Chapter 10:

Rangiku and Rukia could be seen on the living room of Orihime's house, while the others were patrolling outside and Ichigo already went home. They both looked down. Rangiku looked over the door beside her. She sighed.

"Taichou was sure mad to us…" Rangiku said as she put her elbow on the table and puts her chin on her hand.

"Of course, he'll get mad. We let Hinamori-fukutaichou to get injured." Rukia said. Then suddenly the special giant television-like screen turned on and Ukitake showed up.

"Ukitake-taichou?" Rukia looked surprised with Ukitake's sudden appearance.

'Oh, good day. I'm here to check on you. How's your mission so far? ' Ukitake asked through the screen. Rangiku and Rukia looked at each other.

"Ah, Ukitake-taichou… The truth is… t didn't gone well today… Hinamori-fukutaichou and Renji got injured…" Rukia explained.

'What? What happened? Are they okay?' Ukitake asked in a worried voice.

"Right now, they're still unconscious…" Rukia said as she lowered her head.

"Our apologies sir, we caught off guard..." Rangiku said as she bowed in an apologizing manner.

'I see… How's Hitsugaya-taichou doing?' Ukitake asked.

"Well, you see, he's mad of us because of what happened to Hinamori…" Rangiku sighed.

'Oh…. I see... Can you please brief me of what really happened?' Ukitake asked Rukia and Rangiku.

Meanwhile, young Toushiro was inside of the room where the unconscious Momo was sleeping. He keeps looking down on her with a sad look.

"Momo…" young Toushiro whispered as he holds her hand.

"Momo…please…wake up…" young Toushiro begged but still no response. "Wake…up!"

"If I'm just not like this, I can be able to protect Hinamori from those bastards! Damn it! I'll make sure those damn bastards will pay!" young Toushiro thought angrily as he clenched his fists. He looked to Momo who was still unconscious. His eyes softened. "Why does it always you getting hurt? Why you have to suffer like this..? You had enough already because of what happened in the past. And it really hurts me to see you in pain… I maybe the child progidy...a captain…but…here I am now…completely helpless… I can't able to help the one I love the most…" young Toushiro thought as he continued to grip her hand.

"Please…get well…soon..." young Toushiro said as he leans over and kisses Momo on her lips and pulled back quickly when he heard her groaned. Momo groaned and stirred on her futon. This caught the young captain's attention. Momo slowly opened her eyes. She blinked several times before turning her attention to the young Toushiro who was kneeling beside her.

"Shi…Shiro-chan?" Momo mumbled. Young Toushiro hugged her tightly and quickly. Momo was kinda surprised of his actions. Momo slowly sit up. Orihime already healed Renji and her injuries. That's why she can't feel pain anymore. She looked down to young Toushiro. She patted his head and smiled. Young Toushiro looked up to her with teary eyes.

"What's wrong, Shiro-chan? Did I worry you that much?" Momo asked as she continued patting his head.

"Does it…hurt?" young Toushiro asked. Momo stared at him for a moment and then smiled.

"Yes… But it doesn't hurt anymore now… So… don't worry…" Momo said. Then she paused for a while. "Oh, yeah! How's Abarai-kun?"

"He's sleeping…" young Toushiro replied.

"I see…." They stayed hugging each other for a moment.

"I….I'm sorry…." Young Toushiro muttered. Momo gave him a questioning look. "I'm sorry… Because… of my condition now…I…can't able…to protect you…" Momo stared at him for a moment and then smiled to him.

"You're so sweet, Shiro-chan… You were always protecting me since we were little…and I thank you because of that… Thank you, Hitsugaya-kun… " Momo said as she kisses him on his forehead and hugging him tighter. Young Toushiro closed his eyes and snuggled closer to her. They stayed like that until the door opened startling both Momo and young Toushiro.

"Oops, did I interrupt something? Well, it looks like. I'll leave you two alone here, so you can spend some alone time together, okay?" with that said, Rangiku shut the door. Momo and young Toushiro heard a loud giggle. It was sure Matsumoto, and she will tell everyone what she saw.

"She really likes to barge in on the door without knocking…" Momo giggled.

"Yeah... She's really an idiot most of the times…" young Toushiro thought. There's a silence for a moment. Then suddenly, Momo's stomach growled. She puts her hand on her stomach and blushed from embarrassment.

"Ehehe, I think I should eat now…" Momo said. She looked over the window that is in her left side. "It's dark already… Then it's dinner time. Let's go eat now."

After finishing their dinner, they rest for awhile and discussed about their mission.

"Hmmm, we just spoke with Ukitake-taichou earlier… He said that they investigate the true nature of those two hollows…" Rukia began. "As for now, all we should do was pursued them. But we should not let our guard down…"

"Yeah… We really should to." Renji interrupted as he approaches them.

"Oh, Renji… You're all better now?" Rangiku asked.

"Ah…" Renji replied as he massages his shoulders.

"You sure take your time, sleeping like a log, huh?" Ikkaku teased. Renji just glared at him.

"Shut up! It's because of those damn hollows! And it's a pain in the ass!" Renji yelled.

"Hn.."

"What was that?" Renji yelled.

"Hey, don't start childish quarrel now…" Rangiku interrupted.

"Hai, Hai…" Renji replied as he shrugged.

"Well then, I suggest that we should sleep now…" Yumichika said as he stoods up. "We're off now. Good night. Let's go, Ikkaku…" Ikkaku stood up and followed Yumichika.

"Take care!" Rangiku said as she stoods up from her seat.

"I got to go now to, Matsumoto-fukutaicho… " Rukia said as she stood up as well. "Let's go, Renji.."

"Okay.." Renji replied as he followed Rukia.

"Take care!" Rangiku said in a cheery voice and waves at them. All of sudden, Renji stopped from walking and turned around.

"Where's Hinamori and Hitsugaya-taichou?" Renji asked. Rangiku looked at him and grinned.

"Well….spending some time together…" Rangiku giggled. Renji just smiled and then leaves.

"Are you…really okay…now?" young Toushiro asked. Momo looked at him who was lying on her lap.

"Yes…" Momo answered as he pats young Toushiro's head.

"I…I'm r-really worried…about you..awhile ago…" he said as he snuggled closer to her. Momo just smiled, feeling touched with his words.

"Thank you, Shiro-chan… I think you should sleep now, Shiro-chan… It's getting late already." Momo said as looking over to young Toushio

"Okay…" young Toushiro replied. Momo smiled and slowly removed him on her lap and tucked him in the futon.

"Good night, Shiro-chan…" Momo said as she leans over to kiss him on his forehead. Young Toushiro tilted his head upwards making Momo kiss him on his lips. She was kinda surprised and pulled away quickly.

"A-Ano… I… Let's sleep now!" Momo stuttered as she also tucked in on the futon and pulled the blanket over to her face to hide her blush.

"Good night…" young Toushiro said as he closes his eyes. It's not too long when he really fell asleep. Momo watched him sleep. "You're so cute, Shiro-chan…" She giggled at the thought.

"I love you..Momo…" he mumbled on his sleep. Momo stared at him with wide eye when she heard him said that. "Am I just imagining? Did he really mean it? I…I.." She shook her head. "I should not be thinking that… He might just say it accidentally…" She thought. She slowly closes her eyes and soon began to fell asleep.

To be continued…

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Sorry for the late update. I'm just a little busy with a few things. And also, I'm having problems of writing again...

I'll be sure not to disappoint you with the upcoming chapters. So please stay tuned... Thank you for the one who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate it.

Thank you very much! -^_^-

~m0m0-hImE