I DON'T OWN BLEACH

Thirteen

There are... things which a man is afraid to tell even to himself, and every decent man has a number of such things stored away in his mind. ~Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Part Two; Scanning ahead

"Feel free to take the suite on the west side. It's a corner room! Enjoy the view." Ichigo says to Juushiro as the elevator opens up to the thirty-sixth floor. Pressing a plastic key card in his hand she turns toward the east suite with a cool wave heading to the glass door leading to her room. "Hey..." She pivots back around giving him a small smile. "I'll come and see you in a little while, ok?"

Juushiro nods glimpsing the pain behind her smile, Ichigo must be going through so much turmoil right now. "How generous... she is thinking of my needs instead of her own." For just a second he considers following her slender shape to her room. Not for anything inappropriate! Even though she has yet to agree to be his wife or flatly turn him down and he has every right to try and woo her. Juushiro feels strange to be separated from her so soon. "I've never been so smitten with anyone at first sight. What a nice experience." He decides the young woman might need some time alone after such a troubling night. Walking down the hall he opens the frosted glass door and blinks at the silver knob-less door. "Oh... there isn't a handle?" The plastic key card taunts him. Lifting up the small square thing Juushiro chews at his bottom lip. "Open the door... please?" he begs the card holding it close to his mouth, his green eyes lift to stare at the door.

Nothing happens.

He searches the right side of the door. The left, the top and finally slides his palms over the smooth surface looking for a slot of some kind only discovering a small peephole in the center. "Rukia-chan?" he presses the small cross shaped clasp holding his cape around his shoulders. Hearing only static Juushiro remembers that the crash might have ruined communication temporarily. Tapping his fingers on the door he ponders his problem...

Should he go ask Ichigo how to open the door and risk looking like a fool? "That isn't the path to impressing a lady." Shaking his head quickly he turns around and kneels down on the floor in front of the door. His fingers lace together, and he takes a deep breath. "I can always meditate for a while." Shutting his eyes he focuses on Ichigo's oval shaped face with her delicate features. Her orange hair is stunning, long legs... tan skin, and despite her careless behavior for her own well being she has delicate features and large amber eyes. Suddenly the picture of her standing naked in a foggy bath with water dripping down that tan skin appears in his head. "She is in the shower!"

Clamping a hand on his nose he holds his other fist to the floor to keep from falling over. Mistake! Eavesdropping is a bad vampire habit. Closing his mind to the image of Ichigo's current activity he instead searching the surrounding area for signs of life. Building after building of death and impending decay makes his shoulders tremble. How can anyone find hope in this desolate world?

When he was younger he turned away from the modern world. Leaving it behind with a curse on his lips. But he has to find another way now. To acknowledge the mistakes he also made. "Perhaps rebuking them was the easy way." He has to tighten his grip on reality, to wake his heart and make a stand against this miserable life his own descendants are living. "I can not allow this to continue."

Unaviodably his mind turns back to Ichigo who is untouched in every way in this tainted world. The images shift, his eyes shut tight only to see light swirling behind his eyes and her face...

Ichigo standing on a high building with tears on her cheeks. Her clothes a solid black snugly around her breasts and white skirt with black shorts underneath wrapped around her narrow thighs, but her hair is whipping through the wind, wild and vibrant against the brightening skyline.

"I'm going."

"It's a suicide mission... I will NOT allow-"

"I didn't ask for your permission." Her eyes narrow the brown color shifting to brilliant blue. "I'm going to get my-"

"Juushiro-san?" Ichigo looks at the man kneeling in front of his room door deeply concerned. "Are you alright?" Reaching out a hand to his shoulder, she notices his head lift and decides to pull back. "Ah, did I wake you?"

"Not at all." he replies lifting his eyes up to find Ichigo wearing a very flattering lavender yukata with a large red flower print along the skirt. "You look lovely." he says with a smile and holding a hand up for her palm.

"T-Thanks." Ichigo blushes at his words. When was the last time someone said she was attractive? Well hell this might be a first. Grabbing his hand she yanks him to his feet eager to push away to uncomfortable feeling in her stomach when his eyes meet hers. "What are you doing sitting out here and...?"

"Meditating." Juushiro quickly stands to his feet hiding the shock of her strength behind a smile. "I... train my mind to scan wide areas and sometimes it takes me a little too far ahead. Hehe..."

"Your vampire ability can see into the future? Heh... too bad you didn't use that hundred years ago to prevent all this." Joking she gently elbows Juushiro on his side, instantly he bursts into a peel of laughter.

"T-That tickles!" he presses his back to the door behind him clamping a hand in front of his mouth, his green eyes wide with surprise.

