Me: hey guys, this is chapter 13 and it is a bit depressing. So im sry bout that. Anyways, I am dedicating this chapter to Whil-o-Whisp because im using one of the short stories, it's actually called "Icy Hearts" and it's the first chapter. So thank you Whil-o-whisp and I hope that everyone likes this chapter. (and im so sry bout the extremely late update…summer school…)

Karin: Thank you W-o-W and Winter does not own Bleach…just Stephany/Kaze Ryuu, Sterling, and their attacks.

Toushiro: yeah…enjoy!

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Lost Memories

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One Year Later

During the Winter War

Boom! "Karin!" Toushiro yelled as Karin was sent flying into a wall, causing it to collapse on top of her. Captain Hitsugaya! Do not worry about Karin, worry about your own fight! I commanded him and then turned my attention onto Karin.

"You must try and be more careful." I reprimanded her. "Yeah, that's easy for you to say, Stephany. Cuz you got all the power and I'm left with…well…the "leftovers" and-"But Karin's words were lost within the loud noise that my tail made as it came crashing into the enemy's zanpaktou that was heading towards Karin's head. "Karin!" I hissed at her, "I will tell you what I told Toushiro, worry about your fight!" I said and pushed my tail in an upward motion, causing the arrancar that I was fighting, to lose his sword. I used that opportunity and brought my tail swiftly down and killed the arrancar upon impact.

"Yeah, way to go Steph-"But Karin never finished her sentence as she was hit in the head with a bright light. "KARIN!" I screamed. Karin sat up and called something out so softly, that if it weren't for my transformation and release, I never would have heard it. "Rise and c-conquer the skies, K-Kaze Ryuu." Karin whispered and then passed out. "NO!" I roared and then transformed. I was blinded with rage, so I summoned up a huge gust of wind and roared "Wind Hurricane!" and the hurricane went through the entire battlefield, destroying all of the arrancars and wounding those who didn't move out of the way in time. Then I heard a voice that I never wanted to hear again.

"Ha! That was an amazing attack!" …the voice belonged to none other than…Aizen. "Traitor! What do you want?!" I hissed out. Aizen just laughed. "Do you know what that light was that hit Karin?" I shook my head. "I have finally mastered something that has taken me many years to complete. When the girl wakes up, she will remember nothing about you, the war, or anyone…" Aizen chuckled and then disappeared before I could attack him. "AIZEN!" I roared at the top of my lungs and exhaled a huge amount of fire. Anything that touched the fire was immediately destroyed. I transformed back into my human form and sank down to my knees. This was the state that Toushiro and Sterling found me in. "Oi, Stephany! Hey, HEY!" Toushiro yelled in my face, but my mind was somewhere else. "What do you think we should do, Sterling?" Toushiro asked his partner. Sterling sighed and leaned down to kiss me, but when he was almost there, I awoke from my trance and stood up. "Hey, what is wrong?" Toushiro asked me, looking me straight in the eyes. "K-karin…won't remember you…when she wakes up…she won't remember…anything." I whispered and then closed my eyes. "What?!" Toushiro screamed out. "Aizen…" I whispered and Toushiro knew immediately what I meant. It was Aizen's fault…

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One Week Later

X.x.X

(Summary: Most of the Captain's came to the human world because they were finishing up fighting in the Winter War, but it's still not over because Aizen, Gin, and Tosen have yet to be caught and captured. However, Aizen showed up and spoke to Momo -not trying to kill her or anything… he just spoke to her- but I will not say what about quite yet, you will find out later. I (Stephany) have stepped down from my position as Head Captain for now and Grandfather (Yamamoto) now has it, but when Karin regains her memories again –if she ever does- then I will reclaim my rightful place as Head Captain. It is time for everyone to head back to Soul Society and restore peace - but that can't happen until they capture Aizen or something like that happens- and order. But a special someone *cough-Captain Hitsugaya-cough* doesn't want to go quite yet…poor Toushiro…)

X.x.X

"Captain Hitsugaya!" someone's surprised cry brought Toushiro back to his senses. He couldn't leave yet. He had to say goodbye to somebody. He had to say goodbye to her. He just…had to. "You heard him, time to go back guys." Kenpachi spoke and Toushiro's mind reeled. Several of the shinigami seemed ready to resist, but those thoughts were quenched at Byakuya's next words. "Don't resist because we've been ordered to take you back by force if necessary." The look on Byakuya's face told them he wasn't lying.

