Hi,
a few word to warn you.
This is the translation of my French fic "un instant d'éternité". English is not my first language; please forgive me for the mistakes or spelling error I made. I'll try to improve.
I hope you'll enjoy it.

I don't own Bleach nor it's character. All belong to Tite Kubo. I merely borrow them for my own enjoyement and yours.

Enjoy. ^^

Chapter 1
Her last wish.

Time passes; it takes all we hold dear, leaving our memories as the only evidence of their existence. My memories are not all happy, but they made me what I am now and I have no regret but one: how little time we have been given to be together. My life is coming to an end, I know it. I always knew it would end like that and I also know that whatever you would do, nothing could prevent it. My dear love, I was so lonely for so long, lost in my own darkness, and I had so little time with you two. Just a second in a shinigami's eternity, but if this one second was enough to change fate, I will be happy with that.

I have never claimed to be able to change the worlds but I know you could. If my contribution, even so small, can help you save the Soul Society, I will be happy. I wish I could follow you further, but this is where my journey ends. These few years with you made me happy, happier than I've ever been. For that I thank you with all my soul.

I love you.

"Eiko!"
The shout sliced the silence of the night like a blade but only his voice's empty echo answered. Heart pounding, he quickened his pace, dashing through the grass with the lightness and speed of a gale. He could not believe it. It could not be true. It could not happen. Not now. They had so much to do, to see, to live. They have a revenge to take, a world to save. It could not end like this. He would not allow it.

"Eiko!"
Where the hell was she? He did not feel her reiatsu which did not help him to soothe his anxiety. She was supposed to be in this area. Had they taken her elsewhere? If that were the case, there was little chance of finding them. How could have he been fooled like that? It was his fault. He had been too confident. He did not see the threat in time. And now ... he might lose her.

He did not know how long he had been running. He did not even know where he was. His mind was flooded by fear. Oh, he was not afraid for him, no. He was afraid of what he would find. The more time it would take him to find her, the less chance Eiko have to make it out alive. The assassins chasing her were no angels. They would have no mercy for her. She was strong, he knew it, but the assassins sent to eliminate her did not play fair. She was not prepared to fight against them. Nobody was.

A cry died in his throat when he finally found her. His steps stopped at the edge of a circle trampled in the tall grass. In the middle of this circle, he saw his lover's lifeless body. Too late! It was too late. He could not save her. Clenching his fists to the point of hurting himself, he slowly walked to the young woman's body. It was difficult to recognize her. Her long red hair, usually so carefully braided, was matted, sticky with coagulated blood. Her slender body with generous curves seemed broken, as if a giant hammer had smashed her. Blood stained her pale skin and her angelic face.

As he walked to the center of the circle, he mechanically noted four sets of footprints. One remained at the edge of the circle as if its owner had refused to participate in the murder. Two turned arounds the circle several times without penetrate it, preventing the young woman from fleeing. It seemed that Eiko had not even tried to run away, she stayed there to deal with the forth assailant, facing him with her usual courage. That man she had fought with, the last member of the quartet, he knew exactly who he was. Dropping to the floor near the young woman's body, he vowed to make him pay as soon as he had the chance.

"Eiko!"
His voice, usually so strong and assured, came down to a hoarse whisper, barely recognizable. Extending a hand to the bloody red hair, he gently lifted the woman's head. A groan escaped her, startling him. Eiko's beautiful teal eyes opened, but a white veil seemed to cover her usually bright pupils. For a moment, she stared emptily at him before trying to focus on her savior. A small smile graced her bloodied pale face.

"Sôsuke ..."
She let out a barely audible whisper, he had to hold his breath to hear her.

"Glad you're here ... so afraid of dying alone."

"Don't talk. I will heal you."
She weakly shook her head.

"Too late ... no strength left ... So tired ... So cold."
He cradled her against his chest, like when he usually did during their secret nights together.

"Kyoko?" breathed his dying lover.

"I will watch over her, don't worry. As long as I live nobody will hurt her."
The young woman's smile froze and a long streak of blood escaped her lips.

"I ... made sure … all is ready … for you two."
Sôsuke wondered what it meant.

"I love you."
He did not answer. Not because he did not want to but because he could not. He was frozen. He understood it was over. These were her last words. A moment later her breath froze and the last trace of her reiatsu faded gradually.

