(A/N) Hisagi's mind soundtrack reels through Sage Francis- Seal Lions, The Tillers- Revolution Row, and The Twilight Singers- Be invited

Chapter 27

Kira watched with wary eyes as Hisagi sealed the room before walking out of the infirmary ahead of him. It had been a long time since he had seen that look on his old friend's face; the look of going into battle. More importantly, the look of one who will win or die trying. His stone face and flint eyes were only heightened by the blood soaked haori cloaking his shoulders. For all the fear Hisagi seemed to hold within in, it amazed Kira how unaware he was of the fear that he inspired.

Or perhaps he is aware, Kira thought with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched the rows of shinigami pour out to fall into rank around the infirmary. Hisagi looked ready for war because he was. All this for a hollow and a girl he had known for a few weeks?

"Hisagi!" Kira panted after him as he worked to catch up with the taller man's brisk pace.

Hisagi didn't turn to look at him as he continued marching quickly toward the Captain's Hall. His face didn't shift from the stone he had set it in.

"God dammit, Hisagi," Kira muttered, grabbing Hisagi by the arm and halting his steps, "what are you doing?"

Looking down at the other man, Hisagi's unreadable expression maintained. "What has to be done," he replied stoically, beginning his long strides again.

"No, you are being crazy," Kira countered, stepping in front of him again. "You pulled your troops out like you are preparing to fight Seireitei itself."

"I am hoping it doesn't come to that," Hisagi stated sadly, "I will not wage a war against Seireitei, but I will defend against injustice."

"Defend what? Her- a girl you barely know? HIM?" Kira asked doubtfully.

Finally an emotion flickered across Hisagi's face as Kira watched him. A flash of anger and then overwhelming… disappointment. "I see you don't understand either," he muttered sadly, stepping around Kira.

Jogging to catch back up to Hisagi's long, fast strides, Kira couldn't fight the worry in his voice. "I am your friend, Hisagi. I am just trying to look out for you," he sighed with exasperation.

"We," Hisagi emphasized as he motioned a long finger back and forth between he and the blonde, "don't need protecting. They do!" He motioned his thick arm in a broad sweep toward the rukongai nestled against the boarder of Seireitei's thick walls. "They all do!" Hisagi continued, hastening his steps even more.

"So you are going to do that by being a martyr for change?" Kira asked, unable to keep the sharp edge from his voice.

"If that's what it takes, yes," Hisagi growled.

"This is not how we were taught, Hisagi," Kira pled with him, "We are supposed to protect Seireitei, to bring peace, to uphold the justice of this-"

"We were taught wrong!" Hisagi finally roared, turning to face Kira. "My friend," he croaked out, voice thick with emotion, "Look at who our teachers were. Look at what they did! I don't give a fuck about their reasonings; the fact is that they were WRONG. Gin didn't care about collateral damage, including you. Tousen- Tousen was so wrapped up in his vision of perfect peace and bringing justice that he blinded himself to those left tortured outside his bubble. We were taught wrong. And I am going to right it. Or at least right… something."

Kira couldn't help but stand in shock, a familiar melancholy weighing down his heart. Sure, Hisagi was acting crazy, but… was he wrong? He wanted to think Hisagi was just twisted by his present company in Squad 9 but Kira just could not think of a single comeback to the point Hisagi just laid out. He watched Hisagi's back as he walked away from him before finally flash stepping to catch up with him at the door.

Hisagi slanted a mildly curious look over to Kira, eyebrow raised in question.

Nodding in silent assent, Kira turned to face the door. Insanity or not, he would stand with his friend. "What are you going to do?" he asked softly.

"Hopefully, throw them off balance."

"How?"

Hisagi's skin tingled as he remembered the feel of Mara's soft breath tickling his ear as her warmth had settled on his lap, his refrain being issued back to him the night before. "Do something out of character," he said with a smirk as he shoved the large doors open before them, causing them to bang against the walls and drawing everyone's startled eyes to the door frame.

