Author's Notes: Its been a long time since I updated anything. Sorry about that but, life insist in keeping me away from the fanfic world. My beta reader can't edit my stories anymore so this chapter is RAW. If anybody would be nice enough to correct my horrible spelling and grammar I will really apreaciate it! Also I will like to dedicate this update to my poor Santai- Kimihaine it must really suck to have me as your taichou T^T

Disclaimer: I'm just playing with someone else toys.

Please enjoy!

Challenging the Weak Part II

With a frustrated groan she threw the pen to the other side of the room. Her hands rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache that refused to leave. For once she has been trying to do paperwork, 'trying' been the keyword. Her grey eyes glared down at the messy stack of papers that lay in front of her. Her third seat had offered doing the paperwork instead, but she had refused.

Like the third, fifth, and eighth squad the tenth squad was captain less. As the vice-captain it was her responsibility to fulfill the captain place, but so far her work leaved a lot to desire.

She looked at the pink sofa were she loved to nap. She was tempted to go to her pink sofa and sleep. She was so tire but, couldn't sleep. A small frown settled on her pretty face. For the past nights nightmares have plagued her mind. She refused to close her eyes for more than a couple of seconds, afraid to see unusual bright green eyes hunting her.

Why had he had to leave?

She looked at the small clock that was on the desk. It marked pass eleven, and she wasn't even close to finish. "At least it will keep me awake" she murmured to herself. A hand went to her hair trying to untangle the many knots that had settle on her once glossy hair.

She opened one of the many cabinets of the desk and searched for another pen. Her hand found a pen at the back of the cabinet. It wasn't until the pen was on top of the stack of papers ready to be sign that she recognized it. The pen wasn't exactly what you will imagine the old owner of the desk to use. It was a green pen with a rather cute silver dragon on it.

The pen had been a birth day gift from her to the white haired ex-captain. She had told him that if he was so obsessed to do paperwork, even on his birthday, that at least his pen could be a little bit more fun to use. He of course had refused to use such a kiddy looking pen. He had also yelled that he wouldn't be stock doing paperwork on his birth day if she for once did her share of the work.

She put the pen where she had found it and closed the cabinet with a loud thud.

Why did she have to find that pen? It had only helped her remember how foolish she was to fall in love with some one that will never return her feelings. She rubbed her temples harder, trying to stop the images that were coming.

He had told her not to follow him, yet she did.

She hadn't care if it was raining, she had still followed him. She wanted to know who was melting her captain's heart.

Never had she saw him act so tenderly towards someone, not even to Hinamori. He had acted so out of character, that she had thought that maybe it was another person. Only when he had started talking she admitted that indeed it was him. He had talked with so much passion that it had ashamed her to eardrop.

'No, no, no, no…' her heart kept saying not wanting to remember 'that' particularly memory.

The two ice wielders kissed.

It broke her.

Then Aizen kidnapped the Kuchiki princess and he had completely forgotten her. She could see in his eyes that he wouldn't rest until he had her securely in his harms. There was no room for her anymore. What little space she had had in his heart it was erased by the presence of the raven haired girl.

Jealousy had taken control. She had started wishing that they failed in rescuing Rukia.

It frightened her to think that way.

She had felt relieved when her wishes didn't come true.

They have saved Rukia.

Seeing that Ichigo was there brought her hope. 'Ichigo will distract Rukia and I can spend some time with taichou.' That had been her plan, and it disgusted her to think that way.

But he had betrayed Seireitei.

She had pleaded him to stay, to no leave her. He ignored her. Even then, when she was right in front of her, he had only eyes for the raven haired shinigami. He had truly forgotten her. With out looking back he left.

By now the papers that she was suppose to sign where ruined by her tears. She was really pathetic. "Matsumoto?" She looked up and saw Kira standing in front of her, looking at her with worried eyes. "I knocked but you didn't answer, so I let myself in," he explained "are you ok?"

"Why are you here?" Matsumoto asked ignoring his question. She winced at how cracked her voice sounded. She rubbed her eyes with the balls of her hands, they hurt. "Are you feeling well? You look really sick" Kira said also ignoring her question. He moved to her side, feeling her forehand with his other hand. "You have a little bit of fever."

