A/N: I do not own Bleach...Kubo does...(tear...tear).

I do own this little fanfic tho :)

Closing the door of the taxi, Katara let her tears begin to fall freely. She was in pain. This was the first time she had seen her cousin in over 100 years and her cousin's words hurt…BAD.

Resting her head on the back of her seat, she looked out the window seeing the town she once called home. A lot had changed with new buildings almost at every corner yet somehow, the town still felt familiar like she never left.

Slowing caressing the necklace resting on her neck, she closed her eyes to stop the tears from running, her mind's eye could not help but wander to that fateful night over 100 years ago.

Flashback

The sound of keys could be heard echoing in the hallway accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps.

Pausing in front of the jail cell, the man stopped, looking at the figure locked inside. Placing one hand on the jail bars, he inserted the keys into the lock opening the door.

Katara kept her head down not bothering to look at the new presence in the cell.

'Get up'

She did not move.

'I SAID GET UP!'

Knowing she could not avoid this moment any longer, she slowly picked her body from the floor still keeping her head down. Standing up, the sound of the shackles chuffing her hands together resonated in the room.

Noticing Katara was not moving, the guard yanked the long chain attached to her shackles causing her to stumble almost tripping on her frail floor length white kimono.

Walking down the cobblestone pathway, Katara's bare feet could feel the slime covering the cold rocks due to the wetness in the jail. Flaming torches lined both walls of the jail with individual holding cells between each torch.

At the end of the hallway, large wooden doors began to open in unison pouring light into the dark jail.

Squinting her eyes due to the sudden intrusion of light, she was lead into a grand amphitheater with high walls.

Looking at the celling, she saw the crest of the familiar Yoshida clan gilded in gold.

Dropping the chain he was holding, the guard then moved towards Katara's wrists unlocking the chain leaving only the heavy shackles on her wrists.

Stepping aside, the guard allowed two guards dressed in white assassin robes to stand on each side of Katara each holding a black banner with the Yoshida family crest on it.

'Move!' the guard on her right said.

Katara started walking forward towards a high table with six empty thrones set at the top.

Mummers began in the amphitheater as she walked by.

Reaching a simple black mat on the floor, Katara stared at the simple mat until she felt a kick behind her knee effectively making her legs buckle, and causing her to fall to the ground.

Breath Katara, breath

It didn't work. No matter how many times she told herself to remain calm, her heart could not stop beating fast.

Two drummers began hitting the taiko drums in a steady beat.

'Thud, Thud, Thud', the beat of the taiko drums continued increasing in speed periodically until the thuds hit a crucendo before the drummers stopped, placing their hands into an X.

Katara could swear her heart stopped when she heard the thud of the drums halt.

It was quiet, too quiet for her liking.

All of a sudden, Katara could hear people shift in their seats as their attention focused on the seven individuals that had entered the room and sat on the thrones.

'Katara Yoshida' the commanding voice began 'we are here today because we are to deliver the final verdict on the charges that you murdered your uncle, Yoshida Daisuke. For the record, how do you plead?'

Katara froze. She knew that voice. Not only did she know it, she grew up listening to that voice. She did not know he would be leading the verdict.

Slowing lifting her head to look at the voice, she locked eyes with her grandfather, the head of the Yoshida family.

Her heart sank seeing her grandfather's eyes. The pressure to answer began to weigh on her shoulders under his intense glare.

'HOW DO YOU PLED?'

'Not guilty grandfather'. Immediately mummers began around the room.

'SILENCE' her grandfather ordered. All murmuring ceased immediately.

'Not guilty?' he asked her again.

Katara could tell he was giving her another opportunity to amend her statement but she honestly could not. She did not kill her uncle. How could she? She loved her uncle.

'Not guilty'. Sitting down on his throne, her grandfather looked at the five other people sitting with him on the table. All nodding in agreement, her grandfather turned his gaze on her again.

'After reviewing the evidence presented against you, we the High Council have found you…'

End of Flashback

''Ma'am? Ma'am? Excuse me ma'am?' Katara opened her eyes.

'We are at your hotel'. Looking around at her surroundings, Katara noticed that they were indeed in front of her hotel.

Quickly grabbing her wallet from her handbag, she swiped her credit card and tipped the cab driver before getting ready to leave.

'Thank you sir. I really appreciate it' she said to the driver.

'Not a problem ma'am. And ma'am, not that it is any of my business, but whatever you are going through, it is going to be ok'.

Truly touched by the concern in the driver's voice, Katara smiled softly at the driver before thanking him again and exiting the cab.

A/N: Can't believe Ch. 2 is done!

Thank you so much to Tifanny91 for your review! Your interest in the fanfic motivated me to continue writing this fanfic.

As always, please PLEASE review and critique my fanfic. Your support and critiques motivate me to write more and improve my writing.

Ch. 3 is done as well and i'll be posting that one soon :)

See you all in the next chapter!

xoxo - J