Hisagi sauntered- with a fucking swagger- into the room even as his face was still carved into a fierce frown. Wide eyes followed his blood-soaked form as he approached the center of the room. He noted with a practiced disinterest that many Lieutenants were in attendance as well, and even Ikakku and Yumichika… witnesses. They were going to try to hold a trial. A literal mockery of justice, he thought, fighting the anger that welled in him.

"Captain Hisagi Shuuhei!" Genryusai's voice rang out, shocking everyone present back to alertness, "You are here for questioning and…" The old man stopped speaking as he saw that the only figure following the captain causing the spectacle was Kira.

This is it, Hisagi mentally prepped himself, taking a deep breath. "Yes," he said in a bored tone, "And?"

While expressions across the room began to form into anger, shock, and even grins at the rude answer, Genryusai's eyes focused instead on Kira. "Kira Izuru!" he ground out, making the blonde gasp at the pressure of his penetrating gaze, "You were ordered to tell him to bring the espada and the girl!"

Hisagi stepped in front of the younger man, taking the weight of Genryusai's ire on himself. Much to the surprise of many of the observant eyes in the room, Hisagi didn't even flinch under the weight. "Oh, he did," Hisagi said lightly, his protective stance not lost on the old man he faced, "I refused."

Scattered gasps peppered the room as Genryusai narrowed his eyes at the young captain. "Then we will decide their fate without them here," he spat out, the threat in his tone readily apparent. "The first order of business is that Captain of the 6th Division, Byakuya Kuchiki, has brought charges against the espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, for attacking a member of the Gotei 13 which would nullify any arrangement you have with him and result in a sentence of death."

The crowd turned to Hisagi in anticipation of his response. They weren't sure what to expect from the normally quiet and controlled man. He was different today, that was for sure. There was a hardness in his eyes that he swept lazily around the room that seemed to chill the very air around them.

Hisagi took in the minute details of those in the room, trying to gauge what he was up against. There were more friendly faces than he had expected honestly. Some he had expected, like Ukitake, but others surprised him. He could see Omaeda even give him an imperceptible nod of approval, like he was prepared to stand with him. He noticed the anger too. Most of the captains seemed annoyed at his lack of decorum but not irate. No, it was his friend that emanated rage in waves that were palpable. Renji.

He would deal with that later, Hisagi knew, as he settled his roaming gaze on the impassive face of the captain of the 6th. Channeling their least favorite individual with uncanny accuracy, Hisagi leaned back on his heels and shoved his hands in his pockets. Tilting his head slightly, Hisagi let a downright predatory grin slide across his face. He mentally thanked Grimmjow for the years of lessons in how not to act like you give a fuck as he saw Byakuya's eyes widen just a fraction. In that fraction Hisagi found hope. He chuckled lowly, watching as a wary confusion entered Byakuya's eyes. "I'll bet he has."

.

.

If it didn't hurt, Grimmjow would swear he was in a dream. That was only explanation he could think of as to why he had opened his eyes to a ruffled mass of multicolored blue hair. He raised his head slightly, his neck burning but shit, the sight was so worth it. Faint morning light drifted in the window beside him, bathing Mara's porcelain features in an ethereal glow where her head lay near his on the bed. She had leaned over from the chair where she was perched and fallen asleep with her fingers intertwined with his.

He didn't want to move, but her peaceful face called to him and he gingerly lifted his hand from hers to sweep away the stray hairs that had fallen across her face. He fitted his hand back over hers as her eyes fluttered open. Slowly, Mara moved her head to look at him and he could feel the familiar jolt of warmth go through his body as her dark eyes locked on his bright teal ones. She seemed surprised to be greeted with his alert gaze. A smile spread across her full lips and Grimmjow's heart skipped a beat.

"You're awake," she whispered, relief flooding her voice.

"Of course I'm awake," Grimmjow grumbled, "You think that fucker could kill me?"

