how she'd felt that night in the living world before the Hollow had shown up. Sighing Kenpachi thought, 'She would never be interested in me. I send over half the people she treats for one thing,' and he couldn't help but laugh when he thought of that. 'And she's far too delicate for someone as rough as me…what if I hurt her?'

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Kenpachi decided that it would be best to go to bed and get a good night of dreamless slumber.

~*~*~*~

It was either very late at night or very early in the morning when a soft glow awakened Kenpachi. When he groggily opened his eyes he saw the small green girl that had been in his dreams standing by the side of his bed holding his zanpakutou. "Here, you'll need this soon." She said holding out the chipped sword.

Still being half asleep, he reached out and took it only to close his eyes once more. Then the realization of what had happened set in and he sat up quickly to find the girl gone. Thinking it was nothing more than a dream he looked down to see that he was indeed holding his zanpakutou…and it had a small, green hand print that glowed dimly until it finally disappeared. "'The hell?" He wondered out loud. That's when he heard it; the gentle sliding of a door that wouldn't have even registered had he still been asleep.

When he heard something shifting just outside his bedroom door he got up and swiftly opened it to find one of the ex-shinigami that had supposedly freed Ichimaru and Tousen. Letting out a sadistic chuckle Kenpachi just looked down at his prey and said, "Tonight's just not your night, fella." And swiftly brought his sword at a diagonal across the man's chest, effectively killing him in one shot. "Ahhh, well I feel a little better now." Then he thought about his probably still sleeping Lieutenant. "Yachiru…"

Arriving at the very pink room, Kenpachi threw the door open to find another man like the one that had tried to attack him coming in through a window. Unfortunately when he was spotted, the man made a hasty retreat. After watching the man go, Kenpachi looked down on an unharmed Yachiru. Deciding not to risk anything he picked her up and started carrying her back down the hall.

"W-where?" Mumbled the barely conscious girl.

"Shut-up, you're sleeping in my room tonight; end of discussion."

"M'kay." She said with a grin and was gone just as quickly.

~*~*~*~

The next morning another Captain's meeting was held to address the second infiltration. Luckily most of the captain's had been out drinking with one another. The few Captains that had been home had captured their would-be killer's and imprisoned them, but they had taken poison during the night to avoid interrogation later. Most found this to be very unsettling because it showed just how committed this group was to their efforts. They were also very well organized to start by trying to kill the leader's first. It was now apparent that Ichimaru and Tousen had indeed joined their ranks and were pulling strings…no attempt had been made on Matsumoto Rangiku's life. It was also announced at the meeting that special teams from several divisions would be sent out with several Captains to find and eliminate the enemy threat; much like they had done with the traitor Aizen after his army had been crushed.

"These teams will be hand selected and announced in one week. Be sure to get the rest you need. And know that if you are chosen for this mission refusal will NOT be tolerated." Genryusai finished as he sent a heated look at Kenpachi who just sighed and frowned. "Dismissed."

~*~*~*~

After leaving the meeting hall Kenpachi felt Yachiru land on his back from her position on the roof where she'd been waiting. "What did he say, Ken-chan?"

"He said to get some rest cause we're leaving in a week." Kenpachi had seen Unohana smile at him but frown when he turned his head away. He wasn't in the mood to be handing out smiles today. He was still in his general frustrated mood that he'd been in as of late and the appearance of the girl outside of his mind and someone trying to kill Yachiru wasn't making it any better.

"Are you feeling alright, Kenpachi-san?" Unohana asked as she caught up with him and placed her hand on his arm.

Jerking his arm away he said "Peachy," and kept walking.

"Okay…I guess I just wanted to say thank you for the tea." She continued as she gave him another one of her heart warming smiles that were clearly not reaching his heart today.

"Whatever. I gotta go." And with that he took off in one leap, leaving a very dejected Unohana behind.

~*~*~*~

Kenpachi was storming through the halls of his division hoping he would find someone looking at him the wrong way so he could start a fight. Apparently news of his ire had spread through his ranks because anyone that he actually encountered made sure to act as though their attention was drawn to something else. 'Why did I treat her like that?' He wondered with a small pang of guilt. "Eh, what the hell's it matter anyway. Better off if she hates me." He grumbled.

