Disclaimer- I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 25

Going Home

"What," Uryu asked, not sure he had just heard the Kuchiki correctly.

"Gin Ichimaru was in the world of the living at the time she was coming through the garganta. There's no way she could have witnessed his death, he wasn't even in Hueco Muendo," the captain explained.

"That makes no sense though," Uryu replied.

"It makes perfect sense," Byakuya countered evenly. "Aizen's zanpakuto has the ability of being able to make whoever sees its release see whatever he wants them to. It fools all the senses, she may very well have seen Aizen kill her brother, but it was nothing more than an illusion."

"But..but why," Orihime stammered. "Why would he do that to her?"

Byakuya sat silently for a moment, contemplating the reasons for Aizen to do such a thing to the woman he apparently wanted to make his lover. He couldn't come up with much, but he knew that the traitorous man was up to something and whatever it was Sayomi was a major player in it. Something told him that Sayomi had gotten in over her head, she may have had noble intentions, but she had obviously not realized just what Aizen had been capable of doing. The man had tried to murder his own lieutenant and wanted to recreate the King's Key in order to stand upon a throne no one had ever dared tried to take. He wasn't to be taken lightly, but Sayomi hadn't realized just how dangerous he was and now she was fighting for her life because of it.

"I'm a bit confused," Gin admitted, his usual smirk gone as he stood before Aizen. His accented, but always polite tone echoed through the large and rather messy great hall. "Why is it that Sayomi believes you killed me?"

"Because I did, Gin," Aizen replied the smallest hint of a smirk on his lips.

Gin frowned and cocked his head to the side. "I may be wrong, but didn't you want Sayomi to be your queen? If that were true then wouldn't ya want to make her trust you, not hate you?"

"She'll never trust me, Gin, you should know that by now and besides you don't like what I have planned for her, do you?"

"Can't say I'm pleased, she is my baby sister and all, but she's free to make her own decisions."

"And she'll choose me once she sees she has no other option."

"No other option," Gin repeated.

"How was your sister when she made it into the living world, Gin? Did she seem alright," Aizen asked.

Again Gin frowned and looked from Aizen to Ulquiorra who was beside him, still wearing the tattered and blood stained clothes he had worn when he had attacked Sayomi. "No, she seemed far from alright."

"Do you know what would happen to Sayomi if there was a direct attack on her soul? She's been living in a gigai for nearly a century, do you think that she could survive that?"

Gin remained silent for a moment, contemplating the words Aizen had said. "Only if the soul could be separated from the gigai, which could kill 'er instead."

"She won't die, Orihime won't let that happen," Aizen replied, a small smirk now apparent on his face.

"Ya let them leave? But Sayomi will be taken back to Soul Society and killed," Gin pointed out.

"Right, but they won't have a chance to kill her. We'll retrieve her before that, hopefully then she'll be a bit more well mannered."

The silver haired man made no attempt to reply, there was no point in replying. Sayomi would be made to look every bit the traitor everyone thought she was and then she really wouldn't have anywhere else to go but here and there was nothing he, a traitor himself could do about it. She would be forced to live her life beside a man who would just as soon torture her and play with her life and emotions for entertainment as he would take her body for his own, but he'd likely be gentle then and only then.

"It's been two days, there's no sign she is ever going to wake up. Byakuya is getting impatient, he wants to take her back to the Soul Society, now," Yoruichi told Urahara as she took a seat opposite him at the little round table he was drinking a cup of tea at with Ichigo, Uryu and Renji.

"You know," he began slowly, cautiously, well aware that no one was going to like his suggestion. "Letting him take her might not be such a bad idea."

"What the hell are you saying, Urahara," Ichigo argued promptly. "They'll kill her!"

"No," Yoruichi spoke up. "Not right away anyway. They want information and they won't kill her before getting it."

"She needs to regain her strength and Soul Society is the best place for her to do that. There is an abundance of spirit particles and energy there after all," Kisuke said.

"But she'll be in danger there!" Ichigo argued.

"She's going to be in danger wherever she goes Ichigo, which is why she needs to regain her strength," Uryu pointed out calmly.

"Yeah, but.."

"It doesn't matter what you think, Ichigo Kurosaki, she will be coming with me," Byakuya stated evenly, his gray eyes on the orange haired teen as he stepped regally into the small dining area. "We're leaving tonight, I'm not waiting any longer."

