chapter 6

Grimmjow's P.O.V

He carried her into his room, surprised at how light and soft she felt. Carefully he laid her on his bed; she made a groaning sound, but didn't wake up. Grimmjow stepped back, his eyes on her face. She looked very peaceful, her face calm, relaxed. He couldn't help feeling calm as well, though he didn't know why. He sighed and crossed his arms,

"What is happening to me?" he whispered as he stared at her. Grimmjow sat down on the edge of the bed, his head resting on his hand. He didn't know what he was going to do…so he just sat there and waited for Hara to wake up.

Hara's P.O.V (flashback)

Hara paced back and forth in her house, her arms crossed over her chest worriedly. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, she ran to it and threw it open, there stood her brother, his shihakusho in tatters and stained with blood.

"H-Hara." he muttered as he stumbled into her arms. Hara caught him,

"Zuro?! What happened?" she looked both ways around her front yard as she pulled him inside. Slowly, she helped him to a chair, where he fell onto it with a groan. She knelt expectantly beside him, his eyes were closed and his breathing fast. Suddenly he looked up at her,

"H-Hara…I'm sorry." he said, his voice pleading. She put her hands on his shoulders,

"Why? What happened?" she pulled one of her hands away, finding it covered in blood, "Why are you hurt?!" He put a hand through his hair,

"Sis, I'm in trouble…" he muttered,

"No shit Sherlock!" she snapped, "Now tell me what's going on?!" He stared at her in surprise, before his green eyes went soft.

"They are coming to get me," he leaned forwards, his hair covering his face, "The soul society." Hara sat down,

"What? Why?" she stared at him, her eyes wide; "What did you do?" Zuro looked up, a smile on his face while his eyes were sad,

"You know I love you, right?" he asked. Hara stared at him, sensing something wrong, something very, very wrong.

"What did you do?!" she asked again, more frantically. He closed his eyes and laughed softly,

"That's why I can't tell you…I won't put you in any more danger than I already have."

"Brother, tell me what's going on!" she cried. He opened his eye and put his hand on the top of her head,

"Promise me something." he said seriously, "Hara, promise me you won't let yourself fall under the soul society's spell. Don't trust them. And especially not the captains of squad-" he never finished his sentence, because at the same moment, the door was kicked in and three soul reapers came in, each armed and ready to attack. In a flash, Zuro was on his feet, in front of Hara.

"Zuro Ayumi of squad five, you are charged with treason. We will escort you to the repentance cell, where you will await you sentence." Hara rose to her feet,

"And what is my sentence?" asked Zuro, his voice full of strength. It was as if those few moments ago when he came stumbling through the door had never existed. He stood tall, shielding Hara from them, his spirit energy flowing around them. The shinigami who had spoken smiled and stepped forward,

"Execution by the Soukyoku. Come with us peacefully, and we will not harm you, or the girl." Hara hugged her brother,

"N-no!" she cried. Her face buried in his back, as the tears she didn't want the enemy to see fell down her cheeks. Her brother, the only person she had, was going to die. "Brother!" Zuro pushed her away from him, towards the door that led to the other room. Hara stared at him, he stared back, his eyes strong, powerful. He drew his zanpakuto, slowly.

"Hara." he said in that commanding, powerful voice, "Go. Get away from here." She took a step towards him,

"But…Zuro-"

"I said go!" he yelled, his eyes strong yet pleading. Hara nodded slowly, and began to run to the next room, "Get outside, and stay away from the house!" he added. Hara felt she should stay, but she listened to her brother, and got outside. Hiding behind a bush, she peered at the house.



Hara could hear Zuro clearly,

"Now." he said, "You say you come to take me away? To be executed?" there was a flashing light coming from the windows and door, "My answer to this is…" there was a slight pause, "Flare, Entei!" The flashing light turned into an explosion of red light. It was so bright, that Hara had to close her eyes. There was a crashing, breaking sound, followed by a war cry and other similar noises. Hara was blinded by the light she had seen, and even if she wasn't, she would be unable to see what was going on from where she hid.

The sounds stopped, and there was silence. Hara looked towards the house, it was smoldering on one corner, but other than that, everything was normal. The window and door were now dark, empty.

A cold breeze swept around Hara as she stood upright, and a chill spread down her back, but it wasn't from the wind…

(End flashback)

"Zuro!" screamed Hara as she sat upright. Something beside her let out a startled yell, she turned and saw Grimmjow on the floor, staring up at her at first with shock, and then annoyance.

"G-Grimmjow?!" she asked, surprised. He got up, dusting off his clothes.

"Who else?" he asked, annoyed. She sighed and looked in her lap…then suddenly turned to him,

"Wait a second…How did I end up here? I was out there and then…" she put her finger to her chin comically before looking shocked. "And then I-I…" she turned pink. Grimmjow laughed,

"Why are you blushing?" as he said it, she turned redder. Hara covered her face with the blanket,

"I can't believe I did that…" Grimmjow stood over her,

"What? Don't tell me you regret it…I mean I'm not that bad of a kisser…" Hara gave a nervous laugh; she pulled the blanket down enough so she could peer at him.

"No, it's not that…It's just that…" she gave a growl of frustration. "It's just that I shouldn't have relationships here!" Grimmjow sat down,

"Why is that?" Hara dropped the blanket,

"Because…Aizen could, and would use it against me…to his benefit."

"Why's that?"

"That's what he would do…I know he would. That's why I don't trust him. As a matter of fact, I don't trust any soul reaper…" she wiped at her face finding left over tears.

"Do you…" said Grimmjow, "...trust me?" Hara turned to look at him slowly, his eyes were soft…it was so strange to see it, that she stared at him for a few seconds before answering.

"Yes." she whispered. His eyes softened even more, and he reached out to touch her cheek.

"No one's ever trusted me…ever…" he whispered. She smiled, as he brushed her cheek with his fingers,

"Well…someone does now." She looked away, her eyes suddenly sad. He moved closer to her,

"Huh? What's wrong?" he asked. Hara sighed,

"You're the first person I've trusted…let alone get close to me…since…" she stopped and looked at him, "Since my brother was killed." Grimmjow's eyes widened,

"Is that what you were dreaming about?" she nodded, as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Seeing that she needed comfort, he pulled her to his chest, where she wrapped her arms around his neck, her face against his bare chest. He rested his head on hers, "Do you want to talk about it?" she nodded,

"Yes…but not right now." she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"'kay." he whispered, "Would you like it if I lay down?"

"Mmm." she replied. He smiled,

"I take that as a yes?" she didn't answer, but he guessed she meant yes. So he laid down, Hara beside him, her arms still around him and her face still resting on his chest. In moments, she was asleep, and so was he, his body and mind relaxed and at peace for the first time.