Author's Note: Rated T for now, but will be changed to M for eventual yaoi. I suppose it could be rated for character death as well, but since its Bleach its not really death death. Reviews are appreciated =)

A big thanks to EnsignChocolateSauce for the prompt and agreeing to proofread everything.


It was only by chance that Byakuya had found Ichigo first. The boy had accepted the fact that he would die weeks ago, when the mass of cancerous cells were first discovered in his brain. Now, the Soul Society's primary job was to ensure that a soul of Ichigo's caliber did not find its way into the hands of the hollows.

Byakuya saw the lights of the wreck before he had sensed any change in reiatsu. By impulse, he turned on the toe of his foot and took off, appearing at the scene.

The bus was halfway off of the road, perching itself to the side where it had swerved at the last moment. A little boy was crying in the back of one of the ambulances, being comforted by paramedics as the police tried to establish a perimeter free from the onlookers. None of the passengers on the bus were hurt, nor was the crying boy who had run out into the road to grab his umbrella that had been blown out of his hands in the rainstorm. No, there was only one stretcher out on the road, that one metal frame whose sudden severance of energy had drawn Byakuya to the scene. The stretcher that was covered in the red body tarp, covering the man who had dove into the street after the boy, pushing him to safety.

The body had died on impact.

'Everyone is all right.'

"Indeed they are." Byakuya said solemnly, standing beside the shadowy figure. Ichigo's voice was different now. It was distant, as if he were speaking through the far end of a tunnel. At his chest, a broken chain.

'The best way for it to happen, I suppose.' Ichigo's voice didn't waver. He spoke calmly, directly. The way he always did when he faced down death. 'For the bus to hit a dying man.'

"It is how you wanted to go, I'm sure. Protecting the innocent until the end."

A solemn, brief silence hovered between the two. The paramedics were scattering salt onto the road to soak up the massive puddles of red.

"I am disappointed in you, Ichigo." He said, not looking at the boy just yet. "The captains had prepared a special sending for when the disease finally took you. All thirteen were to be in assembly to pay their respects. Captain Yamamoto was to send you himself."

'Is that so?'

"It would have been a great honor." He drew out Senbonzakura. "Still, this will be just as effective."

For the first time, the resolve wavered on Ichigo's expression. He looked around at Byakuya in alarm, the rain shooting through his wispy form. There was something strange about it. Was Ichigo Kurosaki... afraid?

'You can't mean... now?'

"If we delay, the hollows will be upon you soon." Byakuya cast his glance heavenwards, as if expecting them to be descending at this very moment. Even if Ichigo was powerless like this, his reiatsu was still potent. They would not be far behind him. "And you as a hollow is something that we cannot afford to risk," he said sharply, advancing on Ichigo in a way that must have been terribly menacing for anyone who did not know him well. Byakuya sighed sharply through his nose, seeing Ichigo still flailing, gripping his broken chain, looking out through the rain, looking... lost.

Like a child.

This was not the warrior who so fearlessly faced death in the form of his sword in the Soul Society, or taking on any number of Arrancar and Aizen himself. Who was this person?

'I... just wanted my family to be there... when I went.'

Byakuya paused, something deep in his chest aching.

'I don't care about the thirteen captains being there.' Ichigo said, watching the ambulances pull away to make way for the cleanup crew. 'Or being sent by Captain Yamamoto. I mean, I understand that they wanted to show their thanks, I guess.' He shrugged, not wanting to sound ungrateful.

'But after all the times I left them, Dad and Karin and Yuzu... I just wanted my last moments to be by their side.'

The idea of his father receiving the phone call... Karin would probably insist on coming with Isshin to identify the remains of his body. It wasn't how he wanted to leave him. The last memory he had of them to be...

Ichigo was interrupted from his dismal reverie as something soft and warm was draped about his shoulders. It was especially startling, since in this form he had not been able to feel a thing. Not the rain, or the cold of the ground beneath him. He put a hand on the smooth silk white around him, and realized that Byakuya had draped him with his scarf, the heirloom of his family.

"I understand." He turned to Ichigo, his eyes as grey as the stormy evening. In them though, a trace of heavenly silver. "I too have lost someone dear to me before her time."

Both shivered in unison as a wave of putrid reiatsu washed over the landscape. A roar sounded in the distance. The hollows had picked up the scent of fresh prey.

"But I think we can both agree that your spirit should not be desecrated as your body was."

Ichigo shook his head almost imperceptibly. He did not feel ready to go at all, but he was certainly not afraid.

No, Ichigo was far too strong to be afraid of something as silly as death.

"Are you ready, Ichigo?"

'… I want you to tell them.' Ichigo clutched the scarf about himself. 'You or Rukia... Renji even. I don't want their first call to be from the hospital.'

"Of course."

"Then I'm ready."

Byakuya breathed the blessing, and placed the mark on Ichigo's forehead. At once, a heavenly light shot out from all about him, scattering the darkness. It was so sharp and so sudden Byakuya had to shield his eyes from the intensity of it. Any hollows encroaching on the area cried out in fear and pain, hurrying off into the void, fleeing the glory of Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Hey, Byakuya."

The Captain was too amazed at the moment to bother correcting Ichigo on addressing him formally. His image was slowly dissolving into orbs of the beautiful glow.

"Yes?"

"When I get there... don't expect a break. My training is going to start as soon as I arrive."

And for that moment, he was Ichigo Kurosaki again. His form appeared solid, his grin fierce and strong. This was the man who had slaughtered armies, taken down the impossible and laughed at death.

The shine reached its peak, but like all others it dissipated, and was gone.

Though the body of Ichigo Kurosaki was on its way to the hospital to be tagged, his spirit was gone, never again to walk the mortal steps of the earth.

"Yes, Ichigo. I will find you."