Hi hi again! I took the liberty of reposting this chapter since you guys said it was short. There isn't much change, except that I elongated the final part. Hope you like it!

Special thanks to Sleeve of White Snow, Crazy Hyper Lady, Sesshoumaru Minion, stealth67, toushirou no hana, 0Shay0 and yuki-tenshee for reviewing my last chapter.

Disclaimer: Bleach, Hitsu-chan and the others don't belong to me. However, the storyline and OCs do.

Frozen Memories

Arc 3: Crumbling Ice

Chapter 10: Good-bye Days

It had been a month since the event with the door and O-Tenkagi, but looking at Hitsugaya do paperwork vigorously, Matsumoto couldn't help but feel like nothing had changed at all.

Winter was arriving soon, the weather was getting colder and the layer of clothing they had to wear was increasing. It wouldn't be long now before the first snow fell.

Lying on the couch as usual, she couldn't help but reminisce about events that had taken place after Aizen's defeat. The remaining Arrancar were destroyed with the help of the captains that had come upon the realization who the real O-Tenkagi was. Gin however, had managed to evade capture and now his whereabouts remained a mystery. Ryuuhara had also strangely disappeared after the battle, and no matter how much they searched the entire Soul Society they couldn't find her anywhere. It was as if she had vanished of the face of the world.

Renhana, she had noticed, had stopped asking her questions about her captain, neither sneaking into his office to drop treats nor shadowing him everywhere anymore. Hitsugaya more likely had downright made it clear to her that he would never accept her as kin, by the glares Getsushirou had began directing at him since two and a half weeks ago, around the time when Renhana had stopped stalking Hitsugaya.

As much she hated to admit, Hitsugaya hadn't been himself lately. She had actually seen him eat watermelons the other day, and had nearly fainted from shock. He had also visited Hinamori's grave a few time, looking at it with an expression that disturbed Matsumoto.

It was that strange forlorn look, as if he was going to die.

Shaking her head, Matsumoto decided she must be worrying to much. He had just escaped death, a miracle Unohana-taichou had even commented on.

There was no way he was going to die.

Hitsugaya sighed. It had been a month since that incident. This would be his last day here.

Time was coming to an end.

Getting up, Hitsugaya walked over to the couch where Matsumoto was lying on. Prodding her slightly, he woke her up and asked her to accompany him out on a walk.

Matsumoto looked surprised but didn't say anything. Instead, she picked herself up from the couch and proceeded to follow him out of the tenth division compound. As they turned left, they walked further away from the main Gotei 13 buildings. By the look on her face, Matsumoto was starting to get confused. But still she said nothing.

Soon, they reached an isolated spot of Seireitei. This was an ideal place in Hitsugaya's mind. With that, he turned to face her.

He could feel the stinging of the wound Gin had inflicted on him but ignored it. For now, he had to explain what was going to happen to Matsumoto, lest she feel responsible for all this when the time comes.

"Matsumoto," he began with the most serious expression he could muster. "I have something I need to tell you."

Matsumoto looked at him intently, waiting for him to continue.

"What I'm about to tell you may shock you somewhat, but please don't blame yourself for all of this."

A confused look and a nod; he knew he was stalling but he couldn't help it. Out of all the people in Gotei 13 she would be the one to take this the hardest.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself.

"Matsumoto, I'm…"

A jolt of pain stopped him from uttering anything. Clutching his side, he felt a warm liquid began to flow onto his hands.

The look of horror on her face was distinctive, even with his blurring vision.

Matsumoto's confusion turned to terror when she saw the blood red colour began to seep onto Hitsugaya's white captain cloak.

She quickly moved to stop her captain from falling face first. Lying him down gently, she pondered on what to do. She had to bring Hitsugaya to the fourth division relief center but they were so far away, and his wounds were too serious to move him around. Matsumoto had decided to use shunpo to reach the fourth division and call Unohana-taichou when she felt a hand grab her wrist.

"Don't," Hitsugaya managed to gasp out. "Just stay here with me."

"But…" Matsumoto began.

"This was going to happen anyway," Hitsugaya said, cutting her off. "Nothing you do will be able to change that."

"What do you mean?"

"This was the condition in which I was allowed to fight Aizen."

"You will die one month after now," Ryuuhara explained. "You weren't supposed to live this life. That only happened because of my mistake. They know what you are now. If anyone were to attempt the same thing as Aizen they'd go after you. I can't have that happen."

"One month, right?" Hitsugaya asked, without turning around.

"Yes."

"Then alright; I accept your condition."

"I had an idea you would say that."

"Why?" Matsumoto whispered.

"If I didn't Aizen would have won. I wasn't supposed to live this life anyway."

There was silence as neither had any idea what to say. Matsumoto had lent her lap to Hitsugaya to lie on as she held onto his hand. A pool of blood had accumulated at his side and his shoulder wound had reopened, staining his hair and face whilst dirtying her robes.

"I'm sorry." She finally said, breaking the silence.

"Don't be," Hitsugaya snorted. "I've already told you before. This isn't your fault."

"Even so, I'm still sorry."

"You know, Matsumoto. I have wondered whether it would have been better if I had never appeared in Soul Society. Like that, everyone wouldn't have had to suffer so much and Aizen's plans wouldn't have worked."

"Don't say that," she murmured, glaring at him sharply.

"Hn," Hitsugaya grunted. "But, I'm still glad I got to live here. I got to meet you and Hinamori. It may have been short but it was an enjoyable hundred years."

Matsumoto could feel his reiatsu getting weaker and weaker.

"If we're lucky, let's meet again somewhere."

"Don't kid like that, taichou. It's not funny."

Matsumoto could feel the tears forming in her eyes but held them back. She wouldn't cry now, not with her captain looking at her.

"Sayonara, Rangiku," he whispered, barely audible; but to her eyes, it was loud and clear.

His hand suddenly felt very cold, as the last of his warmth left his body and the last of the color drained from his face. His grip loosened and his reiatsu disappeared completely.

Looking at his blood stained face, it looked so serene, so peaceful, like he was asleep.

A sleep he would never wake up from.

"Taichou, wake up."

He wouldn't wake up. She knew that.

"This isn't a joke anymore."

This was no joke. She knew that.

"Taichou, you can't be dead."

He was dead. She knew that as well.

"Taichou, please…"

But somewhere in her heart, she just couldn't believe it.

She couldn't believe that he was dead yet.

As her tears fell, the sky darkened and the wind blew coldly.

"Listen to me...Come back..."

But the dead could not hear, nor could they return.

"Don't leave me alone...Taichou..."

The flakes that fell remained on his pale skin as it began to snow.

Owari

All right, that's that. How's the repost? I thought since you people thought the ending was too short I elongated it slightly. I hope it was enough. Anyway, the sequel should be up soon so sit tight.

Special thanks to soulcollecter, Nyu Kitsune, stealth67, Oxygen Pirate, Crazy Hyper Lady, yyhpunk, Sleeve of White Snow, Cerulean Soul, BankotsuAngel, Yukiko Tsukishirou, yuki-tenshee, 0Shay0, Sesshoumaru Minion and Lady Light for reviewing for the previous post of this chapter.

Until the next story I write, I bid you farewell.