Warning: This maybe a little bit graphic and bloody . .

It was a hot , dank summer night .The kind of night he hated the most because there was no reprieve from the heat .Even if he were to go take a cold shower when he came out it would feel like he had a taken a hot one. These types of night made his restless so instead of concentrating on the paper work that had not gotten done that day he impatiently tap his pen on the desk not realizing he had matched the little clicks to the rhythm of the clock .

Getting up from the desk he walked over to the window, and looked out it was odd the sun had set hours ago and Rukia had not come home nor had she sent word that she would be late . This disturbed his greatly because if anything he knew that Rukia was more than responsible about letting people know of her were a bout's.

A soft breeze trickled through the window bringing with it more dank air, and the cloying sent of night blooming jasmine . Making an irritated noise he walked back to his desk, so now not only was he hot but it felt like he had been doused in bath oil. Looking back up at the clock once more he mentally frowned and sat back down at his desk.

"Where are you ?" He wondered.

Sitting back in his desk he leaned back in his chair and realized for the exception of the clock on the wall the house was silent and still. He couldn't feel her steady little hum of energy that always seemed to emanate from her or the annoying high pitched voice of that damn Chappy bunny as she watched one of the plushs' movies for the umpteenth time. It was odd he hadn't realized how used to he had become to having her in the manor until this night . It just didn't feel right without her around, even though they rarely talked to each other her presence seemed to give him a peace of mind.

He heard the front door of the manor open causing him snap out of his thoughts and sit rigidly for a long moment only to feel Rukia's presence walk through the door. It wasn't small like it normally was when she came home late at night so she wouldn't disturb anyone. This time it was raging uncontrollably pulsating through the house like blood through viens. It felt erratic, and he didn't like it wasn't normal for her.

Standing he walked with long fluid strides down the halls going as fast as he dared without causing suspicion to the small amount of staff that was still awake. The pressure still seemed to course through the house quickly. He wondered why it hadn't slowed down or even stopped and as he rounded the corner to the main hall he saw why.

There she stood in the hall dripping with blood. So much so that it had matted and started to stiffen her black hair. There were a few small streaks of it that looked to have been sprayed on her cheek. It un nerved him the slashed parts of her hakima sleeves clung to her arms stiffly as the once oxygenated blood started turning brown. Her hands where stained red as was the white sash that had been tied around her waist. The rest of her body hadn't faired much better. She was a mass of dirt and blood.

Standing stark still her little chest was heaving in and out as she sucked in each gulp of air .She didn't even bother to try to hide it when he cleared his throat so she would look up at him . Lifting her chin she looked into his eyes with no trace of a child's innocence . Her expression was not of fear or defiance it was one of a warrior that had just done what she needed to do, and it took him off guard.

"Byakuya," the bloody statue spoke coolly. " I am sorry I did not leave a message telling you that I would be late coming home." Her voice was calm and smooth there was no trace of fear that she used to have in the past when she was covered in blood.

Fear and worry started to course through his veins like ice , but he nodded coolly to her showing no hint that he wanted to check over every part of her himself to make sure she had not been injured.

"If you are wondering." Her voice still calm as ever " I do not believe that I am injured in any way shape or form."

"Would you care to explain the reason you have come home covered in blood." His tone matched hers perfect and cool.

She nodded. "I would like to, but if Byakuya-sama would allow me to take a bath first so that I will not be dripping blood all over the floor.

He continued to look her over trying to keep his cool expression. "You may use my bath there is a harsh scrub in there that is good to get the dried blood off."

He watched her eyes close and her breath catch in her throat , the first sign of emotion that she had shown since he had first laid eyes on her. The knot in his stomach started to uncoil seeing that she had not frozen inside and out.

She went to bow to him.

"No." he stated sharply. He watched her eyes startle and color start to return to her cheeks as his words sank into her. Watching her reaction he let out another silent prayer of relief that she still could react and she had not lost herself in whatever had happened. "You have no need to bow to me." His voice softened. "Just go clean yourself and I shall meet you in my office when you are through."

With those words he watched her turn sharply and walk away from him. Turning away from her he left a sense of relief wash over him she was still hole what ever happened had not turned her heart to stone. Looking back at the main entry way coolly he shook his head ever so slightly . " This house has seen so much blood."

Turning he went against all of his better senses, and was going to knock on the door to his bath house to see if she was all right or if she needed a maid to come in and help her scrub herself off. Silently lifting his hand up to knock on the door he stopped just short of the wood. Inside he could hear her crying not the gut wrenching sobs that she had as a child , but still tears of a different fear.

Looking at the door for a long moment all he wanted to do was what he had done when she was young take her in his arms and whisper that everything was going to be okay that nothing would ever hurt her, and that she was safe now.

However she had ceased to be a little girl many years ago, and he would not risk her propriety for his rash behavior no matter how good the intentions where.

He moved back into his library where he had told her to meet him when she was through with her bath . He found he could not sit down so he just paced back and forth across the floor . The events of the evening thus far had made him uneasy. It wasn't just seeing her covered in blood he had seen her with blood on her in various degree's . It had always worried him , but tonight it frightened him. She was so small he knew she could defend herself and she was fare from fragile, but still it was the thought that something could happen to her.

There had been others things that had transpired through their conversation that un nerved him greatly . She had called him Byakuya and Byakuya –sama not Nii-sama. When his name so informally slipped from her lips he liked the way it sounded, and he should not have liked it. No matter what ,he vowed to always keep a distance between them. He thought it would be easier for both of them that way. However tonight seemed to undo everything, and now he thought to himself he was more afraid of her then she was of him.

"You are restless"

The voice came from the door way. Without turning around he nodded his head.

" I am."

The words came out simple and as devoid of emotion as humanly possible.

"I am sorry."

He heard her voice crack a little causing him to turn around. She was standing in the door way clean from all of the blood that had been dragging her down. Now in a simple summer night kimono she looked tired and worn down ,but unscathed he dare not got further to inspect her for any covered wounds on her arms or legs.

"There were two of them." She closed her eyes for a brief moment then opened them again. "Two hollows."

He merely nodded and gestured for her to come into the room.

He opened his mouth, but she wouldn't let him continue. " I was by the east gate training." She looked away in shame or embarrassment he didn't know. " I had no idea there would be anything there."

Turning her head to face him again he saw that she did not need him to talk just to listen to her .So he stood there quietly.

"There were two of them." She bit her lip and closed her eyes . Taking a deep breath in she reopened them. " I killed one." She whispered a silent tear dropped from her eye . " I couldn't kill the other."

"Have I failed?"

She looked up into his eyes and her sadness nearly broke him. " I am just trying to make you proud of me." She looked away as if she had just said the most embarrassing thing she could possibly think of.

His heart caved and he extended his hand. "Rukia." She looked up to him taking his hand, but going further leaning her head on his shoulder. He immediately stiffened at the contact until her felt her tears. Reaching up he stroked his hand along the back of her head in a comforting motion if he were going to break all the rules he might as well comfort her in the process. "You did not fail you are here to talk."

He felt her tremble like she did when she was young, but she was no longer holding a child . or an aunt , or cousin , or a wife . . . What was she?

Just a little something I came up with to try to push the storyline along to a little more of a solid direction.

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