Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach; it belongs totally to Tite Kubo. This is only a fanfic and just my preference and tribute to non-canon couples.
Authors Notes: Hello everyone; sorry for the long delay. I wasn't quite sure when posting the first chapter exactly where this was going to go, but I've decided to pursue this story. However, based on work, classes and other fanfics, I cannot promise monthly updates. But… I have some great ideas for the outcome.
Many thanks to XXinsidemymindXX for your review and advice. I love motivation from my readers – Arigatou gozaimasu! And also thanks to my 2 guest reviewers; please open an account here, if only to read. That way I can put a name to the individuals reading my stories. It's more personal and we have a connection.
For now - please, read, review and hopefully enjoy.
Chapter 1
Pristine beige walls matched the coordinating honey colored tile on the floors of the Sogo Kyugo Tsumesho halls. The smell of antiseptic and disinfectant permeated the air of the medical ward, yet the well-maintained ventilation system helped produce a light and airy feel. Compared to the previous week following the fake Karakura Town battle and Aizen's defeat, the halls of the 4th Division were nearly empty.
Several days ago, stretchers were lined against the walls because of room shortage; gurney's rolled rapidly down corridors in response to the number of Gotei 13 members and Shinigami injured during the invasion. The medical staff and relief teams were in full-force, expediting first-rate medical care. Today, however, there was no sign of the chaos from before.
In the aftermath of the battle, the Shinigami, who sustained minor injuries, had been discharged, some admitted for extensive care and, the more critical cases, transferred for advanced treatment. Currently, there were more staff and visitors, than patients at the facility.
Strolling down the sanitized corridors, Shuhei Hisagi had left his daily psyche session and now, instead of heading back to his desk at Seireitei Communications, he found himself wandering the halls of the medical barracks. Each day, following his session, Hisagi would routinely, yet discreetly roam around trying to catch a glimpse of a certain silver-haired Lieutenant; however, he had not seen her once since his discharge.
Six days ago, Capt. Unohana had signed Hisagi's discharge papers on the condition that he return every day for therapy; five nights ago, Isane Kotetsu had put him under sedation using a most enticing and titillating method. The woman's hands had worked magic; Hisagi had not felt so relaxed nor aroused in months. From the moment the medic had placed her hands on his shoulders, she had eased the tension from his responsibilities, his captain's betrayal and his guilt at Kaname Tosen's death at his hands.
Although therapy was gradually helping, Hisagi was finally able to discuss his former captain with an open mind to his therapist, Isane's care and concern during his convalescence had provided a peace-of-mind that was instantaneous. However, it was that last night before his discharge that he began to see his fellow lieutenant in a different light.
Isane's gentle hands, melodious voice, large candid eyes and smooth alabaster skin with a hint of rose scent were all entrenched in Hisagi's mind. Closing his eyes, he envisioned holding her close again, anticipating the sight, smell, and touch of Isane Kotetsu; not the 4th Division lieutenant, but the woman.
"Yoo-hoo… Shuhei!"
The Shinigami jumped guiltily at the direction of his thoughts, and turned to see Lt. Rangiku Matsumoto hurrying towards him, waving anxiously. Before moving in her direction, Hisagi's eyes made a quick sweep of the area, once more, in search of Isane.
"Well, well – when did you get out?" Rangiku inquired on a teasing note, as she approached. "You look none the worse for wear," she commented, slapping him on the back.
"Been discharged nearly a week," Hisagi informed her. "It's good to see you back on your feet, Rangiku. How's Momo-chan?" The Shinigami asked after Lt. Hinamori, who was severely injured during the battle. "I hear she was transferred to the 12th Division for organ regeneration."
"That's right," Rangiku said solemnly. "Hitsugaya-taisho is beating himself up about it, but… she's in good hands with Kurotsuchi's team."
"Ugh! You don't know how it pains me to admit that," Rangiku added with an exaggerated shudder, referring to the fiendishly weird 12th division captain.
