The next morning, I woke up hours earlier than usual. I didn't even think that Byakuya was up yet, but I really wasn't sure, nor did I care. I dressed in a loose white kimono and left my hair down. After I was presentable, I walked around the grounds. There I saw something I didn't expect: Byakuya on his knees. I ran over to him to make sure he was alright. Much as I hated him, I never wanted him to die.

"Byakuya-nii-san!" I shouted, stumbling to his side.

He looked at me weakly, "Sayuri," My name barely passed his lips when he fainted.

Originally starting out in the 4th division, I healed him to the best of my ability. It seemed the problem was lack of energy. That would explain his attitude. I still think that he would be jerk though,even if it is just in his blood.

He woke up staring into my eyes, "Sayuri,"

He tried to sit up but I held him back, "Shh, you're not rested enough,"

He nodded ever so slightly against my thigh, which was being used as a pillow.

"What were you thinking, doing that to yourself? Were you trying to kill yourself?" I demanded.

"Probably, unconsciously, hai, I was wanting to join my wife," He muttered.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I couldn't yell at him right now. Not when he was talking about his beloved wife for the first time so openly.

"Sayuri, arigato," He whispered.

"Iie, don't thank me," I shook my head smiling.

"My condition must be fearful, for you to smile at me," He commented.

I looked at him in surprise, "True, I do not like you, but if you ever died, I would not be able to live with myself,"

"That's no answer,"

I sighed, "I'm not as hard a person as you may think. I act tough, but I am probably the softest woman you'll meet, emotionally. I could never wish death on a comrade, no matter what they did to me,"

"Even the ones that-"

"Even them, though I do wish constant pain and suffering on them," I looked away and glared.

"Sayuri," He grabbed my hand, "You shouldn't hide yourself like you do,"

"I know, but I was too open before, and it hurt me. Now, I'm too tightly closed, and only three or four people are close enough for me to call friend,"

"But that took you decades to reach that point with them, didn't it?"

I laughed hollowly, "No, it took me centuries,"

"At least you can open up,"

I looked at him, "What do you call this?"

He smiled in spite of himself, "Making bonds with someone,"

"So, we now have a bond more than siblings? You must be ill, to speak so freely and call me friend," I smirked.

He shook his head, "Iie, lonely. And a bit uneasy,"

"There's my nii-san," I smiled at him again.

"Sayuri, how much longer should I rest?" He asked me, letting my hand go.

I thought about it for a minute, "I'd say two to three weeks, unless an emergency comes up, then I'd say a week, but you can kiss you ass goodbye at that rate,"

He nodded, "So we return to ourselves,"

I nodded in agreement, "Hai. I'll help you to your bed, than I'll get Renji and fill him in on the current situation,"

"And then, you'll return home for our lesson," He added to my expanding to-do list.

I sighed, "Hai, Captain Kuchiki-nii-san,"

It's a bit mushy, and maybe even a bit OOC, but this is a sweet tender moment that will feed the flames of the story!

Ok, two postings in one day may be a bit much, but like I said in the last chappy; I really like this story. So, if my message was ignored in the last chapter, please review!!!!!!!!! Ok, thanks for reading this far, and I hope that you'll stick with the story.

I don't own Bleach.

Vocab:

arigato: thank you