Chapter 7: Calm Before the Storm

Ichigo opened his eyes and looked around, blinking a few times to regain his focus. Not realizing where he was until he noticed squad fours banner hung upon one of the walls. He was in the infirmary, trying to move he found his body racked with pain.

"He did do a number on me," Ichigo thought to himself feeling a warm weight on his one shoulder.

Ichigo rolled his head to find Rukia there sleeping beside him with her head on his shoulder. Ichigo smiled, it was one thing to do this in the real world, but here in soul society it was another. If Byakuya caught on he would be a dead man. Rukia stirred a bit looking up to find that Ichigo was awake, sitting up she fixed her apparel and made herself look presentable, taking a moment to see if anyone was looking.

"How are you feeling?" she asked inspecting his bandages.

"I hurt, but other than that I'm great," he replied trying to move again.

"Don't strain yourself, I'll go get Orihime, she can have you fixed up in no time."

"Huh? Who all came?" he asked her looking slightly perplexed.

"Almost everyone."

"What about Kai?"

"Nel took him back to Hueco Mundo, she told me that she had a place to hide him so that he could regain control over his zanpactou," replied Rukia making her way to the door. "I'll tell them that you're awake, ok."

Rukia left the room leaving Ichigo alone, he couldn't seem to forget the feeling of almost losing control, again. His hollow wasn't lying when he said that he was getting stronger, there was almost no going back this last time. He could have really hurt someone. It was then the sound of the door snapped him out of his train of thought. Coming into the room was Orihime followed closely by captain Unohana and her lieutenant Isane. Orihime seemed a little nervous to share the room with him and Ichigo picked up on this right away.

Smiling a bit, "Don't worry Orihime I won't change into a hollow here. Both of us took a beating out there and before he can try to do that again he'll need to rest too."

Orihime's eyes looked soft and sad as she kneeled down beside her friend and began to heal him. Ichigo shuffled a bit and Orihime had to remind him to stay still while she worked.

"So captain Kurosaki, besides the obvious how are you feeling?" Unohana asked with her pleasantly calm demeanor and soft voice.

"Not bad to tell you the truth, I have been worse," he told her. "By the way how long was Rukia here with me?"

"The whole time, you've been here in the infirmary now for almost two days," Unohana informed him smiling. "She has taken quite the liking to you."

"Yeah, I know. We have a lot of history together," Ichigo noted smirking a bit. "Thank you Orihime for healing me, you really didn't have to come."

"It's alright, the captain commander asked me to come along," she told him smiling.

"Why's that?"

"He wants you fit and ready to face your hollow," she told him. "He asked me to come along to help Hachigen with the barriers."

"So he knows. I couldn't tell who was there back in the real world, I knew it was two other captains, but which ones, I wasn't sure."

"Don't worry, captain commander Yamomoto explained the situation to all of us, captains and lieutenants," explained Isane.

"I must admit it feels kind of nostalgic seeing Shinji, Hiyori, Hachigen, and your father Isshin roaming around soul society again. I'm kind of shocked that Urahara came as well," Unohana told him leaving Ichigo with an irritated look on his face. "Is something wrong Ichigo?"

"They didn't all have to come," he mumbled through his teeth, eyebrow twitching.

"Just look on the bright side Ichigo, you have plenty of people who want to look out for you, just like you want to look out for them," came a voice from the hall as Urahara made his way through the door. "Before you say anything else, Yamomoto wants this taken care of quickly. We still don't know what Halibel is up to or what she is going to do now that Kai will be missing. Regardless we need you up and on your feet as soon as possible."

Orihime then finished, allowing Ichigo to sit up, "There that should do the trick."

"Thanks again Orihime. Where are the others staying right now?" asked Ichigo putting on his captain's jacket.

"They have been at your estate. I met Rukia on the way out and she was going to get an update from your third seat as to the condition of your squad," Urahara told him.

"Oh, well I guess that I might as well go home then, Rukia can always meet up with us later, she doesn't ever seem to have a problem finding me," noted Ichigo stretching a bit.

