Disclaimer: I do not own this series, and I have read some Bleach fanfics, but not too many…anyway,
feel free for constructive criticism but please try to restrain yourselves from flaming. :)

Oh, and I'm not really happy with this story, but I decided to upload it anyway, since it's been in a notebook for the past year.

Ichigo looked up at the one person he could honestly say that he hated with every fiber of his being. Aizen.

"Let them go."

Aizen replied with an evil grin, "Why would I do that? I could kill all of them with a flick of my wrist; I could end all of this right here, right now. Why would I give that up?"

Ichigo looked around him; he was surrounded by the espada, they were holding his friends captive, not caring about their wounds. Steady streams of blood were forming on the floor, painting it red...and most of it was from his friends. His friends were half dead, while the espada were able to stand strong.

What really hurt, was that if Ichigo tried to do anything to save them, they would all end up dead. And Aizen would win. 'No. I refuse to let that happen. Not after everything we've gone through. We'll get through this.'

"But, I might be able to be persuaded to let them go if…." Since he was desperate, Ichigo, ignoring everything else, and listened. "If what Aizen?" He spat out his name with contempt, 'I will do ANYTHING to make sure Rukia makes it back to her brother, alive.'

Aizen looked down at him from his throne.

"IF you and Orihime stay behind, and become arrancars, I shall let the others go free."

Ichigo reeled back in shock, "Why?"

Aizen smirked, "You are both very powerful, and would be great assets to my army. I would be a fool to let this chance slip by. Especially since you are already well on your way to becoming an arrancar already… remind me to thank Urahara for that." He added as an afterthought.

Trying to think quickly, Ichigo looked around until he met Orihime's eyes before answering. Seeing the acceptance in them, he decided their fates. "We'll stay."

The outburst from his friends was deafening, but two managed to stand out. "YOU IDIOT! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT!" came from Renji's mouth, surprisingly loud considering how much blood he was losing.

The other loud denial came from Rukia, "Don't do this! Think about Yuzu and Karin! Your family already lost your mother, they can't lose you too! They need you! WE need you, if we want to win this!

As his other friends kept screaming at him, Rukia just stood there, crying. She knew she wouldn't be able to get free, just like she knew how much of a stubborn idiot he was.

All noise stopped, when Ichigo replied to what Rukia had shouted at him. "Tell my sisters…that I'm sorry. I couldn't keep my promise." With that, he turned his back on them.

He only spared himself one glance back towards his friends while they were being escorted to the opening into the human world. His gaze met Rukia's. Her eyes were full of tears, a chaotic mess of conflicting feelings, and accusations, "Why Ichigo? After all the trouble we've caused, you sacrifice yourself? Why would you do this? How could you give up? How could you LEAVE ME!'

His eyes burning with tears he would never shed, he looked away.

Aizen, deciding that he had enough of the near brawl going on in his throne room, so he motioned for them to led away, broken in body, and spirit.

After his friends were long gone, and escorted back to the world of the living, Ichigo turned to the man he despised. "What now?"

Cruel brown eyes looked down on him from atop an aristocratic nose, "Now, you change."

2 years later

The war was still waging, both sides currently stuck at an impasse. Impasse…if you could even call it that. Everyone knew the whispers that circulated amongst the shinigami, the whispers of the fact the Aizen was just playing with them. Waiting for something to happen that would tear them apart. What he was waiting for, no one knew. Yet all of them could feel a foreboding sense of doom.

Today was a prime example of that feeling. Thoughts of doom and hopelessness were weighing down the troops, yet they continued to look forward with brave faces and shining eyes.

This would be the last battle of this bloody war, for better or for worse, it ended today.

Renji nudged the little violet-eyed shinigami next to him, and jerked his chin towards the black gaping maw in the sky, "Here they come."

Looking over the sheer numbers that made up the opposing army, almost all hope was lost. Then, Rukia noticed something…who used to be someone. Standing a few steps behind Aizen's shoulder, was a tall being with shockingly bright orange hair. "Ichigo," she breathed. Overwhelmed by the sight of him, that even though they were on opposing sides, she still couldn't help but feel happy at seeing him again. Yeah, she was angry and hurt; he did it to save her, that didn't stop the betrayal from fueling her anger.

