Thanks for the review! It helps a person know when what we write isn't just a bunch of gobbly-gook! Much appreciated and I hope to have more. Next chapter as a reward!

It was dark, very dark… and in the mists of that darkness, I heard a scream of rage! I remembered this… and raced forward, hoping for some new clue!

A shadow of black fell around my friends before they all hit the ground, most of them unconscious from the wound the sneak attack had given them. Among them was a face I still did not know… but the formation of the masks was there… Shinji, however, was still conscious, though he seemed more upset than I'd ever seen before. He was talking to someone; someone I couldn't see… and I couldn't hear a word that was being spoken.

After a few moments, I saw Kisuke and another man appear, both openly shocked at the sight of the others, before they turned their gaze to the man I could not see.

Agonized, I couldn't bear to watch anymore, and turned my gaze away… and the vision faded to black.

With a cry, I jerked awake, only to startle the sleeping Soul Reaper at my side into wakefulness as well.

"Akalia?"

My eyes snapped over to meet brown, those beautiful brown eyes…

"Shinji!"

I launched myself into his arms and cried.

"I saw it again, my vision," I sobbed. "It's definitely a vision… and I tried to stay longer, tried to learn more… b-but I—"

"Shh," he told me softly, stroking my hair. "Shh… It's all right… I'm right here with you…"

He let me cry until I calmed… at least until I recalled what had happened prior to me blacking out. Now, a fresh wave of tears fell from my eyes. I was almost afraid to ask… but I had to know.

"Kit?" I asked softly, hearing the despair in my voice. Shinji stiffened… then sighed.

"He was executed for treason three days ago," he revealed. "You've been in a coma for about five months… and a lot's happened."

"Like what?" I asked, accepting the Kleenex so I could wipe my eyes and blow my nose.

"Kouga is dead," he stated, making me freeze. "He was framed for treason… then went berserk. I didn't get the details of it all… but he slew the Captains of squads 3 and 10, as well as the lieutenant of squad 10. We believe those three were the ones behind his framing… and he figured that out."

I was shaking.

Kouga… my beloved Kouga… dead.

"Why didn't I see this?" I whispered in shock, struggling to come to terms with this. "Why didn't I see this?!"

Abruptly, Shinji grabbed my arms firmly and forced me to look at him.

"Don't you dare go into hysteria on me now!" he said forcefully. "Not when I just got you back!"

I swallowed hard and forced my mind to focus only on Shinji, only on the man that sat next to my bed… Wait… This wasn't my bed…

I looked around the room carefully, puzzled.

"You're in the fourth division," he spelled out, realizing what I was doing. My eyes snapped back to his. "I brought you here… after my duel with Kit got interrupted. Apparently, others heard you scream in pain… and came running to help.

I sighed and nodded, relaxing a bit.

"You had lost so much blood," he went on, his voice starting to sound hollow. "I wasn't sure they were going to be able to save you…"

I cupped his cheeks in my hands and looked at him with a warm smile.

"I'm here, Shinji," I told him softly. "I'm here WITH you…"

As if to prove it, I kissed him softly, glad when he responded, though he kept it chaste. And that brought up an interesting question.

"Shinji… during that last day of training… why DID you kiss me?" I asked, confused. Shinji got a small grin back on his face.

"I figured it was my last chance to get through to you," he answered. "Call it my most desperate measure."

"And if I hadn't responded?" I asked softly. He lost his grin, frowning at me.

"Then I'd have given up hope all together," he replied openly. "Akalia—"

"OH MY GOD! AKALIA'S AWAKE!"

At the high-pitched shriek of Mashiro, several sets of footsteps rushed to my room, the room quickly filling with all my friends. Sosuke, Kensei, Mashiro, Love, even Hiyori had come.

"Guys…" I said softly, feeling tears stinging my eyes.

"How are you feeling?" asked Yoruichi, stepping into the room, Kisuke right behind her, Soifon after him. I gave a half-hearted shrug.

"I've been better," I replied, making her chuckle and lightly ruffle my hair.

"Did he tell you about—"

"Kit and Kouga?" I cut in. She nodded and I nodded back. "Yeah… he told me."

Try as I may, that still came out full of grief.

"I knew you were close to Kouga," came a soft female voice. I looked up in surprise.

"Lady Kuchiki!" I greeted, making her smile sadly.

"My husband wrote this letter in prison," she told me. "It's addressed to you."

"How are you holding up?" I asked gently, taking the letter and setting it aside. I'd read it when I was alone. She spared me a small, weak smile.

"Day by day," she answered. "Though I'm not long for this world…"

I felt saddened by that and hugged her tight.

"Please don't leave me, too," I whispered, thinking aloud. That got several people to sadden their gazes… and got her to hug me a little tighter.

"One of us has to be with Kouga now," she reminded me softly. "And we can't do that from here… I mean to join him, to stay at his side… Can you say you would not do the same?"

I had no answer. She knew I would not hesitate were it me in her shoes. She nodded sadly and kissed my temple.

"Our estate belongs to you now," she told me. "Ginrei, as a last request to Kouga before he… Kouga asked Ginrei to adopt you, to give you the family you lost."

