Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Chapter 3

Four days after his surgery, a groggy Senbonzakura reached the point of stir craziness. He never did handle being cooped up inside well or being under someone's thumb. Right now, the only thumbs he was under were Rukia's and his brother's. Don't get him wrong the petite she-devil wasn't the issue. He actually liked her taking care of him. His issue revolved around being in Kuchiki Manor and the foreboding talk that he had to have with Byakuya. Senbonzakura couldn't expect Byakuya to keep Rukia safe for nothing, besides he didn't understand the gravity of their situation right now. The only truth Byakuya knew was whatever he gathered from Rukia.

All these bottled-up feelings couldn't be good for someone who recently got out of surgery. He looked to his left to see his raven-haired "nurse". Black bags were under her eyes, and she was paler than normal. What did he really expect? Every time he woke up, Rukia was right there beside him, tending to his every need or the nurses woke her up when they came to check on him.

But enough was enough. He needed a break from this room, and possibly some alone time! What man in his right mind would run from the feisty beauty in the chair? Not many, especially with the background that she has. Maybe all of his eagerness to leave was caused her being so close, his brother, the elders that he had to face, or another of the other nine million things running through his head. Of course, all these slight bits of delusion could be from whatever the hell was in his IV and pain medicines, which he was forced to take on pain of death. Ironic, right? That was his little she-devil/part-time angel for you.

Since Senbonzakura was feeling good – yes, he knew that if was all thanks to the wonderful medicine that he was on - he attempted to climb out of bed only to have a startled wide eyed Rukia slightly shove him back down. "You're an idiot!"

"Rukia, move. I have to get out of here!" Senbonzakura said as Rukia took in his determined look.

"Stay your ass back in bed!" Rukia yelled at the poor man. With a deep breath to collect her calm, she said, "Dr. Unohana has not cleared you to walk, dumb ass. If you get up now, you could pull your stitches and mess up something else. I will not let your stupidity cause you anymore pain than necessary." She stood defiantly before Senbonzakura with her hands on her hips glaring daggers at him.

"No! I need to see my brother." He countered as he tried to get up again. Only his efforts ended up with Rukia sprawled face first in his lap. She was sputtering curses as Senbonzakura attempted to assist her, but he only made it worse causing her to end up back in his lap.

A throat cleared. "Am I interrupting anything?" Byakuya asked from the door. Of course, it had to be Byakuya who found them like that! Rukia was red as a beet when she realized their predicament. She scrambled to get off of Senbonzakura in a hurry. Only she hit his side.

"Dammit, Rukia! Be careful!" Senbonzakura complained.

"I'm sorry!" Rukia squeaked as she tried to find a rock to hid under. Just her luck, two of most attractive brothers to ever walk the earth, and she planted face first in one's lap while the other hid his snicker, probably thinking she was a high-class whore.

"Byakuya, what brings you here?" Senbonzakura slurred. Rukia threw him an evil glance. The man was putting on the druggie act, but he wasn't fooling her.

"Are you okay?" Byakuya asked his brother. He threw a glance at Rukia, but she was looking everywhere except at him.

"He's got a lot of pain medicine in him." Rukia explained to Byakuya when she finally met his eyes. "He'll live though." She said stoically.

"I'm fine, Byakuya! Don't listen to the little she-devil over there! She just wants to keep me drugged so she can do as she pleases with me." Senbonzakura stated with a smirk and a winked at Rukia.

You could see the steam pouring out from her ears. "Do you really think I need drugs to do that?" She growled at him. "But I'm sure Dr. Unohana would love to come check on her favorite patient since you're so loopy today, darling." Rukia threatened with an evil grin on her face. Two could play it this game.

"Rukia, do you really think…" Byakuya trailed off as Senbonzakura interrupted him.

"Honey! I'm great! Why would I need more drugs when I have you!" Senbonzakura smiled a Rukia with a lopsided grin.

"Zakura, calm yourself. Rukia is just making sure that you are getting well." Byakuya's calm voice brought Rukia a sense of peace. At least one of the Kuchiki brothers was willingly to cooperate today.

Taking a step back Rukia glanced at the brothers, but what she saw shocked her. Rukia's eyes kept bouncing back and forth between the brothers, like a game of tennis was going on before her. Her eyes just couldn't believe what she saw when she finally had them side by side. Sure, they always resembled each other, but she didn't realize how much just until this minute. They could be identical twins except for their hair lengths and their eye color. Her glaze lingered slightly longer on Byakuya as she finished analyzing the man.

Senbonzakura watched Rukia in amusement. "I think you have an admirer, Byakuya." A slim arm darted out from nowhere and slapped Senbonzakura upside the head. "Ouch! You'll damage some brain cells!" Rukia reached his side freakishly fast to the Kuchikis' surprise.

Rukia rolled her eyes at Senbonzakura's exaggeration. "Don't be such a smartass." She told him.

"Don't be such a bitch, RuRu." He slurred with a smirk. Senbonzakura watched Rukia's eyes darken in anger so he blew her a kiss. The plan was working. All he had to do was cause little ruckus so he could talk to his brother without her present, which meant pushing Rukia's "men are pigs button". She'll eventually forgive him – he hoped.

Poor Byakuya was confused as hell. Why would a man call his girlfriend a bitch and laugh about it? She hardly left his side as she nursed him back to health. This ungrateful being was his brother? Their parents raised them better than that.

