Toshiro did his best not to stare at the empty spaces in the opposing line; three, five, and nine all were empty. Even Komamura and Zaraki with their mass could not make up for the gaps. It could not be ignored. Their loss to Aizen had been severe.

"This meeting has been called because we cannot afford to delay," General Yamamoto said. "But it is impossible to take any action until we have a clear understanding of the events that have led us to this place. We have taken these past two days to gather all available facts, and now decisions must be made.

"Our difficulties arise from the unfortunate problem that our two best sources of information are of uncertain validity. Urahara Kisuke gave warning to Soul Society one hundred years ago of Aizen and the dangerous experiments he was already conducting, however he himself was convicted of Aizen's crimes and exiled to the World of the Living.

"Urahara can tell us a great deal about Aizen's experiments and his eventual goals. He had explained Aizen's reason for sentencing Kuchiki Rukia to execution by the Sokyoku and explained the powers of the Hogyoku he hid within the girl's soul. However, we must be aware he does not trust us.

"When Captain Kyoraku went to him in search of the truth several years ago, Urahara was careful not to share more than he had already said at his own trial, and did not mention the Hogyoku, and again when he sent warning that Rukia could not be allowed to be executed he did not give the reason why. Urahara could easily be continuing to withhold information for his own reasons.

"We believe the information he has shared with us is accurate, but we will continue to verify all that we are able through our own means. We will also urge him, with the assistance of Yoruichi-sama, to trust us, and we have invited him to return to Soul Society to meet with us and help us decide a course of action. So far we have received no answer.

"Our second source could be even more helpful than Urahara Kisuke, but it is also far less trustworthy. Currently Captain Ichimaru Gin is asleep, imprisoned and protected within the Fourth Division, unable to help us, but also unable to betray us if that is his true goal. As long as he remains in this state he is neither useful nor dangerous to us. Containing a captain outside of the Central Prison, especially one with Gin's particular skill set, is challenging, and it would be best if we can decide his fate one way or another before he recovers.

"One of the very few things Tosen has been willing to tell us is that Ichimaru Gin has been deeply involved in Aizen's plots from the beginning of his time in the Gotei, a fact we have confirmed through Urahara Kisuke. Tosen has also said that Gin was useful to Aizen because he is a killer lacking any moral or ethical compunctions, with absolutely no ability to empathize with any other living being. He stated that the Gotei's willingness to allow such a man to hold the office of captain was proof of the corruption of the Gotei that drove Tosen himself to turn against us.

"A week ago I might, myself, have agreed with Tosen's assessment of Gin, but even before the events of two days ago there were events that had led others here to suspect Gin had disguised his true self to infiltrate AIzen's circle, with the eventual intention of destroying Aizen himself."

Toshiro listened for the first time to the story of Miyako's encounter with the Arrancar and the action his father had taken to save her life, and he heard what his father had told Kaien that had led Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku to suspect Aizen and to question Urahara about the incident of one hundred years ago. He learned that without his father's warnings they would not have suspected Aizen's corpse was a fake and without Urahara's warning, which they only received because they had reached out to him, they would have had no idea that Rukia's execution would threaten the safety of all Soul Society.

Until he heard their stories he had believed that his father had been Aizen's servant, and he had saved Toshiro only because he wasn't quite as monstrous as everyone thought. Even an evil man could love his children, and that's what Toshiro believed Gin was, evil and selfish, but still with just enough feeling left to care about his own family, and Aizen had pushed him one step too far. He had even thought that maybe Gin had reacted before he had thought, and if he'd had the time to consider it, he might not have stepped in Aizen's way.

But this, he'd never imagined anything like this. His father had been playing a part? He had cared? He had followed Aizen for nearly a century, not out of selfish ambition but because he wanted to destroy him? He had known he could not defeat Aizen face to face because, like Toshiro, he had no way to counter Aizen's illusions, so he had waited patiently, disguising himself as a monster-

He heard the other captains argue back and forth, mentioning all the crimes that Gin might have been a part of-one murder caught Toshiro's attention because of the way Soifon looked at him when she brought it up. Gin had been barely older than Toshiro when his senior officer vanished, and he earned his first promotion and gained Aizen's attention.

