Here is the next chapter! My apologies for the delay. Between a mission trip and computer problems, not much time has been available for me to write.

I'm very happy to have received feedback on this, so to all of you who added this to a favorite/alert or reviewed, thank you very, very much! I will try to reply to all of you, but if I missed you, I promise I will catch you on the next round. But let's get on with it, shall we? Can't very well, leave y'all with that cliffhanger from the last chapter.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: You know it well. I own jack-squat.

Chapter 2

Rukia's feet had long been tired. It was evident by the way she wobbled unsteadily with every turn, the tissue on the balls of her feet sore and protesting with every step. Yet she still paced the length of the room, a hand lifting to sweep her hair out of her face. It's been too long. How much more time would pass before they would be allowed to see him?

Violet eyes shifted to the land on the door leading to Renji's room, narrowing when the wooden barrier remained closed under her scrutiny. It had been like this for a full day now, closed tightly with only healers allowed to come in and out, and it was making the noble more anxious with every passing second.

She didn't understand. Her own injuries had been healed within an hour's time, leaving nothing but minimal soreness in her muscles. She had had quite a number of injuries; four broken ribs, massive internal bleeding, and a slight concussion. All had been healed and restored to former health within the span of sixty minutes. Unohana and her team were experts of rapid recoveries, a skill developed from centuries of battles. They had to be fast; otherwise their numbers would be easily overwhelmed in an attack. But they seemed to be taking their sweet time with Renji, and it worried Rukia to no end. What would take this long to heal? Had they run into complications? Unohana had excused herself from the room a few minutes ago to attend to some other patients, the first time they had really seen the woman since she disappeared behind the door, but still they were not allowed access. Rukia was at the end of her sanity, her patience crumbling with every passing second.

"Rukia, pacing will accomplish nothing."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she continued her steps as she spared her brother a glance. Byakuya had been there since they arrived, having felt the distress of his sister's reiatsu upon their arrival. At the moment he sat stoically in a chair against the wall, eyes closed and a calm expression on his face. Though she could not see the grey eyes of her brother, she felt his gaze as if he was staring openly in her direction. It was an uncanny trick of the Kuchiki Captain, to make someone feel his eyes upon them even if he wasn't looking. Rukia imagined that it helped cut down on the horse-play amongst the younger recruits of the Sixth Division, but he wasn't going to intimidate her into sitting anytime soon.

"They should be finished by now," she muttered, knowing that even with the hushed tone her brother would hear her clearly.

"Patience."

Rukia almost growled in frustration. "Patience," she echoed with a sneer, shaking her head as her eyes once again landed on the door, willing it to open. "How can I have patience when there are no results? I've tried to be patient, but they are taking far too long."

"They will be finished when they are finished," came the reply, and this time Rukia did not try to hide the eye roll. He'd know she was annoyed even if she did try to hide it, so what was the point? Always the more level-headed of the two, Byakuya could sit there all he wanted without a worry in the world, spouting pretty words about patience and faith in the healers. Rukia was the polar opposite it seemed when it came to worry. That or Byakuya was simply better at hiding his anxiety.

After another moment of silence, he cleared his throat. "Rukia, sit down." It seems he had reached the end of his rope with her disobeying his wishes. The tone was much more firm, more like a parent speaking to a whiny child. The dark-haired girl stopped her pacing, but made no move to take the seat next to her brother. His eyes opened, pinning her with a hard stare. She knew it was a challenge, practically daring her to defy him, but she stubbornly held her ground.

"Nii-sama, I do not want –"

"You are still recovering yourself," he cut in, his eyes narrowing at her protests. "Sit."

The assurance that her wounds had healed just fine died on her tongue with the hard look he gave her, and with a heavy sigh the girl took a seat. But she wasn't happy about it, and she made it known as she crossed her arms and refused to meet her brother's gaze, leaning her head back to rest on the wall as she watched Renji's door. She didn't care if she was acting like a child. She was too upset to really care what people thought of her behavior.

