AN

Hola! A few answers for you lovely reviewers/PM-ers.

So, the timeline...its messed up. But come on, the timeline in Bleach is messed up too! Maybe not so much but..yeah, I wanted a timeline when everyone in earth would be a grown up and everyone in Soul Society is a bit older...like Yachiru. So she's older too, lets just say that like in the real world people go through growth spurts. Oh and her potty mouth? Blame the 11th Division, lets just say Kenpachi's not very happy with them.

In the Real World, Ishida's a little, uh, shall we say bitter that everyone up and died on him and he's been left behind. Wouldn't you be? So he might not have imparted the whole love-Shinigami thing onto his sons. Their mom is, well, not that important and definitely not cannon. Keigo and Tatsuki are also on their way.

Oh and the reason his Zanpakto 's name has 'Sama' on it is because, well, with Benihime helping do you really think his Zanpakto doesn't have a massive ego? Because, um, it totally does.

Unlike Viotanequil who is just awesome!

AN

Moonlight spilled through the darkened halls of Kuchiki Manor, lighting the way for the one occupant awake and moving about.

Kurosaki Ichigo was not someone who looked like he had been awakened from a troubled dream, seeking comfort outside the bedroom that he shared with his wife. He was dressed, not in the robes of a Shinigami, but rather in jeans and a shirt that made him seem like the young man who had no knowledge of Shinigami or Espada. He had tied his orange hair back under a bandana, hiding the distinct color. On top of that he wore a hat and carried a pair of sunglasses in his pocket. He had left his cell phone behind; he knew he couldn't afford the risk of having it traced back to him.

He was going to have to disappear.

He was a Vice Captain, true, but like so many others, his title was not a reflection of his rank. Though he knew it was going to alert Soul Society, he knew he had no choice. His lack of a choice was what was guiding him. He knew that he had no option, just like he had known it back when he went off to save Rukia, back when he chose to stand against Aizen. Now, once more, he knew he was going to have to make the choice no-one else was willing too. Or rather, he knew he was going to have to do what no-one else was willing too. Like he had realized, there was no choice in the matter--not to him anyway.

So, in the outskirts of Soul Society, Kurosaki Ichigo once again displayed the power that had made him a legend and overrode every security measure before vanishing into the Living World.

Break

"Everybody up!" doors were pounded on as Captains and Vice Captains were woken and ushered into the Central 46 by members of the 2nd Division.

"Ten minutes ago, Vice Captain Kurosaki Ichigo broke through ever security measure we created and disappeared into the Living World," Soifon said, "Captain Urahara has informed me that he had no prior knowledge of this and his presence at the 4th Division has been confirmed," she looked at Rukia, "Where is your husband?"

"I have no idea," she said looking the Captain, "I'd like to know myself."

"Lets just cut the bullshit, we all know he went to find the Vizards," Grimmjow growled. Everyone looked at him, "What?! Where the hell else do you think he went?!"

"How do you know that's where he went?" Soifon demanded, glaring at him.

"Because its the most stupid/heroic thing to do and that's his specialty?!," he supplied before smacking his forehead into his palm, "Fuck. This means someone's going to have to go rescue him agai--ow!" he glared at his Captain who lowered her elbow fractionally but sent him a warning glare none the less, "Well he probably will!"

"Yes, and the sky appears blue, but it doesn't mean you have to state the obvious every time the opportunity presents itself," she hissed.

"Well, someone has too," he muttered.

"Someone! Someone help!" the doors burst open as Dondochakka raced in, "Captain Hitsugaya's trapped in the Division and I can't find Neliel anywhere!"

For a moment everyone was frozen. Just for a moment. Then, like she was competing in some invisible race, Hinamori took off.

"Toshiro!"

If she hurried, he could still be alive. She ignored the shouts of her name and kept running. She had to get there, he had to be alright. It took her less than thirty seconds to get to the 10th Division, but even that seemed like a lifetime to her panic-ridden mind. She barely managed to catch herself as her feet slid on the ice that was spreading outwards.

"Toshiro!" she screamed grabbing Tobiume, "Snap! Tobiume! Bankai!"

