I was writing this while listening to Decode by Paramore and for some reason, it so goes with the story! Haha maybe 'cuz it was used in Twilight which is all vampiry too-_- sorry I ain't such a Twilight fan even if I have read the books. I gave up on the last book. Read the first page and then turned to my best friend and told her to tell me what happened in the end. It shows how crappy the books are 'cuz I NEVER give up on a book no matter how much I hate it.

Ok I'm rambling now. Here's (drum roll please) chapter 6!^^

Yoruichi looks down at the frail little girl lying in the bed. To the rest of the world, she looks like she is sleeping peacefully and dreaming about what girls usually dream about: boys; ambition; family. But Unohna had filled her in on what had happened at her clinic for the homeless and Yoruichi had then insisted on seeing Hinamori at once.

According to Unohana, as soon as she had been dragged into the room, Hinamori had crawled into a corner and was babbling gibberish while crying her eyes out. At the same time, she had been pointing to the window which had been wide open. She had kept saying she saw a vampire under her window but when Unohana had gone to close it, nobody had been down there. And when she had turned around, Hinamori had passed out so Kira had been gently shaking her to wake up.

'She was probably still in shock of seeing vampires for the first time,' Unohana had said to Yoruichi while shaking her head sympathetically. 'Poor girl. She isn't exactly strong at heart. She was probably seeing images and that nearly drove her to jump out her window. Insanity is not a common disease but it tends to choose rather strange victims. Not to worry. She will be up and about soon. She just needs to rest.'

Yoruichi watches as Hinamori's chest rises and falls with each breath. At least she is breathing properly but Yoruichi is still puzzled as to why the girl had hallucinations out of the blue? And especially a day after the vampire attack? It was no coincidence. Something was up but why would the vampires take an interest in poor little Hinamori? It just didn't add up.

Suddenly, the door of the clinic bangs open and someone stomps up to the door. Then there is a yelp as someone prevents the intruder from entering the room.

'Let me in, God damn it!' titters an angry voice and doorknob starts to turn but stops again. Was it Yoruichi's imagination but did that sound like Toshiro?

'I'm sorry Brother Hitsugaya,' says a kindly voice and it sounded like the village nurse, Isane. 'But I cannot let you enter without Sister Unohana's permission.'

'I don't care!' Toshiro argues. 'This is Mo-I mean, Sister Hinamori who's inside! You need to let me in!'

'Brother Hitsugaya-!'

But Toshiro has already barged in and stops in his tracks when he spots Yoruichi standing beside Hinamori's bed with a raised eyebrow. He blushes furiously and mumbles something that sounds like a 'sorry'.

'It's alright, Brother Hitsugaya,' Yoruichi says coolly as she turns back to the bed. 'We all can get carried away when it comes to the ones we love.'

Toshiro's blush flares up at that statement as he walks up to join the fortuneteller. He looks down at Hinamori and Yoruichi notes the pain on his face. Despite what he had said to her at the square and how he had treated her, he still cares about her very, very much.

'How did you find out?' she asks the child prodigy. Toshiro reaches out a hand to touch Momo but then retracts when Yoruichi asks him that question.

'Sister Honsho isn't the town gossiper for nothing,' he says shortly with a hint of a smirk on his face. 'She came running up to Master Yamamoto's house, gibbering away about Sister Hinamori passing out. As soon as I heard, I came as fast as I could.'

They lapse into silence but they don't mind. Toshiro looks at his childhood friend as she lies helplessly in bed. His heart hurts seeing her like this but more than ever his heart is over wrought with guilt and shame. The last time he had seen her he had yelled at her and then accused her for getting him into trouble with his master. He had been so angry at her then and the look of hurt on her face never left his mind. What if she hadn't passed out? What if she had gotten hurt or worse, died? After all, Sister Matsumoto had said that Hinamori had attempted to jump out the window. Toshiro looks helplessly at Hinamori. If she wasn't here right now, what would he do?

'Brother Hitsugaya,' comes a soft voice and both Yoruichi and Toshiro turn around to find Unohana standing in the doorway. The blush returns to Toshiro's face as he recalls how he had entered the clinic. Unohana, however, smiles at him.