"Where is Ichigo?" Rukia asked, trying to distract herself. She was close to resuming her restless pacing and if she didn't get her mind elsewhere she was going to start again whether her brother liked it or not. She was curious as to where Ichigo had gone. The visored had been taken back for treatment at the same time Rukia had, and "taken" was meant quite literally. They had dragged the boy back to an examination room as he practically kicked and screamed against their holds, insisting that he was not as injured and that it was a waste of time. She had yet to see him since.

"He is at the Twelfth Division," Byakuya answered with a bored tone. "Kurotsuchi-Taichou requested his presence to collect information on the hollow that escaped."

Rukia inwardly shuddered. She was glad that the visored had been called there instead of her. Mayuri made her feel uneasy, and though she felt slightly out of the loop by not being asked to accompany Ichigo, she did not envy him for being called to the Research Department. She never went there if she could help it. Who knew what experiments went on within those walls? No doubt Mayuri would ask Ichigo, again, if he could conduct his tests on him, all for research of course. Hopefully Ichigo's answer of "no" would remain the same.

"Rukia," Byakuya continued, his eyes shifting to find hers briefly before they closed once more. "I have yet to hear the details of the battle. Would you be so kind as to inform me of what happened?"

The girl's heart dropped, the familiar tug of guilt making itself present. She had feared her brother would ask her what happened, and she honestly didn't know what to tell him. The truth, obviously, because even in her current emotional state she knew that he would know the difference if she tried to sell him a lie, but she knew he would be disappointed in her.

"It's a little fuzzy," she started, her mind pulling what little memories she had surrounding the event to the forefront. The concussion she sustained had placed a cloud over everything, a layer of muddled thoughts that had no other purpose but to make it harder to concentrate, but she could remember enough to condemn herself for her actions. With a sigh, she recounted the events. As she came to the part where she regained consciousness, her voice grew soft.

"I was injured, and Renji and Ichigo were fighting the thing. I…I couldn't just sit by, but I was having trouble standing. I distracted the others, and made myself an easy target for the hollow's attack. Renji…he was closest when the hollow's projectiles were released, and then suddenly he was over me, shielding me." She broke off there, a lump forming in her throat.

"You put them in danger," Byakuya started, his voice holding a note of disappointment. She hated that note. It was never one she wanted to hear from her brother.

"I know," she said softly, dropping her gaze.

She had disobeyed the order of a fellow officer because of her stupid pride and it had ended horribly. Renji had told her to stay down. Hell, so had Ichigo. Multiple times actually. But she had stubbornly gotten up, practically flaunting herself as the weakest of the group. The hollow was smarter than it looked. It had seen her struggle and done what any strategically sound predator would have done. Attack the weakest link. And to top it all off, it had gotten away before they could properly dispose of it. She prepared for the scolding that she was sure would come.

Much to her relief, his lecture would have to wait.

The sound of the door sliding open cut through the tension, and Rukia stood at once, eyes focused on the only thing stand between her and Renji. Isane appeared, a tired look on her face as she bowed in greeting. Rukia bowed back, catching Byakuya's nod of acknowledgment from the corner of her eye.

"How is he?" Rukia asked, the urgency she felt overriding her manners. She knew she should have waited for the other woman to speak, but she couldn't stop the question from leaving her lips.

"Abarai-san has regained consciousness," Isane said slowly, her eyes meeting Rukia's with all the professionalism in the world, though there was something there that told her Renji was not in the clear just yet, "but he is in no condition to receive visitors at this time. Unohana-Taichou has requested to speak with –"

She didn't get to finish as Rukia pushed passed her, nearly shoving the tall woman into the doorframe as she passed. Isane was cut off guard by the smaller woman's action, and did not recover in time to block her path. She vaguely heard the voice of her brother ordering her to stop, but she didn't look back as she made it through the door and came face to face the man she had been waiting to see.

