AN: Well, Happy New Year! Sorry it's been a while since I've updated… Not going to give you the sob story – just going to give you another chapter to the one I'm writing, and let you know things should be back to normalwith much faster updates :)

Thank you everyone who has commented and added to alerts and favorites! You guys are awesome! Even if you're just reading this, you're awesome!


Chapter 8

Toshiro was fingering the letters Rukia had made on her report he never turned in. He wasn't sure what possessed him to keep the report, but every time he looked at her writing, he felt like he couldn't let it get lost among the other hundreds of thousands of pieces of paper the 1st held and maintained. It was like if he lost that, he would lose her forever.

He was frustrated that it had been weeks since her disappearance and they were no closer to finding her today than they were when she was taken. Taken. He closed his eyes. If she was hurt or worse…He tried not to think about her or what she may be going through. He had a hard time thinking impartially when it came to her; like she was just another recruit in his division. He found he had to stop himself from running up every lead they found or he would end up killing off half the population. He was becoming desperate to find her; something that was not lost on a certain blond Taicho no matter how hard he hid his feelings.

It had been four days since the meeting; she had been missing for a little over two weeks. Toshiro was reading through the endless reports that were coming in from the various divisions regarding the other noble houses. He had refused Momo's help previously and had just regretted doing so when Matsumoto popped in his door. She had grabbed half of the reports and sat on the couch with them. He looked over at the blond who was lying on his couch. 'For old time's sake' she had said when she came in, but the white haired Taicho couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic with her presence.

"I don't see anything out of the ordinary with these reports, Taicho…" she said after a long while and letting out a big sigh. "It seems this route is a dead end. Maybe the other nobles had nothing to do with this."

"ngh" he grunted.

The door opened and Momo came in with a smile on her face and a basket in her hand. It faltered slightly seeing Matsumoto on the couch with a stack of reports in front of her but she managed to maintain her composure.

"Good morning Shir-, erm, Taicho! I brought you breakfast!" she said as she put the basket on his desk.

"Thank you, Momo, but I don't have time for that right now." Nodding towards the blond, he added, "We're pretty busy as you can see."

"Surely you can stop for a few minutes and eat something," she said.

"Toshiro, she's right. You're not going to do Rukia any good if you're stuck back at the 4th for not taking care of yourself." She said as she cleared the little table in front of her.

"Fine," he grumbled as he stood up. He sat on the couch next to Matsumoto as Momo pulled up a chair and laid out a simple breakfast for the three.

"So," Momo started, "What brings you here, Matsumoto-san? I thought grumpy here didn't want any help."

Matsumoto grinned, "He didn't have a choice."

Momo sat back. First it's that Kuchiki and now Rangiku. What is she doing here? She knows how much I want to get closer to Shiro. He's not ever going to need my help with her in the way now. Maybe I should have been more aggressive with him, she thought as she sipped her tea.

Toshiro reached for one of the reports near where he was sitting.

"Can't you stop working for one minute?"

"Not as long as she's out there and we're sitting here."

"Fine then, here." She said as she pulled out a sealed envelope from her robe.

"What's this?" Toshiro asked as he reached for it.

"I don't know. Some man gave it to me and said you needed to have it. I figured it could wait until after breakfast, but since you insist on working…" she said with a frustrated sigh.

"Taicho?" Matsumoto asked as he was opening the seal. Immediately, his eyes narrowed as he read the contents.

Dear Hitsugaya-taicho of the 10th Division,

I am resigning my position.

I am too upset about losing everyone I had ever loved and with the fight over my status of the Kuchiki clan, I feel it's better if I lose myself back within the districts where I came from.

Please don't come looking for me, this is what I have decided to do.

R.K.

Toshiro resisted the urge to freeze and destroy the note. Instead, he laid the letter down on the table and walked towards his desk. Matsumoto moved to pick up the letter.

"No! Don't touch that!" On reflex, she quickly backed away.

"What does it say?"

Toshiro rummaged through his desk, walked back to the coffee table and carefully picked up the letter and envelope and wrapped it in cloth.

"It's a letter from someone pretending to be Rukia. Momo, who gave this to you?" He asked as he gestured to the bundle trying to keep the agitation from his voice.

"I told you, I don't know. He had a standard Shinigami uniform on. He wasn't someone I've seen before. Might have been a new recruit, I don't know. How do you know it's a fake?"

"What does it say?" Matsumoto asked.

"It's a letter of resignation. It said she's resigning and is going back to the districts."

"Well, maybe she has…" Momo started.

"No! I need your help, Momo. Come with me!" He said as he took the wrapped up letter and headed out of the door.

Momo smiled and chased after him. Her mind was filling up with all kinds of thoughts of them finally being together again when she realized where he had stopped. She had to bite her lower lip to keep her face from falling. She looked up at the 12th Division sign and sighed.

