Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya had her pinned to the ground, "because I love you…do you love me back?"

Momo Hinamori's doe-brown eyes widened "I…please, Shiro-kun don't play with these kinds of things…I don't know how to answer" she whispered. He bowed his head, white hair covering his eyes.

"I understand," he said and she gently rested a hand on his face

"I'm so sorry Shiro-kun" she murmured brokenly. He pushed off of her, face turned but not before a teardrop landed on her cheek.

Her hand went up to the little drop and her heart all but stopped. She got up and ran after him but he was gone.

A week passed and she still hadn't seen him…until one day Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto came up to her, "did you hear about my captain?" she asked her. The petite brunette shook her head.

"What happened?"

"He's in the 4th division barracks and Captain Unohana isn't sure he'll make it," Momo gasped, hands flying to her mouth.

"What's wrong with him?"

Rangiku looked grim, unusual for the vivacious blonde, "he got attacked by a hollow. He's unconscious at the moment…"

Her hands flew to her mouth, "it's all my fault!"

Rangiku looked confused, "how is that?" a tear rolled down Momo's pale cheek as she confessed everything to Rangiku. She studied the brunette, "this had nothing to do with that…he had been assigned to take new recruits out…"

"Can I see him?" she asked Rangiku desperately.

She nodded, "I think Captain Unohana will allow that," Momo nodded and made it to the 4th division barracks in record time.

"Captain Unohana is Shiro-Captain Hitsugaya okay?"

Captain Retsu Unohana looked at her with understanding, "I won't lie Hinamori-san, it doesn't look good," tears fell like tiny crystals from wide brown eyes.

"Can I see him?" she asked.

Captain Unohana nodded; her gentle eyes had a knowing look. She directed Momo through a door. Toshiro was lying on the bed, turquoise eyes closed. He looked peaceful. Momo took his hand in hers and held it to her cheek, "please Shiro-kun," she whispered tears falling fast, "please live…I don't know what I would do without you," she whimpered. "I don't know what I'd do without you constantly reprimanding me for not calling you 'Captain Hitsugaya'," she rested her head on his chest and cried, tears falling, glass on porcelain, "please…I love you Shiro-kun…I love you," she sobbed and wished she had had a chance to tell him how she really felt when she had the chance, "I love you and if I lose you I'll die…please Shiro-kun…if you can hear me…I love you so much," she wept, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

"Don't leave me…I love you" she murmured squeezing his hand. At no response from him she whimpered and pressed her own lips to his unresponsive ones.

She stood up and hastily dried her eyes. She ran from the room, tears threatening to spill again. Weeks passed and she didn't visit him again, it was too painful. Captain Kushira Hikamara and Rangiku began to worry about her.

… … …

It was an overcast day and Momo was sitting in a clearing with her head bowed. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she didn't hear the soft footsteps from behind her.

Toshiro Hitsugaya wrapped his arms around her from behind and, turning her face with his left hand, pressed his lips against hers. She widened her eyes and kissed back desperately, tears streaming down her cheeks.

When they broke the kiss she clung to him tightly sobbing into his shoulder, "I thought you were going to die," she sobbed.

He comforted her as she cried until she couldn't cry anymore, "I'm sorry I made you worry," he whispered in her ear, "I don't want to be the reason you're crying"

She held him, afraid that it was a dream, "you're alive," she murmured, "that's all that matters now," he leaned against her pressing her back into the soft grass. She held onto his shoulders. He gently brushed her cheek with his hand.

"Seem familiar bed-wetter?" he asked, almost-playfully. She blushed, a deep crimson, "how about I ask you again?" he blinked, "do you love me?"

She gently rested her hand on his cheek, "yes…so much it hurts"

Toshiro studied her face "well I don't want you hurting…" he said pressing his lips to hers. She shivered at the contact and kissed back holding onto his shoulders. He broke the kiss, "please don't cry," he brushed a tear away from her cheek with a thumb.

She blinked her eyes trying to blink away the tears, "I'm just so relieved" she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him against her "I'm so glad…I was so afraid…"

"Shh," he shushed her, "I'm here now and that's all that matters," he captured her lips in his and both were quite content.