The dangerous look on her taicho's face should have been a hint for Matsumoto Rangiku to worry. But she honestly didn't know why she had to worry, she hadn't done anything wrong. So when he called her name calmly all she did was turn to him and smile her best smile.
"Yes taicho?"
"We need to talk Matsumoto."
Rangiku blinked. "Is this about the paperwork I skipped out on yesterday?"
"No this is about you violating a direct order."
Rangiku blinked again.
"Excuse me?"
"Matsumoto that water bottle next to you, what is in it?"
Rangiku gulped. The tone suggested he knew the correct answer to the question. "Why simply water sir" she lied through her teeth.
"Oh water is it? Now why would it be water in it?"
"Because you said no more sake during office hours."
"And whit that we are back to the violating an order subject. Let me stop all your attempt of defence by saying I drank 2 huge gulps yesterday of what I thought was water, and woke up today in the 4th squad not knowing what the hell had happened."
Rangiku blinked and tried not to laugh at the thought of her taicho drunk. Probably wise as she noticed it had started to snow outside, as a result of Hitsugaya's anger rising.
"That being said Unohana told me all I had done from when I drank something she had said I called bubble water until I went to GOD DAMN SLEEP."
Rangiku rose and started to back away from her very angry captain who had begun to advance towards her.
"Now, now taicho there is no reason to get hysterical" she said trying to save herself from a punishment.
"DAMN YOU MATSUMOTO NO SAKE MEANS NO SAKE."
It had started to hail outside Matsumoto noted.
"All right taicho, I promise, no more sake during office hours I promise, just please calm down" she said practically hugging the wall, trying to get away from her short but angry superior.
"NO MATSUMOTO THIS HAS GONE ON FOR LONG ENOUGH."
Rangiku blinked. "What?"
"Every day I walk in here you have a hangover or lies snoring, sleeping off the booze from yesterday's party. You have stashes of sake bottles hidden everywhere, from places you know I can't reach to a stall at the ladies bathroom. And I know that 5 bartenders in the area knows you by your first name, in fact the last time I forced you to sit down to do your job, they called on my phone to ask if you where sick. Well no more Matsumoto this has got to stop."
Rangiku blinked, not liking the sound of this.
"From this day hence no more Sake. At all. And don't give me that shocked look Matsumoto this is for your own damn good. So sit down and start doing the damn paperwork."
He threw something at her which she grabbed easily.
"A potion from Unohana. It's for your hangover… your last one."
And whit that Hitsugaya calmed down and went to her desk taking the bottle of what both knew to be sake and went for the door.
"When I come back you better be sitting at your desk doing your paperwork."
5 seconds after he had left Rangiku got to her feet. The nerve of him! Trying to make her quit drinking. She laughed. He didn't even know half of her sake hiding places, not to mention all the bars she went to, how he was going to stop her from going to those she'd like to see. Although she wondered what he had gone through to punish her like this? She sat down at her desk sighing at the pile of papers in front of her. How in the world did the other lieutenants manage to do this ever day? She groaned, just thinking of doing the paperwork made her head spin.
"I need a drink" she muttered, but stayed in her place, knowing that if Hitsugaya taicho walked inside the office and found her drinking… She shuddered and looked on the paperwork once again.
……………….
When Hitsugaya walked into his office 2 hours later, he smiled as he saw Matsumoto actually doing her work.
"Busy at work?" He asked.
Rangiku pouted. "You are a mean boss taicho, this is slavery."
"Don't start Matsumoto; you got yourself up in this mess."
Footsteps outside made Hitsugaya smile and Rangiku frown.
'What now?'
"Ah Kyoraku taicho, Ise fuku taicho how nice of you to stop by."
'Uh-Oh' Matsumoto thought as Kyoraku Shunsui and Ise Nanao stepped into the room.
"Ah good morning Rangiku" Shunsui declared taking of his hat to greet an uncomfortable Matsumoto Rangiku.
"Well then I will cut this short I have a lot to do today" Hitsugaya declared.
"I am getting sick of coming to work every day to see a hung over Matsumoto sleeping on the couch; she is going to stop drinking as of this day."
"Good luck," Nanao said knowing Matsumoto and her habits.
"Well it needs to be done step by step" Hitsugaya said glaring over at Matsumoto who had scowled at his neck ever since he opened his mouth. "That being said, I need some help."
