Captain-Blue-Kitty: Welcome back, I really missed you all

Akara: hey I saw that you reviewed your own story,

Captain-Kitty: No, I left my password on and my friend Dragon-Princess logged on and used it, so, no it wasn't me *sighs* that's what I get for leaving it that way

Yoruichi: Don't worry about it

Captain-Blue-Kitty: Well I am, anyway one of you do the disclaimers please while I go find her

Akara: Captain Blue Kitty does not own bleach or its characters, just me

Yoruichi: Enjoy

When I woke up the room was a blurry mess, I couldn't focus on anything. Ugh, my body feel heavy, where am I? The last thing I actually remember is Akara and I running past that one village from the first day of our mission, I guess I passed out or something. I groaned as I tried to focus on my surroundings. I started to hear beeping, so when my vision came back I noticed that I had IVs in both my arms and there was a heart monitor close to me. So all these clues led to the conclusion that I was in the Fourth Division, which meant Akara had gotten us home again. I smiled to myself as I pulled myself to a sitting position. Guess that mutt isn't completely useless after all. Then a thought was triggered in my mind. Soifon, where is she? I felt my heartbeat faster along with the heart monitor. Suddenly I heard the door open and a healer rushed to my side.

"Yoruichi-san, you must calm down your body can't handle the excitement" she said urgently despite the fact I haven't even moved.

"Soifon, where is she, what happened to her" I asked frantically,

"Captain Soifon is in the intensive care unit at this time, her injuries were very grave, you were there too, but yours weren't as bad so we moved you in here" the nurse explained.

"Oh Yoruichi, I'm glad you're awake" a familiar voice said. Both the healer and I looked to the doorway and saw Unohana standing there with her usual smile, though she looked very tired. I'm not surprised though, the hours she has to work was more than crazy.

"Where's Soifon, is she ok, what happened" I basically repeated over and over. Unohana told the healer to check on the other patients, so I figured she had to talk to me, which kind of frightened me. But what can you expect when you're in the infirmary? So I put on my best brave face and waited. Once the door was closed, I felt the tension of anticipation rise in my stomach, but the aura Unohana put off made me settle down a bit.

"Well, how is she and Akara too, how are they and where are they" I asked keeping the butterflies in my stomach. She took a chair and sat it down beside my bed.

"Well to start off, both Ms. Kurokiba and Captain Soifon are currently in the intensive care unit, Soifon's body was in very bad condition when Akara brought you both back, and Akara was no better" Yoruichi nodded, even though she knew that fact already.

"Ok that answers one of my questions, but how are they" I asked, I was dying to know. Captain Unohana sighed, that wasn't good, sighing in a hospital was never good, especially when it was the Captain.

"I'll make this as simple as possible for you" Unohana warned. I sat there and waited.

"When all three of you were back, you all had terrible wounds, you were lucky enough to have the least amount, you got away with cracked and bruised ribs, which was easily healed, and scratches and a sprained ligament in your left leg" Unohana told me. But I didn't want to know how lucky I was.

"Okay, great for me, but what about them" I insisted Unohana sighed again.

"Like I said before the three of you had bad injuries, but if you hadn't came back when you did, I know for a fact both Akara and Soifon would have been dead by the time you all made it to the gate" Unohana said without missing a beat. I was at a loss for words, they wouldn't have made it? So did that mean they would be ok?

"So are they alive" I asked getting eager for answers. Unohana hesitated, that wasn't a good sign.

"I don't truly know, Soifon lost so much blood and the gashes were starting to become infected, and Akara is going through Reiatsu exhaustion, that and she's suffering second degree burns, and her stab wound was deep, so it took a lot to close it but there was so much damage, that we don't know if either of them will pull through" Unohana explained. I didn't breathe, she didn't know if they would be ok. Suddenly I had another question, but it died in my throat. Unohana seemed to have sensed my oncoming distress.

"We are trying our best Yoruichi, just have faith in them, I'm sure they'll pull through, their bodies need to adjust to the medication they've been given, but if I had to take an educated guess, I would say they should start responding by the end of the week" I made a mental note of that one sentence. End of the week.

(End P.O.V)

Yoruichi spent the rest of the day in bed thinking about Soifon, and how much she wanted to see her. But since she couldn't leave until tomorrow, all she could do was lay there. The room got quiet for awhile, that is until Yoruichi's stomach growled, and by growled, it actually roared, seeing as she hadn't eaten since before the infiltration.

"Ah, I'm so hungry" Yoruichi groaned as her stomach growled a second time. And as if on cue, Isane suddenly walked in with a tray of food.

"Good morning Yoruichi, nice to see your awake" Isane said kindly as she set the tray next to Yoruichi bed on the table. Yoruichi immediately took it and wolfed it down in literally five seconds.

