The pent up flood gates broke one week after they had all come back from Seireitei.

He didn't question why his grief hadn't consumed him in the beginning. The denial had. The refusal to accept what was right in front of him, the truth lying in a puddle of blood and the frost remaining after the body had faded away.

"Rukia..."

No more would he be subjected to the midgets punches or kicks. Her fiery words would no longer strike a chord in his soul. No longer would they be able to fight side by side...

The loss hit him hard.

For the second time in his life he had experienced it.

But, this time there was no Rukia to tell him to suck it up and face the world with defiance.

Maybe that was why they came.

Five months into the new year, two before his sixteenth birthday; Renji and Hitsugaya came with a proposition from Soul Society.

For as long as he attended the Soul Academy he could go back and forth between the afterlife and the living world; until the day he graduated to become a full-fledged member of the Court Guard Squads that is.

Then he would officially die.

~*~

The prospect was sobering to say the least. Death at the end of the six-year curriculum. He would be aged twenty-one still young, still powerful, but trained now to take up whatever position was offered; though Toshiro had hinted that one of the three vacant Captains seats might be held for him, if he passed everything.

~*~

It took a day for him to decide.

But in the end it was the worried knock of his dad, reminding him yet again of the excuses made for his absence in class, that finally drove him to snatch the Soul badge and out the window to where the Soulreapers were waiting.

Deep down in his heart, he knew Isshin wouldn't approve; but he couldn't bring himself to care about parental consent anymore. Since where was the parent-child trust in the secret his dad had been hiding?

~Hitsugaya's p.o.v~

"I'll do it." His answer was spoken with little or no emotion as if he didn't quite care anymore what happened and was simply going along because there was nothing better to do.

His dispassionate response might've evoked worry or some other like emotion in the minds and hearts of those who knew him best; save for a conversation Hitsugaya had with Kisuke Urahara before making his way to Ichigo's window later on.

Ichigo had been enlightened upon questioning what happened to Soulreapers whom had died, what became of their souls.

Not one to give hope where there was none; Urahara had calmly said, even though knowing of his reason for asking: "that he simply didn't know. But commonly it was assumed that most-or all eventually found their way back to the Rukongai to be sorted once again into the Soulreaper ranks or to be reborn into life."

The realization then struck Hitsugaya, watching Ichigo's shadowed face and lack of expression; Urahara's veiled intimations hadn't made sense until then...that...he was waiting for her to appear again.

Not even Abarai had that hope.

After all it was ridiculous to expect that a Soulreaper whom had died far away in another world could come back...Hitsugaya's cold logic rationalized that, but somehow...

It just seemed sad.

So, he said nothing, save for clapping the deputy Soulreaper on the arm as he passed, saying only, "I'll tell them of your decision. Formal arrangements will be made and you'll be contacted again in due time. Until then...Kurosaki, I hope that what you're waiting for will come to pass."

He was surprised by the quiet; "Thanks, Hitsugaya."

That was the first time Ichigo had ever spoken to him using Hitsugaya.

The "it's Captain Hitsugaya, to you." seemed out of place. And even though Hitsugaya told himself he preferred this less personal way of address, he couldn't shake off the thought that he actually missed correcting Kurosaki on using proper honorifics.

~To be continued~

AN: next chapter, they meet again. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time.

No flames-haters-stupid comments!

Reviews appreciated :)