Alright, guys, this is the first one-shot I've done for Bleach since ending my 'Black Crescent' series. It has nothing to do with it at all since this takes place in-between the X-Cution arc and the 1000-Year Blood War. I recently listened to a song I haven't heard in a few years and inspiration for an idea came by. I asked Naito Writer, whom I often talk to about anime and video games (mostly Digimon Tamers), and he suggested this idea. The song is a Country/Bluegrass song, so before you get onto me about my song choice, I need to let you know that I grew up listening to that kind of music. It's a genre of feeling. Like any other genres, Country has its own signature sound. In this case, it would be the Steel Guitar while Bluegrass has Banjos and Mandolins.

DISCLAIMER 1: Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo.

DISCLAIMER 2: The song 'Draw Me A Map' is owned/sung by Dierks Bentley off of his Bluegrass album Up On The Ridge.

"Talking"

"Communications"

'Thinking'

Draw Me A Map

A dark night. It was the perfect setting for what Ichigo Kurosaki believed to be his demise. After feeling a portion of his power flowing through him again, it was taken away quicker than it was gained. He was betrayed by those he thought were his friends and family. Orihime. Chad. Tatsuki. Ikumi. Yuzu. Karin. Even X-Cution betrayed him. Kneeling with the wound from the sword that took his power—his Fullbring—he began to think over his fate as it drew near. The man who truly betrayed him, Kugo Ginjo, stood there mocking him. Within his mindscape, he began to sink in his Inner World, chained up more than his first interaction with a Kido spell that 'she' used on him.

His struggles have made him stronger in his use of his Fullbring. It began to feel like his old power, including the return of his signature Soul Reaper move, the 'Getsuga Tensho'. To have that power to protect your friends only to have them turn their back on you and protect your enemy was the hardest thing anyone would go through, aside from the death of your mother at the hands of a Hollow. It was the first time Ichigo has cried tears at all since his mother's murder. The reason being was that he felt he would never see his comrades again, that he would never see 'her' again.

Staring deep into your eyes,
Searching for answers to questions I can't find.

Ichigo began to think of all the times that he went through with his closest friend, the young-looking woman he's bonded with more than Tatsuki. She guided him on his path to being a Soul Reaper during his initial days subbing in for her. One look in each other's eyes revealed much trust between the two of them. In Ichigo's world, she was as wise as the snow was beautiful. Even after losing his powers after the 'Final Getsuga Tensho', he still held her in his heart.

If I took for granted that I held your heart,
I'd beg forgiveness but I don't know where to start.

He never felt so alone as he did now. With his friends at Ginjo's side, under the delusion that they were on the same side as Tsukishima, he had begun to miss the petite, violet-eyed Soul Reaper even more. He cared for her like he did all of his friends, but that special connection between the two of them stood, Ichigo found himself at her side more and more, even rescuing her from fiends like Sosuke Aizen. "You big baby!" said Ginjo, who continued to mock him.

"Give it back," Ichigo said in a deadly whisper as he stood up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you very well. You'll have to speak up louder."

"I said give it back, you bastard!" Ginjo knew what he was talking about. He was talking about his lost Fullbring.

Draw me a map that leads me back to you.
I don't know where to go, please tell me what to do.
Help me find the road you're on.
I just need directions home.
Draw me a map that leads me back to you.

Before Ichigo could get a hit in, Ginjo knocked him backwards. All the while, Ichigo struggled to get up, still hurting from the wound in his chest. He wanted to see her, but he knew that they both wanted him to be alive. It hurt more on the inside than the out. The loss of his power was hell on both his heart and his pride. Ichigo knew that he was beaten, but it didn't stop him from trying. He was doing this for her.

I've never been so at loss.
I'm at a canyon I can't get around or cross.

Not far off were Uryu, Isshin, and Kisuke, who knew that Ichigo was struggling inside. The two elders didn't interfere since it was his fight, no matter how futile it was. Ichigo was still a fighter; he never gave up. A fourth pair of eyes looked onto him in pain, knowing without words the reason why he was doing this while Uryu and the rest of Ichigo's friends didn't have any idea why. Even Yoruichi (who was in her cat form) could see that his determination was for the same person that he rescued from execution over 17 months ago.

So baby come down here, lay by my side,
And tell me love's not lost across the great divide.

"Face it, kid! You lost! Why don't you just lie there like the dying dog you are?!"

"Because, Ginjo, I've never been one to heel!" Suddenly, another sword with a glowing edge was pierced through his chest from behind. He turned and finally noticed Isshin and Kisuke. "Dad…Kisuke…why…?" he asked in disbelief. They saw that Ginjo was walking away.

Draw me a map that leads me back to you.
I don't know where to go, please tell me what to do.
Help me find the road you're on.
I just need directions home.
Draw me a map that leads me back to you.

"It wasn't us, you idiot," said Isshin, confusing his son. "Tsukishima never even touched us. Look behind you. The one using that sword is the one who stabbed you just now." Ichigo looked behind him as a familiar silhouette came into view. She had her hair in a bob cut, but he knew that this was the woman that he started his journey with.

"Hello, Ichigo. It's been a while," she casually said.

You're my destiny and destination.
Understand my desperation – you.
The only place I wanna be.
So get us back to you and me.

