Author's notes:

Pretty short, but it couldn't be done any other way.

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Her slender fingers wrapped around his wrist.

She could feel his muscles tense under her skin, his hand stopping mid-motion level with her eyes, the debris it was supposed to deflect hitting his shoulder and bouncing off.

"Don't move, please…" Her voice caught at the end and she had to swallow hard.

She couldn't see his face completely, but she knew there was a surprised frown producing deep wrinkles on his forehead and the smirk was no longer present, having vanished as soon as their bodies had made contact. Instead his lips now formed a silent 'Oh' as he stood motionless in front of her.

"Sorry, Aizen-taichou." His melodic voice rang out above the deafening noise of the fighting gate keepers. "Seems she got me."

All around the pair, new reiatsu signatures appeared, announcing the arrival of many capable shinigamis. Their spirit energy filled the space on top of the soukyoku hill with disturbance, threats, anger and fear.

Remorse.

Grief.

Regret.

In her right hand, Haineko was pressed against his sternum and neck in an awkward angle, her arm already protesting under the strain.

But her mind was drawn to another feeling.

The soft rhythm of his pulse. Thumping against the tips of her fingers as they pressed against the inside of his wrist.

His heartbeat had picked up speed as soon as her hand had closed around his wrist, but now, it was gradually slowing down. As if he was calming down after a long run.

Her own heartbeat was racing. A storm raging in her ribcage, thrumming so hard against her chest, that she feared he could feel it against his back. The tips of her fingers were turning sweaty and a slight tremble made her grip turn weak.

Around her, people began to talk, but she couldn't discern the words. A gibberish of noises that drowned in the infinite silence of her mind. The only sound was the thrumming of their hearts as their beats turned into a single rhythm.

He shifted slightly then and her sword hand jerked slightly when Haineko was pressed against his chest in the process. And it was this single motion of him that made her realize that he could go anytime. She wasn't holding him captive, but the other way round.

She couldn't even put the sharp blade of her zanpakutou against his throat.

The dull side, a voice seemed to growl somewhere in her consciousness accusingly, a lump forming in her throat at the implication.

Her heart was still racing in her chest, no longer in synch with the slow rhythm of his steady, strong pulse. Strong enough for the two of them, keeping them alive together.

They were going to kill him. There was no turning back now, nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide. His grin wouldn't be able to get him out of this that time. Betrayal. He had gone against Soul Society. Against God's law.

Had betrayed her.

"I dunno where I'm goin'?"

He was leaving her behind. Forever.

If there was one thing, she was afraid of, then being alone with the knowledge that he was no longer there to watch over her.

A loud crash brought her back to reality and a bright light around Aizen's figure blinded her for a second. It was in that instant, that she felt his pulse pick up speed against her fingers and suddenly, his arm jerked forward.

Her already loose grip couldn't keep up with the motion and fell away just when another beam of brightness plunged down from the skies and engulfed his form in a glowing cage. Pain and despair burned at the back of her eyes as Haineko fell limply by her side.

"Too bad…" His arm slowly descended as his voice was carried towards her.

Don't…

"It would've been nice, if my capture had lasted a bit longer."

Please don't…

"Farewell, Rangiku."

He turned his head around and Matsumoto could finally see Gin's face.

She would never forget the sadness edged into his handsome features as he uttered his last words before he was carried towards the darkness beyond the skies trapped in light like a caged bird. Only for her to hear.

"Forgive me."

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FINIS?!

I just assumed for this one, that they have hearts even though they are technically ghosts… otherwise Kaien-dono couldn't have left behind his, ne? X3

Probably another one or two chapters, so be so kind and drop me a line m(__)m