I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!

Chapter Six

We Meet At Last

Something wrong had happened. The bad feeling hit Hitomi harshly, waking her up from her sleep. Kudja could feel it too and was standing in front of the door, watching. Slowly lifting her hand, the woman grasped the large blade that hung above her head and pulled it from its sheath. It wasn't as heavy as it was the last time she held it and so she was able to hold it straight and steady. She held her breath, waiting until her door burst open. She pulled a surprised look at those that entered.

It was several members of the Squad. Ayane, Miyuki, Shizuka, and Kameyo. The four women all moved into the room and took places on the floor around the bed. Shizuka gave the other woman a look as she continued to hold her sword. Hitomi stared back for a moment before lowering the blade as Kudja had returned to his seat on the edge of the bed. She took notice of the look on Ayane's face.

"What happened?"

Ayane took a deep breath. "A group fog four of Squad 9 were sent to investigate the portals that have been opening in the Rukon District 117 after the Hollow attacks in District 98. The group hadn't return for three weeks. Captain Hiromi, Captain Rose Otoribashi of Squad 3, Lieutenants Chisa and Kaien, and Tamiko and Faile were the six sent on the mission to find them. They ended up in a desert called Hueco Mundo."

"Hueco Mundo?" Hitomi repeated with a soft voice. That name felt…familiar for some reason. She remembered the note that Hiromi had left for her, talking about a mission with the other Captain and the others. What had happened?

"Captain Kisuke told me and Ayami what had happened and we followed to Hueco Mundo. I found Captain Otoribashi and Hiromi with a group of creatures called Arrancars and a few of the still living members of the group from Squad 9. It was soon after that a battle ensued with Hollows. Many Hollows."

"The Arrancar sisters helped us fight them while I stayed with the other with the Squad 9 members. I didn't see anything that happened but Hiromi told me everything. Told me that other Arrancars showed up as the fighting continued. Arrancars not on our side. Hiromi got pulled away in the battle and an Arrancar shot at her with a green light, I believe Kaoru called it Cero, and Ayami…she…" Ayane's voice faltered for a moment. "She shoved Captain out of the way and took the hit herself. After that, Tamiko jumped in to attack the Arrancar that had fired the shot.

"It was then that Captain's Urahara, Kuchiki, and Yoruichi showed up with more Soul Reapers, fighting off the Hollows. Another Arrancar appeared and attack Hiromi and Captain Urahara but Chisa stepped in this time, taking that fight herself. Somehow, they lost sight of Chisa, Tamiko, and Ayami in the fight. Hiromi was ordered to pull back but she refused to leave her Squad behind. In the end, Faile had to knock her out and bring her back to the Soul Society. Chisa and Tamiko and…and my sister was left behind. They're gone!" Ayane slammed her face into her hands and Kameyo placed an arm around her, giving her a shoulder to bury her face into.

Miyuki held her eyes closed as she turned to Hitomi. "Ayane…she wanted to come here and keep you company for the night. I hope you don't mind."

Hitomi gave a soft smile. She was sure that it was Ayane looking for the company, not the other way around. "It's fine. Stay as long as you all need to."

And they did. The five women stayed up late into the night, talking and making jokes, trying to make themselves all feel better about the horrid event that had taken place earlier that day. Even Kudja joined in, giving Hitomi some good comebacks on things that Kameyo or Shizuka said. In the end, the four women fell asleep on Hitomi's floor. Yuriko came by soon after that, as if knowing, and placed pillows and blankets over them before wishing Hitomi a good night.

Hitomi wanted to sleep but she was also interested with these two Arrancars that had returned with them from Hueco Mundo. Using the wall for support, she silently left her room. Miyuki had said the two of them were in a room beside Yuriko's and that was where she found them.

The one staring out the window had long black hair that nearly reached her feet at the height of 5'3' and red eyed with some kind of lines that seemed to sparkle beneath the moonlight. She had a bone-like structure on her neck and there was a hole in her right palm as she was dressed in a pair of white pants and a matching shirt. It seemed like they were wearing the opposite of the Shinigami. There was a sword on her hip.

The other was laying on the bed at the height of 5'6' and shorter black hair and darker eyes. Dressed in the same with her sword propped up against the wall by her head the woman had her shirt in a deep cut down her chest where the red symbol, like one that you found on a Black Widow, was seen with a hole through the middle of it. Her bone-like structure was on the bottom, left side of her face.

"So, you're the Arrancars," The two women stared at her. "What are you names?"

"Kaori," The smaller one's voice was soft.

"Kaoru," The taller one growled. "You, you look like that woman. The Captain."

"Hiromi? Yes, she's my sister." Hitomi took a step forward and took a seat on the edge of the empty bed.

"You…" Kaori stared at her. "You're sick. Deathly sick."

Hitomi gave a sad smile. "Yes. Since birth." Talking about it just made Hitomi feel worse about it. Maybe, if she had been stronger, she could have gone with Hiromi and help. She might have been able to save Chisa and Tamiko and Ayami from being…"We have been trying to find a cure but no luck as of yet.

The small woman looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe…Szayel could-"

"It doesn't matter, Kaori." Kaoru cut her sister off. "We're not in Hueco Mundo anymore, remember? And after that fight, if we were ever to return, we would be slaughtered for betrayal." She then sighed. "I just hope Raiden stays safe."

Hitomi glanced between the two sisters before taking a breath. "This…desert place. Hueco Mundo. Tell me, what's it like?"

"Why are you so interested?" Kaoru snapped.

The sick woman gave a smile. "Due to my sickness I have never seen anything outside of this house or yard. I am eager to know everything about everything."

Kaoru pulled an embarrassed face as she sat up with an apologetic look. "It's nothing special."