He smiled over at Shunsui. "Fell free to raid the 10th squad barracks. Anything you find that can resemble alcohol is yours. None in my squad is drinking in the barracks again, a new rule I have made."
Shunsui smiled, Nanao nodded understanding the plan and Matsumoto just gaped like a fish on land. Hitsugaya just looked at her whit a raised eyebrow. She sighed and turned towards the paperwork yet again. It was OK she still had her bars, and not even Kyoraku could find all of her hidden stash… Right?
……………………………
"HOW IN YAMAMOTO'S NAME DID HE FIND IT ALL?" Rangiku had gone to every one of her hiding places only to find, as Hitsugaya had ordered, not a single drop of alcohol.
"Sorry fuku taicho" said the poor girl in front of her. "But Hitsugaya taicho said he wanted this squad to be as healthy as we could be, and that from this day forth, there would be no alcohol in the barracks. So the squad kind of looked for all the bottles we could find and threw them out."
Rangiku groaned, she had been without alcohol the entire day. "Oh well, I still have the bars" she said smiling going into a shunpoo out the door ignoring the girl in front of her who wondered what was going on between her taicho and fuku taicho.
Rangiku smiled as she entered her favourite pub walking straight over to the bar. "Hey there Usomi the usual, and leave the bottle."
Usomi the barkeeper looked at her smiling face and sighed. "I'm sorry Rangiku I can't do that."
"Why not? You know I have the money for it." Matsumoto frowned. He couldn't have, could he?
"Well you see this boy showed up, white spiky hair, bossy voice, and was wearing a white haori."
Rangiku groaned.
"He said if I continued to sell you drinks whit alcohol he would come back and bankai my ass."
"He said that?"
"Well it was more like he would introduce me to the bankai version of his hyorinmaru, I am not dumb Rangiku I recognise a taicho when I see one, and even if I like you I do not want to mess whit a taicho. But if you'd like I have some herbal tea."
Rangiku slammed her hand in the table and walked out. "Don't worry Rangiku" she told herself. "This is one of your favourite places, he know you often go there, just keep going from bar to bar until you find one who are willing to give you some sake."
………………………
Hitsugaya smiled as he finished looking over the paperwork he had told Matsumoto to finish. Not bad at all, which simply proved that she was capable of doing a good job whit the right persuasions. Suddenly the door opened and he felt himself being lifted into the air and held against the wall. He didn't even seem angry just smiled at his fuku taicho.
"Yes Matsumoto, anything I can do for you?"
The reply was loud, short and predictable. "SAKE, ME, NOOOOOOW."
Hitsugaya smiled knowing that she couldn't do a thing to him even if she wanted to.
"I told you Matsumoto, no more sake, now put me down before I call on Soi Fon and her police."
Matsumoto's face went from angry to sad and suddenly Hitsugaya was on the floor and Matsumoto on her knees crying. Hitsugaya sighed. The sake had gotten to hard a grip on Matsumoto's life, and he intended to stop it, no matter how miserable she where going to get.
He lifted her up, having become pretty strong since the winter war was won, before going into a shunpoo towards the 4th squad. He smiled as he was meet by Kotetsu Fuku taicho.
"Could you please get me Unohana taicho?" He had to raise his voice as Matsumoto's cries got louder.
"At once Hitsugaya taicho" she said.
A few seconds later Unohana's smiling face showed up in front of Toshiro.
"Yes Shiro – chan? Don't start whit me Retsu I have just managed to make Momo call me Hitsugaya taicho, so stop the name calling please."
Matsumoto had started to sob leaning on Hitsugaya's neck.
"I 'sob' want 'sob' my SAKE." And then she started crying again.
Unohana smiled. "Yes I heard something about you making Rangiku stop drinking, how is that working."
"She haven't had a drink the whole day, but I think she'd be better off whit you, I think she is having withdrawal symptoms."
Unohana nodded. "I'll take care of her."
Hitsugaya smiled relieved. "Thank you Unohana taicho, it means a lot to me."
Isane appeared and helped poor Rangiku to her legs and supported her into the healing barracks.
"Want to come inside for a minute taicho? We have watermelons." The smile on Unohana's face made Hitsugaya sure she was thinking of last night. He was glad he didn't remember much.
"Very well, but I won't stay for long."
