Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or characters. My birthday wish wouldn't be sufficient enough to be able to.
Summary: On the day of the birth of Karin & Hitsugaya's child, news arrives that he's gone missing on a mission to Hueco Mundo when his zanpaktou and a letter are retrieved from Hueco Mundo. Karin though does not believe as such along with her family, but fights the rumours of Soul Society about Hitsugaya being considered a criminal and a traitor, and must face the fact that she would be raising their only child alone.
The Bridge Of Silence
+--+
+Hope and Jealousy+
"You seem a little--strange lately." Karin commented, as she covered her chest with the bed sheet. "Is something wrong?" Toshiro wasn't being himself lately, for various reasons he couldn't possibly explain at all, but at the moment he felt a ranging surge of jealousy sipping in every inch of his body.
He groaned inwardly, trying hard not to suddenly burst out with just random things out loud, mainly because he didn't want to find out the truth to all of it. Despite the two year relationship, he felt odd about actually wanting to come to the real world just to be with her. It was all complicated, despite the fact that he loved her.
"Its nothing." He lied, knowing well that the suspicion was eating him away in the inside.
Karin knew there was something wrong, after all, it wasn't normal for him to act as if he was sick of her already. She had been pushy on wanting to sleep with him, but that was nothing because he had been eager on doing so. It was hard to comprehend him.
"If you aren't going to tell me, then that's fine." Karin was pissed off at the fact that he didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering him. "Look Toshiro, if you are sick of whatever it is that we are doing here. How about we just put an end to it?"
Toshiro turned to look at her as she was putting her clothes back on, and glared. That was obviously something he wasn't willing to do, unless the rumours had been true. Then again, wasn't that all just completely stupid? He was rather annoyed at the fact that he was actually paying attention to stupid human things.
"End it? What are you going on about now?" He asked, running a hand on his white snowy hair. Frustration wasn't something he dealt with easily at all, especially not with Karin. "Is it true?" He was just annoyed with everything, so he got straight to the point.
Karin knew that question would eventually come, after all, it was almost four months since the last time she had been able to see him. Hitsugaya had come only for a couple of days due to some stupid assignment he got, but that really wasn't so hard to do at all. Plus, she didn't get why he suddenly paid attention to some stupid things being said at school.
The rumour had started as soon as school began, something about her having slept with some random college guy. She hated rumours involving her or Yuzu, only that everyone at Karakura High School loved her and hated Karin. It was all a big misunderstanding in the first place, so why didn't he really get the idea that she loved him and no one else?
"I told you already, did I not?" Her voice sounded cold, unmoving by the conversation they were having. She pulled her shoes on and stood up, roughly fixing her hair into a pony tail. "Its just rumours, why Soul Society doesn't have them? Oh, wait they are way too innocent to know such foul things." Hitsugaya hated her sarcasm.
"Shut up!" He hissed, while pulling his jeans up and zipping them up.
"You aren't innocent, you know that." She stood there, gazing out the window of Orihime's apartment and into the twilight. "Or, are you just pretending to be just so you don't break some stupid rules? Poor you." She felt his reiatsu go up, but she didn't care at all because she was pissed.
"What do you know about innocence?" He questioned, while scowling deeper. She turned to look at him, anger obviously showing on her young face, but he did not weaver by it at all.
"Me? Do you even want to get into that conversation?" She rushed past him and opened the door. "I am leaving. When you calm down with whatever hormonal shit you are having at the moment, come and find me." She slammed the door to indicate her point of the conversation ending.
"Shit." He grumbled, staring out the window and watched her figure disappear down the street.
+--+
Karin walked about with no sense of where she was going, after all, her mind was preoccupied with other things. Life somehow seemed to be slightly robotic, controlled by an unknown being who enjoyed to cause misery--that was rather bitter.
Life only consisted of getting up, taking care of Tatsuya, working, working--there was nothing else besides working really. It was dull. Boring. Uneventful. The unnerving life it seemed, filled with nothing but emptiness since he was no longer there to make it brighter. Yes, she liked to think of him as his sun--even if he despised it.
