"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, the Winter War would have been done by now!

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This chapter isn't the movie. Now we are exploring what happens afterword. Our favourite little Captain was naughty. And he is in a quasi-military organization. He is going to be punished or they risk discipline problems within the ranks.

TO ALL THE DDO PLAYERS OUT THERE: Please read Unohana's sign. You will know what I mean.

Zanpakuto talking

Inner world.

CHAPTER 8:

RECOVERY AND APOLOGIES

"TOUSHIROU!"

"CAPT…HIT…"

"…arm…broken…ribs…"

"…Unohana…fracture…"

"Careful…move…gently…move…head…NO!"

I came back to consciousness with a searing white hot flash of pain from my head. I screamed as the pain shot down my body reeking havoc. I felt myself gagging on my own regurgitation. Each gag/cough added to the pain. But I managed to roll to my side and heave the contents of my stomach onto the ground. My worldview consisted of blurry colours of brown, black and white; and smelled of vomit.

I couldn't remember…

"I need to get him to Division Headquarters now!" A voice commanded. A memory trickled up. Unodana. "We must try not to move his head too much! Isane, go ahead and prep a team for surgery. We will need to operate immediately!"

I was forgetting something important. I understood what was going on around me but I did not understand them. I felt detached, like I was observing.

"Here, use my haori," White flashed through my vision. Ukitake's name floated up. "We can use it to lift him onto your Zanpakuto, Retsu. Ok we need to roll him CAREFULLY. One…Two…Three…"

I remember now. Kusaka. He must have captured me! I suddenly reacted in fear as the hands touched me and move me back on my back. I flailed feebly. Why are they doing this? Leave me alone!

I felt a cool hand in mine. "It's ok Toushirou," Karin. She's still with me, good. We can escape together. But she sounded so distant? Maybe she's in a different cell… "They are taking you someplace so you can heal."

"Heal?" Yes I am sick but Aizen wouldn't heal me!

"Yes, heal," my body shifted and started to float. The hand slipped from my grasp.

"Karin?" I gasped. Must fight the guards. Where were we, in Hueco Mundo? "Stay with me or Kusaka may hurt you!"

"It's okay, Toushirou," she called. She was so far away. I was losing her! Aizen will torture her for sure! "They are lifting you and putting you on a giant one-eyed flying whale, I think."

Flying whale? What in the hell is a whale? What's flying? Kusaka-Aizen's nefarious creatures? "Damn it girl! Stay with me! It is bad enough your brother is going to kill me because I couldn't outrun you!"

"Toushirou," she said her voice very faint. There was a fog rolling in. Did Hueco Mundo have fogs? Does it have bogs? "Kusaka is dead. And my brother didn't kill you."

Her brother? She has a brother? It didn't make sense, why couldn't I see anything? Was I blindfolded? The restraints were clawlike. I was confused and quite frightened. "Karin, please take my hand. I need to know you are okay."

I felt my body touch the ground again. I heard voices I couldn't understand. The pain was overwhelming. I called for her again. I need to know if she was alive and okay. I forgot her name what was my name? Was I drugged?

Then I felt HER hand and heard HER voice, "It's ok Toushirou. I'm right here."

Relieved, I fell into darkness.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

I dreamed.

I dreamed of Kusaka and what life would be if he was the Chosen One, not I. I dreamed of Rangiku, seeing her happy with a Gin that wasn't a traitor. I dreamed of Momo, happy and childlike. I'd liked the bed wetter one than the one that currently exists. I dreamed of Karin, endless days of playing soccer and laughing and eating ice cream with her. I dreamed of Ichigo; of him maturing into what he should be, a great captain. I dreamed of deserts and hollows and Arracar and Espada. I dreamed of place with no water but lots of blood. I dreamed of Aizen. I dreamed I saw his true face. I trembled in that dream.

I dreamed of pain.

I dreamed of frost and cold, of snow and mountains. No this was not a dream. This was my inner world.

Hello little one.

"Hyorinmaru" I breathed, a cold breeze ruffled my hair.

It is time to awaken. You have been in the grip of the fever dreams for too long. There are people who are worried about you.

"People?"

Yes.

"I am afraid," I admitted. "Waking means I must face reality. The payment for things I have done. What do I have to look forward to, but deserved humiliation. What is there out there that I want, or even need?"

