A/N: Finally! Yes, an update! You know when I told you to cherish those little happy HitsuRuki moments? Yup!
Thank you for your reviews and story alerts! I hope you'll like this chapter too! Also, I'm sorry for every little mistake you will surely find!
Oh, and how are you doing with anime ending? I know they'll probably start animating it again, and we do have manga, but still...I'm sad.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach!

The night quickly came. The air was chilly, since the human world was slowly, but surely, meeting autumn. Leaves were still green, at least most of them, but she could smell early winter in the air. She knew the smell very well, she was part of it, so how could she not. Everyone was already inside, preparing for their mission, even though they still had no clue what was happening. At least lieutenants and those under them didn't. She wasn't too sure about captains though.

She couldn't find sane reason why she wasn't in there with them. She had a reason, but it was too alarming for her to say it out loud, so she just went with I need some fresh air. She did need fresh air, since her head was full of things she didn't want there.
Everything was messed up somehow. Captains and the rest of the team were all worried and that made the air heavier and everyone on the edge because of it. Even Renji was somehow distant and kept his mouth shut, at least when she was near. She didn't ask what was bothering him, probably because she assumed it was related to their mission.

Hitsugaya was keeping his distance too. They only spoke once and that was too brief to even consider it as conversation. He was tired, she could see. But she didn't have a chance to meet him alone and tell him that he needs to rest. And she wasn't even sure he would listen. Rukia wasn't the only person he ignored though. He was set not to look or talk to anyone, especially the girl he once called his childhood friend – Hinamori Momo. He probably had his reasons, but Rukia was still feeling uneasy because of it. This was all new to her. She never was this close to a man, and honestly she didn't even know what they actually were. Rukia spent her life fighting and obeying Kuchiki clan, so a time for these things never quite came in her life. At least not until now. Hitsugaya Toshiro showed her affection no other man before did and she liked the feeling. Although, now she felt disturbed. She didn't know why, but every time he wasn't around she felt pressure in her chest. And today when she saw his childhood friend, she felt a wave of anger. Why? How the hell should she know? This was all something she never experienced, but one thing was for sure…she wanted to punch that girl the hardest she could. But that didn't quite seem like a right thing to do and she couldn't understand why she was so mad at someone that never did a thing to her.

At least Ichigo and the rest were pretty normal, at least from what she saw this morning.

"Rukia, we need to go!"

"I'm coming." She said waving to orange-top who was standing with Chad and Inoue few feet away from her. Ishida was still not present, but she dismissed that thought quickly…he was a Quincy after all, he had a right to refuse. She stole one quick glance in the direction where the rest of the team was and that left her confused. Hitsugaya was looking her way for a moment, his lieutenant close by, but the way he turned his head to look away left her confused and slightly troubled. What the hell is going on with him? What the hell is going on with me?

All thoughts aside, she had to focus. Before everything, she was a shinigami and her duty was to protect the living and fight for them. She was a woman too, yes, but seeing how that somehow always sneaks up on her and punch her in the face, she decided she would concentrate on something she actually knew how to do.

"Alright, since Ishida is not here, we'll split in two groups and meet at the center of our destination, which is here." Rukia said, pointing to a map on her phone.

"Aren't we supposed to be in a group already?" Orange-top asked, looking at that petite shinigami.

"Yes, but this way we'll scan the area faster and if any one of us notices anything out of the ordinary, the person will just call the others." Kuchiki Rukia, lieutenant of division 13, said and returned her phone back in to her pocket. "Okay, so Inoue and I will leave this way, and you two go the other way. We'll meet at center in an hour."

"So you are now self proclaimed leader of this group?" Ichigo said, raising a brow.

"Glad we understood each other. Now go!" Rukia said with a smirk and her and Inoue went their way.

"Captain? Sir?" Blonde-haired lieutenant tried again, this time waving her hand in front of his face. That got him.

"Huh?" Teal-eyed man finally returned to reality and saw the concerned face of his, usually cheerful, lieutenant. He absorbed his surroundings and realized he was still on the roof. Good, he didn't go insane…he hoped. "What is it Matsumoto?" He murmured, feeling the almost forgotten headache coming back to haunt him. The noises from the city beneath them made his head pulsate even worse and he let that usual frown appear on his face again.

