Author's Note: Alright. So i lied. There'll be ONE MORE chapter after this. Sorta. It's jus' an epilogue, though... Anywho!!! I am SO sorry it took me so damn long ta update! I've had so much on my hands, what with school, an' gittin' ready fer Sakura-con next week... Plus, i may have had a teeny bit of hesitance ta finish this. This fic...is like, my baby. Seriously. It's my most accomplished piece of work, in my opinion. So...i dun really want it ta end. An' i've been spendin' lotsa time tryin' ta think up all sorts of ways ta drag it out. But, the end was imminent, an' i couldn't add anythin' more, without ruinin' it. But, ya'll be happy ta know... This is the longest. Chapter. I've ever. Written. ...i think. Well, i'm pretty sure, anyway.

An' thanks ta my wonderful Nnoitra-sama (I love ya!!! 33333), fer helpin' inspire me ta keep workin' on it, an' not give up. Yer the best, babe!! xoxo

Disclaimer: Yes, i own Bleach. My name is Kubo Tite, an' i'm a 30+ year old man, who lives in CANADA. Geeze...

Warning: See prologue. (Ya'll should know this by now... ___ )

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Traitor – Chapter 4

It was dark.

The sounds of battle had ceased for the night. Gin had hidden away in his room for that first day, unwilling to watch the slaughter he knew would unfold. If he went out, he knew he'd have to kill…and he couldn't live with that on his conscience.

It was lonely here, he decided. Silently, the silver-haired man slipped out of his room, and made his way quietly to the door at the end of the hallway. Stopping before it, he took a deep breath, and raised his small fist to knock. Almost instantly, the man other side of the door answered.

"Enter, Gin."

Ichimaru swallowed nervously, and pushed the heavy door open with mild hesitation. "…Aizen-sama." He bowed his head in respect, and remained in that position, until instructed otherwise.

"What brings you here, this late at night?"

"I couldn't sleep…" he mumbled, looking up into his master's eyes. "An' I'm…I'm scared, a lil' bit."

Aizen sighed, and shuffled over, patting the now empty space next to him. Gin gladly crossed the room, and climbed into the bed, snuggling against the older man. Aizen wrapped an arm around Gin, holding him close.

"And what is it, that you're afraid of, Gin?"

"I jus…" Gin paused, and let out a soft sigh. "I got a heavy feelin' in my heart…like somethin' bad's 'bout ta happen. An'…Rangiku's here. I felt her reiatsu b'fore. I dun want ta face her, much less have ta fight her."

"Hmm…" Aizen closed his eyes in contemplation. Then, as a smirk took place on his lips, he suddenly rolled them over so that Gin was lying on his back, pinned down by the larger body now covering his own. "Why don't you…let me help you take your mind off of it, hmm?"

Gin shuddered, and let out a soft moan, as he felt his lord's erection pressing into his groin. "Y-yes…please, Aizen-sama."

Aizen's grin widened, and he removed Gin's thin green yukata with deft hands. Gin groaned softly, as the calloused fingers slid over his skin, and arched his back slightly, seeking more contact. The silver-haired youth brought his hands up to grip Aizen's shoulders tightly, and the brunette leant forward, pressing harsh nips and bites to his smaller lover's neck and chest. Gin's breathing quickly became heavy and labored, and he tipped his head back against the pillows, letting a small moan escape past his lips. Aizen smirked against his skin, and licked up from the base of Gin's neck, to his lips, before shoving his tongue into the boy's mouth.

Becoming desperate, Gin moved his hands down to the ties of Aizen's hakama, and he quickly discarded the unwanted garment onto the floor. Aizen smirked into the kiss, and nipped violently at Gin's lower lip, drawing blood. At the same time, he grinded his hips down against his lover, causing the younger man to moan loudly…or he would have, had there not been another pair of lips sealing his own.

Suddenly – and much to Gin's dismay – Aizen pulled away, and sat back on the bed, with his legs spread.

"Suck," he demanded simply, a small smirk playing across his lips.

