Disclaimer- Me no own Bleach

Chapter 36

Mine and Yours

Hisagi placed a hand over the back of his neck to massage the sore and tense muscles there before extending both arms over his head to stretch. He rose from the cramped wooden desk he had been stuck behind for most of the day and made his way out of the office and into the grassy field just outside. There was a single willow tree in the center of the field and he stared at it for a moment, half expecting to see Senna perched somewhere up in its bows.

Of course the idea was ridiculous, she had never rested in this tree. Hell, she had rarely visited the squad unless she was delivering paperwork. It just seemed to him like the peaceful sort of spot she would like to lounge in.

He sighed and rubbed at his tired and gritty eyes as he made his way to his personal rooms. Since the betrayal of the three captains there had been lots of work that needed to be completed, and with no one else but the lieutenants to do it he had been swamped in paperwork for days. He had finally gotten caught up though and figured that after a small nap he'd drag Ikkaku out for a few drinks. Not only did he want to not be anywhere near the office, he needed to get his mind off of Senna. He hadn't been able to stop worrying about her and the predicament that she was.

As he pushed open the door to his quarters a strange feeling suddenly washed over him and he stopped abruptly, his brows furrowing as he tilted his head and looked up at the slowly reddening sky. After a few seconds he seemed to snap out of his daze and he turned his narrowed eyes towards the Thirteenth Division. He frowned to himself before shutting his door and flashing to the Thirteenth Division.

He made his way to the meeting room to the east of the gate that the division's captain could usually be found in. The doors were pushed open to let in the cool breeze and sure enough the white haired captain was sipping tea while he read over the text of one of many books that were scattered around him.

The white haired man looked up and smiled as Hisagi walked into the room. "Good afternoon Lieutenant, what can I do for you today?"

"Uh, well, I was wondering if you'd heard anything about Senna?" he asked a little awkwardly.

"Didn't you see her just the other day?" Ukitake asked.

"Yes sir, but..."

"You felt it too?" Ukitake asked curiously.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Hisagi replied evasively.

"Her spiritual pressure, even though she's in the living world you've been able to sense it, haven't you?"

"It's a bit strange, but yeah, until just a few minutes ago anyways. It just vanished."

"It's not that strange really. Senna is important to you, of course you would be able to sense her, even when she's not nearby. I don't know what would cause her spiritual pressure to suddenly disappear, but it does worry me too. I suppose you came here to see if there was anyway to go back to the living world to see for yourself if she's alright?"

"I don't really know why I came here to tell you the truth," Hisagi answered. He scratched at the back of his head and chuckled. "Besides I can't just go off to the world of the living whenever I feel like it. I have a lot of responsibilities now. To be honest, I never knew just how much Tousen did".

"Sounds like you've been busy. But I was wondering if you would take this," Ukitake paused as he pulled a small envelope from his haori. "To Senna." He held out the envelope to Hisagi.

"What is it?"

"It's an offer for her to become my lieutenant," Ukitake replied casually. "You look surprised, Lieutenant Hisagi."

"Uh, not really. It's just that in her current state do you really think it's such a good idea?" Hisagi asked without thinking about what he was saying. "I mean, uh.."

"You mean, will she be able to overcome the Hollow and remain a Soul Reaper?"

"Well, yeah... Not to be rude, but how did you know?"

"I spoke with Yoruichi after the Bount invasion, she told me what was going on. It was Kisuke's request that I know since he doesn't think she'll be welcomed back into the Eleventh Division, let alone Soul Society if anyone was to find out," Ukitake explained.

"So then why are you offering her the lieutenant's position? She's wanted it for years, if something happens and she's unable to come back, it would kill her."

"She'll come back, she belongs here and she wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, as my lieutenant I would be able to better protect her and keep her secret."

"But what if something were to go wrong? She'd be killed," Hisagi pointed out worriedly.

"She won't be, I'll make sure of it," Ukitake replied calmly. "Now, go find Senna and give this to her. I would like to know her answer too, so take your time. I'll look after things in the Ninth for you so don't worry about that."

