A/N: A BIG thank you to everyone who has been reading this story! I am sooo grateful! And omfg my things that separate the story are gone! Wahhhh! L

"Inoue!"

The girl jumped and looked at me, "Hitsugaya-san! You scared me!"

"Sorry, but have you any news on Ehime?"

"She's doing okay. I mean, she's still in critical condition but she's healing."

"What about her baby?"

Inoue slumped her shoulders and her face darkened, "I'm afraid it's dead. It would have been a lovely baby girl."

I clenched my fists while my jaw hardened, that bastard. I should have tortured him until he died. He got away so easily.

"I see." I turned on my heels and walked away. When I got into my office I slammed my fist into the wall.

"Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!"

After my anger subsided and after there was a huge hole in the wall, I rested my hand. I felt a surge of pain shoot up, and I cursed my own name for being so stupid to get hurt like that.

"Where's the bandages?" I hissed out. I slammed the cupboard door against the wall and tore through the stuff inside. Anger was building up in me and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I drew Hyorinmaru and sliced the medicine cupboard in half, then I turned toward the wall and cut that too. Ice formed around me and the walls, turning it into a comfortably-freezing cage. I huffed and my breath froze, that's how cold it was.

I calmed down a little and sheathed Hyorinmaru, "Damn."

"Whoa. Looks like a tornado just came through!" Matsumoto stepped over a pile of rubble. She looked around and sighed, "What happened?"

I glared at her. I really wasn't in the mood for her sing-song voice, "Nothing." I pushed past her but she grabbed my arm, "Captain, what's wrong?"

"You know, that look you're giving me right now may work on other men. But it won't work on me."

Her she lowered her gaze but quickly looked back up, "What happened?" she demanded.

"Nothing I said! Damnit woman, can't you understand! I'm sick of you always putting your nose where it doesn't belong." I yanked my arm free of her grasp. She just stood there looking at me.

"Captain?"

I have to admit, her voice calmed me down. But her eyes, her eyes made my blood boil.

"Get out!"

She sighed and put her hands on her hips, "No."

Feeling my final nerve snap I opened my mouth to say something but in the next second she had me up against the wall, "W-Wha-"

"Captain, what's wrong?" she held my hands above my head and her face was extremely close to my own. She pressed my hands harder against the wall and brought her face closer to mine. Her eyes were harsh and narrowed, and her cheeks were pinkish color.

"Ehime, her baby…it…it died." I caved, my emotions got the best of me. I can't handle this all on m own, I'm not ready for this! I slumped my head and it barely touched the top of her head. She let up on the pressure on my hands and her breathing stopped, "Her baby?" her voice grew soft, "Can we see her?"

Inoue didn't say differently, but I'm still cautious. What if it's to much stress for her?

"Can you handle seeing her?"

I shrugged, I could tell that my lack of emotion angered Matsumoto, but at the moment I didn't care. I felt so awful, if only I had been with her at the time I could have protected her. She's to fragile, she needs protection.

"I don't think so."

"Let's go. She needs you, she just lost her baby! And you are standing there, being a coward! Grow a pair." her eyes were glowing with frustration. I scoffed, I never knew I could make this woman so angry.

I put a hand on her waist, and let my head fall onto her shoulders. I didn't want to make her angry, I don't want her to walk away from my life again. I needed her, she was the only person who could make me feel free.

"Mastumoto."

She stiffened, "Captain? Are you okay?"

Her perfume was excellent, I lost myself in her scent for a second. I pressed my nose closer to her skin, she smelled like roses.

"Yes."

"Its not good to keep emotions bottled up."

I pulled away and took a good look at her, "Why are you so intent on my telling you my feelings? Why do you care so much?"

She bit her lip, I could see her emotions conflicting in her eyes. There was something she wanted to tell me, or maybe, she didn't want to. And that was the problem.

Then suddenly, our roles changed. I wanted her to tell me what she was feeling. I wanted to know what was so wrong with her. Is this what she was feeling right now? That wanting?

"I want to know because…I care about you. And I don't want to see you be crushed by your emotions."

Matsumoto can lie wonderfully; to other people, and they believe her. But she can't lie to me. Her eyes either darken or light up when she lies. They had darkened.

"Is that so?"

She nodded.

I can see right through you.