Gin swallowed hard, and nodded, crawling forward to kneel in front of his lover. Blowing Aizen was certainly no easy feat; the man's cock was huge, especially when fully erect. Deciding to start slowly, Gin leant forward, and hesitantly licked at the tip – gathering the pre-cum there – before pulling back slightly to blow cold air on the head. This action earned him an encouraging groan from the older man. Quickly gaining confidence, Gin leant forward once more, and wrapped his lips around the engorged member. Slowly taking more and more of the man into his mouth, Gin hummed softly around Aizen's cock, bombarding it with delightful vibrations. The brunette moaned, and fisted his hand tightly in Gin's hair; yanking him closer, and hence forcing the youth to deep-throat him. Gin, having not expected the sudden action, choked slightly, and it took all he had not to gag. He swallowed hard, in an attempt to adjust better, and thankfully, it worked. Now used to the feeling of having his mouth and throat filled so completely, Gin began sucking, and swirling his tongue around the older man's cock. Just as he was starting to get into it, however, the hand in his hair roughly pulled him away.

"Enough," Aizen commanded sternly, pulling Gin forward to sit in his lap. Then he said once again, though more softly this time, "Enough."

Gin nodded slowly, before stretching up to press his lips tightly against those of his lover. Aizen kissed back hungrily, forcing his tongue into the younger man's mouth, and with a single violent thrust upwards, he buried himself in Gin's warm, tight heat.

Gin cried out sharply; his unprepared body protesting the rough penetration. But Aizen would not allow it. His hands on Ichimaru's hips tightened in warning, and Gin immediately silenced himself, opting to moan into the man's mouth.

Aizen hummed appreciatively, and once again thrust his hips upward, though harder this time. He broke the kiss, and instead, latched his mouth onto Gin's jugular, biting down lightly, and causing the silver-haired male to moan in pleasure.

Eager to please his master, Gin rolled his hips down to meet with each and every one of Aizen's oncoming thrusts, letting out soft moans and whimpers all the while. Aizen's mouth relocated itself to Gin's earlobe, pulling the tender flesh between his teeth, and nibbling softly. Gin tilted his head to the side, allowing the older man better access, and Aizen moved to suck on the silver-haired youth's neck, littering bruises and red patches across his skin.

"A-Aizen-sama..!!" Gin whined, bucking his hips against his lover. He could feel his imminent orgasm approaching quickly, and knew he wouldn't last much longer. "I'm…goin' ta…"

"Going to cum?" Aizen supplied, smirking. When Gin could only nod feebly in response, the brunette's smile only widened. Keeping one arm wrapped securely around Gin's waist, he brought the other in between their joined bodies, to enclose his hand around the youth's throbbing cock, and began pumping him along with his own steady rhythm of thrusts. "Go ahead. Show me how much you love me."

Gin winced at the mocking tone of his lover's voice, but those words - accompanied by the older man's practiced actions - were more than enough to finally send Gin over the edge. Crying out sharply, he spilled his seed over their stomachs. His body, weak from the exertion, went limp against Aizen's strong frame. He rested his head on his master's shoulder, even while the man still continued to plunder his strained body. Finally - in what seemed like forever, but was really just mere moments - Aizen came as well, filling Gin with his semen, with no more than a soft grunt.

Slowly, Aizen lay them back down, and pulled out of Gin with a sigh. He stood from the bed, and made his way to the bathroom. "I'll get some wet cloths, to clean up."

Gin merely nodded weakly, his eyes shifting in and out of focus. He was exhausted - both from the sex, and the mental trauma he'd been putting himself through for the majority of the day. He groaned, and rolled over in the bed, trying hard to stay awake for when Aizen would return. He wanted desperately to talk with his lover; to tell the man everything - confess to his sin…and he was prepared to accept any punishment that would be given.

He fell asleep long before Aizen's return.

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When Gin woke up the next morning, Aizen was already gone. Or perhaps, he'd never come back to bed in the first place. Gin didn't know. Slowly, he sat up and stretched his aching body. Once his back, and all the rest of his joints, had been cracked to his satisfaction, he stood, and picked his yukata up from the floor; slipping it on, and tying it around his slim frame. He walked to the door, gripped the handle, and after taking a few deep breaths, he pushed it open, and walked out into the hallway. He ignored the stares - and much to his dismay, the catcalls and leers - from the few Arrancar that passed him on his way to his own room. He soon became lost in his mind, the many thoughts swirling around in his head, keeping his distracted from what was going on around him. Then suddenly…

"Watch where you're fuckin' going!"

