Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put all the poor characters in. Everything else belongs to somebody else and unfortunately that's the way its gonna stay. Thanks so much for reading, please review so I know what you think!

A Bad Penny

"So mind telling me how long you intend to give me the silent treatment?" Soifon asked icily, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she watched Zaraki as he lounged in his desk chair. With the desk between them, Soifon could easily see it ending up as splinters if he kept refusing to talk to her. "I already apologized, didn't I?" And he knew how much she hated doing that, Dammit.

"You did." Zaraki agreed, acknowledging the truth of her statement with a slight nod of his head, his bells jingling with the movement.

A twitch appearing under her left eye Soifon could literally feel her blood begin to boil. "But you aren't accepting my apology."

"I didn't ask for one."

Well that did it. Slamming her fist down on his desk the whole thing threatened to buckle from the blow. "You damn well did when you nearly took out two divisions, dammit."

"Don't flatter yourself. I routinely decimate my division...Blondie boy's division just got in my way."

"Bullshit." Dark eyes flashing Soifon was having some very vivid images of leaping forward and shoving his own bells down his throat, one bell at a time. Or replace his eyes and balls with them..that could be a real nice, decorative touch.

Watching her Zaraki wondered idly whether a vein could literally pop out from too much twitching. Something to ponder at a later date. Leaning forward Zaraki did his best to retain his detached facade. "Look, don't get your uniform in a knot. I wont be coming after your division, if that's what you're worried about. No sport in it."

And another twitch erupted under her other eye at the offhanded insult. Grinching her teeth Soifon was only able to keep back her biting remarks by reminding herself over and over again that he was doing this on purpose, he was so obvious. But damn him, he just knew where best to target. "If you don't want an apology..what do you want?" She finally got out, biting off each word.

So she wanted him to state the obvious, huh? Thoughtfully Zaraki regarded her with an expression reminiscent of the looks others gave his daughter when they were scolding her for behaving like the immature child she was.

Reading between the lines Soifon's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You know you aren't getting that until the deal is met."

"Than expect me to be my usual assehole self for quite a while."

"Oh goody."

Tapping his fingers on his desk Captain Kuchiki waited patiently for his idiot lieutenant to show up so that he could tear the stupid little prick to verbal pieces. What part of office duties did he not understand? Probably thought he could sneak out without him ever finding out, Byakuya thought darkly, amused at the stupidity of his underling. You'd think by now the man would have clued into the fact that NOTHING got by him. Than again, Renji did have more in common with goldfish than the brightness of their coloring.

Hearing someone walk along his porch Kuchiki thought for a moment it was Renji, quickly changing that thought as he recognized the brisk, no nonsense steps of Lieutenant Ise, one of the two young ladies who'd recently been caught up in a fight over him, though she'd apparently had no idea of it. Kyoraku's face had been priceless.

When the polite knock came at his door Kuchiki called out for her to enter.

Entering Nanao politely closed the door behind her before walking up to his desk, bowing politely. "I hope I have not interrupted you, Captain Kuchiki."

"Nothing important. What can I do for you, Lieutenant Ise?"

"It's more what we can do for each other, Sir. The lieutenant of the eleventh division has made a fool out of me today..and I understand she has been causing you problems as well. I have come to propose that I aid you in...relieving yourself of her."

Now wasn't that interesting. Leaning forward in his seat Ise's had his full attention. "And just what do you propose?"

By way of answering Nanaowithdrew four sheets of paper from a folder and handed them over to him. "Its only a rough draft, but I thought I should see if you agreed that I was on the right track before I fine tuned things." She'd spent the last hour on it and was pleased with the current results, but planned to do much, much better. That little bitch was going to curse the day she thought to take Lieutenant Nanao Ise on.

Reading down the list and timeline she'd presented him with Kuchiki felt a twinge of lieutenant envy. Damn but Kyoraku had really lucked out. The next major thought was that she was a meticulious, shrewd and fearsome opponent, one someone should think twice before ever taking on. "You understand her well." Looking up from the pages Kuchiki acknowledged the brilliance of her idea. "This will send her running for the hills like a Hollow after a cluster of wandering spirits."

"I believe so." Nanao agreed, pleased he understood so quickly what she was proposing.

"Are you always this methodical when you set goals?"

"Yes, Captain."

Handing the pages back to her Kuchiki gave her a small smile. "Than I think you were right."

"Right about what, Sir?"

"That if you'd wanted me for a husband, you would have gotten a ring around your finger by now."

"Yes, Sir."

"Kyoraku's a lucky man."

"He is, Sir."

"May I ask...why haven't you made him marry you yet?"

"You don't reward animals until they've shown some signs of improved behavior. The logistics are the same in that matter."