"Does it now?" Lifting a brow up at him, she slants her eyes with a mischievous grin. Ichigo's fingers dive at both his sides at once, laughing at his red face as he slides down the door. This guy is one of the noble thirteen? He looks... well... fun to be around. Suddenly her right hand is grabbed and she is yanked toward the beige carpeted floor, Ukitake leaning easily over her. Her smile slips away, her eye lids lowering at the serious expression on his face. "W-What just happened?"

"You have yet to answer my question." he whispers, taking in the tilt of her yukata exposing one of her shoulders to him. The breath between them mingles, and a long strand of white hair slides off his dark green cheongsam to curl on her golden colored cheek.

"I... um." Her mouth lightly draws in a slow cool breath past her lips.? Nope... she doesn't remember the question. Damn it! And it sounds really... really important to him. "Your eyes... are so green." is the only thing she can manage to say, and that just make her sound vapid. "I-I mean that in a good way."

"Thank you, Ichigo-san." His lips move feeling bare, his eyes travel across her face looking at the pink bloom of her blush making her skin glow under the dim lights of the hallway. "A compliment from you is thoroughly pleasing."

Just when she thought she might die of embarrassment Ukitake manages to say something else to take her off guard. "Oh, well... I..." Tearing her gaze away she looks at the ceiling fighting the fluttery feeling in her belly. "I'm just not used to noticing is all."

"I like your honesty." Juushiro breathes in a faint scent of coconut, taking in the way her orange hair is carelessly grown long and in a lose braid laying on the carpet just off her shoulder. He should move her off this floor, but he tells himself to linger one more minute. One more minute can't hurt. "I just want to look at her a little bit more."

"I see." she whispers as he grows closer, the moment should have long been broken, but she is being honest. Ichigo doesn't look at men and get the sensations this one is giving her. A hand touches her cheek, the fingers feather soft slide down to whisk away the strands of hair resting near her lips. "Does he want to kiss me?" Ichigo ponders pressing her palms to the thick carpet, and arching her body up so she can kiss Juushiro. "Do I want to kiss him?" The desire is so new. Never once feeling attracted to anyone to the point her stomach is floating she doesn't know what to do. "I'm fearless about everything... I always act and react." Her body starts to move, her head tilting towards him. "Juushiro-san..."

"Yes?"

"I think I-"

"Whoa there!" Renji's mouth drops open in shock as he stands in the vestibule doorway. I-Ichigo... is on the floor... h-half undressed with some white-haired guy on top of her. "What the hell?"

"Renji?" Turning her head she watches Renji taking a step toward Juushiro with his hand moving to his gun. "Stop! Nothing happened!"

"I don't give a damn! Something was about to!" he growls putting a hand on the man's shoulder to shove him away. "No one bites Ichigo! I swore to protect her! Where is that pure blooded vampire? He should have enough sense to protect you!"

"I don't need him to protect me." Ichigo growls scrambling to her feet. "And this is Juushiro Ukitake!"

"Nice to meet you, Renji-kun." Ukitake gives the loud and somewhat rude red head a smile.

Totally ignoring Juushiro, Renji grabs Ichigo's arm and starts to drag her to the side to talk, but Juushiro quickly steps behind her and wraps an arm loosely around the top of her chest.

"Juushiro... san?" Ichigo blushes crimson as the flowers on her lavender yukata.

"Avert your eyes." Juushiro says in a firm tone to Renji. To stare at her in his presence takes a lot of nerve or it is accidental. "Regardless, I can not allow another to look at her." With his arm still looped around her neck two fingers tug at the nape of her robe pulling it back up her shoulder.

"S-Sorry!" Renji instantly obeys darting his gaze to the ground. "I-I didn't see anything!" His body just did it without him even intending to look away. Are the originals that powerful?

"Does that mean Juushiro saw my-?" Ichigo's lower lip starts to quiver. "I-I think I'm going to change."

"That's a good idea." Renji replies tapping his watch. A holographic image appears, the vast map of Tokyo rises in blue hues with a single flashing red dot. "Rukia is moving. Her tracker shows she is traveling slow so I think either she is injured or-"

"Or Byakuya is hurt." Ichigo says walking toward the vestibule exit. "I'll change and we will head in that direction."

"Can we not wait until nightfall?" Juushiro asks in a worried tone. "That way, I may come with you."

"This building has its own subway access." she answers with a hand on the door. " So you won't be in danger of sunlight, and of course you are coming." Giving him a smile she pauses just long enough to see him smile back at her, then vanishes out the door to dash across the hall to her room. "I like him. Even that protective side is charming." But if anyone else would try it... "I'd kick their ass."