Gin snapped back into reality, and looked up, coming face-to-face with a very pissed off Sexta. Gin scratched lightly at his shoulder where Grimmjow had shoved him backward; the material slipping down to reveal his pale, marred skin. It was then that the teal-haired Espada seemed to realize just what Gin was wearing, and where he'd been coming from.

"Heh. So, it's true, is it? You're Aizen's little whore." Grimmjow smirked, noting how Gin's fingers clenched just a bit. Realizing he'd hit a nerve, the Sexta decided to keep going. His eyes roamed over Gin's slight body in an obvious fashion. "Damn….never mind Aizen..why don't ya come to my room some time? I'll fuck ya like a real man."

"Shut yer mouth."

"Come on. I know you'll like it." Grimmjow's smile widened, and he took a few steps toward Gin, effectively backing him against the wall. "What does he call you in bed? I'm sure whatever it is, I can give ya a better nickname."

"Shut up..!"

"How do ya like it best; on your back, or on your knees?"

"I said ta SHUT the FUCK UP!!" Gin growled, roughly shoving Grimmjow backwards. His eyes were open, and he sent the Sexta the most menacing glare he could muster. "I am NOT in the mood fer yer bullshit! Now jus' leave me the fuck alone!!" With that, Gin stormed off to his room, leaving a crowd of gaping, open-mouthed Arrancar in his wake; some scrambling to get out of his way, should they incur his wrath.

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The meeting was just as boring as the last one..and the one before that..and the one…wait. That one was pretty interesting. But nonetheless, Gin was now bored out of his mind. He stood in his usual spot, behind Aizen, and slightly to his right. Out of habit, he was chewing on his nail, when suddenly, some of Aizen's words caught his attention.

"…a small group of you. I want Halibel, Nnoitra, and Szayel to go out, and examine the damage. Stealth is essential at this point. Once you have tallied the dead, and the wounded - on our side and theirs - burn the bodies. I don't want Kurotsuchi-taichou to be able to gather any information on our soldiers. When you have finished, report back to me. Gin will lead you. I want you all to embark immediately. The rest of you are dismissed." Once he'd indicated he was finished talking, the Espada - save the few who'd been selected for the mission - all stood and left the room. Aizen himself stood from his chair, and began making his way to the door. Before he could get to it, Gin ran to his side, and put a hand on the man's arm.

"Aizen-sama, wait."

Aizen looked at Gin, no emotion showing on his face, save for a raised eyebrow. "What is it, Gin? You have work to do."

"Aizen-sama, I…" Gin looked down at his feet. "I got ta talk ta ya. It's…it's real important."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait. Now do as I have instructed you to."

"But Aizen-sama-"

"That will be all, Gin." Aizen shook him off, and left the room without another word.

"Yes, Aizen-sama…" Gin whispered to thin air. Putting his mask back in place, he turned to the rest of the group. "Now, let's git goin', shall we? I'd like ta be back b'fore dinner."

xoxox xoxox xoxox

"So far, there are thirty-two dead, and forty-eight wounded, on their side."

"An' how many on ours?"

Szayel lowered his eyes, and crossed his arms over his chest, unconsciously moving closer to Nnoitra, who eyed him with barely concealed worry. "Ninety-four dead, and one-hundred-sixty-nine wounded," he finally whispered.

"Goddamn," Gin muttered, tightening his grip on Shinsou. "Halibel-san, could ya be so kind as ta start us a nice, big fire? We need ta burn the corpses." He paused, then added, "All of them."

"Why all of 'em?" grumbled Nnoitra, crossing his arms. "Why should we show that kinda respect to the Shinigami? It's their own stupid fault they're dead."

Szayel sighed, and lightly smacked his lover's arm. "It's all in the science, Nnoitra-sama. If they perform autopsies on the bodies, it's likely they could gain useful information on how we work, and the differences in our individual powers. Now, if they get down to the molecular level-"

"Shut up, jus' shut up," Nnoitra growled, placing a hand over Szayel's mouth. "Yer givin' me a fuckin' headache with all yer science shit. It's all hogwash to me, ya know that."

Szayel narrowed his eyes, and grumbled a few barely coherent curses from beneath the Quinta's hand. Finally, Nnoitra released the youth, and Szayel pouted up at him. "Maybe if you opened up a book, once in a while, it wouldn't be!"

Nnoitra sighed, and threw his hands dramatically into the air. "Well forgive me, fer bein' stupid! Not everyone's as smart as you are, oh mighty Szayel-Aporro!"