Suddenly, a pillar of light shone, grabbing the attention of both Tsukishima and Ginjo. They looked back and saw, to their surprise, Ichigo back in his Soul Reaper garb. However, it was modified a little due to the influence of his Fullbring. Even Zangetsu has changed. The blade was curved along the back, had a silvery edge on it, and the sword itself had a proper hilt. It had a chain coming from the end of the hilt as well. Ichigo himself had 'X' patterns on his chest and arms and white bands on his neck.

Ichigo stabbed Zangetsu into the ground to properly greet her. "Rukia," he said. "It's good to see you again." Suddenly, she slashed at him with the same sword she used to give him back his powers. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Will you relax? This sword doesn't have a blade on it. It was used to restore your Soul Reaper powers. But on another note…" She punched him in the stomach and made him double over. "I don't see you for 17 months and this is what you turn into?! You were tougher than this while you were losing your powers!" After her outburst, Ichigo recovered from the punch with a smile, shared by her as well.

"So you've got the garb! That doesn't make any difference!" said Ginjo, getting their attention. "You may look like a Soul Reaper, but it doesn't mean you have the power to back it up!"

"Please, Ginjo!" said a voice. Ichigo and Rukia looked up and saw a Senkaimon open. In it stood Byakuya, Toshiro, Kenpachi, Ikkaku, and Renji, who was the source of the voice. "Did you really think you could take all of Ichigo's power?"

Draw me a map that leads me back to you.
I don't know where to go, please tell me what to do.
Help me find the road you're on.
I just need directions home.
Draw me a map that leads me back to you.

"He only took a small portion of your power, Ichigo," Rukia said, encouraging her closest friend as always. "It was the part that contained your Fullbring. You need to show him that he can't take away your Soul Reaper powers. But most importantly, your will to fight, he can't take away! Show him your drive! Show him what truly makes you who you are!"

Ichigo began Round 2 with a 'Flash Step' and attacked Ginjo with Zangetsu. He overpowered him and fired a blast from his blade, which the X-Cution leader dodged. "Phew! I never knew your 'Getsuga Tensho' could be that powerful," he commented as soon as he touched the ground. Ichigo appeared behind him.

"You idiot. That wasn't a 'Getsuga Tensho'," said the Substitute. Ichigo held out his sword. "Getsuga…Tensho!" he exclaimed. When the dust settled, he had cut Tsukishima's mansion in half. Ginjo was amazed by the sheer power behind the attack. "Sorry. I missed. It won't happen again."

After a long battle, Ichigo emerged the victor. Ginjo, Tsukishima, and Giriko had all been killed (Giriko, of course, getting bisected effortlessly by Kenpachi). Jackie had sacrificed her Fullbring to save herself and Renji while Riruka hid herself within Rukia, coming out of her chest to save Ichigo. Tsukishima's fatal wound was dealt by Byakuya while Toshiro froze Yukio, who managed to escape. Ikkaku got to fight Moe Shishigawara instead. With Tsukishima's death, the memories of Tatsuki, Orihime, and the rest of Ichigo's friends have been restored.

Ichigo and Rukia, noticing that Riruka was gone, decided that it's best not to look for her. They were on top of a building overlooking Karakura Town. The two of them were admiring the sights and reminiscing about their adventures together. "Hey, look, there's the cemetery where your mother's buried," she said. For once, the mention of that brought a smile to his face.

"I remember that. That's where I first confronted Grand Fisher. Boy was I pissed," he said, sharing a laugh between them. The memories were just too fond to let go. "Say, Rukia." She looked up. "It's not that I'm ungrateful, but why did you help me?"

"I helped you because I was lost without you, Ichigo. You've shown me so much during our time together. When I saw how miserable you were, I knew that you were lost without the Soul Society as well. After Urahara came up with that plan to restore your powers, even Captain Soifon was happy to oblige." Ichigo looked at her in bewilderment. "She respects you, Ichigo. I'm pretty sure she would like it if you were to help her get out of her shell."

"But I bet she wasn't as happy to contribute as you were, eh, Lieutenant?"

"You have no idea how happy I was that we could talk again. I guess I did it for my own reasons as well."

"You said that we were lost without each other." Rukia nodded with a blush on her face. "I'd have to agree with you. We all need certain people in our lives to help us draw a map. Otherwise, we'll be lost in the path of our lives. I was lost, but it wasn't just because I didn't have Soul Society. It was mainly because I didn't have you," he said, making her blush even redder. "I guess you drew that map for us."

"You helped finish it," Rukia said before pulling him down for a long, slow kiss. Ichigo responded in kind. After 5 minutes was up, the need for air separated them. "Thank you, Ichigo, for the memories. I love you."

"I love you too, Rukia."

THE END

That one was one I wasn't used to, mainly because I have to think of the plot of the series. I know that the interactions were different, but I needed to fit it in with the IchiRuki focus, which is why I didn't write in the full fight between Ichigo and Ginjo. I mainly got the inspiration from hearing the song 'Draw Me A Map' by Dierks Bentley as well as a discussion with Naito Writer.

After you read this, I'd like for you to check out my stories 'The World Warrior Tournament', 'Rekindle to Trouble', 'Big Leagues', 'Chronomancer's Games', and 'Search for Pandora'. I'm also helping flameblade89 co-write his story 'Cyborgs & Symbiotes', a prequel to my story 'Symbios-Issues'. I hope you enjoyed this one.