Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters.Thanks to CrystalRaindrop007 for Beta'ing!

Shadows In The Night — II

"I will get her back," whispered Renji.

He silently watched as Ichigo gently sat Rukia down on the ground, taking off his coat and wrapping it around her small body. He walked out of the cave, looking down at the river below. The waves crashed upon the rocks, spraying the air around them. His eyes drifting back towards Ichigo, who was talking quietly to Rukia, explaining where they were.

He was slightly envious.

He used to be the one that Rukia confided in. She would tell him her secrets, though not the girlie ones, her dreams and her worries. She could cry on his shoulder when something was wrong, and they would play and learn together. They were closer than brother and sister. Bur Renji had always had different feelings for Rukia. He wasn't sure what they were, just that they weren't normal. When she would smile, he would suddenly come alive and smile, too. When she was laughing, he wanted to laugh right along with her. He had loved her smile. It was so beautiful. He would go out of his way to make her laugh or giggle. It always made him happy to hear her voice.

He wasn't sure what the feelings were, but he thought they were love.

He'd never been in love before, though. And he didn't know what it felt like. So he could never be sure. But today, as he sat watching the waves crash upon the rocks, he felt as though life was crashing down on him.

He had loved Rukia, but had never told her. And now she loved Ichigo, and Ichigo loved her. His chance was gone, and he had to move on.

"I'm sorry."

The voice broke Renji from his thoughts.

He looked over to see Ichigo standing beside him, his orange hair blowing in the wind. His arms were wrapped tightly around his chest, and he was looking out into the setting sun. The glow cast upon his face made him seem years older than he really was.

"Sorry? For what?" Renji asked, swallowing the knot in his throat.

"I know you loved her."

"I-I . . ."

But Renji couldn't respond. He simply looked away.

"I can't say I'm sorry for loving her, Renji. Because I'm not. But I am sorry for hurting you. I really, really am. And I know Rukia is, too."

Renji heard the sincerity in Ichigo's voice, and had the courage to look over. Ichigo had turned his head so he was now facing Renji. Their eyes met and Ichigo gave the smallest of smiles.

"But now isn't the time for such thoughts," Renji said. "I got a message from the Soul Society. They've detected something, but they don't know what it is. They're sending Captain Byakuya and Captain Hitsugaya to investigate. They wanted to send me, but I told them I was on extremely important business. But I do need to get back."

"Thanks for helping us, Renji," Ichigo said. Renji nodded.

"I'll try and be back soon to see what else I can do." And with one last look toward Rukia, he smiled at Ichigo and disappeared.

Ichigo turned and walked back into the cave. It was in the middle of nowhere, and the walls had been re-enforced with a special materiel that could hide the signature of a Shinigami. They caves had been built more than a hundred years ago when the Shinigami were on the run from an unseen foe. He knew that they couldn't stay for long, because the caves would be the first place anyone looked for them, as it would be the most logical place to stay.

"Are you awake?" Ichigo asked quietly, bending down beside Rukia. She nodded and sat up, rubbing her eyes and looking around the room. As she tried to stand, Ichigo put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "You shouldn't be moving too much just yet. Renji backed my theory about the baby's spiritual power making pregnancy much, much harder than normal."

Rukia nodded and sat back down, the feeling of nausea crashing over her again. She tried to hold it in, but soon found that she couldn't.

"S-sorry," Rukia stuttered, shivering against the cold again.

"You've no reason to be sorry," Ichigo said. He then started looking around for wood chunks to start a fire. They would both freeze if they couldn't start one.

Just as Ichigo was about to light the few sticks he had found, he found that Renji was right in front of him.

"Renji . . . what are you d-" Ichigo started.

"No time. News from the Soul Society. They're sending Captains Byakuya and Hitsugaya and their vices here to look for you. I'm supposed to be with them, but I had to warn you. You have to go now."

Ichigo looked alarmed. "They found out about the baby?"

"Investigated your father then erased his memory. Since they couldn't sense your Spirit Power, and Ichigo, yours is fairly easy to sense, they knew you must have come here," Renji explained quickly. "I have to go, but you need to get out of here."

Ichigo nodded and walked over to Rukia, helping her to her feet.

"Thank you, Renji," Rukia said, smiling tiredly at him.

"You're welcome, both of you. And Rukia, your brother's pissed that you got yourself pregnant. He was fuming when he found out."

Rukia winced, nodding. "I thought that would happen."

"Go now," Renji said, disappearing. Ichigo took his lead and used Shunpo (Flash step) to bring them out of the caves and onto the solid ground some ways away.

"Let me carry you again," Ichigo suggested. Rukia didn't refuse and Ichigo lifted her into his arms; he started off at a run. "Do you know anywhere we could go?"

"No," Rukia replied. "I'd almost think the Soul Society, but I don't know if I could make it through the Sen-Kimon." (A/N: Sen-Kimon is the troublesome pathway they had to go through to get to the Soul Society. See Vol. 8 Chapter 70! Or just take my word for it.)

"Why Soul Society?" Ichigo asked, keeping his questions short for he was running out of breath again. It had taken a good hour and a half of running to get to the caves, and he had only rested for twenty minutes.

"Because we could hide our spiritual power better there. Stay in one of the soul villages until the baby is born," Rukia explained, laying her head against Ichigo's chest. She was feeling sleepy again.

"Would that be the best option for you and the baby?"

"Yes, probably. I can hide my spirit power even now, but I would need some practice hiding the baby's. But it is within me, so I should be able to do it," Rukia said.

"Then we'll go through," Ichigo decided.

"I don't think I can-" Rukia started to protest. There was no way she could make it in her current state.

