"It has been decided that should a time arise that we find ourselves needing more information, and since he is the last of his kind, it would be best not to execute the Sixth Espada at this time."

The decision rang out in a near empty chamber of the Central 46. Most soul reapers were not even aware of Grimmjow's presence in Soul Society not to mention his trial. Ichigo stood.

"What does this mean?"

"It means he will remain in prison."

"No. I've seen him, I can't let that happen."

"What do you mean?"

Ichigo had thought this out carefully. "As far as I could see when I was in his cell a few days ago, he was barely alive. He will die there. He can't be kept in such conditions."

"The only way to free him of his current condition is to release him into the care of a guardian. Unless someone in this court today will step up to such a position, then he will remain where he is."

Ichigo met Rukia's gaze.

"No." she insisted. "Ichigo don't."

The Head Captain and Soifon were the only others present. Ichigo glanced at them, seeing the challenging glared in Yamamoto, but he also knew after all that Ichigo had done for them in their last battle, he would not stop him.

"I will." He spoke firmly. "I will be his guardian."
"You are a substitute." He was challenged immediately by the court. "Your place of residence is in the world of the living."

"I will take him there. Put him a gigai, he'll be harmless."

They considered.

"Only if you are seconded by a full representative of the shinigami."
He looked to Rukia. She looked back, her mouth set firmly.

"Please, Rukia."

"Ichigo, you can't ask-"

"I am. I'm sorry, Rukia, but I am asking you this."

She closed her eyes but nodded. "Okay," then she turned to the court, "I will be his seconder."

"Then it is settled, Grimmjow Jaggerjaques will be confined to a gigai and released into the custody of Ichigo Kurosaki until such time as he is needed again. Everyone dismissed."

"Ichigo, you got a new apartment?" Ichigo looked up from the bus stop bench.

"Orihime, yeah." He stood up and gave her a quick kiss. "How was your day?"

"It was fine, it's just..why wouldn't you tell me about the new apartment?"

"It happened pretty fast, if you have some time, I'll explain."

"Sure." They got on the bus and headed up to the same apartment building Ichigo had been living in, but they got off a floor earlier and he lead them to a two bedroom.

"Oh, you've moved in with someone?" She asked, no hint of jealousy, she and Ichigo weren't ready for that stage of their relationship yet and she guessed he and Chad maybe wanted to split the bills.

"Um, well, someone is going to move in with me..." He took her hand when he spotted the first Soul Reaper doing something to the walls.

"Oh, hello." Orihime greeted but only got a curt nod. "What's going on Ichigo?"

"They're spiritually locking down this place."
"But I still feel my powers."

"No against ours, but hollow power."
"What?"

"The person who's coming to stay with me, is Grimmjow."

Ichigo had expected a bombshell like that to send Orihime out the door, but then, in hindsight, he should have known that was not her nature. He took her into his bedroom and sat her down to explain the whole situation he'd gotten himself in.

"He's currently in the Fourth Division, Unohana suggested it be better she do a medical exam before he's released to me. And Soifon sent the Stealth Squad to do all this to the apartment. It means he won't be able to leave or use his powers and he'll be in a gigai. He'll be harmless."

She just nodded. "You said he was different."
He had tried to shield the truth from her but it was pointless- it was the whole reason he was doing all of this.

"I just couldn't sit here and let it all happen. Not after-"

"He saved me."

"Yeah. I guess. I mean I understand why they arrested him, but I always just thought that if he hadn't been, he might have come to our side. It was hard to tell with all that was going on, but I think he was ready to stop fighting. To not be alone."
"Mm. I know what you mean. Especially by the end, he was almost one of us. Ichigo, you are wonderful."
"Thank you, Orihime."

"I'll help you."

"I know. I'm grateful."

"Why is he still in chains?" Ichigo demanded when he arrived to take Grimmjow back.

"He's still a prisoner, Ichigo." Soifon said. "And you didn't need to come, we are delivering him."

"I wanted to." It seemed like the entire Stealth Squad had come out for this. Soifon was clearly against the entire plan.

"And I'm glad you did." Unohana came up behind them. "Ichigo, could I speak with you?"

"Yes." He left the Stealth Squad to take Grimmjow through. They wouldn't leave him alone in the apartment until Ichigo got there anyway. "What is it?"

"I wanted to give you my report." she handed him a decent sized folder.

"Whoa."

"I copied it for you, there should be nothing too medical you won't understand."

