This story idea just randomly hit me the other night and I felt so inspired that I had to try my hand at writing it. I waited a bit and got a few chapters done ahead before posting this so hopefully updates won't be to irregular. For now my goal is to have it updated weekly.

Also, please be aware that I stink at spelling and grammar. I do numerous edits and spell checks but that only goes so far. So I apologize ahead of time for that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters, Tite Kubo does. I am simply writing this for my own amusement.

Chapter 1

The Assignment

"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but this message is to be delivered to Captain Kuchiki immediately."

Renji Abarai inwardly winced but took the offered paper. The last thing he wanted to do was disturb his captain again. The last few weeks Byakuya had been in a particularly bad mood and had nearly bit his head off more then twice this week for being disturbed. He continually snapped at anyone who dared to speak to him and his simple presence in the normally upbeat office left everyone with a feeling of dread. True Byakuya Kuchiki wasn't the easiest man to be around but lately things seemed tenfold worse.

So it was that Renji approached the office with trepidation. Taking a deep breath he tapped on the door and entered.

"What is it?" Byakuya asked immediately from where he sat at his desk, which at the moment was piled with papers.

"This message just came for you sir," Renji quickly replied, approaching the desk.

"Set it on my desk then get back to work," Byakuya snapped.

Renji quickly did so, placing the tied note atop a large stack of forms, then promptly backed away. He had almost made it out the door when Byakuya's voice again broke the silence.

"You are to stay after hours and finish copying out the new recruit forms."

Renji's brightly colored topknot drooped a bit.

"But Captain, I already…"

"No arguments," Byakuya replied, his voice void of all emotion.

Knowing it was no use, and slightly relieved that he didn't get yelled at again, Renji dipped his head in acknowledgment and scurried from the office.

Byakuya Kuchiki sighed and leaned back in his chair. Ever since the end of the war, and Aizen's defeat, the Soul Society, and more specifically the 13 captains had been up to their eyeballs in work. Even now, after five months had passed since the last causality had been buried, they were all still run off their feet. From paperwork to general physical work there seemed to be a never ending stream of it.

Rubbing his temple with one hand Byakuya gingerly reached for the sealed message with the other. Somehow already dreading the news, he untied the note and scanned the message with dark eyes. Eyes that immediately widened as he read.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Byakuya whispered to himself in disbelief.

Rising from his chair, his paperwork momentarily forgotten, he stormed from the office.

---

"There is no mistake I can assure you."

"With all due respect, Captain General, with all the work that has yet to be-"

"Can be done by others," Yamamoto interrupted.

Byakuya opened his mouth again, ready to protest but held his tongue when the old man held up his hand.

"It has come to my knowledge that all the work and stress has effected many of our head captains, who simply have a tendency to take on more work then they can handle. This intern effects the moral of their offices and effects all those working there."

"So your saying that by giving us a break, it will cause all of our subordinates to improve their own work levels and decrease their own stress."

"Exactly," Yamamoto said, his eyes sparkling. "We have all been through a great deal of pain and anguish lately, and this break is much needed."

"I see," said Byakuya calmly.

"Think of it this way, Kuchiki. I am sending you on a mission to recuperate your own spirits and regain your zest for life." The old man was smiling now.

"But why am I required to take my sister?" Byakuya asked.

"She is apart of your life. Wouldn't spending time with your loved ones help relax you sooner? Besides I have already informed her of the trip."

Byakuya said nothing.

"Now then, if that's everything you may take your leave. As I believe I will be having a few more distressed Captains visiting soon…"

Byakuya turned his head slightly at hearing a large thump and the obvious sound of a angry second captain making her way to the audience chamber.

"Thank you for your generosity, head captain," Byakuya said bowing slightly and moving out of the room, although he paused when the voice of the first captain spoke again.

"Have fun, Kuchiki. I know you're not the type, but please try, if not for your sake, then for your sisters. We all know she had a hard time during the war."

Byakuya inclined his head again before turning and disappearing from the office.

"Your going on a vacation with Captain Kuchiki?!" Kiyone said reading the message over Rukia's shoulder.

Rukia could only stare at the message in shock. A Vacation? With Byakuya? There had to be some sort of mistake…

"Ah there you are Rukia."

She looked up to see captain Ukitake enter the room.

"Captain, Rukia got this message that-"

"Yes, I am aware," said Ukitake interrupting an excited Kiyone.

"You know of it?" asked Rukia still dazed.

"Yes. I was informed that Captain Kuchiki was one of the recipients chosen for this special assignment. It was only natural to assume that you would be going with him."

"Assignment, sir?" Rukia asked.

"Well yes, that's how it was explained to us. Apparently some of the captains are taking to much work upon themselves and because of that are passing their stress on to their subordinates. In order to reduce that, and increase quality of work, it was decided that it would be helpful to give a few of them a break."

"But… what about all the work here… I just can't leave…"

"Don't worry about the work here," Kiyone said draping a comforting arm across Rukia's shoulders. "We'll take care of it. Just go and have some fun!"

Rukia looked up uncertainly and was met with a smiling Ukitake.

"Well I guess I can go…"

"That's the spirit!" Ukitake said laughing.

"Oh I wonder where you'll be going…" said Kiyone.

"It doesn't say," Rukia replied looking back to the note.

"Well I can't say either, unfortunately. I was only informed that each Captain assigned was going to a different location."

