As Fate Would have it Chapter 7.

Chapter 7: resurface

Karin was never a very jealous person, or a very emotional person at all.

When she was younger and her mother was still alive things were slightly different. She complained and whined just like any other kid her age. But when she would fall down, Karin would stand up wipe off the dirt and continue on her way.

She was strong.

Once her mother died, she closed herself off more. She seldom, if ever cried anymore, she never showed her fear or worry. She was the oldest daughter now, even if it was only but a few minutes, and she had to be strong. Her feelings were only confirmed when Ichigo boxed himself off. Years later, when Ichigo would go missing for days on in she knew to the fullest extent that she had to be responsible.

Yuzu was still a little kid at heart, along with her father who really didn't do anything. Ichigo was so much more mature then all of them in reality but he stopped hanging around the house and hung out with his friends more.

She still cared though, about many things, mainly her sister. A person she'd sworn to watch over and for her to keep her happy and not to worry her Karin locked away any remaining feelings that might disrupt her sister's happy attitude.

Once she met his friends, mainly Toshiro, she felt the worming of some feeling she didn't recognize. But she pushed it off, she remained indifferent. But Toshiro would appear every where she couldn't look at the color blue or white without thinking of him.

She knew she had fallen in love.

In high school, she was never jealous. Not of the attention Yuzu got, or her friends and their boyfriends. She had her sights set on a certain white haired boy.

Even though the object of her affection was so important to her, she knew deep down, that there was someone else more important to him than her.

She saw how he looked at her, Eyes always a little bit softer and words a little less cold, less biting…friendly even. But she wasn't jealous, she'd tell herself, she would never be jealous.

Her feelings of jealously would become more pronounced every time she saw the two of them, toshrio and momo, together. Though they were seldom away from the rest of their friends.

Karin had seen it.

She could see the way they'd look at each other occasionally after something funny or reminiscent of days before had been said. They looks they shared spoke more than their words then, she could see their past in their eyes, their secrets, their inside jokes, their memories.

Things she would never be part of.

After that fateful summer, and the start of her first real relationship, with Toshiro, jealousy was almost non-existent. She had felt bad of course, she could see the heartbreak in Momo's eyes that night in the hallway.

Karin quickly strengthened her resolve though, before any sympathy got through. It was her turn Momo had had a chance and she had wasted it.

5 years later and her feelings hadn't changed. Her thoughts on the night stayed the same. Momo's turn was gone and Karin was here to stay.

Their reunion, Momo's and Toshiro's that is, was something she had thought of many times before. Small pinpricks of icy fear occasionally grabbed at her when these thoughts were aroused but she pushed it down. Their actual reunion was very simple and Karin spent the night sighing in relief to herself. They seemed like friends, acquaintances at most and Karin knew she had nothing to worry about.

Though when she realized just why Momo became famous, Karin worried slightly, but as the two of them were slightly distant with each other and Momo made no attempts or passes at Toshiro, Karin relaxed slightly.

Toshiro had taken her to a movie shooting and Karin had woken up that morning as if something was out of place. When she had finally relaxed a thud brought her out of her small musings.

She had a witty retort of "Who is stupid enough to trip on set?" on her tongue but it quickly died when she saw Momo, the girl who seemed to pop up every where these days, passed out of the floor fake blood coating her forehead and hand.

Another comment of "What's her problem?" Was almost said to Toshiro but she instead had to bite back a gasp at Toshiro's face.

In all the years that they had known each other, Karin had never ever seen him scared. But she could tell in his eyes that Toshiro was very afraid and…worried? She followed his eye line and proved herself correct when she saw that it ended at Momo.

At that moment, Karin knew that something like this had happened to the duo before, and once again Karin's old jealousy crept back into her mind as she wondered what else did Momo know about Toshiro that she didn't.

She had never seen Toshiro show many feelings, just like her in a way, he showed anger, sometimes happiness. He seldom worried or got sad or depressed. Even when Karin had shown up at their apartment, crying nonetheless, he wasn't worried, or scared at what could of happened to her. He just sat down and rubbed her back and after awhile asked what had happened.

Karin then had to wonder at what else Momo and Toshiro had experienced together? What thoughts and feelings and emotions of Toshiro's had Momo seen that Karin was ignorant to?

Karin was not stupid enough to ignore longstanding relationship that Momo and Toshiro probably had. But that did not stop the jealousy.

For once in her life Kairn felt as if she didn't know her boyfriend as well as she thought.

