A/N:I'm so sorry for this bein' late! Got caught up with things and had trouble with the ending. No matter what I did I couldn't get one part right.

Well, won't hold ya up any longer. Enjoy!

She could feel her body swaying. It was a soothing motion. It made her feel warm as the fog in her mind cleared.

Slowly, her eyes opened only to see nothing but silver. Her brow furrowed in confusion before turning her head. Once she saw that the ground was moving, It was then she realised she was being carried.

"Ah, you're awake!" Why was that voice familiar?

Turning her head, she saw it was a pale boy carrying her. His eyes were narrow slits, reminding her of a fox she once saw in the woods.

"Who…"For a moment, she wondered who he was before she remembered. "You're…that boy…Gin." It took her a moment to remember his name.

"Uh-Huh," The boy-Gin- nodded, his lips pulling up into a bigger smile. He looked back ahead, his foot steps slowing for a moment.

"Why…why are you carrying me?"

"You passed out. Couldn't just leave ya there." His shoulders shrugged slightly. His words made her heart flutter. It wasn't the first time she's passed out. With how hard it was to find food, she's gone long periods of time without something to eat. She's passed out numerous times, but whenever it was around a group of people, no one bothered to help her.

"You can rest up at my place. You can stay as long as ya want to. Okay?"

'Urg, my head is killing me…' Rangiku groaned. Did she drink too much? No, that can't be it. She hasn't had a drink in a week. But then why was everything so sore and hard to move?

Forcing her eyes open, Rangiku's brows furrowed in confusion. Why was the ground moving? Maybe she did drink too much.

"'Bout time ya woke up." Turning her head, Rangiku was surprised to see silver lock of hairs. It was then she realized she was being carried on someone's back.

"...Gin?" What was he doing here? She tried lifting her head to look at him better, but a wave of dizziness swept over her until she had to rest her head back on his shoulder. "Wha-what happened?"

"That's what I'd like ta know." he answered. He didn't sound happy, a rare accurance these days. "Found ya passed out with yer Zanpakuto next to ya. Ya looked like you were gonna be sick."

"Oh."

"Seriously, what were ya doin' Rangiku?"

"…I was training." It took her a couple seconds to remember, the fog that was forming in her mind was making it difficult to think straight.

"Musta been one hell of a trainin' session."

"I was training for Bankai." She admitted. With her on his back, her cheek pressed against his shoulder, she felt his muscles tense at her words. For some reason, the reaction annoyed her.

"…I see." he finally said. She could hear the frown in his voice, but didn't bother to look to make sure. Her head was still pounding. It was worse than any hangover she's ever had, worse than any concussion she's gotten from fighting hollows.

Her hands clenched at Gin's robes as the pounding in her head turned into a burning feeling through out her body. In the back of her mind, she could sense Haineko stirring restlessly. Gin stopped walking, probably because he could feel her reiatsu become unstable.

"Rangiku?"

"I'm-I'm gonna be sick!" Rangiku pushed against Gin's shoulders. He set her down. As soon as her feet touched the ground she ran towards the closet tree. With one hand on the trunk to support her weight, she leaned over, bringing up whatever was held in her stomach while trying to gasp for air.

Her legs started to shake before giving way. An arm wrapped around her waist before she could hit the ground. Gin helped her into a kneeling position, pulling back her hair as it began to stick to her face from sweat and tears. Her body felt like it was burning, her head was spinning to the extent that she could not form a coherent thought. The only thing she could do to keep a grasp onto reality was grip tightly onto Gin's arm.

Finally after what seemed like forever, she was reduced to only dry heaving, and soon she was able to breath normally.

Rangiku sat back, leaning against Gin. She closed her eyes when she felt his hand on her forehead. His skin felt nice and cool against her flushed faced.

"How long have ya been sick for?" he asked quietly. Rangiku frowned, trying to remember.

"I've been getting…headaches for awhile…" She told him. She was so tired now, her body exhausted from it's sudden discharge. "But…nothing like this."

Gin didn't say anything at first. Instead, he removed his hand from her forehead, and she almost whimpered from the missing cold touch.

"C'mon. Ya need to get some rest." He helped her to her feet, more or less lifting her, and turned around so she could climb onto his back again.

Rangiku didn't resist, too tired to do anything other than listen.

Why was she suddenly so weak? True, training had been taking a lot of her for the last while, but nothing like this.

'pathetic' she thought. She can't even do Bankai training without something happening. She was the Fuku-Taichou of Squad 10. She was supposed to be stronger and yet…

"Pathetic…" She muttered, before finally letting her consciousness slip away.

Gin leaned against the wall, watching as the Squad 10 Fuku-Taichou slept. Her chest rose and fell softly, her breathing now returned to an even pace. The colour had returned to her face, so it was no longer almost as pale as he was.

He could still see her getting sick in his mind, feel how unstable her reiatsu was for those ten minutes.

What brought it all on? It didn't seem like a normal sickness. The flu wouldn't affect her spiritual power that way. It would make it waver and weaken to the point that he had trouble feeling it, even though he was standing next to her.

So what brought it on?

