Supernova

By Willow Athena

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of its characters, but Rien is definitely mine, as is this story.

Author's Note: I had contemplated putting up the rest a few days ago, and letting you stew before this chapter. But, tis the season for giving, so….Merry Christmas etc.

Chapter 14 – Imperfect Sight

Rien's POV

"You locked the gate!" Ishida shouted at me.

I did not appreciate being yelled at. "Its not like I asked you to follow me," I said, defensively. Secretly glad that he was with me, but wishing he would stop being so mean – it was not an attractive look for him.

"I couldn't just let you go unprotected!" He still yelled, though I could see he was losing steam. He was right – I had no power. I didn't really need protection, I wasn't the one in danger.

"What exactly was your plan?"

I panicked. I couldn't bare to lose him. In all honesty, I really had no plan. "Maybe if I tell Byakuya about my dream, about how the fight will progress…he could find an opening and win," I pulled at straws, hearing the stupidity in my own words as the irrationally tumbled from my lips.

"Do you really think Byakuya will listen to you?..."

No.

"…What makes you think he won't kill us on sight?"

Nothing.

"…And, how do you expect to find him?"

No idea. Sheer dumb luck, perhaps.

I had no answers to Ishida's arsenal of questions, but, I also had no doubt that somehow, I would find him.

"Where are we?" This place did not look like the Seireitei I knew.

"Rukongai – its where Urahara's gate opens up. He's not exactly supposed to have access to Soul Society, so his gate cannot open within the walls of Seireitei. It's very far from where you remember." He sounded frustrated, but I could hear the defeat in Ishida's voice, guessing he was already trying to minimise my recklessness. He was, no doubt, trying to figure out how to get me to lay low until Yoruichi came to get me. I knew her wrath would be earth-shattering this time, so I did not weaken my resolve by dwelling on it.

"I think we should go this way," I said with certainty, as I began running in that direction. I wasn't really certain about the direction, but I lied well, and it was as good a place to begin as any.

"And what do we do when we get there?" Ishida hopelessly asked behind me.

"Maybe, all we need to do is be there, just help him a little…then maybe he won't…die." I prayed it would be true, that my insignificance could mean something more than the emptiness I felt.

A few minutes later, I began to wonder if we were going in the right direction. It was at that moment of concentration, that I sensed the Espada, and thoughtlessly ran in that direction. I could see people who had previously been picnicking at this nearby lake, now running, as a captain, and the Espada from my dream, fought. I was pleased I had gotten here in time, but as I ran closer, I still had no idea of what to do.

Nearing the battle, I realised it was not Byakuya fighting the Espada from my dream – it was, Ukitake taichou who valiantly fought the Espada. He also didn't look like he needed any help – he actually looked like he was winning!

It looked odd, as he held the connected zanpakuto in hands. He dealt a heavy blow which pushed the Espada far back, and partially buried it under rubble. Ishida and I stood, silently watching, amazed at the captain's power.

Good, Jyuushiro is going to win…he's going to save Byakuya, I selfishly thought.

But then I saw him fall to one knee and begin to cough uncontrollably. I instictively ran to his side. Rukia had told me about her taichou's chronically ill state, but it was such an inopportune time for it to begin to flare up.

"Ukitake taichou, are you okay? Can I help?"

He coughed again, shaking his head, the force of the cough splattered blood on his left hand as he clutched the ground. "Run!" He had managed to say between coughs. The Espada was still trying to unbury itself from under a rather large pile of rocks on the other side of the lake.

"I'll hold him off," he said between another fit of coughs.

"Ishida, can you hold the Espada off for a while, while Ukitake taichou recovers?" I almost pleaded. Ishida was strong, frighteningly so in fact, I knew he would easily be able to stall the Espada…after all, it wasn't Ishida who died in my dream.

"Of course. No problem," he exuded confidence, and his countenance shifted. "This Espada looks weak anyway," he laughed, hungry for the fight. In this light, he reminded me of Ichigo, though I would never make that remark to his face. Ichigo! Damn, he'll be pissed when he finds out we left without him.

"No!" Jyuushiro said between, strangled, blood filled coughs.

But, I could not leave him here to an almost certain death. He had saved me, more than once! I watched until Ishida was a safe distance away before I tried the experimental spell – I was almost sure it wouldn't work, but I was determined to try. As an academic would attempt to defend, 'the research is not complete, I need more time…'. But, there was no more time left, it had to be now…it was time to convert theory into application.

"Run, Rien!" He attempted, in his most commanding voice.

I knelt, one knee on the ground, in front of him. In the pale moon light, shining off, of the adjacent lake, the contrast of Jyuushiro's pale white face and crimson lips was almost breathtaking.

"You knew I could never leave you, Jyuushiro," I smiled, cupping his face between my hands. Ishida was already busy fighting, there was no extra time left. His eyes danced at my touch and pleaded for me to leave. His coughing had subsided, and I knew it had begun.

"You gave me air, when I had none – hope in despair – a spark that warmed me. The ground that protects us, a life that connects us. Way of Resurrection, 85: Breath of life." I kissed his soft, bloodstained lips, and bound us within the spell.

He didn't try to pull away. His kiss was soft, gentle, searching. It soon became more urgent, more needing. I felt him become stronger beneath my touch…felt him rise up and cradle me against his tall frame. I hadn't kissed many people before, but I started to worry as his blood began to taste sweet, like honey. I felt his body gain vitality, his arms get stronger, his muscles everywhere become taught.

