A/N: Well this is it everyone! The final chapter of Gravity's Momentum. I can't begin to explain how much this means to me, this story, all of you who have read this, and reviewed it, added it to your favorites and follow list... it all means so much to me. This is the second story I have ever finished so its a huge accomplishment for me, at least a personal one. It gives me hope that I'll be able to finish my personal and original works as well. But with Gravity's Momentum, it... it means a whole lot to me and the fact that I am here right now, writing my last ever authors note... it's a little surreal. I will eventually go through and edit this story sometime, after re-reading it there are a lot of things I can really fix up, I can make it flow a lot better. Since there were such large gaps between updates I kind of screwed up the timeline of the story and I apologize. There are also little things I'd like to add on in the beginning, take some things away, etc. Basic editing and revising things, but now that I have the original done, revising will be easier.
This story has taken 4 and a half years to write, and I couldn't be prouder of what I've written, and how it's come along. Again, thank you all so much for taking some time out of your days and reading this, it means so much to me and you all are part of the motivation that has driven me to finish this piece. Thank you all so much, and please enjoy the final ever chapter of Gravity's Momentum! Reviews will be appreciated!
I couldn't do anything for her… I was just sitting there beside her, holding her hand as she was suffering. I should have finished Tanaka off myself, I knew she was already hurt but that last blast… to be hit with your own spiritual pressure. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on her.
"It is not your time, Yasashii Nori." That voice. I opened my eyes and saw her. The woman who had saved Yoruka's life… What was she doing here? "Please step aside and let me see her." I didn't budge, I wasn't going to leave Nori's side, not with her like this. I continued to sit there, holding her blood covered hand. I continued to look at the Shitsume Hametsu as she sat down on her knees and looked at the small girl. She glanced at me and I felt my blood run cold. Her eyes… I'll never be able to get over her eyes - they were blank, empty, yet I knew she could see into my very soul and know everything. She gave me a soft smile and a short nod before glancing down at Nori. "Your price however… will be the memories you have." I blinked, looking back up at the woman. I had missed what she had said before, my focus and attention at Nori.
"My...my memories?" Nori asked, scared of what she meant, the woman simply nodded.
"Yes, dear Yasashii Nori. Your memories of the last few months." I looked at the woman, my eyes wide, she was taking Nori's memories… I looked back down at Nori, already knowing that there wasn't a way to change this. "That is the price you must pay for taking fate into your hands." I closed my eyes, turning my head away from this.
Yasashii Nori was going to forget that any of this had ever happened. She is going to forget about what she is, who she has become… she's going to forget everything to do with the soul society… she was going to forget me. I knew it's what is best for her, to live a normal and happy life, but I was selfish for wanting her to still remember me, remember us.
"I want the best for you Yasashii, and what's best for you… is for me to let you go and live your life."
That is what I had said to her last night and here I was, her hand in mine and I was watching her trying to breathe, struggling to live - having the chance to live but… everything about me, about us, was going to be gone from her memories. I knew this was the right thing to do, what I said last night was still going to stand in place. I had to let her go… no matter how much I didn't want to do that. I sat there, listening to her quivering voice as she struggled to say her goodbyes.
"To-Toshirou…" I heard her say and I clenched my eyes shut more, then I felt her squeeze my hand ever so slightly. I opened my eyes and looked down at her. I could feel tears sting my eyes and I wanted them to disappear, I didn't want the others to see me this weak… I didn't want them to see me cry. "I… there's so much I want to say Toshirou…"
"Save your breaths, Nori" I told her sofly, squeezing her hand. "I know…" I assured her, I was positive I knew she was going to say, but then she shook her head. I looked down at her, I also knew that she wanted to say what she wanted, but I also knew that she didn't have the time nor the energy to get it all out.
"I… I love you Teddybear-Shirou…" She whispered to me and squeezed my hand, which I had returned. I know, Nori… I know… I thought. I wanted to say it back to her. I wanted to tell her that I loved her too, after these few months, after the time we had spent together, I had fallen in love with her too. "I'll see you all soon." That was the last thing she said as I watched, as I felt her, relax into the ground.I closed my eyes, I felt the tears start to fall. This was it, she was gone. She was going to wake up later and all of this was nothing, it wouldn't even be a dream to her - we wouldn't have existed to her. I wouldn't have ever existed to her.
I opened my eyes and looked down at her sleeping form, she looked so peaceful, laying there. I brought her hand to my lips, placing a small kiss on her fingers. "I love you too, Nori." I whispered to her, letting her hand go and I stood up.