And yet, aside from all the chaotic feelings, she still loved him. She never stopped, every day that she worked to make herself stronger, was all for this moment. So she could see him again, and bring him back. Back to where he belonged, with his friends, family, and by her side.

However, no amount of love could overpower the spark of fear that raced down her spine at seeing his face. Where you could once see a strong chin, and determined brown eyes, all you could see was a terrifying full-blown Hollow mask.

Her eyes searching his body came to yet another terrible sight, and his hollow-fication hole where his heart once was.

Her eyes started tearing up, 'What have they done to you, Ichigo?'

She was pulled out of her misery but another elbow to the side, eyes now furious snapped up to Renji. "Snap out of it. He's no longer the same person you knew back then. You CAN NOT let him distract you."

Rukia nodded, and looked back towards the opposing army. They finally stopped approaching, and no one moved.

Aizen broke the silence, "Isn't it good to see old friends, Ichigo?"

Black and gold eyes shot over to him, 'what the hell is he up to now?' He no sooner finished that thought, when Aizen continued, "Why don't you go ahead and start? Get the blood flowing."

Staying silent, Ichigo stepped forward. His eyes passing over everyone he used to know.

Rukia could barely hold back her tears when his eyes passed by without the barest hint of recognition. Closing her eyes, she made herself calm down, and focus. 'I will save you Ichigo, even from yourself. I will bring you back.' Bracing herself, she opened her eyes.

Ichigo raised his zanpaktou, and released his attack.

*15 minutes previous*

Ichigo kept his emotionless mask in place as he looked at everyone. Yet once he saw Rukia, he nearly lost it. 'God, I just want to run over there, hold her in my arms, and never let go.'

Tearing his eyes from her, he heard Aizen call out an order. "Why don't you go ahead and start? Get the blood flowing."

Reluctantly stepping forward, Ichigo summoned his power. 'Let's give them a show King.' Beneath his mask, Ichigo smirked, 'About time you showed up.'

'Did you really think that I would miss this?'

'Not really.'

'Good. Now GET ON WITH IT! Hit them hard, after everything they've done, they MORE than deserve it.'

'I know.'

And he attacked.

Rukia couldn't believe her eyes. Blinking rapidly as she tried to wrap her head around it. Most of Aizen's' army was DESTROYED. Only the lowest number espada were still alive and standing. And even they were bleeding from numerous wounds. 'This power. How could one attack cause so much damage?'

Looking at Ichigos' back, which was now facing her, she stared in awe. 'That stubborn idiot I knew, how did he get this powerful?'

Aizen stood up straight, disregarding his torn and bleeding flesh, in favor of bringing his hands together, and clapping. "Very nice. You had even me convinced that you were attacking them. I almost didn't catch it when you turned at the last second."

Ichigo, having enough of the conceited bastard, ignored his comment, and simply said, "Grab your zanpaktou Aizen, and get ready to die."

"You really think that you could kill me? I could just use my bankai and hypnotize you. You would be dead before you could move" stated Aizen, while he brought out his weapon.

The orange haired shinigami was quick to respond, "One, yes. Even if you manage to kill me, I WILL be taking you down with me. Two, who said you, were going to have time?"

And the battle started.

After Ichigo, Kenpachi was the first to attack, eager as he is for blood. When he leaped into battle, the rest followed. Since the remaining espada were already greatly weakened, most of them perished fairly quickly. Matsumoto and Toshirou finished off Gin, while Hisagi and Komamura took down Tousen. It was a short and bloody battle, with tears shed, and regrets made.

Soon, all that was left was the battle between Ichigo and Aizen. Since both combatants were moving so quickly that few could even see them, the others stood, and waited for one of them to fall.

The captains watched from the sidelines, ready to help if needed, when with an echoing metallic shriek the battle was over.

Aizen fell to his knees, choking on his own blood, holding his shattered sword in his hand, before completely collapsing, dead. A few feet away, Ichigo also fell to his knees, with one hand holding on to zangetsu for support, while the other ripped off his Hollow mask, and then tried to staunch the flow of blood. Rukia immediately tried to run forward, and do something. Her conflicting emotions were telling her different things. Part of her wanted to help him, another part wanted to hit him for leaving her, and the biggest part just wanted to hold onto him and cry. But, whatever she was going to do was halted when Ichigo uttered one word, "Stop."