I was at a complete loss for words.

"You're a Kuchiki now," she finished, hugging me again. "Please take care of everything for us."

I burst into tears again and she left us, left me in the arms of my friends.

"Kouga…"

My pained whisper, made those in the room sadder still. Shinji opted to be the one to hold me at this time.

"We're all here for you," he reminded me softly, then gave a half-hearted grin. "Can't let my 'first love' be alone."

"Shinji!"

I hit him, making him laugh… and everyone else followed in laughter afterwards, myself included. In that moment, I knew I was going to be okay… that we all were. We had each other. We could handle the world… just like this.

Everyone had left me once visiting hours were over… everyone but Shinji. He was the only one allowed to stay. According to Unohana, he'd been there the entire time, leaving the running of his squad completely to Sosuke. My eyes strayed up to the letter on the table and Shinji handed it to me.

"Might as well get it over with," he told me. I nodded and took it in my hand carefully. It was all I had left of him, the last piece of the man that had nearly completely held my heart… before I'd forced my heart to move on to Shinji.

Dearest Akalia,

If you're reading this, I'm probably dead… and for that I beg you to forgive me.

I promised we'd do a few missions together… but that seems unlikely now.

I have been set up to pay for a crime I did not commit… and I WILL find out who did it and punish them. This cell will not hold me.

But I digress. Do you remember when we took time to learn more about each other, how we talked about unrequited love?

I nodded, forgetting he couldn't see me anymore.

Akalia, the love I felt was unrequited… was my love for you.

My jaw dropped as I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. Tears gathered in my eyes as I struggled to absorb that line, reading and re-reading it again and again.

"Kouga…"

His name a pained whisper on my lips again.

I fell for you… hard… Though I'm not sure when it happened.

I know Muramasa held a special place for you in his heart as well, though he would argue we have the same heart.

Akalia, I don't know everything about you, nor do I understand what you're going through…

but I couldn't die without telling you how I felt, letting you know that you were never far from my thoughts…

The amulet I left with this letter is yours, though I believe my wife will probably hang on to it

until her own passing, just because it belonged to me… Please know that I will always love you,

wholly and completely… and I hope you find the love your own heart seeks with someone else.

Yes, even if that person is Shinji Hirako. I'm young, not blind.

I knew feelings were developing between the two of you… and I was happy.

I got to see you really glow, really smile… then Kit spoke to you in the forest.

I saw it all, heard every word, but I kept silent, figuring you would tell me when the time

was right. Now there is no time left… but I hope you can come to trust another

person enough to tell them the truth you could not bring yourself to share with me.

I don't know what you have against Soul Reapers or why you wouldn't be able to trust us,

but please know that not all Soul Reapers are bad people. There do exist a few goods ones…

like me… and Shinji. God, you have no idea how hard it is to write that name or think of him, knowing he can have you as I never could…

When I heard you scream, I raced to you… but you had lost so much blood… Unohana wasn't sure she could save you.

I knew you would live. You're too strong to die from a simple head-wound. That wretched creature you

called Kit, however… I was one of the witnesses to his crimes, his crimes against you and against a Captain of the thirteen court

guard squads. He was fighting in a Bankai state, too! I don't even have Bankai!

But again, I digress. The point is, I guess, that I want you to move on with your life… but also know that you were never alone.

If I, a married man, could fall in love with you, I'm sure there are others that love you, ones that may never

speak of their true feelings as I never did… until it was too late.

You are never alone, beloved Akalia… Even in death, my spirit stays beside you, stays with the heart of the one I will always love deeply.

In the unlikely chance that I survive, I'll marry you (after a divorce) and we'll live like they always do in

those silly fantasy tales of yours. We'll live happily ever after… until death do us part.

I promise.

All the love in my heart and soul,

Kouga

The dam broke as I wept yet again. I had completely forgotten Shinji was there, had forgotten I'd been reading aloud, until two arms wrapped around my sobbing, shaking form. My heart ached deeply, very deeply.

"His love wasn't unrequited… was it?" Shinji asked softly. I shook my head, crying even harder.

"He took a part of me… I'll never get back," I answered, holding him close. "But he was also right about you…"

Shinji stiffened.

"Are you saying…"

"I'm saying, Shinji Hirako, that I fell in love with you," I spelled out plainly. "Gods, that month and a half was torture… Keeping my distance, closing myself off… then when you finally gave up… it hurt worse than when you were trying to reach me…"

Shinji's arms tightened around me, his heart beating fast against my own chest.

"I love you, too," he admitted, kissing my temple. "That's why I couldn't just give up, why I couldn't just let you go…"

I hugged him back, never wanting to let him go.

Now I knew, without a doubt, I had to stop my vision from coming true.

Lady Kuchiki passed away three months later. Shortly before, Rose became Captain of Squad Three, though Squad 10 remained vacant. During those three months, I was mainly confined to the Squad Four barracks, to recover from my coma. I got training from Kensei and Yoruichi again to rebuild the muscle I had lost during my poor state. Thanks to all of them, all my friends (including Sosuke who would bring me different types of teas every day), I was finally leaving that dreadful hospital behind.

