"God, Miki, you don't look so good," Kimie said. "What the hell happened?"

No sooner had she opened her mouth to fill in her friend, than Jun appeared. He flopped into the chair, and waved to the barkeep before resting his forehead on the table.

"I am so dead," he mumbled. "Paperwork duty!"

"Sorry, Jun," Miki said again, and began to explain things to Kimie.

"That was about the stupidest thing you've done, Hurricane," Daiki said, slapping her on the back and taking his own seat.

"At least nobody was seriously hurt," Hanataro said, sitting next to him, and pulling medical supplies out of a case. He tossed an ice pack at her, and told her to put it on her eye.

Here she was, surrounded by friends, and yet she felt so empty inside. She watched as Kimie patched Jun up, and Hanataro worked on Daiki's wounds. But she was alone. Tears leaked slowly down her cheeks, and she fought to contain them.

"Hey, Hurricane," Jun said, downing another drink and motioning for more. "You should go give him a sympathy bang or whatever, then he won't be so mad tomorrow!"

"Hey, Jun," she replied, tossing a wadded up paper at him. "You should stop being such a moron! Oh, and slow down already, I can guarantee things will be worse for you if you show up with a hangover."

"You're probably right. But I still think you should go..." Jun trailed off and a very uncomfortable silence followed.

"So what exactly is paperwork duty?" Kimie asked.

"It is the worst of punishments," Jun shuddered. "He makes you sit there and fill out all the papers for the whole division."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Daiki said. "Better than cleaning toilets."

"But the whole time, he's sitting there, his eyes boring a hole right into you, like he can see everything. Your hands start to shake, and it doesn't stop! When you're done, he looks it over and if it's not perfect - and it never is, he makes you do it again!"

"Suddenly, the toilets seem a friendly punishment," Daiki said.

"Where were you earlier, Kimie? I dropped by to see you, but you weren't there," Miki asked

"Oh, I just got back from a family vacation at the beach."

"You're so lucky! I've always wanted to go to the beach," Miki said.

"Yeah, but it was with my family, and you know how they can be."

Kimie's family, Miki had learned some time ago, were one of the minor noble families. She had two brothers, one she was close with, and another that she didn't get along with at all. Her mother had a very set idea of how she wanted things to be, and the slightest deviation from her plan was like the world coming to an end.

"Still, it's the beach. I'd love to try surfing," Miki said.

Kimie laughed, "Then next time I'll see if I can't bring you along.


Miki paused, wiping sweat from her brow. She looked around, and quickly spotted Yoruichi across the room. A wave of dizziness overtook her before she could give chase, and she squatted down to combat the nausea that came quick on its heels.

Since the incident in the street, Miki had thrown everything she had into her training. She'd even convinced the others that their drinking night should become practice time.

Miki could not recall the last time she'd slept, though she suspected it may have been as long as a week. Instead, she visited her inner world, and let Yuhimori refresh her. Even with her help, she began to feel the effects of no rest.

If she could not say the words, then she would show Byakuya how much she loved him. She dragged herself on, the feeling that she needed to do this quickly, overwhelming. The spark that had always been there between them was dimming with each passing second, and she had to do this before it was snuffed out forever.

"Are you okay?" Yoruichi asked, coming to her side. "When's the last time you've eaten?"

She couldn't remember that, either, but answered, "I ate today. Maybe?"

Yoruichi sighed, helping her to her feet. They climbed the ladder and the cat woman set out some food for her.

"Eat. Miki, listen to me," she said. "You cannot learn when your stomach is empty like that."

Miki began to eat, but found it difficult because her eyes wanted to close.

"Hey!" Yorouichi said again, keeping her from falling asleep face first in her food. "How long did you sleep last night?"

When Miki didn't answer, she shook her head. "Finish eating, then go home. I forbid you to do any training the rest of the evening, or tomorrow. You need to rest. Understand?"

Miki nodded, and her stomach growled in anticipation, so she ate quickly, and left. But before she got home, a strange thing happened. She no longer felt the least bit tired, and in fact was more than ready for practice and headed toward the big practice area.

"Toilets!" Daiki snapped, his sudden presence making her jump. "Toilets, Miki. I've been cleaning toilets again because of you!"

"Hey! You should have known that would happen, Daiki."

