Disclaimer – I don't own Boxcar Children or Bleach

Painted Picture

One always asks others, why does one go and die young. Why is it that something that young, and that precious, ends up getting taken away from us. Why is it that, we really can't take it back, make it change for the better. There are just times, when all the good times, and the happiness, goes away for awhile, and it doesn't seem as if it is going to come back, any time soon.

That was how most of the Alden children, had felt when they had gotten the sudden news about Violet, yet Violet kept on smiling, keeping up her ever so cheerful personality, and still paining the pictures that she had always painted. It was as if the news never came at all, which disturbed the other three children, each in their own way.

The news was, Violet had cancer. Cheerful, always smiling Violet, had a form of cancer, that was near impossible to treat. The ten year old had no real thoughts of beating the cancer, but decided to remain cheerful, and hopeful, no matter the outcome. There were things she wanted to do, before she died.

Which caused an uproar, with her brother Henry, who was very protective of the younger siblings. It took some time, to calm the sixteen-year-old down, but eventually, they were able to do so. Yet even Benny felt the sadness was there, and Jessie had to sit with the five year old at night, to make sure he had no nightmares.

A year passed, and their grandfather found out about a special treatment for Violet's cancer, all the way over in Japan. So, he decided to take the risk, and try to get her better that way, and the family, which was rich, traveled over to Japan. They knew, not to get their hopes up, though Violet remained quite happy about the whole thing.

Violet sat in her room at the hospital, and painted away, not a single care in the world. Many paintings were created, and she quickly improved, yet her family were the only ones seeing these paintings, that… and the few hospital staff that happened into her room. But there were a pair of eyes that happened to see the pictures, and happened to stop and watch her painting.

Two teal eyes, happened to have stopped, to take a breather from whatever he had been doing, and happened to have chosen the tree, right outside of her room, to take his break in. He stopped, and watched each stroke that she took, watched as she was quite pleased with what she was doing.

He nearly jumped, when she came to the window, to peek out, and smile at him. He had thought it was just to get some fresh air, because surely, she couldn't see him. However, her smile suddenly opened with words directed strait at him.

"I have to say… instead of sitting up there all day, why don't you come in?" the girl stated, still smiling.

"You… can see me?" the boy asked quickly, pulling on the white coat object that was around his shoulders.

"Of course I can, why couldn't I?" the girl asked, a huge smile on her face.

"Because, technically, I am dead," the boy around her age stated, then slid into the window. "Have you ever seen partially transparent people, with chains coming out of their chests?"

"I wouldn't say that I have…" the girl murmured. "But then, I've been stuck here, since we came here from the United States."

The boy deftly scooped her chart up, and flipped through the pages. "I see… that they happen to have… you are supposed to be dying?"

"Yes… I guess that you could say that…" the girl sighed. "I have cancer, and I get the feeling that I am going to die, so I do what I do best, paint pictures… beautiful pictures, for people to enjoy."

"You're better then Hinamori…" the boy muttered, suddenly bending over to look really close at the paining. "I never thought I would find someone better at art then her."

"So… is she dead too?" the girl asked.

"Yes… we grew up with each other…" the boy stated, then turned to her. "I've really said to much, you know… I had best be leaving."

Leave he did, but he also ended up coming back, even though he said that he shouldn't be there. She asked why he did it, and his retort was, he was in the area at the time, and he might be there for awhile. He was hoping that she lived, but if she didn't, he wished to be the one to perform konso on her, so she wouldn't turn into a hollow.

She never asked what that meant, but went on painting her pictures, and even started a painting of him. He watched her carefully, and sat there, watching as it came along quickly, and yet, as she painted, it seemed her strength was leaving her. Yet, she was also kind to him, and he kept coming back.

One day, when he came back, he asked her if he could borrow one of her canvas and her water colors. He knew, he shouldn't be doing, what he was doing, but he could sense, that she was in fact, rather close to death. She had finished the painting of him, even though he knew… he shouldn't have let it be left.