He had opened the door to the training grounds with the intention of just destroying ANYTHING when he noticed a small, steaming cup sitting on top of a large rock. With his curiosity peaked Kenpachi walked over to the rock and absently remembered that is was the same place he was sitting right before he passed out. There was a note with the cup that read:

Dear Kenpachi-kun,
Jasmine to calm your spirit. I hope you feel better soon.
--Retsu

He picked up the cup as he sighed and sat down on the grass. "I am such an ass." He said as he took a sip of the aromatic tea.

The tea had worked. He had been able to calm down, if even just a little, after he sat outdoors, drinking the tea, and letting a cool breeze relax his tense body. Once he had returned to walking the halls everyone felt like they could breathe a little easier sensing that they wouldn't lose an arm for a mistaken look. If they had only known who had been able to calm their raging Captain, Unohana would have received many more baskets of tea later.

~*~*~*~

That night Kenpachi tucked Yachiru into her own bed, feeling that she was safe for the night, and retired to his room expecting another dreamless night. But he was wrong…

After his eyes shut and his breathing and pulse slowed and evened out, Kenpachi found himself once again in the darkness of his mind. Deciding to go with it he began to search out the light like he'd done so many times before.

Once he found it, it was white again and the small, green girl was seated in the center writing in the dirt. He continued to walk toward her silently until he stood directly in front of her, just outside the circle. She didn't appear to know of his presence until he spoke, "Where were you last time, kid?"

With shining eyes the girl jerked her head up and smiled. "I didn't think you would come back! I was starting to get lonely…"

"Well I'm here now. Oi, what were you doing in my room last night?"

"You were going to need your sword…and I knew you wouldn't wake up on your own in time to save her."

"Thanks."

And then there was a silent pause as she went back to writing in the dirt. "What are you writing?" Kenpachi asked.

"My name." She said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. But before Kenpachi could read it she ran her hand over it and it disappeared. "You can't know yet. Not until you remember…so keep trying." She encouraged as another cabbage butterfly fluttered down from the source of the light. It first landed on Kenpachi's nose and then fluttered around the little girl as she stood up and started chasing it.

Kenpachi decided to sit down and watch her play for a while, but as he watched her he got an odd feeling…like he'd seen this before. As he continued to watch, he would occasionally see flashes of a dark haired little girl with sparkling green eyes chasing a cabbage butterfly in a different time and place. Then all of a sudden, it crashed down on him in one huge wave. Every part of the past he'd forgotten came rushing back.

The little girl from the dream stopped just within the light as her butterfly flew off into the darkness. When she turned around she was met with a wide-eyed man. "You finally remembered, didn't you?" She asked with a large smile.

Kenpachi dumbly nodded as he let a name clumsily roll from his mouth. "H…H-Hana…?"

The girl in front of him nodded in confirmation. "But not the one you're thinking of. I'll explain it to you now…"

~*~*~*~

Unohana had been sitting in bed with a cup of tea and a book when she heard a banging at her door. "Who could that be at this hour?" She asked herself while she tied her robe and walked to open the door. "Yes?"

But she was greeted with the imposing figure of Kenpachi, his hands on either side of the doorway propping him up, head bowed and long hair hiding his face. He was dressed in his sleeping robes and panting as though he would collapse at any moment. "Kenpachi-kun? What's wrong?"

When her voice reached his ears he fell to his knees and wrapped his long arms around Unohana's small waist, burying his face in her stomach…and he cried.

When she felt his body start to shake and the tears soak through her robes, Unohana placed a calming hand on the back of his head and stroked his hair with the other. She continued to do this until he was able to calm down enough to stand and come in.

~*~*~*~

In Kenpachi's dream, the recovered memories replayed over and over in front of his eyes. It was of a time shortly after he'd first come to Soul Society after dying. He was sitting on a large rock watching a small girl run in an open field playing with butterflies. As she cupped her hands around one she ran up to him calling "Look! Look! I caught one, Papa!"

