A/N: So it's been a little while. I just wanted to mix things up a little this chapter and it took me a bit to get the story flowing. Thanks for reviewing, please continue to and I hope you like. = )

Chapter Seven

Renji and Rukia were alone in the Fifth Division Headquarters. Both were sitting quietly in Renji's office working on paperwork when Renji suddenly slammed his fist on the desk.

"What's your problem?" Rukia asked, setting down her pen.

"Why do I have to get stuck with a squad of weaklings? Present company excluded." He added after receiving an icy glare from his lieutenant. "I drill them and drill them. I train them on their swordplay, and all they do is disappoint me." The redhead fumed.

"Do you want to tell me what this is really about?" Rukia asked patiently.

"This is about the squad."

"You've been in charge of the squad for a week, how much progress did you expect? This isn't about the division, it's about Ichigo." She had an eerie way of knowing how he was feeling, sometimes before he even knew it. Her piercing blue eyes made it clear that he wasn't going to be able to evade the subject. Despite not being related by blood, she was very much like Byakuya.

"I'm worried about him." Renji admitted.

"Ichigo's more than capable of handling himself." Rukia stated flatly, pushing Renji to the core of his feelings, forcing him to confront the reality he had been trying to avoid.

"I'm not worried that he'll die. I'm just… I have a bad feeling. I'm worried. It's irrational, I know. I just can't help but be concerned. I think… I know… I love him." When he said it out loud it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He'd never realized how much of a burden his feelings had been until he'd gotten them off of his chest. It was like coming up for air.

"It's about damn time you sussed that out." Somehow, without his noticing it, Rukia had left her chair and was standing behind her captain. He turned his head just in time for the young Kuchiki to smack him on the back of it with the palm of her hand. "Now what do you plan on doing about it?" Renji tenderly rubbed the back of his head where a knot was already beginning to form.

"I don't know." He sighed. "Ichigo just got here. He's just settling into his role as a Captain, hell, we both are. I don't want to rush into anything until we're both settled."

"Only you do. You want more."

"Yes, but it's not smart. I don't want to see either of us hurt."

"Well, don't hurt him." Rukia said plainly. He looked up into her unblinking gaze. Her sapphire orbs held a wisdom and serenity well beyond her years. "Ichigo's in love with you too, but all of this is new to him. He hasn't been hurt yet, so his heart is already in your hands. Just don't break it." She said sagely. It was unfathomable to Renji how one minute she could be so hot-headed and aggressive, and the next she was rational and helpful.

"You're right." He said after taking a minute to reflect on what she said.

"Of course I'm right." She replied matter of factly

"Thanks for this Rukia, you're my best friend." She hesitated after he said it, probably biting back some sarcastic remark.

"You too." She said warmly.

The tender moment was interrupted by a seireitei-wide alarm. An automated voice echoed through the barracks.

"Unauthorized Garganta in Squad Three Courtyard. All security personnel report to squad three."

A Garganta? Was Ichigo back? Since when could he open up Garganta's? Renji knew that the Squad Three Captain, had another side that he kept to himself, but he didn't think that his lover was capable of this.

Renji leapt out of his chair. Rukia was already at the door. Damn, she was fast. The redhead rushed after her. A minute later both Captain and Lieutenant had left Squad Five and were in the Squad Three Courtyard where the Garganta was already beginning to open. Captain Soi Fon and the Onmitsukido were already there, Zanbato drawn and prepared for whatever danger was to come. Captains Hitsugaya and Kuchiki were also in the courtyard.

The intruders leapt out of the portal and landed before Soi Fon. Ichigo was at the head of the group, he was carrying someone in his arms, though Renji couldn't see who. Zaraki, Kira, Kotetsu, and Matsumoto were behind him. In the back he recognized Orihime Inoue with three Arrancar.

"Momo…" Rukia whispered softly. The small figure in Ichigo's arms had long purple hair. It wasn't moving and hand no spiritual pressure. Was that Momo?

"Stop right there!" Soi Fon pointed her blade at Ichigo's throat. "You would bring hollows into the seireitei?"

"Captain Soi Fon, Orihime Inoue and the Espada are my guests. So long as they remain on Squad Three grounds and my dominion, they are under my protection. Step aside." His voice seemed strained, as though he was holding back a heavy tide and the flood gates were about to collapse on the Squad Two Captain and her Onmitsukido. She hesitated momentarily, uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

"Get the hell out of the man's way!" Zaraki bellowed. Soi Fon gave him the ugliest of looks, disgust completely unmasked. "Or do you think you can take on all of us with that pathetic band?" She took a moment, apparently reevaluating her situation. In one crisp movement she lowered her blade and sheathed it in the scabbard behind her back.

"This isn't over. I'll be back." There was an edge of hostility in her tone. Renji had no doubt that she would return, and there would be serious consequences for Ichigo's actions. Without any noticeable movement, the woman was gone. Was that Shunpo? She was insanely fast, faster than Captain Kuchiki, maybe even faster than Ichigo. After the departure of their commander, the Onmitsukido dispersed in a flurry of Flash steps, leaving Ichigo's band, Kuchiki, Hitsugaya, Rukia and Renji in the courtyard.

It was quiet for a moment. Hitsugaya stared blankly at Hinamori. Renji couldn't discern his mood or his intentions. His face was impassive. His arms hung limply at his sides, a safe distance from the hilt of Hyorinmaru. Was he in shock?

"Captain…" Rangiku stepped forward. "Captain we did everything we could. We…" her voice trailed off. He hadn't so much as spared her a glance. His eyes were locked on Momo's limp form in Ichigo's arms.