He remained motionless for a long time, kneeling, clutching his lover's lifeless body against him. When he managed to convince himself he had to move, Eiko's skin was already cold under his fingers. He laid her on the grass covered in blood and stood. He looked at her on last time before turning on his heel. He did not like the idea of leaving her like that but he knew he had no choice. He knew he had to leave before someone saw him there. He wondered what would be the official version for this mess. Another of those lies they feed them every day, one that all Seireitei would swallow without asking any question, probably. It disgusted him. He clenched his fists. A violent desire to destroy everything around him took him but he held it back. He knew he should leave no evidence of his presence, not even a flick of his reiatsu. He simply put all his rage in the shunpô who brought him to the Seireitei.

Enter the city was not a problem. He was a shinigami, an officer, he had the right to enter and exit without permission. However, as soon as he came to the first buildings, he took care to wrap himself in his illusions. He was not supposed to be out at this time of the night in a shihakushô soaked with the blood of one of his subordinate who had been secretly executed by the Chuô's faithful lapdogs.

He jumped from roof to roof to the fifth division's barracks but he did not go home. Crossing the corridors he knew so well, he walked to Eiko's personal apartment. He silently entered the small home, careful not to wake the nanny who was sleeping in the main room, and walked to the sole bedroom. Sliding the shoji, he looked down at a futon in which a little girl was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the drama that had just occurred. He knelt beside her without worrying about his looks which could have frightened the girl if she woke up.

"Kyoko-chan!"
He reached a hand still stained with Eiko's blood to the little girl's innocent face and brushed aside a lock of soft brown hair falling on her forehead.

"I promise they will pay for all that they have done to us. I will destroy them all."
The girl's small lips opened before stretching into a soft smile, she was probably having a nice dream. A dream full of Chappi, white unicorn and pink clouds, devoid of blood and suffering. Sôsuke looked at her for a moment before getting up and leaving, swearing to his late lover that nobody would hurt the little girl.

"Did you hear the news?"

"Yes, third seat Tsukishima."

"What a pity, she was so nice."

"Her poor daughter! All alone at such a young age!"

"Well, she has no father after all!"

"Oh! Good morning, Lieutenant."
The gossipers, who were talking about the sudden and tragic death of their third seat, turned to the newcomer. Aizen Sôsuke greeted them with a wave, trying to show a friendly look on his face. He had just spent the worst night of his life and it infuriated him to have to act as if nothing happened in front of these shinigami fools. But he had an image and a cover to maintain. He had to be careful.

"Well, well, don't you have work to do?" He asked in a soft voice without losing his kind smile.
For a moment, the gossipers looked awkwardly between them before apologizing and ran to their posts. Sôsuke watched them go, while a frown took the smile's place on his face. So, the whole division was already aware of Eiko's death? The news traveled awfully fast.

Hiding his irritation behind his fake smile, Sôsuke entered the barracks' main building. The news seemed to have invaded every corridor and every shinigami he met spoke about it. It did not help his mood. So there were not more interesting topics to discuss than the death of a seated officer? Fortunately, he managed to avoid the gossipers and did not have to give his opinion on Eiko's death. At least until he entered the office he shared with Hirako Shinji, his superior. The blond was sitting behind his desk, his chin planted on his clasped hands, a serious look plastered on his idiotic face. Sôsuke knew he was not going to escape the reality any longer. Trying to hang his usual amiable smile on his face, he greeted his captain.

"You are aware, Sôsuke?"
Right to the point, it did not look like Hirako.

"It would be hard not to be," Aizen said, standing in front of his captain. "The whole division talks about it."
And he bitterly regretted that.

"If I may, Captain, you know what happened?"
Hirako took a long, slow breath and sat up to lean against the back of his seat.

"No. Apparently lieutenant Tsukishima lost her life during her mission in Rukongai, but the exact circumstances of her death remain uncertain. She was most likely killed by a Hollow. One of those she was ordered to kill."
Sôsuke was silent for a moment. He almost admired his superior's composure. Almost. Alas Hirako was not match for an experienced manipulator like him. If Sôsuke had not already known the truth behind Tsukishima Eiko's death, he could easily guess that Hirako knew more than he claimed by just seeing his tight smile.

