I hope everyone is enjoying the story and video versions of the chapters so far. While I'm working on the video version of chapter 4, might as well work on chapter 5 while I'm at it. This one is what is happening in the World of the Living and a bit in Soul Society. Be prepared for a lot of drama though. Without further ado, here's the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the song lyrics in the final scene of this chapter. They are owned by INXS.

Chapter 5: Afterglow

Isshin Kurosaki awoke from his desk with the sun shining through his window and hitting his eyes. The papers that he was filling out stuck to his forehead for a second before scattering to the floor.

Head pounding, he rubbed his eyes wondering what happened. When did he fall asleep and how long was he out for? The last thing that he remembered was breakfast with his kids, grandson, and soon-to-be daughter-in-law and then settling down to fill out some paperwork despite his day off.

He noticed his coffee mug toppled on his side and became suspicious as he took a sniff from the inside where the contents used to be. There was a faint smell of…whisky? What is going on?

Suddenly, the phone interrupted his confused thoughts and he answered it. "Hello?"

"Wake up, Isshin-san! You sound like you have a hangover." The doctor knew that voice all too well.

"Oh shut up, Urahara," he scoffed, "what do you want?"

Urahara frowned. "I've called to let you know what is going on because I know that by now you are very confused."

"Absolutely… The strangest thing happened… I happened to fall asleep before I got the chance to work on last-minute paperwork, and I found out the source of the problem: there was a faint smell of whisky in my coffee mug."

"Hmm…"

"I know, it's strange. Someone spiked my coffee with whisky, knowing fully well that that makes me go to sleep. The question is who did it and why?"

Urahara remembered what Ichigo had told him back at the training area. "I suspect it was your youngest daughter."

Isshin was shocked. "What?! Why are you blaming my Yuzu-chan?!"

"I'm not blaming her. I had a talk with your son when I was sending him and Rukia off on a mission. Before you say anything, I will tell you what happened. While your son was fighting his hollow spirit, he found out some interesting news about Yuzu falling under Aizen's influence. Something about how she was exploited by you and the rest of her family."

Isshin could not believe it. He loved Yuzu with all his heart. In fact, he often viewed her as a younger, female version of himself. The thought of Aizen hypnotizing her with his zampakutou was…there was no word to describe how furious the father was. The bastard had crossed the line, and Isshin was more than willing to do something about it.

"There's another war that's happening," Urahara continued and Isshin's eyes narrowed.

"I'm joining," he blurted out, keeping his anger in check as much as he could. No one hypnotizes his baby girl and gets away with it.

"There is also another thing as well. Aizen had Yuzu and Orihime take your grandson to Hueco Mundo, and we fear that this is to set up a trap for your son and Rukia. That is where they are right now."

"RYUICHI?!" Isshin was beyond furious now. He could understand the pain that his son and future daughter-in-law must be going through right now. After all, he saw how happy they were to have a family of their own and the love and care that they showed towards that son. Now that happiness had been ripped away from them.

"I'm sorry for telling you this, Isshin-san. I wish that there was something I could do…" Urahara trailed off, feeling his friend's anger.

"I've failed my wife before," Isshin interrupted, shaking with intense rage, "I am NOT going to fail my other family. I'm joining this war, even if it means showing my son who I really am."

"You're willing to take that risk?"

"Yes."

Urahara smirked. "Like father, like son."

Isshin nodded. "Yeah… Thanks for letting me know."

"Good luck, Isshin-san. See you later." Urahara hung up the phone and Isshin had done the same. So it was his own daughter that spiked his coffee and put him to sleep like this. The doctor knew that she never wanted to do such a thing, but what did Urahara mean when he said that she was exploited by the rest of her family? He never asked her to do all the chores and cooking for the family; she did that on her own. Damn Aizen…putting ideas in her head. That bastard could get away with anything.

Another thought entered his mind. What about Karin? Isshin realized that Karin was also at home when the mysterious chain of events happened. He had to see if she was okay. He stood up from his desk and left his office, praying that she would be all right.

Karin and Hitsugaya sat in the kitchen, drinking tea in silence. Karin remembered what had happened to her back when she was watching TV and told her boyfriend, who told her what happened to Ryuichi. If anything were worse than having your sister unexpectedly turn on you for some reason, it would be the notion of your nephew being carried to a scary place like Hueco Mundo by your sister. Karin could only imagine how hard that would be for her brother and his girlfriend.

She covered her face in despair, eyes stinging with remorse. She did not want Hitsugaya to see this pathetic side of her, but the diminutive captain simply put an arm around her and comforted her, pressing his forehead against her shoulder. Instinctively, Karin put her hand in his.

