I'm so sorry that it has been so long. School had come to and end and I've been working like crazy to get everything finished. And on top of that I haven't been writing anything for my other story, Battle amidst the leaves, with Nejilovesyaoi (which is making her slightly mad at me). So I hope that this will make people happy.. Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach… I just come up with alternate stories for the awesome characters.

The Things They Never Knew:

How To Be In Love

He held her in his arms for a good while before letting her go. Though there was a part of him that that didn't want to let her go, but he couldn't explain it. He had never felt this way about anyone, whenever she was in arms reach he never wanted to let her leave. This was completely unlike him, he was tough and strong and, people were scared of him, but she didn't see him like that. She made him feel 'soft'.

Neither of them could say anything, Kenpachi was good at leaving people speechless and he had a nact for catching Retsu off guard. Even though he had let go of her waist she still semi-immobile and starting to turn scarlet. She managed to finish wrapping his wounds in record speed, but nether of them could think of anything to say to the other. Kenpachi couldn't tell if she was scared or confused, but he couldn't help but feel that he should apologies for kissing her out of the blue like he did.

"Retsu, uh, Unohana, I really should," he started but then the examining room door flung open and there was a very tired looking Isane panting in the door frame.

"Taichou, Fong-Taichou's units have just arrived several are severely wounded and Fong- Taichou is in critical condition," Isane said trying to catch her breath.

The scarlet color on Retsu's face quickly vanished and her serious face had once again appeared. "Isane, do what you can with the second division members that are not in direr need of attention and I will see to Soi Fong," she told her Fukutaichou. The turning to Kenpachi she said, "There is no need to apologies for what happened, just don't let your division get carried away."

Kenpachi just watched her leave the room, he couldn't think of anything to say. She had left him completely speechless. She was able to go from embarrassed to confident and in control in the blink of an eye. She truly mesmerized him, and he decided then that he needed to know more about her. He knew that this had to be the beginnings of love; he just hoped that he wasn't in it alone.

XXX

The second division was going to be down by a few members after their encounter with the hollows for the twelfth division, Retsu didn't doubt that for a second, but she also knew that she had to do everything in her power to make sure that they still had a Taichou at the end of the day. She had seen Soi Fong in better shape, but this hadn't been the worst. She had lost a lot of blood and her breathing was sporadic, however she was still alive. Once Retsu had gotten her into a stable condition she allowed the Second Division Fukutaichou to stay with her incase anything were to go wrong and Retsu excused herself from the room.

It seemed that the days passed more quickly in the recent weeks. Retsu found her mind floating from one thing to another and the other just happened to be Kenpachi. He had her perplexed. There was defiantly a side to him that no one, at least that she knew, had seen. She couldn't place just how he made her feel, whenever they were around each other it didn't feel like her smiles were forced. She was seeing hat he could be someone that she could care for outside of the hospital.

"You're thinking about him aren't you?" a voice asked from behind her making her jump. When she turned around she saw that Soi Fong had managed to relieve herself of her Fukutaichou.

"It is good to see that you are walking about, but I do not think that it is wise to startle the person that tended to you," Retsu replied with a sly smile.

"As true as that may be you were thinking about him," Soi Fong shot back. "I talked with Jushiro and Shunsui the other day before the captains meeting. I know."

The smile on Retsu's face began to fade and she turned her eyes away from the other woman. "Am I that obvious?"

"Only because they are your friends and can read you better than anyone. I wouldn't worry too much about anyone else," Soi Fong said as she leaned against the wall of the hospital looking out one of the windows. The sun was just beginning to set. "Does he know how you feel?"

Retsu was a bit shocked to hear her ask that question. She stumbled a bit before she had an answer. "I don't think he does. There is a part of me that wants to tell him, but there is the part of me that is scared of what he might think," she admitted.

Soi Fong and Retsu had never been close, but when you're the only two female Taichou's in the Gotei 13 you're bound to spend some time together. Soi Fong let out a sigh, she could tell that all of this was troubling Retsu. Neither of the women had ever really seen one of their male counter parts as more than that.

"I don't think you should be too worried about it. I do believe he was the one to make the first move so you can most likely assume that he has some sort to feelings for you," she told her, "although, it is hard to comprehend the idea of Kenpachi being a kind and caring person. Burt I guess some people will just surprise you," she added crossing her arms over her chest and looking over at Retsu who was now leaning against the opposing wall.