"They're right." I chimed in. "It is what's best for her, and it'll be kept that way. She deserves a happy life…" I sighed sadly, looking back down at Nori. I began walking away from everyone.
"Captain!" I stopped and looked over my shoulder to see Matsumoto standing there, giving me a sad look.
"What is it Matsumoto?"
"I…" She started and looked away. "I'm sorry, Captain."
"What is there to be sorry about Matsumoto?"
"Nori, sir… I'm sorry you two cou-"
"Nothing would have happened, Matsu-"
"Captain!" She exclaimed, I looked at her, shocked. "Don't lie to me Captain! I know you're hurting, just like the rest of us because you cared for her! You loved her, I'm sorry that you're hurting, that the two of you couldn't…"
"It was going to happen anyway." I answered, looking away from my lieutenant. "When we went back to the soul society, we would have never worked out. Yasashii and I had discussed-"
"Nori."
"What?"
"Her name is Nori, Captain. I think it's appropriate that you call her by her given name as she does the same with you." I sighed and nodded.
"Ya-Nori and I had discussed this last night… it wouldn't have worked out between us, the world of the living moves faster than the soul society Matsumoto. If anything would have happened, I would simply be holding her back from a happy, human life." I started, looking back at her with narrowed eyes. "This is what's best for her, her best chance at finding happiness, and finding the love she deserves to have Matsumoto. I have to let her go and let her live her life. This will still be the same if she hadn't gotten her memories taken away." I continued then turned around to walk back to Urahara's. "-And please, do not mention this again Matsumoto."
"Yes sir." I hearded her mumble.
0000
I stood outside the Karakura High School the next Monday. We were heading back to the soul society, but I had let the head captain know that I had to make sure the Shizenshi was safe. Of course my team had known otherwise what I was doing. I saw her walking with Ichigo to school. She had a smile on her face and she looked just as she did last week. I smiled sadly at the sight of her… she looked so happy. This was the right thing to do. I was about to turn to leave but her stopping and staring at me stopped me. I stood there, looking into her light blue eyes. It was almost...as if she could see me. I heard Ichigo call out and I looked up at him. We made eye contact and I shook my head at him.
"Yeah! Sorry! Coming!" Nori called out to him, and I took this opportunity to leave.
I sighed as I arrived back at Urahara's where he had a senkaimon ready for me.
"Sorry it had to be this way, Captain Hitsugaya." he apologized and I shook my head.
"It's what's meant to be, Urahara. Thank you for holding the senkaimon."
"No problem, but one last thing captain."
"Yes, what is it?" I asked, looking at him.
"How is Little Nori?" I stood still for a moment before I took a step into the senkaimon. Turning around I nodded at him.
"Happy." I answered, then the doors closed.
"There you are captain!" I looked behind me and saw Matsumoto standing there, waiting for me. "What took you so long?" I felt my eyebrow twitch. "Oh I know! You saw a pretty girl!" She added with a smile and I stared up at her shocked for a minute before I relaxed and smiled.
"Yeah, something like that."
0000
"Are you going again, Captain?" I stopped and looked over at Matsumoto. She had a small smile on her face.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Matsumoto." I replied before I began walking again.
"You're going to see Nori, aren't you?" I stopped and stood stiff. "I know you go, it is her birthday after all."
"I don't know what you're talking about Matsumoto." I repeated myself and left my office and headed to the kido corps. Stepping into the senkaimon, I arrived back into Karakura town, right outside Yasashii Nori's bedroom window. I looked inside and I didn't see her, it was empty. I sighed, of course she wouldn't be here on her birthday. She was most likely out with friends.
"Yeah! Hold on a minute Ichigo!" I heard her voice, looking up I saw that she entered her room.
"Geeze, you bribe me to even go to this thing with you, saying how you can't live unless you go, and now you're makin me wait on you?" Ichigo replied dryly, obviously annoyed.
"Yeah." She answered simply as she rushed to her bookshelf. "I just need to get these books for him to sign!" She exclaimed.
"Ugh fine, but hurry up will you! The longer we wait the longer the line is going to be and I really don't want to have to carry you on my back because you're complaining that your feet hurt." Ichigo complained. "OW! What the hell, Nori!" He exclaimed, holding his nose. I cracked a smile, Nori had thrown a book at his face.
