Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 21

Meeting the squads- part four

XXX Squad six continued XXX

"Keiko are you alright?" Byakuya asked the tiniest hint of concern in his voice. "You were gone for some time? Are you well?" Byakuya could see how pale Keiko was so he wanted to know what was wrong with her.

Renji smiled at the concern his captain had. Since the Rukia incident it seemed as though he was trying to open up and show his emotions more, something that made Renji feel very happy.

Keiko, who was still extremely pale from her experience with Sosuke, looked up at Byakuya. Her eyes were dull and almost void of any emotion. Byakuya nearly shivered as he looked into them.

Jushiro placed a hand on Keiko's shoulder and sent her a sympathetic look assuming the Sosuke had said something to frighten her. He then answered for her. "Keiko met the prisoner…"

Byakuya's eye's widened and his head snapped back so that he could glare down at Renji. "Why was there no guard?" he asked icily.

Renji gulped. "I-I thought t-there was… C-Captain…" he slowly inched back not wanting to be near his captain at that moment as he looked as though he was going to murder him.

"There should have been a guard Renji." Byakuya's voice was like ice as he spoke. He then turned fully so that he could face his lieutenant. Renji gulped again.

"I-I didn't know… C-Captain… A-As far as I was a-aware there w-was a guard." Stuttering wasn't something that Renji did regularly but the look he was receiving from Byakuya was scaring him slightly.

"Renji." Byakuya said calmly though Renji could tell that his captain was furious. "Go and stand in front of the prisoners cell now. You are not to leave that post under any circumstances. Do you understand?"

Renji gulped then nodded before scampering off to the cell where he would watch said prisoner, there was no way in hell he was going to stay to piss Byakuya off further.

Byakuya then turned back to Jushiro and Keiko. "I apologize…" he spoke slowly which was an indication that he didn't apologize very often. "I assumed there was a guard stationed there… if there was you would not have had to meet him… I apologize." Were Keiko any other person he would have still punished Renji but he would have also asked the person what the hell they were doing in the cell with Aizen. However since Keiko was new here and had no real idea of anything he let it slide.

"It's fine…" Keiko said her voice soft and seemed as though she was in a daze or something.

"Keiko? Are you alright? Did he say something to you?" he asked his voice was filled with concern and worry. If he were to find out that Sosuke had said something that had offended or scared her… he wasn't sure what he would do but it most likely wouldn't be pretty.

His words seemed to break from her spell for she jumped lightly at them. She looked at Byakuya and Jushiro, a smile formed on her lips though it was hard to tell if it was fake or not. Shaking her head she said. "I'm fine… he said nothing…"

Jushiro nodded in acceptance to her words though he couldn't rid the feeling in his stomach that told him there was indeed something wrong with her, he was unable to question her further though as she silenced any questions of his with one of her own.

"So… where to next?"

XXX

The pair then went to squad five where nothing really interesting happened, unless you counted viewing large numbers of squad member running around like headless chickens.

After Squad five they went to squad four where Jushiro couldn't help but notice the Keiko seemed very dazed and distracted as she didn't have anything to really comment or talk about when they went to squad four or when they were in squad five.

She also didn't even make a comment when they walked in on the squad four lieutenant making out with the squad nine lieutenant.

Now the pair are on their way to squad three.

XXX Squad three XXX

"I wonder where all of the squad three members are?" Jushiro mused as they walked into the empty squad three building.

"Who is the captain of this squad?" Keiko asked, her voice sounding more pleasant than it had been but still held that emptiness to it.

Jushiro looked down at Keiko and wished he knew what was wrong with her as she just seemed so distracted and so sad almost and he knew it had something to do with Sosuke.

"This is squad three, their captain is Ichimaru Gin." He explained.

"I see." She replied as the pair continued to walk through the seemingly empty halls of the third squad building.

They soon reached a door and when they opened it they realized just why the squad was gone. In the captains office was Gin and Rangiku, naked and well… for lack of a better term, going at it like rabbits.

Keiko froze her eyes widening at the sight before her. Her face becoming a vibrant shade of red. Well on a bright note at least her mind was no longer occupied with thoughts of Sosuke.

Jushiro's eyes widened and he stared not quite knowing what to do. He had heard of people walking in on these two but now that it was him who was in the position he had no idea what to do.

Gin and Rangiku froze as they realized that there was someone standing in the doorway. Their eyes widened and their heads shot to the side where they saw Jushiro and Keiko frozen and staring at them stunned.

Both parties stared at each other for what seemed hours until Jushiro broke from the stupor and coughing lightly. "Captain Ichimaru." He said trying to sound as calm as he could.

