Note: A lot of this chapter is filler till the story gets going along in the next few weeks but I wanted to bring out a few of the other captains and let them have a bit of spot light. A few were ooc but it's a fanfiction so it ok a little with this story! Thanks for ready! Props to Hime one more for a out of the world beta reader!

When first we met she seemed so white
I feared her;
As one might near a spirit bright
I neared her;
An angel pure from heaven above
I dreamed her,
And far too good for human love
I deemed her.
A spirit free from mortal taint
I thought her,
And incense as unto a saint
I brought her.
Lost Angel-Ellis Parker

Day of October 2ed
Three days after the 9/29th

Time had ached so slowly by as he watched the hands of the grandmother clock away once more in his office. Paper work had left undone and formed piles around his desk. Few who looked in on the tenth Captain knew his mind was away from work and on a woman who lay still sleeping. Wondering if she would wake up and tell him why, wondering if when she opened those bright pools, if she would be them same bouncy soul full of mystery. All these thoughts run through his mind as the clock ticked away and the sun would set at the beginning of each new night. Knowing full well how humans felt time now on their souls. It was weight he had lost in being a shinigami and now gained by this event in his life. Hitsugaya would watch that clock with a mix of anger in his eyes.

Why did it have to be her? Of all people to be caught in the taint of Gin, why her of all people he had touched? His fingers clenching the pen so tightly it cracked from the pressure alone. Nothing could keep away those dark patterns from his mind. No comfort could drive away that image of Matsumoto lying so still in that bed, looking so frail as if to shatter at any touch. He hated it! All of it!

A normally Captains' meeting that had become weekly with the start of the Winter War and had been kept up to keep an eye on the Captains of the Court. Over seeing the transitions of the three new captains and make sure their world ran smoothly as it had for most of all time. He found them to empty threats and talk as always but this one was different.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai was as always gruff in his voice and kept the leash tight by his words alone on the captains. Even with his eyes closed, it felt like he was burning away the layers of a person. Using the keen mind to keep up with the traitor and out move him in the end and take the war for their side in those last moments. Never really drawing out the full power of his fire based zanpakuto; Ryūjin Jakka. Only have to use the release twice of the blade in the face off with the Hollow forces to Hitsugaya's memory.

"We will start on addressing a sensitive topic in whichUnohana-sama had informed of three days ago." his voice was gruff and left no room for any backtalk as normal.

Hitsugaya felt his back tense. This was something he had hoped would stay private, not only for Mats and the Tenth Division. Why should others get involved with such matters like this? Rage burned cold deep in his stomach and a small sense of betrayal from the mother like figure of the Forth. Maybe she had been forced to tell the old man about the subject. It made sense any major events related the leaders of the Gotai 13 had to be reported to the Commander. Then why did he have to share so openly with everyone like this? Reeling back the lash of words that threaten to spill out from the clenched jaw of the young man at the moment those words had spoken into the open of the hall meeting.

Yamamoto had locked on him when he started to speak, hinting not to say anything at all. "It has been made known to me that Matsumoto Rangiku tried to take her own life."

Stillness covered the room of this news, a few eyes glanced the Tenth's Captains way but he chooses to keep his eyes in front. Ukitake felt a way of sympathy for the teenager at having this made to public. Personally he felt his former teacher was making a bad move to make this issue so open for both the sleeping woman and Hitsugaya. He understood not only how close the two had become as Captain and Lieutenant but also as close friends all these years.

"Unohana-sama has kept me informed of Matsumoto's process and that her life in not any danger any more. Yet it is unknown if or when she will awaken in the near weeks. So I would like all diversions except the tenth to over look seats 3 to 10 for any possible replaces for the Lieutenant spot of the tenth." he announced.

"What? How can you do that to Matusmoto?" His masked cracked, anger lacing his voice as the words poured out. "She's just some piece of trash you can throw out! You didn't even ask me or talk to me on this as well and this has nothing to do with any of the other squads at all"!

Air cracked from the sudden chill attacking the armament from Hitsugaya's sudden out rage at this move made by the old man. Wishing more then anything to draw his blade and attack him for this event. They were treating Matsumoto like she was already dead. Hitsugaya only felt some one grab his shoulder as he took a step forward from the line. Ukitake had reached out a warm hand to bring the young man back to his position and to keep him from doing something in a moment of poor judgment. Yamamoto kept his face blank but offense was evident in the steady gaze he held on the silver hair captain.

"Hitsugaya Toshiro, captain of the tenth. You will remember who and what you are and conduct yourself like a captain of this Court. I will not have you acting like some out of control child with a broken toy in this meeting or you will be thrown out and put up on charges of disorderly conduct." The firm tone of the old man spoke with steel in his words. "Now back off."

No talk back came from the threat but he backed off for the moment. How could they do this? All the other captains save two held the same feelings but one voice purposely did calm everyone down.

"General Sir, why do we not wait for this till the three new captains have settled into their new post? Our first item should to make sure they can do their own duties and that their squads run well before we attack this subject. " Soi Fon stepped out of line, calmly looking at the Commander.