"Shut up." She scowled at him as she put the books in a bag. "Alrighty! I'm ready, let's go Ichigo!" She exclaimed as she grabbed onto his arm and they left her bedroom. "Okay! We'll be home soon Yuzu! Don't worry! I know I know! Birthday girl has to be at the birthday dinner, I know! Bye you guys!" She exclaimed excitedly as she shut the door to the Kurosaki clinic. I watched them as they walked down the street. I sighed again and went reopened the senkaimon that was on standby for me.
She was happy… it's been nearly two years since she had lost her memories, and she's still happy and doing well.
"How is she Captain?" I looked at Matsumoto who was waiting for me.
"Happy." I answered her as we began walking back to the squad ten barracks.
"How are you sir?"
"...Happy." I replied. If Nori was happy, then I was going to be happy for her. She deserved this life, and I wasn't going to sulk, and live pathetically because I couldn't be with her. This was a sign that maybe it wasn't meant to be, no matter how much we had wanted it to be… no matter how much I felt this pull on my heart to go back to the world of the living to see her, to get a gigai and meet her one more time. It was a slow pull but the longer I was away from her the stronger the pull had become. With each passing day, the pull on my heart became stronger. It began with an ache, and now it was becoming harder and harder each day to not see her. It is almost like gravity. What goes up, must come down. The gravitational pull on objects with mass, pulling it down. There was like a gravitational pull, trying to pull me to Nori. This isn't meant to be, she was a human, living a normal human life in the world of the living and I was a soul reaper in the soul society. I sighed as we reached the office and I sat down at my desk and I began my paperwork that needed to be completed. I looked at Matsumoto who had sat down at the couch and to my surprise, she was doing her own paperwork.
0000
I hadn't seen Nori in Karakura town. It was at first a few months that I hadn't seen her, then it turned into a year, then two years… two years turned to four. I figured she had went off to university after graduating high school since I hadn't seen her there, but every break, I had seen Ichigo at home but I had never seen Nori. I had wondered what happened, where she was… was she studying abroad? After four years of trying to see her, I stopped. I only went on her birthday, and after the third time of that I gave up. I hadn't seen her, and there was no way of finding her from here. I had to face it… she had moved on, she was out living her life. Just like I had wanted her too… I sighed as I looked out the window of my office.
I was pathetic. She was happy, enjoying her life. She most likely had a boyfriend now, or was married, maybe she has a kid now like Ichigo? I hadn't gone to check in two years. I felt a sudden pull at my heart, the need and want to go see for myself but I resisted that urge to find her.
"I want the best for you Yasashii, and what's best for you… is for me to let you go and live your life."
Those words from nine years ago came back to my head. I scoffed at the thought. I was to let her go, and I told her that.. That I had to let her go and let her live her life, she's lived her life but I hadn't let her go. I was pathetic, letting my heart pine after a woman who I could never have, especially not now. She was a grown woman now and although I have aged quite a bit, but nothing compared to what she has.
"Captain!" Matsumoto's voice filled the room. It was cheery and light and I wanted to groan at what could possibly make her so happy. She didn't sound drunk, so that surprinslgy rules out sake.
"What is it, Matsumoto?"
"We have our new recruit!" She answered happily and I sighed. That's right… there was a graduate of the academy that had graduated a little early. Their first choice was squad ten and from what Matsumoto said they were strong and I'll be an idiot to not have them. I scoffed at the thought at the time, but I did trust Matsumoto's judgement. Having been so busy I left the recruitment to her - about one of the only useful things she's done. I don't know what seat she had put the recruit, but I guess I'll find out. "This is our new fourth seat, Captain!" Fourth seat? That impressive, huh? I asked myself.
"Hi…" I gasped, I felt my eyes widen as I continued to look out the window. "Teddy-bear Shirou…" There was only one person in the world that would ever call me that. I turned around and there she was. She still looked the same… except her hair was shorter, it went just past her shoulders, she wore a shihakusho, and had a zanpakutou at her hip… if she was here right now then that means… she died in the world of the living… approximately nine years ago, that's why I hadn't seen her there. She was here…
"You… you…" I stumbled on my words. "You're here…" I whispered and she nodded. "And you remember…"
"I remembered everything moments before I died." She replied quietly. I walked over to her, slowly, painfully slow… I was now a bit taller than her forehead coming to my nose. I looked down at her and she looked up at me. There was so much I wanted tell her but no words came to my tongue, I was stuck. I felt her arms wrap around my waist, and her head on my shoulder. I felt my body move on it's own, wrapping my arms around her and I held her close.
That ache in my chest was gone; I no longer felt that pull on my heart.