Chapter 8 – Total Confusion
Rukia walked back into the hospital and found Dr. Urahara sitting in her chair. She stopped frozen at the entrance.
He slowly wheeled the chair around to face her. In his right hand he handled a CD he extracted from the disk drive.
"Rukia, what's this?"
Shit.
"I knew you were pretty handy with the computer, but hacking—that was beyond me."
Her mind wheeled desperately for an alibi.
"Tampering with medical records and even breaking into criminal databases—close the door."
She obeyed.
"Rukia, if you tell me what you've been up to, you won't get in trouble."
"I've been doing research."
"Oh come on, Rukia, you could do better than that…" he mused placing the disk on the table.
She sighed nervously.
"He's living with you."
The hand that clutched on her hand bag tightened, her knuckles bleached white.
"It felt weird to me so I looked into it with the HR director. I asked him to pull up your application to check the address to see if it matched."
"You have no right to that information."
"It's amazing what people will do with a little incentive."
"You sleazy jerk!"
"Why are you upset? Why do you feel guilty? I was the one who discharged him. I didn't find anything wrong with him. His records were clean."
She started to slightly shake.
Fuck. Rukia stop shaking. Stop it.
"Rukia, it's okay. I know who he is. Listen, if you work with me, we can get him back. But we have to play this flawlessly."
Rukia relaxed. He's not blaming me for anything. It's Gin's fault for getting himself out? No, but I willingly decided to help him.
"Rukia," she looked up to the doctor, "This is my mistake. Ichimaru-san is very, very clever. He doesn't have to forcefully control you to get you to do what he wants."
No. It's not like that. I do everything because I want to. It's not like that. It's not like he's controlling me. It's not like that at all.
"He hasn't done anything to you—has he?"
"No."
"Okay, no one knows of this yet, but I'll have the medical staff work with me on this."
Rukia do something. Do something! You can't let them take him away. You don't want to end up like before, do you? Miserable. Alone.
"He's gone all day."
"Hmmm?"
"All day and night. But he stays in the apartment during the weekends. If maybe you can stop by then."
"Are you sure he's stop by then?"
She nodded eagerly.
"Alright—today's Tuesday, correct?"
"Yes."
"Okay. I'll prepare myself. Tomorrow I'll tell you the plan."
She nodded. As she walked towards the computer, Urahara stopped her.
"I want you to assist me, Rukia. I don't want you near the computer."
"But Doctor, I'm a secretary not a nurse."
He pouted, "But you'll make are very cute nurse!" Taking her hand, he led her out of the office, "Besides I don't trust you with the computer. Not while you're under his influence."
Her eyes widened.
Hinamori Momo walked briskly clutching on to her large handbag advancing towards a small intersection where she arranged to meet with someone. She looked anxious, hoping she wouldn't be watched or be considered suspicious.
She was tired of it. Tired of it all. His perverse suggestions, the harassments. The fake smiles—it just reached its peak when he called her weak minded. Weak minded?! Oh I'll show him. It's bad enough that her boyfriend, Toushiro, was always so overprotective of her…
When she arrived, she saw him. Ichimaru Gin. He stood there with the usual smile.
"Welcome, what can I do for ya?"
Rukia came home later than usual feeling completely humiliated. Walking up the steps still wearing the sexy nurse outfit that the two-timing doctor made her wear. It was all in good fun; even Nemu wore something like it. A mini-mini skirt, a tiny top. Her cleavage hanging out in all its glory. It was a blast. All of the crew drooled and bled from their noses—heck, they even put music and danced with a couple of the patients.
Stopping at the door she saw a sticky note:
Rukia,
Call me. I want to know about you.
~ Renji ~
"Renji," she whispered. She stopped noticing the hint of longing in her voice. She walked in the house and turned on the lights.
Gin's not home… she thought. This slightly relieved her. She needed time to collect her thoughts. The house phone rang, groaning, she picked it up.
"Rukia."
"Nii-sama," She said more out of surprise than anything else.
"You haven't called me in weeks."
"Are you worried about me?" she refused to apologize and she bit her lip in doing so.