Mara rolled her eyes as she sat up from the bed and rubbed her eyes, robbing Grimmjow of her hand and the closeness that he had been enjoying. She frowned slightly, casting him a look that was almost haunted, and Grimmjow's face softened.

"I told you not to look," he whispered, reaching his hand back toward her. He couldn't fight the spark of happiness inside him as she instinctively wove her fingers in his without even having to look down.

"I had no choice if I wanted to help you, Makenai Hito" she said with a strained voice, eyes drifting closed too late to block the sheen of moisture building in them. She shook her head as if clearing it, before looking down at him again with a small smile.

One whom you can't lose, Grimmjow thought with an inner smile, It's a start, Yumekanau.

"It's almost morning," she stated with an odd firmness, "I need to change your bandages and clean your… wounds."

Grimmjow could feel the groan of dread flow from him like a living entity.

"Is the king going to be a baby about this?" Mara asked with a giggle as she brought over a bowl of water and supplies. "I don't want to do this anymore than you want it done, you know."

"Hanataro treated me, didn't he?" he growled out.

"Yeah he did," she replied in surprise, "how did you know? I could have sworn you were asleep…"

"I was, thank fuck," Grimmjow said with a grimace as he began to raise up on his arms, "but at least I know that it will get better once you get the bandages off. He treats them with healing kido to work from the outside, since he can't do it directly on me, after he uses his zanpakuto to work from the inside. Fucking burns like a bitch but it works."

"Stay down," Mara ordered gently as she pressed her cool hand to his back, pausing his efforts, "Please? Just until I make sure it's not going to hurt you to get up?"

Grimmjow shot her a glare over his shoulder but at the concern in her eyes, he lowered himself gingerly back down. That haunted look was back in her eye. It must have been pretty damn bad, he realized as he watched her face ease.

"So what happened after… this all happened?" Grimmjow asked, trying to keep Mara's mind from sinking back into worry as she began to peel away the bandages from his neck.

Glancing down at him, Mara began lifting away the wraps. "Shuuhei stopped Byakuya and carried you out," she said shortly, going back to her work.

"And?" Grimmjow studied her carefully.

Mara grimaced as she worked her way down the first layer of bandages. He could tell she wanted to avoid lifting the bottom layer. "And we brought you home," she said distractedly.

"Mara…" he growled at her avoidance.

Grimmjow could feel irritation rise in him as she ignored him and focused, stone-faced, on the task in front of her, but he couldn't find it in himself to be truly angry. Damn this woman for messing with his feelings, for giving him fucking feelings in the first place. Three weeks ago he would have smiled at fucking death and taken as many of them with him as possible. Now he had to face those eyes that melted his fucking brain.

He let her go on about her work on his back for a minute longer before trying again. "Yumekanau," he practically purred, satisfied to feel her hands still against him. He looked back at her again and saw that she had closed her eyes, head bowed with a tortured look on her face.

"Please don't, Grimm. Please," she whispered out on the verge of tears.

"Take off the bandages, quit delaying," he ordered her firmly.

Mara's misty eyes met his. He could tell she wanted to refuse. He knew that she didn't want to do this. He could see how she gritted her teeth with even the first layer. He was going to have to force her past this weakness of worry. He didn't break eye contact with her as he ordered again, "Take off the bandages, Mara."

She wanted to refuse even though she knew it was her job and she was going to have to anyways. Her own skin still hurt after the abuse that she gave it in the tub trying to clean the blood and trauma away, and she didn't want to face it again. Mara guessed it was a good thing that he wasn't trying to pry her feelings out of her now, but this was a hell of a trade-off in attentions.

"Trust me," Grimmjow rumbled in that same purr that made Mara's knees weak every time she heard it. "Take them off. Now."

With trembling fingers, Mara began to peel away the bottom layer of blood-soaked bandages to reveal smooth skin underneath. Her eyes widened as she only saw a few small lacerations where the deepest cuts had been. Even his tattoo was unmarred by the brutality he had suffered only the day before.