"That makes sense; I think I am just over thinking things." There was a slight pause before the smile returned to Retsu's face. "But I must say that you should still be resting. I don't think it would be wise if you were to open your wounds."

"Of course, because my Fukutaichou is completely useless and if I wound up bleeding every where all over again I think he might just pass out," Soi Fong responded as she turned to walk back to her room. The conversations that Soi Fong and Retsu had were few and far between but were usually good ones.

Retsu watched as Soi Fong went back into her room and then turned her attention to the setting sun and let her thoughts run away. There was just something so calming about watching the sun set over the Seireitei and for once she wasn't trying to stop her mind from thinking about Kenpachi and about their kiss.

XXX

Kenpachi took as long as possible to get back to his division. He was in no real rush being as there wasn't anything waiting for him back there besides Yachiru and knowing her she would be all wound up from him not being there. He loved her like every father should love their daughter, but there was only so much he could handle at one time. He knew she would need a mother or at least someone how could be a positive female figure in her life, but marriage was not something that he wanted to think about.

Once he managed to drag his feet back to the Eleventh Division barracks he was very happy to see that everything was still standing and his men were in good shape. Nothing was in shambles and he didn't have to kill anyone, yet. Making his was to his office he could start to hear the bickering of Yumichika and Ikkaku, he almost managed to turn around and leave, but his Fukutaichou had spotted him.

"Kenny!" she yelled as she landed on his shoulders, "What took you so long? Have you been hiding all this time?"

"No, I haven't been hiding. I've been bleeding," he told her as he marched forward into his office, dropping his daughter off at her desk.

"Kenny, I think that you had everyone attack you just so you could go see Braid-lady again."

"And what makes you think that?" he asked hoping she wouldn't have an answer.

"Because whenever you go to the Fourth Division you're there for a really long time," she answered with a smile as she sat on his desk. He was beginning to think that she was getting too smart for her own good.

"Is that so?"

"Yup! And I'll let you in on a little secret," Yachiru added moving closer, "I think she likes you too." And with that she hopped off his desk and skipped out the door to wreak havoc on the rest of the division.

I have got to stop leaving her here with the two of them. It seemed that the more Kenpachi thought about it the more he realized what he needed to do. He had to tell her, he had to bottle up his pride and tell her how he felt. He couldn't explain everything, but he knew if he didn't say something he would drive himself mad. The next problem was figuring out how and when. He didn't want to go to Shunsui that just wasn't worth it. Some how he would figure it out.

XXX

Either fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it, Kenpachi and Retsu saw very little of each other in the days that followed. It gave Kenpachi time to think of the best possible way to tell her, but at the same time it distracted him from everything else. The Eleventh division had been sent on a recon mission to monitor the activity of gangs in the Rukongai.

After the mission had been completed and he reported to the First Division it was time for another Captain's meeting. By the time that the mission was complete it had been a few weeks since he had last seen Retsu and even though he had spent all that time in the Rukongai he had no clue what he was going to say. I don't even know why I should go. I can always just say that something has come up and send Ikkaku. But no matter how much effort he put into a lie his feet still managed to drag him to the First Division barracks just like every other time. I have no clue what I should say, how I should start, or even if now is a good time. Maybe it will just be better if I don't say anything.

Unfortunately for Kenpachi, Shunsui and Jushiro weren't too far behind him on their way to the barracks. They had been keeping a watch on him ever since they had their little chat and so far everything seems to be in good taste. They two had noticed a certain silence that had been coming from Kenpachi ever since Soi Fong had taken the mission to retrieve Hollows, but weren't willing to ask why. They figured it was best to assume that he was just upset about no getting to go.

That was until the silence started to affect one of their closest friends. At about the same time that they noticed Kenpachi silence they also noticed that Retsu was becoming more isolated. She had been spending more time in the Fourth Division then making calls to the other divisions. This was making them concerned.

"Jushiro we meant well didn't we?" Shunsui asked hopefully.

"I believe we did. We made sure that they were both doing whatever they were doing for the right reasons and we encouraged them to do what was right," Jushiro responded.

"I know that, but it feels like somehow their not talking and we had something to do with it."

"I don't think that either of you two could screw it up, the two of them are probably just confused," a stern voice said from behind the two men. Jumping the two spun around to find Soi Fong walking up with her Fukutaichou a few steps behind.