Renji groaned softly as he pulled himself up into a seated position, the light blue blanket pooling around his waist as he winced slightly from the strain the motion put on his stiff muscles. His chest had been left bare, the jagged black tattoos that were practically his calling card left exposed, and his hair tumbled over his shoulders. He seemed groggy, no doubt just recently waking up. But even in his current state of disarray, Rukia found herself thinking that seeing him awake and moving was quite possibly the most pleasing image she had ever seen. Rukia's heart swelled as his eyes found her, her lungs releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Renji was okay.

"You're awake!" she cried in glee, her voice light and happy as she nearly bounced towards the man, intending to engulf him in a fierce hug.

That's when she realized something was wrong.

Renji had shifted on instinct, pulling himself further away from her as she moved. His grip tightened on the blanket, knuckles white from the tension as one hand came up defensively, hand outstretched as if intending to stop the girl from reaching him. Immediately she came to a halt, eyes trained on his face as she took in his expression. It was a look of surprise, his inked eyebrows shooting up to rest high upon his forehead. Had she startled him? His hand dropped back down to his side after a moment, but he was far from relaxed. She could see his muscles tensing underneath tanned skin, and though his face fell into a more neutral expression, his eyes watched her with sharp alertness.

She frowned as she tried to decipher the situation. "Renji? What's wrong?" Surely he wasn't mad at her for what had happened. Looking at him now, she could see no anger in his face, but now her gazed picked up something else.

She hadn't noticed it before, but his eyes…they were full of hesitation, and something else. Fear? Confusion? Before she could name it, the flicker of emotion had disappeared within the brown hue once more. He wasn't showing any outward hostility towards her, and she couldn't be sure of what she had seen within his eyes, but it was enough to have her refraining from taking another step closer.

Isane gently gripped her arm, trying to steer her away from the redhead in front of her. "Please, Kuchiki-san, we will speak in Unohana-Taichou's office. He needs his rest," Isane insisted in a hushed tone. Isane sent Renji a small, apologetic smile. A smile reserved for strangers. But this wasn't a stranger. This was Renji.

Rukia ignored the medic, pulling out of the silver-haired woman's grip easily enough and turning towards the man watching them from the bed. He was still watching her closely, as if trying to solve a complicated math problem. She spoke once more, keeping her voice soft as not to reveal the slight tremor it now held. "Renji, what's going on?"

"You know me?" he asked quietly, his face scrunching in confusion as he ignored her question.

"Are you crazy?" Rukia asked incredulously, practically scoffing in her disbelief as she spoke over Isane who continued to plead with her to leave. "Of course I know you! Renji, it's me. Rukia. How could I not know you?" When he showed no signs of recognition, she continued, urgency in her tone. "We grew up together. You're one of my best friends. Don't you know me?"

As he shook his head, she felt her breath catch in her throat. This was a joke. A very, very bad joke. Any minute now, Renji would break into a fit of laughter and drop the act. Isane must be in on it too. Rukia laughed a little to herself to show that the gig was up, but the sound died off when Renji did nothing but stare.

How was this possible? This was Renji. The same tattoos marked his tanned skin. The same fierce, crimson hair covered his head. The same warm eyes stared up at her, though now with a look she didn't readily recognize as her childhood friend. It was him in every sense of appearance, so why was he acting this way? Why was he acting as if she was just another person?

"Why does he not know me?" Rukia asked, finding Isane's eyes as her panic began to consume her. Her breaths came in short spurts, erratic and barely enough to draw in the oxygen she needed. Isane noticed the change in breathing immediately and went to support the girl by the arm.

"Kuchiki-san, please. Let us continue this outside. Unohana will explain." Isane's words cut through the silence that had fallen over the room. Renji's eyes flicking to the healer briefly before returning to the dark-haired girl in front of him. His gaze was curious, but still cautious of her, and Rukia was struck with the thought that she would have preferred he was mad at her. She could handle an enraged, ranting redhead. But not this. Having him treat her as if she was someone he had never met hurt ten times worse than any insult he could have thrown at her.

Rukia allowed herself to be pulled outside, her eyes not leaving the redhead until the door hid him from sight.

