I do not own Bleach.

Chapter 8

Two days had passed since Kaien's visit, and the Kuchiki Mansion had been flooded with death threats and bribes from Kaien and Ichigo for the twins to release Rukia. They still believed that she was being held hostage, but they were dead wrong. If anything, Rukia was holding the Kuchiki twins hostages because of their unusual bond. Rukia wrote down everything positive about her and the Kuchikis' relationship for Kaien and Ichigo to understand why she planned to remain with them.

As she sat on her bed writing, a random thought crossed Rukia's mind. Neither of the twins were going to like it, but she decided that it was worth the risk. Rukia didn't care if they saw her move as reckless because this was for her friends. If her plan succeeded, then she would never be allowed to go anywhere without one of the twins, but that would be a burden she'd happily bare if her plan worked.

Leaving everything on her bed, Rukia went to her closet to find jeans, t-shirt, baggy hoody, and a hat. She looked like a walking clique from a bad spy movie, but the outfit would suffice. Her main goal was to get to the Shiba Mansion unnoticed. Lucky for her, everyone would think that Rukia was Karin or Tatsuki visiting Ichigo in her baggy clothes.

For the final touch, Rukia tucked her hair into her hat. She turned around to leave the room, but in her doorway stood Byakuya and Senbonzakura with deadly glares on their faces.

And so it begins! How could I not even make it out of the room without being noticed? Huh! Bad Rukia… Okay don't panic. Maybe you can make the boys see the light. Be reasonable.

"Just where do you think you're going dressed like that?" Byakuya asked her with a sneer of disapproval as he removed her ball cap.

"You know that you can't hide anything from us, Rukia. We know you better than you know yourself right now." Senbonzakura stated as the brothers closed in on the raven haired, young woman.

"That's because you both are STALKERS." She growled at the twins, who just smirked at the petite woman. Rukia rolled her eyes at their arrogance.

Of course, they are not going to make this simple.

"No, I just know how much those two idiots mean to you, so spill it, sweetheart. Tell us your plan so we can arrange everything for you." Senbonzakura countered as he ruffed Rukia wild hair.

Rukia sighed. She knew that she wasn't going to go anywhere with both right in front of her. They kept eying her and the doorway daring her to even try to escape. "You both know that Kaien and Ichigo have been idiots the past two days because of this engagement situation." Rukia threw a smoldering glare at Byakuya. "So, I am going to resolve this issue with them otherwise they will not give up and cause more trouble for us." She said trying to appeal to Byakuya's sensible nature.

"Well, I'll go with you!" The brothers said at the same time, giving each other a knowing look.

The raven-haired woman rolled her eyes at their eagerness. "Byakuya, you are the one who drove Kaien off the deep end in the first place so you are definitely staying." Rukia told the eldest twin in an icy tone, then she turned to the young twin because he was snickering. "Zakura, you are not going as well because you'll only stir up more trouble with the Shibas. Kaien may like you well enough, but Ichigo hates you. I am meeting both of them."

The men held Rukia's fierce stare willing her to submit, and she stared right back at them before explaining her reasoning. "Quit looking at me like that! Neither one of you are going because the appearance of one of both of you will solidify their belief that I am a prisoner. They must see me ALONE! Ichigo and Kaien have to know that I can leave whenever I want to, or else this drama will not end till you have an all-out clan war just because they think that they are saving me."

Byakuya walked up to Rukia and put a comforting hand on her should. "If you must do this, then take Renji with you. We want to make sure that you are safe, even if it's with your friends. You are an easy target alone no matter how smart or quick you are, Rukia." Byakuya told her. What he didn't tell Rukia was their worried that her clan would find her and snatch her away from them before they solved the murders. Even worse, they may kill her just to become the leader of the Murakami Clan.

Pleading amethyst eyes caused his heart to clinch slightly, but Byakuya remained firm in his words. "Byakuya, having another male tied to the Kuchikis present will only make matters worse as well." Grey eyes attempted to will her to listen to reason. Rukia sighed sensing his determination. "I'll call Shirayuki to see if she can go with me. Will that make you feel better?"

Byakuya removed his hand and answered her in a cold voice. "No. Zakura or I need to go with you if you won't take one of the body guards that I personally trained. I am assured the Shirayuki's good, Rukia, but her absence would draw unwanted attention to your visit at the Shibas. We are not ready for you to be spotted out there yet. We have to have a plan of action to announce to the world that you are back." It seemed logic wasn't working on either party today.