'It is alright, Brother Hitsugaya,' she says kindly and glides in. 'I will let you off with only a warning. Please respect the rules of this clinic. It is for the benefit of the patients as well as the visitors.' She too approaches the bed but to check the pulse in Hinamori's wrist. She turns to Yoruichi. 'Have you brought the medicine?'

'I managed to ask Urahara to whip up a batch so I could pick it up on my way here,' Yoruichi says and pulls out a bag clipped to her unnecessarily decorated belt. It jangled as she loosened the bundle of herbal medicine.

'I'll just go and prepare it for Hinamori when she wakes up,' Unohana says solemnly as she walks out of the room with the small bag.

Yoruichi eyes Toshiro as he still gazes longingly at Hinamori.

'You can touch her, you know,' she says suddenly and Toshiro jumps. He had almost forgotten that she was in the room. 'He isn't here to see that.'

'I know,' Toshiro says, slightly annoyed. His eyebrows that were knitted into a frown slowly relax. 'I just feel like this is all my fault for some reason.'

When Yoruichi doesn't say anything, Toshiro continues.

'You were there when I yelled at her,' he says bitterly. 'How I had treated her. Sister Shihōin, I don't resent her affections for me. I don't. But…'

'It's alright, Brother Hitsugaya,' Yoruichi says curtly. Her interruption isn't cold but it isn't warm and friendly either. 'You did what you thought is best for both of you. I know the rules for being a magician. You were only trying to protect Sister Hinamori.' She pauses so she can cross her arms across her loose blouse. 'But, Brother Hitsugaya, I wonder, did you ever her if it hurt her?'

'Hurt…her?' Toshiro asks, confused. He looks up at the fortuneteller and sees her face is as emotionless as a stone.

'Did you ever think to ask how she feels about you becoming a magician and distancing yourself from her?' she presses on.

'I…,' Toshiro stammers, surprised by the question. 'Of course we talked about it, Sister Shihōin! She said she was fine and that she would always support my decisions!'

'Did she really, Toshiro?' Yoruichi says and locks him with a serious gaze so steely he feels she's searching his very soul for the answer.

He takes a sharp intake of breath at the weight the question carries. He places a hand on his forehead and lowers his eyes to the floor. He closes his eyes as he remembers that fateful day…

'What do you mean we can never talk to each other?' Hinamori had asked in surprise as she watches him pack his belongings in Yoruichi's little home.

'It's the first rule of becoming a magician, Momo,' he says calmly like he isn't perturbed by the seriousness of what he has to do. 'It's not like I don't want to do it but I have to if I want to become a wizard. You understand, right?'

He had then quickly turned on her to smile reassuringly but his smile dropped a notch. Hints of tears tracks streaked Momo's face and her mouth his wobbling. She is very much affected by his decision and it is killing her. But she immediately wipes her tears and manages a wide smile that is very fake.

'Of course, Toshiro,' she says brightly, a bit too cheery for his liking. 'You know I'll always be by your side no matter what. If you want to become a magician and this is the sacrifice we have to make, then so be it.'

Her smile lessens and looks more genuine now. She lowers her gaze to the floor before speaking softly.

'But,' she whispers. 'Can I still come to you when I want? You don't have to talk to me but can I talk to you?'

Toshiro looks at her curiously. Momo had always been strange. He never had any female friends and Momo is his only one. He knows he will never understand their way of thinking but if that is what made Momo happy, he didn't think it was wrong to comply. After all, he was the one becoming a magician, not her.

'Sure, Momo,' he had said carelessly and returned to his packing. Then, he felt hands enclose his waist and a head resting softly on his mane of unruly white hair.

'Thank you, Toshiro,' Momo murmurs.

'Toshiro?' Yoruichi says perplexedly as she watches the child prodigy glance at Momo in remorse, lost in his thoughts.

'Hm?' Toshiro murmurs as he unconsciously smoothes Hinamori's bangs from her face and then starts playing with a lock.

