Disclaimer: I don't own bleach. Tite Kubo owns all rights to Bleach.

-Chapter 1-

"I did it"

Somehow Ichigo Kurosaki had managed to strike down the man who now lay before him. The man who had been working from the shadows for the past century, manipulating those around him in his twisted game of chess.

For the first time since he became a Soul Reaper, he actually wanted to strike down his opponent. He smiled as he looked at Aizen laying there in a pool of his own blood. He had never wanted to deliver the finishing blow before, but as he looked down at the man who, directly or indirectly, had put him at death's door so many times, the man who had kidnapped Orihime Inoue and subjected her to who knows what in the hell that was Hueco Mundo, he couldn't help smiling as he looked down at the traitorous Captian.

"Pathetic." He simply stated "The man who defeated the Thirteen court guard squads beaten by a fifteen year old boy"

"You bastard" Aizen shot out, raising his head.

Normally this would have made Ichigo angry, but looking at the broken man before him he couldn't help but laugh as Aizen growled his empty threats.

"You can't kill me, I am a god" screamed the delusional ex-captain.

"If you're a god, then strike me down" Ichigo said mockingly.

"I made Orihime call me god"

Before Aizen knew what happened Ichigo's zanpakuto was at his throat.

"Don't you ever let her name pass your lips again" Ichigo growled "You don't deserve to live after what you've..."

He stopped suddenly as that familiar, sickening smile crept to Aizen's face.

"You're the one who's pathetic" he said calmly "After all this you are still my pawn. I can still manipulate your emotions like you were a child, espicially when it comes to that girl"

Ichigo had had enough. He was going to wipe that smirk off Aizen's face if it was the last thing he did. He raised his sword above his head and began to swing it down with enough force to shake the very earth.

"Ichigo, stop"

He recognized that voice. His sword stopped inches away from Aizen's head as he turned to see Orihime Inoue stepping out of a garganta.

The look on her face said it all. Softhearted as she was, she didn't have it in her to kill. She couldn't even bear to watch Ichigo kill someone, even if that someone was Aizen, the man who had been personally responsible for the worst time of her life.

"No, Ichigo, don't" she begged, tears forming in her big grey eyes. She raised her hands to her eyes as the tears began to flow.

Ichigo didn't know what to do. He wanted nothing more than to let his sword finish it's arc and put an end to that bastard with his own hands, but he knew it would affect Orihime. She would probably look at him like that. He never wanted her to look at him that way again. That look of fear in her eyes when she saw his hollow mask tore him apart.

As she dropped her hands away from her eyes, the pleading look on her face made his decision clear. She was more important than his revenge, even if it was her he was avenging.

In a flash he stabbed his sword into the ground, inches from Aizen's head, and walked to Orihime. He gently placed his fingers on her quivering chin and raised her head to meet his gaze.

"It's alright Orihime" He said, looking into her shimmering eyes "If that's what you want, I'll let the soul society take care of him"

"That is a wise decision Ichigo Kurosaki" said a voice to his right.

Ichigo turned his head to see Yamamoto with his zanpakuto sealed back in his cane, looking bruised up and cut in a few places but otherwise ok.

"How the hell did you survive that" He yelled at the Head Captain. "I saw you explode when you used that kido attack on Aizen"

"Ha, if I could be killed so easily, Ichigo Kurosaki, I wouldn't have been able to hold my position as Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads for these thousand years"

"Fair Enough" Ichigo replied, still shocked at the old man's durability.

"Nevertheless, Ichigo Kurosaki, you defeated a foe that proved too strong and cunning for even me. You saved not only soul society but the living world as well. We are forever in your debt"

"Glad I could help" the young man replied, placing his hand on the back of his neck, as was his habit when he was nervous, causing Orihime to giggle.

He turned back to face her and saw not only her but his four other friends and the four captians that had been in Hueco Mundo with him.

Upon seeing them all alive, he was so relieved that even he had to smile.

This is my first fic. I know I'm not nearly as good as many of the others on this site but I thought I'd give this a try anyway. If anyone thinks this is any good I may continue. Reviews welcome.