Setting his bag on top of his bed Hitsugaya figured now was as good a time to unpack as ever. Unzipping his bag the tenth division captain frowned as he stared at the unfamiliar paper bag that rested atop the rest of his clothes. It had definitely not been there the last time he'd opened the bag, when he'd been packing things up back on earth. Had Ukitake slipped something into the bag while he wasn't looking? The very idea was laughable. Rolling his eyes at the idiocy of the thought Hitsugaya lifted the bag from its resting place and tugged at the folded piece of paper that had been taped to the bag. Opening it Hitsugaya instantly recognized the messy handwriting.

Toshiro kun,

I made these for you and I tried really hard so you have to eat them.

Karin

Already having a bad feeling Toshiro set the note down and opened the paper bag, wincing as he looked at its contents. Reaching in Hitsugaya pulled out a rather misshapen cookie that didn't look appetizing in the slightest. Though it did look better than the first cookies she'd tried to bake him the last time she'd gotten it into her head to try to bake him something. These at least were roughly the color they were supposed to be. You couldn't mistaken them for charcoal anyway. Sighing Hitsugaya picked up the bag in question and headed for the kitchen, looking much like a man about to face the gallows. Once there he retrieved some milk, reminded himself that he was a man, and began to eat the disgusting cookies his favorite human girl had made for him. The things he did to make that woman happy.

He was into his third cookie, already considering the likelihood of a trip to the forth division, when he sensed his lieutenant flash into his front hallway. Glad for any excuse to stop eating Hitsugaya rolled up the bag and got to his feet, deciding that he wouldn't even yell at her for not knocking first. Getting to his feet Hitsugaya had just pushed his chair back when his lieutenant stumbled into the room, clutching against her chest what looked to him like a box florists used for deliveries. Her face was as pale as his hair and her eyes were glossy, unfocused, and as wide as saucers. "Matsumoto!" Over to her side in a flash Hitsugaya helped her down to the floor, crouching down beside her while she held the box to her chest like it was a lifeline in a terrible storm. "What's wrong?"

"Kira...Kira's coming. I thought..I thought I should call him too."

As gently as he could Hitsugaya attempted to ease her into some sort of an explanation. "Why is he coming?"

"The note...the note said...I think....I think something of Gin....Gin....in box...in the box maybe....I...I...I can't open it....." Clutching the box even tighter Matsumoto could feel the thin grasp she had on her sanity slipping even more. Only the presence of her captain was keeping her from breaking down completely. But inside..inside she was weeping and wailing like the most pitiful, tortured of creatures. Because even though she hadn't opened the box yet...somehow she just knew.

"Where's the note?"

"Pocket."

"Okay." Watching her carefully for any sign of trouble Hitsguaya reached into her pocket and retrieve a very crumbled up piece of expensive writing paper. Unwrinkling it as best he could Hitsugaya hastily read the letter, his blood going cold as he did. Yes, yes he understood why she had come running to him. Whatever was in that box...it was going to cause Matsumoto unbearable pain.

Hearing the sound of polite knocking at his door Hitsugaya gave Matsumoto what he hoped was an encouraging pat on the shoulder, than ran to get the door, throwing it open to admit his three new guests.

"Momo and Renji were with me when I got Ran's message." Kira explained, his face pale. "She said...it had to do with Captain Ichimaru?"

Standing on either side of Kira, it was obvious that Momo and Renji had come along to support their friends. Hitsguaya was glad for any help he could get.

As soon as he shut the door behind them Hitsugaya began his explanation. "Somehow Aizen arranged for a package to be delivered to Matsumoto. It came with a letter that states that Aizen figured out that Ichimaruwas the one who gave us information on Lieutenant Ise's stalker...and that he'd done so largely for Matsumoto's benefit. The letter suggests that Ichimaru was punished for his actions...and that the box contains some memento for her...to remember the sacrifice Ichimaru made for her. The box, when I touched it, seemed cool to the touch. I think what ever is in there...has been kept cold for a length of time."

What color Kira had had faded away so that he was now pale as death. "You think...inside the box..."

"Its what she thinks too. We have to keep her together. We cannot allow him to take her from us too." His icy eyes boring into Kira's, his message was clear.

Nodding Kira swallowed hard than followed Hitsugaya back into the kitchen, Renji and Hinamori at their heels. Matsumoto had not moved since her captain had left her side. On a sound of distress Momo squeezed through the men and dropped to her knees beside the older woman, pulling her into an awkward hug, box and all. Matsumoto made no response, simply looking over Hinamori's shoulder to stare up at her captain expectantly.

Everyone crouching down Hitsugaya held out his hands after motioning Momo to move away from Matsumoto so that he could talk to her one on one. "Matsumoto..give me the box. I'll open it for you."