True to his word, Byakuya had sent a letter to the captains. Miki fully expected to be sharing in cleaning duty with Daiki when she'd been summoned to Captain Hitsugaya's office, but after listening to her story, he grumbled at her not to do it again, and dismissed her.

"Why are you out so late?" Daiki asked.

"Practice," she said.

"Not here," he said, gesturing to the padlock that securely closed the area, but his face changed as he examined her more closely under the little light. "You don't look so good!"

"I'm fine."

"Go to bed! So help me, Hurricane, I'll beat you with more than just a book if you end up in the patient's wing because you're not taking care of yourself!"

"History of the Shinigami," she said, recalling the book, and she walked away.

"I mean it, Hurricane!" he shouted.

She hit up several other places, but they were all either being used for other purposes, or closed up. With nowhere else to go, it looked like she would be forced to sleep after all. But then an idea struck her, and she headed out for Kuchiki manor.


"Sir, are you awake?" called a quiet voice outside Byakuya's door. "Sir?"

He jolted into wakefulness, "What is it at this hour?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you. We weren't sure if we should, but you said..." the servant trailed off.

"Say it, already," he demanded as he rose and opened the door.

"It's Miss Miki, sir. You wanted to be informed if she came onto the grounds. She's in the garden."

He made for the garden, and saw her there, pale in the moonlight, her weapon drawn. She appeared to be in the middle of something that rapidly switched between a dance and a fighting technique. Her movements were far sloppier than he was accustomed to seeing, and she wobbled quite a lot, so he assumed she'd been drinking.

It was, overall, not what he wished to be seeing at this time, but none the less, it was there. He thought he should probably deal with it before she gave his gardener a heart attack come morning, when the damage would be entirely too visible.

"So you've come to thrash my garden in the middle of the night, now?" he said, his tone sharp and angry.

She looked up at him for a moment, but not long enough to register it before her eyes flashed white. In the next instant, she crashed to the ground, face first into his precious flowers. He rushed to her side, shocked that she'd made no move whatsoever to break her fall.

Byakuya found himself suddenly presented with one of those rare situations where he did not quite know what to do. He could send his men to take her home, but that seemed rather impersonal. If she had come all the way here, despite being drunk, then it may be a bit harsh to send people she didn't know to care for her. On the other hand, keeping her here wasn't an option either.

He decided to take her home himself, but when he turned her over, he saw the dark circles under her pale eyes. He lifted her and was surprised at how light she felt, and he could smell no alcohol on her. This wasn't drunkenness at all; it was exhaustion. She'd literally worked herself sick, and it changed his plan immediately.

He sighed to himself as he brought her inside, and laid her on the bed. With her, it was always something.

He watched her for some time, knowing he should probably seek out a bed elsewhere, but was unable to tear himself from her side. Finally, when he could no longer keep his eyes open anymore, he crawled in next to her.

"Byakuya," she murmured, rolling over and curling up close to him. "So warm. I love you so much."

"My dear," he replied. "I do not even know how to begin battling you." Then he closed his own eyes and drifted off.


Miki awoke days later, her mouth dry, as though she'd swallowed a cupful of dirt. Her eyes, too, were glued together with what felt like sand. She brushed it off, and opened them to see a familiar room, but not the one she expected. Confusion washed over her and she sat up quickly, panicked.

"You're alive," he said softly from a chair next to the bed. "Relax, you're at my house."

She moved her head to look at Byakuya, still unable to grasp what had happened. "Oh, how did I get here?"

"You don't remember a thing, do you?" he said, shaking his head. "Miki, why are you trying to work yourself to death?"

It wasn't that hard to say. You. I'm trying to kill myself because of you. But the words still would not come, and her own hands betrayed her when she tried to answer with a touch. At a loss, she shrugged instead.

"I'll leave you to get cleaned up, but we need to talk," he said, and left her alone in his room.

She began to feel a little better once she'd bathed and cleaned up. Before leaving the bathroom, she caught sight of herself in the mirror, and had to admit she didn't look so good. She stood for a bit longer, going over what she would tell Byakuya, then left for the library where she knew he'd be waiting.

When he looked up at her, she froze, the words she'd planned rushed away from her, leaving only: "Is this the end, then?"

"I don't know. I sent word to your captain that you were resting here."

"Thank you," she said her eyes filling with tears.

"Miki, why are you here? Did you come to talk to me?"

"Not exactly," she said, tears now streaming down her face.