Because for the life of her, Karin couldn't figure just why the scene before them had shook him to his core so bad.

Toshiro's heartbeat beat slowly in his ears. He couldn't shake off the old fear.

"It's your fault." whispered a voice in his ear. "All your's. She'd be okay if it weren't for you."

Toshiro tensed in his seat as the memories of that night were brought in his mind and he was useless to stop any of it.

An 8 year old Momo and Toshiro walked down the street together, blatantly ignoring the stares and whispers of those around them.

"I heard my parents might be visiting today." Momo smiled.

"Oh really?" Toshiro snorted, nothing good ever came out of her, or his for that matter, parents visiting.

"Mhm. I haven't seen Mommy in forever." Momo sighed happily. "And Daddy is always…angry." Her happy expression changing quickly.

"Eh whatever." Toshiro said pulling at one of her pigtails gently. "they're just stupid parents. Granny takes much better care of us."

Momo laughed and Toshiro relaxed if there was one thing he hated more than anything it was when Momo cried. Usually because his teasing caused it or because he was unable to help her and he hated, loathed the thought of being useless when he needed to help some of the only people who actually liked him.

"Oh! let's cut through the woods!" Momo yelled happily gripping onto his arm and leading him to the woods before he had a chance to agree or not. She didn't need to wait anyways, she knew he was going to agree.

"Oi! Be careful!" Toshiro scolded as Momo jumped haphazardly across the stones in the river, while he followed at a much more reasonable pace.

"Nope! I'm going to beat y-" Momo began happily but was cut off when a few kids stepped out onto the path, freezing in their tracks at the sight of Toshiro.

Momo immediately recognized them. "Oh hey guys!" She smiled, they were neighbors after all.

"Hello Momo." the girl, Sayori, said politely. The boy, Hirochi, nodded in return. The other kid behind them, another boy she recognized from around town, ignored her.

"What's up?" Momo asked again stopping on the bank. Toshiro calmly stepped off the rocks and stood beside her.

"We don't want to talk with you Momo." Hirochi sighed. "We're here for him."

Toshiro and Momo froze. Attacks, usually verbal, were not uncommon towards Toshiro. It was at this moment when Momo finally took note of the rocks the fit easily into the palms of the other kids' hands.

Hirochi raised his arm, the wet rock glinting in the sunlight. "Momo move." He said angrily "Because we aren't going to stop even if you're caught between us and him."

Toshiro glared at the ground, a habit he was developing. "momo get out of the way."

Momo stared back at him in wide eyed shock. "No! I can't." She whispered to him. "If I do they'll, they'll" She said her voice cracking as she looked between Toshiro and the rocks.

Toshiro looked up at her. "Momo just move you shouldn't get hurt because of me."

"Momo." Sayori said quietly. "If you just leave him alone you wont get hurt. Look at him he's bad!"

Toshiro gritted his teeth, he hated these people.

"I can't Sayori." Momo smiled at the girl. "He's my very best friend."

Toshiro's eyes widened at her statement and some odd feeling bloomed in his chest, he didn't know what it was but it made him feel warm.

Sayori's eyes hardened. "Fine then." The girl cocked back her arm and let her rock fly, aiming right for Toshiro.

But being only eight at the time, and just generally not having very good aim, the rock went severely off course and struck Momo right in the forehead just under her hairline. The rock itself wasn't that big but the surprising amount of force behind it knocked Momo off her feet.

Momo weakly put a hand to her head and pulled it back only to see bright red blood coating it. Tears welled in her eyes, and before she could cry, she passed out her head landing in the water with a splash.

"Oh no." Sayori said quietly.

Hirochi and the other boy stared dumbly at the scene before them.

Toshiro felt his body grow cold very quickly. He stared shocked at Momo, anger welling up in him as the blood from her head mixed with the river water and washed down stream.

"Get out of here!" He yelled at the three kids who hadn't moved yet, picking up a few rocks off the river bank at the same time.

"He's going to attack us! Run!" The kid in the back said dashing off into the bushes. The other two followed on his heels.

Once they were gone Toshiro fell to his knees by Momo, the anger dissipated once the kids left and now all that was left was fear and worry. He might lose his only friend in this whole village if her didn't move. Carefully he picked up Momo and began to run in the direction of Granny's house.

"Granny! Granny! Help!" Toshiro yelled as soon as he caught sight of the house. Momo was looking worse and worse as the minutes went by.

"What's the problem?" His grandmother asked as he neared, not being able to see Momo yet.