"Thanks. So, how is he?"

"Not well, Ichigo. I am afraid you've taken on a heavy burden." He just nodded. "His physical wounds were treated, there is nothing too complicated. It's the mental trauma that will be the problem."

"I guessed as much."

"Ichigo, he hasn't spoken in over a year."

"What?" She nodded grimly.

"I managed to acquire these as well." She presented a very thick stack of papers, printed on long sheets from a machine- Kurotsuchi's computer logs.

"He kept a log of every day. It's the only thing, I think, that could help you understand him."

"Have you read them?"

"Only skimmed, I just had Grimmjow for a day, so I spent most of my time trying to make him as comfortable as possible."

"Did you know? All this time, what was happening?"

"It's there, in the reports."

"Thanks, for all of this." He took the mass of papers. "I better go back and meet them."

"Ichigo, wait." He turned to see Rukia coming over to him. "I'm going back with you."

"Rukia, I didn't mean to get you involved."

"Well I am, now. My captain gave me three days to help you get settled. After that I have to resume my duties as lieutenant, but I'll check up on you whenever I can."

"Thanks, Rukia." She didn't smile back.

"Let's go."

"They wouldn't let me in." Orihime hovered outside his apartment with several bags at her feet. He noted all kinds of foods, from melting ice cream to a bundle of radishes. "I thought you might need some things."

"Wow, thank you." He gave her a kiss on the cheek before opening the door. He stopped short, the entry way choked with members of the Stealth Squad. "Come on guys, is this really necessary?"
"We're testing the barriers." the lieutenant explained, knocking on a wall and for an instant the network of yellow lines was visible. They were intricately woven over every inch of the place. "Remember, he can't leave here."

"I know."

"Even if he leaves his gigai."

"I know."

"So don't burn the place down or anything."

"I know.

"
"Okay." Omaeda clapped him on the shoulder. "Then good luck kid." He faced the others, "let's go."

Black figures were gone before he could register them. But one remained, leaning in the doorway of the room he'd designated for Grimmjow.

"Soifon."

"Why did you do this?" She turned to face him.

"You don't know?"

Her eyes shifted sideways, in memory and thought.

"I do." Her voice was soft, unconsciously a hand ran over the scar that had been left on her cheek two years ago. "But they were right," she turned away from him and looked in on the form beyond the threshold. "It would have been more merciful to kill him."

And then she too, was gone.

"What did she mean by that?" Orihime asked at his back. His fingers clenched around the papers in his grasp.

"I guess we'll find out." He left the papers on the kitchen table. "Could you wait out here for a moment?"
She nodded. He glanced at Rukia and they moved into the room.

The lights were off. The blinds drawn. Soifon must have done that, he didn't really know why until he flicked the light on an Grimmjow immediately reacted.

"Don't." Rukia turned if off at once. "He's been in the dark for too long."

Grimmjow still had a hand raised to his face, covering his eyes. The room had a bed and a chair and table, but nothing more at the moment, Ichigo didn't know what might be appropriate. But Grimmjow sat on neither, he sat on the floor against the wall, in exactly the same position he'd been in back in the Twelfth. Ichigo noted the chains.

"Can we take those off now?"

"You can do what you want, he's your prisoner."

"No he's not." Ichigo said angrily.

"Then what is he?" The young man didn't answer. He approached Grimmjow and noticed the key left on the chair. At least Soifon had given him that.

"Here." He reached out and took hold of Grimmjow's hand. The other flinched but didn't pull away. He drew his hands from his face and put the key in the lock.

Shackles fell from long chaffed wrists, scars etched into the flesh form years of friction. Blue eyes turned at his naked wrists, before shutting as if in pain. He curled his arms around his stomach. Ichigo watched him in disbelief, imagining that the removal of the chains would bring relief, comfort.

"Grimmjow..."

The espada turned his head to the side, pressed into the wall like before.

"Just know that you're safe now."

He stood up, Rukia put a hand in his and led him back out before shutting the door. Orihime had started a meal, but stopped when she saw how shaken Ichigo was.

"What is it?" He just shook his head.

"He's a broken man." Rukia explained. "It is a bit shocking to see."

"Oh..."

But the lieutenant smiled and joined her side by the pot close to boiling over on the stove. "What are you making?"

Orihime began explaining her latest concoction and Ichigo took up the papers again. He caught Rukia's eye but moved into his bedroom and shut the door.

Twenty nine months ago.