Toshiro looked back at her, and he almost told her he agreed, that they couldn't trust GIn when he had used murder as a tool to earn his place with Aizen, even if his eventual goal had been Aizen's destruction.

But Ukitake spoke before he could. "We failed Gin, as we have failed other children we've brought into the Gotei too young and allowed to face horrors even the oldest of us still struggle to endure. We know better. We know that children should not be soldiers, and usually we use the Academy to allow them to mature. But Ichimaru Gin was brilliant and talented, the sort of genius we see once in a century. We rushed him through the Academy and made him an officer of the Gotei, but he was alone, without any friends or allies, and the man we placed in charge of him was a monster. We did not see it, but he did.

"We can make accusations and pass judgements, but I, at least, will admit that I would not have helped him. If a new recruit, especially one so young, had come to me, telling me he believed his lieutenant was plotting against Soul Society I would have sent him back to his division with a recommendation to send him to Unohana, and knowing what I now do of Aizen I doubt he would have lived to tell her his fears.

"I personally believe we should pardon the crimes Gin committed in Aizen's service and use him now to stop Aizen before he can make full use of the Hogyoku."

"As usual you are too generous, Captain Ukitake. Ichimaru's only concern has ever been for himself. I'm not surprised he would betray Aizen, but I doubt that makes him a friend of ours," Byakuya answered. "Use him if you wish, but be sure you keep him on a tight leash. He seems to have a tendency to turn on his masters."

"Why did he save Shiba Miyako if his motives are selfish?" Kamamura asked.

"Hedging his bets, I wouldn't doubt," Byakuya answered. "If Aizen failed he could turn to Shiba and say 'here's my proof; I was never on Aizen's side'. We have no way of knowing what his real motive was. Even I will admit Ichimaru is clever enough not to leave any concrete proof either way."

"You are right," Kyoraku agreed, looking sad. "We cannot know, and we cannot trust him." He turned to look at Toshiro as he added, "I hope he is at heart a good man, and I agree that based on the evidence we have we should offer him a pardon and allow him to return to his position as captain. He could be very useful in defeating Aizen, but, as Byakuya says, we must keep him on a short leash. The only question is exactly how we will do that."

Kurotsuchi, who'd been so bored throughout the meeting that he looked like he was on the verge of falling asleep, suddenly perked up. "I'm sure I could implant some means of destruction within his body, a sort of self-destruct such as I had installed in Nemu-until someone complained." He rolled his eyes pointedly at Captain Ukitake.

"Rangiku is his leash," Unohana said, suddenly, in her calm, gentle voice. "I have watched him for many years, trying to pull away from her and yet always returning. It's been a puzzle to me how hard he's worked to separate himself from her, to make it obvious to everyone he sees her as nothing but a burden. I have never seen a man work so hard to try to hide the fact he loves his wife. It never made any sense at all until now. To protect her from Aizen he needed Aizen to believe she had little value to him, but because he loves her he could never leave her entirely.

"You want a leash to guarantee his behavior? You have it. He will not step out of line if he knows Rangiku will pay for it."

Toshiro's mouth fell open. He was absolutely appalled that Unohana of all people would suggest using his mother like that.

"You may be right," Byakuya answered. "But if you are not, do you think an innocent woman should have to pay the price for Ichimaru's heartlessness?"

"I am right. I would not suggest it otherwise. A leash is only as useful as the hold it has on the one you want chained," Unohana answered. "A threat to Rangiku's life will contain Gin a thousand times better than any threat to his own."

Gin opened his eyes slowly to stare at the blank white ceiling. He was vaguely aware this was not the first time he had woken up. He had a vague memory of pain and people asking questions, and Shiro-that part had to be a dream. He couldn't imagine Shiro beside him, holding his hand, telling him everything would be alright. Shiro was more likely to-

"How could you?" Shiro's voice hit him suddenly, the accusation in his question clear.

That was much more like it, Gin thought as he turned his head slowly to look at his eldest child.

Toshiro was glaring at him as he sat at his bedside with his arms folded across his chest.