He looked down at the girl with the sparkling green eyes and gently took her small hands in his and opened them so they could watch the butterfly flutter off. "What did you do that for, Papa? It took a long time to catch it!" She pouted.

"If someone caught you, wouldn't you want them to let you go free to be with your family?" He answered in a gentle tone.

"Hai…" She said as she understood what he was saying. But then her mood perked up as she looked back up at him and said "I wouldn't mind if you caught me and kept me forever though, Papa!" And she giggled as he scooped her up into his arms and cradled her into his thin chest.

"I'm very glad to hear that. I'm going to keep you forever and ever my little flower…my little Hana."

The scene then faded to a different place sometime later. He was running through the streets at a breakneck speed calling out "Hana! Hana, where are you?!" A group of bandits had been spotted nearby and Hana was missing. He ran all the way to the field where she played to stop at the edge and search the large open area for the small girl.

Then he found her…and the bandits. They were standing in a circle pushing her from person to person as she screamed and cried out when she finally fell down. When she stood again he saw one of the men raise a machete. At that point he came out of his fear induced paralysis to start running once again, but he knew he would get there too late…

The large blade was brought down on the small girl and she fell to the side. The men laughed and one of them pointed to him and they backed away and watched as he called out her name and stumbled to the ground beside her.

"Hana…Hana look at me. It's Papa, please open your eyes for Papa." He pleaded as he held her small, limp body in his arms and stroked her cheek softly as she continued to bleed.

Opening her eyes slowly, the little girl said "Papa…w-why? We were s-s'posed to be happy here…forever and ever…"

"I…I know, baby." He choked out around the sobs that were threatening to start wracking his body at any moment. "You'll be okay. Just…just hang in there for me, okay?"

"Okay Papa…" She said with a weak smile as she coughed up some blood and reached up to touch the thin features of his face. "Papa…I feel…cold…" and with that last word the sparkling light disappeared from her eyes and her hand fell limply to her side once more.

"Hana…" he whispered as he held her body close to him and cried.

"Aww, look at that, guys…looks like we stepped on his flower." One of the bandits teased as the other's laughed. "The only thing left to do is let him die with her!" Another one of the men chimed in as they began to close in around the grieving man.

The still nameless Kenpachi gently laid the lifeless girl down on the grass and stood up to face her killers. Letting his grief and anger overtake him, a new and previously dormant power awoke within. He embraced the power as it encompassed him and flowed through his veins. Slowly, a long sword began to materialize in his hand and with tears stinging his eyes and rage fueling his actions he quickly cut down all of the men before they even knew he'd moved.

He watched as blood pooled all around him, but followed one lone butterfly with his eyes as it landed in a small pool of Hana's blood then took off again to land on her cheek. When it finally left her body, there were only a few red spots left underneath one of her now dull green eyes…

Kenpachi then remembered him burying his daughter. They had died together in the living world over five centuries ago after Samurai attacked their village. They'd come to Soul Society after being told by a shinigami that it would be a peaceful place where they could live happily. But Kenpachi started to truly loath the position he now held as a shinigami.

He looked to his left to see the dream Hana looking up at him, waiting for him to speak. "Do you hate me?" he asked in a soft, remorse coated voice.

"Well, I'm not actually the original Hana, but even if I was I wouldn't hate you." She answered as she touched his shaking hand.

"If you're not Hana, who are you?"

"You haven't figured it out yet? When your spirit powers awoke after Hana's death, you subconsciously made it in the image you still held of her. I am your zanpakutou."

"And what is your name?"

"Chimidoro Hana."

Kenpachi scoffed as he still sat in a shocked state, trying to take in everything he'd experienced. "Blood covered flower…how…fitting." He paused. "What can you do?"

"I heal those that my hilt touches. They can be on the brink of death, but I will be able to revive them. Don't worry though, my blade still cuts."

"Well that's just damn ironic now." He paused again. "Will I be able to achieve a bankai?"

"You'll have to talk to…someone else about that."

"Who? Is there someone else here?"

"You've already met her once…" Hana trailed off.

Then his fight with the older red-clad girl came to mind and he looked down at Hana for confirmation to which she nodded. "Who is she?"

"More or less, she's the anger that you still hold about Hana's death…the anger at the world, the shinigami, and at yourself."

