The next morning dawned foggy and damp, but by the time Renji had finished cursing his bruised and busted ribs, the sun was making a determined attempt to shine through. It still hurt to raise his arms, but he wasn’t about to let another hair-tie beat him, and managed both that and the black bandana before joining Orihime in the kitchen.

He looked from the coffee pot that was making hot water to the rice cooker, to her, where she leaned against the counter, already dressed in the yellow and pink skirt and a peach blouse.

Which nearly matched the shade of blush on her cheeks, he noticed. He looked closer at her as she pushed a coffee mug to him on the counter. “Are you feeling all right, Orihime? Your cheeks are ...rosy.”

She put both hands to her face, her eyes widening at him. “I’m not sick, Renji. I’m fine.” She turned to the refrigerator, opening the door and looking in. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” He frowned at her, and then looked to Ishida as the Quincy appeared in the kitchen doorway. The color came up quickly in his face, and Renji glanced back to Orihime, raising an eyebrow.

“Good morning, Orihime,” Ishida said, a grin surfacing as she looked to him.

“Oh, good morning, Uryû. Did you sleep well?”

“Oh, yes, very.”

They both looked to Renji as he paused at the counter, one hand on the carafe of hot water, the other on the coffee mug. He watched the look pass between them, a mixture of bashfulness and secretive commonality, and decided something had transpired. He looked back to the coffee pot, grinning. “How’d the movie end?”

“What?” they both asked.

Renji poured hot water into the coffee cup and dropped a teabag into it, enjoying their momentary discomfort. “Who won, in the movie?”

“Oh, the North,” Ishida said, his attention on Orihime, who was still paused at the refrigerator.

“It wasn’t much of a war movie,” Renji said, looking to each of them.

“Oh, no. Not really.” Orihime forced a smile, looking out the kitchen window where the sky was visible between the basil plants. “Maybe it will be sunny today.”

“Maybe.” Renji sighed, grunting at the movement, one hand at his side. “I’m going outside to look around,” he said as a silence developed in the room.

“Okay. The rice will be done soon,” Orihime said cheerfully.

He nodded and went out the back door. In the east the sun was burning off the fog at a steady pace, vying with the moisture ridden atmosphere for airspace. He could hear Milk Dud whining at the neighbor’s house, scratching at the back door to be let out.

Renji went into the garage and slipped the ring onto his right hand, and then made his usual rounds of the yard. He alighted to the house’s roof, his breathing freer in shinigami form, the tenderness at his shoulder absent. In the next yard over, the elderly woman was opening the back door for Milk Dud, who made a beeline for the laundry pole and lifted a leg. At Raider’s house was a patrol car, this one a tan and brown sheriff’s deputy squad car. No officers were in sight. He wondered how many more were going to parade through the house before the authorities decided they had enough information on Raider.

Renji’s communicator beeped and he reached for it in his robes. He looked to Hitsugaya’s code on the screen before answering it.

“Yes, Captain.”

“How’s everything going there, Vice-Captain?” Hitsugaya asked, his tone its usual crispness.

“Fine. We had an incident last week, but it’s all under control.”

“Oh? How is Orihime?”

Renji made a sour face. “She’s fine, Captain.”

“Well, you can put it in a report. You’re to leave for Japan tonight.”

Renji stood stock still on the house’s rooftop, staring into Raider’s backyard without seeing it. “Tonight?”

“Yes. Your assignment is over. Escort Orihime home to Karakura Town, and then report back to Soul Society. Is Ishida still with you?”

“Yes, Captain.” Renji frowned, concentrating on the call. “Is everyone being recalled?”

“Yes. Everyone. Your flight is for ten-fifty tonight, out of Detroit Metro. There’s a ticket for Ishida, too.”

“We’ll be on it.”

They spoke for a few more moments, and then Renji pocketed the communicator, looking at the sheriff’s car in the next yard. It was over.

Five minutes later, stillness had engulfed the kitchen after Renji told Orihime the news. She sat at the table with Ishida, a blank look on her face as she stared at him, a pout pulling at her lips. Then she glanced to Renji standing at the sink, the mug of tea in his hand.

“But I can still go to school today, can’t I?”

Renji shrugged carefully. “Do you want to?”