"Ha! You're calling me "mighty"!? Need I remind you what you made me-"

"Tha's 'nuff!!" Gin finally hissed, turning to face the two quarreling lovers. "Ya'll give our position away, if ya dun shut up!"

"Sorry," Szayel mumbled, looking away. Nnoitra merely grunted, and kicked at the sand.

"Ehh…dun worry 'bout it. Let's jus' keep-" Gin broke off mid-sentence, as he felt a powerful surge of reiatsu, from all around them. Apparently, the others felt it as well, for they all drew their Zanpaku-to. "On guard!" Gin called to them.

In the next few moments, five Shinigami appeared, surrounding them from all sides. Amongst their ranks, were Kira Izuru, and Matsumoto Rangiku. The aforementioned Shinigami stood in front of Gin, and Szayel, respectively. Flanking them were Halibel and Nnoitra; the first standing calmly, as she stared menacingly at Hisagi Shuuhei, while Nnoitra and Zaraki Kenpachi literally had their weapons at each other's throats.

"Ichimaru-taichou…"

"'Ello, Kira," Gin greeted cheerfully, quickly slipping back into his carefree facade. "What're ya doin' all the way out here?"

"In case ya haven't noticed, Ichimaru, there's a war going on," supplied Zaraki, his sadistic grin matching Nnoitra's menacing glare in potency.

"Oh, I've noticed. But we ain't here ta fight, we're jus' here ta cremate the bodies."

Zaraki threw his head back, and cackled into the sky. "Since when do you have the decency of mind to do something like that?"

"Since Aizen-sama ordered me ta, tha's when."

"Does he…" Rangiku finally spoke up, but paused, seeming to debate with herself, before continuing hesitantly. "Does he really mean more to you than..we do?" She'd wanted to say 'I", but thought better of it.

Gin's smile fell, and his face took on a rather serious expression. "Ya dun got one clue of how complicated this all is, Ran. Sure, ya was always important ta me, but he…I jus'…it's different. Ya'd never understand. An' even if ya did, ya wouldn't want ta. Ya wouldn't want me ta feel tha' way."

While Rangiku was left confused by those words, Shuuhei seemed to catch on instantly. "It's not just loyalty you feel for that man…it's more," he stated calmly. "Am I correct?"

"What are you saying?" Rangiku's eyes widened in disbelieve, as she started to catch on. "Gin can't-"

"But I can, ya see," Ichimaru interrupted, nodding solemnly. "An' I do. My place is no longer with ya. It's here, by his side."

"More like, in his bed," Nnoitra snickered, despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Nnoitra-sama!!" Szayel admonished, raising a hand to smack the older man. His sudden outburst and unexpected movement startled Rangiku, and she reacted naturally, as any good Shinigami would. Before Szayel could even make contact, Haineko was sticking out through his abdomen, heavy rivulets of blood streaming out of his stomach. In shock, the effeminate man looked down at the sword-end sticking out of his body. Suddenly, the pain and realization hit him, and his knees buckled, causing him to fall forward – Matsumoto's Zanpaku-to sliding out of him with a sickening sound – and right into Nnoitra's arms.

Nnoitra stared down at his lover in absolute horror; his visible eye wide and frantic, as he knelt down, holding the scientist in his lap. The Quinta held Szayel upright with one arm, while pressing his other hand down tight against the gushing wound, hoping to staunch the heavy flow of blood.

"Szayel...baby, ya gotta stay with me! Don't ya dare fuckin' close yer eyes!"

"Nnoi-" Szayel attempted to speak, but was cut off by a fit of coughs that ravaged his body, causing a bit of blood to spray out of his mouth. Weakly, he reached a hand up to touch Nnoitra's cheek. "It's…okay, Nnoitra-sama… I'm…okay."

"No…no, ya ain't okay." Nnoitra turned his face towards Rangiku, his lips curling into an angry snarl. "See what ya did! What the FUCK did ya do that for!? If he dies, I'm gonna fuckin' kill ya, bitch! Hell, I'll kill ya anyway!!"

"I'm…I didn't…" Matsumoto stuttered, not sure of what to say, or how to react to the situation. "I thought he was going to attack!"

"Why you-!"