"So it'll just be you and Captain Kuchiki! Oh, your so lucky… he's so gorgeous…"

Rukia's eyes widened. She had automatically assumed that all the captains would be going to the same place. But to be alone in a strange place with just Byakuya… and with him acting the way he had been lately…Suddenly Rukia felt as if the world was closing down around her ears.

"Oh and one more thing I should mention," said Ukitake drawing Rukia out of her pondering. "All the locations will be in the human world. So you both will be requiring gigais, which will be provided by division twelve."

Rukia's eyes widened again. Oh god, not the human world again… and with Byakuya there too…

'Someone just shoot me.'

The following morning Rukia rose from her bed to find her luggage already packed and waiting for her. Last night had been a strange one for her. She had secretly hopped that Byakuya wouldn't be there for dinner (as he had been lately) and much to her relief she found that he wasn't. All that she found was a small folded slip of paper sitting beside her dinner plate. Upon opening it she found herself gazing at Byakuya's neat and perfect writing. With her heart in her throat she read and then reread the quick message.

Rukia,

I have been informed that you are aware of our coming assignment. I have been briefed, and will have all preparations taken care of. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for dinner tonight to inform you of the plans in person but I have a few things that need to be taken care of before we leave, as we will be gone for two weeks.

Do not worry about packing, all is taken care of. Just have a goodnights sleep.

We leave in the morning.

-Byakuya Kuchiki

After letting the message sink in, Rukia had quickly eaten her dinner and ran up to her room. Not trusting the servants, she gathered up a few important things that she could not leave behind: her diary, the current romance novel (as well as its sequel as she figured she'd have plenty of spare time to read it), and her favourite Chappy plush as well as a few other personal items. Setting these objects aside she climbed in bed and attempted to fall asleep.

---

It had taken her more then a little while to actually fall asleep, and by the time morning came, she was far from rested.

Yawning, after dressing and washing up, she dug out a small pack and stuffed her own items in it, carrying it down from her room slung over a shoulder.

She found her nii-sama sitting in the dinning room eating breakfast. He was wearing his usual clothing, as was she, since they were going to be using gigais. However, Byakuya was no longer wearing his scarf or kenseikan. Not trusting the valuable items to anyone other them himself he had left them locked up in the safety of his private quarters. Rukia found herself warming at the sight of him dressed so casually. His silky hair cascaded over he side of his face and down his shoulders and without his scarf his neck looked even more slender and delectable.

Wait, had she just though his neck to be sexy? 'Bad train of thought', she scolded herself taking her usual spot at the table. Deciding it was better not to look at him, she focused all her attention on her breakfast.

"Are you unhappy about this assignment?" Byakuya asked in that deep voice of his.

She looked up in surprise but quickly averted her eyes, trying her best not to blush. "Not at all Nii-Sama," she said but she inwardly kicked herself at sounding, in her ears, to be to excited. She went back to eating her eggs.

Byakuya stared at her for a moment before going back to his own breakfast.

---

A short while later Rukia stood nervously, in her new gigai, in the main office of the vice captain of the twelfth division. She had been greatly relieved to learn that Mayuri had already left on his own assignment and that she would be not seeing the crazed captain herself. How they had managed to convince him to leave his research for two weeks was a mystery to her, but she was grateful nonetheless.

Running her slender hand over the folds of her light blue summer dress she stood waiting for Byakuya to return. They had both been given private rooms to change into their human clothing after getting into the gigai.

Hearing footsteps approaching she whirled around and her jaw simply dropped. To say Byakuya looked gorgeous was a understatement. He wasn't wearing anything to terribly fancy, just a pair of form fitting black jeans and a dark purple button up shirt, but the way he carried himself and simply looked in the outfit, had her simply stunned. With the shirt partly unbuttoned at the neck, leaving his pale skin showing more then usual and with those tight jeans that hugged his hips, to put it simply, at that moment, he was drop dead gorgeous. His shiny hair swayed slightly with every step and the way his long bangs covered the one side his face created an air of mystery about him. A black leather coat was draped over an arm to complete the look.

He stopped in front of her, staring down with his dark eyes.

"If your not careful your able to catch a fly like that," he said.

Rukia instinctively closed her mouth with a snap. Swallowing hard, she followed him out the door. The whole time trying her damndest to not stare at his rear end which, by the way, looked amazing in those jeans.

They walked the short distance to the waiting gate to the human world. Rukia glanced around rather surprised to find their luggage stacked neatly beside it. Hefting her own small pack over her shoulder she stopped to pick up her own bags. She was just reaching for her second bag when Byakuya's hand brushed hers. Jumping back in surprise she stared as he lifted her bag adding it to his own load.

"Are you ready?" he asked in his usual monotone.

"I guess," she meekly replied.

Byakuya gave her a brief nod of his head and stepped towards the open gate.

"Um Nii-Sama, where exactly is our designated assignment spot?" Rukia could simply not find it in herself to call it a vacation.

He stared down at her for a moment, his face emotionless as always, before looking back at the gate. "A tropical Island."

Rukia gaped.

A big thanks to whoever took the time to read this. As I said in the beginning authors notes I will try and have this updated weekly, however I may be able to do so quicker if your reviews inspire me to do so *hint hint*

Also, for those that are reading (and waiting for me to update) my other Bya/Rukia story, Iced blossoms and Melting Hearts, I should have another chapter posted this week sometime. I've just been so busy lately…

So thanks again and again please no comments on my horrid spelling and grammar, I already know I suck at it. ^^;