Warnings: Not much happening in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Bleach.

Keith was one those who were hard to surprise, his brothers beg to differ but that wasn't the point, he was just hard to sneak up on or just anything really. He was the one that usually did the surprising but that all somewhat changed the day he was teamed up with the youngest of the royal family, Ichigo. The orangette threw so many surprises some nearly heart stopping at Keith that the man was developing a new sense of his surroundings concerning the teen.

He got certain feelings when Ichigo was about to do something that warrant Keiths attention. It was due to this sense that everyone who knew dubbed the Ichigo radar that had Keith and three others far out from camp in the middle of the night with a slight drizzle. The blond was having trouble sleeping after a long day playing commander that it took time to register that what he was feeling was his Ichigo radar and that had spurred him to grab the nearest soldiers and head in the direction that the sense was strongest.

Those was being yanked into coming were confused and a little grumpy about being dragged into the night but they shut up when Keith called a halt in a small clearing and just stood there. They took up formation around the man and waited. When the blond still said nothing one brave soldier open his mouth to speak when a very familiar orange head fell out of the trees and in front of Keith. The soldiers plus Keith were even more surprised when the orangette was followed by another familiar face plus a visible white body lying still behind them. The clearing was silent as the soldiers just stared at the three down men.

Keith stood there stun before shaking out of his frozen state. "Well what are you waiting for an invitation? Get them back to camp and into the doc.'s hands now before anything else happens!" Keith's shouted order had the three soldiers jumping but they were quick to follow.

Keith shouldered Ichigo while another did the same for Kaien. The two other soldiers took the slings carrying Shiro and followed Keith back to camp. Keith while keeping one eye out for trouble gave his young friend a quick once over and sighed in relief that Ichigo didn't seemed to be injured but with Ichigo he wasn't taking any chances. The teen had a habit of hiding his hurts and Keith and the Doctor had gotten almost good at seeing through his facade. His brothers on the other hand he couldn't say but judging how Shiro was still unconscious and Kaien had only enough energy to give a wane grin before his eyes rolled up into his head Keith could say that they were the worst off.

"Double time it gentlemen," he yelled back. He was fortunate that the ones he grabbed were those with the ability to increase their body speed and strength otherwise they might be longer getting the three princes the help they needed.

Keith had the sense to send out a distress flare with one of his flames so his group wouldn't be running without some form of backup. He just wasn't expecting such a large number of support when they were met with said backup. Even the doctor was included.

Keith felt more then saw since before he could blink Ichigo had been whisked off his shoulder by the man and taken through the gathering happy soldiers. Kaien and Shiro, being carried, soon followed. Keith looked at his empty arm then back to the retreating doctor.

"Damn he's quick," the blond muttered. "Alright fellas let the man work; why aren't any of you at your post!" he shouted when no one moved and became the center of more than a dozen eyes. "Ya heard me now get!"

The large group scattered and Keith made his way over to the grumbling doc. he was smart enough to stay out of the way until the healer took notice of him.

"The little bastard has a few crack ribs and broken bones that are in the process of healing, some vessels had rupture and it looked that he was bleeding internally at one point but again his healing abilities are taking care of it, but his body is beyond exhausted. He is lucky for his healing but soon that will give out and leave him vulnerable for other little nasty side effects." The man sighs as he orders the young commander to be placed under observation until further notice.

When Ichigo was taken back to the healing tent the doctor turned to Kaien. "Our Crown Prince is also exhausted but surprisingly he isn't that bad off; a few broken bones, burses, abrasions, and looks to be coming down with a cold. Bed rest with pain killers after the bones have been set."

With Kaien taken care of and on his way to his own pallet in the healers tent the Doctor went over to Shiro. "Now our middle Prince is cause for concern; while he has the same hurts as Kaien it's his eye I worry about. It can't be save and I worry more about infection than anything else. His immune system is taxed so his body can't fight off any illnesses that he might catch, not including the cold he has now. But otherwise he isn't in too much danger."