"Nothing, you just seem…lost?" She questioned, narrowing her brows.

"I'm fine."

"Are you? Because you've been acting strange since this morning. Maybe you should get some rest and come-"

"I said I'm fine." He almost yelled. His patience was running low lately. She gave a nod of her head and returned to her spot without a word. On any other night he would feel sorry for acting so harsh, but tonight… he really didn't care. And besides, she was the last of his worries. He never thought it would come to this, but Matsumoto Rangiku was currently the easiest thing he had to handle. Everything else seemed out of place. He had to deal with those captains, mostly Byakuya, and then the fact that they didn't even had a clue where the enemy was. Nobody knew what was happening and the only thing they had were empty theories. He was tired of guessing, but what other choice did he have.

He tried his best to stay calm. To calculate everything in his head and to determine, at least the best he could, what the enemy could want from them. They didn't seem too organized the last time he saw them and evaluating their power alone they didn't even seem as a decent threat to Soul Society. From all that the only logical thing he could see that connected those hollows and them was Human world.

"That's the only logical theory…"

"Huh?" Guess he lost the ability to keeps his thoughts to himself too. Toshiro turned his head to look at his lieutenant frowning.

"Nothing. I was just thinking out loud." He said, although he was already lost in his thoughts again.

"Oh…" Blond-haired woman said, her face showing concern. She decided to leave it at that. He was obviously not in the right state to try and get some kind of information. But it surprised her when he spoke again.

"If they attacked the Human world twice already and still haven't tried to access Soul Society, that means we're not the one they want, which is logical if we take in mind they're hollows and don't have a leader anymore. At least not someone as powerful as Aizen was." Hitsugaya said, looking ahead. Matsumoto blinked few times before she realized he was actually consulting her about their mission. "From all that it's clear they want something from Human world."

"What would they want if not souls?" Matsumoto bluntly said and Hitsugaya nodded.

"That is correct, but they are too organized."

"You think that they trying to collect them for some reason?" Blonde lieutenant asked, her eyes slightly widening.

"Yes. But I still can't think of a reason why they would do such a thing." He said and closed his eyes.

"You really thought this through."

"Well, it is a mission. That's my job." He said, slightly lost, with his eyes still closed.

"Are you sure you're alright…with everything?" Matsumoto tried once again, seeing him standing there, black circles around his eyes, while he looked lost in his thoughts. It took few moments before he nodded, more to himself, and opened his eyes.

"I should ask you the same question. You were always direct, don't change now. If you want to ask me about it, then do." He said, while he took out the phone from his pocket and started typing something. His lieutenant just stood there, her eyes now opened wide, while she gaped at her Captain. He definitely seemed more cold and distant than usual.

"Fine." She said at last. "Are you alright being on the same mission as her?"

"Yes." He said it as soon as she finished her sentence. She, once again, stood there not really knowing what to say. That wasn't the answer she expected. Hell, she wasn't even expecting he would allow her to ask that kind of a question.

"What about Kuchiki then?" Oh well, if she got a chance she'll use it, that was for sure.

"What about Kuchiki?" He said, still focusing on the small device in his hands.

"Are you okay to see her being here too?"

"It's a mission and she's been called. I don't have a say in that."

"I know that…" Matsumoto sighed. He was impossible to talk to, especially in a condition he was in now. "I'm asking, aren't you wondering where she is now, if she could get hurt…?"

"No. Are you done now?" He said, returning the phone back in to his pocket, and lifting his head to look at blonde-haired woman standing near him.

"What do you mean no?" Matsumoto said, looking surprised as ever. "The last time we were here you were-"

"I meant what I said. Now, please stop bothering me and return to your position." Matsumoto stood there for few moments, her mouth open from surprise. When she came to her senses she just sighed and turned on her heel. What the hell is wrong with him?

"It's been three days and still nothing!" Red-haired lieutenant, Abarai Renji, said letting his head drop into his arms.

