This is my first one shot fanfiction... and First Bleach fanfiction...

I hope you like it :)

Enjoy everyone

Wish to see your reviews and comments :)

Ichigo wonders, where could have things gone wrong. He opened his eyes as he falls to darkness of the sea, watching as his former friends with their satisfied look for his down fall. What had happen?

All that he ever wanted is to protect them, to ensure their safety from the evil of the world. Is it really the end of him?

Is he really going to die in the hands of his friend? The emotional pain he felt is far greater than any wound he had experience from the battles. If this was his punishment in wanting too much power, then he would accept it. But is it really bad to ask for so much power to protect his friends and love ones. Then what was the reason he always risks his life to save them if this was his reward.

To be killed by them.

He started to wonder his reasons, would he really blame them, does he now regrets his action. For not accepting the proposal of his enemies to side with them, he wanted to regret it so much, but deep in his heart and soul, he knew he did not regret everything he had done in the past.

The only thing he regret was letting the enemy used his friends to defeat him. But he can't do anything anymore he is going to die anyway. Would he be a lost soul and be guided by the shinagami to the soul society? Or would he be a hollow?

He would wish neither, either way his existence had been erased by everyone's memory. Now that he lost everything, death seems not a bad idea. The time his friends and love ones look at him with hatred, is the time he felt lost and already gave up on living.

Death is something like a good idea right about now, a grimly smile appear in his face, it was mixture with sadness and some other emotion.

So this is how death feels like, he wonder the coldness he feels is because of the water or because he is dying already, he wonders if he would see his mother once again. It would be great if they would be reunited but what would he tell her? Is she disappointed that he let her down? That he didn't keep his promise?

Even in death he worries a lot of things, he decided he would think about it when the time comes, he felt exhausted already, he slowly closed his eyes and let himself fall to the darkness of the ocean.

A young girl with short and petite body structure, long, black hair that ends up in the back, pale skin, purple with a hint of blue colored eyes, and a strand of hair in the middle of her face, was enjoying her time in the beach.

She was wearing a spaghetti strap dress, her face is concealed by a straw hat. The girl is happily playing with the sand and water of the beach, you can see the happiness in her face as she plays around.

Just then something caught her eyes, curious, the young girl went near it. To her surprise it was a body of a boy with orange hair. She quickly try to revive the young boy.

Ichigo opened his eyes slowly, to his surprise the first thing he saw is a white ceiling. He tried to move but pain prevents him from moving.

"I'm glad you're awake," a sweet voice said.

Ichigo turned his head to see a girl that looks like somebody he did not see for so long. But she is not her.

"You've been washed by the current here, you were wounded so I decided to bring you to my house," the girl smiled with kindness, "Are you ok now?"

Ichigo can only nod,

"I'm glad… You have been unconscious for about 5 days already," the girl said, a tone of relief escaped her voice, "My name is Chikiku Sanahi but you can call me Sana… What's your name?"

Ichigo hesitate in telling the girl his name, fear that if the girl knew him, she would also be caught up in the mess of his life. Like his friends or should he say former friends.

Seeing the hesitant look on the voice face, Sanahi decided to not push thru her question, "Do you want to call your family?"

"I don't have a family," Ichigo said in a cold tone, as much as it hurt him to say it, but maybe it's the truth now, he doesn't have a family nor does have any home.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or anything,"

Ichigo can see that Sanahi is genuine in her emotion. Ichigo just nod, he observed the girl as if she was thinking of something, he was about to interrupt her with his thought, when he saw that her expression changes with a happy one.

"If you don't have any family, would you like to stay with me?" Sanahi offered

Ichigo thought for a while, as much as he was touch with Sanahi's offer, he can't afford destroying her life with his own problems.

"I can't,"

As quick as the words escape his mouth, he quickly regretted it, Sanahi was obviously sad with his decision, but tries to cover it with a smile, "I-I understand,"

Silence enveloped the room, "Um… you must be hungry, I'll make you a soup."

Ichigo nod.

For days, Sanahi has not left his side. She took care of him, until he was strong enough to move. For a long time, Ichigo felt homely toward Sanahi, he also learned a lot of stuff about her.

It seems the current as wash him away in an island, far away from Kikura Town, which he is grateful for. She was also an orphan, she recently moved from the orphanage she was staying and now live independently. He concluded that Sanahi has a pure heart, there are times which Ichigo wishes to stay by Sanahi's side. But then his past keeps reminding him that he would just hurt her in the end.

