Who's that girl? A different bleach songfic, a bleach fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, it belongs to Tite Kubo. And I don't own "Who's that girl?" this belongs to Hilary Duff.

"I am very impressed with your recovery Momo. I believe you are ready to leave the Fourth Squad medical wing." Captain Unohana gently smiled to the recovered lieutenant of Squad Five.

"Thank you Captain Unohana." Momo gently bowed to the captain. "It was very kind of you to help me recover over these past ten years. I can't think of anyone who would have been so kind to me."

"Momo it has been my joy and pleasure to have watched over you. I am even more pleased that you have recovered to the point where you can return to a normal life." Captain Unohana explained.

"Thank you again. I can't wait to go tell Shiro how I've gotten better. I know things will go back to normal as if these past ten years didn't happen." Momo wistfully spoke gazing out to the Fourth division courtyard.

"Momo," Captain Unohana hesitated, "some things may have changed over the past decade. It is nothing to be worried over, but just be prepared for changes." Momo looked over to the captain in confusion at her statements. After a moment, the contented smile returned to Momo's face at the captain's words. She gave another small bow then turned for the main street of Sereitei.

"Captain Unohana," Isane whispered stepping up to her captain. "Should we have explained Captain Hitsugaya's relationship?" Isane glanced over to her captain. Where Isane was concerned regarding their most difficult patient, her captain retained her gentle smile with only a small glint of sadness darting through her dark eyes.

"Sadly, I don't think Momo would have understood. Even if she did understand, I believe Momo would have rejected the notion and would not have listened. Some things are best to discover first hand." Captain Unohana exclaimed looking back to Isane.

"I see," Isane answered gazing back to the street.

"All I could do was to give a warning in regards to the changes of life in Sereitei." Captain Unohana kindly explained as she turned back to the fourth squad office.

. . . . . . . .

'Toushiro will be so pleased that I have fully recovered. Even though he's been visiting me every week for the past ten years, I still can't wait to see him again.' Momo smiled walking a little faster toward the tenth squad office.

"They are just the cutest couple. It looks like all of our hard work finally paid off." Momo overheard Rukia speaking to Rangiku as she rounded a corner.

"Who are you talking about?" Momo asked to the pair of soul reapers as she joined them at the corner of the street.

"Momo!" Rangiku shrieked in surprise.

"Did Captain Unohana release you from the medical wing?" Rukia asked the lieutenant.

"Yes, she did. After ten years, I have finally recovered from my breakdown. I was just on my way to tell Toushiro. He'll be so happy that I'm out." Momo smiled to the two, completely ignoring their gasps of surprise.

"Do you think she knows?" Rukia quietly whispered to Rangiku. The strawberry blonde watched the dark-haired lieutenant looking off to the tenth squad courtyard from their current position in front of the ninth division.

"Momo, how about you let me escort you to see Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku motioned toward the division and followed Momo down the street. Rangiku waved to Rukia so she could catch up to Momo. Rukia remained rooted to her spot in front of the ninth squad courtyard.

"I can't wait to see Toushiro," Momo's smile nearly split her face in half.

"I know that Captain will be happy knowing you've been cleared from the fourth squad." Rangiku returned the smile to Momo.

"Yes, everything's been so difficult over the years." Momo stopped just outside the office doors and frowned.

"What do you mean?" Rangiku asked, but she already knew what Momo was thinking about.

"When Cap-, I mean, Aizen died I just fell apart and it has taken a long time to get back up. I owe my recovery to Toushiro and Izuru. They both visited me on a regular basis and it always made me so happy to see them." The small smile that Momo wore suddenly died. "Then Toushiro . . . he visited less often and when he did come, he didn't stay for very long. He said it was because he was very busy, and I know he is. I've heard from the other division members that he has taken over the paperwork for the fifth squad since I was still recovering. He is so sweet, and I just never saw the reason for his kindness." Momo blushed and Rangiku slowly gulped in nervousness.

'What is Momo thinking? Does she really think . . .?' Rangiku gasped at the thought she could see forming in the other woman's mind.

"Momo you do know why Captain Hitsugaya does that, don't you?" Rangiku asked barely keeping her voice level.

"I think so," Momo blushed again, "I think that he likes me." She whispered to the air. "And, I realize that I like him too. Not just as a brother or a cousin, but deeper." A wistful look appeared in her eyes as she became lost in her daydreams.

"Momo, there's something you should know." Rangiku tried to stop the girl from walking into the office doors, but she was too late.

"Hi Tou-shi-ro," Momo froze in the doorway at the scene before her. Karin Kurosaki was leaning on Toushiro's desk as they laughed and smiled to each other. They each snapped their heads up to the door: Toushiro looked on in shock while Karin looked on with confusion.

"Momo," Toushiro whispered as his eyes locked on hers in complete shock. Momo ignored him, instead choosing to stare at Karin.

"Who is she?" Momo asked pointing to Karin. Karin closed her eyes and stepped away from his desk to her own just a few feet from Toushiro's desk.