"Nnoitra-sama…p-please stop…" Szayel tugged weakly at the collar of Nnoitra's jacket, instantly grabbing the man's attention. His eyes were only half open, and blood streaked his lips. His naturally pale skin was even whiter than usual, making him look almost like a ghost. His small body was shaking; trembling with the effort to stay conscious.

"Szayel…" Nnoitra leant down and pressed his lips against Szayel's bloodied ones, making sure to be extremely gentle. "Szayel, stay with me."

"…love you…" Szayel whispered, closing his eyes.

Gin could only stare in shock, as Szayel's hand fell limply to his side. He could only observe with a grimace, as Nnoitra let out a howl of extreme anguish, while the man rose to his feet. He could only yell for him to stop, as Nnoitra turned towards Zaraki, Santa Teresa held tightly in his hands. Gin could only shout out a warning, as Zaraki grinned excitedly, and raised his Zanpaku-to high above his head. And he could only watch in horror, as Nnoitra fell; the two sides of his body splitting apart, and landing with a soft thud in the sand.

Gin blinked, his senses coming back to him. "Halibel, retreat! Now!!"

The blonde woman nodded, using Sonido to escape back to Las Noches. Gin turned to face Rangiku, a deep scowl on his face. He even cracked his eyes open, for an intimidating effect. "See what ya've done? Ya jus' caused the meaningless murder of two men! Hope yer proud o' yerself, Ran."

Rangiku just stared at the carnage, her eyes wide with shock, as Gin flash-stepped back to safety.

xoxox xoxox xoxox

"So…you mean to tell me that two Espada have been lost, just because you were unprepared? And on a data-gathering mission, no less?"

Gin nodded gravely, keeping his head down. The remaining Espada - along with Gin, Tousen, and Aizen himself - were gathered in the meeting hall; each one trying to keep their eyes off of the two empty seats at the table. Aizen stood, and walked up to Gin, stopping only when their faces were a mere hair's width apart.

"Do you have a liable excuse for this?"

"…no, Aizen-sama. I…dun got none."

Aizen stared down at Gin for a moment, and everyone held their breath, waiting to see what would happen. Then in less than the blink of an eye, Aizen raised his hand, and Gin was sent flying into a wall, the resounding of a slap in the air. Nearly everyone's eyes widened, and a few gasped. Gin let himself crumple to the floor, and stayed there; too overwhelmed with the day's events to care much about anything.

"As all of you know," Aizen began, "I do not take failure well. Hopefully, this will teach you all to be more careful, and competent. And most of all…" He looked to Gin, meeting the youth's distressed gaze, "you will learn to get. Things. Done. The way I expect you to. And do be more careful out there…as it seems we no longer have a doctor. Dismissed."

Once everyone had left the room, Aizen stalked up to Gin, and grabbed the youth by the collar, hoisting him up. "Come with me. It appears you need to be taught another lesson on obedience."

Gin could only nod feebly, as his master pulled him out and down the hall, and into his room.

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-Three days later-

Outside the palace…was a bloodbath; plain and simple. Though really, it wasn't simple at all. Everywhere he looked, Gin could see nothing but bodies…corpses strewn about in disarray…severed limbs, and Kami-only-knows what else, littered across the dunes, as far as the eye could see. He was so horrified with the sight bestowed upon him, that he paid barely any mind to where he was walking. So naturally, when his foot slid out from beneath him, and he tumbled to the ground, he snapped back to his senses.

"Aww….disgustin'!!" He stood up from the pool of seemingly fresh blood he'd slipped into, and shook his hands, before wiping them on his already soiled hakama. "So…fuckin'…gross!"

"Gin. Get a hold of yourself," commanded Aizen in a stern voice, pausing to look at him. "This isn't the first time you've been covered in blood."

"Right…" Gin grumbled, looking at his red-stained hands in absolute disgust. "Sorry…"

"Good." Aizen nodded, and turned back towards the distant sound of the battle that was still raging. "Now come. I wish to put an end to this."

Gin nodded, and – along with the remaining Espada; Halibel, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Stark – followed Aizen to the rampant battlegrounds.

xoxox xoxox xoxox

Gin swiped the back of his wrist across his forehead, wiping off the persperatiion that had gathered there. He hadn't slept for over twenty-four hours, and was exhausted by this point; both mentally, physically...and emotionally. Though he'd tried his utmost to avoid confrontation, he'd had no choice but to fight with many Shinigami – some of them he had known personally – and it had all resulted in their deaths. They'd lost Halibel and Grimmjow, and the remaining two were nowhere to be seen. Aizen was off Kami-knows-where, fighting his own battle. Just as Gin was about to lean against a tree, and hopefully catch some rest, a voice rattled his thoughts.

