She could remember the young boy from so long ago. Toshiro hadn't changed much, but had she? She had been stabbed twice, it had hurt both times, but she was a fighter, she kept waking up again. Why did Captain Aizen do what he did? Captain Aizen. She couldn't allow the tears to fall, she couldn't. She needed to change, she needed to move pass that part of her life. She had to grow up. Growing up, the thought didn't scare her. She had been like this for years now, never changing. No just because she did not change physically it didn't mean she couldn't grow up mentally. She had to move pass that part and into a brighter future.

She gulped as she looked upon Mugen. There was no way that they would just let her though the front gates, would they? Why was she even there in the first place? She needed closure, she needed to see Captain Aizen to put him behind her. No not Captain Aizen it was just Aizen, she couldn't call the man her Captain anymore. Would they let her in though? She was only a lieutenant, she had no real authority. She could break in. No. Where did that thought even come from? That went against everything that she was about. She could never do such an act just to let go of a little part of her past. Maybe she could. No she couldn't think like that. She shook her head back and forth to try to clear her head. Toshiro would have a fit if he knew she had come here after he had banned her not to.

Banned. Perhaps that was why she found herself standing shortly outside the gates of Mugen. Toshiro wasn't the boss of her, she was older then he was. Well only by almost two years, but she was still older then him. He couldn't tell her what to do, this was her choice. She needed to make her move now perhaps she could give a smile to the guards and they would just allow her in. Well she wouldn't know unless she tried. She approached the gates that separated Mugen from the rest of the Seireitei. "Um excuse me" she got out in her soft voice.

The guard stationed at the window looked down at her. "Ah Lieutenant Hinamori, to what do we owe this pleasure?"

She offered the man a smile. "I know it must be hard work protecting Mugen, but I bet it must be lonely" friendly conversation was key.

"What can we do for you today Lieutenant" another man came up to the window to face her.

"Well I know it might go against your orders but I don't know for sure. You see I am trying to change my life around and the only way I can do it is if I…. I…. I talk to Aizen. He is my past and I need to push that behind me. It would be much appreciated if I could talk to him."

The new guard looked at her as she spoke. It took a lot to call Captain Aizen just by Aizen in front of people. It was a step though. "He is a very dangerous criminal" the man was remaining her of that fact.

"I am aware of this, but I need to talk to him. I do not come to offer him any aid whatsoever. I couldn't think of it. Please." What if they didn't let her in? What did she do then?

"Your zanpakutō, you must leave it here" the more serious of the guards spoke. She undid Tobiume from her sash and handed it to the guards through the window. It was an acceptable price to pay if they was going to let her in Mugen.

"We will be watching you the whole time" the guard stated in a serious voice.

"It is only for your safety though Lieutenant Hinamori." The more friendly guard added in.

She nodded. "I understand and it is perfectly fine." She could hear the locks being undone and soon she was being lead through a double bolted door by the nicer one of the guards. The serious guard going back to his post, well that was at least good. She was being lead through darken corridors. The air down here was stale. This was where they were holding Captain Aizen, well at least they were leading her to him.

"I'll bring you cookies for your troubles" she offered the guard with a smile.

"No no Lieutenant Hinamori. You shouldn't go through all the trouble we are just doing our job."

"But you allowed me to pass and for that I am very thankful. It is out of kindness and it isn't any trouble at all. Is chocolate chip okay?" The guard having given up gave a simple nod. By that time they had stopped outside a door.

"I will be out here Lieutenant Hinamori. Simply walk down three paces and turn right. Aizen's cell is right there. We will both be watching, but you can say whatever you want. I know how closure can be, I'll be waiting when you're done. Just tap on the door and I'll let you out." She gave a simple nod as she went through the now open door into the final block of Mugen where Captain Aizen was located.
She gave a tiny gulp, this was the same man that had been responsible for stabbing her twice. No he was simply being manipulated, he was really the same nice and sweet Captain Aizen that she had known before. Her Captain that allowed her to read his books when he was finish with them.

