Come Back To Me

Hinamori blinked, taken by surprise. Still enraged, she looked at the monster in front of her and knew only one thing. Revenge. She didn't know why, but something inside told her that if she killed this thing everything would go back to the way it was. She would be free of the pain that haunted her dreams. Free. Kill it. She had paused only a moment after being thrown back, but her reflexes were quick. She regained her balance, aimed Tobiume and drove home, piercing her enemy on the other side of its chest. There would be no way it would be able to withstand a second attack to a vital organ.

The first strike had caught Hitsugaya off-guard. Now he was ready and could have dodged easily, but when she moved to strike again, realization hit him first. He suddenly understood, and he knew what he had to do. Hitsugaya didn't move. His breath stung as the sword pierced his lung, this time on the right side of his chest. In all his years as a capable fighter, he had never known greater physical pain, but he bit it back.

The second strike had only embedded the sword halfway through his body. Soon it too would pierce his other shoulder and break through his back. He could feel it…he had to stay conscious long enough. It was an illusion. It wasn't real. His mind was making it real, but it wasn't reality. If he could just stay awake long enough to… "Hina…mo…ri.." he managed, choking on the blood that collected in his lungs. His hand shook as he slowly used it to brush away an angry tear that had fallen down her cheek.

At the touch of his hand, the malicious expression on the girl's face changed. The scene around them faded to black again. Recognition slowly cracked her mask of pain and vengeance. Hinamori, gaped at the blood running from the newly opened wound and dripping from the sword in her hands. She started to shake. Horror struck her as she realized who her supposed enemy was and what she had just done. "What…?…no…" She choked back the tears already beginning to fall down her cheeks again. "Hitsu..gaya-kun…!" It couldn't be. Wasn't this the enemy? The one she was trying to kill? She jumped when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Hinamori…come…back to me…"
Then he embraced her. Pulling her closer, the whole length of the sword came with and dug further into him. The pain was excruciating, but he held her closer still, slowly impaling himself on her sword. "Hinamori…it's me. Aizen is gone. He—" Hitsugaya didn't flinch until the blade tore out behind his other shoulder. He grunted as the tip broke free of the obstructing bone and the rest of the sword slid through him unhindered. Hinamori felt his body tighten around her. Her eyes widened, and she struggled to break free…to release the sword and herself from his embrace. He held her tighter. When the sword had no more room to move, Hitsugaya gasped and leaned forward onto Hinamori who swayed under his growing weight.

Oh God, no. Hinamori held onto him and shifted his weight in her arms. This was all wrong. Hitsugaya wasn't supposed to be here. Her target was… well, she didn't actually know who it was. In her nightmares he was always faceless. The man who haunted her thoughts and drove her to revenge…she didn't even know his name. She only knew that she was supposed to kill him. She didn't even know why. But this? She was so confused. What was going on? She took advantage of Hitsugaya's loss of strength and broke free of his hold, slowly removing Tobiume from his breast. He cried out as the blade sliced through him again.

Hitsugaya staggered, catching his breath. The symmetrical wounds that traveled through his body were deep. Blood spilled from both his chest and back as he gasped for air. It was an illusion. But this time she was real. Hitsugaya had thought that, ever since Aizen had addressed him directly and her pain was replaced by his own, he had been wandering in his own illusion- and so Hinamori must be off somewhere else in one of her own. When he had woken up and saw that Hinamori wasn't dead, but sitting by his side without a scratch, he had been convinced. But somehow, unlike the other time they had met in this "other world," he could feel her.

It had become apparent to him once she had moved to strike him again. Something inside her had flared. The emotion it projected didn't matter. He knew it was her. But they were together, here. Just as Aizen had manipulated them against each other before, he must be trying to do it again. Her reiatsu was weak, but it was there. It felt so familiar to him. There was no other spiritual energy he was more used to searching for at night. He would lie awake in his quarters, wondering if she'd ever come to him with another nightmare like she used to when they were children…when he used to be the one to chase them all away.

