I don't own Bleach

Natural Causes

Chapter Two: Silence

"N-no," Orihime stuttered, horrified—stepping away from Tatsuki, "You can't be dead, Tatsuki-chan."

She cast her gaze downwards, her short hair shadowing over her eyes. No words were required before she turned to look at the captain. "Take me back to Rukongai."

"No," He said nonchalantly, "unless you wish for more visits from those hollows."

Tatsuki began to shake, her teeth ground together tightly and she pursed her lips before walking—limping—from the man. "Fine then, I'm going myself."

"Tatsuki!" a familiar strawberry's voice rang in her ears, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I don't really know right now, Kurosaki," She said, "It's been a year since I've seen any of you at all, I wasn't even sure if you were alive or not—I'm still not. How long has it been since you've seen your family, Kurosaki?" He flinched. "That's what I thought, you have no idea what's happened in the actual world since you've disappeared to stay here." Her gaze flickered to Orihime somberly and she attempted a small smile, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, Orihime."

She sighed and allowed her legs to give out beneath her, falling flat on her bum. No one dared to move toward her—she was in a dazed state. The stare, directed by her, was glazed and off focus. It was as though she wasn't even there anymore. Like the sigh had taken everything with it. Her lips moved but no words came out, only the silent whisper of a promising breeze.

Then, she was hauled up by her armpits and thrown over a thick shoulder—immediately snapping out of the daze to realize that the strange captain was carrying her. Her eyes narrowed and she contemplated her chances of escaping this hold, if he wanted he could just drop her. But this is higher than it was before. If she did, her leg would break clean through. It's not like she's never broken that leg before, but now it bothered her. It shouldn't bother her right now, she shouldn't even be able to have a broken leg if she's dead.

She sighed again and banged her fist against his back before looking up at Orihime, the man was already walking with the girl with dark, bobbed hair.

"Orihime," She called out, "I'm sorry."

Tears were already flooding down the girl's cheeks and she was choking back sobs, she was absolutely paralyzed. Kurosaki was trying to comfort her while sending odd looks in her direction, they definitely didn't seem like hate. Though she hardly noticed Kurosaki sending her messages with his stare, her eyes held to the red haired girl sobbing. She gradually lowered her eyes until all she saw was the white of the captain's robe. Her chin thumping rhythmically against his shoulder and her eyes were, once again, empty. Her body a rag doll with his hand holding her still.

A memory of humanity rang through her mind very quickly and a gasp couldn't help but whistle through her teeth. It was painful, her body throbbed at the sheer memory. Those arancar appeared in a meteor crash, pulling souls and energy from anybody in the vicinity. The daunting pain that ricocheted through her system that day left scars that can't be seen. The cry of Orihime's voice and Chad's grunt of pain, it was thoroughly unbearable. She could feel Orihime in front of her, trying to pull her away from the fight. She could see Orihime be smacked to the side like a house fly by that gorilla of an arancar.

Another shot of pain ran through her body and she gripped the white cloth tightly in her hands, tears refused to fall. Her lips pressed tightly together and expression set in stone. She wouldn't let these soul reapers see her pain. It was too much. Shame was not something she would add to it. It didn't matter where this man was taking her, she was already—thunk!

Tatsuki blinked a couple times as she was put on a white bed, he was slightly gentle—but that was beside the point. Another shot of actual pain ran up her leg, this time it wasn't emotion channeling it.

Her eyes flicked up at him, "What's your name, princess?"

The girl with bobbed hair looked at her and was about to answer, but she saw where her gaze was directed: the older man. A pregnant pause built the shock on the girl's face, but Tatsuki pretended not to notice it. He turned to face her all too slowly and she tried to ignore the hairs pricking up on the back of her neck.

"Kuchiki Byakuya," He finally said, his deep baritone voice washing over her in the worst of ways.

She bows her head in a quick bob, "Arisawa Tatsuki."

He gave her an odd look before smirking and then leaving the room. The hairs stood again. That condescending bastard! She seethed internally.

She looked at the girl for a split second before doing a double take, "Rukia?"

The girl was silent.

"Kuchiki Rukia?" Tatsuki asked with her eyebrows raised, she was never one for prefixes.

The girl waited for a moment before giving a hesitant smile, "Yes, Arisawa-san."

"I never would'a guessed…" She said softly, "…the entire time you were a soul reaper?"

"Yes," Rukia said with a nod, "I have been for years."

"I see," Tatsuki murmured softly, "so when does the doctor get here?"

"Doctor?" Rukia asked, puzzled for a moment, "Oh, you mean Captain Unohana, she won't be here, but Lieutenant Kotetsu is going to help you."

"I don't need help," Tatsuki said with a huff, "Princess forced me here."

Rukia stiffened, "Nii-sama only cares about your health."

"He cares about your happiness, not my health." Tatsuki stated bluntly and a blush came over Rukia's cheeks. "Princess might as well have left me in Rukongai, Minni-nee-chan could have helped me as much as the doctors here could."

Rukia looked confused for a moment, before giving another hesitant smile, "I'm sure he just wants to help."

"Then why not get one of his lackeys to do it?" Tatsuki asked, "He certainly acts like he does."

"He has more humility than that." Rukia said tartly.

"Then teach his eyes that."

Rukia was silent, anger and annoyance gleamed in her eyes as she stared down at the equally annoyed and angered girl on the sanitized bed. "You don't know him."

"No, I don't exactly know anyone anymore, now do I?" Tatsuki said with a gleam in her eyes. Rukia averted her gaze.

"Orihime is coming."

Only minutes later she in question came in with Kurosaki, Rukia's eyes widened. Orihime didn't look up, her grey eyes rimmed with red. Tatsuki's gaze softened and she looked down at her hands—she hated it when Orihime cried. Though now it was her fault.

