The finale of the Meiko Introduction Arc. A Royal Guard Christmas will be out today or tomorrow. Then the start of the final arc.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Hawk's Story: Bleach

Chapter 37

Meiko woke up the next morning, feeling as if she had just fallen asleep. She slowly made her way from her bed to her bathroom. She sighed when she looked in the mirror. "That bed was too comfortable. Now I just want to go back to sleep." She smirked. She removed the layers of clothes that were remaining and hopped in the shower. She let her mind wander as she enjoyed the warm water. After a while she chuckled to herself. "What am I doing? I'm way to awesome to let Ice Pick of all people get me down. Today I'm going to go be badass and happy!" She cheered, before nearly fell out of the shower.

When she got out she could hear someone knocking at her bedroom door. She quickly wrapped herself in a towel and went to open the door. "Morning Birdman!" She greeted.

"God damn it Crow, put some clothes on!" Hawk yelled, turning away.

Meiko chuckled at his blushing face. "Still can't handle all this, can you?" She teased.

"Just go get dressed! We have a meeting!" Hawk stomped away with a bright red face.

Several minutes later Meiko met up with Hawk at the front of the barracks. "Okay, let's be off." She said. Hawk started walking away from the Squad 1 barracks, which confused Meiko. "Um Birdman, isn't our meeting here?"

"It's not a Central Captains meeting." He told her.

"Wait, I'm not going to see..."

Hawk interrupted her by greeting who they were meeting. "Hi Beautiful!" He called over with a big goofy smile. He ran over and pulled Soi Fon into a hug. Meiko could see Soi Fon blushing, but she still hugged him back. Hawk released his embrace and walked over to Meiko with Soi Fon. "Crow, this is my fiance Soi Fon."

"Nice to meet you. You two must be really good friends, because Hawk wouldn't stop telling stories last night." Soi Fon said with a smile.

"That's because I'm the most fun in our squad." Meiko giggled. She looked Soi Fon up and down. "Aren't you the super student who worked under Yoruichi?"

"Yeah I guess. I became Captain shortly after she left."

"Even though it's awesome that you two can be friends, I set this meeting up for a reason." Hawk said.

"I figured." Meiko said, rolling her eyes. "But her lecturing me, won't change anything."

"She's not here to lecture you. I wanted her to tell you our story." Hawk said.

Meiko sighed in defeat. "I guess I could listen to that."

Soi Fon took deep breath then let out a chuckle. "I was the first person Hawk met when he arrived..." Soi Fon started to tell Meiko the story, their story. It started with Hawk falling from the sky and his greeting before he lost consciousness. She told about their meeting on the rooftops and sharing how they were both lost in this world. The story went on to the war against Aizen, the return home and the beach trip. Then came the confrontation with Yoruichi and Soi Fon's choice of Hawk over Yoruichi. The Royal Guard incident was next and it was clearly still hard for Soi Fon to talk about, but she smiled when she got to the part where she told Hawk she loved him. She tried to skip the part about that night, but Hawk chimed in about it. He recieved a quick stomp to the foot as punishment. Soi Fon continued the story through the storming of the King's Realm and Hawk's surprising return. Then finally, Hawk proposal. "When my mind was able to comprehend what he'd just asked me, I thought my heart was going to explode with overwhelming happiness. I still smile when I look at the ring."

Meiko couldn't help but smile herself. "That's really a great story. I'm happy for both of you." She went quiet after that.

"Crow, I'm not saying you should or should not be with Byakuya. What I'm saying is that there is a chance that he will become your happiness." Hawk explained.

Meiko was quiet for a moment. "I'll talk to him on one condition."

"Name it."

"I get to take your fiance out for drinks and she has to tell me 'Stories' about you two."

"No way!" Soi Fon yelled, blushing heavily.

Meiko couldn't hold in her laughter. "Holy shit, she's so adorable!"

"Crow be nice." Hawk chuckled.

Meiko's laughter died down and she walked up to Soi Fon. "Thank you for looking after him for me. Keep up the good work. I have a new project I have to work on." She gave Soi Fon a quick hug before disappearing.

...

Meiko arrived at the Squad 6 Barracks and slowly made her way to Byakuya's office. She stood outside his office, debating running away, when the door opened. Standing in the doorway was the man she came to see. "Ms. Kurosakura, may I help you?" Byakuya asked in his usual tone.

That tone of his made her angry. She pushed him back into his office and slammed the door. "Don't give me that 'Ms. Kurosakura' crap! If you can't be honest with me now, then you never will!"

Byakuya took a deep breath before letting out a sigh. His sigh took Meiko back a bit. It was shaky and uncomposed. "For as long as I've known you, I've been in love with you." He told her.

Her mind was full of questions, both angry and happy ones. But because her mind was racing, she couldn't ask any of them. All she could ask was..."W-what?"

"I expected to take the easy way to becoming captain, but then I met you. At first glimpse you were the lazy Vice-Captain. In my mind you were just another stepping stone. Then came the day I challenged you. Not only did you laugh in my face, but you kicked my ass without even using your hands. You were the first person to ever put me in my place. You taught me how to be truely strong. After that I noticed you how strong of a leader you were, but how beautiful you were. I held you at such high regard and because of that, I was too afraid to confess my feelings. You were out of my league and then I met Hisana. She fell in love with this weak man, who was afraid of his own feelings. When she passed and you left, I had no one." His face remained compossed, but a steady stream of tears were going down his face. "But I've been given another chance. One that I won't let slip away." Then time stopped for Meiko as the next few words tried to escape Byakuya's lips. And finally... "Meiko, I love you."

She went into this wanting to hold back and not let her emotions come pouring out, but that was not going to happen. The words she longed for finally registered in her mind and she couldn't hold back. She immediately pulled him into a hug. "Dumb Bastard, I love you too!" She cried. Shivers went through out her body when she felt Byakuya wrap his arms around her.

"You've given me my reason to smile."

She pulled out of the hug slightly and looked up at him. "I've got another reason for you." She said, leaning in and kissing him.

Peaking in the window were the other members of the Royal Guard. "Damn it Hawk! How'd you know he was gonna say it first?" Marcus asked in a harsh whisper. Both Marcus and Halibel handed Hawk money.

Hawk grinned. "A magician never reveals his secrets."