So you rather hide in your mind rather than take responsibility for your actions? I did not choose a coward to be my Guardian, nor are you one.

"But…But…" I sighed frustrated. "I did something horribly wrong. They will take away everything I worked for…"

Now you are lying to me, to yourself, boy! Hyorinmaru roared his voice great and terrible. It shook me to the core. Foolish Child! Admit your fears and face them!

I knew what he meant. If anything, I am not a coward, and if execution is my punishment, I will face it with dignity.

Boy, it is more than a fear of death that melts your courage.

I was afraid of what? Then I realized it. I swallowed and answered. "I am afraid to see disappointment in their eyes. To see that I failed them…worse that I hurt them. And they are right to be angry. I am ashamed that what I fear the most is the fear of them losing their pride in me."

Correct. Remember, I am always with you, but I am not the only one. Do not turn away from others. You will find that they will not turn from you. Now go, swallow your pride and answer for your actions. Ask for forgiveness. Now awake!

XXX

I blinked, slowly adjusting my eyes to the brightness of the room. I coughed, which attracted attention.

"Welcome back, Captain Hitsugaya," The soft voice of Captain Unohana. "How are you feeling?"

I tried to answer but all I got out was a rasp. She murmured to someone else in the room and I suddenly felt hands on my head lifting me up into a half reclined position. A cup was held to my mouth. After several sips of cold clear water, I answered her. "I feel blurry."

She softly chuckled. "That is in part caused by the pain medication. Though," I felt a hand caress the left side of my temple where a bandage was taped. "You did an excellent job of trying to become a part of Sokyoku Hill. It took me an hour to put the skull fragments back so we could heal you properly. No brain damage as far as I can tell."

"Then why fuzzy?" That didn't come out right. I frowned. "Brain damm…"

"No, that's the medication talking. The fact you recognized it was wrong tells me your head is there. There could be speech problems, but they are easily fixed with therapy. However, I highly doubt it. You won't even have a scar from the head injury."

"Else?" I hate fuzzy!

"Oh, a punctured lung, broken ribs, left arm broken, not to mention the fresh stab wound from Kusaka. All this in time will heal well with little to no scarring. The stomach wound hasn't fully healed. We have to make sure the infection was cleared before applying kido. It will scar. And because of it, you will be my guest for a week. I am impressed with that human child, Karin Kurosaki. She did an excellent job dressing the wound and treated it well. But the infection was deep and she could not treat it with the supplies she had. However, without her you would probably have not made it. You should thank her."

"Did." I did thank her, but I would do it again. "Long out?"

"Four days. You've had visitors, many haven't even left since you were brought in, but we have kept the traffic to a minimum. Most are outside now. Do you wish to see them?" She asked me.

"Can't see nuthin'" Inwardly cringing at my language. "All fuzzy."

Unohana laughed again. "Well, it would make them happy to see you awake. It will only be for a few minutes. I suspect you will fall asleep soon." She patted my arm and I could hear a door opening.

I was tired. But, to be honest, I was curious who would be waiting for me to wake up. Matsumoto would, I supposed. Not sure who else. Ukitake perhaps. A few moments later I heard voices and a door opened again. Unohana warned them to keep their voices low and my replies to one word answers.

"Captain!" Matsumoto said. By the squeal at the end of the word, she wanted to be much louder. With a lung crushing hug afterwards. But she took my hand and held it gently. She became a blonde/black/pink blur on my right. "I am so glad you have awakened. I was so worried." I could feel her other hand fluffing my hair. I also could feel weeks of mothering from her. That would be annoying. But right now it felt good.

It wasn't like I could get her to stop it.

Another hand took my right. I moved my head a little and saw a red/pink/black blur, much shorter than Rangiku. "Hey Toushirou, you know who this is right?"

"Karin." I managed to say, coughing at the end. "Water."

"Here," An orange/black/pink blur stood over me and held the cup. Ichigo, I thought as I sipped. He was surprisingly gentle, not forcing the water down my throat and knew when to stop giving the liquid to me. Well, his dad is a doctor, and Karin told me all three of them helped in his clinic.

I must have said that out loud. "Hey, he remembered that our dad's a doctor! I told him that!"

