A/N: OMG! I am so sorry. The reason for my long break here can be described with two words. Hurricane Ike. It roared through my hometown a few weeks ago leaving much stress and loss of power in its wake. I am currently away at school, but had to host my family and friends for the time. Plus all of my exams hit at the same time…ick. Now that the worst is over I can attempt to be a bit more prompt on my updates. More reviews and encouragement are also needed. Thanks to all how have replied and given their thoughts, but I can still use a lot of input. Private messaging is okay too. I am very welcoming to all of your opinions. Thanks again to all who have reviewed. Let me know how you feel as you continue through the story!
Chapter 14: You Always Are
"We need to talk…"
The words were more terrifying than the young woman thought they should be. She shifted slightly, refolding the note in her hands. Masking her apprehension as best she could, she spoke, "Uh…w-what do we need to talk about, Rangiku? Is something the matter?"
The orange-haired Vice Captain walked over to the window, looking out at the small bridge that divided the division. Sighing deeply, she spoke, her eyes never leaving the breaking dawn, "The Captain is a very complicated man, as I am sure you have figured out already."
Karin nodded silently in reply, making her way to stand behind the taller woman. "I noticed on a few occasions…"
Silence hung for a few moments, the darkness slowly fading just a bit from the room, the outlines of the two Soul Reapers becoming slowly more defined.
"He wasn't always this way…"
Karin's head shot up at the startling words of the veteran Vice Captain.
"Complicated, I mean," she continued, "He used to be much more placid and humorous. He's always had some stick up his ass, but he never used to be so distant and hard to reach. I trust that you know about Hinamori?"
Once again, Karin nodded.
Sighing, Rangiku turned to face the young Soul Reaper. Their eyes met and the older one smiled softly. "You weren't around back in those days, the days before he became a true Soul Reaper. When I met him, he was just a young boy at a food stand in the Rukongai. The stand owner was returning him his change when he placed it on the counter instead of in the young boy's hand. Needless to say, I was irritated and addressed the issue immediately. Captain was so small and scrawny that I figured he would break at the mere sign of rudeness. But ever was I wrong…"
"After I had confronted the stand owner, Captain yelled at me, basically telling me that my help wasn't needed and that he was old enough to take care of himself. I reached for his arm, but when he jerked away, I could feel his spirit energy flare up and nearly shock me for a moment as his eyes nearly glowed an icy white, flashing with his anger. All I could do was stand there and watch as he ran away, dumbfounded by the blatant store of spirit pressure in the young boy's body. I was amazed."
"It wasn't hard to find him that night. His spirit pressure flared up again as he had a dream, nearly freezing the entire room around him as he slept. I told him he should become a Soul Reaper, that there was so much power in him that needed to be honed and trained. Not too long after, he joined the Academy, ranking in the top of his class. Graduating in two years, he was immediately recruited into the 13 Court Guard Squads to the 10th Division as the third seat. That was back when your father was Captain of the 10th Squad, though I was still Vice Captain."
Karin sighed softly at this.
"When your father retired to go to the World of the Living, Hitsugaya was given the Captains Exams. He passed with flying colors and was immediately made Captain of the 10th Squad. Everyone was surprised. He was the youngest Soul Reaper to ever be made a captain. Obviously the stress began piling on at a very early start, but despite his young age and inexperience, Captain managed to maintain order and a modicum of respect amongst his troops."
She paused for a short while before reaching out and placing her right hand on Karin's hunched shoulder, "He cares deeply for you, you know that?"
Karin's eyes shot to meet Matsumoto's steel grey ones. Blinking in shock, she gathered her thoughts quickly, though haphazardly, "How…how do you know of this? He hasn't said much to me about it, much less someone else."
Matsumoto's eyes softened at this. Bringing her hand from Karin's shoulder to cup her cheek softly in a maternal sort of way, "I have known Captain for many, many years. I know how to read everything about him now. He tries to hide these things from me, but he doesn't understand just how deep our bond really runs. That was the beauty of our relationship as captain and vice-captain. Trust and understanding came with the territory. It was almost like a filial love in a way. I looked out for him and he returned the favor. Don't worry yourself about his feelings, young Karin. They are certainly there, though they may be hidden underneath that rough, icy exterior somewhere."
Karin sighed softly and closed her eyes. "I don't even know what to think right now. This is all so complicated."
She turned and walked to the window, glaring out at the bridge as her thoughts collided, "He shouldn't have this effect on me! This shouldn't be some constant game of cat and mouse with a part of me I thought dead long ago! It doesn't make any sense…"
The bustier vice-captain's brow creased in contemplation, "What is the matter, Karin? Why is this so hard for you to accept? What happened to you that you couldn't imagine letting yourself fall in love, even though I am pretty sure you already have?"
Karin sighed deeply this time, trying to regain her bearings, "You just don't understand. I'm not like all of those other girls…my long line of relationships, if you can call them that, hasn't really been a walk in the park."