They sat like this for a while until Isshin entered the kitchen. "Good, you're all right," he breathed in relief. Hitsugaya immediately removed his arm around his girlfriend, whose eyes widened with surprise. "Sorry I startled you two," Isshin smiled sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head. "I received word from Urahara about what happened with Yuzu and Ryuichi."

"Why would she do something like this, dad?" Karin asked, "why would she strangle me from behind?"

"Urahara told me that she is now under Aizen's influence," Isshin answered. Karin eyed her father with confusion, and Hitsugaya balled his hands into tight fists. "That bastard…" he seethed and Karin turned her head towards her boyfriend.

He noticed the puzzled look that she was giving him and knew what she was asking. "You are familiar with us shinigami right?" Karin nodded slowly. "Well, Aizen used to be a captain until he betrayed us. Your brother helped us in an intense war against him and his followers and defeated him, but he did not kill him. Instead, the Hougyouku was destroyed and that ruined Aizen's plans to take over the heavens. Since then, he's been looking for revenge."

"Makes sense to me," Isshin agreed as Karin went back to her worries. Noticing this, Hitsugaya gently touched his girlfriend's shoulder. "It's going to be ok, Karin," he assured, "Yuzu and Ryuichi will come back, and this time we will make sure that Aizen stays down this time when this war is over." Karin let out a huge sigh.

"And this time I'm going to be a part of this war," Isshin added, "I'm not letting Aizen get away with this."

Hitsugaya abruptly turned to the face the older man. "You?" he asked with a puzzled expression.

"You know that I used to be a shinigami myself?" Isshin asked.

"It's true," Karin whispered. "He gave it up a long time ago."

"It makes sense," Hitsugaya said, "No wonder Ichigo managed to get his shinigami powers back. So he got it from you."

Isshin nodded. "You could say that. I never told him about that though because I know how furious he gets when he's been lied to…not to mention, he will be especially furious because of how I could not save my precious Masaki that night."

Karin went back to her sulking for a moment until another thought hit her. "Does that mean…Toushirou is joining this war?"

Hitsugaya turned his girlfriend around so that she could look at him – a look of obligation and determination masking his despair. "I have to," he replied silently.

Karin grimaced. "What?" She hissed.

"I have to," Hitsugaya repeated.

"NO!" Karin screamed, tears of fury once again stinging her eyes. "Why the hell do you have to do this? Why can't you just stay with me? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Isshin watched this heated argument with curious eyes. He knew that his daughter would react like this, and he would understand how she felt. He felt the same way when he found out her brother was going to fight in the previous war. This one was no different; everyone is on edge as always about losing his or her loved ones. Isn't that what wars cause anyway?

"Think about it, Karin!" Hitsugaya shot back, eyes filling with just as much fury as there was in Karin's. "If I don't go and if we lose this war, we will be even greater shit that we are right now. Aizen will find a way to take over the heavens and everything will be destroyed – you will be one of those many innocent lives that will be put to an end. I can't let that happen, Karin! I don't want to go either, but I don't have a choice! I'm a captain, and it's my job!"

"Your job?!" Karin hissed, immediately getting off her chair. "Why does everything have to do with your job?!"

"YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!" Hitsugaya argued. "Don't you get how much I love you? I would fight for you in an instant! I'm not letting Aizen destroy this world! When I said "it's my job", I'm not just talking about being a captain of the Gotei 13. I'm also talking about being your boyfriend as well!"

Then his cold, hard eyes softened to pleading ones as he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. "Karin… Listen to me." He wrapped his arms around Karin's small, shaking form. "I don't want to do this, but I have to…for you…and for your family. I'm sorry that everything has to be this way. Your father is doing the same thing. I assure you…I will defeat Aizen's espada and your father and I will do whatever we can to put an end to this war. We will be together again…I promise."

As Karin continued to sob uncontrollably in her boyfriend's arms, Hitsugaya felt like crying himself. He wanted to see her happy. He wanted her to be proud of him. Once this war is over, the happiness will continue; he was sure of that. He did not want to leave her, like what he had mentioned before, what choice did he have? If he could give up his position as captain of the 10th Division to make Karin happy, he would but it's not that simple. All what he had to do was to protect her at all costs, and that is what he had promised himself.

Isshin's eyes softened as he watched what was happening with his daughter and her boyfriend. Any overprotective father would have pried them apart, but he was not that type. From the first time when he saw those two together, he knew that they would be perfect for each other and Hitsugaya would protect her like her brother always did.

Karin stopped crying and hugged her boyfriend tightly. "Please don't lose then," she whispered softly and sniffled, "because I don't know if I can live without you."

Hitsugaya returned the hug just as firmly. "I know what you mean, and I assure you, I will survive. I may be the youngest member of the Gotei 13, but I'm one of the stronger types."

Karin smiled softly. "I believe in you, Toshirou…and I love you."

