NO. I don't own--aww...DON'T make me say it again...

NOTES:

Each division of the Gotei 13 is broken down into ranks. The captain (taichou) is the highest in the division, and also known as 1st seat. The vice-captain (fuku-taichou) is the 2nd seat. In addiction to captain and vice-captain, seats 3 through 5 are senior officer ranks. Seats 6 through 20 can be considered junior officers, with 20th seat being the lowest rank. Below the officers are the unseated shinigami who do not hold any rank.

shoji are sideways-sliding doors usually found in traditional Japanese houses
tatami are straw mats used as flooring in traditional Japanese homes
seiza is a formal way of sitting: on the knees, sitting back on the heels with the tops of the feet on the floor

…to Endure

This was the busiest night the Fourth Division intensive care unit had had since Aizen's escape from Soul Society. Division captain Unohana worked tirelessly, pouring over research in book after book. She had all 4 senior officers, from her vice-captain Isane down to 5th seat, in the library pulling more books and relaying them to her in shifts. Next to her, they were the most knowledgeable in what information she would need. Officers holding seats 6 through 15 were charged with prepping the Omega Room, used only for high risk operations. Monitoring equipment was needed in order to supervise the patients' brain activity. Countless cords and wires needed to be plugged in to the correct ports, circuits need to be connected and power cells charged; everything required the utmost precision and proficiency. It was tiresome work, but these officers were the lowest qualified rank who could be spared to do it. The remaining 5 junior officers, seats 16 through 20, were instructed to care for Hinamori, who continued to scream throughout the night after Hitsugaya returned to his division for his own preparation.

Light from the flickering candles danced behind the paper on the shoji door. Matsumoto Rangiku stood in the shadows of the dark, narrow hallway, watching the door and waiting. Her captain needed his time alone. According to him when he returned an hour ago, Unohana's instructions were absolute.

"Please return to your division, Hitsugaya-taichou. If we begin preparations at once, we can be ready in five hours."
"I can help you."
"No. You have your own preparation. A mind must be clear of all questions and doubt before it enters another or it will only hinder progress. Please return to your quarters, meditate on the task ahead, and clear your mind. We will be ready an hour past midnight."

Rangiku knew she couldn't intrude on his meditation. It was too important. But her heart cried out for her captain's pain. She wanted to comfort him, to be there for him. She silently slid the shoji open a crack and gazed in awe at the young man she saw. The tatami room was bathed in the soft yellow glow of candlelight. He sat in seiza with his back to the door, facing a simple scroll hanging on the wall in the alcove. He had shed his traditional shinigami uniform and adorned a stunning ebony layrobe with hints of a pure white kimono underneath. The rich black, without the white captain's cloak he usually wore, contrasted his beautiful snowy hair. The look was very becoming. Had she not known his age, she would never have guessed this young man was 150 years her junior.

She could not see his face, but the silence and stillness that surrounded him told her he was at peace. The wide sleeves of the robe draped out from his sides onto the floor as he sat in contemplation. First he would reflect on the method of the procedure, then on the strength of his connection with Hinamori. Finally he would clear his mind of all thoughts and take the final step in preparation for what was to come. That's what he had said. He wasn't to be bothered for the entire four hours.

Four whole hours. She slid the shoji closed again and sighed. Poor taichou. He knows what might happen. She was scared for him, but deep down she had hope. Unlike most people, she knew his true strength. He was a fighter. He would never stop, never rest, until that which he cherished was safe. On the outside he was a cocky boy with an attitude most regarded as immature, but on the inside he was so much more. Always trying harder, always reaching further, he never settled for 'good enough.' Hitsugaya Toushirou was a perfectionist when it came to his own effort. Always follow through. Always be better than you are now…not just the best you can be. You can always be better. He was never good enough. Maybe that's why he excelled through the academy so quickly. From the beginning he strove to be better…better…

Taichou…


Hinamori…

Histugaya sat, eyes straight ahead, staring at nothing. His face showed no sign of stress, but the thoughts clouding his mind swam in chaos. Two and a half hours had passed. He had been over and over the steps.