"Yeah, so? Why is it important that he remembers our dad's a doctor?" Ichigo answered.

"Duh! Head injury!" Karin answered back.

"We shinigami are tougher than that." Ikkaku Madarame stated with an air of annoyance.

"Yes, we can sustain far worse injuries and walk away. Though the captain was most ungraceful in his landing." Ayasegawa's voice.

" 'Ungraceful?' What was ungraceful was puking on the Head-Captain's tabi." Renji Abarai. "But it was so funny!"

Oh dear lord I did what? "I...dead now"

A silence from the crowd in my room, then they all burst into laughter. Loud laughter that grated on my head. A door opened and the voice of Captain Kuchiki could be heard. "Captain Unohana gave you instructions to keep your voices lowered. It would behoove you to follow her orders."

"We apologize, brother," Rukia Kuchiki, in a lower, but still full of laughter, voice. "But Captain Hitsugaya made a joke."

A joke?

"A joke?" I could see in my mind the proverbial Kuchiki eyebrow arch as he echoed my thoughts. "Most surely not. You are probably misinterpreting him. You all have interred yourselves in the hallway outside his room for three days."

All of them?

"Well, so have you, Byakuya." First names? Ichigo, suicide is not an option. Is it too hard for you to respect us captains? Wait, Captain Kuchiki has been here too? Why?

"I am here on official business."

"Uh huh." Ichigo drolly replied. "So explain why Juushirou and Kenpachi are there too?"

"I do not know. I suggest you ask them yourself, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Hey, wait a minute…!"

I felt myself drifting towards sleep. The voices lulled me like a lullaby. The last voice, the voice of Hyorinmaru, was a satisfied. 'I told you so' which ushered me into dreams.

The next several days were a blur, both figuratively and literally. According to Unohana, the bruised tissues around my eyes where healing and lowering the pressure around my eye sockets. That is why my vision improved. Still fuzzy, but I now could tell who people were even before they spoke.

Many people came and visited me. I was surprised. The enviable baskets of candy soon decorated the room, which I could not be angry about. I tried to be angry, it just fell flat. Karin ended up eating most of it, along with Squad 11's little pink tornado of endless energy. Both were my most frequent visitors, Yachiru for the candy, and Karin staying for hours talking to me. She told me she was confined to the Squad Four Division and hadn't seen anything.

"Ichigo gets to go places…" She had grumbled, pouting.

Karin managed to get a deck of playing cards. She spent time teaching me how to play poker, solitaire, old maid, gin rummy and several other games. Karin would sit at one end of my bed, and I, legs crossed sat on the other, the card game in between. Even though my eyesight was blurry and I sometimes had to move the cards back and forth to figure out what I had been dealt, I still won some games. I slept a lot, usually in the after noon. Then before dinner, I was usually mobbed by several more of the 'regulars.' But always Matsumoto would be there. She was the last one to leave, eating dinner with me and holding my hand as I drifted off into a medicated sleep.

She likes to mother, and being bed ridden, I have no where to run. It makes her happy, so I did not remark on it. I figured it would take a little off some of the trouble I caused her by not getting upset about it. Once I am freed from my medical prison, however…

On my fifth day, instead of Karin, Captain Ukitake joined me in the morning. He had visited in the evenings, but today I could tell it was different. This was an official call.

"How are you feeling Captain Hitsugaya?" He asked, not sitting as he usually does.

"Better, thank you Captain Ukitake," I answered in the same reverence. "This is an official call, am I correct?"

He smiled, gently but strained. "Yes, but I will not be the one to speak to you. I am here to make sure you are ready for this visitor"

"I am being released in a couple of days, so while still injured, I should be ok. " I wondered who it could be. He nodded and went to the door, holding it open.

Holding it open for Head Captain Yamamoto. I sat up straight on the bed as Juushirou smiled at me and left the room.

Silence. I could feel his eyes as I stared at my lap. Finally I looked up and coughed. "Uhm, sir? You can have a seat sir, if you wish, that is." Anything but the damn silence.

He waited a moment and then sat down. "How are you feeling, Captain Hitsugaya?"

Still Captain. "Better, sir. Still some issues but Captain Unohana says I should make a full recovery."

"Excellent."