Hisagi gave a slight smile at Rangiku's antics. Although worried about Momo and her captain, not to mention the death of her friend, Gin Ichimaru - former 3rd Division captain, she still managed a brave front. "Have you gone to see her yet?" the Shinigami inquired.
"I went, but…" she heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders, causing her breast to bounce and Hisagi's eyes were, naturally, drawn to the voluptuous mounds on display. "I mean – she's not even awake yet," Rangiku muttered.
As always, Hisagi enjoyed an eyeful of Rangiku's assets; however, it reminded him of another pair just as ample and soft, yet enticingly concealed.
"As long as you're there for her when she does," the Shinigami added meaningfully. Rangiku's situation with Gin was similar to his and Tosen's, and yet, Hisagi had no desire to open up to her or share his feelings, and it was obvious she felt the same.
"Yeah – thanks, I will." Rangiku dropped her façade for a moment, showing her softer side and then, suddenly, the wall was back in place. "So, what are you doing hanging around here?" she asked.
"Therapy," Hisagi was blunt. "Unohana-taisho felt it was necessary. My session just ended," the lieutenant lied smoothly. "I was on my way to the editor's office."
"Oooh… that's great," Rangiku laughed and hooked her arm through her fellow lieutenants'. "Let's go have a drink somewhere?"
"It's the middle of the day." Hisagi reminded her.
"So what.?" The 10th division lieutenant drew back, her blue eyes wide. "We need a schedule now to throw back a few?"
"Rangiku…" Hisagi began with a sigh, but his excuse was interrupted by a squeal of delight erupting from Rangiku; the Shinigami looked up to find her looking down the corridor at a group of individuals moving in their direction. Within that group was the woman Hisagi had been searching for the entire week.
"Isane-chan!" Rangiku waved, capturing the other woman's attention.
Hearing her name called, Isane peered around the two nurses walking in front and noticed her fellow lieutenant. "Ah… Rangiku-san!" she inclined her head, acknowledging her presence and held up a finger, requesting a moment.
Turning back to her subordinate, Isane briefly placed a hand on the shoulder of Harunobu Ogido of the relief team. The medic appeared to be instructing Harunobu, as her hands were animated as she spoke. Concluding her coaching, Isane gave her subordinate a shy smile and then turned to head in Rangiku's direction.
Hisagi noticed the exchange and felt a small jolt, watching Isane with Harunobu. The team leader was tall, handsome and a competent medic. He also spent a lot of time around Isane, but Hisagi had always known that, so why did it, all of a sudden, bother him?
"Ooh! You naughty girl," Rangiku tittered and moved forward to greet her comrade. "Ogido-san gets better looking each time I see him," the redhead teased. "Tell me, Isane-chan, what instructions were you giving the boy, hmmm?"
"Ah!" Isane gasped and blushed a lovely pink. "The things you say, Rangiku-san," she murmured. "We were just discussing… oh, Shuhei-san!"
Hisagi stepped forward, as the silver-haired medic noticed him for the first time. He watched as she clasped her hands together in front and bowed to him in greeting, her eyes casts to the floor. Even as she straightened, the woman still averted her eyes.
"Kotetsu-san," Hisagi returned the greeting.
"How are your sessions going?" Isane inquired politely.
"Troublesome," he answered.
"Boooring!" Rangiku chimed in, her eyes shifting between Isane and Hisagi. "Honestly, you two have known each other for ages. Why are you still so formal with each other? It's like were at a tea party or something. Lighten up, would you?"
"Isane!" Rangiku turned to the medic. "Shuhei was under your care while he was here, for heaven's sakes. Didn't you two develop some kind of nurse/patient bond?" The redhead included Hisagi in the question.
"Ah… well, that's not…" Isane stuttered, as Rangiku's comment brought back a memory of being held in strong arms and awaiting a kiss that never happened. Searching for a response, Isane turned to Hisagi and immediately regretted it.
Rangiku's comment had only enhanced the memory Shuhei had remembered the past week. The shinigami's eyes had narrowed to slits, as they roamed Isane's statuesque form, recalling every detail (what he could remember before passing out) from their last encounter. As she turned to him, he smirked at her heightened color, realizing she was also remembering.
