Supernova

By Willow Athena

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach…but Rien is definitely mine

Author's Note: This is an action packed chapter. I'm not updating fast because I haven't put much thought into these chapters, I'm updating fast because I had written all the chapters and have let them sit with me for about a month or so, until I feel there is nothing more I want to say in them. I have really enjoyed writing this story, and when I went back to these earlier chapters that I had written, I really enjoyed reading them, even though I had written them – Is it really wrong to enjoy your own story?

Chapter 8 – White Knight

They had all congregated in Rukia's office in the 13th squad's barracks, all except Renji who was being held captive by Byakuya's orders, for now. They were all suddenly alive with hope that they may actually be able to achieve what they had spent a month training to do.

"How are we going to get out of Soul Society with Rien? We can't run all the way out, we'll be caught. I don't even know if we can make it out of Seireitei," Ishida frustratedly posed. He wanted to save Rien, but it had to be a good plan, she had to be safe, he would not endanger her needlessly with an unworthy attempt. "We can't use the senkai gate at the Kuchiki manor if Byakuya's there having dinner." Ishida continued to think out loud.

"Rukia, is there another senkai gate we can use?" Ichigo tried to solve one problem at a time. Ishida is too emotionally involved to be sensible right now, Ichigo thought.

"Inside Seireitei, only the main senkai gate, and the five senkai gates for each noble house exist. The main senkai gate is impenetrable." Rukia looked anxious and worried that there was no way left. She racked her brain for a possible solution, even considering braving Nii-sama's displeasure and barricading the doors to the Kuchiki senkai long enough for Rien to escape. She would have gladly braved his wrath, well…she would have cowered and endured it as well as she could – but, that level of betrayal would have hurt him, though she knew he would not have shown it…she couldn't hurt him, even if he was acting like an ass right now.

"Isn't Yoruichi-san noble? Can't we use her senkai?" Ishida hoped rather than believed this to be a real possibility.

"The Shihouin manor is far away, heavily guarded, and we don't know where their senkai is…its too foolish to go searching for it while on the run." Rukia thoroughly quashed that idea.

"Rukia-chan, you can use my senkai if you really need to." Ukitake taichou was leaning against Rukia's desk and sipping a cup of tea before any of them realised he had even come in at all.

Everyone panicked.

"Thank you, but we can't taichou," Rukia offered in defeat. Following Ukitake's extraordinary help in the war against Aizen, the lesser noble house of Ukitake was elevated to one of the five noble houses that comprised the government of Soul Society. There had always been five houses to rule, and after the dishonour and exile of the Shiba clan, many lesser noble houses were considered, but it was the Ukitake clan which had looked the most deserving to the four noble ruling houses. Ukitake hated being thought of as noble, unlike Byakuya who effectively used his nobility as a ward to distance himself from everyone, Ukitake found that it further complicated the simplicity of the life he tried to lead, it was just another title he wised people would overlook, or at least see past. Her taichou had already done so much for them, they could not ask this of him as well.

"We would not want to put you in any danger," she added, assured by his expression that he was not going to arrest them or turn them all in, as she felt Byakuya would if he ever found out.

"Why would I be in any danger? I'm having a birthday party for Shunsui tonight, so I won't be using it and no one will be guarding it, if that's what your worried about. I can show you right where it is if you guys want to go home tonight ." He innocently looked at Ishida and Ichigo's smiling faces. "That's what you wanted it for, right?" They all let out a sigh of relief – perhaps he had not heard their whole plan.

He turned to leave but stopped at the door, looking out into the beauty of the setting sun. "No one should have to live their lives afraid that everyday might be their last. That impending sense of doom…it robs you of your life, because at any second, everything you care about could be snatched away from you forever. She deserves a chance." Ukitake let out a strangled cough.

"Taichou!" Rukia voice was full of concern as she stood up letting her chair topple over.

He held up his pale white hand stained with flecks of vibrant red blood.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest," he tried to assure her as he always did. Stoically walking upright even though it was only through great effort on his part, strangling any more coughs until he was out of earshot.

Now they all understood why he had offered to help them, why he would risk everything he had.