"As you will Shiro taicho." Unohana laughed as Hitsugaya groaned.
……………….
When Rangiku woke up the next day she felt horrible. She remembered everything, the bars all getting a threat to meet the wrong end of a taicho's Zanpakuto if they ever served her alcohol, the barracks raided, and Nanao staying whit her the entire time she was whit Kyoraku taicho to ensure Hitsugaya taicho's demands would be meet. She remembered storming into the 10th squad and demand sake and she remembered he taking her here to sleep off.
"Ah Matsumoto fuku taicho, so glad you are awake."
Rangiku looked up from where she sat only to see Unohana taicho's smiling face, her fuku taicho Isane right behind her, carrying a tray of what she guessed was her breakfast.
"Unless that so called breakfast has any trace of alcohol in it you can carry it away" she grumbled glaring at Isane.
Unohana smiled her usual friendly smile. "Now, now Rangiku that is not a nice thing to say."
"I don't give a damn unless I get my god damn sake" came the sour reply.
"None the less, we will leave the food here, in case you change your mind."
Isane smiled and sat down the tray on a table next to Rangiku´s bed. Rangiku scowled at Unohana who where still smiling the smile she always wore around troublesome patients.
"So how long am I stuck here?"
Unohana's smile disappeared for a millisecond before sitting down next to Rangiku.
"Hitsugaya taicho wanted you to stay here for as long as you needed. That being said, you can go whenever I feel that the sake's grip on your mind has gone. And that I fear can take some time."
Rangiku rubbed her temples warily. "What did he go through to make him hate me this much" she groaned feeling the need of a drink coming again.
"Not just hate I should think" Unohana said gently. "As for what he went through, I promised not to tell."
"Please taicho, I need to know."
Unohana sighed. "Isane could you leave us alone?"
"As you wish taicho" Isane said walking out of the room closing the door.
"Do you promise this will not leave these 4 walls?"
"I promise."
Unohana looked at her seriously for about 10 seconds before starting to talk.
When she was finished she looked over at Matsumoto who blinked about 4 times before she rolled on the floor almost dying of laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA oh my god can't stop laughing, boo-boos hahahaha, mommy haha lullaby hahahaaaaaa owie it hurts."
"You finished?" Unohana asked lifting an eyebrow.
"Not nearly" Rangiku said sitting up drying away a laughter tear.
"Well then you stay back and relax. If you want to go somewhere outside squad 4 I will send someone whit you. Trying to sneak off will result in you being hunted down and dragged back, any questions?"
"No taicho."
"Well then I will bid you farewell for now." And whit that Unohana walked out.
Rangiku smiled. What did Unohana think she was? Dumb? Hitsugaya taicho had made sure any visits to bars was out of the question, and this was a hospital right? Think of how much alcohol it was inside the 4th squad barracks alone just for the sake of sterilizing equipment. Rangiku smiled and sat back starting to eat the food Isane had brought. This visit to the 4th squad was going to be fun.
……………………..
Unohana sighed at the sight. There was little more she could do really, other than to ask herself why nobody had thought of the possibility of this happening.
"Well hi there Unohana taicho *hic* how nice of you to step by." Rangiku Matsumoto smiled happily where she sat, next to what used to be 3 beacons filled whit alcohol used to sterilize various medical equipments.
"Isane could you please bring Matsumoto back to her room and tell Hanataro to collect and lock up all the sterilizing equipment where only the 4th squad can get to it." Unohana's tone sounded like it always did to Matsumoto but Isane heard the slowly rising anger in her captain's tone and hurried to do as she was told.
"At once Unohana taicho."
As soon as Isane had left whit a giddy and once again drunk Rangiku Unohana held out a finger to let a hell butterfly land. Slowly and calmly she told her message and sent it to Hitsugaya, telling him how his fuku taicho had raided her barracks and how Unohana was going to handle it, asking for permission to make Matsumoto's life hell.
The Butterfly returned a few minutes later whit a minor frostbite and Hitsugaya's strained polite voice making Unohana think he where having a hard time not coming over and kill Matsumoto himself.
"Unohana taicho I will say this much to you. I told Matsumoto Rangiku that no sake was going to touch her lips again. By raiding your barracks she has broken a direct order, feel free to make sure she will never break another rule again."
Unohana smiled and let the poor hell butterfly fly away to heal.
"Isane?"
