Cutting Ties and Making New Ones

Renji arrived at the Kings of Hearts to find a stack of legal papers on his desk along with a note. He glanced over the papers to get the gist of them. The club was his. He officially owned it; all rights and ownership fully belonged to him. Dropping into the chair heavily, he picked up the note to read it.

Think of it as a thank you gift for what you've done for me. Thank you for loving me when I needed it the most. Good-bye, Renji. I really did love you - just not like you deserved.

Renji smiled despite knowing it was over. He did not regret a thing. He had loved her without holding back and changed her forever. She was freeing them both to go on with their lives. With that knowledge, it did not hurt so much that she had cut her last tie to him.

Shuhei found a bottle of white wine sitting on the bar for him. It was the same vintage he had served to her that night in his apartment. He had a farewell note tied to the bottle.

Thank you for our one night of heaven on earth. You showed me I could fall in love again if I let myself.

"Oh, Kam," he murmured, staring at the bottle. "When I told you I only wanted your body, I lied."

This would teach him to be honest with women in the future.

Kisuke Urahara received wooden tea box full of tea. He smiled at the picture of the frog etched into the wooden lid of the box.

Your little frog will be forever grateful that you did not allow her to be swallowed up. You will always be my sweet honeybee in my memories.

Three very special men received good-bye gifts from Kamiko. She had gotten something special from each of them; learning a life lesson that she will never forget and that will carry her through her future. They all had loved her and she had loved them even if for only a short time and very different ways. For that, she wanted them to know she was forever thankful to them.

At last Kamiko was able to make it to work before Byakuya did. She had brought another surprise for him; today was his birthday so she had made homemade banana bread for him. Picky man. He likes bananas, but he does not like sweets so that was the closest thing to a birthday cake he would like. She was studying the plan he had been working on for weeks to make the needed alterations for the contractor who had once again changed his mind. He was an infuriating man with persnickety ways, but at least she was able to convince him not to make a total redesign just slight adjustments. Byakuya had thanked her for that by giving her a dozen roses and taking her to dinner. He had even given her a champagne toast. A smile lit up her face as she thought about that night. She had been disappointed when he dropped her off at her front door with nothing more than a chaste kiss on the cheek to tell her good night.

Kamiko focused on the blueprint to redirect her thoughts. For some reason it suddenly occurred to her how he could arrange the rooms in a way that would please the hypercritical contractor. She searched around for a piece of paper to sketch out the idea to see if it was acceptable. While she was leaning over his desk busy scratching marks on the paper with a pencil, he came in the door.

'Wow! This is nice,' Byakuya thought to himself as he watched her behind wiggle slightly while she was writing something furiously. He almost spoke but closed his mouth allowing the slow lascivious grin spread across his face. He had a better idea.

"Ow!" she squealed, her hand flying to the stinging spot on her behind. "What the hell?"

Kamiko looked behind her to see her ex-husband standing there with a rubber band stretched between his fingers and poised to fly. She rubbed the smarting flesh on her rump pouting slightly from the pain. If she were closer she would slap that silly grin right off his face. He looked like a mischievous ten year old boy as he stared at her with a huge goofy smile on his lips. His dark eyes practically sparkled with the amusement that came at the expense of her sensitive posterior.

"Bya! You big meany!" she sulked, playing into the whole ten year old mentality herself.

"Oh, honey, it can't hurt that bad," he sighed, releasing the rubber band in his fingers but aiming it past her so it harmlessly flew over her shoulder. He walked toward her, pulling her into his arms. With a burst of lust inspired naughtiness, he whispered in her ear, "Want me to rub it for you?"

"Yeah, go ahead," she murmured, looking into his eyes and seeing the playful glint, she added, "Then you can kiss it to make it feel better."

"Mmmmmm," he practically growled from deep in his throat and that sound make Kamiko's knees go weak. "Is that an order or a request?"