Urahara, Ichigo, and Orihime left squad four's building and made their way across the seireitei towards the Kurosaki estate. Along the way Urahara began to explain what the captain commander had in mind for Ichigo. "What he wants to do is have you battle your inner hollow here. He will have everybody meet at the execution grounds when you are ready and we will take it from there. All thirteen captains will be there to keep you under control, including myself and your father."

"I would have never thought that he would go for something like this," mentioned Ichigo.

"Well for some reason the captain commander seems excited. Mind you as soon as Kenpachi found out that he could fight you he was damn near bouncing off the ceiling," continued Urahara rubbing his head while Ichigo cracked a smile.

The group continued chatting all the way back to the estate, Ichigo was still concerned if the commander had the right idea to tackle his problem.

XXX

Nel and Kai passed through the tear, reentering Hueco Mundo. They had appeared just outside Los Noches but were still under the blue sky. Nel stepped quickly but quietly around the perimeter constantly searching for traces of Halibel's reiatsu. Before too long she had found the door she was looking for, it was small, rusted, and old. The entrance had looked as if it hadn't been used in years. Upon walking in past the door, there was a staircase that led down, deep into a basement hall. The large room looked like a lab, with tons of equipment and small rooms for storing specimens. There was one though at the back of the room with a large steel door, thick and heavy, with a large steel latch on the front. Setting Kai down on the floor Nel opened the door and exposed a larger, clean room behind it. Kai slowly picked up his head for a moment and seen the room.

"What is this place?" he asked weakly.

"This is going to be your home for a while, until you can take back control from Shiragetsu," she told him.

"What about mother, she will know that I'm down here."

"No, she won't, this room shields the outside world from occupants reiatsu. No one besides me will know that you are here, and I will not have you leaving until you have succeeded in taking control of your blade," Nel told him picking him up and carrying him into the room. "Ichi and the others may have another method to deal with his hollow but I have mine."

Nel hauled his limp form into the room and laid him out on the floor, still cut and bleeding he lay there just barely conscious. Nel gathered a pillow and a blanket for him and bandaged his wounds. She couldn't believe what damage was done by one simple attack, but Ichi was almost fully transformed, where Kai was still just above only wearing his mask.

"Heal quick Kai," she told him kissing him on the forehead. "You have quite the fight ahead of you. Even though I can't help you with it, I will be here waiting."

Leaving him by himself, Nel left the room then closed and latched the door behind her. Swiftly she made her way out of her underground hideaway. She knew that in order to keep him hidden she would have to be sure not to raise any suspicions that she was involved with him leaving. Halibel is one of few natural espada, that makes her old enough to know almost every inch of Los Noches. If she found out that Nel had hid him away it would cause a lot of problems for Kai and her both. Just edging out of the door, Nel scanned for Halibel's reiatsu. Not sensing her she darted out and quickly made her way over the wall into Los Noches, not wasting any time to get back to her quarters before anybody seen her.

XXX

Ichigo made his way up to his home, Urahara and Orihime in tow. Up upon his deck sat his father in an armchair, and Shinji perched on a handrail. They were simply talking about the good old days and enjoying a morning cup of coffee.

"Boy you two sure seem buddy, buddy, where are the others?" asked Ichigo just about to enter the house.

"They're inside, resting for the most part," noted Shinji. "It's been a while."

"You're tellin' me. I honestly thought that I would never see this house again," Isshin commented looking at the furniture around him.

"You mean to tell me that you've been here before," responded Ichigo blankly.

"Of course…I used to live here," replied Isshin. "You don't think that all the captains of the Gotei 13 have estate homes do you?"

"Well no…"

"Only the nobility have estates like this. Since the Kurosaki are still nobility it was only right that you got the house and land back when you took the position as captain."

It was then a large grin fell upon Ichigo's face. It was something you might find on a young troublesome boy. Isshin was quick to pick up on this and let out a light chuckle.

"I know what you are thinking Ichigo and I don't recommend doing it…"

"Huh?" wondered Ichigo snapping out of thought.

"Leave Byakuya alone, don't go rubbing his nose in it. Our families didn't get along well before, don't stir up shit now. When you beat him with your bankai back on the execution grounds, you bruised his ego. It was even worse when you got the estate back. All that time he thought you were just a human, to go around calling yourself a noble might push him over the edge. That boy even at a young age had too much pride for his own good," explained Isshin, Shinji just cracked a grin.