"You can't just take her!" Ichigo shouted, glaring heatedly at the stoic captain.

"Yes, I can. Sayomi is coming with me to the Soul Society tonight, where she'll face whatever punishment the head captain deems fit for her treachery," Byakuya replied.

Ichigo slammed his hands down on the table, slopping tea and water from the cups onto its wooden surface. He looked around at everyone there to see if anyone would speak out, but no one did. Uryu pushed his glasses up on his nose and looked away while both Yoruichi and Kisuke studied their tea, Renji just sat there silently, but Ichigo hadn't expected much more than that from him, he had to follow orders after all. He shoved himself up from the table and began to walk out. "Some friends you are," he grumbled at them before leaving.

He paid little attention to his surroundings as he walked, scowling at the ground and kicking the occasional rock or piece of trash from his path. When Ichigo finally came to a stop and looked around to see just where he was, he was fairly surprised to find himself standing in front of an empty space that the warehouse that housed the others like Sayomi and himself stood, hidden by kido. With a sigh, Ichigo scratched at his head and tried to figure out what to do now, he couldn't get through the barrier on his own and he somehow doubted that anyone would let him in. So it surprised him when he saw Shinji poke his head through a part of the barrier and nod towards where the warehouse stood.

Following after the blond silently, Ichigo stuck his hands in his pockets and took a look around to make sure no one was nearby. As soon as he walked into the old and dilapidated building, Ichigo could sense the tension and curiosity in the air as everyone gathered in the makeshift living area looked away from what they had been doing to stare expectantly at him.

"Uh, hey," Ichigo greeted lamely, not really sure what else to say as Shinji plopped down on the couch with an exaggerated sigh.

"So what's on your mind, Ichigo, I doubt you came all the way here just to say hey," Shinji observed.

"It's about Sayomi," he began uncertainly. He wasn't sure how everyone here felt about her, he knew Shinji believed her to be trustworthy still, but he also remembered the oddball saying that there were others who weren't too happy with her.

"What about her," Hiyori grunted disinterestedly, picking some crumbs from her white shirt.

"She's being taken back to Soul Society tonight," Ichigo answered.

This seemed to peak several people's interest. Kensei straightened a little, while Lisa's eyes narrowed for a moment and Shinji cocked his head to the side to study Ichigo.

"The Kuchiki's takin' her," Shinji inquired.

"Yeah."

"What exactly happened the other day, Ichigo, when she came back," Shinji asked.

The teen shook his head. "I don't really know. She said that Aizen had killed her brother and she had attacked him and managed to wound him."

"But that's impossible, her brother was here in Karakura Town," Kensei said.

"I know. That's what Renji said, but she definitely thought he was dead."

"It was just an illusion, Aizen was playing her and she never saw it," Shinji spoke up a frown taking residence on his face.

"That's what everyone seems to think," Ichigo agreed. "But no one can figure out why she would have been so badly injured, it wasn't him to do it, it was a strong hollow according to Urahara, probably an Espada member. If he really wanted her for a queen like she told Urahara, then why would he kill her? It doesn't make any sense."

"It might," Kensei replied, slowly. "You said it was a hollow that attacked her, judging by what we all felt, she was messed up pretty bad. How was she hurt?"

"There was a big hole in her chest and whoever attacked her poured a bunch of their reiatsu into the wound, that's what Urahara said anyway," Ichigo answered.

"A direct attack on her soul, huh," Shinji mused, letting his head fall back onto the fading and torn cushions of the couch.

"But that would mean..." Kensei trailed off, his eyes widening as he stood quickly from the table, knocking over the chair he was in in his haste.

"Calm down, Kensei," Shinji drawled. "She ain't dead, you should be able to tell that much. Kisuke separated her soul from the gigai, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he said it was the only way to heal the damage."

"He's a fool," Kensei retorted, picking up the chair he knocked over and slumping into it. "He just did exactly what Aizen wanted."

"Huh," Ichigo asked, his face twisting in confusion.

"Think about it, Ichigo, what good would Sayomi be to Aizen while in that gigai? He's a soul, she was essentially a human. Not exactly compatible if ya know what I mean," Shinji pointed out, lazily flapping a hand in the air.