Although Ukitake did not aspire to nobility, that's just who he was. The Ukitake clan was surely the most noble of all houses, Ishida thought, gratefully to himself. No one would doubt this man's honour, no one would accuse him of helping Rien escape…she was nothing to him on the surface, and no one would be able to contemplate this level of nobility in anyone.

"There will still be guards from the 12th squad – we will have to sneak in." Ishida suggested, already having formulated their entire battle strategy, having carefully calculated the their statistical chance of success at every turn. Now all he had to do was get everyone else on board with his plan.

"If we get close enough, I could probably shunpo in and get her." Ichigo confidently stated, having recently mastered his shunpo abilities since the month they had been there.

"But you leak reiatsu like a sieve holding water," Ishida objected. "They'll feel you coming down the road." He had already thought through these possible avenues of attack. Though Ichigo was undoubtedly powerful, what they required was stealth rather than power, or Mayuri would be called back, and catch them before they even left the building.

"What do you suggest then!" Ichigo was annoyed at Ishida's last comment. Stupid Quincy.

"I'm faster than you and I can control my reiatsu. I'll use my hirenkyaku[Quincy shunpo] to get in and then unlock the cell – which will probably set off an alarm no matter what I try. When we get out, I'll need everyone to hold the guards at bay, and protect Rien as we try to escape before our time runs out." It was a sound plan, but Ichigo hated Ishida making himself out to be the main hero of the story.

Ishida's preparations allowed him to get into the Research Bureau with no trouble and without being detected. Although his white Quincy battle gear would normally stand out against the black monotony of the shinigami, his stealthing ability was unparalleled by anyone.

"Rien, we have to leave now!" Ishida had anticipated reluctance from her, and was prepared to carry her out kicking and screaming, if that's what it took.

"Okay." She happily smiled back at him. "Byakuya wants me to leave now anyway." She had heard him scream these words beneath the lies he told this afternoon – though the lies still hurt her, she had glimpsed at his intention behind them.

Damn Byakuya, Ishida thought, what did he have to do with any of this!

Byakuya had come to invite Mayuri for dinner that afternoon, and had really looked at her for the first time since their kiss – though all he meant his expression to say was 'leave', Rien had glimpsed at something deeper within him. Byakuya had regretted that momentary lapse of judgement, the flicker of compassion he had shown her. He knew it would be difficult to forget the innocence of her eyes gazing back at him. It had caused him to inadvertently lash out at her and say things he regretted as soon as they escaped his mouth. Things like 'what a disappointing find she had been' and 'how he would not have let her live had he known how uninteresting she was' – Mayuri fervently agreed with Byakuya as he spoke, and although Mayuri had said these things to her many times before, Byakuya's lyrical voice was sharper than Mayuri's, far more deadly to Rien. She had silently stood, unable to peel her eyes away from him, letting her tears cascade like a waterfall down her numb, expressionless face. Currently at dinner, Byakuya tried to rationalise his words to her…it was better that she left with no regret, he did not care for her anyway, and she should not hold onto any lingering affection she felt for him, her feelings were meaningless after all. It was strange, regret, he had not had this feeling for so long, and he struggled to be rid of it now. Why should he regret anything – he promised himself that he would not spare another moment of regret on her.

"Here, get dressed – I made it for you," Ishida said, just a little annoyed with Rien. He pushed a long white dress with a blue Quincy cross on the right side, through the cell's food flap. Of course he would have noticed Nemu's too short dress on her 1,65m frame.

Rien changed in the glass while Ishida attempted to unlock the cell door, and not watch the beautiful girl shamelessly undress in front of him.

Rien changed and watched Ishida struggle with the code for the lock. She bent down on the other side of the door, distracting Ishida with her beauty, she looked striking in the long Quincy dress, better than he could have imagined. " I think the code is 629874 7262," Rien obligingly offered.

"Why would you say that?" Ishida was surprised.

"Because Nemu always mouths 'Mayuri sama' when she opens the cell door –I don't think she notices herself doing it." Rien giggled. She seemed so much lighter than this afternoon and, although Ishida appreciated the sound, he wished he alone was the reason for the melody.

