A/N: I wish to thank the following for their reviews: Yin7, shadowchild613, and Doremon. I would also like to thank those that have added this story or its author to their lists.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Kubo Tite et al.

His Mother, His Lieutenant

Ch. 3

Toushiro woke up the next morning to find his room frosted over. The last time he had lost control of his reiatsu had been when he'd been in the coma from Aizen's first attempt to kill him. It didn't surprise him, however. Ever since his explosion in the office, he'd been expecting the loss of control. Hyorinmaru had been conspicuously absent, leaving the young taicho to dream as he would. He had not been able to access his inner world since his latest bout of foolishness and he wondered why. Momo would have teased him that he was finally acting his age. Considering that Kurosaki acted like a fool, adolescence was not a stage of development he wanted to experience.

"Bed wetter, where are you?" Like she could answer him, he chided himself in derision. He had better get used to the fact that she was gone from his life. She'd really been gone long before Aizen had tricked him into killing her. The moment she had said his name, Toushiro had seen the writing on the wall. He might have been a tad younger and a lot smaller than his peach but he'd been a hundred years ahead of her when it came to intelligence.

Ironically he had Gin to thank for that. Gin had been a child prodigy as well, making it through the Academy in only nine months. Idly, he wondered if he'd known about his sire's achievement back then whether or not he would have worked harder to graduate sooner than that.

"Taicho, are you okay? There's ice all over the hallway out here." Matsumoto's voice came drifting into the room, drawing him out of his thoughts.

"I'm fine," he grumbled, more out of habit than true honesty.

"Just thought that you'd want to know Ichigo and Rukia are here. For that joint mission to the Living World you volunteered for."

What joint mission? "Matsumoto, you didn't by any chance volunteer on my behalf, did you?" he asked, rising from his bed. The frost retreated, warming the room several degrees.

"Well, seeing as it was to Ichigo's hometown, I thought you might want to go check things out for yourself."

"Hn, for once you're right, Matsumoto. Tell them I'll be out shortly."

Rangiku smiled, seeing the ice become water and then disappear altogether. She made her way back to the office, the other two Shinigami sitting patiently on the sofa. Ichigo sported a bruise on one cheek, evidence that Rukia had "corrected" his behavior.

"He'll be ready in a minute. I try to let him sleep as much as possible."

"He still has nightmares, huh?" The seventeen year old captain nodded in understanding. "That's not going to change anytime soon, Rangiku-san. I hope you know that."

"I do," she sighed, completely serious for once. Glancing towards Toushiro's desk, she wondered if he'd even notice the lack of paperwork.

"Let's go." The icy order came a few minutes later from a fully dressed captain. Toushiro studied the group watching him with sudden interest. "What?" he demanded?

"Don't you notice anything strange about this place, Toushiro?"

"Besides you, Kurosaki? No, I can't say that I do…" he broke off, seeing the top of his desk for the first time since before Aizen and the others betrayed Soul Society. "Well, I'll be damned; you actually did your work, Matsumoto."

"Well, I had to have something to do while waiting for you to wake up. And running in the gateway drunk isn't really a good idea, so that left out drinking my sake."

"Hn." Speechless, the young captain turned on his heel and left. The others followed, seeing the tension gradually leave the white haired genius' shoulders. "Thanks, Matsumoto."

"Sure, Taicho."

Rukia exchanged a glance with Ichigo and he shook his head. He'd promised the other young man he wouldn't tell anyone the truth about the relationship between the captain and lieutenant of Squad Ten. Once Toushiro came to grips with how he felt, he'd confront Rangiku and then some gossip would catch ahold of the information and all of Soul Society would know. Most likely through Hisagi's newspaper that was more like a tabloid of secrets.

"Ichigo…"

"Later, Rukia."


Karakura spread out before them, no sign of the battles that had taken place six months ago. Long before the officials had let the small city go back to the real world, they had fixed everything in hopes that no one would ever know a war had taken place. They hadn't counted on the memories they'd have to erase or how hugely the effort would fail with all of Ichigo's friends.

Rukia and Matsumoto had gone ahead to let the humans they usually stayed with know they were there while Ichigo and Toushiro went back to the sight of Momo's death. The carrot topped captain kept a respectful distance, letting his friend have time alone.

"How did you do it, Kurosaki?"

"How'd I do what?"

"Let the woman you love fight an opponent stronger than she is. Kuchiki almost died and yet you went to save Inoue."

"Inoue was the one that needed help. Rukia is stronger than she looks. I trusted her to be able to handle herself. Plus, her brother was there. He always comes at the last possible moment but he arrives in time if she needs him."

"Everyone believed you had feelings for Inoue. All the time you were rescuing her, your only thought was saving her."

"She's a friend, but she could never be more than that. Inoue's afraid of my hollow, Rukia's not. Besides, Ishida's got a thing for her. I'm not one to step on any toes."

"I see." Toshiro knelt where he had laid Momo's body. "There's a strange spiritual pressure here. Almost as if it's a…"

"Zanpakutou. Yeah, I feel it."

"Tobiume," the white haired captain whispered. "And another, although it's not at all like hers. I don't get it. Once Momo was dead, so should Tobiume have been."

"Let's tell Kyoraku about it. Maybe the Research Institute can tell us something if they analyze it."

"Perhaps." Frowning, he traced the ground once more in remembrance before standing. "Let's go get my gigai and your body. How did you manage to convince Kon not to make you look like more of an idiot than you already are?"

"I promised him he could have my body except for the times I needed it here in the real world until I graduated college."

"But you're not going to college."

"I'm not, he is. He just doesn't know it yet. And I promised him an extremely painful death if he screwed up."

"You're a piece of work, Kurosaki. Do you know that?" Even as he meant it as an insult, the change in topic lightened his mood. Toushiro shunpoed with his friend to Urahara's shop. The genius inventor smiled, greeting them enthusiastically.

"Hitsugaya-taicho! Kurosaki-taicho! Welcome to the Living World. How may this humble shop keeper help you?"

"Shut up and give Toushiro his gigai. We've got things to do and I still have to get my body from Kon."

Urahara pretended to pout but he did as Ichigo demanded and watched with considering eyes as the two younger males left. Yoruichi stopped behind him, her eyes narrowed and equally studying the Squad Ten captain. "Have you found anything?"

"It was as Benihime said. She's been taken beyond our reach."

"The question becomes why Tobiume was able to take Hinamori's body there at all. Once the Shinigami dies, so does the Zanpakutou. And there was no doubting she died from Hitsugaya's accidental stabbing."

"We'll have to trust Benihime to do our investigating for us. Soi Fon must be fit to be tied not knowing what's going on. And the poor genius child."

"I think we can leave the white haired captain to his friends and mother."

"Mother?" the shape shifter asked. "What do you mean, Kisuke?"

"Oh, didn't you know? Matsumoto is little Toushiro's mother."


White mist circled around, shrouding everything past two feet in a dense white cloud. A small body, clad in a simple sheath lay on a bed of softest down. Slowly brown eyes opened, blinking rapidly to bring things into focus. Unable to move her body, the girl turned her head, searching for anything or anyone familiar.

"You're awake."

"Where am I?" the girl asked, fear climbing in her chest. Hadn't she died?

"You are in the Realm of the Zanpakutou. All the inner worlds of Shinigami connect here. Our queen decided to give you a second chance at life. If you are willing to work for the privilege she has granted you."

"Yes…" the girl agreed.

"Then welcome back to the world of the living…Momo Hinamori."