The Perfect Gift

Disclaimer: Guess what? Don't own Bleach!

"Taicho, wait for me!"

Renji grabbed the woman's hand. "Hold on, Rangiku. Let him go."

The vice-captain stuck her bottom lip out angrily.

"No way, they need to be alone for a while."

Meanwhile, Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya had long left the 10th division training grounds in the dust.

What do I tell her?

You tell her you're sorry, answered his zanpaktou.

It's going to take more than that. I stabbed her through the heart...literally. Toshiro felt his fists tighten at the memory, the nerves making his breathes come out in rough gasps. That one moment had almost destroyed him, inside and out. He could only imagine what it had done to Momo.

Well, it had already done plenty. Four months after the incident, Momo lied there, body on a metal table, mind who knows where.

I'm so tired.

Wake up!

But

No buts, someone wants to apologize to you!

Momo gasped, shuddered, and sat straight up, pulling the green blankets around her close. As her vision cleared, she found herself staring at the 12th's division's fuku-taicho.

"Where am I? What happened? Where's Aizen?"

"Calm down, you're in the 12th. We've been taking of you. Hinamori, you were pretty hurt when you got to us."

Momo clenched her hands together, as everything came rushing back. She felt like she was getting stabbed all over again. "Toshiro, why?"

Nemu's hand resting on the starting to hyperventilate Momo caused the girl to jump to the present. Momo squeezed her eyes together, hand instantly going to where her sword usually hung. "He's here."

"Wh...oh...it's you. I told Taicho not to send that butterfly. She has no idea what really happened," sighed Nemu, glaring at the white-haired, gasping for breath figure in the doorway.

Toshiro lifted his head and looked at Momo, swallowing the quilt he felt. "I know that. Thank goodness, you're up, Momo."

As she looked into Toshiro's eyes, it felt like she was looking straight into the past, back when she found him on the streets. Her heart beat painfully in her chest. Last time she had seen him he had been trying to finish her off, not one ounce of caring in those frosty eyes. All she had seen was pure, focused rage. Now, those eyes were totally vulnerable. "Shiro, what are you doing here? Why haven't you been arrested?"

Nemu moved to restrain her, worried a brawl would break out.

"Captain's orders, don't do that!" snapped Toshiro, understanding Nemu's intentions and seeing Momo's eyes widen fearfully.

"Let me talk to her, alone. She deserves to hear what happened from me, and she has every right to take a punch at me if she wants to."

"Don't be too long, Sir. She needs more rest," Nemu whispered as she left the room, "and…don't expect a miracle on the first day she's up."

Toshiro nodded. There was an awkward silence. "Your sword's in the closet," he whispered.

Momo tried to get out of the bed, loose hair pooling around her neck.

"I'll get it!" Toshiro snapped, cloak flying as he raced toward the closet. Face turned away from the person he cared about most, he continued softly, "Then...if you want to slash me to bits with it...I won't stop you. I deserve it."

"Yes, probably," Momo replied calmly. Did he just apologize?

Toshiro flinched at how quickly she agreed with him. He turned around, sword in hand. She was looking at him with deep suspicion but thankfully not with outright anger. However, the suspicion hurt enough.

"Look," he began haltingly. "It's not enough to say I'm sorry, but I really am. I didn't know it was you; that's why I'm still a captain and haven't been arrested. When I saw what I'd done to you, I lost it. You can ask anybody. I swear, all I was doing was trying to protect you."

She studied him as he handed her Tobiume. She knew if she attacked him right now, he wouldn't defend himself. First Aizen and then him. It would be lying to say she didn't want to go after him a little bit. He had stabbed her, betrayed her entirely.

Have you ever done the same to him? asked Tobiume gently.

She thought back to when Aizen left Soul Society. She had tried to kill her childhood friend then, and he had forgiven without a second thought. Even when Aizen stabbed her, he had rushed after her doing everything in his power to keep her safe. "Just tell me why."

"Aizen" said Toshiro gruffly. "He used his complete hypnosis. We thought you were him, and the whole time he had switched places with you. He had all of us fooled. But, I've been training hard ever since then. I'll protect you...I won't let him near you!"

Momo's teeth started to chatter and she pulled the blankets around her closer. The explanation as unbelievable as it sounded on the surface made sense to her. "Okay, it's okay, Shiro-chan."

