Hitsugaya tossed on his captain's haori for the first time in an entire month. He tried to not wobble as he hobbled to the window his hostess held open for him.

"Thank you, for everything," he said.

She nodded, her dark green hair catching in the wind. Just a moth ago, she found the young boy barely clinging to life on the streets. When she noticed that no one else could see him, she took him in and nursed him back to health. She feed the poor soul fluids for the two weeks he was unconscious and re-taught his injured legs to walk again and his arms to wield a sword when he awoke. His reiatsu was still unstable when Hitsugaya announced that he was going to leave, but to his surprised, she did not object.

"Are you going to fight Aizen?" she asked at the window. Hitsugaya's eyes showed his surprise. She had never inquired about no one else being able to see him nor about his injuries. He had never told him anything about him or shiningami either, so how did she-?

"Soon," he replied, reaching for the memory eraser in his pocket. He looked at the silly duck head and paused.

"Press it," the girl said. "It's your job, isn't it?

Hitsugaya pressed his lips into a line. She had taken care of him so well. Is this how he was supposed to repay her? Make her forget that she had done such a deed?

"Don't worry about me. You can thank me even when I've forgotten about you," she said, as if reading his thoughts.

Hitsugaya looked at her as if telling her to continue.

"Leave me something-anything- on the bed you've slept on this past month after Aizen's been defeated."

Hitsugaya nodded. The request was normal and reasonable.

"And," she continued, "During your fight, never take your eyes off of Hinamori Momo."

"We'll protect you, Ichigo."

Hitsugaya stood side to side with the rest of his colleges and the vizards. Now that Ichigo was here, the war was in full engagement.

"I didn't come to fight you. I came to violently kill you!" he announced to Aizen.

Hitsugaya focused his gaze on his enemy. I will kill him. I will kill him for Hinamori. With that, he charged towards his target.

The prodigy couldn't help but smile as he felt his sword pierce through the one who caused his heart so much suffering, so much agony, so much—

"What are you doing?!" Ichigo's voice rung out through the air.

Hitsugaya snapped his eyes at Ichigo then remembered Aizen's special ability. He turned back to see who he stabbed and was greeted by his greatest fear. In his arms laid his sweet, innocent friend. He took his eyes off of her for just one second! When did she get replaced?

"Shiro-chan…" she nudged her head against his familiar chest.

Hitsugaya's eyes were wide in horror as he remembered the green-haired girl in the real word and her warning. He took his eyes off of Hinamori. He had been warned. He stabbed her. This was his fault!

"Why?" she mustered out with all her strength and then fell limp in his arms.

"AHHHHHRRRRGGGGGGGGGG!" Hitsugaya yelled in anger, frustration, and most of all, fear.

With Hinamori in one arm, he put every emotion and every ounce of strength into one attack aimed for on person. He felt the flower petals of his Bankai breaking one after another like a bubble wrap in a child's hand as he dove in for his attack, ignoring those shouting his name and telling him to stop.

12 left.

11

10

9

8

Aizen smiled

7

6

5

"You are full of openings."

4

3

2

The traitor raised his sword and severed Hitsugaya's arm. Losing Hyorinmaru, Hitsugaya's Bankai immediately retracted with just one petal remaining.

Thee young captain fell to the floor with his nose buried in Hinamori's hair.

I promised to protect her. I promised to watch her at all times.

Hitsugaya rushed to the fourth division as quickly as his diminished reiatsu could take him. He flung open the door to her room with much haste. Inside, he saw Kira, Renji, Matsumoto, and all of the fifth division wearing solemn faces.

Hitsugaya couldn't breath. This can't be! They are trying to fool me! They- they must be!

Unohana took a deep breath and spoke. "Hitsugaya-taicho. We voted it was best for you to pull the sheets over her eyes."

"No," he muttered. "no, no, no, No, No, NO, NOOO!"

He threw himself over Hinamori's seemingly peaceful body. He didn't care if they saw him cry. He didn't care if they mocked him for life. He doesn't have a life without Hinamori anyway.

The others quietly exited the room, allowing the wielder of ice and snow to cry until he was dry.

Hitsugaya found himself in front of the green-haired girl's wndow the night before Hinamori's ceremony. He was surprisingly calm and clear of what he was going to do.

His reiatsu never came back after his fight with Aizen, so his plan would work perfectly. Hitsugaya raised his sword.

"Ban… kai."

The pair of elegant ice wings formed on his back one last time before his sword shattered into pieces along with the final purple petal. He fell into the room of the girl who knew so much with just the cross guard of his sword. With much effort, Hitsugaya placed the four-petal flower next to her pillow before slumping into the senkaimon.

At least he kept one promise…

Hitsugaya dragged himself to Hinamori's final bed at the break of dawn. He wrapped his arms around her, knowing it would finally be forever. He looked at her peaceful face and this time, he won't turn away.

.

A girl woke up to see bronze mixed with her green hair. She picked the object up to see that it was a four-pedaled angular flower cross guard. She cocked her head in wonder of where it came from. Shrugging in confusion, she experienced her closet and placed it among her collection of sixty-four manga books all titled "Bleach."