~We always hurt the ones we love~

~One month~

"Stark, get up."

". . ."

"Stark—"

"I'm fine." He mumbled, making a shooing motion with his hand. Lilynette wasn't convinced. Glaring, she muttered, "If you're so fine then why don't you get your lazy ass up and make an appearance or something?"

"Don't need to."

She stared at his head of messy brown hair, and thwacked him once. No response. She tried again much harder and still he didn't move. Lilynette sighed and shifted from foot-to-foot, she hated using this tactic but if nothing else worked…

"What would Rukia say if she saw you like this, hmm?"

"Shut up." His voice was muffled against the pillow. "Lazy jerk, she'd say and I'd have to agree with her tho' change jerk to slob and maybe—"

"Just Shut Up!!!!!!" he roared, finally halfway rising from the bed, his bloodshot eyes startled Lilynette who hadn't expected it. He looked bad. Sick, was the thought that came to her mind, but she couldn't think of anything that might affect him and not her…unless…

"Stark—" she began; he flopped back onto the bed. Determinedly she went on, "ever since that day you came here soaked in blood, you've been like this. Now tell me! Whose was it?!"

A queer half-smile crept onto his unshaven face, his mouth half lifted in silent amusement. "Hers." He croaked out raspily, relieved almost to be speaking upon which that had burdened his conscience and caused irreparable damage.

"What…?" Lilynette was faintly horrified.

"I stabbed her so that I wouldn't be forced to bring her here." He explained like it made the most sense in the world. "I didn't want to make her a pawn in his game…there was nothing else…I could do." There was a certain defeat in his tone, a bowing to the cruelty and will of others. Lilynette saw but yet couldn't understand the sort of feeling that could bring about the sort of course he had chosen.

"Oh Stark…" she laid down beside him and rested her head on his arm, "you're such an idiot. This'll pass…it'll pass like everything else has." He gave sign of hearing her but indeed he had. The weight of his fraccion lying against him was real but it gave no comfort. The memory of the briefest moment of holding her body against him…

~*~

She had to find her. She had to tell her the truth. Lilynette agonized for hours, keeping watch over Stark's dreamless sleep. Dark circles shadowed his eyes; his hair lay lank and unkempt on the pillows. Remnants of yesterday's dinner still crowded the bedside table. With disgust Lilynette looked upon this and made her decision.

She herself would go to the human world and seek her out. Something had to be done! Even if she wasn't sure what…

~Living world~

Night was falling. Lilynette hurried from rooftop to rooftop searching for the one spirit pressure she was sure to still find. A girl clad in yellow pajamas stood alone atop of the rooftop of a clinic, watching the moon in silence.

"Rukia?"

The girl started and spun towards the edge of the roof where Lilynette hung, poking her head above the shingles. "Lil—Lilynette?!"

"The one and only." The Arrancar muttered, hoisting herself up the remaining way. The Shinigami eyed her approach with something akin to fear and mistrust. "What're you doing here?"

"That's of no concern right now. How are you?"

"F–fine." Rukia answered hesitantly. "Oh that's good. He'll be happy to hear that." Lilynette muttered absently. Though she was loath to have his name pass from her lips, she couldn't help but feel slightly curious. "St—Stark…is he—"

"No." Lilynette looked away downcast. "It's about him that I came."

"What do you mean?" she asked carefully.

"He's sorry for what he did…but Rukia! He's…falling apart…I just don't know what to do anymore!"

"What happens to my enemy is of no concern to me."

Lilynette flinched at the cold, hard that had crept into the Shinigami's voice. "You don't get it do you? He hurt you so he wouldn't have to take you to Lord Aizen!" Rukia's stunned silence convinced Lilynette she had done right in admitting the truth.

"What…did you say?"

"This is what I know…"

~*~

Rukia sat quietly thinking for a moment after the fraccion had related to her everything.

"Can you…take me to him?" she finally asked.

She didn't know if this was such a wise choice. She watched as Lilynette tore open a dimensional rip into an empty hallway of white. She took one step forward and then another until she was beside the fraccion. Her hand slid into the other's small bony one and held on.

Briefly she glanced back over her shoulder to the left behind scenery and saw the face of her best friend staring after her in horror. It was too late to call out to him. Renji…the Garganta sealed behind them. I have to do this…I'll be back soon.

~To be continued~

A/N: So Stark is lovesick among being consumed by guilt and Lilynette's going to sneak Rukia inside Las Noches to see him. Thanks for reading—no flames or idiotic spammers. But reviews are appreciated! :)