The shinigami seemed to resign their comments and settled on giving the two powerful captains wary glances.

"Head Captain, I have a request." Everyone stared at the usually compliant Captain. Toushiro Hitsugaya never questioned orders like these, unless he knew something; he must have something in mind.

"Captain Hitsugaya… what is it?" Head Captain Yamamoto questioned tiredly. He seemed very wary of anything Toushiro asked. "I have some business that I would like to take care of before I take leave of this world." He said, kneeling down. Everybody took an intake of breath looking at the Head Captain. "You would like to say goodbye to someone…to her?" The First captain clarified and Hitsugaya bit his lip before nodding. "Yes, Head Captain."

Head Captain sighed. Toushiro was not the one to ask for special treatment, but Yamamoto saw the determination shining in his eyes and sighed. "Captain Hitsugaya..." He started and Toshiro was afraid the Head Captain would refuse his request. "…you have ten minutes." He finally said and in a flash, Toushiro was gone, speeding down the street towards the Kurosaki household. The window was open, so he stepped into her room. The house was empty except for the father, Isshin, who was seated on the couch, watching TV. Isshin casted a glance up at him with a knowing smile. Toushiro was too engrossed in his search to notice the smile.

He had to say goodbye to her. If he didn't, she'd think he left her on purpose, or worse, was killed. He couldn't let her worry like that, he just couldn't. She'd done too much for him. She loved him too much for him to just leave and for her to expect the best. He loved her too much to let her worry. He bit his lip again as he continued his fruitless search. Where could she be? His mind raced in circles, all returning to the same conclusion. 'I have to say goodbye… before it's too late… Toushiro thought and he thought that he heard another voice say something. Hurry and find her, Grandfather is not really known for his patience. And then the voice faded.

The next place he checked was the soccer field, empty at this time of day. One look around told him that she wasn't there. Memories flooded his mind. When he first met her because of a soccer game…

*****

Flashback

"Now kick it in!" She shouted, running despite her injured knee. He shot her a cold and almost uncaring look before passing her the ball. "What…" she started but he interrupted."It's your team. You do it." Before dropping back and she took the shot. She took the shot and won. The whistle blew, the other team groaned with disappointment and the elementary students cheered. She smiled at her teammates. They'd always been the underdogs; now look at them!

She spun and walked towards Toushiro, who hung back, letting the real team soak in the glory. "Toushiro, we won and it's all thanks to you." She smiled a smile that would later, melt a heart covered in ice. Toushiro didn't look at her, his eyes closed, hands jammed into his pockets. "You scored the winning goal didn't you?" He liked to shove the win at her. He was fine to be nobody in this world, because he was somebody in his world.

End of Flashback

*****

Right after they were attacked by a hollow and Toushiro saved them both, Karin chose to hang out with him. Toushiro pretended not to like it; he still did today. It was on that same soccer field three weeks later he had gotten his first kiss since Karin lost her memories. They'd been playing a one on one game and when she tripped, he caught her, and she kissed him. He'd of course freaked. Why wouldn't he?

The last place he looked was the school, though in his mind, he knew that it should have been the first place he should have looked. Of course she'd be in school. His brain was much too muddled to think properly at this moment, and he knew he only had a little over four minutes left. He raced through the halls, sensing, hoping to find her spirit energy. He could pick it out of a crowd of thousands, and get it right every time. Then how come he couldn't find her now? Damn! Where is she? He thought harshly as his internal clock clicked down to three minutes. Toushiro remembered the time when Captain Unohana and Stephany had told him the horrible news about Karin and her condition.