"I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I'll get you through," Ichigo said, smiling down at Rukia. "The gate takes seven days to make, correct?"

Rukia nodded.

"Then we have to get back to Urahara and ask him if he can do it."

A couple hours later, Ichigo sneaked inside the small store, Rukia still laying in his arms. Urahara was sitting up, talking to Yoruichi. Ichigo, careful not to startle them, walked over and spoke,

"We need help getting into the Soul Society," Ichigo announced.

"Why would you go straight into the hands of the very people who want you captured?" Urahara asked, surprise showing on his face. Ichigo explained what Rukia had said to him. Urahara nodded and said he would get to work on it right away. He started to leave the room, but Ichigo stopped him.

"Um, could you watch out for Rukia for a few days?"

"Why?" Urahara asked, turning back to him.

"I can't hide my spirit power, but she can. I need to get away from here to lead the search teams on a false trail. While they're following me, Rukia will be safe here," Ichigo said, running a hand through his wild orange hair and sighing deeply. "If I stay here, they will sense me and come after us, but if I leave they will sense me and, believing that I wouldn't leave Rukia behind, follow me. Please, just until the gate is done? When it's finished, contact me in some way, or ask Renji to do it."

Urahara thought for a minutes, finally nodding. Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to go say good-bye. Please take good care of her."

Urahara nodded again and left the room, promising Ichigo that while he was in the underground training grounds, Yoruichi would watch over Rukia.

Ichigo sat down beside Rukia, who had heard everything he had said. She looked worried.

"Ichigo, you can't go out alone. They'll send more people when they realize that you're on the run," she reasoned, her eyes pleading with him. He shook his head.

"No, I have to go. By staying here even as long as I have, I've put you and the baby in danger. I have to do this Rukia. Please understand."

Rukia's eyes searched his, and, seeing that he wasn't going to back down, she sighed.

"Just please come back alive."

"I will. I promise," Ichigo said, leaning down and kissing her softly before standing to his feet. "I'll be back. I love you, Rukia."

"Please, Ichigo, don't do anything reckless," Rukia said, her voice quivering as her eyes filled with tears. Ichigo turned back, smiling at her before he jumped out of the window again.

He didn't know where he was headed, he was just running. He knew that they Soul Society would be upon him any second. He had been running for over an hour now; surely they sensed him and were coming for him. Unless they had found Rukia. No, they couldn't have. She was hiding her spirit power, and the baby's, and Urahara had promised to hide her when he was gone.

She was safe . . . wasn't she?

Pushing those thoughts aside, Ichigo tried to concentrate on running. If the Soul Society caught up with him, they would know that he didn't have Rukia with him, and that she had to be hiding somewhere else. Renji would probably know where, but he wouldn't tell. Or would he? Ichigo knew that Renji had loved Rukia, and most probably still did.

Coming and seeing Rukia pregnant with a baby that wasn't his probably hurt him a lot.

Ichigo had seen love do a lot of things. Including betraying friends. Renji wouldn't, surely he wouldn't!

Ichigo was more worried than ever now. Trying to calm himself down, he tried to reason with himself. Renji was a good friend, he had helped them, and then warned them when the Soul Society was coming after them.

Unless . . .

He hadn't seen anyone from the Soul Society in the time that he had been running. They were faster than this. They would have caught up with him by now.

But what if they weren't coming? What if Renji had lied? What if they weren't on their way to the caves, but instead, he was working with them, and had lured Ichigo and Rukia back to the Urahara shop.?

Worry taking over all reason, Ichigo stopped running and turned around, ready to head back to the shop.

He had to get back to Rukia!

"Where are you going?"

Ichigo stopped in his tracks as he heard the all too familiar voice. Spinning around, his worries were confirmed. Before him, smiling, was Renji.

"What are you doing, Renji?" Ichigo asked, looking around him. Renji was blocking the only pathway out of the current spot he was in.

"Taking back what's rightfully mine."

Ichigo was speechless. Renji just stood there, slowly walking forward as he twirled his sword in his hands. Ichigo backed up as Renji walked forward.

"No, you can't be-"

Renji cut him off.

"Be what?" he asked, smirking. "I can be whatever I want."

"Were you working with them the whole time?" Ichigo asked, his surprise turning into disbelif.

"Not all the time. Ever since I brought you to the caves, yes. Look, Ichigo, you can walk away from this. Just walk off and pretend nothing happened. We'll take Rukia back with us, and you can forget everything you ever saw."

"No, I won't let you. Don't you dare even touch Rukia!"

Renji sighed. "I was hoping that you would be able to walk away from this. I really don't hate you, Ichigo. You're a friend. But if you're going to get in the way, then I'll just have to kill you."

"But-" Ichigo started.

"Howl, Zabimaru."

Ichigo's eyes widened as Renji's sword transformed. The sword seemed to split into several pieces, each with a sharp blade on the end, and it was seemingly held together by a flexible material, but a strong one.

"As we speak, Captain Byakuya and Captain Hitsugaya are on their way to retrieve Rukia. She will be put into jail, and the baby will be destroyed."

"No!" Ichigo shouted, bringing out his own sword. "I won't let you! You can't!"

"We already have. And you can't stop us."

Ichigo was surprised at the triumphant look on Renji's face. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Did Renji really love Rukia that much? To go to such desperate lengths to take her back?

"Wrong." Ichigo's eyes were suddenly filled with determination and confidence. "I promised I would protect her and the baby. And I intent to keep that promise."

Closing his eyes, Ichigo held out his sword in front of him.

"Final Release, tensa Zangetsu, Chains Of Heaven - Slicing moon."

Hmm ... what do you think?

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