"Goodness, I forgot you had a large appetite, I'll see if the chefs can make you some more food" she said clearly amused. Yoruichi gave a nod of thanks before wiping her face and settling back down on her bed. As the day went on, Yoruichi ate over thirty trays of food, much to the cooks displeasure, they had ran out of ingredients so they had to go to the market to stock up again. Then she got visitors. All the Captains and their Lieutenants came to see how Yoruichi was holding up and congratulating her on getting Soifon back, none more grateful than Omaeda of course. Ukitake left Yoruichi a massive bag of candy, Kyoraku gave hr Sake, but Nanao smacked him in the back of the head saying that Yoruichi didn't need it seeing as she was in the infirmary. The gesture was touching and yet it made her laugh a bit. Toshiro and Matsumoto came in, though they ended up having to leave seeing as Matsumoto gave Yoruichi a hug, which almost ended up killing her, seeing as her assets were right in Yoruichi's face and she started to suffocate. The Tenth Division Captain apologized before taking his crazy Lieutenant away. By the end of the day, Yoruichi was tired, doing absolutely nothing but lay in bed all day can do that to a person. She lay down and waited for sleep to find her until her door opened again.

"I'm sorry, but Isane said no more visitors tonight" Yoruichi mumbled as her eyes slowly opened to turn the visitor away. But it wasn't a visitor, it was Unohana, and she was carrying a long item wrapped in a white cloth.

"Oh, hi Retsu, what can I do for you, how are Soifon and Akara" Yoruichi asked I a panicked tone as she immediately sat up. Unohana chuckled quietly,

"I came to tell you that Akara is doing a little better, her Reiatsu is starting to come back. But Soifon is still unresponsive, but I wanted to show this to you" Unohana said as she unwrapped the cloth to reveal Soifon's Zanpakuto.

"W-Where did you find it" Yoruichi asked surprised

" Actually, the Second Division scoured through the Western Rukon and found it, but when they gave it to Lieutenant Omaeda, the Zanpakuto didn't exactly let him touch it, so I came to show you they found before I go return it to Captain Soifon" Unohana said before wrapping it back up.

"I'm glad they found it, I just wish Soifon had it with her, and then she wouldn't be in the state she's in now" Yoruichi said sadly.

"It wasn't your fault Yoruichi, no one knew this would happen" Unohana said kindly.

"I should've gone with her, than none of it would have happened" Yoruichi said with small tears welling up. Sensing the tears, Unohana came over and patted Yoruichi's shoulder.

"This kind of thing has happened before, but please don't worry yourself to badly over it, stress doesn't go well with healing patients" Unohana said before getting up to leave,

"Sleep well Yoruichi, and when you check out tomorrow, feel free to visit" then she left without another word. Yoruichi stayed silent as she watched the Fourth Division Captain leave. Once she was completely gone Yoruichi flopped back down on her bed. Today had been a long one despite the events that occurred, and Yoruichi just wanted tomorrow to come quickly. So she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to take her in.

The next morning Yoruichi had woken up with a cold sweat. She had been plagued with nightmares during the night about Soifon and Akara. She had dreamed that Unohana came in and said Akara made it through, but Soifon had died. She had dreamed that at the funeral she had to bury her while tears soaked her clothes. The details weren't pretty ones, so she stopped thinking about it. Unohana came in an hour later, allowing Yoruichi to go, but Yoruichi wanted to see Soifon and Akara first. Unohana allowed it so off they went.

When they arrived to the intensive care unit, Unohana told Yoruichi to not touch them or anything around them. Then after a few routine precautions, the duo entered.

"Where are they" Yoruichi said quietly looking around the hallway filled with rooms on both sides of the hall.

"They're at the end of the hallway to the right, follow me" then Unohana took the lead. The hallway was long, and along the way, you could hear a mixture of noises that varied from monitors groans of pain and complaints about random things. Healers kept rushing past them going from room to room to check on the patients, Yoruichi moved out of their way whenever they came around, though it was a bit of a chore seeing as her leg was still tender. But after a brief time they had finally made it to the end of the hall and turned to the right. And on the door there was a sign that read

Room: 236

Current occupants: Captain Soifon, Akara Kurokiba

For the well being of the patients please only send in one visitor and or healer at a time

Unohana quietly opened the door and allowed Yoruichi to go in, seeing as only one person, by Unohana's rules as previously stated, was allowed to visit at a time in the Intensive care unit.

When I entered the room the first thing I saw was Akara and all around her were flowers, cards and get well soon balloons and bears, guess I wasn't the first to see her. She had gauze wraps around her forearm so that the various IV needles wouldn't get loose or come out. She had an oxygen mask on, though it seemed she was trying to breathe on her own. Her chest rose and fell roughly every now and again, but other than that it was smooth. She seemed ok, which was a good thing. I walked up to her and lightly placed a hand on her unwrapped shoulder. I felt something in my chest, but I knew it just too many emotions mixing together to see who could be expressed first. My eyes started to well up a bit. Akara had done so much for me and Soifon. When I left she came and took care of Soifon, saved her who knows how many times, took the blame for me when we fought that one day, she even took a knife for me and top it off, despite all the injuries she got, she carried Soifon and me all the back to home. She was a far better person than I'll ever be.

"T-Thank you Akara, I don't know what would've happened without you" I whispered to her sleeping form before going to the person I was afraid for the most. About two steps from Akara's bed was Soifon's, and she looked absolutely horrible. She too had an oxygen mask and her body was completely wrapped up until her neck and wrists. Though I sure her legs were wrapped too. She had so many IVs in her; she almost looked like a mechanical mummy.

