Untitled for now

by daftpunkress

Hard A/U set in the real world with a mix of pairings. nnoinel, Ichiran, orishida, ichiruki, hitsuhina, yoruhara, shiyori and zachiru..rated M for lemons and language. Hit men and the C.I.A don't mix, but they can work together. No real summary because all couples will have a different plot that interconnects. *chapter 11 is up*

10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows I really really appreciate them.

A/N: I don't currently have a beta-er so there might be some errors just pretend they are not there ^_^;; I hope you enjoy this chapter!

A /N: I do not own any characters or bleach they belong to Kubo Tite.

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Yachiru had gotten used to playing the character she had developed perfectly. There were times she never slipped out until she was alone in her room and had the time to reflect. Unohana just seemed more incensed at her actions, going out of her way to try and get her alone at every chance she got. Although she stuck to Kenpachi like glue, there were times it was unavoidable. And with Makizō at the office, Unohana had taken the chance to prepare 'snacks' for her whenever possible.

Even though Yumi had promised to take care of her, it didn't seem like he was making an effort to help in any capacity. Just the opposite in fact, which rattled her brain to no end. He started coming back home which at first made her happy, because they got to spend more time together. But he seemed like he was also spending time with Unohana. On one occasion she even caught him coming out of Unohana's bedroom.

Well, Ikkaku would be back tomorrow. She would just have to talk to him and see what exactly was going on between the two of them. With him there she would also have another line of defense against Unohana.

After the way she goaded Mrs. Urahara into a fight, she had gotten a glimpse of how truly malicious she could be. What kind of chip did she have on her shoulder? Why did she hate everyone? If she hadn't ran to get Kenpachi and Mr. Urahara she didn't know what would have happened between the two women.

"You awake in there?" Kenpachi's gruff voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, I'll be right there!" Yachiru answered jumping off her bed and heading towards the door. She stayed locked in her room every morning until he came to get her. She refused to leave the room otherwise.

"Makizō left breakfast in the kitchen if you want it." He said as he headed towards his office.

"I already ate, he brought me some before he went to work." She replied brightly, she moved closer to him linking her arm with his. He must be used to her hijinks by now because he made no effort to move away from her. He slowed his pace so that she could keep up with his long gait.

Any moment now Unohana would be coming around the corner to join them in Kenpachi's office. She was so predictable, and the routine of everything was getting boring. As they neared his office, she still didn't show up which was odd. Unless she was already seated in the corner of his office on her laptop waiting for them.

His office was empty, "maybe she finally got the point?" Yachiru said aloud although it was more of a thought to herself. "Ken-chan, did something happen between you and Unohana?" Yachiru asked taking her usual seat on her favorite high back chair. Her tablet was missing, she was sure she had left it there the night before.

He had already taken his seat at his desk and started working. He didn't bother answering her because he could give a flying fuck what happened to Unohana. He just wanted a break from their constant bickering. Maybe she was out terrorizing someone else, maybe she was in her room negotiating with criminals. As long as Yachiru was safe in his sight, where Unohana was didn't matter.

"Are you mad because she and Yumi have a thing going on now?" her voice was slightly muffled against one of the cushions as she set that one down and lifted the other one. Where the heck did her tablet disappear to? She got up and looked beneath the chair and by where Unohana usually sat, still nothing.

Kenpachi threw a derisive glance in her direction, which she missed because she was preoccupied with searching the window alcove. Maybe she had laid it there on accident, sometimes she did enjoy stretching out her legs and feeling the warm rays of the sun on them.

"Can't you sit still?" He asked instead. He was well aware of the flirtation between Yumichika and Unohana, but he didn't see it as a personal venture. Yumichika was keeping him in the dark about everything. He supposed he deserved the loss of trust because he withheld information from him. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Yachiru had told Yumichika that Unohana planned to kill her. He had wrestled with telling them too, but he knew what would happen.

Yachiru turned towards him with a pout on her face, "My tablet is gone." She came over to where he sat and placed her hands on her hips. "And you didn't answer any of my questions."

Kenpachi opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out another brand-new tablet and set it on the desk in front of her. "Here, now just let me work in peace for a little while and then we can do whatever you want."

Yachiru giggled, he must have forgotten that Unohana wasn't in the room. Their routine was down pack, usually this is when Unohana would jump in and suggest they go have a snack or go outside or go to watch tv in another room. "Really? Whatever I want?"

Kenpachi frowned, "Within reason Yachiru." He answered, Ukitake was breathing down his neck about a list of their covert agents that had ended up being sold on the black market. Several of the operatives on the list had already been found dead. He had traced the source back to an arms dealer called Muramasa, but he couldn't do anything about it while the house was empty.

"What does that mean? Within reason?" Yachiru questioned coming closer to him, she laid her hand on his shoulder embolden by the way she felt the muscles there tense.

Without consciously thinking she leaned in and kissed him. She had done it several times before, but it was always for show when Unohana was nearby. But at this moment she just wanted to feel his lips against hers. She wondered if he had kissed Unohana so chastely in the past. He never showed any affection to her so she wondered if it was all about sex with them.

For some reason that really bothered her, imagining him being passionate with such a vicious woman, yet holding her at a distance. Yachiru placed her other hand on his thigh and tried to deepen the kiss, running her tongue against his lips. His whole body seemed to stiffen at the soft caress of her wet tongue. Just as she thought, it was all in her mind; she was so good she had even fooled herself.

Abruptly his large arms enveloped her, pulling her into his lap. His lips opened and devoured hers, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth. It was stifling and all-encompassing, it was passionate and exciting and she didn't want it to end.

The way he was kissing her sent unfamiliar bolts of electricity through her, making everything seem so new and vibrant. She became aware of her nipples hardening against his chest and the way his hands were cupping her bottom. Yachiru pressed herself against him, feeling an unknown need building in the pit of her stomach, she ground her hips hesitantly not knowing, but feeling that that need would be assuaged.

Kenpachi groaned against her lips, using one of hands to stop her. What the hell was he doing? At the moment he wanted to lay her out on his desk and fuck her. He wanted more than that, the sweetness of her lips promised that wherever he tasted would be just as delicious. But he couldn't, she wasn't just some woman he could fuck and throw away.

Yachiru looked up at him with hazy uncertainty, her eyes were half lidded her pink lips slightly swollen from his kisses. He wanted to kiss away that look, to reassure her, but he couldn't do that. "Don't stop." She whispered reaching for him again.

"Boss I got your message, I-" Ikkaku froze in the doorway as he finally caught sight of them. "Well, yeah it's not that important." He immediately closed the door behind him, a smirk on his face.

Kenpachi sighed and lifted Yachiru off his lap and set her down. "Go to your room." Just what he needed; Ikkaku to have more fodder to go run to Yumichika with.

"But Ken-chan-" Yachiru started.

"Just do it." He commanded, he wished he hadn't looked at her then. She presented the perfect picture of a woman ripe for the taking. Her nipples strained against the fabric of her dress, her cheeks were flushed and he could smell the faint hint of her arousal.

She pouted but didn't say anything as she ran from the room. Ikkaku was waiting by the den on his cellphone. When he saw her pass by, he watched her as she made her way to her room and then headed towards Kenpachi's office.

Yachiru slammed the door behind her angrily as she walked into her room. Maybe she wasn't good enough, maybe everything was just in her mind and she was the one fighting the losing battle. "That big dummy!" she yelled, "I hate him!"

"So, you finally get it?" Unohana's quiet yet ruthless voice cut through her rant.

Yachiru turned around just noticing her sitting in one of the chairs by her window. "What are you doing in my room?" Had she been there since she left that morning?

"I came to have a talk with you, woman to" she scoffed, "woman." She rose from her seat and closed the distance between them.

Yachiru nervously looked around, could she run from the room fast enough if Unohana tried anything? Her legs were already aching from her foolish display, what had she expected? "I don't have anything to say to you." Yachiru replied, she could also try screaming now that Ikkaku was back he was probably in his room. He'd be able to hear her.

"Oh, but I do. I'm tired of playing these childish games with you. Its time you realized that you are but a girl who would never compare to a woman of my means and maturity." She glanced around her brightly colored room, "Zaraki may humor you, and I allow it, but you cannot give him what a man like him really wants."

Yachiru really hated her. Why did she have to come into the picture and ruin everything? First, she messed up their fun days scattering everyone. Then she even took away Yumi from her. She felt alienated in the same house where she had felt more love these past few months than she had felt in the past 22 years of being alive.

"He has no interest in a woman's body that cannot please him sexually. Do you understand?" Unohana had a smug look on her face as she said the words. Yachiru was well aware of that, didn't him rejecting her prove that?

"I understand, but what we have is not purely physical." She tried to argue, to put some umph in her voice, but it came out shakily. They didn't really have anything, was it really worth fighting for anymore? She should just go home. She didn't belong here anyways. It was nice while it lasted, but at some point she had to return to the real world. Now that she could walk, she could become independent and start a new life, she wouldn't have to depend on her parents for anything.

