Hello everyone!

I apologize for the long stint in updating; the next one will be much quicker as we approach the end of the fic! As always, please enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 33

Loose Ends Part 1

"Shinseina Jouka!" Miyako yelled, throwing the attack at Rika.

Miyako struggled to summon what reiatsu she could muster into the sphere of light that ensnared Rika. It was difficult, but she was able to separate the arrancar from Rika's body. Pouring the last of her reiatsu into the sphere, she killed the arrancar. The torture had ended; there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Her chest was tight. She heaved heavily, as if someone was pushing down on her chest. Despite the pain, Miyako gave a small smile before her body started to fail her. She could feel her power leave her as her bankai dissipated. She was grateful when Byakuya caught her in his arms before she hit the ground, who had cradled her tight. His embrace was reassuring.

"It's over, Miyako…you don't have to fight any longer." he whispered. Looking into her half opened eyes, he smiled at her. "Well done. You have a magnificent bankai."

Miyako could barely crack a smile in return; the pain had continued to swell and overwhelm her. Hearing him compliment her took some of the pain away. She wanted to respond to his kind words. There was so much that she wanted to say, but her voice failed her.

"Don't speak, save your strength. You're weak."

He was right - she was hanging by a thread and felt as weak as a newborn baby. The pain came back in full force, grappling her with a fear she'd never known. She didn't know what would happen now. She'd chuckle if she had the energy. A wave of dread and regret washed over her. Her chest grew tighter, her breathing increased rapidly and her body grew warm, worrying Byakuya.

"Miyako, what's wrong?"

Tears welled in her eyes; suddenly all she could see was darkness as her body grew numb.

'So this is where my life ends…?' she thought sadly. There was so much she wanted to do, so much she wanted to say…so many loose ends that she wouldn't have the chance to tie up.

'Byakuya…I'm sorry…'

"...G-good..bye…" she uttered before collapsing in his arms.

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.

.

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Miyako felt her soul fall deeper into the darkness. It was calm. It was cold. It was lonely. The pain continued to gnaw at her, the sting of the poison surged in her being as she waited for death to finally swallow her.

Her soul continued to fall for a while, but she could feel herself slow down. After a while, her soul laid bare on the ground. The pain slowly left her, but exhaustion weighed her down.

A slender hand caressed her cheek. Miyako managed to open her eyes. Her blurred vision cleared and she smiled fondly.

"You did well, Miyako. Please rest. I will use what power I have left to sustain you until you receive medical assistance. Don't give up, Miyako."

Miyako closed her eyes. She really had the best zanpakuto.

"Thank you, Unabara…"

With those words, she felt her soul fall into a deep sleep as Captain Unohana healed her.

Everyone's face went pale when their eyes met a pair of golden ones. Her eyes were riddled with confusion as she stared at her company. Everything was a blur.

"Why is everyone yelling?" Miyako questioned, her voice laced with irritation.

Despite the mean expression on her face, Rumi and Shirayuki's eyes were filled with tears while Byakuya and Isshiki looked at her in shock. Her best friends quickly trapped her in a group hug, crying tears of joy that she was finally awake. As elated as he was that she was awake, Byakuya just wanted everyone to get out while he could get some answers from her.

After an emotional hug, Rumi and Shirayuki released Miyako.

"Miyako, dear…I know that you've just woken up and probably have many questions, but…" she started, her eyes darting towards Byakuya and Isshiki. "Before I alert Captain Unohana, what would you like to do?"

A heavy silence filled the room. Miyako momentarily held her breath as her eyes focused on her lap. She looked up at Byakuya and Isshiki with pursed lips. Byakuya's eyes pleaded with her, begging her to allow a moment between them. Isshiki's jaw tightened; his icy blue eyes also pleaded and hoped that she would choose him over Byakuya. Without thinking, she grabbed her wrists. Words failed her for a moment.

"...I'd like to speak with Captain Kuchiki…alone." she finally stated, avoiding their gazes.

Isshiki's jaw tightened as his head hung low. Rumi and Shirayuki exchanged a glance between each other before giving a nod.

"I understand. We'll step out, but I can't promise you much time to talk before Captain Unohana's arrival."

Miyako gave her a quick nod with a small smile. "Thank you."

