Ninth Division Captain's Office

Sajin followed the Lieutenant to the door and slid it shut. He locked the door. "Ryo..." Sajin turned around slowly, catching a glimpse of Ryo as she shed her haori. Her uniform was revealing, to say the least. It reminded him of the uniform the late Captain Soi Fon would wear into battle.

For a few moments, he watched as she put away books and trinkets Saburou had left on the floor. After a few minutes, she pulled her hair into a ponytail. "That's new."

"What?" asked Ryo, glancing over her shoulder at Sajin.

"The tattoo at the base of your neck." replied Sajin. "It's a kido tattoo, I take it." Sajin walked over to Ryo, and gently ran a finger across the tattoo. Ryo remained still in front of him, even as he leaned forward placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

Sajin lifted Ryo to his shoulder, as they walked to the back room. He loosened his obi until it fell from his waist. Tenken fell to the floor with a thud. A second thud caused Sajin to turn quickly, finding a trail of Ryo's clothing in the floor alongside her blade.

"I forgot how quickly you can shed your clothing."

"Only for a good fight." smirked Ryo.

Ryo slid from his shoulder, as Sajin shed the rest of his clothing and tossed them on the floor in a pile.

"I do love you..."

"I know." whispered Ryo, as Sajin laid her down gently. She ran her fingers through his silver hair as she looked into his golden eyes. "I love you too, Puppy."

Sajin smiled, wrapping himself in the warmth of her heart. They were together until night fell and they gave into their exhaustion.

Ryo sighed, leaning back in her chair. She ran a hand through her hair as she shook her head. "Yes. I know. That is why you are here, Tenshin Ozaki. Right now, we lack the ability to protect the knowledge inside of the gates of this realm. You and the four are to guard, in secret, the knowledge of this realm. And, keep me informed of anything that may jeopardize the Soul Society."

Tenshin nodded, as Ryo rose from her seat. She walked over to the bookcase across the room. Taking a small leather bound book from a shelf, Ryo handed it to Tenshin. "Take this. You and the four answer to me, and no one else. Not even Captain Commander Kyoraku. If any of you are discovered -"

"We take our own lives with honor."

Ryo nodded.

"And, the other?" questioned Ryo. Before she could continue, a knock came at the door. She turned back to Tenshin as quickly as she could, only to find that he was gone. She looked to her desk, to find the scroll had gone as well.

"Come in." she said. The door slid open, revealing Captain Komamura's large form and an even smaller one hiding beneath his haori. A little foot wiggled free, as giggling came from beneath the haori.

"My my, Captain Komamura. You should tend to the giggling haori of yours. It will give you away in battle." Ryo smiled as the giggling continued.

"Yes, I know, Captain." said Sajin. "But, no matter how many times I wash it, it just continues to giggle. I believe I may need a new one."

"Well, wait." said Ryo, smiling as she walked over to the Captain. She ran a gentle finger along the length of the small foot wiggling about. "Oh! I see! There's a foot in there."

"Sab-ru!" shouted Saburou, tucking his foot back into the haori. "It me, mommy!"

Ryo pulled back Sajin's haori, and grabbed the wiggling child. She pulled him close, placing a kiss on the top of his head. "Well, hello, Saburou. Were you hiding beneath the Captain's haori?"

Ryo panicked at the word, stepping back and drawing her sword. Her vision blurred, twisting the image of her lover and son into that of Sousuke Aizen. "No!" Ryo called on Sekijouten's power, flooding the room with waves of heat.

"Ryo!" growled Sajin, grabbing Saburou and pushing him behind his massive form. "Do as your brother's showed you, Sabu! Go!" Sajin waved as the frightened child ran from the office. "Ryo, calm down. He isn't here. Sabu was talking about me. Sajin."

"Sa...Sajin?" Ryo swung her sword. "Make him go away!"

Sajin shunpo'd forward, snatching Ryo's sword from her hand. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "He is not here, Ryo. It's  just...Me. And, I love you."

Ryo squeezed her eyes shut, quickly calming herself. "Just you. Just you."

"Society's Secrets":

Ryo's fingers nails tapped the desk in rhythmic fashion, a sound drowned out by the frantic whispers of a returned terror. A painful twitch tugged at her eye, as she rubbed her forehead. She sighed before making a fist and slamming it into the desk.

"All of you, be quiet!" she shouted. The room grew still. "You are entirely too noisy for a group of people trying to keep a secret. A secret, mind you, that seems to be well on its way to being common knowledge."

Ryo looked around the room at the tired and worried faces. Some mumbled about how she only cared about her job and nothing for the two that died. She raised a hand and her Lieutenant began to loudly protest the opinion.

"Lieutenant Shuuhei. That's enough." Ryo rose from her seat, standing between her chair and the desk. "There's nothing more I can ask from you all today. None of you are truly here with me. Go home. Mourn. Return tomorrow, with lighter hearts."

As the members of division began to leave, Ryo looked to her Lieutenant and shook her head. When all had left, Ryo walked over to the door and slid it shut.

"Captain, I apologize if I were out of line."

Ryo raised a hand. "It's alright, Hisagi. I want you to meet someone."

"Where are we meeting him? And, who might I be meeting?"

"His name is Tenshin Ozaki. And, he's standing behind you."

"Tenshin Ozaki is head of a secondary division within this one." began Ryo. "We are charged with keeping our information private. He is charged with learning others private information. Even our own."

Ryo gave a quick nod to Ozaki, as he gave a bow. "I've asked him to come because you need to know what's going on."

"What do you mean, Captain?" asked Hisagi. "Captain Ukitake and the Captain Commander were killed by Teruo. Is there more than that?"

Ryo smiled, giving another nod to Ozaki, as he stepped out from behind Shuuhei.