"Kusakiro-kun?"

Ichigo snap from his thoughts and turn to Sanahi, who looks at him worried.

Kusakiro Igochi, the name he gave to Sanahi. The girl prove to be very stubborn, she keep on asking about his name, she said that since it will take Ichigo for a while to get healed might as well he tells her his name, since it was rude to always address him as mister or sir, at first Ichigo refuse to give his name but in the end, Ichigo settled in telling her a fake name.

Sanahi was not suspicious one bit and was happy to at last be able to call him by his name.

"What is it Sanahi?" Ichigo ask in a blank tone.

"Nothing," Sanahi smiled sweetly to him, "I'll check your wounds now, if you won't mind."

Ichigo just nod and let Sanahi check his wounds. One thing he knew also about Sanahi is she is a great healer. She kind of remind him of a certain female captain. He again grimaced of his memories in the past.

"Is your wounds hurting Kusakiro-kun?"

Ichigo snap again from his thoughts and focus to the now worried Sanahi, she must have thought she did something wrong. It seems that it became Ichigo's forte to make the girl sad or worried, not that he was proud of it. In fact, he would wish for the girl to be always happy.

"Don't worry Sanahi, I was just thinking of something."

"Is it about your memory?"

Ichigo felt silent, he told Sanahi that his past was full of painful memory, and to him, he rather not try to remember it.

Ichigo was about to open his mouth to break the silence but Sanahi beat him to it, "Your wounds are almost healed." Sanahi informed him with a smile, but Ichigo can see there is a slight sadness in her eyes, "By the next following weeks your wounds are officially close."

"Sanahi," Ichigo said quietly, Sanahi just look at him with a gentle smile, "Thank you for everything."

"It's nothing,"

True to her words, after a few days, Ichigo was completely healed. But decide to stay a little bit, he enjoyed his stay in this small town, the people there were pretty polite and friendly to one another. He notice that everyone also likes Sanahi. The people welcomed him with warmth, he regret leaving the village, but he doesn't want anymore to involved innocent civilian.

He sigh, look at the moon from the balcony of Sanahi's home. Tonight was the last night, the farewell party that was organize by the people and Sanahi had just ended a few minutes ago, the people gave him farewell gifts and said that he must return to the island to visit them, also they said he was always welcome here. He was really touch by their action.

"Kusakiro-kun?"

Igochi turned to see Sanahi with a sad smile.

"Can't sleep?"

She nod as she walk towards his side, standing beside him looking at the moon with a serene face.

"Is it one those dreams again?"

Sanahi hesitated for awhile, but slowly nod her head. The two stayed silent for awhile, the only sound you could hear is the waves from the ocean and the crickets.

Sanahi decide to break the silence by asking the one thing that is bothering her, "Where do you plan to go?"

Ichigo sigh, and lowered his gaze and stared at the far distance, "I really don't know yet," he answered truthfully, "Maybe I'll just travel around the world I guess, until I decide where to really go."

"Oh," was the only thing Sanahi said, as they let the silence envelope the scene ones again, but this time neither decide to break it.

To other places, two figures watch the scene from a lake.

"It seems, your plan did not work, my brother," a woman said to the hooded man.

"Let us not jump to conclusion just yet, let's wait a little more" the man said.

The woman decides not to argue and trust her brother's judgement. As they continue watching the two teenagers until they decided to go in the house.

Morning came, some of the villagers have went to see Ichigo leaves, some even have tears and some have a sad smile. Sanahi was one of those.

"You be careful now," an old woman said to Ichigo, "and remember you are always welcome here."

"Thank you, Elena-baa-san."

"Do you really have to go, Igochi-nii?" one of the children whined as the rest also asked for him not to go.

"Sorry kids, but I have to go. But don't worry I'll visit you once in awhile, then we all are going to play," he assured them, he's going to miss the kids, they were a bit rowdy but still playing with them was fun for him.

"Promise?" all the kids ask

"Promise"

The kids finally nod. After all the good byes, the ferry horned indicating that it would be leaving soon.

"This is for you Kusakiro-kun," Sanahi gave him a bracelet made of white pearls, "Take care ok?"

"You too and thanks for everything, Sana." Ichigo said to the girl.

"It's nothing," she smiled,

The ferry again horned,

"Well, I have to go," Ichigo grab his duffle bag and sling it in his shoulder, "Good bye Sana,"

Sana nod, hugging him for awhile before letting him go, Ichigo smiled at the girl before turning and step in the ferry.