Senna's hazel eyes wearily blinked open and she raised a hand to shield them from the glare of an over head light. She groaned and closed her eyes again to try and block out the searing hot pain that was lancing through her temples.

"Hey, Shinji, she's wakin' up," a female voice called.

She heard approaching footsteps, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at the person who was now standing right in front of her. She saw the gray shoes with two black stripes and the light colored slacks but that was all that was in her line of sight.

The person before her lowered themselves into a crouch, but she still couldn't see who the person was. A thin arm reached towards her, but she backed away with a small grunt of disapproval. She heard a sigh as the hand fell away from her to land on the person's knee.

"Would ya look at me dammit?" a familiar male voice ordered tiredly.

Senna's head shot up and her eyes met the gray-brown eyes of her former love, Shinji Hirako. He was grinning his usual grin at her, but she could see the worry in his eyes. She had always been able to see through him, it had only gotten easier the more involved they had become.

"Hey," he greeted casually with a wave of his hand.

Senna growled before launching herself off the couch and at the blond before her. There was a garbled cry of pain when her fist collided with Shinji's cheek, sending him careening into the wall behind him.

"The hell was that for?" Shinji shouted, glaring angrily at her and holding his aching cheek.

"You knew, didn't you? That I was looking for you? And you've been following me around too, haven't you?"

"Uh, well, maybe a little."

"I've been looking for you for days, Shinji," she spat.

"And ya've looked very nice," he replied with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, I'm gonna kill you," she threatened as she stalked towards him.

"Calm down, love, it was just a joke," Shinji said nervously, backing away.

"Love? Don't you start that crap again, I'm not your 'love', Shinji and you aren't mine."

"Ahh, that's right there's a new man, a lieutenant. He's handsome, but is he as handsome and hip and cool as me?"

"Better actually," Senna replied with a thoughtful nod.

Shinji's face fell and he frowned at the revelation. "Really?" he asked sourly, his shoulders drooping.

"Yeah, he hasn't disappeared yet either," she snapped.

"About that-"

"I already know the story. I also know that you erased all my memories of certain events. I want them back."

Shinji scratched at the back of his head as he stared at Senna. "That's not the best idea."

"And why not? They're my memories."

"Not good ones."

"I have a lot of those, you'd be surprised by how many. A lot of them took place after I woke up from the coma you put me in," she said bitterly.

"Not on purpose," was his grumbled response.

She heard snickers of amusement from behind her and turned to see a group of seven people watching the scene with curiosity. Blinking, she realized she knew every person there.

"Hiyori?" She questioned when her eyes landed on a short blond girl with pigtails in a red jogging suit, who was currently slouched in a chair with her arms carelessly crossed over her chest. "Lisa, Kensei, Love, Rose, Hachi, Mashiro..." She named off each person in the room, her eyes shifting over them, taking in their barely altered appearances. For the most part no one acknowledged her, she received a few raised brows, a bored yawn and a wave from Mashiro, but that was it as she continued to stare at them before turning back to Shinji.

"You're not gonna hit me again, are ya?"

She shrugged disinterestedly, Shinji allowed a sigh to escape his lips, thinking that was a no. However, Senna had other plans. Once Shinji's guard dropped, she socked him again, in the nose. He cried out, dropping to his knees, his nose bleeding between his fingers while he whined at Senna for lying to him.

"I never said I wasn't going to hit you, I didn't lie. Just so we're clear, that won't be the last time I hit you, I owe you quite a few more."

"You sure do know how ta hold a grudge, dont'chya?" Shinji grumbled.

"So what the hell happens now? I can't just disappear, I'm still an active member of the Gotei Thirteen," Senna pointed out as she sat back down on the couch and put a hand to her head. The ache in her temples had subsided some, but it was still quite painful and she was beginning to hear the annoying, dark chuckles and raspy voice of the creature that was trying its hardest to break her down.

"Can you fight?" Shinji asked seriously.

"Not as I am, but get me out of this gigai and I'll kick your ass," she growled.