"As you may have notice, Zaraki isn't a man too caught up with his emotions." Unohana smirked and shook her head mockingly, "sucking his dick will only keep you around for so long."

Yachiru felt like punching her, her slick words were tearing her apart and the anger she was feeling was steadily rising. How did she know exactly what to say to rile her up?

"You should know by me still being here that you will never be able to take Zaraki from me." She put on a soft comforting smile on her face, "I really don't have a problem with you. I know, what kind of upbringing you had and I know you just want to feel loved."

How could she possibly know anything about her life? Did she and Kenpachi have pillow talk about her? Or maybe was it Yumi telling her how miserable her life was before she met them? Stupidly she felt betrayed by both of them and tears came to her eyes. "You don't know me." Yachiru answered, holding back the sobs that threatened to fill the room.

"I know you are looking for it in the wrong place. Zaraki doesn't love anyone. He might feel some pity for you and that's why he's done everything he has for you. I understand how that could have made you believe there was more to it, but you are just mistaken."

"Just stop!" Yachiru cried, turning away from her. She bit her lip choking back the sobs that wracked her body.

Unohana placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "I really don't want anything to happen to you. If you go home, we wouldn't be in this situation." She rubbed her back soothingly, letting the implications of her words sink in.

As Yachiru stood there softly weeping she realized what she was saying. If she went home, Unohana wouldn't want her dead. She just wanted her out of the picture. She really just wanted Kenpachi's money for herself. Well fine, she felt like an outcast there anyways.

"You are a beautiful girl; you can walk now. There is no reason to waste your time chasing after a man who cannot give you the emotional connection that you need. All he could ever give you is half-hearted sentiments that won't make you feel fulfilled." Unohana sighed, "Believe me, I know from experience."

Yachiru pulled away from her touch, drying her eyes on the back of her hand. Fine, she would leave. She made up her mind already. There was nothing left there for her. "Fine, I don't care anymore." She whispered. "You can have him and I'll go home. Just, just let me have one more day to say goodbye."

Unohana smirked behind her but schooled her tone into one of reassurance and solemnity, "Certainly, I understand how much you care about them; I wouldn't take that opportunity away from you."

Yachiru wrapped her arms around herself. Yeah, but you took everything else away from me, she thought bitterly. She didn't want to see Unohana's face anymore, she just wanted to sink into her bed and never wake up. "I'd like to be alone now."

"Yes, of course." Unohana closed the door behind her gently, smiling gleefully as she walked to her room. The stupid twit. Watching Zaraki push her away so abruptly had just solidified her conjectures. If she would have known it would be that easy, she would have left them alone from the beginning. But then again, she hadn't set up the recorder until last night so it wouldn't have worked out.

Once she was in her room, she took a seat on her bed and pulled out her throw-away.

"Yes," came the solemn answer.

"You'll have your opportunity soon. She'll be leaving and returning home tomorrow." Unohana said with no pleasantries. No matter how hard she had tried, there was never a chance for her to be alone with Yachiru. She stuck to Zaraki's side like glue and refused to leave her room without him. She was tired of waiting for an opportunity to arise so she decided to create one.

"I see, I'll make sure it's done properly." He answered with a disinterested sigh.

"By properly I hope you mean her body will be recognizable. If it's not, there will be no way to pin it on Zaraki." Unohana said wanting him to clarify his words. She needed this to be done correctly, if he fucked this up everything she had done would be for naught.

"No problem, boss." With that he hung up.

Unohana couldn't contain the actual smile that came to her face. Finally, everything that she had worked so hard for was coming to fruition. Zaraki's days as a free man were numbered.

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Something had happened in that car between Hiyori and Momo, from the moment she had re-entered the cabin she had seemed distant and preoccupied.

"You ok?" he asked, placing a comforting arm around her waist. He drew her close to him so he could look into her chocolate eyes, but she seemed intent on avoiding him.

Momo nodded her body slightly recoiling from his touch. It was a major change from that morning when she had been so pliant. What did two people on the opposite side of the law have to talk about so ardently?

Whatever happened he was going to get to the bottom of it. He was not going to let this hiccup ruin his plans. "Momo, If something is wrong, I'm here to make it right."

She glanced up at him, her eyes staring right through him. "I don't think you can." She murmured with a forlorn tilt of her lips.

Toshiro stilled an unknown feeling struck him as he looked down into her despondent face. It wasn't like him to feel anything so poignant. It felt like his heart itself was being gripped by her small hands. Before he realized it, he had pulled her fully into his arms giving her a comforting embrace. He just wanted to wipe away whatever was making her feel so helpless.

As he was holding her, he was having second thoughts. He had intended to use her as cruelly as she had in his scheme to end Ōmaeda, but in the end she would be left feeling as miserable and hopeless as she was now.

He didn't think he would be able to live with himself once all this was over and the outcome he had imagined had come to fruition. Sure, Ōmaeda would be dead and her need for vengeance would have been satiated but it wouldn't have been gained without physical and emotion torture on her part. Then he would have disappeared from her life after toying with her emotions so completely.

Usually, his ruthlessness didn't bother him and he had no remorse once he set out to accomplish an objective. Whatever collateral was lost, whether innocent or guilty had never laid on his conscience once a mission was concluded. But looking into her eyes made him rethink how callous his way of thinking was.

"I'm really sorry for everything I've done to you Toshiro." Her trembling voice was muffled against his jacket her body completely still in his arms. "I know you could never forgive me for what I've done, but I truly, I-I don't want you to hate me."

He could easily reassure her that he didn't, but honestly a part of him resented her. If she hadn't taken it upon herself to put herself in this position none of this would have happened. He would be on another case by now with no knowledge of her or her predicament. He wouldn't be obligated to take on her burdens or feel this way when he looked at her.

"I don't like repeating myself Momo. Your actions were out of your control." Every time she brought it up, he could feel the same resentment bubble inside him. Now he knew it was all a ruse but she had participated so effectively and entirely. He didn't like having these thoughts about someone he couldn't trust. Even that night when he had been getting beaten to a bloody pulp all he had been thinking about was if she was in there fucking Toshimori. He couldn't, no he wouldn't let himself be sucked in by her.

"I've decided just to go back to the office." Momo said finally pulling away from him. It was just as she thought. He had not forgiven her, she guessed she deserved just as much for everything that she had done to him. She hadn't been able to figure out why he had suddenly changed his mind, but she now knew that affection for her was not the reason. "I don't think I'm really cut out for field work after all."

"What about your brother?"

The question hung in the air between them. It was obvious she wasn't strong enough to do anything about it on her own. Once she returned to the office her quest for revenge would no doubt be over. They would part ways here and he wouldn't have to ever think about her problems again.

Momo didn't know what would happen once she returned. For the past two years that had been her sole goal and yet she was still no closer to reaching it. She didn't want to hurt anyone else; she didn't want to become something she would regret for a single moment of satisfaction. Would her brother even condone her spending her life like this?

"I know eventually Ōmaeda will be brought to justice." Why was her throat tightening and tears coming to her eyes? She had to let it go nothing was going to change. "I just can't stand to hurt anyone else."

Toshiro regarded her dubiously; she was going to throw away two years' worth of work and go back to sitting behind a desk. Again, he wondered what was said between her and Hiyori. They both worked for Umesada so something big must have been exchanged between the two, he would have to talk to Hirako about it.

"If that is what you wish." Toshiro answered. He would take her home and then contact Kira. With her returning back to the F.B.I he would have no way of getting any more intel. They would have to discuss what his options would be from there. "I'll take you home."

"Thanks." Momo murmured. Just as she expected it was over. She had stupidly thought he would volunteer to keep her dream of retribution alive but he had no reason to. She or her brother meant nothing to him. He was probably happy to be rid of her. He could go back to his regular life without having to worry about an extra person or drag them around begrudgingly.

She stood there awkwardly as time seemed to stand still. He seemed like he wanted to say something else but thought better of it. He turned away from her and went to the bedroom to gather his few belongings. Her legs took her out of the cabin on their own and she waited by his car.

Yamamoto would be disappointed with her once she showed up on Monday morning. He had put his faith in her and she just couldn't deliver, maybe this line of work wasn't meant for her. She had always imagined being like her mother, staying at home and creating a happy household that everyone was eager to come home to. But that seemed like it wasn't in her stars, she wasn't destined to be happy at all.

Momo heard the generator shut off then saw him come around from the back of the house, he took a moment to lock up before he approached her. "Where do you live?"

"Tokyo right now. That's where the headquarters are located, but my family is from Osaka. That's where I'm originally from." She answered not sure why she was telling him all this. He probably just wanted to know how much longer he would have to be in her presence before he would have his freedom.

"That's not very far from here, Osaka I mean. Would you like me to drop you there?" they both entered the car and buckled their seatbelts. She didn't look at him the entire time and he was okay with that. This was a perfect way to sever ties with her, being around family would make this easier on her. She would have the whole weekend to spend with them and figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

"That's fine." Momo responded keeping her eyes on the passing the scenery. She hadn't visited her parents in a while anyways. It would take her mind off of what would happen come Monday morning. If this whole experience had taught her nothing it would be to never put herself in a position to be this broken again.