"Take it as you like it," she challenged, sliding her arms around his neck. 'Oh, for god's sake, just please take it and do something with it,' her mind screamed when he lowered his lips to hers. With her hands on the back of his neck, she pulled his lips firmly against hers not allowing this to be a simple peck on the lips. She moaned when he made that noise again before touching her bottom lip with his tongue. Gratefully accepting the invitation of having his tongue explore her mouth, she parted her lips and leaned into him because her knees had forsaken her and would no longer hold her up.

"Mr. Kuchiki, you have…DAMN!" his snarky assistant yelled when she walked into the office.

Byakuya calmly turned to look at the woman without releasing Kamiko from his arms. She almost giggled at the stunned look on the woman's face.

"Yes, did you need something?" he asked, holding his ex-wife tighter when she attempted to wiggle away. His condescending secretary was glaring at Kamiko as if she were some kind of unwanted intruder rather than the person who held her job in her hands.

"I was going to remind you of your meeting in an hour," she said, then turned around and walked out.

"Oh, speaking of that!" Kamiko exclaimed excitedly, turning in his arms to grab the sketch she had made. She heard a distinct grunt come from him when she leaned over to get it because her behind had rubbed against something that had suddenly come up when his lips touched hers.

"What's this?" he asked, going to white box on his desk.

"That's for you. Happy Birthday, baby," she stated with a big smile on her face.

"Did you make this?" he inquired, pulling off a piece and popping it into his mouth.

"Uh huh," she answered while nodding excitedly. She could tell by the pleased expression his face he liked it. "Aren't you proud of me?"

"Yes. Yes, I am," he replied, his face becoming immediately sad.

"What's wrong?" she asked nervously when he inhaled deeply and released it noisily.

"I'm sorry I was never proud of you before. I didn't know what a treasure I had in you," he told her with obvious sorrow in his voice. "I just wish I had not messed things up so badly. I wish I had not done all those horrible things to hurt you."

Kamiko almost fainted. She did have to quickly find the chair behind her when heat swept over her like a flash fire and she felt remarkably dizzy. Her brain was scrambled and she could not think. Oh, my god! Did he just admit he did something wrong?

"Miko, do you think there's any way possible that we could put the past behind us and start over?" he queried, his eyes seeking to make contact with hers.

Kamiko was unable to speak. How did a playful flirtation turn into this? She raised her eyes to his, opening her mouth to speak but no words would come yet. Wanting to give him some indication of her desire that she would like to give it a try, she nodded mutely. She was not even able to utter a sound when he came around the desk and pulled her up into his arms for a strong, almost crushing embrace.

"I love you," Byakuya whispered, kissing her lips briefly. "I always have. I just did not know how to properly show it, but I will do better this time. I will."

Kamiko closed her eyes, holding onto him when he kissed her again. She pressed cheek against his chest not wanting to let him go after the kiss. The reality of the situation had not quite sunk and it still had a markedly surreal quality.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up her drawing.

"Oh, I had that idea when I was looking at the plans this morning. I know I'm no building architect but I do know how to organize things so –" She was cut off by a kiss.

"This is perfect!" he shouted ecstatically, kissing her again. He looked down at her, running his hand through her dark hair while he gazed into her hazel eyes. "You're perfect."

Kamiko did not care if she had sore lips by the time she left work if it was from him kissing her all day. She was kissed once more after his astounding compliment. She looked at her ex-husband as a new man, a different man – a man she would like to get to know and possibly fall in love with all over again.

Byakuya did not understand the instructions she had texted him. When she called him, she had said that she did not want to go to a stuffy restaurant and had something else in mind. Later she had sent the cryptic message: Don't send a driver. You pick me up. Wear something casual and comfortable. Huh? What in the world could she be planning? She had left the gate open for him to drive in and pick her up. A big smile curled his lips when he saw her standing at her front door. She was dressed in a short pink off the shoulder dress with a wide, puffy skirt and had her long dark hair tied in low pigtails with big pink bows; she looked like a rogue square dancer. Holding a huge picnic hamper in her hand, she waved to him excitedly when he stopped in front her.

"Hey, little girl, you need a ride?" Byakuya asked after rolling down his window.

