Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the related titles.

A/N: Hello there everyone! If any of you follow any of my other stories, you've already heard the explanation of my long disappearance, therefore I'm not going to write it out again. I've been incredibly busy with everything ever, and could not find the time to write my fics. However, I am on vacation right now, and I'm determined to update as often as possible. (Something's got to keep me sane, right?) Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. And I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Chapter 16: Instructions

Ichigo had not been instructed to return with them, though he showed no intention to stay behind, especially if it meant Rukia was going somewhere alone with Renji. He wasn't about to let something like that happen right before his eyes. Rukia, however, seemed rather reluctant to return to her brother, especially under such conditions. Her mind reeled with the different possibilities when it came to a fallen officer. It could have been anyone. It was strange Renji had no more information to offer them. It made the trip back a long and awkward silent one.

Their feet hit the cold stone of the palace walls, echoing down the hall. Renji led the way to Byakuya's office, with Rukia close behind. Ichigo didn't appear to be nearly as in a hurry as the rest were to get there. In fact, he would wait outside when they did get there, he was sure, due to Byakuya's intense dislike of him.

"Are you coming with me?" Rukia asked Renji as he reached for the door handle. He stopped suddenly, hand in mid-air as he eyed her curiously.

"I'm assuming I'm supposed to come in with you," he said. "I was asked to deliver you."

"Well, I'm here," she said defiantly. "Surely I don't need you to show me inside."

Renji didn't know how to respond. As expected, Ichigo wasn't invited inside, so, leaning against the nearby wall, he crossed his arms casually. Despite Rukia's off comments, he followed her inside, closing the door tightly behind him.

Rukia glanced around the room, searching for a sign of her brother. For a few minutes, she thought he'd stepped out for a moment. He said nothing, although two people had just entered his office, nor were there any signs of movement.

"Captain?" Renji ventured, stepping ahead of her, his hand reaching for his zanpaku-to, just in case. Rukia's eyes narrowed curiously as she strained her ears for the slightest hint of a noise.

Without warning, Byakuya appeared from behind a nearby drape. He did not notice his sister at first, his eyes, instead, locking onto his Vice-Captain. They did not appear angry, though his voice suggested otherwise.

"You're late," he said matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry, sir," Renji replied calmly, not sounding at all sorry. "There was a situation that needed dealing with, we couldn't get back as -"

"Yes, the Hollows, I know," Byakuya turned his attention suddenly to the girl beside him, his expression unchanging though just as harsh. "I suppose you played hero, and gloated for a while before making your return."

He was, of course, referring to Renji, although he was now looking at Rukia. Renji did not respond, nor did Rukia show any signs of having anything to say in his defense. He had certainly attempted to play hero, though the gloating part did not come as it usually did.

"You've destroyed them, I'm assuming," he continued. "Seeing as you are both here, alive."

"Yes, sir…" Renji told him.

"Good," Byakuya nodded shortly, turning away from them. He stood by the window, looking down onto the town below them, his eyes focused on nothing in particular. It was clear something was bothering him, and it wasn't until then Rukia remembered why she'd been brought there in the first place.

"Renji has informed me there has been a death among the ranks," she said professionally. It wasn't at all strange for her to address her brother in such a manner, although they were family. He was her superior. Family came second to that fact. If not third, or fourth, among other ranks.

Byakuya did not turn back to look at her. He didn't even seem to recognize the fact that she had spoken. Renji glanced at her nervously, starting to second-guess himself. Perhaps he'd heard the news wrong, and informed her incorrectly of what had happened. He tried very hard to replay the scene in his mind, though he seemed convinced that was what his Captain had said.

"It was a lesser officer," he said finally, his voice still hard and monotone. He showed no remorse for the loss of a comrade, nor concern for the others who would surely follow if they didn't act soon. Rukia knew it had something to do with the Hollows. She was sure of it. "Nothing we need to dwell on. There are more important things…"

"Did they say how he died?" Rukia asked, thoroughly interested in the circumstances. She wanted to know who it was, if possible, but she knew her brother would not bestow her with that information. It was possible he didn't even know.

"A Hollow, of course," Byakuya said, finally turning toward them. He raised an eyebrow as if to question if Rukia assumed it had been anything else. "I thought you would have already assumed that. Why else would I have brought you here?"

"Do you think it's the Hollows who have been following me?" she asked, taking a step toward him.

He nodded a little, though it was evident he was only doing so quite reluctantly. He had toyed with the idea for quite a while, playing with each of the possibilities, coming to only one solution that made any sense at all. She was relieved he finally seemed to believe her.

"Then you think they're somehow coming after us!" she stepped eve closer, sounding rather excited and keen to hear what he'd found out. Something must have convinced him. "You think it's someone who knows us?"

Byakuya didn't respond. He stared at the wall behind her, appearing to be thinking rather hard. Renji cleared his throat, daring to step forward, making himself equal with Rukia.

"Captain," he said. "Who would possibly be after the two of you? I mean, you're not particularly unpopular…"

"Power, Renji…" Byakuya answered shortly. "A lot of people will do dangerous things in order to obtain the kind of power we have over this Society. "By going after the weaker of the two of us, they feel like they'll be able to get to weaken me by devastation." He avoided looking at Rukia. "I've considered executing my own sister before. If they're looking to hurt me by taking her, they're bound to be terribly disappointed."

