Pairings: Hisagi/Kira, Renji x Rukia, and slight Kyouraku/Ukitake
Rating: M
Warnings: There is also some OOC, language, slight sexual content, and talk of violence. Not to mention any errors that I may have left we all know how bad I am at picking those up.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo does.


As all of the captains filtered into the room, there was only one word that could describe the group: dead. No one looked at one another. No one talked to one another. No one even took the time to notice the presence of the other captains. They had fallen apart; no one could trust each other. Even as Ukitake looked out into the reaches of the room, he couldn't see any of the captains that he had once served beside only hollow copies of them. No one was alive anymore; the civil war was killing all of them.

No one said anything as they looked at Ukitake, none of them wanting to be the first to start their own personal confrontation with those who were around them. They stood there for what was like an eternity, no one wanting to acknowledge the presence of those around them. It was at that moment when Ukitake decided that it was time to speak.

"I think you all know why we're here," his eyes couldn't make contact with Kyouraku. "You no doubt have heard about the information from Hueco Mundo that two of our captains have retrieved for us."

Kuchiki took a deep breath. "What do you suppose we do about it?"

Ukitake looked into the 6th Division captain's eyes, immediately answering him. "We find a way to counter it. We have to find out as much as we can about this phenomenon and then we have to put an end to whatever harm it wishes to cause to us. We have to start looking out for ourselves or we'll all doomed."

The usual fights didn't break out as all of the captains looked on their own feet. There was nothing left to fight over. There was nothing left for them to scream at each other about. They were barely alive in front of Ukitake. They had finally killed each other. There was nothing more to be said.

"Any questions?" Ukitake looked out into the crowd.

There was no answer to his question.

"Meeting adjourned," he watched as all of the captains filtered out of the room. "Abarai, come here."

The 13th Division captain turned around and walked toward Ukitake. He looked the worst out of all of them. Since his fight with Ichigo, Renji had become pale, his eyes completely empty. Ukitake could tell that there was something growing inside of Abarai Renji that no one could see. Renji looked up to make eye contact with the 1st Division captain, his stare completely devoid of life.

"You wanted to speak to me, Sir?" Renji's voice was low.

Ukitake felt as though there was something Renji was hiding. There was something that was occurring inside of Renji that he didn't want anyone to know about. He was defensive. He was avoiding Ukitake's glance as he looked down at the ground. Out of everyone who was dying in front of him, he never thought that Renji would ever become this extreme. He never thought that Renji was actually going to die. The look that he saw within his eyes was he same look that he saw within Hisagi's. War had broken him.

"I have a special mission for you," Ukitake announced.

"Mission?" Renji's vision moved to meet Ukitake's again.

"I want you to go to the World of the Living with your lieutenant and…"

"Have Kurosaki do it," Renji didn't waste time with his argument, not even letting Ukitake finish his thought. "He knows that world far better than I do. Send him with Rukia."

Ukitake wasn't going to let him get off that easily. "But you're better equipped for the mission. We need a captain."

"Then send Hisagi-san," Renji kept arguing. "You don't need me to do something that you know any other captain can do. You could send anybody, why me?"

Ukitake sighed. "The 13th Division is the liaison between the Soul Society and the World of the Living. You're the captain of the 13th Division; this is your jurisdiction, Abarai."

Renji shook his head. "I can't."

"You don't even know what I'm going to have you do," Ukitake smiled with a small laugh. "You make it seem like you're going to war again."

"I made a mistake. I wanted to save Hisagi-san. I desperately wanted to save Hisagi-san," he shook his head as his voice became low. "But I made a mistake. I almost got both of us killed, and who knows how many men died. I can't do another mission. Not after all that I've done."

Ukitake sat down in his chair. "There's no way anyone can die during this mission, Abarai. This I can promise you. We can't do his by ourselves. The information that you brought back, the 12th Division can't make heads or tails of it. We need outside help."

"Like a specialist?" Renji asked as if he were finally interested again. "You want us to bring Urahara Kisuke…?"

"No, no," Ukitake shook his head. "It's not that extreme. There are two men in who are stationed in The World of the Living, this is something that I feel will be right up their alley. They research supernatural creatures and beings, and that's what I think this is. Your mission would to find these men and convince them to come up here and help us decipher what these beasts are."

Renji took a deep breath. "Bounty hunters? You want us to bring in bounty hunters? What are you going to pay them? And why pay them when you could use any other person's services for free?"

"Because these men know what they're talking about, Abarai. And because this is the only option that makes sense for the time being. Genryuusai-dono left me in charge of the Gotei 13, I don't want to let him down by making the wrong choice," Ukitake bowed his head. "Abarai, you have to do this, for everyone."