"Then maybe we should go see her. I don't want to worry you."

Her face lit up and she grabbed my hand, "Okay! Let's go!"

I smiled a little. This is what is so wonderful about Matsumoto, she can be sad or angry one moment, and then happy and caring the next. She's the type of person who is filled with such amazing surprises.

Thankfully, she never let go of my hand during our visit with Ehime. She was my support, without her I think I would have ran away.

Ehime. She was such a pitiful sight. Pale and weak, she couldn't even sit up on her own. Matsumoto had to help her.

"Amaya-chan, how are you?"

Her husband scoffed.

"Her eyes are red and puffy, and she just lost her infant. How the fuck do you think she's doing?"

I glared over at the man and stepped in front of Matsumoto, "Must you yell? This is a hospital." my attention returned back to Ehime.

"Ehime? Can you hear me?"

"Ye-"

"What did I say about talking to him?" the man sat up and started walking toward me. He had malicious intent, no fooling around.

"A-Atsuo."

Matsumoto chuckled dryly, "Your name doesn't fit. You're definitely not a 'friendly man'."

I gave her a sharp look over my shoulder, "No disrespect, he is still Ehime's husband."

"I do not respect anyone who does not show you respect!"

My eyes widened, but she walked back to her seat and continued to glare at Atsuo. She is so loyal to me, I don't deserve her.

"Please. Atsuo, sit down. You too captain Hitsugaya."

Ehime's breathy voice sent a chill up my spine. She's really not doing well, I should have stayed away. She was in no condition t-

A bruise? On her shoulder. It's fresh.

I walked toward her, and let my hand hover over the bruise. Yes, it was undoubtedly fresh.

"Captain Hitsugaya?" she looked up at me through messy bangs. She then looked down at my hand, something in her face changed and then she became frantic.

"T-That's nothing! Just from Goro-san, that's all."

"Its new." Almost as if she got it this morning…I gave Atsuo a sideways glance. Hadn't he threatened her when I talked to her? Maybe I didn't mistake the way he had looked disdainfully down at her when she spoke to me. I had never liked this man, he would always talk to her like she was some ignorant idiot.

"Who did it?" I tried to speak softly, I didn't want my anger to get out of control.

"It was from Goro-san, he had punched me and the-"

"Don't lie to me. I am your captain, you are to give me the utmost respect."

She lowered her gaze, "I am not lying."

Liar.

Atsuo grabbed my wrist and yanked it away from Ehime's shoulder, "Why don't you get the fuck out?" he looked like a wild animal. His eyes were frantic and distant, he looked trapped.

"Are you scared? Worried that I'm finding out something?"

His grip on my wrist tightened, "Get the fuck out of here. Or I'll break your arm."

I sneered at him, how stupid.

"You're weak. A coward even. There's no way you could hurt me." I sounded full of myself, but it was true. He couldn't hurt me.

"You little-"

I grabbed his wrist with my hand and spun it around his back, "You're arm isn't supposed to bend like this. But it can go farther."

He writhed in pain, but I continued to bend his arm back, "I can break your arm. It'll be easy. Just like breaking a twig."

He looked at me over his shoulder, he had that same trapped animal look in his eyes. This time; it was fear.

"Captain Hitsugaya!"

I snapped my attention to Ehime, she was clutching her hand to her chest and she was deathly pale, "Please, that's enough!"

I let go of the man and he backhanded me, "Don't you ever fucking lay a hand on me again!"

I glared at the man and rubbed my cheek, I was going to do something but thankfully a sharp intake of breath stopped me. I looked over at Ehime thinking it was her and that she was in pain but she was looking over at a red faced Matsumoto.

"Matsuomoto! What's wrong?"

I placed a hand on her shoulder and kneeled down next her, she bit her lip and exploded with laughter.

"C-Captain! You were just…just bitch slapped!" she held her stomach and her laughter filled the room. Tears were streaming down her face as she continued to bellow out fits of laughter. Uncontrollable laughter.

It was nice, hearing her laugh like this.

I cleared my throat and she immediately stopped laughing, "Yes?" she still had a playful smirk on her face.

"You are being obnoxious to Ehime."

Matsumoto gave me a confused look, "No I'm not! She's laughing too."

I looked back at Ehime, and indeed the girl was holding a small hand over her mouth. I smiled at her, she had the light back in her eyes.

