Thanks to SoldierG65434-2 for helping this story become my best work so far.

Chapter 11

As the Senkaimon doors turned back into spirit particles, Soi Fon took a step forward. She hadn't expected Yoruichi to be outside the house. In fact, for once in her life she didn't follow the rule of the Onmitsukido that one should always have a plan. She went charging into the situation without knowing what she meant to do. Mentally she scoffed. That's what she got for going with her heart instead of her brain.

Soi Fon opened her mouth to call out to Yoruichi, to say something. But then the woman looked up. Their eyes met. Her mind completely froze up. Soi Fon had faced things unimaginable to even the most hardened of soldiers. She had fought hollows, Arrancars, Fraccion and even the traitor Aizen himself. Yet now the sight of her ex-lover made her panic.

At the same time, Yoruichi was also surprised by Soi Fon's presence. She couldn't help but wonder why the woman would be here. After all Yoruichi knew that she was the one who had ruined the relationship. Shouldn't she be the one to rekindle it?

But Soi Fon was here. And that meant now was the best time to deal with their relationship. Besides, if she didn't take the opportunity now, there would never be a second time. Yoruichi sighed gently and pushed herself off of the front steps. She turned back to Ururu. "Goes inside and tell Kisuke I don't need him to open the Senkaimon, okay?" she told the small child. Ururu nodded and slipped inside, drawing the screen closed behind her.

That left the two of them outside alone. They both glanced up, eyeing each other. Again their eyes met. Electricity flowed between them. Finally Yoruichi spoke. "One of us needs to make the first move," she called across the lot.

Soi Fon crossed her arms and waited a moment before replying. She looked down at the ground where she was tracing a pattern with her shoe. After a moment of waiting she looked up and replied. "It should be you," Soi Fon stated. "After all, you're the one who ruined our entire relationship." The moment the words were out of her mouth she wished that she could shove them back in. "I'm sorry," she stammered, the shy girl of her youth coming right back out. "I didn't mean-"

Yoruichi shook her head slowly, stopping Soi Fon's apology in its tracks. "Yes you did. You meant every word of it." A sad smile spread across her face. "And you're completely right. I did screw our relationship up. But I want to fix it. I don't know if this is possible to do but I'm willing to try."

"I don't get it," Soi Fon said bluntly. "You're a beautiful, talented, intelligent woman. You could have anyone in the entire world. Yet for some reason you want to stay with me. I just want to know why."

"Why am I with you?" Yoruichi asked, her voice trailing off in the end. "That's a good question." The silence was unbearable. Finally she spoke. "We were separated for two hundred years. Every single one of those days was hell. Not because I was away from my home or my friends or my family. That I could easily deal with. The reason was that I was not there with you." She took a breath of air and waited for a response. Any response at all. But nothing came out of Soi Fon's mouth. She simply stared.

Yoruichi continued. "I know that this is the second time I've broken your heart. I don't expect you to forgive me for it. And I also know that it won't matter how many times I tell you I love you because of how many times I've hurt you. But please Soi, give me another chance."

Soi Fon didn't reply. Instead she was lost deep in her thoughts. Yoruichi was right. But she wasn't asking for much. Just another chance. Soi Fon had already given her chances to mend her heart. Both times it was broken again. "Yoruichi," she whispered. The woman looked up. "The first time you kissed me after our battle I was elated. It had been the thing I had dreamed of ever since I first saw you. To me, it made up for the hundreds of years of separation and I took you back with open arms. But there is nothing to convince me this time. Other then…" She paused as tears started to run down her porcelain cheeks.

"God dammit," Soi Fon cried, slumping to the ground quickly enough that she hit her hands on the pavement below. "Why am I still in love with you?" she shrieked. "Why can't I get over you?"

Yoruichi knew that she probably shouldn't go over to her. But emotion took over reason and she rushed over to her side. She put her hands on the trembling shoulders of the Chinese woman. The touch just made Soi Fon cry harder. In an attempt to calm her Yoruichi moved her arms to the front carefully as if she were a broken doll. The caramel skinned woman pulled her in close and rested her head on that of her former girlfriend's.

Soi Fon continued to cry as Yoruichi stroked her back. She cried until there were no more tears left and the sobs were replaced with hiccupping breathing. "I shouldn't want to be with you," she stated matter-of-factly.

"But you do," Yoruichi said. Soi Fon nodded.

"I do." She looked back into the golden eyes of the person she loved most of all. "Do you still want that second chance?"

Yoruichi gave a surprised laugh. "Yes, but I think it's more like third." The other woman smiled in response. "You would really take me back? Even after all I've put you through?"

"I'm willing to give it another chance. I don't know if it will work but I think we should try," Soi Fon suggested.

"I'll try too," Yoruichi said with a smile. "I love y-"

Her proclamation of adoration was interrupted by the sound of the shoji screen sliding open. "Soi-chan!" cried Kisuke as he exited the Shoten. Yoruichi watched as Soi Fon's expression changed from one of happiness to complete disgust.

"I see you've found a way to get to the world of the living without my help," Kisuke observed. "I feel like I'm unneeded," he added with a sense of fake melancholy.

"Oh be quiet," Yoruichi scolded jokingly. "Besides," she continued hugging her lover closer. "Aren't you going to congratulate us?"

Kisuke's tone quickly turned serious. "You can't celebrate yet. What are you going to do with the subordinates who did this to you?" he asked Soi Fon.

She smiled. "Don't worry. I know just what to do."


"Expelled from the Onmitsukido?" Reiko screeched with such a volume that it caused her fellow fan club members and Omaeda to flinch. "What the hell do you mean by that?" she demanded from the cowering second squad Lieutenant.

What was it with female members of Soi Fon-taicho's squads? Omaeda wondered. Are they as intimidating as taicho is? Finally he managed to stammer something out. "I just came here to tell you. It wasn't my decision," he said as firmly as he could.

"Yeah, lay off him Reiko," Haruto ordered. "He's just the messenger for Soi Fon-taicho." At that Reiko's eyes started to well up and she began to wail.

"This means I'll be separated from my only love," she cried. The rest of the room moaned.

"Reiko," Hoshiyo started putting a hand on her shoulder gently. "You need to get over this juvenile crush. You're not in love with her."

Reiko whirled and put her hands on her hips. "You're just saying it's not love because we're both women. You don't believe that love can happen between us."

Hoshiyo looked at her in the most peculiar way. "Are you kidding me? In case you're forgetting something, I'm gay too. For godsake I was the one who slept with another woman so you could get your way! I know gay when I see it. And Reiko, you're not."

"How can you say that?" she cried. "Have I not proved through my devotion to Soi Fon-taicho how much I love women?"

"That's just the thing," Haruto stated nervously.

"You're not homosexual," Shizuka said, speaking as she fiddled with her glasses. "You're Soi Fon-sexual."

The silence in the room was defining as they all waited for Reiko to speak. "Well," she began. The rest of the group wasn't sure what her reaction would be. But they certainly didn't want to be a part of it. They backed up. "If I'm only attracted to one woman in the world then so be it. But I swear to you," she said with a glint of fire in her eye. "I will get her one day and she will be mine."