And he knew, the surprise he planned for her… it wasn't something that he should be doing himself, but it had been awhile, since he had messed around with Hinamori's art supplies, only to be lectured about something along the lines of him not trying, or him not taking it seriously. Yet this time, he felt he could take it seriously.

She lay there, watching him carefully, her eye lit with a fire, even though the kindling in them was fading. "Do you enjoy painting too… you're English is good…"

"Ahh… I guess… and I don't know… we're expected to learn I guess," the boy stated.

"My name is Violet Alden. What is yours?"

"Toshiro Hitsugaya, captain of the tenth, or in Japanese Hitsugaya Toshiro Taicho…" the boy muttered. A giggle escaped her lips. "What, you don't believe me?"

"No… you have that kind of persona. I just wonder… why risk your rank?" the girl smiled.

"Because… I find it not easy to make friends, yet… I could open up to you, oh so easy. So… I would say, I consider you, my friend," the boy stated, turning the picture around, to show a beautiful portrait of her.

"Thank you…" she stated, and then her eyes closed.

He watched, as her spirit self suddenly sat up from her body. "It's time I guess… you are lucky… to have known your family… I never knew mine."

"I guess since I am dead… you can speak freely now?" the girl smiled.

He removed his sword from his hilt, then pressed it to her forehead. "I hope to see you again someday… Violet-chan…"

"Me too…" she stated before she disappeared.

…

Ten Years Later…

…

Hitsugaya Toshiro sat in his desk, at the school in Karakura Town. He was bored to death, and wished, very deeply, that he hadn't gotten stuck in the living world, again. With his rag tag crew. At least, Momo was here, and was full of that bustling spirit that she had always been. He figured, things would end up going fine.

That was, until Uryu brought some surprising news, about the fact that an art exhibit was being held at the hospital. "It is for the tenth anniversary, of the painter. She was eleven years old when she died, and a prodigy. Her family kept her works out of the public eye, because there was a great deal of grief, but the youngest came out and said, he wanted them to be shown."

"Eleven years old… how sad…" Matsumoto sighed.

"She died in our hospital, and there is a special painting, not done by her, that they wish to give to our hospital, as a gift," Uryu stated.

"Ehh… an art exhibition. I've always wanted to go to one," Momo stated, twiddling her own pencil.

"Sounds cool…" Ichigo muttered, much to the surprise of the others.

"Taicho… let's go…" Matsumoto suddenly hugged him from behind.

"Don't bother… Shiro-chan… he treats art like it is… soulless… he doesn't take it seriously like he should," Momo pouted.

"Excuse me?" Toshiro turned on her, his face irritated. "Perhaps I don't enjoy it the same way that you do, but that isn't something… never mind."

He turned away, and stared at the chalkboard. Matsumoto let out a sigh. "I'll be sure to drag him along…"

"But…" Momo shook her head. "His taste in art… the way he acts is so indifferent… I wish I could get him to take it seriously for once."

"I am surprised that he isn't an art critic," Renji muttered. "He acts like a snob all the time…"

"That… wasn't what I meant…" Momo sighed.

…

Later That Night…

…

Benny Alden stood off by himself, away from his two older siblings, who happened to have not wanted this to happen, but he needed this, because he felt that there could come to be some closure about everything that had come to happen. He watched as everyone moved about the room, and his eyes widened suddenly.

He saw a white haired youth, being drug around by his mother, who happened to be holding on rather well. The boy, was obviously too young, to have been alive at the time, but it was no mistake… he had the same features, and the same coloring as that child in the painting. He couldn't help, but feel a smile spread on his face. Closure indeed.

At that time, the white haired taicho, who had been drug around by Matsumoto, was rather agitated. He couldn't help but recognize the persons work, and knew exactly whose death was basically being celebrated. He had never been able to find her in soul society, as of yet. He hoped that one day, he would actually be able to find her, because friends were hard to find.