She's his best friend. His only friend. And after everything he has done to her, she had stuck by her promise to him. She would steer clear of him and avoid his gaze when in public. But what he had done to keep his? He would scold her, push her away and give her deadly looks to stay away from him. If he still considers her as his best friend, does she still consider him hers? He wouldn't blame her if she didn't. After all, what has he done to be given that privilege now?

'It's getting late,' he suddenly states and turns away, reluctantly letting go of Hinamori. He stops at the doorway, his hand pressed on the wooden door.

'Please,' he says slowly, debating on whether he should say what is on his mind. 'Tell her I said hello when she wakes up.'

And with that, the boy genius leaves without a backwards glance.

Rain lashes the windows violently and the howling wind rattles the frames as if threatening to blow it in. Isane draws the curtains so as to spare the patients the view of the thunderous downpour as it tore through the village.

'Sister Unohana,' Isane says uneasily. 'Do you think this storm is going to get any worse?'

'I am not so sure, Sister Kotetsu,' Unohana says honestly as she offers a glass of water to one of her patients. 'But we can hope for the best.'

'I wish Sister Shihōin had stayed,' Isane says as she shakes her head. She watches Unohana help her patients relax. Unohana is the most caring person in the village and she does her job beautifully. She earned her respect in the village because of her being the most trustworthy person there is.

'Has Sister Hinamori woken up yet?' Unohana asks her nurse.

'I'm afraid not,' Isane says sadly and gazes into the little room to see the small girl still sleeping soundly, even though the thunder outside is deafening.

'Let's hope she does soon,' Unohana says thoughtfully before retiring to her office. 'We should get some rest too, Sister Kotetsu. The patients will be alright.'

Isane blows out the candles in the clinic as she pads to her room, yawning as sleepiness overcomes her senses. She doesn't feel anything can happen since the entire clinic is as quiet as the grave. As she removes her shoes, sleep has blocked her ears so she can't hear a door open and close in the clinic right next to her room. As she bounces on her mattress to make sure it is comfy, the springs drown out the pitter patter of feet across the stone floor of the clinic. And once she hits the pillow, all her senses shut off to welcome sleep hence she doesn't hear the front door open and shut as someone leaves the clinic.

A lone figure trudges through the slashing wind and winding streets of Karakura village. It pauses outside the house for the homeless, looking up to the third floor but quickly turning its head as if it had heard someone call it. The figure then begins its slow trek to the outskirts of the village.

Toshiro rolls over in bed, sleep unwilling to come to him. It's like the Sandman had forgotten to visit him tonight and decided to punish him with a sleepless night.

He scowls at the ceiling before turning on his side and scowls at the rain beating on his window. Rain can be so annoying but it brought cold wind and he felt content. Toshiro hates summer and the heat it accompanies. He prefers the cold and ice. Sometimes he looks longingly at the mountains, wondering if there is ice up there that is just waiting for him.

He feels it isn't any coincidence that his name also means 'winter'. He likes his name. But he sometimes wonders what his real name was. Was it something ridiculous and ordinary like 'Bernard' or 'Keigo' like the village idiot?

He sighs. He's back to pondering over his past. He tended to get headaches when he thought too much about it. He has never told anyone this before but whenever he thinks he is close to uncovering who he really is, his mind starts hurting like he has been given a migraine. It's like his mind doesn't want him to find out about his past. And that is what troubles him the most. Was his past that horrendous his mind subconsciously doesn't want him to uncover it again?

Toshiro frowns and suddenly rises from his bed. Maybe it was his imagination but he could have sworn he saw someone walking the streets of Karakura village. He pads out of bed to gaze out the window, scrunching his eyes to see through the haze of the heavy rain. He saw a blur round the corner and disappear. Wherever that figure is going, it is going to the edge of the village and once it passed the boundary, it would be vulnerable to attack from the roaming, hungry magical creatures.

Toshiro contemplates on whether he should risk getting into trouble by going out to save the poor soul. Karakura village is small and everyone knows everyone. He never was close to anyone save Hinamori but he doesn't think he dislikes them enough to let one go to their doom. Sighing, he changes his pajamas and, cursing that he couldn't find the umbrella, walking into the heavily pouring rain.