Establish a connection…concentrate my reiatsu and focus on her. Focus on the memory that brought us closest together. Her mind is in a weakened state but she can still reject me. I need the strongest memory that connects us in order to give me the best chance of binding my lifeforce to hers. Give her as little reason as possible to resist me. Make her recognize me. No matter what the illusion shows her…if I reveal that memory, surround her with my reiatsu, she should still know it's me. And if I'm lucky, given what she's been seeing lately, she'll run to me…to what she knows is safe…
Once I'm inside…I've got to find her. She'll run from the pain. I'll have to act quickly. Draw her to me. But I must not trust anything I see. Feel to find her, but be wary because feelings are illusion too.
When I've found her…Guide her out. She must be convinced that what she sees is an illusion. If she cannot believe, she cannot break free…

He poured over all he knew about dispelling illusory techniques, but his knowledge on this matter was vague. All he could hope for was that he retained the presence of mind to act quickly and make use of the knowledge he had. He didn't want to think about what would happen if he couldn't get through to her. He wouldn't think on it. He focused on the scroll in front of him. I won't fail. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly to calm his nerves. His breathing relaxed to an even slower pace as his mind probed, searching for a memory…

Rangiku knotted her fingers as she waited and watched the door.Luckily she hadn't had to stop anyone. She didn't want to speak, even in the hallway, for fear of disturbing her captain. These were his private rooms to which he sometimes retreated at the end of long days. No one was allowed in the captain's quarters, but she watched the corridor just in case. It's almost time. Taichou, I hope you know what you're doing. She was nervous. Of course she wanted Hinamori-chan back, but her captain was taking a great risk by going after her. 'Soul binding' was a very dangerous procedure. It had only been performed a handful of times- only once since she could remember, and that time was…

She was in her second year at the academy when her class was scheduled to observe a soul binding to enhance their knowledge of the demon arts. Class 2B had quietly filed into the Omega Room observation platform twenty feet above the floor. The room was large and circular, white walls climbing up and up. It had a very empty feeling, but that was necessary. No distractions.
None of the students dared utter a sound even behind the double-plated glass. They were instructed well beforehand how absolute silence was necessary for the medics to work efficiently, especially during the initial binding process. They stood and watched for three hours. Many were getting bored, whispering that there was nothing to watch. "They're just lying there…They're not doing anything…" All that could be said for progress or lack thereof was the symphony of chirrups and beeps made by the equipment once both patients were under.

Suddenly a strange sound split the silence. It was coming from one of the men strapped to the table down below. A strangled voice escaped his lips, sputtered, cracked and escalated into a piercing scream. Rangiku reflexively covered her ears. She hated it when men screamed… It was the most agonizing sound in the world to her. It scared her. She stared, horrified at the man beginning to thrash on the table. The whispering around her intensified, "What's going on?" "What happened?" "Didn't it work?" Chaos seemed to take control for a few moments before their professor quieted them as best he could and explained. "Sometimes when a mind cannot be extracted in time, the two minds can be lost in the host for good. Unfortunately, in this case, due to the presence of another consciousness he couldn't recognize, the host went insane. After a certain amount of time spent in another's subconscious, a mind becomes irretrievable. The body cannot live without the mind, so clearly, if the mind is not extracted in time, the body will expire without it. That is what makes this such a dangerous technique…for both people involved."

A terrible foreboding stirred in her chest, a tightness that only intensified as she feared for her captain's safety. The time limit… She laid her hand to her pounding heart and took a deep breath to try to calm herself.

The sudden sound and movement in the shadowy hallway startled her. Hitsugaya emerged from the candlelit room and paused as he saw her there. No surprise leapt across his face; he stared at her only for a moment before turning away and continuing at a slow pace down the darkened hallway. She faltered as he left. She was used to his scrutinizing gaze, but those eyes penetrated her. They were so solemn…but piercing, as if seeing right through her. She began to follow when she remembered the candles. She shifted those disconcerting eyes to the back of her mind momentarily and hesitated on the threshold of the tatami room. Rangiku had never entered this room before. She had always considered it forbidden. It belonged to her captain and he alone used it. …well…I can just put out the candles… As she tiptoed inside, the scroll in the alcove caught her attention.

"…nin…shinobi…" she mused. It was the character used in 'ninjutsu,' but it also had another meaning.
"To endure…" she said aloud. "Taichou…" She snuffed the candles between her thumb and forefinger and stole away into the darkness to follow her captain.

She caught up with him as he was about to leave for Fourth Division. She didn't say anything, not wanting to disturb his peace of mind and fell in step, one pace behind. He stopped. She did the same and waited for his permission to follow. I'm going with you Taichou, whether you like it or not. Is what she wanted to say. She hoped that her actions spoke enough for her. When he resumed his pace again she followed suit, much relieved. It was alright with him. She could come too.

If she only she knew the relief he felt wash over him at her approaching footsteps. He wasn't alone.
Thank you, Matsumoto…for now. But soon…the time will come when you can't follow me. Nor would I allow it, even if you could…

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

OK! Fourth chapter done! More was supposed to happen in this chapter, but I didn't want to make it too long. But I ended up writing so much that I decided to split my original "4th chapter" into two parts. Chapter 5 will be coming soon as it is almost finished.

Aside from that, thank you to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate your comments! Constructive criticism is welcome! Review please!