Gin smiled back at him. It was nice to find he wasn't behind bars. He could feel the barrier on his room, but, still, better than prison. He wondered vaguely if that was only temporary. But so much more important than that was the fact that Toshiro was sitting there, beside him, with no sign of injury at all. It was one of the most wonderful things he'd ever seen in his entire life. "I love you, Shiro," he said softly.

Toshiro stared at him like he'd gone mad. "The hell you do," he said finally.

Gin shrugged vaguely. He wasn't going to argue the point. It really wasn't surprising the boy doubted him. He was fairly sure he'd never told him he loved him before. "How's your mom?"

Toshiro's glare grew darker. "She's fine, no thanks to you."

"You let her go home?"

"Couldn't convince her to leave you for good."

"No?"

Toshiro stared back at him, like he needed to say something, but he couldn't quite figure out how. "How could you work with Aizen?" He asked, finally. "Even to try to stop him-how could you? They're saying you watched while he tortured people and killed them. You even helped him. You killed people for him!" The boy fairly burned with fury. His rage was something to behold. The reiatsu within him became an overwhelming force, crumbling any weaker will that even tried to approach.

To Gin's eyes it was absolutely beautiful. One day this boy would not only be able to destroy him, but also every other captain, even the general, even Aizen. The strength of his reiatsu alone would be enough. Soul Society was more fortunate than anyone had ever realized that Toshiro, wielder of ice and lord of winter, had inherited his mother's heart.

"I did," Gin admitted, and he watched, unsurprised, as Toshiro's rage collapsed, and tears began to spill down his cheeks.

He was still just a child. As much as he'd long distrusted and even suspected Gin, he was still far too young to learn his father was one of the real monsters. He needed his father to be better than that, stronger than that. Gin felt sick with shame, knowing how far short he had fallen of what he should have been, of what his family needed him to be.

The path he'd long seen as the only path, he now saw as the wrong path. He hadn't seen the other choices, sometimes out of fear and weakness, but too often because of his own arrogant belief that he could handle things on his own. He had discovered evil, but instead of running, instead of looking for help, he'd dived in, determined to destroy it, maybe, but allowing it to stain his soul in the process.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

Toshiro shook his head. "They can't trust you," he said, finally. "You're a liar and a murderer, and they need you, but they can't trust you."

"What?" Gin asked, and at the distress in the boy's voice he felt a new fear. Something was very wrong.

Toshiro raised his head. The trails of his earlier tears still stained his face, but the emotions now in his eyes was contained; pain, fear, rage, everything and more, Gin could see being held in check in Shiro's ice-cold gaze.

"You're free," Toshiro said, each word clipped and controlled. "Soon as you're well you can go home. They're not going to charge you with anything. You'll be expected to help in the fight against Aizen like the rest of us. That's all."

"That's all?" Gin repeated.

Toshiro stared back at him. Again he looked like he couldn't find the words he needed to speak.

"Shiro?" Gin said, and he lifted his hand and placed it on top of his son's, squeezing it with what little strength he had. "I've failed you, I know, and you don't trust me, and that's probably smart, but you have something you need to tell me so just tell me. It's alright."

"No, it's not," Toshiro answered. "But there's nothing I can do about it. It's all on you. Mom's going to be under guard until AIzen is defeated, and if you do anything that even looks like you might try to betray Soul Society they're going to lock her in the Nest of Maggots."

Gin's eyes widened. "Shiro," he breathed, unable to think of anything he could say that could possibly be any comfort now.

"I asked them not to tell her. I don't want her to have to tell us she's not worried; I already know she trusts you. She shouldn't have to waste her energy trying to reassure me."

"I-" Gin began, but he really had nothing to say.

"I think I do believe you were planning to try to kill Aizen. I think that probably is true, but I think you probably have had chances you didn't take, because you just really didn't have the guts to just do it. So now I guess I'm mostly hoping you don't have the guts to do anything that will put Mom in danger because you know that I do have the guts and I will hunt you down and kill you if betray her."

Gin nodded slowly. "I know you cannot trust me or believe anything I say, but if they hurt Ran because of me, I will thank you when you kill me."