But her face was untouched thankfully. I sat down beside her, I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing seemed to come out. So I just put my hand on top of hers and sighed raggedly. I sat there looking at her for what seemed like hours, hoping she would make some kind of moment, but all I got was shallow breathing.

"Yoruichi, come on its time to go" Unohana said. I reluctantly moved my hand from Soi's but before I left I touched my forehead with hers and whispered,

"I'll see you tomorrow" then left before my tears began to fall.

Unohana had explained to Yoruichi once they were out of Intensive care, that Yoruichi had access to her two friends anytime in the afternoon, since they were treated in the morning. Yoruichi was grateful and thanked Unohana for her help. Before leaving the Fourth Division, and for the rest of the day, Yoruichi changed into her cat form and ventured aimlessly around Soul Society. She walked through the Seireitei, traveled through the Rukon, heck she even went to her house, of course once she actually made it, she immediately turned around regretting her decision to come. So instead she went to the one place, other than Kuukaku's that she felt safe. The Sakura Grove, so she gracefully slinked away to probably her only guaranteed safe haven.

"Finally made it" Yoruichi thought as she made it to the center of the grove, where she and Soifon had spent their final hours together before her grand departure. Cherry blossoms fluttered quietly like snow to the ground all around her, and occasionally a few would breeze over Yoruichi's fur and land at her feet. She felt that the silence was both relaxing and reassuring, and she needed it.

"I wish Soifon was here, than I would feel so much better" Yoruichi thought to herself as she lay down in a particularly long patch of tall grass. And for awhile, she seemed to relax, but it was short lived.

"I can't do this, I need to go somewhere else" the cat snapped before jumping up and running away from the sacred place. The reason she had left was because as soon as she closed her eyes, memories flood her mind of her and Soifon, both good and bad. Then as soon as those had stopped, terrible scenarios began to play and mix with those memories, and it was too much, Yoruichi felt she would explode. So she decided to go back to the world of the living until tomorrow.

Upon arrival, she was greeted by the ever enthusiastic shopkeeper.

"Yoruichi, it's a few days, how are things going" he said with a smile, but when he saw the metaphorical depression cloud looming over his friend, all the happiness went away.

"Did something happen" Yoruichi just nodded before walking inside, Kisuke right behind her. Once they had settled in and Yoruichi straightened herself up enough to speak she told Kisuke the recent events that had taken place. The horrific story took about an hour to tell since about every ten minutes Yoruichi's voice would crack before breaking down and crying. But it was managed to be told, and Kisuke was shocked. He never imagined that a father would turn against his own daughter for he could take over the Soul Society, and nearly kill her in the process was a lot more than Kisuke could wrap his mind around.

"So Unohana said they would pull through right" Kisuke asked warily. Yoruichi shrugged her cat shoulders.

"S-She said she didn't know" Yoruichi whispered, though it was loud enough for him to hear.

"Yoru, I'm sorry, but Soifon is a tough one, I'm sure she'll pull through" Kisuke said confidently. But Yoruichi didn't seem to catch it. Her fears and sorrow were eating her alive.

"You don't know what she looks like right now, she's bruised and burned everywhere, and Unohana said she had lost too much blood, even with the transfusions it might not be enough" Yoruichi mumbled sadly as tears reappeared on her face.

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore, I'm going to bed" Yoruichi said getting up abruptly. Kisuke sighed in understanding,

"I get where your coming from Yoru, but I don't think hiding here is going to make it better, I think you should go back to support them" Kisuke said seriously. Yoruichi shook her head wordlessly.

"Come on now, I think Soifon would appreciate seeing your face when she wakes up" Kisuke said trying to persuade the distressed cat.

"That's just it Kisuke, I'm afraid she won't wake up" Yoruichi said dejectedly. Kisuke sighed,

"Well, I still think you should at least visit her, didn't you say that both Akara and Soifon should be making movement at the end of the week" Kisuke asked trying to think back on Yoruichi's previously stated words.

"That's what Unohana said, but I don't know-" Yoruichi started to say, but the man with the bucket hat cut her off.

"I believe the saying goes, you don't know until you try" Kisuke said simply. There was a silence between the two long-time friends, though the silence was more in Kisuke's favor, seeing as he was right, and Yoruichi was trying to be a coward to avoid the inevitable.

"Fine, just let me change back into my clothes" the cat said before going upstairs and transformed to put her original clothes on. She had woken up in the clothes Hiroka had given her, and her skin crawled. So when she changed into her cat form she made sure to throw the clothes away. Kisuke smirked in victory as he watched his friend ascend the stairway, he was right and nothing was going to change that. After the cat had disappeared, the scientist made his way to his lab to open the gate. Yoruichi had a long week ahead of her.

Captain-Blue-Kitty: I have to give you guys a heads up, my family is leaving for a week, so I can't start the next chapter until I come back.

Yoruichi: so we hope you enjoyed this chapter and we'll see you all next time