"Toshiro." Ichigo's somber voice broke the silence. This got Hitsugaya's attention. He looked up at the other Captain. For a moment neither moved nor spoke. A tactile tension filled the air. The temperature abruptly dropped and Renji found himself suppressing a shiver. Hitsugaya's expression was no longer vacant. Tears were welling up behind his teal eyes.

"Don't speak to me Ichigo Kurosaki." His voice quivered. Tears fell as he took a step towards the group. "Don't speak to me…" he closed the gap between the two of them. He held out his arms and Ichigo reluctantly placed Momo in the other captain's care. The smaller captain looked down at his old friend. "You were supposed to protect her. You promised."

"I'm sorry Toshiro." Ichigo said, his voice just as broken and labored as Hitsugaya's. Ichigo was crying as well.

"She's my heart." Snow began to fall. Orihime bundled her arms around her chest. She was shivering. "You let my heart die…" Hitsugaya turned on his heels and carried Momo out of the courtyard. Matsumoto followed.

"Ichigo!" Renji ran as fast as he could. He wrapped his arms around the man he loved. He kissed him softly and held him. "Everything's gonna be ok." Renji wasn't sure how true that was, but he said it over and over while Ichigo sobbed.

A few minutes later everyone was inside Ichigo's office. Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo were behind his desk, Orihime and the Espada were seated on the couch by the door, and Byakuya was staring intently out the window. Kira, Kotetsu, and Zaraki had left for their own divisions after Hitsugaya's departure.

"What happened over there?" Rukia asked.

"It was a war zone when we got there. Every Hollow in Hueco Mundo was attacking the Scouting party." Ichigo replied, his voice still shaky.

"But in the past few months, Hueco Mundo's been deserted. Why have the Hollow suddenly reemerged?"

"All of the Hollow have been recruited by an Arrancar by the name of Kayko." Ulquiorra said.

"Recruited for what?" Renji asked.

"We're not sure." Ulquiorra answered monotonously.

"Why the hell not? This is YOUR world we're talking about." Renji's irritation was bubbling over.

"The Espada were never the rulers of Hueco Mundo. With Aizen gone and our numbers depleted we have no hold over the Hollow. This Kayko somehow managed to turn all of the Hollow into an army. It was all we could do to keep them from taking Las Noches, which I'm sure they've done in our absence."

"It seems the mighty Espada have fallen." Renji purred triumphantly.

"Between battling you and Aizens betrayal we've been crippled. The three of us are all that remain."

"The Arrancar aren't eager to fill the positions?" Rukia asked.

"There weren't very many Arrancar to begin with. Aizen created us. We're now an endangered species. The few with the will to fight are with Kayko. It's the three of us against all of Hueco Mundo."

"What's the plan?" Rukia asked turning to Ichigo.

"We go back in and we stop Kayko."

"You can't be serious! This is a Hollow matter and it should be settled among Hollow." Renji exclaimed.

"I am Holow, or at least part Hollow. As much as it pains me to admit it, the Espada saved our lives, and we owe them this at the very least. And Momo…she will be avenged." The room grew tense at the mere mention of the fallen vice-captain. Several inches of snow outside served as a reminder of her death.

Renji, and everyone else in the soul society for that matter, had managed to overlook Ichigo's Hollow abilities. He'd ignored that haunting mask that granted him awesome and frightening power. Up until this point it was clear that his allegiance was with the Soul Reapers, but now he was beginning to ally himself with the Espada. Was this the first step on a slipper and treacherous slope of betrayal, or was Ichigo simply following his heart like he always did? Regardless, Renji was in, but he hoped for both of their sakes that this wouldn't come back to bite them in the ass.

"What do you think brother?" Rukia asked Byakuya who had been captivated by something on the other side of the window. For a few moments he was silent, then he turned to the rest of the group.

"I think I just saw Yachiru Kusajishi stealing the koi from my pond."

"What do you think about the situation in Hueco Mundo?" she rephrased.

"It'll be difficult to get approval. The soul Society's finally regrouping from the chaos caused by Sosuke Aizen, Unohana's not likely to authorize anything that will weaken the Gotei 13."

"What do you propose we do?" Ichigo asked.

"Waging war in Hueco Mundo isn't an option, but capturing Las Noches would give us a foothold there without compromising our defenses here."

"When do we go in?" Renji asked.

"They've just taken the castle, so their defenses will be tight. They'll be expecting us to try and take it back. We should wait, at least until things settle down here." He turned back to the window.

"And we're stuck in this building until then?" Grimmjow rose from his seat.

"That or return to Hueco Mundo." Renji said.

"This is a fair arrangement, Grimmjow. They are offering us shelter and protection. It's a kindness." Nelliel spoke softly.

"Maybe I don't want their protection. Why should we even trust these Shinigami?" he fumed as he paced the office.

"How long do you think you, the Tres Espada, would last against all of Hueco Mundo?" Ulquiorra glared at him from his seat. Grimmjow stopped pacing and glared back at Ulquiorra. Hesitantly he seated himself.

"The sun's setting." Byakuya noted absentmindedly.

"It's been a long day. We should all get some rest." Ichigo said softly. "I'll show you guys to your rooms." He said to Orihime and the Espada.

"I'll see you at home?" Renji asked.

"I'll be there soon." Ichigo promised.

Before heading out the door behind Byakuya and Rukia Renji gazed at the carrot top. He left the five in the office. Ichigo wasn't himself. Momo's death was weighing heavily on him, but that wasn't all. Something was happening with him, something Renji couldn't quite put his finger on. He had a bad feeling about all of this.