She looked into his eyes, asking unspoken questions. Her answer was a look, full of a myriad of emotions, love, sadness, regret, and most of all, was his apology.

Without breaking eye contact, he called to Renji, "Grab her."

A look of confusion briefly crossed the redhead's face, followed by a look of sad understanding. He snatched Rukia before she could even think about running, and held on tight. Amidst her struggles, Rukia found the strength to yell, "WHAT THE HELL? ICHIGO, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

Her cries fell on deaf ears, as Ichigo turned to face Yamamoto, and the surviving captains. Before any of them could speak, he made eye contact with the wizened leader, and explained his actions, "I'm tired of being a monster. I'm tired of fighting, and shedding blood. I just want to rest."

Looking at the young man, Yamamoto could see this. His looks, his face were young, yet his eyes were haunted and ancient. So much, that he felt a great amount of pity, and gratitude for the former ryouka.

'So young, yet he sacrificed so much to win our battle for us. He is no longer a boy, but a man.'

With a simple nod, he answered the younger man's request, and at the same time, signaled the captains to surround Ichigo.

Rukia's struggles were renewed with horrified understanding, she called out with tears swimming in her eyes, and streaming down her face, "NO! You CAN'T DO THIS! Don't LEAVE ME AGAIN! What about YOUR FAMILY? WHAT ABOUT YUZU, and KARIN? You PROMISED! PLEASE! I'm BEGGING YOU; don't do this, not again!" She pleaded, her voice breaking, overcome with sobs.

Turning to her, he spoke his last words in this life, "Oi, midget. Don't cry. I'll see you again at some point. Anyway, Orihime is still in Hueco Mundo. They didn't change her completely, they were afraid it would compromise her power. Find her, she misses everyone very much. And Rukia, tell my sisters, that I'm sorry. Oh, and DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF! I will see you again, and I love you."

He spared one last glance at her bowed head, her entire frame quivering from her sobbing, before he faced Yamamoto. "I'll hold back my Hollow as long as I can, be quick." Closing his eyes, unable to watch death speeding towards him, he thought of happier times, when he first met Rukia.

In the split second before his form was demolished, the Captains swore that he died with a smile on his face and a whispered 'thank you on his lips.

Watching from a distance, as his son died, and the beautiful, violet eyed shinigami collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by tears, Isshin also cried. Looking away from the scene, Isshin spoke with tears trailing down his face, "I'm so sorry Misaki. I couldn't protect him, he was just too stubborn…I failed, in my promise to you and the girls. I failed." And he closed his eyes, as if trying to make it all be a bad dream, "I failed."

Looking down on Rukia's pitiful form, Renji crouched down beside her. "Come on Rukia! If we want to see him again, we need to go!"

Suddenly violet eyes were glaring at him, "What are you talking about? He's gone!"

"Maybe, maybe not. After all, before all this, he was a human teenage boy. His soul might be somewhere in the Rukongai! It's worth a shot, right? I mean, don't you want to kick his ass for being a sacrificial, giving up, and breaking promises?"

The thought of being able to even hit her stubborn strawberry again made her laugh. Filling with hope that he could be found, she dried her tears, and stood up. "What are you waiting for? I have a strawberry to beat!"

Feeling slightly whiplashed by the sudden mood change, Renji laughed and made a very stupid comment, "That's my girl!" This earned him a strong kick to the head, "OW? What was that for?"

"I am NOT an object to be OWNED! That's what!" She yelled, wriggling her finger in his face.

"Okay, sorry, sheesh." "So, where do you think the stupid strawberry ended up?"

"Somewhere far away from your abuse" He mumbled.

"WHAT was that?"

Whimpering like a kicked puppy, Renji yelped, "Nothing, I swear!"

And slowly, taking care with the wounded, the most of the shinigami made their way back to the Soul Society, while the others ventured with Chad and Uryuu into Hueco Mundo, to bring back their friend.