X

Ichigo sat quietly in the corner of the office, arms crossed over his chest. Well, "quietly" was hardly the right word to describe him at the moment. A more accurate word would be "fidgety", or perhaps "impatient", as his gaze constantly switched back and forth between Retsu Unohana and Rukia. The Fourth's Captain had yet to begin speaking, reading over the notes Isane had just handed her and taking in every detail written there. She was the picture of calm with little to no emotion left on display, other than the dutiful look of a professional. But having grown up around the clinic and having learned the different kinds of faces his father wore while speaking to a patient's friends or family, he knew instinctively what she was about to say even before the words left her mouth. Or at least, he knew the general tone of which it would be spoken in, and it wasn't going to be good. But she was taking too damn long to tell them what it was. The sooner she told them, the sooner they could fix the problem.

Ichigo had other things to distract him however, mainly Rukia. She sat with her face blank, eyes staring straight ahead at the wall in front of her. The only sign of emotion was the sorrow and confusion that swam within her eyes. It was a look that told her she had retreated into the back of her mind, searching for a reason this was happening, a clue as to what had happened to their friend, or any other information that would help her understand whatever she was grappling with inside of that head of hers. Ichigo didn't like that look on her. It felt wrong.

Byakuya sat beside her, sipping the tea that had been provided once they had been ushered into this room. The only thing that gave away his own worry was the slight tremor in his hand as he raised his cup to his lips.

He had come in from the Twelfth just as Rukia was being escorted from the room in which Renji rested. She wasn't putting up much of a fight and immediately he had known something was off. Rukia had been just standing there, staring at the door in disbelief. She had looked up when he called her name, but instead of greeting the visored she had remained silent, averting her gaze as he neared. He had looked to Byakuya then, who seemed to be struggling with his own thoughts as he led the girl down the hall, following behind Isane silently. Somehow he didn't think Byakuya knew what was going on, a first for the noble who always seemed to be one step ahead. Pushing aside the dread that had formed in the pit of his stomach, Ichigo had fallen in line behind them, knowing that this was not a time to talk but a time to listen.

But at the moment, he had suffered the silence long enough. If the Fourth Captain didn't start talking soon, he knew he would explode. He had held back for Rukia's sake, but he had reached the point of not giving two shits about anything other than what was wrong with Renji. Isane seemed to notice the growing frustration in the visored, as she kept throwing him sideways glances, trying to gage his mental state.

Just as Ichigo opened his mouth to ask what the hell was going on, Unohana lifted her gaze and cleared her throat. It wasn't necessary to gain their attention. She had held their attention since they had entered the room.

"I thank you all for meeting with me here. I'd rather speak to you about Abarai-Fukutaichou's condition in private than out in the halls and waiting rooms." Unohana started, meeting each and every one of her guest's gaze. Red flags went up in Ichigo's mind at her words, and his frown deepened. It wasn't uncommon to take patients' visitors aside to talk. In fact, it was an unspoken rule to do so, if only to not ostracize those who received bad news from those who had nothing to worry about. But to voice the importance of privacy was another matter entirely. Voicing it meant there was a very serious reason for the privacy, and that was never a good sign.

"What's the verdict?" Ichigo asked when she paused for too long. Honestly, he had had just about enough of the waiting game. Isane shot him an incredulous look, but Unohana mostly ignored him, continuing at her own pace.

"As you have probably guessed, we have come across complications in Abarai-san's healing," the woman continued, eyes closing briefly as if to draw on some inner strength to speak. "The poison from the quills has taken its toll on his body, though it appears it is not meant to be fatal to its target." She paused at that, considering her next words before adding, "At least, not at first."

Rukia looked up at that, watching Unohana as if she was about to disclose the secrets to the universe. A hunger for information was evident on her face, and Ichigo was thankful for the flash of life in her features, a much better expression than the blank mask she had been wearing when he arrived. But Isane shifted nervously off to the side, a movement Ichigo didn't miss. There was something else, a catch of some kind.