A few seconds later Isane was by her side. "Yes Unohana taicho?"
"The liquid we got from squad 12 to help cure hangovers, do we still have them?"
"Yes taicho, but if memory serves, the liquid didn't remove the hangover, they removed… ohhh."
Unohana smiled. "Get me that bottle would you Isane? And while you are at it send someone over to squad 12 and ask for some more bottles of it just in case."
"Hai taicho, as you wish."
………………………………..
Rangiku was feeling great. It didn't matter that Unohana was probably going to unleash hell all that mattered was this great feeling of alcohol in her blood. She smiled as her door opened and Unohana walked in. Behind her came a frowning Isane and for some reason another shinigami whit blonde hair and glasses. Rangiku smiled.
"Hi there taicho, how are you feeling?"
"A bit sad over what I have to do Matsumoto fuku taicho."
"Oh really? And what would that be?"
"I think shock therapy would be the best term to use for it." Unohana held up a bottle and a spoon and poured the liquid from the bottle over to fill up the spoon. "Now fuku taicho you have two choices here. Drink this as a good girl or have me force my fuku taicho and 3rd seat to hold you down while I force this into you, which one will it be?"
Rangiku sat up straight. "I am not drinking anything potentially dangerous to me taicho, sorry to disappoint you."
Unohana simply sighed, her face still smiling her usual friendly smile. "Very well fuku taicho. Isane? Iemura?"
They nodded and before Matsumoto understood what was going on Iemura had her stuck in a full Nelson and Isane sat firmly on her feet making sure she couldn't do anything.
"Now then" Unohana said standing right over Rangiku still holding that blasted spoon.
"Isane?"
From her position on Rangiku's legs Isane pinched Rangiku's nose shut making her open her mouth making Unohana force the spoon into her mouth. Iemura and Isane stepped down and out of the way, Isane taking out a bucket to Rangiku who where coughing.
"You might need this" Isane said whit a smile.
"What for?" Matsumoto was going to ask just as she suddenly felt sick and emptied her stomach in the bucket Isane had given her.
Unohana where still smiling that same smile as she put a cork on the bottle and gave bottle and spoon to Iemura and dismissed him whit a small nod. She then turned to Matsumoto who where groaning softly.
"That remedy was a liquid the 12th squad made a long time ago to help us cure the hangovers of all the shinigami who comes in here to drunk to dare showing their face in their own squad. Thing is, the liquid didn't work as it should, it didn't remove the hangover, it removed the alcohol."
Matsumoto blinked and dared to look down into the bucket. True enough, all that was there was a clear liquid that smelled just like alcohol. She suddenly realised she felt completely sober too.
"So that being said Matsumoto san, if there hadn't been any alcohol in your body, the liquid would not react."
Unohana smiled her usual friendly smile, though her eyes scared Matsumoto shitless. "Now for some updates, we have hidden all the alcohol and placed it in places only we in the 4th squad can access. As an extra insurance we will force one spoon of this down your throat everyday for as long as we feel it necessary."
Once again Matsumoto wondered silently to herself how in the world Unohana could sound so scary all the while smiling that same smile. "Also we will have guards at the door. If you go out you will be accompanied by one of my 4th squaders, any questions?"
Matsumoto scowled. "No ma'am."
"Good. We will serve dinner in a few minutes." She bowed gently and left leaving Matsumoto and Isane in the room.
"You know Rangiku this is for your own good" Isane said sitting down next to Matsumoto on the futon.
"Che whatever" was the sour reply.
Isane laid a hand on Matsumoto's shoulder. "I know that this will be tough" Isane said gently, trying to be as diplomatic as she could.
Matsumoto was after all one of her friends as well as a fellow fuku taicho. "But if we work together it probably won't be too bad right?"
Matsumoto just looked at the floor refusing to look at Isane. Isane sighed sad, knowing that Matsumoto was just being stubborn. "Well then Rangiku if you change your mind and want to have a girl talk or something just ask for me OK?"
Isane smiled and rose walking out of the door looking one final time at Matsumoto. "By the way we have guards outside too; trying to escape out the windows is futile." And whit that she left leaving behind her a frustrated Matsumoto.
"Man Rangiku you really are in deep shit this time" she told herself. She had no idea how true that statement was.
