Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I am making no money from this. Tite Kubo owns all, I'm just playing with them for a while. I also do not own any of the quotes I use at the start of each chapter. They were all found on the internet, and if they have an author I say who it is.

AN: See all author's notes in part one. Part of the series "After The Winter War."

Also, there is now a poll on my profile page. Please go and vote for which story in the series you want written next.


No Warm Memories

By Lady Callista

Chapter 5: Passing the Time

OoOoOoOoOoO

A life without love is like a year without summer.

-Swedish proverb

OoOoOoOoOoO

Toshiro closed the door to Momo's room behind him as he entered quietly. A few days had passed since he visited Karin, and he'd been doing everything in his power to keep from thinking about her. He'd even stopped bugging Matsumoto about doing her paperwork, because doing hers as well gave him less time to think.

And thinking was bad right now.

Because every time he started thinking, he became less certain that he'd made the right choice walking away from Karin. He knew he'd had to do it. He knew it was the right choice for them. But every time he thought about it, he wondered if there was a way it could work. If there was something he could do to make it work. Because he wanted to make it work.

But then again he wanted Momo to talk to him again, and that didn't seem likely either.

"Hi Momo, how are you doing?" He asked as he crossed the room and sat on her bed. She was sitting in the room's only chair and staring out the window. She didn't acknowledge his presence, but he was used to that by now.

She hadn't spoken since the war against Aizen ended. She'd fought well in that war, in fact she'd saved Matsumoto's life, but it was like once the battle ended whatever had been driving her had just vanished. She was currently a patient at the Yonbantai's barracks, although patient might have been the wrong word for it as Unohana-taicho couldn't actually do anything to help her. Everyone was pretty much just waiting for her to snap out of it on her own. They weren't sure if that would ever happen though.

"Sorry I haven't been by to see you for a few days, but I've had a lot of paperwork and stuff. You know how it is." Visiting his friend and seeing her like this was always so hard on Toshiro. He felt like he should talk to her but never knew what to say. He wasn't even sure if she was hearing him, or if she had retreated so far into her own mind that she didn't even register when people were around her. "The Gobantai are doing pretty well. I oversaw a few hours of their sparring this afternoon, and Abarai-fukutaicho is with them now, helping the 3rd and 4th seats with the paperwork. I'm sure he's hating every minute of it; no one was more surprised than I was when he said he'd help them. Kira-fukutaicho is helping as well, but since he's running the Sanbantai by himself he has less free time."

Toshiro shifted, stretching out his back muscles. He'd been leaning over a desk far too much lately. "I went to the real world a few days ago to see Karin." The words were out of his mouth before he'd even thought them. Not that it really mattered, it wasn't like Momo was going to tell anyone. It was almost like talking to yourself, yet you didn't have to feel like you were crazy.

"She's Kurosaki's little sister, and she can see Hollows and Shinigami. She also plays soccer, and has a mean kick" A ghost of a smile flickered over Toshiro's face. "Do you remember when we lived in the Rukongai, and we'd see the kids playing soccer sometimes? I always wanted to join in, so I made you practice with me so I'd be good." He left unsaid that none of the other kids had cared if he was good or not. They'd always been uncomfortable around him, and since they didn't like him they'd never let him play.

"I played a game with Karin and her friends a while back when I was in the real world. And I spent some time with her. She's so amazing, Momo. A Hollow showed up after the game was over, and she kicked her soccer ball at it. She actually transferred some of her reiatsu to the ball, although I don't think she knew it. Had it been a weak Hollow, I think she could have actually destroyed it. She wasn't even scared. It reminded me of one of the stories you told me about when you were in the Academy. How you and Abarai and Kira went back to fight after you'd been ordered away. How you couldn't see something bad and not try to destroy it. That's how she is too. She's not quiet like you are though, she's a tomboy with a very loud mouth. Although knowing how her brother is and having met her father I'm not surprised. I think I'm falling in love with her. And I have absolutely no idea what to do about it."

There. He'd finally said it out loud. Not that saying it really changed anything. He sighed, and crossed the room to place a light kiss on her forehead. "I think I understand why you just sit here. It's so much easier than having to deal with the problems of life. If you just sit there, no one can hurt you. No one can get inside your walls and make you care about them. You only have to worry about yourself. So sit here for as long as you want, Momo. But I'm going to keep stopping by and talking to you. And when you're ready to rejoin the world, let me know." And with those words he left her room, heading back towards the Juubantai's barracks.

He was about halfway back when a singsong voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Oi, tai-cho!"

Hitsugaya stopped with a sigh, turning to face Matsumoto. "Yes?"

"Glad to see you out of the office for once." Matsumoto said with a smirk. "Now come with me."

"Why?" Hitsugaya queried. "What's going on?"

"We're going to spar."

"Excuse me?" Hitsugaya's eyebrows rose. "What brought this on?"

"I've been sparing with the Juubantai all afternoon. I'm bored." Matsumoto replied. "It takes a dozen of them to even be a slight challenge."