Hitsugaya returned her smile. "I love you too, Karin."

Karin turned towards her father, who was still watching intently. "Dad?"

"Yes Karin?"

"If you're fighting in this war as well, where am I going to stay?"

Isshin thought about this for a moment. "Well, I'm pretty sure that Tessai can watch you."

Karin made a face. She was not going to go anywhere near that Jinta creep.

"Or you could stay with your friends. We will see what will happen."

Hitsugaya had a question. "When do you think we will join the front lines?"

"Urahara never said anything about that," Isshin answered. "I guess we will go up there when they need us."

"Fair enough," Hitsugaya answered.

"In the meantime," Isshin continued, "You kids must be together as much as possible before that time comes."

Hitsugaya and Karin nodded in unison and kissed briefly.

Here I am, lost in the light of the moon that comes through my window
Bathed in blue, the walls of my memory divides the thorns from the roses
It's you and the roses

Nearby, Renji Abarai was walking down concrete sidewalk, eager to reach his destination – Tatsuki's house – when his soul pager rang. Rolling his eyes, Renji took out his phone and pressed the "send" button. "Yeah?"

"Hello, Abarai," Urahara's cheerful voice answered back, "sorry for disturbing you but I have news that are very important and I think you should hear about them."

"Alright, but make it quick. Tatsuki's waiting," the lieutenant sighed impatiently.

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow
Heal me from all this sorrow
As I let you go I will find my way when I see your eyes
Now I'm living in your afterglow

That was when Urahara told Renji everything – about Yuzu betraying her family and taking Ryuichi away to Hueco Mundo, about Ichigo and Rukia's departure to take back their son and Ichigo's sister, about Grimmjow's situation with Neliel, and most importantly, about the second arrancar war that was coming up.

Renji gaped with shock as he took in every word that the former shinigami was telling him. Deep inside him, anger was increasing as he pictured Aizen doing such incredible and infuriating acts. "What the hell does Aizen want?" he demanded, dwelling on his growing rage.

Here I am, lost in the ashes of time, but who owns tomorrow?
In between the longing to hold you again
I'm caught in your shadow, I'm losing control
My mind drifts away, we only have today

"The answer is simple," Urahara responded, his voice a lot more serious than it was before. "He wants revenge…especially on Kurosaki himself since his plans were ruined."

"I guess I have to fight in this war," Renji droned.

"That's precisely why I had phoned, Abarai. I'm really sorry. You have to tell Tatsuki about this."

"Urahara," Renji snapped, eyes once again full of fury, "I just got together with Tatsuki. She won't like this one bit! You have any idea how long I've waited for a decent relationship?"

"I understand your predicament, but you have to tell her," Urahara contradicted, "You must not forget that you yourself are a lieutenant. Also, if you don't fight this war and Aizen wins, think about the damage that he would cause. I'm sorry I have to tell you this, but that's just life as a shinigami."

Swearing under his breath, Renji calmed himself down despite the fact that he was angry inside. "Fine… When do you want me?"

"I am not sure, but I would guess that they would let you know. For now, go speak to Tatsuki."

"Yea, yea," Renji grumbled, "whatever…bye…" Then he hung up and sighed before he kept walking.

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow
Heal me from all this sorrow
As I let you go I will find my way
I will sacrifice 'til the blinding day when I see your eyes
Now I'm living in your afterglow

He arrived at Tatsuki's door and knocked loudly, rubbing his temples in frustration. He did not want to do this. Sometimes he just wished that he was not a shinigami at all – more specifically a lieutenant.

When the veils are gone, as I let you go, as I let you go

It took a while for Tatsuki to open her door – to find the love of her love standing on her stairwell. "Renji!" She exclaimed as she threw her arms around her boyfriend. Renji smiled sadly and rubbed her back a little bit. "I'm so happy that you came over. Sorry it took a while; I was cleaning."

They parted a bit, and Renji looked deep in her eyes and sighed. How is he going to tell her without something drastic happening to their relationship? They just got together a couple of weeks ago, and now he is going to leave her for some war. This is just what he needed.

"What's wrong, Renji?" Tatsuki asked; her eyes filled with concern for her newfound boyfriend. They just started their relationship, and already something is wrong but what?

Renji took another deep breath and closed his eyes for a brief moment. He had no choice but to tell her. "I need to tell you something, and I don't know how you will react."

Tatsuki's unusual, bright smile faded as she pondered what was going on. "What happened?" she inquired as she let Renji in. Silence. She crossed her arms. "Well?" Silence once again. Her expression became harder as she uncrossed her arms. "Don't tell me," she hissed, "you've found someone else."

That was when Renji looked up at her in alarm. "No!" he exclaimed. "I would never do anything like that to you. Besides, there's no one else in this world that I would rather be with."