Renji sighed. "Fine I'll do it. But you better hope this is the right choice you're making. Otherwise I don't know what's going to happen."

Ukitake looked into the eyes of the young 13th Division captain. "This is the only way that we can save everyone. Maybe they can even find out what's wrong with the two of you."

"There's nothing wrong with us," Renji answered quickly. "The only problem that Hisagi-san has been having is deal with that heart being implanted in his chest. There's nothing else wrong with him. And there's nothing wrong with me."

Ukitake didn't need to look into Renji's eyes to see that he was in denial. The air that was exuding off of him told him such. The 13th Division captain was dead and gone leaving only a corpse behind without a soul. Abarai Renji was dead, but they could still save him. As he looked at the captain that was in front of him, he knew that it was all going to be over very soon. He was going to save everyone in his kingdom even if it killed him, even if he could stand in the end.

"And I'd like to keep it that way," Ukitake answered as he looked into Renji's eyes. "But they might be able to help with Aizen. They might be able to exorcise him from Hisagi-kun."

Renji's eyes lit up. "What?"

"They have a lot of experience in spiritual aspects. An exorcism seems like it would be nothing for them," Renji's eyes fell to the ground. "They could save him from all of this hatred. He would never have to go through what he's had to in the past months."

Renji shook his head. "Are you telling the truth, or do you just want me to go?"

"I think they could do it, Abarai-kun. I honestly think they could save him."

Renji's voice was shaking. "I'm leaving tonight."

"Abarai…"

"If they can do what you said they can, I can't wait any longer. I have to save him. I promised myself that I wouldn't let him die, and now you've given me an opportunity to help him. I'm not going to turn it down."

Ukitake realized what was going on within his Gotei 13. They had split into two sides. The side that wanted Hisagi Shuuhei dead and the side that wanted him to live. Abarai Renji desperately wanted him to live. He would do anything for him. As Ukitake looked deep into those eyes, he knew that Renji was going to be the one who saved Hisaig Shuuhei. He was going to be the one who kept him alive. He sighed as he looked at the 13th Division captain who was now newly gung-ho about this mission.

"You have my permission to leave tonight, Abarai," Ukitake nodded. "You will stay in constant contact with the 9th Division with your progress."

Renji nodded as he turned around to live the room. It should have been a moment that put Ukitake at peace, but as he saw another captain walk back into the room, he turned around, unable to even look at him. He closed his eyes as if he were trying to block out that he tried to erase him, but he couldn't.

"Ukitake…" the Captain Commander looked behind him.

"Kyouraku-taichou? What brings you here?" his voice was cold.

"I wanted to talk to you…"

Ukitake scoffed as he moved to sit down in the chair behind him. "Talk to me? Like you've been talking to me for only God knows how long. I don't want to talk, Kyouraku. I don't ever want to talk to you again."

"I'm sorry. I snapped."

"Snapped? You more than snapped. You exploded! You've been exploding for months now. Since the day I got attacked by that hollow you've become a completely different person. I don't know who you are anymore."

"And you think I know who you are? You aren't the Ukitake I know," Kyouraku shook his head. "You've become… like them. Where is your justice? Where is your heart? Where is your compassion?"

Ukitake shook his head. "Compassion? I've gotten nowhere in my whole life with that attitude. I always thought this world would shape up, but now I know that all you're going to do now is attack each other… even me. You're never going to look at me the same, and I have no clue why, Shunsui. I don't know why you've decided to attack me."

Kyouraku shook his head. "Everything's falling apart."

"And you've made it your responsibility to try to fix it by attacking everyone who opposed you? You're scared. I know you are. You think Aizen is still alive."

"A lot of people do."

"That doesn't mean it's true!" Ukitake could feel tears pooling in his eyes. "Genryuusai-dono would never let this happen."

"Genryuusai-dono would have killed Hisagi on the spot," Kyouraku argued, but Ukitake knew that he was speaking the truth.

"I know," Ukitake bowed his head. "I know that you think I should kill him. But how can I? How can I even think about killing him? After all that we've been through? After everything how can I blame it all on one man? And why? Because of a fate I condemned him to? He would have chosen to die, you know that. If anyone is to blame, it's me."

"You want me to blame everything on you?" Kyouraku asked. "After what Aizen did to you…"

"Aizen, not Hisagi. Hisagi has done nothing to harm me, and until he does he's not going anywhere. As long as I'm in charge, he lives. Byakuya feels the same way," Ukitake looked directly into Kyouraku's eyes. "Do you have anything to say against that? If you do then go back to Zaraki and Kurotsuchi, they'll help you through this."

