Hello and Welcome to 'Finding Snow's 3rd chapter!! Wooh! Okay, now I know I haven't updated in a while -cough- (A few months) -cough- I'm really sorry. Truly I am. You see, my computer is old -cough (Almost 10 years old) -cough- And sometimes it loses information...it took me a while to recover the lost information. Why? Well I didn't want to rewrite it because it wouldn't be the same...anyhow, enough of my ramblings..onward with the story!! -gets mobbed by angry readers-

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters. I said it...D':


The Sun. A great heap of fire that warms the Earth. That keeps civilization going. The one that keeps the Earth in balance. The one that makes the birds sing, the flowers bloom, and that gives hope to humanity. The Sun. A symbol of life, hope, and happiness. But today, it is not there to give that little shred of hope that she so desperately needs. The skies are a muggy gray, enveloped in a blanket of big, dark, clouds. The Sun, nowhere in sight. Everything seems so sad. So lifeless. The bright colors gone, far away, where the sun is able to reach them, leaving behind but a small trace of their existence...

This is what it looks like through her window. A lifeless world. And her eyes reflect it.

Clank.

The sounds of movement awaken her from her trance. Her eyes search the room. She is not surprised to find Hitsugaya there. She makes no note of him. He's always there. Every hour, minute, second of the day. He rarely leaves her sight, even when she sleeps.

Click. Clank.

She stares at the food he brought. Freshly cut apples, pears, and other various fruit, accompanied with a cup of water and orange juice. And next to it, her medicine.

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry." she coarsely says.

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry." She pushes the tray aside.

He stares for a second. He slowly pushes the small tray of food back towards her while repeating his statement once again. Hinamori, looked at the tray once more, and pushed it even further away. "I'm not hungry." she says. Hitsugaya scowls at her response. They go through this everyday, and each time she refuses to eat. She rarely gets the recommended amount of nutrition, and each day she looks more and more like a ghost. He scowls even more. He doesn't want to force her, but sometimes is the only way. Her health worsens by the day, and he worries more. Once again he pushes the tray of food towards her.

"Hinamori. Eat. Or I'll make you." he says coldly.

Hinamori stared at him. She looked down back at the food, and then at him again.

"I'm not hungry."

Hitsugaya loses his patience. He's always there trying to help Hinamori out in every way he can. He visits her regularly, stays with her at night, and even takes up her work. But yet, he finds all his attempts futile. There he is, trying his best to aid her, and all he can do is watch as she grows thinner and weaker by the day.

"Hinamori. I'm sick of all of this. We go through this every day! You need to eat! If you don't, you'll get sicker! I can't just sit and watch you die!"

Her small, delicate, pale hands grip the sheet. She slowly raises her head and stares directly at his eyes. Her once, cheerful, caramel-colored eyes were long gone, and all that was left was behind were the now deep dark-sad brown orbs.

"How can I eat...when the one I admire the most is being manipulated by a traitor?" she said lowly.

Hitsugaya, already at the brick of exploding, took her comment offensive on many levels. His anger rose even more. Not being able to contain it anymore, he sent the food flying across the room ."Manipulated? By a traitor? Hinamori! He's the traitor! He's the one who manipulated everyone! He faked his death, slaughtered the council of 46, and worst of all, he tried to kill YOU!!"

Hinamori seem unaffected by his loud and violent actions. Her head was lowered, as she usually does when anyone speaks of her beloved captain. "Aizen-taichou did no such..."

"Taicho? TAICHO?!! HOW CAN YOU REFER TO HIM AS THAT?! HE'S A TRITOR! WHY CAN'T YOU COMPREHEND THAT! HE BETRAYED ALL OF SOCIETY, AND WORSE, YOU! HOW CAN YOU STILL REFER TO HIM WITH SUCH FORMALITY?!

Hitsugaya's face was flushed. His breathing hard, and his hands balled into fists. His hatred towards Aizen was obvious. He would never forgive the man that hurt HIS Hinamori. She clutched the blankets even harder. Her small body trembling. Hitsugaya, worried that he went to far, went right to her side. "Hinamori...I'm so..."

"Don't touch me."

Hitsugaya looked at her strangely. "Hinam..."