"Kurotsuchi!" Toshiro called out as he went inside. The place was dark. He really hated coming here. "Kurotsuchi!" he called out again.

"Who dares come in here and yell for me like that?" He said as he appeared from out of the darkness, "Oh! I see it's you, the little prodigy. What could you possibly want with me?"

Toshiro handed him the wrapped letter. "I need you to analyze this. I believe this is the first real clue we have on how to find Kuchiki."

He took the package and carefully examined the contents, "How is this a clue?"

"That's not her writing." Momo gasped. "Whoever kidnapped her sent this to us so we would stop looking for her."

""Who sent it?"

"I don't know, but Momo can assist with that. Whoever it was gave the letter to her, but she doesn't remember much."

"Oh? I see. Well, let's see what we can find out." Turning to Momo, "Come dear." He beckoned for her to following him into his lab. She looked to Toshiro who was already behind the other man, a determined look on his face. Momo sighed and followed.


"Matsumoto!" Toshiro called as he walked into her office. "I want to gather a new investigative team and head out to the outer districts. I don't want a huge swarm out there or we won't find out anything."

"What did you find out? And where is Momo?" She asked, bleary eyed as she woke up from her nap.

"Not much. The letter contained traces of minerals found in the west side outer districts. He's still working with Momo using a memory enhancer trying to get more details of what the messenger looked like. I want the teams to be small so as not to arouse anyone to our purpose. A change of clothing to blend in would be best as well."

"Yes, teams of two should be good, eh? I'll arrange it. Care to partner up with me? I'd pair up with my fukutaicho, but they're already joined at the hip." She said, laughing lightly.

"I want to start in the 78th," he said.

"Where she's from…"

"Yeah."


"He LEFT me there, Kira-kun! He LEFT me!" Momo was furiously pacing in front of her taicho's desk retelling her tale of abandonment at the 12th Division for the 5th time that day, each time getting more and more aggressive. "How could he?"

"You really should calm down. You're going about this all wrong anyway." He said looking at her from his seat.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she stopped pacing.

"I mean, his fukutaicho is missing, you should be out there showing him your support. You should be there by his side as a friend and then show him how it could be more."

"He's so focused on Kuchiki it's like no one else exists."

"All the more reason you need to show him you're there for him."

"Why are you helping me?" She looked at him from the edge of his desk.

Avoiding her eyes he said, "Because I want you to be happy. If anyone deserves to be happy after everything that went on in this war, it should be you." He stood up and went to her side. He took her hands in his, "Momo, if Aizen and Gin didn't brainwash us all, you would probably be sitting by his side as his fukutaicho right now."

She looked at him as her eyes softened. "Do you really think I have a chance with him now? He…he seems so…I don't know. I just know that night he and Kuchiki-san had the picnic, he looked at her like he used to look at me. I think he might be falling for her. "

"That's more reason to act now. Now that she's missing, you need to take this opportunity to make it clear to him that you're in love with him and will do anything for him. You can make him see he was only using her because he couldn't get the real thing; the real thing being you."

"You think she's a substitute? For me?"

"Don't you? She has many similar traits as you, but she can never take your place in his heart. I think he's just confused." He saw the new glimmer of hope shine in her eyes. He let her hands go.

"Thank you, Kira-kun." She said with a shy smile. He waved her off.

"Go…it's a matter of time before he finds her and you might lose your chance." She was already out the door before she could hear the last part.


Toshiro found himself surrounded by drunks and the filth that was the 78th district. He was dressed like the locals so that he could blend in. He couldn't help but roll his eyes at his former fukutaicho. It didn't matter what she wore as she would never just "blend in". Sighing he looked at her. Her light blue kimono fit her like a glove; her breasts had their normal amount of air time. That might come in handy, he thought.

"What?" She asked noticing he was looking at her.

"Nothing, let's check out the bar."

"Really?" She asked as her eyes grew wide.

"DON'T forget why we're here." He warned his over enthused partner.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… They'll all be putty in my hands in no time. You just leave everything to me, Taicho!" she smiled and sauntered her way into one of the shacks.

The inside of the bar was lit by the many cracks in the roof. There was a makeshift bar / table to the back of the single room with a few crates scattered about the rest of the room. Presumably, chairs. The place was empty, save the bartender.

Toshiro sat down on a crate in the corner of the room opposite the door, while Rangiku headed towards the bar. The bartender took one look at her and was immediately captivated, barely containing the drool forming at the corners of his mouth. Toshiro was disgusted by the man's actions but focused his attention in trying to feel for Rukia's reiatsu again. Maybe being out here…


Rukia woke up nauseated. Whatever they were using to keep her unconscious was making her sick. It wasn't the first time they had to put her under. The first time she woke up she found herself in a shack; much like the one she shared with Renji and her other friends while growing up. She heard voices, male. She sat up.

"Who are you?"

No answer.

"What do you want with me?"

