Three days later the ship trailing the Scarlet Reaper made its move. The morning had broken foggy and warm, and after the bright sun burnt off the haze, a sweltering day of heavy heat lay on the ship and crew.

Orihime was wilted by early afternoon. Her cobalt-indigo gauze dress was light, but seemed too heavy in the little breeze that fanned across the ship's quarterdeck stair. She sat in the shade of a lagging sail from the center mast, her hair pulled from her shoulder, tucking the few thin braids she'd made at each side over her back. She'd considered tying it up, but she didn't want to chance expose the beads of the small braid behind her ear.

She knew she should take them out, let the crimped hair relax.

But Sora had given them to her, and she did not want to risk losing them. She sighed, brushing her fingers through the tangled auburn strands. Maybe she would soon.

Across the main deck Renji was standing with Izuru, both watching through spyglasses the enlarging ship following them. The rest of the crew had grown a little more wary, some ready for an altercation, some for flight.

Orihime frowned as she glanced to the large man wearing the double baldric of knives. His name was Broc, she'd learned, and some of his conversation with other men had drifted to her.

"Then let the woman drink wine," had been uttered more than once.

She knew freshwater was rationed, and she knew she was an added cargo that some of the crew did not want. At least, not when it came to the drinking water supplies. A few words from Renji had shut the man up.

She looked up and sat straighter as Renji approached, and then stood as he met her. She followed his gaze to where he was scowling at the ship in the distance.

"They've run up the hail banner," he told her. "Not distress, just a hail." He grinned at her braided hair, watching her fingers catch the ends of one plait. "Come inside. The water's cooler."

"I don't need any," she said as he put a hand to her back and ushered her to the hatch stair and through the darker companionway. "I'm not thirsty."

"Don't let the talk of idiots convince you of that," he said. He pushed open the door to the master cabin. "We have plenty of freshwater. Broc and his friends are off my ship the next time we dock. I'd rather run lean on crew than with idiots."

The front room of the master cabin was cooler than the deck, even with little breeze drifting in with the late day. Renji went to the cupboard where he kept the jug of drinking water reserved for Orihime. He shook it, nodding.

"We'll have to stop off at the Coral Islands before we make the mainland." He set the jug on the desk and watched her detangle the ends of her hair. He opened the desk drawer and took a wooden comb from it. "We can do better than that."

He stepped to where she stood and held out the comb. "Do a proper brushing so I can see your face better."

Orihime took the comb, blushing, not quite hiding her smile. It was newly carved of sandalwood, the tines a bit uneven, but rubbed soft of any splintered edges. She turned it over, smiling more as she slowly looked to him. "You made this? It's ... it's so nice, Renji."

"It's not that nice," he said, his hand pushing her hair back over her shoulder. His finger caught the strand of pearls and precious stone beads at her collar. This time she didn't pull it away from him, her smile turning more timid.

Her fingers went to her temple as he inspected the small beads in the thin, auburn braid.

"Thank you," she said, holding the comb closer. "I like it."

Renji was about to speak again when there was a rumble of footsteps above from the deck and Izuru's voice called down from the open doorway.

"Ship hailing, Captain!"

Renji's hand paused at Orihime's hair, moving to her chin as thoughts he didn't have time to complete coursed through his mind. "Stay here," he told her. "Keep quiet."

She nodded.

He called up to Izuru, and then took Orihime into the bedroom and slid the shutters closed to within an inch on the portside. Her brief glimpse out the last shutter before Renji closed it showed the other ship nearby, not quite within boarding distance, but close.

Renji left then, locking the first room's door to the companionway as he pulled a baldric holding a second shorter sword at his hip opposite his main sword.

Orihime stood alone in the bedroom, the sounds of men moving and the water between the ships making the waves shorter, choppier as the new vessel neared. The room grew too warm quickly with half the windows closed most of the way. As the voices overhead called mutedly, Orihime went to the port windows to peek through the crack of shutter Renji had left open.

The second ship was a little larger than the Scarlet Reaper, with four rather than three sails to its main posts. Its rail was lined with sailors who appeared, to Orihime, more pirate than seamen, all with their hands on the starboard rail, smiling as they looked to the Scarlet Reaper's deck.