"Tatsuki-chan," Orihime said, taking a few tentative steps forward, "how long?"

"Three months."

A few tears slipped down Orihime's face. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."

"Don't apologize," Tatsuki said, "you did what you had to do."

A couple more tears.

"Gomen Nasai, Tatsuki-chan." She said, clenching her robes tightly in fists.

"Urusai (1)," Tatsuki said softly, "stop apologizing, Orihime."

She gasped and brought her clasped hands in front of her heart before taking a few more steps forward, now at Tatsuki's bedside. Reaching her hand out, she gently stroked Tatsuki's spiky, gravity-defying hair before another tear rolled down her cheek. "Arigatou," She whispered before sweeping out of the room in a dramatic fashion. This just left Tatsuki in confusion, Orihime was very emotional—she knew that—but she always confronted things eventually.

Then a tall woman with short, curly, white hair and two long braids running along the side of her face walked in. Another soul reaper, who would have guessed? Tatsuki thought sarcastically.

"I'm Lieutenant Kotetsu Isane," the woman said smoothly, trying to stay serene even though her large, doe-like eyes showed the extreme vulnerability.

"So I've been told," Tatsuki said lazily, leaning back in the bed—her muscles were only slightly stressed. Then a shot of pain ran up her leg. "The hell—?!"

Another tinge ran up her spine when she saw Kotetsu Isane holding her calve straight and wrapping it tightly in a bandage.

Her eyebrows pulled together in slight confusion as Kotetsu left it as that before looking at her leg, it felt just fine. "Kotetsu?"

The Lieutenant looked at her for a moment, "You're fine, just a sprain. I suppose Inoue-san healed you to a certain extent. You may leave."

"Hai," Tatsuki murmured under her breath before getting up and walking straight out of the building—intent on making a bee-line to Rukongai. Then, she was picked up and tossed over someone's shoulder once again. "Why am I being grabbed and tossed over people's shoulders like a sack of potatoes?"

Then she felt the same shoulder shrug and she caught the sight of orange out of the corner of her eye. "Kurosaki, put me down!!!"

"Since when have you called me Kurosaki?" He snorted.

"Since I figured that I didn't exactly know you anymore!"

"You've hardly known me all your life, but you've always called me 'Ichigo-kun'."

An embarrassed flush covered her neck and he could feel the heat through his robe. "We were six, Kurosaki, things have changed."

"Well, you started calling me just 'Ichigo' when we were 13."

It intensified.

"Things have changed."

"Like what?"

"Everyone disappearing for a year, Asano getting married without you there to congratulate him, Kojima going off to America for college without your congratulations or protests, Karin going out with Kojima for about three months"—he twitched—"you missing Karin and Yuzu's junior high graduation, and then…" She swallowed, "missing my funeral."

He stopped in his tracks there, "That's why you stopped calling me Ichigo."

"Yes."

His grip tightened around her waist, her chin bumping against his back in boredom.

"Let me go back to Rukongai now, being here gives me nausea."

"No," He said immediately, "Byakuya wanted to see you."

It took her a moment, "What, Princess? Why would he want to see me?"

He snorted and gave a bark-like laugh, "I dunno, I was just told to take you to him."

"I never took you for the type that took orders."

"I'm not," He said, turning on his heals—making her hair flare around her head and touch his neck barely—with a small smile, "but I am one to repay a debt."

"So kidnapping me is a way to repay a debt?"

"It's part of it," He said with a chuckle.

She lifted her head a little and saw Rukia walking near him in silence. "You're apart of his kidnapping scheme?"

"Nii-sama would never kidnap someone."

"That explains exactly what he's doing now," She murmured under her breath. Aching pains were running through her naval as the muscles of his shoulders shifted. She puts her arm out, her hand balled into a fist, and rams her elbow into the back of his neck. His reaction was exactly what she wanted, he fell over and she pulled her knees up and ran over his back as he collapsed to the ground—rubbing his neck. She stood there, staring at him for a moment. "I don't like being kidnapped, Kurosaki."

He flinched and stood up again.

"Don't try," She said smugly, "you've never beaten me in Judo."

His eyes darted away from her for a moment, "I don't need to."

She blinked, "Hmm….and here I thought you wanted to beat me."

Before he could retaliate—"Thank you, Kurosaki-san." The familiar voice rang down her spine and made the hairs stand on end again. "I'll take her from here."

Something resembling a growl escaped Tatsuki's growl, "Hello Princess-san." What would normally be said as polite was completely and utterly mocking. She turned to face him only to see he looked exactly the same as he had a few hours earlier, only cleaner.

He simply gave her a short-lived glare, "I will be speaking to you in my office."

"Very well, Princess," She said mockingly with a smirk, "whatever you wish."

"Glad to see you are cooperating." He murmured sarcastically, then he looked at Kurosaki and Rukia and raised an eyebrow—they scattered a moment later. "Follow me."

Without raising any questions, she followed him wordlessly—her fingers gripping the white yukata tightly. She continued walking, without paying attention to her surroundings, until he closed a door on a private room. Must be his office, she thought as she observed the large desk that had paperwork neatly piled on one side of the desk. She turned to look at him to see he was standing in front of the door, purposely blocking her only exit.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"You seemed to have calmed." He said nonchalantly.

"Being a raving bitch takes a lot of energy."

The corner of his mouth twitched, "I see."

"Now, why do you want to talk to me?"

"What do you think about enrolling in Soul Reaper Academy?"

A/N: I'm usually not one for cliffhangers, well, actually, that's a lie—but it's the only way I could figure out how to actually finish off this chapter. Now that I get into my mood, this seems like a pretty good couple to write about. Plus, I love writing Tatsuki. Please Review!

(1) Urusai- Shut Up