Another Chapter. Enjoy!

-#-

Byakuya was standing on the mat as he started to go over his conversations with Gin. He replayed the conversation he had with to make sure he all the points memorized for future reference. He slowly closed his eyes and started to push the conversation out of his mind.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and saw his opponent. Kendo master Shunsui Kyoraku. He was Byakuya's Master, trainer, guardian and also co-founder of Byakuya's security group. He started training Byakuya when he was eight years old.

Flashback

Byakuya was a privileged child with a wild streak which he was left to be on his own. He had parents that did not care if he was home or not. He had no discipline or vision.

One day Byakuya wondering the streets on his own came into Kyoraku's gym. He actually stood at the window and watched the practices and matches all day. After a few days, Kyoraku went outside and spoke to him.

"Hey son, I have seen you here for a couple days. Don't you want to come in?" Kyoraku asked the child. He knew who he was because of his parents. Word on the street was the Kuchiki had a child that lived on the streets more than at home. Byakuya was the father's child not the mother's child. He was the result of an affair. It is rumored that Byakuya saw his mother die by his father's hand. It was believed that Byakuya has suppressed that memory.

"No," the young child said, "who wants to come in your old place."

Kyoraku knelt down and told the young child, "If you beat me, I will give you the gym." He stood and held out his hand. The young child grabbed it.

In the gym, Kyoraku easily defeated the child. He cried and Kyoraku wiped his tears away.

"What's your name little man?" Kyoraku asked as he dusted him off. He noticed bruises on his body. Both old and new ones.

"Kuchiki. Byakuya Kuchiki."

Kyoraku was not surprised that this child of privilege was in this area. "Well, let's go and ask your parents if they will let me train you so you and I can have a rematch."

Later that evening, Byakuya introduced Kyoraku to his mother and father. On their faces showed disgust.

"Byakuya, how dare you bring this low life in our home?" Byakuya's mother said.

Byakuya was trying to talk when his father spoke. "You know we do not allow these . . . . These type people in our house." He then proceeded to slap Byakuya across his face. This sent Byakuya to the floor. Then his father was about to kick him when Kyoraku grabbed his arm and jammed him against the wall.

"You will not hit any child in front of me." Kyoraku felt his anger rise as he looked him in his eyes. He held up his other hand and dared that woman to lay a hand on Byakuya.

"I do not have a problem hitting a woman," he said as he continued to look the father in the eye.

He turned looked at the fear in Byakuya eyes and smiled. He told him to go and get his clothes. He was coming with him. "Go. Now."

After Byakuya left the room, Kyoraku did not let go of the father.

"Parents like you do not deserve any children. All he wants is probably love. He had been coming to my studio for the past week. Did you know?" They had a blank look on their faces. The look on their face not only told him that they did not know but also they did not care. He cleared his throat and spoke.

"I am taking your son to live with me. He needs discipline. He need to learn how to fight and who to fight for. He need to be loved and learn to love. I will teach him. When he is ready to come home, he may or may not come."

Byakuya stood in the door with some clothes.

Kyoraku walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Your father agreed to let you stay with me. I going to teach you how to fight and protect the ones you love."

They both walked out of the mansion. Not to his surprise, his parent did not protest or try to stop him.

As time went on, Byakuya told Kyoraku of the beatings he received and the verbal abuse his mother threw at him. Kyoraku knew he got Byakuya at the right time before too much mental damage was done.

End of Flashback

The match between teacher and student went on for about a half an hour. Byakuya was a good and skilled fighter but today he was losing the battle of the mind.

His teacher knew that something was on his mind so he stopped the match and walked to him.

"Byakuya, what on your mind?" He waited for Byakuya to speak because he knew Byakuya is slow to speak because he like to use the least amount of word to describe a problem or issue. He also knew that if it was personal, he may not speak at all. "Well, whatever it is, get it out of your mind. You are on assignment and," he walked closer to Byakuya and whispered in his ear, "Gin is very much dependent on you and if she is anything like we discussed at our meetings, she has her own agenda in play." He walked away to his corner and looked back at Byakuya. "I will give you a minute then we will continue."

Byakuya closed his and inhaled slowly and released. After about a minute, Byakuya stood and got in to his strike pose. Kyoraku smiled and walked toward Byakuya. The match continued.