"I wanted to ask you, Sôsuke," Hirako resumed after a short silence. "You knew Tsukishima, you were friends, right?"

"Yes, I had that luck."

"As a friend, did she tell you who her daughter's father is?"
So, that little chat was just for that!

"I'm afraid not, captain. Whoever this man is, Tsukishima-chan did not want him to be known."
The blonde's eyes locked with his subordinate's. Sôsuke very well knew that Hirako did not believe a word of what he said, but that did not matter for now.

"That doesn't help us," sighed the captain.
He nervously drummed the edge of his desk with his fingertips.

"What will happen to the girl, Captain?"

"Without a father to claim her, we probably have no other choice but entrust her to Tsukishima's family."
Sôsuke raised an eyebrow. Him alive, that would not happen!

"I'm afraid this is not a good idea," he objected softly. "Tsukishima-chan has never hidden the hatred she vowed to her family, and those people did not keep secret the contempt she and her daughter inspired them."

"I know, but our laws are clear," the blond sighed. "Without a father, the girl will go her mother's family. Unless someone offers to take her and the family accepts."
Hirako threw a piercing glance at his subordinate. Sôsuke, however, pretended not to understand. He knew the blond had always suspected him to know more about the little girl's father that he pretended to. But if he thought he was going to spit the truth, Hirako was sourly mistaking.

"Um," he said, pretending to think. "Tsukishima was rather popular but had few real friends. She was very secret and never revealed more than she wanted to show."
Hirako threw a glance that seemed to say "she is not the only one!" at Aizen but the chestnut haired man pretended again not to understand his superior's hidden suspicion.

"Would you take her in, Sôsuke?"
Aizen blinked behind his glasses, giving the captain a surprised look.

"Actually, I never thought about the possibility of having children."
He gave a little embarrassed laugh, rubbing his neck with one hand. Hirako threw him a stern look.

"This conversation is nothing trivial, isn't it, Captain?"
The blond sighed deeply before seizing a bundle of papers on his desk.

"This morning, Tsukishima's personal belongings were collected and placed in receivership for the time of the investigation. Among them, there was that."
He handed the papers to Sôsuke. The lieutenant felt himself pale and struggled to keep his hands from shaking.

"Is this a will?"

"Yep, it's Tsukishima's, written shortly after her daughter's birth. And as you can see, you're the one she has appointed to take care of the girl."
Sôsuke was silent for a moment, reading his secret lover's will.

"I'm not surprised," he managed to say in a neutral voice. "I'm her godfather."
Hirako showed no surprise at the announcement. He probably checked the records as soon as he read the will, if he does not already know.

"Will you accept that responsibility?"

"Do I have a choice?"
The blonde took a moment to scrutinize the carefully neutral expression on his lieutenant's face. Aizen was even harder to read than a Kuchiki.

"The family was resigned to take her," he announced. "But they said that if someone else wanted her, they would let her go willingly."
As a mere package, Sôsuke thought bitterly.

"No," he sighed. "I'll take care of her. She knows me. She would certainly get accustomed faster to me than some strangers, she never saw once in her life. And if it's Tsukishima-chan's will, I won't go against it."
He paused for a time and lifted a hand on his forehead.

"It'll be a great change."
Without a word, Hirako got up and walked to the office door to open it wide. One of the shinigami who was waiting in the hallway approached him and the blonde gave him a nod. A moment later, the shinigami came back with a civilian woman holding a little girl by her hand. As soon as she saw, him the girl rushed to Aizen.

"Dada!"
She grabbed the lieutenant's hakama in her little fists and plunged her face into the rough fabric. An audible gasp was heard.

"Mama's gone," said the girl, voice broken by sobs. "I want to see mama."
It took all Sôsuke's self-control to not immediately hold the little girl in his arms. He crouched in front of her and put his hands on her little shoulders, loosening her grip on his hakama. Huge greenish blue eyes fell on him, overflowing with tears. She had her mother's eyes. The lieutenant's heart wanted to stop.

"Yes, mom is gone," he said softly, looking at the girl's eyes. "But I'll take care of you. You're not alone, Kyoko-chan. I'm here."
And I will never leave you.