*****

Flashback

"Please Captain Unohana, there must be some way…anything that we can do to help her." Toushiro pleaded. His voice was thick with sorrow and hurt. "I am terribly sorry, but there is no way to get her memory back. I think that she will have to do that on her own. Just like when a soul enters Soul Society for the first time and doesn't remember anything but his or her name, it is like the same thing. Time is the only thing that will heal her." She said in a sad voice and I sighed, making both of the captains' jump. "I guess then I will have to return back to the human world until her memory comes back." I said and turned to Sterling. "And that means that I will have to hand back my position to my grandfather…" I said and trailed off. "So what's wrong with that?" Toushiro asked me. "Y-you don't remember that grandfather was completely against the idea of you falling in love with a human?" "So?" Toushiro asked with confusion. "So…that means that you probably won't be able to see her in a very long time. Another wards…you can't visit us in the human world to see Karin unless it was some sort of mission or along the lines of that. You could probably see her very few times per year. For example: Christmas, your birthday, her birthday, maybe Thanksgiving, and one day on your break day. You might be able to squeeze out a few other days, but that's about all. I am sorry and she and I will miss both of you guys (meaning him-Toushiro- and Sterling)." I said and a tear escaped my eyes and landed on the ground. I picked it up and handed it to Toushiro. "Here, you keep it. If something ever happens to you or anyone, then eat it and they will be healed."

End of Flashback

*****

Two minutes left, he found her. He slammed the door open, despite the fact that it would look unusual, since only she see him. She instantly looked at him with wide eyes. "Toushiro…" she muttered before standing."Excuse me! I have to go to the bathroom." Karin shouted at her teacher before she was racing out the door, catching his wrist and pulled him with her. She dragged him into the courtyard and then spoke. "Toushiro, what are you doing here?" she asked, smiling her warm smile. "I'm sorry…" he apologized and she gave him a worried look, searching his teal eyes for the answers to the unspoken question."What's wrong?" "I'm so sorry." He told her, gripping her sleeves. "What's wrong?" she asked again, her voice becoming more and more anxious. "This is my last day here; I'm leaving in, literally, a minute." He told her, looking at her sadly. She instantly burst out, "What do you mean? Where are you going? Why do you have to leave?" She asked, her voice now going from anxiety to a painful whine. Toushiro's heart tightened painfully at her voice. He put his lips to hers, kissing her softly. This would be their last kiss because he had no idea when he'd be able to get back, or if he even could come back.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again, pulling her into a hug he never thought he'd have to give before; a hug saying goodbye. "Goodbye." He murmured in her ear as she buried her face into his shoulder. "Captain…" "I know Matsumoto…I have a couple more seconds…just…wait." He told the lieutenant, pulling away from the last person he least wanted to leave. "Toushiro…" she mumbled as he turned his back on her."I'm sorry…" he repeated for what seemed like the thousandth time. "STOP SAYING YOU ARE SORRY!" she shouted angrily, grabbing his sleeve. He easily wrenched free before stepping forward to join his lieutenant.

As the doors were closing, Karin kept shouting at him, asking questions and telling him how stupid he was. She was almost in tears. His heart wrenched and tried to tug himself back out of the portal; back to the person he loved; trying to stop being the idiot she proclaimed that he was, but his brain overpowered his heart, but just barely. Toushiro felt tears prick at his eyes, but he held them back. He'd learned a long time ago to stop his tears. A captain doesn't cry, no matter what.

It's best she's mad at me when I leave, it'll be easier for her to forget… Toushiro thought. Is that really what you think? I asked him, with a short sigh, through his thoughts, and that was the last thing he heard as the gate was almost shut all the way closed, sending him back to Soul Society. Toushiro looked just in time to cast a saddened look at Karin as the doors closed completely. "I'm sorry…I love you. Good bye, Karin." Toushiro whispered, and Karin heard it. As the doors closed shut all of the way, Karin sank down to her knees and wept her heart out. K-karin… I said through her thoughts. "Who's there?" she called out, but she did not receive any reply. "T-toushiro…why did you have to leave me?"

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Me: okay well im sry for two things. 1. that this chapter took so long for update (…I still blame Summer School), and 2. bcuz this chapter was a sad chapter.

Toushiro: w-will I ever get to see Karin any time soon?

Me: …

Toushiro: p-please?

Me: *sigh* (this is a warning and a spoiler) something is going to happen between Toushiro and Momo cuz Karin's not there. (…can anyone guess it? it's kinda obvious…) Yes I know that this is a HitsuKarin fanfic but everything will turn out well in the end

Toushiro: …me…and Momo…huh? Wat do ya mean?

Me: *sweatdrop* …never mind Toushiro…

Toushiro: …k…

Me: *for my other story (A Chance Meeting)* I'm almost done with chapter 2 so I will post that soon as well. (if u read that story, then plz review) in fact, please REVIEW this chapter and a thx to everyone. And a special thx once again goes to Whil-o-Whisp for the help on this chapter!