Her blade roared to her command as Hinamori blasted open the door to reveal her worst fear. The entire room was filled with the block of ice, the sight of Hitsugaya's signature Thousand Years Ice Prison. She had no doubt that inside was her fiancé. There was no eerie calm in her this time, only the pounding of her heart and the certainty that if he was dead, she wouldn't want to still be there. She survived Aizen's betrayal, Aizen's attempt on her life, the darkness afterwards--she survived that all because Hitsugaya believed in her. Because when she felt as though she would die from the darkness he was there, pulling her back to the light, back to him. Grasping Tobiume she tried to see where Hitsugaya was but the ice offered her no answers.

"Tobiume!" she shouted.

"I know!" the Zanpakuto shouted back, "I can't feel Hyourinmaru," there was a pause, "I know where he is. Cut it!"

"Cut! Tobiume!"

Even when she became a Captain, her Bankai was still a relatively new thing. She had come to accept that she was not like Hitsugaya, that it took her twice as much work and strife to get what came to him so easily. Tobiume and her and grown together, her Bankai altering. Its basic principles stayed the same, converting her Spiritual Energy into a physical attack. Only instead of the blasts she created in her Shikai her Bankai included stronger blasts and the ability to create streams of Spiritual Energy as well as shields. The streams were different since they were for close range fighting and able to slice through things rather than blow them up.

That was what she did, slicing down the seams of Hitsugaya's Thousand Year Ice prison, working through the ice systematically until she had his basic outline. If the two hadn't sparred on numerous occasions she doubt she could have done it. It was very hard, she realized that the two of them should probably spar with their Bankais occasionally in the future. She resolutely shoved down the traitorous voice that whispered the distinct possibility there might not be a future. Continuing, she managed to slice the ice as close as she dared.

"Hado 54!" she shouted, focusing the Kido roaring along the tip of Zanpakuto before using Tobiume's energy to heat, not the ice, but the blade itself. Using the hot blade she focused the energy along the remaining ice, melting it away, "Toshiro!"

He looked horrible. His skin was ice white, practically the color of his hair and his lips were tinted blue. His eyes were closed and she couldn't see any movement of his chest. She scrambled over to him, pressing her hands to his cold chest. She looked around. Where was everyone? Why weren't they coming to help?! Where was Orihime? Despite her strength, she couldn't drag him anywhere, not when he was dead weight like he was. She fumbled and pressed her fingers to his neck, her other hand going to her chest. She couldn't see anything but maybe--just maybe--she closed her eyes and held her breath, praying for any sign. She felt none. Exhaling she closed her eyes.

And felt her palm rise.

Her eyes flew up as she felt it again, barely there but there none the less. His skin was stiff with ice but if she pressed her fingers harder the faint fluttering was not her own heart which was going at the speed of a 10 ton truck.

"Toshiro," she breathed, "Oh God, hold on, just--" she looked around, knowing that they didn't have a lot of time but knowing that she had to keep him warm, "Tobiume!" she grabbed her sword, still warm with the Kido, "Shield! Tobiume!" she shouted, the pink shield enveloping Hitsugaya. The warmth of the Kido was transferred along the shield. With a little alteration she managed to wrap it around him so that he was in a cocoon of warmth, "You'll be alright," she said, the relief of him being alive making her slightly dizzy.

"Momo," she looked at Tobiume's spirit, "I can't feel Hyourinmaru," her Zanpakuto repeated, voice full of worry.

"Tobiume," Hinamori looked at her Zanpakuto with sympathy, knowing that just as she and Hitsugaya were close and in tune, Tobiume and Hyourinmaru were as well, "He'll be alright."

"Captain Hinamori!" Unohana and Orihime burst into the room, "Oh no--" Orihime fell to her knees, "Santen Kesshun! I reject!"

The gold barrier formed over Hitsugaya, slowly restoring him to life but the Captain's eyes stayed closed. Finally she withdrew the shield, sitting back on her heels and looking at them with sad eyes.

"I can't restore him anymore," she said, "Not without damaging his ability to reconnect with Hyourinmaru," she looked at him sadly, "I don't want to take that away from him. His connection is still fresh, it's not like Yoruichi's, her connection was barley there at all," she looked at Hinamori, "I'm sorry."