"The poison does not directly attack the puncture site upon entering the body, but moves rapidly through the blood stream to attack the victim's brain functions, particularly the medial temporal lobe and the surrounding tissue," Retsu continued, looking up to meet the gaze of Isane before her eyes drifted to Ichigo, a knowing look passing between them.

He held her gaze, his eyes widening in surprise as he took in her words. "Are you sure?" he questioned, watching as Unohana only nodded in return. He knew what damage to that area would do to the redhead, and a soft curse left his lips as he drug a hand through his hair roughly.

"What does that mean?" Rukia asked sharply, frustration dripping from her words when neither gave an immediate explanation.

"Retrograde amnesia," Unohana replied, but that did little to help Rukia whose brow scrunched in confusion.

"What?"

"Memory loss," Ichigo answered, his eyes burning a hole into the ground. "More accurately, his memories thus far. Anything from here on out he will remember, but everything before he woke up is wiped clean." His looked up to meet Rukia's gaze but wished he hadn't as he watched her face fall. He could see the connections being made in her mind, and he knew she must have seen the effects of the poison on the redhead just before he had arrived back at the Fourth.

"All of his memories are gone?" Rukia asked softly, the words breaking as they crossed her lips.

"The poison's main goal is to render the victim helpless, vulnerable." Unohana explained as all eyes turned back to the healer. "Without orientation, and most likely falling unconscious at first from the onset of pain and venom, as we say with Abarai-san, the victim would be an easy target for the hollow. But even if the victim got away, there would be more to overcome."

Unohana turned to Rukia and Byakuya, her braid swaying ever so slightly from the movement. "If my data is correct, the poison becomes less biased over time, meaning it will begin to break down not just the part of the brain dealing with memory, but the rest of the mind as well. Motor functions, balance, coordination, and things the body does without even consciously registering it, such as respiration, though the unconscious functions will be the last to be affected. The victim will slip into a coma before things like breathing become an immediate issue."

Her eyes closed once more as she tried to carefully word her next statement. "It will be a very painful process if it begins to affect other areas, and if left untreated it will end in the death of the victim. The venom's is to make sure the victim remains a target even if they are strong enough to escape at first. It is a rather advanced chemical substance, one that is a very effective weapon."

Ichigo's heart dropped at the words, his breath quickening. He hadn't expected the secondary effect of the poison, but now Renji's situation was even more pressing. "But you can fix it, right?" he asked quickly, straightening in his spot. "I mean, you have something to counteract the venom?"

It was obvious by the way she didn't meet his gaze that there was not a cure for it at the moment. Even with all of his knowledge of the medical field and the way to give such devastating news, it still freaking hurt to hear it, especially with Renji's life being at risk. He could feel the growing ache in his chest, burning in its intensity.

"How long?" Byakuya's cool voice broke the air. He showed no emotions outwardly, having known for a very long time how to stay composed, but his grip tightened on the teacup in his hands, his knuckles white with the pressure. His eyes were trained on the woman in front of him, and Ichigo could see the tension in his jaw. There was no need for any more words for him to get the significance of his question across, though the unspoken words echoed in Ichigo's mind.

How long will it take for the poison to kill Renji?

"One week, at the most," Unohana replied softly, and Ichigo felt as if he had been punched in the gut, his body going cold at the words.

"Is there not anything we can do?" Rukia's voice shook, and Ichigo closed his eyes to hold back his own emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He wanted to scream and yell and break whatever he could get his hands on. He wanted to go on patrol just so he could kill something and distract his mind from the pain he felt, if only for a little while.

"Is there not anything that can help him?" Rukia continued with a note of hysteria in her voice.

"I do not know much about the chemical makeup of this poison, but seeing as our time is limited, we will have to take some risks," Unohana spoke again, watching Rukia closely. Ichigo looked up at the Fourth's Captain, knowing if there was anything he could do, he would do it, risks be damned. "I believe triggering his memory will not only give him some relief, but may help him fight this thing."

"He can regain what has been lost?" Byakuya asked, his chin lifting ever so slightly.

"I believe so. I do not think it will reverse the poison completely, but it may buy us some time to come up with an antidote. But as I said, nothing is certain."