Shirayuki was quick to usher everyone out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Awkward silence filled the room once more. A knot formed in both of their throats. Byakuya stood rooted to the spot, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know where to start. He wanted nothing more than to grab her and pull her into a tight hug. He wanted to take her out of this hospital room and hide her away for a while.

"So…how long have I been asleep?" she asked quietly, cutting through the silence.

"Five days."

'Five long days of fearing I'd lost you…' he thought. "You've recovered more quickly than anticipated."

Miyako chuckled, a sound that both worried and surprised him.. "I guess I'm just that lucky, huh?"

Byakuya's eyes furrowed.

"How can you be so calm about this? You nearly died, Miyako!" His voice was sharp, laced with a hint of fear he couldn't quite control.

His words fell flat. "I'm fine." she replied nonchalantly. "I'm not a little weakling, you know."

"I never said that you were." he replied sharply.

Miyako remained silent.

"You were in a coma for five days due to your reckless use of your bankai and not allowing me to handle the rest of your battle." he stressed the last part, frustration bubbling up again.. "Speaking of which, you never informed me of. When did you achieve bankai? We had barely begun your training."

Miyako pursed her lips, still avoiding his gaze and remaining quiet.

"Miyako…please…answer me…I just want to understand."

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she focused on her hands in her lap.

"...I know that this will sound silly, but…I was able to use it for the first time after…had given me the music box and you kissed me in the forest."

Byakuya's eyes widened slightly; a slight blush graced his cheeks. Reminiscing their first kiss made his lips tingle.

"Unabara had told me that my powers rely heavily on my emotions, just like the depths of the ocean; the deeper the emotions, the stronger my powers and abilities will be. That day, I was over the moon about what had happened between us. It was then that I was finally honest with myself about my feelings for you. When I had finally activated it, Unabara had explained how my bankai works and we had practiced for quite a while. I was going to tell you the next day, but…" she said, her voice trailing off and thick with emotion. "You know what happened."

The blush on his face faded once his terrible behavior was brought up once more. Not wanting to dwell on that bad memory, she continued.

"After Rika abducted and tormented me, I was determined to settle the score between us… both of our strong determination to win, along with her poisoning me, just made everything worse."

They both stood there as the dark memories of that battle flooded their minds. He never wanted to hold her limp body in his arms like that ever again if he could prevent it. His mouth grew dry at the thought. Never again would he allow her to sacrifice herself like that again.

"...I was very worried about you." he stated, cutting through the silence. "I thought that I was going to lose you like I had lost Hisana."

Hearing her name made Miyako tense up immediately. Their relationship has spiraled because he had thrown Hisana in her face. Even after he had apologized, those scars hadn't completely healed. She knew that it was pointless to dwell on the past, but a sliver of cold jealousy pricked at her heart.

"It's nice to know that you were worried about me but…" she managed, her voice strained. The words felt hollow, a poor mask for the turmoil within.

"Hearing that makes me feel like I'm just a replacement for the woman you lost long ago."

To say that Byakuya was taken aback was an understatement. For the first time in centuries, his head started to spin and the heat rushed to his face.

"How could you say something like that?!" he snapped, getting her full attention.

"How many times do I have to explain to you how much you mean to me?! After everything we've been through?!" Byakuya stressed, his eyes narrowed. His years of well trained self-restraint was slipping away like sand through his fingers.

"I've given this the utmost effort, I can't continue this on for any longer, Miyako!" he confessed, his voice trembling.

Miyako trembled as she watched him writhe in his emotions. She didn't know what to expect next. Before she could try to defuse the situation, Byakuya closed the gap between them.

A gasp escaped Miyako's lips when Byakuya rested his forehead against Miyako's, taking in the moment between them. His strong hand cupped her cheek, his fingers tracing the soft contours of her face. She sat frozen in time. Before long, her hand hung onto his wrist, her fingers trembling slightly. His dark eyes held her in place, unnerving her as he stared into her golden eyes as if he was peering into her soul.

Byakuya's jaw clenched for a brief moment, the frustration of holding back a constant ache in his chest. But then, the dam broke. The frustration of not being able to hold her, to comfort her and have her spilled into a torrent of unspoken desires.

