"Urahara! Make yourself clear! What do you mean Aizen knows about R? Has someone been giving him information?" Rukia turned on Urahara, panicking.

"Calm down, Rukia. That's what he is here to explain," Byakuya awkwardly put his hand on her shoulder, making R smile a little, and Rukia blush a lot.

"I-I apologize, nii-sama. So Urahara. Tell us what you found out."

"Hmm. I recently found out that Aizen has tapped the whole of Soul Society," Urahara started. "He used reversed bakudou no.77, tentei kuura, and masked it with a higher level bakudo chant, such that news in Seireitei would reach him. All of our comings and goings, progress, meetings, everything is flowing as information into his hands."

"This is bad," R muttered. Rukia looked to her, eyes wide with shock. "Soul Society simply cannot afford to give him information, especially of our progress into his objectives."

"I have undone the spell and made sure that he is cleanly cut off from our proceedings," Urahara continued. "It seems now the Gotei 13 has to decide on their course of action fast, before Aizen makes his next move."

"But Aizen will wait. He needs to—" R cut herself off before she revealed any more, afraid to jinx her own words.

"R, it's not too late for you to come clean and tell us everything you know is going to happen," Byakuya said, staring intensely into her eyes. "Gotei 13 could arrange for your protection, if that is what you are worried about."

"Byakuya san, I knew exactly what would happen, till the moment I was transported here. The story I read and watched did not include me. Now it's really a gamble what Aizen would do. I don't want to claim something which would steer this situation into another course of disaster."

1st squad guards suddenly found themselves outside the quarters. "We have come for R," one of them said, after duly greeting Byakuya and the others.

"She is recovering from a recent attack and needs to rest," Byakuya said, authority dripping from his voice, as the rest stared at him in shock. The captain of the 6th squad was… not rushing to obey the sou-taichou's orders?

"Kuchiki Taichou Sama, we have orders to collect her immediately for a meeting with the sou-taichou. These are direct orders and cannot be defied," the shrouded man stood his ground.

Byakuya turned on his reiatsu. "Do not make me repeat myself. In her current state, the ryoka would serve no purpose to the sou-taichou. You have my word that I'll personally bring her to him in the morning. You may now leave."

"But… Kuchiki taichou—" the man was interrupted by his fellow guard, who silently shook his head. This man now spoke, "We understand, and shall report to the sou-taichou accordingly." They dispersed.

"Urahara, I would like you to report to the sou-taichou along with R and myself," Byakuya said, turning to Urahara. "If there is nothing more, all of you can leave."

Watching Rukia, who was the last to leave, shunpo away, R turned to Byakuya. "Byakuya san, I don't understand why you wouldn't let me go see the sou-taichou. Perhaps this would all be resolved if I just tell him everything I know. I just need him to convince me that this is the right thing to do."

He looked at her questioningly. "I can see you are frustrated. But do you think it is the right thing to do?"

She looked away. Who would've thought the day would come that Byakuya san would ask for her opinion? "I don't know," she answered honestly. "There are things that need to happen. The flow of the story happened to be a certain way for a reason. I'm assuming you can guess that I'm implying this has to do with Ichigo's development. He will remain Soul Society's trump card."

"R. Whether knowingly or not, your refusing to give out any information has proven to be excellent foresight, considering the fact that Aizen was watching us all this time. If you had told us what would happen, things may already have changed. And ask yourself, would Ichigo's development have been a pressing issue for Aizen if he had found out that Soul Society had unraveled all his plans?"

R shook her head. As much as the ex-captain had a perverse interest in Ichigo's growth, Aizen had never truly considered anyone's existence to be beyond reason for him to attain his goals. He would've destroyed Ichigo, if Ichigo were to go to him without his almost invincible mugetsu. That surge in Ichigo's power had given Aizen that little bit of camaraderie with Ichigo, finally.

"We may have prevented a disaster by not revealing to Aizen what I know, up to this point," she said. "You are right. If he thought it would ruin his plans, he wouldn't think twice before destroying Ichigo. Even if things need to happen a certain way, I need to have faith that changing the course of fate would make it better, not worse." She looked at him with clearer eyes. "I need to speak to the sou-taichou as soon as possible."

"I already informed that to the Squad 1 guards, in case you weren't paying attention," he frowned at her. "Just not with you in this state. That power surge has left you weak."

Weak enough to want to fold myself into your arms, she thought. She gazed at him, the lamps' light dancing off his silvery eyes, his permanent frown, now focusing on her as if she was the only person in the whole world. He was probably only doing his duty, but his concern for her well being touched her heart. In all honesty, he was the first and only person who cared what happened to her, in the whole of Soul Society.

She was suddenly aware of how close they were sitting. His reiatsu was bouncing off hers, inducing a shared warmth between the two.

"Thank you, for telling the guards that you will bring me to see the sou-taichou once I felt better," she said, looking deep into his eyes. "Thank you for caring enough to do that." She noticed his eyes falling on her lips as she spoke, his gaze turning hot.

"You're making me uncomfortable, onna…" he trailed off, brushing stray hair from her face. The irony, she thought as she shivered at his touch.

He suddenly regained his composure and stood up to leave. R stood too, and called him back as he turned to the door. "Byakuya san… I may be being foolish and entirely human, but… I could use a hug right now." She blushed as he turned back to her, panic and confusion a stricken mess on his face.

"I hope you remember that you're speaking to the leader of the Kuchiki clan," he monotoned. But how is my fictional lineage going to do anything to diffuse this situation?

"You're right. I apologize for my intrusion," she replied, masking her disappointment. "Good night, Kuchiki taichou." She walked toward the lamp to blow it out.

Something snapped in him, the way she had said, Kuchiki Taichou. In a millisecond, he was behind her, and he enveloped her in a tight hug. She gasped in shock, but he didn't let go. "Shh" he shushed her when she tried to speak. "Stop making me do things that are not right for me, R," he murmured, his face buried in her neck. His lips moving to speak against her skin, made her melt deep in her belly. She placed her hands on his, around her waist. His body responded to her consent, and he pushed himself firmly into the hug, both ignoring their physical reactions, for the comfort of their emotions.

So this is what it feels like, to be protected, she smiled. She leaned back into him, as they held each other in silence, for a long time.