"Then what then?" She stared coldly at him, demanding an answer right away.

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow
Heal me from all this sorrow
As I let you go I will find my way, I will sacrifice
Now I'm living in your afterglow

Renji relayed everything to her, minus the part about the war though. This earned a gasped from the teen-ager's mouth. "What?! Ichigo and Rukia have gone to this Hueco Mundo place to get their son? That's terrible!"

She sat down to catch her breath, imagining the pain that her best friend must be going through at the moment. She had not been close to Ichigo for a while like she used to be when they were children, but deep inside she always wished for the best for him even if she would not admit it.

When she heard about Ryuichi being born, she was really happy for her friend and wished for the best. Even when she babysat the infant certain times, she felt closeness towards the boy. Now he was captured and taken to a scary place where who knows would happen…by his own aunt. Tatsuki never understood the situations in which her friends had been through, but this one she understood – she just did not know why.

"There's something else," Renji trailed off as Tatsuki lifted her head up to give her boyfriend her attention. Sighing again, he continued. "There is going to be another war with Aizen…and I have to fight in it."

A deathly silence filled the room. Tatsuki's fists tightened as she breathed through her teeth. Renji braced himself for the worst to come. "Tatsuki?" he whispered as he knelt in front of her. "Baby?" He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't even touch me," she hissed in a threatening tone. Instinctively, the lieutenant removed his hand. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? Sorry?! How the fuck could you be sorry?!" She snapped her head up as she stood up off her couch. "We've been in this relationship for what? 2 weeks now? And then you start saying shit about some war where you have to fight in?! There is someone else, isn't there? That's your excuse!"

"There isn't!" Renji protested. "I never wanted to do this, but as a lieutenant I have to go!"

"BULLSHIT!" Tatsuki screamed.

"Listen to me, Tatsuki, I won't lose. I promise you!" He pleaded, desperately trying to ease off the tension that was rapidly increasing within her.

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU FOR ONE FUCKING SECOND!! GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Excuse me?" Renji asked, eyes gaping with shock so much that they could pop out of their sockets at any given moment.

"YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID! GET OUT! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" Renji took a look at her eyes. They were swimming with tears and immediately his heart broke at that sight. He knew that this would happen.

"GET OUT AND NEVER COME BACK!" She repeated, tears starting to spill out of her furious eyes. She opened the door wide open and looked away, trying not to show her hurt.

Renji walked out of her door, but before he took another step forward, he turned back towards her. "Just so you know, I would never cheat on you. I love you too much for that. Good bye, Tatsuki." He stepped away from her doorway so that she could slam the door in his face.

Bathed in blue, the walls of my memory divides the thorns from the roses
It's you who is closest

Just before he walked down her stairs he could faintly hear her crying in agony. He felt like holding her, but since she was furious with him at the moment, that could not be done.

He felt like an asshole for saying what needed to be said, but he could not help it. He was a shinigami; she was human. Even though Captain Hitsugaya and Karin were together and Rukia and Ichigo were together, Renji had his doubts about getting together with a human before he got together with Tatsuki. Since he loved her with all his heart – or what was left of it – he wished that he would not be a shinigami at all. He wished that things would work out. Maybe things will work out later on, but then again he doubted it.

After he walked down the stairs, he turned on his heel and walked down the street, cursing himself for the things that he had said and trying hard to fight back the tears that were trying to escape his despaired eyes.

Next time on Incomplete Sorrows:

"Halt!" The shuhakushou-clad giant ordered; Grimmjow looked up coldly. "We don't let your kind in!"

The espada made a noise in the back of his throat. "I've heard that one before."

"I'm serious! You're not allowed in! Go home or face the wrath of my axes!" Jidanbou demanded with his usual gruff voice.

Grimmjow smirked in reply. "So you want to die by my sword then?" That was when Yoruichi had no choice but intervene.

I had been planning this chapter for a while now – when I was writing chapter 2, believe it or not. Hence why it was so easy to write. I also planned to have the song, "Afterglow", by the band INXS to go with the Renji x Tatsuki moment. Don't worry, everyone, they won't be apart for long. I also hope that it was dramatic enough for you guys.

When I was also working on the chats, especially around the part where Tatsuki and Renji were trying to get together, I wanted to fit a scene in where something would happen and they would have a horrible argument, splitting them apart for a while. After the chat part of the story was complete, I decided to fit it in somewhere in the story. My inspiration: listening to the song lyrics found in that scene.

Anyway, the video version will come up either sometime at the end of this week (if I'm lucky enough) or sometime next week. I am putting up the Rukia AMV, "You Just Don't Know Rukia at All", first though…or probably at the same time – not sure yet. I know for sure that I'm going to be working on that project first because I started it a long time ago and I need to finish it before working on any more projects.

With all that said, please review! =)