She looked back to Ishida. “I want to say goodbye to my friends. Can I?”

Renji nodded, seeing Ishida’s expression turn crestfallen. “Sure. We don’t leave until tonight.”

Orihime spent the day repeating her newly fabricated story of having to leave early in order to catch the end of the next break in her school year in Osaka, Japan, before the hiatus was over. A few of her teachers were confused, a few nodding suspiciously but saying nothing of it, a few looking at the note she’d brought from Renji, bearing signatures from Matsumoto posing as Mrs. Smith and Yamahita Maasa, coordinator of the United Youth Exchange Program from Japan. It was enough to confuse or persuade both the teachers and the office personnel.

“But I was going to ask you out to the dance next week,” Scott said, hovering over her as she cleaned out her locker at the end of the school day. He frowned at her. “You didn’t even give me a chance.”

Orihime looked up at him, blinking. “Oh, well, that was nice of you to think of me.”

Leah stood nearby, clutching her book bag, giving him a dirty look. “She’s got a boyfriend, Scott. You’re out of your league, anyway.”

“You do?” Scott asked Orihime.

“Oh, well...” she looked to Leah, blushing, holding her books closer to her chest. “I won’t be here next week. It was nice to meet you, Scott.”

“Yeah. See you, Inoue.”

Orihime and Leah waded through the mass of students to the sidewalk outside, collecting Meg and Danielle as they went.

“I thought you’d be here the rest of the school year,” Danielle bemoaned as they passed through the entrance doors. “Maybe part of the summer.”

“Yeah,” Meg said, crowding closer to the Japanese girl. “It’s so sudden.”

Orihime nodded as they followed the sidewalk to the street, stepping over the puddles of water that had formed in the low spots. “Japanese schools have a different year. All year. I don’t want to fall behind.”

Meg looked hurt. “I’m not ready for you to go yet, Inoue. I thought you could show us how to make egg rolls.”

Orihime giggled as Danielle gave Meg a friendly shove. “Those are Chinese, you dolt.”

“Oh.”

Leah looked on as Meg and Danielle gave Orihime a bone-crunching hug when they paused on the sunny sidewalk amid the student traffic near the street.

“You promise to email me?” Meg asked.

Orihime nodded.

Danielle asked glanced from her to where Renji and Ishida were waiting across the street by the usual tree and back again. “You have my address?”

“Uh-huh.” Orihime sighed as she looked from Danielle to Meg. “Well, goodbye. Have a good year!”

Orihime and Leah parted Meg and Danielle’s company as the latter two girls headed to the street leading to the junior high school beyond the buses. Orihime tried not to sulk.

“I didn’t think it would be so soon,” Leah said for the fourth time that day, watching the Japanese girl. “I didn’t realize it would just pop up like this. Is it safe for you to go home?”

Orihime nodded as they crossed the street. “Renji got the call this morning.”

Leah looked to Renji and Ishida as they waited. “Uryû is going home with you?”

“Yes.” Orihime smiled, a slight pink hinting her cheeks as she looked to Ishida’s anxious stance as she approached. “Soul Society is even paying for his airfare.”

“Soul...Society?” Leah repeated, slowing as they crossed to the opposite side of the street.

Orihime looked to her. “Renji said he told you about it.”

“Oh, uh, he didn’t mention that part.” She returned Renji’s attention as they neared. “Is that where he’s from?”

“Uh-huh.” Orihime’s smile broadened as she met Ishida. “Hi.”

He grinned at her. “How was school?”

She nodded, then looked to Leah. “Do you work today?”

Leah nodded and fell into step beside her as they moved down the crowded sidewalk.

“Did you say your goodbyes?” Renji asked Orihime.

“Yup.” She hitched her book bag over her shoulder higher.

Leah saw Ishida’s hand brushed against Orihime’s at his side, and looked to the girl’s sheepish smile. She glanced back at Renji behind them, her eyes going from his to his shoulder. “Is she going to be all right now?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

She looked to Orihime and Ishida and dropped back a step to Renji. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, looking to the tie-dye shirt she carried. “You work at the restaurant this afternoon?”

She nodded, watching Orihime and Ishida walking only inches apart in front of them. “You shouldn’t fly with broken ribs, Renji.”

