Disclaimers, etc., see chapter one

Opening Theme: Believe Own Way by AAA

Ending Theme: TBD

Bleach: Cross

AU: Within Your Heart

By Eugena

Chapter Two: Death, Rebirth, Retribution, Part One

THE WANDERING SPIRIT WORLD – SHIRAHIME'S POV

It's not easy being dead. I mean really dead. How many past lives have I had? But this last one was by far the best. And it had to be: that one was it.

I imagined Kurotsuchi either crying or threatening to rip Hinamori apart. The first one was not too much him, but then again, I was the only person he'd ever fell in love with. Gods only know what he'd do.

Where was I anyway? I couldn't see my body, but I stretched what I thought was my arm out. "Last Revival." Nothing happened. Neither of my zanpaku-to appeared. I could not hear my past life self, Yukihime.

"Shinnou! Shinnou!" I called to the dragon spirit that inhabited my second zanpaku-to.

"Shinnouhi," the voice could turn blood to ice. That was not Shinnou.

I turned to an all too familiar face. It was Sosuke's Aizen's face, but it phased in and out.

"Kyoka Suigetsu."

oOo

KARAKURA TOWN

It took only moments for Hinamori to realize what happened. She had died, but Taicho sacrificed herself for her. Momo had lived in Shirahime's place. But why?

Shirahime's memories came to her in a flood to answer her question. Only recently, when the long lost Kudo twins and Suzunami had been found, had anyone remembered Shirahime's most recent past life. She had been born into the Royal Family again. This time called simply Yukihime. She had run away only to hide out as a shinigami of the Soul Society. Few knew where she had really come from. Only Yamamoto, Urahara, and Siegen and Konoka Suzunami. Seigen Suzunami had been the Taicho of Squad Ten. He had no fukutaicho, but Yukihime became his. She later married him and took his last name, as she had none of her own.

Yet the next memories hurt Momo the most. Aizen, then Fukutaicho of Squad Five, was in love with Yukhime. He didn't try to hide it, but he made sure Suzunami didn't know. Probably Kyoka Suigetsu's doing.

During the battle with Arturo, Yukihime had saved the Kudo twins at the cost of her own life. She died nearly instantly. Despite that, Aizen had tried to give her his own reiatsu by plunging Kyoka Suigetsu into her chest. But it was for nothing.

Her body disappeared along with Suzunami and the Kudo twins. Aizen used Kyoka Suigetsu to make everyone forget Yukihime. No one would know his weakness.

His weakness. If she died again, he would be heartbroken. That had been her plan.

"Aizen," Hinamori spoke finally. "Now you know my grief. You know what it means to lose the one you love. I was a fool for ever loving you, Aizen. Taicho taught me a better life, but you took her away."

The other shinigami seemed stunned. Shirahime's leaking reiatsu held them in place. Gin seemed unaffected, but he was at a loss of what to do.

"Where is Shirahime?" he demanded.

At this moment, Ichigo took advantage of Aizen's distraction and sliced him with Getsuga Tenshou. The attack stung Aizen and he turned on Ichigo. He didn't care before about killing Ichigo, but since losing Shirahime, he would not hold back.

Hitsugaya stirred in Soi Fon's grasp. He could hear Hyorinmaru screaming at him. He didn't want to wake up. He just wanted to die. He felt Shirahime punching him across the face. "Wake up, Shiro!" she yelled at him.

Why was she so angry?

"Hitsugaya," he could hear Hyorinmaru clearly now, "Shinnouhi is dead."

Rage and grief engulfed him. He jerked awake in Soi Fon's grasp. He turned to look at the battle. Shirahime's powerful reiatsu was leaking from Hinamori. He had killed Hinamori, but now she stood there alive. But her eyes were blue, like Shirahime's eyes. Could it be possible that now Shirahime lived within Momo?

Momo could hardly control Shirahime's reiatsu. It raged out of control. It seemed angry about something. Momo's own anger had become a catalyst for Shirahime's anger from all of her past lives to surface.