Disclaimer- Bleach is not mine.

Author's notes- I'm so sorry for taking so long to update!!! Thanx to all of you that reviewed last chapter!!! I'm really happy because there is another UlquiorraxRukia story XD and is really good!!!

Dance

She awoke by the sound of knocking on the door. She tried to open her eyes but the light coming from the window was too bright. She groaned. "Kuchiki-sama, open up please," came a voice from the other side of the door. 'This is weird Ukitake-san is the one to wake me up, since when do we have a maid?' she thought coming out from behind the silk blankets. She rubbed her eyes trying to get ride of the fogginess.

'This is not my room,' Rukia thought looking around the spacious room. Then it clicked. She was not in Ukitake's home anymore, but in Prince Aizen's castle, Las Noches. Her hands tighten into fists in her lap. She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be outside, and help fight the red death.

The knocking in the door became more urgent, and louder. "Please open the door, Kuchiki-sama. You need to meet Prince Aizen for breakfast," came the pleading voice of Hayako from outside.

For a moment Rukia considered going back to sleep, and ignore the knocking. 'It's not like he expects me to come. There are more nobles in the castle. He won't notice if I don't go,' she thought, already making herself comfortable in bed.

"Aizen-sama is expecting you" Hayako said. 'Damn.' "Come in," Rukia said with a frown. Hayako came running into the room. The usually stoic woman was wearing a nervous expression. "Is something wrong, Hayako?" Rukia asked from her place in bed.

"You are not ready yet," Hayako said bringing her hands to her mouth. Not waiting for a response, Hayako lifted Rukia from bed and pushed her towards the bathroom.

"Aizen-same will surely punish me," Hayako said really low; Rukia almost didn't catch it. 'Punish her?' Rukia thought, while letting herself be pushed to the bathroom.

She was nervous. It would be the first time she had spoken with the prince. Even though she was part of one of the noblest families in the country, she had never spoken to him. Her nii-sama was the one that talked to the prince. Her nii-sama was the one that attended the meetings with the royal family, while she stayed outside in the gardens. But when her nii-sama died she forgot all about the meetings she was supposed to attend as the last Kuchiki. Instead she went to live with Ukitake, and study medicine in hope that maybe she could find the cure for the red death.

Now, standing in front of the entrance of the dinning room in which the prince was expecting her, she wished she had at least attended one of those meetings. She didn't know how to act before the prince. She just hoped that she wouldn't make a fool of herself.

"What are you waiting for?" said Hayako snapping Rukia out of her musings, "hurry inside!" Hayako pushed the massive doors open, revealing a beautifully decorated room. Rukia followed her farther inside. Rukia looked ahead and saw the prince. He was quite handsome, with brown eyes, and chocolate colored hair. He was sitting in a big white throne-like chair. His head was resting lazily on his right hand, and a kind smile stretched across his handsome face.

"Kuchiki-sama is here, Aizen-sama," Hayako said bowing deeply. The prince didn't say anything for a while. "It's quite late," he said simply. Hayako visibly flinched, "I'm sorry! It won't happen again!" Again the prince stayed quiet. "Of course it won't happen again. You are dismissed," he said waving her away with his free hand. Rukia frowned a little at this. "Yes!" Hayako squeaked. She walked to outside the room with a frightened look on her eyes.

Once the doors where closed the prince turned his gaze to Rukia. "I'm sorry for Hayako's over-dramatic reaction. Please excuse her; I can arrange a new maid for you," Aizen said in a gentle voice. "I must decline the offer, Aizen-sama," Rukia said bowing to him "It was actually my fault that we were so late. I overslept; please don't punish her." Rukia didn't like how frightened Hayako seemed before the prince.

"That is really kind of you Kuchiki-san, but do not worry; I wasn't planning to punish her. But please don't bow to me; we are both of noble blood. Have a seat please," Aizen said pleasantly. Rukia did as she was told, and sat on a chair that was across from him. She was a little more relaxed knowing that the prince wouldn't punish Hayako.

