DISCLAIMER: Tite Kubo-san owns Bleach. ^_^

AMOROUS ENCOUNTER

Byakuya finally arrived at the Soul Society. He hurriedly went to the Fourth Squad to attend both Soi Fon and Renji.

"Byakuya, are you okay?" The Fourth Squad captain asked the worried Byakuya. He was standing outside the Emergency Room of Unohana's headquarters. His head was down while holding his sword. Byakuya barely heard her.

"Retsu-taichou, I'm fine. No need to ask me that." Byakuya assured. He immediately bid farewell to Unohana.

"If you say so. I'll just communicate any progress as soon as possible." Unohana said.

Byakuya just nodded behind.

"Byakuya…" Unohana sighed. Byakuya was already gone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Oka-san…Oto-san…"

The child accidentally dropped the basket of tomatoes she was holding upon seeing her parents, lying lifeless on the stable.

The girl approached the bodies, a foot at a time, like a bride walking down the aisle towards his groom.

Unlike the wedding, this was one gloomy scenario.

Blood…lots of blood scattered on the ground.

Wounds…several wounds were inflicted to her parents' torso.

Alone…she felt abandoned; solitary; isolated…

The girl then saw a tall shadow at the rear. She turned around and saw an old man, holding a rod on his left hand, covered in black cape. She had a hard time looking at him at close range, because the sunshine outside overwhelmed her sight. But she took a glimpse on his right hand. It was full of blood. Dripping slowly away from his hand.

The girl cried and cried. She blamed the man for killing her parents. Asking him why did he murdered her parents. He gave her no answer, just stood there. The little one got hold a piece of tomato. She threw it to murderer in front of her. It bounced from his body by a white mist. The girl was awestruck. The old man leisurely walked to wards her. He brushed his hand aside to get off the blood on it. He was about to assault the girl. The girl was frightened; she had no idea how to fight back. The hand was pointed to her. His hand were absurdly sharp, in the shape of a knife. Her she cried more. The man stabbed the girl. The girl became immobile. For some reason everything around her stopped moving; the surroundings suddenly became yellow, the man in front of her was frozen but she looked down and saw how his hand inserted to her chest; she was bleeding. Her heart beat fast; so fast that she thought she is going to die then and there. She ought to be dead in that instance. But she wasn't! Instead, she feels stronger than before; she could feel like she had acquired a power within her. Her soul and well being; they are livelier than ever. What is this? What kind of inside me? The girl asked herself. Her right hand precipitously felt discomfited. Likewise, no idea why. She shouted. To her amazement, no sound came out from her. What is happening to me? Her right hand again reacted. She looked at it. As she intently glanced at her disturbing right hand, there appeared a bee; golden one with black strips then it transformed into a black glove with yellow garnish. Her index finger became jagged; it resembles a scorpion's tail. She sensed potency on her right hand now. On her innocent mind that time, she does not know how to retort on such peculiar occurrence. She looked away, but had a glimpse of the killer in front of her, hand still inside her. She thenceforth had a thought of the real purpose of her right hand's transformation – retaliation…

Her eyes grew. Everything went back to normal. Her chest stings again. She yelled so loudly. Yet again, no voice came out.

In that moment, she was hopeless; desperate…but she remembered her new found strength.

She used the instrument to counter the man…

The man rejoined; he pulled his hand out of the child's chest. Both were in deep pain.

Seconds passed, the old man drifted away… The child fainted…

It was raining…

Really hard…

The sky was crying…

A girl below united with it…

The little one stood in front of two graves…

She met a mysterious man who claimed to have avenged her parents' death…

The man offered the girl a new life…

The man offered the girl…to hone her powers…

The girl…agreed…unenthusiastically…

Not knowing what the future would be…

Not knowing what the new life would be…

The girl grew…inelegantly…

She met pristine family…

She idolized the lady…the successor of the fabulous family…

She wanted to become like her…

She wanted to be with her…

And they got along..very well…

She trusted her…

She felt…betrayed…

She met again the old man…

She was unhappy…

She was afraid…

He hurt her…

She fainted…

She was awoken…

She was puzzled…

She saw fire in the Rokongai…

She saw again the old man…

She was ordered…to kill…

She doesn't want to…

She vowed before the Gotei 13…

No…

She fainted again…

"NOOOOO!" Soi Fon woke up.