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Rukia's legs weakened as she fell unto the sofa.
"I'm sorry, Rukia. Truth is, I can't stand this distance between us."
"Nii-sama, why didn't you help me when I needed you the most? Why did you turn the other way?"
She could hear him sigh. He must be gathering his thoughts.
"Because you left the house, against my wishes, Rukia. You insisted on wanting to start a life on your own. I wanted to teach you a lesson."
"I'm sorry, Nii-sama," she apologized, remembering that she wasn't going to do it. But it was the sincerity of his voice. It was something she hadn't heard in years.
"Come back home, Rukia, please."
"Nii-sama…" she repeated, "L-let me think about it."
"Okay. I'll be waiting."
"Goodbye."
Byakuya remained with the open phone in his hand. There were more things he wanted to ask her.
Was she eating right?
Was she sleeping well?
Is she upset?
Is she okay?
Is she?
Oh God, is she?
But he had swallowed and kept all those urges to himself. She was to learn, so she can see how cruel the outside world was; so then she could come back. But it was too long and he was getting desperate. He wanted her. Wanted her.
It was weird. She was his sister. But his rebellious mind would think of other things. He washed his mind off as he finally closed the phone to the base.
Rukia pulled out the small piece of paper Kira gave her.
"When you see him, give him this."
She opened it and saw it was written in code:
Yldvw wodm
yb Ifhsrmt Vlvnvmg,
Ivhgh Hsrmhl.
Rm gifhgvw szmwh
szou kzhg vev.
She stared at it for a moment. She often wrote in code when in high school to Ichigo and Orihime. She was known for that—as well as for her drawings.
"Oh wow Kira," she smiled sweetly, "He doesn't do such a good job thinking up of an appropriate code," she thought out loud.
The last word "vev" if I change each of the letters to its opposite, it spells "eve". So if I go and replace each of the…. Yup, "z's" for "a's" yeah…seems like that's the trick to it. Now let's see here…
Bowed down
by Rushing Element
Rests Shinso.
In trusted hands,
half past eve.
"I have his things."
"Shinso," she whispered, "Than that must be the name of—a weapon?" Her heart chilled at the thought, "A katana most likely." She looked down at the note, thinking. "Trusted hands—he must be the one who is to give it to him. Yes. It explains "bowed down"—he's apologetic. "Half past eve" is defiantly 12:30 a.m. "Rushing Element" that's obvious—water—a river—the Karasu River!
The river runs through Karakura entirely, cuts the town in half. It must be a spot that they are used to meeting but where?
There was a sudden knock on the door.
"That's strange I don't remember locking it."
She stuffed the note in her pocket and went to open it. She was that it was indeed unlocked and pulled the door open slowly.
Renji stood tilting his head towards the small creek that Rukia allowed to open. Her violet eyes wavered. She pushed the door closed. But Renji stuck his hand in and kept it open.
"Rukia, what's going on?"
She surrendered and opened the door completely letting him in.
"I don't want you to worry anymore, Renji."
"Okay, but you don't have to close the door on me like that," he replied.
When he walked in, Renji flushed a deep red at the sight of her nurse outfit. Rukia just dismissed his reaction casually.
"Where did you—,"
"Stop. Don't ask."
"O-oh."
After a period of awkward silence, Renji continued.
"You arranged to meet with Matsu, but you left her waiting. She stood for nearly three hours, ya know."
"Matsu? Matsumoto? How did you know about that?"
Renji's lips thinned realizing that his nickname for her slipped.
"She's your girlfriend right? Wow, small world," she mused.
"Rukia, forget all that. Tell me what's going on so far. Update me."
"Why are you so interested?"
"Rukia, why are you closed to me? I'm your friend, you can trust me with anything. You always have!"
She tossed her head to the side crossing her arms doing so. She couldn't afford to tell him. Not after meeting Kira, after talking to Urahara. There was no way she wanted to tangle Renji into all this.
No, I have to keep him out of this, for his own safety. Apparently, Gin isn't the fun-loving man, he plays out to be. He could also be dangerous. Dangerous—but then that means—Matsumoto?