The older woman walked to her side and turned her to face her, "Explain yourself, Karin. This isn't going to get any easier if you hold it all in…"
"Who said anything about this getting any easier?" Karin's eyes flashed in frustration, "Do you think I feel that I deserve this to be any easier? I have done things in my life that would make my long dead mother roll over in her grave. Does that mean that I suddenly deserve to have life easier for me? Yes, I am a Soul Reaper. Yes, I am a young woman in her prime. Yes, I have feelings for my new captain who just happens to be my best friend who just happens to be dead! Doesn't that make things just a tad more complicated and unfixable? What am I supposed to do to make this work, go back to the Living World and kill myself? Doesn't this, like, upset The Order of All Things? The Precious Balance?"
Matsumoto smiled slightly and sighed, "You are just like your brother…only with a bit more sense and a few less obscenities…"
Karin smirked wryly, "I can fix that if you prefer…"
The older Soul Reaper snickered slightly before taking the younger's hand, "Just stop worrying about him. He'll come around. Besides, I have a pretty good idea that after tonight it will be very hard for him to say no to you anymore…"
With that, she winked and headed for the door. Karin was faster though, "Oh no you don't. We DID NOT have sex, before you go telling ever Tom, Dick, and Harry in Seiretei. Just get that through your head before I hear nasty rumors flying."
Matsumoto cocked a brow before opening the door, "Okay, I'll believe you for now…I know something is going on though. It'll come out sooner or later. So don't be surprised when it does…"
Karin sighed deeply before closing the door behind the busty woman. She growled in irritation, "Ugh…the gall…"
Resigning herself to defeat, she walked over to the mirror in an attempt to tidy herself up a bit when she noticed it…
"Well, shit…"
There, rather conspicuously in the junction of her neck was a faint love bite. She nearly burst out laughing at the mere sight of it, all of Matsumoto's taunting finally making sense.
Sighing to herself, she quickly fetched a lemon from the fruit basket, slicing it with her zanpakutou and squeezing the juice onto the forming bruise. She watched as it slowly began to fade just enough to be unnoticeable on her pale skin. "That will have to do…"
She replaced her zanpakutou in its sheath and began to fix her hair up into a French braid but was suddenly interrupted by the faint fluttering of wings. Turning to find the source, there was none other than a small, black Hell Butterfly. "What are you doing here, little thing?" She asked as she held out her finger for it to land on.
As it lighted silently on her index finger, it began to speak in the voice of the Head Captain, "Vice-Captain Karin Kurosaki, your attendance is needed in the main hall at an a emergency Staff meeting. Come at once and have with you your zanpakutou and arm badge. This is of the utmost confidentiality, so tell no one other than your fellow Captains and Vice captains of your destination. Come swiftly and subtly."
At the final words, the butterfly lifted off of her finger and fluttered away into the night through the open window. "Well, I guess that's where I'm going."
She reached over, grabbing her zanpakutou and fastening the thick blood red strap around her torso, allowing the blade to rest against her back. Before she had a chance to exit the room though, the front door burst open and an air of panic filled the air. Quickly running in and slamming the door behind him, her own brother turned to face her, his features twisted in fear and confusion.
With high concern in her eyes, Karin ran to her brother and gripped him by his new captain haori, keeping him from falling over from his disorientation. "What the hell, Ichigo?! You scared the shit out of me! What's going on? You look like hell."
He managed to swallow hard and meet her eyes before replying weakly, "Something's wrong, something's happening to her…"
Karin knitted her brow in confusion. "What are you talking about? What's wrong with who?"
He breathed deeply, "Rukia…something is wrong with her. She's in pain. There's blood everywhere! I ran and notified Captain Unohana, she's with her now. Karin, I don't know what to do. If something happens to her…I…"
Karin reared back and slapped him hard across the face, jolting him from his momentary panic. He stared at her shocked for a moment before understanding dawned on his face. "Thanks…" he murmured, rubbing his reddening cheek.
"Anytime…" Karin replied dryly, "Now what happened to her? You said there was blood and she was in pain…where was the blood coming from? Where did she hurt?"
He paused for a moment before the look of fear graced his face again, "I'm not sure where it was coming from, I just know that she was moaning and yelling for me to get Unohana. She was grabbing at her stomach."
Karin thought for a moment before realization set in. "Fuck… Ichigo, you need to go to the Staff meeting. Tell them why I'm not there. I'm going to be with Rukia. She needs someone right now."
And with that she shoved him out of the door, locking it behind her and turning to run for the 4th Division Hospital Wing. "Wait!" She felt a familiar tug on her hamaka sleeve, "What happened?"
She turned solemnly to face him and looked upon him with sad eyes, "She's having a miscarriage…"
His eyes widened in realization. "Oh my God…this is just like…how did I not see…"
She cut him off, her eyes closing in an attempt to alleviate the pressure weighing on her chest in reverie, "You need to go to the meeting…NOW!"
He jumped slightly at her brash demand, but nodded silently and turned to leave, "Let me know how she is…I'll be there soon…I promise" he said, more for her than Rukia.
Karin stood there for a moment, a solitary tear making it's way down her cheek and said softly, "I know you will be, Ichigo…you always are…"
With that she turned and made the fastest shunpo she had ever made all the way to the 4th Division, throwing the door open to the chaos that was waiting inside…
Just breathe...