"I can't take this anymore. I need to sleep!" And his blond-haired friend followed his action, sitting down next to him.

"I would just like to know what the fuck is going on around here!" Renji said, lifting his head.

"This mission is gotten pretty boring! No one will tell us anything, there are no hollows or any kind of reiatsu around and on top of that my Captain has been a really annoying pain in the ass. I would kill for a glass of sake right now!" Matsumoto said, whiningly.

"Where is he anyway?" Renji asked, looking around Urahara's yard. "I haven't seen him since yesterday…"

"Who knows…He's probably around here somewhere typing something on that phone of his. I don't know what's got into him. I think it's her being around here-"

"Her?" Renji said, turning his head to look at Matsumoto, suspicious. "Rukia?"

"No, Momo."

"Momo?" Renji said, raising one eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Oh don't tell me you don't know about that incident with him and Kira, and well, her." She said, turning fully to face him. "Everyone heard of it. And I've never seen him acting the way he did then. After all, he loved her since they were little. And when that happened he was so angry and I couldn't- OW! WHAT?" She yelled, finally starting to pay attention to the man before her, who was kicking her leg. She followed his eyes, turning around and saw Kuchiki Rukia standing behind her, just feet away. The raven-haired girl had a surprised look on her face, and Matsumoto almost slapped herself right there. But she managed to shake it off and smile to that petite shinigami. "Hey Kuchiki…"

"Oi Rukia, are you done? I need to go back to school!" The two sitting down heard a male voice behind her, and soon orange-haired substitute walked out of Urahara shop and stopped right beside her. "Oh, hey Renji, Rangiku-san!" He said, seeing the two lieutenants there too.

"Ichigo…" Renji said, in acknowledgment of his arrival. And that brought back Rukia to reality and she smiled, but Matsumoto saw that that wasn't an easy thing to do. Great, now I've done it!

"Y-Yeah. We need to report back tonight, but for now…we can go." Kuchiki Rukia said finally. "I'll see you later!" She said, looking at Renji and Matsumoto and waved. Ichigo did the same and they both left.

The two remaining sat there, looking at the back of the two leaving for few moments, before Renji spoke again.

"If that is what I think it is, I'll break that Captains neck!" He said, and Matsumoto saw the pained expression and clenched fists. "I don't give a damn if he's captain or what, if I see just one tear on her face and I found out he's responsible for it…" He stopped and closed his eyes for a second, trying to stay calm. "You better tell him to watch what he's doing!" Renji turned and shot one glare towards Matsumoto, before he stood up and flash-stepped after Ichigo and Rukia.

"Damn it!" Matsumoto mumbled, and stood up too, turning on her heel to enter Urahara shop.

Rukia followed her orange-haired friend, who was walking slightly ahead of her and kept quiet. She couldn't tell if that was because he heard what she did, or if it was just his usual silence when he had no better things to say. It didn't matter anyway…

She was too confused to even think about that. It's been three days since their mission started and no one knew what was going on. And it's been three days since she even said one word to Captain of 10th division Hitsugaya Toshiro. She couldn't deny it, she thought about that girl…Hinamori Momo, before she even heard Matsumoto. It crossed her mind that the girl was the reason Hitsugaya was acting cold, detached. But she fought it, trying desperately not to think about it, not to let her mind waver or think about anything but the mission… that didn't work out, at all.

And now, hearing Matsumoto saying that…What was she supposed to think now? There was no mistake, Hitsugaya Toshiro did everything to avoid her for the last three days. He barely even looked at her, and when he did and Rukia was quick enough to catch his look, he would turn his head with an expression she surely didn't like.

She felt Renji's reiatsu behind them, and she turned to see but there was no sign of him. Everyone was acting strange, except…

"Aren't we going to your home first?" She asked, seeing that Ichigo wasn't planning to take the rout she knew led to Kurosaki residence.

"Nah, I have my books, so we can go straight to school."

"But I left mine there!" She said and frowned and Ichigo raised a brow at that.

"So what? It's not like you actually go to school." Yes, that was true. She just sighed and returned to watch the path ahead.