Closing his eye, Gin went through anything in his mind that might give him an answer. There had to be a reason why…

A memory suddenly filled him mind. Of him back when he was a Third Seat.

He was with his then Taichou, Hirako Shinji.

Hirako had to check on something in Squad 4, and for whatever reason had Gin accompany him instead of Aizen for once. As they walked through the halls, they ran into another Taichou.

"Ukitake-Taichou, don't tell me yer sick again?" Hirako said. "They should just get ya a permanent room here."

"Ah, Hirako-Taichou, Gin-Kun," Ukitake smiled. "No, I was actually just visiting some rookies from my Squad. They were in a bit of rough conditions so I haven't been able to see them before now."

"What happened?" Gin asked curiously.

"They tried to use Bankai before they were ready I'm afraid," Ukitake sighed. "I don't think they really realized how dangerous it is when you don't have enough spiritual power. They're lucky they ended up passing out before any major damage could come to their bodies."

"Idiots," Hirako scoffed. "A couple rookies already tryin' to use Bankai? They're lucky they didn't kill themselves." He suddenly turned to look at Gin. "Listen here. Prodigy or not, if I catch ya doin' Bankai training before you're at a Fuku-Taichou level I'm kickin' your ass. Got it?"

That's right.

Now he remembered. Training for Bankai when you're not ready, either physically, mentally, or spiritually was dangerous. But Rangiku was a Fuku-Taichou. She shouldn't be affected like those-

Then he remembered finding Rangiku, in the same exhausted state she was in now, passed out on the ground, in pain. Thinking about back then, it made sense.

Rangiku was strong. She was a capable Fuku-Taichou. But she lacked something important to move that step farther.

A part of her power, her soul, was missing. She's always struggled, but made it past any obstacle that came her way. But for now, it seems that she's hit her limit. He knew she wouldn't like it, but she won't be able to continue her training.

When Rangiku awoke, her head clearer. Though she still had a slight headache it was no where near as bad as before. Looking around, she realized that she was in her room. She was confused as to how she ended up there, before remembering Gin carrying here. Of course, he was gone now. She wondered if he stayed with her at all, or just left after placing her on her futon. She quickly dismissed the thought, knowing there no point in dwelling on it.

"So you're awake," Rangiku glanced up at the end on her bed to see Haineko sitting there, her dark eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, I'm awake," Rangiku ran a hand through her hair, closing her eyes. Her headache was starting to come back. Then again she usually got one when it came to her zanpakuto. "What do you want?"

"I'm not going to do Bankai training with you anymore." Rangiku's eyes snapped open.

"What?"

"You're not ready," Haineko walked around the futon to where Rangiku's sword laid beside her. "At this rate, you'll just hurt yourself. You're stupid to think you can handle it."

"We made a deal-"

"Consider it void then." Place a paw onto the sword, her fur glowed briefly before she disappeared.

"Haineko!" Rangiku grabbed her sword. "Haineko!"

No response. Haineko was ignoring her now. Frustrated, she lifted her arm about to throw it across the room before stopping herself. What good would it do anyway?

Placing it back beside her, Rangiku got up. She walked to the window, welcoming the cool breeze from outside.

"You're not ready."

'Damn it!' Rangiku couldn't remember the last time she felt so frustrated, so useless! Why, why couldn't she do anything right? She wasn't strong enough to be by Shiba-Taichou's side when he left. She was so…so…

"So Rangiku, that's the kid you were telling me about?"

"Yup! Didn't I tell you his reiatsu was impressive?" Rangiku smirked.

"Guess you were right. But Rangiku, he'll be your responsibility." Shiba-Taichou told her.

"What? Why me?"

"You're the one who found him. Besides, I know you'll support him. He's young, so he'll some sort of guidance. Think you can handle it?"

"You just want to give me more work to do!" Rangiku grumbled. Though silently, she knew she would watch out for him.

"Ah, that's right." Rangiku shook her head, her lips twitching into a tiny smile. Maybe Haineko's right and she really is stupid. In her frustration, she forgot the reason for wanting to obtain Bankai. To protect Toshiro. To protect her squad. To be there for them. Besides, didn't she tell Haineko ealier that even if she couldn't do it, she would still be there for them? She shouldn't be sitting here, feeling sorry for herself.

Glancing over at her sword, Rangiku smirked. She walked over, picking it up.

"Okay, this is the only time I'll say this. You're right. For whatever reason, I'm not ready for Bankai. But don't think that'll stop me. I'll find a way to build my strength, then when the time comes, I'll make you cooperate with me. Got it, you damn cat? So don't even think this discussion is over."

She got no answer, not that she was expecting one. But her sheath did feel warmer, and she was sure she could hear a soft, purr of amusement in the back of her mind.

'I will get stronger. I know I will.'

A/N:I wanted to do somethin' that showed how much Isshin disappearing like that would effect Rangiku, and also a headcanon I have that because part of her was taken, Rangiku has trouble training for Bankai. Some of it has to do with Haineko's stubbornness, but most of it is because a lot of her power was taken by Aizen's men that day, and because of it, it takes a toll on her.

It gets better over time, but in the beginning it was bad