Edited and Rewritten

I don't own Bleach

Sunday passed without much interest. Renee stayed in doors, going into her old routine. Sleep, eat, and shower. Thankfully her neighbors had stayed away the whole weekend so she didn't have to deal with trying to block their thoughts. When Monday rolled around, she got dressed, packed her book bag, made sure she had her ipod and Tylenol with her. Pulling her jacket on before walking out of the apartment, she locked up and headed to school.

A flash of black caught her attention halfway there, causing her to look around. Her heart rate doubled. What she saw was a tall blonde male instead of a red head, she cast him off and continued on her way. Her loud pounding music, blocking out his thoughts.

When she got to school, her friends were there waiting. Pulling out the left ear bud she waited for their questions. Fez was the first.

"Where's Renji?" He asked.

"Transferred back to Lakeland." she answered, voice not giving away any hint of the vast emptiness she really felt.

"Why'd he leave?" This coming from the tall Ryan.

"Guess he didn't like it here." Matt said, shrugging and heading towards their first class. "Who cares anyways, he was odd. I didn't trust him."

Renee laughed with the group, before plugging her ears again. Listening to Stone Sour's 'Say You'll Haunt Me', Corey Taylor's haunting voice, bringing her some semblance of peace. As long as she concentrated only on the music.

At lunch she decided to eat alone. After buying herself a hamburger, she told her friends she'd see them in band and walked off into the nearby woods. Finding her favorite spot to escape to, when the school day was getting rough. This was a place that no one but her group of friends knew about, so she was relatively safe from someone's wayward thoughts.

Sighing, she pulled out a spiral notebook, opened it to a blank page, and started writing…

'Look into my eyes
Tell me what you see
The girl you once knew?
Is that really me?
I'll tell you what I see
When I'm looking at me
I see eyes full of sorrow
Like no one understands me
No one to talk to
They laugh as if they know
Their joy comes from my pain
They laugh as if they know
But no one understands.'

It was a poem that she'd been thinking about writing for sometime. Just never knew the right words to put. She smiled for the first time that day. Placing the notebook back in her bag, she stood and changed the music she was listening to. Something that would put her into a little bit of a better mood. Feeling better now that she had her thoughts written down on paper, she walked back towards the school. Band was starting and it was her best subject, there was no way she was missing out.

Toni was standing at the door when she arrived, giving her a warm smile. "Well you seem like you're in a better mood. What do you do out there that always seems to lift your spirits?"

Renee shrugged, "Mostly I write out what's on my mind, change my music and my mood changes with it."

"I wish I could do that." Toni laughed as they entered the band room.

The day finished with her, Fez and Toni crashing at her place. Laughing about all the dumb shit they used to do. "I remember when we were staying the night at your dad's place right before you moved into this apartment. We used to sneak out and drank your dad's beer, he'd be so pissed off the next day." Fez said bending over laughing.

"Yeah, I remember that." Renee deepened her voice and puffed out her chest. "Renee Ann, how many times do I have to tell you? Stay the hell outta my beer." she laughed, "He never really did anything though. I think the main reason he let me move into my own apartment was to get me the hell away from the house."

"Well if you weren't such a hellion your dad might've wanted you around more." Toni said trying to get catch her breath.

"Nah, don't think so." she replied.

The doorbell rang and everyone let out a sigh of relief. "It's about damn time the pizza showed up, I thought they'd gotten lost." she said standing up and getting some cash out of her back pocket. When she opened the door, she didn't expect to see anyone other then a pizza guy carrying their box of pizza, and cursed her self for not scanning their thoughts before opening the door.

The man in front of her had shoulder length black hair, with odd looking hair pieces parting it into three separate pieces over the left side of his face. His expression was completely devoid of emotion, and he looked down at her with grey eyes. She sighed, and looked back at her two friends, now looking at her oddly. "No one's there, must've been some dumb kid. I'll go look for him and set him right."

"Want me to come with you?" Fez asked, starting to stand.

"Nah, I've got it. Shouldn't take long." She walked out and closed the door. Stepping around the emotionless man, she crossed her arms, "What do you want. I'm done being nice to Soul Reapers, and before you ask, yes I can read your mind." Looking up at him she growled, "That damn Renji has a big fucking mouth."

"So you know why I've come here then?" He asked.

Renee nodded, "Yeah, and no I'm not going anywhere with you. Get lost." She turned back to the door.