Before he could explain what was going on his grandmother saw Momo and then she saw the blood that was on her forehead and Toshiros shirt.

"Oh dear! Get her inside now!"

Toshiro ran quickly up the steps. "Put her down and go wait outside." Granny said walking back in with a basket of something or another.

"But-!" Toshiro started indignantly.

"If you want to help her you'll let me have my space." His grandmother stated.

Toshiro opened and closed his mouth and for the first time in a long time felt warm tears in his eyes, he didn't want to lose Momo, and he knew he was no help right now but he didn't want to walk out of the room.

His Grandmother sighed. "Okay, okay you can stay just stay out of my way for right now okay?"

Toshiro nodded and quickly wiped his tears, he didn't want anyone to see him crying. As he watched his granny clean up Momo's wound and do some other medical things Toshiro for the first time what he was scared and worried for.

He was scared and worried about losing Momo, her dying or being gone seemed…unnatural. He quickly got rid of his thoughts as his granny walked over to him."She's going to be okay sweetheart. She'll just have a scar there on her head. Now why don't you go and rest?"

Toshiro nodded quietly, and once his Granny was out of the room he unrolled his bed mat and pillow and placed it next to Momo. He curiously looked down at her sleeping face. When he saw the but of white bandage peeking out from under her hair, with hand he brushed away the piece of hair and stared down at the bandage ashamedly. He then rolled back over and fell into a fitful sleep.

Days later when Momo's parents actual did come to visit, he didn't miss the way her parents stared accusingly at him when they saw the bandage. He knew they blamed him.

In reality, he blamed himself for it also.

Momo unsteadily sat up, shaking her head to get rid of the memory, that was slightly different than the one Toshiro had just finished. Hers had ended at getting knocked out and resumed with her parents arriving.

"Are you alright?" One of her crew members asked her.

"Oh yea. I'm fine just…it's nothing." Momo smiled. Why make them worry over something that had happened over ten years ago?

She felt an odd stare on her right side, turning her head she saw Toshiro who was still staring at her wide eye, and she saw his knuckles turning white as they gripped the edge of his chair. In that moment, she realized he had remembered the same exact thing.

"Im okay." She mouthed to Toshiro. She was relieved when she saw his grip on the chair slacken.

Karin sat in curiosity at the brief but effective exchange between the two. For the first time in a long time, Karin felt her grip on Toshiro slipping ever so slightly.

"Okay. Let's get back to filming." The director said.

He turned to Momo and helped her up, "Hinamori can you continue filming today?"

"Oh yes sir, I can." Momo smiled. "Ok then off you go." He said with a pat to her head.

Toshiro sat in his chair, the tense feeling hadn't gone away completely. He watched the filming before him, with an anxious feeling still in his stomach.

Karin watched Momo leave the stage, her part of filming for the scene already done with and Karin wondered briefly if she knew just how commanding her presence was.

"She usually seems so shy, but her presence is endearing kind of. It just draws you in."

Karin sighed. She really needed to stop worrying about Momo. "What did Mom used to say?" Karin asked herself quietly. "Don't make mountains out of molehills or something."

Toshiro listened to Karin mumble softly beside him, and he smirked ever so slightly. He had to admit that Karin was interesting and fun most of the time, but times like these she was sort of…adorable?

"Who cares about the right word." Toshiro sighed to himself. "Whatever it is it's true."

For the first time in days, the soft box in his pocket, didn't feel like lead. The pressure it left on him mentally, emotionally or physically didn't seem as much. He sat back comfortably in the chair. Things were turning out just fine. From the corner of his eye he spotted Karins hand dangling off the edge of her chair.

Toshiro slyly slipped his hand into hers, and he felt Karin jump. He saw her head turn towards their conjoined hands. His smirk widened when he saw her blush just a little bit. A grin playing on his lips Toshiro leaned towards her ear.

"Gotcha." He whispered huskily into her ear.

Karin shuddered at his hot breath on her ear. His voice adding to the shivers that ran along her spine. She could feel her face heat up even more and she berated herself slightly for being so open and emotional today. But she dismissed it quickly, she secretly loved it when Toshiro was open like this, not so guarded with his feelings.

As Toshiro turned back to the filming in front of them, Karin thought she felt someone stare at them, but brushed it off as paranoia.

"there's a million people here anyway. One of them is bound to see something." Karin reassured herself.

Momo sat in her actor's chair, sipping at her provided water bottle. Her chocolate brown eyes watching the display between Toshiro and Karin jealously. She wanted that so bad. Her heart ached for Toshiro, it had been so long since they really had a chance to talk and be close to one another with out someone having to die for it to happen. She wanted them to just be able to talk together, act like they used to be, and not have someone come in and interrupt them.