As he looked into Kyouraku's eyes, he knew that this was the end of their friendship. They were forever going to be at odds with each other. There was no hope for reconciliation. As Ukitake looked into his former friend's eyes, he knew that the pain between them was never going to ease. This was war.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Hisagi sat at his desk going over the information from Hueco Mundo repeatedly. The pain that was in his chest was still there although it was only a dull roar of its former self. He looked through the files as he tried desperately tried to find out what happened that day when he was alone with Aizen. Those words were still fresh in his mind as the pain rolled through his chest, as he looked into Renji's eyes. No matter what, it was always going to be there. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath.

He heard a knock on the door, looking up. "Ichigo?"

The door opened. "Hisagi-san…"

Hisagi looked up, immediately stopping what he was doing. "Abarai?" he stood up behind the desk as he dropped his pen. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you," Renji breathed as he moved closer to the desk.

Hisagi swallowed hard as he closed his eyes. "What about?"

"You seem tense."

"I know what you're here about. It's about Aizen, isn't it?" Hisagi asked as he looked into the other captain's eyes. "I know that I did this to you but…"

"Ukitake-soutaichou thinks someone can fix it," Renji watched as Hisagi fell back into the chair, a blank stare being his answer. "He thinks that there are bounty hunters that can exorcise the energy from us."

"You didn't say anything to him, did you? You didn't reveal yourself?" Hisagi's mind was a jumble as he looked at Renji. "They'll kill you if they found out, and if they thought that this was contagious," he shook his head. "We'd have a double execution…"

"There is no execution," Renji answered as he moved his hand to the desk. "They can fix it…"

Hisagi didn't believe him. "How can they fix something that is laced in the flesh that beats in my chest? How can they destroy power that runs through these veins? My blood is toxic, there's no cure for that. Not even death can destroy this."

Renji's hands moved to touch Hisagi's hands, his eyes meeting his. Everything melted away as they looked deep into one another. For a moment, if only a moment, Hisagi thought that he was able to be cured from this curse. At that moment, he thought that he would be able to wake up from this nightmare. He closed his eyes as his hands tensed, breathing softly as he bowed his head.

"I said that I would save you," Renji whispered as he held on tighter to his hands. "I said that I would kill to save your life. I'm leaving tonight to find them."

"Abarai…"

"I'm going to bring them back here and they're going to save you."

Hisagi shook his head. "Not before they save you…"

"We're both getting saved."

Hisagi could feel the tears that were rolling down his cheeks as Renji moved to embrace him. He didn't know why he was crying. He didn't care. As he cried in Renji's arms, his cries turning into screaming sobs, he felt as though a huge weight was being lifted off of his shoulders. Burying his face deeper into Renji's body, he could only sob more as he realized that everything was about to end. He was going to be alive again.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Rukia sat at the desk of the 13th Division. Her whole life had changed. She was no longer the woman that she thought she would be. Months ago she thought that she was forever going to be in Renji's arms. She thought that all of her dreams were going to come true. They deserved each other; after all of the years she knew that was true. Yet as she sat there alone, she knew that he was never going to be hers again. She closed her eyes as she rested her elbow against the desk.

That was when the door opened. She immediately snapped back to attention as she saw who walked into. "Ukitake-sama!"

Ukitake looked around the office. "It's been a while since I've been in here," his eyes moved to every inch of the room. "It's so different. It's gloomier."

"That's my fault," Rukia breathed. "I made it this way…"

Ukitake didn't want to waste any time in trying to make her feel better, cutting to the chase. "What if I told you that I could help you fix that?"

She couldn't believe what she heard. "What did you say?"

He repeated himself. "What if I told you there was a way that you and Abarai-kun could be happy again?"

She shook her head. "There's no way…"

"There's a mission to the World of the Living. Abarai-kun is going tonight. You are to accompany him," he looked deep into her eyes. "This could be what the two of you need to get back together…"

"And what makes you think that he wants to go anywhere with me?" Rukia moved to slump against the desk again. "He hates me more than anything…"

Ukitake shook his head. "He's doing this for Hisagi-kun…"

Rukia scoffed. "Hisagi! Everything's about Hisagi, isn't it?" she shook her head. "The motivation to save Hisagi isn't going to bring us back together; it's going to make him go down a road to save his own personal justice. I'm nothing to him anymore. All he thinks about is saving Hisagi. All he talks about is Hisagi. Everything is literally Hisagi… I'm nothing to him."

Ukitake wasn't holding anything back. "With that mentality you'll never get anything you want. This is a way to appeal to him, express the way you feel for him. You can solve everything."

Rukia wanted to know the answer to one question, and as she looked into the soutaichou's eyes, she knew that she couldn't live until she heard the answer. "Why do you care so much?"