"So it's come down to us, has it?"

Ichimaru snapped his head up, and found Rangiku standing a mere five-or-so feet away. How he'd not sensed her approach, was beyond him.

"I dun want ta fight ya, Ran. I won't."

"But you have to," insisted the woman darkly. "I don't want to fight you either, but…you switched sides. As much I wish it weren't so, you are the enemy now. And there're only so many people left who could fight you, and survive. Unfortunately, I'm one of those few."

"So…" Gin drawled, stretching his lanky arms above his head. "Yer countin' on our 'friendship' ta save ya, tha' it?"

"Not necessarily," she corrected, her orange locks bouncing on her shoulders as she shook her head. "I'm prepared to die, as long as I can drag you down with me."

"Ran…this is more complex than ya know. Ya dun know the half of what's goin' on; what's been goin' on fer the past couple years. There's more ta it than ya know….but ya'll find out soon 'nuff, as will everyone else. Dun fight me…ya'll only regret it."

"You're right, Gin." Matsumoto sighed, and shook her head sadly. "I will regret it. …Which is why I plan on dying with you."

"No," Gin said curtly, almost loud enough to be considered a yell. "No, ya absolutely will not. I ain't goin' ta fight ya! How many fuckin' times do I need ta say tha', b'fore ya git it through yer thick skull!?"

"You will fight me, Gin. Whether either of us likes it, or not. This needs to end, and I can't think of any better solution, than to kill you myself. No one else would have the guts to."

"Ran….please." Gin would resort to begging, if he had to. He didn't like the idea of revealing such weakness to anyone but his love, but if this was his last chance… She drew her Zanpaku-to, and stepped forward. As much as he wanted to run away from it all, Gin stood his ground, unwilling to show that he was afraid. And he was, indeed, very much afraid.

But she kept on approaching him, with steady, confident steps; Haineko held proudly at her side. Her hand was steady, flawless…but her eyes, Gin noted with a start, were filled with tears, ready to burst forth.

"Gin…I'm sorry!" she cried, suddenly rushing forward. She made to swing the sword down from the left, and just as Gin dodged, she activated her Zanpaku-to's shikai. "Unare, Haineko!!"

Gin just barely managed to evade what could very well have been a fatal attack; the slash across the left side of his face was just a flesh wound – nothing to worry about. Though, the blood now dripping into his eye, might prove to be a problem later. Gin jumped back, wiping at his face with his sleeve, but still he refused to draw out Shinsou.

"Why won't you fight me!?" Rangiku all but screamed, tears of frustration and torment running down her cheeks. "Just fight me, and put an end to this madness!"

"Killing each other will not end your pain, Matsumoto-san," interrupted Aizen, walking slowly up to them. His hakama was torn in places, and his jacket was missing completely. His chest was littered with small burns and scrapes, but nothing appeared to be damaged to the point of incapacitation. "Is that truly how you want to leave this world; killing the only person who's ever really known you? Who's ever really been there for you?"

"S-stop!" Rangiku yelled, calling her shikai back to her side. "He betrayed me! He made me trust him…love him! And then he left me alone! He deserves to die for what he's done, and so do I, because I let it happen!!"

"If you want to die that badly, Matsumoto-san, then I'll gladly rid you of your pathetic life myself. But I will not let you take Gin away from me."

Gin stared at the two, his crimson eyes wide in fear. This was exactly what he'd been afraid of. Now he would have to choose between the woman he grew up with, and the man he loved. As Aizen walked steadily forward, advancing closer and closer to Rangiku, the world seemed to work in slow motion for Gin. He watched, terrified, as his lover raised his Zanpaku-to to the only woman Gin had ever given a damn about; while his mind worked frantically for a solution. If he didn't stop Aizen now, Rangiku would die, and while it was unlikely that that would stop Gin from continuing to love him, it would for sure create some animosity, and much guilt. And even that may not happen, for there were still many Shinigami, and so very few remaining followers of Aizen. They would lose, and most likely, the Arrancar, Aizen, and Gin himself, would all be put to death, before the eyes of all of Seireitei. Or worse yet, they would be slaughtered, and left here to rot like the scum everyone thought them to be.

