Chapter 3: Echoes of Past Sins

"So were you able to convince Tohma to tell you anything?" asked Byakuya, wrapping a silken yukata around his slender body and returning to the bed.

He climbed in next to the redhead and laid down beside him, rubbing his swollen belly and gently infusing it with calming reiatsu. Renji tried to frown, but couldn't quite manage it as the warmth of Byakuya's hands and reiatsu overcame his discomfort.

"He did plenty of talking...didn't seem to want to hold back," Renji said wearily, "But the guy couldn't tell us anything useful. He claimed not to remember anything. He didn't even try to say he didn't do it."

"And the counselor?"

"He doesn't remember anything after taking a blow to the head. And although it's probably easier for him, not remembering getting raped by the bastard and beaten nearly to death, he seemed really adamant that, although he can't provide a shred of evidence, he thinks Tohma is innocent."

Byakuya's eyes met his appraisingly.

"But you don't agree?" he asked quietly, resting his face against Renji abdomen and looking up at him.

Renji sighed uncomfortably.

"I can't see how he could be," he answered, unhappily, "Byakuya, they found his semen and reiatsu inside the guy...no one else's. How am I supposed to read that as meaning anything but that he's guilty? I mean, I guess that someone real determined and sorta fucked in the head could have done it and framed him, but the question is, who would do that?"

"Tohma has made more than a few enemies over the years," acknowledged Byakuya, "And some of them are quite powerful."

"Yeah...true," agreed the redhead, "But this, if it's true...it's gotta be someone who's real messed up...maybe someone he's victimized. Except that you are about the only victim he had that didn't end up dead."

Renji grinned ruefully.

"You been committing any heinous crimes lately?" he asked jokingly.

Then, he sobered.

"Bya," he said, looking unnerved, "If Tohma is telling us the truth, and this is someone trying to frame him, then anyone associated with Tohma could become a target."

Byakuya returned his gaze and nodded.

"And that means that you could be targeted as easily as me," the noble pointed out.

Renji sighed.

"Yeah...yeah, as long as I'm like this, sure. But what I was saying was..."

"You're worried about someone harming me," Byakuya said solemnly.

"Hey," said the redhead, pulling the noble into his arms, "If this was Tohma, he's a transcendent, dangerous with or without his powers. And if it's not, then it's someone who overcame Tohma...and that opens up a shitload of really scary alternatives."

Byakuya smiled.

"You want me to be careful," the noble acknowledged, "Very well, I will. But with Tohma confined to the Repentance Center, it is unlikely that anyone can make another move until he is removed from that place after the wedding, for transport to the spirit dimension."

"Yeah," said Renji, uneasily, "But I'll sleep better once he's out of the Seireitei and back under guard at the palace."

"I think we all will...though, if Tohma is innocent, then it may not be the end of our troubles," Byakuya pointed out.

"Oh..." yawned Renji, "I don't want to think about him anymore. Kami, I need some sleep before the wedding tomorrow, otherwise I'm likely to forget what I'm supposed to do."

Byakuya fed the sleepy redhead another long kiss, then settled on his shoulder.

"I love you," Renji whispered, drifting off, "You know that, ne?"

"Yes," Byakuya replied, continuing to rub his belly and infuse it with his reiatsu, "I know that...and that love is gratefully returned, Renji."

"Mmmmph..." the redhead mumbled, slipping his fingers into the noble's silken hair.

Byakuya watched him quietly as he sank deeper into sleep, then rested against his shoulder, listening to the night sounds outside the open garden doors. He replayed in his mind, the conversation he and Renji had just had, carefully considering the details. Despite his attempts to join Renji in sleep, he couldn't put the facts out of his mind. And in the end, he slipped out of bed and back into his clothes, leaving Renji sleeping peacefully in their bed.

He stepped out onto the walkway and searched the area until he located the garden sentry.

"Tsutomu," he said quietly.

"Sir?"

"I want you to double the guards here at the manor until after the wedding."

"Do you suspect trouble?" the guard asked softly.

"I do not know...perhaps," Byakuya answered, "But it is better to be on the safe side, ne?"

"Hai."

He watched as the guard flash stepped away, then looked up at the bright moon, considering what to do. He looked longingly at the entrance to the bedroom he shared with Renji, and considered just going back to bed. But considering what was at risk if his nagging suspicions were correct, he couldn't brush off the restless feeling inside.

