AN: OH MY GAWD! You all have been super awesome about being patient and loving this story. Which really makes me beyond happy! I finally get to get back to this story, which makes me super excited to see what you all think. So, enough of my babble and on with the story!

Your Honesty Keeps Me Honest

Chapter 10

Hands shaking, the Kuchiki princess wanted to scream in terror, but instead her words were trapped behind a face too pale to still be alive. His note was more than just a note. It was proof of an obsession, something that could turn deadily. Breathing in and out, Rukia set the note down, ready to cry. Her sense of pride was wavering. She needed to leave, to get away. Standing up, she shifted her body, moving against the air, moving to the only place she felt safe. Each step, each flap of her body made her shake in memory. Safety, she needed the feeling of safety.

Stopping in her tracks, her sapphire eyes looked around, making sure no one was there when she jumped into the tree. "….Come to me…." She whispered softly into the air, holding herself. She wanted to cry. She wanted to punch something, she wanted something beside the fear that felt like it would slowly consume her. The dread breathed into her, making it hard to breath. "Please…" she whispered, holding tighter.

"Fear isn't your strong point," Jumping, her eyes looked down, absolute anguish covering her eyes as chocolate brown eyes looked up at her. "Something the matter?" he asked, his voice soft, kind, familiar. "Won't you come down?" Holding out his hand, Kurosaki Ichigo looked like the young man she had first met and fell for. He seemed so familiar to her, almost like home. "Rukia?"

Shaking her head, she stood, one hand on the tree for support. "….What do you want with me?" she asked first, standing tall and proud, far away enough he could not see her shiver in fear, see her fingers holding tightly together, not letting them quake. "Why are you here?"

His eyes hardened lightly, his mind reeling. She knew that look. "I came…to bring you home."

"Home is wherever I am. I do not need to return with you. I am content here."

"I'm not. You have to return with me."

"Why?"

"Because I want you there….I need you Rukia."

"….Are you done?" Her voice took a slight crack in it.

"What?"

"Are you done with Orihime?" She called out, her eyes letting go of her hold, showing the pain and hurt she felt. He took a step back. "Can you actually commit to just me, and let her go? I don't….I refuse to be place second to her needs of you." Eyes hardening with her resolve, she stared down at him, her blood boiling with the way he seemed to be thinking it over. HA! If he truly loved her, would it not be an instant answer? Taking a few steps back, she felt a soft chill in the air, one that her own did not make. "Ichigo….You can not answer, that is alright. During my time away from you, I found someone else."

"You can't mean that little shrimp of a captain!" Her now ex-boyfriend spat out. Anger shined in his eyes, his teeth were bared, ready to tear the words from her.

"I can and I do," she said as Hitsugaya seemed to glide behind her, wrapping a protective arm around, bringing her closer to him. His arms was strong, his eyes glaring down at the substitute shinigami. She shivered against him, letting the Ice Captain feel her worry her fear. "Go, Ichigo. Leave here, leave us alone." Without even a second the breath Hitsugaya flash-stepped them away from what was once their sacred place. No words exchanged as they top, high above their world, the sound of clay shingles filled her ears but her eyes could not leave his. Her fingers brushed against his hair. His teal eyes were hard, and impossible to read. "…Gomen…"

His fingers reached out, taking a bit of her hair, twirling it in between his fingers. "Would you really go back?" he asked softly. His eyes were hard but his voice seemed so sad. Tugging on her hair, he let his lips brush against her cheek. "Am I toy for you?"

She felt like he slapped her. She never meant for him to feel that way. She wouldn't have. She knew, she trusted her heart. "…I would never had turned my back on you." Her hand reached out, taking his. "Trust me, Hitsugaya…" she whispered, searching his eyes for the man she had fallen for, who's fiery spirit matched his cold power. It seemed like ages before his eyes softened to her. He let out a soft breath, as though sighing. "….I want to be here, with you."

"I know," he whispered softly to her, kissing her cheek gently. "I know all too well." He touched his chest, the tug gone, replaced by the over whelming desire to present her the gift. But it was not time. Not yet, though he could just do it. Have it wrap around her softly, showing to the world she was taken. "….We can no longer go there," He glared softly in the direction of their once peaceful 'home'. She nodded beside him, offering her hand. He did not take it, but still stayed beside her. "….Shall we go?"