Keith waited as the rest of the medics covered the white Prince and left leaving him and the Doctor alone at the edge of camp. The blond flinch under the stern glare the doc, was sending him. He was almost afraid to look, almost.

"So doc.-

"I hope that you will be able to keep our wondering Prince under control until his body recovers." It wasn't a question it was more of a disguised order.

"Uh, I could tell—

The doc. stop and looked at the blond who wilted, "uh yes sir I will make sure that Ichigo takes his medicine."

"see that you do," with that the doctor walked by Keith and followed his three new patients back to his domain.

Keith shutter not really wanting to follow that order. He could just tell that Ichigo was one of those who were the worst type of patients no doubt he would want to immediately take care of his unit seconds after waking up. But here the doctors' orders overrule his.

"Sometimes I hate being an SIC."

oOooOooOooOooOooOooOo

Ichigo was trying to wake up but he felt so tired that he wanted to just fall back into the blackness. His body felt so heavy that he doubted that he could even open his eyelids halfway. Even though he was bogged down with exhaustion he was still aware of his surroundings but he had to wonder if it was because he was so tired that the hard ground should feel so soft or was he really in a comfy bed. his answer came with the voice or rather two voices.

"I'll be releasing him back to you after he wakes then you can carry his little ass back to his own tent," the gruff voice said.

"What about his brothers; and what do you expect me to do once he gets fully awake?" the second one asks.

"Simple, make sure he eats and gets plenty of fluids. Keep an eye on him if his brothers have a cold I wouldn't be surprise that he would have too. The little shit is too good at hiding his hurts."

"And you think that he'll tell me; sir, getting anything personal out of Ichigo is a battle in its owns elf. But I'll try to get him to take small breaks…your still just going to keep him on light duty right?"

Ichigo heard a resign sigh follow by an irritated grunt, "I don't think we would have much choice. If we keep him on medical leave he'll still be working non-stop but I can carefully keep him from killing himself by giving something that resembles work, then maybe we can keep our young commander living long enough to the end of this damn war."

"that's quite a speech Doc. but I understand, I'll keep Ichigo from collapsing."

Ichigo didn't hear the reply but he was getting really annoyed that they were talking about like he wasn't there and he knew who the owners of those voices were, so he forced his tired eyes to open and give the offenders his best scowl. But the good doctor had already left leaving Ichigo to stare at Keith who was giving him a very relived smile.

"Man, glad you finally woke up. You can have your job back," the blond says leaning down next to the teens ear. "If you ever leave me with your job again I will hunt you down and drag ya back here then tie you to the chair then go awhol."

Ichigo wanted to growl but Keith's joking manner had him giving the SIC a snort. He knew that Keith was only joking about going awhol. The image of him dragging the orangette back was somewhat amusing though Ichigo doubted that he would let Keith get that far with manhandling him.

"So, I guess that I am clear to leave?" it was a hopeful question. Ichigo really didn't like staying in any type of medic beds.

"As soon as doc. says you can leave; do you really want a repeat of the last time you skip out of him clearing ya?"

Ichigo shutter at the memory but quickly control himself, "Yeah I remember."

"But hey at least this will give ya time to get your baring's while I go get ya some grub," the blond said happily. Once Ichigo gave him a nod the big man was gone leaving the teen to try to locate Kaien and Shiro.

He found them not far from where he was Kaien was across from his bed while Shiro was one bed down from Kaien. The teen snorted and wonder how long that would last. Ichigo also wonder if he could tempt fate and try to get out of bed, but seeing the doctors shadow he reluctantly thought better of the idea and laid back against his pillow.

He sat there waiting for Keith and all he could do was drum his fingers against his thigh. With no one to talk to he was getting very bored. His Zanpakuto even was keeping him out of his inner world saying he needed the rest and if they saw him in there he would get a foot up his ass. Knowing them Ichigo knew that they meant it.

"So bored," he whined to no one though he thought he heard someone snicker but it he figures that he was imagining things.

Ichigo didn't see why he was in the tent to begin with he felt fine and the worst of his hurts were already healed. He was going to voice such thoughts to the doctor when Keith waltz back in with a tray of food. Ichigo gap at the amount.

