Author's Soundtrack:
Arnalds: This Place Was A Shelter by Olafur Arnalds (Beginning)
Never Alone by Olafur Arnalds (Shower)
Don't Close Your Eyes by Sam Tinnesz (Line Break)

Don't really want to ruin it, but adult content of the sexual nature is ahead. You have been warned.

Chapter Twenty Four

There was much about the Gathering that was unknown, kept secret by the chancellors throughout the ages to protect themselves and the sanctity of the Gathering itself. Little information was shared with members of the councils. Rank and pedigree afforded some a few more details, but hardly enough to satiate their curiosity.

To most, Gatherings occurred every 50-100 years. Heads of the councils would meet at a designated location where they would discuss the past and future of their species, humanity's standing, and the chances for a successful revelation and integration with them. Rules would be evaluated and modified accordingly, and at the end of it, the chancellors would return home to introduce any new laws or retractions.

It had been this way since the establishment of the councils nearly a millennia ago.

Not known to many was that the councils and their Gatherings had not always been welcomed. The majority of the vampires were eager for the establishment of a governing force for their people. They were scattered, weak against the threat of god-fearing humans. They sought strength and found it in Genryuusai and his supporters. But there was a faction who hated the idea of being controlled, their actions restricted by someone other than themselves. In their immortality, they found freedom and despised anything that threatened to take it away.

At the very first Gathering, half of the newly instated chancellors and their followers were assassinated.

The damage to the young councils was significant, setting their progress back several decades. It wasn't another 50 years until the councils had rooted out the rebels and solidified their positions and reputations in the world, stabilizing their territories and gaining the confidence of their people. Unlike the first Gathering, which had been announced and celebrated publicly, the next Gathering was held and completed before anyone knew it had even taken place.

Over the centuries, many tried to discover the whereabouts of the meeting. Many failed miserably. Some disappeared entirely. It was speculated they died during their travels, falling victim to happenstance. Others speculated foul play. Whatever the case, the location of the Gathering remained a secret.

And now Rukia and several others were circling a small island chain, their plane preparing to land at that very protected place. Despite Shinji's invitation, she couldn't help but worry their plane would be shot down, the debris left floating in the Pacific for the oceanic life to pick clean.

The main island wasn't particularly large, spanning only 300 square miles. Nearly all of it was covered in hundreds of acres of lush green foliage. Only the coasts, skirting the outer edges of the island, were bare with white sands. In the center the jagged gray peaks of a mountain punctured through the mossy veil, the top wearing a touch of green like a furred coat. Smaller, forested islands trailed behind the main one like a spotted tail. There were no signs of civilization except for a dock, a runway, and a collection of buildings latched onto the near vertical cliffs of the mountain, tiered from top to bottom like a man made waterfall.

It was a private tropical paradise.

It was also one of the last places Rukia wanted to be.

Here, she needed to convince her people's most powerful leaders to put aside their centuries worth of grievances and come together as one to face an unbelievable foe. If they didn't, everything they worked for over the last thousand years would be destroyed.

And just how did she convince them to take this threat seriously? What did she have to tell them to make them understand how powerful and conniving Aizen was? How dangerous he could be to them all?

Would recounting her experiences do it? Would sharing the events of her captivity? Would describing every single horrific detail?

Could they comprehend the unrelenting dread that seeped into the bones every time he smiled? To lose the strength to fight both physically and mentally? To feel the crushing weight of guilt and desperation for death to end it all?

Fingers gently caressed the palm of her hand before entwining with her own. She grasped that hand tightly, the cascading warmth spreading through her body and chasing away the nightmares skirting her consciousness. She gave Ichigo a small, but appreciative, smile.

When her breathing steadied, she lifted his hand and gave the back of it a quick kiss. She suppressed an amused smirk when he turned away from her, finding some distraction with someone on the plane in an attempt to hide the slight pink blush on his cheeks.

