Chapter 3 – An Escape Plan

Spinning, spinning and spinning was the new proposition that the so-called "Ichimaru Gin," had given her.

Am I going crazy? She thought—Or just cracking under pressure like Renji suggested? Or wait; don't tell me it might be the same damn thing?! Either or, I've got Orihime to hate my gut—Ichigo to avoid me—bad mouthing Nii-san to the point that he never wants to talk to me again—and I'm drinking sour milk and I don't give a rat's ass if it tastes weird or even if it's bad for my health.

Rukia threw her bowl into the sink that was piling up with dishes.

As the days go by, it's all getting worse and worse—what do I have to lose?

It was two weeks since the event and Rukia was walking along the halls of the hospital ward as she looked for Dr. Urahara to hand him some papers.

"Oh Hiiiii, Rukia-chan!"

Her ears perked up at the sound as she turned and spotted in one of the rooms she was about to pass, the familiar fox-faced patient. Without considering the risks involved, she walked right in his room. He sat propped up in his bed, his restraining jacket still keeping him immobile and virtually harmless.

"I've given it much thought," she told him.

"Huh?" Gin gave her a look filled with confusion and innocence, "What are you talking bout?"

Her face fell as her eyes registered a look of horror.

"Ya really gonna believe what I say? I don't remember what I told ya, sorry."

She backed off; she had the dire urge to screech out in frustration.

"Just kiddin!"

"Arrhhhh!!!"

"kukukuku… gotcha real bad—didn't I?" He grinned mischievously.

Rukia shook her head; for sure she wasn't going to listen to him at all.

"Are ya leavin?" He gave her a sweet apologetic look, "I'm sorry," he began, "Ya look so upset, so serious… thought I'd make ya laugh." He frowned a bit and Rukia started have second thoughts.

He was trying to cheer me up? Do I look that miserable, to even have an asylum patient cheer me up?

"Rukia-chan, come stay…" he begged sweetly.

The next thing she came to realize, she closed the door and untied Ichimaru, setting him free from his bindings.

He reached out a sleeved hand and petted her head lovingly.

"You're a good girl, Rukia-chan," he sang, "A very beautiful girl," he added as that sleeved hand cupped her face before slipping away.

As mean, as sarcastically as those words sounded; they slipped into her mind as she slowly closed her eyes. When was the last time she had received a comforting pat, a tender touch?—even if it was half-hearted it felt warm, inviting almost.

Without warning tears seeped out the closed eyelids. That sleeved hand returned and wiped them off.

"There, there Rukia-chan, I'ma be here."

She fled from her chair that was pulled up to his bed side into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. She didn't cry, rather she just remained there clinging on to the fancy that she was loved, even if it was by a mad man. A mad man who held her while his mind raced and tied together plans and the 101 roles she was to play in it.

"Again. Ah-gain!" rasped Mayuri one day. He was in the hallway with Nemu behind him who pushed a cart filled with needles and medication.

"What's supposed to be the problem, Mayuri?"

Kisuke Urahara happened to turn around the corner to spot the frustrated doctor and his daughter.

"Urahara—he's supposed to be your patient, not mine. So please keep track of him."

"What do you mean?" the blonde playfully smiled.

"This is the seventh time I've found him untied, and seven times I had to come in and tie him back. I'm working on new garments—would like for me design one especially for him, hmmmm?"

"I believe that won't be necessary," Urahara walked up to him tapping his pen on the clipboard he held, "Have you noticed how well behaved Ichimaru-san had been? He has dozens of escape attempts in the past… he could have easily left—but he hasn't. I know how clever he is…but I've noticed his behavior has changed, as if he has no reason to act the way he used to."

This boggled Mayuri, because he slightly noticed it as well.

"He doesn't hide out when I give him his medications or injections, he's quite open to me which is EXTREAMLY rare—,"

"I don't know—and I don't care," snapped Mayuri cutting him off, "If you make a big fuss about it, he will probably turn back to his old self again—idiots like him scream for attention—ignore him," he squabbled as he hobbled off into a patient's room."Come, Nemu."

"Yes, Mayuri-sama."

Kisuke scratched his head in thought, "Hmm… perhaps he's right."

Three days had passed since then, and the curious, shady, lazy doctor noted that his little secretary has been more busy than usual. He walked into her office silently and saw flickered on the monitor the hospital database, of course nothing unusual because she accessed it regularly. He crept closer and closer—

"Good mor—ing! Rukia-chan!" he sang slamming his hands playfully on her shoulders.

She literally jumped out of her seat in fright.

"What's wrong with you!" she wailed still recovering from the shock, "And since when—you called me –chan?"

"Why are you so scared," he cooed seeing that she immediately minimized the database browser, "You aren't doing anything suspicious… are you?"

"…no,"

"Well then, bring up the database—I want you to look up Ichimaru Gin,"

Rukia silently nodded as she did as she was told. The blonde scratched his head and really couldn't believe what he was seeing. His record appeared to be almost clean. Afterwards, he went ahead and checked him and in the end, came to the conclusion to discharge him.

"Rukia," Dr Urahara came to her after lunch one day, "Pull up Ichimaru Gin again,"

"Yes, sir," she gave the clicks and keyed in his name pulling up his records from the database.

"Hmm, that's interesting," he cooed. His body loomed over her a tall figure looking straight at the monitor, "He actually has a home to be discharged to."

He straightened himself up, "Well, that's it Rukia-chan."

She grilled him with her violet eyes.

"What? I like using –chan it's cute and Ichimaru-san calls you by name as well."

"Huh?"

"Oh don't play dumb, he talks about you all the time…"

"R-really?"

"Don't worry, Ichimaru is very observant… he recognizes and can name every single employee that passes by his room—and since my office is near his, he sees you all the time when you deliver my reports."

"Oh, I see."

Urahara turned to leave and spotted a large lollipop on her desk. Rukia smirked seeming him perk up a bit.

"It it for me?" he asked innocently pointing a finger to himself.

She couldn't help but break out in laugher, "Yes, it's for you doctor."

"Yay!" he bounced like a small child and snatched the candy from the desk. He unwrapped it and immediately started to consume it, "Uooo, so loli, loli, loli—it's so incredibly loli—it's sin!" He sang as he exited the office. Rukia just chucked to herself.

Seeing the address, Urahara didn't know, didn't realize that it was Rukia's address that was listed. He felt fishy about it… but he ignored it. And Ichimaru Gin was sent out of the hospital a freed man.

End Chapter

Notes: This chapter was majorly fluffed up. Added bits and pieces of conversation here and there. But I love love adding dialogue and most of the time my fics drag because of them. Chapter 4 coming soon! Psssst, btw, did anybody get the Gintama reference with the lollipop? Oh God I love that anime… Gintoki is just too awesome…

Preview

It's like poison. A sting—no a bite that's injected me with this venom and slowly, I'm churning frothing, then lulled in a strange twisted feeling of satisfaction. Yes, I feel happy like this…