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Her nerves felt shot, Rukia didn't know how she was going to survive on Monday morning. The past few days she had done everything to try and relax and forget her encounter with Kurasaki but it stayed fresh in her mind. How dare he try and intimidate her into being his lover? Didn't he know how much she loathe criminals like him? How much pride she felt each time she was able to remove scum like him from off the streets? It would never happen.

She had done a thorough search of her apartment to make sure there were no cameras or listening devices implanted anywhere. She couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. She had also gone down to the city impound and retrieved her vehicle; the fee was waved because she worked for the government which was nice. And lastly after doing some research on the best place to keep valuables she opened a safe deposit box at the bank.

There was no way anyone but her could get access to it, and the only other person that could leak the footage would be Kurasaki. She had no intention of doing anything that would force his hand. For now, that portion of her problems was solved.

She tried to find some sort of comfort in her sister when she called but even that hadn't gone quite as she had planned. "Rukia, what a surprise. How are you sweetie?" she did sound really surprised, as if she didn't call her out of the blue often.

"Hey, Hisana." She said awkwardly, even though she loved her sister and brother with all her heart she found herself daunted by them. It was hard to live up to their expectations and that's why she rarely visited. "I'm doing great, How are you?"

"I'm doing good. I'm on bedrest for the time being but hopefully if my bloodwork comes back decently, I'll be able to be up and about again." the optimism in her voice was heartbreaking.

Rukia hadn't even realized that her sister was that sick again, she didn't keep in contact as frequently as she could have and that made her feel like crap. "I'm sure it will come back great. Then you can torture Byakuya-Sama with more of your horrendous cooking."

Hisana laughed, "I'll have you know that he says he loves everything about me, especially my cooking. I don't know what you are talking about."

"Sure, sure." Rukia giggled, "is he at work?"

"Yeah, he is, but he should be home soon."

"So early? It's only the afternoon?" That was surprising, usually Byakuya was one of the last people to leave the office. His dedication to his work was what inspired her to become such a dedicated agent.

"You know how he gets. I tell him I'm fine it's not like we haven't been through this for the past 10 years." She paused and Rukia could imagine a pleased smile on her face "He rushes home every day and then complains about all the work he could be doing."

"You turned him into a big softy." Rukia replied, remembering the old days when he didn't return from work until the late hours of the night.

"I sure did," Hisana didn't deny it. "You know who else? His little sister that he's been talking about seeing for the past few days. When do you get a vacation?"

Rukia bit her lip gently contemplating what to say. She hadn't taken a vacation in a while, but she really didn't want to see them just yet. Not while this whole thing with Kurasaki was still fresh in her mind and he was possibly lurking about. "I'm actually working on an important case right now, so it might be a while before I get a break." She really hated lying, but right now it was for the best.

"You are always working on an important case. You are beginning to sound like Byakuya." Hisana said with a sigh, "It's like I traded one workaholic for another."

"I'm sorry Hisana. I promise once this is over, I'll come visit." She hated the melancholy in her sister's voice, but right now she just wouldn't be able to look them in the eyes. Not after what she had done with Kurasaki.

"Ok, I'm gonna tell Byakuya so you have to. Understand."

"I understand." Rukia said with a nod of her head even though Hisana couldn't see it. She felt like she was transported back to when she was a kid and Hisana was threatening her with telling Byakuya when she did something bad. She really missed those days.

"I love you Rukia," Hisana stated then paused, "We love you, please don't be a stranger."

"I love you guys too. I really miss you guys. I promise I will come visit soon. I have to go now." She felt like crap but she wasn't strong enough to face them.

The conversation continued to play through her mind for the past few days. After that she hadn't left her apartment for fear that she would run into Kurasaki again. Monday was fast approaching and she had to come up with a plan to get out of her assignment. She was a clever girl, but any valid excuse was escaping her.

Why was he doing this to her? She just couldn't figure it out. It was mind boggling that she would even register on his list. She was just a Junior rank Special Agent, why didn't he just kill her? Rukia rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. This train of thought was getting her nowhere. Maybe she was getting too close and he wanted her out of the way? But that made no sense cause now she knows his face.

If she wasn't a person who cared about what people thought about her, she would take this opportunity and continue her investigations. Kurasaki would never suspect it. She could treat it like another undercover case. She'd reluctantly accept his proposition and secretly gather intel on his business.

"Ugh!" Rukia cried aloud exasperated, why couldn't she just let it go? Hisana was going through another bout of sickness. What would happen if the tape came out? Would that disappointment hurt her enough to restrict her recovery?

She had to stop thinking about herself only. Her ambition would be the death of more than just her pride. But the idea of using Kurasaki's own admission that he wanted something between them wouldn't leave her mind. She could manage it. She could handle the pressure; she could separate real from fiction. That's what her training had taught her.

Her phone buzzed on her bedside table and she toyed with the idea of ignoring it. She took a quick glance at the screen and didn't recognize the number. Usually, she didn't answer it but her gut feeling told her she should. It could be Kurosaki.

"Hello?" she answered hesitantly.

"Rukia?" his voice wasn't as strong or commanding as she was used to, but she was sure of who it was.

"Renji! Renji! Where are you?" Rukia immediately sat up alert, she threw the covers off of her and ran to her closet to put some clothes on.

"I'm not sure…all I know is that I'm at the docks, it says pier 18." He was whispering, and he sounded worse for wear.

She was so happy that he wasn't dead. At the moment she wasn't thinking about anything but rescuing him, "Pier 18, pier 18?" Rukia kept repeating looking for a sheet of paper to scribble down the number, "Are you alone?"

"No, there are guards everywhere. One set this phone down and I grabbed it. Kurasaki-"

"Wait, Kurasaki?" Rukia froze mid-step. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't interfere with his business. She should call it in to headquarters, but wouldn't that be interfering also? The dilemma was tearing her apart. Her friend was in trouble but her livelihood depending on her ignoring him.

"He had me brought here."

Ok so he wasn't there, she could do this. She could sneak in and rescue Renji and he would never know. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Just try to be safe until then."

"Ok. I'll be waiting." Renji answered and hung up the phone.

Rukia pulled on a black cap and jacket. Right away she began searching on her phone for pier eighteen locations and only one populated in Japan. It was close to where they had met Kurasaki the first night. So, the whole time he had been keeping Renji hostage there, but for what purpose?

She wouldn't call for backup unless there was an overwhelming amount of guards, and she couldn't handle the situation on her own. She would scope out the premises first and see what she was dealing with then make that decision.

The streets were nearly empty as she sped down the road towards the docks, her adrenaline was pumping. It was a long time since she had been in the thick of the action. Usually, she was on desk jobs and easy cases. Nothing with heart pumping action like she was experiencing now. She just hoped that Renji had found a safe place to hide until she got there.

She turned off her lights as she rounded the corner that led towards the docks. Most of the buildings looked locked up for the night with the bare minimum of illuminance. She crept slowly down the street looking for the number 18. Finally, she spotted the building towards the end, it was just as dimly lit as all the others.

Rukia parked her truck a little ways away from her destination and walked the rest of the way. She crouched along the side and crept towards the back entrance. She could hear some muted conversation, but not so much that it warranted her calling reinforcements. She glanced into one of the open panels and saw a man watching a small tv. There was not much else, or not many people on the bottom floor. She could see several shadows on the second floor through the sliding panel and wondered where Renji could be hiding.

Rukia crept further along the wall away from where the guard was stationed until she found an unguarded window in an unlit section of the warehouse. Carefully she slipped through and glanced around. She still didn't see anyone.

If she had been thinking properly this situation would have been sending red flags off in her mind. But at the moment she wasn't thinking rationally. Cautiously she inched up the stairs, keeping the entrance in her line of sight. As she got closer to the top, she could hear snippets of a conversation going on inside.

"I don't suspect she'll take the bait. She's smarter than that."

A man laughed "You have a lot of faith in her."

"Of course, I do." The second man countered.

"I've been able to predict every move she's made from the beginning." The first man rebuffed sounding smug.

They both laughed.

"That you have, you shouldn't toy with her too much."

Rukia froze, plastering herself against the wall. She felt a wave of unease overtake her as she continued to listen to them talking. Why did their words make her stomach feel like any moment she was going to hurl? It sounded like they were talking about her.

Suddenly the air and the light got dark, she turned in time to see Sado standing behind her. For such a big man he was unbelievable furtive. He grabbed her before her fight of flight instinct kicked in.

"Damnit." Rukia cursed, knowing how futile it was to try and fight against his strength. She acceded allowing him to carry her the last few feet to the closed door that separated them and who she realized was probably Kurasaki and Renji.

Sado opened the door and set her down inside. He didn't utter a word as he closed the door behind them, standing in the way to block any escape she might have wanted to make.