~/~

After changing into a black pair of jeans and a red v-necked top Ichigo takes the elevator down to the basement to meet Renji and Juushiro. Just as she steps down the white marbled stairs, she clicks the silver clasp of her cape around her neck.

"I am just amazed at how far technology has advanced." Juushiro slides a hand through the blue holographic map of Tokyo. "First the capes and now these wonderful watches."

"Yeah, we vampires have awesome toys now." Renji says snapping a spare watch to Juushiro's wrist. "Don't lose this one. It is synched to Ichigo." Leaning down to pick up his back pack Renji takes a deep breath and decides to ask. It's been on his mind since he saw the two of them upstairs looking like they wanted to kiss. "So do you like her? Ichigo I mean."

Ichigo turns the corner seeing the two men changed and ready to go. But hearing Renji's question makes her take a step back, her head peeking around the wall to eavesdrop. "What if he says yes? But what if he says no? Ugh that would suck." Blinking in shock she presses her back to the wall and ponders what Juushiro's answer could mean. "Do I want him to like me?" Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have... Peeking back around the corner she notices his green cheongsam is replaced by a long black one with matching black pants underneath the long slitted man's gown. Trimmed in gold with a snug collar and sleek profile he is stunning with his snow white hair loosely braided and laying on his right shoulder. "I love Chinese clothing... and the food... and the marital arts... and..."

"I like her very much." Juushiro replies cuffing his sleeves so the watch shows on his wrist.

"Then don't waste time." Renji says keeping his back to Juushiro. "Tell her."

"But we only just met-"

"You don't get it yet?" Turning around Renji's face streaks with anger. "There's no guaranteeing how much time you have!"

"Renji... don't you dare." Ichigo grits her teeth and starts to interrupt the conversation, but Juushiro raises a hand up and pats the red head on the back.

"What good would come from rushing her affections?" Juushiro tries his best to comfort the young vampire with an arm around his shoulders. "I have waited over a hundred years to meet her. What's wrong with a few more?"

"Sorry Ukitake-san, but are you blind?" Stepping out of the man's hug, he turns around and crosses his arms in front of his chest. "This world is Corrupted. And Ichigo-"

"That's enough Renji." Ichigo steps between the two men her right eye twitching. "I think we should try and find your girlfriend. Right?"

"Right." He flinches at her tone knowing he deserves to be exposed for the traitor he really is. But it happened two years ago and it was before Rukia and he were together. Ichigo never once talked about it, and the guilt just piles up higher and higher the happier he is with Rukia.

Dropping down to the tracks of the subway Renji tosses Ichigo a pair of sunglasses. "Here, try to keep up."

"Did you say something?" she says darting in front of him to disappear into the blackness. Slipping the glasses on she sees the subway shaft in lit up in a green view.

"Tch, you are gonna get lost!" Yeah... that is how they cope. Just push through the missions with a healthy layer of snappy one-liners. However, Renji can't bring himself to apologize to Ichigo for what happened. That would hurt her more, almost admitting it was wrong. "The thing that really tears me apart is watching you so alone." Pivoting on one foot to face Juushiro he starts to ask if he needs a pair of night-vision glasses but sees the white-haired man's eyes shift to brilliant crimson. "We better hurry or Ichigo will leave us in the dust."

Only able to nod Juushiro follows behind Renji, his eyes looking far past him to the orange-haired woman running. If not for the hair... he would swear his friend Kaien is smiling at him once again. But the breakaway difference doesn't stop there. When he touches Ichigo a tug deep in his chest draws him closer to her. "Kaien, what would you say to me if you saw the look in my eyes as I gaze at your only child?"

Memories for a vampire are sacred and Kaien's voice closes in on Juushiro as the group travels through the subway shaft.

Hong Kong August 2010;

"No! I'm going to tell him!" Kiyone screams pushing open the door to Juushiro's office, Sentaro, grabs her by her shoulder tugging her backwards as he pushes past her.

"I'm gonna be the one to tell him, Booger-head!"

"What do I need telling?" Juushiro sets his hand painted tea cup down on the white china saucer with a sigh. His TWO assistants are certainly lively today... well they are energetic everyday. How nice.

"You have a call on the video phone Juushiro-sama."

"Ah, Thank you." Juushiro replies to his assistants before turning around to face the large flat panel TV built into the wall. Tapping a finger to the screen he sees his friend Kaien and his wife standing just behind him. "Oh, Kaien is everything-"

"My friend Ukitake! Look!" Kaien raises a small bundled baby up to show Juushiro. "Look what I did! My little girl!"