Shinji was waiting for them on the tarmac, standing next to a limo, arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently as they disembarked. Yanking the car door open, he hurried them all inside, not bothering to have the driver set their bags in the trunk.

"You're all cargo," he declared as he climbed into the seat and shut the door.

"I've been called worse," Ichigo quipped with a casual shrug.

Shinji ignored him and continued. "As most of you already know, those below a certain rank are not permitted to attend a Gathering, let alone know where it is."

Rukia didn't like the direction this was headed or the warning tone etched in Shinji's voice. "Do you mean to say you didn't get permission for us to come here?"

Shinji sighed and kneaded his temples furiously. "I attempted to, but apparently the older chancellors take the matter of bringing outsiders here so late into the Gathering very seriously. You should have seen their faces when I brought it up. You'd have thought I'd murdered their children in front of them."

"Surely they would be willing to make an exception considering what we have to tell them," Orihime tried to reason, but Shinji shook his head.

"I didn't exactly tell them who I was bringing or why."

"Why not?" Rukia demanded. "Chancellors Sullivan, Genryuusai, and Cordova all know I'm coming. Why hide it from everyone else? And why didn't the others speak up to assist you in your request?"

"We all agreed it was for the best if it appears as though I'm acting independently," Shinji explained. "And we all agreed to keep your arrival hidden. It has been made clear that none of the chancellors, nor members of their entourages, are immune to blackmail or bribery."

If Sado was insulted or uncomfortable with Shinji's barb, he didn't show any signs of it.

"You think some of the chancellors are compromised," Ashido concluded.

Shinji massaged his neck. "I'd like to think not, but Aizen has proven to be annoyingly resourceful. No one, despite their standing, is out of the question."

"So what did you tell them?" Rukia asked, annoyed by yet another obstacle.

"To them, it appears as though I've simply made a request to add people to my own staff. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but I misjudged their paranoia. The request was immediately rebuffed and considered a waste of their time."

He huffed and pouted slightly. "I only have a quarter of the staff the others do."

"Since you've smuggled us onto the island," Rukia continued, ignoring Shinji's grumblings, "what is your plan for hiding us until the meeting?"

"Each chancellor gets their own villa. We'll be hiding you in the one assigned to our council. They are secure - or as secure as they can be. Once there, you will all need to remain indoors. We can't risk anyone spotting you until the meeting. If they find out you're here, we won't have to worry about Aizen trying to get to you. They'll execute you on the spot as traitors."

"What's to stop them from killing us when we arrive at the meeting?" Ashido asked.

"We'll have a bit more leverage at that point. As soon as you arrive to plead your case, the other three chancellors will call for the rest to hear you out. Keeping their distance will prevent suspicion of collusion and immediate sentencing."

Ichigo shifted in his seat and the others looked grim. The risk of the remaining chancellors calling for their execution was higher than any of them would have liked. The standing of their four councils was fairly high, even with their damaged reputations from the previous year. As the founder of the councils, Genryuusai's voice carried a great deal of weight, but Rukia couldn't help but worry.

"Sleeping arrangements have been made," Shinji continued. "The rooms aren't large and the beds are a bit stiff, but all in all you should be comfortable."

"How long before the meeting starts?" Rukia didn't like the idea of staying on the island longer than she had to. Even with the threat to their lives, there was something else that made her feel uneasy. As soon as her foot touched the ground, all she wanted to be was somewhere else.

She didn't like the way Shinji sighed.

"The plan was to take you there directly, but this morning, one of the typical spats turned violent. Normally these blow hards are satisfied with just insulting one another and making idle threats. This time, someone nearly lost their head - quite literally." Shinji massaged his forehead. "Unfortunately for us, it means we have to wait until he's fully healed before another meeting can be called, which should be by tomorrow afternoon."

A lot could happen in a day.

"Use it as a chance to rest," Shinji offered with a weak smile. "After tomorrow, no matter what the chancellors decide to do, there will be little opportunity for it."