"You were right." Was all Renji said as he turned to Kurasaki with a slight shake of his head.

Ichigo smirked, "I know Rukia. So predictable, and easy to read."

"You don't know me at all, asshole." Rukia said angry that she was just some pawn in their game. "And you" she turned to Renji. "I was worried sick about you! What the hell are you doing with a criminal like Kurasaki?"

Renji held his hands up in surrender, "I'm sorry Rukia, it was just a little joke. I missed you too." He gave her a warm hug.

She pushed away from him, "No, no you don't Renji. You can't ignore my question."

"Yes, I can." He feigned a yawn and turned to Ichigo. "I'm gonna go now, boss. See ya in the morning."

He and Sado walked out leaving them alone in the room together. Rukia stared at the empty spot an aggravated frown on her lips. Boss? So, Renji was working for Kurasaki now? How long had this been going on? And why was he not limping around? He had been shot point blank in front of her, he shouldn't be moving around so easily.

"I love watching those gears just grind in your head." Ichigo whispered into her ear, as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "Watching you think reminds me of that night."

Rukia tried to pull herself out of his grip, but it was just as futile as it had been trying to struggle against Sado. She stilled in his arms and let out a sigh of annoyance, "Like I told you before, that will never happen again. I'm disgusted by you."

"Is that the truth, Rukie?" he released her to go sit behind his desk. "I had hoped you would say that."

"So, this is the end. You will leave me alone from now on?" Rukia asked hopefully.

"Actually, that's not what I meant at all. You coming here violated the terms of our agreement. You trespassed on my place of business with the intention of stealing." Ichigo watched the changing expressions that flitted across her face. From hopefulness to surprise and then to absolute devastation.

"What?" Was the only thing she could manage to utter.

"Tomorrow, unfortunately I'm going to have to take a trip to Okayama and pay a visit to their Tokushu Butai office."

"You can't do that." Rukia whispered, that's where her brother was the commanding officer. Why was he doing this to her?

"Okay, I can just wait for him at his place of residence instead." Ichigo answered with a smirk, "Your sister seems like she could use the company."

"You stay away from them!" Rukia yelled furiously banging her fist against his desk. "Why are you doing this to me! You kidnapped my partner; I was coming to rescue him. That is not stealing!"

"Careful, before I have to add vandalism to your list of crimes." Ichigo said with a chuckle, he was enjoying seeing her so frustrated and out of character. She really hadn't been thinking when she stormed her way into his warehouse. Any sane person would have known it was a trap from the beginning.

Rukia took a deep breath, "Please, I'm begging you. Don't do this. This will be the last time you will ever see me. Please." She felt the sting of tears at the back of her eyes and she willed the stupid things to go away. She wouldn't show that weakness in front of him.

"Come here." He commanded.

Her feet moved on their own, and they stopped only when she stood in front of him staring down into his gold-flecked eyes. "Now Rukie, I'm going to see you whenever I want. Understand? I will uphold my end, as long as you give me what I want. It's that simple."

"No, I-I can't do that Kurasaki." She murmured; she couldn't willingly go against everything she stood for. She already felt dirty, she wouldn't be able to call herself a person who upheld the law if she willing associated with him.

"Ichigo, call me Ichigo. I'll give you until noon tomorrow. Otherwise, I will go to Okayama and I will talk to your sister. I know she's not doing well at the moment. How do you think this would make her feel?"

"You asshole." Rukia instantly lifted her hand to slap him, but he caught it.

"Go home and sleep on it Rukie." He let her hand drop, and she lifted it again to slap him. "Don't try my patience." Ichigo stated roughly releasing her again.

Rukia stared at him for a moment before she turned and walked out. Her life was over, and there was nothing that she could do to change it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

---

The office was pretty empty when he walked in, he expected as much since it was fairly early on a Monday morning. The only light that was on came from Jinta's office, it was too early to deal with his and Ururu's shenanigans so he headed straight for his and closed the door behind him.

The whole searching the CCTV for Rukia and Renji idea was a bust, so he had nothing really to work on at home. Especially with Hiyori gone there was no reason to be out of the office anymore. The house felt strange and uninviting. Like he had walked into a parallel universe where he was alone again. He had spent the entire night lying awake unable to do anything but think about her. Her scent still faintly clung to the sheets reminding him of how warm her petite body had been against his. How content he had felt with her wrapped in his arms every night.

Shinji sighed, there was no point thinking about that now. He had to find out what spooked her enough to run away. He had rewatched the surveillance video of that night, she had checked her phone several times before she had left the room. It had been less than five minutes between the time she left and he went to find her. The phone conversation had only lasted a minute before she collapsed on the floor.

From his previous research on her all he knew was that she was a mercenary. She didn't seem to have any family and she lived in Kyoto. When he first started his 'revenge' quest he had visited her small home several times but it had looked desolate and abandoned. He figured she lived a nomadic life, going wherever the money took her. That's why he had enlisted Jinta's help in cornering her.

He would have to dig deeper if he was going to find out what was really going on with her. Once he logged into his laptop, Jinta's face popped up on his screen.

"You finally show your face around here." He said.

"I have something important I have to research." Shinji said flashing him a smile, of course he wouldn't be able to work in peace.

"Let me guess nothing pertaining to work, since you are here so early."

"What are you doing here anyways?" Shinji asked a little annoyed. Just because he preferred to do leg work and stay out of the office didn't mean he wasn't still working.

"Well, I-I um I have stuff I'm working on for Yumichika." Jinta muttered, his eyes darting off to the side for a moment. "I had to use the central network, so I had to come into the office."

"Sure, is that why Ururu's here this early too?"

Jinta's face turned bright red, "She's not even here."

"I saw her car downstairs." Shinji deadpanned; she was probably under his desk at the moment.

"Fine. She's my assistant, of course she would be here."

Shinji laughed; it wasn't like it was a big secret. Pretty much everyone in the office knew something was going on between the two of them. They just didn't say anything because of how unbelievably timid Ururu was. They didn't want her to never show up to work again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate anything." He said just in case she was indeed still in the room with Jinta.

"It's fine," Jinta accepted his apology graciously nervously throwing a glance over to where Ururu sat, her head ducked behind her laptop screen so that he couldn't see her facial expression. "If you need any help." He offered.

"Actually, you are way better at this stuff than I am. It would probably take me all day and you like twenty minutes." Shinji said as he began to pull up the meager file that came up each time he searched for Hiyori.

Jinta grinned at the praise, this office definitely couldn't run without his skills. Not to mention all the other divisions that needed him every now and then. "Isn't this the same girl from before? The assassin?" He asked as he recognized the innocent blonde who Shinji had pulled up.

"Yea, Hiyori. I need more information about her. I need to know who she works for and anything you can find out about her past."

"Sure, I'll see what I can do." Jinta was already typing away, he didn't have anything else to work on at the moment, "I'll let you know once I find something."

"Ok, I'll leave you to your work." Shinji said ending their conversation. He really didn't want anyone to know what he was doing, but he knew he could trust Jinta to keep this between them.

XX

Hiyori groaned as her phone alarm went off next to her, she glanced at the screen and laid her head back down on the scratchy sheets. Her face still hurt like a bitch and all she wanted was to continue to lay there oblivious to everything around her.

With a heavy sigh she dragged herself up and walked into the bathroom, paying no attention to the lifeless body that hung from the ceiling fan. She took off her gloves and splashed some cold water on her face staring at her reflection in the mirror. The whole right side of her face was swollen and red, her eye was black and blue and half lidded shut. And to top it off her head was pounding like wild elephants were doing some kind of tribal dance inside.

She quickly did a once over of the room. Everything was set just right, the suicide note in plain view, the tv set to white noise and only one bed being slept on. It was disgusting how easy it was to get back into doing this. She hated herself, but more than that she hated Umesada. She hadn't even been back two hours before he had a hit for her.

At least she hadn't had to deal with Keiji and it was only him. He had punched her squarely in the face with his closed fist. She got back up and stared at him feeling so utterly defeated, but never would she ever let him know that. She should have just stayed with Shinji, at least she would have been happy for just a while longer.

Hiyori sat in her car and just stared out the window blankly. What would he be doing right then? Probably making breakfast and then heading into his messy office to 'work'. She placed her head in her hands and wished that the tears that pricked her eyes would fall. Why couldn't she just be honest with herself? Why didn't she just stay with him?

Her cellphone rang next to her and she scrubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. "What is it?" she said, her words coming out a bit garbled because of the swollenness.

"Is it done?" Umesada asked promptly.

"Yeah." She muttered, gunning her engine, and driving away. He would be collecting the money for the hit right about then and then leaving her meager share in the drop box.

"Good girl. Get some breakfast and then head back here. I have something else I want you to take care of." With that he hung up. It was never-ending. There was no way for her to escape him.

XX

He was in the breakroom making some coffee when Rukia walked in casually.

"Smells good, is it decaf?" she asked grabbing one of the Styrofoam cups from the cabinet and pouring herself a cupful.