She was sick of this. Being in the dark, not knowing what the hell is going on and she felt that she was losing her strength that kept her not thinking about things she knew she shouldn't. She shouldn't… but she did, anyway.

Was it all true? Was he actually still in love with that girl? She shook her head, thinking how stupid she must look now. Why did she even assume he was over that girl? She was his childhood friend, his whole life he did everything just to protect her. What place did Rukia have there? Just because she spoke to him those few times, doesn't mean she was someone equally important to him as that girl was…or well, still is obviously. How can she even compare to importance that girl, Hinamori Momo, was to him? Stupid, stupid, stupid…

But why did he kiss her? And why did he make such a promise to her? Why…? Hah, why? People can lie Rukia, you seem to forget that.

And the worst part is…she surrendered. She fell. Allowed herself to feel and care and think someone was actually returning the same feelings.

Alone, that's what she was. And it was stupid to think otherwise. She was always alone, always had only herself to take care of and to even think that that would change was…stupid.

"Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san!" She heard a cheerful girl voice and when she raised her head she saw they were already standing in front of Karakura High.

"Hello Inoue!" Rukia said and smiled…or at least tried. Ichigo just raised a hand in a greeting and passed the orange-haired beauty, going straight to entrance.

"Were there any news Kuchiki-san?" Inoue asked, returning from looking at back of orange-haired substitute, to the raven-haired girl still by her side.

"No, sadly none. We are still supposed to meet tonight for the next patrol." Rukia said, and started walking with Inoue to the entrance door.

"Oh…" The girl next to her said. "Um…K-Kuchiki-san?"

"Yes?" She turned to look at the girl, who was looking unsure of what she was going to tell.

"Um…Are…are you okay?" Rukia almost stopped in her tracks, as she starred at the girl with her violet eyes wide as they can get. When Inoue saw the way Rukia looked at her, she became even more nervous and started waving her hands defensively. "Um, no, no. I didn't mean to pry. You just…I-"

"It's okay Inoue." Rukia said and smiled, or at least tried to. "I'm fine. Just tired. You don't need to worry." She hurried to the classroom, leaving orange-haired beauty behind.

Inoue was left standing there for few moments, now looking at Rukia's back. Just tired? I know that look well, Kuchiki-san.

"Where?" Black-haired Captain said, turning to look at his nervous lieutenant.

"Three blocks from here. They requested our help, sir." Abarai Renji said, trying so hard not to just pull the stoic man to go the way they should be, or just say fuck it and go by himself. Finally the noble man nodded and Renji got that as a sign to leave immediately. And soon they were both flash-stepping to the destination they had to reach.

When the two representatives of sixth division finally came to the spot they were called, they saw that they indeed needed a backup. It was a blood bath. Lieutenant of 9th division Hisagi Shuuhei was busy trying to slash few Gillian, and they saw he wasn't doing very well. There were visible cuts on his body and his skin was covered in blood.

Just few feet away from him fought a girl that was known as lieutenant of 5th division Hinamori Momo. Renji could see that she was already in shikai and saw the girl panting desperately for air. Her shihakusho was slightly torn on the sides and there was blood dripping from her left shoulder. One Adjuchas stood before her, his skin pale as moon. He had a mask over his whole head, with strange markings that both Renji and Byakuya saw few times in Hueco Mundo. Even though the girl tried her best and moved as fastest she could, and even though the Adjuchas didn't even have a sword…they could see, it was a losing battle.

It was Byakuya who moved first, his katana immediately cutting the grey-skinned Adjuchas in front of that girl and before Renji even blinked the thing was defeated. Renji hurried to Hisagi's side and with him managed to slay the Gillian's in front of him, while his Captain stood idly, looking over their every move.

When the area was clean, and those hollows defeated, Renji quickly headed to Hinamori's side and saw her almost collapsing, but he caught her before her body reached the ground. Hisagi too hurried, even though his surroundings were spinning due to loss of blood.

"What happened here?" It was Renji who spoke first, looking at two lieutenants near him.

