Back in the fourth division, the small taicho lay on his bed, curled up in a ball, shivering. It wasn't so much that he was physically sick, even though he was still getting over what Matsumoto had done to him, and the shock of everything. It was more of that he was getting emotionally sick, like he had never felt before.

He had never before felt this level of anxiety going on in his mind. He wanted to know what was going to happen to his taicho, desperately. Yet he knew he could do nothing if he went to the meeting, and that Unohana taicho would make sure to send him back here. His stomach hurt, at the thought of losing that man again, the person that was his father figure to him… the only father figure he had ever really had.

His mind was so focused inwardly, and not even in his inner world, or on his dragon, that he didn't sense when someone stepped into the room, and then stepped towards him. "Toshiro?"

"Taicho!" Toshiro sat up fast, his face pale, his wanting answers. He saw that Ichigo was with the man, and his face blushed a bit at his unusual behavior. However, he received no answer, and his taicho simply walked over and gave him a hug. It took another calling of Isshin's name, before the boy would respond at all.

"I think that he wants to know the decision dad," Ichigo spoke up.

"I don't want taicho to leave again," the boy stated flat out. "I mean… I understand that you have your family, but now that we know you're alive, you can at least visit?"

At this, Isshin suddenly laughed. "About your wish for me not leaving again… turns out that I will be staying with you for awhile."

This caused Toshiro to pull away a bit, a confused look on his face. "Tell me they aren't sticking you into a jail cell, just like Matsumoto. Please tell me they aren't going to execute you?"

"No… and no," the man ruffled the boy's head, receiving no negative feedback from doing this, which was something that Toshiro would do to most people who did something like this.

"Then… get to the point. You are bad at getting to the point, you know. I've had too many heart attacks due to the fact that," the boy smirked, causing both of the bigger males to laugh.

"I'll get to the point then," Ichigo stated, his smile warm. "Dad is going to stay and help you with things, until you happen to get things settled around here, and Matsumoto is back on her shift. I like the invitation of getting to crash and hang out with you."

"Crash? Who said anything about that? If you come to my division, I'll put you to work," the boy narrowed his eyes, then turned to Isshin. "Speaking of which, if you happen to be there, I'm the one in charge now, and I won't put up with your usual antics."

"We'll see about that," Isshin smirked. "Well, yes to the first one definitely. The second…"

"Dad is dad,"

To both of the Kurosaki male's surprise, the boy hopped out of bed, and began to pull out his uniform. Isshin grabbed the back of the small boys robe. "You are not going back to work today!"

"I know I'm not… I won't be putting up with being stuck in this division though, tomorrow. Especially since we are likely to be at each other's throats when we are working together, I figure that it isn't a bad idea to do something today that isn't work related," Toshiro gave the man a smile.

"Ahh… so you're sneaking out of fourth so you can have fun?" Isshin gave Ichigo a big grin. "This is a first."

"I am most definitely going back to work tomorrow. I don't think the division could run, with someone who treats life like a game, unless there is someone to keep them in line. If I hadn't become your lieutenant after he disappeared, the whole division would have been in a huge mess," the boy stated, watching as Isshin raised his eyebrows. "That… or you'll have to admit that it was to make your second feel like they were actually important, if you could handle the job yourself."

"Yeah, yeah," Isshin gave the boy a smile, patting him on the head. "Get back in bed."

"No," Toshiro simply began to change in front of him.

"Toshiro… Unohana is going to have a fit," Ichigo stated.

"No she's not. I'm supposed to be relaxing." The small taicho folded up his haori and set it on the nightstand. Then scribbled a note down on a piece of paper that was in the stand. "And this way, she'll know that what I am doing, is relaxing, and important."

"Let me see," Ichigo said, rather irritated with the small boy.

"No! You'll know where we're going then! Do you think I would be stupid not to tell the biggest mother bear in the Gotei Thirteen where I was going?" the small boy stated firmly.

Isshin let out a chuckle. "I actually think it is suicidal, and you are the only one who would think of telling her where you were going."

"Because I am not sneaking off to do something I'm not supposed to. I'm not even sneaking off. I am quite sure that she'll approve of this." Toshiro then grinned. "Plus, she isn't likely the one to find us gone."

Ichigo gave his father a confused look, to which Isshin raised an eyebrow. "Shame… you're picking on poor Isane…"

"So?" The boy stated, smiling, as he suddenly grabbed the two others by their black sleeves, and began to drag them after him, a smile actually set on his normally emotionless face, albeit that it a smirk designed for trouble.

M

It was about ten minutes later, that Isane walked into the room. "Kurosaki-san… Isshin-san taicho…" Her eyes went wide, as she surveyed the room, looking around and wondering where everyone had actually gone. The room was completely empty, and she didn't notice the items on the nightstand, instead, seeing that her charge had in fact escaped.

When she brought Unohana taicho though, the woman simply gave her a smile, walked over to the stand, and picked up the small taicho's haori and the letter.

Unohana Taicho ~

~ I am actually doing what you want me to do, resting and relaxing. I left my haori here, to indicate that I am officially off duty. I am going out with Isshin and Ichi-nii to the ice crème shop that he used to take me to all the time, when I was still a fukutaicho.

~Sincerely, Hitsugaya Taicho

Unohana thought about the letter, then brushed it off. "He went out to do something fun with his former taicho. He'll be fine."

"Fun? Fun and Captain Hitsugaya don't exactly go hand in hand though," the female fukutaicho stated, completely confused.

"Normally, no. But I think this means it will be all right to release him tomorrow," Unohana gave her a smile.