A/N- Well, this is my first fanfiction ever! You don't have to go easy on me, I can take criticism. Whatever, just review! Please? Anyway, here goes nothing.

Disclaimer- Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, definitely not me!!!! I don't even own Clorox Bleach, let alone an awesome manga/anime series... I own nothing!!!

For the years that she had been working with her captain, Matsumoto had prided herself on the fact that she and Hitsugaya had a very good working relationship. Though they rarely saw eye to eye, they trusted each other indefinitely, and confided in each other when necessary. And yet, standing there in Orihime's apartment across from him, his back turned to her, she felt detached, as if she barely knew him at all.

Unknown to her captain, Matsumoto had heard every word of Hinamori's somewhat disappointing conversation with Hitsugaya, including her slightly desperate apology. Upon hearing this, she found that, apparently, Hitsugaya didn't feel it quite necessary to tell her everything as she had originally believed. Even if said things were practically eating him up from the inside out.

Yes, Matsumoto saw her captain's obvious distress and anger, and couldn't help but feel offended that he wouldn't let her in. But then again, when had he become a very open person?

"Captain?"

"What?" Hitsugaya replied rather harshly. He obviously isn't in the mood to chat, but Matsumoto knew that this conversation must be had.

"That night, the night that you fought Gin… you always told me that Hinamori had come to attempt to kill Gin again…" she began, choosing her words carefully, "and that in order to stop her from doing something rash, you had to knock her unconscious,"

"What are you getting at, Matsumoto?" He said, irritated. Matsumoto noticed a certain edge on his voice that worried her.

"That's not really what happened, was it?" She glanced up at Hitsugaya, hoping to meet his eyes, but he was still turned towards the other way, avoiding her stares.

"No," His voice was choked and bitter now, but at least it spoke the truth. He was smart enough to know when he was defeated. Matsumoto knew, no matter how much he wished that she would remain oblivious.

A few moments passed, and when Hitsugaya showed no signs of speaking again, or even moving, Matsumoto took the matters into her own hands. Stomping over to his spot in the room, she placed herself in front of her captain, looked him in the eye and crisply said:

"Then what in the world did? And no lies, I've had enough of that by now,"

Hitsugaya turned his head up towards her and fixed her with one of his best glares, but to no avail. Soon, he turned his head down, a withering, weary look in his eyes.

"She tried to kill me," he stated simply.

"But why?" Matsumoto had liked Momo enough before, but this disgusted her. She made no attempt to hide this emotion from Hitsugaya, who looked strangely ashamed, maybe for not telling his lieutenant what had very transpired that dreadful night, or possibly just on Hinamori's behalf.

" Because Aizen told her to," he mumbled, as if that just about cleared everything up. Matsumoto was at the end of her rope, and wasn't about to leave it at that, not without a full explanation. When Hitsugaya made a move to escape, Matsumoto grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to face her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She snapped. She really couldn't help it, she was angry. Angry at Hitsugaya for his lies, angry at Gin for leaving her, angry at Momo for being a stupid, naïve, brat. With all her rage, she was going to get answers no matter what.

Hitsugaya sighed, looking resigned now.

"In his letter, Aizen told Hinamori that I was the one who killed him, and said that it was his last wish that she do me in for him in his place. It wasn't her fault, really, she was grieving, in shock…" Hitsugaya tried to rationalize her actions frantically. Even he didn't buy it, though, and it only appeared to depress him more.

"She believed a stupid letter over you?" Matsumoto spat in revulsion.

"She wasn't really thinking right…"

"She was wrong to do that, and you were wrong not to tell me about it," Matsumoto reprimanded.

Silence filled the room, giving the atmosphere a suffocating feeling.

"Don't tell anyone," Hitsugaya said sharply, his authority returning momentarily.

"I never had any intentions to, you know," Matsumoto reminded him, though she was sure that he already was aware of this fact. Both of them were quite aware of the consequences of Hinamori's actions may be, and as this was her second offense, a jail sentence might no longer be considered adequate.

Relief washed over Hitsugaya's features, and he tersely nodded his silent thanks. This time, when he started towards the door, Matsumoto made no move to halt his actions. Instead, she watched his go, his stance guarded and tense. Seeing her little captain in this state just sucked all the hope out of Matsumoto. She had unofficially adopted the motto "If Captain Hitsugaya can't do it, no one can". Right now, her captain was looking to be on the verge of breaking, all his anger snapping him in two.

Abruptly, just before he reached the open door, Hitsugaya stopped.

"Matsumoto?"

"Yes?"

"She called me Shiro again," His words were forced and distraught, and the mere sound of them made Matsumoto's heart twist into knots.

Shiro. She was vaguely familiar of the despised nickname, and the fact that Hinamori had chosen that moment to utilize it meant about a million things in one.

A million painful, crushing things.

A/N- And there you have it! Like I said, REVIEW! PLEASE!!!!! Don't make me beg...