~If I didn't care~

Alone. Her eyes opened. Isolated. It was strange that this sensation should bother her. She was used to solitude, so why ...? Rukia pulled herself up into a sitting position, folding her legs beneath her, her gaze tilted up contemplatively to the moon visible through the small window.

Stark...Where was he now? Did he hate her? Did she love him? Was it even possible for him to fall in love? He seemed to believe so. "I'm never going to let you go." She wrapped her thin arms tightly around her torso, shivering slightly. His face. His expression...he had been serious. Rukia bit her lip. "I love you." No one had ever said that to her. Oh, sure she had a couple of guy friends, but even she knew they didn't see her as anything above that. Not even--she refused to let her mind finish for her.

It was enough, wasn't it? A compliment. More so considering their predicament. Even if she did respond and return his--affections--it seemed too incongruous a word to associate with Stark. So mild and serious was he. She could not imagine him using the term 'dear' or 'honey' when addressing her. That belonged to deserving tender-hearted girls like Orihime.

Orihime...she hadn't hardly cast a thought to her in light of everything that had transpired. Somewhere, Rukia's eyes lifted and ran along the walls and ceiling, somewhere in this God-forsaken Palace her friend resided as well. But he hadn't done it. That thought alone provided some measure of comfort that she had heretofore been unable to find in the situation.

Even if I did...love him...they--

"Rukia."

She started and half-turned to meet the fraccion's stare.

"He told you..."

Not knowing what else to do, Rukia nodded, not missing the flash of emotion in her single eye.

"What did you say to him?" Lilynette's voice broke at the end of the sentence. Before Rukia could respond to the Fraccion's obvious distress, Lilynette continued in ragged tones, "he's angry and hurt..." small fists balled up, "I can feel his pain! What did you say to him?!"

Taken aback at the forcefulness she was confronted with, Rukia hesitated to answer, "I..." she looked askance, "nothing. I said nothing." In three strides, Lilynette had crossed the room. The sound of flesh being struck broke the quiet.

Her cheek stung.

Lilynette's hand was still upraised.

"If you didn't care..." the fraccion began, breathing hard with feeling, "then why did you come when I went to look for you?!"

Rukia flinched at the accusation. Silence filled the room and slowly, almost defiantly her gaze rose from the distance she had been staring into. Locking eyes with Lilynette, who stood before her, she said, "because I do."

"Then tell him. Don't say it to me, say it to Stark...before it's too late."

~*~

"My Lord," he began the moment the ex Captain had stopped speaking. Aizen's brow rose but he inclined his head regally, "continue."

"May I..." Stark hesitated, catching Ulquiorra's eye from a seat down from him, "have your permission to engage the Kurosaki kid the moment he reaches Las Noches?"

He heard Grimmjow's hiss, but ignored it. All that mattered was the pensive look he was favored by and narrowing of inscrutable brown eyes. "Perhaps...however there is one condition."

Stark had a feeling he wouldn't like it. "Name it," he forced himself to say.

Aizen slowly interlocked his fingers beneath his chin, his gaze resting on the Primera's stoic countenance. "Convince Rukia Kuchiki to side with us."

~To be continued~

AN: was it cliffy? ;) hehehehe. Thanks for reading.

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