SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 17 out, this is Chapter 18 and the last chapter of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Chapter 18: Hitsugaya Toshirō's Holiday

In the barracks of Squad 10...

"Captain!" Matsumoto sang, opening the office door. "That's odd." she looked around to find Hitsugaya missing from his usual seat. "Where did Captain go?"

"If you're looking for Captain Hitsugaya, he's supposed to be on leave starting today." one of the unranked Shinigami informed.

In the Real World...

"You sure saved us, Tōshirō." Karin sighed in relief after the soccer game she had roped Hitsugaya in. "When Ryouhei got hurt, we didn't know how we could get to replace him. So, how long are you staying this time?"

"For a while." Hitsugaya just grinned and flicked her forehead.

"Ow." Karin pouted.

"Tōshirō?" Grandma Haru breathed. "I knew it. It is you, Tōshirō."

"Grandma Haru." Hitsugaya smiled.

On the porch of Grandma Haru's house...

"I got to know Grandma Haru when I was stationed in the Real World." Hitsugaya recounted, Karin leaning her back against his.

"And how long ago was that?" Karin teased.

"I forgot." Hitsugaya replied. "Grandma Haru could see spirits the way you and Kurosaki can."

"That explains things." Karin muttered. "No wonder so many of them are gathering in this place. Go away, you perv!" she snapped, swatting a hand at a male spirit.

"Here, Tōshirō." Grandma Haru brought out a plate of Amanattō. "It's your favorite amanatto."

"You never change, do you, Tōshirō?" Karin looked on, amused.

"Shut up." Hitsugaya chided.

"Tōshirō, thank you for coming such a long way." Grandma Haru voiced.

"So that's how it is." Karin realized her partner's reason. "You came here to visit Grandma. Huh?" her attention was diverted by a boy Plus Soul who had appeared under a tree in the yard.

"Oh, Yosuke." Grandma Haru spotted the Plus. "Were you there all this time?"

"Grandma, who is that boy?" Karin asked.

"He's been staying here for a while now." Grandma Haru explained. "Yosuke, can you say hello to our guests? I'm sorry." she chuckled after Yosuke hid behind the tree. "Yosuke is very shy. However, he is the most visible wandering spirit since Tōshirō. Anyway, thanks to Yosuke, I'm enjoying my life right now."

"Don't you have family, Grandma?" Karin thought to ask.

"I've lived alone all these years." Grandma Haru replied.

"I'm sorry." Karin whispered.

"Don't be." Grandma Haru assured. "Nowadays, I have Yosuke and many other spirits. And sometimes, Tōshirō comes to visit, so I'm not lonely." she pulled Yosuke out of his hiding place.

"That's great." Karin beamed. "The wandering spirits that come around me are all annoying ones. But Yosuke, what is keeping you from resting in peace?"

"Yosuke wants to see snow." Grandma Haru answered. "Isn't that right? Yosuke got into an accident while he and his family were on their way to go skiing. It was a terrible accident. Many people lost their lives. His parents seem to have passed in peace, but this child was looking forward to seeing snow for the first time. That desire remained so strong that he was unable to rest in peace and I found him wandering about. But according to the weather forecast, it should snow soon."

Later that night...

"Tōshirō, is it okay to leave that kid like that?" Karin voiced her concern, Hitsugaya was walking Karin back to the Kurosaki Clinic.

"What're you talking about?" Hitsugaya inquired.

"Don't play dumb with me." Karin retorted. "Aren't Pluses that haven't been Konso-ed at risk? If they're left alone, but they turn into Hollows later on?"

"You're right." Hitsugaya confirmed. "If he stays here, Yosuke will probably turn into a Hollow. It happened right about when I first became a Shinigami." he led Karin down to the river bank. "I was dispatched before, so I knew what to expect from the Real World in order to gain experience. While I was stationed here, I simply followed orders and spent every day getting rid of Hollows. Back then, all I thought about was getting rid of the Hollows in front of me. Grandma Haru had Reiryoku and knew about Shinigami. She looked after me. Grandma lost her family a long time ago and lived alone for all those years. And because she could see spirits, everyone thought she was creepy and kept their distance from her. Spirits were the only thing that eased her loneliness. Grandma Haru thinks of Yosuke like a grandson."

"Can't you do something for Yosuke?" Karin wondered, the pair had settled by the river bank.

"Ordinarily, I would perform a Konso as soon as I found a spirit like that." Hitsugaya explained. "But since I left him alone, I can't allow this to cause problems for anyone." he pulled Karin up. "I have no choice but to watch over him."

"I don't suppose you have some place to stay, do you?" Karin reminded.

"That..." Hitsugaya blinked.

"Then, come over to my place." Karin offered. "I mean, Goat-chin already knows you from way back, and because of this whole Shinigami thing, Ichi-nii knows you as well."

In the Kurosaki household...

