Summary: Struggling with his inner hollow and unable to keep control, Ichigo leaves in order to protect his family. Over a year later, the teenager's reiatsu is detected spiking in a nearby town - but then winks out. Soul Society, struggling to face up to the threat powed by Aizen's new order, send a team to investigate and, if possible, bring back the teenager.

I've been wanting to do a Bleach story for a while, but I just haven't had that spark of inspiration for a story – there's so many good fics and writers on here that I didn't really feel I could contribute!

However, without wanting to give too much away, I was intrigued by some recent aspects of the Hueco Mundo arc, and I've decided to play with it. This will deviate from canon!

This begins after the Soul Society arc, but before the appearance of the Vaizards. The majority will occur much later. I'm not 100% decided which pairings will make it into this story – it'll probably be IchiHime with a touch of RenRuki. However I tend to go with the flow and see where the story takes me, so as yet that could change, and I welcome suggestions/votes!

It's listed as Ichigo and Renji because I'm a bit of a Renji fangirl so he'll probably feature fairly heavily :) I'm partially tempted to make it IchiRen instead, but I'm not sure I can make it work here... might write a separate something for that pairing!

PROLOGUE

The world came sharply back into focus at the same moment that Ichigo's legs gave way. Dropping to his knees, panting, the teenager props himself upright with Zangetsu, slowly becoming aware of the blood and ichor staining his torn shinigami uniform.

Somewhere beneath the rasping of his own breath, he is half-aware of the cackling laughter echoing in his head.

"Fuck…"

It was the second time this week. He didn't even have to go into Bankai anymore, the walls between he and the thing inside his head were so weak that it seemed able to push him out of his own body anytime he fought.

It had just been an average hollow… nothing to get excited about. Except that Shirosaki (as Ichigo had dubbed the cackling white figure) had clearly wanted to play with it – the scattered white bone fragments and ichor staining are the proof of that. He almost pities the Hollow – Shiro's 'playing' was never gentle.

Pulling himself together, he moves away from the scene, leaping over the rooftops easily. He needs time to think, and so he goes where he always goes – to the river.

Sitting beside the bank, he stares out into the murky running water. Even now, he can hear the laughter in his head. Concentrating, he reinforces the crumbling walls, building them up again, though he knows it won't take long before the aggressive hollow beats them down again.

He was losing control. Losing his mind. Every time it was quicker, harder to push the hollow back down into the depths of his soul. It terrified him. Every time the hollow took over, he wondered whether this time it would do real damage. The hollow's mind was a black hole, lacking compassion, lacking empathy, lacking a real soul – people were just playthings for his own amusement. Ichigo spent less and less time at his home, afraid of what the thing might do to his family, to his sisters.

He'd become a shinigami to protect his family! He'd followed Urahara's crazy ideas and regained his powers to protect Rukia. And yet, those 'crazy ideas' had left him stuck with something that could destroy him, as well as everything and everyone he cared about.

It wasn't fair!

There was no way he could be rid of the hollow – he'd tried asking Urahara, who'd umm'ed and ahh'ed and waved that fan of his around until Ichigo had felt seasick. Eventually he had managed to get the truth – the transformation was permanent, and the only way the hollow would die was if he did.

Thoughtfully he runs a thumb along the blade in front of him, a line of blood welling around Zangetsu's sharp edge. He stares at the dark red liquid, transfixed. Could he do it? Would it be worth it? Maybe. To protect his family, his friends. Maybe even to save himself before he lost his mind completely.

"Don't be a fool, King…"

Shut up, Shirosaki.

"You know you won't do it."

Yeah? Watch me.

"You won't."

Cackling laughter rings around his head.

"If you die, King, then who's gonna watch out for all those poor weak fools? They ain't got a chance without you… Aizen'll chew 'em up and spit 'em out, and you know it."

So I should sit around and let you take over?

More laughter.

"Who knows, King? Maybe I ain't as bad as you think. I got no interest in those fuckers, anyway. Why don't you gimme a chance, hmmm? Could be fun. Let out all that repressed anger you've been chewin' on all this time..."

He could feel the presence inside him growing stronger again even as they spoke.

"You're not taking over me, Shirosaki," he says aloud, standing up with fresh determination in his eyes.

The hollow was right. Aizen was strong – too strong. And Ichigo might be the only one strong enough to take him on. He'd beaten Kenpachi, even Byakuya… They might need him.

But he wasn't going to put his family at risk, either. And the longer he battled for control, the more the danger to them.

He would get stronger. If he couldn't destroy the hollow, he would find a way to either lock it up forever, or work with it. He wouldn't let them down..

Swinging Zangetsu into place on his back, the teenager sets out for home.

Not that it'd be home for much longer.