-#-

Gin and Rangiku sat outside at a corner café eating lunch. They had been shopping all morning. Gin was coming increasingly becoming more comfortable with herself. It was decide that Rangiku would spend the most time with her because Rangiku likes to shop and Gin is slowly becoming very close to her. This morning they went shopping for wigs, clothing both business and casual. When they got hungry they stopped at the café. As they were eating, Rangiku noticed that Gin had the smoothest skin on his arms. It did not show any cuts or scars. She needed to ask some questions to get information but not seem too pushy.

"Gin, I am admiring how smooth your arms are. You don't have any scars." She pulled up her sleeve and showed her the vaccine scar. "Your vaccine scar does not even show." She proceeded to point to her scar. (The year of the vaccine, all females were ordered to take the vaccine. It was to protect them from the effects of the chemicals used during the Great War. The vaccine worked but had a side effect that was discovered years after the vaccine was administered: it made all women infertile. The vaccine was ending life on earth.)

Gin looked her in the eyes and said, "I don't know why my scar does not show." Gin smiled and brushed the hair out of her face. She had on one of the wigs she brought. It was reddish blonde like Rangiku's hair but she had a clip placing it in a ponytail. Rangiku asked to look at the hair clip closer. Gin handed to her as she sipped her coffee.

It was purple stones in the shape of a butterfly. She saw that an odd stone that caught her attention. She gave it back to Gin because she saw her struggling to keep the hair out of her face.

They continued their discussion. "Gin, what are you going to do with those wigs and outfits."

"Well, I am just doing something I always wanted to splurge on wigs and lots of clothes. Aizen has been so nice to me and," she leaned closer to Rangiku, "he wants to marry me." Gin leaned back and smiled like a little school girl. She was about to say something else when her phone ranged. The caller ID said it was Aizen.

As Gin spoke to him, Rangiku continued to eat. When Gin hung up, she stated that they had to go to Aizen's office. He wanted to see her. "I got one more place I want to go before we leave."

They ended at a phone shop where Gin bought a phone case covered in rhinestones. She showed off her phone to Rangiku as they rode to Aizen's office. Gin proceeded to take off the wig and fix his hair and place the clip back in his natural hair. Rangiku wondered why Gin did not want Aizen to see her in that wig.

As they walked into the building, Gin was holding Rangiku's hand.

They walked in to Aizen's office. Gin saw Byakuya standing next to Aizen's desk. She spoke to him as she walked up to Aizen and give him a quick kiss.

Gin leaned on Aizen's desk as he sat down behind it. Gin was trying his best not to look at Byakuya. Rangiku noticed Gin's body language change towards Byakuya. It was like she wanted to convince him that she is in love with Aizen.

"Gin, I am going on a business trip to London for about three weeks. I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me or stay here."

Gin smiled and looked at Aizen. "If I go, I won't see you at all, so I am going to stay here. But when we go on the honeymoon, it will be just me and you." Gin smiled and as he leaned in and kissed Aizen.

Aizen agreed and asked Mr. Kuchiki to continue his duties and to call periodically with reports at the end of the week.

Byakuya bowed and started out the door. Gin called to Byakuya.

"Mr. Kuchiki, can you and Ms. Masumoto make sure my packages get to my room. Mr. Aizen will make sure I will get home." Gin smiled as she hugged Rangiku and whispered that she had a great day.

As Byakuya closed the door, he saw Gin showing Aizen her phone decoration.

While on the way to their headquarters, neither said a word. Upon arrival, they proceeded into the meeting room. They placed their phone in a container at the door and walked into a second room. There sitting at the table was Ukitake, Hisagi, Kira, Hinamori, Mandarame (field operative), Ayasegawa (field operative), Hitsugaya (field operative), Ichigo Kurosaki (cyber security) and Rukia Kuchiki (cyber security). At the head of the table sat Kyoraku. Byakuya sat next to him and Rangiku sat next to him.

As the doors closed, Byakuya looked at Rukia and nodded. A loud click was heard and then a green light cam on over the door. That was their queue that the room was secure. Rukia nodded to Byakuya to go ahead.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the meeting proceed."