Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU and draws inspiration from The West Wing. Some of the dialogue is almost directly quoted from the show.


Dawning Realizations

As he and Gin left the Oval Office, Shunsui's mind circled back to that card and what it meant. How could he in good conscience leave Nanao behind if something happened? That felt like such a betrayal to leave her behind. Ever since the woman had hired herself as his assistant, Nanao had been right at his side no matter what the circumstances. How could he leave her behind in the most dire?

"You okay?" Gin asked.

"Yeah."

"Cause you look a little…you know-"

"No. No." Shunsui cut him off.

"Hiyori?" Gin's assistant had come up behind them.

Her mouth was full. "You know that doughnut sitting on your desk?"

Gin sighed. "You ate it."

Hiyori just shrugged. "That was predictable, wasn't it?"

As the three of them entered the Communications Bullpen, Gin leaned over to whisper to his assistant.

"Hey, is there any word yet on the-"

"The thing's still out there," she replied.

Gin turned back to Shunsui. "Had a guy on my office today. He'd like us to spend a little more time working on UFOs."

Shunsui followed Gin into his office. "Are we spending any time working on UFOs?"

"That's what I said."

"Cause coming on the heels of Mrs. Urahara's Ouija board-"

"I hear you."

"I'm closing the door." Shunsui closed the door and turned back to Gin who didn't seem to have heard him.

"The Central Pacific Command's been picking this thing up on radar all day."

"Gin?"

The other man looked up. "Right."

"Listen, you're close with Hiyori, right?"

"I haven't seen her naked, if that's what you're asking."

Shunsui shook his head. "No, Gin. Well, that's not what I'm asking. We all know Rangiku's the only girl for you."

"I mean, she's like my younger sister, but she gets paid, and-"

Shunsui cut him off. "Right."

"And she frightens me."

"Yes."

"But I love her."

"Yeah."

"It's sort of like you and Nanao."

"Right." Shunsui shook his head and asked the question that he'd come to ask. "When they gave you a card and they told you…that it was just you and not Hiyori, how did you…how'd you feel about that?"

"When they gave me what card?" Gin asked.

"The N.S.C. guy. The card with the directions."

"The directions to?" Gin was clearly puzzled.

"You, Rangiku, Toushiro. I'm saying when the N.S.C. guy gave you your cards."

There was a long pause. Gin was clearly baffled. It was like he had never gotten one of the cards. And then a terrible thought struck Shunsui. What if Gin hadn't? What if he was the only one with a card? He was leaving everyone behind if he followed those directions.

"Shunsui, what card?

Shunsui shook his head, rising to his feet. "Nothing…I-I-I was thinking of a different…nothing. Nothing."

He quickly slipped out the door, not wanting Gin to question him further. He didn't want to think about this at all.