"All of the evidence says he is guilty, but the counselor, Renji and I all have doubts. I think that there is only one way to reassure myself."

He glanced back at the bedroom door one last time, then flash stepped away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tohma sat quietly, looking out the slim opening in the cell wall and gazing up at the moon. His heart ached, thinking back to the warmth he had felt when kissing Hiromi, and how he had felt the resistance in the counselor's body weaken and fade as their kiss had intensified.

"I should have known that one like me would not be allowed to fall in love again. I know I do not deserve it, but...Hiromi...such a beautiful, sensitive soul. One imperfect like mine, who found his way back from hell and put me on the path to redemption...or so we thought. Was it just a stupid dream, then?"

He sighed and closed his eyes.

"I wonder if you are all right."

He listened to the soft echo of the guards' footsteps in the distance and wondered if he would ever be freed again, or if he would live the rest of his life, locked away.

But after what I did to Byakuya and the others, who am I to still want freedom? After all, even confined like I was, and in counseling, my inner demons seem to have still gotten the better of me. Though, I cannot remember. Always before, I knew the demon that controlled me...even when it took over and moved me. I feel nothing of that now...only regret...only sorrow.

He turned as the outer cell door clanked open and a cloaked and hooded form moved into the area outside his locked cell.

"Hiromi?" Tohma called softly.

Slender hands rose and pushed the hood back, and solemn gray eyes met Tohma's. The prince froze, staring.

"Byakuya," he whispered, his eyes widening, "Byakuya, why would you come here?"

The noble studied him quietly for a moment.

"Renji told me about what happened at the center," he said finally, "And what I heard did not sit well with me."

"So, you came, yourself, to see if the demon had emerged again?" Tohma asked, meeting the noble's eyes squarely, "You think that if you look into my eyes, you will know if I am under its control again? Don't bother."

Byakuya looked at him questioningly.

"I cannot tell you what happened," Tohma went on, "I can only say that I am in love with Hiromi and I did not want to hurt him. But...I did not want to hurt you or Naoki or Aika, or any of the rest of the people I victimized either."

"But..." said the noble, "you never had memory loss afterwards. You always knew that it was your hand that wrought that damage upon your victims."

"So," the prince said disbelievingly, "you think I am innocent? You suspect that this is something else?"

"I do not know," admitted the noble, "I only know that it seems odd that you remember nothing, nor does your counselor...and that what happened forced Renji to approach you. Renji is close to having our child. This could also be about him. He is also a son of the king."

"So, this could be a move against the royal family? Is that what you are saying?" asked Tohma, "I have thought of the same thing, but I do not know of many who have the motive or the ability to do something like this. I was very capably framed, if I am not guilty. I cannot even defend myself."

"Which is what draws my suspicion," acknowledged the noble, "I am going to Sotaicho immediately. I think that, after speaking to you, I am more convinced that the royal family might be in danger."

"Byakuya," said the prince, "do be careful. I honestly don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I understand. I will leave with an escort, and I will have them put you under close protective watch. We are all extremely vulnerable until we at least know who our enemy is."

"Well, the only one I know that's this dastardly is..."

He broke off and made a hiss of warning as a dark figure launched itself through the doorway and crashed into the surprised noble, taking him to the floor. He reacted as he fell, taking hold of his attacker and using his agility and strength to gain the upper position as they landed. He gasped in surprise as a puff of foul smelling gas blossomed between them. He tried to hold his breath and keep fighting, but the compound seemed to pass beneath his skin, flooding his body and weakening him until he collapsed onto the cell floor.

"Byakuya!" cried Tohma, "GUARDS! Someone! Byakuya!"

Byakuya's attacker rose and approached the cell door. A deathly white hand rose and another puff of gas erupted into Tohma's shocked face as the person pulled back the dark hood, revealing an all too familiar visage.

"You!" the prince gasped.

Tohma's face blanched and he backed away as the gas overcame him and he fell to the floor.

"Don't...!" he moaned, struggling to remain conscious, "D-don't...hurt..."

His mind descended into blackness, taking with it a final image of Byakuya's assailant, turning the noble onto his back and striking him repeatedly.

