IJSR 4- Disclaimer: To all of my readers, I have but one thing to say. I'm sorry. This took so long to work on. I recently suffered the loss of a very good friend of mine and I didn't then know how I could keep going. I realized after the holidays that he would have stood before me, back-handed me across the face, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "ARE YOU CRAZIES? UR NOT WRITING CUZ OF ME? WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU!" So in honor of that crazy man, here you go. P.S. I realized how much this seems like some sappy movie…

Byakuya stood at the top of the execution grounds as the rain kept falling. He gasped silently, the effort too much without his spiritual powers. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Senbonzakura crying out to him. But it was too late. He'd made up his mind.

He crept closer to the edge and peered over. The ground beneath him was not visible in this darkness. The rain poured harder and harder until he felt like he was drowning in the drops.

"Byakuya Kuchiki." The name sounded in his head and he started to laugh. 'Me, a Kuchiki! Not with this behavior. Oh I can picture it now! All of the past heads of the Kuchiki Clan, all rolling over in there graves at my pitiful behavior.'

"I don't get what's so funny?" That voice sounded again. This time Byakuya knew it wasn't in his head. He turned to see Renji standing there in all the captain's glory. "So what'cha laughing about, here… in the rain?"

"Stay away from me! I don't need you here." Byakuya stepped back and felt the edge of the cliff beneath his feet.

"I think you do." Renji stared deep into his eyes but made no motion towards him. "I think you not only need me here but you want me here as well, isn't that right, Bya."

'Is he trying to stop me? The nerve of that man! Let me choose my own fate without your influence! Of course now if I jump he'd only catch me. "Don't call me that. You no longer have the right to call me that."

"Fine fine. Well, Captain Kuchiki, tell me, what happens next?" Renji lifted his hands to show he was unarmed.

"Next, you leave."

"And then what? You die?" Byakuya didn't agree nor disagree but stared defiantly into his former lover's eyes. "Well this sucks." Renji turned to Byakuya's right and stepped up to the ledge. Byakuya himself inched away from Renji. He watched dumbfounded as Renji removed his soaked haori, his sandals and even his zanpakuto and folded them into a neat little pile.

"What are you doing?" Byakuya jumped when Renji stood up suddenly.

"Well," Renji said seriously. "My reiatsu's all over this place. If they find it along with your lifeless body at the bottom of the hill, well you can only guess what they'd assume."

Somehow the term lifeless seemed all the more harsh to the noble than dead. Death was something he was used to but lifeless? That was a whole other level of dead.

"I guess if you're going over, I have to as well." He stated looking over the edge. "That's a pretty deep fall though. Seems to me that you'd be in the air for a while before dying. Plenty of time to regret but nothing to do for it. Oh and there's also the trees. You'd hit those before the ground, obviously. Your body breaking over and over again until you hopefully just end it at the bottom. Maybe you'll break your neck or hit your head-"

"STOP IT!" Byakuya huffed.

"What? I'm just being honest." Renji looked up innocently.

"Why? Why would you jump too?"

"I told you why. Because they'll think-" He was cut off.

"That's not what I mean! What about that lieutenant from squad nine? Hisagi." Saying the words cut deeply into Byakuya's soul, so much so that he couldn't bear to look at Renji. "He's your new lover, isn't he? I saw him asking you out the other day but you turned him down. Without me around, you can live happily with him." A white pain hit him on the back of his head and caused him to fall to his knees. "Wha-"

"DON'T BE SO CONCIETED!" Renji shouted. He smacked his head and turned away. "Kami, he wasn't asking me out. He asked me honestly if I thought he'd have any chance with Matsumoto fukutaicho. Geez, he's as straight as a nail. I told him he didn't have any chance against her love for that bastard Ichimaru and he got disappointed. Is that what this is about?"