But if he did intervene…the only thing he could think to do, to save Rangiku, and many other countless lives…was to complete his initial mission…and take the life of the man he'd come to love more than anything. Wouldn't it be better - if Aizen had to leave this world - for him to die by the hands of the one person who truly loved him, so unconditionally? Would Gin want him to die by any other hand, if living was no longer an option? If he did this..he could go back home…get on with his life…or if existing without his lover proved to be too much for him, he could commit Seppuku, and be at peace, to be reborn again, and perhaps be with Aizen again, in better times. If he did this…Rangiku would live.

That one thought progressed and grew; taking over Gin's mind and body, as he rushed forward. "Ikorose…Shinsou!!!"

The next few moments were a blur for him. His Shikai shot forward with dead precision, taking Aizen by surprise, and piercing through the man's chest from the back. Aizen's eyes went wide, and a choked gasp left his throat, and he came to a halt; his muscles giving out, and causing him to fall to his knees.

Rangiku stood still from shock, trembling slightly as she watched the scene unfold. Gin had just…saved her. The man she'd been trying to destroy, killed his own lover, to protect…her.

When reality suddenly came rushing back to him, and the effect of what he'd just done reached his mind, Gin let out an anguished wail, the sound of his scream echoing for miles. The mask he'd worn for years broke, and tears were soon pouring out from his open eyes, in such magnitude that it seemed they might never stop. He rushed to Aizen's side, pulling the dying man into his arms, and leaning over him, sobbing like there was no tomorrow.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" he wailed, rocking back and forth. "I love ya….I love ya…I love ya, I love ya, I love ya….." He went on and on like that for what could have been anywhere from mere minutes, to many hours. Time no longer had any meaning to him. It was all over…until a hand reached up to cup his face gently, wiping away some of the tears, though it was in vain. Gin hiccupped lightly, and looked into Aizen's eyes; his own still releasing a river of tears.

"G-Gin…" Aizen smiled softly, his eyes crinkling warmly, like they used to…way back in the beginning. "You are…"

For a moment, Gin thought that Aizen had understood, and forgiven him. But the man's next words would only shatter Gin's fragile heart all over again.

"..a…traitor."

And then his eyes closed, and his hand fell limply to his side.

Another tormented sob left Gin's mouth, and he hunched over Aizen's body; holding onto the man's cold hand, as if he would never let it go. Suddenly, another body - this time warm and living - was pressed up against him, arms wrapping tightly around his waist, and pulling him close; a hand running gently through his hair. He barely registered her presence.

"Gin…Gin, I'm so sorry..! I'm so sorry, I didn't know! You...were only trying to protect me…" Rangiku could feel her own eyes welling up with tears, for Gin's sacrifice, and what this whole war had cost him. He'd been on their side all along, but no longer knew which way to turn. "Gin, I'm so sorry…"

She held him like that for a long time; just how long, neither of them knew. Finally, she pulled away. "Gin…"

That's when he felt it. The reiatsu of hundreds of Shinigami; all surrounding him, but all emitting peaceful waves, meant to calm him, not harm him. They were here as friends, once again. He looked up - tears coming to his eyes for a second time - just as the Soutaichou came to a stop in front of him.

"Ichimaru Gin." Yamamoto-soutaichou's voice was loud and clear reverberating across over the crowd of Shinigami. "…it's time to come home."

xoxox xoxox xoxox

Author's Note: ...... -bawls hysterically- OMZ!!!! Tha' KILLED me ta write!! Well, not literally, obviously, or i wouldn't be able ta post this. But...but...SZAYEL!!!!! o.0 An'...an'...Nnoitra-sama!! An'.....an'.........an'.......AIZEN-SAMAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! -wails- Tha's THREE outta my five favorite characters, who i killed off. Oh wait...i left Ulqui missin', didn't i? I'm so cruel...i dun deserve ta write fanfiction..... WAT!?!? No...jus' no. Dun worry, my dears, for i'll NEVER stop!!! Writin' is my LIFE (or lack, thereof.... D: )

By the way, did anyone expect tha'? Or, was it a complete shock all around? Either way, it dun matter. I'm jus' curious. -nodnod-

See ya in the Epilogue? :D