" GET AWAY FROM ME!" she yelled while putting her hand to her ears.

Hitsugaya, startled from her outburst jumped back. "Hinamori, I'm only trying to help..."

"AIZEN-TAICHOU IS NOT EVIL! HE'S NOT! It's all a lie..." her voice lowered and she laid her hands back down to her sides. "He is kind. Nice. Intelligent. He always helped me out. He was the greatest man I have ever met...."

Hitsugaya looked at her with sympathy. "Hinamori, you have to accept the truth..."

"NO! IT'S ALL A LIE! I know him, better than you or anyone else. He would never do such a thing..."

Hitsugaya grasped her shoulders, gently, making sure not to hurt her. "Hinamori. All he told you was a lie! He used you for his evil plan!" She tried to shake him off. "He was never the man you knew! He didn't care about you, or your feelings!" Not being able to handle it anymore, Hinamori pushed him away. "SHUT UP!" she cried out.

"WHY CAN'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME ALONE! I NEVER ASKED FOR YOUR HELP!" Hitsugaya tried to respond, but she didn't give him the chance. "ALL YOU EVER DO IS HURT ME! WHY WON'T YOU JUST DISSAPEAR?! JUST GET OUT OF MY LIFE!!!"Hitsugaya stared at her in shock, unable to respond to what was happening. His eyes, were wide, and his face was pain-stricken. "YOU FAILED ME! YOU ARE THE ONE HURTING ME NOW!"

"What's going on?!" Unohana-taichou, captain of the fourth division, yelled calmly. She looked at the now, yelling Hinamori, and frozen Hitsugaya. Her eyes widened when Hinamori started scratching her body with her fingernails. "Restrain her!" Isane and the other assistants rushed towards her and grabbed her arms and legs.

"I HATE YOU!" she yelled. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

Though, in her condition, Hinamori still proved to be difficult to get under control."Unohana-taichou!" The calm-captain looked at her struggling lieutenant, and at the immovable "ice" captain. His face was void of any emotions. She quickly shook him out of his trance. "Hitsugaya-taichou. I'm afraid you'll have to leave. You won't be able to return until notified." The much-shorter captain, looked at her straight in the eye. She could see the pain he was going through, and how much Hinamori's word hurt him. "I'm very sorry." She gave him one last look before sending on his way. He opened the door, but stopped right before exiting, and turned his head slightly. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!" If it wasn't for the fact that everyone was attending Hinamori, they would've have surely seen the tears that were falling from his eyes. "Goodbye."

Unohana-taichou looked longingly where the smaller-captain had stood. She immediately sensed something wrong. She knew that that wasn't a normal goodbye, but she was then abruptly interrupted from her thoughts by Hinamori's screams. She slipped her hand into one of her pockets and took out a syringe. She made her way towards Hinamori and grabbed her left arm. "Shhh. Calm down child." She inserted the needle, and injected the clear liquid into her vein. Within seconds, her screams were dying down. "Leave..me...alone...." Unohana gently pushed Hinamori's hair away from her face. "He's gone Hinamori-fukutaichou" Hinamori let the last few tears fall before ceasing her now, barely audible screams.

"Unohana taicho? Will she, will she..be alright?" The kind captain, gave her lieutenant a sad smile. "Yes. But her companion won't be healed as easily." Isane nodded with understanding.

"D...d...iss....." Unohana turned back towards Hinamori, and gave her the same sad smile she gave Isane. "I'm afraid your request has been fulfilled." Hinamori did not understand her words. She tried to ask, but found that she couldn't speak. She closed her eyes, and her mind slowly drifted away. Then everything went black.

~o0o~o0o~o0o~o0o~

Hinamori abruptly woke up from her slumber. Her body was covered in a light coat of sweat. She grasped her now damped blankets. Apparently, she had cried herself to sleep. She looked out her window. Judging by how darkened the sky was, it had been about a few hours since she ran out of Hitsugaya's office. Hitsugaya. She had dreamed about him. It wasn't uncommon, but, it had been a long time since she dreamed about that day. Maybe it was because of her conversation with Matsumoto. She put her hand over her heart. It hurt. More than anything in the world. The truth was a painful thing. And she knew it better than anyone. It had taken her a long time to be 'convinced' that Aizen was a traitor, an evil mastermind who's main goal was to obtain power. In fact it was he who convinced her. Her heart clenched at the painful memory.