"I don't remember her being such a bitch," the silver haired Kensei Muguruma, former captain of the Ninth division spoke up from his seat by the table.

Senna scowled and turned her head to look at the man, he was different from how she remembered him. He didn't appear to be as big as he was a hundred years before. "And I don't remember you being so damn scrawny."

A vein throbbed in Kensei's forehead, but he resisted the urge to jump up and rip Senna's smirk off of her face.

"Maybe fighting isn't necessary. You and Hiyori both have an idea of how strong she is," Love put in. Love was a tall, dark skinned man with a rather odd looking pointy afro and he had always had a thing for strange sunglasses.

"Yeah, but that was a hundred years ago. She's probably a lot stronger now," the effeminate man beside Love said. Rose was his name, he had long, wavy blond hair and a pleasant face.

"What is the point of all of this?" Senna asked.

"We need to have an idea of how strong ya are in order to know how to proceed with yer trainin'," Shinji answered as he plopped himself down next to her and pretended to not notice the glare she sent at him as he casually put an arm behind her.

"So much as touch me and that arm will be shoved so far up-"

"Chill will ya? It didn't used ta bother ya so much," he said.

"Yeah, that was when I liked you," she grunted.

"You loved me," he said proudly.

She snorted at him and turned her head away. "I'm the fourth seat of the Eleventh Squad, does that help?"

"Eleventh?" Lisa repeated, lowering the book that was in front of her face and pushing her glasses up her nose. "How did you wind up there?"

"Long story short, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Senna replied.

"She's only a fourth seat, nothing we can't handle," Kensei commented.

"Don't underestimate her, Kensei. It'll getch'ya killed," Shinji warned jokingly, but everyone was well aware that he was being serious.

"Are we just going to sit here and talk or are you going to help me?" Senna asked grumpily as she fidgeted in her seat, the pain in her head beginning to get worse and the voice louder.

"We'll help ya," Shinji answered.

'Needing help from such useless twits, chi, you're so pathetic. Why not let-'

"Shut up!" Senna ordered loudly, earning her several uncertain glances from the eight people in the room. "Sorry," she grumbled. "But she's freaking annoying."

"Who?" Mashiro quipped.

"The Hollow, ya idiot, who else?" Shinji replied.

Mashiro pouted, but said nothing else as she decided to turn her attention to the television.

"I want her out already, Shinji. She's tried to kill Shuhei and my brother, I won't let her, but somehow I don't think I'm strong enough to stop her if she tries again," Senna said.

"Do you still want yer memories back?" Shinji asked somberly.

Senna nodded, Shinji sighed. "Thought so. I still don't think it's a good idea, but if you remember what had happened in the past you might understand a little more what you're up against."

"I have a question. There's a barrier around this place, isn't there?"

"Yes ma'am," Hachi spoke up quietly. "It's one of my own making. It keeps our reiatsu hidden as well as the location so that no one stumbles upon us by accident."

"I thought so. So everyone in here can sense what's out there, but no one out there can sense us. You realize that by bringing me here, if someone comes looking for me, which is highly likely, I will be reported as missing," Senna pointed out.

"Kisuke'll handle that for now. Don't worry about it," Shinji replied.

"Ok. So how about those memories?"

"You need to get outta the gigai," Shinji stated.

"Alright, where's my bag?"

Shinji nodded to the side of the couch and Senna reached over to retrieve the bag. She dug into it before pulling out a red glove with a skull on it. She was about to hand it to Shinji, but stopped and turned around and held it out to Hiyori instead.

The pig tailed girl smirked as she grabbed the glove.

"You might hit me hard, but at least you won't grope me," Senna said as the girl pulled the glove on.

When Hisagi entered the world of the living the sun was setting and the sky was painted in varying hues of red and orange. Knowing that it would be pointless to look for Senna at her brother's, but with no place else to start, he headed in the direction of the modest shop. When he arrived he wasn't entirely surprised to see that the blond shop keeper was outside, waiting for him as he gazed up at the moon, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hello, Lieutenant," Kisuke sang, but his voice was lacking its usual up beat and happy tone.

