Three Tests, How Far Will You Go?

- When a serial killer returns to Karakura and Ichigo's life is put in danger, how far is Grimmjow willing to go to save him?

Warnings: Yaoi (boy x boy), swearing, crime, murder

Chapter 1:

"This is the third time this month Ichigo, care to explain yourself?" Grimmjow sighed, throwing a file down on the table in front of the orange haired teen. Sitting down opposite him, he rubbed his face before looking at Ichigo warily.

Ichigo Kurosaki, a usually law abiding citizen had been in a string of trouble lately. He was sat on the other side of the table from Grimmjow, wearing his usual frown and avoiding the older man's gaze. His orange hair had always been a magnet for trouble, but the teen had usually managed to stay relatively trouble-free, until recently.

Grimmjow sighed again, running hand through his own bright hair, his blue instead of orange. "Ichigo come on. I've known you most of your life, what's going on?"

"You should know." He muttered, finally looking at Grimmjow. "Things change and you don't know me anymore."

"Yeah I can see that." Grimmjow leaned forward, opening the file and started flicking through it. "Breaking and entering, trespassing, grand theft auto... I meant the list goes on." Closing it again, he folded his hands under his chin, looking at Ichigo intently. "I can't keep protecting you."

"Maybe I don't want your protection. You're not a cop anymore detective." Ichigo scoffed.

It was true, he had been promoted a year ago. But he had spent the past six months of them chasing around after Ichigo trying to protect him pretty much from himself. "I used to know you." He murmured quietly and Ichigo looked away again. "You wanted to be a doctor, what changed? How does breaking the law like this help anyone?"

"That was before."

"Before what?"

There was a long pause and then Ichigo shook himself, standing up abruptly. "Are you charging me with something?" Grimmjow shook his head. "Then if you'll excuse me, I'll be going."

He made for the door but Grimmjow grabbed his arm to stop him. "Before what?" He asked, turning Ichigo around when he refused to answer. "Before what?" He asked again more firmly.

"Before you kissed me, fucked me, said it was a big mistake and promptly refused to look me in the eye since." Ichigo hissed, wrenching his arm free whilst glaring at Grimmjow. "Do you have any idea how that made me feel? How it still makes me feel?"

Grimmjow hesitated before speaking slowly, weighing out each word carefully. "I'm ten years older than you. You were sixteen Ichigo and it was wrong."

"Why? I was old enough." He looked down at their feet, not speaking for a long moment. "I'm nineteen now, does that change anything?"

"Doesn't change the fact I'm still ten years older. I'm too old for you Ichigo."

"What if I don't care?"

"Well you should."

"I don't care!" Ichigo said again sharply. Looking up quickly he grabbed Grimmjow's face, stepping closer to him to kiss him firmly. After a moment he let go, pulling away. When neither of them said anything he snorted. "I'll stop getting into trouble, you won't see me again."

He left without another word, leaving Grimmjow to only sigh heavily and rub his face again. Walking to the table he collected the file together again and closed it. Looking at Ichigo's name inscribed on the top of it. Was it really his fault that Ichigo was acting out like this? Because he told the teen what happened between them was a mistake?

Sitting down again Grimmjow closed his eyes, covering his face with his hands. "I am too old." He muttered to himself firmly. It didn't matter how he felt about Ichigo, how good it felt to kiss him. He was friends with Ichigo's father, he had babysat Ichigo before for Christ's sake. There could never be anything between them, despite what they both apparently felt.

Moving his hands Grimmjow opened the file again and looked at the photo on the front page. Reaching out he traced a finger over Ichigo's face. It had been three years but he still remembered every curve of Ichigo's body, every touch and every sound.

His thoughts were interrupted rather suddenly when the door opened and his partner walked in. Nnoitra Gilga was a tall lanky man who was often seen sporting a wide smile even when the situation was grim. "So, ginger managed to get away again huh?" He asked casually, leaning against the doorframe and he rose an eyebrow at Grimmjow questioningly.

"What does it matter?"

"It matters because one day you won't be able to help him. Why do you even care about the Kurosaki kid? I know you're friends with Isshin and all but even you can't protect him forever." Nnoitra sighed, moving to stand next to Grimmjow. "There's been another one."

Grimmjow nodded and stood, following Nnoitra from the room. Half an hour later they were at an underpass staring at the body of a young woman. Grimmjow sighed and crouched down next to her, looking up at Nnoitra with a frown. "This is the second one in three months, he's been busy."

"Which means more work for us, great." Nnoitra crouched down next to him and turned a flashlight on, turning the beam over the woman. "Same as the others?"

"Yep, married." The ring glinted as the beam of light flashed over her hand. "We better find the husband."

"If he's still alive, half the time they aren't."

"Let's get her identified first, then we can find him." Grimmjow stood and they left as the response team took over. The drive back was quiet, Grimmjow too lost in his own thoughts to talk.