"I'm aware of that. How many do you think it takes for me?" Hitsugaya shot back. "But why do you want to spar in the first place? Shouldn't you be out drinking or something?"

"Let's just say I never want to get my ass kicked as badly as it was by those three bitches." Matsumoto replied. "I've been training for bankai on and off for the past twenty years, but I always get lazy and stop. I need something to push me. Someone to really challenge me."

Hitsugaya could only stare at her in shock. The only thing that would have surprised him more would have been her volunteering to do paperwork.

Then Matsumoto smirked. "Plus I'm pretty sure you could use the distraction."

He glared at her for a moment, even though he knew she was right. Then he sighed, "Lead the way. Although if you want to train for bankai, we should clear the training area."

"Already done." Matsumoto smirked again as they headed to the sparing field.

OoOo Meanwhile, in the real world oOoO

"Why couldn't we just get candy at the store by the house?" Karin grumbled as her and Yuzu stopped in front of Urahara Shoten.

"But there's this one chocolate they only have here, and it's so good." Yuzu replied as they walked into the store. "Ichi-nii really liked it the last time I got it, and he's been in such a weird mood lately that I wanted to surprise him."

Karin chose not to comment on Ichigo's mood. She'd more or less avoided her brother for the past several days, and to her surprise he hadn't insisted she stop thinking about Toshiro or anything stupid like that. In fact he hadn't brought it up at all. He seemed preoccupied by something else, although she had no idea what that could be.

"Greetings, and welcome to…oh, ah, Kurosaki-chan." Jinta stuttered out the last.

"Oh, hi Jinta-kun." Yuzu smiled brightly at him while Karin rolled her eyes.

"What are you here for?" Jinta asked as he almost tripped over himself getting over to her. "Cause we just got some new candies in, and…"

Karin wandered away from them, looking randomly down various aisles. Then froze as she heard a voice she was unfamiliar with. And this time she was certain she heard it only in her mind.

Need to let me play more often. I get bored.

Without conscious thought she started walking through the shop again, and it was then that she noticed a trap door in the floor. Her feet had led her directly to it. She was just about to bend down and lift it when she heard a voice.

"Ah, that area is not for customers." Urahara said from behind her.

She spun around to face him. Karin knew he was a Shinigami, but didn't know anything beyond that. Had the strange voice in her head been his? But no, it had sounded more female. More playful.

"What's down there?" She asked rudely.

"Oh, nothing much." Urahara replied as he put a hand on her shoulder and moved her away. "I just store some things down there."

Not as strong as her brother, but with training maybe she could…

Now that had definitely been his voice. "Did you train Ichigo?"

Urahara froze for an instant, then started walking again, this time directing her to the furthest corner of the shop from her sister. "Train Kurosaki-san in what, my child?"

Karin stared up at him, wishing she could see his eyes. "I can see Shinigami, Urahara-san. I can see Hollows too; I've killed Hollows. And I want to know if you trained Ichigo. Because if you did, I want to ask you to train me as well."

"You might just be more blunt than your brother, something I wasn't sure was possible." Urahara said with a sigh. "Why do you want to be trained? Or, more importantly, what do you want to practice? You're not strong enough to be a Shinigami, Kurosaki-chan."

"I'm assuming Ichi-nii's friends aren't either, but they seem to be trained in something. I don't care if I can be a Shinigami. But I know I have to be able to do something! Ichigo's always worrying about me and Yuzu, but he's got so much else to do. I want to be able to take care of my family. And my friends." And I want to show off to Toshiro when he comes back.

"You sound just like your brother." Urahara sighed, then called out to Jinta, "Jinta, could you take Kurosaki Yuzu-chan home, please? Her sister just remembered some plans she has and doesn't want her walking home alone."

As Jinta almost crowed with joy and Karin said a few words to her sister, Urahara could only sigh again. He knew that she'd try to train herself whether he agreed to help her or not, and at least this way he knew she'd be safe. He knew she'd continue trying to fight Hollows whether he agreed to help her or not, and at least this way she'd have all the information and training she needed.

Training teenagers, or in Karin's case, a pre-teen, to fight Hollows. Why was he always the one who got stuck doing it? It was almost enough to make him agree to returning to Seireitei.

TBC…

Omake - Radio Kon

Kon: Unfortunately, Kurosaki Ichigo was unable to make it tonight. Although maybe that's a good thing, as no one has written in with any questions for him. Why does no one pay attention to my show? Waaaa! Why don't you love me? I'm just the cutest thing ever, after all, well, unless Yuzu has put me in one of those pink dresses, or glued a heart on my ear, but I guess even then I'm cute, just not in the way I want to be. She certainly thinks I'm cute, and even though Nee-sama always kicks me when I want to hug her I know she thinks I'm cute too, and….wait…what do you mean I'm out of time? Ahhh!

Glossary:

Yonbantai: 4th Division, the Healers, Unohana's division

Gobantai: 5th Division, the one Hinamori is fukutaicho of.

Juubantai: 10th Division, Hitsugaya Toshiro's division