"Please."

Kaori smiled herself before sitting at her sister's feet. "Well, like you said, it is a desert. It's always warm, never winter…"

~What have you done

What are you hiding

What are you holding on to~

Hitomi's condition wasn't getting any better. Yuriko's attempt to heal her would all fail, resulting in her sickness to be the same and sometimes even being a little worse than before. She had her good days and her bad days, and believe me the bad days were horrible. Sometimes, Hitomi e3ven wondered why she was still alive. There were reasons, right? Or was someone just wanting her to suffer? Well, whatever it was, it wasn't fair. Was she sick when she was alive on earth as well? Was she going to be sick again when she returned to earth? For years she had wondered why she was given this curse and for years no answer came.

It was New Years. Hiromi was going out for Kisuke's birthday. This was the anniversary of their parents deaths but neither of them cared for that at the moment. Hiromi had paid her respects to them the night before when she had taken Hitomi out for their evening walk. The snow was…delightful for her. It always was. Its pale white existence reminded the elder sister of herself; the weak, cold delicacy that fell from the sky and landed on the ground for everyone to shove aside or walk on but at the same time many adored.

Hueco Mundo was a desert. Always warm. Perhaps a change in climate would help with her health, but at the same time it could just make it worse.

Chisa, Tamiko, and Ayami had yet to return. Ayane wasn't her usual self now. She didn't talk as much as she did and she wasn't around the Barracks too much now, either. Byakuya, Chisa's younger twin, had approached Hiromi and asked for his sister's position as Lieutenant until she returned so he was helping Faile and Yuriko do her work. The way that Faile gladly saw it, it was practice for the young man in the years to come since he would be taking over the Kuchiki Household.

Hitomi was always feeling useless, but more so than normal. She wanted, more than anything, to be able to help her sister. With anything, but Hiromi wouldn't let her do to fear of her sickness. She could sit there and read and write in her room, taking the paperwork or something like that but still she received refusal. She just wanted to help. She would do anything but she was just stuck in this damn room until someone came to take her for her walk. It was like she was a damn dog! It wasn't fair!

"He's here again," Kudja told her. "I can sense him."

Pulling away from her thoughts, Hitomi curled her hand around her blanket as she glared down at it. "He is, huh? And I'm not even outside. I…" She was cut off by a knocking on her door. "Yes?" She called.

"How are you, Hitomi?" Hiromi asked, kneeling beside her sister. The frail woman slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. She opened her mouth to respond when her eyes landed on the man that had followed her sister. It was the Lieutenant from the hall that one day! The first person outside of her mother and her sister that she had ever laid eyes on. What was he doing here and why was Hiromi bringing him to her?

"Is this a new member to the Squad, Hiromi?" She asked.

"No," The Captain shook her head. "Not this time." Hitomi frowned, a mad look in her eye. "This is Sosuke Aizen, Lieutenant of Squad 5."

"Why is he here?" She growled.

"It's him," Kudja hissed. His eyes narrowed. "This is the one that watches us."

~It is?~

"Hitomi, this is our little stalker," Hiromi told her with a small smirk.

Hitomi took a moment, glaring at Aizen for a bit longer before her face softened. "So, you're the one that watches us, hmm? Can I ask why?"

Aizen closed his eyes. "So, Hiromi was telling the truth." He knelt beside her on the other side of her little bed. "Tell me. Please."

"Tell you what?" She growled.

"Everything."

Hitomi raised a brow and stared at the man as her sister left them alone in the room. He wanted…to know about her? Why? What made her so special to this man? "Tell…tell me your name again."

"My name is Aizen. Sosuke Aizen. Lieutenant of Squad 5, under Captain Shinji Hirako." That Captain was familiar. Another friend of her sister's. "And what is your name?"

"So, at last we meet. One would think, that after watching me all this time, that you would know my name." His answer was just a smile before she gave a silent sigh. "My name is Hitomi Yamamoto, elder sister to Captain Hiromi."

"Does Yamamoto know that he has another granddaughter?" Sosuke asked.

Hitomi shook her head. "No. I am, what you would call, a secret. And a secret to everyone outside of my sister's Squad." She gave the man a look. "Until now, at least." She pulled a face. "Don't kneel on the floor like your begging, Lieutenant. You can sit on the bed. It doesn't bother me."

Sosuke stood up and sat at her feet before glancing at the sword above her. "For being such a sick woman, you still hold the strength to have a Zanpakto." He noted.

Hitomi glanced off to the door where her Zanpakto stood, watching them behind his mask. "Kudja is my strength. Without him…I doubt that I would have even made it this far." She turned back to Sosuke. "Why do you watch me and my sister?"

"It's not your sister that I come to watch." Sosuke replied, glancing at the sword again.

"Then why do you watch me, Lieutenant?" The man was avoiding the question.

"Please, don't call me Lieutenant. The name is Sosuke." The man smiled. "And I'll answer your questions, but only if you answer mine first."

"And what would those be?"

"I want to know everything."

"Yes, I understand that, but what do you mean by 'everything'?"

"The story. Your story. From the beginning to now." Sosuke told her. "Why are you sick? Why were you kept secret? Everything."

Hitomi shook her head. "That interested, huh? Why?"

"Do you not see yourself as interesting?" Sosuke asked her. She closed her eyes. ~No…I see myself as…~ "Please."

Hitomi opened her eyes again before sighing. "Hiromi seems to think that you are trustworthy, so I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Just don't…don't-"

Sosuke reached forward and patted her folded hands, understanding what she was trying to say. "Don't worry; you have nothing to fear."

Finally, Aizen is here. He will be in just about every chapter after this, I promise. I can't wait!

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