………………………………………………
The days passed on, whit Matsumoto still stationed at the 4th. To her utter misery her taicho kept sending her the usual amount of paperwork she was expected to finish. Apparently being treated for alcoholism wasn't a good enough excuse to not do her work. Unohana was making sure Matsumoto was well feed, and gave her a bottle to have water in at all times, so that each time she felt like she needed a drink, she should take a sip of water.
The nights were the worst for Matsumoto who had problems whit insomnia and withdrawal symptoms. Almost 3 weeks in a row she could swear Gin stood in front of her bed, looking like he did when they had been young, and he had saved her. Matsumoto sighed as she stood up from her bed. She needed to do something. She opened her door smiling gently at the two 4th squader who was on guard duty.
"Do you think it's ok if I used the training grounds?" She asked turning to the girl on her left side.
The girl shared a look whit the other 4th squader turning back to Matsumoto. "I'll ask Unohana taicho" she said running off leaving Matsumoto whit the young boy next to her.
She smiled gently. "So, anything interesting happening lately?"
The boy shrugged. "Just the usual gossip rumours. Kyoraku taicho of the 8th has made a bet whit his fuku taicho. If he can manage to not drink for a month she's agreed to go on a date whit him."
"Hah he won't last a day" Matsumoto said whit a knowing smile.
"Yeah the odds are pretty low" the 4th squader said snickering. "Also, Soi Fon taicho of the 2nd has been surprisingly kind to everyone the last few days. Rumours have it that Shihouin Yoruichi finally popped her cherry if you know what I mean."
Matsumoto smiled. Oh the gossiping, how she had missed it. "Anything else?"
The 4th squader sighed and looked around to make sure no one overheard them. "The 11th squaders have been surprisingly kind to us 4th squaders lately. Many believe it has to do whit the fact that Zaraki taicho has started visiting the 4th squad on a daily basis for some… eh private session's whit Unohana taicho. She claims it is a deal they have that she helps him whit achieving bankai in return of kindness to the squad but almost everyone here thinks they are dating."
"Unohana and Zaraki? Seriously? Wow, wonder what those children would look like."
Just then the girl returned whit Unohana taicho and Isane fuku taicho.
"Ah Matsumoto fuku taicho, how are you feeling?"
"Restless" Rangiku answered. Unohana smiled gently.
"I heard that you wanted to use our training grounds?"
"I am sick of being inside the ward" Matsumoto said matter of factly. "Each time I try to sleep all I see is…" she sighed.
Unohana sighed. "Ichimaru is hunting you then?"
"Yeah… even in death he's tormenting me" Matsumoto said frowning.
Unohana smiled gently. "Let me see your hands Matsumoto fuku taicho."
Matsumoto held them out and frowned as she saw that they where shaking.
"Still aching for the sake bottle then?" Unohana said whit a smile at Matsumoto who frowned. "You can use the grounds, on the condition that Isane joins you and makes sure you don't try anything. Is that OK?"
Matsumoto nodded glad to finally see the outside of her room. A few minutes later Isane and Matsumoto appeared at the 4th squad training grounds.
"Well this wasn't much" she said raising an eyebrow. The area was about 30 square meters. A few wooden katana's stood in a bucket to her left and at the far end of the grounds stood a few targets for kido based attacks. There was a small square painted on the ground, to mark a ring for Hakuda training or battles.
Isane smiled. "The 4th squad deals whit healing kido, and we use healing kido everyday on our patients, so very few use the training grounds."
She took up two wooden katana's, giving one of them to Rangiku. "Now we aren't going to stay long. A quick spar before we go inside again. Wouldn't want to strain you to much, and you still have a lot of paperwork to finish."
Matsumoto sighed. "I know, but still, it would have been nice to have something to do to get my mind of things."
"Wich is why you have paperwork my dear Rangiku."
Matsumoto scowled at Isane who giggled. Matsumoto smiled. "Have you grown Isane, you seem taller."
Isane's smile disappeared and Matsumoto smirked readying the wooden sword.
"That was payback Isane, you had it coming."
Isane was still frowning as she held up her own katana. "Well then I just have to beat an apology out of you wont I?"
………………………
Unohana smiled gently at Hitsugaya who sat in front of her.
"I thought you might want to hear about your fuku taicho's progress."
Hitsugaya nodded and gently took a bite out of the watermelon Unohana had placed on her desk for her visitor.