Though deep in the back of her mind, Momo felt the nagging feeling that things wouldn't happen that easily and maybe they'd never be that close again. Momo absently waved as the two kids, Takashi and Miki, left out the door with their parents. She wondered briefly if they'd ever go through the same thing she was.

"Alright that it for today! See you all tomorrow!" the director called out. The actors and everyone filed out. Soon the only people left were Momo, the director, Toshiro and Karin who looked as if they were leaving soon.

Momo flipped open her phone, needing to talk to someone…anyone. She dialed Rukia's number and was slightly annoyed when it was the voicemail.

"She must be with Ichigo." Momo sighed. Lately the two of them were inseparable.

A few seconds later, she was surprised to see Rukia calling her.

"Hey I just called you!" Momo said happily.

"Yea I know so whats up?" Rukia asked.

"Oh nothing. We're done for the day and I was bored." Momo complained.

"Oh really? I actually have something talk to you about…" Rukia mumbled.

Momo froze, Rukia mumbling was never a good thing. It always meant she had news, big news and it was usually bad. Steeling herself Momo replied.

"Ok. Shoot. What is it?"

"The things is Ichigo and I are…well Momo were moving in together so I'm going to be moving my stuff out later this week." Rukia said quietly.

"Oh." Oh. Momo said quietly. Things were going to be even quieter at home without her constant companion with her. She didn't know how she was going to be without Rukia with her, over the years she had become a constant support for her.

"Yea. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner. But hey I'll visit whenever I can got it?" Rukia said happily.

"Mhm. I understand. Besides I don't want to stand in the way of you and Ichigo. Make sure you keep him in line though! I'll help move your stuff if you want me to." Momo laughed. Though the laugh sounded hollow and fake in her own ears.

"Cool. Yea so we'll do that later this week, oh that's him right now, gotta go see ya!" Rukia laughed hanging up.

"Yea bye." Momo said sadly after the dial tone started up.

She closed her phone and rubbed her eyes, leaving out the door after Toshiro and Karin. But she shook that realization off she had bigger problems. She didn't know it she could get through her troubles without Rukia by her side.

"Yo kid! Wait up!" A male voice behind Momo sounded.

"If they are talking to me I swear ill…" She heard Toshiro start.

"Ugh calm down Toshiro so uptight." Karin teased.

"Momo! Kid God damn slow down." Momo's ears perked up. Only one person called her kid.

"Hisagi!" Momo complained. "How many times have I told you! We're the same age!"

Hisagi stopped next to her and Momo was vaguely aware that Toshiro and Karin had stopped as well.

"Yea but, you're so short, its like talking to a kid. I can call you miniature instead?" He asked a teasing smirk on his face.

Momo looked up at him. "What do you want?"

"Rukia called me, she said you seemed off, so she sent me to check up on you. Since shes tied down with Ichigo right now. God only knows what they're doing." Hisagi said with a small laugh.

"Ew. Just don't talk about that I don't want to imagine the two of them…just no." Momo said exasperated.

"But for real, you okay Momo?" Hisagi asked and his oddly serious tone threw her off a bit.

"Yea. It's just…Rukias moving out. She leaving me. We've constantly been together since the end of high school. I just don't know what to do without her." Momo said quietly, silently cursing herself for being so weak and in front of Toshiro and Karin too.

As she turned to walk, she saw that the other 2 had already started moving and she was a tiny bit grateful at her luck.

"Ah. I see." Hisagi said throwing his arm over her shoulders. "Well im hungry and I was dropped off here. So lets go eat."

"Right now?" Momo asked. "Just like that?"

"Yep and I'm driving." Hisagi said swiping her keys out of her hand and hopping into the car.

"Hey! You can't just do that!" Momo yelled earning looks from everyone around them.

She grudgingly sat in her passenger seat. "Fine go." She sighed.

"That's more like it."

Toshiro and Karin saw the exchange between the two friends. "Maybe they're dating?" Karin shrugged feeling a little bit happier like she had less to worry about.

"Who cares?" Toshiro said mumbling slightly, trying to ignore the odd feeling in the pit of his stomach.

As Momo pulled up to some diner with Hisagi, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe just maybe, she didn't need to fight for Toshiro anymore, she could be happy with this friendship she had at the moment.

In the back of her mind a little voice sounded off "Lies, lies, lies. All lies."