A/N: I aplologise for the lack of updates and that this is short. But the only problem is that I have a university course going on and it's taking a while for me to write for this and that.

Chapter Fourteen

Previously-

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

"What's happening at the hospital?" asked Rukia as soon as Ulquiorra shut her bedroom door.

"He's stable. They're going to give him stitches. The wounds not as bad as it looks according to the doctors, but dad and Aizen are still pretty cut up about it. Excuse the pun".

"It's fine. I just…" Rukia's hands started shaking and tears began to spill again.

"Hey he'll be as right as rain soon!"

She felt warm arms surround her and she let herself be pulled into the embrace.

"Come on, it'll be fine".

"I won't be fine, he's hurt. I should be there. I should be holding his hand, I should be telling him it's ok, I should be…"

Tears fell only more ferociously.

"Hey I thought you were stronger than this. Come on, smile!" Ulquiorra's hands skimmed lightly over her hair and she felt a shiver tingle along her spine.

"Why don't we go see him later?"

"I… I'd like that". She gave him a small smile and swore she could see a twinkle in his eye.

"I'll pop around later. Ok? Meantime, try and concentrate on something else. Read a funny book, watch a film with your brother, take a bath, go out shopping for a few hours… Hell even do homework!"

Rukia wiped her tears with her knuckles.

"I honestly don't know why I've gone to pieces about it. I didn't when His…" She trailed off and looked at her feet, encased in fluffy bed socks.

"Something wrong?"

"My sister died. My older sister. Her name was Hisana. She'd looked after me since our parents died. I barely knew them… I wasn't this cut up about it, but I suppose grief hits us all differently at different ages," she said delicately.

"Yeah. When you're small you just get told they went to sleep… That's what they told me about my cat-"

"You had a cat?"

"Yeah. Got a problem?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I just figured you more of a dog person". She let out a giggle.

"Huh? Anyway, I had this cat. Little white thing he was. Called him Huckleberry. Anyway, when he died, I got told he went to kitty heaven… Made me feel better but I always knew there wasn't a kitty heaven…"

"Aw!" She pulled him into a hug and she felt his head rest on hers.

"Yeah… Aw". He grinned to himself as he held her in his arms.

Aw indeed.