"Where is she?"

Hana paused as she looked down to her lap. "I am her. But that is an explanation for a different time. You need to go now so you can see to her." Hana stated as she stood and dusted herself off.

"Who?"

"The person that you know will listen and comfort." And then Hana followed her ritual of pushing Kenpachi from the dream.

He was practically thrown into a sitting position as he looked around his room like he was seeing it for the first time. Everywhere he looked he could see her face, hear her voice, and smell her scent. "Hana…oh god, Hana…" he said as he picked up his zanpakutou from its place at his bedside. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered as tears began to fall on the chipped blade.

~*~*~*~

Kenpachi now found himself at Unohana's house, lying in her living room as he simply rested with his head in her lap, eyes shut, as she continued to run her fingers through his hair. He still hadn't told her about his dream. 'I don't want to ruin this moment…' he thought, 'not like last time.'

Unohana was of course worried about the strong man that had collapsed to his knees and cried in her doorway, but she didn't ask. She knew that right now he just needed to be comforted and he would tell her what had happened in his own time. "Kenpachi-kun? Are you asleep?" she asked in a gentle, hushed tone not wanting to wake him in case he was indeed sleeping.

"No," he answered in his deep voice.

"Are you feeling any better?"

He opened his eyes as he sat up and moved to be beside her. "Yes…and thank you. I'm sorry for disturbing you so late."

"It's not a problem," she said with a smile. "I'm here anytime you need to talk."

Kenpachi watched her smiling face as the light from a few candles on a nearby table danced across her features. 'She's so beautiful…' he thought as he looked deep into her eyes. 'How could I have not seen this before?' and with that final thought he reached over to put his large hand behind her head and gently pulled her to him, stopping with their faces a few inches away from each other. "What are you thinking, Retsu?" He asked in a husky voice.

Unohana stared deeply back into his eyes, watching the emotions play across them as he asked his question. "I…I-I…" but she was speechless as he held her in such a close, intimate position.

"Me too." He said as he closed his eyes and sealed the distance between them. Their kiss was soft and tender at first and then steadily became more passionate, but the entire time it was slow and gentle. Kenpachi was lost in the feel of her warm lips against his and her scent that floated in the air around him.

Unohana had been surprised at first at how gentle he was and when he parted his lips slightly to nip at her lower lip, she granted him the permission he was asking for and shyly opened her mouth. He took his time and explored the corners of her warm mouth as she let a soft moan escape her throat and enter his mouth. After a few minutes they broke apart for air and they both looked at each other, flushed and lightly panting.

Not wanting to go any further and ruin the tender moment they had just shared, they both silently agreed to just sit with each other in a comfortable silence as they both fell asleep sitting in the floor of Unohana's home; Kenpachi leaning against a chair and Unohana resting her head on his broad chest with his arm around her waist.

~*~*~*~

The morning sunlight was pouring into the room that smelled of Chamomile and pancakes. Kenpachi heard the gentle opening and closing of a door as he opened his eyes just in time to see the silhouette of Unohana walking away, on her way to work. "Work…dammit…" Kenpachi grumbled as he slowly woke up to see a still hot cup of tea and a plate of pancakes on the table in front of him. He knew that he would be late and that Yachiru was probably tearing down the division in search of him. Oh well…he had pancakes!

~*~*~*~

After enjoying his breakfast, Kenpachi walked home to change and then go to work. His thoughts were still wrapped around everything that had happened the night before; the memories, the feelings of loss, anger, and guilt, and then of course the tender moment that had transpired between Unohana and himself.

He'd gradually started to remember what had happened after Hana had died. He'd buried her body in the entrance of a cave in one of the forests of the rukongai. Clovers and other wild flowers had flourished in the environment and it was the home of hundreds of butterflies in the spring.

Not having Hana in his life had made him angry and antisocial. The few people that he had known in the rough district began to treat him as an outcast and once news of his now murderous tendencies spread, the people drove him away from their village. Everywhere he went he was treated as a demon. He began seeking out fights finding that aside from the anger he felt in his heart he was still able to feel pain and the sadistic pleasure he got from watching his defeated opponent bleed.

