I would just like to take this time to say how sorry I am that I haveen't updated this story for more than a year. I have struggled in my daily life so much that this wasn't even on my radar. However, I now beleive I may have the time to update this story at least once a week and will my very best to do just that. My sincerest apologies. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review.

Castle of Glass

Chapter 14: Wash the Sorrow From Off My Skin

"It's only a minor procedure to be done and it will ensure you'll be in control for a long period of time…it is your choice if you want to do this, Voltaire. No one is forcing you." A curly haired man sat at a table next to Voltaire, a pile of paperwork sprawled out before the two of them.

"I know that…but what if something goes wrong, what if I lose control during the procedure and I-" She was cut off by the sudden presence of the 13th captain.

"Voltaire, finally! I've been looking for you everywhere! The head-captain wants to see as soon as possible." Ukitake brushed a strand of loose hair out of his face.

"Um," she glanced back at Aizen, "alright, just give me a minute."

Ukitake nodded in agreement and waited just outside of where she and Aizen were talking.

"So?" Sousuke inquired. "I have to have an answer before I leave here today to get the facility ready for you."

Voltaire took a moment to think to herself about the situation, about the consequences and the possible rewards. Believing they outweighed any negative outcome, she accepted his request.

"Good…that's great." Aizen said. "It's your choice if you want to involve Byakuya or-" He was cut off when she blurted out a disagreement.

"NO!...I mean…I don't want him to know anything about this…I'll be leaving him a note tonight and telling him everything he needs to know. Just…leave him out of it, please."

"As you wish. We will leave after 6 tonight. Be at the end of the staircase outside of the large building near the 5th barracks. I'll be waiting." With that, Aizen took his leave and Voltaire followed soon after going with Jyuushiro to the head-captain's office.

"Everything alright?" The pale-skinned captain asked.

"Yeah…I think everything is gonna be just fine."

"So you're saying that I just left with some strange man for whatever reason and left you behind? What the hell?!" V yelled, frustrated with herself.

"Please, let me explain…" Byakuya placed his hand over V's, calming her before continuing. "You were dealing a new power, a new ability that no one had yet seen before in this world. No one knew what it was or how to control the power inside you not even yourself. You struggled daily to keep your spiritual pressure in check and the fact you were even able to be in close contact with anyone was a miracle."

"What was the ability…?" She asked.

"Aizen…Aizen called it Magick, with a k…he said it was some sort of branch of kido or something and it was being concentrated and refined through your bloodstream and when it was overflowing, when it began to manifest, it would drain others spiritual pressure to feed itself and become stronger."

"Sounds nightmarish."

"It was…You were basically being eaten alive from the inside out. And no one could stop it. In that letter you left me, telling what you doing and why you had to leave, you told me you felt like you were dying and weren't planning on taking anyone with you. You also said that if what you had planned was going to work, and you hoped it did, you were going to come home and everything was going to be the same as it always was. Unfortunately, it didn't happen that way." Byakuya lightly squeezed V's hand, his mood taking a turn as he spoke of the man who changed his life.

"What do you mean? It didn't work? But I thought…" V took on a worried look.

"A lot of us thought you were going to get better and hoped for the best upon your return but…from what I gathered from the information on the report, the facility you were in was only made to house those with significant abilities to be tested and experimented upon. And after testing was done on a subject, they were to be disposed of and their souls used to power the Hogyoku. You discovered sometime after arriving, escaped and tried to get back to Seireitei. However, Aizen had already spread rumors and despair that you had defected and were never coming back. You left me another note and went back to the facility to cleanse Aizen's misdeeds. The whole place was destroyed and the people either killed or set free."

"What did the note say?"

"I have it here…" Byakuya pulled out a tattered, old sheet of paper begging to be tossed in the garbage, with a few scribbles on the back but a full paragraph on the front. He handed the page to V and let her read.

Dear Byakuya,

I never thought it would have to come to this but, I must go. First, I have to tell you how I really feel. I love you, Byakuya. With all my heart. Leaving you isn't easy, that's for sure. I was hoping we could stay together; get married, have little 'ByaTaires' running around our feet. From the moment I saw your face, I knew that I would be bearing your heirs. I knew that for a fact. It will be so hard not to have you by my side, not to be in your bed; you holding me close. Just know that you will always be in my heart. No one could EVER replace you, my love.

You are the most wonderful man I have ever known in my entire life. I have bestowed upon you my zanpaku-to. It is yours until I come back...if I come back, that is.

Just remember this, be wary of Aizen-Taicho. He is very dangerous. I suspect that he may have a trick or two up his sleeve.

Byakuya, I love you so much. I will live and die for you. If only I could be by your side; but I will always be in your heart and mind. And you will be in mine. I love you, and I wish I could explain why I left, but I can't.

Please remember me, as I will always remember you.

Love with all my heart,

Voltaire

A tear fell upon the sheet, V's eyes beginning to swell. "I can't believe I did this! I just left you behind and..,!"

"You had to...you had no other choice." Byakuya attempted to comfort the weeping woman.

"I could've at the very lesast waited for you to come home and kissed you goodbye! I could've done something! Why did I just leave you all alone?!" V was all out crying, sobbing into her hands now.

Byakuya took the page from her folded it back up and put it back into his pocket before taking her hands into his own. He looked at the pitiful sight before him and couldn't help but smile. This was his Voltaire whom he must comfort and he wasn't passing up this opportunity. He cupped her face and pulled her up so she was level with him. She just barely had her eyes open but could still see what he was planning to do. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers and she calmed near instantaneously.

When he removed his lips, he wiped away her tears and smiled. "What?" Volatire asked, wiping what was left of the tears on her face off.

"I love you...and I've missed you..." He said quietly. V blushed heavily.

"I guess I love you too..."