As I stepped out into the open air, I breathed deeply, letting the scents permeate my mind.

"Look who's finally free," came the teasing voice of Yoruichi. I grinned and looked over at her. As expected, Soifon was right behind her.

"Gods, it feels strange being out here," I admitted. She grinned and pointed behind me. I didn't even get to be fully turned around before I was jerked up against a hard, hot body, a set of velvet lips snagging my own. I purred softly, leaning into the familiar planes of my well-known boyfriend… until we broke for breath.

"No more Unohana telling me to take it easy on you," he teased, his eyes promising steamy, sinful acts in the coming hours. I giggled.

"I'm out five minutes and you can't wait to get your dick wet," I teased, making him blush sheepishly. "You're terrible, Shinji."

He grinned at me.

"Are you truly objecting?" he asked, making me blush and look away in embarrassment. He laughed. "I thought not."

I rolled my eyes and slapped his chest, making him chuckle and hold me tightly.

"Sixth Seat Kuchiki?" asked a timid Soul Reaper boy. I looked at him. "The Captain would like a word with you."

I nodded, kissed Shinji one more time, then flashed to the office. Ginrei and his son were waiting for me there.

"Akalia," Ginrei greeted, his tone tired, his heart still grieved about Kouga.

"Sir," I greeted back softly, taking the offered seat next to him on the couch. "How've you been holding up… with everything?"

I expected him to brush off my question, as it WAS of a personal nature.

"Only time will heal these wounds," he replied, telling me it was a lot harder on him than I imagined. "Here is the key and the deed to my daughter's home… and Kouga's amulet. In the letter he left for myself, he asked that it be given to you."

I clutched the ruby to my chest, feeling the pain roll over me again, feeling the tears stinging my eyes.

"I was also made aware that Kouga and his wife had filed for divorce just before his imprisonment… and I know why," he went on, surprising his son. Apparently, that was something he'd not been privy to. I looked at my lap, a bit ashamed of the fact that Kouga was leaving the daughter of a Kuchiki… for me. "Do not despair, child. I do not blame you. The heart cannot be controlled."

I nodded softly, accepting that.

"Akalia… I brought you here, however, to clarify something for me," he finally stated, getting to the point. I looked him in the eyes, waiting. "Did you or did you not have relations with Kouga before the annulment of his marriage?"

I was shocked and appalled.

"Of course not!" I objected immediately. "He was MARRIED! It was wrong! I didn't even know how he felt about me until he wrote me that letter!"

That surprised (and pleased) Ginrei. So, he relaxed with a small, sad smile.

"So, he remained honorable at heart, even to the end," he commented softly. "Welcome to the Kuchiki clan, Akalia. I hope you will do us proud, even in the way you are currently courting Captain Shinji Hirako."

I blushed darkly, a little unnerved that he was drawing attention to that.

"Please keep in mind that all public actions are traced back to the Kuchiki name," he reminded me, though an amused smile tugged at his lips. It danced in his eyes. "I have not forgotten what it was like to be young and in love… but do try to restrain yourself while outside your home."

"Yes, sir," I answered, my tone as embarrassed as I was. He chuckled.

"Also, I am moving you up to third seat," he told me, surprising me. "You have been training very hard lately and did an excellent job of delegating during that training to ensure that your duties would still be fulfilled."

I flushed, realizing that Kouga had made me look good.

"I'm afraid that praise is undeserved, sir," I admitted. "I only told Kouga that I would not be able to complete my duties while I trained to the breaking point."

Ginrei smiled.

"Exactly," he answered, surprising and confusing me. "You entrusted the work to someone you knew would get the job done right. You delegated to the right person."

I flushed darkly, still feeling that the praise was unfair to Kouga, the man who had done all of my work for me. At the thought of him, I felt my heart throb again.

"Do you miss him?" I asked softly, unable to keep quiet. Ginrei paused and looked at me softly before nodding.

"Every day," he answered me.

"You never told him that," I commented softly. "And it hurt him a lot… he felt that nothing he did was ever good in your eyes… I know it's too late to make up for that with him… but, in a way, you can still honor that desire of his… by making sure your family knows that you care."

Ginrei sat there silently, looking at me… then his eyes gentled.

"I see," he said softly. "He even trusted you with his true emotions… He really DID love you."

The tears I'd fought slipped down my cheeks.

"And he'll never know his love was NOT unrequited," I stated, bowing quickly before taking my leave, the key and amulet clutched tightly in my hand. When I got back to my quarters, I found Sosuke waiting for me. Wordlessly, he opened his arms and I gladly ran into the hug he offered, letting the tears fall down.

"If this is what love feels like, I don't want it," I admitted. "Why does it hurt so much?"

Sosuke just hugged me tighter, letting me cry.

"Because your whole heart was in it," he answered me softly. "But this pain isn't all Kouga… it's Kit, too."

Kit…

That just made me cry even harder.

"How?" I whispered softly, clinging to Sosuke. "How could he betray me like that?"

Along with sadness, I felt a terrible anger.

"How could he?!"

My fists clenched and I felt the need to hit something.

"Hit me," he told me. "Let it all out on me."

So I did.