The Darkness In Our Hearts (TDiOH Bk1)

Chapter 44: Detours in the Rescue Mission

I told Yachiru everything, the barrage of words like water from a flood through my tears and sobs. When I stopped and the silence rang, I leant my head back against the wall. A soft sigh left my lips and funnily enough, it was like the balance shifted. Like my world had righted itself once again. The little broken part of me that I'd left behind in the soul society fitted back into the puzzle piece gap within my soul and I felt... whole.

"So there you have it," I whispered, voice hoarse. I cleared it. "That's all that's happened since... the incident."

Her eyes were red rimmed but she wasn't crying. I couldn't remember if she had been. "You'll have to tell Kenny this too. I think he's really been missing you."

I snorted and rolled my eyes then noted the seriousness on her face. I peaked an eyebrow at her, a shiver of joy supressed because entertaining the notion that Kenpachi was missing me was a dangerous road for my mind to wander down. "Somehow I have a hard time believing that. He hates me for what I did."

"Silly," she berated. "You're still alive, aren't you? If he really hated you, you'd be dead."

Kenpachi didn't hate me? Kenpachi ca-

NOPE! I shook my head to dispel the second thought and focused on the first. Yachiru was right; if he truly hated my guts, then I'd be dead for what I did to the lieutenant. I decided it was time to change the subject.

"We better head back to the others." Even though I was the one to suggest it, tiredness tangled my limbs and I found myself grounded.

"Are you sure? You don't look too well, Kera," Yachiru asked, laying a hand on my forehead. I rolled my eyes at her motherly fussing – it should be the opposite way around. Yachiru doesn't even look fazed now after all I'd said but I knew she was chewing over all the information I'd given her.

"I'm fine," I lied. Really, all I wanted to do was curl up on Kenpachi's bed and sleep like the dead. All this fighting and fleeing had run me ragged. I fought the urge to crawl under the blankets by giving my cheeks a few quick pats. "I'll sleep when this is all over."

She pursed her lips but then her face broke out into a smile. "Then it's best we go back to the others. They were devising a plan to find Ichigo and go save Rukia!" She leapt to her feet as I inched my way back up the wall and hobbled after her, every bone in my body creaking.

Bye, bye bed.

The door opened to reveal Orihime facing Ikkaku, Makizo and Yumichika. Kenpachi was seated behind the men, an eye that had been watching Orihime switching its fixation to Yachiru and me. Conversation stopped and I suddenly felt shy beneath their gazes.

I squared my shoulders even though I knew I probably looked like utter crap: pale face, blotchy cheeks, red rimmed eyes. But it didn't matter because when they looked at me, I saw the same friendliness they'd gifted me back when I became a true member of the Squad.

"Uh, Kera?" Ikkaku was perched on the backwards chair, head propped up as he placed his elbows on the top. "Please stop grinning like that. You're giving the Captain a run for his money."

I touched my lips, surprised that I was smiling. "Why? We have some soul reapers to fight. Ichigo and the others aren't going to save Rukia all by their lonesome."

"And we'll have a few more friends too!" Orihime stated happily.

"Huh? Who?"

Yachiru leapt onto my back and shouted in my ear, "It's rescue mission time!"

I winced yet my grin grew larger. Then I caught the Captain looking at me again and it died away, replaced with a serious face.

"What's the plan then?"