Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

A/N: This edited version is a little more angsty than its predecessor. I couldn't help but try to develop Tōshirō's character a little more since we are seeing this through his point of view. Hope you like the changes I made.

Edited 07/02/2013

A Dirge of Sorrow

The fight had prolonged longer than I had first anticipated. My ice wings were tattered and the purple petals floating above my head were close to vanishing. My blood dripped from the right side of my head and my left arm grew numb. My captain's haori was soaked in blood and my clothes were torn to shreds.

I clutched my sword and placed myself in a fighting stance. Even if I was cornered by a vasto lorde and his fracción, I wasn't going to let them hurt her. She was my life, the very core of my soul, and if she died… I'd rather not think about it.

"Stay close to me," I told her and she nodded in fear. "I'll protect you no matter what."

The moment I locked eyes with their leader, all four arrancars attacked full throttle. They fought with no mercy, each swinging their swords like a maniac. I could feel my arms give way, feel the pain spread through my body, and it was then that I knew I wouldn't last long for even my breath was getting ragged with each breath I took.

Within seconds, the vasto lorde smirked before he disappeared from my sight. I tried to locate him but his fracción always got in the way. It wasn't until I was suddenly tossed about did I finally find him.

My body hit the ground pretty hard and it slid, digging deeper into the earth. Dirt accumulated in the lesions left by their swords, adding more pain to the mountain that had already existed.

"Tōshirō!" she yelled as fright, pain and guilt registered on her face. I could see her running towards me. Tch, what a stupid child! She should have taken that chance to run and hide. It was already too late for me.

"I don't think so girlie," said one of them before quickly appearing in front of her. He grabbed her by the throat and smiled vilely. "You're going to die along with him." In spite of the distance, I could see his hand tighten as she struggled for oxygen.

"Karin!" I cried out and tried to move. It hurt so much, yet I didn't care. I couldn't just lay here and do nothing.

By the time I got up, I heard her piercing scream and saw the unthinkable. The vile thing took his zanpakutō and stabbed her through the stomach. Then he threw her on the ground like some piece of trash and stared at me with a huge grin plastered on his face. My heart stopped.

"What are you going to do now? Cry over her dead body?" he mocked.

Dead body? No, she wasn't dead. I could still feel her reiatsu though it was fading rapidly. There was no time to lose. I had to kill them now.

With renewed strength and determination, I dashed towards them and attacked. In a single strike, I froze them with my ryūsenka and watched as they ripped into shreds by the shattering ice before immediately flash stepping to her side. Carefully, I cradled her in my arms with what little strength I now possessed, hoping that somehow she would live in spite of her injuries.

"Tōshirō," she said weakly.

"Shh," I hushed. "Save your strength." I wanted to heal her with my kidō but there was no point. I didn't have nearly enough reiatsu to heal her wounds completely. It would have only prolonged her agony if I did.

"I'm sorry…" Why was she apologizing? If anything I was the one at fault. If I hadn't suggested that we go out and do something, we wouldn't have been in this mess. She would have at least lived.

"If only I was stronger, this…this wouldn't have happened."

"Don't blame yourself. I knew this would have happened one day. I just… I never expected it so soon." She forced a smile. "I have no regrets." Weakly, she lifted her right hand and caressed my cheek. "Will I see you again?"

"We'll see each other." It was hard lying to her. I never liked lying, least of all to her, but I had no choice. I didn't want our last moment together to be filled with pain and suffering.

"I'm glad." I could sense the last of her reiatsu slip away just as her hand began to fall.

"No!" I yelled and grabbed it before it touched the ground. "Don't…don't leave me! I need you, Karin!"

"It'll be okay…" Her voice was barely audible now, so I pulled her closer. In the few minutes she had left in her body, she leaned in and captured my lips. Never had I kissed so passionately.

When we pulled away, she smiled. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Promise me…that you'll make me remember…e-even if you have to beat some sense into me…" This time, she forced a laugh. Same old Karin. She always hated saying goodbye.

"I promise." Another lie… But the numbers didn't matter. I'd lie a thousand times if it meant I'd get to see her smile one last time.

"Tōshirō… I…" Before she could finish her sentence, her reiatsu subsided and she grew limp in my arms. I looked away, willing myself not to cry. I knew that in spite of her death, she wouldn't want me to be sad. But it was so damn hard! How could I not cry when the person I loved most was gone?

I didn't know how much time passed after that, but before I knew it death came swiftly after.

I always imagined death to be dark, but did it have to feel so cold and…desolate? Even if her body was right beside mine, I felt…alone and empty… Ironic, wasn't it? A captain shinigami who kept his distance from others and whose reiatsu revolved around the cold was afraid of being left alone in the cold.

No amount of training could prepare anyone for this. But I suppose it wasn't the prospect of dying that was scary. What made death so frightening was that no one truly knew what was beyond death. But maybe…maybe having my soul turned into reishi and having it dispersed into the world wasn't a bad idea. With any luck, we'll meet again and maybe, just maybe, it won't have anything to do with this nonsense.

And as blue particles disappeared into the night, a single tear drop fell to the ground before a jigokuchō was seen flying through the dust of blue.