Grimmjow couldn't help but sigh in relief as the kido-laced bandages came away from his fresh skin. The pain disappeared as his hierro re-hardened once no longer exposed to the shinigami's healing. He had to admit, begrudgingly, that Hanataro knew what he was doing. The small shinigami was the only one who had been brave enough to help him after Hisagi saved him the first time, developing this new way of fixing him even more quickly than he normally healed.

"Its… its practically all healed," Mara breathed in disbelief. She quickly grabbed the rag, wiping away the dried blood before placing only a few small bandages over the remaining cuts.

Grimmjow rose up to sit on the edge of the bed in front of the shell-shocked woman. She looked up to him, appraising him silently. "Come here," Grimmjow ordered her in the same low purr that left no room for argument.

Mara couldn't have stopped her legs from carrying her to him if she had wanted to.

"I.. I thought that you might… I was so worried, Grimmjow," she stammered out as she approached him, "Your voice kept getting weaker and then... then you couldn't talk at all. There was so much blood… so much fucking blood and it was all-" Mara was cut off by her own sob as she stepped right up next to him.

Grimmjow gently took her wrist, pulling her hand to lay it on his chest over where his heart beat. He watched her stoically as she seemed to absorb the steady pulse under her fingers. He didn't move as she leaned in closer, nibbling her lip temptingly, as she grounded herself in the steady proof of life beneath her hand. Grimmjow forced his body to remain painfully still, bound by an iron will, as her other hand crept up his chest and wound up around his neck. Mara pulled herself flush against his hard chest and he could feel her shoulders shake as she fought to hold back tears.

Finally, Grimmjow could stand it no more, wrapping his arms around the small woman and raising his large hand to wipe the silent tears from her cheeks. When she looked up at him though with that fear and relief and warmth and- fuck, it, he just had to taste her. Grimmjow pressed his lips to Mara's, relishing how her soft lips caved under him. He moved his mouth against hers insistently and Mara gasped at the contact.

It was all the opening that Grimmjow need to crash down on her in a punishing kiss. He delved his tongue into her mouth before sucking and nibbling her lips. He couldn't get enough of her. She invaded his senses. The smell of her, the taste of her, the feel of her! She was intoxicating and he would be damned if she wouldn't be his.

"Fuckin' hell, Mara," he purred as he pulled away from, leaving her breathless.

Mara was dazed. What the hell had just happened? Holy shit…. She pressed shaking fingers to her tingling lips as she looked up at the man who seemed to be able to ignite every nerve ending in her body with a single touch. Hell, a single look. Where Hisagi was the cooling rain, a slowly welling passion that seeped through her, Grimmjow was fire raging through her veins. He was heat and intensity and longing so deep that it shook her to her core. She was well and truly fucked. She knew it with every bit of trailing flame his hands left behind as they stroked her back.

"Grimmjow," she sighed, "I-"

"I know," he said with a deep chuckle as he pulled back to look at her face. His eyes took in her swollen lips before moving to look deep into her eyes with fierceness. She didn't move away, however at the predatory look, or when he lowered his lips to brush against her ear. "I know... but make no mistake, Yumekanau, I will make you mine."

Mine. The internal declaration ripped through him

Mara stiffened in his arms at the declaration and Grimmjow pulled back to give her a feral smile, full of sharp teeth and promise. Her eyes couldn't help but wander to the window where she had seen Hisagi leaving this morning. This could get bad.

Grimmjow turned, following her gaze out the window and finally registered the rows of soldiers standing outside. Mara watched him do a nearly comical double-take before turning confused eyes to her.

"What is going on?" he asked, an edge of irritation coming to his voice.

"We didn't know when you would be awake and we had to protect you. Had to protect both of us," she said softly.

"From what?" Grimmjow growled. He was being protected? Seriously?

"From everyone," Mara replied tonelessly.

"What the fuck?!" he asked jumping up from the bed to go to the window, "I don't need protecting like some little bitch!"

Mara's face grew hard. "You do when you are passed out," she replied evenly.