"No, no," Hinamori looked at him, "No, you're right. He would never forgive us."

"Lets get him to the Fourth Division," Unohana said with a soft smile, "You two," she looked at two members of the Fourth Division, "Please put him on the stretcher--wait!" the two men froze, one foot in the air at the harshness in their Captain's voice. Unohana strode forward and bent down, picking up something lying nearby, something Orihime had accidentally restored when she did Hitsugaya.

It was a lock of blond hair.

"We need to get this to the 12th Division right away," she said signaling a third member, "take this to them now," she looked at the two of them, "you two get him to the 4th division."

Outside, Captain Komamura sniffed the air, trying to locate the 10th Division Vice Captain. Despite being mostly an adult, Nel still retained a love for all things cute and fuzzy, and despite standing at 7 feet, 8 inches tall--before you counted the ears of course--he fell under that category. That, and the fact that Tenken, his Zanpakuto, was a challenging sparring partner for Gamuza which Nel also loved. So he, like everyone else, wanted to find the green haired former Espada. He opened his eyes and looked around, searching for some kind of sign of her scent since, if this man's pattern continued, he was not going to feel her Spiritual Pressure.

"You should have stayed in the Fourth Division a bit longer, Captain Halibel," he spoke, turning his head to see the woman standing there, her breathing labored. It was not just Nel really, all the former Espada had never treated him differently because of what he looked like. He supposed that they too had felt like monsters at one time for what they were. Halibel may have looked ill at the moment but he recognized the resolution in her eyes to find her friend, "Vice Captain Abarai?" he turned to see the red headed man standing there.

"Still?" he looked at them, fear thick in his voice.

"No," Halibel said, meeting his gaze squarely. The three of them were silent for a moment, their eyes searching for any sign of Nel's whereabouts, "She would have fought," she frowned, walking back towards the Division, "She never knew when to run," she led the two men into the Division, still damp with ice.

"It's colder over here," Komamura said nodding in a direction. The three of them approached where he had nodded. He frowned and pressed his hand to a door, "There's ice sealing this place."

"Stand back!" Renji ordered, grabbing the hilt of his Zanpakuto, "Howl! Zabimaru!"

The whip tore through the seam of the door and the ice underneath. It took two more strikes until the ice was removed from the doorway. Inside the closet was Nel. She was sitting against the wall, unconscious but obviously placed so that the first thing they saw was the knot on her head where someone had knocked her unconscious. Across the narrow space was a sealed Gamuza. Renji knelt next to the Vice Captain.

"She's been knocked unconscious," Halibel said, "But--"

"Captain Hitsugaya must have shared your opinion," Komamura said, "He knocked her unconscious before she could fight."

"Come," Halibel said, "Let's go and get Unohana."

Renji's eyes widened as he looked over at Captain Halibel. He had no doubt that she would have figured out what he and Nel was doing. He honestly was expecting her to tell Captain Komamura to get Unohana while she stayed and beat him within an inch of his life. But all she did was incline her head in a gentle show of, dare he say, permission? She and Komamura walked off to go and get Unohana, leaving the two of them alone. Renji reached forward and eased Nel to the ground, careful not to jostle her. He picked up Gamuza and placed it near its Mistress. A soon as her hand wrapped around the hilt the effect was instant. Nel coughed, rolling on her side with Renji's help as she struggled to clear her lungs.

"Renji?" she looked at him, her voice hoarse and full of disbelief, "What the--Captain Hitsugaya!" she cried, trying to shove herself to her feet.

"Easy--easy," Renji steadied her, "It's over."

"He's not--" he shook his head, "Damn it," she cast her eyes downwards, frustration and anger in her voice, "We were going to the meeting but there was a guy in here, he was just standing there. I wanted to fight but Hitsugaya said it was too dangerous. He knocked me out and threw me in there with Gamuza," she closed her eyes, "He didn't stand a chance."

"He's going to be alright" Renji said, "He's strong."

"He's strong because of Hyourinmaru," she snapped, pushing herself up and grabbing the wall to aide her struggle to her feet instead of him.

"Nel," Orihime rushed forward, "Oh--Oh just hold still," she fumbled slightly holding her hands out as the golden shield covered half of Nel, healing the woman inside before retracting, "There," she lowered her hands, "They've taken Captain Hitsugaya to the Fourth Division," she supplied.