"What is the plan if they refuse to unite?" Orihime asked.

Even if they chose to hear her out, there was a very real possibility they would ignore the threat Aizen posed. She hoped the leaders would see reason, but Shinji was right, none of them were immune to outside influences that might force them to turn a blind eye to Aizen's movements.

"We continue hunting Aizen," Ichigo stated, appearing almost baffled by the question. "Rukia and I have been tracking him for over a year, and we've gotten pretty damn far without the unified force of the councils. If they decide they'd rather focus on something else, then fine. We'll keep moving forward until that son of a bitch is dead."

"The British, CAC, and Japanese councils are weakened but motivated," Shinji offered, "and Sullivan despises the idea of one man dismantling what she's worked hard for. Four councils aren't a lot, but they're enough. And we might even be able to pull the support of a few others through alliances."

"With or without their support, I'm in this until the end," Ashido declared. "That bastard will only grow bolder. He can't be left to his own devices."

"Agreed," Orhime echoed. "For some reason or another, if Chancellor Sullivan cannot throw her support behind the fight, I'll continue to work with you."

Sado nodded and said nothing else.

Rukia only smiled, but her heart swelled. These people, her friends both old and new, were willing to risk their lives and reputations to join in the hunt against Aizen. They saw what he was capable of and refused to ignore him. The chances of their chancellor's turning their backs on Aizen were slim, but the gesture meant a great deal.

"If our efforts fail, and the councils do refuse to act, we'll need to escape quickly," Shinji informed them.

"We?" Ashido questioned.

"You think I'd stick around here once they know I facilitated your arrival?" Shinji bulked. "No thank you."

The limo pulled up to one of the buildings Rukia had seen from the plane, just a few tiers down from the top. Shinji motioned for them to wait as the driver got out and searched the area. Three taps on the window indicated the coast was clear, and with great urgency, they hurried out of the car and into the villa.

On the outside, the sharp cornered building appeared fairly small, dwarfed by the mountain it clung to and sandwiched between two other villas, but on the inside, everything was quite spacious. Minimalistic decor and practical furnishings made proper use of the space. It was surprisingly inviting, with dark wood floors and walls with floor-to-ceiling windows gazing out onto a small patio with an infinity pool and stunning views of the ocean.

Shinji made them wait at the entrance until Kensei appeared.

"We're bug-free."

"Bugs?" Ichigo asked curiously.

Shinji ushered them further into the villa. "We have to check at least twice a day. Last week we found three different ones, each from an entirely different territory. Like I said, this place is mostly secure."

While the villa took up little in terms of real estate, it concealed four floors supplied with everything chancellors and their entourages could possibly need during their stay. Stationed on the top floor were the chancellor's and guard's quarters. The second floor had five small bedrooms, each furnished with double beds and their own bathrooms. A decent sized and expensive looking kitchen, living room, an entrance to the patio, and two more bedrooms and bathrooms were all on the main floor. On the last floor were three more bedrooms and bathrooms and a small open area for training. Every single room had unhindered views of the island or ocean.

If everything went to hell, at least she would have a good view to remember it by.

One of the few attendants that arrived with Shinji escorted Rukia and Ichigo to their room. Ichigo fell face first onto the bed. Rukia closed the door and set her bag down on the floor. The thought of a shower was tempting and she wandered into the bathroom attached to their room.

Like everything else in the villa, the bathroom was small but beautifully decorated. The shower walls were solid sheets of marble and the floor matched it with marble hidden hall tiling. But it was the impressive waterfall showerhead that nearly had her dancing her way into the glass framed shower. Under the near scorching water, Rukia took a deep breath and enjoyed the quiet isolation. Here, there were no doctors barging in and out of her room, no eyes watching her every movement, wondering if she would break or attack. There was nothing except the sound of falling water and Ichigo's even breathing.

How many more opportunities would she have like this?

