"Two bones in her left leg, her right foot, both arms--all were shattered but I have managed to repair the damage," Isane explained, "there is new scar tissue in her side as well."

Rukia barley managed to nod as she stared at the prone form of her sister. The healers had rushed to the explosion but the two most injured people had been Hisana and Byakuya. She, Ichigo and a handful of others had stayed in the hospital all night. Isane had taken over Hisana's care while Unohana had rushed Byakuya and not allowed anyone near him since. Her fingers tightened in the hem of her dress. Hisana's wounds would have been crippling if not for the skills of the healers. But Byakuya--she hadn't even gotten a chance to see him which was never a good sign. Neither was the constant stream of healers who seemed to rush in and out of the room. She had been grateful when Isane had taken her into Hisana's room and informed her her sister was alright.

"And the others?" she questioned.

"Fine," Isane said, "their wounds were superficial except for one woman with an ocular injury."

"And my brother?"

"I--" Isane trailed off, "I don't know," she looked at the door, "but if it was over the healers would be out already."

Rukia nodded her understanding, her eyes going to her sister. Isane stared at her, fighting the instinct to tell her. It would break the code of the Division and it could be nothing but still--Isane cut herself off. Instead she turned and walked out of the room before she said anything that she would regret. Down the hall the doors opened quietly as Unohana stepped out. Isane knew it was only by virtue of the smock she wore when in surgery that her front was not covered in blood. She looked odd out of her usual uniform and robe but if she had to perform surgery then Unohana would have changed into sterile garments. Their eyes locked and her Captain motioned her over. Isane quickly walked to her.

"Lady Kuchiki?"

"Stable and healed," she said, "she's asleep. How is Captain Kuchiki?"

"He is healing," Unoahana said enigmatically, "but it is too soon to tell," she turned her head as Rukia came hurrying up to them.

"How is he?" Rukia questioned.

Her eyes were so innocent, so hopeful that Unohana felt something deep inside her ache. It was like she was that younger girl once more who only knew her brother loved her when he dove in front of a sword for her and almost died in her arms. Not for the first time Unohana wondered, as she sometimes did, what Byakuya would have been like if Hisana had not come into his life. Would he have been like his father? Would the Kuchiki house have fallen into ruin? Unohana imagined that things would have been different for all of them. The three of them, Hisana, Byakuya and Rukia really were incredible. What had happened to them, it was not fair, but Unohana had learned that life rarely was.

"He is still with us," Unohana said.

"Still with us--what does that mean?!" Rukia demanded, "you fixed him before--can't you fix him again?!"

"Captian Unohana! Lady Kuchiki is waking up."

Unohana turned to the room. Isane quickly held Rukia back. The last thing Hisana needed was to see her sister looking so distressed. Unohana immediately walked over to the bed where she lay, her brow furrowing.

"Lady Kuchiki," she called, "Lady Kuchiki can you hear me?"

The voice that called her seemed to come from an impossibly long distance. Hisana furrowed her brow and tried to force her strangely heavy eyelids open. Sunlight streamed through the windows but she recognized the Fourth Division's interior all the same. She realized that an oxygen mask was strapped to her mouth and nose, preventing her from smelling the herbs or really, smelling much of anything. Her eyes moved over to see Captain Unohana looking down at her, her eyes as serene as ever. She realized that she could feel her entire body. Her fingers, her toes, everything was all in place. If it was sunny out though, that meant she had been unconscious for at least the night. But why? What happened? She turned her head towards Unohana.

"What's going on?" she got out, her voice distorted by the mask.

"Do you not remember?" Hisana shook her head, "you hit your head last night. You went to Rukongai. There was an explosion. You and Lord Kuchiki were injured in the blast."

Hisana's eyes widened. She couldn't remember anything, an odd thing for her, but Byakuya was hurt. The last thing she had a clear memory of was marrying him again. Then they had gone to Rukongai and she killed Kuroda but past that it was all a blur. She reached up and pulled the mask off her mouth, allowing her to speak easier.

"Where is he?"

"Your husband is still under constant care," Unohana said.

"What?" Hisana gasped, a sickening feeling coiling in her stomach, "he shielded me, didn't he?"

"As far as we can tell," Unohana said. Hisana closed her eyes, fighting the urge to cry.

"How bad?"

Unohana looked down for a moment before meeting Hisana's gaze squarely. Hisana stubbornly pushed herself into a sitting position, laying the oxygen mask down beside her as she looked at the healer. Was there guilt in Unohana's eyes? That could not be good.

