With a loaded gun in our hands,
We can end life, we can decide the fate of a man
-The Living End, Loaded Gun

Ichigo POV

As I lay on the cold hard ground, blood pouring out of my chest. I wondered why human's had to be so weak. The wound in my chest, proof of the weakness of the human body, twinged as I realised I could never say goodbye to the ones I loved. My sisters, my father, all of the shinigami I have ever met, and most of all … Toshirou, the love of my short lived life. Even though I knew I would see most of them again, there was no guarantee I would ever talk to them again, let alone become a shinigami for real. A painful throb in my chest made me cry out in pain. My soul chain had been severed before with Urahara-san, but that was nothing compared to actually dying. I felt myself rejected from my body as my soul chain disconnected from it.

I fell to my knees as a konpaku, not actually believing that I was truly dead. I had defeated the biggest enemy of Soul Society only to be brought down by something as cowardly as a gun, by a human no less.

"Oh, Ichigo," my father's voice said, "I was too late." I turned around and was surprised to see him in full shinigami attire. Torn captain's haori hanging off his shoulder. I shook my head and asked him "Why?"

Isshin POV

Ichigo sat before me in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me dad?" he asked, "How can you justify keeping a secret like that from your family?"

"I'm sorry son," I replied, "I'm sorry I revealed this to you in your last moments alive," I looked down at the soul chain connected to his chest, severed from his body from idiots who only know how to end people's lives in horrible ways.

"Thanks dad, I love you," he replied, "Just…" his voice choked, "Perform the konso already… I don't want to put up with the pain anymore," I raised my zanpakuto's hilt to his forehead and pressed lightly. He slowly descended into the ground and all that was left of him was a hell butterfly, flying into the air.

I felt glad that I was able to reveal my true nature to him in his last moments. He did me proud, defeating Aizen and being a better shinigami than I ever was.

Hitsugaya POV

I stood in front of Ichigo's body fighting to hold in my tears. All that we know is that the gun wound killed him almost immediately. At least he didn't have to suffer as he died. A hand on my shoulder made me look up from my dead lover's body.

"Has he been found in Soul Society yet?" his dad asked me.

I shook my head, "No one has been able to find him." I replied, "Why must people be so cruel?" I asked him, "How can these people justify killing an innocent? Why should Ichigo have to be the one who died?"

"I don't know Toshirou-kun," he replied, "All we can do is hope that where ever he is, he is living a happy life."

"I will do everything in my power to find him… Even if he has forgotten about me and all he has done." I stood, "Thank you Kurosaki-san, please stay strong for your daughters, I'm sure he would've wanted that."

"I'm sure he would," he smiled, "Stay well,"

"You too," I walked out of the church and made my way to Orihime's home where Matsumoto was cheering up the depressed girl.

###

"Hitsugaya-kun?" Orihime asked as I walked inside.

"Yes?" I nodded to the girl.

"Why hasn't he been found yet?"

I took in a deep breath, "I don't know Inoue-san … I really don't know." I made my way to the room I have been offered, where I finally could not keep in my tears. I collapsed on the bed and wept for my fallen lover.

###

My sobs must have alerted my vice captain, because 5 minutes later I found my self crying heavy tears into her shihakusho.

"Taichou… we will find him," she told me. "I know it."

"How? We don't even know where to begin." I replied in between sobs.
"Find it in your heart, you know he's out there somewhere, we just need to search for him."

"Thank you Matsumoto, at least you are good for something," I replied, "Don't think that's an excuse to not do your paperwork … I did see those pieces of paper in the kitchen shelves yesterday,"

"Taiiichhooooou!" She whined, "You are soooo mean,"

"That pout will get you nowhere," I sighed, "Now get out … we are leaving tomorrow,"

"Fine," she huffed, "I promise I will help you find him,"

"Get out," I muttered, "Talk about it another day,"

"Later Taichou," she muttered going out to check on the most likely sleeping girl.

2 years later:

The paperwork in front of me never looked more unappealing. It is safe to say that since we gave up looking for Ichigo my life has gone down the drain. Paper work not handed in on time, coming to captains meetings drunk. I miss that child so much and regret never saying goodbye to him. I regret never telling him that I loved him so much and most of all I regret ignoring him in his times of need.

A voice calling to me from my door brought me from my musings.

"Shiro-chan," Why is Hinamori calling me? I thought I was ignoring all my friends. "What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be out enjoying the sunshine … you are such a work-a-holic!"

Not since Ichigo left me. Not since he died and went missing. "Stop calling me Shiro-chan," I told her, "I'm not in the mood for sunlight," It reminded me too much of him… it reminded me of what I am now missing out on. The rare smile that only I have seen, the beauty of his face when we were making love late at night. Everything these days reminds me of the love of my life.

