Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach

Chapter Fourteen - Betrayal?

The blond Arrancar glared at the white haired Shinigami youth as she stepped up to stand beside Heikichi. How dare this brat raise a sword against Lord Aizen. She would personally make him pay for this insult.

"You have signed your own death warrant with this act Shinigami," she said, her voice low and deadly.

Shiro was prepared to fight this new arrival, holding the blade of Hyourinmaru parallel to the ground, but he never got the chance. Heikichi glanced back and forth between Shiro and the Arrancar for the briefest of moments, seemingly sizing up the situation.

Then the young man used a flash-step to appear directly in front of his former classmate and, catching Shiro off guard, he used the hilt of his sword to knock the younger boy unconscious.

"Toushirou!" Kasumi screamed as she watched her best friend fall from the sky and land on the ground. Ice shattered all around him as his Bankai disappeared.

Kasumi rushed to Shiro's side and pulled the boy's upper body into her lap, cradling his head gently in her arms. At the same time she gazed up into Heikichi's eyes and she could swear that she saw the ghost of remorse in their dark depths.

"Why?" the young girl screamed out at the boy that she had once considered one of her best friends. How could he do something like this to someone who had once protected him? Shiro had saved his life more times than Kasumi could count and yet Heikichi had still attacked him. "Why would you hurt him like this?"

Refusing to answer the question Heikichi stepped over to the spot where the Arrancar was standing.

The blond woman bowed low once more, her gaze reverent as the youth came to stand beside her.

"We're leaving," Heikichi said, his voice commanding as he addressed the Arrancar.

"Yes my Lord Aizen."

The Arrancar waved her hand out in front of her, summoning yet another portal. Then she stepped back, allowing Heikichi to go ahead of her.

Heikichi cast one last look at the two Shinigami who were on the ground below him before stepping through the portal that the Arrancar had summoned.

"Heikichi!" Kasumi screamed as she watched the boy disappear, followed by the Arrancar. She couldn't believe that this was happening; she'd been so certain that Heikichi was on their side.

He was their friend.

A groan from the boy who was lying in her lap served to bring Kasumi's thoughts back to the present and she shifted her gaze to Shiro. Her best friend's eyes were clenched tightly closed and it appeared as though he were either in severe pain or experiencing a nightmare of some sort.

Kasumi's thoughts shifted to that horrible time when Shiro had been plagued by the memories of his past life and she desperately hoped that history wasn't repeating its self. "Come on Shiro-chan," she murmured, running her hand through the boy's silky white hair. "Wake up."

The boy's eyelids fluttered for a few moments before Shiro opened his eyes. Large blue-green orbs gazed up at Kasumi, a question shining within their depths.

"What… what happened?"

"It was Heikichi," Kasumi said, tears glistening in her blue eyes as she recalled the incident. "He knocked you unconscious and then left with the Arrancar."

Shiro's eyes widened as he struggled to sit up. He hissed in pain, grasping his head, but forced himself into an upright position none the less.

"Take it easy," Kasumi said in a soothing voice, attempting to get Shiro to lie back down.

"No," Shiro said, pushing her hand away and sitting at her side. "Heikichi didn't betray us."

Kasumi's eyes widened as she heard these words, spoken from his lips. This was the last thing that she had expected. Kasumi had been prepared for anger and for Shiro to blame himself for what happened but she had never dreamt that he would sink into denial.

"Shiro-chan…"

"I know what you're thinking," Shiro said, his blue-green eyes locked on the girl that he had grown up with. On his best friend. "And the thought ran through my mind as well but it was Heikichi's words that made me realize what he was doing."

"What are you talking about Toushirou?"

Shiro thought back to the words that Heikichi had spoken when the two of them had engaged in battle. "He was trying to get us away from this location. I think he knew what was going to happen and he wanted to protect us."

Thinking back Kasumi realized that Heikichi had seemed preoccupied during his battle with Shiro. And his words echoed through her mind. "You have to leave this place Kurosaki. This is bigger than you realize."

"So he was trying to protect you," Kasumi said, gazing at Shiro with a shocked expression on her face.

"Us," Shiro said, a far off look in his eyes.

"So what are we going to do about this?" Kasumi wanted to know. "He left with that Arrancar. We can't just leave him there."

"You're right," Shiro said, various plans going through his mind. "But I don't think that we can get the help of Soul Society either."

"But…"

"Think about it Kasumi," Shiro said, locking gazes with his best friend. "Heikichi left with her willingly so they'll assume that he's a traitor."

"I suppose that you're right," Kasumi said, realizing how Heikichi's actions would look to the Shinigami. "But do you really think that we can go to Hueco Mundo to rescue him?"

"Of course," Shiro said, a note of confidence in his voice. He sounded years older than he really was and Kasumi found herself in awe of the young man that she had grown up beside. "Don't forget, I have intimate knowledge of the place. And I know someone who can help us get there."

"Right." Kasumi was grateful that Shiro wasn't attempting to keep her from going to Hueco Mundo since it was proof that he respected her as a fighter. Not that it would have done him much good to protest. There is absolutely no way that she would ever allow him to go to a place like that alone.

"Come on," the white haired youth said, getting to his feet and offering Kasumi his hand.

"Are you sure that you're up for this right now?" Kasumi asked even as she accepted the hand that he held out to her. "You took a pretty bad blow to the head after all."

"I've had worse," Shiro said, absently rubbing at the bump that had formed on his head. "But I'm going to pay Heikichi back for that."

"Of course," Kasumi said, shaking her head as she and Shiro came to stand side by side.

The two young Shinigami stood and stared into the distance for a brief moment, each lost in thought. The road ahead of them would be both long and hard but both Shiro and Kasumi were determined to bring Heikichi back with them.

No matter the cost.

A/N - Here's another chapter, hope that you enjoyed. Please be kind enough to leave a review and tell me what you thought.