NOTES:

Kidou are the demon arts shinigami use in addition to physical attacks and zanpakutou (soul slayer) abilities.

If you've read the manga or seen the anime, you'll know that Shikai is the initial release of a zanpakutou, or soul slayer. Bankai is the final release. In Bankai form, it's power increases ten fold. Generally only the captain class have enough skill and experience to possess Bankai.

Finding You

The Fourth Division headquarters loomed in the darkness ahead. At the distant rumble she assumed was thunder, Rangiku couldn't help but look at the sky. Menacing storm clouds tumbled their way across the even blacker expanse of nothingness above. Heh…releasing the chaos from your mind and giving it to the sky, huh Taichou. That's so like you…

When they reached the gates one of the meek, undistinguished Fourth Division recruits was standing to greet them. Upon seeing the two sober faces slowly approach, he looked at the ground and kicked his feet. Maybe he was nervous too.
He shrunk back. "This way please…" He led them through the front hall and into Unohana's office.

"Come." Her gentle voice was muffled by the closed door. They entered, and after an overly polite bow, the jumpy recruit scuttled from the room. "Are you ready, Hitsugaya-taichou?"

The young captain nodded gravely, his hardened expression never changing. Rangiku glanced down at his face, remembering the penetrating gaze that troubled her earlier. His eyes were cold. Dead. There was no glint of that cheeky mischievousness in them now. Now that she thought about it, there hadn't been for awhile. She never fully realized how much light had left them since Hinamori slept. All of a sudden it hit her. She knew what was different. Over the past year something about him had changed.

Since becoming Captain of the 10th division, he had many responsibilities. However, the young man who stood next to her was someone who took on the weight of something immense. She had noticed the change in his eyes from the beginning, but she never completely realized the weight of the matter.
He lived for the sake of another – only one other.
Such an undertaking ages a person. You can no longer only be strong for yourself, but by taking on another's burdens, their pain – their sorrow, you therefore contend to be their strength as well.

Rangiku still didn't know the whole truth: that this had been the case her captain's whole life. Ever since he began his life in that little old shack with the woman he called "granny" and the girl who wet the bed. Ever since she went off to the academy to become a shinigami- to follow after that man. Ever since he became old enough and didn't need her to take care of him. He swore that one day he'd be the one to take care of her. He would be the one protecting her. So he trained. With such a natural talent and enormous spiritual power for someone his size—and age—he entered the academy and excelled far beyond his classmates, finally taking the rank of Captain. He wouldn't be Shirou-chan any longer. He was Hitsugaya-taichou. He finally had the power to protect her.

…but he had failed…

He was two minutes too late. Rangiku had guessed how haunted he was by his failure outside Room 46, for she had her own demons to come to terms with. What she didn't know was the second oath he had made that day upon finding Hinamori crumpled and bleeding to death on the floor. He swore at that moment that his own life was worth absolutely nothing if he couldn't protect that girl. His failure at doing the one thing he worked for more than a century to be able to do had shattered him. Though he survived the injury he received from Aizen, a large piece of him died that day. The light in his soul that was connected to her was smothered and snuffed out the moment she didn't wake up. And he knew it was his fault.

All this, reflected now in those lifeless eyes. He had changed. There was no question about that. But those eyes were what disturbed her most of all…

"Shall we begin?" Unohana continued gently. "Preparations are complete." She observed another nod from the smaller captain and said, "Very well. Come with me."
They exited the office, and she led them down the hall, through a maze of corridors, and finally down a descending spiral of polished stone steps. Rangiku's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the path they were taking. She had known where they were going, but these stairs brought the memories of that day rushing back.

As they rounded the corner at the bottom, she fought the urge to turn and run when she saw those steel reinforced doors towering above her. She hated that room. She didn't want to go in. But the desire to be strong for her captain overpowered her anxiety.

The hinges groaned as the heavy doors swung slowly open. Hitsugaya turned to her, and for the first time she saw a hint of that light flit back into his eyes as he said, "Matsumoto…thank you." She knew he genuinely meant it. He had never looked at her that way before. She smiled back. "I've left instructions back at division headquarters. There's a stack of paperwo…"

"I'm sorry, Taichou," she interrupted. "I'm staying here. You can write me up if you wish, but I'd prefer to stay with you for this."

Hitsugaya was taken aback for a second. Then to his vice-captain's surprise, he smiled, closed his eyes and sighed. "As you wish."

They entered the Omega room. It was as if Rangiku was back in class 2B. Nothing had changed. The walls were just as stark white as they were when she first stepped through those doors. Hitsugaya didn't bother looking around. His focus was right in front of them. Hinamori. She was strapped to an operating table toward the center of the round room. She looked as if she had just calmed down from another fit. Her face was still wet with tears. Unohana turned to face Hitsugaya, a grave expression on her face.
"Hinamori fuku-taichou's episodes are becoming more frequent. I'm afraid time is working against us. I can allow you at most only three hours. It would be unwise to remain connected to her any longer than that."

"I understand."

