WHEN THE SNOW FALLS
by Yih

Chapter Thirty-three
A Fork in the Road

This was the second happiest day of his life, Kaien thought, as he watched Rukia bow before Ukitake and accept her place as a seated officer in Squad 13. Of course, nothing could compare to his wedding day, but he would certainly remember this day. After all, it was the day his little Rukia grew up and became a big girl.

Kaien grinned as Ukitake helped her to stand up. She didn't even come up to his shoulders. She would always be little Rukia, but she was definitely growing up now. She wasn't the same inexperienced shinigami that had been so shy and uncertain that first day. She was finally becoming what he had always known her to be capable of – he had just gotten the feeling the day she had stepped into Squad 13 she was going to be special. He was glad he was proven right.

If only… if only Miyako could have seen her make it this far, he didn't he could be any prouder of Rukia than his beloved. As much as he had taken Rukia under his wing as his favored student, Miyako had related to Rukia as an older sister figure. Kaien sighed and turned his attention away from Rukia to look anywhere else. He could not think about Miyako without getting choked up.

Kaien stopped his gaze on Byakuya – Rukia's adopted brother and now fiancé. It was an interesting development, one that Kaien hadn't been so sure he approved of until he had seen with his own eyes the devotion in Byakuya's eyes. The Taichou of Squad 6 never looked at anyone else. His attention was focused solely on Rukia. It was hard to read his expression, but Kaien knew enough to know that Byakuya was deeply in love with Rukia.

As Rukia was with him – Kaien hoped fiercely the two of them would be happy and never know a day of sorrow. He would never wish the tragedy he had experienced on anyone else. Kaien glanced back at Rukia. The least he could do, he thought fondly, was to protect her.

It was what Miyako would have wanted.

-

It was a strange feeling of fear and absolute pride as Byakuya watched Rukia accept her seat from Jushiro. He wasn't sure which emotion was stronger… the fear that Rukia would get in over her head to prove that she was as capable as any officer in Squad 13 despite the promise she had made him or… the pride that he had that she had made the climb up to the 3rd seat despite him blocking her at every intersection.

Rukia turned around and walked down the row of seated officers within Squad 13 and took her place besides Shiba-fukutaichou. Byakuya felt his heart constrict when Rukia looked straight at him and smiled. She was so beautiful and precious to him. And standing next to Shiba as she was made Byakuya all the more fearful. What if Rukia was taken away from him like Shiba's wife had been taken from him?

It would take him more than a year to face the world again. How had Shiba ever had the strength? Byakuya shifted his gaze to Shiba and noted that he would never be the vibrant, brash young shinigami he had been in the past. Undoubtedly, it would make him more cautious now with his duties as fukutaichou.

For this, Byakuya was glad even as he regretted the loss of Shiba Miyako. If she hadn't died, then Rukia would still be unseated and as safe as she could be as a shinigami. Byakuya sighed. He would need to talk to Jushiro, to make sure he did not send Rukia on any dangerous missions.

If Rukia was ever taken from him, he would rip the world apart to find her again.

-

"Congratulations!" Momo exclaimed, pouring Renji some more sake. "Can you believe all three of us are fukutaichous? Who would believe we would have come so far in such a short time?"

"Some of farther than others," Izuru remarked. "I wonder how Rukia is doing. I haven't talked to her in ages, it seems."

Renji took the sake and drained it quickly, putting the cup down on the table and pushing it toward Momo again for her to refill it. He didn't want to hear anyone talk about Rukia. He couldn't bear to hear anything about her since… that day.

"You haven't heard the news?" Momo said as she filled Renji's cup again.

"What news?"

"I can't believe you two haven't heard about it yet. Do you even read the papers?" Momo asked indignantly.

"I'm busy," Izuru responded defensively.

"What news?" Renji asked, staring intensely at her.

"She's engaged!"

"Really?" Izuru said. "I really have been out of the loop if I do not even know when a good friend becomes engaged."

"Yes, but I wonder…" Momo murmured. "Considering who it is… if it was simply an arrangement?"

"Who is it?" Izuru inquired before Renji could snap out the question.

"Kuchiki-taichou."

Of course, Renji thought derisively. That was probably the reason he had adopted her in the first place all those years ago. Renji had always thought it was peculiar how Rukia had been pluck from obscurity. Why her? Why her of all people? She's supposed to be mine, Renji thought as he took the sake bottle and pressed it to his lips. He didn't hear Momo's protest or Izuru telling him to take it easy.

Who cared anyway? He was going to have to be the fukutaichou of Kuchiki Byakuya – the irony! He would have to serve the very man who had stolen his Rukia from him, not once but twice! Renji grimaced as the sake hit the back of his throat. He wanted to scream, he wanted to forget everything. It would be easier than knowing Rukia would never be his again.

Renji vowed then that he would surpass Kuchiki Byakuya no matter what! He would show Rukia he was better and the better man for her – he clung to Momo's words – it was simply an arrangement.

That was it. That was all.

-

A/N: You guys are so awesome as reviewers, you again goaded me to finish another chapter. I'm done with exams for this block at least and I did (so far) so much better (which isn't hard when I pretty much failed everything last block). All the scores have been 80+, which is about as well as I ever do in med school. Thanks so much for reviewing and making my day. I'm off on my road trip/spring break. I promise to update as much as I can when I get back, but your reviews certainly motivate my muse!

This chapter is more of a progression chapter, but I think it's still nice, especially since we finally get around to Renji learning about the engagement. Let me make this clear, I don't like writing one-dimensional characters, so Renji isn't the "bad guy." So don't hate him, remember he has loved Rukia for longer than even Byakuya has... so pity him a little and perhaps thunk him on the head for not getting his act together ^-^.

Released: 3/6/2009