Guys, Ima try my best to finish this story by the end of the year. Pray for me, ya'll.

Thank you and love youuuu!

Chapter 22

Rukia Kuchiki opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit room, seated across a handsome man with soft features-his lush brown hair, perfectly styled; his white suit immaculately tailored. He sat with his legs crossed, leaning back comfortably-one arm slung across the armrest while the other lay atop his knee.

He seemed harmless- the picture of gentlemanly grace.

Her instinct was to launch at him and claw his face off, but she couldn't move. She tried to scream out, but nothing happened. She couldn't feel anything either-not a single sensation.

'Hello Rukia. I'm Sosuke Aizen. But you already know that, don't you?'

Aizen's slow, insidious smile turned his face vicious.

'When I heard that someone had been targeting my men, I never expected it to be Kaien's Shiba's little pet project.'

He leaned forward in his chair, resting his chin on his palm. His dark eyes glittered with malice.

'You know, I was pleasantly surprised by your skills-especially that scene at the motel. So, here's what's going to happen. You're going to work for me. And before you refuse, just remember that the people you love can easily die. Your detectives, for instance, might find themselves in terrible situation and not all of them will survive. And Byakuya Kuchiki-I knew him when were just boys. I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit from an old friend.'

Aizen stood, towering over her. 'And that Kurosaki boy…wouldn't it be poetic if he ended up just like Kaien?'

Panic surged through her making her heart beat in her ears. She willed her body to move, hoping that she could overcome this through sheer force.

'Take her away,' Aizen said as he left. F

From a shadowy corner of the room, a blue-haired man emerged. He gave her a feral grin and lifted her from the chair. Like a ragdoll, she just hung helpless in his arms. He took her into a white hallway so bright that it burned her eyes. Corner after corner they turned-left, then left again, then right and then left and then she lost track.

The blue-haired man stopped and a door slid opened. He tossed her onto a narrow cot and left Rukia staring up at the white ceiling.

So much white.

Even that blue-haired man wore white.

She would too, she realized, if she didn't find a way out of this fucking colossal mess that she had gotten herself-and everyone she cared about-into. She wanted to cry. She wanted to rage. She wanted to go back in time.

Rukia tried to move again, but the only thing she had any control over were her eyelids. She closed them now as she tried to remember. Her clearest memory was of Ichigo asking her move in with him. After that…she couldn't recall.

She felt stupid, thinking that she would be safe if she just stopped. She never fathomed that Aizen would come after her-after them.

Stupid, stupid girl.

At the sound of the door opening, Rukia's eyes flew opened, every inch of her wanting to fly into action. But all she could do was watch as the blue-haired man hovered over her.

'The paralytic should wear off soon,' he told her, his voice just as gruff as she expected it to be. He held a plastic cup in front of her. 'When it does, drink this.'

'And don't even think of escaping. You won't survive it, and neither will your friends.'

Then she was alone again, with nothing but her thoughts crashing into each other.

Rukia felt a wetness on her face, and before she knew her left hand wiped at it.

She gasped. And then sniffled.

She tested her right arm, waving it over eyes, flexing her fingers. She tried her legs, moving her toes in her boots. She pushed herself up, and although it felt like she was made of stones, she could move again.

Rukia took in the small, windowless room. It was clean, entirely too clean-sterile, in fact. There was nothing but the cot she sat on. The door didn't even have a handle.

She swung her legs off the cot, placing her feet firmly on the shiny white tiles. She stood for all but a second before she hit the floor.

She spied the cup he had left for her on the floor. With shaky hands, she reached for it. She sniffed it, and though she craved water, the scent of it had her setting it back down.

Rukia put her head to the cold floor, blinking back more tears. For the first time since Kaien was killed, Rukia felt powerless.

She should just do as Aizen said. If what the blue-haired bastard said was true, it was the only way to keep everyone alive.

No.

She wouldn't allow what happened to Kaien to happen again. She would fix this. She would play this game, and unravel his operation from the inside out. And when Aizen least expected it, she would kill him herself.

But for now…she was exhausted, hungry and sad. She remained on the floor, even when Grimmjow returned.

'Why are you on the floor?' And I thought I told you to drink that.'

She groaned as she rose into a seated position, her body aching everywhere.

'If you drank that like I told you, you wouldn't feel like that right now.'

'Fuck you,' she told him, her voice raspy with disuse. God, how she wanted to punch that grin of his face.

He crouched in front of her, tilting his head in a very cat-like like manner.

'Who's Ichigo Kurosaki to you?'

She reminded herself to keep her expression neutral. She didn't want him knowing exactly how much Ichigo meant to her.

'Fuck. You.'

His grinned grew wider.

'I'm the only friend you got here, princess. I suggest you be nice.'

He brought the plastic cup to his lips and swallowed a mouthful.

'See. It's not poison. Just electrolytes. Drink it. Sleep.'

As soon as he left, she drained the cup of its contents. She could feel the liquid settling in her empty stomach. She climbed back onto the cot and sleep took her faster than she expected it to.

She slept a deep, dreamless sleep, and when she woke up again, she found the blue-haired creep leaning against the wall.

He flung a package at her. She caught it just before it hit her face.