Byakuya scratched at the back of his head where he'd been hit. "Not just that… Mitsuki too. And Rukia. If I marry Mitsuki, I lose you. If I stay with you, I cause Mitsuki and Rukia both to be dishonored. Mitsuki will have to return home and Rukia will suffer at the hands of the elders."

Renji listened to the whole thing intently. "Geez. Did you ever once ask me for help?" The look on Byakuya's face confirmed what he already knew. You didn't ask anyone for help and just assumed things that may or may not have happened."

Byakuya sat in the mud for several long minutes. He held an empty stare into the night as the rain continued to fall. After an eternity, he looked up and said, "So what now. Tell me what's next. What am I supposed to do?"

Renji smiled and picked up the noble by the shoulders. "Well you did great so far. You realized that you need help. The next part is getting the help."

"Don't leave me."

"Whatever you say, Captain.

!#$%^&*

"AATCHOOOO! DAMNIT! When I get my hands on that bastard, I'll kill him myself!" Renji's shout echoed down the halls of the hospital. His door swiftly opened to reveal a smiling Unohana Taicho.

"Renji-san, would you mind not shouting, it's disturbing my other patients. I honestly would hate for something to happen during your treatment that disrupted your vocal chords." She continued to smile in a way that freaked the red-head out.

"S-sorry. It's just that that bastard made me chase after him and stand there in the cold rain and it's his fault I'm sick!" He sat up quickly but regretted it as nausea swept over him.

"Lie down, Renji-san. You still have a fever. And after all, it isn't his fault. He did not force you to go after him nor did he keep you out there for so long."

"BUT- If I hadn't, he'd have died! I had to go save him because I lo-" He frowned at his own thought. 'Do I really love him? I mean, I could'a let him die… Why didn't I?'

"Hmm? Well I heard nothing. Get well, Renji-san. I hope you figure everything out.

!#$%^&*

One Month Later:

Renji stood outside the division four hospital. He was dressed comfortably in a white kimono with yellow flower petals. Beside him, Rukia stood in a similar kimono, except hers had pink petals and was of richer fabric. They did not speak, only stood staring at the front doors. Many people entered and exited the building but it wasn't until they'd been standing for quite some time that the doors opened again and Byakuya Kuchiki walked out.

"He seems… sick." Rukia whispered to Renji.

"Yeah… But that's just coz he's been in there for a while." He replied. 'Bya. I wonder if that time in the hospital has helped at all.'

Byakuya walked up to the two, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. In this light, he looked completely white except for his midnight hair, and even that seemed dull.

"Nii-sama… It's good to see you again."Renji could see that Rukia was trying her best not to cry. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"You as well, Rukia. How have you been?" His voice was cracked but he smiled none the less.

"I've missed you." She stepped up and hugged his arm lightly.

"Rukia. Do you mind if I speak with Renji alone?" His words looked like they hurt her but she nodded and ran off with a "See you at home" and a look to Renji that told him he'd be spilling his guts later.

Renji took Byakuya's hand and began walking toward the manor. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"It's… about Mitsuki. Have you spoken to her at all while I was away?"

"No… She did leave a letter in the manor. I didn't read it though. She disappeared after that… took all her stuff with her too."

"I see…" They reached the manor in silence and Byakuya followed Renji to his old room. Just like Renji had said, a still sealed letter. He opened it and read it to himself.

"Dear Kuchiki-sama,

I have greatly enjoyed my stay here at your manor for the few weeks I was here. It is regrettable that in that time, I was unable to accomplish my duty and win your affections. I realize that your special person is not me and so I will return home where I can hopefully find someone to love again. Get well soon.

With all love,

Mitsuki"

"So that's it huh? She left just like that." Byakuya crumpled the letter and dropped it to the floor.

"Are you sad about that?" Renji asked from behind him.

Byakuya turned and circled his arms around Renji's neck. "I am sad that I could not say farewell but no. I am not saddened that she is gone." He brought his lips up to Renji's and the two held each other as if their lives depended on it.

Well, that's all for this story folks!