As the team of shingami came through the gate way, Matsumoto came running up to them. She saw her taicho's head, but not Atsuo's among them, nor did she see small feet among the big ones. "Atsuo and Toshiro?"

Isshin moved into her view, so that she could see that the man was holding in his arms the child shingami, unconscious, fairly sunburned on top of his pale skin, which was even paler then usual. The boy clutched in his left hand his zanpaktou, the sheath belt having come to be wrapped twice around his waste, the sheath for some reason having disappeared. She then saw the lieutenants' badge in his hands.

"Atsuo didn't make it Matsumoto, and even though they looked, we couldn't find a body. I couldn't stay for very long, as the little one's become very ill. I need you to get to forth division as fast as possible. I'll be in my chambers performing first aide on the tyke," Isshin's eyes read with sadness. "Hopefully, we won't lose him too."

Isshin then hurried to tenth division and carefully leaned the boy against the bed. He pulled of the sheet and handed it to one of his subordinates who had followed, quite worried. "I need this sheet soaked with water assap."

The man hurried off and Isshin proceeded to strip the young one of his clothing and lay him on the bed. Fairly soon a shingami came hurrying back with the wet sheet and another with a bucket of water and wash cloth. Isshin draped the sheet carefully over the small body, and carefully dapped the cloth into the water, and then placed it on the boy forehead.

"I need that aloe mixture I have made up and bandages," Isshin then commented, as they hurried off again.

Unohana then stepped into the room. "I'll work on that flesh wound… that's about the only healing Kido I wish to do on him at this point, as over doing it might cause his body to much trauma."

"Arigotto Unohana," Isshin breathed out a sigh of relief. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Missions tend to not go as we plan them. Either they are better or worse," the woman sighed. "Such a small child… yet he seems to have a very high fighting spirit… how far do you think he walked after Atsuo passed… and who do you think defeated the hollow?"

"I don't know…" Isshin sighed. "I am either going to have to wait on twelfth divisions analysis to come out, or for Shiro-chan to wake up."

That was when the two subordinates came back, caring the bandages and aloe concoction. While Unohana worked on where the hollow had struck Toshiro, Isshin worked on spreading the aloe medicine onto where the boy's body was sunburned, then they pulled the damp sheet back over him. Unohana also carefully wet a cloth and dripped water onto his tongue.

"I am defiantly glad that you know not just your healing Kido well, Isshin-san, but your first aide too," the woman muttered.

"You and me both… to bad he couldn't give us any ice…" Isshin chuckled, trying to make a joke of the matter, though for once he wasn't really in the mood.

M

For three days, Matsumoto, Isshin and Kira took turns staying up to keep an eye on Toshiro as he slept, carefully dripping water onto his tongue. Hinamori was there too, but as the girl was such a basket case over the whole matter, they didn't put her onto a shift. It was after these three days that Toshiro finally opened his teal eyes to the world. He carefully croaked out of his dry throat. "Where am I? What happened?"

"You're in my room…" Isshin suddenly commented. "Hinamori, Matsumoto and Kira are resting in the lieutenants' room."

"Where's Atsuo?" the boy turned his teal eyes towards his captain, concern in them.

"His old room is now yours, Toshiro," Isshin didn't have the heart to look the child in the eye, lest tears might fall down. Instead, he held a small cup of water up to him to drink.

Toshiro glared at the cup of water, went to lift his right hand, but found he was still having problems lifting it, and instead smacked the cup out of Isshin's hand with his left hand. "No! No! No! It isn't fare! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

At this sudden yelling, Matsumoto came bustling into the room, her eyes full of worry. "What is going on?"

"I tried giving him water, and he began to throw a tantrum," Isshin murmured, his eyes narrowed. "And he's still to sick for me to spank him for this."

"I hate you! I hate you both!" Toshiro's eyes tightly shut, a few tears streaking down his cheeks.

"At least he's referring to himself as 'I' instead of 'Hitsugaya'," Matsumoto murmured. "Perhaps he's broken himself of that habit?"

"I hate you! I hate you! Why couldn't I have died instead of Uncle Atsuo," Toshiro suddenly stated, causing Matsumoto's eyes to suddenly go wide with shock. She sat down on the bed and wrapped him into her arms, into which he began to sob hard and fast.

"Shush… don't speak of such things," Matsumoto sighed. "You won't get better in time for the funeral that is in a few days if you don't."

"So, you were able to find his body taicho," Toshiro murmured through his sobs, his tears running dry due to the dehydration his body had gone through.

"No Toshiro… we weren't able to find his body," Isshin stated.

That was when the white haired boy suddenly pushed himself away from Matsumoto, hard as he could with only one arm. "No! No! No!"

Matsumoto watched as her taicho sat on the other side of the boy's body. "Matsumoto… please get some water and something for him to eat. His body is pushing its limits. And… if he isn't calmed down by the time you get back, go and get Unohana and one of my sedatives."

The third seat hurried off, while Toshiro continued his tirade. As the woman was gone, he spoke up faster. "It isn't fare! Why does death follow me like this! First Sojiro, then lieutenant Tomo… who's next! Hinamori… you old man? I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!"

Toshiro then found himself gasping for breath. Isshin raised an eyebrow. "Are you about finished little one?"

"Why did they decide now to let me be the lieutenant rank… why…" Toshiro stammered out.