She hung back from the window, her eyes moving over the smiling men. She found it odd, their grinning. Most were shabbily dressed in pants and loose shirts, all armed, but no one was pulling a weapon. She peeked more through the opening. At the ship's starboard rail center was its captain.

He was a modest appearing man, his mannerisms quiet as he spoke to Renji.

Orihime looked back to the second ship's quarterdeck stair as another figure moved where he sat on a step near a line of barrels. He was tall, even while sitting, a ragged cloth tied over his black hair that didn't quite camouflage the patch crossing his bad eye or the wicked grin she knew too well. He bided his time, one hand on the pole at his side topped with a hook and scythe, the other resting on his holstered cutlass. He was more visible at the angle she could see him behind the row of men at the rail than he would be from Renji's location on the Scarlet Reaper's deck. She leaned back from the window, recognizing the thinly disguised man.

She bolted to the first room of the cabin and pulled at the door to the companionway. It was locked, and she frantically twisted the latch, to no avail.

On the main deck Renji had exchanged formalities with the man who introduced himself as Captain Tesla of the Five Flags. Renji's attention moved over the new ship's masts. He saw no flags, only the lone hail banner. His cautions raised a notch as Tesla smiled and continued.

"So we're on our last half barrel of freshwater," he called across the water. "We'd be much obliged if you could spare any amount."

Renji shook his head. "We're low on supplies ourselves. We can't help you there."

Izuru stood at Renji's side, his voice just above a whisper. "I saw that ship at Dove, Renji. She'd just left the dock when we got there."

Renji nodded slightly, his eyes moving over the Five Flag's deck. "You said Dove wasn't offering anyone more than a few barrels."

Izuru nodded.

Renji put one hand to the Scarlet Reaper's port rail where his crew was lined, waiting any command. "We cannot spare any. We have extra barrels of wine, but not freshwater."

Tesla seemed at a loss for a moment. Behind him the tall figure shifted on the quarterdeck stair.

Renji shook his head. "Closest port is south."

Behind Tesla the figure at the steps stood up to his full height, drawing Renji's attention there. He recognized the tall, thin figure immediately.

"Then you can give us the girl!" Nnoitra called as he went to the rail and wrapped his free hand around a loose mast rope. "Surrender her now, Reaper!"

Renji stepped back and drew his sword in a flash as the tall man leaped from the second ship's rail and swung by the rope onto the deck of the Scarlet Reaper.

"Full arms!" Renji ordered.

With Nnoitra's shout the other crewmen followed his example, flooding the Scarlet Reaper's deck with dozens of armed invaders. The crew of the Scarlet Reaper retaliated in kind to the assault on its home deck.

Renji knew they were outnumbered nearly two-to-one – odds Zaraki might like – but not a challenge he invited with Orihime onboard. His crew rallied with an answering cry and braced for the onslaught of sword blades and battle axes that swung through the air.

With a deft, practiced throw Nnoitra whirled the double-bladed shaft at Renji, the scythe side slicing into his side a few seconds before his blade met Nnoitra's cutlass in a sharp clang. The sheering impact took the wind out Renji, but he gritted his teeth, sending a backhanded sword slash across the taller man's chest that Nnoitra didn't quite clear.

"Give her up!" Nnoitra bellowed, ending with a guttural choke as the blade found its mark in his ribcage.

"Go to hell!" Renji drove the sword tip into his bony shoulder.

This brought a howl from Nnoitra and an incensed strike of blade on blade as he fought Renji back to the opposite rail. Around them the ship deck was filled with cries and the clash of swords, the valiant efforts of the Scarlet Reaper matching the uneven manpower of the aggressing ship.

Renji blocked the broad swipe Nnoitra's blade made at him, shoving him back only to engage another volley of quick slashes.

"You can give her up and take your ship on away, red," Nnoitra taunted with a forceful strike that Renji caught and returned. "You can't keep me away. Not on land or sea!"

