I'm currently recovering from the ass-kicking we received from the All Blacks last night, so I thought it was time to put out another chapter, please show me some lovin'!

One day... the Wallabies will b on top again! Until then...

A big thanks to EternalDream for always giving her time in doing some beta work!

A note on this Interlude: Unlike the previous interludes, this is more of a missing scene between the last two chapters. It was initially meant to be a flashback like the others, but
Aizen just creeped me out. As this Aizen is a manipulative jackass and his intentions towards Momo was just plain evil, I could not, no matter how much I tried been able to write
them both in a more intimate scenario which I originally planned.

I hope you all give this interlude a go and enjoy this chapter!

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Standard Disclaimers Apply.

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The Ties That Binds
Interlude: Momo and Toushiro

Alone in one of the Fourth Division's examination rooms, Momo stared blankly at the wall, willing her mind not to drift back to the past that she had tried so hard to forget. The silence that surrounded her did nothing to stop the onslaught of memories, and as she closed her eyes, her fingers gently touched her lips as she remembered the time when she believed that she going to have a happily ever after. She could almost feel his breath against her neck and the feel of his lips against her skin. The memories assaulted her, tormenting her for having been so blind, for having fallen for a monster…

The first time Aizen kissed her, Momo felt her heart soar as his lips pressed against hers ever so gently. She was vaguely aware that he softly slid the shoji
of his room shut.

There had always been glances, the briefest of touches, but never in her mind had she ever expected this.

"Aizen-taichou..."

Momo felt as if her lips were on fire as he gently laid her down the futon, his lips coaxing her lips to open as his kisses became more heated. "Say my name."

Momo couldn't barely form a coherent thought when she felt his hands slowly drift over her body before deftly untying her obi, and she could only gasp as she felt his hands touch her bare skin as his lips continued to trail kisses on her neck and on her chest.

"Say my name," he ordered again breathlessly.

His voice was rough as he captured her lips with his own and gently raised her up to straddle him. There was something strange in looking at her taichou without his glasses. The gentle man she knew was gone, and she was faced with a man whose intensity frightened her and excited her at the same time as he continued to roam his hands over her naked skin. "Say it, Momo."

"Sousuke..." Momo whispered bashfully. She watched his lips formed into a smile that, until much later, she wouldn't fully realize didn't seem to quite meet his eyes.

He distracted her with another kiss. This time, as he held her with one hand, the other slowly made its way to her hair tie, and with one tug, her brown hair cascaded over her back. She watched as his eyes hardened with what she thought was more intensity. He brought her down to the futon and thrust into her, and Momo felt her back arch against him as his hands continued to touch her.

She surrendered her body to him, and she felt as if he held her world in his hands as he whispered words of endearment while he claimed her over and over again. She wrapped her legs around him as he instructed, her hands clutching his shoulders as she tried to keep up with his movements, and she felt her body build up in a tremor she'd never felt or experienced before.

"You belong to me, don't you?" he asked in a whisper as he kissed her neck, and Momo nodded her head. She could only whimper as he chuckled, as he continued to give her pleasure she never knew was possible.

"My sweet, little, Peach..."

"Hinamori."

Momo started. She tried to muster a smile as she shook the memory away and turned around, eyes wide, and watched her childhood friend walk in the room. "Shiro-kun."

"How are you feeling?"

Momo busied herself with organizing some papers on the nearby desk so Toushiro wouldn't notice how weak and feeble her smile was. "I'm fine. Unohana-taichou recommended that I simply rest for a while. She said I've been working on the book too much, and I need to take a break. She sounds just like Hisagi-sempai."

Toushiro scowled. He had noticed Shuuhei Hisagi loitering around Momo a little too frequently for his liking. At his expression, Momo rolled her eyes.

"Mou, Shiro-kun. Hisagi-sempai has been really good to me."

"I didn't say anything," he grumbled, and Momo sighed.

"That is the same look you have on your face every time Kira-kun…see!"

Toushiro didn't bother to hide his displeasure as he steered the topic away from the blond lieutenant. "Are you ready to go?"

Momo nodded. "It's really okay, Shiro-kun. I can just go back to the Fifth Division."

"Baka! Didn't you hear what Hirako-taichou said?"

"I heard him, but I don't want you or Matsumoto-fukotaichou to get in trouble because of me."

Toushiro crossed his arms over his chest. "You're not even planning on going back to the Fifth Division are you? You're just going to walk straight to the Second Division!"

Momo didn't bother denying it. "They just want to ask me some questions, Shiro-kun. And I need to finish that book, especially now that we have a complete disc. If they see that I have nothing to hide, then they'll know that I have no other intention but to help Soul Society against the Taira Clan."