Waking up each morning to not find him sleeping by her side was impossible to deal with, and she missed him. They were going to get married as soon as spring would start, but that did not seem to be happening in the near future. The wedding was called off. No news over the past three months, nothing. She was getting desperate to know where he was, but slowly that hope was slowly fading.
There was nothing too exciting to look forward to at all, unlike other days. Walking in and out of the tenth squad barracks, had been pleasant. Now though, walking around it made her body feel heavier because she knew that even though his office would be there--Toshiro would never be there doing his work anymore. She remembered him, sitting there with a fixed frown on his young face while mumbling curses at the mistakes he would find on the papers, or yelling at Matsumoto to get some paperwork done.
Those days were livid, a dream like state of some sugar high mind set--that was rather odd. The dark haired shinigami shook her head, carefully trying hard not to feel so--empty. Three months were nothing at all, it seemed like Hitsugaya had been gone for what seemed to be a lifetime. She hated to think so coldly against the matter, but no one bothered to inform her about anything. Karin hated to feel completely useless, after all, it was she who was going to be with him for the rest of his life.
"Karin?" Hinamori Momo appeared from no where. It was strange meeting her, talking to her, and having her present in front of her own eyes.
"Hinamori-san." Karin still had a great difficulty dealing with Hitsugaya's childhood friend.
Hinamori no longer held a post on the Gotei 13 anymore, after becoming some type of instrument for Aizen to use in the war. Karin really did not want to remember the circumstances in which Hinamori got thrown out of the fifth squad.
"H-how are you?" Her voice creaked, as if anger seemed to be swallowing the mask that the fragile shinigami had been keeping herself underneath.
"Fine." Karin's voice never failed to show the coldness that she held against Hinamori. "Everything is fine." That was lie, and she knew it.
"Oh, well that's…uh…good." Hinamori rubbed her arm nervously. "I--I wanted to congratulate you on the baby, but I never got the chance." A sneering smile spread across her pale face.
"Just cut the bullshit Hinamori." Karin looked away, as she balled her fists getting ready to pounce on her. "Tell me what is going on in that head of yours then, because you can't play the evading game you know."
Hinamori flinched at her words, Kurosaki Karin always managed to hit the spot despite the few times they ever interacted. The weak shinigami did not respond quickly, what was that she wanted to tell her? Maybe that she hated her for taking Hitsugaya away from her? No, he never belonged to her and she had seen it on those ocean green eyes. The many times Hitsugaya often had a dreamy look on his eyes, that was enough to answer the silent questions in her head.
"Its nothing." She replied, inhaling deep as she waited for a bad response from the fearless shinigami.
"Or so you say." Karin did not know where the anger was coming from. Her eyes held a very dark look, as if ready to kill something--or someone with that gaze of hers.
Karin knew everything concerning Hinamori and Toshiro, after all, it had been he who told her that there was nothing going on with his childhood friend. The story was far too complicated to tell, the only thing she liked was the fact that he did not love her at all. His eyes were set only on Karin, which she was constantly reminded off when she would see him staring at her during the random moments in the day. She was his sole focal point in life, even if he had been constantly denying it.
"Third Seat Kurosaki, you're needed back in the ninth squad." A lower member of her squad interrupted the heavy atmosphere.
"I'll be there." She never tore her gaze from Hinamori at all. "Well, I am being needed." Shifting, Karin held her head high and followed the shinigami, keeping her mind from railing away.
Hinamori did not respond, simply envying the fact that it had been her who gave birth to Hitsugaya's child. He was never hers, she knew it, but why did she continued to lie to herself that someday he would return for her. Everything was a lie. Aizen had been her source of strength, but she couldn't decide on whom to give her devoted adoration to. Everything was confusing.
Karin groaned in annoyance, why did that girl manage to push her buttons without even saying much. That attitude was the thing that she disliked about Hinamori. Silent, innocent, and everything about her was like a sign of evil. She was still too vented up with anger against Hinamori for trying to act--nice. That little bitch, how dare she!
"Karin, there's an important meeting!" Ichigo called as she approached.
"And?" She questioned, not really in a very good mood at all. It was hard to pretend that everything was fine, when clearly everything seemed broken and missing.