"I have something for Senna, do you know where she is?" Hisagi asked, all business.

"I don't. She never came home from school."

"School?"

"It seemed as good a cover as any."

"Why can't I sense her?"

"I'm guessing it's because she was taken to their hideout, they hide themselves well. Not surprising after being on the run for a century," Kisuke replied.

"Who are they?" Hisagi asked.

"Did Senna not tell you about the Vizard? Hm, I thought she had."

"All she told me was that she was staying so that she could learn to control the Hollow."

"I see," the blond mused thoughtfully. "In order for her to do that though, she needs the help of people who are like her, well, similar anyway. They are the only ones who would be able to stand a chance of surviving the...ordeal."

Hisagi's brow furrowed at Kisuke's cryptic words. "You don't know where they are?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't, but just because you can't sense her doesn't mean she can't sense you. Give her some time, chances are she'll find you."

"Hey, Shinji," Senna shouted from the small room she had been told she could use while she was staying with the group.

"What?" he drawled lazily as he sauntered his way to her door.

"I'm sure you've noticed, but someone's looking for me. Since you refuse to give me my memories back tonight, is there a problem with me leaving?"

"He really means a lot to ya, doesn't he?"

"Not that it's your business, but yes he does."

"What about me?" Shinji whined.

"What about you, Shinji? You didn't think that I'd come here and everything between us would magically be ok, did you? We no longer have a relationship of any kind, after this whole Hollow in my head thing is straightened out, I'll be disappearing from your life like you disappeared from mine," she said coolly as she pushed herself up from the bed roll she had laid herself out on and walked past him.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Kensei shouted at her as she walked through the warehouse and made for the door.

Senna didn't bother to answer him as she continued her walk.

"Let her go," Shinji called from the doorway that led to the back of the warehouse and the small rooms that served as their only private areas.

The second that Senna left the barrier around the warehouse that served as the hideout to the eight people who had been shunned and forced to flee their home over a century before because of the traitorous acts of a vile man, her reiatsu was noticed by the one who had come to find her.

Hisagi had left the Urahara Shoten after a brief, but enlightening, chat with Kisuke. He had been wandering around Karakura town for several hours and the usually patient man was becoming the slightest bit impatient. As soon as he noticed Senna's reiatsu appear to the south of his current location he sped towards it.

Senna noticed the speed with which Hisagi was approaching her and sighed, she needed to put some distance between them and the warehouse that housed the Vizard. She turned and flashed away from the warehouses, making her way to the park that she had lounged in when she had been searching for Shinji the week before. It was between her and Hisagi and in order to get there before he could accurately pin point her location, she had to move a lot quicker than her body was in the condition to.

When she stopped moving and leaned against a tree for support, she wasn't surprised that Hisagi appeared in front of her several seconds later. She was gasping for breath, a small frown on her face as she tried to ignore the taunts of the creature in her head that was calling her weak and several other things as well.

"Hey," Senna greeted breathlessly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" she asked in confusion over the question and the anger in his tone.

"About the Vizard," he said. "Your brother gave me most of the details about what they are and what happened to them, why didn't you?"

"Oh, that. I don't know really. I just didn't think it was a good idea to tell you, I figured that the less you know about some of this, the better. If things don't work out and I wind up like them, forced to flee my own home because it's the only way I can live. I don't want you to get caught up in the mess that that could cause."

"You're trying to tell me you didn't tell me because you're trying to protect me?" Hisagi asked.

"I don't want you to have to choose between me and Soul Society. You're not a traitor, you're not different like me, Hisagi. You belong there and I-"

"So do you," he cut in as he handed her the envelope that Captain Ukitake had given to him.

"What's that?" Senna asked as she stared at the rather official looking document that was being offered to her.

"It's from Captain Ukitake."

"Is he alright? Is-"

"He's fine, he wanted me to give this to you and then wait for your answer."

"My answer?" she questioned as she looked up at Hisagi.