She continued. "She is in a weakened state now. I should be able to control some of her reiatsu during the binding spell and help lower her resistance to you. Anyway, we must get started. Every moment we waste she is retreating further and further into herself. Let us begin."

Hitsugaya cast off the heavy black layrobe finally revealing the pure white kimono he wore underneath. It was beautiful but simple. White on white, he almost disappeared into the colorless room. Fourth Division junior officers strapped him in as he laid down on the neighboring table. They carefully placed the electrodes on his head and chest to measure his brain waves and heart rate. He looked to his right at Hinamori and took her hand. Hold on…I'm coming.

Unohana nodded to her vice-captain Isane who cast a barrier around the room. Rangiku stood to the side and glanced up at the observation platform high above. She silently prayed that it would be quick, and her captain would come back safely.
With everything in place, emergency staff standing-by around the perimeter of the room, Unohana moved to the head of Hinamori's table, crossed her palms an inch above the girl's face and began her recitation. "Northern Star, Southern Cross. Shining Sun, Blackened Earth. Reveal the shadowed path…"
Histugaya closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing his spiritual energy toward the girl beside him.
The Fourth Division captain lowered her hands, palms inward on either side of Hinamori's head. "Binding spell: 112. Spirit Gate unites the flowing Heart."

He focused. He tried with all his might to direct his reiatsu and thoughts toward that one memory. He had to appeal to her. Remember, Hinamori. You know me. It's-
He could feel something. Moving through the depths of his mind…waves of feeling, gradually getting stronger. What's is that? It happened again. It felt like…pain. Waves of pain. Her pain…rushing through him. Pushing him back, further and further away. It hurts… Hinamori, no… It's me!

The monitors and equipment clicked and beeped faster and faster…the tension in the room intensified along with the buzzing of the machines. The cacophony rose to an earsplitting level. Suddenly, a flash of light blinded all the shinigami in the Omega Room. Hitsugaya screamed as he was hurled back into consciousness. Rangiku and the other shinigami were pushed toward the wall, shielding their faces with their arms. As the flare dissipated and the machines quieted, Rangiku hurried over to her captain's side. "Taichou…!"

Hinamori had released a kidou blast while unconscious. Rangiku quickly unstrapped Hitsugaya's restraints. He sat bolt upright on the table, a hand clutched to his chest. She had rejected him. What now? I failed again.
A moment of silence passed. "Hitsugaya-taichou." Unohana's voice was kind. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind some assistance. Matsumoto fuku-taichou…"

"Yes ma'am." Rangiku disappeared up the steps toward the observation platform and immediately returned with a startled Renji and Kira.

Hitsugaya was shocked. "What are you two doing here?"

"They have come in support of your efforts, Hitsugaya-taichou. These two care very deeply for Hinamori," she added as she searched his face for approval. He nodded. She turned to the two new arrivals. "Renji fuku-taichou. Kira fuku-taichou. You asked me if there was anything you could do to help. Now there is. She turned toward Rangiku as well. I would like the three of you to help me calm her spirit. Surrounded by the energies of those who love her, her resistance may break down long enough for Hitsugaya-taicho to connect with her. But I warn you. Everyone must be focused. A single wandering thought could cause an even bigger disaster."

The three vice-captains took position around Hinamori's table. Unohana stayed at the head. Rangiku at the foot. And both Renji and Kira stood on the right, with Hitsugaya strapped on the table to the left. The barrier around the room was up again, and Unohana began her recitation once more, "Northern Star…"

Hitsugaya immediately closed his eyes and cleared his mind. It has to work this time. Hinamori…I will save you. I swear it. He focused again on the memory. The three surrounding vice-captains concentrated their energies. Hinamori's reiatsu gradually calmed. Unohana's voice sounded distant. The Tenth Division captain took the girl's hand and held it tightly as he sank deeper, further away from consciousness…

He was falling. Tumbling through space. A never-ending vortex of nothing. All he saw was infinite Black. All he heard was Darkness. Panic slowly started to grow in his chest. "Hinamori!" As soon as he shouted her name, the panic turned to a dull ache. He couldn't explain it. It crept out of the darkness and took hold of him like a hand squeezing his heart. He began to feel something resembling ground materialize beneath his feet. Walls slowly faded into view, huge tall tower-like pillars became visible through the hazy black. It was the residential area of Room 46. The last place he had seen-

Someone's screaming…

It echoed through the huge space, a far-away sound. But he could feel the painful reverberations in his chest. Images of figures flashed before his eyes. Ahead to his right…it was him. Aizen was standing in the doorway. Flash. Hinamori was there. Flash. Aizen standing over her, drenched in her blood. Flash. He watched himself appear on the left. Flash. Bankai. Flash. Charging Aizen. Flash. Flash. Indescribable pain flooded his body as he watched himself fall to the floor, half frozen in a pool of blood. Another scream pierced the thin air, louder, closer. Everything faded to black. Only the pain remained.

He could hear her somewhere in the darkness…she was crying.