"Look, I think the fifth squad found something." He looked at her, carefully noting the change of expression in her young face.
"Oh…well what did they find?" She asked, feverishly trying to think that Toshiro might be back here. Her heart was pumping so fast it felt as though it would come out of her chest.
"I--I don't know yet at the moment, that is why we have a meeting." Ichigo said, while looking around to spot his vice-captain. He put his hands on her shoulders and stared at her, gazing deeply into her dark eyes. "I know that you want to hear good news, but not everything will be a great turn of events. If I find something good, I will tell you." He kissed her forehead.
Karin nodded like a good girl and watched her brother turned around while his captain haori bellowed with the breeze, and he vanished from sight. She couldn't believe that some news had finally arrived, and without much thinking, her feet were taking her to the 13th squad barracks.
"Ah, Karin-chan!" Ukitake smiled kindly at her, while holding the young Tatsuya on his arms. "Well, as you know--"
"Yeah, sorry Ukitake-taichou for the inconvenience." She held out her hands to take back her child.
"Ah, Ichigo-san must had told you. I am so sorry, but feel free to stay here behind if you like." He walked a few steps and then disappeared, leaving Karin with a somewhat pleasant expression.
He was a pleasant man who she trusted, plus Toshiro had a great respect for the man. Karin found him to be really sheepish and silly, mainly because when they often visited him he would give them candy. She smiled as she remembered the first time she and Hitsugaya visited him.
"Ah, Hitsugaya-taichou. Its good to see you." Ukitake smiled, while pouring tea to the guests.
"I apologize for my lack of not accepting the invitation sooner." The young captain said, while grabbing the small tea cup.
The older captain simply smiled, looking at the couple in front of him simply looking rather unlike most couples he would see. Despite the fact that it was another Kurosaki being put into this type of situation, he had to admit that Karin was really calm and rational, even if she had a rough personality. And, she managed to break the barrier in which Toshiro often hid behind.
"So, how are you liking being a member of Ichigo-san's squad?" He asked, while Karin tried hard to concentrate on what to really say on that matter.
The dark haired shinigami cocked her head to the side. "Fine." She threw him a small smile, well more like a devious one because it was impossible to really think what was going in her head. "I think that slowly I'll get used to this gig, well I got the gist of it when he mentioned it a while back. Its hard to really think sometimes about it, or how to feel. Right now, I feel great."
Well perhaps that seemed like a lie in way, mainly because it was a lot to process on the time being. She didn't hate the fact that she was dead--or alive that was confusing really. For now, everything seemed in place for once because she had Toshiro to support her, even if sometimes they fought. She loved him dearly. He squeezed her hand under the table.
"Well, its good to hear that you like it here so far." Ukitake smiled kindly at her. "Now, I must say that we are very lucky here in the 13th division for having Yuzu-chan around. She is truly a very talented young woman, well even if the two of your are simply seventeen year olds."
Toshiro seemed a little tense at first because he did not like the fact that everyone was still against his relationship with Karin, but somehow his old mentor did not seem to put judge on them at all. He managed to form a small smile on his young face, it felt strange--very strange indeed.
Ukitake had been like a father to him, with the exception that sometimes he gave him candy for no reason. Well, perhaps it had been odd, but frankly it was because they shared so much in common that the young captain hadn't known at all. He respected him for so many things, after the war against Aizen, he had been there to heal his broken mentality and whatever little else he had left in him.
They had been difficult times, but he depended on him for everything. "Thank you, Ukitake-taichou." He said, loudly interrupting whatever conversation that his girlfriend and mentor were having.
"You are very much welcomed, Toshiro." Ukitake pulled out something from the sleeve of his haori. "Here, I just recently got these back from the real world. They are very good candy." Toshiro was always surprised by the candy, but never denied it for some reason.
Karin tried her best not to laugh, but it seemed that the interaction was peaceful between the two captains. She smiled at the sight, it seemed like a father and son picture capturing the compassion filled in their eyes, and she liked that.
Those were pleasant days, without having to worry about other stuff that would interrupt their picturesque life at all. Tatsuya had fallen asleep in her arms as she sat there, completely ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of her head about wanting to see Hitsugaya so badly. She needed him, having him hold her still when she felt worried, or seemed anxious at the new day in her new life.