"There is something you need to know, something Lord Kuchiki requested I keep private under all but the most mitigating circumstances," Hisana waited, "I assume you know of your husband's involvement in saving Rukia's life from Gin Ichimaru?"

"Yes," she said, "he took the blade for her. But he was healed--"

"There are limits to even what I can do," Unohana said almost sadly, "I repaired as much of the damage as I could but I could not fix all of it. When Lord Kuchiki protected you, debris from the building undid much of the healing. The wound was life threatening when he had it but now, now the damage is beyond what even I am capable of repairing. I cannot heal him to the degree I was able when Gin impaled him."

"Oh God," Hisana pressed a hand to her mouth, praying that she was not going to break down, "right before the explosion, he coughed," she said, "and I saw him try to use Kido but he--he couldn't do it."

"We believe that the same poison was in the hideout's prison. Nakashima has been instrumental in making sure you both got the antidote. But our main concern right now are Byakuya's injuries. Yours have been tended too and the majority of his have as well but given the placement of the shards, the damage was extensive."

"W-w--" Hisana stopped and took a breath, "what are you saying?" Unohana looked down, "is he going to die?!"

"I'm saying that there is a significant chance that will happen within the next few hours. Barring that, he does not have many years left. He refused to listen to my advice when I cautioned against remaining a Captain."

"If he survives--how long would he have to live?"

"Lets not--"

"Please," Hisana looked at her.

"It is impossible to say," Unohana said, "if there is one thing that dealing with the Kuchiki family has taught me it is that jumping to conclusions is a very bad idea.

"Say then--say it was a regular person? How long would you think they had to live if it was them?"

Unohana looked down at her, wondering what to tell her. Byakuya had made it clear that he did not want anyone to know there was any sort of lasting damage to his vital organs. She had respected his wishes, just as she had kept Hisana's secret until she was ready to tell it herself. But after this latest injury undid so much of the healing--even if he did pull through the damage would remain. If it was anyone else, Unohana would have said they should be dead. That them opening their eyes would be a miracle. But Byakuya had always been so good at defying the odds.

"I think we should take this one step at a time," Unohana said.

Hisana took a deep breath. Had he told the Elders? They had told her he was not young anymore but if he had such a condition, wouldn't they have told her something. And Rukia, Rukia didn't know. Oh God of course she wouldn't know. Byakuya wouldn't have told anyone about such a weakness. Not even her. Irrationally she felt angry that he would keep such a secret from her. But of course he would. Especially one that would be so hurtful for Rukia. He imagined he was so twisted about what happened before then that he wouldn't want to do anything to make her feel the least bit guilty. Though she wanted to cry, she wanted to see Byakuya more.

"I need to see him."

"Lady Kuchiki I must caution against that," Unohana said.

"Please," she looked at the healer, "if he's that bad, I can't possibly make things worse."

The fact that Unohana agreed to let her go only made Hisana's gut twist tighter. Ignoring it she accepted the white pants Unohana handed to her. She walked out with the Captain. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a group of them but she knew if she looked at them or talked to them she'd burst into tears. Instead she looked at Unohana.

"How did we get back?" she asked.

"Kojima, he followed you. Renji followed him. He carried Byakuya back, claimed it was not the first time he had done it. The Kuchiki Manor is currently doubling as a prison."

"I bet the Elders adore that."

"They said something about being happy all the food got eaten," Unohana said stopping outside a door.

Hisana forced herself to open the door, forced her hand to be steady. She could do this, she could be by his side without breaking down. Two healers were near the bed and she forced herself to acknowledge them before she turned her gaze to Byakuya. He looked fine, it was probably easier to heal him on the outside than the inside where the real damage was. Bandages twined across his chest as he lay there, his dark hair unbound across his shoulders. Hisana walked forward. One step after the other as she approached the bed where he lay. Though they did not leave the room the two healers did step back a bit to give them some kind of privacy.

Hisana reached out and touched his hand. It was warm, she knew he was still alive but--but he looked so falsely peaceful. He shouldn't look like that, not considering what was going on. He didn't even look like that when he was asleep. She supposed because he was so still and controlled when he was awake, it made sense that his features would be almost more animated when he was asleep. Hisana gently laid her hand fully on his, her hand still smaller than his. Maybe she truly hadn't gotten much bigger. Even laying on the bed he didn't look small or frail, though she guessed between Rukia and her it made sense that one of them looked imposing. She ran her finger down one of the faded scars, remembering when she saw him for the first time. She hadn't ever dreamed that one day they would wind up as they were.