"A month of fighting and we've still got nothing." Ichigo sighed next to Yoruichi as they took a break on the palace steps.

"Not nothing, Ichigo, we pushed the Vandenreich back out of Soul Society."
"But they sealed the Head Captain's Bankai."

"We still have yours. And Renji's, Ikkaku's and Yumichika's. Lucky so many of them had concealed Bankais."

"I guess. Where do you think Juha went?"

"I still think he has to be here somewhere. He got burned pretty bad by the Head Captain. I bet he's recovering in hiding."

"He is." A third voice joined them suddenly.

"Soifon." Yoruichi stood. "What are you talking about?"

"I just received confirmation from the Twelfth division- they've pinpointed his spiritual pressure to this realm."

"That's not much of a pinpoint." Ichigo argued. "They couldn't be more specific?"

"It saves us searching Soul Society and the World of the Living." She shot back. "Now we can concentrate our efforts here. You should call Urahara."

"Okay." He dropped down a few steps to make the call. Thunder sounded in the distance. He had heard it often, but rain never fell, and no cloud ever darkened that abiding moon.

Urahara picked up, he began to explain the news but another sonic boom in the distance was followed by yellow light that seemed to shoot their way.

"GET DOWN!" Ichigo cried vainly when he realized it was an attack. The stair erupted, marble chunks flew like shrapnel, something struck him in the knee and he screamed as the knee cap shattered.

"Dammit." He choked in the sand. Blood came from his ears, steam from his white powdered body.

"Lady Yoruichi!"

He looked up at the screech, his eyes shot up the stair to see the dark woman hanging in grip of a Stern Ritter. It was not one Ichigo recognized, so he didn't know anything of his power, though he guessed it had to do with explosions. "Take your hands off of her."

He moved so fast. Ichigo saw Yoruichi drop, choking from the pressure that had been on her throat. Soifon met his blade, but he was huge, muscles bulging, nearly twice as tall as her and she stumbled on the step. She didn't fall, but it was enough for him to catch her with a sharp hit to the ribs and floor her.

"So you care about this one?" He turned back to Yoruichi and his foot found her stomach. She was already half suffocating but now blood lurched up her throat. He repeated the action.

"STOP!" Soifon dove, she was deflected. When she stood again he made to take off her head. Instead, the blade cut along her cheek, down to the bone as she barely managed to get out of the way on time. She dropped painfully on her side, clutching her face, but found him standing not over her, but Yoruichi, sword ready to drop down on her.

"NO!"

But then he was gone. The steps between the women bare. Ichigo finally managed to stand using Zangetsu as a crutch but he wasn't sure he could move forward or reach the women.

"What happened?"
But his question was answered as sword clashes drew his eyes up to the sky above. There was a bellow of fury and then the pair were crashing in the silver sand just a few feet from him.

"Grimmjow?" His uniform was torn, his hair a mess, but he cackled as he hacked at the enemy. His blade looked almost on fire, it took Ichigo several minutes of watching the raging battle to understand that Grimmjow had engulfed his blade in a cero, adding fire and power to each swing. He must have been fighting this enemy earlier, and figured out his weakness. Eventually, he swung with enough force at the right moment and the creature crumbled. He stood heaving in the desert over the body.

"Grimmjow."

Ichigo didn't think the other had even noticed them.

"It's you." He gripped Pantera but was panting heavily, a wound gushed at his side and his hair was stained red. "You weren't trying to take my kill, were you Kurosaki?" He challenged nonetheless.

"He attacked us."

"His mistake then," Grimmjow seemed to decide not to fight Ichigo today, and slid Pantera in his sheath, wincing. "He shouldn't have counted me out so soon."
"You're hurt."

"So are you."

"We could do more damage together."

Cold eyes cut into a cruel smile. "Never."

"Why?"
"I've told you before. It's black and white. When a Soul Reaper and a Hollow meet, their only choice is to fight to the death."

"But it's not."

"It is." His fingers returned meaningfully to Pantera's hilt. "Maybe when this is all over, you'll finally get it."

"Ichigo!" Soifon called from the top of the stairs. "Yoruichi needs help."

He glanced back at Grimmjow but he was gone.

Glad to see there is interest in this! I'll admit this was a bit of a choppy chapter but that was in order to move things along and get Grimmjow in Ichigo's care. NEXT CHAPTER: Ichigo begins to read Kurotsuchi's reports about just what happened to Grimmjow.

Riza