Toshiro frowned knowing it would still take more time for to recover and truly trust him again. He gave her back Tobiume. "Merry Christmas by the way."

"Christmas? What's Christmas?" asked Momo, throughly befuddled, glad for the topic change.

Toshiro couldn't help but smile. While Momo still was pale and had bags under her eyes, the contemplating pose reminded him of their younger days. "Rangiku told us about it. It's a holiday celebrated in the world of the living. People exchange gifts to show how much they care. I think that she is just using it as an excuse to try and get drunk later."

"But, Toshiro, I don't have anything to give you." complained Momo, sticking her lip out.

Toshiro frowned. "You already gave me a gift, Bakka. You woke up. And, don't worry; I don't have a present made for you either, sorry."

He apologized today, twice! The world must be coming to an end. "But, you were here when I woke up. That's a gift to. Thank you for being so honest with me."

Toshiro chanced tucking a lock of hair behind Momo's ear. "Do you want me to put your bun back in?"

"Actually...can we go and sit on the roof for a while? It will be like when we were little." she stated suddenly, leaning comfortably against him.

"Are you sure Nemu would be okay with that?"

"Um...possibly? Please, I want to see the sky again."

Toshiro didn't have the strength or the courage to argue with her.

"Okay, Bed-wetter, you win!" sighed Toshiro, lifting the patient gently off the bed, blankets and all.

"I think I can walk."

As Momo stood up and stumbled forward, Toshiro grabbed her waist and shoulders. "I don't think so."

Momo hid her face, so Toshiro would not be able to see her blushing cheeks.

Slowly they made their way towards the door, and, just as they were about to step outside, Momo found herself being smothered in a bear hug.

"I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE UP. WE THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SLEEP FOREVER!"

She laughed, trying to breathe. "I missed you too, Rangiku!"

"What are you doing here exactly?" asked Toshiro, ice appearing in his voice.

"Nothing, just wanted to give Momo a hug!" pleaded Rangiku, finally breaking away from her friend.

Her captain glared and looked at Renji, who was shaking in a corner of the hallway muttering something about Rukia helping him under his breath.

"Liar"

Rangiku backed up nervously. "Okay, you caught me. I came to give you two your Christmas gift."

"Then where is it?" questioned Toshiro, raising an eyebrow.

"Look up sir"

Momo and Toshiro both looked up and saw a hanging green and red thing above their heads.

"What exactly is that?" asked Momo curiously.

Rangiku smiled. "It's called mistletoe. It is supposed to be good luck. If two people are under the mistletoe at the same time, they have to kiss each other."

"When did you even put that up? We didn't see you put it up," spluttered Toshiro.

"You two could not look away from each other. It was easy." laughed the red head. "Now stop skirting around the subject and kiss her."

Toshiro's brain died. It's too soon for this.

"Shiro"

She almost looks like she expects it.

Not knowing what else to do, Toshiro leaned down and softly kissed Momo on the forehead. She shivered.

"On the lips, Captain," smirked Rangiku, "but that was sweet."

Now, Toshiro's cheeks were bright red.

Seeing her childhood friend's embarrassment, Momo grabbed his hand and started to lean in.

Toshiro leaned in too.

Rangiku giggled with happiness as she clicked the camera she had just pulled out of her robes.

The two lovebirds were enjoying the moment so much; they missed the flash. Finally breaking away, they looked at Rangiku with wonder in their eyes.

"And the greatest gift of all is love." she whispered to them. "Merry Christmas!"

Momo beamed, "Thank you, Rangiku!"

"My pleasure!"

"Rangiku, take tomorrow off. The sake I took away last week is in the pantry, behind the flour," said Toshiro, feeling better than he had felt in a long time.

The two young shinigami left a stunned lieutenant standing there and headed for the roof. They spent most of the night they had left looking at the stars, which shone brightly, promising them everything would turn out okay. After all, it was Christmas.

Hinakyrie

SORRY, SORRY, SORRY! I have been so busy I have been so behind on updating. I really wanted to do a short Christmas story this year though, so I was determined to finish this. I wanted to prove I could finish a story, lol. Please review, but no flames, this was done pretty quickly. I also plan on completing a couple of chapters for my other story, We Should Have Eloped. Have a Merry Christmas and New Year's everyone! God bless!