"The Soul Society is very interested in your ability Renee Duvall, they've sent me here, to your America, to bring you back." Said the male behind her.

"I could care less what your damn Soul Society wants. I've got a life here and I don't plan on leaving any time soon." Her hand was on the doorknob when she felt his arms snake around her waist.

"Renji did say you'd be reluctant." He said before a physical pressure pushed down on her stealing her breathe from her lungs. She assumed it came from the man that was now carrying her over his right shoulder, she now looked down at the back of his white robe.

Unable to move she whispered, "Damn you," before blacking out.

Renee woke with a splitting headache, of the drank all night, kind. Sitting up she rubbed her forehead with her palms before opening her eyes and looking around. She was shocked at first to see that she wasn't in her bed at home, only to have the night before come back to her at the same time hundreds of voices filled her head.

'I wonder who that strangely dressed girl is lying in Captain Kuchiki's office?'

'Where the hell did she come from?'

'What's a human doing in the Soul Society?'

The voices kept coming, no matter how hard she tried to block them. Digging though her jacket pocket, she searched for the ipod she always carried for times like these. Only to find her pockets were empty. Shocked, she dug through her other pocket. Nothing. The same went with her pants pockets as well. Groaning, she lifted the hood of her jacket and bent over, covering her ears at the same time her nose hit the wooden floor. Still the voices persisted.

"Ahh, make it stop! Please, just make it stop already." She cried into the polished wood. Praying to whatever gods that were listen, to make the voices somehow be blocked from her protesting mind. She didn't know how much she could take before her brain shut down completely. For the first time in years, tears fell from her eyes, splashing onto the nicely polished wood floor. She didn't care though. The voice wouldn't stop flooding her head, and before she knew it, she was lying face down on the floor, face wet with tears. The coppery smell of blood, flooding her senses.

'So this is it, huh? This is how I'm going to kick it. Not in my sleep, or even by bullet. No, I'm going to be killed by my own mind turning to mush.' she managed to give a huff. 'Figures, I'd go out like this. Hope Dad isn't too heartbroken.'

So engrossed in her pain, Renee didn't notice that someone had just walked into the room. She didn't feel when a hand touched her head or see the man bending down. Her eyes were closed and she was ready for the pain to end.

"I can't believe you're going to lie there and give up. I figured by having you brought here, you'd be able to learn a little bit about controlling that power of yours." A deep male voice whispered next to her ear, effectively calming the voices in her head.

Peaking around the hood of her jacket, she looked up into brown eyes. "Why am I here, Renji. I was fine back home." she whispered retreating back under her hood, where it was dark and comforting.

"You don't listen very well do you?" He sighed and lifted her into his arms. Renee buried her face in his chest, trying to block out the light. "It's like I said, I figured that by bringing you here to the Soul Society, you'd be able to learn some better control over her ability." He shrugged, "It's work for the other's who've come here in the past."

She shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. You never told me anything beyond what a hollow was and why they were in my town." Braving a quick glance, she looked out, trying to see where Renji was taking her. "Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to Squad 4, so Captain Unohana can treat your head." He replied.

Renji walked quickly down the hall away from Captain Kuchiki's office where he'd been told he could find their guest. What he found had shocked the hell out of him. Renee's form was lying face down on the floor, her spiritual pressure was almost nonexistent. When he bent down and touched her head, she didn't even acknowledge his touch. Only when he whispered to her about giving up did she turn and peak out at him from under that black jacket of hers. Showing cobalt eyes swimming in tears, and blood streaking from her nose and ears.

She looked completely helpless at that moment. He knew if he didn't get her to Captain Unohana, she was going to die.

Trying his best to not run into anyone, he made it halfway to the squad 4 barracks before three people stepped in his way. "Move damnit," he yelled, trying to push his way past them.

"But Renji, we're only curious about the girl." Said the female leaning down to get a better look. "She sure does wear some strange clothes."

"Back off Matsumoto," he growled. In his arms, he felt Renee whimper and bury her head farther into his chest, her right hand grasping his kimono in a death grip.

"What's wrong with her?" asked the blonde male. "She looks sick."

"She is, now will you guys get the hell outta my way." Renji snapped, finally pushing past the group.

"When she's all better, remember to introduce us, Renji." He heard Rangiku yell.

Arriving at squad 4, Renji quickly made his way to Captain Unohana's office. One look at the cowering girl in his arms, and the kindly Captain motioned him towards an empty room.

Remember to R&R all old and new readers. Hoped you enjoyed ^^