Isshin however covered the boy's mouth. "I just told you about getting Atsuo's room… how did you figure that out… I mean… that you might have the lieutenant rank, but that we were going through that progress?"

"Atsuo told me before he died taicho," Toshiro held onto the older man's uniform tightly, his voice slowly calming. "It isn't fair."

"Well… it will be a month until you are officially recognized as a lieutenant, so I am saying a months worth of rest wouldn't do you bad… captain's orders," Isshin sighed.

"You can't trust Atsuo's job to Matsumoto…" the boy murmured. "She hates paperwork… she…"

Isshin laughed at this, brushing the boy's hair out of his face. Matsumoto came back. "Is he calm?"

"Yes…" Isshin smiled, taking the big glass of water that Matsumoto had prepared, and picking up the small cup and pouring some in, handing it to Toshiro. The boy tried to swallow quickly, but a hand from Isshin caused him to slow down. "Uhh uhh, not to fast, or you'll make yourself sick."

He then carefully took the rice and used some chopsticks to put some food into the boy's stomach. After a few bites, he set it down. "You can have some more later… too much when your stomach isn't used to it won't be good. Unohana almost thought she would be giving you nutrients in some other fashion… one you wouldn't very well like."

M

A few days later, Toshiro threw another tantrum while Hinamori and Matsumoto were there, but the taicho was out doing something. He had regained the use of his arm and taken to throwing things at them. "What do you mean I can't go to the funeral! That isn't at all fair!"

"What's this I hear about Shiro-chan not getting to go?" Isshin suddenly smirked form the doorway, caring fresh shingami robes for the boy.

"He isn't completely well yet," Matsumoto muttered. "And there is that reason too…"

"When I heard about that reason… I had to agree," Hinamori had tears about ready to spring into her eyes.

"I'm going!" Toshiro muttered, pushing the sheet away, only to have his face turn red, realizing that he still had no clothes on.

"Ehh… let's leave and let him get dressed," Isshin commented, placing the clothing on the bed, then grabbed the two female by the arms. As Toshiro dressed, he could hear his taicho arguing with them, but what it was he couldn't make out. Then the man came back in as he was finishing up. "Here is the thing… you are still rather sick…"

"I'm going…" Toshiro murmured, trying to tie his sash, but finding he was having problems. "And I'm going to sleep in my own room tonight… not Atsuo's room, my old room."

"Ahh…" Isshin suddenly grabbed the sash and did it for Toshiro, causing the boy to glare at him.

"I could have done that… eventually," Toshiro muttered.

"Eventually… you don't want us running late do you?" Isshin suddenly commented. "The condition for you going as your body still doesn't have much strength to it is I have to carry you. And since your right arm means you can't hang onto my back easily…"

Toshiro had a miffed look on his face as his cheeks turned slightly pink. "Whatever… it is better then not going, isn't it? It would dishonor Atsuo-san by not going, correct?"

"Correct…" Isshin smiled, helping the boy to pull on his sword sash, where they had put the sword, the sheath reappearing as soon as they had. He watched as the small boy picked up the ex-lieutenants old badge and shoved it into the folds of his uniform. Isshin then picked him up and they started out, Hinamori and Matsumoto muttering behind Isshin, none to pleased with the matter.

After they had been there for only awhile, it became apparent to Toshiro the other reason why the two older females had thought of not letting him go. The second oldest Tomo son, Atsuo being the eldest, was livid that his brother had been so quickly replaced position wise, though Toshiro didn't really blame him. Also, as soon as he saw Toshiro, he became mad that Isshin had hauled a child to the funeral.

However, Isshin walked passed the man, even though he barred entry and walked straight over to an old couple, whom Toshiro realized must be Atsuo's parents. He tugged at Isshin's robes to be allowed down, and Isshin set the boy down on his own two feet, though he was a tad bit wobbly. He made the best bow he could to the old couple. "I am Hitsugaya Toshiro, pleased to meet you."

"This child is replacing him…" the second son muttered, to which the old man held up his hand for him to not speak another word.

"Tomo Atsuo-san… he saved my life… and ended up dying because of it. Before he died…" Toshiro glanced away, then pulled out the lieutenants' badge and held it out. "…he gave me this."

"No, no, no," Isshin suddenly clasped Toshiro's hand shut, closing it around the badge.

"Did I do something wrong taicho? I thought I was doing the right thing?" Toshiro suddenly asked.

"My son gave you that badge, didn't he?" the old man suddenly asked.

"Hai," came the small boy's answer.

"Because you're a child I won't take your actions as an insult, as you are still learning," the old man suddenly stated, causing Toshiro's eyes to go wide. The man then smiled. "You couldn't have known that for my son to have given you his badge while he was dying was a great honor you aren't supposed to throw away, am I right?"

Toshiro didn't answer, but Isshin did for him. "Hitsugaya just graduated from the academy and Atsuo was training him for the lieutenants' position."

"I know," the old man smiled. "Atsuo told us that he had high hopes for the boy. He even said that if he had to, he would transfer out to another division so that the boy could be in a place that was suitable for him. I can't think of a better taicho for you, other then Ukitake, and he all ready has a second."

Toshiro thought back, remembering that Atsuo had indeed made such a comment. Isshin then led him away from them to let others greet them. His whole body suddenly felt numb.