He's immediately soaked from head to toe within seconds. His shirt clings to his skin uncomfortably. A strong wind blows through and stings his wet face sharply, causing a hiss to escape his trembling lips. He shakes his hair to prevent it from sticking to his forehead as he scans the village for the lone figure. He notices a person slipping past Urahara's shop and he trots towards the figure. His feet step into a puddle every two steps, drenching him even more. He scowls. This person had better be worth it otherwise he's going to catch a cold for no reason. He wonders why anyone would want to take a walk this late at night and in the worst weather Karakura has ever witnessed. Probably sleep-walking. That's pretty common, isn't it?

'It's wet,' Gin hisses as he wraps his cape tightly around his body. Tousen stands motionlessly by Aizen's side, not complaining at all. Aizen's lips curl into a smile.

'Patience, Gin,' he murmurs. 'Our little flower will be here soon.'

'Remind me why we cannot go and get her instead?' Gin says impatiently.

'Since we attacked, the wizard has erected a barrier around the village which repels us especially,' Aizen answers simply as he reaches out his hand towards Karakura village before him only to retract as a strand of purple electricity reaches out to hurt him. It flickers threateningly, as if daring him to do it again, before it disappears in the rain. 'So we must have our bait come to us.'

'Wizards are so irksome,' Gin mutter and hisses as a few drops of rain fall on his hair. He hates rain. It makes his hair limp and drenches his clothes which then take ages to dry. Thank God there is no rain in the mountainous home of Las Noches.

'She comes,' Tousen whispers and tilts his hat lower over his eyes. 'I can sense her.'

And sure enough, a dark blur can be seen teetering down the road towards them, as if being drawn to them like they are a magnet. Aizen smiles and fathomless crimson eyes glint maliciously. He stretches out a hand.

'Come to me,' he whispers seductively. The figure pauses for a second. 'Momo Hinamori.'

Then, a scream resonates on the road.

'MOMO!' it shrieks.

Toshiro's blood runs cold as he recognizes the three figures as well the person he had been following. He couldn't keep his mouth shut but as soon as he yelled out his best friend's name, he clapped a hand over his mouth and the figure before him had turned to see the source of the noise. He gasps through his fingers.

It is Momo. Except, it isn't Momo at the same time. Her eyes…they are nothing but empty holes devoid of emotion. Like they have lost all life and she is being controlled by something. Or someone. His gaze wanders to the three vampires standing solidly in the heavy rain cascading down on them.

They are controlling her. They are forcing her to cross the barrier erected around the village. If she tried to cross, she'll be fried. He has to save her. He must!

'Momo!' he cries out again as he runs towards her while trying not to slip. He grabs her by the forearm and tries to drag her away. 'Come with me! We have to get away before you let them get you! Don't let them control you! Fight it! Fight it, damn it!'

But it seems like she is deaf to his pleas and urging. She just looks at him blankly, as if she is looking right through him. Aizen smirks. He flicks his wrist as if pulling on an invisible string. Almost immediately, Hinamori wrenches her arm free from Toshiro. He cries out in surprise and watches in fear as she turns away to return to her slow progress towards the vampires.

He gazes at her fearfully and then his eyes fall on the vampires. They move from the vampires to Hinamori. Hinamori to the vampires. He needs to do something! He needs to save her! A spell! He needs a spell to save her! After all, magic can do anything?

But no matter how hard he racks his brains, he cannot think of a suitable incantation as his mind constantly wanders to Hinamori as she creeps ever closer to the barrier and the vampires. They are going to kill her! Why can't he save her? Why can't he think of any spell to save her?

Her smiling face flickers across his mind and she laughs, as if enjoying joke. The face melts away as if a fire was lit under it. Toshiro realizes his knees are trembling.

'Leave her alone!' he screams, feeling helpless and weak. 'She has done nothing to deserve this!'

'Do you think we care about such trifling thoughts?' whispers a deadly voice in the back of his. His breath gets stuck in his throat and he almost chokes. That voice is so terrifying it almost sends him toppling to the ground. He clutches his hand on his wet shirt as if for support. The rain continues to lash his body mercilessly. 'We are heartless creatures. What do we care what you humans do with your pitiful lives?'