"See?"

But I really didn't hear her, there was something about the way Ehime held herself when she laughed. She seemed tense. Not the carefree way she normally laughed. I looked over at Atsuo, his eyes were dark and hazy and filled with hate. And he was staring right at me.

"I think it's best we leave now, Matsumoto."

She furrowed her brow, "Why?"

"I don't think we are wanted here. And I don't want Ehime to suffer from our mistake."

"Huh?"

"I think it's best you leave." Atsuo interjected. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he was glaring daggers at me. I think he was trying to make me scared of him. It was in vain though.

"It was very good to see you Amaya-chan! I hope you get well very soon." Matsumoto gave Ehime a small kiss on the cheek and Ehime returned it with a brilliant smile. She then looked at me and nodded, smile still in place.

Matsumoto gave Atsuo a closed lip smile, "It was such a joy to meet you."

Atsuo didn't miss the sarcasm in her voice, "You're pretty. Too bad you've got such a big mouth, though I suppose that would be good in bed." he tucked a piece of her long hair behind her ears. She slapped his hand away, "Don't lay a finger on me again."

He grinned, "Feisty. I like that."

I grabbed Matsumoto's hand and pulled her next to me, "Don't talk to her like that. Your fiancée is in the room." I dragged Matsumoto out of the room and stormed down the hallway.

"That bastard!" I hissed once we were outside. Matsumoto nodded and slid her arm from my wrist, "You were hurting me captain."

Her arm was red from where I had been holding it. I walked up to her and rubbed her arm with my hand, "Sorry."

"Apology not accepted."

I stopped rubbing her arm and looked at her, "Huh? But why not?"

"Because a simple 'sorry' won't make the pain go away! Haven't you heard? A kiss will make it go away!"

I cocked my head to the side, "R-Really?"

"You never heard of that? Not even as a child?" she sounded confused. Was this something that every child knew?

"No."

Her eyes widened, "Really?"

I shook my head, was it such a radical idea that I had never heard of this?

"Surely a simple kiss cannot take away the pain. It's impossible!"

Matsumoto grinned, "Yes it can! Once, when I was a child, I was playing with some kids that used to wander around the forest. One of them was an older female and I had admired her dearly, I thought of her like I would have my own mother. And one day, I fell and scraped my knee, and me being only a little kid at the time, started crying loudly. Then, she had heard me crying and rushed over to help me. She sat me up and gave me a small kiss on my knee. And then, the pain was gone."

I rolled my eyes, "Nonsense. There's no way a kiss could take away pain."

She laughed a little, "Maybe. But when she kissed my knee, all I could feel was love and comfort. And that made the pain go away, because I knew that she was there for me, that she would protect me."

I noticed, how serene she had gotten when she had brought up that memory. She had such a distant look in her eyes, like she had gone back to the time of the memory. Maybe she was trying to make the pain in her arm go away by remembering the memory.

I swallowed. I didn't like this distant- depressed Matsumoto. I wanted the happy and cheerful one. Because right now, it was like she was drowning in her own memories. I wanted to save her, because her mind might then slip to memories of Gin and her. And I didn't want her to go to him. I had to bring her back.

To me.

I grabbed her arm and she snapped out of her trance, "Captain?"

"All I have to do is kiss it right?"

She looked dumbfounded, "Y-Yes. But captain you don't have too." she tried to pull back her arm back I held onto it. It felt to me as if this was the only way I could have brought her back to the real world.

I held onto to her arm and lowered my lips to her skin. I pressed them down and I heard her left out a small moan. My cheeks grew warm and the thought of what I was doing entered my mind.

I was kissing Matsumoto.

I immediately pulled back and let go of her arm. I had crossed a line. We didn't have feelings for each other. So why did I do that?

"Matsumoto I-"

She looked up at me, but her eyes were unreadable. She placed a hand on the cheek that Atsuo had smacked and then looked at me, "It's bruising. We should have Unohana take a look at it."

Her voice was monotone, and so were eyes. Had I made a huge mistake in deciding to kiss her arm? Damn this woman! She's to confusing! But what confused me even more, was why I had decided to kiss her in the first place.

A/N: Ewwwwieee! I don't like this chapter, I mite redo it. Heh…