He shrugged slowly. “Time’s come to leave.” They reached the end of the sidewalk where it turned into town. The crossing-guard held the stop sign up to them, waiting for the Brooklyn-Pierport Street traffic to halt as the light changed to red.

Orihime turned back to Leah, a small smile on her face. “I’m glad I met you,” she said, then brightened. “You can have the basil plants. Renji said I can’t take them with us, but I don’t want them to die off. I’ll leave them on the back porch, okay?”

“Sure.” Leah smiled back at her, then pulled her close and hugged her tight. “Be careful, Inoue. Write to me, if you can.”

Orihime nodded, then separated from the taller American girl. “I will.”

Leah looked to Ishida. “It was nice to meet you, Uryû.”

He bowed slightly. “You, too, Leah.”

The crossing-guard waved to the huddle of students that had gathered at the sidewalk corner. “Okay, you can cross now!”

Renji watched Leah pull at the book bag strap at her shoulder. “Bye.”

She nodded, taking a step backward down the sidewalk behind her, pushing a strand of dark hair out of her face. “Bye, Renji.” She half smiled, tossing a wave as Orihime raised a hand to her.

Renji, Orihime, and Ishida crossed the street with the rest of the students, and then crossed the side street to intercept the sidewalk opposite. Some of the students meandered to the side street walks, others jogging to catch up with friends ahead on the sidewalk. Renji saw Ishida reach for Orihime’s hand as they moved along the walk. The Quincy certainly made good use of his time, he thought, watching her smile.

He turned and glanced back to Leah across the street, seeing her move down the opposite way, her hair loose trailing along her back, the blue hair-tie in one hand. Her steps slowed, and she turned to look his way. He returned her brief wave, and then followed after Orihime and Ishida.

Within an hour Renji had packed his belongings back into the suitcase in the bedroom. Orihime had emptied the newly dried laundry from the machines in the basement, meticulously folding his clothes as always, despite his insisting that she just leave them in the basket for him.

He rolled his shirts and stuck them in the bag, the usual embarrassment washing over him when he thought of her handling his clothes, but she was adamant about the laundry duty. He stuffed the rest of his clothes in the bag, wrestling with the heavy duty zipper until it was sufficiently closed. He went down the hall to where Orihime was in the rose-colored room still packing. She stood at the bedside, pausing as she looked around the room.

“Got everything?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe with his good shoulder.

She nodded, sighing. “I thought we’d have more notice.”

“Yeah, well, Captain Hitsugaya said everyone is going home now.” He watched her zip the suitcase shut. “You do want to go home, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

“Tatsuki is going home.”

She nodded. “I kind of got used to it here,” she said in a low tone. “Thanks for taking care of me, Renji.”

He sighed, resisting a shrug. “I’m sorry that Karl guy got so close.”

“Thanks.”

He was tempted to say something about her other friends from Karakura Town missing her, but figured it might undermine Ishida’s progress as of late. “Well, make sure you’ve got everything. We’re leaving in two hours.”

She nodded, smiling at him. “I’ll be ready.”

He nodded and went outside to see to the truck’s damaged door. It took half an hour to make the hinges functional enough to use and twenty minutes to get the door to stay closed -- when locked from the inside -- and he decided a door that wouldn’t open was better than a door that wouldn’t stay shut.

He sorted through the thoughts running around in his mind as he walked to the front of the truck to look at the headlights. Something felt amiss, as it had all day, but seemed to be magnified now. He wasn’t sure if it was the abrupt recall to take Orihime home, or the dread of driving for two hours to the airport. Or something else. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Something incomplete.

He looked at the passenger side headlight, seeing its cockeyed tilt that would put the beam center of the truck instead of straight. Well, he could live with that. It would be nearly dark when they left, and completely night by the time they got to Detroit. He sighed, muttering a curse at the stifling pressure at his side and chest. The cross-eyed headlight wasn’t enough to fix.

Ishida came out the back door of the house as Renji stood at the passenger side front wheel well, estimating the dent that folded the metal into the tire.

Ishida put two bags in the truck bed. “She’s almost done. She wants to know what you’d like for supper.”

Renji shook his head. “Whatever she feels like fixing. Anything will do.”