Silence

I hate silence. Just rip the scab off already! "Sir, I…I thank you for your visit but I believe you are here for more than a social visit. Am I correct?"

A chuckle from the Old Man. "You are most astute young man. You are correct; this is not a social visit. I am here to decide your punishment, if needed."

I looked at the bedspread again. "Sir."

"Do you think you need to be punished?"

How to answer? I sensed two questions in that one. "If I were you, yes I would, just for good order and discipline within the ranks. A captain should know better. But to be honest, I'd rather not be punished, but I will accept any punishment you hand out, sir!"

"Even if it is an execution?"

My hands started to tremble. "Yes sir. As I said, I rather not be punished but if that is the will of the Head-Captain and other Captains, I will go to my death with what honor I have left." I clutched the bedspread tightly in both fists. I could not look at him.

"Do you think you deserve execution?"

I thought for a moment. "By the letter of the law, I do." That was incredibly hard to say.

"Hmmm…he was quite correct, you are harder on yourself than everyone around you."

I looked at him suddenly. Who said what? He had one eye opened, leaning forward on his staff. "Do not worry, Captain Hitsugaya, I can assure you execution is not in your future."

I was relieved, however, "Why?" I asked.

"Well, the last execution went so well I decided not to test the waters with another one for awhile. However, all the rest of the possibilities are still there, including incarceration for a 1,000 years. It will depend on your testimony four days from now."

The day after I leave Squad Four's hands. "Yes sir," I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Hmmm…Lieutenant Matsumoto will be here this afternoon with the paperwork that I want you to complete before that meeting. This includes a revision of the report when you were in the World of the Living. I want honesty in these reports. As you are one of the most honest captains, I was bitterly disappointed in you during this Kusaka foolishness, Captain Hitsugaya." He stood up. "I would hope that you will reflect on your choices you have made during this incident. The official notice will be given to Lieutenant Matsumoto."

"Sir," my voice quavering. I felt like a child being scolded severely.

He turned to go. "One more thing," He said, before opening my door. "You will have some other visitors soon. Think hard on those you hurt when you greet them."

"Sir."

He left. I sat there, my fists balled up. Damnit! I will control myself! I am not a child, but a captain! I will behave as such! Captains don't cry!

My mantra almost worked.

XXX

My visitors came an hour later.

Lieutenants Izaru Kira and Shuuhei Hisagi.

I must have done a number on Kira's leg, for the healers put it in a cast. My guilt clenched my stomach. Damn.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" They chorused and bowed, well attempted too.

I frowned. "Sit down please. You are both injured." I looked down at the bed spread. I was starting to see shapes in the threads from staring at it too long. I sighed and glanced up at their faces. I saw no anger, just some confusion. I know Kira better than Hisagi, and I know he could be emotionless if he wanted. Silence again. I gotta do this! I have done it in the past.

I let out another sigh and looked both straight in the eye. "I really don't know what to say here but I am sorry that you were injured badly by me due to my apparent…foolishness." I swallowed hard and made a slight bow to both. "I humbly apologize for that. And if you can, get a list of the men that were under your command at the time, I will apologize to every one of them."

I couldn't look at them. I just stayed bowed. I again, crushed my bed spread in my fists. I just…it is so hard to swallow my pride. I was trying very hard not to shake.

Damnable silence again.

"Captain Hitsugaya?" I looked up at them. Kira looked at Hisagi, who nodded. "Sir, we had the situation explained to us. It was apparent, and this was noted on our reports, despite saying you were going to kill us, you definitely went out of the way not to. I mean, even with the injuries, which were a lot, most were minor."

"Except your leg," I stated.

Kira gave me half grin, "Well, it was a hairline fracture until I tried to walk on it, against the healer's advice." Ah, the cast. There's a sign in Captain Unohana's office that reads 'We don't heal stupidity.' Still, it did assuage my guilt a bit, not being the direct cause of him wearing a cast.

Hisagi coughed. "Sorry, there's more." I nodded for him to continue. "We talked to all the men ourselves and came up with this:" He stopped and looked at Kira, who nodded. "Sir, we both have a lot of respect for you. You have helped and guided us both when our own captains had forsaken us. You made sure that we understood that you were there for any questions or help, all we had to do was to ask.