His scent, his smile, his kisses…everything that was him she needed. It wasn't the same without having him embrace her, hugging her tightly as if she would soon disappear; but now she needed him to raise their son. Tatsuya, it seemed that everything that involved him seemed far more complicated then ever being imagined. Life wasn't a planned thing at all, Karin knew that for a fact, but without Toshiro as being part of the factor of her life it felt more empty.
The sadness over took her as she begun to sob, carefully trying not to awake her baby. She wanted him, needed to feel him close to her again as the many times in the past. The barrier that he had created felt safe, not perfect really, but it was secure enough that Karin could trust it with all her might. Everyone did not understand their relationship, but she knew well that it did not matter what they would think.
"Toshiro…" She called out for him, as she slowly fell asleep.
"Karin…" His voice seemed near, whispering into her ear.
"Toshiro, where are you?" She opened her eyes, seeing the blinding sunlight shinning down thru the tall tree.
"I am here, why do you ask?" He turned to look at her, a smile was placed in his face. "I'm not going anywhere, Karin." He stretched his hand out for her to take, but she wasn't sure.
He never looked that peaceful at all, it wasn't right at all. Karin loved him so dearly it hurt to stare at him.
Karin wanted to run to him, but somehow in the back of her mind it was being processed as a dream. She woke up quickly, sitting up as she saw that Tatsuya was playing with a Hell butterfly and reiatsu fluctuating around her child.
Even if he was young, Karin felt that he wasn't an ordinary shinigami baby at all. She crawled to him and brought him to her arms, stretching her hand out for the butterfly.
"Karin, sorry that I can't tell you what happen at the meeting. We had an emergency mission to Hueco Mundo. You are to stay at the Kuchiki mansion, I have provided Byakuya with the details, so please don't try to act like a hero alright. Just, sit tight and I'll handle this." Ichigo's voice seemed to be firm, clear, and straight to the point as the butterfly flew away and disappeared.
There were not that many choices in life when dealing with that sort of situation, which Karin felt like it made her weak on many points. Well, she didn't really want to put too much hope in some dream or whatever it seemed at the moment. Her mind was railing, feeling slightly sluggish as she walked slowly to the sixth squad barracks to find her sister-in-law's brother.
+--+
"Taichou, is it true?" Abarai Renji questioned, still confused by the meeting they had just stepped out from.
"Yes." The monotone voice of Kuchiki Byakuya made it all clear. "It seems that a treason was made between the alliance between Soul Society and the few Arrancar that decided to withdraw from the war."
The details were still sketchy, but it seemed as though those who had refused to follow all of Aizen's orders managed to form an alliance with Soul Society. Now it seemed as though it was going to be broken, with the fact that they had kept one of their captains in captivity until recently.
"Oh man, oh man. Things don't seem to really ease even after so many years." Renji pondered on the matter, even if sometimes it looked like he didn't know much. "Do you think that their plans will pull thru?"
Byakuya wasn't the type of person who would worry about much, but things were slowly changing at the fact that everything around him was in constant danger. He worried over his brother-in-law, even if he hated the man, but everything was in his hands most of the time for some odd reason.
"I do not know that Abarai, but I do not like to think so lowly on it." He muttered, while closing his eyes. "Soul Society will be there to fight against whatever they plan, but mainly because we need to keep the balance. Creatures or beings that do not know anything, can not possibly hold a meaning in the world at all. Their minds and thoughts do not count so much in choices, therefore they must be put to a stop."
His harsh words never failed to put an impact on his vice-captain, which Renji respected because most of his logics were often correct. It didn't mean that Byakuya hadn't made a mistake though in judgement, but for now he liked to think that there was something bad bound to happen.
"Kuchiki-taichou." Karin opened the door and bowed.
"Karin?" Renji looked at her and back at his captain.
"Renji, please take her to the Kuchiki manor." The stoic captain muttered, while avoiding eye contact with young shinigami.
"Hai! Come on, we shouldn't pry in here for long." The last part came as a whisper, as he beckoned the young woman outside.