Ishida looked around the yard. “We just leave? Don’t you have to notify someone?”

Renji walked around the truck to see the dent in the driver’s side bed from fishtailing into the small tree that rainy night as they’d followed the Mercedes. “No. The house is leased for six months. The rent will run out; it won’t matter after that.” He decided the slight bend in the bed between the wheel well and door was insignificant. “We just put the garbage out. That’s it.” He went back to the passenger side front tire.

Ishida joined him there, frowning at the dent. “Should we pull that out more?”

“I don’t think so. If it rubs, we’ll stop somewhere and deal with it then.”

Ishida nodded. “Why are you being called back so suddenly?”

Renji almost shrugged, but thought better of it. “It’s time to go back. We didn’t know how long we were going to be here. Captain Hitsugaya didn’t give too many details this morning.”

The back door opened and Orihime poked her head out, looking to them. “We could use up the rest of the hot dogs,” she called to them.

“That’s fine,” Renji told her, seeing her flash Ishida a smile before ducking back into the house. He put one hand to the truck fender, drumming his fingers on the blue metal as he looked at the dent. “I’m going to look over the area before we go.”

“Oh?” Ishida grinned, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Some area in town?”

Renji scowled at him. “I’ll be back in five minutes. Don’t let Orihime out of your sight.”

Ishida shook his head and rounded the front of the truck as he headed to the house. “I don’t plan to.”

Renji entered the alley behind the restaurant as early dusk settled over the town. He saw Leah sitting on the back staircase entrance to the banquet room on the second floor. She looked his way as he approached down the alley, standing when he stopped a few yards away.

He wished he hadn’t made the trip. It was foolish to think a goodbye was necessary. Orihime had said her farewell, and that was it, he knew, but he thought a thanks was in order. She had helped, he thought, justifying his presence.

She tilted her head at him, frowning a little. “You know I can see you, right?”

He nodded, grinning. “Yeah, I know it.” He glanced to the screen door of the restaurant where the upbeat tune We Got the Funk was jolting out. “On break?”

She nodded. “We’re busy tonight. They’ve got a booking for the banquet room.” She looked up at the staircase, and then down the alley behind him. “Is Inoue with you?”

“No. She’s finishing up the packing up with Ishida.” He stuck his hands deeper in his jean pockets. “I just wanted to say thanks for helping her. Us. I appreciate it.”

“Oh, hey, no problem.” She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “She’s nice. I hope she’ll be okay.”

He nodded, closing the short distance between them, looking at the restaurant door again when a male voice from inside called out, “Leah?”

“I’m on break, Ray,” she called back.

Ray’s bulky form appeared in the doorway, filling it, looking from her to Renji, and then he disappeared farther into the building.

“Head chef,” she explained to Renji.

He nodded. “Are you late?”

“No. He’s just needy. They still haven’t gotten a replacement dishwasher.”

He watched her for a moment, attention falling to where her fingers played with the fringe at the bottom of her tie-dye shirt, unsure why seeing her was becoming so awkward. He looked back to her eyes. “You smell like pineapple.”

She smiled. “I’ve been coring them for an hour. Fruit salad.”

He nodded. “Well,” he said, sighing, resisting a grimace at the movement, “we’re leaving. Thanks for everything.”

She nodded, looking inquiringly to him. “Will you come back? I mean,” she added hastily, blushing faintly, “will she have to hide out again?”

“I don’t know. Not here.”

He stepped closer and leaned down, kissing her lips lightly. She responded belatedly, hesitantly. He kissed her more fully, slipping his arms around her waist, feeling the fingers on one hand clutch the front of his t-shirt, the other hand slowly sliding around his waist -- the uninjured side. She smelled of pineapple and some other deft fragrance he couldn’t identify.

He watched her eyes rise to his, appearing no distinct color in the darkening alley.

“I wish you’d done that a few weeks ago,” she said quietly, her hand on his shirt carefully avoiding his bandaged ribs.

“I should have. Take care of yourself, Leah,” he said, but didn’t move away. He looked to her hair now in a ponytail, tempted to pull it free, just for a few moments.

She nodded, her fingertips pressing into his shoulder blade. “You, too. And her.”

He nodded and released her. “Goodbye.”