"Then, yes, it is the end," he said, his tone and demeanor frigid and sharp, like a crystalline dagger carved of ice.

"Wait!" she said when he rose to leave, and she sped to his side, holding him by the arm. He turned, but when no words came for more than a minute, he yanked free of her grasp, and moved to the door.

"Stop, please don't go!" she cried, sinking to her knees. "I want to tell you so many things, but I can't. The words get stuck. I thought I could show you, but I can't do that either. Help me, please."

"That is all you had to say," he said, going to her.

He held her while she cried for nearly a quarter of an hour, the only words she could say were, "I love you." When at last she could cry no more, he looked at her, but this time his eyes were warmer.

"You're a mess," he said. "Now, can you tell me why you're on this crusade to kill yourself?"

Now that she'd completely broken down, she could talk freely again, and she told him everything. Her world was somehow less empty in that moment, as he silently listened to all she had to say, only squeezing her to him when she needed it.

"You once told me," she said. "That family are the people you turn to when things are rough, right?"

"Yes. What is it?"

"Will you help me with something? I want to find out more about my dad, and I think I know where to look now. But I want you to come with me, please?"

"Of course," he said.

She filled him in on everything Urahara told her, and from there they talked well into the night about various things, both trying to feel out where their relationship was headed.

"Miki, will you give up this foolish quest to beat me?" he asked suddenly.

She thought for a moment, "No, I can't."

"Why? Miki, can't you see what you've done to yourself?"

"Because I said I would do it. I probably won't win, but I have to try," she said, and when he opened his mouth to interrupt her, she held a finger to it.

"I know I've been working too hard, and I need to slow down. I can't let that be my whole world any more," she continued. "I would like to spend more time with you, but only on the condition that we don't practice together at all. This way I know I'll have enough downtime."

"If that is what you desire," he said.

They sat in silence for several minutes, her head resting on his shoulder. While they had mountains to climb, it didn't help matters any that she kept finding bumps in the road and insisting they were mountains.

"Is it still in the drawer over there?" Miki asked.

He stood and retrieved the little black box from his desk, returning to sit behind her. He brought his arms in front of her, his head resting on her left shoulder, and opened the box. They beheld the jewel that sat within, sparkling merrily in the light.

"I want to marry you, but..." she said.

"Not right now," he finished for her, snapping the box closed.

"No, wait," she said, opening it again. "What do you think of a long engagement?"

"Mm, how long?"

"Two years. After our fight, so we can be married knowing exactly where we stand."

"Ah, my dear," he said with a chuckle. "You seem to have forgotten that you have already spent nearly ten months of that time."

"True. So in a year and a quarter then. And I want us to plan it, together."

"Then we'll use our time to put together the grandest ball in the history of the Seireitei," he said.

"The most perfect," she corrected.

He kissed her temple, and smiled. "Now it is I who has a favor to ask of you."

He shut the box with a snap and said, "Forget you've ever seen this, my love."


Miki stood at what she supposed could be called the entrance to the small town, shifting uncomfortably. Byakuya also took in the view of the town from beside her, unnervingly calm.

Which was not surprising, as he had nothing to lose from this trip. Miki had been confused about her family ever since she'd talked to Urahara. His story was different from her grandmother's, and she didn't quite know who to believe.

Byakuya reached out and squeezed her hand, silently offering his support. She took a deep breath and walked into the town. Cars buzzed by on the street, but otherwise the place was quiet. They walked all around the town, asking everyone they saw for information about Miki's father. Nobody seemed to remember him, and they were about to give up when they spotted an old man.

"Kyote, you say?" he said as he looked up from his solitaire game. "Never knew the man myself. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but he's dead. If you take that path down there, it'll lead you straight to his grave. Not too far at all."

Miki looked at Byakuya, who said quietly, "I'm going wherever you want."

"Not too far" turned out to be over an hour's walk, and Miki began to get cold feet early in their journey. Finally, Byakuya took her hand, and she continued on in peace, knowing he was there.

When the trees faded away from the path, they could see the grave up ahead, atop a hill. The shadow of what Miki assumed to be a person, flitted about up there, a tiny dot in the distance.

They climbed the hill, but once they reached the top, whoever had been there was gone. Grass grew on the hilltop, and a tall stone had been set into the ground there. No decoration or epitaph was written on the stone, only the name, "Kyote Yuki."