"Oh! How wonderful! Is she in good health?" Juushiro smiles looking at the shock of orange hair peeking out of a pink blanket decorated with wild strawberry's. His dear friend Kaien Shiba with a baby... this is a good thing. It's nice to see the strongest bloodlines still continuing to flourish despite the recent backlash against the traditions.

Vampires are mixing their blood with multiple partners for the first time. Juushiro has kept silent about which side he is on, but it troubles him... it really seems that the young ones wish to drink from many partners human and vampire. To make matters worse the werewolves seem to be operating more organized than ever before. The attacks have been precise and directed at the lords of the original houses. Thankfully, the Hong Kong barrier against the werewolves is holding strong and Juushiro hasn't had to deal with their kind.

"Ichigo is perfect." Kaien responds turning to give the baby to his wife, he kisses her cheek and waves as they leave the room. Pivoting back to the screen Kaien's expression turns grave. "Have you seen the news this morning?"

"A suspected serial killer draining victims of their blood in Tokyo. Yes. And I know Kyoraku. He will deal with this offense as-"

"No, the problem is what is happening in the America's." he replies tapping his television screen to play the newscast from an hour ago."

"Are you trying to tell us you are a vampire?" The brown haired reporter says with a smirk on her face. "I'm sorry but what proof do you have?" she asks shoving the microphone in the tall blue-haired man's face.

"Lady..." Grimmjow smiles wide exposing his sharp fangs to the camera. "We don't need to prove anything." His eyes shift from light blue to blood red. "We are real, and we crave your daughters. HAHA!"

"As you can see. The resurgence in the belief in vampires from recent books and television dramas has strongly influence the public-"

"There's nothing I hate more than being ignored." Grimmjow growls grabbing the reporter by the arm and taking the microphone from her. "If you don't believe me watch this..."

"Oh no..." Juushiro watches in shock as the blue-haired vampire brutally sinks his teeth into the woman. "This isn't good."

"The elders are furious and they are sending me and my wife to handle this Grimmjow vampire and his entire coven."

"But you just had a child surely the council could send another Lord."

"They are sending a signal to the others." Kaien says with a hint of sadness in his voice. "And... they were hoping you might come along to help smooth things over." he quickly adds, "You have a certain amount of influence Juushiro... you might be able to get these rogues to come in peacefully."

"Oh Kaien..." Juushiro lifts a hand through his short white hair. "You know how I feel about taking another vampires life. If they would be sent to prison I would certainly help, but I can not bring myself to fight my own kind."

"I understand, my friend. And don't worry about little Ichigo. We are sending her to the Kurosaki's while we are gone. They are humans we can trust with our most precious gift." Sensing Juushiro's discomfort Kaien gives him a wide smile. "Have you thought about my offer? Joining our families would be exciting."

"Engaging myself to a newborn seems a little premature." He blushes pondering the thought of having someone to spend the long years with. It would be such a relief. He has felt so lonely lately, but agreeing to this would mean waiting for the girl to reach maturity and after that the question would still remain if she would love him in return. "If there is love between us perhaps I will formally ask for her hand after she reaches maturity."

"I'll keep this our little secret."

End of Flashback

"Kaien... I am so sorry I didn't go with you." Uktiake ponders to himself watching Ichigo run ahead of them in the crumbling expanse of the subway system. "She is worth protecting."

"Did you say something?" Ichigo turns her head to glance behind her. "Juushiro-sa-"

"L-Look out!" Juushiro says reaching out a hand and grabbing her cape just as her feet run out of ground. "Ichigo!" Suddenly his own footing is lost and he wraps his arms tightly around her as they drop into cold water.

"Ichigo! Ichigo!" Renji screams out as the ground gives way. He falls down into the maintenance section of the subway hitting the scaffolding hard. Shaking his head free of dirt he looks around and gapes at the scene of rushing blue water and two head vanishing underneath. "Shit, they are being pulled down. Rising to his feet he is about to dive in when static on his coms stops him in his tracks.

"Renji, are you there?"

"Rukia!" he replies, his heart jumping in his chest. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but Nii-sama is wounded and he can not travel any-"

"Stay there I'm coming! I'm coming, baby." Activating his tracker he sees her red dot and instantly starts to climb. He will just have to trust Juushiro with Ichigo. "I'm sorry Ichigo... for a lot of things."

Hey all! This chapter was a challenge! I wanted a careful way about things and to show steady characterization. I hope I did it! hehe Sorry it took me so long! HUGS YOU! ALL And thanks so much! Please look forward to part3! Fuzzi

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