"Hai." Ishida nodded and entered the code. It worked! No guards too. They had been really lucky today.

Near the exit door of the Bureau, just as they were about to get out, a random patrol spotted them and sounded an alarm within the 12th squad barracks. Ishida held on tightly to Rien and hirenkyaku'ed to Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo who also happened to be surrounded. Rien looked a little sick from the speed of the flash step, she seemed a little unsteady on her feet as well.

Ishida worried, it was already 8:45 – Byakuya's dinner could have ended by now, and Mayuri and Nemu could be back at any moment. They had no time to spare. Ishida placed Rien in the centre of them all. "Rien, please stay in the middle and follow us." He calmly held up his right hand to form an elaborate blue spirit bow, pulling his left arm back, he formed a large arrow. When he released it, it was a spread of about a thousand smaller blue arrows all landing at the feet of the surrounding shinigami – effectively pushing them back and allowing the group more mobility to edge toward the exit. Rien wanted to touch the pretty, intense blue of the bow, but decided against it – it was probably not a good time to distract anyone.

"Getsuga tenshou!" Ichigo shouted, clearing a path for escape towards the exit. Ishida's constant release of volleys kept the pursuers at the back at bay, Renji and Rukia's masked and hooded figures defensively threatened the attackers on the sides.

As the group got to the exit of the 12th squad's barracks, it was Ishida who spoke, "It's 8:55, we have to run or we won't make it out of Soul Society. You guys take Rien and run – I'll try and follow when I can. Don't wait for me!" He said in his most commanding tone.

Rien held onto Ishida's waist tightly, her head on his shoulder. "I won't go without you. We all run!" She breathe near his neck, sending shivers down his spine.

Damn her, why couldn't she let him have this heroic, manly gesture to win her over. Why did she have to feel so soft and vulnerable against his body. He reluctantly removed her hands from around him. "Okay," he said, resigned.

"Go!" He shouted to them all, releasing one last volley of arrows, and grabing Rien's hand, he hirenkyaku'ed out of the gate with her.

Everyone had incredible speed as they ran, especially Ishida.

As Rien followed the group of much faster people, who did not have Ashisogi Jizo stab and paralyse their legs that afternoon, Rien noticed that no one followed her, even though they could have probably caught her - no pursuers followed out of the 12th squads barracks.

Then she felt him. She stopped, panting a little.

"Jyuushiro, a name as beautiful as its owner – you should use it more often." She chimed to the nothingness and the shadows. Rien almost felt the warmth of the shadow's blush. "I promise I'll find a way to repay you." Her words were intense. She had nothing with which to repay him now, but she promised herself in that moment, that she would find a way to repay his kindness.

Ichigo appeared. "Sorry, Rien, I hadn't noticed you were gone until now." He smiled at her oblivious to Ukitake's presence.

"No, I'm sorry to slow you down. It's just a little difficult to run today." She attempted to bubble, still a bit out of breath.

He scooped her up.

"Hold onto me and close your eyes – we'll be there before you know it." Ichigo's voice was warm, affectionate and deep as Rien lay her head against his chest – Rien could see why Rukia cared for him. After only a few silent stops, they emerged in a big empty hall with two open sliding doors at one end, and a bright white light in the middle.

"Lets go!" Ishida commanded as he shot an arrow through the open senkai gate. The arrow would ensure that his body rematerialised into its human form on the other side – Ishida hated this part, it was a painful process, and because of this he had tasked Ichigo with keeping Rien safe through the senkai. Though Ishida would never admit it, he trusted Ichigo, more than he cared to dwell on.

Ichigo nodded.

"I'll stay here and close the gate." Renji said as planned. And then, he would return to his office as though nothing had happened. You either had to be noble or at least a vice-captain to have skill enough to be able to open and close a senkai, and this was his job. Renji's vampiric smile as he waved goodbye, was beautiful and painful to Rein – she was beginning to understand Rukia's dilemma.

Author's Note

Well, I hope you continue to enjoy the story as I have. And, please continue to review…it's really nice to know I'm not just talking to myself.

~ Willow ~