"Byakuya, aren't you being slightly paranoid? I am just going over to the Shibas and coming right back." Rukia asked him.

"Unknown people murdered your family, Rukia. Shouldn't you be more paranoid, or have you been lulled into a sense of security with Senbonzakura and I by your side? You know that you are leaving that comfort zone once you step outside the door without us." He asked.

"I will be fine at the Shiba Mansion. Ichigo nor Kaien will let anything happen to me. All they are going to do is try to convince me not to marry you. I want them to understand that I am marrying you of my own free will. They need to understand this for before everything comes to light."

"That is no excuse for you to sneak out of the house without us." Senbonzakura murmured as he and Byakuya shared a mental message. It was Senbonzakura's turn to try to reason with Rukia. "Are you trying to get away from us?" Senbonzakura asked as he nudged Rukia up against the wall.

She gulped. This would be erotic if it wasn't for the fact that she was about ready to strangle the thickheaded men in front of her. Why couldn't they understand that I have to do this?

Growling, Rukia retorted to Senbonzakura's question, "I am doing this for my friends and the future of my clan. The Shibas and the Murakamis have been friends spanning numerous generations. One of the main causes for this is our clans' hatred for other noble families, like the Kuchikis. This is why Ichigo and Kaien need to understand why I am staying her and why I agreed to marry Byakuya the other day."

"I don't know why they hate us so. We have an impeccable reputation." Byakuya stated as he came closer to her, but Rukia wasn't going to remained pinned to the wall by the brothers. His words earned him an icy glare from the amethyst eyed woman

"You're also a smart ass, Byakuya, who thinks he's better than everyone else." Rukia scold him, and the elder twin masked his shock at her anger. "What you both fail to understand is that marrying someone like a Kuchiki is the ultimate sin for my clan. It goes against what we were taught since we were little." Rukia whirled her icy glare on Senbonzakura when he snorted very unnobleman like. "And you! I expected better from you! Zakura, you know how the families are against one another. I excepted you to be the voice of reason here!"

"Rukia, we are just protecting you!" Senbonzakura countered as he crossed his arms in defiance. Rukia would have laughed at the pout that he was trying so hard to hid if this wasn't an important situation.

Byakuya next comment caught Rukia completely off guard. "Besides, Shiba seemed overly fond of you. It appears that Zakura underestimated Shiba's desire for you."

Was Byakuya Kuchiki jealous?

Rukia looked at him in shock for a moment before countering him. "Ichigo is fond of me as well, Byakuya. We have all been great friends since we were little!" Her companions huffed in annoyance that they were actually fighting a losing battle. Senbonzakura nodded at her words. He knew that the carrot top liked Rukia, but only as a best friend.

"It seemed like more than that…" Byakuya stated before Rukia stopped him from continuing. She had the twins on the fence, and she had successfully moved away from the wall slightly angled towards the door.

Rukia smirked slightly. "You know, at one point in our lives there was a glimmer of a chance for Kaien and I…" She trailed off watching both men squirm slightly, the she put them out of their misery. "But that was until he met Miyako. Now, Kaien is just being a hard-headed male, who is attempting to honor my father's wishes. He's willing to sacrifice his happiness for a dead man, and I am not standing for it. When I get through, he'll see the light - him and Ichigo both will. Then, they will even help us if we ask."

Byakuya liked and hated this side assertive of Rukia. She was one of the few who would defy him; yet, she was throwing her safety to the wind to give her friends some peace.

While Byakuya contemplated the little paradox in front of him, Senbonzakura leaned against the wall nearest Rukia muttering about the "stupid she-devil" under his breath. Byakuya smiled inwardly at how easy the petite woman made his brother crack.

Placing on a stoic look on his face, Byakuya tried to make her see reason, "What If they don't help you? What if they try to take you again?" The twins knew that there was a high probability of this happening.

"Then, I'll think of something off the fly! Besides, both of you have been following me around the mansion like something bad is going to happen ever since Shirayuki's visit. I have hardly had a moment's piece because I can always sense one of you." She yelled tired of this tedious conversation with the siblings, but neither twin looked ashamed. They were doing everything in their power to keep her safe and find the ones who orchestrated the murders of her parents.

"Well, you never know if anyone wants to kill you…" Senbonzakura countered in his nonchalant manner.

"In the damn mansion?" Rukia growled. She completely missed the hint at what Senbonzakura was giving her.
"I'm going and that's final." The petite woman moved towards the door, but a wall of pure muscle flashed before her.