"Ginrei often complained that Byakuya took things a little too personal. Ginrei was a noble but he wasn't the tight ass that his grandson is," remarked Shinji as Rukia appeared in front of them. "Speaking of Kuchiki's."

"Leave Rukia alone Shinji, she's miles above her brother," responded Isshin leaving Rukia a tad confused.

Rukia turned and looked up at Ichigo, "what are they talking about?"

"Oh nothing, just bashing your brother," he replied while she glared at the two jokers before them.

The two former captains shared a laugh while Ichigo entered the house with Rukia right behind him. Moving down toward his room he looked into one of the guest rooms to find Hiyori and Hachigen sleeping. Ichigo proceeded to his room, to be honest he kind of missed it already, even though he was only away for a couple days. Opening the closet he began digging out some fresh clothes, Rukia had followed him but remained distant leaning on the door frame.

"There was a moment," she began, with a broken tone in her voice. "There was a moment when I thought that I was going to lose you."

Ichigo stopped and turned to look at her. He didn't know what to say.

"How long did you know?" she asked moving into the room and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What?"

"Don't what!" she lashed back. "How long did you know that you were going to have to fight your hollow again?"

Ichigo took a deep breath, moving toward his bed and taking a seat next to Rukia. "When I first battled him it was tough. Once I won, he remained defiant. He told me that if I didn't keep my guard up he was going to look for a chance to take control from me. He also told me to remain alive until he could release the full power of Zangetsu to me. So its kind of a double edged sword, over time I get the power but I have to fight him for control of it."

"Why…Why not tell me about this? Was it that you couldn't trust me, or that I wouldn't understand what was going to happen to you! What?!" she demanded getting up and standing in front of him.

"I just didn't want anyone to worry," he answered calmly, looking up at her.

Tears began to stream down her face as she smacked him hard, but he didn't flinch. "Worry? … Worry!" she snapped as he stood up in front of her.

She began to cry, pounding on his chest, he wrapped her in a hug. Ichigo could feel her tears damp against his chest while she gripped his coat sobbing. "What makes this any different than any other fight," he questioned quietly.

She paused for a moment," every other time, I had the ability to be there. To be there in case you needed me. To be your strength and support when you needed it most, and occasionally your brains," she kind of joked. "This time I can't be there, I can't be at your side to help you."

Ichigo paused, he could feel her shudder within his grip. Pulling back a bit Ichigo bent down a bit and kissed her ever so softly on the lips. Rukia let go of his coat and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't want to lose you Ichigo, god damn it you're the most important man in my life, I wouldn't…"

"You won't," he told her kissing her softly once more then using his thumb to lightly wipe away her tears. "You won't lose me, not now not in a hundred years. 101 then we'll talk."

She chuckled slightly sniffing a bit to clear her nose. There they stood, in each others arms, for what seemed like an eternity, only to have the peace broken by Hiyori screaming from the kitchen, more than likely at Shinji. "Should we go and calm things down?" asked Ichigo.

"Alright," she replied wiping away the last of her tears. "Some people have no manners."

XXX

Nel cleaned up, removing her blood soaked clothing and having a shower before she would meet with the others. Wiping the steam from the mirror, Nel simply stared at her reflection, thinking back to what Kai was about to go through. She was concerned, there was no hiding that fact. Snapping herself out of her trance she finished getting ready and left her quarters. Nel made her way across Los Noches, walking lightly, anticipating Halibel to confront her, but she was no where to be found. Upon entering the grand hall she found Chad and Grimmjow, they were lounging around with nothing better to do.

"Well, long time no see Nel," muttered Grimmjow from atop his perch, the very spot from where Aizen sat and governed the espada. "You look as if you have been busy."

"What makes you say that, Grimmjow?"

"Oh nothing much, I just watched you run around with Kurosaki's doppelganger twin for a while now and was simply curious as to what you or him might be up to," he noted jumping down and meeting her half way across the floor.

Nel's eyes went wide, "Now that he knows, what now?" she thought to herself.

"He is only a twin right?" he questioned.