"Thanks," Nel said and turned to go.

"Not so fast," Grimmjow stepped forward, blocking her exit as Halibel and Ulquiorra appeared next to her.

"Orihime," Ulquiorra said, his voice gently prodding her.

"Um," Orihime twisted her fingers, "I accidentally restored a lock of blond hair, it's in the Twelfth Division, but I couldn't really restore more of it, it was very, very hard to restore," her voice dropped to the barest whisper, "It was like restoring Grimmjow's arm hard."

"You mean--" Nel looked at Halibel.

"Gin voiced his suspicion to me before I was attacked but I was rather dismissive of it," she sighed, "Now it seems as though he could be correct."

"Blond?" Grimmjow demanded, "We're dealing with a blond Espada? Who the fuck-"

"We need to think about this," Halibel cut in, "Right now we need to go home."

"I'm going to the Fourth Division," Nel said turning.

"No," Soifon snapped, "You are staying here with a full guard. It's unlikely that this man will attack this place twice but you never know. You have responsibilities--"

"Captain Hitsugaya is my Captain!" Nel protested loudly.

"Yes, and at the moment he is incapacitated meaning you are acting Captain of the 10th Division and as such your responsibility is to your Division and the 13 Court Guard Squads," she stared Nel down until the green haired woman turned her eyes away and gave an unhappy nod of consent, "You two," Soifon turned to her men, "If it breaths, immobilize it. I don't care who--or what--it is. We're accepting this as an act of war. Until we figure out what the fuck this thing wants everyone's a potential victim, is that clear?"

"Yes, Captain!" they all said in response.

"Come on," Ulquiorra said quietly to Orihime. She looked at the men and then back at the emerald eyed Shinigami before nodding and following him. He slipped them both out of the Division with stealth that surprised even her.

"Ulquiorra?" she inquired, "Where are we going?"

"Home," he said, his voice colder than she had heard it in a very long time.

Break

"Come on," Hisagi said to Sun Sun.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I'm walking you home," he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Okay," she said slowly, her hands twisting in the folds of her robes. He hid a smile at that but it must have shown because she gave an indignant foot stomp, "I can't help it!"

"I didn't say anything," he said holding up his hands in defense against the 3rd Seat.

"You smiled!" she cried.

"Didn't know that wasn't allowed, Sun," he said with an easy smile.

"Yes, well, its not," she finished lamely before marching resolutely forward, "Why are you being so protective of me anyway?" she looked at him, arching an eyebrow, "I mean you've hardly let me out of your sight since the Commander General died."

"I--" he looked ahead, feeling the heat on the back of his neck and muttered something unintelligible.

"I didn't catch that," Sun Sun told him with a smile.

"I'm just--" he looked over at her, then ahead, then back at her once more, "You know how I got these?" he waved a hand at the three lines down his face.

"Hinamori said that it was during a training accident," she said.

"Yeah, well, I lost two people during that exercise, the second real friends I ever had. The first friends, my street gang, got killed by a Hollow. Then Tousen betrayed the entire division, as well as me. Every time someone having to do with Aizen shows up someone I care about winds up dead or a traitor," he looked ahead, "I don't want that to happen again."

"I don't mind," she said softly, her eyes going down to the ground almost guiltily before going back to his face, "You walking me home or the scars," she added quickly, motioning to the line that sliced down her own face from one of the cave ins of Las Noches that killed her fellow Fraccion, "I was just curious," she said as they continued to walk down back to the Division, "So where's the 69 tattoo from?" she asked as they rounded the door to her quarters.

"Oh that's a long story," he said.

"I have ti--" she began, opening the door to her quarters. He heard the soft click of a mechanism that was not her door.

"Get down! Reap! Kazeshini!" he shouted, spinning the blades of his Zanpakuto. They repelled the rubble that the explosion created, leaving the two Seated Officers of the 9th Division stunned but otherwise alive, "Are you okay?" he demanded looking at the shell shocked woman.

"I--" Sun Sun raised a shaky finger, pointing. Carved into one of the remaining supports was a single word.

Traitor.