Ok guys, it's finally here! Had so much going on, I haven't had chance to do any writing. So here is the long awaited thirteenth chapter. Sorry for the delay and I'm sorry if it's rubbish, but I hope you enjoy it :)

Chapter Thirteen

Previously-

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's losers who keep on going even though they know they can't win!" Nnoitra said to himself.

The beeping of the machines still resounded in her ears even as she sat in the hospital canteen. Rukia's pale hands clutched at the Styrofoam cup of (now cold) coffee as if it were a life preserver.

She knew people had been staring at her as soon as she had arrived at the hospital but at the moment it didn't matter. Nothing mattered- not her hair that was stuck up like a birds nest, or the smudges of mascara that had dragged themselves along her skin as she cried. All that mattered as that Grimmjow got better.

Got better. More like, survived. The attack had been brutal and deliberate, she was so sure of it. All of Grimmjow's family had been convinced of it too… The only good thing was that he was stabilized and it was a clean cut. That meant according to the doctors, he would hopefully have a speedy recovery.

Grimmjow was now laid up in a white, sterilized room, attached to drips and monitors. His face was grazed, which was the least of his worries. There would be no doubt that he would have a scar from where the weapon had entered him, and he would need a blood transfusion soon. Aizen, Gin and Ulquiorra were now sat with him and the doctors. Rukia had been asked to leave.

It had happened not long after she had left, and as Byakuya kept telling her, she was lucky, lucky to be alive, and quite frankly, she was sick of hearing that.

She wished it had been her. She should be lying like that, not Grimmjow. Not-

She cried. Cried and cried and cried until it felt like tears wouldn't come.

"Come on," came Byakuya's voice, and without a word, she nestled her hand into her brothers and let him lead her away.

Byakuya sighed as he placed his bookmark in the fat novel, and heaved himself from the sofa. He had taken the day of work to stay with Rukia, and all day the phone had rung, or there were knocks on the door, disrupting her peace, and his. He was either working, or talking, or napping, or even now, reading when there'd be a tap-tap or ring-ring.

When he opened the door, he was shocked to see a tall, thin, black haired boy on the doorstep, wearing a black blazer, with a white t-shirt and perhaps the tightest jeans he'd ever seen. As smartly dressed as he was, it was almost as if he had come from a funeral.

Oh god, what had happened now?

"Excuse me, but is Rukia home?" The voice was light and polite, yet there was something about it that set the small hairs on the back of his neck on end.

"Y-yes. Who are you?" Byakuya asked.

"Ulquiorra. I'm Grimmjow's step-brother". That explained everything. He now felt very foolish, yet the prickly feeling was still there.

"Oh, right, well, come in. She's upstairs. I'll go get her-"

"Oh I didn't want to disturb her. I just wanted to-"

"Byakuya!" a frail voice called from the top of the stairs.

Rukia couldn't sleep any longer. That, and the nightmares of Grimmjow lying there loosing blood and dying, were becoming terrifying. She had woken up in a sweat, but luckily without a scream.

She quickly washed her face, before she slipped on a SCANDAL tour tee shirt and a pair of clean sweats. She had taken a tablet for the headache that had started and a cold drink of water, but she still felt like she was at death's door (so to speak). She quickly tied her hair up .

Voices began to travel upstairs and she recognised both of them.

Byakuya and Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra and Byakuya.

She called her brother's name, and she was shocked at how pitiful it sounded. Hoarse, deathly, unnatural.

"Ulquiorra? What are you doing here?" she asked, as she started to head downstairs.

"I wanted to talk to you, if that's ok? And I popped by the school," he said, holding up a bright badge-laden rucksack.

"Oh come on then". She stopped in her tracks and beckoned him upstairs.

"Call me, if you need anything," Byakuya called, perhaps a little nervously.

Rukia was his little sister. Okay, so he had never liked Ichigo but he hurt too when she told him about what had happened. So he didn't know Grimmjow that well, but it was awful to see how cut up she was. And now he was letting another boy into the house…

"You're an overprotective fool, Byakuya Kuchiki," he told himself, as he boiled the kettle for a hot coffee.