Internal monologue from Ichigo at the end of the Soul Society arc. If you're not familiar with some Greek mythology this probably won't make a damn bit of sense. I haven't written fan fiction (or anything else, really) in years, so constructive criticism would be welcome.

Disclaimer: Only bleach I own is NaOCl

I always knew I was going to rescue you, Rukia, because I know the story. It didn't matter what happened or how hard it was along the way. I knew the story, I knew how it ended, and I knew that I'd save you.

Some things were exactly the same. You were here and then you were gone and my life was empty. I knew that if I was going to bring you back I had to follow you to a place they say no living man can reach. Urahara... Let me just say that Urahara makes one hell of a convincing ferryman. But the toll didn't matter because he sent me on my way, and that was all I wanted. He sent me to the dark place. It doesn't matter how bright that creepy, unchanging sky was; that was the darkest place I've ever been in my life. All the light was locked away in a lonely white tower.

Sure, a lot of things were different, too. You didn't exactly get bit by a snake. I guess you could take that as a metaphor for betrayal, what with your own brother taking you away to die, but metaphors just complicate everything. I never had a musical instrument with me. Hell, I never even learned to play anything. I guess it would have been hard to lug around a lyre or a lute or whatever the hell they call those things while I was running around Rukongai and Soul Society. I laughed the first time I realized it: There I was in the story without so much as a damn kazoo to my name. It turned out all right though; Zangetsu did all my talking for me, no need for serenades or sweet talk.

But that was okay. Stories are like that; they change -- 'evolve', my mom used to say -- as time and traditions do. It didn't have to be identical for me to recognize it. And once I did recognize it, once I knew, I felt better. Some people like to be surprised at the end, but not me, never me. Especially not when something so important was on the line.

So I knew I was going to save you all along. And I knew the catch at the end, even if I didn't recognize it until you were telling me you wanted to stay.

I wanted nothing more than to haul you out of that place right then and there. But it didn't matter what I wanted, because there you were telling me you wanted to stay, and I knew it was part of the story. So I smiled and nodded and choked back the pain, and I turned and walked away. I had to walk away. It's how the story goes. I still had my ace in the hole, though. I knew the catch, I knew the trick, and I knew you were far too special for me to screw this up.

So I walked away and I never looked back.

I'm back home now, and I'm still moving forward. I continued right on with my perfectly normal abnormal life. I go to school. I do my homework. I take care of my sisters. I avoid my crazy father. I go to sleep. Then I start the cycle all over again. I know what will happen to you if I turn around, so I won't. I promise I won't, Rukia. Because that's how the story goes.

I know the story; I know that you're behind me somewhere. You followed me out of the Underworld and you're behind me somewhere, but if I look back you'll disappear forever. So I don't. I keep moving forward. As long as I move forward I know you're behind me, and I know you'll catch up to me some day.