I realize I haven't update in forever but don't worry, here is the next part! Sorry for the long wait and I hope you enjoy it! Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Not on Time? Part Two

The three blades continued to collide and fall apart at a faster and faster rate, sparks flying and skittering across the floor before dying out. Gritting her teeth as she brushed her blonde hair back from her eyes yet again, Rangiku pushed herself to the limits as she tried to break through Aizen's seemingly impenetrable defense. Bruises and minor cuts had begun to accumulate across their bodies as their blood trickled from the small wounds.

Heaving a quiet, reluctant sigh as he fended off the poisoned blade of Gin's sword, Aizen checked his pocket watch before sighing once again. Shaking his head mockingly, Aizen suddenly froze, boredom already replacing his smug smirk when a fountain of blood erupted from his chest where Gin had struck. Gin's smile remained on his face even after a sharp sword sprouted from his stomach, a puddle of red spreading from the blade dripping in blood.

The moment stretched impossibly, turning brief seconds into long hours. The sword withdrew in a shower of blood as Aizen stepped out of thin air, his blood stained sword hanging at his side and mocking laughter on his lips. Gin had frozen for a moment like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut before collapsing on the ground, a cough staining his paling lips red. Aizen slipped past the Rangiku's frozen form, his bloodied sword back in its sheathe. Aizen picked Nanao's prone form up and slung her over his shoulder, already making his way for the exit.

He was stopped by a hoarse whisper which seemed inches away from turning into a death rattle that managed a single word before ending in coughs that wracked his entire body.

"How?" Turning to look over his shoulder, smug smirk on his face, Aizen drew his sword and tapped a black stone imbedded at the hilt, its surface reflecting no light,

"I forced a mage to enchant my sword with the ability to create illusions…right before I killed her." He said with a satisfied chuckle,

"Couldn't have anyone divulging my little secret and now that you two know it, I suppose I'll have to kill her too." Aizen remarked waving his sword in Rangiku's direction.

At the mention of her death, Rangiku finally unfroze, her sword put up a flare of determination lighting her eyes as she stood in a steady position, though fear still lingered in her eyes. Even while blood welled up from his wound with every beat of his heart, Gin's grin turned ice cold as he lunged forward, his eyes flashing ice blue.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" He snarled as his hand pressed against his wound and his blood splattered against the ground. The blood leaking through his fingers, Gin promptly collapsed on the floor, his blood beginning to pool. Without another word, Aizen raised his sword and swept it down like an executioner's blade cutting the head of a criminal. Breaking past her defenses, Aizen opened a cut across her torso diagonally, blood spilling out as the life in her eyes flickered.

Kyouraku rushed through the hallways, his swords only blurs in the air as he knocked aside the guards that got in his way. A trail of inert bodies lay behind him as he came to an abrupt stop. Eyes widening as he quickly sheathed his swords, he knelt, blood beginning to soak into his pants, staining it a deep red. Pressing his fingers into their wrists one by one, he searched desperately for a pulse, a throb, a sign of life.

THERE! Weakly throbbing but still there, her pulse. She was still alive. Relief flooded through him as he gently set Rangiku's hand down before quickly turned to Gin and flipping him over to lay on his back. It didn't look good. He looked worse then Rangiku did with blood covering every possible surface, pallid skin beneath the crimson, and the hole in his stomach gaping mockingly.

With bated breath, Kyouraku pressed his fingers against Gin's wrist with blood covered fingers. Nothing. No beat that could be felt under his probing fingers. Wide eyed, Kyouraku quickly held his hand in front of Gin's face, hoping for just a flutter of air that would tell him he was alive.

"Come on, come on. Gin you can pull through this. You're stronger then this." Kyouraku muttered under his breath as his hands began to shake. Steeling himself, Kyouraku raised his hand, ready to try again when his ears picked up the sound of footsteps.

One set seemed almost strained, like the person had been carrying something heavy. The other set were unsteady and forced, the equivalent of a staggering drunk man. Picking up his swords, Kyouraku waited for the footsteps to take the last turn before showing themselves. Just as Kyouraku lunged forward to press his sword against the throat of the first person who showed themselves, a slightly strained, familiar voice made its way to his ears,

"You know, Kyouraku-Kun, I hope you aren't making this a habit." Unohana commented lightly, her tone dry as she shifted Ukitake's weight onto her other shoulder. Remaining silent as he took Ukitake's weight from Unohana, Kyouraku opened his mouth after laying Ukitake out on one of the few patches ground that didn't have blood splattered across it,

"Gin. I can't find a pulse."

She immediately went to work checking for any hint of a breath, for a pulse of his heart, anything, her eyes becoming more and more worried as she continued. Kyouraku worked on making his halfway lucid best friend as comfortable as he could be laying on the ground. Wiping a stray drop of blood from the corner of his mouth using his sleeve, Kyouraku felt a sudden, insistent tugging on the edge of his robe. Looking down, he met a pair of eyes, glazed over with pain though a determined light shone in her eyes.. Confusion flickered across his face as Rangiku pulled at his shoulder before Kyouraku finally inclined his head so Rangiku could speak,

"Nanao, go. Go get her. Aizen is taking her to the boat. Hurry." She managed to whisper in a quiet rasp before she began to grimace and grip at her midriff, trying to slow the flow of her blood.

War waged within him as two different forces pulled at him. There were friends that needed him here, one of them could already be dead and more could die if he left but Nanao was slowly growing farther and farther from his reach.

"Shun." A voice broke through his inner turmoil that had left him lost in his own thoughts. Opening his eyes, Kyouraku stared at Ukitake who had made his way to the wall, leaning heavily on it, beads of sweat sliding down his forehead, though his eyes were clear and calm.

"Go." Silently, Kyouraku nodded before running out of the room, his eyes clearing as he drew both swords, ready to fight the kidnapper.

Treading lightly, Kyouraku went straight down, his attention only briefly disturbed by the odd guard every now and then. Needless to say, they were all taken down. Skidding around the corner as the path split into a T, he looked down both ways frantically, his eyes taking in the hallways. Which way should he go? If he took the wrong path…no he couldn't think about that right now, he had to choose. Right or left?

The sound of a latch clicking shut echoed through the empty hallways. Kyouraku turned to the noise, his hands clamping down tighter on his swords, his eyes narrowing. It had come from the left. Running at a full sprint, Kyouraku burst through the wooden door in a shower of splinters. Taking in his surroundings, he turned, his swords keening as they carved a deadly arch in the air.

Waves lapped at the edge of the port he stood on, the harbor empty with the exception of a ship that was slowly pulling away from the edge of the harbor, a simple white flag with a black circle waving at the top of the mast.