"But...but then why hasn't he come to get her?"

"He's waiting for something," Lisa spoke up for the first time.

Everyone nodded their agreement with the glasses wearing girl.

"What," Ichigo pressed.

"Probably for her to be taken back to Soul Society. It wouldn't be hard for him to get in and it would make Sayomi seem to be the traitor everyone there thinks she is. She'll have nowhere left to go, at least that's what he'll want her to think and she'll believe it," Kensei answered, his voice shaking with anger as he struggled to remain calm. He was pissed off at Sayomi for what she had done and even more pissed off that there was nothing any of them could do to help her, it would put them all at risk of being discovered by Soul Society and that was something they couldn't afford to do. A group of eight against the entirety of the Gotei 13 had very slim odds of succeeding.

"Then shouldn't we stop her from being taken to Soul Society," Ichigo asked.

"'We'," Shinji repeated.

"Well yeah-"

"We can't do anything, it's too risky. If you want to stop him from taking her, that's on you," Kensei said.

"But you're her friends," Ichigo argued.

"Yeah, but she wouldn't want us tryin' to help her and put ourselves at risk. They won't kill her and Aizen will get her back before they have a chance to even try," Shinji replied seriously. "Sayomi's a big girl, Ichigo, she can take care of herself."

"Unbelievable," Ichigo snorted, shaking his head and glaring at the room full of people who had claimed to be friends of Sayomi's, but who wouldn't help her. "Fine," he snapped, turning on his heel and stomping towards the roll up door. "If no one else is going to help her, then I will."

"Good luck, Ichigo," Shinji sighed, pulling his hat over his eyes and folding his arms over his chest.

Sayomi was still asleep when Ichigo returned to Urahara's. Orihime was sitting with her, staring sadly at her as the girl slept. She had brushed out Sayomi's long hair and braided it over her shoulder where it rested on a clean white sleeping robe she and Yoruichi had put on her, discarding the old and tattered uniform she had worn.

"Do you think she'll be alright," Orihime asked meekly, looking pleadingly up at Ichigo.

The boy frowned. "I hope so. Sayomi's pretty strong, she'll get through this, Orihime, don't worry."

"I know she'll be fine, but...do you really think that they'll kill her? She didn't do anything wrong."

"I know and I don't plan on letting them kill her. I'm going to Soul Society to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Then I'm going with you."

Both Ichigo and Orihime started slightly at the voice that had suddenly come from the doorway. Turning towards the door, they saw Uryu standing there casually.

"Why, I thought you didn't want to help her?" Ichigo asked harshly.

"I never said that," Uryu replied, walking into the room and sitting down on the wooden flooring a good distance away from the other three occupants of the room. "Urahara is right, Sayomi would likely heal quicker in a place where there's more spirit energy and that's what she needs right now. I also know that if you go alone, you'll just cause too much trouble and probably get the both of you killed, you need someone level headed there."

"I'll go too," Orihime chirped.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Uryu replied. "Soul Society was ready to write you off as a traitor too, it might be better to just lay low for a little while."

"He's right Orihime, it's not safe for you to go there right now," Ichigo agreed.

Orihime looked down at her hands in that she had folded in her lap. Her thoughts drifting to how much of a burden she always was, even though she only wanted to help.

"But wait a sec," Ichigo said, a confused look crossing his face as he turned to Uryu. "You don't have any powers, you're kinda useless."

Uryu scowled darkly at his friend before straightening up and smugly pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I'll have you know, I got my powers back recently or did you not notice me being gone for most of the last few weeks?"

"I just figured you were out being a loner somewhere," Ichigo answered with a shrug.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but no," Uryu replied moodily.

"Well excuse me," Ichigo drawled. "It's not like you told us what you were doing."

"It was none of your concern."

"Whatever."

"Why don't you two stop bickering like an old married couple," Yoruichi taunted from the door, sauntering inside with a cat like grin on her face as the two boys glared at her. "Say your goodbyes, Byakuya's ready to go."

It was several minutes later that Ichigo stood beside Uryu and Orihime with Kisuke and Yoruichi off to the side while Byakuya picked up the motionless white haired woman and his lieutenant thrust his zanpakuto into the air, part of the blade disappearing as he muttered a command under his breath. A set of sliding wooden doors appeared in front of the red head and as soon as they slid open to reveal another set, Byakuya turned towards the doors wordlessly and stepped through the first set with Sayomi in his arms, Renji followed a moment later and the doors slid shut with a quiet clack before disappearing entirely.