Her arms dropped as he stepped away, her fingers nervously moving to the front pockets of her pants as she smiled at his grin. “Goodbye.”

By the time Renji, Orihime, and Ishida left Brooklyn it was dark too early, the air warm and muggy, skies heavily clouded, threatening to rain more than the mist that was now descending. Renji had had enough of rain, and he didn’t want any more. So far, according to the newspapers and radio, no one had found the body in the muddy field, and it looked like they were going to escape Brooklyn before it was noticed. He liked the idea of that.

Orihime gave the green and purple basil plants on the back porch a final glance, sighing. Beside her Ishida had rolled the window down halfway, as far as it would go with the damaged door without making resistant noises. Renji backed the truck out onto Brooklyn-Pierport Street, and they headed into town.

The traffic was sparse for a Monday, most of it moving westbound from the hub of Ann Arbor and Detroit into the outlying rural areas. The truck turned onto the eastbound road that would evolve into the main highway at the outskirts of town. They passed the few businesses, the lights over the Manic Groove’s sign showcasing the restaurant’s blue and yellow lettering.

“I hope Leah remembers the basil plants,” Orihime said.

Ishida nodded. “She will.”

She looked behind them at the town’s main intersection as the traffic lights changed. “Goodbye, Brooklyn.”

Renji glanced in the rearview mirror, past Orihime’s head as she turned back around, limiting part of his view into the truck bed, seeing their belongings nestled close to the cab. He hoped it wouldn’t rain. It didn’t matter too much if the bags got wet, but he didn’t want any problems with the airport about wet luggage. Airport personnel found alarm with the oddest issues, and he wanted no problems. He saw the katana case, more of a bag than anything, slotted between the back wheel well hump and his bags. He was to leave it in the truck at the airport parking lot. No arrangements had been made in advance for it on the return flight to Japan, and Hitsugaya had made it clear it could remain with the abandoned truck.

Orihime looked to him in the darkened cab. “Did you remember your tablets?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Orihime said, sighing. “It’ll be nice to see Tatsuki again.”

Renji glanced to where Ishida sat at the passenger door. The Quincy’s face appeared a little troubled in the dim light of the cab. “We’ve got a two hour drive. You two sure you got everything from the house?”

“Uh-huh,” Orihime said.

They left town and traveled down the nearly vacant highway that was surrounded by cropland and copses of trees that clumped, dividing fields, most running along side roads of dirt or gravel. It grew quiet in the cab, and Renji switched on the radio to the local county station. The weather forecast came over the speakers.

The interior was highlighted by headlights from the car behind them. Ishida glanced back at it after a few moments, frowning. “I think they’ve got their high beam lights on.”

Renji looked to the rearview mirror, and then to the sides of the highway that had become short patches of woods lining darkened fields. “It looks like it could rain.”

Ishida pointed to a side road that veered off from the highway. “That’s the road we followed the Mercedes man down.” He cocked his head to see it as they passed, uncertain. “I think.”

Orihime settled back into the seat at the mention, sighing shakily.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories,” he told her gently, turning to her. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She smiled back at him, then looked to her left wrist where the two bracelets were. “Renji, when can I take the bangle off?”

His eyes were on the rearview mirror, frowning at the car behind them as the bright headlights lit the cab sporadically as they rode over dips in the road. “When we get to the airport. It has to come off and be dismantled before we go through the metal detector.”

She turned the metal on her wrist, her fingers pausing on the blue beaded bracelet Ishida had given her. “Should we do that now?”

“Nope. Not until we get to the airport.” Renji glared at the mirror, one hand on the key of the chain at his neck. “I don’t know if this guy’s rude or ignorant.” Suddenly a second spotlight shone into the truck, joined by a flashing red light from the car behind. “Shit, it’s a cop.” He gripped the steering wheel, looking to the shoulder of the road.

“You’re supposed to pull over,” Ishida said, watching the side of the road that was absent of mailboxes beside a field.

“I know; I am.” Renji slowed the truck and maneuvered it onto a secondary dirt road that was lined with trees. The police car behind them followed, stopping when they did.

“Do you have all your paperwork?” Ishida asked.

“Yes.” Renji looked at the side view mirror as the door opened in the car behind them. “Dammit. What could be wrong? I wasn’t speeding.”