"Momo, this is Karin Kurosaki." Toushiro rose from his seat motioning to Karin. She gave a small bow to Momo. "Karin, this is Momo Hinamori the lieutenant of the fifth division." Toushiro motioned back to Momo who remained paralyzed at the door.

"Karin is my third seat. Karin, Momo is my childhood friend. We grew up together." Toushiro kept glancing between the two women in the deafening silence. Rangiku stepped up behind Momo and waited for someone to break the silence. Karin was the first to speak.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Hinamori. I have heard so much about you." Karin replied but nobody could miss the chilled hardness in her voice and how she refused to meet Momo's eyes.

"Y-y-yes, it's a pleasure to meet you as well Karin." Momo mumbled with a small bow to the woman at the desk. Toushiro held his breath as the tension in the room strengthened, especially between the newly introduced girls.

"Toushiro, I'll take these out to the First Division. I'll be back after a while. It was nice to meet you Lieutenant Hinamori. If you will please excuse me," Karin carried her papers to the door and waited for Momo to move to the side. Rangiku, also, stepped out of the way to allow Karin to exit. Toushiro gulped at this scene.

That could have gone better. Hyourinmaru whispered in Toushiro's mind but he was ignored. All Toushiro could do was stare at the hurt in Momo's eyes. That pained look caused more pain in his mind than a hundred slashes of Aizen's sword. But, the pain in his heart was multiplied with the memory of Momo's blind devotion toward Aizen after the man's betrayal.

"Okay," Rangiku clapped her hands together as a way to break the silence. "Now that you've met the new addition, Momo, why don't we go see what else has changed and leave Captain Hitsugaya to finish his work?" Rangiku gently tugged on Momo's hand and succeeded in pulling the stunned girl from the office. Even after they left, Toushiro remained on his feet staring at the place where Momo had just stood.

"What am I going to do?" Toushiro whispered to the room, just before he collapsed in his chair looking up at the ceiling.

. . . . . . .

"He didn't correct her when she called him Toushiro." Momo whispered as she allowed Rangiku to lead her away.

"It's really nothing, Momo. It's just that he has corrected her many times but gave up after the thousandth time he tried. Since she always ignored him, it was getting bothersome to keep reminding her."

"Rangiku are they close?" Rangiku froze in her step to glance back at Momo.

"Excuse me?" Rangiku asked feeling Momo's hand grow cold.

"Are Toushiro and, um, Karin close?" Momo gazed up into Rangiku's eyes on the verge of tears.

"Momo," Rangiku paused to take a deep breath, "yes they are." She figured it would be easier to speak the truth since it would have come out eventually.

"Oh, I see." Momo whispered jerking her hand from Rangiku's grasp. Rangiku moved to grab her hand, but Momo clutched it close to her chest as if to protect it.

"Momo-"

"Please excuse me, Rangiku. I have to go." Momo turned from the lieutenant and ran down the street trying to hide her tears. She jumped up to the roof of a nearby building. Curling into a ball she stayed in that position for many hours.

"Why?" Momo whispered to her knees as she was still curled up while the sun set in the horizon.

"Karin," Momo jerked her head up at Toushiro's voice. Creeping over to the edge, she took in a quick gasp as she watched Toushiro run up to Karin when she seemed to be upset.

"Let me explain." Toushiro began but Karin held her hand to stop him.

"It's okay Toushiro. Renji already told me what happened. I know about your relationship with Momo, and I know what she means to you. You don't have to say anything." Karin turned away from him but Toushiro held onto her hand refusing to let her go.

"Karin-"

"Why didn't you say anything about her?" Karin asked refusing to look him in the eyes. "All the years that I've known you and you've never mentioned her. Why?" Toushiro sighed and pulled her into an embrace as she struggled to keep tears from falling from her eyes.

"I didn't know what to say." Toushiro whispered into Karin's hair.

"Why?"

"Momo is like a sister to me, but something happened about a month before I met you in the World of the Living." Toushiro took a deep breath before he continued his explanation. "Momo's captain betrayed Soul Society and he tried to kill her . . . and me." He felt Karin stiffen and hold onto him even tighter.

"I didn't say anything because it was still very painful for me to even think about those days. Because you see, even after we found out Aizen betrayed all of us and even though he tried to kill Momo. She continued to defend him even after all he had done. It hurt to remember how much she cast aside the knowledge of Aizen's betrayal and his plans to kill us only to make up some good things. What hurt even more was when she tried to attack me."

"What?" Karin stepped back to stare into his eyes. "She attacked you?"

"Right after she found a letter from her, we believed to be, deceased captain accusing me of the plot for his murder she sought me out and drew her sword against me. We've known each other nearly all of our lives, for those years we lived with our granny. Everything that she knew was just cast aside. All of those years of memories and she actually believed I was capable of such an act." Toushiro explained gazing down into Karin's eyes. Karin held his face in her hands to gaze deeper into his eyes. She saw the pain, the regret and a mix of hatred and sorrow in those beautiful teal eyes.

"I'm sorry." She rose onto her toes so she could touch her forehead to his. "I should have never gotten upset. It should have been clear to me that you had a reason to keep quiet."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Karin." Toushiro pulled one of her hands to his side while the other drew her close for a gentle kiss.