Ukitake chuckled. "Let's just say that I know a thing or two about friendships that mean so much more to you and how it stings when they break up," he shook his head. "I'm a helpless romantic that way…"

Rukia shook her head. "And everything I've done…"

"If he loves you, he'll forgive you," Ukitake looked into Rukia's eyes. "Your brother wouldn't want to see it any other way… you know that…"

Rukia looked out the window as she thought deep and hard about what she had to. She had to go off into the distance and fix everything that she had broken. She was going to fall in love with Renji again. She needed to put everything aside and finally help the one person that she had been abusing this whole time: herself.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kira was sitting at his desk as he heard the door open. His eyes fell to the door to see Hisagi in tears in his doorway. He stood up immediately and walked toward the door. As he threw his arms around Hisagi's shaking body, he felt tears pool in his own eyes, pulling Hisagi closer. He barely had anytime to say anything before he felt his lips fall onto the 9th Division captain's in a soft kiss.

"Isai-san, what's wrong?" he rested his head on Hisagi's shoulder. "Are you hurt?"

Hisagi shook his head. "No…" his hands pressed against Kira's back. "Not anymore…" he moved back to look Kira in the eyes. "I love you, Kira…"

Kira didn't know what it was, he didn't know whether he was drunk or if this was real. He didn't even know if he was awake right now. But as he felt those lips up against his own, he no longer cared. He kissed back passionately as he felt himself get pushed back to the desk. The raw passion made his head swirl as moans passed his mouth, his fingers tangled in Hisagi's black hair. He didn't care if it was real, it was real to him.

He licked the tears off of Hisagi's cheeks as he felt himself being pushed deeper into the wood of the desk, the papers falling to the ground as Kira caught Hisagi's mouth again. As he threw his head back, all he could feel was the softness of Hisagi's lips up against his flesh, his eyes closed tightly as he swallowed against the pressure. He was in absolute bliss.

"Hisagi-san?" Kira breathed. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I like it…" he kissed his lips again. "Kiss me again…"

Hisagi backed away. "They can fix it," he breathed in between kisses. "I'm not going to be a monster anymore… all of your fears are slowly going away."

Kira placed his hand on Hisagi's chest, feeling his heart beat underneath his touch. He looked deeper into his eyes as he got lost in the sensation. He was so close to him, he could almost feel the life swarming back into him. The days of monstrosity were about to come to an end. But as the passion climbed Kira didn't know whether to push Hisagi away or pull him closer. As he kissed gently at his lips he didn't know what he was doing. But he knew that he wasn't going to rob Hisagi a moment of joy. And as he melted into him, he realized that he was overjoyed as well.

In the morning, they would forget all about this, but for now it was a moment that Kira wanted to be immersed in forever. And for that moment, Kira truly thought they could love each other.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"You are to go to this address, get all of the information you can and then report back with the bounty hunters," Kuchiki tried to explain while Renji was preparing himself for the journey. "You will go to Urahara Kisuke's to receive gigais. Try your hardest not to tell him too much information, we don't want him to think that we're in peril. Just get the gigais and then report to this address."

"Any reason why you don't want them to know?" Renji asked. "Or is it because you're unable to swallow your pride?"

"As far as he knows, Yamamoto-soutaichou is still alive and Ukitake-soutaichou is still an invalid captain. We don't want him to panic about Aizen before we even know what's going on," Kuchiki looked directly into Renji's eyes. "Don't tell anyone about that…"

"What about the bounty hunters?" Rukia asked. "Can we tell them?"

Renji scoffed. "That might be helpful so they know what's going on."

"Well excuse me, who died and made you queen of this mission, Abarai-taichou?"

Kuchiki looked at the two officers of the 13th Division, handing Renji a phone. "Call Hisagi-taichou whenever you gather new information."

Renji took the phone. "Understood…"

Kuchiki nodded, there was nothing left to say. "Whenever you're ready…"

Renji looked into Kuchiki's eyes; the shame was written all over his face as Renji could hear the screams getting louder. He could see the blood flowing from Kuchiki Byakuya's lips as the sword was driven deeper into his body. Renji closed his eyes as he walked away from the 6th Division captain.

"Be safe," Byakuya smiled a hollow smile. "And don't tell anyone anything…"

As the two walked away, there was so much they wanted to say to each other. There was so much that was needed to be said. Yet as they walked away, they were completely silent, not even looking at each other. They walked off to a distance that they didn't know where they were going or what they were going to find. All they knew was that life as they knew it was about to change.


I'm back and starting to become a little more regular with my posts. I know that this chapter is going to bring up a lot of questions but they will all be answered in the next chapter. And yes there is some Hisagi/Kira goodness coming up. Stay tuned for the next chapter as the story is starting to reach its climax. It probably won't be up until after New Year's so happy New Year!

Don't forget to review.