"Karin brought home a boyfriend." Yuzu gushed, looking away from her shimmering pot of curry. "Aw jeez. Of all the times for Dad not to be here."

"Ichi-nii, say something." Karin complained to her older brother. "Aren't the two of you friends?"

"Tōshirō..." Ichigo slammed the newspaper on the coffee table, the over-protective big brother persona coming forth. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The next morning...

"What's wrong with your sister?" Hitsugaya huffed, the pair heading out together.

"It's alright." Karin assured. "Yuzu's always like that."

At Grandma Haru's house...

"You came again today?" Grandma Haru slid open her door to greet her returning guests.

"I told you I took some time off." Hitsugaya reminded.

"You came with your girlfriend again." Grandma Haru teased.

"Not you too, Grandma." Hitsugaya sighed. "Hey." he entered the house and spotted Yosuke hiding behind Grandma Haru. "Here." he presented the Plus with a snowman ice sculpture. "You can keep it."

"And here I thought you weren't supposed to use your powers for things like that." Karin ribbed.

"None of your business." Hitsugaya fired back.

"Grandma Haru, when it snows..." Hitsugaya reminded, Karin was keeping Yosuke entertained in the house.

"Yes, I know." Grandma Haru acknowledged. "That is your job, isn't, it, Tōshirō? That's what best for Yosuke's happiness, too, isn't it?"

"It's been quite a while now." Karin looked up at the darkening sky a while later. "But it hasn't snowed even though it looks like it might. What's wrong?" she turned to her partner, seeing Hitsugaya's solemn expression.

"It's Yosuke." Hitsugaya supplied. "Considering when he became a spirit and the strength of his obsession, it wouldn't have been odd at all if he turned into a Hollow by now."

"Come to think of it, Grandma's late." Karin realized. "You don't think... she's been using her Reiatsu to suppress Yosuke... "

"Go take a look." Hitsugaya instructed.

"Right." Karin nodded and hurried in. "Grandma!"

"What?" Hitsugaya, too, ran in as Yosuke's Hollow transformation started in the yard.

"Come on, Grandma." Karin tried to shake Grandma Haru awake, the elderly woman having collapsed on the corridor.

"This..." Hitsugaya felt Grandma Haru's depleting Reiatsu. "Her Reiatsu is weakening. Looks like your hypothesis is correct, Karin."

"Then, Yosuke..." Karin turned a sharp look at her male counterpart.

Eyes widening, Hitsugaya left Grandma Haru in Karin's care and hurried back to the yard, just as Yosuke turned into a Hollow. Leaping forward, he was about to stop the transformation when the energy from the Hollow pushed him back. "Damn it!" he cursed, swallowing his Gikongan to turn into his Shinigami form.

"Shishin, Suzaku!" Karin, too, called forth her power.

"Damn it." Hitsugaya hissed, moving to the air. "Where'd he go?" he looked around when the sound of the shattered window panel crashing to ground alerted him. Moving back to the ground, he saw Karin's fire barrier was erected to block off the Hollow's stab. Using Shunpo, he grabbed the transformed Karin and moved her back, before moving in to engage the Hollow. His realization that the Hollow was once Yosuke made him hesitate and the Hollow's spike parried him off.

"Bakudō #61 Rikujōkōrō!" Karin's binding Kido held Hollow Yosuke in place. "Bakudō #4: Hainawa!" she added a second Kido spell. "Tōshirō, now!"

With Hollow Yosuke held in place, Hitsugaya jumped and swung his Zanpakutō down, slicing the Hollow into half.

"You're going back then?" Karin noted, after they left Grandma Haru's place.

"I'm already done with my business here." Hitsugaya shrugged.

"Send my regards to your grandma in Rukongai." Karin smiled and headed off.

"Yeah." Hitsugaya nodded.

Omake: Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book

In the Kurosaki household...

Yuzu: Onii-chan! Dinnertime.

Ichigo: Coming. What the... (Opens the door to the dining hall and is shocked to see Inoue, Ishida and Sado at the dining table) What're all of you doing here?

Yuzu: (With side dishes in hand) I invited them to celebrate the new story arc.

Ichigo: Huh? I didn't hear anything.

Karin: (Completely bored) Knowing you, Ichi-nii, you probably weren't paying attention when you heard about it.

Ichigo: That couldn't be. Whatever. (Storms over to Ishida and Sado) But I don't have anywhere to sit. Let me sit.

Yuzu: (Addressees the audience) And so, we will begin a new story arc beginning next episode. Keep watching.

SailorStar9: In the start of the new arc, just as Inaba is about to kill Ichigo and Rukia, the other Captains and Lieutenants involved in the incident arrive, retrieving Nozomi and forcing Inaba and the Reigai to retreat. Admitting that he is behind the Reigai incident, Inaba then claims that once he has Nozomi, he will be able to conquer the Soul Society and the Real World.

Now that's done, read and review.