He took a long breathe, finding truth in the Special Ops Leader words. It made more sense to do things this way before moving on to this event. "Alright, in two weeks we will meet on this subject. Untill then, all of you are dismissed!" His staff hitting the wooden floor as the sign to leave the meeting hall at once.

All captains left the room in a tense silence from the events of the past thee days. One young captain rushed out of the room with out even a glare to the old man as he might have before the Winter War.

"How can he do this to us? To Matusmoto? She had to prove herself more then most with her connections with Gin! Going out more and fighting harder to prove she was loyal to us and not him! How many times did I have to speak up to other shinigami of her innocent! How dare he do this to us, to me!" Thoughts broke in his mind like a wave. It made no sense the old man would move like this unless he thought Matusmoto won't wake up and just die! "I'll resign before I ever take a new Lieutenant! I hate this place! The only reason I become a shinigami was to control my powers and protect Momo. With out Matusmoto now, I have no real reason to even stay here!"

He could only bit his inner left cheek as he made the long trek back the office of the Tenth once more. Walking helped to clear his mind for the while before taking a new way to the forth. He had to talk to the Fourth's Captain of why she had told that old bastard anything. Hitsugaya wanted to know everything she knew and her reasons and it had better be one hell of a good one! Was it really her fault? The leashes of the captain's neck had been made shorter by the room 49 in last months. Any copies of any filing from basic food needs to hollow attacks went to them for review. The Special Ops had any right now to invade a Squad and search all rooms and personal things. Hitsugaya now understood the human's worlds saying of "Big Brother is watching." It left a gap of trust between the shinigami and their leaders more then ever, even the captains had said this was going to far more then once to the old man. Only to have more empty reasons or orders thrown back at them for the tighten conduct's on all of them, Soi Fon supremely had spoken out more the normal at these orders on how they used her men for such empty raids for nothing.

Upon entering the forth and heading to the personal office of Unohana-sama, he sensed the energy of the few other captains with her. Why would they be hearing? He sealed his own aura to hide and listen to a few words he might pick up for some clues before entering the room. Ease dropping was not his normal style but it helped sometimes in situations like this to know some things before coming in on a talk of any kind.

"Why would the old man just pull this out of the blue with the Tenth? It makes no sense at all?" Shunsui's deep voice rang out from the room, sounding mad for once. "It was in bad taste if you ask me to do that to the Hitsugaya-sama.

A deep, softer sigh was release by the 13th captain by his friends point. "I know Shunsui, I can't figure out why he would do that to him. This is private matter and if it was going to be this way. Yamamto-sama should have talked privately to Hitsugaya in the first place before the meeting even happened to prepare him for the idea"

"I talked with Soi Fon after the meeting for a moment and she believes there is something more the Commander is not telling us. He had summoned me the day after they found Rangiku-san and asked some very in depth questions of where they had found the poor woman and all medical reports to do with her. Along with how Hitsugaya-Taicho was acting due to the events the last few times I had spoken to him." Unohana's soft voice fell to the two other men. "He had be turn in all my hard copies of my reports. After that, I was sent back to the Fourth but to report anything new to him personally and of any other meetings with Hitsugaya-sama. "

"So why is he so interesting when it comes to this? Why push for new lieutenant for the Tenth with out talking to Shiro in the first place? Something is going on he is not telling anyone or maybe could it be the 49th's hand at work on this one? If you take into fact in how they have been watching us lately." Shunsui spoke solemn for first on this subject.

"We won't know and it might be better if we keep a low head till things settle a little before we ask too many questions. It might things look bad for Hitsugaya and Matsumoto if we push this also. We have to protect them as best we can as captains and friends." Ukitake soft tenor put all other arguments to rest for the night.

Hitsugaya felt a pull of friendship to these three then any other captains in the Court. They wanted to help him and protect Matusmoto at the same time as much as they could with how things were playing out. Slowly pulling away from the voices of his fellow captains as they drifted on to other major topics of the Court. Those three had always backed him up on issues before like this or said something in his favorite from day one of him taking rank with them. How could he think they would just side with the old basterd? Smiling a little for the first time in days if felt. To have friends was something he still took for granted after his lonely youth in the Towns and the Shinigami School. Feeling warm and welcomed for was alien note in his soul he had shared with Momo and the grandmother long gone from this world now. Matsumoto had been the single key to open that door for him.

Sliding down to sit in the wooden chair next to the Venus, over looking her frail aura with a frown still on his face. "I'll wait for you to wake up and I won't leave your side Matsumoto. I promise I will never take a new Lit also. No matter what they say or tell me to do. Even it means I have to step down as a captain to show them my point."

It was a heavy oath to make but to him it was the only way he could live with himself at this point. Maybe he could be like one certain mad blond and black cat and take to living in the human world. Would she come with him if he asks? It was doubtful if she would stay with the shinigami after all this, but would she go with him? Hitsugaya could only wish she would wake up and tell him, hoping like a child she would take his hand and leave all this behind them now. It was a forlorn hope, a child's dream but right now it was the only thing he could hold to right now.