"Well she hasn't touched alcohol since that one incident; we have made sure of that. She is currently having withdrawal symptoms, indicating that the worst part is almost over."
Unohana sighed. "Because of the withdrawal symptoms she also has some pretty bad dreams."
Hitsugaya looked up in interest. "For the last 3 weeks she has woken up from nightmares. The first thing she says when she wakes up is where is Gin?"
Hitsugaya sighed. "Damn it."
"Her hands have started to shake, a sign that her brain is screaming for alcohol." Unohana smiled gently. "My opinion is that she used to drink to forget her past. Living in Rukongai, nearly dying from starvation, the rescue of Ichimaru… I think she still blames herself for not seeing that he turned bad."
Unohana sighed. "I think she needs to be here for at least another week. And then when she comes back to your squad I will probably ask Soi Fon taicho if I can borrow one of her stealth force officers to follow her and make sure she doesn't drink."
Hitsugaya nodded standing up and bowing. "Thank you Unohana taicho. I cannot say how much this means to me."
"My pleasure Hitsugaya taicho, if there is anything else; you know where to find me."
Unohana smiled and rose from her seat walking together whit Hitsugaya out the door. What was meeting them was quite the sight. There was an obviously worried Isane who looked at a Matsumoto who held a wooden sword in her hand, her smile big and toothy, with huge wide eyes.
"Yes Isane?" Unohana asked wondering what was happening.
"Well I took Rangiku san to the training grounds as ordered… then we started to train a bit, and well…" Isane looked over at Matsumoto who looked like 10 Yachiru's on a sugar high.
"Yes Matsumoto fuku taicho?"
"WestartedfightingandIfeltthisrushlikewhenIdrinkitwasawesomelikewhenyoudrinkyourselftoablackout."
Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow. "What did she say?" He asked Unohana.
"Basically that since she no longer can drink, the adrenaline she got from fighting is a refreshing change of pace. She'll calm down eventually."
"I hope so" Hitsugaya said with a sigh. "Well then Unohana taicho I will bid you farewell for now."
Unohana smiled. "Feel free to stop by if there is anything you need Hitsugaya taicho, now then Matsumoto fuku taicho it's nearly dinner time let's get you back to your room OK?"
………………………
About 2 weeks later there was a knock on Hitsugaya's door.
"Yes?"
"Um, hi there taicho."
Hitsugaya looked up from his work to where Matsumoto stood before him, in all her sober, well endowed beauty. He smiled.
"Unohana finally let you go then?"
Matsumoto huffed. "Yeah, with the message that drinking was bad for me."
Hitsugaya sighed. "She told me about your dreams."
Matsumoto looked sad. "I owe so much to Gin… he saved me… even gave me a birthday."
"Birthday?" Hitsugaya asked.
"He asked me when it was when we meet. I had stopped counting days and years and didn't know, so he said, well then let today be your birthday, isn't that a good idea Rangiku… and then we went whit it. Still he left me… and I didn't see him again before after I joined the Gotei 13… and then he was already rotten, drawn in under Aizen's schemes. And he never told me anything."
Hitsugaya sighed and rose walking over to where Matsumoto stood and gave her a hug.
"Hey remember what happened when I first joined this squad? We sparred for an hour each day. How about we do that again?"
Matsumoto blinked. "But what about the paperwork?"
"Screw the paperwork, if you start on that now it will be impossible to see what's written down because of all the tears. Now come on, our old spot, 10 minutes kay?"
Matsumoto smiled. "Hai taicho, just let me get Haineko, she needs some exercise."
……………………………
A few months later
……………………………
Hitsugaya could do nothing more than to smile at his fuku taicho. She was sober, she was healthy, and she had never looked as happy as she did at this moment.
What started as a punishment, might of just have been the best thing that had happened to him, her and the squad. After Matsumoto started being on the water wagon, she had found her rush in training and battling, mostly whit the squad, and that had raised the fighting ability of the rest of the squad who fought back hoping to survive Matsumoto's new training regime.
She hadn't really changed much, other than the fact that she had stopped drinking. She was still the same old Matsumoto whit the mind for gossip and clothes, always arriving late and rarely finishing her paperwork, but still Hitsugaya could not help but smile, as he saw in her eyes that she was happy. More happy than she had ever been. And after all, as long as she was happy, he where happy, and that was all that mattered.
End