"Don't worry I'm fine, is just that I haven't sleep much" she said moving his hand away from her forehead. "And why is that?" he asked concerned. "I have to do paperwork," Matsumoto lied. It wasn't that she didn't trust Kira; it was just that she preferred not to bring others to worry about her. The nightmares will go away…eventually… she hoped.

"You look really sick, go to sleep I will finish the paperwork." Kira said. He pulled her out of the chair and guided her towards her usual napping spot, the pink sofa. "Wait, I can't let you do that, that's my job" she said trying to move away from the pink sofa, "and what about you? Don't you have your own squad to worry about?"

"I'm already used to do a lot of paperwork and my squad can manage alone for a little bit. Besides even if you stay all night long I don't think you will be able to finish it. At least not in the state you are" he said while making her seat on the pink sofa. "Now go to sleep."

"I can't" she protested.

"I told you I can finish the -"

"Is not that" Matsumoto said looking at her feet.

"Then what is it?" Kira asked frowning at the estrange behavior of the busty blonde.

"Nightmares" she said still not wanting to meet his worry gaze.

"About?" he asked not liking the way she was acting.

Silence

He frowned more at her lack of respond. Since the betrayal of Hitsugaya she had been anything like herself. He was really worried. Kira knew how closed she was to her captain, and knew exactly what she was feeling.

His captain had only used him. He fought her because his captain had ordered him. He hadn't questioned the fox faced ex-captain. She of course punched some sense on his thick head.

Matsumoto didn't hate him for attacking her. She helped him recover from his captain betrayal. He was really thankful with her, even if her methods of recovery mean to have a huge hangover the next day.

He will not leave her alone.

"Just go to sleep. If I sense that you are having a nightmare I will wake you up" he said pushing her so that laid on her back. He made his way towards the desk ready to do paperwork.

"Fine" Matsumoto said drowsiness evident on her voice. She snuggled closer to the sofa. She was still a really reluctant to close her eyes, still afraid of bright green ayes hunting her. "Thanks" she said after a while, she feel better knowing that someone was looking out for her. He smiled at her from his place at the desk, "Goodnight."

She didn't hear him, she was asleep.

She laid awake on her futon, sleep refused to come. Her mind was still playing today's events. She turned to her side, snuggling closer to her pillow. Was it really a good idea to be trained by Zaraki Kenpachi?

With a sigh Rukia gave up sleep, it will be another sleepless night. She stood up from her futon and walked toward the shoji doors that were at her side. She opened them letting the cold air in. She sat at the edge of the wood floor letting her legs dangle.

Rukia knew that in order to become stronger she needed to train more, the level at which she was, was nothing. Even if with her new position as vice-captain she was still too weak. But was she ready to be trained by someone as ruthless as Zaraki Kenpachi?

Her previous teachers had taught her a lot but, they have been gentle. Kaien-dono and Ukitake-taichou had been really great teachers. With the help of Kaien-dono she learned her zanpakutou's name. With the help Ukitake-taichou she learned the difference between a fight to preserve honor and a fight to preserve life.

But the kind if power she needed couldn't be optioned with kind words. She needed raw power and only Zaraki Kanpachi new how to get it.

Rukia looked up at the sky. The moon was full. There were no clouds and no stars. Looking at the big moon all alone on the sky made her feel small. She brought her legs closer. She rested her cheek on knees.

The wind was blowing cold against her small form. She hugged her legs closer to her. She remembered a similar night. Instead of been sitting on a wood floor she was sitting on green grass. Instead of been alone she was with someone.

That someone had white hair and intense green eyes.

They had sat beside each other feeling the other warmth. They sat by each other not saying anything just happy to be beside the other. They were in there secret meeting place, hiding from the outside world.

Remembering that particularly memory made her angry, 'why did you betray us?' Rukia thought angrily as she punched the floor. "Ouch" she said rubbing her now swore knuckle.

She looked up again at the lonely moon on the sky.

She hugged her legs even closer to her and buried her face. The cold wind was still hitting her and this time there was nobody to share warmth with.

"Baka" she whispered to nobody. She closed her eyes and saw warm green eyes turn into cold ones.

With long but slow strides Renji made his way towards the elevenths division training ground. He knew today was the first training lesson of Rukia with Zaraki Kenpachi. He couldn't help but been worry about her.