Unohana turned towards Ichigo then, her eyes shining with determination. "At the moment, I am limited in what I can do to combat this venom, and there is little we can use from Renji's blood tests. Though the hollow's escape is not favorable, it may end up helping us in the long run. If the hollow can be found, a larger sample could be taken from the quills before it is killed and used to create a serum to fight the remaining poison in Abarai-san's body. It is the best chance we've got."

"I'll bring you a sample as soon as I find the ugly bastard," Ichigo promised, giving her a nod. He was glad to have a task, something he could focus on. It calmed him somewhat, but he could feel the anxiety waiting just underneath the calm. He would have to hurry. He would leave now and hope the hollow was stupid enough to hang around Karakura Town.

"You will proceed with extreme caution," Unohana continued with her own nod. "If you need a team, we can provide one."

"I'm sure Ishida and Chad have been itching for a fight," Ichigo said with a smirk, though there was no amusement behind the action. He hadn't spoken to the others in over a month, but it would take very little for them to fall back into their old routine. And he could always ask old Hat and Clogs to help, though he figured it would be best if he left that part out. Urahara still had some bad blood with the Soul Society, though the War had smoothed out some of that tension. No one other than Mayuri was openly hostile towards the man, but he felt it was best to not mention the shop owner.

"Can I see Renji before I leave?" Ichigo asked, directing his question to Unohana. When the Captain looked ready to refuse, he added quickly, "It can't hurt. It might even spur some memories."

After a moment of consideration, she sighed, though her voice was firm when she spoke. "You may, as long as you are very careful. Do not under any circumstances mention any sort of time limit to him. He is already disoriented enough without knowing that he is running against the clock. As you can imagine, this is a very stressful and overwhelming situation and Abarai-san is no doubt feeling very vulnerable and confused."

Her eyes found the rest of the room's occupants before adding, "You may visit one at a time, but only for a few minutes each. When he is better rested, the visits can be extended, and we can begin with trying to stimulate his memories."

"Abarai is resilient. I am sure he will recover quickly and prove that our worries are for naught," Byakuya said quietly, his gaze flicking to Rukia briefly as if his statement was meant to reassure her. Rukia did her best to nod, but the determination Ichigo wished to see in her eyes was muted, clouded with her other emotions.

Unohana turned to Isane, handing her the folder for Renji's treatment. "Take this to the poison control department. If we can't get a hold on this substance, we may require some assistance from the Twelfth."

Isane nodded, and Unohana gave them both a nod, signaling their dismissal.

Ichigo barely waited for Isane to exit in front of him before tearing out of the room. As he left, he could feel Rukia's eyes on him. She would follow him, no doubt, but she seemed hesitant to rush off to see Renji again, not that he blamed her. He could only imagine what she was going through, but if it felt anything like what he was feeling, it wasn't pleasant. He suspected her suffering was different, however, considering the nature of her and Renji's relationship.

Ichigo was not stupid, though he readily admitted he worked at a much slower pace than most when it came to deciphering the relationships of others. In his mind, those things were not always the most obvious feelings. Anger, he got. Sorrow and fear, sure. Those were easy enough. Happiness was even easier. But romantic feelings were tricky. They weren't as transparent, and therefore he didn't always pick up on them. Ask Orihime how long it took for him to notice his feelings for her and to ask her out. She'd tell you, in the nicest way possible, that he was shit at recognizing those emotions. But he knew Rukia had feelings for Renji, whether she was ready to admit it or not, though he didn't understand her hesitation. After all, Pineapple had already confided in Ichigo about his own feelings for the girl.

Well, really the redhead had practically gushed like a preteen girl about it one night after drinking more sake than he could handle. Though the redhead had been mortified the next day – it was a wonder he even remembered it after the amount of alcohol he consumed – in a weird way it had served as a bonding experience. It had started a different stage of their friendship, one of brothers that could share stuff with one another when the need arose. Neither of them was big on talking about feelings, but that didn't matter. They had the means to do so if they needed it, and that was enough.

