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[Retsu was tired.

No. That wasn't true. Retsu was utterly, bone-wearily exhausted.

It has been a week since Aizen fell. One of the worst weeks Retsu ever remembered in her long, long life. Yamamoto-soutaichou had fallen, along with three other captains, and several others were still in critical condition. She was one of the only people still capable of leading, yet she was also desperately needed in the healing ward.

She wasn't sure anymore how many days it had been since she slept. Shinigami were capable of going much longer without sleep than ordinary souls or mortals, but she was still reaching her limit. She glanced around and leaned against a doorpost for a moment, closing her eyes before she went into Jyuushiko's room.

It had taken all Retsu's considerable skill to save Jyuushiko. The blond arrancar had put a hole right through her chest, and there had been complications...Retsu still wasn't sure how fully her friend would recover. And Kyouraku Shunsui was still in critical condition in the room across the hall.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, passing through the kido barrier and going to Jyuushiko's bedside to see how she was doing.]

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You're welcome. I'll get you some ice chips, those should help your throat.

[She pulled herself to her feet and left to get some ice chips from a dispenser, returning with a calm smile that hid her weariness.]

I can prop you up a bit, if you'd like.

[Jyuu gave another nod of affirmation at the offer - without the oxygen mask on, breathing was definitely more of a chore, now, and she didn't want to waste air on words that could be just as easily conveyed with gestures instead.]

[She very, very carefully propped some pillows behind Jyuushiko's back, wary of jostling her abdomen too much.]

The arrancar that attacked you severely damaged your right side. It was necessary to remove part of the lung and lower ribs.

[She gently brought some ice chips to Jyuushiko's mouth.]

You will recover, though I am unsure how badly it will affect your lung capacity. However, it's going to be a slow process this time. You'll be staying with us for a couple of months, I'm afraid.

[She spoke clinically, her smile compassionate, but without any signs of pity--she knew her friend wouldn't appreciate it.]

[The motion still hurt a little, but she did her best not to let the wince show. The ice chips helped, though, and while the news was not particularly good, she simply sighed and nodded. She wasn't of a mind to cause Retsu trouble.

Once she finished with the ice chips, she gave her friend a small, wry smile, and spoke again, voice a little less rough this time.]

You look tired.

It has been a long week. My services have been needed a great deal.

[She closed her eyes for a moment and she looked...simply exhausted, in spirit and body.]

[Jyuushiko reached over to touch her friend's hand gently - a small reassurance, but it was all she could offer right now.]

I'm sorry.

It is all right. [This was the last spot on her rounds, and she wasn't due for another for at least an hour. She put her head down by Jyuushiko's hand for a moment.]

[Jyuushiko reached out, and stroked her friend's hair gently. She knew Retsu would be saying that everything was 'all right' until she fell over.

Within the blanket of the kidou barrier, she could feel no other powers but her own and Retsu's.]

Who else...?

The others in Fourth are Momo-san, Rangiku-san, Hitsugaya-san, Madarame-san...

[She hesitated a moment, worried about Jyuushiko's reaction to the news.]

Rukia-san and Kyouraku-san.

[A crease of frown began to deepen on her forehead as Retsu's list. She didn't like the thought of /any/ of the others injured, really. They had gotten lucky with her - stupid mistake, not paying attention - but to get Hitsugaya as well...

The frown deepened considerably at the last two names. If they were in Fourth, they were /alive/ at least, but it couldn't still the knot of fear forming in her stomach. Of all the people for Aizen and his minions to hurt - not /those two/, damnit.]

How are they?

[She knew which they Jyuushiko was referring to, easily enough--and she didn't want to tell her the answer. But she didn't believe in lying to her patients, either. She sat up, looking kindly at Jyuushiko.]

Rukia-san will recover, though she'll be laid up for at least another week, I think.

[She put her hand over her friend's.]

Kyouraku-san is still in critical condition at the moment. He received extensive burns that became infected.

[Her hands tightened into fists under Retsu's, shaking slightly. It was taking all her control to keep her breathing more or less steady, to not start coughing again. The news about Rukia was reassuring, but Shunsui...damn those bastards. It was a good thing Aizen was dead already - she'd kill him herself, for that.]

Can I see him?

[A stupid question, on her part - even if Retsu would let her, she probably couldn't get out of bed right now, much less stand. A somewhat more distant part of her brain observed that at the very least, she had an IV drip in her arm. She wasn't quite cognizant enough yet to know if there was anything else she was hooked up to.]

[She reached out with her reiatsu slightly, monitoring Jyuushiko's condition carefully. If she got too agitated, Retsu might have to put her under again.]

Not right now. You're in no condition to move, and no one can see him while he's still this sick. With his immune system already overstretched, we can't run the risk of any other illnesses or infections.

[Jyuushiko sighed slightly, shoulders slumping, and nodded. A part of her had expected that answer, but it didn't quite undo the knot of worry forming in her gut, or the shakiness she felt. Still, she had to trust that Retsu would do her best - just as she always did.]

I'm sorry.

[She busied herself checking on Jyuushiko's vitals and the like while her friend composed herself.]

You should get some rest. Your body needs plenty of sleep so you can heal.

[A small shake of her head]

No - thank you. You do your best.

[A few seconds to catch her breath - talking seemed like so much effort, right now - and then she added-]

I will, but...stay awhile?

[Having just woken up, she wasn't entirely keen on slipping back off into oblivion just yet.]

I'll stay for a while.

[With three captains dead, and three others hospitalized, she'd barely had time to think. Seireitei had been plunged into chaos; they didn't even have the Central 46 to fall back on. There hadn't been enough time for everything she needed to do, let alone for her personal grief at the death of a man who had been not only a teacher, but in many ways father to her.]

Good.

[She shifted, pulling her hand free of Retsu's, and moving to shakily resettle the oxygen mask on her face. Annoying, but necessary, at least for now, if she wanted to talk. It simply left her too breathless otherwise.]

You could use a break, too.

[She nodded tiredly.]

Fourth has been quite chaotic, with all the hospitalized captains and lieutenants. Fortunately, there is only one patient from Eleventh.

[A slightly scary smile played around her lips. She'd put the fear of God into Ikkaku when he tried to sneak out, and Yumichikia had more sense than to cross someone who was "~dangerously beautiful~".]

[A weak chuckle, though the smile is somewhat more genuine.] A little bit less work for you, then.

And the worst is over now - after that, rebuilding should be easy.

[She glanced down at the thought of rebuilding and tried to keep her voice smooth and steady.]

Perhaps.

[Jyuushiko wasn't anywhere near at her normal senses, but even so, she could hear the hesitation there, the glance away down at her hands.]

...Perhaps?

[She stood up for a moment, looking as if she was considering something and trying to make a decision. Then, she sat down on the bed next to her friend.] We...lost people, Jyuushiko-san.

Kuchiki-taichou. Komamura-taichou.

And...and Sensei.

[There's disbelief written clear across her face. The other names fade into the background with the speaking of that one word.]

No...he would never...

[Her voice is almost a whisper, and shaking badly.]

[She dropped her head instead of trying to argue. Jyuushiko's disbelief mirrored her own when she first realized what had happened. She wished--oh how she wished--that it was a lie or a trick. But it wasn't. Yamamoto-sensei was dead.]