"Yeah, your answer. Now open it," he said as he pushed the envelope at her.

Senna took the envelope and slowly slid her finger under the seal to tear it open. She pulled the single sheaf of paper from within it and unfolded it.

Hisagi watched her as she read over the document that was offering her the lieutenant's post of the Thirteenth squad. He expected some sort of reaction from her since she had been waiting for years to be offered this opportunity, but instead she remained still and her face was as blank as ice.

When she finished reading the document, she folded it back up and lowered her hand to her side. She brought her hazel eyes up to meet Hisagi's.

"Tell him thank you, but no."

"What?"

"I'm declining the offer," Senna said.

"Why?"

"Because I can." She shrugged.

"Senna, you've wanted this for years," Hisagi argued.

"Well, I don't want it now."

"You're such a stubborn pain in the ass. Give me the reason, and it had better be good, or I'm telling him you said yes."

"What does it matter to you whether I accept or not? I said no, no means no regardless of what men think it means," Senna snapped, cringing at the pain that flared up in her head along with her anger.

"It matters because I care about you even if you are a constant pain. You try to act so unaffected all the time, Senna, but you're hurting, aren't you? You're trying to shoulder all the pain of what you've gone through and what you're still going through all by yourself. Pushing people away isn't going to protect them, it's only going to make you lonely. So why push them away?"

"Because this isn't your problem, it's not Ukitake's problem, it's mine and it's not something that I can share. If I do, it could get you all killed or exiled, I won't be held responsible for that. I would kill myself before I endangered the people I care the most about in this world. You can't honestly tell me that you would choose to help me if it meant that you would be forced to leave Soul Society, your home, your life, the place you've sworn to protect, can you?"

"You don't get it do you?"

"Get what?" Senna asked stiffly.

"What it means to love someone?" He said.

"What?" She inquired as she jolted at the question he had posed. She looked up to see that he was looking at her with a mix of tenderness and seriousness.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

She blinked at him, trying to process the question and fight the urge to automatically deny the question like a part of her wanted to.

There was a dark snicker in the back corners of her mind, 'Love is useless. In the end it won't save him from me. I'll even let you watch as I rip him to shreds with your bare hands.'

'I'm not in the mood for you right now, so go away,' Senna ordered.

"Senna, are you going to answer me?"

Bringing her attention back to the present and the question that had been asked, Senna grunted and refused to meet Hisagi's eyes.

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"...I love you."

"And I love you," he said as he stepped forward to wrap his arms around her. "So give me some credit and let me help you. It's my choice, not yours. Just like it was Ukitake's choice to help someone he thinks very highly of, you're very important to him, Senna. You can't tell him to just turn a blind eye to what you're going through. Same goes for Yumichika and Ikkaku, and even though you take some kind of sick pleasure in tormenting him, Renji cares about you too."

Senna snorted. "I doubt that."

"Me too, but he'd still help you, if only to prove he's better than you."

"He'd fail miserably."

"At least let the poor guy think he's strong once in awhile, would ya?" He teased.

"Why do men need women to make them feel strong? Why can't you all just admit that you are inferior to us, it would make things so much easier," Senna replied with a sigh.

"What can I say, we're stubborn in our ways."

"Don't I know it," she mumbled.

"I love you, Senna and so do a lot of other people. Do us a favor and let us help you. We don't like having to sit around and watch you suffer on your own when we're willing and able to do something for you. You've done a lot for us, so let us return the favor alright?"

Nodding against his chest, she tilted her head up and placed her lips against his. She pulled away with a small cry of pain when he returned the kiss with fervor. She clutched on to him and closed her eyes as she leaned her head against his chest.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled under her breath.

"Senna?" Hisagi questioned.

"Don't worry, it ain't you she's talkin' to."

Hisagi looked up to see a tall, thin man with chin length blond hair ambling towards them. He was a little confused that the man seemed to be addressing them and looking right at them. At first glance he appeared to be a human, but upon further scrutiny there were hints of something more sinister about the man. He tightened one arm around Senna while the other lowered slowly towards the hilt of his sword.