Toushiro looked at his friend, and wondered how she could remain so naive even after the way she had been betrayed by Aizen. "Didn't you hear what Hirako-taichou said? It's not about your guilt or your innocence."

"You don't have to protect me all the time, you know," Momo said softly.

"Oi. Do you really think I'm just going to let them use you as a scapegoat or some sort of sacrificial lamb? They already know about you and Aizen." At the mention of Aizen's name, Toushiro stopped as he watched Momo's lips settle into a grim line as she hid her trembling hands in her sleeves. "Did he…did he force you?"

Momo's eyes widened. She quickly stood up and grabbed Toushiro's hands. She could feel his anger towards the former head of the Fifth Division and shook her head. "No. No, he didn't. I knew what was going on, or at least I thought I did."

Toushiro kept his mouth shut as Momo looked away from him, his hands still in hers.

"If you want to ask me something, Shiro-kun, ask."

"Why?" he wanted to know. He tried to control his emotions. "You know a relationship between subordinates is not recommended."

"I know it's frowned upon, but it wasn't exactly against any law. I just…"

Momo released her friend's hand and sat down on the bed again. "When he looked at me, I really believed that he loved me. I loved him even before I became his fukotaichou. I thought it was fate when I got the position, that it was a sign that we were meant to be together. That out of everyone he could have chosen to be his lieutenant, he chose me."

Momo smiled wistfully as she stared at the wooden floor, unable to meet Toushiro's eyes. "The first time he kissed me, I felt as if everything in the world was the way it should be. I…I really believed that he wanted me, loved me."

Toushiro didn't say anything, and instead sat down next to her.

"I wanted to tell you, you know," she confessed softly. "But I knew that you wouldn't have liked it, and I was afraid that if people knew what was going on, it would have to end."

This time, she looked up at Toushiro, and he felt his heart sink. He had always suspected it. Even if they had never spoken of Aizen again, he had seen that look in her eyes too many times already. It hurt him each time he recognized it to see that she still couldn't let that bastard go.

"You still…" he could barely say it, "…you still have feelings for him? After everything?"

"I know what he did was wrong. I'm not that blind anymore, Toushiro. I don't have feelings for him, and I know that the man I've always known was just a mask, an illusion. But I can't get him out of my head. When I close my eyes, I see the man I thought he was, not the man that he really is."

"Hinamori…"

"I need to make them see that they can trust me with that book, Toushiro. There is a kidou that can be used against all illusions. We both know how powerful Aizen's illusions are. We both know that he will use that technique to fight against us. I need to end this Toushiro. I need to get him out of my head. Knowing that he's out there, alive…I will always hope that he'll…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but she didn't have to. At her confession, Toushiro could not control the sudden drop in temperature until Momo looked at him and started to scoot away. That moment, he reigned in his emotions and quickly grabbed her hand to show her that he wasn't upset with her.

"I will help you get that book and the disc, Hinamori. You have to promise me not to speak with the council. If Hirako-taichou can't stop them from taking you in, don't say anything."

"Shiro-kun..."

"Promise me, Hinamori." His hands clutched hers tighter.

"I promise, Shiro-kun," Momo responded softly. "I promise."

"Good," Toushiro said with a nod. He stood up and offered her a hand. "Let's go. Matsumoto should have something prepared for you."

As Toushiro led her out of the room, Momo looked sadly at the man that was once just a boy, and let him lead her to the safety of his division. She could only hope that one day, he would forgive her for lying to him.

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Thanks for reviewing! Very much appreciated!

Cheese Maiden: Aizen rocks, he's not just a bastard, he's a magnificent bastard :)
OrihimeKurosakiInoue: Ichigo is a one woman man! Nadeshiko's got nothing on Hime!
bluerose921: hope you liked this update!
nypsy: Byakuya and Shinji will have a bigger impact to play soon in terms of how Hinamori's fate will play out. Your comment made my day! There will be more explanation on Nadeshiko, and what will happen to Yuzu and Mamoru? Stay tuned!
Guest (1): There will be more IchiHime moments, and more intrigue to come!
Guest (2): You are correct! It will be dealt with in more chapters on why Ichigo did what he did...
melnel: Aizen is just too good not to use for evil!
RainingLight1: Glad you enjoyed this! There will be more IchiHime moments!
Ermilus: Aizen is brilliant! He will be making his move soon!
DeathBerryLover1995: Byakuya is an interesting character, especially after seeing the Zanpakuto episodes, it was funny to find out he wasn't very stoic when he was younger. Older Sora, Kakei is with them, and he'll be making an appearance soon!

Thank you all for reading! Hope you continue to do so!