"So," Kisuke said conversationally, grinning knowingly at Ichigo. "I take it you want me to get you back into Soul Society, right?"

"Yeah, I'm not going to let them kill her for something stupid. She's not a traitor and it wasn't her choice to become..something else," Ichigo replied determinedly.

Head captain Yamamoto had been expecting the arrival of Byakuya, Renji and Sayomi, so it was no surprise to the old man when the wooden doors of a senkaimon appeared several feet in front of his large, neat desk. His silver haired lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe stood beside him silently as the doors slid open to reveal two men, one of which was carrying a small white haired girl in his arms. Since this too was expected, the old man behind the desk nodded minutely to someone who was standing off to the side of the room.

A woman with long black hair that was twisted into a braid over her chest in a long white haori bowed slightly and turned to walk to the large set of double doors, opening one she gestured to three people who stood outside. One was a young woman with short silvery hair and a white sash tied around her left arm, she was followed by two nervous looking young men who were pushing a padded gurney. They avoided looking at the old and wrinkled, but still quite intimidating head captain as they scurried towards the Sixth division captain who was carrying the unconscious girl they were to take to a special cell within the first division that was reinforced with seki seki stone to not only keep Sayomi from being able to sense spirit energy, but from using any as well.

Placing Sayomi on the gurney, Byakuya remained silent as the Fourth division's lieutenant and the two pushing the gurney walked out of the room, but not before captain Unohana looked over her quickly and put a gentle hand above her brow. There was a small green glow, but nothing else seemed to happen. The whole thing was just to ensure that Sayomi would remain asleep while she was transported to the cell since it was impossible for her lieutenant and other squad members to even try to stand against the former captain.

"From the reports the Twelfth division have given me in your recent contact with them I've been able to gather that the former Tenth division captain has been in that state for several days," Yamamoto began, his voice carrying through the entire large room that was his office. "I also understand that you allowed her to be treated by Kisuke Urahara instead of bringing her here immediately. Why?"

Captain Kuchiki didn't blink or falter under the slight amount of irritation the old man before him was giving off. "Urahara believed that bringing her immediately would have killed her in the state she was in which would have made it impossible to get any information from her."

"I see," Yamamoto replied. "Do you think she'll wake up, Unohana?"

"I need to have a better look at her, but as far as I can tell she's just too weak at the moment. Her soul has sustained quite a bit of damage," the captain answered in her soft voice.

"I don't want her moved from the cell she's been assigned, have Soi Fon assign guards to watch her at all times, it would probably also be best to have her spirit energy completely repressed."

Unohana was dismissed shortly after, as was Renji, leaving Byakuya alone with the head captain and his lieutenant. The black haired noble fully expected to be reprimanded for taking his time in bringing Sayomi to the Soul Society, he knew that Yamamoto wasn't pleased with the wait, but at the same time if the old man wanted information from Sayomi, which Byakuya knew she would willing give, then the man had to be patient. Patience, however was running thin in the Seireitei.

"I understand that you saw Gin Ichimaru while in Karakura Town," Yamamoto stated.

Byakuya nodded stiffly. "Yes, he had been sent there by Aizen to apparently find out how far along Urahara was on building the pillars."

"You don't believe that was the reason he was there though, do you?"

"No. It is my opinion that he was sent away from Los Noches so that Aizen could lure Sayomi in to a trap, she believes her brother is dead and that Aizen killed him."

"And you will let her continue to believe that," Yamamoto said, his scratchy voice ringing with authority. "She is an abomination and after she has given us what we want, she will be dealt with. She joined Aizen of her own free will, she is a traitor captain Kuchiki, don't forget that. You may go."

Knowing better than to say anything further since he was clearly being dismissed, Byakuya bowed and turned to leave the room. He wanted to uphold the laws of Soul Society, protect them like he had promised his parents, but as a certain orange haired annoying teen had reminded him, the laws weren't always right. He had begun to believe what everyone else at the Urahara Shoten had believed, Sayomi wasn't a traitor. She was just too stubborn and headstrong for her own good.

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