"How is she?" she asked softly.

"Asleep," Kakyoku's voice came in her head softly.

Hisana closed her eyes to help her go to her Inner World. She found herself on the water just next to the island. It was night inside her, the moon was bright in the indigo sky. Kakyoku stood waiting for her. He led her to a part of the island that was sheltered. Trees now dotted the island as well. In the shade of one lay Senbonzakura. The pale pink of her kimono fanned along the grass, the silk torn. Her dark hair was unbound again, falling down her back in an ebony tumble reminiscent of Byakuya's own. Under her head was Kakyoku's jacket as a makeshift pillow. Hisana turned to look up at her Spirit, worry shining in his crimson eyes.

"When--"

"Just after the explosion. I saw her come or she would be in the water," Kakyoku looked down at her.

"Tell me."

"He died," he said, "twice. Unohana brought him back. She used our connection to remain here," he said, "you helped to ground his Spiritual Pressure, to keep it somewhat stable even when it flickered in and out."

Hisana stared at the Spirit there before she turned to Kakyoku. Her own Spirit seemed exhausted. He was probably staying strong for Senbonzakura. Hisana gently reached out and took Kakyoku's hand in her own. His eyes widened at the gesture before he looked at her. Hisana held his gaze for a moment before she looked out at the water that surrounded them.

"Do you think--" Hisana stopped, wondering how to phrase what she wanted to say, "do you think we were meant for them?" Kakyoku frowned, obviously puzzled at her statement, "I mean, do you think that's why we came back?"

"Maybe," Kakyoku said, "maybe we'll never know why we came back," he looked at her, "does it matter?"

Hisana looked out at the water. Did it matter? She had spent so long wondering why she came back, what it meant--first it meant such horrible things but slowly it had meant good things. She got to see Rukia, better she got to know Rukia and Yoshiko and Renji and Ayumi and all those people. She got to kill Kuroda which was nice. She got to live her life, something she had been too afraid, too guilty to do the last time. And Byakuya--she glanced back at Senbonzakura, she got to be with him. Kakyoku finally got to be with Senbonzakura. She looked at the ocean. Slowly she felt her lips curve into a smile.

"No," she said, "I guess it doesn't really matter," she looked out as the sun began to rise in the sky of her Inner World, "the reason behind the chance, that's not important. What's important is that we were given another chance."

She nodded.

"You should go back," he said, "before they start to worry."

Hisana nodded and vanished. The moment she was gone Kakyoku let his hand fall to the side. He kept his eyes on the rising sun as long as his echoing heart would let him before he turned around. Senbonzakura was still there, her eyes still closed as she lay on the grass of his World. He turned from the sky and walked over to where she lay, like a Princess in a fairy tale. Princess or no, she was still a warrior. She should have moved when he sat down next to her, when they were talking, when he desperately screamed her name as she fell into his arms when she appeared in the world once more. But she did not stir. Not then and not now. Just the fact that she was there meant Byakuya was alive but the fact she was not waking up meant that he was still in trouble. it was not like before when had transfered is Power to Hisana, she was still connected to him. He reached out and touched the curve of her cheek.

She did not stir.

In the outer world, Byakuya was just as still under Hisana's touch as Senbonzakura had been under Kakyoku's. Hisana stared at his features, wishing there was a way she could just make him wake up. But he remained unmoving, unresponsive. She guessed that was better than him being dead but still, she wanted nothing more then for him to open his eyes. He did not. He just continued to lay there, unaffected by the world around him. Hisana was so intent on her husband that she did not notice when a figure slipped into the room.

"Hisana."

Hisana raised her head to see Yoshiko standing there. She looked as if nothing had happened the night before. Dressed now in a shimmery periwinkle kimono she was the picture of nobility. From the barest hint of disapproval in her eyes Hisana knew she looked just about as un-noble as it got. She looked back at Byakuya's still features.

"What?" Hisana asked.

"You need to go to the Manor," Yoshiko said.

"What?" Hisana turned her head to Yoshiko, "are you mad?"

"I was about to ask the same of you," Yoshiko said, "after what happened last night you cannot remain here like this."

"The hell I can't! Byakuya didn't leave my side when I was sick, I refuse to leave his."

"When he did not leave your side he was the Heir to the Kuchiki name," Yoshiko said, "not the Head of it," she walked over to where they stood, "you are Lady Kuchiki. You cannot stay here like this."