Disappointment rushed through Miki. This was all that was left of her family, the only memorial to the man who had tried so desperately to protect her. It seemed a little unfair, and she sank to her knees, reaching out to touch it. The stone felt icy and rough under her hand, and tears stung her eyes, slowly making their way down her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Byakuya asked quietly as he knelt next to her, rubbing her back.

They sat for some time in front of the grave, a lonely vigil as the sun dipped closer to the horizon, eventually turning their world a blinding shade of red.

"I feel like a part of me has been stolen," Miki said, wiping the last of her tears. "I'm ready to leave."

When they were about a quarter of the way down, they crossed paths with an old woman who carried gardening supplies. She whistled to herself as she walked, but her eyes were glued to them. She stopped on the path, and set her tools on the ground.

"Hello there," she said, flashing them a warm smile. "You finish your business with the man up there?" she nodded toward the grave.

"Did you know him?" Miki asked.

"Hope you didn't come to collect a debt. He's a bit past paying up, I think," she said. "I knew him, but not really well. And if you'd like, I'll tell you what I know over a cup of tea."

Miki looked at Byakuya, who seemed unconcerned, and nodded. They followed her off the path to a small cottage. In the light, Miki saw she was mistaken about the woman's age, judging that she was at least twenty years younger than she originally appeared.

"I'm Hana," the woman introduced herself. "Mind if I ask what your business is with Kyote before I begin?"

"Not at all. He is - was my father," Miki said.

Hana's head snapped up, and she regarded Miki for a long moment. "Yeah, you got his eyes. This means that I may be of more help than I thought. You see, I was your mother's best friend."

Hana took a few minutes to gather her thoughts before she continued. "We were friends since birth. Might be taboo to speak ill of the dead, but I'm going to give it to you as true as I can. She was always a little touched. Very unique for sure, but at times she would come up with the strangest things out of the blue."

"Like what?" Byakuya asked.

"Hmm, she insisted she was a princess from a far off land, and that her mother had stolen her away from the king. Her mother spoiled her, she did, buying anything her heart could desire, and doted on her constantly. Still, she was my friend, and there were plenty of good points about her. Her heart was big, and she loved everyone, always helping a stray animal, or someone in need."

Miki didn't say anything, but she thought that her mom must have changed quite a bit when she'd become a hollow.

"Then the talk of shinigami started. She would go on and on about shinigami this, soul society that. Apparently she'd met a man she'd fallen madly in love with. We doubted he even existed for some time, until the day he showed up on her doorstep. He was nice enough, but I didn't spend a whole lot of time with him."

"I think he might have been some kind of undercover police man or something, but her stories were something to listen to. Wild and crazy stories about how he fought evil with a big sword! She'd been raised to believe that she was the most important thing in the world, and that became a problem. He refused to give up his job, and she wouldn't be without him."

"Then she got pregnant. He quit his job then, and lived with her for a few months in peace. She came to me one day in tears. He'd been seeing someone else the whole time, some woman with a very strange name, and he wouldn't give her up. She was completely miserable, and I never saw him again after that."

"The pregnancy was difficult, and her mother had spent everything she'd saved on baubles for your mom. They could barely afford to keep food in their stomachs, and when you were born, she died. Your grandmother stayed for a few weeks, and I helped her to raise you. One day, when you were about two months old, something strange happened. I'm still not sure what it was, but it scared your grandma pretty bad. She took off with you, and I never heard anything more about you two. I don't suppose that old woman's still out there cursing to make a sailor blush?"

"I wish I could say different, but she died some years back."

"Ah, that's too bad. You look so much like your mom," Hana said, then turned to Byakuya. "You take good care of her, you hear. She's had too much loss in her life."

"I intend to," Byakuya said, as she led them to the door.

Byakuya took her hand as they walked down the path. "It wasn't what you were expecting to find, was it?"

"No. I think I have more questions, now!"

"You have a name, now. Certainly someone in the Seireitei would have known him."


Miki arrived at their favorite bar early, allowing herself a little extra time to daydream about their wedding. While they were planning, Byakuya seemed to have hatched a plot of his own, and would tell her nothing more than that she was to take two days off work.

She hadn't expected Jun to be there already. He sat, cradling his right hand, and staring at the door.

"Hey, Hurricane," he said. "You're early."

"You okay?" she asked, gesturing to his hand.

"Ugh, papers. Too many papers!"