"We were ambushed. Six Gillian came behind our back and before we knew it Adjuchas cut her. They are even more powerful than the last time I've been here." Hisagi said, while he still panted hard, supporting himself on the wall near him.

"More powerful?" Kuchiki Byakuya asked, eyeing the black-haired lieutenant.

"Yes, the last time I've been here…" Renji ignored the conversation and turned to the girl beside him.

"Are you okay? Do you need healing?" He asked, and the girl who was supporting herself on his shoulder, smiled and shook her head.

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? That wound-"

"MOMO!" And before Renji could even finish his sentence, a white stack of hair flashed in front of his eyes and it took him a moment or two to realize that Captain Hitsugaya was now standing in front of him. "What happened?" The prodigy said quickly, and scanned the brown-haired girl from head to toe.

"Shiro-chan…" The girl said and her smile grew. "We're fine. Thanks to Captain Kuchiki and Abarai. You don't need to wo-" And before she could even finish her sentence, she almost collapsed.

"She lost a lot of blood." Renji said and helped the girl get back on her feet. She was still conscious, but barely.

"I need to heal her." Hitsugaya said and started rolling up his sleeves, but before he could even start someone flash-stepping beside him interrupted him. Wind washed the ones standing around Hinamori, and they could see lieutenant of 13th division and human girl beside them. Rukia was holding Inoue around her waist, since the human girl didn't have the means to get anywhere faster.

"We got here as soon as we could!" Raven-haired girl said, releasing Inoue Orihime from her hold. Rukia looked over everyone standing there, ignoring the man beside her, quickly nodding to her brother and seeing the condition Hinamori Momo was, she turned to orange-haired girl beside her. "Inoue?"

"Got it!" Busty beauty said and went to the brown-haired girl beside Renji. "Souten Kisshun!" Orange shield appeared and she immediately started healing Hinamori.

"What happened?" Rukia asked Renji, leaving the spot beside Hitsugaya, who was left standing there looking at his childhood friend. "We got the call, but couldn't arrive sooner."

"They were ambushed. Captain Kuchiki and I were close, luckily."

"How many?"

"One Adjuchas and six Gillian's, according to Hisagi." Renji said, although he wasn't looking at her. He was busy eying the white-haired Captain, who Rukia obviously ignored. Hitsugaya Toshiro was too busy looking at brown-haired girl and as far as Renji could tell he didn't even look at Rukia.

"I need to call Ichigo and tell him not to come! He'll probably-"

"Oi!" Hearing the all too familiar voice of her orange-haired friend, Rukia just sighed and turned around to face him. "What the hell happened here?"

"I'm not explaining it to you too! Arrive sooner next time and you'll know." Abarai Renji said, turning around to see where his Captain is.

"What's with him?" Ichigo said, pointing a finger to Renji, who was already at older Kuchiki's side, discussing something.

"He's just on the edge…" Rukia said, and glanced towards the way Hitsugaya stood, for the first time that evening, who was still looking at Hinamori's barely conscious state. "…we all are."

After seeing Inoue quickly healing Hisagi too, Rukia flipped open her phone and checked the map.

"Alright, Inoue is done! We need to move! I still can't see anything on the radar, but it's not good if we leave our area unsupervised for too long. We need to be on alert, or else…well, you see what happened here." She said, concentrating on the device in her hand.

"Were you always this bossy, midget?" Ichigo said and grinned, and could see her frown very quickly.

"Shut it Kurosaki!" She said and kicked his knee. Rukia ignored his pain-related cries and called Orihime and Chad to join them.

"Rukia!" She turned, hearing her name and saw her childhood friend coming towards her. "If anything happens, let us know." He said. She nodded and the four of them flash-stepped away.

Renji turned on his heel, and went back to his Captain and the rest of them. He could see Hinamori was doing much better and he released one deep breath, relieved to see her alive. But, his calm face was quickly replaced by heavy frown when he saw white-haired Captain still by her side. He shouldn't be angry right now, it wasn't anything unusual seeing that, since everyone in their right mind would be worried and act as Hitsugaya Toshiro if their childhood friend was hurt. But…she wasn't just his childhood friend. She was the person he loved, or still does, Renji couldn't tell. And he wasn't just one of the captains. Hitsugaya was person Renji's childhood friend was supposedly seeing. And if anything was important to Renji, it was Kuchiki Rukia. He failed her once, and he made a promise with himself not to let that happen ever again. Not to let anything, or anyone, ever hurt her again.