Renji followed through with a mid-torso slash that opened Nnoitra's left ribs, bringing a string of curses form him. He was about to deliver another blow when the tall man stepped into the movement, pulling a shorter blade from his belt and jamming it into Renji's abdomen.

Renji stopped abruptly, a sudden cough making him feel the edge of the blade below his last rib.

Nnoitra laughed and turned his back. "Vulture bait."

Renji braced one hand to the rail at his side, his vision suddenly weakening, aware of the individual battles around the deck more acutely. He saw Nnoitra head for the companionway hatch to the captain's cabin below.

He looked down at the long knife hilt protruding from below his ribs, clenching his teeth against the pain echoing through him. He grabbed the hilt and ripped the blade out, and then wrapped his bloodied hand around the tackle and grappling hook draped on a cleat at the rail. He pulled it free, dropping the coil of rope, and with an excruciatingly painful movement, drew back and threw the hook end at Nnoitra.

The hook snaked out and wrapped around the tall man's neck and spun around, jerking him to a stop and flinging him to his back on the deck with a loud thud.

As soon as Renji reached him, Nnoitra had rolled to his hands and knees, pawing at the rope around his neck. Renji pushed him to the deck and drew the blade of the knife he'd pulled from his stomach under Nnoitra's throat in a quick slash.

Nnoitra didn't get through the curse he started.

Renji coughed harder, settling to one knee as he grabbed the back of Nnoitra's shirt and got to his feet. "Damn, you're an ox," he grumbled, spitting a mouthful of blood to the side as he tried to move him.

Nnoitra was still on his knees, glowering at Renji, one hand on his throat, the other reaching for the hatch rail as he tried to stand.

Suddenly Izuru was at Renji's side, helping him lift Nnoitra.

"Over the side," Renji managed to say, steadying on both feet.

Izuru grabbed the back of Nnoitra's shirt with Renji and together they pushed Nnoitra to the rail and hoisted him over. A large splash followed him into the water between the ships and a moment later he surfaced, floating to the rear of both vessels.

"No!"

Renji and Izuru both looked to where Tesla was leaning at the port rail further down ship, franticly watching Nnoitra reach a hand from the water.

Tesla lowered his sword, looking hastily to the Scarlet Reaper's deck. "Five Flags, retreat!" he cried out, waving the sword over his head for anyone's attention. "Retreat, men! Back to the ship!"

Within seconds the crew from the invading ship had abandoned their fights and were swinging back over to the Five Flags. Renji didn't try to stop them.

Tesla immediately went to the aft starboard rail of the Five Flags where Nnoitra's slowly struggling form was drifting.

Renji and Izuru turned to look at the crew at the Scarlet Reaper's main deck. All were injured to some degree, some fatally. Renji pushed a hand below his ribs, feeling the stickiness pulling at his wet shirt.

"Get us out of here," he called to the helmsman at the quarterdeck. "Same course! Now!"

Izuru wiped a sleeve across his face. Most of his injuries were in the form of fresh bruises and scrapes. He looked to Renji's reddened shirt, shaking his head.

"You're injured bad, Renji," he said, whisking off his tan shirt and offering it. "You need to go below. I'll oversee us getting out of here."

Renji took the shirt, eyes still on the second ship now drifting away from them. Half the crew was at the back of the ship, ropes in the water, trying to catch Nnoitra.

Renji shook his head, tying the tan shirt around his waist, covering the still bleeding injury at his ribs.

"They're not getting away that easily, Izuru." He nodded to the helm. "Tell him to set sail for Middle Rock, quietly. I don't want this bastard following us." He tied off the shirt again, grunting at the new pain the movement brought.

Izuru nodded, watching Renji grab the thick rope to another grappling hook.

Renji estimated the distance the Five Flags had dropped back behind the Scarlet Reaper as the ship gained in speed. "I want at least four lines on her," he said, eyes narrowing on the opposing ship. "Center masts."

"Aye, Captain."

Izuru left to carry Renji's orders to the helmsman and a few other crewmen he knew to be loyal. Renji spat over the side of the rail, measuring the rope in his hands as the Five Flags dropped farther away. He walked along the portside, twirling the hook at the end of rope to gain momentum. At the back of the Scarlet Reaper he stood at the aft rail and gave a mighty heave, sending the hook flying toward the Flag's main mast. The hook wrapped around the wooden post, much like the one that had around Nnoitra's neck, and spun around to lock onto the canvas sail.