+--+
The faint sounds of whispers seemed to be filling his ears, slowly attempting to open his eyes it seemed rather fuzzy as he stared at green swirls of--he couldn't quite put his mind to the word. He felt a sudden sting on his left side, but he jerked at the sudden hand coming to his injury.
"Hitsugaya-san, you shouldn't move." Nell said as her hands worked on a healing spell. "I am trying my hardest to heal this gash, but if you keep struggling like that then we'll go no where."
"Shut up!" He hissed, while trying hard not to think--well that really defeated the purpose. "I need to leave this place." The white haired captain stared at the castle that was far away from the forest. It had been many months since he had been imprisoned, but his mind was always preoccupied with his fiancée.
"I sent my message to Ichigo. I assume that he'll find a way to get in here to rescue you." Nell smiled a little, trying her best to make it as comfortable as it could for him in order not to have him break.
Nell had returned to her 'grown-up' version, the mask though had been missing for a while now after battling Ulquiorra along with Ichigo. She had nicely decided to stick with Soul Society, even though she had refused to go into the place herself. For the time being though, she was the one to be helping to gather information about the instrument that the Arrancars were making.
"I need to get to her, before its too late." It was unusual for him to be sulking about anything, but he knew that by now he had a child to take care for. He needed to see Karin and his child, but how long will it be until then. "I've already missed my own wedding. I can't afford to lose much time." He groaned in pain as he felt the cool sensation of the Arrancar's reiatsu.
"I'm sorry, but I wouldn't know what to say in this type of situation." She sympathize with him. "When I heard you were here, it seemed as though things couldn't get any worse. They are trying to build a power equally, or greater than the one Orihime had."
Hitsugaya closed his eyes for a second, trying his best to recollect most of his scattered thoughts. There was no focus though on his mind, everything was only focusing on Karin and his child. He scowled as he opened his eyes, watching the black sky above him.
"Is it always black?" He hissed in pain again. The beatings that he had gotten while being imprisoned really were bad, but he wasn't thinking sully on the pain at all. "That hurts like hell!"
"Sorry, but for now I think you should sleep. It is not healthy for you to keep moving." The green haired Arrancar put him to sleep. "You'll be back soon to see Karin-chan."
She had meet her briefly after the war was over, but never really known much about her until Hitsugaya often spoke about his beloved in his sleep after his rescue only a few days ago. Nell feared for him while he had been taken, but for now she promised to return him soon to Karin.
"Karin…" He whispered her name as his breath even out, but there was a slight pained expression painted on his face.
+--+
There it is everyone, the third chapter to this story. WatermelonPrincess, Tsukihime nee, and LightDark-YinYang, my thanks goes to the three of you along with the rest who have alerted, favoured, reviewed my story so far. I felt that there had to be more emotions shown here, since most of it is hurt and other conflicting emotions like that. It wasn't my intention at first, but after typing, deleting, replacing...etc. I came to the decision to adding jealousy to this chapter. Karin does have a problem with Hinamori for many things, though it has not being revealed yet; but I will have a follow up on that later on. I won't apologize if this chapter did not meet anyone's expectations, but I just felt like adding this jealousy 'cos we all know that no relationship is perfect of course. I did remember on putting tender scenes and such, but we'll see more of our star couple fighting about certain situations. Do you all think I should change the rating to M? I am not sure, nor do I feel like thinking about it at the moment.
Also, I would like to ask any of you for ideas for Karin and Yuzu's zanpaktous 'cos I really haven't gotten any clue. I did get an idea of making Karin's shinkai form to be a mace with a chain...but I am not good at choosing weapons since there's tons of them. I'm not good with all my weapon history really, nor do I pay close attention to it when someone starts to talk about it. Anyhow that is besides the point, I would wish for my readers to help me with them 'cos I don't have a lot of ideas at all. PM me to give me your ideas, and you will be sure to be credited for it; though I will work my hardest to portray fighting scenes and weapons to my best. What will happen next? Its chapter four, so I did promise I would bring Hitsugaya back to the story. Sighs, there's a lot of other stuff to worry about. Like it? Review. Hate it? That's alright.