"For you to sleep a little longer, my pretty one," said a tall male as he stood over her and put something over her mouth. It didn't take long for her to lose consciousness.

The second time she woke up she made sure she was alone before moving. She was in a different shack from before. Her hands were free but her feet were bound together and tied to the wall. Puzzled she reached for her neck. There, she found a reiatsu suppression collar. She tried to tug it off but knew it was pointless without the key. Her hands moved to the ropes on her legs. She looked up in time to see a short man come out of the shadows from the corner of the room. He gave her a wicked grin and hit her on the back of her head, knocking her out.

Rukia opened her eyes and waited for the spinning to stop. She carefully turned her head, waiting for someone to come out and knock her out again. She had no idea how long she had been out each time, nor did she know where she was. She was on a dirt floor. She reached out and felt a cold hard wall. She was in a cave. Cave? The only caves she knew were beyond the 80th district. Renji, herself and their friends had to hide up here once after accidently pissing off a gang member in their district.

Puzzled, her hand flitted to her neck and then to her feet. The collar was still there, her feet, however, were free. She cautiously looked around, but was unable to see anything. Slowly, she sat up. She half expected for someone to be there, but when nothing happened, she gained more confidence. She sat up fully and tried to see into the darkened cave. Her eyes squinted at the sudden light that burst through the side of the cave as a barrier was removed. Quickly, Rukia lay back down and pretended to still be out. She concentrated in slowing her heart and her breathing.

"I trust you will be able to handle her if she wakes up?" Asked a man with a deep voice. Rukia cracked an eye and made out two men. They were both tall, black hair, slim build. The one with the deep voice was slightly taller and had blue eyes.

"Of course!" The other man said with a grin. His brown eyes shining.

"I should only be gone for a day while I check in with the boss and then we'll know what to do with her." He regarded his brother. "You're not to touch her until we know what the boss wants. Do you understand, Juro?"

"Humph! You're not talking to Taishoku you know. He's the one who has no will power."

"Says the brother who begged for 15 minutes with her…" Taro grinned. He looked over at the still woman. "Trust me, if all goes well, we'll all have at her." He said with a smile, "But, until we know what the boss wants, we're not going to get paid if we damage her."

"Yeah, yeah… Remind that short little bastard when you see him. He drooled all over her last week on his watch."

"I've already talked to him and have taken him off the rotation. He used force to put her back under last time."

"He's a loose cannon that's going to bring us down, Taro."

"Let me handle him. Just take care of her." He said as he left. Rukia closed her eyes again and forced herself not to wince as he removed the barrier, letting the light shine into the dark cave. As one man left, the other walked over to where she lay and bent down to his knees.

"I know you're awake, little one." He whispered. Rukia held her breath. "I don't really care what my brother says. Even if the boss wants you back, I'm not going to be denied what is mine to take. Do you understand little one?" He laughed as he stood back up and walked to his corner of the cave.

"Who do you work for?" Rukia asked. The man turned around and looked at her.

"Che, like I would tell you if I knew. Truth is, only my brother Taro knows. He does the deals, I do the work."

"You started the fire then?"

"No, that was another associate of ours. I'm the one who carried your ass all the way out here though. Not that I minded, you have a very nice ass." He shot her one of his grins at her.

The barrier opened and a short fat man walked in.

"You're awake, eh? Good thing I came then." He said as he leered at Rukia. She felt a chill crawl down her spine and tried to back into the cave wall.

"Taishoku what the hell are you doing?"

"Juro? Is that you?" The short man asked as he made his way fully into the cave.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to warn Taro. They're still looking for this bitch. I was just in town playing bartender when these two strangers came in. One, man, she was HOT! She had boobs to die for! If I could have had her… Anyway, her partner though, he was odd."

"Odd?"

"He looked like a child but carried himself like he was much older." Rukia's eyes grew wide. He had to be talking about Rangiku and Toshiro! She tried to stay calm. She had to get out of here. She looked at the two men and carefully inched her way towards the front of the cave. She hoped to reach the mouth while they were distracted with each other.

"What did you tell them?" Juro asked as he stood up.

"I told them that if their friend was missing, they might want to start talking with the Snakes." He said proudly.

"The Snakes? You told them about the Snakes?"

"Yeah! Pretty smart, eh? Who better to take out our enemy then our other enemy? They'll enter their territory and boom, problem solved. They'll take care of them for us."

"You're an imbecile! They're going to go to the Snakes who will put them on OUR trail!"

"No! You'll see, I'm smart, it'll work-" He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as Juro took a plank and knocked him out. He turned towards Rukia who was inching her way towards the head of the cave.

"Where the fuck do you think you're goin?" He glared at her and then looked at the fat lump on the floor. An idea started to form in his mind. With a grin, Juro moved and grabbed Rukia back by her hair. "Why don't you stay a while? I think things are going to get real fun now." He breathed in her ear. Rukia went rigid as chills took over her body.