AN: Hello! It's already been a week since I last put up a chapter (already?!). This story seems to be rushing to a close a bit, doesn't it? It feels like the end of putting this up has suddenly jumped me. So… it's the penultimate chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! A few people asked about the people following them. They were no-one important, just Byakuya fans. Also, thank you for the note on how Hisana is in the character listings – I totally wouldn't have noticed for ages, especially since it is Kuchiki. H. Would have gone right by me. I'm glad people liked the wedding – it was fun to write, though I had to think for a while over how they would have handled it; simplistic. I tried to follow some traditions in a Shinto wedding, but I am by no means an expert. So, thanks again and here's the next chapter and – gasp – it actually follows on from the last. Ages ago it was originally going to be a very sad theme, but I changed my mind when I realised I only had two themes left and I wanted to include this. Only one more chapter! I'm actually feeling a little sad! Theme nine, chapter twenty-nine (geez, that is a lot) – onward!

9. Dash

Hisana awoke groggily, yawning widely and went to curl into a ball. Then she noticed the arm slung across her waist, while the other was thrown above its owner's head, hanging oddly. She wondered how he possibly found it comfortable. The information of what had happened yesterday didn't hit her like a brick of sudden realisation; it simply filtered into her mind and she thought, 'Oh, right.'

She lay there, quietly observing Byakuya for a while. Last night was the first time she'd seen him completely and up close. Thinking about it made her cheeks colour a little, but she told herself she was going to have to get over it – they were married now and it was probably going to happen a fair amount. That made her chuckle a little evilly.

Her mind wandered into various scenarios for a while before she checked the time. Eight o'clock. No wonder she felt groggy – she'd hardly got any sleep as it was, and when she had slept, she had kept waking up. Well, waking up wasn't the right word. She kept being woken up by Byakuya poking and hitting her. It wasn't on purpose – his arms just seemed to have some life of their own and consequently her head and body were caught in the crossfire.

"Eight o'clock…"

Something struck her. His arm had shifted again. That was going to take some getting used to.

"Byakuya…" she said in a sing-song tone.

She gave him an experimental poke. He woke up immediately. He eyed how his body was in a distinctly less-than-noble position and shifted into a semblance of neatness. Hisana laughed, shaking her head.

"I don't think after spending the night with you, you can get away pretending you sleep like the dead. Anyway, I thought you should know it's eight," she said with a bright smile.

He looked so beautiful. His hair was dishevelled and he had a look that told her he wasn't quite with it. She saw him relax and he reached out to draw her close to him. Hisana snuggled into his embrace, resting her head against his pale chest. If he wasn't bothered by the time, neither would she.

"Last night was," he began, pausing to think for a moment, "… something I will hold on to forever."

She tapped his chest lightly.

"I should hope so!" she grinned up at him and he smiled broadly; Hisana didn't think Byakuya quite had grinning in him at this time of the day. In fact, not even when he was fully awake. She had worked out there were many things Byakuya Kuchiki was, but a grinner wasn't one of them.

"I hope that Captain Ukitake doesn't mind you running late," she told him after checking the time again. With all the lazing around and chatting, it was almost twenty past eight.

Byakuya took this information in now he was waking up and noticed the time. Then he began what Hisana could only describe as freaking out. He almost leapt out of the bed, as if she had lured him there and began searching for the change of clothes he had brought in advance.

"Captain Ukitake… he wouldn't be angry, but I would be angry at myself. His assurance everything was all right is more guilt inducing than anything else…" he muttered, still hunting about the room.

Hisana climbed out of bed, pulling on the kimono lying over the room's only chair, and stilled Byakuya.

"Calm down. Your change of clothes are in the chest of drawers. I'll get them out for you while you go get washed. Alright?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if winding down, then focused his gaze on her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled and shooed him away to the bathroom.

She sorted his clothes out, shaking her head.

Hisana didn't mind the fact Byakuya was working only a day after their wedding. Technically, he was doing less work for a week than usual. She didn't want him to jeopardise his desire to become a captain, but Byakuya was not one to reject Captain Ukitake at his most passionate. Hisana wished she'd been present when Byakuya's captain had insisted that he enjoy some time alone with Hisana, for Byakuya's face when he informed her he'd 'had some duties relaxed' was something that led her to believe the event had possibly permanently scarred her then fiancé for life.

She hoped she would get to meet this Captain Ukitake someday. Hisana wasn't sure how she pictured him; all she had in her mind was a fragmented image of an old man, tall with severe features. But that didn't seem to fit in with how Byakuya had made the man come across to her. Really, it came down to how Byakuya reacted to people. He seemed far more uncomfortable in the presence of cheery people, and Captain Ukitake sounded the epitome of optimism. So really, she had no clue. But at that moment, she wasn't particularly bothered.

Hisana heard a lack of running water and turned to the en suite door, which opened. Byakuya strode out naked looking distinctly more composed that he had ten minutes ago. He took the clothes Hisana had sorted out with a nod and quickly put them on.

She followed him to the door, finding it hard to stop herself chuckling at how antsy Byakuya was.

"Try not to get too worked up over this. You'll put yourself into an early… rebirth?" she said, wondering exactly what would happen when she left the spirit world. Byakuya swiftly put her off her train of thought with a quick kiss.

"I'll be back this evening," he said, going to leave.

Hisana quickly gripped his arm and straightened his kenseikan. The thing was pretty difficult to straighten given how tightly it seemed to be stuck in his hair. Somehow she managed it and Byakuya gingerly touched his hair. Perhaps she'd pulled a little too hard.

"Don't go charming any ladies while you're gone," she teased and he looked affronted at the thought.

He dashed off, Hisana laughing at the slight blush on his cheeks. He briefly turned his head to narrow his eyes at her. His look told her she was going to pay with torturous pleasure for her laugh. Then he blurred and was gone.

Hisana gave another laugh, shaking her head at how he had looked, and retreated back inside.

If this was how marriage could be, then she was glad she took such a step with him beside her.