Rukia put her hands up to brace herself only to have Byakuya wrap his arms around her holding her in place. He leaned down to where his mouth was right by her ear, then said, "If you want to go that badly, you can go, but only on one condition.

"Wh…What is your condition?" She asked a little breathless. Her heart was beating 100 miles an hour in her chest, while every muscle in her body was attained to the man who held her. She was completely caught up in the brother holding her that she missed Senbonzakura sneak out of the room.

"You have to sign marriage papers before you leave just as a precautionary measurement in case those dumbasses try anything." Byakuya told her with a smirk.

"Isn't that a little extreme?" Rukia asked as she tried to pry out of his hold until she saw Senbonzakura enter into the room heading straight for them.

When the hell did he leave? Oh, no! Byakuya did not just distract me so Zakura could go get the papers. Damn them…

"We both think you need to sign it, Rukia." Senbonzakura said as he held papers and a pen before her. She was contemplating on grabbing the pen and stabbing one of them, but Senbonzakura saw right through her. "I wouldn't try it, love. You'll just make either one of us angry, and you don't want to do that."

Rukia contemplated her options, but she thought that Senbonzakura was right. It was better to have a Kuchiki on her side than to have him pissed at her. "Gah... I hate both of you right now." Cursing their closeness, Rukia signed the damn papers to Byakuya and Senbonzakura's relief.

As soon as the ink was dried on the papers, Byakuya released his hold on her. Rukia turned faced the twins. "Don't think for minute that I agree with you about this. As much as I like both of you, this is a step in the wrong direction. Forcing my hand is not going to make your lives easier." She warned them.

"So noted, but at least you will be safe." Byakuya said with a straight face as Rukia stormed of the door.

Senbonzakura turned to his brother. "Did we do the right thing?" He asked unsure of their move.

"Yes, like you said before, we are the only ones who can protect her even if it's from herself." Byakuya replied as he thought about how he held her while ago. Her petite frame felt wonderful pressed up against his. He wondered if Senbonzakura felt the same way wherever her and Rukia sparred closely.

Senbonzakura noticed Byakuya shaking his head to rid himself of the imprint their she-devil caused. "You know, I wonder when she's going to figure it out."

"Hmm... What is she supposed to figure out?" Byakuya asked curiously.

"You try so hard to act like you don't like her, but we both know the truth. The alpha male stunt the other day in front of Kaien announcing that Rukia was your fiancée and forcing her to sign those papers showed just how much you care."

Byakuya refused confirm that Senbonzakura was right about his feelings for Rukia. The man knew him inside and out so it would be like lying to himself even more. Instead, Byakuya chose to reply, "Zakura, we have discussed this multiple times over the past couple of days. We determined that someone else was driving Shiba to look for Rukia. They've always been friendly judging from the reports and her stories, but she has become his obsession since the other day. I am concerned about this change in his behavior."

"Ichigo and Kaien have been sending threats, Byakuya. You must understand that she is like a sister to them, but Shiba was sincere in his motives. He wants what's best for her. I was there when he promised her father that he would look after his little "princess." Senbonzakura stated then he smiled, "But you claiming her as your fiancée in front of him set him off. He knows Rukia enough to see past her whole I'm-in-love-with-the-handsome-prince act. You two should have been more believable." He teased Byakuya with a nudge in the side.

"Well, at least she chose to stay with us." Byakuya concluded refusing to acknowledge Senbonzakura's taunt.

"True, but will chose us she after she knows our plans?"

"Yes, she will, but she'll be mad as hell." Byakuya stated with a smirk. Their little she-devil was so going to kill them for the next part of the plan.

"Since when is that anything new? I'm her favorite target on a daily basis." Senbonzakura laughed.

"Because you antagonize the woman…"

"Yeah, it's just such a shame that we have to go to such an extreme measure for part two. She basically married you a little while ago just to see her friends. I can't imagine what she's going to do to us." Senbonzakura told the mastermind of their plan.

"We have always liked a challenge." Byakuya said with one of his rare smiles. "Come on, Zakura. We need to go see if you remember everything about being a Kuchiki."

"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten besides I helped Rukia's father when needed."

"I plan to review everything and everyone with you. We have to make sure no one suspects we our plan, even Rukia.

"Kami forgive us..." Senbonzakura murmured as the brothers left her room. They were focused on keeping the petite woman alive at all cost.

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So Rukia and Byakuya are married now... What trouble do you think the twins will get into?