Thank you for the reviews! I am a little alarmed by how much I crave head-patting.

So, here's the new installment … I hope it's a little more interesting. More Zaraki, anyway. Heck, more Hitsugaya, now that I think of it.

Do not own.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chapter 3

The Trap

Zaraki, Ichigo and Renji watched. It was almost hypnotic. Pace, turn, pause, listen. Pace. Turn. Pause.

Through the observation window, their eyes followed Hitsugaya around his hospital room. His eyes … never left theirs. It was spooky. He shouldn't have been able to see them at all.

Unohana had stopped his drips; the daily battles to keep him in bed were doing more harm than good. A tray of food lay on a table next to the door, untouched. Only the glass of water had moved, to the other side of the room. Every so often Hitsugaya would pause over the glass and dip his fingers, which he would then raise to his lips. Ichigo had grown up in a medical clinic, but he could think of no explanation for this behavior.

Zaraki was leaning against the wall, a bored look on his face. "Stupid woman," he snorted, stuffing his fists into his pockets. "Taking the kid from a big prison and stuffing him in a little one."

Renji stood close to the glass, laying one hand against its cool surface. Hitsugaya looked so different. His snow-white hair had been cleaned and cut, but it was no longer spiky; instead it hung thick, fine and loose around his eyes. "I can still barely feel any of his reiatsu. Can he sense ours, do you think?"

"Nah," the big man grunted, pulling up alongside. "He just thinks we're here. OY, squirt!" he yelled, pounding on the glass, "Just say hello, already!"

Without warning, Renji suddenly felt a hand reach into his chest. With a gasp, he flew backwards. The fist clenched, clenched, clenched around his heart – it was going to explode, he couldn't bear it …

He glanced to his right. Ichigo had also hit the wall, and had slid down it, clutching his throat. Even Zakari had staggered back a step. "What … " gargled Ichigo, "what the hell … he's got no spirit power …"

The Captain of the Eleventh licked his lips slowly. Hitsugaya was crouched on the hospital bed, ready to move, murder on his face. "That's not reiatsu," Zakari said, half-chucking. "That's killing intent."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Aizen," Hitsugaya said, once again, "I will kill you."

Aizen regarded his opponent steadily, a half smile on his face. He couldn't help it. The child was so cute.

"I congratulate you, Toushirou-kun," he said, lounging back in his chair. "I didn't feel you coming at all, until you actually entered the room. You've learned excellent control."

The young captain drew his sword in answer.

"And your strategic sense is exemplary. Your friends' attack has drawn off all of my defenses. I'm quite alone." He sipped his wine thoughtfully. "But so are you. Surely, after the last time, you don't think you can beat me?"

Without warning, he threw an image of himself forward. Hitsugaya closed his eyes – truly remarkable eyes, Aizen thought – and charged straight through the illusion. A split second later, Hyourinmaru was lodged in the back of Aizen's chair. The traitor, having barely avoided the blow, dusted off one sleeve in surprise. The next second, the room was populated with dozens of Aizens, all dusting. The air filled with their sound and scent.

Hitsugaya yanked his katana free. "Ban kai," he rasped. Aizen nearly slipped as the floor froze over. A second later he dropped deliberately as the ice blade slashed over his head. Then he was forced to leap up and away, barely dodging a direct strike by the spiked tail.

"So," he said calmly, from where he landed on the table. "You are closing your mind to my illusions? No, that's not possible. You are tracking me by my spirit force." He applauded lightly. "Not bad at all."

"However," he continued, languidly, "I tire of this game." With one hand, he opened a portal to the other side of the palace. "Hinamori-kun, will you come out here for a moment?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Zaraki's first thought was to break the glass right away. Killing force as strong as a captain's reiatsu? That, he had to fight.

Then he paused. Unohana Retsu was one of the few people that he truly respected. Respected and feared. She had treated him a thousand times; he had no doubt that she could kill him without straining a muscle.

He lowered his first, muttering a low curse. Behind him, Abarai struggled to his feet, gasping. He could hear Ichigo say something about informing someone about something, and then …. he could hear nothing.

He could see nothing. He stood in a world of blackness, without form or meaning. "What the hell," he swore, but the words died on his lips, swallowed by the darkness.

Zaraki Kenpachi. A voice spoke, a woman's voice. It seemed to come from all directions at once.

"Who the #$&# are you?" he roared, lashing out with … his katana was no longer in his hands.