"No," Momo whispered as the tears began to fall from her eyes. "No. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I've known him longer and I know him better than her. So why does he choose her?" Momo jumped to the street on the other side of the building. She could not bear to watch them any longer. She tried to block out their eyes, how their love shined for one another. She tried to erase the words she just heard spoken from Toushiro. But nothing worked; it all began tumbling over and it all repeated in her mind. She could not understand how the life she wanted was lived through Karin. She walked back toward her division while she expressed her confusion and sadness toward the star-filled sky.

There were places we would go at midnight
There were secrets that nobody else would know
There's a reason but I don't know why
I don't know why
I don't know why
I thought they all belonged to me

Who's that girl?
Where's she from?
No she can't be the one
That you want
That has stolen my world
It's not real, it's not right
It's my day, it's my night
By the way
Who's that girl living my life?
Oh no, living my life

Momo found her way back to the fifth division, then back to her room. She looked over the books on the dressers, the paintings and a scrapbook of their life, she and Toushiro, living with Granny. All of their most important memories held together within leather binding. Finally she looked out the window and remembered Toushiro choosing Karin.

Seems like everything's the same around me
Then I look again and everything has changed
I'm not dreaming so I don't know why
I don't know why
I don't know why
She's everywhere I wanna be

Who's that girl?
Where's she from?
No she can't be the one
That you want
That has stolen my world
It's not real, it's not right
It's my day, it's my night
By the way
Who's that girl living my life?

Momo walked out of her room to wander into the courtyard staring up at the stars surrounding a full moon. Her voice filled the air of the courtyard even as she kept her eyes on the moon. She failed to notice a blonde haired lieutenant standing at the gates of the fifth division.

I'm the one who made you laugh
Who made you feel
And made you sad
I'm not sorry
For what we did
For who we were
I'm not sorry
I'm not her

Momo collapsed on her knees as she cried into her hands. Finally, she accepted that Toushiro had chosen Karin and it would never be her to make him smile ever again.

"Momo," she jerked her head up to watch Izuru walk up to her.

"Izuru," she blinked the tears out of her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you singing and I came to see how you are doing." Izuru knelt down beside her so he could offer his shoulder for her to cry on. She took the offer and cried into his shoulder.

"So, you found out about Captain Hitsugaya and Karin?" She nodded her tear filled eyes against his shoulder to answer.

"Did everyone know?" Momo asked looking up to Izuru with red, puffy eyes.

"Yes. At first they did their best to hide it, but they were discovered." Izuru explained. He handed her a handkerchief from his pocket so she could dry her tears. "Here, take this."

"Thank you," Momo dabbed the tears from her eyes and clutched the fabric as if it was her only lifeline.

"What happened?" Momo gathered the nerve to ask.

"Renji, Shuuhei, and I accidentally stepped into Captain Hitsugaya's office while he and Karin were making out on the couch." Izuru explained and frowned at the tears that threatened to spill out once again.

"I see," Momo wiped the newly fallen tears with the handkerchief. "So, they do love each other."

"I'm sorry Momo, but they do love one another very much." Izuru answered as he pulled her in a little closer.

"I guess it was too much to hope that Toushiro would care for me that way." Momo frowned staring at the grass in regret.

"That doesn't mean you won't find someone who cares for you in that way." Izuru tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. She blinked up at him.

"Perhaps you haven't been looking close enough for the right man to come along."

"Izuru," Momo whispered as she remembered that he visited her many times in the week; sometimes it was every day, if his schedule allowed for it. She remained speechless with this new knowledge he had revealed to her.

"What are you saying?" She whispered afraid to make the same mistake as before.

"I'm saying that I care for you very much, Momo." Izuru answered as he bent his head lower to her. Momo was surprised but even more so when she pulled closer to him when their lips met in a sweet little kiss. She pulled away and blinked up to him with her cheeks flushed a deep red.

"I'm sorry that I didn't say anything sooner." Izuru tried to explain as he couldn't take his eyes away from hers.

"That's okay, Izuru. I'm glad that you've told me now. I've just realized that you've been by my room as much as you possibly could. I don't know why I didn't see it, but I'm glad that I do now." Momo whispered to him and he smiled down to her. Momo blinked and returned her smile, her tears over the past forgotten as her heart came to terms with Karin and Toushiro's feelings toward one another.

"Thank you, Izuru." Momo reached up to him and gently kissed him again. Izuru stayed by her side while they talked through the night in the courtyard, underneath a full moon and a blanket of stars.

A/N: Here is another songfic. This is not meant to be a Momo bashing fic, and I've done my best to ensure this doesn't bash anyone. The purpose of this fic is to express my reasoning as to why Momo and Toushiro will never be together in my mind. Momo had her chance and she blew it, big time. Honestly, I can see Izuru and Momo as a couple - they just seem to click with one another, or maybe that's just me.

On a lighter note, this is my first story for the hurt/comfort genre, so I'm not entirely sure how I've expressed everything. So let me know what you think of this story, and if I was able to get the proper mood for this genre.