The Fourth Squad was alarmed by the sudden scream from Soi Fon.

Unohana rushed to her room.

Soi Fon was struggling to the tubes attached to her. She wanted to get out of the room.

"Soi Fon, stop it!" Unohana run near her. She tried to pacify her, but she was stubborn.

"NO! I have to kill him!" Soi Fon growled.

Unohana was clueless while pacifying Soi Fon's obstinacy. "What are you talking about, Soi Fon?"

"Let me go!" Soi Fon managed to take out the tubes connected to her body. She was about to get off her bed but she was hampered by an excruciating pain in her abdomen. She fell down on the wooden ground. Unohana tried to help her up. But Soi Fon refused. "Let me out…" She still insisted. "Akai…you will pay…I remembered now…you are the one who killed my parents…" The struggling patient thought.

"But Soi Fon, you are still unwell…" Unohana claimed.

"I have to put an end to everything…" Soi Fon cried. She was able to stood up with a little help from Unohana. She was slowly walking into the door's direction, while holding her aggravating stomach. Her face is very expressive – she was indeed in unfathomable pain.

Unohana grabbed her arm. "Soi Fon…please…stop this…"

Soi Fon looked at her. She eyed her seriously. Unohana was a bit nervous on her look. She tried to walk away. Unohana pleaded again. She was unheard. She reached the door. She was blocked…by Byakuya.

Soi Fon looked up and saw the disappointed and annoyed expression of Byakuya.

He held her shoulders then squeezed it lightly. Soi Fon cannot believe what he was doing. She started to feel embarrassed again. She hates that feeling. She could feel her cheeks, burning. She pushed him away, but she lacked force. She was looking down; her pale feet on the floor. She does not want to be comforted, of all people, by Byakuya. She wanted her Yourichi-sama, but she was still on Karakura Town. However, she somehow liked how Byakuya attach himself to her; she enjoyed being cared by someone.

Soi Fon seemed to have given up escaping. She sighed. She recognized her present weakness and the need to recuperate completely. She wanted to have a good nap. She crossed her arms. "Killing Akai softly, eh?" She supposed.

Byakuya turned to Unohana. "Retsu-taichou, leaver her to me."

Unohana obliged. She walked outside the room in an instant.

Now, the two was left, in Soi Fon's resting room. Soi Fon moved backwards. She felt the cold wooden floor; she shivered. Byakuya closed the doors. She saw how cold Soi Fon was in her white linen gown and her feet, unwrapped.

He walked near her.

Soi Fon saw him. "Don't come closer to me!" She exclaimed.

"No need to be afraid, Soi Fon. I'll never hurt you. Just go back to your bed and you will be fine. Build up your strength, and we shall deal with ATC later." Byakuya said calmly. He again advances to Soi Fon.

Soi Fon skidded backwards. "What did you just said? What do you know about the ATC?" Soi Fon growled. Her face was angry, lively, although her body was still frail.

"I know everything…Soi Fon."

Soi Fon was shocked.

Byakuya narrated the information he acquired about the clan and a little data about her connection on them.

Soi Fon was in disbelief. She remembered her past through her dream earlier. She remembered her mistakes she committed many years ago. And she regretted all of them. She blamed herself for being so carefree. She cried in front of Byakuya. Palms on her face.

Byakuya cannot believe that Soi Fon just cried…before his eyes. The impulsive and proud captain he knows just cried. He could feel her sadness, her loneliness, her guilt. He was aware on how she resisted her dark past, her staunch association to the infamous clan. To some degree, Byakuya does not what to see Soi Fon in that state. He wanted to console her.

He finally got closer to her. He could not imagine how small and slim she was. He grabbed her then hugged her rigidly.