"Why not?" Hisana demanded looking at her, "I killed Kuroda, I saved everyone. I'm not leaving him," she tightened her fingers on Byakuya, "not again."

"That is not up to you. You killed Kuroda but the explosion set off chaos in three Districts. People know he is dead and they have no-one to turn too. The Kuchiki Manor is a makeshift prison for the spies that were captured as well as a science lab for Nakashima. The people need a leader, they need you."

"No," Hisana turned her head to Yoshiko, "they need you."

"Don't be foolish," Yoshiko said.

"I'm not being foolish," Hisana said, "all this bloodshed, all this fighting, its all been because the people of Rukongai want to be heard. It has to be someone from Rukongai, someone who understands this world but isn't one of us," she looked at Byakuya and then at Yoshiko, "you would have made a wonderful Lady Kuchiki but I see now--its clear that you're supposed to be something much more than a Nobles wife--no matter how glorified the position is in your eyes. You're the one who will lead Rukongai to its new tomorrow."

"Me?"

Hisana looked over at Yoshiko.

"Yes," Hisana said, "you. You are of the people of Rukongai. They know you. What I am--" she looked at Byakuya, "I am Lady Kuchiki, I am a Sinigami, but you, you are what the people need. I may have killed Kuroda but you're the only one who can put out the fire I leave in my wake. You have to heal them, you're the one who will guide them to the future."

"Your hand defeated Kuroda--"

"It was my blade that defeated him," she looked at Yoshiko, "hardly a way to usher in an era of peace."

The two women looked at each other. In any other world--even in this world, it should be Yoshiko tending to the still Nobleman while Hisana stood talking about Rukongai. But their positions were not what history or logic or bloodlines said it should be. By some force that neither would ever truly understand, their positions had been changed, altered, split and pieced back together until such rules had no more place. It was the way the world had seen fit to make things. Hisana gently tightened her fingers on Byakuya's hand before she stood up and walked over to where Yoshiko stood.

"You, the Hamano's--Rukongai is yours. Its for the people who are not Shinigami. We are guests there are you are guests here. For now that is how things must be. You must be their leader, Yoshiko, not me or any Shinigami."

All the words she spoke were true, Yoshiko knew it, and though that succeeded in silencing her tongue it did little to abate the pounding of her heart. Hisana looked at her, her cinnamon eyes steadier than Yoshiko had ever seen them before. Yoshiko felt as if she was witnessing something, something truly incredible in that moment. Her eye which had once been so clouded, so confused, they were clearer than Yoshiko had ever seen them before. She had seen that look many times in Byakya's gaze. Had he learned that from her or had she picked it up from him? The world could come crashing down around them and it was as if she knew that if she kept her gaze on those eyes then when it was over, at the end of all things, she would be alright.

"I will not be the leader you could have been," Yoshiko said.

"No," Hisana said, "you will be a much better one than I could ever have dreamed of being."

"What will you do?" Yoshiko asked.

"I have my own duties," she looked over at Byakuya's form, "and I will wait, just as he did for me."

Yoshiko nodded and turned, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. She felt almost dazed. Slowly she walked to where the group of them were sitting. Kojima's stormy eyes locked with her own. He had always been able to read her a thousand times better than anyone else. This time was no different. Slowly he rose to his feet, walking over to where she stood. Yoshiko met his gaze squarely, unflinchingly.

"When do you wan to return?" he asked.

"I am going tonight," she said, "before nightfall."

"Its not safe," he said.

"Someone needs to begin to stop the chaos," she said, keeping her hands loose at her sides, "it seems that person is me."

"You?" Nakashima demanded walking over to them, "I thought we were going to align the people behind Hisana. She's powerful, she killed Kuroda--" he looked at Yoshiko, "I mean you could do a great job too but--"

"I thought Hisana should be the one as well," she said, "but for all his madness Kuroda did have a point, it was why you two followed him, why my family did not openly shun him: the people of Rukongai need a leader who is of the people of Rukongai. Putting a Shinigami in charge, no matter how powerful, is just going to lead to more violence and bloodshed," she looked back at the people in the waiting room, "how many more are going to die because of that? There isn't any reason for this war to happen and if we can--if I can stop it before that happens then I will gladly do whatever it takes to make sure the people of Rukongai and of the Court of Pure Souls are safe."

She turned and walked down the hallway.

She had to get to Rukongai before nightfall.