If Shinji was right, when the councils united they would have little time for rest. The real hunt would begin. And how long would it take, she wondered. How many weeks, months, years before they finally managed to bring Aizen down? How long before it was all over and Ichigo disappeared from her life?

A chill ran through her. Quietly she recited his promise before scanning the room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no signs of her powers encroaching on the smooth walls of the shower.

Before she ruined another decent bathroom, Rukia turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. Catching her visage in the mirror, she stopped and studied herself.

Her skin was beet red, a color it hadn't seen for some time. Since her rescue, she'd taken on a rather pale pallor, and it was nice to see touches of a different hue, even if temporary. Oddly enough, her hair was longer. It had all been burned in the fire, and yet after a day, it had grown back with a vengeance. Now it touched a few inches past her shoulders - an annoying length. It would have be tied back to keep out of her eyes. Briefly, she wondered if cutting it would do her any good, or if it would just grow back.

Her eyes travelled fell to spot on her chest where the scar used to be. It was long gone, healed when Starrk's blood stitched her back together. It was strange, she almost missed it, the hint of imperfection and indication that she was still normal in some way.

The phantom sensation of heavy metal striking bone knocked her forward. She caught herself on the counter and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the memory and keep herself grounded in reality. It took a little longer than she liked, the steam having evaporated from the glass and mirrors, the tips of her hair almost dry. At least she got through it herself.

Standing steadily on her feet, she left the bathroom.

The sun was beginning to set on the western side of the island, casting the waters and land in fiery shades. Moving past the bed, Rukia opened the window and let the sea breeze in. It was soft and warm, hints of brine and fragrant flowers drifting on the current. Waves rolled up on the shores and crashed against the outlying rocks a few miles out.

It should have been soothing, and yet something continued to nag at her. Was it paranoia? The endless feeling that no matter where she went, Aizen was watching, waiting, planning? Or was it something else? Something not as sinister, yet just as dangerous?

Shinji's warning echoed in her head and she thought to take a step away from the window.

Arms slipped around her waist and sandalwood mixed with the sea air. It was deep and calming, easing the anxiety eating away at her.

"You should get some rest," he whispered in her ear.

He was right. She needed sleep. They both did. Tomorrow would be a long and trying day, and they needed to be at their best. But sleep wouldn't come to her. Whether it was the nightmares, that mysterious sensation tugging at the back of her mind, or the worry of speaking with the chancellors with the hangman's noose not too far from Ichigo's neck, she wouldn't be able to sleep.

"Should I get Orihime?"

"No." Rukia held Ichigo in place as he started to pull away. The last thing she wanted was drugs. They were a great help to her, but they were a tool, one she refused to become dependent upon. The demons would be contained without them. The battle wouldn't be pretty, but it was important she controlled them on her own.

Ichigo tightened his grip as she shivered and then reached around her to close the window. She caught his arm as he closed it and brought his hand to her lips. Lightly, she brushed the heel of his hand with a kiss before placing it over her heart. His head dipped, his lips resting against the naked curve of her shoulder.

It was a moment she could live in forever. No enemies. No wars. Just peace and quiet wrapped in the warmth of love.

And one day it would be gone.

He would be gone.

Promise or not, in one form or another, she would be left alone with nothing but this memory, and her heart twisted painfully at the thought.

If this was her last chance before the final hunt, the last moment of serenity, she wanted to make it perfect.

Raising his hand, she felt his heart skitter as she grazed the skin of his wrist with her teeth and then kissed it gently. It pounded and stuttered as she skimmed her way to the tips of his fingers, his callouses rough on her lips. He pressed himself deeper into her shoulder, his other hand gripping the fabric of her towel as she coyly slipped a finger into her mouth. He was struggling to keep control, every muscle straining as he held himself back and let her set the pace. Turning her head, she nipped at the lobe of his ear, grinning when his jaw clenched and strained the tendon in his neck. Slowly, she worked her way down the hard line of his jaw until he caught her lips with his.