But even though he would love to stay and observe white-haired prodigy, maybe even punch him in his smug face if he sees it was needed, he wasn't able to. His own Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya, was already done investigating and questioning two lieutenants and it was time for both him and Byakuya to return to their assigned part of Karakura Town. Renji just hoped, for the sake of that Captain of 10th division, that Byakuya doesn't find out anything. Or maybe he should have hoped he does, it depends on how you look at it.

Either way, he had to get back to work.

"Do you think she'll be alright? I-I did heal her, but that cut was huge." Inoue Orihime said, while her and her friend Kuchiki Rukia kept on the lookout. Ichigo and Chad went the other way, since Rukia saw it was easier to scan the place if the split.

"She will. You know yourself that your healing powers are strong, and if I saw correctly she didn't lose too much blood. Don't worry." Younger Kuchiki said, keeping one hand on the hilt of her sword while her other was busy typing something on the small device every shinigami had. She was sending a detailed report to her own Captain, since he told her to let him know if anything happens. "And she's not alone, so if she does faint or anything, someone will help her. Other shinigami can heal too, although not good as you, but it will do." Rukia said, and lifted her head for few seconds, just to look at the girl beside her and smile. Inoue let out a deep breath, obviously feeling reassured and returned to watch the road ahead.

"You're right, Kuchiki-san. Hisagi-san is there, and I think Captain Hitsugaya will stay too, since she's very important to him."

"Y-Yeah…" Rukia said, trying hard not to let her voice waver. "She is very important to him."

Now Inoue Orihime glanced her way and saw scowl set on her face. And she swore it looked similar to Ichigo's.

"A-Ah…N-No…I meant they know each other for a very long time…l-like you and Abarai-san…or me and Tatsuki. Or-"

"It's okay, Inoue. I know what you meant." Rukia said more calmly, that small piece of anger that was present in her voice minute ago was completely erased. She was confused, even Inoue sensed that. There wasn't anything she had a right to be mad about, but either way…she still was. "Lieutenant Hinamori is someone Captain Hitsugaya knows his whole life and it's nice of him to come when she needed him." She said, although that was more to assure herself. Calm down Kuchiki Rukia, you cannot and may not be angry about this. It's selfish and immature and…Argh!

"He is very caring person. When you were injured the last time you all came, he was so worried and…You know, the night you got hurt he went back to find the thing that cut you Kuchiki-san, even though he was very tired. He looked like knight in armor, even though he didn't have armor..." Inoue Orihime said, already lost in her fantasies and Rukia spaced out for few moments, lost in her thoughts. "…and then, you know, the dragon suddenly appeared and Captain Hitsugaya had to cut him, but the spell that evil witch casted on him made him…" Yup, she indeed got lost in her fantasies.

Rukia could still hear her orange-haired friend talking something in the back of her mind, but… Why was he so contradicting? Why didn't he speak to her? He didn't even look at her…why? Everything about how he was behaving made her angry. And Kuchiki Rukia was not fun when she was angry. Hell, it wasn't safe when she was angry. That's it! I'll talk to him the first opportunity I get! If he lied about everything and that girl is someone he wants to be with, then fine. At least I won't be walking around clueless.

"…and then robot told him to go right, even though-"

"Inoue, can you feel that?" Kuchiki Rukia said suddenly, interrupting the orange-haired girl, who was still talking nonsense. Inoue stopped, along with Rukia and her brows furrowed, for the first time that evening.

"Yes, it's strong."

"And it's not alone!" Raven-haired girl added. "I need to let Ichigo and Sado-kun know before we start chasing it." Inoue nodded, but didn't stop looking at somewhere, her thoughts concentrated on the reiatsu they both felt. It has started…