For a moment, only emptiness answered him. Angry emptiness. Then he heard: You do not know who I am.

Zaraki hesitated, caught up short. Was it possible …? All of his attempts to speak to his zanpakutou had failed, utterly, and he'd been trying for five years. He chose his next words very carefully. "Do you want me to know you?"

Another silence, much longer, followed this question. When the woman spoke again, an infinite sadness filled her voice. That child, she said, he has forgotten his name.

The big man did not know how to respond, so he held his peace. He has been abandoned, the voice continued, growing louder. He has been enslaved. His true power has been stolen from him.

Zaraki knew, with a cold feeling in his stomach, that she wasn't really talking about Hitsugaya.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

A slight wind ruffled past him, setting his bells a-tinkle.

If you can save him, maybe I can forgive you.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"This is just another illusion," Hitsugaya murmured, his eyes squeezed closed. He took an involuntary step backwards. Every hair on the back of his neck was raised.

"Hitsugaya-kun," Hinamori pleaded, her eyes filled with tears, "it's all right, it's okay, he's come back to us. He's our captain again."

"You know it's real," Aizen said softly. Even with his eyes closed, Hitsugaya could tell that Hinamori could not hear him. "You can sense her spirit."

Then, to the girl, "Our friend thinks you are a fake, Hinamori-kun. He still does not trust me. . Please, can you tell him something that I wouldn't know?"

Hinamori considered for a moment. Her friend, her oldest friend – she had to save him. Aizen had told him all of Ichimaru's plans for him. How could she bring him around? "Do you remember that time we watched the stars from the roof, Hitsugaya-kun?" she asked. "When I was first accepted to the academy? You told me, you said, goodbye and good riddance. But, if I every needed a favor… I need a favor, Hitsugaya-kun, I need you to trust me! I swear …"

"Stupid," growled the child, his face almost as white as his hair, "Hinamori probably told you that when she was your vice-captain."

"Then ask her a question."

An eternity seemed to pass. Hitsugaya could barely choke out the words. He knew the truth already; he just had to be sure. "You always sent me a card on my birthday. Your first year at the academy, before you met … anyone … what color was it?"

"White," she answered promptly, "it was the last of the paper you had given me. After that I sent the blue and pink ones I could buy at school."

She advanced on him, arms outstretched. "We can end all this, if you'll just believe me! We can defeat Ichimaru with your help, Shir—"

"Don't!" he barked, backing away further. He glanced up at his enemy, and read all of his fears in the older man's face. The things he could do to her – and there was no reaching her. None. "Aizen," he growled, holding back tears. "In private, please."

Aizen nodded, and passed his fingers before Hinamori's eyes. She froze.

A few minutes later, she woke, unaware that any time had passed. She saw her childhood friend before he, looking relieved. "Sorry, Momo," he said, shrugging, "I can be dense, sometimes."

He took her hands and smiled at her. Her heart lifted. That smile had always been only for her. "Listen, I've got to head back to Seireitei. I'll tell them your plan – it's not bad. I think we might have a shot at taking the bastard down." He touched her wet cheeks. "Don't cry," he ordered gruffly. "You look extra dumb when you cry."

She kissed him on the forehead. He turned, waved over his shoulder, and disappeared into an otherworld portal.

She gave an ecstatic cry, and clapped her hands. "Oh captain, he'll get help! I know he will! You can always count on my Shirou-chan!" In her joy, she hugged Aizen and, forgetting herself, kissed him swiftly on the lips. Embarrassed, she dropped her eyes, but her captain did not push her away. Looking up at him, she smiled again. "Everything's going to be alright now, isn't it?" she whispered.

"Yes, my dear," he said, gently. "Everything will be fine. I've promised."

After she had gone, Aizen hummed to himself, caressing Hyourinmaru's long cold blade. Then, with a flourish, he threw the sword into the air. It shattered, and its fragments melted to nothingness before they reached the floor.

Hitsugaya came slowly out of the shadows. It had been strange, watching an illusion of himself leave this place. His heart constricted, knowing that he would never be able to do the same.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Zaraki came to himself slowly. He didn't know how long he had communed with his zanpakutou. The others were gone; he was alone in the corridor.

On the other side of the glass, Hitsugaya had come closer. Their eyes locked: icy green with black flint. Zaraki knew that look.

Let. Me. Out.

With a broad grin, the Eleventh Division Captain pulled back his fist. This should be fun.

TBC

So, next installment will have all that violence I promised. OK so far??