As the days turned to months and the months turned to decades, his mind began to block out the painful memory of his murdered daughter and he began to live only to fight and become stronger.

Then he'd found Yachiru. She was still just a toddler when she'd crawled across the blood soaked earth to sit in front of him and laugh as she smeared the blood from his sword around. He'd long forgotten why by this time, but he knew that something was compelling him to take care of the now orphaned child…to care for her in place of the child that he hadn't been able to protect.

Kenpachi came out of his thoughts as he opened the doors to his division to find all of his squad members running around wildly looking in rooms and under furniture all while his pink-haired Lieutenant stood in a chair shouting orders and different places to search for the Captain. "You all know what he looks like," she shouted, "he's not hard to miss! How hard can it be to find him?! He's over six feet tall for crying out—Ken-chan!" Yachiru cheered mid-sentence as she jumped down from her commanding position and ran up to him. "Where were you?!? Do you know how worried I was when you weren't in your room this morning?! I can't believe you would do something so cruel!" She chastised.

"Yo, brat, when did you become my mother?! I'm the Captain around here and I'll do what I damn well please!" Then he turned to the men who were standing around watching the quarrel between Captain and Lieutenant and yelled, "All you get back to work! You've already wasted enough time this morning!"

Kenpachi knew that he couldn't tell his squad that he'd learned his zanpakutou's name and abilities because it had been he who enforced the 'no kidou in eleventh division' rule. It was a very frustrating situation…his zanpakutou had finally spoken to him and he had a new found power, but it used a healing form of kidou…he would be the laughing stock of his division as well as a few people outside of his command.

He was about to let his frustration get the better of him until he thought back to the night before…to why he'd been late this morning…'Retsu…' he thought with a sigh. She'd taken him in, comforted him, accepted him without judgment, and even fed him. And what had he given her back? Not even an explanation for his behavior. He needed to see her. And that's when he realized that it had gone past WANTING to see her and be in her company, but he now NEEDED to be able to see her face and feel her soft, warm touch.

He was now walking down the white streets, letting his feet guide him to the fourth division as he let his mind wander over his now obvious feelings. 'Do I love her?' he questioned himself. But as his mind brought back the memory of their candle-lit kiss and he felt his stomach tighten he knew he had his answer. 'I do. I love her.' With that one self-confession it felt as though a weight of incomprehensible proportion had been lifted from his shoulders and his steps quickened. It had been so long since his feet felt so light. He'd just let a truly sincere smile grace his features when he stopped dead in his tracks. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if their kiss had meant nothing to her? 'Guess I'll just have to see how she acts when I get there…' he thought as he started moving toward his destination once again.

~*~*~*~

Unohana was humming a light tune as she went about her work. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so…giddy! Her subordinates had watched her as she made her rounds and checked on their patients and they couldn't help but wonder if she had a fever and was experiencing some sort of delirium.

After doing a general check on the patients in the relief station she headed toward a back room to prepare for Ukitake Juushiro's monthly check-up. He'd been improving as of late and she was hoping that he would once again be showing signs of improvement. As she finished setting out her standard tools she heard a light series of knocks on the door and looked up as she saw Ukitake entering the room with his normal wave and charming smile. "Hello Captain Ukitake, how have you been feeling?" she asked as he took a seat in front of her.

"Very well, I haven't had an episode since the last time I was here and I've even been able to be a little more active lately." He answered in an enthusiastic tone.

"I'm very glad to hear that. Shall we proceed?"

"Whenever you're ready." He answered with a smile.

Sometime later the exam was finished and Unohana was pleased to report that it did seem as though his body was getting stronger. Through the process of the exam Ukitake had been watching his long-time friend and physician with interest as she seemed to almost float as she hummed and smiled.

Shrugging his Captain's coat back on, Ukitake finally spoke up, "You seem to be in a much happier mood than usual Captain Unohana, and you're practically glowing. Has something particular happened to inspire this?"

Unohana just blushed and smiled as she said "A gentleman never asks and a lady never tells, Captain."

"Be careful with words like that, Unohana-sama. Someone might think there was a man in your life." Ukitake warned.