'Please,' Toshiro croaks and wheezes his eyes shut. 'Please let her go. Don't harm her.'

'Why not?' the voice says teasingly.

'She has done nothing to deserve this,' he repeats. 'Just let her go.'

'But what will you replace her with?'

Toshiro suddenly looks up and sees the brunette is smiling malevolently at him. His eyes are shining as if he is enjoying himself. Toshiro grits his teeth as he feels anger bubbling inside him. This vampire seems to burn his very soul with rage. He is tormenting his Momo. He is using her like a puppet so he can drink her dry and leave her for dead. He shakes his head to remove that horrid image from his mind. The gears in his brain begin to turn, calculating on what to say; what to do.

'I'll give you anything,' Toshiro utters before he rethinks what he has just said. He doesn't care what they want as long as they let Momo go.

The voice seems to be thinking about his proposition. Then, it speaks with a hint of merriment and danger in its tone.

'Will you replace it with your own life?'

Toshiro heartbeat speeds up and his eyes widen in disbelief. The thunder is drowned out by his beating heart and his entire world seems to be spinning out of control. He steadies himself by placing his hand on a house.

Did he…just ask him to give his own life for Momo's safety? A life for a life? Unthinkable! A taboo! A sin! Only an evil creature such as these can suggest such a cruel exchange! He glances up and notices that Momo has stopped walking, her back still towards him.

'Do I really deserve to be called her best friend?' he thinks to himself. 'Does she really deserve a friend like me? One who will push her away and abandon her when she needs me most? Do I really deserve her?'

He licks his lips before he finally makes up his mind.

'Alright,' he says thickly. Aizen smiles softly and surveys the boy through lidded eyes.

'That's a good boy,' he whispers and the boy shivers at the tone. Aizen snaps his fingers and Momo slumps to the cobbled street. 'Now, come here.'

Toshiro begins his shaky trek towards the vampires. He passes by Momo and spares a look at her limp body as raindrops continue to fall down on her. She looks like she did in the hospital, as peaceful as any ordinary girl dreaming about happy things. He hopes she continues to look this peaceful and forgets about him once he dies. He cannot imagine these monsters letting him live for long anyways. He might as well goodbye to her even though she probably can't hear him.

'Goodbye, Momo,' he whispers into the rain as he approaches the barrier.

He stretches out a hand, testing as to how he will pass through it without dying. Suddenly, to his surprise, his hand slips right through without a single burn or a hint of pain. But before he can wonder why, he is wrenched into the midst of the vampires. He cries out in alarm and closes his eyes on instinct, waiting for the fangs and claws and the pain to overwhelm his body.

But none comes.

Instead, a soft but cold hand gently strokes his cheek and he shudders. His eyes scrunch up in confusion but he keeps them closed for fear of what he might see. He can hear, feel, sense these creatures of the undead circle him, run their eyes critically over his tiny frame. He wonders why they haven't attacked him yet. Then, he hears a tinkling laugh.

'Don't worry, little one,' coos a malicious voice. Aizen. 'We won't harm you here. You are to have the honour of seeing the palace of the vampires. Las Noches.'

The very name sends shivers up his body and he squirms uncomfortably as he feels a cape drape over his body, making it darker than before if that was even possible. He still refuses to open his eyes.

'Just don't open your eyes,' the voice whispers one last time before he feels himself beign lifted off the ground without warning.

He gasps at the loss of gravity and tries to cling to something but feels nothing. Maybe it was the wind but he heard someone call his name. Was it Momo? No, no. Momo is unconscious. She cannot have been awake to see him whisked away.

Toshiro feels the darkness around him is suffocating him.

What has he done?

Whew! Done! The plot thickens! WHat will become of our little shiro now? And what will become of Momo? Will he ever see her again? Will the vampires kill him once they reach their palace? Why am I sounding like some cheap narrator on an old superhero tv show? Find out in chapter 7 of ''Blood Secrets'!

and yes, uzamaki9999 I hate Momo too and nothing would delight me than to kill her good but she is very important to this story (unfortunately) so we both will have to bear with her-_-