Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

This is a slight Bya/Rukia – it is not incest, they're not blood related.

Author's note:

Okay, I realise that this story hasn't been very good so far, and that the timing has either been too rushed, or too slow.

Sorry about this.

I'm still getting a handle on these things, and I promise things will slow down a bit. If you have any ideas, PM / review me.

Anyway, enjoy!

:)

Probable OOCness

I shunpo'd back to the office. Rangiku was bent over Rukia, healing her wounds with some powerful cream that Captain Ukitake had invented way back. Rangiku had fitted a pulse meter onto the index finger of Rukia's left hand, and her pulse was strong and steady.

But the battle wasn't over yet. But I knew Rukia, like no one else. Ukitake was revolving Rukia, taking notes, and 'hmmm'ing every now and then.

"Rangiku, stop adding the cream. A little goes a long way." Ukitake had a coughing fit, and blood hit the floor, causing his assistant within the medical centre to wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"You okay, Captain?" He nodded hastily.

"How are you going to wake her up?" I was anxious to know if my sister would wake up.

"How do you wake up Rukia, anyway?" Ichigo hadn't woken up for a while, and, for the first time, I understood what he felt for Rukia. He'd do anything for her. I looked at Ukitake, awaiting an answer. If I didn't get one, I'd keep pressing him for one. Then, I had an idea.

"Ukitake, can I use water to wake her up, or does she need to be woken up gently?"

"I'd wake her up gently." His voice had a smile in it, at the thought of Rukia being woken up through water being chucked on her. "Byakuya, you do it. Ichigo, go with Rangiku to prepare some things for me. Rangiku knows what she's doing." As they walked out of the room, he muttered "I hope."

Pulling up a chair, I sat beside the table, where Rukia's still form lay. "What do I do?"

"Wake her up. I don't know how, but wake her up. Talk to her, shake her – gently, tap her, whisper in her ear, tug her hair – again, gently... Do it your way."

Nodding, though slightly confused, I scooted closer to my adopted sister.

"I'll leave you two alone." Ukitake left the room, shutting the door behind him.

I touched Rukia's hand. "Rukia. Rukia, please, wake up. I should never have told you to hide your weaknesses... please forgive me. I'm acting so out of character right now, that I'm scaring myself. Just... please wake up. I promise, on Hisana's grave, that I'll be a better brother to you now. Just... please. Gods... I'm acting so out of character..."

"Baka." My eyes widened slightly, as Rukia stirred. Her voice had been quiet, but there.

"Rukia? Oh Gods, you're alive. I thought I'd lost you..."

"Nii – sama.." She struggled to sit up, though her eyes were still shut, and I immediately assisted her in sitting up. Opening her eyes, she gasped. "Nii – sama, you look terrible. What happened, anyway? All I remember is vomiting blood on Ichigo's shoes, and then... blank." Her brow furrowed, and a pang of sympathy touched my iced heart.

This always happens to Rukia. Always her. Hollows, diseases, you name it. It always happens to her. Weird. "Well, I'll tell you later. But I'm so relieved that you're awake! We thought we'd lost you."

"Nii – sama... can I do something?" Without waiting for my response, she shuffled forward on the table, and wrapped her thin arms around my neck, her face pressed into the side of it.

My arms went around her of their own accord, and I pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head in a brotherly manner.

"You fainted, and your pulse stopped. I shunpo'd you here, and Captain Ukitake figured out that Kurotsuchi had designed this parasite thing as a way to harvest reiatsu. The hollow you were slashed by had embedded the parasite into your body. We got it out, by using this cream stuff that sinks into your wounds, dissolving the parasite upon contact. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt you."

She pulled away from me, grimacing.

"How long was I out?"

I looked at the clock, silently adding up the hours and minutes in my head. "9 hours and 35 minutes. You passed out at 11 o clock, and it is now 8:25am. The next day. I haven't slept for... hmm... 20 hours. Oh well. You're okay, and I won't sleep until you're alright, and I'm satisfied." She touched my face. "Thank you, Nii – sama. I'm touched, really. But you need to sleep. I feel fine."

But she wasn't.

She slid off of the table, and collapsed to the ground again. I caught her in my arms, fatigue taking over. I should never have let my guard down.

And all was black.

Ukitake's PoV:

After telling Rangiku to get off of Ichigo, I walked back into the main part of my office, and stopped dead.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, of the 6th Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, had fallen asleep on the floor, with Rukia Kuchiki in his arms.

I smiled, but then frowned. Rukia had said she was alright, I had heard her, but then she had fainted. Checking her pulse, and all charts, I reached a conclusion:

Emotional overload.

I'll talk to her about it later, but, for now, I'm going to turn in, making sure that Ichigo is comfortable with staying her for a bit first.

Here is chapter 12!

Sorry it is taking me so long, I have three other stories on the go, and 2 developing fics that I've not posted yet.

Plus I've got school, and Army Cadets, and tons of homework I'm neglecting...

Please review!

:) XxX Amethyst XxX