"He's still got you doing that?"

"Oh no. That wasn't nearly enough punishment for him, so now I've become his personal gopher. Whatever he needs or wants, I get to do it. And all the while, he gets to stare at me like I'm some unfortunate piece of crap stuck to his shoe!"

"I'm sorry, Jun. I really am."

"I know," he said. "I'm just tired. Whatever possessed me to join his division?"

"Must have been the sign on bonus," she joked.

He laughed, ruffling her hair with a smile that she hadn't seen on him in far too long. "Time for another haircut, Hurricane."

"Yeah, it grows so fast. Think you can squeeze me in after work sometime this week?"

She'd made regular visits to Jun to have her hair trimmed, ever since he cut it for her the first time, after Riko had butchered it.

"Sure thing. Did Kimie say she'd be able to make it tonight?"

"Yeah, she'll be here," Miki said, noting a particularly strange look in her friend's eyes. "You can't wait to see her, can you?"

"It's not that at all. Just isn't right without us all here," he said, but he shifted a little nervously in his seat.

"Sure. I bet if you lay it on thick about how Byakuya's been treating you, she'd eat it up."

"I'm glad to see you back to your old self, Hurricane."

She smiled, "Me too."

"Me too, what?" Daiki asked, plopping into his usual seat.

"Glad to see Hurricane happy."

"Yes," he smiled. "That's a good thing. So, what are we drinking tonight?"

"Whatever you want."

They amused each other with tales, dished out all the latest gossip, and goofed off. Miki barely noticed the time until several hours had passed. Kimie was really late, and Miki worried that she'd gotten into trouble in the human world.

"Has anyone else heard the rumors lately?" Miki asked.

"About the Shinigami Snatcher? Yeah, that's all over the place. I heard two people have gone missing now. Both times, nobody else saw a thing."

They speculated about the people who'd gone missing, and whether they were still alive or not, finally coming to the conclusion they were not.

"Sorry I'm so late," Kimie said, pulling up a seat.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jun said, hopping to his feet. He realized how he sounded and sat down immediately.

"That's none of your business."

"It is when you say you're going to be here, then don't show up until late."

"I was with... a friend," she said, and Miki noted no small amount of guilt in her friend's tone.

"Who was it?"

"I can't say right now. You'll find out soon enough."

"Not this again," Jun said, throwing his hands up in the air. He got up and stomped out.

"What's with him?" Kimie asked.

"He can't handle the idea of you being with another guy," Daiki said.

"No way," she said, "It was nothing like that! I was just helping someone out, that's all."

The conversation turned toward wedding plans, and Kimie was surprisingly helpful, though Hanataro tossed in a few winning ideas of his own. They were so absorbed in their conversation that nobody noticed anyone else in the bar.

"What's this?" someone said, and Miki turned, to see the same Elevens they'd fought with more than a month ago. They loomed above where she sat, and the smallest one cracked his knuckles.

"This is our place," one said. "Get out!"

Miki's chair squealed as she shoved it out of the way. "You don't own it."

"Shut up, smartass. You want me to whoop you again?"

"As I recall," Daiki said, moving to stand at her side. "You were the one laying face-down in the dirt!"

"Let's take this outside," the Eleven said, his hand drifting to the hilt of the weapon that rested in his belt.

"We don't want any trouble," Kimie said, also standing.

"Too bad, your buddy already got some," he said with a nasty sneer. "Wasn't much fun. Just stood there, begging us to stop."

Miki glanced around her, trying to figure out how they were going to make it out of this without fighting. Beside her, Kimie emitted a fierce growl, and slugged the man standing in front of her. He pitched over backward, and his friends caught him.

"My, my. What is all this ruckus?" Captain Kyroaku said, stepping out of a corner where he'd been observing. "Certainly you boys have something better you could be doing?"

The Elevens backed off, heading toward the door. "You can't hide behind your Captains forever, you know."

The captain looked at each of them in turn, then took an empty seat at their table, "I could sure use another drink."

Seconds later, Jun stumbled through the door, looking much like he'd been attacked by a rabid dog.

"I'm dead. So dead," he said, falling into the nearest chair. Kimie rushed to him, and wrapped her arms around him before checking out the damage.

"I'm sorry. I'll explain it to him, Jun. Don't worry," Miki said.


Thanks again for reading :) I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it :) Feel free to let me know what you think!