Soi Fon stopped crying. She felt Byakuya's embrace. She could smell his sweet scent. Her mind argued; to disentangle herself to Byakuya or not. Yes, she should. She simply hates him. But then, in the first place, why does she hate him? Soi Fon was clueless. Byakuya might be a pain in her ass sometimes; he is competitive as her, a total rival. But now, his different; he's so sweet and gentleman. She envies his former wife for marrying a man like him. Perhaps she may start liking him, or to love him?

Without any thoughts, Soi Fon buried her face to his firm chest. Byakuya caressed her soft hair. "It's going to be okay. We will help you." He whispered.

Soi Fon locked her arms on him. She slowly held back her tears, knowing she now has someone she can depend on; a companion to her own personal war. She's nowhere in distress.

Byakuya sensed that Soi Fon at this point is calmed and composed. He let go of his embrace. Soi Fon was a bit disappointed, but she doesn't want Byakuya to see it. She wiped her tears. She looked at Byakuya. "Thanks…a lot…" She spoke.

Byakuya stared at her face for seconds. It sends Soi Fon to discomfort. She turned her head, but unexpectedly, Byakuya hold her jaw, he lowered his face then placed his lips on her. Soi Fon's eyes enlarged. "No way!" She growled inside her head. Nevertheless, she could not resist the soft and moist lips of Byakuya. She has no idea what to do. She gave up arguing to herself. She closed her eyes then kissed him back.

They kissed for a while. After that, Soi Fon was too embarrassed that she turned her back to Byakuya. Byakuya apologized for his strange impulse. He felt shyness too.

"Sorry Soi Fon…it will—"

"No…I should be the one to apologize…Sorry for causing you inconvenience…and trouble." She said, looking across the window in front of her.

Silence.

Byakuya broke the bizarre peace. "You should go to bed and rest now, Soi Fon."

"Oh y-yeah…right…" She was about to walk when Byakuya held her then carry her to the bed.

Soi Fon squealed. She cannot adapt to it.

She was finally on her bed. She exhaled. Her eyes were down, still bashful to be with him. "T-Thank You, K-Kuchiki…"

Byakuya sat at the edge of the bed beside Soi Fon. Soi Fon was again, surprised.

Byakuya smiled at her. "No problem…but I could appreciate your gratitude more if you call me by my first name." Byakuya teased.

"What?" Soi Fon reacted. She saw how Byakuya was more handsome with a smile on his angelic face. She turned her face away. "Fine…T-Thank You, Bya-Bya-Byakuya." Her faced turned bloody red. She heard Byakuya laughed a little. She frowned. "Yeah, whatever…"

"Call me Byakuya-sama…" Byakuya ordered.

"What? Are you making fun of me?" Soi Fon rise. She's mad.

"No I am not. As a noble, you know you should address me in high respect. Just like how you call Yoruichi." Byakuya said. He is serious.

Soi Fon realized that even his former wife called him Byakuya-sama. She hesitated to call him that; she thought she only needed to use that term to Yoruichi and Captain-Commander Yamamoto, her superiors. Besides, she consider him as in the same level as her. To call him in superiority is to downgrade herself. No.

"Byakuya." Soi Fon said plainly then lay back to her pillow.

"You are really stubborn and egotistical." Byakuya thought. He does not want to force her. She was still ill. He might try again some other time. "Alright then. I better get going now." He kissed Soi Fon's forehead, touched her head. He walked away after that.

"What the –" Soi Fon grumbled. Even so, she smiled after spending some awkward time with Byakuya. "Am I in love?" She questioned herself. She shrugged then shut her eyes. She will never forget that encounter with him. She hoped she would even dream about him. For a moment, she never thinks about her present dilemmas. She enjoyed being happy…in one's company. And for her, it feels good…damn good.

Byakuya, on the other hand, left the room with a smile on his smile. He coughed, to primp himself. He walked back to his headquarters, to prepare for dealing with the clan that made Soi Fon broke.

A/N: I never expected that I could add another chapter fast, compared to my previous updates. Lol. Please leave me some comments. Thanks. ^_^