"Leave her alone, Rangiku," Shuhei said, and then added. "You know Kotetsu-san's a bit shy. Unlike you, everyone can't easily connect to others, you know."
Although his response had saved her from answering, Isane bristled at Shuhei's assumption. Feeling offended, Isane whispered, "That's not true." Just because she had trouble conversing, did not mean he could label her an introvert.
"By the way, Kotetsu-san," Hisagi continued, with a glint in his eye. "My last night here you administered medication. Is there any way I could get a prescription for that… you know, to take home?"
"Medication?" Isane questioned. Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall.
"It was a sleep inducer, I think." Hisagi informed her. "It put me out like a light, and I had the most tantalizing dreams."
Isane's doe-like gray eyes grew wide, as she caught on to his reference and blushed to the roots of her silver hair. "Tha… that's only available fo - for inpatients," she stuttered.
"That's too bad." Hisagi managed to keep a straight face, although he was thoroughly enjoying the medic's discomfort. "It was some good stuff."
Isane gasped and, unconsciously, her hand fluttered to her throat. Clutching the collar of her Shinigami robes, Isane's scrambled brain could not come up with a decent rebuttal.
"Vice-Captain!"
Drawing her eyes away from Hisagi's mocking glare and Rangiku's puzzled expression, Isane turned to find 3rd seat Hanataro Yamada running towards them. The boy pulled up short and bent over, breathing heavily from his sprint from Capt. Unohana's office.
Hantaro was the leader of the 14th relief team. For one so young, he was a gifted healer and after his exploits with Ichigo Kurosaki, his talents were finally recognized by their captain.
"We have an emergency!" Hanataro finally managed. "On Unohana-taisho's orders, we have to report to the Rukongai – southern region, district 17."
"What's going on?" Rangiku asked.
"We're not sure yet!" Hanataro said. "We received a radio transmission from the squad sent earlier, requesting backup."
"The south region is mostly uncharted territory," Hisagi stated. "We're only familiar with the Inuzuri District; are you sure, Hanataro?"
"I'm sure," the boy nodded with confidence. He removed a slip of paper from inside his keso and waved it around. "The captain even wrote it down for me."
In a flash, Shuhei snatched the paper from Hanataro, but before he could read it, Rangiku plucked it nimbly from his fingers and handed it over to Isane.
"What do you think you're doing, Shuhei?" Rangiku demanded. "It's a captain's orders and not one from your division! What's with you today?"
"Thanks, Rangiku," Isane said and shot a glare at Hisagi before unfolding the note to read her captain's orders. "We'd better go," the medic said to Hanataro, once she was done and then turned to her fellow lieutenants. "We'll catch up later Rangiku… Hisagi-san." she bowed. "Come Yamada-san!" Both Isane and the boy strode quickly down the corridor and out of the barracks.
"What the hell?" Shuhei confronted Rangiku. "You know that territory's unmapped."
"It's an order," the redhead stated. "Unohana-taisho would never send her squad into danger. What are you so worked up about?"
"Never mind!" Hisagi brushed past Rangiku and walked briskly down an opposite corridor. "I'll ask her myself," he muttered, meaning Retsu Unohana – 4th Division Captain.
"Hey!" Rangiku yelled after his retreating form. "You promised me a drink!"
XxXxX
From the window of her office, Capt. Unohana watched the activity below. Isane was organizing a small team to accompany her and Hanataro to the Rukongai district. Both her vice-captain and leader of the relief team had enough skill and experience for this particular mission.
Stepping back, Unohana leaned on her desk and looked down on the map at the center. Her eyes fell on the red pushpin, which indicated the location of the last radio transmission from the research team dispatched, and she frowned. The area of the southern region was mostly wasteland, with a small population of residents.
The original team's mission was to retrieve the 'Melilot' plant, which only grew in that area. The plant contained properties of an anticoagulant that aided in thinning the blood to prevent clotting. Every three to four months a team was sent to collect the plants that grew wildly in the region. What could have occurred to delay their return and why did the team request back-up and medical relief?
