My sincere apologies that I haven't put new chapters up in months. I wanted to get farther into the story in actual writing. New chapters will be uploaded! Read! Reviews! It's gonna be good! 3, Rain

The next few weeks in the 10th division were like songs on the radio that never changed. Everyday I would be angry with Toshiro because he treated me like crap. He would be mad because I would back-talk him and be uncooperative, so he gave me more things to do and I would be unhappy about it. Nothing changed. I didn't hope for this. I didn't want this. The days as his lieutenant were supposed to be glorious. I was wrong.

Toshiro missed Rangiku more and more but he knew there was nothing to bring her back. Now he was stuck with this girl with a bad attitude. When he picked her, he thought things would be different. Things should have been better. It was too late to change her to another squad now.

The morning was started out as routine. I got up, grabbed an origini* and went to go get my daily hell chores. Without knocking as usual, I entered into his office and took a stack of files that was already signed and approved on his desk, replaced them with another stack and was beginning to walk out the door to deliver the ready files without him even glancing up but something today did change. I was taking a bite of my origini with the file under my arm and one hand opening the door when Toshiro called my name. I almost got caught unbalanced. Is he going crazy?

"Come here," he ordered. I almost protested but if today I had a chance to do something different, I would take it. Shoving the remaining clump of breakfast into my mouth, I walked over to the front of his desk and eagerly waited for him to speak.

"I need this files delivered directly to Kuchki-taicho*. Not his lieutenant. Directly to Kuchki." He repeated as if I couldn't comprehend. I guess some things don't change that dramatically in two minutes. Handing me the files he looked up at me, his eyes that caught my breath in my throat locked with mine for the first time in a week or two.

"Please don't show him the disrespect you give me," The fact that he said please was a good enough reason to make me gawk at him but for him to not bark it in a sharp tone added some more emphasis on that reaction. Regaining my composure I gave a quick smile and almost too bubbly said,

"With pleasure," I seemed a little springy when I left his office and headed to the 6th squad barracks. Maybe things were going to look up. And maybe just maybe, I would get the glory days of being the 10th squad lieutenant that I wanted.

Something told me to look back at Toshiro. I did. And what I saw burned my hope a little brighter. He was shaking his head, continuing his paperwork. But what caught my attention was the small but noticeable smile on his face that gave away the thought; maybe he's thinking the same thing.

"What do you mean he can't see me, Renji?" I was becoming impatient. After I arrived in the squad 6 barracks, I had to ask three different people for the Captain's office. When I got there, Renji wouldn't let me in.

"He's not taking any visitors today." He said calmly and leaned against the hallway that was a few feet from Kuchki's office. I had the files in my hand and I slammed them into Renji's chest. He looked down into the hard stack of papers crammed into his chest and then met my eyes. He was amused.

" Look I don't have the time for this crap! Just tell him I'm going in and open the damn door! Orders from my Captain!" Slyly grinning, he shrugged and started down the hall. Before knocking on the door, he glanced back at me and said,

"Why didn't you just say so?" Sweat rolled down my forehead which was creasing in anger. I waited, tapping my foot against the floor as I listened to the mumbling of their voices. That jerk. I only met him once and he's acting like a jerk! My attention turned back down the hallway and I saw Renji slipping through the door mumbling under his breath. I guess not all the squad lieutenants get along with their Captain's. His eyes lit up a slight bit as he saw my still angry face.

"He'll see you now,"

" Yeah I noticed," I rolled my eyes at him and brushes past him as I made my way to the door. He called my name when I stood just outside. I turned back around and his smile turned from a wolfish grin, to a genuine smile.

"I'm mean to all the newbie's. Get used to it." In Renji-world that's probably his way of apologizing, explaining his reasons. People like Renji, people like me don't have the heart to be cruel but we don't have the softness to let others see our kindness. We show it in weird ways but we show it, that is what really counts. Outsiders are subject to that trait. I know Renji's story. I feel for him because he lived a life similar to mine. But the hard truth was I had no one to get through life with but myself. He had Rukia. I had my shadow. Renji was trying to tell me, he didn't want me to be an outsider to me and if he seemed mean not to take it to heart because he meant well. He's going to let me in as a friend and fellow lieutenant. I can try to do the same. But I don't know the outcome.

This time Renji walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of the hallway, staring back at him.