"C-Captain U-Ukitake." Gin replied in a voice very similar to Jushiro's.

Jushiro coughed again and placed his arm around Keiko who was still standing there not knowing how to act or what to say. She hadn't even walked in on Grimmjow and Ichigo! "We will wait for you two in the other room." Jushiro said calmly as he led Keiko out of the room.

'I see now why the members of squad three are gone.' Jushiro thought shutting the door behind him. 'They didn't want to witness or hear that.'

XXX

"I'm sorry you had to see that…" Gin laughed nervously as he and Rangiku exited his office and walked into the room where Keiko and Jushiro were standing and waiting for them. "So how can I help ya?" he asked, his voice becoming cheerful again.

Jushiro and Keiko turned to them and Jushiro smiled as he heard Keiko let out a sigh of relief when she realized that they were clothed. He then turned his attentions back to Gin. "I was just showing Keiko around… something of a tour."

Rangiku smiled at the girl who was with Jushiro. 'They look so right together!' She inwardly squealed a bright smile forming on her lips.

"Keiko, eh?" Gin's eyes cracked open sot that his crimson orbs could upon the woman properly. As soon as he had looked over her figure properly his eyes widened significantly before he choked on air lightly.

"Gin! Are you alright?" Rangiku asked patting his back to help him breathe. Keiko couldn't help but notice how THEY bounced as she patted her lover on the back.

'Well those are um…' Keiko thought as her eyes couldn't stop themselves from noticing her breasts.

'Hichi would have a field day.' Leone stated sounding spiteful and slightly dark. The tone in her voice made Keiko slightly fearful.

"Are you alright Gin?" Jushiro asked concerned, he leaned forward to get a closer look at the captain.

Gin then sat up with his grin firmly in place, not looking as though he had been coughing. "I'm fine, just choked on air. Hahaha." He laughed at himself.

Keiko smiled at the man. Although he seemed strange he also seemed nice and she had a feeling she was going to like him a lot.

"So Miss Keiko. Jushiro may have told ya who I am but just in case I'm Ichimaru Gin, the squad three captain." He nodded his head lightly in a sort of bow. Jushiro and Gin called eachother by their first names as they had developed a friendship that was better than the one that they had before Gin left. It was strange how that worked but neither questioned it.

Keiko smiled and returned the bow.

"I'm Matsumoto Rangiku!" Rangiku chirped one of her giant smiles on her face. Keiko could tell why those two were together, they were both very happy and cheerful people.

'She's human isn't she?' Rangiku thought as she felt Keiko's spiritual pressure.

"It's nice to meet you all." Keiko then said, her smile still in place, something that made Jushiro happy as he didn't like seeing Keiko the way she had been earlier.

"So how long will ya be 'ere for?" Gin asked.

"Jushiro's taking me home tomorrow." She said simply, though neither Gin or Rangiku missed the look of sorrow in her eyes that told them she didn't really want to leave.

"That so?" Gin spoke. "Well if ya ever come back yeh welcome to visit me." he offered.

Keiko nodded. "I'd like that.

XXX

"So what do you think of Gin?" Jushiro asked Keiko as they left the Squad three building.

Keiko smiled as she thought Gin. "He seems really nice. I like him."

Jushiro nodded and decided not to tell her about Gin's past with Aizen as he didn't want her kind thoughts of Gin to diminish, even though he had a feeling that Keiko would still like Gin regardless.

Keiko took his hand and tugged it lightly. "So where to next?"

XXX

They went to squad two next which Jushiro knew wasn't a very good event for Keiko as unlike the other squads the ones in squad two would either treat her with disrespect if she spoke to them or just plainly ignore her. Even the Captain Soi Fon treated her poorly, while he was in the room as well! It was as if they didn't even care that she was his guest, they just treated her poorly.

So almost as soon as they got there they left and as they left Jushiro realized something. It was time for him to go to his meeting with General Yamamoto.

XXX

"Keiko." He spoke looking down at the girl whose expression was so sad it was hurting him. Why did the people in squad two have to treat her so poorly?

"Hmmm?" She hummed looking up at him. 'Why were they so mean? What did I do?' she thought.

'Just let me out and I'll teach the whores.' Leone huffed feeling very murderous today.

"I have to go to my meeting now… would you like me to take you to my squad where you can wait for me or would you like to go back to another squad for a while?" he asked her, though personally he wanted to show her his squad when he had time so he was silently hoping that she would go to another squad.

Keiko paused and seemed to think on it for a while before smiling. "I think… maybe I'll visit Kenpachi and Yachiru for a while."

Jushiro nodded and led her back to squad eleven.

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