"Are you eating too?"

"Nah, this is all yours. I got ya soup, meat and cheese, some sandwiches, three cups of water, and vegi's."

"…that's too much!" the orangette shouted still shock.

"No its not; it's just the right amount and I expect you to eat it all before we leave this tent. If ya don't prepare to spend another night here." Keith's tone was firm.

Ichigo just glared at him but the blond stood firm. They stayed that way until the doctor came by and with a roll of his eyes snap at them to quit and order Ichigo to, "Eat the damn food then get out of my tent," before going over to check on the two older Princes.

Keith was smirking while Ichigo stared at his plate. "If I was you I start off with the soup then work your way over to the sandwiches then over to the meats and stuff. That way you could carry it back to your tent to finish."

Ichigo scowled at the blond but sighed in defeat, "I'm not going to win aren't I?"

"Nope," Keith smiled.

"Fine," Ichigo grumbled but started eating anyway.

While he was doing that Keith caught movement out of the corner of his eye. When he turns to it he was met with the teal eyes of Kaien who gave him a nod in thanks before going back to his own rest. Keith watch the raven Prince a little while longer before checking up on his own orange headed Prince. He held in the laugh at Ichigo who was hunger then he let on having done ate the whole bowel of soup and all three sandwiches and was now on the meat and cheese and had down one cup of water.

'stubborn brat.'

He tops off the empty cup and told the orangette to slow down before he choked. Which just so happen to happen before he could get the last word out. giving the teen a good whack to the back the blond snicker at the teens embarrass expression.

"Well come on yer still not done." Ichigo threw at piece of cheese at him as he went back to eating.

oOooOooOooOooOooOooOooOo

The coming few days had Ichigo back out of his tent against doctor's orders. But he couldn't help it. While Keith did keep the unit from collapsing, he wanted to make sure that everyone was okay and the first thing that he did was to check up on anymore reports of his would be assassins. Luckily, they hadn't shown back up though the teen suspect that wouldn't last long with him being back in camp.

Another thing that he did was send out a long distance courier to the King. He wanted to inform him of both Kaien's and Shiro's whereabouts. Other than that nothing really needed his attention. Ichigo continue to run his unit and even involved himself in their daily workouts. When it came to sword play he may had frighten them a bit. But there were a few brave souls that sparred with him.

When a week had gone by Kaien soon joined him out in the fields. It was an interesting spar session, when they finished the elder Prince had told Ichigo in no uncertain terms that while he was there with him that Ichigo would be sharpening his sword skills with another blade that wasn't Zangetsu. When the teen went to confirm with the zanpakuto they gave him a stern warning that he better not do anything stupid and that he wasn't allow to use them unless in a life threating situation.

With that Ichigo began relearning how to fight with a blade that wasn't his zanpakuto and to add to it Zangetsu had forbid him from using his powers. Needless to say Ichigo bout collapsed before he got back to his tent. But he was right back to the training field before Kaien had even made it there. His men even started to join them so that Ichigo would have more than one opponent to spar with.

It was almost a month when Shiro was able to leave the healers tent and when Ichigo receive word from the main army. He didn't like what was sent to him. it was a good thing that only a small group went to rescues Kaien and Shiro for it appeared to be a very good distraction. Isshin had order Ichigo to keep the two there with him until either the war ends or he was told to leave. while Ichigo could understand about staying put he knew that they would be a juicy target and he, he was sure that the two other would agree with him, rather not leave the entire army to fend for themselves if they lost the war.

He planned to call a general meeting to go over their new plan of attack when hurried footsteps reach his ears and his tent flaps were flung open by Keith. The blond was huffing but soon calm himself after catching his breath.

"You are not going to believe this," he jerks his head back over his shoulder.

Ichigo was curious and follow the big man out, he was lead to a group of his men circled around a small petite person. He stops when his men parted and a grim looking Rukia stood facing him form the center.

"Ichigo, I bring word from both Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake."

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Chapter End.

Big storm coming so I wanted to get this out before the power goes out.

Thanks for reading.