Prologue

Too many times before Rangiku stood here on this dusty training field, watching Captain Hitsugaya as he looked up into the asylum that the woman he loved had finally been put away into. Hinomori would never recover from what Aizen had done to her, even as her physical state improved, her mental and emotional state fell to ruin.

Everyone knew that she would die soon, her attachment and "love" for the former captain had become too strong even for Inoue's permanent good humor and healing abilities to help. She watched him as he would look up to see her pass by, not really there anymore, and heard the strain on his voice as he watched her pass even as he scolded a fighter who had nearly missed a block from another's soul cutter.

Too many times she waited until he saw her disappear into the distance and wondered what things might have been like if she had tried harder to help Hitsugaya catch Hinomori's heart before the darkness that was Aizen had stolen it from all of them.

She, not for the first time, understood how much it hurt to have something that she wanted but could never have. Gin was on the wrong side, caught up in whatever Aizen's plot was, and she knew that she was going to have to face him. Kill him, more than likely. She was the only one who could stop Gin, she knew in her heart. She smiled sadly, even as Hitsugaya turned to her to continue the field training report.

"What was the tolerance for the new Hollow defenses Matsumoto?' he asked, the darkness that had been on his face gone as fast as it had arrived

"Ummm.. 28 on the eastern squad, and 31 on the west..." she replied quickly, her eyes shadowed by the early evening stars.

"Up from last week, good. Let me know when they reach the next target goal." Hitsugaya made to continue on down the line of training shinigami.

"Captain, wai..." died in her throat as he moved out of conversation distance. She wanted to help him, wanted to show him that the longing that she knew he was feeling was not in vain, that it would work out in the end. She also knew that it was an empty gesture, and that he would not take well to someone interfering in what was obviously to him private business.

She knew that he was slipping, his patience was the key to his leadership, and that had been strained almost to the breaking point in the past few weeks. Something had to be done, but who could she talk to that would be willing, and more importantly able, to help?? With a sudden inspiration, she remembered the human girl, Karin, who perhaps would be able to prevent Hitsugaya from falling to his own anger and hatred for Aizen.

With a sharp little smile and bounce in her gait, she went to contact Rukia in the human world...