His comment should have hurt more than it did, but Rukia understood where he was coming from. It wasn't like they had a normal relationship. In fact, if it weren't for her sister, she wouldn't even have him to look after her. It wasn't her he really loved, it was her sister. She knew that all along.

"No offense meant, Rukia…" he said, finally looking at her. "I'm just saying, being in this profession, you've got to be impervious to such things."

"I understand…" she said, nodding shortly, although she knew that if anything were to happen to him, she would be quite distraught personally.

"What is it you want us to do, sir?" Renji asked, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible, feeling the room grow tense.

"I want you to stay here," he ordered, his eyes focused on his sister. "I don't want you going back and forth to the human world. By keeping you here, you'll be protected at all times. Out there you have no one but Kurosaki to help you, and we all know how reliant he is."

Rukia opened her mouth to retort in Ichigo's defense, but closed it quickly, realizing it would be a poor choice to do so. Renji showed no signs of guilt, knowing that the boy in question was standing just outside the door. Rukia didn't dare mention it either.

But Buyakuya already knew.

"I know you've brought him back with you," he said. "But he needs to understand he's not to go back to the human world either. You are weaker than me, and therefore they're going to continue targeting you, and if that means going after him, then they're going to go after him without second thought. The boy isn't stupid, but he's reckless, and is bound to make a poor choice and wind up killed if he's not careful. You're to keep an eye on him while he's here. I'm leaving him under your guard."

Rukia couldn't believe what she was hearing. He wanted her to be with him, to work alongside him, for once. She couldn't help secretly hoping Byakuya would let him stay in her room, even, though she thought it'd be best not to ask. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Who do you think's behind this?" she asked, realizing he hadn't quite answered that question yet.

It seemed as though it was going to remain unanswered as he shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "I've got several theories, but I don't know who it is for sure. I'm determined to find out, but that's going to be my job and not yours, do you hear me?"

His eyes flashed dangerously, suddenly catching hers. She didn't dare argue, nodding quickly. Sighing, he turned away from them, turning his attention back to the action outside his window.

"Renji, guide her back to her room. Take Kurosaki to the guest rooms on the other side of the -" he instructed.

"But, if he's all the way in the guest rooms, how am I going to be able to keep an eye on him?" Rukia asked, much too quickly for both Renji and Byakuya's comfort.

Her brother turned slowly, eyeing her curiously. Rukia knew immediately she'd made a mistake. Just because Byakuya wanted Ichigo in the guest rooms, it didn't mean that he had to stay there. She could have worked her way around it, but now she'd just dug herself into a deep hole.

"Very well," he said slowly. "We'll set up a guest cot in your room. You have, after all, been sharing a room all this time, I suppose there's nothing we really need to be worried about. If something hasn't happened yet, it's not bound to."

Renji froze, stunned by what Byakuya had said, half tempted to blurt out the fact that something had already happened. He knew, however, that doing so would lead to destructive results, potentially including pain or dismemberment on his part, so he kept his mouth shut. Rukia was relieved her brother did not suspect her entirely, although his assumptions were partially very incorrect.

"You're dismissed," he said, waving his hand.

Renji guided Rukia back to the door, not looking back at his Captain. As they made their way back into the hallway, Ichigo looked up. He'd settled himself on the floor, fidgeting with his sleeve awkwardly.

"We're not leaving," Rukia told him. "You're staying with me until this whole thing passes over."

Before he could say anything in response, she turned down the hall and with Renji in the lead, they started toward Rukia's room. He didn't need to accompany them anymore, but he wanted to make sure they were actually going back as Byakuya had instructed, and would be making frequent visits to make sure they were still there. It was what he assumed his Captain had in store for him anyway.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked, hurrying to catch up to the others. "What did you talk about in there? I couldn't hear a thing…"

"Nothing," she said quickly, not looking back at him. "I'll explain everything later when we're alone. It's not safe to discuss it in the hallway." This was true. After the scenario her brother had introduced, she wanted everyone to be under the impression Ichigo wasn't involved in the Hollow investigation at all. It was one thing if they wanted to go after her, and a completely different thing if they were going to start going after him, just because of something she did.

"Did he know anything about the -" Ichigo continued.

"Hush!" she insisted, stopping suddenly in front of her door. She turned to Renji as if she just realized he'd been there with her the entire time. "You're free to go Renji. I'm not going to invite you in, so there's really no reason for you to be here." Renji opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off before he had the chance to utter a word. "Don't bother. I need some time to think, and I'd be thankful for you to grant me that. Good day."

She opened the door and allowed Ichigo to enter, not looking back at Renji before shutting the door tightly behind her. Before Ichigo could say anything, Rukia pressed her back against the door and spoke up, her voice more insistent than before.

"We need to talk…"

A/N: I'll be honest in saying a lot of you will enjoy where the next chapter goes. Hehe. It's been long awaited. So be patient and I'll have it up as soon as I possibly can. Thank you all for being so patient so far. I hope you'll continue to enjoy my story from here on in. You guys are amazing!