"…?" she looked at him confused, his teal eyes searched around for a moment. Taking a moment, she sat down. Her head felt like it was spiraling down into a deep void. Things were getting out of hand and she hated it. She hated feeling lost. She was freakin' Rukia. People looked up to her and her strength of heart, her cool head, her ability to stand above the rest and still push forward, regardless of the things around her. But in this moment, she felt tired, like the world was pushing down all around her with no escape in the world. Throwing her head back, she looked to the sky, a soft clear blue with wispy white clouds. "….I am such a fool," she whispered, softly.

"Why do you think so?" she turned her head, he stood above her, looking at her. "Because your past is trying to push into your present?" he asked.

"…I suppose."

He sat beside her, pushing her head gently against his shoulder. "….Momo will always be important to me. Always have the ability to tug at me. Its my own ability to not be jerked that makes it so I can move past her. You and…he have only separated recently. No one, not even I, have the right to demand you be over from him completely. However, I am not gonna stand around and allow him to try and get between us," he turned his head, looking at her. Her sapphire eyes looked back up at him. "You're mine, as I am yours."

"….Thank you…T-Toshiro." She smiled sweetly, her voice soft. He bent down, kissing her lips, his tongue running along her lips lightly. Stopping the kiss, he looked at her face, bright red. "..What…."

"…For saying my name," he grinned at her. "Guess this will be our place for now…"

Standing in his worker's office, Ukitake stared at the neat piles. He was worried. She had left os suddenly after they had talked. He coughed softly, trying to find something that could have set her off. She was the little sister to a 'friend'. She was his friend as well. Sighing he noticed a piece of paper unlike any other. It was slightly crumbled, as thought it was grasped too hard. "..Oh…?" Picking it up, his eyes narrowed at the words. Words he did not like. "….Someone…get me squad 6, NOW!" his voice rose above anything else, a force to strong is shook the walls of his squad.

Walking into the building, Rukia smiled to herself, trying to keep hidden the joy of her heart. She felt at ease, Hitsugaya understood. He understood that she was trying hard to move forward, with him. She wanted to keep going. "Ano..Rukia-sama," she looked up at a girl standing there, waiting for her. "Byakuya-sama is waiting for you in his office." GULP! This was not a good thing. The happy feeling left her, flying away in fear from the name of her dear 'brother'. Her shoulder slumped softly, moving with her maid. Why now? Why not tomorrow? Or never? She moved slowly and finally stood in front of the plain door that would go into the room she hated.

"Come in." the voice was icy, strong and deadily.

Walking in, she stood before the man, his desk facing towards her. "Onii-sama?"

"….Rukia. Do you not trust me?" He sounded sad, though his face was the same as always. "Why is it that Ukitake-taichou had to bring this to me?" Placing down a piece of paper, Rukia looked confused. She was confused on what he was talking about. Her eyes watched him for a whle before looking at the paper.

The dreaded thing had the nice hand writing of warning. She felt her stomach acid try to come out, her hand covering her mouth so it could not escape. "No. I thought I…" she tried hard to explain, tried hard to not panick. It was just a paper. But the paper was dirty, filled with his sick desire.

"….Until this can be rectified, you are to not leave the Kuchiki compound. You are dismissed." He took the paper from her site, setting it aside.

"…But…I can handle it."

"No."

"…Onii-sama…please…." She called. But in a flash, he stood over her. "Onii-sama…."

"…I said no." His words were strong, his hand reaching out, grasping her tiny waist, bringing her into an embrace. "…Listen please….You are my only family. Someone is threatening you. I don't care who it is. I will not lose you."

"…Onii-sama…?" she asked, but hugged him back, his body shaking in the force of holding his emotions back. She understood. She was his family. He was her family. She would die to protect him and he would too. "…But I can do this. Please, how am I suppose to train? Or command people? I won't lose respect over this. I can handle it. If I can't, I swear, there are people who will back me and help. Trust me, please."

Letting her go, he looked down at her. No matter how much she looks like her sister, Rukia was stronger. She was better. She could hold her own. She did not need protection. She needed help. They were not the same person. "….Then I will escort you to and from work every day."

Rukia sighed, and grinned at him as he moved away and sat back at his desk. "…Toshiro will be."

"..Hitsugaya-taichou?" He loked to his sister, eyeing her.

"…Hai…" her cheeks flushed softly.

"…Alright."

"…I'll be going," she bowed and left.

Byakuya Kuchiki looked to where she had stood. She had blushed. Well…it looked like he needed to sit down Hitsugaya Toshiro and have a nice long, threatening talk with the captain.

AN:…I bet that shocked you, right? I'm actually a BIG ByakuyaXRukia fan, but I don't think I could do them justice, so until this is done, I'm good.

Sorry it took me so long. I got stuck. If you guys have any suggestions, please let me know!

And as always, please review!