"Miyako," he said, his voice a husky whisper, "there's something I need to ask you." His voice was rough, edged with a desperation he couldn't hide.

"Is it wrong…" he started off, his voice low and husky. "to not desire to hold back any longer?" he asked her, sending a shiver down her spine. A gasp escaped her mouth, not going unnoticed by him; his lips tingled with desire, like burning embers.

"Is it wrong…that not only do I desire to tell you how I feel about you over and over again, but show you?" his voice quivered with yearning.

Byakuya's heart was racing a million miles a minute. There was no doubt that he could feel sparks between them. The pain of not holding her and not being with her killed him slowly. With each passing day, he grew more and more hungry for her, desiring her essence as if it was gold.

Another gasp left Miyako's mouth as she whimpered; her vision became blurry as tears started to form. Her whimpering ushered in a wave of guilt over him. He didn't want to be the cause of her tears. Whenever she cried, he wanted to be the one to wipe them away, kissing her until there was no more rain.

"...Is it wrong, Miyako…?"

Miyako sniffled and softly shook her head. "...no…" her voice trembled.

Exhaling deeply, he briefly closed his eyes, savoring the warmth of her cheek, her silky hair that cascaded over his hand and the faint, yet intoxicating scent of her perfume…it was too much for him to handle. He had to have her.

"I've missed you, Miyako…so much…"

Miyako, frozen in place, felt herself slowly succumbing to Byakuya's passion. His touch gave a burning warmth that she couldn't find anywhere.

Tears began to fall, wetting his hand like warm raindrops.

"Byakuya…" she whispered, her lips parted.

Hearing her say his name and not just his title or surname fueled his hunger even more; it felt like an eternity since he last heard it. He quickly motioned his eyes to her lips before resuming locking eyes with her. His dominance was downright overwhelming, nipping at her defenses and begging for control. Her mind trailed back to their first kiss in the forest. The same scent of his cologne added another lock to her chain, pinning her still. It was warm, inviting and assertive, oozing with the masculine dominance that she fell for. He commanded her attention back then, but it was much stronger now.

Miyako closed her eyes; feeling a moment of weakness. His touch wasn't prickly like she had experienced with Isshiki earlier that week. It was a warmth that she had longed for. Her lips tingled when she felt him brush his lips against hers. A shiver ran down her spine. She could feel Byakuya readying to help himself to her lips and waited for his caress. Before he closed the gap between them, an important thought flashed in her mind:

Was this what she truly wanted, especially here and now in this bleak, cold hospital room?

Byakuya's lips made contact with a lone finger, bringing him back to reality. Sitting up and taking in her image, her sunny eyes were clouded over with uncertainty. Her finger still laid softly on his lips. He questioned their circumstance.

"Not now…" she uttered softly. "Not here…I…I haven't made my decision yet…"

Stunned, he didn't know how to process her words. When the words finally came to him, a knock prevented him from continuing.

"Excuse me, Lady Shihouin?" Captain Unohana called from the other side of the door. "Are you well? It's time for me to perform a check up now that you're awake. May I come in?"

Miyako turned to Byakuya with furrowed brows and pursed lips, reading his features. His face was filled with disappointment.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. "You should go…"

He quickly fixed his expression and put some distance between them when he heard the elder captain slide the door open.

"Checking on your pupil once again, I see? How sweet of you, dear Captain Kuchiki. I'm glad to see you awake, Lady Shihouin." she said with a smile after letting herself in. "After I've completed your check up, you're both wanted in the Central 46 courtroom for questioning immediately."

Byakuya nodded with his usual stoic expression.

"Understood. I'll be waiting at the gate for her to arrive," he replied before excusing himself from the room. Miyako watched sadly as he closed the door, wiping away the last of her tears away while Captain Unohana prepared to start her examination. Grabbing a clipboard, she turned to face the princess with a smile.

"Let's begin, shall we?"

A half hour later, Captain Unohana gave Miyako the green light to be discharged from the hospital.

"I'll have Miss Shirayuki bring you a new shihakusho momentarily. In the meantime, feel free to freshen up."

Miyako nodded with a small smile. "Thank you for all of your help, Captain."

