Unexpected

Byakuya smirked. "Because I love you."

Renji was so overwhelmed with happiness that he practically threw himself in his taichou's arms and looped his own arms around Byakuya's neck. Byakuya chuckled a bit and kissed the other more deeply this time. He felt the redhead's tongue had come out to play along his lower lip. So he opened his mouth and let his own tongue twirl with the redhead's. The song changed again. They broke apart panting for air with their foreheads pressed together. When the song changed again, they finally caught their breaths.

Renji finally spoke. "I love you too."

The house alarms then went off. A house attendant flash stepped to the noble. "Byakuya-sama!" He called.

"What is it Sora?" The noble asked in a calm tone. Renji and he were still holding each other which from the corner of his eye he saw were making his attendant a bit uncomfortable. Byakuya pulled away from Renji but took the redhead's hand. Renji grinned as he looked down at their laced fingers and hands.

"A garganta has opened in the forest behind the manor." Sora said as he regained his calm. "Someone has come through it." He added.

Byakuya nodded and sent Sora back into the manor to keep the guards on alert. He turned to Renji. "We should get Rukia and Miyako then proceed to the forest."

The redhead nodded in agreement. "Something always has to happen, eh?"

The noble's eyes showed confusion. "Whatever do you mean Abarai?"

"Well, we were having a moment then it got fucked up by a garganta opening then before that we were having a good day and then Rukia and Miyako-san had to butt their noses in our business." The redhead explained as he came closer to the noble.

"I believe we are still having a good day," The noble commented. "despite the garganta."

Renji sighed. He had to admit that even though the women came up with this scheme to get him and Byakuya together was more than just shocking and could have possibly backfired. Which also could have put even more space between him and the noble, didn't mean his day was ruined. He had this feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong though. Something he really didn't want to happen or even think about.

He and the noble flash stepped into the manor to find Rukia and Miyako.

(Mina's inside the story note: Sorry for having these little notes in the middle of the story but I when I do these it means I want you to do something or think a certain way I guess. So bear with me. Anyway, we are backtracking to where the Renji's and Bya's date started and this is what happened with Rukia and Miyako.)

"May I ask you something Rukia-san?" Miyako said as she sat down on the bed.

Rukia sat next to her and turned so she was facing the other. "Not at all." She replied.

"Why is it that you want me to stay?"

Rukia looked down at her lap where her hands lay and fidgeted with her fingers. "I-I just didn't want to be alone yet. Y-you may go if you do not wish to be here." She said in a faint whisper so the purple hair Shinigami had to lean in closer to the other to hear.

Miyako shook her head. "I was just curious. I will not leave you if you don't wish to be alone." She said.

The raven haired girl looked over to the other. "Arigatou." She smiled softly.

"So, what should we do since we are going to be in here a while?"

"W-well, we could actually go out there and watch what they are doing." Rukia suggested and a smirk pulled on her lips.

The purple haired Shinigami snickered. "Maybe we've spied on them enough for one day."

The shorter girl nodded. "That's true. We have watched them a lot today." She thought about what else they could do in the meantime. "I know just the thing." She said and clapped her hands together.

Miyako raised an eyebrow and tilted her head up as she saw the other stand and walk towards the door. "What?" She asked.

Rukia stopped walking and turned to face the other that was still sitting. "Nii-sama can sing and play the piano and Renji can play the cello."

"So…" Miyako was confused why the other was bringing up the two men's musical talents. "What about it?"

"We should pick a few scores and put them in the archive. Nii-sama would surely see it and would probably consider it if someone told him he should play something with Renji." Rukia explained.

Miyako's expression turned into one of pure amusement. "Okay." She grinned.

Both girls were walking out the door. And just when they got into the hall way the house alarms went off. Miyako sighed. "Never fails."

"Well, we will have to pick music later." Rukia said dryly.

Byakuya and Renji then flash stepped in front of the two women. Renji looked flustered and Byakuya's expression was his usual calm mask.

"What has happened Nii-sama?" Rukia asked her brother who had his hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto.

"A garganta has opened in the forest near here. We four should go and see what has happened." The noble explained.

Rukia turned to Miyako and both nodded, not wasting anytime, they grabbed their zanpakuto quickly and all four flash stepped to the forest.

The group flash stepped quickly to the forest trail and sensed someone familiar that came out of the garganta up ahead. It was not long before they were greeted by a small child with green hair and a hollow mask onto of her head. Rukia recognized her immediately along with Renji.