Renji quickly let the rope lead out and tied it off to his ship's anchor bolt below the taffrail. He grabbed another hook and rope and repeated the process, this time with the rope winding around the other ship's mainyard.

The ropes tightened as the ships pulled the slack, and the sails caught in the hooks began to rip. Some of the crew looked up as the Five Flags' sails tore under the tether.

A moan of wood echoed out across the waters, and then a groaning strain and a large snap as the rigging tumbled, catching in the shrouds before crashing onto the deck.

A cheer went up from the crew of the Scarlet Reaper, and a dozen men – nearly half of Renji's crew – ran for the aft deck. Moments later four more ropes joined the first two over the water, effectively pulling down the main and fore masts.

Renji turned his back on the second ship, pressing his hand to his ribs as the blinding pain there throbbed intensely through him. A few of his crew looked back at him, a weary, over-fought look on their faces.

"Tend your wounds," he told them. "Cut us off," he said to the quartermaster who was leaning over the taffrail to inspect the ropes stretched from the anchor bolts. "I don't want to drag any of the damage with us."

The quartermaster nodded, pulling the sword from his scabbard. "Aye, Cap'n."

"And double whiskey rations for everyone," Renji added, suppressing a groan as he made his way to the master cabin hatch. "For tomorrow, too."

He had no intentions of trying to sink the Five Flags, not with a scant few lines, but he did want to pull down her main rigging. He wanted no additional company on their voyage to Middle Rock, and he certainly did not want to see Nnoitra looming in his future again.

Or in Orihime's future.


In the captain's quarters, Orihime had heard the fight from the deck above, her fears realized when the shout had gone up from the crews as they faced each other. She'd held her breath for the half hour during the battle, or so it seemed to her, and when the noise of battle subsided, she still wondered the outcome.

It wasn't until she'd seen Nnoitra's form dumped over the side of the Scarlet Reaper as she peeked through the slit of shutter as darkness grew across the waters that she fully realized Renji had won. After that the noises from above had been of low cursing, and she knew there were injuries.

She backed away from the first room's door at the master cabin as it opened moments later and Renji stepped in. It was more of a wobble than a step, and she saw why as he entered and she got a better look at him in the low light of the desk's lamp. She covered her mouth with both hands at the blood-soaked tan shirt at his waist, eyes rising to his face instantly.

"You're hurt."

Before he could speak she was at his side, trying to pull his hand from the worst of the reddened material.

He easily pushed her hands away, his other hand tight on the door latch for support. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "It was the guard Nnoitra from the prison on the other ship."

"Yep." He intercepted her hand as she reached for him again. "Just sit down somewhere and don't look," he said, letting the door swing shut as he went to the bedroom.

"I can help." She slipped her arm around his waist, taking his arm over her shoulders before he realized she'd decided to dismiss his words. Her hand carefully maneuvered around his injured side as she tried to help support his weight.

"Orihime," he said as she escorted him through the doorway to the back room, "this is not something to help with. Go sit down. Izuru –"

"But I can help," she insisted, looking up at him as they stopped at the bedside. "Really I can. I've tended injuries before, Renji."

She undraped his arm from her shoulder and faced him. He looked down as her fingers pushed his hand from his side. She frowned, and then looked back to him. "I'll get a lamp. Sit down, Renji."

She moved away to the table where an oil lamp was turned down low and collected it and her sewing supplies from the bench.

Renji had doubts, serious doubts, about accepting her help, but when his stomach protested the blood collecting there, he consented. He went to a cupboard by his closet and found a full bottle of brandy and took a long moment to work off the cork. He took a drink from it, and then another, and then went to the portside wall and unlocked the shutter he'd closed earlier. Out the window dusk was settling over the waters and he could see the maimed Five Flags farther out. She was sufficiently lame, and for that he was satisfied.

He took another swig from the bottle and spit it out the window, half of it blood. The room brightened with light from the oil lamp.