"Renji, I can't tell you, please."
"I'm usually cool with that, but, not now."
She looked towards him and saw his unwavering eyes staring straight at her.
"Not while you're under his influence…"
Rukia slightly gasped.
Why am I shielding him? Why? Why? Why? He doesn't control me, damnit. I've got my own free will. I have free reign. I am Rukia Kuchiki. Rukia doesn't get tugged around on strings like some cheap marionette.
Renji saw her serious facial expression change. He walked up to her and placed his hand on her head, "Go on, Rukia you can tell me."
"You're a good girl, Rukia-chan. A very beautiful girl."
"He—I—here—,"
"Rukia-chan…"
Her eyes watered, "w-with me—he—,"
"Is there someone special to Rukia-chan?"
The tears rolled down.
Renji embraced her and held her tightly within his arms.
Everything was changing. Byakuya wants me to come back home. Ends are met and here is Renji—I don't need Gin anymore. But I can't bring myself to tell him, and it's not because I'm afraid. No, it's not that. It's me. I don't want him to leave. I don't want to see him tied up at that crazy hospital—it doesn't suit him. No—I want him to stay with me. I—I…
"Is there someone special to Rukia-chan?"
Yes. Yes there is.
Renji felt her hand clinging on to his shirt tighten.
Rukia, he thought. Do you really love me? Is she really jealous. No way, it can't be. Anyway, it's too late now. Heh. Yeah, I'm saying that now, but my heart's beating like crazy.
"Rukia," he rasped. The voice came out a bit more roughly than he expected.
He could be a murderer, Rukia. Don't fool yourself. You've been digging around databases to find evidence that points to it. The series of missing people before his interned stay at the hospital, also sends some red flags. I have to break him away from me. But even so, even so. I still want him to stay. I want to keep him safe…
"Don't you love Matsumoto?" she asked.
"I loved you first, Rukia."
She pulled him towards her and he eagerly devoured her in a deep-tongued kiss. She accepted him, opening her mouth, wrapping her arms tighter pressing her body against his chest.
Forget him. Forget him.
Renji, Renji.
Matsumoto pushed the door, "Hello, don't mind if I let myself—,"
She nearly dropped the purse she held. His large hand grabbed her leg, sliding upward grabbing her ass.
She steamed reaching for the coat rack next to the door, to throw something at Renji. Her hand grabbed a long sleeved shirt. A men's long sleeve shirt.
Between the kisses, Rukia saw Rangiku and she pushed him away in shock.
"Matsumoto!" she cried weakly feeling ashamed of herself.
Renji boggled, stuttering like a bumbling idiot.
"Ma-Matsu—I—,"
"Shut up!" she barked bringing down her fifty-pound purse over his head. He fell unto the sofa right behind him. She immediately directed her gaze at Rukia.
"I'm sorry—I'm—,"
"Forget that," she cooed softly, "Do you know a man named, Ichimaru Gin?"
"Well… he…"
Matsumoto passed her the shirt.
"He's not using me, Matsumoto—honest!" she blurted.
Her eyes widened, he lives here doesn't he?"
Rukia could only avert her gaze. Everything was just going out of control.
"Wait—is that the guy who answered your phone, Matsu—who pulled my leg?"
"He wasn't pulling your leg—that man hasn't changed at all," she shifted the purse back on her shoulder, "Renji, phone the police. I'll be back."
"Matsu!" he cried, but regardless, she dashed off.
End Chapter
Notes: Poor Renji! That's what I was thinking as I was writing this. I had to go against my feelings in a lot of the future parts for the sake of the plot. So I hope you like, it gets really crazy from here on out. I lagged a bit with this update cuz I had to change a few things…
Preview
"We're here,"______ muttered more to himself than to Rukia.
"Where is it?" she asked.
____ parked at a main street. Coming out of the car with her, he pointed towards the alleyway between two buildings.
"There," he replied.
They both walked in. As they progressed, cats surfaced from cracks in the walls, inside cardboard boxes, garbage cans and tanks.
"Why are they're so many cats?" she asked out loud.