"Was your ride tiring? If so, can I do anything to make you more comfortable?" Aizen said sounding concerned. Rukia blushed and shook her hands in front of her. "Please don't worry Aizen-sama," she said. "If is there anything I can do to make you more at home please let me know," he said giving her a killer smile. Rukia could only nod. She was too nervous to speak. 'He is really kind,' she thought.

"I'm sorry about your brother's death; it must have been hard," he said in a gentle voice. "Yes it was," Rukia said quietly. "You were taken under Ukitake-san's wing to learn medicine right?" he asked. "Yes, he let me stay with him and also taught me medicine," Rukia said happy to change the topic. "You were conducting some research, right? May I know the subject of your research?" he asked curiously.

"Ukitake-san and I were looking for a cure for the red death," she said sounding disappointed. "That's quiet a challenge!" he said, amused. "Indeed it is a challenge. So far with our research we have only found that is a blood disease. But we haven't found the cure," she said sounding frustrated. 'That's why I didn't want to come here in the first place,' she added mentally.

"I see" he said with a strange gleam in his eyes. "Let us continue this conversation later; the food is here," he said smiling. Servants entered the room carrying different kinds of food. "I hope you enjoy the food."

They continue talking as they ate. They spoke of casual things, nothing too serious. As time passed Rukia enjoyed the prince's company more. She wasn't nervous anymore; in fact she was getting quite comfortable with him.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Rukia-chan, but I'm afraid I must go to attend some important matters," he said standing up. Rukia also stood up and walked beside him out of the room. "Before I forget, today I will offer a dance to celebrate that all nobles arrived safely at my castle," he said.

Rukia wasn't that thrilled to hear about the dance. She never really liked to dance. She was about to tell the prince that she didn't like to the dance, but he spoke first. "I will send Hayako to pick you up, and show you were the ball room is," he said smiling. He turned around and walked away leaving a mortified Rukia standing in the hallway.

Rukia looked at herself in the mirror. She sighed when she saw her reflection. She wasn't really very feminine; she was more tomboyish. Rukia didn't plan to dress up, but maids were sent to her room to assist her.

She was now wearing a long, deep purple dress, making her white skin even whiter and her eyes stand out. A thin silver choker was attached to her neck. Her hair was in a loose bun, making her shorter bangs fall freely on her face, giving her a delicate look. In one word Rukia was feeling rather uncomfortable.

She preferred looser dresses, and the bun just didn't feel right. She sighed again. "Kuchiki-sama?" came a voice from the outside her room. 'That's not Hayako's voice,' Rukia thought as she walked towards the door. "Who are you, and where is Hayako?" Rukia asked the girl that stood in front of her. "I'm Hino. Hayako felt sick, so until she gets better I will be your maid, Kuchiki-sama," Hino said, bowing deeply to Rukia.

'She is quite young,' Rukia thought looking at her new maid. Hino was probably even younger than her. "Please follow me; I will show you were the ball room is," Hino said, waiting for Rukia. "Alright," Rukia said and followed the younger girl out of the room.

It didn't take them long to reach the ball room. Hino walked with Rukia until they the reached the entrance. "I will be waiting for you here, Kuchiki-sama," Hino said. "You don't have to. I'm sure I can fine my way to my room" Rukia said trying to persuade the younger girl not to stay. "I will probably stay all night, and you probably will need to rest for working tomorrow."

"I can't leave without you Kuchiki-sama. Those are Aizen-sama's orders" Hino said casting her eyes to the ground. 'Something is seriously wrong with this people,' Rukia thought. 'It's not like Aizen-sama will kill them for not following an order.'

"Do as you wish," Rukia said, a little irritated with the fact that the maids followed the prince's orders blindly. Even the maids that helped her dress wouldn't go until she was perfect, because it was Aizen-sama's orders. 'Simple-minded fools,' she thought as she walked farther inside the ball room.