As she excused herself and left Miyako by her lonesome, a heavy sigh escaped her lips. She'd only been awake for less than two hours and so much had happened. She trembled at the thought of Byakuya. How was she supposed to act accordingly in front of the Central 46 after what he had done?! Even Isshiki was there and she could only imagine what had happened between those two.

She buried her head in her hands, shaking her head; she felt a migraine coming on. She rushed out to the ensuite bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, hoping to drown her thoughts.

"Miyako, I have your shihakusho!" Shirayuki's voice called out.

"Okay, just wait a minute!" she replied before freshening up. Emerging from the bathroom several minutes later, she gave Shirayuki a big smile.

"Thank you for bringing me a new robe."

Shirayuki looked at her with a worried glance. "Are you alright, Miyako? How did your talk with Captain Kuchiki go?"

'And there goes my peace of mind…' she thought.

"Shirayuki…it's just so overwhelming…" she blurted, tears welling up in her eyes.

She went on to explain what had happened. Shirayuki comforted her dear friend with a hug.

"...I just don't know what to do about him…"

She gave her a loving squeeze before letting her go.

"Miyako…there's something about Captain Kuchiki…"

Miyako listened as Shirayuki explained that earlier in the week, she had stumbled upon the captain transferring his reiatsu into her before giving her a kiss goodbye.

"He's visited you everyday, pouring into you, doing everything that he could to bring you back…once I saw that, I knew he was the reason you had begun recovering so quickly and beyond expectations."

Tears ran down her cheeks as she listened. Looking at her wrists, it made sense why she was rubbing them once she had woken up.

"It's very clear that he loves you, Miyako. Now it's up to you to decide if you want to accept his love or move on."

With those words, Shirayuki walked to the door and stopped, her back facing her. "But for now, get dressed and hurry to your next destination." she ordered before shutting the door behind her.

Less than an hour later, Miyako and Byakuya found themselves under the blinding light of scrutiny of the Central 46 chamber. Standing beside one another, the two nobles didn't connect eyes with another; barely speaking to each other once Miyako had arrived. Miyako kept her eyes to the floor while Byakuya kept his eyes closed in his proper fashion.

"Miyako Shihouin, Captain Byakuya Kuchiki," a deep voice had began. "You two were involved in an incident that involved a fellow student fusing with a high level arrancar. That student has awakened, healed from her injuries two days prior. She has been detained and questioned as a result. She is awaiting her final judgment upon hearing and deliberating your testimonies. It was also mentioned that the relationship between you two was something beyond a mentor and student."

Miyako's eyes narrowed at the last statement. She had to resist rolling her eyes.

"Miyako Shihouin," chair 35 had called out, "You may begin your testimony."

She briefly glanced at Byakuya, who still didn't budge from his previous position, but his infamous frown had grown deeper. Even under the intense bright light, she could see the white of his knuckles. Under the scrutiny, he just wanted to protect her; but he was going to let this slide…for now.

He listened closely as she began her testimony from the beginning, starting with the welcoming party, to the final fight with Rika. His stomach turned as he listened to what she had to endure when Rika had tormented her in the pocket dimension.

"Considering my relationship with Captain Kuchiki," she continued. "We have known each other since we were young; I've also known Rika Omaeda from a young age. We spent many days training together before he had married. We grew apart, but we reconnected once I was under his instruction. I will always appreciate his friendship. Rika Omaeda wasn't pleased with our friendship, which caused plenty of strife between her and I."

Byakuya finally opened his eyes, glaring at the people who had the nerve to stick their noses into their relationship.

"Is this true, Captain Kuchiki?" chair 35 had asked.

If it was up to him, he'd walk out and flip them off, but he had to restrain himself.

"Yes. We've known each other for decades and had the opportunity to reconnect due to the internship program. I also appreciate her friendship and admire her tenacity, especially after achieving bankai. She has reiterated several times why she has earned her top ranking amongst her peers and I'm honored to be her mentor as well as her friend."

His words earned him a meek smile from Miyako.

"We ask that you take her successfully handling the situation into consideration, especially when she utilized the healing ability of her bankai to save the lives of many."

Whispers were heard amongst the Central 46 chairs.

"Before we make a decision, we need to know; Miyako Shihouin, do you wish to press charges against Rika Omaeda?"

Miyako looked up to the chair with a stiff expression with all eyes on her.

"I-"