"No, it's like seven a.m. its full strength." Shinji replied giving her a peculiar look. "Did I miss something? Where have you been?"

"I don't know the details; my mind is fuzzy when it comes to the past few weeks. I woke up in a hospital a few days ago and now here I am." Rukia explained as if it was old news.

"What about Renji? Do you know what happened to him?"

Rukia had to stop herself from frowning at the mention of his name, that traitor. "I really don't remember anything from that night." She replied softly schooling her features to show a hint of sorrow. "I wish I knew."

"I'm sorry, Rukia." Shinji said patting her gently on the shoulder, "I know he was your partner, and you must miss him. We'll find him eventually."

"Ah, Shinji, Jinta would like to see you in his office." Ururu stated quietly interrupting them. She was standing by the coffee pot with two full cups in her hands. When had she snuck in there?

"Well, it's good to have you back Rukia." Shinji said as he and Ururu left the room.

Jinta had a folder waiting for him when they walked in. "This is all I could dredge up about her. If you don't mind me asking, why do you need this?"

"It's a long story." Shinji replied with a frown, a long-convoluted story that would sound stupid to anyone else but him.

"Knowing you, it probably has something to do with wanting to save her from her current situation." Jinta said with a shrug taking a sip from the coffee that Ururu had handed him.

"Hm, I guess it wasn't such a long story." Shinji chuckled, "Thanks for the help."

"That's what I'm here for."

"Well, I'm gonna take a look at these. See you guys later." Shinji closed the door behind him heading to his office. All the usuals by now were there except Urahara, maybe he had some field work to do?

Hiyori's swollen and bloody face stared up at him the moment he opened the folder. Her hair was shorter and she looked like she couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen in the picture. He immediately turned it over unable to look at the sickening image any longer.

Shinji sat there for a moment wondering if he really wanted to know everything about her. His heart felt like it would beat right out of his chest. It wasn't like he had an idealistic view of her or anything, he knew she wasn't a good person. But did he really want to know why she was that way? If that first gruesome image was anything to go by, he knew his heart would break even more for her.

He should have never let her go. He should have listened to his gut and just kept driving. What would have kept her from just disappearing in the night though? Why couldn't he be honest with himself?

Shinji opened the folder again; this was the only way he could find the information he needed to help her. He turned over all the pictures of her. Most were mugshots from when she was younger in different states of distress, but in everyone her face was marred by despair and hopelessness.

Jinta didn't disappoint once again. He was able to trace her back to when she was placed in foster care after her parents were killed in a car accident. There were brief mentions of foster homes that she had been placed into and then withdrawn from because of stealing and misconduct. Her arrest records were all there, most were for small crimes like assault, possession of drugs, vandalism and armed robbery. She had an arrest for murder when she was sixteen but she wasn't convicted because it was ruled as self-defense.

It was very comprehensive but the dreadful details of her past made him nauseous. Hiyori had been through so much from such a young age. He was surprised and grateful that she hadn't given up on life already. Learning everything just made him more determined to find her and protect her from anything else that could make her unhappy.

Shinji set down the report at the mention of Umesada's name. Where had he heard that name before? He turned to his laptop and did a central search on him. He wasn't surprised when everything from trafficking to murder came up in his file. He had been listed as posting her bail each time she had been arrested. Maybe he was her handler?

He grabbed his phone to call Tōshirō, then paused scrolling through his contacts. He had forgotten that he had saved Hiyori's number a while ago. When he had first realized that she had a phone on her he had drugged her one night to see if he could garner any pertinent information from it.

There had only been one contact saved under the name 'Boss' and pretty much nothing else. Her text messages were sparce with only a few from a few months prior. He had reasoned that she probably erased everything after each hit so there was no trace evidence. He had taken the liberty of calling himself, so he could save her number then deleted the call from the log.

How had he forgotten something so important? He immediately dialed the number and listened to the dial back while staring at Umesada's list of offenses. He wondered if he was the reason that she was so adamant about leaving? She had been gone for more than a few weeks, maybe he didn't have anyone else to do his dirty work and needed her back.

She didn't answer, so he tried again. After the third ring he heard the click, "Who is this?" he could barely understand the words but he didn't miss the annoyance in her voice.

"Hiyori, its me." He couldn't think of what else to say. The line was silent and he wondered if she was still going to keep playing this game. If it was indeed Umesada that she was afraid of, she didn't have to go back to him.

"Are you really this much of an idiot?" she muttered, trying her best not to irritate the cut on her lip.

"I guess I am," Shinji admitted, "Tell me where you are and I'll come get you."

"I don't think so. I told you before-"

"I know everything Hiyori, so you don't have to be afraid." He interrupted her before she could spew the same nonsense again. He could live with her never telling him how she really felt, but he wouldn't sit there and listen to her lie.

Hiyori laughed, a harsh and bitter sound, "You don't know anything. You think the bubble you are living in surrounds everyone?"

"Not at all, but you don't have to do this anymore. I can help you walk away."

"Why do you even care?" She responded angrily, the throbbing in her head increasing. "Just leave me alone. It's my life if I want to fuck it up then that's what I'll do."

"I care, because I love you." Shinji replied honestly. Maybe if she knew the truth, she wouldn't fight so hard to stay in a situation that would eventually lead to her destruction.

"You, you asshole," she whispered her voice sounding choked with emotion, then the dial tone sounded in his ear.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

---

Orihime hadn't wanted to leave, but Rangiku had been very persistent that it was the right thing to do. They couldn't just sit around and let Aizen find them again. She had argued that it would be safer with Ishida and Gin around, but Rangiku was adamant that not staying in one place was the best thing to do.

When the guys had gone inside, she had explained her plan. She had some money that she had saved up and it was enough for them to start new somewhere in the country. Orihime didn't want to start a new life. She wanted to continue to be the damsel in distress and stay in Ishida's care. Even if he resented her for it, she didn't care. As he said before it was his obligation to do it.

"You'll see, we'll be fine." Rangiku was saying. She must be trying to convince herself of that statement because she already knew how she felt about the whole thing.

Orihime didn't bother to acknowledge that she had spoken. Instead, she stared out the window at the passing scenery. They had been driving for what seemed like hours, the night sky already being pierced by the first rays of the sun. She wondered if Ishida was looking for her. Technically she was still his responsibility, right? But maybe he would give up because she was with Rangiku? She hoped that wouldn't be the case.

"You can't keep giving me the silent treatment."

She must not know how much practice she has had these past six months. She could go days without speaking to another living soul. Some days she hadn't even come out of that gilded room. Ran would never know that soul crushing loneliness or how Ishida had saved her from it.

"Fine, I'll leave you alone for a bit." Rangiku finally conceded. Maybe she should have given her a say-so in this plan too. When they had finally gotten out how much they missed each other all she had talked about was how much Ishida had done for them and how great he was. She hadn't considered it before but maybe there was something going on between the two of them.

Maybe she should have gone with her earlier plan and waited for the one or two days before they left? Let Orihime have a little more time to say goodbye to Ishida before they left. The rightness of the circumstances had just forced her actions. There was Gin's car with the keys inside and the guys had gone inside leaving them alone. It was the perfect scenario for them to make a clean getaway.

The gas gage lit up, and she sighed. She had no clue where they were. She knew they had been in Nagano prefecture but she had no idea where they were now. Maybe it was a good time to take a break and regroup. They had driven for hours; it should be sufficient distance between them to give them a good head start just in case.

It wasn't long before they came upon a decent looking hotel. She had plenty of money to rent a room for a day or two. They would stay there and make more concrete plans.

"Stay here, I'll get us a room," Rangiku said to Orihime after she found a parking spot in the back away from the street.

Orihime barely threw her a glance in the window, preferring to take in the dancing lights of the fountain.

It was about ten minutes later that Rangiku returned with two room keys and popped the trunk. "Let's go, Orihime." She grabbed her bag, just now noticing the black knapsack that Gin must have packed for his stay. "Can you grab this one for me?"

Orihime didn't answer her but she grabbed the black bag and the bag of food from the noodle place they had visited the night before.

"I got the room for a few nights, then we'll head to Saga after that. I think you'll like it there." Rangiku was saying as she opened the side guest door with her key card and held it open.

Orihime brushed past her and headed towards the elevator. Why couldn't Ran see that she didn't want that? She didn't want to go on the run, she wanted to turn around and go back to Ishida and the safe house and sit there and do nothing.

"Come on Orihime." Rangiku said, placing an arm on her shoulder to stop her. "You can't keep doing this. I'm sorry, but it's too late to go back now."

"It's not too late!" she replied desperately, "Let's just call him. I have a phone he gave me." Orihime pulled out the cellphone that Ishida had given her in case of emergency. "Just tell him where we are."

Rangiku immediately grabbed the phone from her hand, "No, we can't do that." she pocketed it and frowned. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

Orihime stilled, angry at herself for being so stupid and letting on to Rangiku that she had the phone in the first place. If she had been thinking she could have just snuck off somewhere private and called him on her own. "No, but it would be safer if we were with him." She answered dejectedly. She hated being reminded that it was only her feeling something between them.