He turned to find Orihime before him, her eyes on the ship out the window.

"Is he dead?"

He wished he could nod, but he didn't. "I doubt it. They probably hauled him up. But if he lives, I don't think he'll have much to say."

She turned back to him, her gaze dropping to his side. "Come lay down."

Renji let her take the shirt he'd used to quell the bleeding and help him out of his ripped and bloody shirt, leaning to the wall near the bed once as a wave of nausea passed over him. She made him sit on the bed, ignoring his protests as she pulled off his boots.

She soaked a long strip of gauze fabric from the chest in the wash basin she'd set beside the bed on a chair she'd moved, and then sat beside him on the mattress. She shook her head, examining the two lacerations on his stomach.

"You have to lie down, Renji." She stood and brought the oil lamp to the chair.

He sat back against the headboard and then moved cautiously further into the bed as his wounds screamed in protest. He muted his complaints as she sat beside him again, her attention on the injuries.

She squeezed the water out of a smaller piece of cloth soaking in the basin. "How did he find us?"

"Izuru said the Five Flags left Dove just before we got there." He held his breath as she gently wiped the cloth over his skin, seeing her eyes skip from the tattoos on his ribs to his wounds. "They came in under the pretense of needing freshwater."

She nodded, biting her lower lip to steady the slight shaking of her hands. She didn't like the look to the jagged slashes on him. One was across his ribs, a clean cut that had stretched wider from Renji's movements while fighting. The other was a puncture, deep, and she could see the white of bone at the top. She washed the dried and fresh blood from the area, hoping they had bled clean against infection. There was only so much she could do.

"Nnoitra is very persistent," he remarked, watching the top of her head as she leaned over him.

She nodded, looking at him only briefly. "But I didn't think he'd find us at sea."

She sat more on the bed, her fingers tender on the area around his injuries, barely touching the severed skin as she examined it.

Renji grunted as he reached for the bottle of brandy on the chair she'd set close to the bed. He took a long drink, wishing it would dull his senses faster. At least, some of his senses. "Izuru can do this, if it makes you sick."

She shook her head, her hair moving so that he could see the amber and garnet beads beneath. She took his free hand and washed the bloodstains from it.

"You've tended wounds before?" He took another drink from the bottle.

She folded the damp cloth flat and laid it over both his injuries, pressing firmly. "My aunt showed me how to heal injuries."

There was something in the manner she'd said it that made him curious.

"You lived with your aunt?"

Orihime shook her head, keeping her hand tight at his side. "No. With my parents, but my brother and I spent a lot of time at my aunt's house."

He nodded. She looked back down to her work.

"Why would she teach you about healing? Is that what she did?"

She shook her head, and this time he couldn't resist the auburn tresses of hair that seemed to beckon to be touched at her shoulder. He picked the strand of beads from her hair, watching the small amber pieces absorb the oil lamp's light.

She looked to the beads, and then him. "I should clean them now. They're going to sting."

He nodded, leaning back to the headboard, letting his hand remain on her shoulder.

She took a second smaller bottle of whiskey from the supplies she'd set on the chair. She set the blood-dampened cloth back in the basin and took a clean cloth of gauze. She ripped it in half, her mind running ahead of her.

Also on the chair were needle and thread, but she didn't plan to use them. She wasn't quite sure how she would explain to him her methods. She poured a small amount of whiskey on a gauze cloth and looked to him.

"Are you ready?"

He wasn't, but he nodded.

She sat closer beside him and tentatively held the alcohol-damp cloth to the injured area. A low growl came from him as he endured the intense cutting sting to the wounds.

"Done?" he asked after a few moments.

She nodded and removed the cloth, wiping carefully at the edges of the injuries. She held the dry cloth to the area for a moment, and then looked to his hand still at her shoulder.

"You have a lot of tattoos," she said.

He nodded, the bottle still in one hand as the brandy finally started helping. She looked to the black cloth still tied over his head. She could see the black of tattoos above his eyes, disappearing under the cloth.

She looked back to his abdomen, her hand covering the gauze more thoroughly, pressing slightly. "I can't do anything for the pain, Renji," she said by way of explanation.