"Enter," Kuchki called from behind the office door. Doing as told I stepped into his office which was much like Hitsuagaya's but the sofa was missing and replaced with a small table accompanied by two antique-ish chairs. Probably old family furniture. There was one thing I noticed about his office. Kuchki was a neat freak. Everything was well organized and alphabetized compared to Toshiro's office. Any office is neater then Histugaya's. Book shelves lined the walls with one in back and one to each side so it looked like he was in an open box of books. His desk was there, plain but elegant with an organized top filled with papers that were also organized. OCD much? He cleared his throat and I stopped my sightseeing. The room was very dim. The only light was from under the crack of the door, the semi-opened blinds of the window that was in a cut-out square of the book shelf behind him and a lit lamp that wasn't doing a very good job of lighting. I focused on his face and waited for my vision to acustom to the dark. When they did, his hair almost blended in the dark except for the shining of the silver lining in the black. (I have no idea what those silver tubes in his hair are XD) He was sitting without slouching. His head wasn't bent over his work, only his eyes looked down. Typical noble behavior.

"Kuchki-taicho. Sasaki, Karidi desu*, Squad 10 lieutenant," I bowed and when I straightened back up his eyes were on me, studying me. Unlike Toshiro, his eyes were empty, hallow. I looked away and settled my eyes on the files in my hand.

"Bring them to me," He said. Like his eyes, his voice was emotionless yet calm. I shuffled to his desk and struggled to find a place to set the files down. He put his hand out, palm open wide. I set them in his hand, brushing his covered-palm slightly. He placed them to other side of him. He was about to go back to working but he stopped, put his pen down and scooted his chair back a little to look at me as I walked back to stand before his desk.

" Karidi-san?" I nodded my head, gesturing for him to go on.

" How is squad 10? Everything going alright?" I was about to tell him that everything was fine but Kuchki wasn't someone that you could lie to.

"Not really. Things are rough for my Captain and we try to get along but…it's not really working," He kept his blank eyes on me. I wondered what he was thinking up there.

" I know you're a strong girl Karidi. I would have placed you in my own squad but Hitsugaya got to you first. And lieutenant, that's a big position."

"I can handle it," My tone had a streak of emotion in it. For a split second I saw a glimpse of something in his eye but it faded as quickly as it came.

" We'll see about that." He looked back down at his papers and began working again."Your dismissed," I turned to leave. Kuchki looked up.

"Karidi-san," I glanced over my shoulder at him.

" A captain without the trust and assurance of his lieutenant can be his downfall. The lack of respect and encouragement from a Captain can make the lieutenant care a little less about watching their captain's back." I wonder if this was Renji and his somewhat relationship. " Don't let that happen to your squad. He can't afford for his squad to fall apart again. If you really try, he'll try too," I gawked at him. Kuchki doesn't usually act like this. Kuchki rarely talks at all. But the fact that he would do something out of the ordinary to reassure me made me feel important and not a complete failure. I try to keep my emotions hidden from people, sometimes it works, sometimes it backfires. Letting people see my weak is a thing I can't stand. I grew up teaching myself to be strong, to be a survivor. Emotions get you nowhere when you grow up like I did. But I was here. I was a lieutenant for Squad 10. I had a few friends. I wasn't alone anymore. I didn't have to hide myself from the world because I thought no one wanted to see me. I mattered here. I smiled at him and continued my action of walking out of the door and headed back to the squad 10 barracks with the satisfaction that I was making an effort to set things right.

Byakuya watched her leave and sat there staring into space for awhile. She has a story. But a new one will be made.. Regaining his posture, he continued his work but this time his eyes seemed a little brighter then when before Karidi entered his office.

Kuchki: Don't think that just because I talked to her you get to make this a ByakuyaXOC

Me: Why would I do that ? I don't even like you that much!

Kuchki: I'm your number 3 in your 10 hottest bleach guys

Me:….That doesn't mean anything! *cheeks turn red*

Kuchki: *smiles slightly*

Me: *fights fan girl squeal*

Kuchki: *runs a hand through his hair and strikes a pose*

Me: AAHHHHHHH KAWAII!!! *glomps byakuya*

Kuchki: NO! NOT THE GLOMP!!

XD!!

Origini: Rice ball. Food in Japan

Taicho: Captain

Desu: roughly means "I'm" Ex: Rain desu ( I'm rain)

NEW CHAPTERS WILL BE OUT SOON!!!! REVIEW PLEASE! READ! I NEED SOME OF EVERYTHING!!! 3, RAIN