Thanks for the response you guys gave me!
Disclaimer: Don't even ask.
::Flashback::
"Nii-sama!"
"You will attend, and be presentable. I will send a hell butterfly for you tonight. Sayonara, Rukia"
::End of Flashback::
After he left, I think I went into another round of shock. I sat there for a while, and after a few minutes Ukitake-taicho actually hit me. He hit me. It didn't hurt, but it worked. I stood up quickly, and began running around my room. There was so much to be done! I needed to do laundry and have a shower and... Oh what time was it? WHAT? Holy shit. I really had to move it. I only had 2 hours until the hell butterfly came. Of course I was guessing since he never actually told me what time it was coming. Just like Nii-sama.
I never noticed Ukitake-taicho slip out. Or run out. I had started changing right in front of him, and I think my shirt actually landed on him. Oops. I laughed to myself. Ichigo would think-
What the hell Rukia?
You couldn't think of him. Not now. You had to focus. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flutter of black come through the window I had opened for it. It was time.
I followed the butterfly, since I didn't know where I was going. On the walk, I was thinking about... him. I knew that was a mistake, but once I started I couldn't stop. I couldn't even say his name. And now I was going to a meeting about him. I was going to hear it. Talk about him. Maybe even see pictures of him. I couldn't do it. I can't. I turned myself around and started to run. Run away, just like I had been doing all along. I didn't get ten steps before I ran into a wall of pink. It smelled like roses. What the hell… I looked up, and I saw Shunsui-taicho grinning down on me. Shit.
"Yare Yare, Rukia-chan. You didn't last half as long as I thought!"
"You, you were following me?" He turned me back around and slung his arm around my shoulders. In my haste to leave I forgot to wear a sweater.
"Of course. It was your brother's idea." I quietly followed along, nodding to myself. He didn't think I would make it. So he sent Shunsui-taicho to make sure I did. I sighed to myself, thinking about anything other than him. Or the meeting. I thought about my friends, and how they used to come to see me everyday. Only I never said hi to them. Never let them in. I pushed them away from me. I pushed everything away.
::Flashback::
Knock Knock
"C'mon, Rukia! Come outside. We can practice together!"
Renji. I couldn't fight. It only reminded me of how many times he fought to save me.
"Rukia-chan. We understand what your going through. We all left someone behind in the World of the living when we died."
Kiyone and Isane. I wouldn't come out. They didn't understand. They would only pretend they did to make me feel better. That reminded me of how I had to lie to my human friends.
"Can I come in, Kuchiki-san? I, uh, I brought you some food. I made it myself!"
Inoue-san. I could hear the enthusiasm in her voice. But I knew of her unrequited love for him. I could see him in her eyes. I won't come out. Ever.
::End of Flashback::
We turned the corner to the first divisions barracks. That kind of surprised me. Soutaicho was in on this too? Wow…
"Well, here we are! We're kinda late, Rukia-chan, so we'll just sneak in…" I just nodded. My heart was beating fast. Tonight was the night I finally stopped pushing everything away, and walked into their arms.
R+R