The Long Way Home

Part Five

Renji had been in an excellent mood all day. They were getting ready to leave for the hospital, well, Rukia was getting ready. He was sitting in the small living room waiting for her. He'd been replaying that kiss over and over in his mind last night. In fact, he was replaying a lot of the kissing they did last night. He sighed a little regretfully though. Rukia was the li e of his life and also a member of one of the four noble houses. As such, there was... protocol.

Renji had loved her since he'd first saw her and although he had been too young at the time to realise what those feelings actually were, he always knew he needed her. Despite the seriousness of why they were here, Renji was ecstatic. She loved him too!

He wasn't looking forward to the hospital visit tonight. He hadn't been to see Ichigo since they had arrived. Nor had he been to see Orihime.. Their first day they had spent at Urahara's shop getting gegais and getting in touch with Uruyu and Chad.

He sighed and looked around the apartment. He had cleaned up while Rukia had gone to the hospital earlier and before heading out to deal with a couple of Hollows. A part of him couldn't wait to deal with a really strong Hollow right now. He could sense the change in his spiritual pressure and wanted to test it.

The bathroom door opened and Rukia stepped out. Renji jumped to his feet and could keep the grin off his face. "You look beautiful tonight."

Smiling, Rukia shook her head. "I look the same as I always do."

"I know." Renji grinned at her in delight.

"I must say, you done a great job cleaning this place up. You should have waited so I could help you."

"Nah. It's ok. I tell you what though, you can choose some new flowers for the vase. Get Orihime some nice fresh flowers for when she gets better. Those ones won't last much longer."

Rukia turned to look at the flowers and for a second stared at them in disbelief. Renji saw the look on her face and was over beside her in a moment. "Rukia, what is It? What's wrong?"

"Those flowers Renji. It's the Akuma flower."

Renji looked at the flowers and wondered what that actually meant. "So?"

Rukia looked up at him, her eyes wide with horror. "Renji. Those flowers only grow in the Soul Society. In fact, they are actually quite rare." She shook her head in shock. ""I know this because Byakuya told me. We went for a walk around the grounds of the Kuchki home. He wanted to talk to me, and it was lovely. He opened up to me as a sister and brother should do, Renji. But I saw these flowers in the garden and I went to pick one. He told me to never pick or cut the Akuma flower. While it grows it's harmless. Once it is cut, it's sap ferments and turns to poison. It's smells sweet, like a perfume, but it's true name is the nightmare flower. It sends those it entrap into a deep nightmare filled dream that you can't wake up from without an antidote! Renji, if Orihime touched those flowers..."

"Damn! So, it really does look like someone from the Soul Society has done this!"