"Now, now; can you blame me for only wanting to see you? Surely you have not fallen that low?" Aizen said as he advanced even closer. Hinamori Momo grabbed for her zampakuto. In surprise, she looked down as her hand grasped air.

"Where is Tobiume?" She whispered. Without her zanpakuto, she felt almost helpless.

"Don't fret Momo; Tobiume is safe. I can't have you harming me can I?" Aizen purred. By that point, he was so close that she could have reached out and touched him, without even extending her hand. Her heart pounded. Slowly, so very slowly, she watched as he raised a hand toward her face. As if in a trance, she closed her eyes as he gently touched her face. "You're shaking…"

"Don't touch me!" Trance broken, she stumbled backward, her skin burning where he had touched her. Aizen frowned. "Where am I?" Tears threatened to fall. "What do you want from me?" Her voice cracked and the stone, expressionless face that she had adopted as captain crumbled.

"I told you; I only wanted to see you."

"That's not your real reason is it?" She said.

"True." Aizen relented. "Let's just say that I have a little surprise for your 'Shiro-chan' when he comes to get you."

Momo paled. "No… please; Aizen please."

"I'm sorry Momo." His face filled with genuine regret. His reiatsu flared and she fell into instant darkness.

*********************************************************************************************************

"We must go after her!" Hitsugaya Toshiro protested.

"It might be a trap. You might be doing exactly what Aizen wanted." The general Yamamoto said.

"I don't care!" Hitsugaya protested. The other captains looked in surprise at the young boy.

"You do not care for the whole of the Seritei?! For the whole of the world?! Aizen could destroy everything we've worked for!" Yamamoto roared.

"I do care Yamamoto-taichou! But…"

"Do you forget Hitsugaya-taichou that you were nearly killed by Aizen had Unohana-taichou not came in time?" The general's voice had fallen to a deadly whisper. "And that you were fighting for the same girl you would fight for now?"

"I remember," He gritted his teeth at the angry retort that threatened to break free.

"I understand your resolve to find Hinamori-taichou." The general continued. Hitsugaya noted with relief that his voice had lost its sharp edge. "But until we know what Aizen wants, I cannot allow you to search for Hinamori-taichou."

Hitsugaya nodded, but not before his reiatsu flared icy-blue. All the captains tensed and then sighed in relief as the prodigy calmed himself.

"Thank-you for your time," he said coldly, back to his usual cold demeanor.

****************************************************************************************************************

"How did it go taichou?"

"They won't let me go," Came the muffled reply.

Matsumoto sighed and sat down outside her taichou's bedroom. He had been sulking in there for more than an hour and she had not dared to speak to him until now. It was times like these that she remembered that Hitsugaya Toshiro was little more than a boy; and that, little boys sometimes needed their space to sulk. She also remembered that sometimes little boys needed hugs to make them feel better.

Toshiro looked up as the door to his bedroom creaked open. "Not now Matsumoto." He said into his pillow. Suddenly, he felt his bed sink down and he sat up in alarm. Just as suddenly, two arms wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him into a very large chest. Only this time, he could breathe. "What are you…?"

"Shhh," Came his lieutenant's reply.

"Leggo," He struggled in her arms, his face red. Matsumoto also remembered that sometimes little boys didn't like to be hugged when they were upset. She let go immediately and Toshiro found that he almost missed being hugged. He dived back into his pillows on being released and stayed there until he was sure that Matsumoto had gone.

What should he do? Should he go after Momo and risk being killed or worse, being cast out of the Soul Society or executed?

Should he go? He knew that somehow, Matsumoto would go after HIM if he left. Did he really want her along? She might bring half of the 12th division! He could tell her and ask her to 'please not follow him.' She'd follow him anyway.

Should I stay? But what if Aizen hurts her? He couldn't just wait!

Matsumoto sat outside the door to her taichou's bedroom. She knew what he struggled with- it was the same thing she was thinking. Momo was her friend too! But knowing her captain, he would want to go alone. I want to go with him, she decided. A plan began to form and she smiled.

First, she would need to talk to certain people. She didn't want to drag them along with her and her taichou, but they would need people here… She snapped her fingers- she knew the perfect people for the job.

**************************************************************************************************************

"You want me to do what?!"

"Please Renji!" Matsumoto pleaded. "You should see him! He's in terrible pain! He needs to go find her!" And I need to go with him, she added silently.

"Hell no"

She leaned further across the table. "Please?"

Renji turned red. "Uh…" he said, his eyes darting from her face to her over-exposed chest.

"Just say yes already!" Kira said as Renji struggled.

"Fine, yes!"

"Good."

Renji sighed in relief as her chest moved away from him.

"I need you two to cover for me and Taichou when we leave. Make sure no one knows we are gone. We shouldn't be gone for more than a few days at the most." She said leaning back in her chair in the 10th division office.

"Are you sure you can manage?"

She smiled sweetly. "Of course! We'll be having some guests come with us too."

"Are these guests…?"

"Yup"

"What! You're taking him and not me!" Renji yelled.

"Easy boy," Kira muttered "before the whole of the Seritei hears."

"I wanna go too!"

"We need people here."

"Can't Kira do it by himself?"

"Can pigs fly?"

"No but…"

"It's settled then! Ichigo should be on his way soon!"

"Stupid baka; why does he get to go?" Renji mumbled.

"Who's a stupid baka?"

"Ichigo!" Renji nearly fell out of his chair.

"Yo."

"Ah"

"Idiot"

"What did you call me, Strawberry!?"

"I-di-ot red-head"

"Why I outta"

Kira quickly hid Zabimaru under the table, and yanked Renji back to his seat.

"Renji! Ichigo!" Matsumoto barked. "Renji, I'm taking Ichigo 'cause he won't get in trouble if we get caught! Ichigo, where's Orihime and Chad?"

"Chad is in Mexico on vacation. Orihime was sick. She wanted to come though."

"Less people than I hoped." Matsumoto said.

"Does that mean I can go?" Renji asked hopefully.

"Fine; if you get caught though, I'm not covering for you."

"Heh" Renji grinned.

"We're not gonna get caught." Renji and Ichigo said.

"Stop saying what I say!"

"I said it first!"

"Did not"

"Did too"

"Did not"

"Liar"

"Idiot"

"What's going on in here?!" Hitsugaya yelled, back to his normal self.

"Hey Toshiro"

"It's Hitsugaya-taichou, Kurosaki!" He blinked. "Ichigo?"

"In the flesh"

"Wha…"

"I thought you said he was in pain." Renji whispered to Matsumoto. He glanced at the young captain and got a glare in return.

"Matsumoto!" he snapped. "Why are they here?"

She gave him a smile. "This taichou, is your rescue team."