Renji walked up to the frightened child. "Nel?" She was crying and too scared to answer.

Rukia approached her and knelt down and spoke softly to her. "Nel, what are you doing here?"

Nel looked at the raven haired girl and sniffled. "Nel was pwayin' with hic' Pesche, Dondochakka, hic' an' Bawabawa, hic' then weez were hic' attacked by some hic' scary wookin Arrancars!" Nel hiccupped as she explained.

"Where are the others?" Rukia asked.

Nel's eyes filled with tears again and she clung onto Rukia's neck. She sobbed for a time while Rukia rubbed crying child's back with soothing circles.

"I'm guessing something bad happened?" Renji piped up.

Nel nodded into Rukia's shoulder and cried some more before she settled down a bit. "The Arrancars opwened a garganta an' Pesche pwushed me thwough it! It cwosed behind me an' no one else came thwough it.

"I believe he did that to protect you." Byakuya said in an unusual gentle tone.

Everyone was surprised by him sounding so caring to the small girl who was an Arrancar herself, no less.

Miyako turned to her cousin with a concerned look. "What should we do Byakuya-sama?"

"I don't think it would be a good idea to keep this from Soutaichou; but I don't think he would allow her to stay here long." Renji said before the noble could answer Miyako.

Byakuya's lips tightened into a thin line. He knew he needed to do something but wasn't sure what.

Rukia came to her feet, holding Nel at her hip. "I think it would be wise to send a hell butterfly to Soutaichou then take Nel back to the manor." She suggested.

Byakuya didn't know if that would work. He for one didn't know how to take care of a child and he was being torn from his sense of right and wrong.

"Taichou?" The redhead called softly to the other.

Byakuya turned to the redhead. "What do you suggest we do Renji?"

Renji's eyes widened. His taichou was asking him of all people what he thought they should do. He couldn't believe it. It was the first time he could think of that his Taichou did such a thing.

"Abarai?" Byakuya's patience was wearing thin. "Abarai, do you have a suggestion?"

Renji shook himself out of amazement. "I think Rukia is right, Taichou." He answered.

Byakuya nodded. "Very well, we will take Nel to the manor and get her cleaned up and then I will send a hell butterfly to Soutaichou." Byakuya trusted his sister and new lover, and wasn't going to let anything happen to Nel either.

They all looked at Nel who had fallen asleep in Rukia's arms. Her face was still tear stained and her green shirt was torn and muddy. They started walking back to the manor until Soi Fong stepped into their path.

She looked onto the sleeping child in Rukia's arms. "That is an Arrancar, you must give her to me." She said in cold tone.

Rukia shook her head in refusal. "No."

"Nani?" Soi Fong looked amazed that Rukia actually had the nerve to stand up to her. "Kuchiki Fukutaichou you have no right to defy me. I come with strict orders from Soutaichou to take her to him."

"No!" Rukia yelled defiantly. "She has done nothing. I know what Soutaichou will do to her!"

Byakuya stared at his sister. He was too amazed that she had the gull to go against a higher ranking officer. "Soi Fong Taichou," He looked to the other. He continued when she looked to him. "We are not handing over this child to you."

"Have you lost your nerve Kuchiki Taichou?" Soi Fong shouted. "This Arrancar has come into the Seireitei, she was formally the third Espada you know."

Renji stepped in then. "Formally, being the operative word here. She isn't dangerous! She is just a scared little girl!"

Soi Fong was getting tired of talking to people who were defying orders. "You will give her to me or I will remove her from your grasp!" She declared.

Oh time to go! Miyako thought as she opened a senkaimon. "Come, we are leaving." She said as she ran and pulled Rukia along with her with Nel still sound asleep in the other's arms. Renji and Byakuya quickly followed and forced the senkaimon to close behind them before Soi Fong could get in.

"Good thinkin'." Renji complimented as they flash stepped towards Urahara's shoten.

"We need to get to Urahara's quickly." Byakuya chimed in. "He is the only one who can help us now."

It was sometime during the night in the living world and they were sure Urahara had turned in for the night. They came close to the shoten and Yoruichi unexpectedly opened the door for them. They ran in the door and nearly collapsed instantly on the floor from all the flash stepping. Nel was crying again, as she was woken up suddenly.

Renji collapsed as he felt a sharp pain go through his injured limb. He was sure his leg had broken again. Byakuya knelt next to him as Yoruichi put up a reiatsu cage around the shoten.