"My my. Aren't you a strong one?"

"Aizen-taichou! You're back!" she ran towards him, and wrapped her arms around his waist. In the background, she could barely hear the faint screams of her fellow friends. "I knew it! I knew it! I knew you would come back! I always believed you were good!" she yelled in between sobs. Then she heard a strange sound. She looked up to see her beloved captain smiling wickedly. He chuckled.

"You silly girl." Within a second, she was on the floor, his sword at her neck. "Aizen-taichou...?"His face was dark, and his eyes...his eyes...they sent a cold chill down her spine. She sent a confused look at him. "Stupid girl. Have you not realized it yet?" he laughed evilly. "I should have known. After all, I did say, admiration is the farthest thing from understanding. Too bad that pest of yours isn't here to save you." Her eyes widened. This wasn't the Aizen she knew. No, he was never the man that he appeared to be. Suddenly everything 'clicked.' And then, she was afraid. Very afraid. "Do not fear Hinamori-fukutaichou." she flinched at the formality. "I will end this now." Her body trembled. She was terrified. The once faint screams in the background were now audible. "Hinamori! Watch out!" She watched as he raised his sword. She couldn't move. 'No, no, no, no!' she thought. She shut her eyes. The sound of metal hitting flesh rang through her ears. She slowly opened her eyes. Her uniform was stained with blood, and so was her face. Then she saw it. Her arm. Without knowing, she had raised her arm in defense. The katana left a big gash where it had made contact. She stared wide-eyed. Her body was then flooded with a wave of pain. She screamed. She clutched her arm against her chest.

"You ARE strong." She looked up to her former captain. His sword, raised once again. She trembled. 'Help me.' she thought. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as he swung his sword. Her friends, injured from their own battles, rushing towards her. 'It's too late.' She shut her eyes once again, waiting for the pain to arrive, and maybe, even her death. "HINAMORI!"

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find Renji in front of her. She could not hear what he was saying. Everything was beginning to blur. He seemed to be yelling at someone else. She was then lifted up by Isane. Her head was pounding, and she felt lightheaded. She could barely even hear the sounds of battle. As she was being rushed away, she turned her head slightly. Her vision was already blurring, but she could've sworn she saw a glimpse of white hair. Then she blacked out.

Tears were now sliding down her cheeks. Her hands almost tearing the soft fabric beneath her. "Why? Why?!" She never figured out if it was Hitsugaya who she saw, or maybe just a figment of her imagination. Either way, she never did see him again.

"P..please...c..ome...back...to me!" she said in between sobs. She didn't notice the figure who was approaching her. "I..I...need you!" Her body flinched when she felt a hand on her back.

"I'm here." Hinamori looked up at the person kneeling in front of her. She couldn't help but cry even more. "Shhh. Everything will be alright." Hinamori hugged her, and buried her head into her robe. She knew that she wouldn't mind. "I...it..it's a..ll...m..m..y fa...ult!" she hiccuped. The older women stared down at the small person below her. Her outer robe was already drenched with her tears. But she didn't care. Her friend was in pain. She rubbed her back gently. "I...it...h..urts! M...Make..the pain go away!" her small hands grasped her robe tighter. The older women looked down at the sobbing Hinamori. It pained to see her that way, and almost wished she didn't have to see her in these conditions, but she was determined to help her friend. She let her cry. And cry. She allowed her to scream and yell, so the gods above would hear her, and grant her the wish of sleep. And as she watched the small sleeping form beneath her, she let her own tears escape, because she knew. She knew the pain will still reside the next day. For Matsumoto shared the same pain that Hinamori felt.

"Gin. Where are you?"


Wow. -tear- I thought this was a very emotional chapter, I really enjoyed writing it (I also cried a bit lol) I really overdid myself this time! But, I hope it makes up for lost time! This was for you my readers! Tell me, was it too long, too short? Did I improve? How about the characters? Please review, for I'm not doing this for myself, but for you! I want to see what you guys think!