Ai and Rin walked into their classroom after lunch. They sat and waited for the rest of the class, chatting about nothing. Ai saw the Captain Commander come in the room and speak to their instructor.

"Ai, Captain Commander Yamamoto would like to see you."

"Shuuhei," she said quietly, fearing something might have happened to him.

"I assure you it has nothing to do with Vice Captain Hisagi," Yamamoto said. "Please bring your things with you."

Sparing a glance at Rin, she went to met the Captain Commander. She followed him quietly out of the Academy and to the first division building. He lead her into a room where Captain Ukitake, Captain Unohana and Captain Kyoraku waited for them.

"Ai, there are some questions we'd like to ask you before we tell you why we brought you here."

She nodded and it was Captain Kyoraku who spoke to her first. "You did not enlist in a division during the recruitment fair."

"No sir. I haven't decided which division I want to enlist in."

"You aren't going to enlist in the ninth division with Hisagi-san?" Captain Unohana questioned.

"I am interested in the ninth division but not because of my relationship with Shuuhei." She paused, wondering if she should have called him something more formal. "I have also been considering the 1st and 13th divisions. We discussed them after the recruitment fair but I haven't made a decision."

"Are you afraid of Hisagi-san's reaction?" the mother-like captain asked.

"No. Shuuhei would stand behind any decision that I made. Even if it wasn't with the ninth division."

"Do you plan on living with Hisagi-san even if you are in a different division?"

Ai paused, unsure of how to answer them. She hadn't thought of the possibility that they wouldn't be able to stay together.

"Is there anything about your relationship that you feel we need to know?" Kyoraku asked, interrupting her thoughts. He had already noticed the ring she wore. While it didn't look like a normal engagement ring, he thought it held a promise. After watching her for three years, he knew she didn't wear jewelry except for the choker around her neck.

"We're engaged."

"Congratulations," Unohana said softly.

"Thank you."

Yamamoto had known about their engagement. Shuuhei had told him about it when he had gone to check on the vice captain a few days after the question had been popped. "When are you planning on getting married?"

"After I graduate. Maybe that night. Maybe the next day. We haven't decided." She was beginning to wonder if they had a problem with her relationship with Shuuhei. "I'm sorry, I don't understand why I'm here. Is there something wrong with Shuuhei's performance as a Vice Captain? Or my performance at the Academy?"

"Ai, there is nothing wrong with either of you. We are not judging your relationship with Hisagi-san, we just need to know everything so we can make our decision," Ukitake explained. She nodded and he continued. "You recently acquired bankai."

"Yes."

"We would like to see it," Yamamoto informed her.

"Yes, sir." Ai said as she unsheathed Kanazuchi.

...

Ai walked out of the Academy and found no one waiting for her. Since the recruitment fair, Shuuhei would met her so they could walk home together unless he was caught up in his work. Today he wasn't waiting. Ai thought it might be for the best since she had a secret she couldn't tell anyone but him. Quickly she flash stepped to the ninth division offices. She set her things down on the couch and walked over to him. He hadn't noticed her. Quietly Ai stepped behind him and ran her hands over his shoulders, massaging his tense muscles. Running the division kept him busy and Ai found herself helping him more now than she had three years ago when she had arrived.

"Shuuhei, you should ask the seated officers to help you," she said as he leaned back against her.

He shook his head. "It's not their job. It's my job as a vice captain to carry out the duties of a captain until one is appointed."

"Do you think it will take much longer?"

He let out a breath. "I don't know." Ai kissed him and took a stack of papers off the desk and began to file them. Shuuhei watched her for a minute. She wore her academy uniform and her zanpakuto laid on the couch with the rest of her belongings. She still wore his choker and it was the only piece of jewelry she wore besides her engagement ring. "Ai, I truly appreciate your help."

She smiled. "I'm happy to do it." They worked in silence for a while before Ai spoke again. "Shuuhei, did you ever think about becoming a captain?"

He shrugged as he filled out the papers on his desk. "I don't have bankai and I don't know if I want to learn it."

"I know you were taught to fear your zanpakuto but I don't know if I agree with that." Shuuhei looked up at her. "I respect Kanazuchi but I don't fear her." She took another stack from him. "Maybe it's something your next captain will teach you."

"Maybe," Shuuhei muttered, returning his attention to the paperwork in front of him.

Ai looked over at him. "Shuuhei, aren't you going to ask me how my day was?" He always asked but he hadn't yet.

"I'm sorry, Ai. I'm really behind on some things."

"Shuuhei, ask me how my day was and I'll let you finish your work."

He could tell from her tone that there was something she wanted to tell him. He stood and walked around his desk, leaning against the front of it. Giving her all of his attention, he asked, "How was your day, Ai?"

She grinned. "I took a test and I passed. I exceeded their expectations."

"What kind of test was it?" he asked, intrigued now. Ai walked over and took a bundle out of her belongings and tossed it to him. Shuuhei caught it and knew what it was without unfolding it. "You took the captain's test?"

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto pulled me out of class after lunch and insisted that I take it." She took her haori from him and put it on, twirling to model it for him. "Well?"

"Turn around," he said slowly. He barely saw the division number when she twirled but now that she stood with her back to him, he could only stare at it. Shuuhei wrapped his arm around her.

"It's not official until after I graduate but I wanted you to know because when it's announced you'll be my husband and my vice captain." Ai turned around and kissed him.

"It looks good on you, Captain Koizumi."

Ai giggled. "Shuuhei, we have the option of moving into the captain's quarters."

"Do we have to?"

"No."

"I don't know if I could..." he trailed off. "I couldn't go in there to clean it out all those years ago. Kira did it for me and I did the 3rd division captain's quarters for him." The betrayal still stung some but it wasn't as bad as it had been in the beginning.

Ai put her arms around him. "I told the Captain Commander that we're happy in the vice captain's quarters. There is no reason for us to move and he's not going to force us to." Shuuhei kissed her. She would have known it would be difficult for him to be in there and she chose to stay in his quarters.

"Why the ninth division?"

Ai shrugged. "I told them that I was considering several divisions. They placed me here."

"I'm happy they gave me you." Shuuhei kissed her and it soon turned more passionate than either of them were expecting. He lifted her onto the desk.

"Shuuhei, not on my desk."

"Technically, it's not your desk yet."