A sharp rap on the door pulled Unohana from her thoughts and, pushing away from her desk, she moved to her chair, took a seat and bid entrance. The door swung open, Shuhei Hisagi entered, bowed and then turned to close the door behind him.
"Unohana-taisho," Hisagi greeted the captain and bowed again, remaining that way until the woman spoke.
"Yes, Lieutenant, what brings you here?"
"I understand you're sending a team to RS17," Hisagi stated.
"Yes… but what has that to do with you?" Unohana inquired.
"Ah… well, it's just little is known about that area of the Rukongai," the Shinigami began. "I happened to be present when Hanataro brought your order to Lt. Kotetsu and noticed you have no combatants accompanying them."
Unohana leaned back in her seat and her hands formed a raised steeple, as she made direct eye contact with Hisagi. "Is that… necessary," she asked, but before Shuhei could respond the captain continued.
"It is true not much is known about district 17, but this is not our first venture to that area. For your information, Lieutenant, we have accessed that area for holistic medicines for several years now," Unohana informed Hisagi. "And, for the record, my lieutenant is also a combatant. Kotetsu-san may not have your level of skill, but she is capable."
"I don't doubt that Unohana-taisho," Hisagi began, "However, events have occurred in the Rukongai in the past; we really shouldn't take any chances that something may go wrong."
Straightening in her seat, Unohana leaned forward, and her steeple hands rested on her desk. She closed her eyes and a beatific smile formed on her face, as she asked, "Are you questioning my authority, Lieutenant?"
Hisagi drew back, as Unohana's aura struck him. How could she smile so serenely, yet emit such a menacing air? There have been numerous stories from Shinigami regarding the 4th Division captain's angelic countenance which masked something much deeper and sinister. No wonder Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku never overstepped their bounds or challenged her.
"No captain, that was not my intent, " Hisagi answered and bowed respectfully. "I apologize for disturbing you." Hisagi stood and backed toward the door, but Unohana's voice stopped him.
"Have you ever heard of the 'Florence Nightingale Syndrome,' Lieutenant?" she asked suddenly.
"Ah… yes, I've heard of it," Hisagi responded. "I'm not quite sure what it is though."
"Well, to give a brief description, it's a condition where a caregiver develops feelings, romantic or otherwise, for their patient," Unohana explained. "In your case, I believe it is the reverse. But no need to worry, once you fully recover, those feelings will fade."
"Kotetsu-san has taken care of you, and you have now developed some feelings because of her nurturing," the captain continued. "You want to protect her, which is why you are sticking your nose into something that does not concern you."
Hisagi opened his mouth to deny it, but stopped, exhaled slowly and gradually relaxed. There could be some validity to Unohana's argument. Maybe this attraction to Isane was temporary, one that had relieved the stress he had been under the past several months. However, that did not alleviate his concerns.
"Since you're adamant about this," Unohana began, "I give you permission to accompany the relief team. That way you won't face reproof for disobeying a captain's orders."
Hisagi looked up surprised; had she read his mind or body language? Was it plastered to his forehead that the moment he left this room, he had planned to follow the relief team and ensure Isane's safety?
Unohana stood and motioned Hisagi to come forward. As he approached, she pointed to the map on her desk to reveal the location of the last transmission. "As you obviously already know," Unohana began with sweet sarcasm, "District 17 is a wasteland. The temperature is hot during the day, but once the sun sets, the degree will drop quickly and so low, not even raised reiatsu will be sufficient to keep warm. It's similar to the desert in the human world. That is my only concern at this time," she informed Hisagi. "Make sure the team is out before nightfall."
"Yes, captain!"
As Unohana turned back to the window, she looked down and noticed the courtyard below was empty. "Oh… it seems you'll have to catch up," she said. "Kotetsu-san's team has already left." Receiving no answer, Unohana turned to an empty room; Hisagi was gone.
End chapter…
Til next time!