He wasn't a bad guy. No, she couldn't think like that. Aizen had done all of that, he had been the manipulator. He couldn't be saved. She needed this closure that was what she was here for. She would tell the man she had moved on and not listen to a word he said. She had to move on from that part of her life, she had to grow up. She forced herself to move the three paces and then turn right to face a single cell.

The cell was dark inside and she could barely make out anything inside it. Was this really where they had Captain Aizen? She stepped closer to the cell, but not too close. She could barely make out a single figure sitting in a chair. Captain Aizen! Her heart leaped as she finally made out the figure, it had to be Captain Aizen. She bit her lip. "Captain Aizen." She had to hear his voice, however his silky voice did not reach her ears. What had they done to Captain Aizen? She took another step closure to the bars, perhaps she was too close, she didn't care.

"Captain Aizen, I know that is you. You don't have to speak. You don't have to say a single word, maybe it is for the best. I had to come see you, I wasn't going to let anyone tell me what I could do. I am going to grow up, I promise. I have learned the most I have ever learned from you and your books. I have to thank you Captain Aizen for giving me that knowledge. Why did you have to do it? Why?!" She couldn't help the tears as they stung her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

The man's voice did not come. She was going to walk away when she felt something wrapping around her. She looked up half expecting to see the man she had been talking to outside of the cell and embracing her. However she was still alone outside the cell. Was her mind playing tricks with her? No that was Captain Aizen's reiatsu. She couldn't help but extend her own reiatsu through the bars and to her Captain. This was the Captain she knew, the man she admired, he was still in there. How did she get him out? No that was a bad idea. All the man did was cause pain and suffering, no he was being manipulated. He wasn't evil, he was her Captain Aizen.

Her mind was screaming at her to move away from the cell and to leave this place. Though she couldn't, she had to see her Captain. The reassuring wave of reiatsu was enough for her, he could be saved. She would save him, no one could know what she was doing. No one not even Shiro. What could she do without her zanpakutō? No she didn't need Tobiume to save her captain, she could just use kido. No one would expect an attack from the outside of the cell.

No surely the cell was guarded against kido. After all Captain Aizen was a kido master. If he couldn't break out then she couldn't help him. Wait, what was she thinking of doing? She had come here for closure not to break out her ex-Captain. No she could keep him safe, she could save him. She was the only one who could save him. She had to save Captain Aizen. No she couldn't do something like that. She needed to say her goodbye and go on.

"I'm sorry Captain Aizen. I can't do this. I need to move on, but I will come back when I am ready. You will always be my Captain. Don't worry. That spot will never be taken by anyone else in my heart. I believe in you still Captain Aizen, but for now this is goodbye." She could feel the tears falling down her cheeks again. She took in a few deep breaths as she walked away from the cell. She wiped at her eyes to stop the tears before she knocked on the door to make sure the guard knew to let her out.

She thought of what she had told Captain Aizen. This was goodbye for now. No one would ever take that spot in her heart. You will always be my Captain. I believe in you still. All of those things were true, but she didn't know if she could uphold that promise. What is she couldn't go back? Surely they wouldn't let her just waltz back into Mugen after she had left. Cookies was only a nicety for letting her do this in the first place. She had a feeling they weren't supposed to let anyone in. This was her only time in because she had said she needed to move on. She needed to move on, and to move on she would have to forget about the man in the cell.

No she couldn't forget about that man. That man was being manipulated he was innocent, he could be saved. She couldn't give up on him, because if she gave up then he had no one left. No this would be their little secret. It wasn't wrong to hold these feelings in her heart for the man who had saved her so long ago. Who had taken her under his wing and helped her become a better person, to excel in kido. He wasn't an evil man, he just needed someone willingly to try to understand him better. All he needed was someone to be there for him. That someone was going to be her.

The guard finally opened the door for her. This might be goodbye for now, but she would never forget about the man in the cell. She had to save Captain Aizen. She was the only one who was capable of it. That was her mission in life that was the reason she needed to grow up. She would save that man… somehow. She walked with the guard until she was out of the doors of Mugen. She tied Tobiume back into place after she was handed back to her. Yes she would save Captain Aizen. She had to save that man.