His knees felt weak. They shook as he struggled to stay standing. Hinamori tried to hold him up, but his body was getting heavier as his muscles gave out one by one. She wasn't very strong and he was already sinking, so she eased him to the floor, his arm over her shoulder. "Hitsugaya-kun!" He was dying. She was sure of it…and it was all her fault. She didn't even know what had happened. "What are you doing here, Hitsugaya-kun…How…?" He released her shoulder but she kept him propped on his knees, for she feared that if she let him lay down he'd drown in his own blood. Hinamori untied the white sash around her waste and used it to dab at his mouth.

He clutched his right hand to his chest. "I'm here...to set…you free." His breath came in short gasps now. He had to take advantage before his consciousness gave out…while he still had her here. He had come upon her by chance. There was no guarantee that he would find her again within his short time limit if he let her go now.

"Set me free…?" She pressed the cloth to his chest in a poor effort to stop the bleeding.

"Hinamori…this isn't real. Your…mind is…trapped. Do you remember what happened the day you saw Aizen again?" This time, the sound of her captain's name triggered something, pain flashed across her face. She did remember. "He's done something to you…imprisoned your mind. Only you can break free of it, and I'm here to help you do it." Hitsugaya's body was going numb, but that also dulled the pain. He talked freely.

"Hitsugaya-kun…what…?"

"Just listen, please. It's been almost a year since Aizen hurt you. All this time you've been sleeping. His zanpakutou created this world inside your mind and you've been trapped in it all this time."

Hinamori felt a wave of panic rush through her. She had thought something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She had felt that there was something more to the things that were happening around her. Up until now, she had been following the voices in her head, having nowhere else to turn to. "But…if this isn't real…then how can I be sure that you're really—"

"Because you know me," Hitsugaya firmly interrupted. "Hinamori, wake up!" His vision was starting to darken, but at the same time the blackness around the two of them was starting to lift. His time was almost up! He could see the doubt on her face…the confusion. He had to do something, and fast, or this whole endeavor would be for naught.

Hinamori started to inch away. This was just a nightmare. There's no way the real Hitsugaya would have let her get those attacks in. He was too clever and too experienced to make that kind of mistake. She wanted to run. Before she could stand he grabbed her wrist with his left hand. "Hinamori…no. Think. Deep down you know what I'm saying is true. You weren't born with this spiritual talent for nothing. Trust it. You can feel me here, can't you?" He could tell his words hit home. She sat and gawked for a second, shock on her face.

Hitsugaya's pain was returning. He could feel his consciousness slipping. Voices gradually became audible as the darkness lifted. He heard Renji yelling at Kira, and Unohana's firm voice as she politely instructed them to keep concentrating. No. He wasn't finished yet. Please, not yet. Hinamori! She sat with that bewildered look upon her face staring far beyond what was right in front of her. But Hitsugaya still had one more card to play.

He could feel his body getting lighter as the voices from the Omega Room grew louder. His wounds were disappearing. He was still holding her hand but something was pulling him away. Just as their arms had reached their full length and they almost had to let go, he pulled her toward him. He whispered, "I love you, Momo," and their lips met.

Hinamori, too shocked at first to close her eyes, blinked twice and then sank into the depth of the kiss. She shivered as the waves of emotion swept over her. Her knees felt weak and she could feel her heart. It was pounding in her chest, every beat stealing more of her breath away. She could smell him. It was comforting. It was strange. All these things, these…feelings had been missing before and she had never noticed. At least, they had never felt so real. For those few moments, there was only him. Then everything flowed into her at once…

"Hinamori-chan!" Granny called after her as Hinamori burst from the entryway of the little wooden shack she called home. "Do your best, ok?" She gave that warm-hearted smile that always comforted Hinamori. Whenever she felt unsure of herself or the neighborhood kids would pick on her, Granny was there to make it all better.

Hinamori smiled back and nodded her head. "I will!" She turned to the skinny, scraggly mess standing next to the old lady. "And I promise to come back and play with you whenever I can, ok, Shirou-chan?" She lovingly tousled his white hair, now grayed with the dust and dirt from playing too much outside.

The boy scrunched his face in a disgruntled way and blurted, "Eh, who cares. You're goin' off to that goody two-shoes academy. You won't have that kinda time anymore, stupid." The urchin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Hinamori just giggled. Hitsugaya Toushirou was always like that. Always acting so tough when she knew that he really did care. She enjoyed teasing him because she already knew how he would react. She sighed in mock, playing with him. "Sure, sure. You're absolutely right, Shirou-chan. I might never get to come back. You know, once I become a full-fledged shinigami and all." She winked.