"You are such a spoil sport! You are coming with me right now! I'm taking you to see Baa-chan (1) whether you like it or not" She said sternly, "It's been too long since either of us has been! So come now!"

I sighed as she pulled me out of my comfortable chair, "Fine, If you stop calling me Shiro-chan"

"Deal," she said with a smile. "Let's go!"

###

"It's been a while hasn't it Toshirou? Momo?" a voice said from the small house in Rukongai.

"Baa-chan!" Hinamori yelled out, finally letting go of my hand to give our Grandmother a hug.

"How are you my dear?" she asked

"Well … I got a new captain last week!" Really? I didn't even notice. Wonder what his name is? "He's even nicer than Aizen and…" she continued on until Baa-chan turned to me.

"What about you Toshiro? How have you been? You seem awfully quiet … more so than normal,"

"Fine," was all I replied with.

"That's good," she smiled, "Has captaincy been stressing you out? It looks as if you haven't had a good sleep in a long time,"

"Not really…" I said, trailing off into silence, not wanting to tell her the real reason I haven't been sleeping lately.

"Good," she said, "Both of you come in … If I knew you were coming I would have made something nice for you both."

As I took a step towards the door a large burst of reiatsu made me stop immediately. It seemed like a large fight was occurring in the first district. But that wasn't what made me stop, it was the familiar way the reiatsu rolled over my skin, almost caressing it. I turned around and started walking in the direction of the brawl.

"Toshirou? Where are you going?" Baa-chan said from the doorway, snapping me out of my daze "It's just a 1st district fight, it happens all the time … you should know that,"

I shook my head in annoyance. There was no way that was Ichigo … I would have found him already if that was the case. "I'm sorry Baa-chan … I thought I recognised someone's reiatsu in the fight. I must have been mistaken."

"There is a particularly strong one in that fight. His or her opponent probably won't last long,"

"Yeah," I sighed and walked to the house, "I'll send someone to check up on this person later,"

4 days later

I stood at the entrance to the first district warily. I immediately knew I wasn't welcome from the glares that the souls were giving me. Hyorinmaru was at my back, giving me comforting knowledge that I could protect myself from any thugs that decided that Shinigami like me were good prey. The almost haunting stink that hung around this place nearly turned me off, but I needed to find out if I was only imagining the reiatsu 4 days earlier, or if Ichigo really was here, hanging around in the depths of the most violent district in Rukongai.

"Whadda ya want Shinigami?" A voice drawled from a porch outside a depressing looking building.

"I'm looking for someone," I replied fearlessly, knowing they feed off their enemies fear.

"Heh… the measly runts lookin' for some 'un," he said to his friend next to him.

"Depends on who he wan's," was the reply from the scarred brunette.

"You would know him," I replied, "He's hard to miss."

"Oh really now?" He sneered, "I could tell ya for a price," He laughed.

His friend next to him snickered. "Fine, how much?" I asked.

"10,000." He said.

"7,000" I countered.

"8,500" his friend said,

"8,000." I replied, "Final offer,"

"Fine," He held out his hand and I handed him the money, "Now tell me who 'ya lookin' for,"

"Orange hair, Brown eyes, goes by the name Kurosaki," I told him.

Their eyes widened, "The shinigami are lookin' for Kurosaki?" The first man said.

"What might 'ur name be Shinigami?"

"Hitsugaya Toshirou, Captain of the 10th division,"

A booming laugh came from the second man,

"Come wif us!" his friend said, standing up.

I warily followed the two men who walked to a large bar in the centre of the district. "Should be in 'ere, if he's not snogging some prostitute," one of them laughed, then they walked off.
The door swung open as a drunken man stumbled out of the bar. I pushed him away and entered the room. Smoke hung in the air as countless drunken men lay about lazily in the room. I made my way to the counter and asked for Ichigo. The bar tender laughed and pointed to the centre of the room where a large chair resided, in it the man I loved.

"Ichigo?" I asked as I approached him.

"Toshirou?" He laughed, "Man has it been a while!" He exclaimed standing up. "Come with me! I'm sure you don't want our reunion to be in some dump like this!"

He showed me to a house almost too large for the district we were in. He opened the door and walked inside. I followed him inside as he loudly commanded the 'Lazy slack asses' (his words) out of the house.

"Man how I've missed you," he said, walking towards me. He leant down and gently placed his lips on mine. Suddenly I knew that all would be fine again. We separated and I looked up at the scar down his left eye.

"Come back with me," I told him.

"Of course my love," he said, "We have so much to catch up on. Just let me get my stuff."

As he walked to the back of the room, I smiled. I'd found the love of my life and everything will be good again.

A/N: Wow … All of this inspired by the lines from the song at the top! If you like this story review! If I get 20 reviews in a month I will write a sequel or a prequel … What happened to Ichigo in Rukongai or afterwards when he returns to Sereitei! So get reviewing if you want more!