"Who are you?" Hisagi demanded.

"You mean ya don't know? Jeez, the young ones are always so rude," the man grumbled, scratching at his forehead. "I'm Shinji Hirako, and that's my girl ya got in yer arms."

"I'm not your girl, dumb ass," Senna looked up to bark at the approaching blond. She groaned and shook her head, the throbbing growing more intense as the Hollow cackled madly. Senna was still quite weak from the headache she had had earlier in the day that paired with the swirling emotions she was dealing with were enough to distract her and allow the demon in her head enough freedom to begin to claw its way out.

"Senna?" Hisagi asked worriedly as she buried her face in his kimono. He could feel her reiatsu fluctuating as if she were fighting, and he knew that internally she must be.

"She got too distracted. Now the other one's tryin' to make its way out. I'm surprised yer still holdin' on ta her. Ya gotta be feeling the reiatsu mixin' with hers, the other one wants to kill ya," Shinji smirked.

"Shut up, Shinji," Senna yelled.

"We need to get back, Senna, ya shouldn't be out here," Shinji said to her.

"I'm not done talking yet."

"Well I say ya are, lets go."

"She doesn't have to go anywhere if she doesn't want to," Hisagi put in as he narrowed his eyes at Shinji who was walking closer to them.

"If the other one gets out, a kid like you won't be able to handle it. So let the adults handle it and go home," Shinji replied.

"Would you two knock it off," Senna scolded quietly. "Shinji, I'll go in a minute. Shuhei, just ignore the blond idiot who seems to think he still has some claim to me, but doesn't."

"Still denyin' it, eh?"

"You are aware that right now I'm not the only one who wants to kill you, right?" Senna growled menacingly.

"Sheesh, I'm only jokin'."

"Whatever," she sighed before grunting and tightening her grip on Hisagi. "Bastard, how many times do I have to tell you to back off," she said bitterly, the pressures around her shifting dramatically as she fought to keep herself in control of her own mind.

"She's fighting it, isn't she?" Hisagi asked.

Shinji nodded, his eyes focused on Senna.

"Go back and tell Ukitake I accept," Senna said shakily as she released Hisagi and stepped back. "I'll be alright. Just keep everyone from getting curious about where I am for a little while. I love you, Shuhei." She moaned loudly and leaned over, clutching her head and breathing erratically.

"That's enough, it's time to sleep now," Shinji said, stepping forward and putting his hand over Senna's head.

"What the hell did you do?" Hisagi asked as Senna went limp and was caught by Shinji before she could fall.

"Don't worry, pretty boy she's just asleep."

"I need to learn to do that," Hisagi muttered as he looked down at Senna, all traces of her distress from moments ago gone.

"Well, I ain't teachin' ya."

"I didn't ask you too."

"Good. Now go home."

"You think I'm just going to leave her with you?"

"I don't think nothin', 'cuz ya are. Now beat it, kid, before I kick yer ass. I'd rather not do that, though, Senna'd kill me for real when she woke up," Shinji admitted.

"Will she be alright?"

"Of course. She's too damn stubborn to give up easily. Go home like she said, you can't help her right now."

"Fine, but keep your hands off my woman," Hisagi declared with a smirk at the glare and grunt he got from Shinji.

"We'll see about that, brat," Shinji quipped as he turned and took off with Senna in his arms.

"What the hell'd ya knock her out for, baldy?"

"She was gonna lose control, Hiyori, what'd ya want me to do?" Shinji objected. "She'll wake up in a few hours. We can start then."

"Have you gotten that Soul Reaper kid to join us yet?" she asked, changing the subject entirely.

"No."

"Then what the hell are ya still doin' here?" She barked, pulling off one of her sandals and whacking him upside the head.

"I was tryin' to make sure my girl was alright."

"She ain't yers and ya know it! Now go and get that strawberry kid to join up with us."

"I'm goin', I'm goin' ya little runt," Shinji grumbled.

~A/N~

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