A young girl entrapped by false assumptions. Stuck in a large tower, soon to die, her love slowly unravels for the Kuchiki Nobel. Unable to decide what's best; Die and know that he'd reject her, or die knowing that he loved her, but could never have her...

In her first week as the head of the Fifth Division, Akira struggles to balance her personal demons with her duties as a captain. She soon finds herself at odds with the captain of the Tenth Division when a strategic plan backfires. An opportunistic assignment sends them both to the world of the living, where emotions begin to run high and something from Akira's past comes back to haunt her. Writers Note: This story is set before the final shown down with Aizen in the canon story. It is assumed at this point that Ichigo is training with the visored. I didn't include Ichigo and company in this story as I wanted to focus more on the characters of the Soul Society. *** It goes without saying that this is a fanfiction and as such I don't own the rights to Tite Kibos characters or ideas (hats off to him for creating such an incredible world). This story is a compilation of a million ideas that have been bouncing around my head for months and I've now found a way to channel it through writing. I have added an index for those unfamiliar with the series and have done my best to introduce the characters and world through the eyes of a newcomer. I will do my best to update it as often as I can but I'm a meticulous editor. If you find any grammatical errors in my work please pat me on the head, tell me everything's going to be okay and medicate me with liquor. Thank you! Enjoy!

Motivated by a mysterious note from her brother, Akira volunteers herself for another assignment. With no time to rest, she is thrust back into the world of the living with both her division and Captain Hitsugaya by her side. Once again at odds with the captain, the two must unite against an unknown foe or risk losing it all. As a warning, there is mild language and strong sexuality in this story. [Rated R]