"Why is the Punishment Force in the trees?" Grimmjow hissed out, watching Mara's lips tense into a thin line at the news. "Mara! Where is Hisagi?"

"You are better than we thought that you would be," Mara continued quietly, "So, don't think of it as us protecting you. You are my last line of defense. They wanted us both, Grimm."

The espada could feel his eye twitching as she avoided yet another question. "Dammit, woman!" he growled, spinning her from the window to face him, "Let them come! But where the fuck is Hisagi?"

Mara fixed her eyes on Grimmjow's own in a fierce, piercing stare. "Fighting."

.

.

Hisagi rolled his eyes for what must have been the millionth time in the past 45 minutes, eliciting a scoff of disbelief from Komamura.

"So you don't agree that the espada is dangerous then Hisagi?" Komamura said, voice dripping with sarcasm as his frustration at Hisagi's attitude flowed through him.

"Of course he's dangerous," Hisagi sighed out, "we all are. You are literally sanding next to Kenpachi Zaraki. Can you say that Grimmjow is more dangerous than him? Or more unhinged for that matter?"

Zaraki let out a small, evil laugh as a wide grin spread across his face. "He's got you there," he growled out, sounding menacing even in his amusement.

"This is ridiculous," Soi-fon grumbled, "I have my men in place, let's just grab them and call it done."

Hisagi noted Omaeda's discomfort with that before levelling a hard look at Soi Fon. "If you want your men to die, go ahead."

"My men are trained to be willing to fight to the death every time!" Soi Fon raged, "This is the elite-"

"Oh, shut up," Hisagi groaned. He swore he could see Soi Fon turning shades of red in front of him. "Your men aren't the only elite squads in this place. The fact is that your men will try to get in, my men will try to keep them out, and there will be nothing but death all around."

"Are you saying," Ukitake asked in a worried voice, "That you and your men are prepared to fight Soul Society? That's- that's-"

"No," Hisagi answered bluntly before the word treason could start being thrown around, "My troops are prepared to defend from Soul Society if you continue to try to persecute those who don't deserve it."

"You cannot stand against all the divisions at once, Hisagi," Hitsuguya said lowly.

"Indeed, but you would all have to sacrifice having a 9th squad as a result," he quipped back.

"How can you say that he is innocent?" Byakuya ground out, "We have witnesses of the fight."

"Of his defense of Mara, you mean," Hisagi replied flippantly, "I gave an order. He obeyed."

"Interesting that he followed your order," Mayuri said thoughtfully, "He sure has come a long way from my testing room then."

Hisagi raised an eyebrow at the scientist. "Interesting name for your torture chamber."

"Hisagi Shuuhei, do you mean to say that you ordered your espada to attack Abarai Renji?" Genryasai asked heavily.

"No." Eye roll. "I ordered him to protect my girl."

"She was in no danger! I would never-" Renji fumed before being cut of by a sharp glare from Byakuya.

"You sure did start to unravel though," Ikkaku muttered from where he sat cross-legged, polishing his sword, next to Zaraki.

"He still reacted violently before any hit had been thrown," Hitsuguya grumbled. Hisagi inspected him closely before his eyes flicked to Matsumoto where she leaned against the wall behind her captain. She didn't look up from inspecting her nails. Hitsuguya must be getting his information on events from her, but why would she paint it so badly?

"Nope," Hisagi said shortly.

"Nope?" Hitsugaye asked narrowing his eyes at Hisagi and his face screwed up in frustration, "What do you mean nope?"

"There had already been a hit placed," Hisagi said slowly, "Right Omaeda?"

Come on… Hisagi pled with his eyes as Soi Fon turned to glare her subordinate into submission.

"That's… That's true, Captain Hisagi," Omaeda admitted, face locked into a grimace, "He hit me to get to the girl."

"So that would make it look like she was being attacked," Hisagi summed up for the crowd, "She felt like she was being attacked. Grimmjow protected her."