After the whole Aizen betrayal and the whole execution thing were over he had tried to become closer to Rukia, but she seemed distant. 'Probably thinking about the strawberry head' Renji thought kicking a rock.

But suddenly Rukia had become alive again. She been the same old Rukia he remembered. Her powers came back faster than what they expected but not only that, she seemed to be stronger.

"Having the Hokyudou inside her soul for long time might have altered her powers. The increase on her power is amazing, she is probably in vice-captain level now" Unohona had explained.

But that still did explain her change in attitude, not that he minded. He enjoyed having his old friend back.

Ukitake had confronted Byakuya about Rukia's current position on his squad. "You can't ignore her increase in power Byakuya. My squad has been long enough with out a vice-captain, and Rukia is more than perfect for the position" Ukitake said not backing from his decision of making Rukia his new vice-captain.

Even Byakuya had to admit that with her new found strength he couldn't shield her anymore, and so he accepted Ukitake decision.

Renji went to congratulate her about her new position but, she didn't seem so happy. Rukia was reluctant about accepting her new job. He offered his help but she politely declined. He watched as she made her way toward the forest. He had wanted to follow her but, decided against it.

He later regretted no following her. That was the last time he saw before been kidnapped by Aizen.

Why would Aizen kidnap Rukia? He had already taken the Hokyudou out of her; there was no reason to kidnap her. It didn't matter if there was a reason or not. A rescue party was immediately formed.

Renji was send to retrieved the substitute shinigami. When he and the dandelion head they were surprised to find Soul Society buried in a thick blanket of snow. Even more surprisingly was that Hitsugaya was more than eager to go and save the Kuchiki princess.

The whole Soul Society wondered why he of all people would be so eager to save Rukia but, nobody dared to ask the icy dragon. No one except Kurosaki Ichigo.

He wasn't sure what had happened between the white haired captain and the orange haired substitute but the air between them was tense.

When they arrived at Hueco Mundo the rescue had been easy. 'Too easy' Renji thought. Nobody suffered any great damage except for the tenth squad captain. He had gone wild when Aizen almost kissed Rukia.

When they returned from Hueco Mundo Rukia seemed to be in some kind of trance, and Hitsugaya had suffered some mayor wounds from his fight with the traitor. The hatred the white dragon felt towards the traitor was evident, that's why it was so impossible to believe that the dragon had betrayed Soul Society to go with Aizen. Didn't he hate him for been the cause of Hinamori death?

The only ones that have been present to when the dragon decided to betray Soul Society were Rukia and Matsumoto but neither could answer the why he had betray them all.

"Who the hell does she think she is?"

"Shut up she could hear you! She is a demon if she hears you will be as good as dead!"

Renji looked at the two shinigamis that were coming from the training ground. 'Demon? Oh please tell is no Rukia' Renji thought. He knew Rukia's tendency to get angry fast but it wouldn't do her any good to go psycho on the eleventh division captain.

"Oi!" Renji called the two shinigamis "who is this demon you're talking about?"

"Abarai-fukutaichou!" both shinigamis greeted. "I recommend you not to go to the training a ground right now, the new fukutaicho of the 13 squad is going nuts and is atta-"

"Thanks" Renji said not waiting for the shinigami to finish. 'Damn it Rukia you are going to get yourself kill,' he shunpo-ed the rest of the way. As he came closer to the training grounds he could feel Rukia's angry reiatsu.

He found the whole training ground destroyed. Some of the shinigami that had been unlucky enough to cross Rukia's path were lying on the floor beat to a pulp. She was standing in the middle with her back to him.

Renji gulped feeling the dark aura Rukia was giving. Did he really want to face her? 'Be a man!' "Oi Rukia!" Renji called her.

Hearing her name been call Rukia turned slowly turned towards the one that dared to stop her from venting her anger. "Renji" she said smiling evilly "want to spare?"

'Shit!' "Err…no but can you tell me why you almost killed half of the eleventh squad?" Renji asked baking a little from her just in case she decided to use him as a practice dummy.

"The fucking bastard known as Kenpachi stood me up!" Rukia said stomping her feet on the earth.

"So you killed half his squad just because of that?" Renji asked not getting why anybody would become so angry over something so trivial.

