OMK! A f**king chapter! Damn, I'm good. =D

LOL, nice to see you guys again, enjoy the continuation!

Chapter 3:

He Didn't Deserve This

"Renji!" The 9th Division Fukutaichou Hisagi Shuhei called after his long time friend Abarai Renji.

"That's complete bullshit and you know it!" Abarai yelled out aggressively. Stopping abruptly and swinging around to meet Hisagi face-to-face he lowered his voice a fraction as it filled with pain. "He wouldn't just up and leave everything without a single word. Not even for that white-haired bastard!" Renji's face went sullen and bitter as his voice dropped to a whisper. "He just wouldn't, Shuhei… He wouldn't…"

"I know he wouldn't, he's changed too much since then, but… I mean, he's been gone for four months now, Renji-san… And, well… that letter, it was in his writing…"

"He was set-up, dammit-all!" Abarai roared furiously at the other as others jerked their attention to them. The red-head was near hyperventilating as he stared down the sad yet calm Hisagi. The dark-haired youth found it hard to see his long time friend so hurt, so afraid that his lover had returned to his first. Hisagi knew Kira wouldn't do something like this. At least, not something like this with just anyone. But somehow it seemed realistic when putting in Ichimaru Gin as the y-factor. Would Izuru really run off with that man after everything that had transpired after the whole Karakura Town incident? Hisagi lowered his gaze from Renji's burning eyes, he couldn't take all the hurt and anger pooled inside them right then.

"I'm sorry, Renji-san… I just…" He sighed heavily as he thought of something to say. "I've know Kira just as long as you, but, he and Ichimaru were long-term lo-" before he could finish Abarai connected a thick fist to his left cheekbone., snapping Shuhei's head to the right, a startled look over his features.

"Don't you dare say what you were thinking, you son of a bitch," Renji ground out quietly, yet very effectively. The murmurs and whispered collected about them as they stared each other down with violent leers. Eventually a soft, delicate hand laid itself on Hisagi's right shoulder, squeezing tenderly. He jerked his head to see its owner, Unohana Retsu. She smiled tiredly at him, and then turned her attention to the other.

"The Captain's Meeting was explosive enough for one day, was it not, Abarai-san?" She asked without much mare in her voice. Renji's face became ever slightly bitter at the memory flash. He knew he shouldn't have said such things to the others, but he knew that Kira would never do what they were all suggesting and saying. Running off was not his style. He was more brave and sincere then others gave him credit for. Renji knew this. He knew his beloved.

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"Oi! Ichigo!" The red-headed man bellowed as his tight fist threaded repeatedly on the apartment door. He heard a sound – a deep groan of sorts- as the lock clicked and the handle turned, opening the door to reveal the obviously recently awoken Kurosaki Ichigo, still in his black tie-string sweat pants with no shirt. As the youth's thoughts were placed right in his still sleepy mind he realized it was his long time friend.

"Renji! Did they find where they are? Are you going to get-"

"They said that everything indicates he's 'left on his own accord.'" Renji looked down with a look of bitter disgust. "Lying bastards…"

"I'm sorry… Do you, I mean, you can stay here. Rukia won't mind. You know her." Ichigo smiled lopsidedly. Abarai looked at his friend for a beat, considering.

"I didn't come here for a place to stay, Ichigo…" The orange-haired youth's expression dropped as he sighed.

"Yeah. I know." Ichigo backed up and lifted his arm as an invitation inwards. Renji paused a moment before inclining his head and going in. As he was taking his waraji* off he spotted a tired looking Rukia sitting on the sofa, yawning in a red robe tied above a ripened belly. Abarai couldn't help the smile that etched its way on his face so he looked back down as he took his sandals off. They made a great couple and would make even better parents. Ichigo pressed pass the other redhead as he went over and asked if his lover wanted anything. Rukia gave a shake of her petite head as she stretched her tired muscles. It wasn't too early, but the sickness the baby supplied had kept her up half the night. And thus she kept Kurosaki up as well. After all, they were a loving couple whom shared everything.

Renji set his waraji next to Ichigo and Kuchiki's shoes on the mat before moving into the small living space. It was a small single room apartment they were living at to save money up for a house to move into when the baby came. It was still hard to believe Rukia agreed to come to the World of the Living instead of having Ichigo go to Sereitei. But somehow Renji was sure one heated brother-in-law named kuchiki Byakuya was a prime reason as to why the orange-haired stayed. Plus his father and other family had become as close as any other that Rukia had known. And the others were supportive just as much as a family would be. Even one Urahara Kisuke has put in his share of help for the youthful couple. Which was saying a lot for the busy man. Housing Visards was a full-time job and a half. Add in one child named Nel and a handful of Mod Souls, that place was in the grad school for insanity.

"Hey, Renji." The dark-haired girl smiled lifting the soft dark spots from under her eyes momentarily. She moved a little and patted the cushion to her left. "Come on, sit down. It makes me nervous when I have a bunch of guys standing around. Especially one that's attempting to cook-"

"Hey! I heard that, dammit-"

"So? You nearly burnt the kitchen down last night!" Rukia retorted. It wasn't as vicious as comical coming from her. She looked back to the red head in front of her. "He was trying to make some gyōza. It needed to be fried." Rukia said in way of an explanation as to how any fire may have been started.

"Uh-huh…" Abarai just stared down at her petite, pregnant form. She huffed in a cute way and patted the cushion slightly more harshly.

"Sit already! You're our guest and friend!"

"Geez, alright, alright!" Renji exclaimed dramatically as he deposited himself in the seat next to his long time friend. Almost as soon as he did so her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she directed his head to lay on her shoulder as she held him close.

"You look so sad, so hurt…" She whispered, her arms tightening around him protectively. Renji swallowed thickly, trying hard to suppress a cold, hard lump sneaking its way up his throat and the heat at the edges of his eyes. As the girl whispered soft words the bigger man couldn't hold back anymore. As he broke into a broken sob that was shortly followed by tears Rukia kept her arms about him as a protective lock. Ichigo knew not to bud-in after that. Renji still had his pride. Kurosaki sighed as he kept at the cooking, trying to ignore the sobbing mess his best friend had become in his lover's arms.

*Waraji=Traditional Japanese sandals, they tie about the ankle sometimes.

Hope it is ok. I re-read the first three chapters so I'm trying to make the story better.