"That's what this is for," he said, taking another drink from the bottle. He offered it to her.

Under most circumstances Orihime would have declined, but she knew what was in store for her the next few hours. Healing always drained her, and it took more out of her than anyone knew. That was why Sora had taken her away from their opportunistic parents.

She took the bottle and allowed herself a small drink. It was far too strong, cutting, and she quickly handed it back.

He chuckled at the disagreeable expression on her face. "Too strong?"

She nodded, smiling.

She looked back down, concentrating on sending her powers into the wounds.

It always cost her, even the slightest healing, but usually it was not much. A few months at most, but more so when she was tired or weak, like when she'd healed the blue-haired prison guard's lashes.

Now she could feel it draw from her, that uncertain power that had a price, a cost to her. A form of alchemy, her aunt had told her. An exchange of one form to another, but at a cost for that exchange.

Her parents – her mother, in particular – had been thrilled at the prospect of selling Orihime's talents.

Sora had seen to it that that had not happened. Her mother had already made plans to use up all her future.

Renji looked down as her hand pressed, watching her fingers curl over his ribs on the cloth. He could feel the draw, his skin tightening as it mended from deep inside, unlike he'd ever felt before. He set the bottle on the chair and took her hand from the gauze.

"No, wait," she said, trying to keep her hand firm on his side.

His eyes flicked to hers as she leaned more over him. "What are you doing, Orihime?" He searched her eyes, seeing something different in them this time. "Are you – you're making it do that?"

She braced her other hand across him by his hip on the mattress to keep the contact of her hand on the gauze despite his grip. "It's best not to interrupt the healing process, Renji."

He let her hand rest on him, holding the cloth to his injuries, seeing her eyes drop down again, but not to her work. Her gaze followed the tattoos crossing his chest; he could see them move along the lines, his mind straying to thoughts prompted by the potent brandy.

He moved his hand from her shoulder to her neck, her skin soft beneath his fingers, and this time she nearly moved her hand from the gauze cloth on her own. She shook her head as she put her other hand to his wrist, halting his fingers from moving beneath her hair behind her ear.

He frowned, this time not in response to the pain still shooting up his side and stomach. "You don't like your hair touched?"

A deep blush flamed over her cheeks, noticeable even in the modest light of the lamp. "No, I like ... it's not that," she said, shifting a little but not moving away as she lowered her hand to rest beside him again. "Not that."

He sighed carefully, feeling the injuries beneath her hand still sore. He took another long drink from the bottle, returning her study. "You can tell me things, Orihime. I've been honest with you."

For a moment she only nodded slowly, a different uncertainty in her face. "I will."

She looked back down to her work, her hand easing up from the cloth. She lifted it to check the progress. The wounds were stitching closed from the inside first, leaving the surface of the skin still open. She covered it with the cloth again.

She looked up as the bottle on the bed beside her moved at an odd angle, and found Renji sleeping. She took the bottle and set it on the chair, and then rinsed another cloth from the basin to wash the bloodstains from his hand. She set his clean hand to his side, and then watched him sleep.

A small smile crept to her face. She was glad he was sleeping. She could do nothing for the pain and healing took time. She scooted closer and spent a moment removing his headrag, chiding herself as she pushed his hair from his face, her fingers pausing at one black mark near his eye. He stirred but didn't wake, and Orihime's gaze dropped to his neck, and then to the other tattoos on him.

Never before had she seen anyone tattooed like he was, and felt a little guilty to study him so thoroughly. She took a moment to pull the blanket over him before placing her hand back over the injuries, her mind tossing.

She took a deep breath, sighing as she felt her strength drawing away, and then looked to her hand beside him as his fingers closed over hers. She looked up to see that he slept on, his face a little pale from the extent of his injuries.

It was going to be a long night, Orihime knew, feeling her strength leaving through her hand at his side.

She smiled, feeling Renji's hand tighten slightly on hers. She was quite sure it would cost her a lot this time.

She also knew it was worth it.


Author's Note: Rating will change to M within the next two chapters. Thanks for reading!