"Don't...please don't...hurt...Bya..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji came awake suddenly as the Seireitei alarms began to sound, with the house alarms rising up to join them. He sat up and reached for Byakuya, only to find that Byakuya was gone and his nightclothes were on the bed, next to Renji.

"Damn it!" Renji swore, rolling unsteadily to his feet and grabbing a robe.

He burst out into the gardens as a voice rose up over the howling alarms.

"Alert...alert...Prisoner escape from the Repentance Center. All squads alert! A prisoner has escaped from the Repentance Center. Injuries reported. Squads Two and Four, report to the Repentance Center immediately."

"Son of a..." Renji growled, stumbling to the bedroom door, then out onto the walkway.

"Tsutomu!" he cried, "Tsutomu, where is Byakuya?"

The guard met Renji's eyes worriedly.

"He ordered the guards on the manor to be doubled, sir," he reported, "Then, he left the manor. The alarms here went off because an attack on him has been sensed. We are trying to locate him now."

"Don't bother," Renji said, shaking his head, "I'd bet the farm he went to the Repentance Center!"

"What's going on?" Tetsuya's voice cried over the howling alarms.

"It's Byakuya," Renji said, "He went to see Tohma, and I think something bad happened."

The blue-eyed noble whistled for Arashi, and the horse leapt over the fence and cantered towards them.

"Come on," Tetsuya said, turning towards the stallion.

"No!" Renji said firmly, "If this is something bigger, you have to protect Koichi, Rukia, Torio and Haru. I have to get to Byakuya."

"Very well," said Tetsuya, placing a hand on the stallion to steady him as Renji scrambled onto his back, "Arashi, you guard him."

The horse trumpeted and broke into a run, carrying Renji out of the manor and into the streets. He veered nimbly around the curious shinigamis awakened by the alert, and standing out on the street, gazing in the direction of the Repentance Center. Renji kept his eyes trained on the white building as they moved closer. And as soon as Arashi came to a sliding halt at the sentry gate, Renji slid down and flash stepped to the staring guards.

"Is Kuchiki taicho in there?" he demanded.

"Abarai fukutaicho," said the guard, "no one is being permitted into the..."

"The hell with that!" Renji shouted, "I'm the man's fukutaicho, his next of kin and I'm fucking royalty, for kami's sake! Now, answer me! Is Byakuya in there?"

"Yes, sir. We received word from the interior guards that he has been injured. The scene is being secured and Squad Four is with him."

"Then, get out of the way. I'm going in there!"

The guard started to argue, but Renji burst past him and ran through the entry doors. He rushed inside and up the long spiral stairs, panting harshly and loosing a string of obscenities as his abdomen twinged and tightened painfully.

"Hang in there, kid," he said breathlessly, "I have to take care of your daddy. Just don't give me any trouble now."

He reached the top of the stairs and blazed past the guards at the door, sliding to a stop, just short of the fallen noble. Hanataro leaned over Byakuya, helping the other healers to prepare the unconscious noble for transport.

"Stay back," said one of the healers, "We have to evacuate him to the healing center immediately."

Renji panted heavily and nodded briefly to show he had heard.

"H-hanataro," he said worriedly.

The youth looked up at him.

"He has been badly beaten," he reported, "and...there was an attempt at a sexual assault that we believe was interrupted."

Renji's hands clenched and his eyes glowed a dangerous red. He glared into the empty cell.

"Where is that bastard? I'll KILL him!" the redhead yelled.

The guard in front of the cell swallowed hard and cleared his throat nervously.

"He appears to have escaped, sir. The Seireitei is being searched, but..."

Renji's head bent in thought and his bit his lip in concentration. Then, he summoned a hell butterfly.

"Regarding Prince Tohma," he said, barely holding his anger in check, "He has attacked Kuchiki Byakuya and has escaped the Repentance Center. I would suggest that the palace guard be alerted. We don't know what his plans are, but we should be prepared for anything."

He sent the hell butterfly winging away, then followed as the healers carried Byakuya out of the cellblock. He moved closer and captured a limp, pale hand, then brought it to his lips as they hurried towards the healing center.

"It's going to be okay," he promised his unconscious lover, "That is the last time that man will ever lay hands on you. He's not getting off so easy this time. I'm going to make him pay if it's the last thing I do!"