"We need to speak to the girl and get her to confirm all of this," Komamura said.

"There is also the matter of her own previously unknown power output to address," Mayuri added, eyes lighting up with macabre fascination.

"No," Hisagi said, grinning so disconcertingly at the squad 12 captain that even Mayuri's smile faded.

"But he must be punished for attacking a member!" insisted Soi Fon.

"I'm sure this could be considered punishment," Hisagi remarked dryly as he gestured as his bloody haori.

"Let me get this straight," Kyoraky rumbled lazily. Hisagi couldn't help the lightening in his features as he looked at the level-headed captain of the 8th who had gotten so tired of the argument raging in their chambers that he had sat down to recline against the column behind him. "You are holding Grimmjow and we can't touch him without destroying your squad," he drawled.

"Yep," Hisagi nodded.

"And we can't touch the girl or question her because she is under your protection with the seal of the Soul King himself on your betrothal," Kyoraku continued lazily.

"Yep."

"You have to give us something, Hisagi," Ukitake said as he tried to quell a tension headache by pinching the bridge of his nose. "That is why we have captains meeting and votes while we still work on replenishing the Central 46. No one captain can just declare nothing and be king of their squad."

Smirking, Hisagi nodded at Ukitake who had just unknowingly given him the opening Mara had told him to expect. They were asking for him to give, not demanding. Hot damn, she was right.

"You are right, Ukitake," he agreed, "I do have something I can offer."

Surprised eyes around the room finally locked on Hisagi.

"Then why in the hell did you make us sit through this bullshit?!" Zaraki growled.

"You didn't ask," Hisagi responded with a shrug.

The baffled looks continued but Hisagi was pleased to see Zaraki actually laugh. The big man was often irrational, but he respected when someone had balls. He was good to have on your side in a pinch too.

"What could you possibly demand in this situation?" Byakuya sniffed haughtily.

"Funny you should ask, Byakuya," Hisagi said, predatory grin back in place. He wanted to laugh at the tic that developed in Byakuya's eye at the address. "Mara has AGREED to be questioned on the events of yesterday and in general," he began as the room erupted into chaos.

"Then why were so against it?" Komamura shouted.

"You prick," Soi Fon raged, "You made us almost got to war-"

Mayuri's knuckles popped in anticipation, "About time-"

Hisagi ignored all of them, levelling a hard stare at Renji, gauging his reaction alone. Renji's eyes, now uncovered and less swollen, widened as they panned the reactions room. His expression spoke panic. Clearly, exposing Mara was not what he wanted. This might just work.

"BUT," Hisagi shouting, gathering the crowd back to a tense silence, "She has agreed to only be questioned if all charges against Grimmjow are dropped."

"Why should we-" began Byakuya, before Hisagi cut him off with a harsh look and sneer of his own.

"And she will only agree to be questioned by Abarai Renji," he finished.

"No," Byakuya replied stoically just as Renji breathed out a desperate "Yes!"

Hisagi watched as Byakuya's glare whipped to his lieutenant. Renji stood from the wall to look down on the man with a force that chilled Hisagi. It had been 6 years since he had seen Renji and he wasn't entirely sure what to make of the man who had returned. His physical dominance and presence was obvious, but it was his mentality now- the iron will and lack of any fear in this moment- that defined him.

"Yes," Renji hissed gutterally.

"You think you have the power here?" Byakuya asked so lowly that Hisagi had to strain to hear.

"Of course not, Captain," Renji growled threateningly, "but I'd hate to see if my fang reaches further now."

"You are back voluntarily, Lieutenant Abarai," Byakuya seemed to remind the beastial man.

Renji's response was only to raise a tattooed brow before looking back to Hisagi with determination. With desperation. With… was that hope?

"Captain Kuchiki," Genryusai finally spoke up, "The girls testimony is more important than your grudge. Besides, I have a solution regarding the espada."

"Very well," Byakuya said, facing Hisagi, disinterested mask back in place. "Apparently we have a deal."