"Soi Fong, don't startle us like that," Shunsui said adjusting his kimono. "I know it's what your division specializes in, but please." She just shrugged and kept walking leaving her Fukutaichou more confused than normal.

XXX

The meeting went off without a hitch but the air in the room was dense. Everyone could tell something wasn't right, but no one was going to speak up. Kenpachi stood there and didn't make any obscene remarks or threaten to do anything obscene which should have been a clue that something was up. He had even left Byakuya alone throughout the meeting, something he never did. The two captains didn't make eye contact once during the meeting and when the twelve divisions were dismissed they went their separate ways.

Retsu began to wonder if Kenpachi was avoiding her because he had changed the way he felt about her, or if she had dreamt the whole thing up. Instead of going back to the Fourth she wondered herself over to the Eighth to have a cup of sake with Shunsui.

"I don't understand it; he kissed me and then nothing. I haven't talked to him in days, did I do something?" she begged to know.

"Retsu, I don't really know what to tell you. Except that maybe you should lay off the sake for a little while," Shunsui told her as he took away the bottle.

"I don't want to waltz right up to him and ask him if he has changed his mind. I would just feel stupid. Maybe you could ask for me?" she asked him with an expression that could melt any mans heart.

Shunsui took one look at her and knew that he would have to, "fine, I'll talk to him," he answered.

XXX

The following morning after returning Retsu to her living quarters in the Fourth division he made his was over to Kenpachi's office. Though when he arrived Kenpachi was no where to be found.

"It wouldn't be difficult if it wasn't Kenapchi," he said to no one.

"Why does it have to be difficult?" a voice asked from behind him.

"Because if Kenpachi did what would make my life simpler it wouldn't be worth it for Retsu."

"Why are you doing anything for Retsu?'

"Because she is one of my closest friends and she has feelings for him."

"Really now and does he know how she feels?"

"Probably not. That's why I'm here. I'm supposed to convince him that he needs to tell her how he feels. She worried that he is no longer interested n her."

"And how do you plan on telling him that?'

"I do believe I just did," Shunsui said turning around to see a very sleep deprived Kenpachi leaning on the door to his office. "But it looks like you have been up all night."

"Yeah, she's not the only one who's trying to get me to tell her. Everything I think of isn't right."

"Have you tried the truth? It tends to work for most people."

"My problem is finding the right way to tell her that won't make me look stupid."

Shunsui bit his tongue to say something that would get him hurt, and instead told Kenpachi to speak from his heart and keep it simple.

Taking what Shunsui told him to heart he figured he had till sunset to get everything right before seeing her again.

XXX

The night air was warm and the hospital the quiet. When Retsu had finished her rounds she made her way back to her office to finish up the days paper work with Isane. However when she got to her office the door had been locked and there was a note that read,

Dear Tiachou,

Since it seems to be a lovely night, why don't we have tea in the garden before finishing the paper work?

-Isane Fukutaichou

Retsu was pleasantly surprised by the idea and preceded to head towards the garden behind the division. The moon was sitting high in the sky and illuminated the whole garden even though the trees. When Retsu made it to the garden there was another note that told her to head towards the center to the garden, where the largest to the sakura trees stood. Making her was their Retsu began to feel that it wasn't going to be her Fukutaichou that she was meeting in the garden that night. When she got closer to the center of the garden she could see a very tall figure leaning against the tree.

XXX

The sound of light foot steps filled the warm night air, letting Kenpachi know that it was almost time. As the foot steps became louder and louder, Kenapchi turned to see a very happy looking Retsu standing in the moon light.

"I was hoping that you would be the one that would be waiting for me," she said with a sweet smile.

"I was hoping that you would come. There has been something on my mind that I need to tell you," he sad moving away from the tree and closer to her. He took a moment before to breath in the night air before he continued. "Retsu, I have never felt like this before about anyone. I can't get you off of my mind. I want to know you more; I think I'm falling in love with you."

Retsu began to blush and without hesitation she grabbed his hands and hopped up on toes and kissed him. "I think I'm falling in love with you too."

X-end-X

Authors Notes: Well there it is ladies and gentlemen. I appreciate those who have waited for the final chapter and even those who haven't had to wait as long. I hoped that the story didn't disappoint too many people and that after this it still has fans. You guys are what keeps people writing. -Pet