"Would you like to explain to me why Soi Fong has sent me a Hell Butterfly stating that you all have defied orders and are to be arrested?" The cat woman asked.

Byakuya was healing Renji and Rukia was trying to calm Nel back down. Miyako sighed and figured she should explain. "Yoruichi-sama," She stood and stepped toward the other.

Yoruichi smirked. "Miyako how many times do I have to tell you, don't call me 'Yoruichi-sama'. Stop with all the formality. I'm your cousin and elder but you know I hate formalities." It was bad enough Soi Fong, her own girlfriend, kept up with formalities. She didn't want her cousin to feel as if she had to be formal with everyone, especially not her or Byakuya.

Miyako nodded and blushed a bit. "Hai," She said in a near whisper. "Yoruichi-san, we were at Kuchiki Manor and the alarms went off. Byakuya-sama and Renji-san were told that a garganta opened in the forest and someone came through." She pointed over towards Nel.

"I'm guessing Nel came through and you were going to tell Soutaichou about it but you wanted her to be safe at the manor first. But Soi Fong caught up to you and she was under orders to take Nel and you wouldn't let her have Nel. Then you came here seeking protection?" Yoruichi finished.

Miyako nodded again. She knew her cousin would know what had happened before she would explain it all. "Hai, will… will you help us?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Of course I will! I'm not going to let that child be handed over to Soutaichou just for him to take her life because she is an Arrancar!"

Miyako breathed a sigh of relief. "Arigatou." The two purple haired women heard Renji wince in pain.

"T-taichou! That hurts!" Renji complained as he was picked up bridal style in Byakuya's arms.

"Hush." The noble chided. "I'm going to put you in a bed and heal you more there." Byakuya was getting irritated by his new lover and subordinate's fussing.

"Come with me." Yoruichi led the two men into an empty room. "Yukatas are in the closet over there and the bathroom is there." Yoruichi directed and left the two men alone to send her cousin, Rukia, and Nel into their own rooms.

"Yoruichi-san is too smart for her own good." The redhead commented while still in the nobles arms.

Byakuya nodded in agreement and set Renji down on the bed. He stripped him of his lower half of his kimono to heal his leg properly. Renji was blushing almost the same shade of his hair.

"Why are you blushing Renji?" The noble asked in a playful voice. "It is not as if I have never seen you this way before."

Renji chuckled with embarrassment. "W-well, taking showers in a Heuco Mundo base is sorta different than this."

"Oh? How so?" The raven head began to heal the other.

"Well we aren't the only ones in there." Renji stated with certainty. "Here we are alone."

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" Byakuya said in a distant voice and continued to send healing reiatsu into the other.

Renji shook his head and felt a little guilty for making the noble think the wrong thing. "Not at all Taichou, it's just… I'm not used to… this yet…" The redhead loved the feel of the others hands on his bare skin.

Byakuya turned to look at the other. "Then allow me to make you used to it." He whispered in the redhead's ear. He captured the others mouth kissing and nipping at his lips.

Renji sank his fingers into the raven black hair of his lover bringing him closer so Byakuya was nearly on top of him. He slid his tongue along the noble's lower lip seeking entrance. The noble entertwined his own tongue with Renji's fighting for dominance. He remembered the redhead's injured limb and pulled away. "What about your injury?" he asked.

"I don't care about it right now…" Renji replied and sank deeper into the noble's mouth. They moaned into each other's mouths not wanting to lose contact. They didn't even hear Yoruichi come back into the room until she cleared her throat.

The two men pulled away from each other. "Senpai, have you ever heard of knocking?" Byakuya asked in a low icy tone.

She smirked. "I did knock actually. I was going to show you to your own room but I see you would like to be together." She giggled softly.

Byakuya glared at her while Renji's face was the same shade as his hair. "Would you please leave?" Byakuya said in a threatening tone.

Yoruichi laughed at his threatening tone. Byakuya put a hand on the hilt of Senbonzakura. He was ready to send it into shikai at any moment. Seeing this Yoruichi nodded and walked to the door still snickering. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do little Byakuya."She teased then walked out the door.

Byakuya sighed and turned back to the flushed redhead. "Come, we should shower, then get some rest." He advised.

"Hai." Renji started to get up but was pulled into Byakuya's arms instead.

"You are not to walk on that injured leg." He ordered.

Renji smiled. "Yes, sir!"

"You may call me Byakuya when we are alone." The noble added.

"Hai, Byakuya." Renji's smile widened. Byakuya returned his smile and carried the redhead into the bathroom.