Their explorations were tender and unhurried, each trying to commit every touch, every loving sensation, to memory. But she wanted more.

Taking hold of the hand on her torso, she guided it between the folds of the towel. The heat of his skin burned a trail up her stomach, and when he held her in his hand, his fingers teasing and kneading, her body was set aflame.

Still, it wasn't enough.

The towel dropped to the floor as she took his other hand and brought it to her bare hip. In an instant, it was gliding across the surface to the sensitive skin between her legs.

The world around her exploded with light. Her knees weakened, but Ichigo held her up, stroking, tugging, slipping between her folds and diving into her. She struggled to catch her breath, to keep control of her voice as pleasure overwhelmed her. The playful nips at her neck nearly sent her over the edge, and she found herself cursing him airily.

She twisted in his arms and pulled his mouth to hers, dominating as she pushed him towards the bed. His knees caught on the end of the mattress, causing him to fall backwards. Making quick work of his pants, she knelt on the cool tile floor between his legs. Through his clothes she had felt his arousal but seeing it was another matter entirely. Desire nearly overtook her, wanting nothing more than to feel him, be with him, be a part of him. The coil in her belly tightening was difficult to ignore, but she would wait.

He gripped the sheets and hissed when she took him. Watching him writhe beneath her, because of her, brought back a feeling of empowerment she hadn't quite realized she'd lost. With a flick and twist of her tongue, the firm squeeze of her hand, she could send him spiralling out of control, careening into the depths of oblivion. But he was pulling her up, dragging her to him where he devoured her lips with such passion and love she thought her heart would burst.

His shirt was gone. There was nothing between them now except air and skin. Their hearts pounded erratically in their ears and she was certain the world could hear them - and she didn't care. All she wanted was to be with him, the rest of the world be damned.

When he was inside her, her mind emptied. All hesitations, all worries and fears, vanished. It was just the two of them, bonded together, and nothing else. In the moonlight that spilled through the open window, they clung to one another, melding where they touched and riding the waves of ecstasy until they plummeted off the cliff's edge.

Rukia fell beside him, warm and tingling, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Ichigo wasn't in any better condition, his eyes glazed over with satisfaction as he stared up at the wood beamed ceiling. Then he turned to her and pulled her to him. A pleasurable thrum coursed through her as he captured her lips and explored her body with his hands. The rest of the night was spent without words, every emotion, every thought, expressed through loving touches, intense kisses, and blissful embraces.

If tomorrow everything ended, Rukia was glad to have this one night.

At first, she thought the light pattering along the rooftop was rain, but the blinding light of the full moon told her otherwise. Shaking off the jitters from her recent nightmare, Rukia struggled to figure out what it was she was hearing.

Footsteps.

Lots of them.

They were running along the rooftops, in the halls, and on the patio.

With a single touch, Ichigo was awake. And with a single look, he was reaching for his sword beside the bed. Rukia's fingers wrapped around the hilt of the dagger stashed beneath her pillow. There wasn't much time to do anything else. Five men were in their room, dressed in black and surrounding their bed. Blades were drawn, pointed at the pair of them.

Ichigo shifted so he was in front of her and she almost rolled her eyes. As if it would do any good. And of the two of them, she was the one who stood a better chance of surviving an attack.

Despite baring his teeth and a threatening growl rumbling from Ichigo, none of the other men moved. They were well trained and extremely disciplined. Unless ordered to do so, they would not move.

These weren't Aizen's men. And they weren't Shinji's. Who, then, were they?

"Rukia Kuchiki. Ichigo Kurosaki," one of them declared formally. "You are both under arrest for treason. Prepare for your execution."

Author's notes: Thanks to everyone for reading, and for those who followed and favorited! Sorry it took me another 2 weeks. These chapters keep rewriting themselves.

Special thanks to those who left reviews: Amethyst hazel, Inverse L. Reena, MugetsuIchigo, and anonymous guests! Please R&R! I love hearing from you guys, especially after this chapter!