5 months had pass, Ichigo went from places to places, but still he felt something missing. He dearly miss everyone in the island, especially Sanahi. He was able to sustain himself by working from different places, majority of the time doing manual labors. He would call the village daily to see how they are doing.

One day, something unusual happen, for the first time, he receive a call from the village.

"Hello Elena-baa-chan? Is something wrong?"

"Kusakiro-kun, it's about Sana-chan, "

Hearing the girls name, his heart started to beat rapidly, worried something happen to the girl.

"What happened to her?" he ask almost shouting.

" She didn't want us to tell you, but I think you should now. Since the day you left, her dreams became more and more frequent. She doesn't get enough rest now and sometimes wake up screaming, it is taking a toll in her health now. She doesn't want you to worry, so she convinced us not to tell you. But just this morning she was sent to the hospital because of exhaustion and not enough sleep, the doctors said if this continue, we would lose Sana-chan. You have to return to the island as soon as possible. "

"You don't have to tell me twice, I'm going to be there by tomorrow dawn. If I'm lucky enough I will be able to get a much early trip."

"Ok, we will be waiting,"

Ichigo quickly told his boss that he is resigning and run to his apartment not bothering in folding his clothes and just threw everything he owns in the bag. His head was filled of the image of the girl, good thing, he was able to catch a ride.

Typical of Sanahi to hide things from people so they won't worry about her. He sometimes wish the girl would be a little bit selfish because from what he had observe in his stay with the girl, she was utterly stupidly selfless.

Ichigo arrive much early to the Island. He directly went to the hospital, despite that the visiting hours is over he still went there.

"Room of Chikiku Sanahi," he ask the nurse, nurse observe him for awhile before smiling.

"Room 302, make sure that the other nurse won't see you."

Ichigo smiled and said thanks. She knew it was against the rules of the hospital but the looks in his face made her decide that breaking one rule is ok.

Ichigo was able to find the room. He opened the door to find Sanahi sleeping, but it seems she was having a bad dream, the sweat in her forehead was any indication. He quickly rush to her side and shake her to wake up.

Sanahi opened her eyes, "Ku-Kusakiro-kun?"

"I'm here Sana," he said smiling at her,

"What are you doing here? Weren't you suppose to be in Kansai?" she ask finally shaking away the drowsiness she was feeling, Ichigo frowned thinking that he was upset by her statement, Sanahi quickly spoke up, "It's not like I don't want you here, it's just that it came a surprise to me. You didn't tell us you were coming to visit."

"Actually I didn't came here just to visit," Sanahi look at him with a confuse face, he decide to continue, "5 months ago, the night before I left, you ask me where I was going." She nod here head, "That time I told you I don't know yet, there was a reason why I have to leave, for 5 months I was really in turmoil because wherever I go my mind and body was really missing the life here in the island. The life with you and the people in this village, I was really thinking in returning here and stay here with you guys but in the other hand, my reasons was against it. Today when Elena-baa-chan told me what happened to you. I was deeply worried and frightened, the image of losing you defeated all of my reason. While going here I realize that maybe, the reason why Kami gave me the second chance to live again was to be able to meet you and give me another chance to protect the people I care, and that is you and the people here in this village. I promise to you Sanahi, I will do anything in my power to protect you, I'll do anything to make those horrible dreams go away from now on."

Sanahi was in tears by what Ichigo said, she was deeply touch about it, but still there was still a doubt in her mind, "If you are doing this because you are worried about my health, I can assure you I'll be ok in a few weeks so you don't have to do those things."

Ichigo look at her in disbelief, "Didn't you just hear what I said? I want to stay here because I want to protect you and everyone else because you all are my precious people. Even if nobody told me about what happened to you. It would be a matter of days before I decided to book the next trip here. So don't worry about it, all I want you to do now is rest ok, I'll stay here until you wake up?"

Sanahi see that what Ichigo said was pure genuine so shaking the doubt lingering in her mind, she decided to trust him, she nod and close her eyes, "Welcome home Kusakiro-kun." She whispered but Ichigo heard it.

He smiled at the girl holding her hand, "I'm home," a warm feeling entered his heart. As finally he has now found a new home, and this time, he'll do anything to keep it.

From another place, same two figures watch the scene unfold.

"I stand corrected, your plan work." The woman said happy, "Now, what do you plan we should do next?"

"We wait," the man said, "Let them enjoy their happy life a little more and see what will happen next."

The woman stayed silent , silently wishing both human luck, for this is just the start of a big battle.

~End~