Orihime turned to look behind them, the spotlight hitting her square in the face, the red light washing over her features. She sat forward again. “I wonder what kind of policeman it is. Maybe he’s from Raider’s house. Maybe he has questions for us.”

“We don’t know anything about Raider,” Renji muttered, hands on the steering wheel, eyes narrowing at the rearview mirror. “We can’t help.”

He rolled down the window as a figure came toward the door. A flashlight shone into the cab. The beam caught him in the face, then moved to Ishida and then to Orihime.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” a male tone said, the officer’s face blocked by the light, revealing little more than a vague silhouette of uniform. “Evening, miss. Driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance, please.”

“Okay.” Renji sighed. He reached into his back jeans pocket for his wallet, seeing the officer’s hand rest at his side at the belt, the light focused into the cab, briefly pausing on Renji’s bandaged arm. He flipped open his wallet and pulled out the proofs.

The light went to Orihime. “How old are you, miss?”

“Fifteen,” she stammered, looking back at the blinding light.

The officer trained the light back on Renji as he handed over the papers. “Are you with these gentlemen because you choose to be, miss?”

“Oh, yes,” she said.

“I’m her legal guardian,” Renji added, frowning at the officer.

He shone the flashlight on the papers, then back to Renji. “Do you have paperwork proving guardianship?”

“Yes.”

“Where are we going this evening?”

“The airport.” Renji’s hands tightened on the steering wheel again, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t have to produce the documents Hitsugaya had provided for guardianship.

“So, Mr. Smith,” the officer said slowly, the light going back to Orihime, “you’re taking a minor to the airport.”

“Yes.”

“What’s your name, miss?”

“Inoue Moriyama,” Orihime said, her voice faltering. She felt Ishida’s hand close over hers on the seat.

The light went back to Renji. “Shut off the engine and step out of the vehicle, Mr. Smith.”

Renji groaned, but turned off the ignition and opened the door as the officer stepped back. He got out, looking to the man, and finally got a slightly better look at him in the moonlight. The flashlight angled back into the truck as Renji stood at the bed. The officer’s hand rested at his side, but it wasn’t on a gun holster as he had assumed.

“Miss, step out here, please,” the officer said.

Renji frowned, considering the angle of the officer’s right hand. “Stay in there, Orihime,” he said in Japanese, trying to see the man better in the dim light of the moon.

There was a quick flick of movement from the man, and Renji felt the blade of a sword at his neck, etching into his skin as the metal caught the moonlight.

“I was told no guns,” the officer said, his tone losing its professional qualities. “Which is just fine with me. Out of the truck, Orihime Inoue!”

“Stay in there!” Renji reached into the truck bed and grabbed the katana, shucking off the case as the sword at his neck bit deeper. “Ishida, get her out of here!”

The officer put one hand to the door, but didn’t have time to open it. Renji’s katana knocked the man’s sword from his neck, and then beat him back a few steps as Ishida pulled Orihime across him and slid behind the steering wheel. The tuck started, then lurched into reverse, stopping when it hit the squad car, eclipsing the headlights with the bumper.

Renji beat the man back farther into the dirt road, his shoulder rebelling at every movement. The headlights of the truck illuminated the officer, and he realized it was the man who’d drove the unmarked police car from Raider’s house the last few days. He was leaner now, minus the bulky bulletproof vest, his movements practiced and calculated as he met every slash of the katana.

“You can walk away from this, Abarai,” he said, the sword lowered at his side, stepping across the road.

Behind him, Ishida accidentally found park with the gear shifter. He restarted the already running engine, making the starter squeal in protest. The engine revved higher in park.

“Hand over the girl,” the officer said, moving to the middle of the road where more moonlight fell through the trees. “That’s all I want.”

“Not going to happen,” Renji told him, clenching his teeth against the throbbing pain at his side. “Swords are fine with me, too.”

The man launched into an attack that sent Renji into a defensive mode, backing to the trees lining the dirt road. He dodged an exceptionally swift swipe, hearing it slice two small young trees in half. He lifted the katana in time to partially block a blow that half landed on the gunshot wound at his shoulder. Renji grit his teeth and brought the katana across the man’s chest, catching the gray-blue uniform shirt, leaving a diagonal cut from pocket to abdomen.