She kept walking until she calmed herself down. 'Now what?' Rukia thought as she looked the enormous room. She then noticed that the room was filled with people. Many of them were people that she had never seen in her life, but she recognized a few. She hadn't known that there were so many nobles in the country.

'It won't hurt if I try to talk to them, right?' Rukia thought trying to act positively. But luck wasn't on her side.

She was standing outside in the gardens. Behind her, she could still hear the soft music that was playing inside the ballroom. She turned her head to see inside the room through the huge windows behind her. "Rich bastards," Rukia said out loud, glaring at the crowd of people that were dancing happily inside.

She had tried to talk to the other women, but they just talked about frivolous things like what they could spend their money on next. When she tried to talk about how many people were dying of starvation in the lowest Rukongai districts, they looked at her like she was mental, and then laughed at her. Men were even worse. They will ask her to dance, but with the only goal of getting inside her pants.

Nobles were so shallow. Didn't they know that there were many people suffering, while they were here celebrating? Not only they were shallow, but cowards too. While they hid in the prince's castle, others were still dying of the red death. Not even a day had passed, and she already hated being here.

She felt so guilty. She shouldn't be here. 'Why did you make me come, Ukitake-san?' Rukia asked nobody. She knew that she wouldn't be happy here. If she stayed here she would be powerless to help fight the red death, and she hated that. She hated feeling so helpless.

She stood alone in the garden, just watching the stars and remembering better times. 'I had better go; Hino is still waiting for me,' Rukia thought after a while, then looked one last time the sky. She was about to leave when she saw someone walking from the gardens.

As the figure approached she recognized him. 'It's the guy from last night,' Rukia thought, surprised to seen him again.

He suddenly stopped walking and finally noticing her staring. He narrowed his eye, throwing a glare her way. She felt embarrassed for being caught staring at him again. They stood in silence; he glared at her while she tried to avoid his glare.

'Maybe he is mad at me because I stared at him for too long,' Rukia thought embarrassed, 'I should apologize.' She took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking. "Uh…sorry for staring at you," Rukia said.

"What are you doing here?" he said in a deep baritone voice, completely ignoring her apology. "Shouldn't you be with your shallow friends inside?" She was taken aback by this. Was he calling her shallow?

He was going to regret calling her shallow. "I should ask the same. Shouldn't you be inside with your horny friends?" Rukia said through gritted teeth. If looks could kill she would have already been six feet under. "Don't compare me to them, onna," he said in a deep voice.

Again they stayed silent, but this time Rukia also glared at him. She was getting tired of this glaring contest. "Just because you have money it doesn't mean you own the world. There are people dying right know; try to think about other people less fortunate than you," Rukia said turning around to leave, but stopped when he started talking.

"That's really hypocritical, onna. Just look at what you are wearing; I'm sure that choker could buy a whole year's provision of rice. Nobles are sure disgusting." He said the last part almost in a hiss.

Rukia was pissed, no she was beyond pissed. The choker she was wearing had been the last gift Ichigo had given her. "Bastard! You talk about nobles as if you weren't one. I haven't been a noble for the past 3 years. I have worked my ass off, as a doctor trying to save as many people as I can. Many children have died in my arms due to starvation, and diseases. Don't you dare judge me without knowing me. You have no idea what suffering is," Rukia said in a low tone.

He didn't seem fazed by her outburst; he just kept looking directly at her eyes, as if trying to tell if she was lying. She didn't turn her gaze away from his eyes. Suddenly his gaze turned to inside the castle. His eyes narrowed dangerously. Without another word he turned around, and started walking away.

'What the hell does he think he is doing? I'm not done with him yet!' Rukia screamed in her head. She was about to follow him, when she heard the most frightening voice she could have possibly heard.

"Oi! Rukia-chan!"

She saw the figure of Ichimaru Gin approached her.

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