They were getting closer. Ichigo knew that at this rate they would be captured. He would be either killed or taken as a slave and red head simply refused to even think what could happen to the twins.

Just a moment ago the three of them had been on their way to their new home, where their father Isshin was waiting for them. They had had a long ride with the horse carriage when suddenly the horse driver had given Ichigo a short and simple order to take his sisters and run.

They had been attacked.

The red head figured that the ones behind the attack were probably the rebel group that called itself the Espadas.

Ichigo hugged his unconscious little sister closer to his chest and rushed his other sister to run faster. "Karin, hurry! Just a little further. We need to hide you and Yuzu."

Behind Ichigo, only few steps away, Karin was running with all of her might to keep up with her big brothers killer pace. She didn't have enough oxygen to answer him; it took all of her attention to keep on breathing and focusing to follow her brother.

Ichigo could see that his sister was exhausted. She wouldn´t be able to run much farther anymore. He scanned the surroundings and saw a big bush around 10 meters away. Ichigo made a quick turn to the right and upon reaching the bush he lowered his sister inside it, gently but swiftly.

Karin caught up with her brother. She was covered from head to toe in tiny droplets of sweat, her breathing was laboured and her legs were shaking from the run.

As soon as Ichigo had gotten Yuzu inside the bush he turned to Karin and picked her up, like she weighted nothing. Karin was lowered inside the bush, beside her fraternal twin sister. Karin would have wanted to protest on being picked up but she was scared and had no strength to speak up. Normally, she was a strong girl but beneath her tough exterior she was still just a child. She looked Ichigo with her dark eyes shimmering with tears, begging her brother to stay.

Ichigo gave his sister an apologetic smile. He brushed his hand against Karin´s cheek. "Karin, no matter what you see or hear, you are to stay here. When you no longer hear any voices and you are sure that there are no people around, take Yuzu and get back to the main road. Follow it and you´ll reach Karakura town in four or six hours. I´ll join you as soon as I can. Be careful." Ichigo gave a brief kiss to his sister´s forehead. Karin was stunned but as soon as Ichigo left, she acted and crouched down, covering Yuzu in case she would wake up. Karin was trying to be as silent as she could but she couldn´t stop herself from shaking and the tears were silently rolling down her cheeks. She wanted to sniffle but she didn´t dare to. The fear that the people who attacked them might hear her was far too great. Karin squeezed her eyes shut and uttered a silent prayer.

'Let Ichi-nii be allright'

Ichigo kept running, making as much noise as he could, without being too obvious. There was only one thought inside his head. He had to take the rebels as far away from the twins as he could. Nothing else mattered. If he could get the rebels to follow him and lead them away, the twins might have a chance to get to their father. If he would have to sacrifice himself for the sake of Karin and Yuzu, it would be a sacrifice he would be ready to make anytime.

Ichigo wasn´t paying any attention to where he was running, it was fine as long as it was away from the twins. The red head had failed to hear the sound of the horses let alone notice them before it was too late.

They had him surrounded.

Ichigo was getting ready to defend himself. He didn´t notice the man that neared him from behind until he was hit to the back. The impact caused his lungs to let out all the air and he fell to the ground. Ichigo was gasping for air and desperately trying to stand. He knew that if he would stay on the ground he would be surely killed. While standing up, he had a slight chance of survival.

A tall lanky man got off from the saddle of a horse and walked towards Ichigo. The red head had managed to get up. His balance was slightly off but he was able to avoid the man´s first punch. The second hit him to his left shoulder and Ichigo could hear a sickening crack as a wave of intense pain washed over him.

The world started to get blurry. He could hear himself screaming in pain and he felt every single punch that hammered him. Staying up was difficult.

His knee had been hit. Ichigo was trying to stay up, supporting his whole weight on his other leg but a hard hit to his jaw knocked him over and he fell, knowing he couldn´t get up anymore. There were some kicks to his stomach and head before it suddenly stopped.

The pain was still there but no one was beating him anymore. Ichigo turned his head, trying to see why they had stopped. The man who had been swiping the ground with him was apparently being scolded. The man scolding him was standing between Ichigo and the tall lanky man. His hair was blue as the sky itself, it was all Ichigo could make out before he passed out.

"The fuck you were doing!" Grimmjow was fuming. His day had been absolutely horrific till now. Nothing had gone the way he had wanted. "I told you to catch him, not kill him, fucking retard." The bluenet turned his back to the tall lanky form of Nnoitra, who was kneeling, his face full of hatred.

"Gather up the troops Nnoitra, we´re going back." Grimmjow almost growled. He was pissed off and the next one to tick him off would lose his head.

"Grimmjow, what about the two girls? Should I go find them?" A woman with seaweed green hair approached Grimmjow, choosing her words carefully and making sure her tone was calm and asking. She had known the man for years now and was the only one to date who was allowed to call the boss by his own name.

Grimmjow turned to face the woman. "No need Neliel. Let them be. I´ve got no use for little girls." Neliel flashed a quick smile and turned on her heels. She knew what to do. There seemed to be no order in the bluenet´s words but she had known him long enough to know what the man wanted her to do. She got on to her horse and rode away, leaving the rest of the group wondering where she was headed. No one asked anything thought. They knew that Neliel was special and no one dared to question that fact.

Grimmjow crouched beside the red head. He brushed away the bangs from the boy´s forehead. The kid was breathing at least. Grimmjow smirked and picked up the limp body of the red head and carried it to his horse. He lifted the red head to lie on the saddle and rose to the saddle then himself. He had the boy lying on top of his thighs.

"Okay men, time to head home."

AN/: So this is the beginning of a story I´ve had in my mind for some time now.

Review if you´re interested in reading more and thank you for reading.