"We did not believe that you were like them." The distaste for Aizen, Ichimaru and Tosen was very clear on both of their faces. "And to us, the attack proved it. So we decided that if you apologized for your actions, we would forgive you."

A slight blush tinted Kira's face as he spoke up, "You forgave me and even stood up for me. Even when I attacked Momo and blindly stood by my captain. I should be just as forgiving as you are."

I was surprised. They just forgave me? Just like that? Because I said 'I'm sorry?' Why? I shook my head, clearing the confusion off my face. They were being honest and sincere, like me. I would not dishonor that.

"Thank you," I finally and quietly replied.

After an awkward silence where I know they wanted to say something but didn't, they just stood up, bowed and started to leave the room.

"Sir?" Hisagi spoke up, just before he left the room. "I have a question, you don't have to answer it, but I feel I need to ask."

I did not look at him. "Ask." I said.

"Thank you sir. My question sir is this: Why didn't you ask for help? I mean, we would have helped if you asked."

Why, indeed. "I been asking that myself over the last few days. I honestly do not have an answer, Lieutenant."

Silence, then Kira spoke up. "Sir, if it means anything to you, we were asked if we thought that you were worthy to be a captain, someone we would follow, and we replied yes, and that you should remain as one."

I was grateful I was facing away from the door and they could not see my face. I know I was gaping in surprise. I don't understand this! "I do not know why you would give such a recommendation, but I thank you."

"Sir!" They chorused and left the room. I flopped down on the bed, my arm covering my eyes. I was tired, confused and frustrated. They praise me when I did not follow my own good advice. I just don't understand. The Head-Captain's cryptic 'harder on myself than others,' statement bothered me too. I sighed and rolled to one side. I am harder on myself. I'm a captain, damnit! I need to be held to a higher standard. I should hold myself to a higher standard, and I do. But with this overwhelming kindness and support, why? While nice, it wasn't helping my understanding of the bigger picture. What was I missing?

I must have dozed off, because I was awaken by Karin and a nurse with the lunch tray. I looked at my meal, any desire to eat disappeared after this morning's plethora of visitors.

"Hey, Toushirou, what's wrong?" Karin was sitting on my bed swinging her legs while idly shuffling the playing cards.

"None of your business, you wouldn't under…" I paused. I remembered saying that I was going to try to be her best friend. Should I tell her? Do best friends share stuff like that? I believe so. So confusing. I sighed. I have been sighing a lot lately. "Uhm…I am not sure if I should tell you, or if you could understand it." I offered. Perhaps she could make the choice for me.

"It not like some top secret 13 squadron stuff, right?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Ok, why would it be a problem for me? Cuz I am too young? Or because I am human?"

I thought about it. "Both really. But you are more mature than your age, and have grasped strange concepts pretty well. I…I guess what I was asking was," I paused not sure if I should go on. Baring my soul to another is a new concept for me. Well, outside Hyorinmaru, and he really doesn't count. "I was asking if I could tell you what's on my mind. I mean, I know you said we were best friends and all…" I knew I was blushing. I couldn't even look at her. I drew circles in my half eaten bowl of rice with my chopsticks.

"Duh!" I looked up to see her grinning. "Of course you're my best friend, idiot! You can tell me ANYTHING!"

I collected my thoughts for am moment. "In a few days, I will be going to see the Head-Captain for my punishment." How to say it. "I am a little nervous about it."

"It wasn't like it was unexpected. You had been saying that for days."

"I know but…" I shook my head. Maybe Karin doesn't understand. "Never mind, uhm…The guys from the shrine came here today."

Karin stopped the shuffling and looked at me. "The blonde guy and that tattoo dude?" I nodded. "Nice guys. I said sorry to Kira a few days back. He said I had an impressive kick, cuz I really bruised his stomach!" She giggled at the memory.

"And you weren't…embarrassed or anything?"

"Well, yeah, a little. But Ichigo said I should say I'm sorry, and he's right, though I didn't tell him that! Don't need to inflate his ego any more. He took me to their room. I said I was sorry and then we talked for awhile. They asked a lot of questions about you."

"They did?"

"Yeah." She turned to look directly at me. "What's this about, Toushirou? You did tell them you were sorry, right?" She cocked an eyebrow at me.