The man winced at the cut, backing up a step, one hand going to his chest. With renewed vigor he loosed a series of slashes at Renji, one landing obliquely flat on his injured ribs, bringing a muted gasp from the shinigami. He caught the officer’s sword midair at the next attack, then leaned into the stalemate, and threw him back, taking the fleeting second of lowered guard to thrust the blade into the uniformed waist.

The mock officer coughed, posture hunching forward, his sword hand dropping, the other hand fumbling on the blade embedded below his ribs. He sank to his knees in the dirt road as Ishida managed forward with the truck and the headlights passed over him.

Renji jerked the sword blade out of the dying man, watching him fall to his side in the dirt and mud. In the headlights he could see the dull metal band on the man’s wrist and what looked to be more of a security guard’s uniform than a legitimate policeman. Renji put one hand to his ribs, thankful the adrenalin had muted the pain ebbing through the broken bones. He looked to the truck as it jerked into park suddenly and the driver’s door opened. Ishida stepped in front of the headlights.

“Is he dead?” the Quincy asked, waving a hand behind him as Orihime stepped out.

“Yeah.” Renji used the tip of the blade to move the man’s head, watching his last breath bring a moan from him. He glanced to Ishida. “You don’t know how to drive, do you?”

Ishida’s tone held a frown. “I’ve never learned.”

Orihime joined them, stopping at Ishida’s side, her eyes going from the dead man to Renji. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, straightening, breathing carefully at his newly damaged injuries while trying to catch his breath. “Let’s go.”

They took a few moments to shut off the lights on the unmarked police car, which was devoid of siren and most of the equipment found in a genuine squad car, and turned off the ignition. Renji and Ishida both looked at the taser and roll of furnace tape in the passenger side of the car. Ishida ushered Orihime back to the truck as she tried to look into the squad car. Renji slammed the door shut.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said, nodding to Ishida as he and Orihime got into the truck’s cab. He took a moment to lean against the truck’s bent tailgate and lifted his t-shirt to look at the new swelling on his ribs in the moonlight, scowling at the timid trickle of blood that had surfaced. He fit the bandage over it better, thoughts of Leah, some of which weren’t equated with medical attention -- an odd moment to recall her fingers soft on his side, tender movements across his flesh as she patched his broken skin -- surfacing in his mind. He regretted not pulling that blue hair-tie out of her ponytail, even for just a brief moment. He sighed, and rewrapped the bandage at his arm more securely where it was starting to darken from being reopened, and joined Orihime and Ishida in the truck cab.

“He was one of them?” she asked, looking anxiously to his arm.

“Yeah.” He looked in the rearview mirror at the nick at his neck which had resulted in barely a mark of red.

“Do you want me to drive?” Ishida asked.

“No.”

Renji took a moment to turn the truck around, holding his breath as he pulled at the steering wheel. The truck paused at the end of the dirt road, the dark car and body out of sight behind it near the edge of the road. There was no traffic, and Renji turned onto the highway, heading eastbound.

Orihime looked out the window at the road leading to town, watching the long strip of highway fall away. She turned and sat facing forward again, sighing and leaning against Ishida’s arm as his hand took hers.

He looked at Renji intent on the road before them, and then down at her. “Now we can go home.”

Renji glanced at both of them, and then back to the highway, trying to ignore the fresh pain at his side and arm. He was more than ready to go home. He’d had enough of being human.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read this story! Thank you to all reviewers, too, especially Rachillion, Mitsukistar, RemyO, TiffaValentine99, Brighit de Romanus, Presca, FrozenWhiteWings, x pink cloud x, Vi, 2stupid, L0stL0ve, Sin Piedad, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, Black and Red Queen, Thunderstorm 101, Sailor Cherry Cream, purpleshinigami, war90, DRAGONLILIES, Samebito Ryu, darthgamer, PachuaSunrise, bloodyrose1294, Vi-Violence, Lauren, jaguar003, NeeChan, WatermelonPrincess, Slayspawn, Autemu'sLotus, ColdPersianFusion, MsMandi, Jinn Nozomi, Chancel, Sam Junno, and Banshee-san!