"Sure. How about we go to the waterfront park?" Kamiko suggested then ran around to the passenger's side of the car.

"You're cute, Ellie Mae. It makes me want to take you in the house and -"

"Don't be a pervert!"

"Oh, trust me, you would like it."

"I'm sure I would."

They chatted easily and freely on the way to the park, slipping in the occasional sexual innuendo. Kamiko felt like it was their first date all over again. However, their actual first date had taken place at a stuffy restaurant, and this was so much better.

Byakuya helped her spread out the blanket. His eyes did not miss the opportunity to enjoy the view of her nicely displayed décolletage as she bent over. All sorts of terribly good thoughts ran through his head when she dropped to her knees to crawl around and smooth out the edges of the blanket. Too bad it was still daylight and the park was full of kids. He would like to do something that could cause them to have a little rugrat of their own.

"Hey, Miko, do you still want children?" he asked, sitting down beside her when she waved her hand at him.

Kamiko looked at him with her fingers gripping the handle of the basket so tightly that her knuckles were growing white. Children had always been a source of tension and arguments between them; she wanted them, he did not. Why was he asking?

"Well, yeah, I would, but – " Her words stopped when he moved closer to her.

"But there's still time," he said reaching out to touch her cheek. "However, we have other things to talk about before that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."

"Here," she said, shoving the wine bottle into one of his hands and the corkscrew in the other. Time to change subjects before they both lost their appetite entirely, and she had worked so hard on this meal. She unpacked the wine glasses next, then started on the food.

"This looks great. It's all my favorites," he murmured feeling an unexpected rush of emotions.

"Well, it is your birthday," she responded with a smile, leaning over to give him a quick kiss.

How could she still care so much after what an asshole he has been to her over the past few years? Byakuya stroked her cheek, smiling at her when she slipped him a demure little glance in between laying out the containers from the basket. She was so thoughtful, so beautiful, and so kind; however, he had tried to destroy that in her. Maybe she was the one who was always too good for him instead of the other way around.

"Now eat and enjoy," Kamiko urged him, handing him a pair of chopsticks.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied happily with a grin.

When they finished eating, Byakuya lay down, putting his head in her lap. The soft underskirts beneath her dress made a great pillow. He was full and content; feeling drowsy as she raked her fingers through his long hair.

Kamiko stared at the setting sun while absentmindedly stroking his hair. She had always loved the feel of his smooth silky hair through her fingers, but he had hardly ever let her touch it before. She could still barely believe that he had so willingly gone on a picnic with her. Eating on the ground would have been something he viewed with scorn and disgust previously.

"Did you enjoy it?" she asked, allowing her fingers to trail over his cheek.

"Very much. I'm so glad you didn't tell me where we were going until I picked you up. I would have made reservations somewhere and missed out on a wonderful experience," he stated sincerely, watching the sunset with her. When was the last time he had watched a sunset and appreciated the marvelous natural picture show? Probably the last time he went on a picnic which was never.

They remained in a comfortable silence until the red ball of the sun had dipped into the ocean to go to sleep for another day. Byakuya sat up, assisting her with packing up all of the dirty dishes and empty containers. His hand lay on top of hers when she closed the basket.

"Thank you for giving me a once in a lifetime experience," he said, leaning forward to kiss her.

"It doesn't have to happen just once you know," she murmured, putting her arms around his waist as he pulled her into him.

"I want it to be with you." He pressed his lips to hers, sliding his hand down her arm. He pulled her closer when he felt the goose bumps rise on her skin. Blushing slightly and grinning shyly, he asked, "Kamiko Kuchiki, will you be my girlfriend?"

"I thought you would never ask," she giggled, offering her lips to him for a kiss to seal the deal.

"Let's go. It's getting cool and you did not bring a sweater." He stood up and pulled her to her feet.

Kamiko watched him with a smile on her face as he picked up the basket and the blanket. Taking his arm, she was escorted back to his car. Her heart was beating frantically in her chest. She had fallen – fallen back in love with him and she never wanted to get up.