I confirmed that I did, and quickly and concisely told her what they said. Karin frowned at my confusion. "You know, those guys think the world of you. That is all they were blathering about; how much you helped them for this or that."

"So?" Confusion created anger within me. "So? Liking a person doesn't mean they deserve respect or authority. Because I like Yachiru doesn't mean I think she should be a lieutenant. Why should they stand up for me?"

She shook her head for a moment. Karin dropped the deck on the bed and suddenly lunged at me. She leaned over the lap desk and knocking the now cold rice bowl over. Hands on either side of my head, she stared straight into mine, anger coursing through her purple orbs. Just like the lightning…

"You are the biggest idiot here!" Her voice was, low and scathing. "For days, Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has been worried about you. All they talk about is how much they respect you. I have learned that not only do you take time out of your schedule to help anyone who asks, you bend over backwards to assist them. You are called fair and kind, but cold. An excellent teacher, one who makes sure everyone understands the subject. That you work hard, very hard, and set an excellent example to others.

"Not ONCE did I hear that anyone thought you were the bad guy. NOT ONE, Toushirou! Now, can you get your head out of your ass and realize a lot of people care about you? That it is ok to be cared about?"

I sat forward, causing her to rock back onto her heels. "Idiot!" My voice tempered to my best captain below zero voice. "I cannot believe a girl as smart as you doesn't get it. But being human and ignorant of all things Shinigami, I'll give you a clue. Aizen was nice, and kind and gentle. People loved him. I respected him and considered him a friend. Himamori, as the man's lieutenant, worshiped the ground he walked upon.

"And yet, he betrayed us. The same man we 'liked' and 'cared' about. He stabbed Himamori, nearly killed me, and tried to have Rukia executed. Now, he's planning to wipe hundreds of thousands of souls away forever for the sake of power.

"So no, I don't understand. After those lieutenants, Kira and Hisagi, saw that their own captains joined in Aizen's defection, how can they trust me after the stunt I just pulled? I wouldn't, its blind trust."

I flopped back on the mattress, my anger spent. I covered my hands with my face, watching her from between my fingers. "I just don't get it. And it is hard to accept considering what just happened a few months ago."

Karin was silent for a few minutes. She jumped down off the bed and removed my lunch tray. I thought I had angered her and she was just going to leave. But she sat it down and came back to the bed. She carefully removed one of my hands from my face, holding it. She looked sad. Damn! I shouldn't have yelled at her. It wasn't her fault. I was about to apologize when she spoke in low tones.

"Toushirou. You don't get it at all. It's not blind trust; it's knowing the person from their actions. Yours prove you are deserving of their trust. Their loyalty. You are willing to go above and beyond so many times for them; they are willing to forgive a little mistake on your part.

"I have no clue about this Aizen guy, but you say that he was nice and kind? Did any of his actions actually display that? Were they that pure? Or were they greedy? While they call you 'Captain Grumpy pants,' and cold, I have not heard one person said you were greedy. In fact they say the opposite. I know you have a good heart and you are not selfish. Why can't you see yourself the same way? You are worthy of being liked and loved and respected. They want to, but you won't let them. Why?"

She just stared at me. Looking sad. Not pity, just sad for me. I know my jaw was hanging open. I was in shock. Maybe that was the missing thing. Maybe, I should receive what they say I give out. That it's ok. This from an 11 year old. Where does she get such profound words? How does she know me better than I know myself?

Before I could reply, the door opened. Karin dropped my hand in surprise as Matsumoto came through the door with paperwork and writing materials.

She grinned and winked at me. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt my Captain's hand holding time with his little girlfriend!"

Karin blushed fiercely, red touching the tips of her ears as she mumbled denials.

I, on the other hand, sat up straight, instantly infuriated. My forehead was throbbing as Matsumoto giggled, "Oh don't worry, captain. I won't tell a soul."

Like hell she won't. This little tidbit of my life will make it to the Gatekeepers by midnight. Karin gasped, running out of the room. "Damnit Matsumoto!" I sputtered as she flopped down in a chair and pulled it up to the bed.

"You two are so cute!"