"Ehh… Taicho… it is a picture of the girl," Matsumoto stated, a smile on her face.

"That is the painting that is being donated to us," Uryu stated, stepping up next to them. "It wasn't painted by her… she died the day it was painted… she was too weak. I remember… being six years old roughly, and going and visiting her… she was an awesome person."

"Yeah… I guess so…" Toshiro was looking for an exit, before Hinamori could find that one painting. She knew enough, about his own personal style, to know that this was his work. He tried moving away, but found Matsumoto grabbing him by the back of the shirt.

"Momo-chan's heading our way," Matsumoto ginned.

"I would really like to go home… it is too loud," the boy tried to wiggle away, as Uryu explained the mysterious painting to Hinamori. She had a smile on her face, until she suddenly looked at the painting. Her look, suddenly came to be one of complete and utter shock.

"No… way…" she stated, then glanced over at Toshiro, then back again. "Ne… Toshiro…"

"I don't want to talk about it…" the boy sighed.

"But…" Momo blinked a couple of times, then grabbed his sleeve, dragging him away. "I don't think I am going to give you a choice in the matter."

"But…" he closed his eyes, and spoke as soon as they were in a quiet place. "Are you going to tell…"

"I don't think anyone would be mad, but just in case… no… I won't…" the girl gave him a weak smile, as he opened one teal eyes. "I need to apologize for earlier."

"Whatever for…" Toshiro stated.

"For all the times I told you, you weren't taking it seriously…" the girl sighed. "For all the times that I said your work had no soul to it… and that you should put your personality into it."

"You weren't wrong…" he closed his eyes, wanting the night to end. "You are always able to do that with your painting. For you, all of life has always held meaning. For me… life has almost no meaning."

"Do you think that was one of your best works? I think it was," Momo stated.

"Don't go blabbing that I am actually good at such a thing. The other times that I've gotten that level out… that amount of professionalism, is when it meant something for me… otherwise… it is just blah, and a bunch of technique, placed onto canvas," the small boy stated.

"Did you ever find her, your friend?"

"No…" he murmured, suddenly sensing someone approaching. Momo looked up, and saw the man too.

"Ahh… hello…" she smiled.

"My name is Benny Alden. Violet was my older sister. There was one painting, that we held out of the showing…" the man stated. "For some odd reason, don't ask me why, I think you should have it."

Toshiro's eyes grew wide, as a painting was suddenly handed to the two of them, and Momo took the picture, and let out a gasp. "Ahh… thank you."

"I see in your eyes young man, that you might think of refusing, simply because it is a nice gift, from a stranger… but it would make my family's day, especially my grandfather's, if you would take it."

The boy took a bow, and headed away, while Momo had a smile on her face. "Shiro-chan… if she saw you…"

"Means spiritual energy, or close to death. I am not going to hope that she ended up in the academy," the boy sighed.

"But… she pained old grumpy face tenth division with a smile on his face… wait until I show Matsumoto!" the girl stated, hurrying off, to find the woman. Toshiro, in complete shock, hurried alter her, hoping that beyond a doubt she wouldn't show it. When he got to them, Matsumoto whispered.

"Ehh… I'll have to put this up in the office…"

"I would rather you didn't…" Toshiro stated.

"This means… ne… taicho, is that painting of the girl… was that done by you?" Matsumoto enveloped him in one of her hugs.

"No comment…" the boy muttered.

"Hey… Uryu…" Ichigo piped up. "You might not want to tell your dad that a shingami painted the painting…"

"Even if he found out, the Alden's are good friends of his… but no… I don't want him to have a heart attack," the Quincy muttered.

Author's note – I was checking back… on Boxcar Children fandom, and I saw a new story… not hard, as there aren't many stories, and this crossover popped into my head, after reading that rather angsty piece! A few others did too. I am making this part of my "Challenge Paradise" challenges… Bleach Crossover: One-shot… challenges…