6. The white bedroom

Well, at least she would not get bored during her forced stay within the squad's care unit, Kotetsu Isane thought while following her captain out of the treatment room back into the hall. Pretty much every single bed room was occupied, except the ones reserved for taichos. And as the flu was just going around, the double and triple bed rooms where occupied as well, though there were still some empty beds.

The fuku-taicho hoped to get into a triple bed room for several reasons. First, this way she could take care of at least two other patients and thus help the squad and her taicho. Second, this way she would not get bored and time would pass by more quickly. Third, assuming the other patients in her room where more in need of help because of their sickness and/or more whiny, she herself would look comparatively healthy and thus would draw less attention to herself.

"Hanataro Yamada-kun, is there an empty single bed room right now?", Unohana asked her seventh seat officer, who was just passing by.

"All but the taichos' rooms are taken right now, Unohana-taicho. Why? Are there any news of another heavy injured shinigami, who is being brought in right now?", Yamada asked in his usual anxious voice.

"No, not at all. I just want our fuku-taicho to have a room on her own, so that she will get the peace and quiet she needs right now."

The reaction of Isane and Yamada at these words could not have been more contrary. While the small officer's face lit up in a bright smile, understanding that Unohana-taicho is taking care of his fuku-taicho, Isane's body became rigid while gasping at her taicho's words. Looking at the whole situation, it hardly couldn't get any worse for her, could it?

First, she had to admit being sick, second, she was forced to stay in her taicho's care and now Unohana tried to put her in a single bed room, so that she could give Isane her full attention every time she would be tending to her? Besides losing all the other advantages of a triple bed room? Oh no, no, no. The fuku-taicho was not going to give up on this matter so easily. No way.

"Taicho-sama, I appreciate your good intentions and I am truly grateful for them. But I see no reason, why I should be treated in a different way than any other patient with the flu being here right now", Isane tried to explain.

"Well Isane, I do. And my opinion is the one, that matters", Unohana smiled back at her fuku-taicho.

Isane felt like something was crunching on her insides again. Yet, she was determined not to give up so easily on this fight. She gritted her teeth before saying:

"Be that as it may Unohana-taicho, but there isn't a regular single bed room available right now. And as I am not a taicho, I simply refuse to stay in one of their rooms."

"Don't worry Isane. I am not going to force you to break the rules by staying in a taicho's treatment room. So there is no reason to get so tensed up", Unohana tried to calm down her fuku-taicho.

At her words, Isane was indeed slightly relaxing again. Good, at least something was going her way.

"Yamada-kun, please take the fuku-taicho to the white bedroom and see to it, that she will have everything, she needs and wants to get as comfortable as possible there."

"Hai, taicho-same. Fuku-taicho, please follow me."

Isane however, did not comply. She just kept standing still, frozen to the spot. This was so not happening. It could not be. Didn't she just convince herself, that her predicament could not get any worse? Until now, she thought it was bad enough, that Unohana would most likely drop by several times a day, monitoring her condition. The white bedroom however meant, that her taicho would be able to easily look after her day and night.

This particular bedroom was equipped like one saved for taichos. What made it so special was its location. This room was right besides Unohana's private quarters and just a little apart from her office. It was called the white bedroom, because it was hardly ever used, thus it was always clean. Isane couldn't even recall the last time, it had been used.

It was also very quiet, because no other treatment rooms were close by. Unfortunately for Isane, this room was not far away enough from the squad's main care unit, so that the way over there could be considered an inconvenience for any healer. When it was built, Unohana saw to it, that a special passage way was constructed as well, making it possible to reach that room within three minutes.

"Isane, please go with Hanataro-kun", Unohana's soft voice reached Isane's ears, forcing her out of her thoughts.

Being brought back so suddenly into reality, Isane lost her footing for a second, stumbled into a fellow shinigami, who was just on his way to another patient, and finally fell on her backside.

"Isane, did anything got hurt?", Unohana and Yamada asked, equally worried.

Besides her pride?

"No. I didn't get hurt. Unohana-sama! Taicho-sama! That is really too much. I do not need so much attention. I will be fine in a normal bed room. Really. There is no need for you..." Isane started to ramble, when suddenly she found herself being pushed down on the floor by an invisible force, unable to make another sound.

Seeing her fuku-taicho mustering all available energy to protest against her orders, Unohana Retsu had quickly released some of her reiatsu. As her fuku-taicho was already weakened, it did not take much, which was the reason Hanataro was still able to stand, though he was feeling it too. Unohana got down beside her assistant, placing a hand under Isane's chin so that she could lift up her head more easily. Looking straight into her fuku-taicho's face, she commanded in a collected, austere voice:

"Isane, either you will go with Hanataro-kun right now and let him take care of you until I have prepared your medicine, or you continue your disobedience and I will have you carried over there and put to bed by your subordinates. Which way do you prefer?"

None of the above, Isane was honestly answering in her mind. However, the thought of being carried over to the white bedroom by several of her fellow shinigami was ingenuously mortifying. Finding herself able to move and speak again, the fuku-taicho slowly got back up on her feet. Being painfully aware of her taicho following her every single movement, Isane turned to Hanataro Yamada, signaling him to lead the way.

Watching both her officers being on their way, Unohana wondered what just happened. Usually, her fuku-taicho would never disobey her, especially not in front of others. And just why was she fighting so hard against her? After all, she was sick and Unohana simply wanted to do everything to make her well again as soon and as quick as possible. Couldn't Isane see that? Was there something else going on, her assistant did not want to talk about? And if that was the case, what could it be?

Without any doubt, Unohana wanted a lot of questions being answered by her fuku-taicho. Just right now, she had to force this desire into the back of her mind. Apart from the many patients, that were right now in her staff's care, demanding more or less her attention, she now also had to prepare Isane's medication and treatment schedule.

She was determined though, to find out, what was going on in her fuku-taicho's mind at some point in the near future. Even if that meant, observing her day and night. Her Isane, was just too important for this squad and to herself, than to allow her go to waste. Having come to this resolution, Unohana turned to the next treatment room and got back to work.