Hisana's hands were steady as she changed back into her usual Shinigami robes, pulling on socks and doing the laces of her sandals up. Somewhere else in the hospital Byakuya remained unconscious. Hisana knew she had a duty to perform, she had to make sure the Kuchiki House was taken care of. She had to be Lady Kuchiki. He had talked about their duties being different now and she knew that this was one of those sharp differences,no matter how she wished for things to be different. She pulled Kakyoku's sash over her head, settling the blade on her spine. She turned and walked out of the room she was in and headed back to Byakuya's. Even if he could not hear her she wanted to say goodbye to him when she returned to take care of the Manor and the household.

This time she when she walked over she sat on the bed next to him, her outer thigh just touching his hip. She reached down and picked up his hand this time, instead of just laying it on her own. Gently she reached out and ran a finger across the scars, her touch feather light as she traced the lighter skin. He would have more scars now. Their lives were spent collecting them. He had come into the world clean, pure and with each mark he had become more human. Hisana had not, she had come into this world already tainted, already broken and dirtied. This time it was no different.

But despite that he had fallen in love with her and she with him. How many times had they destroyed the obstacles that life threw at them? How many times had they beaten the odds. She didn't know if she--or anyone really--could count that high. Would this be the one time that they failed? She could not imagine how painful it had been for him to watch her slip away all those years ago, to rise each morning knowing that there would only be a ghost for company. She had always thought that if the day came when their positions were reversed she would simply die as well. She did not think she could ever be strong enough to deal with the possibility of being left without him. She had thought that their fates were forever intertwined but it seemed more and more like the opposite was true. It was as if every moment they spent together was spent with the forever approaching separation that seemed to greet them at every turn.

Maybe they were not supposed to be together.

But they were.

It was a choice that brought them together, her voice to save him, his choice to allow her to remain by his side, her choice to tell him, his choice to accept her. Maybe their entire relationship was Byakuya Kuchiki's single greatest act of defiance--hers as well. She pressed his hand between hers, her eyes squeezing shut tightly. Part of her hated the strength she felt. All she wanted to do was sit there until he woke up, she wanted to hold his hand and have him open his eyes and look at her. She wanted--no, no she needed him to wake up. But he just continued to lay there. She had to do so many things but without him each seemed more impossible than the last. He always knew what to do. She might have just convinced someone to save the people of Rukongai but he probably would have found a way to do it with far more ease.

"Byakuya," she looked at him, surprised that her eyes had managed to remain dry, "please," she blinked, "wake up," he did not, "so now you pick the time to get defiant?" she smiled faintly, "that's not very smart."

"He's not gonna wake up til he's ready."

Hisana turned her head to see Renji leaning against the door. He walked fully into the room, his eyes glancing over to the healers before he walked to the bed where Byakuya was laying. From the familiarity in his eyes Hisana had a feeling that Byakuya and he had been in this position before. From the shadows under his eyes Hisana knew he had spent most of the night up in the Division. He looked down at Byakuya and then at her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm alright," she said, "I'm not the one in the bed unconscious."

"Yeah, well, you're also the one who can feel things," he said with a shrug as he looked at hi Captain.

"How are things at the Division?" Hisana asked.

"We're holding together," he said, 'all the Division are. Its not the first time we've had a widescale attack like this. Once Kojima fixed the us up so we could use Spiritual Power, then we were fine. The rest of your wedding was kinda boring."

"Well I'm glad I didn't miss much," she said feeling herself smile.

"Did I mention your house is being used as a prison?"

"I heard," she said, "give me a minuet," she said. He nodded and walked a bit off. Hisana leaned forward to where Byakuya was, "come back to me, my love," she whispered, pressing her lips to his cool, dry ones. He did not stir. Quietly she laid his hand down next to his body and turned to Renji, "so how bad is it?" she asked standing up.

"Well the Elders can't get the prisoners out of the house, Kyo has his hearing in a day or so and I'm so up to my eyeballs in paperwork I want to keep him out of prison and just make him do the stuff for me."

"I'm sure we can recommend that," Hisana said as they walked down the hallway, "is Rukia alright?"

"Ichigo managed to get her out of here and take her back to the Manor/Prison."

"Very well," Hisana said taking a deep breath as they stopped outside the doors, "lets go clean up this mess."

Okay so I calculated and I think this story is going to be over at the early 40s in terms of number of chapters. So we're heading towards the finale! Woo hoo! Ironically this story is finishing up around the same time as the OTHER story I have with ByaHisa in it. Funny how that worked out huh?

R&R please!