"If one word gets out, if I hear of a hint of a possibility of it being spoken, I will personally bind you to your desk and pour every drop of sake I find, including the bunch in the rafters of the third barracks, down the sink." Oh, a gasp. She didn't think I knew about that hiding spot?

"Ooh Captain! You're so mean!"

"Don't push me on this Matsumoto!"

"Fine, Fine. Here's your paperwork."

I took the supplies and my lap desk from her, glaring at her the whole time, pushing the point across, I hoped. We soon let the mundane dreariness of paperwork leech out my frustrations and her mischievousness.

XXX

The next day, I was given release from the 4th division with cautions of not shunpo'ing too fast or too long. My vision was still not clear, but knowing I wasn't going to be in a conflict anytime soon, I did not inform Captain Unohana of that. It will clear, as it has in the past, in a few days, so I wasn't worried.

But I was worried about returning to my division. As I arrived at the doorway, I swallowed, my nervousness catching up to me. Matsumoto informed me during our surprisingly productive paperwork session what the squad endured while I was chasing Kusaka around.

My guilt at my irresponsibility hit full force as the guards opened the door and announced that the Captain, Squad 10 was arriving. I knew that Matsumoto did what I asked her to do, so as I passed the squad's meditation gardens and headed towards the inspection grounds, I knew that the entire squadron was lined up in formation.

They stood there in silence as I approached them. My mind temporary going in to Captain mode, started to inspect the various small units within the division. But, being my squad, they were all in proper gear and sober, even Matsumoto, who fell in behind me.

I was proud of them. I wondered if I ever told them that. Perhaps I should tell them now, if this was going to be my last day as their captain. Finally I went to stand in front of the disciplined troops, my hands clasped behind my back. I paused, gathering my thoughts. I was a little more prepared in this apology, than the last.

"Squad 10," my voice carried all the way to the furthest member. "These last few days have been trying for you. Testing your faith, your loyalty, and your honor. You have been accused of treason, falsely, and had to surrender your Zanpakutos.

"At a time when war is about to fall, things like loyalty and honor should be unquestioned, especially about the superiors, the ones who will lead you into battle and have your lives in their hands. All of these things, loyalty, honor faith, should be unquestioned if your superior was doing his job."

I took a deep breath. Now for the rough stuff. "Which yours was not. He forgot, for a moment, his duty, his commitment, his promise to lead you, for a foolish quest that, yes, needed to be completed, but probably not the way he did it. He left behind confused and guiltless suboardates to take the blame in his stead.

"He was, in effect, an idiot. And this idiot most humbly apologizes for his behavior." I bowed my upper body parallel to the ground. "I am sorry."

Silence. Then again, they are well trained not to speak in formation. After a few moments, I stood up straight. "Tomorrow may be a day of great changes for this squad. I ask all of you to be patient and remember your duties if…" I took a deep shuttering breath and steeled myself. "If the haori is removed from my person.

"Otherwise, unless you have watch today, the squadron is dismissed."

"Squadron, dismissed!" Matsumoto bellowed.

No one moved. The seated officers in front of each unit looked at each other in some silent communication. Then, starting with the 3rd seat's group, the marched up to me in formation.

Akame Nishii, my 3rd seat lead her group right up to me. She stopped, facing me. Then, they all bowed. "Welcome back sir," she said. "I-we look forward to serving under you for years to come!" And with another bow, she dismissed her unit and they dispersed.

Rangiku gasped. I looked at her. She was just as surprised as I was. But we watched, in slack jawed amazement as the rest of the companies more or less copied Nishii. I stood there long after the last squad member left. To say I was shocked was an understatement.

"I didn't know…I mean, I didn't expect…" Matsumoto swallowed audibly. Amazement was written all over her face.

"Tch. It was a silly gesture," I said, trying to recover from the situation. "They have no say on what happens tomorrow.

"Silly captain? Do you truly believe that?"

I let a huff of air out as I faced an amused Matsumoto. "Fine, it was nice to have them back me, but it was not needed."

She laughed softly and shook her head. "Oh, Captain."

"Fine then, don't believe me, and see if I care. I am going to my quarters. This day is already tiring."

And tomorrow would be horrible.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

I made an attempt to throw some military structure into the story.

Please read and review!

And a note from my Beta: Fuzzy speak is much easier for me to edit :P. Your characters should get hit on the head more often.