"I'm supposed to open it. The..the letter said so."

She was opening it over his dead body. "And since when do any of us do what Aizen says? You don't have to open it..you don't have to see what's inside. Lieutenant Kira and I will do it."

"No." Shaking her head slightly Matsumoto's eyes welled up with tears she refused to shed. "I..I have to open it. He..Gin would expect me to open it. I have to..for him. I have to be the one." Settling the box lengthwise across her lap Matsumoto stared down at it than turned her gaze to Kira's, her eyes reflecting her terrible inner agony. "You'll help me..if I need help?"

"Of course." His nails digging into the flesh of his hands, Kira couldn't even feel the blood forming to slide down his palms from the crescent wounds.

Nodding Matsumoto's eyes turned back to the box, everyone silent as they watched her slowly lift up the lid, which blocked everyone else's view of what was in the deceptively innocent white box. She stared down at the contents silently for a moment, than on a muffled cry lifted a hand as if to remove whatever was inside.

Reaching out Hitsugaya's hand stopped hers, wrapping around her wrist to prevent her from doing so. Meeting her gaze steadily he reached out with his other hand and tugged the box off her lap, than turned it so that the contents were facing them, all the while still keeping a grip on her, keeping that connection, that bond between them.

Laying obscenely in a bed of greenery and baby's breath was a severed arm, from the elbow down. The size of the hand and fingers, combined with the width of it would indicate a male. Tied around the middle of it was a big pink bow, the bow made from a scarf that everyone recognized as the type Matsumoto always wore around her neck with her uniform.

Hand shaking it was Kira now who reached towards the box, turning the icy cold, blue tinged hand slightly to the side. "The..the scar on...Captain Ichimaru has a scar...its here." The hand...this lifeless limb was his captain's..his captain's....

Whatever might have been said was cut off at the choking sounds coming from Matsumoto's throat. All attention going towards her they watched as she seemed to choke in front of them, struggling unsuccessfully to draw air into her lungs, her eyes desperately frantic as her hands wrapped around her throat.

"Dammit!" Pushing aside the box Hitsugaya was in front of her in a moment, taking her face in his hands as he stared into her eyes. "Breathe, Matsumoto. Dammit, you breathe now, that's an order! In and out, in and out. You can do it, dammit. You can do it."

Staring blindly as the men joined in with encouraging Matsumoto to breath Hinamori didn't know what to do. What could she do? Her captain...her captain had done this. Matsumoto was being destroyed by her captain..just the way he'd destroyed her earlier. Ichimaru was gone..he was never coming... An idea, a thought flashing into her mind, Hinamori didn't even pause to think about it. Leaping to her feet Hinamori ran out of the room and down Hitsugaya's hallway, heading straight for her childhood friend's bedroom. Praying it was still there she went straight for his closest, practically ripping the box she'd been looking for from its place on the shelf. Hurrying back into the kitchen Hinamori could feel the men's questioning looks as she threw off the lid and emptied Hitsugaya's coin collection onto the tiled floor. Sorting through them desperately the girl gave a cry of victory when she found what she was looking for. Picking it out of the pile Hinamori scooted over to where Matsumoto could easily see it. "What's this, Matsumoto san? What is this coin called? You know, you know what this is. Tell me what it is."

Gasping for breath Matsumoto forced herself to concentrate on the coin for the fleeting moment necessary to idenify the coin. "P..ppp..enn..y."

"That's right, it's a North American penny. And you know what they say about pennies there, Matsumoto san? They say that there's something called a bad penny...they use it to refer to someone who constantly comes back even when they aren't wanted. Captain Ichimaru is your bad penny, Matsumoto san. He always comes back to you, doesn't he? He comes even when you don't want to see him. Bad pennies ALWAYS come back. Has he ever not come back when you needed him? No, he always comes back, doesn't he?" Reaching out Hinamori insistently forced the coin into Matsumoto's shaking hand. "A man can live without an arm, Matsumoto san. A man like Ichimaru could live without all his limbs, he's that strong and determined. He always, always, survives to come back again. You can't believe otherwise, Matsumoto san. You can't believe otherwise until you see some real proof. It's just an arm, Matsumoto san. It's just an arm. He's your penny..so you have to believe in him. You have to believe he'll come back when you least expect him."

"Just...just an arm." As if Hinamori's words had released her lungs Matsumoto drew in air hard, the oxygen hitting her lungs with the same healing affect as Hinamori's words. "He could..he could live without an arm."

"Damn right he could." Reaching out Kira's closed his hand over hers, fisting their hands around the penny. "Not even Death himself would dare try to make him die against his will."

"You just have to believe, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya reminded her. "Just believe in him."

"O..Okay."