As his kiss became stronger, his right hand held my head to his, as his left secured my body. At first, it felt gentle, affectionate, loving even, but that soon began to change…I suddenly felt all the air being sucked out of my lungs, and all my ki being drained away. I began to panic.

His kiss, soft, gentle, and passionate now. It confused me. I didn't want to break free, but I continued to gasp for air that would not come. His lips tasted so sweet – I did not want to leave him. It was like seduction, unravelling in my own mind.

My mind fought back, trying to clear my thoughts. I had to leave him, he was draining all my ki – my life force…I had almost none left. I began to see dark black spots, as I finally managed to open my eyes. I did not have the strength to push him away. I did not know how to break the spell, since I had been unable to locate the red box. It should have only been performed by someone with more experience, someone more proficient.

I felt Byakuya's presence emerge nearby. He would be in danger…I needed to break free – to warn him. He had the perfection of features only a dream could conjure. As he appeared in the distance, I somehow found the will to break free from this kiss, but the explosiveness of the dispelled daemon magic, sent me flying back into the ankle deep water of the lakeshore. I felt Byakuya shunpo past me, only one breath's distance away. My legs were uncertain, I could not move from where I had landed.

As I regained my senses, I saw Byakuya already fighting the Espada and Ishida attempting to catch his breath. I saw Byakuya's leg pierced by the Espada's scythes, and the…the blood turn pink, rise up and consume him.

"Byakuya!" It was an agony filled cry, devoid of all hope. I heard the cry echo in the stillness of the night. I had failed to save the man I loved, the man I lived everyday for. All my emotions seeped from me at once, a strange feeling began to grow in the pit of my stomach.

"Don't worry," Jyuushiro said, a short distance away. "It's…he's fine."

How could he be fine? It had all happened exactly as it had in my dream…only now, I did not wake up in Ishida's arms. I was still stuck in this nightmare!

"It's one of Senbonzakura's most potent abilities. His blood mixes with his reiatsu and forms tiny senbon blades that refract pink in the light. He uses his body to control them and obliterate his enemies." Jyuushiro's words were warm, assuring somehow, but I would not believe the reality of it until I saw Byakuya unharmed.

As I gazed upon the scene of the massacre, I saw the Espada disintegrate into vibrant green particles, and Byakuya look up at me.

Imperfect sight – I laughed to myself. I can't even trust that. I had no idea of his strength, his power…he was just Byakuya to me. He was a captain after all – I should have known he would be more durable, but I could not have taken that chance. My ability to use logic obviously took a sabbatical when it came to him. I did not regret my decision to try and save him, even if it was unneeded, futile, as useless as I was.

The tiny pink blades began to compressed and form Senbonzakura once again. I felt elated as I saw him alive…as though my star had stopped from going nova.

There was no time between thought and action for Byakuya. As Senbonzakura stood whole again, I knew what he would do. There was no time for thought, just resolve.

As Senbonzakura's blade punctured my heart, and escaped out the other side of my body, every inch was excruciating. I had saved him! I laughed, in spite of the pain it caused. My body slid down to Senbonzakura's hilt.

"S…Senka?" I heard Ishida's voice tremble the words as he felt a warm spray of my blood hit his back.

In the moment Byakuya had looked at me, I had known he would use senka. I knew he would kill Ishida first – it's what I would have done…Eliminate the greater threat. I had no power, no threat – but, I had foiled his plans. I had saved Ishida. I had shunpo'ed behind Ishida just in time for Byakuya to deal me the deadly blow instead. Ishida should run now…but, he wasn't moving.

I watched my blood gush out of me and flow like a steady stream down the hilt, over his hands, and drip steadily onto the ground. "I couldn't let you kill him," it escaped in a whisper only he would hear. There was a big difference between dying in someone's arms, and dying by someone's hands, I ironically thought.

I looked up at him for the first time, seeing my reflection in the still pond of his eyes. His face was frozen in disbelief. I lifted my hand to touch is trembling face, "Don't worry – I'm not going to steal another kiss…I just want to remember you." I tried to focus on the softness of his skin, and away from the pain. Senbonzakura shredded my heart more, as my heart beat around it – in spite of it. I knew I did not have long.

"I loved you childishly before, innocently – oblivious to what it really meant. But, I still love you, even now, with this last breath." My words were so soft, almost inaudible, as my body failed me. I knew I would not last long once he unsheathed Senbonzakura from me. It would be like one of Yoruichi's bottles of red wine, held upside down and then uncorked. The blade was stopping all of my blood from gushing out of my insignificant body. I could not understand why he was frozen, why he did not just finish me off, it was so unlike him. My hand was progressively becoming heavier…I would have to do it soon.

It was a type of elation – knowing my torment would come to an end. I clasped my hands over his. They were covered in my blood. His haori dripped with my splattered, vibrant red blood.

'I'm sorry, I've ruined your haori, taichou." His hands trembled within mine.

"Goodbye, my love." Blood mixed with tears in my eyes as I pushed my almost limp body off, of his zanpakuto, and away from him.

I hit something softer than earth, and I heard the blood quickly whoosh out of the now gaping open wound. The blood was not apparent on my black dress – not that I had time to look. It just made it heavier, wet, and cling to me.

The darkness came for me faster than I had expected. I tired to hold onto the memory of Byakuya's face. There was relief in the darkness, a lack of pain, a lack of emotions, just stillness. I regretted nothing. I welcomed its peace, its emptiness – its nothingness.

Author's Note

This is not the end of my story, just the end of my 'Real World' arc. I have been contemplating how long I should let my reviewers live in suspense…

Review and let me know what you think.