But the only reply he got was a deeper blush and a larger smile.

With a gasp, Ukitake smiled at the woman that he'd come to view like another sister and couldn't help but ask "Is it a man? If you're willing to tell, I'm willing to promise that it won't leave the room, Captain's honor." He promised as he held up his right hand.

Unohana thought about it for a moment before she carefully said, "A romantic interest is definitely a possibility." Then she continued to put away her tools as Ukitake's eyes lit up at the prospect of his friend finally finding a companion.

"Is there a possibility of you telling me who the potential romantic interest might be?"

"No, there is nothing definitive right now and I don't want to jump ahead of myself. Since it looks as if you're going to stay for a while, would you like some tea?"

"Tea sounds wonderful, thank you. Would you let me know if I was right if I guessed who it was?"

"Perhaps." Unohana answered as she set the water on to boil.

"Let's see, let's see…" Ukitake said as he tapped his chin and thought of all the ranking shinigami males. "Anyone if first division is far too old for you and it isn't myself or any of my subordinates…Shunsui is completely enamored with Nanao…I doubt you go for the furry type so Komamura is also out of the running…it's not Komamura's Lieutenant Iba-san is it?"

"No, you may try again if you must." Unohana said as she poured the two cups of tea and sat down with Ukitake as he continued to think.

"Renji-san is taken with Rukia-chan…could it be Byakuya? I think he would make a very nice match for you."

"Still no…"

"Surely not Kurotsuchi??"

"That man has many problems…none of which I wish to be involved with." Unohana stated as she thought about the twisted behavior the twelfth division Captain often displayed.

"Well, I think there are only three left. There's Hisagi, Kira, and Kenpachi. Kenpachi is almost your opposite in every way, so…" But he stopped there as he saw Unohana falter with her cup and turn a lovely shade of pink. "It is Kenpachi…isn't it?" Ukitake slowly asked with a surprised grin.

"It's a possibility." Unohana said in a soft voice.

"Well I doubt even Shunsui would have seen that coming and he's always had a talent for seeing attraction amongst people."

"As I said, nothing is certain…yet."

""Yet" implies that something has happened that might encourage something more in the future. Would you mind sharing with a friend?"

And Ukitake and Unohana sat for a while more discussing her newly developing love life over their tea until Ukitake had announced that he needed to get back to work and Unohana stood to walk him to the door. "That was lovely, Ukitake-san. We should have tea more often."

"Yes, maybe we could meet outside of work sometime for some more tea." He agreed with another one of his award winning smiles.

"Just let me know when you are free." Unohana said as she followed Ukitake into the hallway. Although just as she was clearing the threshold of the room they'd been in, one of the straps on Unohana's sandals snapped and she tripped to fall forward into Ukitake's chest. He caught her with ease and held onto her as he asked if she was okay. Once she had convinced him that she was fine he let her go.

After she'd removed her sandal, they turned again to walk down the hall together and Unohana barely caught a glimpse of the tattered end of a Captain's coat. 'Kenpachi…?' She thought, but when they turned the next corner and faced out into the main room he was gone…

~*~*~*~

Kenpachi walked into the fourth division building, going past everyone and ignoring their odd and fearful glances. He was about to turn a corner to go to Unohana's office when he heard her voice along with Ukitake's as he asked her out to tea. He'd been ready to brush it off as a friendly offer until he stepped around the corner to see Unohana in Ukitake's arms, both of them smiling.

As he clenched his fists and turned his head he thought 'What was I expecting? Ukitake would be able to treat her better and make her happy…I'm not meant for love; I was born to fight. That's it.' And with that final thought he turned on his heel leaving the two behind, oblivious that he'd even been there.

~*~*~*~

A/N:
Awwww! Poor Ken-chan…:[ stupid misunderstandings…-sighs- well, my return was received better than I had thought :] I had one pie thrown at me by Kohryu, but I like pie so that wasn't so bad ^_^ I'm still working on smoothing out the rough edges of the next chapter so I have no idea when it's going up…just try to bear with me. I hope it wasn't disappointing to anyone.....Hope you enjoyed and be sure to let me know what you think!

TTFN~CI