Rangiku wrapped her arms around her in a comforting embrace noticing the sorrowful look that overtook her features. "I'm sorry Orihime. I really am, but you have to trust me, ok?" she released her and looked into her blue eyes, "We'll be ok, just the two of us."

Orihime nodded but knew it was a lie. She turned away from her and pressed the elevator button to go up. All she wanted was the power to rewind time to yesterday morning when she was still with Ishida. She would do everything in her power to make those moments last just a little bit longer.

"Here we are." Rangiku's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Wow! It's so nice in here." She exclaimed as she threw open the door and walked in.

Orihime vaguely registered the modern décor, the spacious floor plan, or the beautiful view of the mountainside from the large windows. Rangiku plopped down on one of the beds and rolled around with a blissful sigh, "This is heavenly!"

Usually, she would join her and be just as childish, but her heart wasn't into it. Orihime put the bag of noodles in the fridge and set the black bag down on the counter. "You sure did pack a lot." She murmured as she got into the second bed and pulled the covers up.

"That's not mine. I think its Gin's stuff." Rangiku replied getting up, she curiously began rifling through the knapsack then froze. She hurriedly closed it and backed away. It was stuffed with cash and she wasn't sure but she thought that she saw a gun buried beneath all the money.

"What is it?" Orihime asked noticing her sister's reaction.

What had Gin been planning? What reason did he have all this money and a gun? Did he know that she had stolen money from him? She knew from her memories that he was a dangerous man, but all the time they spent together she had never thought about it. He had never made her feel afraid in his presence. She had always felt safe and like she was the only thing his world revolved around. He had never given her any doubt that he would protect her so why had she wanted to run away?

When she didn't answer Orihime took the opportunity to look through the contents herself. "Rangiku, what the hell is this?!" she pulled out the stacks of money and the two small handguns. "We have to give this back!"

Rangiku was knocked out of her stupor at her words, "We can't go back. Who's to say they are still there? And anyways I think Gin meant for us to have this."

"All this money Ran?" Orihime asked skeptically staring at more money than she could have ever dreamed of seeing in her lifetime. "Why would he do that?" not to mention where would he get so much money from? She wasn't sure but she was under the impression that Gin was Ishida's partner which meant they worked together. Something just wasn't adding up.

"I don't know why he did it, but I'm sure of it." Rangiku answered. Maybe he felt guilty for what he had done, and this is the only way he knew how to make it up to her?

"Please call Ishida, he'll know what to do. I don't want any part of this." Orihime said taking a step back. What if he was a dirty agent and the money was stolen? Or the guns were used in a crime and he was trying to pin it on them?

Rangiku sighed, she couldn't tell Orihime that Aizen had sent Gin to kill her and then he changed his mind. It was too complicated even for her to sometimes understand why she didn't hate him. No way someone standing on the outside would understand the circumstances that led them there. "Let's gets some rest, ok. Then I'll contact Ishida and we'll go back."

She had no intention of doing that, but she wanted to put her sisters mind at ease for now. She would go out later and get some food for them and find out exactly where they were located.

A genuine smile lit up Orihime's face, "Thanks Ran." She said and crawled under the rumpled sheets. Rangiku went to the bathroom and made sure to turn off the phone before she too went to bed.

XX

"So, what's the plan?" Gin asked, wondering if it was even worth going after them. He had already known that she wouldn't stick around, she had been planning this for a while. They had probably already ditched his car and were miles away by now.

"I'm going to head back to the office and get started on trying to track them down. I can give you a lift home." Ishida answered already heading for his car.

"Thanks. Once I get back to my place I can track down where they are heading. If ya want to focus on what you have to do I can fetch them." Well, if Ishida was still in it, he might as well stick around just for shits and giggles. He was sure she didn't care to see him again, but it was obvious Ishida was invested in Orihime more than he was letting on.

Ishida adjusted his glasses, "of all the hairbrained ideas she could think of." He muttered as they got into the car and he gunned the engine.

"You think Orihime came up with this?" Gin asked snickering, what else was he missing in this whole thing? For all he knew Orihime would have no access to money, or a mode of transportation. She had only just spoken to Ran today, there was no way she could plan their great escape from the inside. He may hold her in a high regard but he was putting too much on her.

"Of course." Ishida stated matter-of-factly. This seemed like something spur of the moment she would have talked Rangiku, the sensible sister, into doing. He learned that she was an emotional woman and maybe she had been overwhelmed by her emotions.

"I would have to disagree. Ran has been planning this for a while now. I just didn't think she'd run off the moment they got together."

"You knew about this and didn't give me a heads up?" Ishida asked incredulously, certainly he could have prevented this. He would have never let Orihime out of his sight.

"That's why I have a tracker placed in my vehicle. It was gonna be like a parting gift to her, but only after I knew they were safe." He didn't have any intention of going after them, but hearing the disbelief in Ishida's voice made him change his answer. He really didn't want to keep chasing after a woman who didn't want him.

Ishida gave him a weird look, "you were going to keep tabs on them?"

"Not necessarily" that's exactly what he was going to do. If Nnoitra didn't end up taking out Aizen he just wanted to make sure they ended someplace that he wouldn't be able to find them. He still had no intention of joining Nnoitra in his quest against Aizen.

"Either way, it's a good thing you were prepared." More and more Ishida was coming to suspect that Gin was someone that he had to be wary of. He just didn't trust him. Once he was back in the office, he would conduct a full background check on him.

XX

Gin didn't want to deal with him and his problems right now, but he answered it anyway. "Nnoitra, what's up?"

"I haven't heard anything from you." He sounded preoccupied, like he was trying to do multiple things at once and speaking to him was the least important.

"I don't have time for that right now." Gin responded, he had just literally walked in and was headed to his office to try and bring up the GPS on his stolen car.

"What's more important than getting rid of Aizen?" Nnoitra asked his voice taking on a scathing tone, now he had his full attention.

"Rangiku's missing," he didn't know why he was even telling him this. Nnoitra wouldn't even know or care who she was. Once Nnoitra set his mind on something that was his sole objective, nothing else was a factor.

The line was silent for a moment, "the name sounds familiar. Ah, I remember now. Aizen had wanted me to take care of someone by that name." There was more unsettling silence, "She had a sister if I'm not mistaken."

"Good thing I got to her first." Gin said knowing they wouldn't be having this conversation if Nnoitra had gotten his hands on her. "She does have a sister, she's missing too."

"Hm, I see." With that Nnoitra abruptly hung up the phone.

Gin sighed an odd feeling of apprehension coming over him at the bizarre conversation. There was not much he could do about Nnoitra at the moment, he should have never agreed to help him in the first place.

Right now, Rangiku and Orihime was his top priority, if they were still in Nagano there was a possibility that Tosen could find them. Even though he knew she had no feelings for him, he just couldn't let it go. He didn't want anything to happen to her.

XX

Matsumoto was loading the few groceries that she had left into the back seat of the car when the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She had an overwhelming feeling of trepidation and fear wash over her. She quickly glanced from side to side but the parking lot was as empty as it had been when she arrived. She went back to putting away the remaining groceries but she couldn't shake the feeling.

Suddenly she was being accosted by two large hands with a razor-sharp knife pointed directly at her throat. Before it even occurred to her to scream, his hand covered her mouth and he pushed her into the back seat of the car. The darkness shrouded everything about him, all she could see was the glint of the lamplight on the dangerous looking blade he was wielding.

In several quick movements he impaled the blade into her, first her gut and then her chest. The pain was excruciating but her screams were muffled by his gloved hands. "How is it so easy for me, Tosen, to get rid of a mere woman when Gin was unable to? The coward."

Matsumoto could feel the blood gurgling in her throat and the tingling in her fingertips as the blood began to seep from her wounds, "You'll be dead soon, but don't worry you won't be alone. Your sister will be joining you soon and there is nothing you can do about it." Immediately he rose off her body and he disappeared into the darkness.

Her view began to dim, but she couldn't give up then. She struggled desperately to reach for the cellphone in her pocket that she had taken from Orihime. There was only one number in there. She quickly dialed it.

"Orihime where are you?"

"N-no its me Rangiku…Ishida I'm dying …. To-Tosen kill Orihime…Sakura Inn…Orihime…please…" she felt the remaining strength she had tried to hold on to leave her as the pain became too overwhelming.

She just wanted to rest, to close her eyes against the blinding red and blue lights that were assaulting her senses. She let the phone slip from her fingers as the feeling in her body began to fade and the tingling of her extremities became all consuming.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

---

Nnoitra watched from his car as the ambulance pulled up and immediately they rushed to her collapsed and bloody body on the ground. They had gotten there pretty quickly; she should survive and not need to spend too much time in the hospital. Maybe a day or two, just enough time for he and Ichimaru to get rid of Tosen and Aizen.