Renji had made him swear to secrecy and Ichigo had been true to his word. He had never told anyone, not even Orihime, though he figured as intuitive as the girl was she already knew. She was always good at reading another person's emotions, even those that were hidden from others. But he had known Renji held a special place in Rukia's heart for a long time, even if he couldn't put a name to those feelings until much later.

Rukia was one of his closest friends, a sister in everything but blood, and Ichigo knew she was beside herself with the situation that Renji had been put in. To lose your loved one, in such a horrible way as this, would tear anyone apart. It was gut-wrenching to watch, and he could practically feel Rukia's emotions threatening to drown her.

He looked back when he heard the sound of the door closing behind him, meeting Rukia's eyes. As expected, she had followed. He paused in his walk, watching as she approached with small, uncertain steps.

"How long will you stay?" she questioned softly.

"Not long," Ichigo replied, his hand smoothing over orange spikes only to have them remain as untamed as ever. "Maybe five minutes. I plan on getting back home pretty quickly so I can get a hold of the others before the patrol."

"I'm coming with you," she stated calmly, her fists clenching at her sides. It was the first sign of that familiar fire he was used to seeing out of her. She was probably itching to do something, wanting to have a task to do to distract her from the pain of seeing Renji in this state. Though he was happy to see she had found some fight, he knew it wouldn't affect his answer to her statement.

"No."

She looked up sharply, a small frown on her face as she scrutinized him. It took her a moment to respond, whether out of shock or anger, but she quickly gathered her composure. "What are you talking about? Of course I am."

"I said no," Ichigo repeated, shaking his head firmly. "You have to stay here."

"How can you say that to me. You think I'd just stay behind when I can help you find that thing?" Rukia spat, her stance widening defensively. He knew she would not like his answer, but she wasn't going to win this one.

"Idiot. Did you not hear Unohana in there?" Ichigo barked out, his own shoulders squaring as he spoke. His voice had risen in volume, but there was no heat to his words, only authority. "She said we were going to try and help Renji remember who he is. Who knows him better than you do?"

When she hesitated, he continued. "Exactly. That would be you, Rukia. He has no clue who he is, and when that treatment starts he is going to need someone there who knows his life, who can tell him about his background and try to get him to remember it. Even if we are close, I can't be that person for him, and we damn well know Byakuya doesn't know him nearly as well as you do. You are the best chance he has right now."

Her eyed widened at his words, her stance faltering ever so slightly and she fell silent. He watched as the uncertainty flashed across her face, and he saw how truly scared she was. Ichigo knew she wanted to fight, but he was sure that her place was here.

She looked down once more, her body releasing the tension it had held to leave her deflated. She looked tired, emotionally and physically drained. He placed a steady hand on her shoulder, an attempt at comforting her. "Pineapple is tough. He'll beat this." He smiled, one he knew was too weak to do much good, but it was all he could muster at the moment.

"Thank you, Ichigo," she said as she looked up. She returned the smile, albeit small. She was trying to be strong, and that was all he would ask of her. She needed that strength. Renji needed that strength. "Do me a favor and kill that hollow for me, once you get the venom."

Ichigo chuckled a little at the request, nodding. "I'll make sure it's a slow and painful death."

She walked by his side, Ichigo stealing glances at his friend periodically. Rukia had always been tough, ever since he had met the girl. She wouldn't hesitate to kick his ass if he so much as suggested she was weak in any sense of the word, but at the moment she looked defeated. For her to be so shaken was a difficult thing for him to accept. Though she seemed to have pulled herself together a little now, it wasn't enough for him. He never wanted to see that broken look on her face again, and he'd be damned if he wouldn't find that hollow and try to fix this mess that their friend had fallen into.

He didn't know what to expect as he walked to visit his friend, but he knew one thing. It wasn't going to be the Renji he knew. That alone was enough to have him ready to get the venom and bring back the Renji they had lost. He just hoped time was on their side.

I will do my best to update sooner rather than later. Feedback, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Much love,

Meg