At least her reflexes were returning to her. She glared at him, opening her mouth to release a litany of curses. But he spoke first.

'Fuck me? Yeah, I know. Hurry up and put that on. I'll be waiting outside.'

She adjusted her plans slightly. She would kill him, then she would kill Aizen.

Rukia emptied the contents of the package onto the bed-sneakers, socks, pants and a t-shirt. No surprise, but it was all white.

She was disturbed by how perfectly they fit, but she was glad she had clothes clean clothes.

Then, just to be annoying, she perched on the edge on the bed, crossed her legs and waited for him to barge in.

'What the hell is taking so-'

Rukia smiled at his aggravation.

'Just follow me,' he said, through gritted teeth.

She hopped of the bed, head held high, and made sure they walked side by side.

'Here,' he said, after a bit, handing her a protein bar. 'You've been here two days with no food. You'll need your strength.'

If it weren't for the gnawing emptiness in her belly, she would have shoved the energy bar down his throat-wrapper and all.

She accepted the protein bar and took a big bite. She grimaced at the taste.

'I'm sorry it's not to your delicate tastes, princess,' he said sarcastically.

'Stop calling me that. My name is Rukia,' she said.

'I know.' His voice turned softer. It caught her by surprise. 'My name is Grimmjow.'

Despite the circumstances, she laughed.

'That's the most ridiculous name I've ever heard.'

He scowled and it reminded her of Ichigo. Her laughter died and they continued on in silence.

It wasn't long before they took a turn which led to a dead end.

Or so she thought.

Grimmjow pressed a button and a rectangular opening appeared.

'Win,' he said in her ear, then he shoved her into the room and the door slid shut.

Rukia had no time to think as she just barely dodged a fist to her face. She dropped low, delivering a kick to his groin. He doubled over with a pained groan and she rammed her knee into his chin. He fell to the ground and she climbed over him, punching him until he was unconscious.

Just as she rose to catch her breath, another assailant rushed her. This time she wasn't quick enough to avoid the blow to her jaw. Rukia's vision shook and she tasted blood. She stumbled backward, her back hitting the wall. The other man swung again, and Rukia slid down and scurried through his legs. She rose with a kick to his back. He hit the wall and she grabbed the back of his collar and slammed his head hard against it.

When she let him crumple to the ground, her hands began to shake. She was still weak and adrenalin would only last so long before her body gave up.

She needed weapons. She searched the two men for anything she could use. One of them wore a belt. It was as good as any weapon she could wield. She quickly wrapped the belt around her hand, making sure that buckle aligned over her knuckles.

Rukia's head snapped in the direction of a mechanical sound. A doorway had opened on the far side of the room and two more men emerged.

She stayed down, staring at them, like a deer in headlights, as they approached. She made a show of scrambling back as one of them got closer. When he bent over her, her fist shot out, catching him in the throat. While he gasped for air, she attacked the other, spinning around, aiming for his throat as well.

But he dodged, caught her arm, and with a menacing smile, he dislocated her shoulder. She yelled out at the excruciating pain. The belt slipped from her grasped and the man gave her a slimy smile.

'Not so tough now, are you?' he said, his face too close to hers. Rukia reared her head and slammed it into his nose. She heard a satisfying crunch and with her good arm, she caught his collar and smashed her head into his nose once more.

It was turn to smile now as blood leaked down his face. She ignored the dizziness that set in and rammed her knee into his groin.

Before he could hit the ground, she was yanked back by her t-shirt and thrown onto the floor. Her entire skeleton rattled with the force. A fifth man appeared above her, pressing his booting into her wounded shoulder.

She bit back a scream as tears filled her eyes.

She wished she had a knife to bury into his leg. She searched blindly with her other arm and almost cried out in joy when her fingers found the belt. She grabbed the now uncoiled accessory by the buckle and whipped it weakly at his leg.

'That's not gonna help you,' he taunted, pressing his boot down harder.

Rukia let her eyes flutter closed, and deliberately slowed her breathing as best as she could, eventually holding her breath altogether.

She prayed that he was one of the dumber ones.

The heavy boot moved from her shoulder, and she felt his fingers at her throat.

She sprang upward, and with the belt buckle still in her grip, she drove her fist into the side of his face. Then she moved behind him, looping the belt around his neck.

She braced her foot on his back, with a great big war cry, she pulled until he fell forward with a thud.

She let go of the belt, her one saving grace, as her legs gave up and she too went down.

The sound of the doorway opening again made her heart sink.

She couldn't fight anymore.

Blue-hair eclipsed her vision.

She couldn't tell if he was smiling or not.

Grimmjow hauled to her feet, helping her stand up, and with whatever little she had left, she shuffled along. When they reached her room, two women were waiting outside. One of them had short blond hair, while the other her black hair in pigtails.

'Quite the show,' Pigtails said. Rukia spat blood at the woman's feet.

Both women moved to attack, but Grimmjow blocked them their way.

'Get lost,' he growled at them. The two women huffed, but listened to him. It seemed Grimmjow held some authority here.

He turned to her, shaking his disapprovingly.

She gave him a weak, bloodied grin.

Rukia Kuchiki would make every single one of these people regret ever fucking with her.