He hadn't known she had a phone on her, but it worked out in his favor. Instead of calling for emergency services she called someone to alert them to Orihime's dangerous predicament. He hadn't expected that to happen until she was taken to the hospital, but maybe it would be beneficial for him this way.

He had marveled at her perseverance in trying to get those last words out, she must really love her sister. Well, his work there was done. It was time for him to go back to his apartment and get ready for Ichimaru's frantic call. It was disgusting how much some men invested in women.

Manipulating them was so easy, if he had known about this woman from the get-go that would have been the path he had chosen from the start. Using her to force Ichimaru's hand was just how it had to be. His hesitancy from the beginning was worrying. He used to be just as ruthless a killer as he was, until his conscience came into it.

There was no place in this world for anything like morality or principles. Putting all your faith and devotion in one person would only cause grief in the end. The torment of not being able to protect that person at all costs was what he was banking on. Ichimaru would be so incensed he would forget all about the high road he was on and relapse to the killer that he knew he could be.

Nnoitra smirked at that thought, all he needed was a little incentive.

XX

Nel sighed to herself glancing once again at the clock on the wall. The time was going by so slowly. It was just a few minutes passed five and she should be heading home, but she wanted to wait just a bit more to see if her theory was true. She felt trapped, no matter what she did he was unavoidable. If she was not at home or at work, he always seemed to find her and his presence made her feel uneasy.

She glanced down at herself and couldn't help the smile that came to her lips. Through her clothes there was no hint of it, but this morning when she stood in front of the mirror she could tell. Tears had come to her eyes as she cupped the tiny bump of life that they had created inside of her. She really missed him. She dreamt of being just held in his arms, feeling his warmth, and hearing him whisper her name.

Even though she knew what kind of person he really was, she didn't care anymore. She had sat down and thought long and hard about his actions that night. He had shot her, but she wasn't dead. The initial shock and pain of the bullet had knocked her unconscious, but she couldn't have been out that long. There was no way he could have killed that man and disposed of the body.

Why was he trying to run her off? Why push her away so suddenly? She knew he had a very troubled past; knew he spent a lot of time fighting for money. He put his body through physical pain just to overcome the emotional distress that he couldn't get over. She just couldn't get him to ever open up to her, all he ever wanted was to use her body as an escape and then leave.

He never once stayed the night or held her after they had sex. Maybe if he knew she was pregnant it would be different. Maybe he would finally feel an emotional connection with her. She wanted him to know. She didn't want to be here alone experiencing the joy of bringing new life into the world, when she could be with friends. Even the possibility of randomly seeing him on the street was better than never seeing him again.

"Urahara Kisuke speaking."

"Hello, Mr. Urahara." Nel said hesitantly, "I was just calling to see how everything is going."

"Ah, Nelliel. Is everything okay?" Urahara set down the report he had been reading, he had forgotten about her. He just had too much on his plate at the moment.

"Well, I want to go home. I feel so alone out here. Um, has there been any word on Nnoitra?" she asked expectantly.

Urahara shook his head, he hated to do this to the poor girl. He could hear the sadness in her voice, she probably was really lonely there by herself. They had been in a year long relationship so there was no way she was going to fall out of love with him. He couldn't tell her that this was for her own protection.

"Unfortunately, no. He is still on the loose."

Nel breathed a sigh of relief, "I see. Would it be ok If I maybe came back and just had someone with me?"

"That wouldn't be possible." Per Nnoitra if he wanted his help, she would have to stay where she was until all this was over. The only thing he could think of doing was sending someone out there to stay with her. "It is still too dangerous here for you. I can have someone come to stay with you if it's a matter of loneliness. A sibling or spouse?"

The line was silent for a moment, this isn't what Nel wanted at all. She wanted to leave this place, and she could see talking to him was not going to achieve that. "Can I think about it a little bit?"

"Of course. Please, if you need anything just let me know. Be safe Nelliel."

"Thank you, Mr. Urahara." She hung up disappointed with the way the call turned out. The only good thing that came out of it was discovering Nnoitra hadn't been captured yet. So, if she could find her way back to Tokyo, there was a possibility he was still around.

Nel grabbed her purse and left the office. This time she took the round-about way home, she would avoid the park way and take the long way. It would take her a little longer but it was good exercise and the evening air was refreshing.

"Long day Ellie?" Shiyori was waiting for her beneath the large Murasaki maple tree that led to her house.

Nel put on a polite smile, "Yeah, I had some extra files to work on. Good evening Shiyori." She said as she walked past him trying not to let her fear show on her face. He reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"You look beautiful today." He said softly, turning her face towards his.

Nel froze, swallowing the lump in her throat. She didn't want to look at him. She just now noticed the bandage that was wrapped around the right side of his neck. "Tha-thank you. I-I should get going."

"Why don't we have dinner together?" He asked releasing her, as he noticed where her eyes had landed.

Nel took the opportunity to take a step back, "I'm sorry, I can't. I-I don't know if I gave you the wrong idea b-but I'm married." She managed to get out. She had to get out of this situation, she couldn't take the oppressiveness of him anymore.

For a moment, he stared right through her, then he smiled a nauseating show of teeth, "Of course Ellie, how could I have forgotten about him?" he rubbed the bandage around his neck . "But right now, you aren't his biggest concern."

What the hell did he mean by that? He was talking in riddles. She just wanted to turn and run to the safety of her home, where she could lock the doors and hide.

He chuckled at the bewildered look on her face, "Stay naïve just a little bit longer, will you please? Go home Ellie."

Nel didn't have to be told twice, she walked away as quickly as her legs could carry her not glancing back but knowing he was watching her every step with that same sick smirk on his lips.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

---

Urahara walked into the office on Monday morning feeling quite energetic and joyful. Sure he was walking in more than two hours late and everyone was probably already in their offices hard at work but he brought refreshments. He stopped by the old bakery by his house and picked up some dorayaki and coffee for everyone. He was sure the sweet treat would put everyone in as good mood as he was.

As he passed by the main desk he pressed the meeting bell, that sent out an alert that everyone should report to the conference room immediately. As much as he tried, he couldn't contain the smile that hadn't left his face all weekend.

It was as if he and Yori had been transported back to the beginning of their relationship, when everything was just so brand new and open. Nothing was off limits, she didn't hide her pleasured face, she didn't try to quiet her moans, she let him experience everything she was feeling with her. They made love all day Saturday, and laid in each other's arms all day Sunday just talking about the future. He could die today and be completely satisfied.

"Oh, dorayaki? What's the occasion?" Rukia asked, grabbing the paper plates from the cabinet, and setting them on the table. She placed two of the sweet bean paste pancakes on one and took a seat.

"Just a little treat." Urahara answered. No way he was gonna tell her that he and Yori had went at it like rabbits and he felt rejuvenated and wanted to spread the joy of finally being on the same page with her.

"About time you showed up." Sasakibe said as he walked in, then paused, "Never mind." He grabbed a plate and piled it high with the dorayaki.

Urahara chuckled at his orneriness, Sasakibe didn't mince his words or his feelings. There wasn't much that made him happy, but sweets did.

He just wanted to have a brief meeting with everyone to set expectations going froward on each of their objectives and the time frame of when they expected the completion.

"Hey Boss." Jinta said as he and Ururu walked in. He took a seat across the table from Sasakibe watching him scarf down his pancakes.

"Good morning Mr. Urahara." Ururu murmured her eyes lighting up as she saw the box of dorayaki. She placed a few on a plate for herself and Jinta before she took a seat next to him.

"Thanks, Ururu." Jinta said as he continued to watch Sasakibe.

"Now that everyone's here, let's start the meeting." Urahara said rising from his seat, "I just want to briefly touch base with everyone."

"Not everyone's here, Shinji's back." Rukia mentioned, glancing at the few pancakes left in the box. She wondered if Shinji would want some or if they were first come first serve. It would be greedy of her to get seconds when he hadn't had any. She'd do the right thing and wait.

"Oh, ok, I was unaware that he was back. I'll give him a few more minutes. So how was everyone's weekend?"

No one readily spoke up. Rukia looked down at her empty plate, Sasakibe kept eating an aggravated look on his face and Jinta and Ururu avoided looking in his direction.

"Well, mine was fantastic! My wife and I rekindled our romance. We visited some friends, had a wonderful time." Urahara supplied trying to lift the tension in the room.

"Sorry I'm late." Shinji apologized as he walked in, he glanced at the dorayaki but just grabbed a cup of coffee instead and took a seat. Rukia pulled the box towards her and helped herself to the few that remained there.

"No problem. Let's make this brief, cause I know everyone has a lot of work to do." Everyone had a project they were working on and he had a bunch he had to get back to. "Jinta, any progress on Renji?"

"No one matching his description was checked into any hospital." He let the bleak implications of his statement sink in.

Rukia tried to hide the anxiety those words created in her. She knew the truth but couldn't say anything. She could not reveal anything that had to do with Kurasaki. Renji being alive and working for Kurasaki would directly go against her agreement with him. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, but she opted to stare at the empty plate instead of acknowledging them.

