Toshiro's POV

"It looks like we have unwanted gests, Kuchiki-san. Tell them to go away before they end up like your friend there." She stayed silent, she only cried. "Fine, say good bye to…"

"Shut up," she said.

"What?" He turned to her.

"Shut up," she repeated.

"It's his fault for being stupid and irrational. Actually, I think it's more your fault. If it weren't for you, he would be safe. Not here, close to death. You seem to cause so much trouble, Kuchiki-san. First at your execution and…"

"I SAID TO SHUT UP!" She jumped up and drew her sword. "DANCE, SODE NO SHIRAYUKI! SODE NO MAI, TSUKISHIRO!" A circle appeared under Aizen but he jumped out of it right before ice started to freeze everything in the circle's domain. She then came at him. She slashed and slashed at him but he dodged every time. Then Aizen stopped her sword with just his bare hand! He pulled the sword out of her hands and threw it to the side. Then he put one of his hands around Rukia's neck. I could see him started to crush her neck. When I heard her whimper, I immediately lost my temper.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" I yelled at him. I drew my sword and attacked him. He let her go to dodge my blow. Rukia was barely conscious when I caught her from falling. I could see where Aizen's hand had been. This made me even angrier.

"YOU BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU!"

"My, my, what is this? Is little Toshiro in love with the little street rat? Seems fitting, both of you grew up on the streets."

I ignored what he was saying while I brought Rukia to Matsumoto.

"Matsumoto, take care of her," I said then turned. I looked over at Aizen.

"Oh, did I upset you. Was it because I said nasty things about your little girlfriend. What part made you mad? When I called her a street rat? Was it when I said you two grew up on the streets? Or maybe, it wasn't what I said. Was it because I hurt her? I'm sure it's hard for her to breathe right now. I even bet she's in a lot of pain."

I could hear Rukia's labored breathing. She started to cough. I knew she was in so much pain.

"Say, Toshiro, would it make you even angrier if I took her with me? I know Gin would love to have a new toy."

"SHUT UP!" I lost all control and started to attack Aizen. "SIT UPON THE FROZEN HEAVENS, HYOURINMARU!" I was surrounded by my reiatsu and I made Hyourinmaru appear as an ice dragon. I attacked Aizen over and over again but he managed to dodge every attempt.

Then, I felt a familiar presence. It was Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura," Byakuya said, calling on his zanpakuto.

I moved out of the way of the attack. When it cleared, Aizen was gone. I looked around but I couldn't find him. Then I heard it.

"Stay away from Rukia-chan! Growl, Haineko!"

I rushed over to them. I couldn't see where Aizen was. Where is he?! Then I heard Matsumoto cry out.

"Matsumoto!" I yelled out. If Aizen hurt here, I swear…

"Let's go Kuchiki-san. Don't cause your friends anymore trouble."

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" It was Rukia.

"Rukia, wait!" I ran to where the voices were coming from. Then I found them. Rukia had her zanpakuto again and was coming at Aizen. He drew his sword and I started to panic more.

I was about to help Rukia but I got stopped. It was Gin. I looked over at Byakuya but he was being held back by Tousen.

"Move out of the way!" I shouted at him.

"Nice to see ya too, Captain," he said.

"Move out of the way," I repeated.

"Sorry Captain, I can't do that," he said, drawing his zanpakuto. Then he came at me.

Rukia's POV

First he plans out my execution so he can get the hogyoku from me. He ends up hurting Ichigo and so many others. Now, he hurt Renji and Matsumoto. I will make him pay!

I came at him.

"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren!" I punctured the ground with my zanpakuto then took my stance. I aimed my attack at Aizen then I attacked. An avalanche of cold air went in his direction. When everything cleared up, he wasn't there. I looked around but I couldn't find him.

Then I felt his zanpakuto going through my chest. When did he get behind me? Then he was in front of me. He went in for another blow but I managed to block it. The force of his attack was too much and his zanpakuto split Sode no Shirayuki in half. My eyes went wide. He grabbed me by the neck again.

"You're lucky I need you alive, Kuchiki-san. If I didn't need you, you'd be dead already," he said tightening his grip on my neck.

"No, Rukia! Get out of the way, Gin!" I heard Hitsugaya say in the background. He called me 'Rukia.' Was it on accident? Was it intentional? Who knows, and what does it matter anymore?

I should try to escape, shouldn't I? If I don't then Renji and Matsumoto getting hurt would have been for nothing.

"Do you want to say something to your friends before we leave?"

"No, but… I have something to say to you," I struggled to say it. I raised my broken zanpakuto, trying to aim its broken blade at his chest. My vision was blurred. Probably from lack of oxygen.

"How pitiful," he muttered.

"No, you are! San no Mai, Shirafune!" Then my blade was going through him. With the sight I still had left, I could see the shock on his face.

That's when I felt the other captain's and lieutenant's reiatsu. They were finally here. Lieutenant Hinamori was also here. This must be hard for her. Aizen was her captain after all.

"Aizen put her down, now!" It was Captain Ukitake. He sounded so serious. "What more terror do you want to put the girl through?! Now put her down or we'll attack!"

"Let's go, Gin, Tousen." He pulled me close to him and whispered, "I'll be back for you." Then he threw me to the ground, hard. After that, he was gone, again.

Toshiro's POV

He was gone, again. I rushed to Rukia. She was barely conscious and I could tell she was in so much pain. Then Unohana came to her with Isane.

They were about to start healing her, when Rukia stopped them.

"Heal… Renji and Matsumoto first," she managed to say.

"But your wounds…" Isane started.

"Please, it's my fault they're hurt. If they end up dying…" She couldn't finish.

"I understand," Unohana said. "Let's go heal the lieutenants first, Isane. Captain Hitsugaya, could you stay with her?"

"Yes," I said. I kneeled beside her.

It was silent between us for a long time. But then the silence was broken.

"Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya," she said in such a small voice.

"For what?"

"You came to save me when you didn't have to."

"Why didn't I have to?"

"Because you're a captain and I'm an unseated officer. I'm not important like you are."

"Why are you saying this? You are important!"

"No, you don't have to try and comfort me. I know my place, sir."

"Stop, don't say things like that about yourself! You are important. People care about you!" I looked down then mumbled, "I care about you."

She managed to hear me. She looked surprised. "You… do?"

"Yeah, I…" I started.

"Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya. I'm going to start to heal Kuchiki-san now," Unohana interrupted.

"Yeah," I said then got up. As I walked away I looked back at Rukia. I caught her eyes. They were full of surprise and… happiness?

I kept walking, trying to ignore what I saw in her eye.

"Shiro-chan," I heard Hinamori say.

"What is it, Hinamori?"

"What happened? Are you ok? Do you need to be looked at? I'll get someone from the 4th division!"

"Hinamori, stop, I'm fine!"

"Oh, so, can you tell me what happened?"

"I don't feel like talking about it," I said coldly.

"All right, well, I have something to tell you. It's important!"

"Well, what is it?!"

"There's going to be a captain/lieutenant meeting in a while. You have to be there unless you've been seriously injured."

I sighed, "Great, that's just what I needed. It's late and I want to go to sleep but now I have to go to a meeting. Is that all?"

"Yeah, I'll see you later, I guess."

Why can't I get a break?!