CHAPTER 13: The Truth to Everything

A/N: So I am going to just say this now: I deeply apologize for the long wait for an update. But things got out of control and bleh, look no updates. But here I am, and I'll try to get on schedule with more frequent updates. Also I'll be having a new story coming out, and I'll try to work out some sort of schedule for each story to be updated on a certain day.

Excuse any mistakes I might have, it's been a long, exhausting day!

Time had passed, and after spending it with Soi Fon, Yoruichi was ready to depart again. She had became herself once again and now she had to fix things between her and Byakuya. She shouldn't have let her insecure feelings get in the way.

She pushed back her purple hair before launching forward into a flash step, coming to the mansion she had previous left. She felt a bit more relaxed, and all she wanted to do was to see him, being with the young female captain told her that. She shouldn't have ran from him, not because she was scared.

Yoruichi moved forward, stepping inside the mansion boundaries and then slid the door open and walked in.

"Byakuya?" She called, sliding the door shut. She could have chose to use shunpo to appear at his side, but she wanted a slow approach. She frowned, hearing no response. She continued to walk throughout the building and then finally came across him. He was sitting in front a low table, reading. "Byakuya?" Yoruichi tried again, this time her voice soft.

The male looked up and over his shoulder, not expecting to find Yoruichi standing there. His facial expression remained straight though and he turned his attention back to the stack of papers, setting them aside. He stood up gracefully, crossing the room and looked down at her, silent as ever.

Yoruichi felt herself freeze in the silence. Was that a good thing? This was new to her, and she couldn't explain it. She then felt as she threw herself into his arms, her hands digging into his hair and her mouth claiming his.

Explaining was overrated anyway, example was the way to go.

A few moments later, it was Yoruichi who slowly broke the kiss. She pressed a more gentle kiss to his lips before pulling her face away completely, burying it into his neck. "I'm sorry, about everything." She whispered. "I can't be me when I'm around you, I don't know why, but-" She paused, feeling his hands holding her comfortable to him, his mouth planted a small kiss into her hair. "The thought of this… You… Disappearing because of me being all, weak and in love… Scares me more than facing Aizen." She admitted.

A small chuckle escaped the captain's lips. "This coming from the all to famous, Cat Woman?" He couldn't resist the tease. "Yoruichi, you don't need to feel like you must apologize. Hell, I've loathed you enough for several lifetimes." He said, closing his eyes. "Seeing you hurt back in the World of the Living, that all changed. But I guess it was coming all along, I could feel it, I just didn't know it."

Yoruichi felt herself just fall in deeper. This man, she knew his feelings for her in the past, just admitted that something has changed. The same feeling that she felt for him. Protectiveness, maybe even love.

She lightly moved her head and leaned up to kiss his cheek, his eyes closed as she did this. "Byakuya… So what does this mean?" She had to ask.

Byakuya Kuchiki's arms just stayed around her. "That we experiment." He answered her, now looking down at her. "We're both confused, right?" He saw her nod. "Then we don't move out of our daily lives, we don't change anything, but we experiment with how we feel towards each other."

Everything he was telling her, made sense. Yoruichi couldn't deny that. Because she wanted them to take this slow. She stared up at him, her eyes examining his face, studying him. This was the man she fell in love with all those years ago. She now understood those feelings that clutched her heart.

Byakuya bent down and planted a small kiss on her nose, the trailed it to her cheek, finally her lips. "I have yet another meeting with the other captains. Will you be staying in the Seireitei?" He asked her.

Yoruichi frowned. "As much as I may want to stay. I'm must go back. The world of the living needs protection. Ichigo and his friends can't do it by themselves." She stated truthfully. "It might be a good suggestion to bring that up to Captain Yamamoto. Maybe station some Captains or Lieutenants." She said. She reached up to stroke her fingers along his face. "I'll go, and you go to your meeting." She moved out of his arms.

Captain Kuchiki nodded his head, his stance and expression becoming that of his usual one he wears, causing Yoruichi to smile and shake her head. This man had many faces. This one, this she loved. He seemed so serious, so focused.

"Until I see you again, Yoruichi." He said his goodbye, leaving her sight then.

:: Back in the World of the Living ::

"Bankai!" The orange haired male screamed, his body erupting into his bankai form. His zanpakuto taking it's narrow form. Ichigo Kurosaki launched forward towards the enemy.

These weren't just hollows. They were low level arrancars again, and Ichigo had had enough.

Rukia caught her stance, lifting up her white zanpakuto, blocking an attack before delivering one. Her amethyst eyes narrowed. This was getting old. She held up her other hand. "Hado number 33, Sokatsui!" She chanted, a blue orb of energy shooting from her hands and towards her target.

"Santen Kesshun!" Orihime squealed, a glowing orange shield placed in front of her. She then let out a cry when she was sent backwards after her shield cracked under the pressure.

"Orhime!" The others yelled out in unison, but each were unable to run to her rescue.

The male arrancar made a stride towards the fallen girl, but felt as he was suddenly pushed back and he looked up, letting out a huff of frustration.

The woman standing over top of the female student let a smirk cross her lips. "I think not." Yoruichi said, disappearing and sent him backwards another few yards. "Seems like I came back just in time." She murmured.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

"So what did you find out?" Urahara pressed as he welcomed back his old friend, handing her a cup of tea.

Yoruichi gladly accepted the tea, processing on what to tell the blonde shopkeeper. "Nothing containing news on this." She went with. "But I was able to get some peace of mind, which is why I'm back."

"Peace of mind?" Kisuke questioned in amusement. "You were gone longer than I expected." He added.

"Yes, well…" Yoruichi coughed, taking another sip of her tea. "Let's just say I saw some people that I needed to see, and leave it at that." She said, walking out of the room she was in with her friend.

"Evening, Yoruichi." The red-haired lieutenant said politely. He had placed himself back into his gigai and was dressed in slumber clothes.

"Renji." The female acknowledged. "Enjoy your sleep."

She went on to think about the fight earlier, and how the arrancars had just disappeared under their noses. She shrugged it off and went to turn in for the night.