"Don't just stand there, brother! Save me from the midget before she murders me!" Senbonzakura yelled as he noticed Rukia's hand starting to creep towards his ear. Honestly, Rukia was fine until he called her a midget. Her spot was always a sore spot for her.

"I am not a MIDGET!" Rukia lunged toward Senbonzakura to ring his neck, but she was hindered when a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Senbonzakura beamed a bright smile at the duo.

"You shouldn't taunt your nurse, Zakura. I won't always be here to save you." Byakuya stated as he gently set Rukia down next to him, but he kept a hand wrapped around her upper arm just to be on the safe side. The little spit fire was starting to get on his good side.

"She's so easy though… in more ways than one!" He suggested, quickly ducking as a shoe flew at his head. Byakuya's grip tightened around Rukia before she could slip out of his arms to rightly kill his brother. The damn idiot was signing his death wish.

"I am NOT easy! Be glad Byakuya is holding me back. I'd strangle you in a heartbeat! To hell with you being sick! Damn ungrateful man!" Rukia growled. Byakuya wanted to smile at the petite woman's tenacity. Not many people could handle his brother, but she handled him very well.

"If he keeps this up, I might just let you." Byakuya whispered in her ear causing Rukia to blush. He gently sat her down on the right side of him while Senbonzakura's bed was on the left.

Senbonzakura and Rukia had a stare off until her stomach growled. The room was filled with Senbonzakura's laughter while Byakuya stood there emotionless as Rukia looked away shyly.

"Go get some food, princess. You need your strength so you can keep up with me." Senbonzakura told her.

"I can keep up with your old ass any day any time, Zakura!"

Byakuya released his hold on Rukia. "I'll stay will him and makes sure he minds." He promised her.

"Are you sure?" His steel eyes held a hint to mirth at her question. "Okay! Fine. I will leave, but call me if he becomes too much to deal with. We can figure out where to hid his body later." She told him with a smirk.

"Don't say that, my love!" Senbonzakura called after her, his voice filled with laughter.

But another voice stopped Rukia in here tracks. "Stay in the manor, Rukia." Byakuya's voice was filled with a hidden warning. Stay hidden or you die.

"Don't worry! I'll be fine." She stated as she quickly slipped out of the door in search of the kitchen.

Once Rukia was out of the room, Byakuya went to sit by Senbonzakura. "I think it's finally time we talked, brother. But tone down the bullshit for me. You're talking being high on pain medicine a little out there. She knew it, and so did I."

"You're still the same old Byakuya – Mr. Know-it-all!" Senbonzakura complained as he crossed his muscular arms over his chest.

"And you are still the 12 year-old boy hidden in a 27 year-old man's body."

"Tell something I don't know." Senbonzakura muttered as he rolled his eyes at Byakuya.

"Don't tell me you're still sore about grandfather naming me the head of the clan." Byakuya stated as he looked at his younger brother.

"Byakuya, we have hardly talked for the past five years! Why not catch up first?" A huff escaped Senbonzakura's lips.

"It wasn't my decision to leave the Kuchiki Clan. Then you call when you're on deaths door."

"Hey! Grandfather asked me to give you time to learn the ropes without me being a distraction so I gladly obliged him. It's been a wonderful five years out on my own without the Kuchiki elders telling me what to do, who to see, and all that jazz. Byakuya they suck the life out of you, judging by your cheery personality. You used to be livelier than this, brother."

"Right now, I am here because I need to know what to do with the lovely Ms. Murakami. Everyone assumes she's dead or on the run, Zakura. What was your plan for her once you escaped?"

"Brother, my only goal at that point was to keep her alive even if it meant me sacrificing mine."

"You nearly did…" Byakuya commented.

A light look came of Senbonzakura's face. "I would have gladly died for the woman who helped me. She was my rock when I needed someone. Now, it's my time to be her's, but I can't do that in the state that I am in."

"Which leads me back to my original question, what do we do with Rukia?"

"We have to help her. I can't do this on my own, so I need you to step up even if you have a million of other things going on. Rukia has no one else that she can turn to! She's an orphan now, and many people will come after her for the power she holds in her small hand." All silliness left Senbonzakura as he talked about Rukia.

Byakuya noticed his brother's change immediately. Gone was the loopy man who drove his friend or lover away. He just hoped that Senbonzakura understood the price. Helping Rukia was going to cost the Kuchiki's a lot of blood.

"The elders will not like the Kuchiki Clan has to dirty their hands by saving the Murakami Clan." Byakuya stated stoically.

"Byakuya, she is the last direct descendant of her line." Senbonzakura pointed to the door where Rukia once stood. "That girl out there is the heir to the third largest clan in Japan. She isn't prepared for the world that awaits her. She needs to be protected from men and those who want to control her."

"Zakura, that woman, as you put it, is a survivor. Her will and strength is iron. She's incredibility brilliant, and she can hold her own in a fight. You saw to that! The first night, she would have killed me with her throw if I didn't have quick reflexes." He recounted.

"So you see the value in helping her?" Senbonzakura asked softly.

"I see it, but are you willing to pay the price?" Byakuya asked as the object of their whole conversation walked through the door. She looked happier than either man had seen in the past 4 days.

"What did I miss?" The lovely lady asked with wide amethyst eyes. The brothers just stared at her. One had a large grin on his face while the other remained stoic, but he was happy to see her none the less. Life seemed to be a lot more entertaining since Rukia arrived.

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