"That person is named Kai, he is Ichigo's brother," Nel replied.

"Really?" remarked Grimmjow stroking his chin. "Then what is he doing in an espada's uniform?"

"These would be questions that I think that you should be asking Halibel," she replied as Chad moved from his spot towards them.

"I didn't know that Ichigo had a brother," remarked Chad.

"No one knew, up until a day ago," Nel explained. "Halibel would know more about it than I would, I only know him from a brief meeting."

"Is that so? Where is he now?" asked Grimmjow.

"I don't know, I lost track of him," she bluffed hoping that he would buy it.

"I see, I want to learn more about this boy. I'll have to be keeping a closer watch, if he is really Kurosaki's brother, then he might be worth fighting," Grimmjow remarked turning to head back to his chair.

"Grimmjow, wouldn't you like to talk to Halibel about him first?" inquired Chad.

"Eh, I'll get to it when I get to it," he replied waving the two of them away. "Not much happens around here, it will be nice to have some fun for a change."

Chad and Nel left the hall, leaving Grimmjow to his business. Just as the door finished closing Chad stopped her. "You're not telling him everything are you?"

Nel went cold, but then remembered that Chad was good at reading people, she shouldn't have been surprised. "No, and I think that it would be for the best if Grimmjow didn't have all the details."

"And why is that?"

"Kai has a decision to make, that choice will lead to a conflict with one of two people. Right now, while he prepares and makes himself ready I'm going to divert attention away from him," Nel explained making quick pace from the grand hall with Chad in tow.

"Nel, I want to see him," Chad professed.

"No, it's bad enough that I told anyone about him."

Chad grabbed her arm and spun her around so that she would face him. "Please, Ichigo is a good friend of mine. Let me see how much alike they really are."

Nel looked at him, "meet me outside the walls, you can sense reiatsu can't you?"

"Yeah, but why?" he questioned.

"That way you can find me, from there I will take you to see him, alright."

"Fair enough," Chad replied as the two of them parted ways.

XXX

Back in the world of the living… there stood a figure before a grave that read "Kurosaki", she was calm, firm, and unmoving. Her arms were crossed, she seemingly stared right through the headstone before her. Others passed by but none could see her, except for one. He watched from a distance nervous to approach, he watched the wind gently move her hair, still not swaying her concentration on the etched monument before her. Taking a deep breath he made his move, unsure whether she was going to run or stay. Upon reaching her side, she had not moved, reaching out he placed his hand on her shoulder, she twitched and was about to run when the man spoke…

"Please don't leave again… it was hard enough the first time," he told her getting her attention.

"I shouldn't stay, the woman replied hanging her head low, staring at the ground.

"Please, I'm not expecting some miraculous return, just talk to me," he told her moving to face her. "Why did you go?"

"You know why Isshin, I had no other choice."

"But that's done and over with now, so why not comeback?"

"It's Ichigo, Kai, soul society, it's just too complex to jump back in right now."

There was a pause for some time where neither had said a thing, the two had just stood there looking into each others eyes. Isshin finally looked down and sighed. "You're not coming back are you?"

"I will, you will just have to be patient with me," she told him lifting his head up and stroking his cheek.

"Alright, I've waited this long I can wait some more," he replied forming a bit of a smile.

"I can almost see how the kids will take it, Ichigo will be mad as always," she let out a light chuckle. "That boy was never one to take things lightly, as for Karin and Yuzu that will be a different hurdle, they have grown so much it will be hard to tell them the truth. Yuzu cries every year when she comes here and Karin is right there to scold her."

"How do you?..." questioned Isshin.

"What you don't think that I won't look in from time to time?"

"Well, I should have at least known when you were near," he replied with a bit of a grunt.

"You were too busy being a father to notice and I wouldn't have changed that at all," she told him turning and beginning to walk away. "Isshin, don't tell Ichigo, not yet, he is busy enough as it is with Zangetsu, don't let him break his concentration."

"What about Kai?" asked Isshin.

"Kai will be fine, he is in good hands even if they are not mine," she answered fading off into the distance.

"Well," Isshin thought to himself, "She wasn't wrong very often I hope this doesn't turn into one of those times."