"And I told you not to call me that! Stupid bed-wetter Momo… Anyway, who cares if you don't come back. At least I'll get some sleep, instead of you always waking me up cos you wet the bed!" Hinamori looked scandalized. Toushirou only stuck out his tongue.

"Anyway, Granny, thank you for everything! And Shirou-chan," she glared reprimandingly, still wounded by his last retort, "it's up to you to look after her now. Be nice, ok?"

"Whatever." Toushirou, being stubborn as always, looked away. Hinamori hugged the old lady and was on her way. Off to the academy where she would enter into a brand new world…one that he couldn't be a part of. He abandoned his tenacity only when she had almost faded into the crowd that had begun to form in the marketplace. She was really leaving this time. To a place where he couldn't follow her anymore. Toushirou's eyes trailed her through the crowd until she was completely out of sight. Granny had long since gone back inside. He decided he'd just sit on the porch for now…

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The first time Hinamori had come back to see him was two months into her shinigami training. He was sitting on the porch, his favorite spot in which to waste time during the day. "Shirou-chan!" she called as she ran to him. "You won't believe the academy! It's incredible!"

"Aeh? You're back?" Toushirou sat next to a rather sizeable mound of freshly cut watermelon slices, chomping away, only pausing to spit out the seeds.

"Well, yes. But just listen! Everyone is so amazing! We got to see officers from the Gotei 13 today. I couldn't believe how powerful they all were. Especially the captains! Shirou-chan, have you ever seen a shinigami captain before?"

No answer amidst the munching. You know if she really wanted to come see him, she could at least ask how he was doing or something.

"Well anyway, there's this one captain we saw today. His name was Aizen. We all lined up in salute as he passed. It was a little nerve-racking, but goodness! He seems so strong and so kind. I hope that I can get into the Gotei 13 and enter Fifth Division. The other captains seem so much more intimidating. I think it'd be wonderful to serve under someone like Aizen-taichou! You know Shirou-chan…………….." Toushirou let her talk and stared out across the thornbushes lining the porch. Why'd she bother coming back if she was just going to shoot her mouth off and make him feel stupid.

Stupid bed-wetter Momo…

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The second time Hinamori had visited her old home, Toushirou was on the porch again. She couldn't see what he was doing because he had is back to her, but she sensed something. Some kind of energy that kept getting stronger and stronger and then fading again. Before she had come within 50 meters of the shack, the energy had weakened considerably and Toushirou had turned back around to hang his feet off the porch as if everything was normal.

Hinamori couldn't help but wonder that day…the energy, no…presence that she felt. Was that…reiatsu?

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"Shirou-chan! What are you doing here!" a bewildered Hinamori exclaimed in the corridor leading out of her Demon Arts class. She had noticed his snowy-white hair immediately.

"What? Oh, Hinamori, it's just you. Hi." Toushirou had an uncharacteristically somber expression on his face. He was usually agitated or annoyed, but now he looked…serious. "…What…!" Ok, now he looked annoyed.

"Um…what are you doing here?" Just one look at him should have made it obvious. He was dressed in school uniform with books under his arm. Could he possibly be here for shinigami training? That would mean he had to have… "Reiatsu…" she verbally finished her own thought.

"Aeh?" Toushirou searched her face for some sign of acknowledgement.

"Oh…um…nevermind. Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around then, huh!" She gave a cheerful wave and hurried off to her next class. Toushirou watched her back as she left. "Hinamori…" She still seemed so far away…

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Hinamori was knocked to the ground in the West Corridor, books and papers flying everywhere. Snickers followed her to the floor as some of the older academy students shuffled her things around with their feet. Hinamori had fallen hard and rubbed her elbow, bruises already forming on her knees. She hadn't made many friends at school yet. It had been over a year and she was still getting picked on for her good grades in the Demon Arts. She shifted onto her knees to begin collecting her things, when one of the bullies landed on the floor beside her. Her head shot up to see a flash of blue hakama and a head of white, spiky hair scuffling with the other boy who had pushed her. Two punches and he was down too. The white-haired boy stood over them, balled fists at his sides.
"Get lost." His voice was low and cold. "Now." The two bullies picked themselves up and stalked off, humiliation flushing their faces.

