When Renji finally left my cell, I just sat there, in shock. My eyes were wide, my jaw was nearly hitting the ground, and most important of all: My brother was coming to save me?! Since when did he care?! The last time I saw him, he was cold-hearted!
Or...was he?
With a sigh, I sat down, my back rested against the wall, and closed my eyes. I tried to think of how Byakuya acted last time we met; to picture the expression on his face, and to hear his words in my mind...but all that came up was Hisana. Thoughts about how, if I were killed on the day of my execution, I'd get to see my older sister again.
And then I began to wonder: Do I want to live...or do I want to die?
My eyes were still closed as I sat there, picturing Hisana. She was smiling at me, laughing softly; just so happy, as I remembered her. She never seemed to be a sad or angry person, just someone filled with so much joy. So much love, that she had to share it.
But my eyes flashed open when I heard my cell door screech as it opened slowly, and the memory of Hisana I once had in my mind, was gone.
"Who's there?!" I barked, glaring now, as I waited for the person to show their face; to step out of the shadows of the room. And, to my surprise, it was Byakuya.
Renji had been right.
He looked at me with the almost emotionless look he always gave me, and walked towards me. "Stand up," He told me. "We're going."
"G-Going where?!!" I stammered. What the hell was going on, and where was he planning on taking me!
I still didn't believe that he'd come to save my life!
He didn't answer me, though; just silently grabbed me by my left arm and pulled me towards him. And then, he began to drag me out of the cell.
"B-Byakuya-!!" I snapped, roughly shaking my arm to try to free it from his grip. "What the hell're you doing?! You can't just take me out of the cell!! What if you got caught trying to free me?! You could be locked up, too!!"
I was shocked to hear him say, in such a serious-sounding voice, "I don't care."
"Wh-What?" I gasped, my voice lower than before.
"I don't care what happens to me," He looked back at me slightly, then looked ahead again. "As long as you're safe."
Renji was right. And now I knew it! Byakuya, my brother, had actually come to save me, no matter the consequences of doing so!
And, as if to make sure I knew it, Renji's last words echoed in my mind, over and over:
"He's coming for you, Rukia...no matter what."
But what if I didn't want to be saved anymore? Byakuya would be wasting his time...and possibly, his rank...or his life...as well.
"Stop!!" I finally gasped, and he let go of my arm, turning to face me, as we stood on the center of the bridge that connected to my cell.
"What is it?" He asked calmly, looking at me.
I gulped, stared at him for a moment, then looked down slightly. "Wh-What if..." I mumbled. "What if I didn't want to be saved? What if I wanted to die?!"
He slapped my face after I said this, and his eyes narrowed into a glare. "Rukia!!" He hissed. "I will not have you say such a suicidal thing, like that!"
"Y-Yes, Brother!!" I mumbled, sounding completely terrified.
He sighed and closed his eyes, and after a minute, he hugged me. HUGGED ME!! What the hell was going on?!
"Rukia..." He said softly. "I've lost one important person to me already...please, don't make me lose another..." It almost sounded as if he was crying...but, was he?
And I knew, by the way he said this, that he was talking about Hisana. He already lost her to death...and he wasn't about to let himself lose me, as well.