Only a few minutes ago his third seat had rushed into the room and told him his fukutaichou was lying fatally injured in the 4th division.
"Taichou!"
"What's wrong?"
"It's Matsumoto fukutaichou!"
"What did she do this time?"
"She fought the traitor Ichimaru Gin and was fatally injured, she's at 4th division now, Unohana taichou is preparing emergency surgery."
Hitsugaya felt like the world had dropped from beneath him. In a flash he was gone, flash stepping to the 4th division.
The operation theatre doors opened and Unohana walked out. In a flash Hitsugaya was there.
"Is she going to be alright"
"I'm sorry, Hitsugaya taichou, but her chances are next to none, she was pierced through the stomach and bled almost dry by the time she got here"
"People have survived pierced stomachs here before and you can give her a blood transfusion"
"Matsumoto fukutaichou's body is strong and she should have reacted well to the treatment but she suffered a great deal of emotional stress along with her physical wounds, I'm sorry"
"H-how long" Hitsugaya managed to choke out, his throat was dry and a lump had formed in it.
"I'd say about a day or two at most"
Hitsugaya entered the room, his fukutaichou lay on the bed, pale as a ghost and breathing shallowly. He walked to the bedside and took her hand in his and kissed it. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you" he murmered. Nothing seemed to matter anymore, Hinamori's comatose state suddenly seemed healthy compared to that of his fukutaichou's.
He was filled with regret, regret that he had not listened to her, regret that he had not trusted her more, regret that he had not listened when his instincts screamed that she would never joke about something so serious, regret that he had not cherished her more, that he had not taken the chance and admitted to his heart that he had loved her more than anything in the world. Gently he stroked her hair, he wished that he could do something, anything to keep her alive, had Unohana told him they had not enough blood for the transfusion he would have gladly given her his but no, all he could do was watch her fade away, drift away like a snowflake in the wind, drift away from him.
Tears coursed down Hitsugaya's cheeks, "why?" He thought, why had he been so foolish, he knew she was sad, hurting from Gin's betrayal, he knew she needed him and yet he had turned a blind eye, a deaf ear and walked out on her.