If eyes could kill Renji was sure that he could have been dead at least 6 times already. "Got a problem with it?" Rukia hissed.

'Oh God please let me see another day' Renji prayed as he backed away more from her, as she made her way towards him.

"You see, I didn't sleep at all last night thinking about my training with that asshole known as Zaraki Kenpachi. Since I didn't sleep at all I fell asleep during my breakfast with nii-sama. Let me tell you that nii-sama wasn't too happy about my rude behavior during breakfast. Not only I embarrass myself in front nii-sama but I missed 70% off discount on Chappy accessories, since that jerk of Kenpachi told me to come here first thing on the morning. I came only to find out that the bastard had was out on a mission exterminating hollows out on Rukongai. Don't you think not sleeping; embarrass myself in front of nii-sama and missing once in a life time discount on Chappy accessories are enough reason to kill half his squad?" Rukia said already pointing her zanpaktou at him.

'Shit!'

"I feel batter" Rukia said smiling as they made their way towards the bar. "Shut up" Renji told her limping beside her. "Ah come on it was only a friendly fight" she said smiling at herself. He only glared at her.

After beating the living days out of him she had demanded to go for a drink. They walked toward a popular bar on Rukongai. As they entered Renji notice Kira and Matsumoto sitting at one of the tables on the back.

"Hey" Renji greeted the pair.

"Renji what happen to you?" Kira asked him as he saw the condition he was in. Matsumoto, who was drinking sake, spit it out when she saw him. "Let me guess you try to make a move on someone? How many time have I told you acting like a monkey won't get you anywhere" Matsumoto said between giggles.

"Shut up!" Renji told her. Kira stood between them. "Why don't you come with me for more sake" Kira said dragging him away from Matsumoto.

Only when the guys were gone did she notice Rukia standing in front. The air between them became tense. "You can sit" Matsumoto said looking out of one of the windows. "Yes" Rukia said sitting across from her also avoiding looking at the other.

They both stayed quiet, both uncomfortable in front of the other presence. Matsumoto knew about Rukia's relationship with her ex-captain and Rukia because she knew about Matsumoto feelings toward the ex-captain. Neither knew how to act in front of the other.

Rukia knew that right now she was the last person Matsumoto wanted to see. 'I'm really a horrible person.' She knew she owned Matsumoto an apology.

"Matsumoto-san" Rukia said this time looking directly at her. "Yes?" Matsumoto said surprised by how firm Rukia sounded. Both woman looked gazes. "Matsumoto-san I want to apolo-"

"Don't" Matsumoto said still locking gazes, "I know what you want to say but don't bother. You don't have to apologize to me. You did nothing wrong."

"But-"

"Look I should be the one to apologize," Matsumoto said this time dropping her eyes, "the day before Aizen kidnapped you I followed him. I saw the way he acted towards you and I feel ashamed to have eardrop. You don't have to apologize for anything. He chose you out of every woman in Soul Society and that includes me. I have no right to claim him. He picked you and that's it."

"Y-you saw us?"

Matsumoto looked up and found Rukia blushing like mad. "Don't tell me that was your first time been kissed?" Matsumoto asked her, a small smile on her lips. "A-ah …yes" Rukia said embarrass to be found doing something so intimate. Matsumoto had expected Rukia to be angry but looking at her blushing was … nice. "He chose well" she said smiling at Rukia.

'Its time for me to give up my love for him' she thought feeling like big weights had been lifted up.

"Thanks?" Rukia said not knowing what else to say, she was happy that things were clear between them. "Now that we have settled this whole drama, what do you plan to do to bring your man back?"

Rukia didn't have to think twice to answer. "I plan to beat some sense in to his thick white head!" she said punching the air. Matsumoto went in to a fit of giggles, "I like your plan!"

Both women smiled at each other happy to be able to become friends.

When Renji and Kira came back to the table they found a very drunk Matsumoto and Rukia.

"Bah! Men who needs them!" Matsumoto said taking a big swing from the bottle of sake she was holding. "Yeah!" Rukia said taking the bottle from her.

"Kuchiki-taichou is going to kill!" Renji said. Kira pated his friend shoulder already feeling bad for him.

Author's Notes: It feels good to update! And I'm sure that you will feel good if you leave a review!