"Understood." Urahara said grimly, "What about mortuaries?"

"I already took the liberty to check them too. No matches there either."

"Well, that could mean he's not dead." Shinji pointed out, "Maybe Kurasaki took him hostage or something. It was definitely his blood at the scene."

"You could be on to something Shinji." Urahara said then turned to Rukia, "Rukia, go back to the scene of the crime and see if there may have been any witnesses. All traces of that night have been erased from the CCTV but people's memories can still be intact."

"I-um." Rukia started; she still hadn't thought of any good excuse as to why she could not do the investigation properly. Kurasaki had called her that morning threatening her to make her decision otherwise he would reveal everything. "Yes sir." She finally said with feigned confidence. She would just ask the wrong questions.

"Good, Sasakibe how is the Hikari smuggling ring investigation going?"

"How do you think it's going?" Sasakibe grumbled, "You placed me in Shibuya."

"At the time, you were the only available agent." Urahara said with a sigh. Sure, he wouldn't fit in with the young hip crowd that frequented the clubs there, but he was damn good at his job. He knew he would eventually manage it.

"It's going. That's about all I can say." Sasakibe stated daring him to say anything else to him about it. He was an older gentleman trying to buy and sell drugs to young college aged kids in a party city. Where did he expect that to be going swimmingly?

"Ok, I'll take that. Shinji, what about the info I asked you for?" the last piece of business for the day.

"He really couldn't tell me much. Ōmaeda had been trying to partner with Aizen for a while and when that didn't work out, he started trying to get dirt on him. It seems like Ōmaeda is trying to work with some others to maybe overthrow him?" Shinji said remembering his conversation with Tōshirō, again he wondered why this was so important now.

"Hm, any names mentioned?" Urahara asked giving him a questioning look.

"Ah, sorry." Shinji apologized; his mind wasn't fully on the task at hand. Thinking of that conversation, brought back the whole scenario of how Hiyori had left him. He should have realized then that something was wrong. "Well, Kurasaki's name was brought up and Kenpachi's. Although there wasn't any merit towards Kenpachi's."

"I see. With Kurasaki's backing Ōmaeda could have enough financial support to rival Aizen. Rukia, I need you to also take a look into Kurasaki's financials."

"Um, sure boss." Rukia answered. Another thing she wasn't going to do. Maybe she should ask for a temporary leave? She didn't think she'd be able to manage all the lying she would have to do and still be able to look her colleagues in the face.

"Ok, well I know everyone is busy. So, we'll end it here." He grabbed his cup of coffee and held the door open while everyone exited the room.

There was a pile of work waiting for him on his desk and he happily got started on it. The faster he finished it the faster he planned on getting out of there and heading home to Yori. He would pick up her favorite from Yoshida's and grab some peonies and wine as well. She would definitely love that.

His phone rang and he didn't recognize the number, this was his personal number so it was unlisted. "Urahara Kisuke speaking." He answered.

"Hello, Mr. Urahara." Nel said hesitantly, "I was just calling to see how everything is going." He had almost forgotten about poor girl, but that's how witness protection was supposed to work.

Which reminded him he should check in with Nnoitra to see how things were going on his end. Although he never explicitly stated that he was going to kill Aizen, he had told Gin just as much. He wanted to kill two birds with one stone. If Nnoitra handled Aizen, he could manage Ōmaeda and Unohana. After he finished speaking with her, he would give him a ring.

The conversation they had was bizarre and he felt like there was something she wanted to say but she didn't quite know how to. He supposed since Shinji was back in the office, he could send him to go check up on her.

"Hey, boss." Jinta's face popped up on his screen the moment he hung up with her.

"What's up, Jinta?"

"Well, you wanted me to let you know if there was any activity from Yoruichi." His screen suddenly populated with a message box of transcripted text. "This conversation is coming from Zaraki's location. He's really pushing the deal."

"It's not Zaraki." Urahara mentioned, reading through the messages, "It's an agent from the I.I.D." He had been so caught up in how lovey-dovey they had been that he had completely forgotten about asking her for the DVDS location. Urahara paused momentarily, she couldn't have been conning him this whole time, could she? No way, he pushed the thought from his mind.

"Well, whoever it is they are trying to meet this Friday. Do you want me to intercept the correspondences?" Jinta asked.

"No, can you save them so I can look through them properly later?" He thought they had gotten passed this, why was she still trying to sell them? She had even said she wanted to get remarried and come work with him. Why was he such a gullible fool when it came to her?

"Sure thing. I'll send them over once she's through." Jinta replied and disappeared from his screen.

Urahara's spirits sank, she really played him. So, them making love meant nothing to her, her telling him she loved him was just an empty sentiment to throw him off. She was really just trying to get enough money to disappear. Is that what she really wanted? To be on her own and free again?

Where the fuck did he go wrong? He did everything he could to show her how much he loved her. If she wanted her freedom he had the money, he would give it to her. If that would make her happy, he would set her free.

There was a knock on his door, "Come in." he answered tempering the anger that he was feeling.

"Urahara, can we talk." Shinji asked as he walked in.

"Actually, I was just going to call for you. I need you to head out to Kagoshima and check on someone in witness protection there." Urahara began searching his files for Nelliel's information so he could print it out for Shinji.

"Right now?" Shinji questioned hesitantly, a frown on his face.

"Do you have something else on which you are working?" Urahara snapped glancing up from his laptop screen.

"No, but I was going to ask for a few days off." Shinji didn't have time to be going half away across the country right now. He knew the general vicinity of where Umesada did business he was going to go find Hiyori. He had already asked Jinta to try and track any location on her cellphone activity and let him know if he got a direct location.

"Denied. I allowed you more than the allotted two weeks already." Urahara stated frustrated, he was too lenient with his team. He tried to be understandable, he knew that inevitable situations came up but he needed him right now.

"It was extenuating circumstances. I just need a few days." Shinji tried to explain. Should he just come out and tell him that he needed the time off to go find the woman he loved? Was that a valid excuse for time off of work?

"My answer remains the same."

"Then I quit." With that Shinji turned and walked out slamming the door behind him.

Urahara immediately got up from his desk and opened the door, "Hirako!" he yelled at him just as he was heading out of the office. "Two days."

Shinji nodded his acknowledgement and walked out. What the hell was going on around here? He was losing agents like no bodies business. He had to find someone to check on Nelliel, something was telling him that loneliness was not the driving factor for her call.

There was no one else in his division he could dispatch, and all of Zaraki's men were busy. He wondered if Shunsui was still around. He didn't work for the Bureau anymore but he trusted him and they went way back.

"Mr. Urahara, what a surprise." Nanao answered in her succinct voice.

"Good afternoon Nanao, is Shunsui around?" Urahara didn't know why he even asked. You would be hard pressed to find Shunsui not in Nanoa's presence. It was like that man could not survive without her.

"You know I can never be too far from my Nanao-chan." Shunsui's smooth voice replaced hers and Urahara could only imagine the annoyed look on her face. "What warrants such an unexpected call?"

"Well, I'm in a pickle and I'm all out of options." Urahara answered with a chuckle, just as he thought.

"Sounds like fun. What do you need me to do?"

"Can you head to Kagoshima and check in with a witness there?" He already had all Nelliel's information pulled up; he quickly emailed it to Nanao. He wouldn't say no to an opportunity to take a free vacation.

"Oh, business." He groaned and Nanao gave him a sharp look, "will there be danger involved?"

"I'm not anticipating there will be trouble, but she's a special case. I made a promise to someone she would be safe there. But I received a worrying call and I just need to make sure she's ok."

"OK I'll do it." Shunsui replied with a reluctant sigh. Not the way he would have liked to spend his week but at least he didn't have to worry about any danger befalling his Nanao-chan. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something. I heard through the grapevine that Zaraki was looking to deepen his roots."

"You know, I did just hear something similar but I don't think it's legit. I think it's a ploy for some leverage and weight to be thrown around." Urahara responded. Ōmaeda was planting seeds and using names that he had no affiliation with. He wondered if Zaraki had any idea that it was happening.

Shunsui's rubbed his beard, "well leverage isn't what he'll end up getting."

"That's for sure. Thanks for your help Shunsui. I've sent the information you'll need to Nanao."

"You know it's no problem. I'll let you know what we find out." The conversation ended on that note and he stared at Nelliel's profile for a moment before closing his laptop.

Urahara rubbed his hands over his face trying to clear his mind. There were so many things he still had to do. Somehow, he had to orchestrate a tradeoff with Unohana, he had to do the same with Ōmaeda and he had to figure out what was happening with Aizen.

But the only thing he could think about was how Yoruichi lied to him. He slammed his fist angrily on his desk. Was he the only one that had feelings invested in this relationship? Was he just some casual dick to her? Had she been out just fucking whoever she pleased and while she's staying with him it was just something for her to do?

He would get to the bottom of everything today. There would be no more coddling, no more indulging. If she really didn't trust him and she wanted to leave then so be it, she had fucked up her life he would let her face the consequences on her own.

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A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed it!