They had been chasing this serial killer for years now. Once, a long time ago they had been close to capturing them but the plan failed and they escaped. Since then there had been no cases, no murders, up until last year when they found a new body. Since then more and more kept appearing, in more frequency. The only thing any of them had in common was that they were all married.

From what they could tell it was a test of some kind. This murderer kidnapped someone, forcing their spouse into a series of tests. These however almost ended up with both of them ending up dead, once or twice they had found someone who had survived, but what they could decipher form these people was barely nothing due to their distress.

"Another dead woman, another dead husband." Nnoitra muttered, waking Grimmjow from his thoughts as they reached the police department.

"We don't know that yet."

"Yet." He repeated, eyeing Grimmjow warily as he got out of the car. "You know, it's a good thing neither of us are married. I'd bet anything we'd be next on the target list."

For a fleeting moment Grimmjow imagined Ichigo lying on the underpass and felt a cold breeze lift the hairs on his arms, even though the night was warm. "Well aren't we lucky. Let's just catch this guy before someone else ends up dead."

"Let's just wait until we find the husband, then we can talk about dead people."

"Right, but that's for tomorrow." Grimmjow fished his keys out of his pocket, heading towards his own car. "See you tomorrow Nnoi." The man waved in goodbye and Grimmjow left.

Halfway home he saw that image again of Ichigo lying dead and tightened his grip on the wheel. A moment's hesitation and he turned the car around, heading out of the city again. Pulling up outside the Kurosaki household he sat in the car for a long time, working up the courage to go knock on the door. After ten minutes he finally got out of the car and approached the house and a deep breath later knocked on the door.

It was Ichigo who answered and the teen looked surprised to see him. "Grimmjow?" He asked, frowning after a moment. "What do you want?"

"Is your dad home?"

"No." He replied shortly, going to close the door.

Grimmjow stuck his foot in the way, wincing as the door hit it but didn't move. "Ichigo I came to talk to you." Ichigo stopped, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Look what I said earlier… it wasn't the whole truth."

"And what is 'the whole truth'?" He asked, yanking the door open fully. "That you don't feel the same way? Because don't worry, I figured that out on my own." Again he tried to shut the door but Grimmjow's foot stopped it again. "Move your foot or I will break it."

"Threatening an officer huh? That's grounds for arrest."

"So arrest me."

"Not today. Or at least not tonight." Pushing the door open he stepped inside and Ichigo stumbled back slightly. "What I wanted to say was that yes I'm too old for you, far too old."

"This doesn't sound any different than earlier."

"Let me finish." He pressed a finger to Ichigo's lips and the teen fell silent, even if his frown deepened. "I'm too old… but that doesn't stop me loving you."

"I don't care about the age gap."

"You should."

"But I don't." Ichigo stepped closer and smiled suddenly. It wasn't very often he smiled anymore and Grimmjow had to admit, it was a striking effect and he found himself smiling back. "Neither should you."

"It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

Grimmjow scoffed and looked around the room, his eyes landing on a family portrait. "Your family for one. Your dad is my friend Ichigo, he won't understand, neither will your sisters." He grabbed Ichigo's shoulders. "Do you remember that I used to babysit you when you were six?"

"So?"

"So I was sixteen! Doesn't that seem even slightly odd to you?" Ichigo shook his head and Grimmjow groaned. "You are impossible, blinded even by what you think is love."

"What I think?" Ichigo asked sharply, pushing away and his scowl was back. "Don't talk to me like I'm some naive child! I know how I feel and I'm not blinded!" He pushed Grimmjow again, making the man stumble. "Just get out. You shouldn't have come. I was better off not knowing how you felt." Turning way, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Just go would you?"

Ichigo started for the stairs but Grimmjow grabbed his hand to stop him. "Do you know where I went after you left? I got a call out and we found a dead woman, another dead woman. And do you know what I saw when we left? I saw you, you in her place and I can't stand that."

"I'm not going to die if that's what you mean."

"I know that." Ichigo turned to look at him again and Grimmjow smiled, brushing his hair away from his face, his hand lingering on Ichigo's face. "I love you, I do. And I'm sorry about the way I've treated you. But you deserve better than me, someone your own age."

"And if I don't want that?"

"Then we've got the consequences to deal with. Your family for one, the backlash. I'll probably lose my job. I know I shouldn't do this but I can't help how I feel anymore."

"Why?" Ichigo interrupted suddenly and he was smiling again, a light rekindled in his eyes that had been long gone for almost three years now. "It's not illegal."

"No but it's definitely frowned upon."

"Then… let's keep it a secret." Turning his head Ichigo smiled against Grimmjow's palm. "Our secret." Grimmjow hesitated. "Oh come on, you're a detective aren't you? Surely you're the best at keeping secrets?"

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we should-" Grimmjow was cut off as Ichigo leaned forward to kiss him. "Sneak around." He finished.

"Then tell everyone."

"On second thought…" Ichigo laughed and kissed him again quickly. "Let's just see how this goes for now and then think about telling everyone. Deal?"

Ichigo nodded and grabbed Grimmjow's hand to shake it. "Deal."