"Sh…Shirou-chan…!" Hinamori, having gathered her things, stood up and looked down into the face of her childhood friend. "You…you know, you shouldn't do things like that, Shirou-chan. Granny always told you you shouldn't fight. You're going to get hurt."

Toushirou looked at her incredulously. He had gotten here, hadn't he? He had the talent. He had stood up for her. And yet, he was still only a child in her eyes. He watched her hurry away again, not even hearing her when she tossed a "See you" over her shoulder...

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"Oh my goodness, I finally found you! Shirou-chan!" Hinamori waved and rushed up to him as he walked by outside the square in the center of Seireitei. "Congratulations!" The ceremony had lasted nearly all afternoon and Hinamori had yet to get a chance to speak to him. "I can't believe it! You did it, Shirou-chan! You're a captain!" She hugged him.

"Wha' the…H…Hey! C'mon. Get off! And you shouldn't call me that anymore, you know." He was exasperated and tired from the long ceremony, but he tried as hard as he could to keep the smirk off his face.

"Yeah, I guess you're right! You are a captain now, huh." She tousled his hair.
"And stop that, will ya!" He scowled.
"Sorry, sorry, Hitsugaya-kun," she giggled. She was practically bubbling over with enthusiasm. He couldn't possibly reprimand her any more firmly. He sighed.

"Well I guess that'll have to be good enough. Just don't forget, I'm your superior officer now…" Hitsugaya crossed his arms importantly in front of his chest, closing his eyes for effect. She giggled again, and he had to peek. Hinamori saluted and said in a mock serious voice, "Yessir!"

"Aggghh…and quit that will you!" She burst into giggles and followed him as he stalked off, further exclaiming how she really was happy for him and all…

The memories faded. She became aware of herself again, of the unnoticed tears that had rolled down her cheeks. It was him. He was real. She felt him stronger than she ever had in her life. Warmth filled her heart with the feeling of security it gave her. Her eyes remained closed when the kiss was broken. The feeling of something caressing her cheek became lighter, then lifted completely. She forced herself to open her eyes. He was leaving. No, somehow they were being separated. He was getting further away. Hinamori reached out her hand to him.

"Hitsugaya-kun! Wait…don't go…I…I'm sorry!" He took her hand as some unseen force lifted him away from her. His eyes… She had never seen that look in his eyes before. The sight of it made her voice catch in the back of her throat and her eyes sting. She understood now. She understood so much that it hurt. She had never noticed. And now…was it too late?

"Hinamori…!" She could still hear his voice, though it was far away. "If you trust nothing else, trust this. Trust us. You can feel me, can't you? Follow your feelings. Follow me now…please!" His voice faded as he disappeared. Hinamori reached as far as she could for him, but he was gone. She fell to her knees and cried. She cried, for she finally understood…the message he sent in his boundless kiss, and when he looked at her that way with those deep, blue-green eyes.

I love you, Momo. I've always loved you. I kept my distance because you never acknowledged me. I was always just a kid to you. I always have and always will be there to take care of you. But what you don't know is that we could be so much more together. I don't want to be the kid you grew up with anymore. Somehow, if you'll let me, I'd like to be the one man you want to be with. The only one. Because in my world…there's only been one…you.

Hitsugaya woke up with a start. He was back. The high white walls of the Omega room were blurry at first and he blinked to clear his vision. The air felt warm inside his lungs. Immediately he began to struggle with the straps on the table. What had happened? Had she made it out? His restraints were released, and he frantically looked around the room, finally becoming aware of the somber faces surrounding him. His gaze rested on Hinamori on the neighboring table, just as he had left her when he had gone under. Only…something wasn't right. He looked back at the faces around him. Renji…Kira—he was crying. Matsumoto just stood, arms folded loosely across her abdomen. Unohana…there was pity in her eyes. Just then, he became aware of the only noticeable sound in the entire room—a high-pitched whine. All expression drained from his face as he slowly turned his head back to Hinamori's body. It was a flatline. Hinamori was dead.