Title: Afterlife

Summary: Ichigo has been haunted by the aftermath of Aizen's war but he's about to find out that there are even scarier things in his future.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, its characters, or their awesomeness - Tite Kubo does.

Dedication: To all those who reviewed, especially cmc42 and akuni. The comments and chats were insightful and helpful, I hope I did them justice.

A/N: Sasshi - book or judgment.

Chapter 2: The Silence of Death

1 week ago

The hell butterfly fluttered away after delivering its message to Renji. "Abarai, report immediately to my office!" The redhead tried to shake Kuchiki-taicho's voice from his head with a dejected sigh.

What the hell could I have done now? Maybe Byakuya found out about the 11th division's party last night. Renji didn't think he could handle another reprimand for his drunken behavior. "Damn, I knew I shouldn't have taken that dare to serenade Soi Fon. I swear that woman has no sense of humor!"

Renji stopped abruptly as he realized that his feet had already taken him to his captain's door. Taking a deep breath he raised his hand to knock but before he could do so Byakuya called for him to enter.

"Damn leaking reiatsu, I'm getting as bad as Ichigo," mumbled Renji as he slid the screen open.

"Sit down fukutaicho," ordered Byakuya in a monotone voice. Renji nervously found the nearest chair.

His captain began to speak. "Yamamoto-sama has informed me that we are set to receive a new member of the Gotei thirteen."

Renji let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as he realized he wasn't going to get in trouble for last night's escapades. "Whose the lucky newbie, sir?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Red hair fell from its carefully crafted updo as Renji shook his head in hearty disbelief. "How the hell did you convince him to do that? I though he chose to stay in the real world and live the rest of his life."

"His life is coming to an end, Renji."

He looked up at this captain for confirmation that this was a simple error; a mistake that could be rectified with a few words. When he saw that none were forthcoming, he closed his eyes and contemplated the seriousness of the situation.

It wasn't that Renji had not thought about the possibility of Ichigo's death, the orange-haired boy was only human. But Ichigo was so defiant that he half expected the kid to cheat death itself. He slowly opened his eyes and looked his captain straight in the eye. "Taicho, are you sure about this?"

Byakuya stared back icily at his subordinate. "I do not lie, Abarai," he stated as he dropped a dusty tome onto the polished desk. It landed with a resounding thud. Renji could only stare at it. It was swirling with a reiatsu that was completely foreign to anything he had experienced. He looked up to the captain for an explanation.

"This is the Shinigami Sasshi. It is one of Soul Society's most prized possessions. It lists the date and circumstance of death for every soul powerful enough to make it into the Gotei Thirteen." Byakuya paused in his explanation as Renji reached forward and tentatively ran his fingers along the spine of the book. It crackled with energy and turned a pale shade of red before Renji withdrew his hand.

Byakuya gazed curiously at the book and then at Renji. "Next week Ichigo is scheduled to arrive and-"

"Why are you telling me this?" Renji loudly interrupted. "If we know when and how Ichigo's going to die, than why can't we stop it?"

Byakuya studied his fukutaicho with something akin to pity before it was masked by his normally schooled expression. "What's written in the Sasshi has been fated since the creation of Soul Society. It is not up to us to decide who lives and dies." He hesitated briefly before continuing. "Furthermore, it has been agreed upon that you will be the one to bring Kurosaki-san here."

Renji took a moment to stare at his captain before lowering his gaze to the matted floor. His captain was asking him to watch Ichigo die. He didn't know if he could bear to witness his friend's death, even if it was only corporal. His thoughts turned to Rukia's last wish and he felt tears threatening to spill out. She had made it to him a few months after her fukutaicho had passed away. He could still hear her voice. "Renji, promise me that if I fall in battle you'll be by my side. Kaien-dono told me that it's important to pass your heart onto someone when the time comes and I want to entrust my heart to you." He had never forgotten that promise but when the time came it was Ichigo, not himself, that had been by Rukia's side as she lay dieing. Neither had been there for her final breath though, they were forced back into battle before by their enemies. Renji would make sure that Ichigo wouldn't have to suffer the same fate of dieing alone.

He gathered up his resolve and forced a calm demeanor. "It would be an honor, sir."

Byakuya nodded as he opened up the thick cover and beckoned Renji to come forward. "Kurosaki Ichigo" was sprawled across the page in an ancient script.

"Now run you fingers across his name. This will bind you to your duty to bring him back safely."

Slowly, Renji reached out his right hand and lightly caressed Ichigo's name. It flashed a brilliant red and the words appeared to be on fire before turning to embers and searing the boy's name into the page.

"It's done. You are now the protector of Kurosaki's soul."

Ichigo woke with a start. Something wasn't right – the normal darkness that bore down on him at night was replaced with a brilliant white light. He tried to look around but found that he was blinded.

"Renji are you there? Renji?" Ichigo asked with a hint of desperation entering his voice.

It felt like an eternity had passed before he heard Renji call out. "I'm over here."

Ichigo half stumbled, half ran over to where Renji's futon lay. "What the hell is going on? I can't see a damn thing."

"The Arrancar are here. They've come for you."

"What? I thought we defeated all of them," Ichigo asked incredulously.

"Not these," Renji whispered darkly. "These are a new breed. Specially designed."

Before Ichigo could ask who or what could have picked up where Aizen had left off, Renji was thrown against the wall. His head struck the plaster with a wet thud that echoed in the small room. The tan body crumpled like a marionette whose strings had been unceremoniously cut.

Ichigo lunged towards the desk where he kept his substitute shinigami badge. A cold hand dug into his thigh before he could reach it.

"Where do you think you're going little one?" said a sickly sweet voice. "Can't have you turn into a shinigami now, can I? " The vice-like grip painfully tightened as he was turned over.

Ichigo froze in sheer terror as Rukia's face shone down at him. Time seemed to move in slow motion as he saw the woman of his nightmares stare eerily back at him. "Y-You're not her," stammered Ichigo as he clawed at her arm like a trapped animal. He tried to get a hold of himself. Weren't there hollows that could resemble the deceased like Grandfisher and the 9th Espada, Aaroniero. That had to be it. "Go away!" he screamed.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Rukia yelled angrily. "No one wants to be with poor 'ol Rukia in the end. Better to cast her off to die alone than honor your promise."

"What promise?" asked Ichigo before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. She's dead and your not going to dishonor her memory." He grabbed her by the throat and pushed her off of him. And that's when it happened. He met her eyes for the first time since she appeared in his room. In that split second he saw the truth – this was Rukia. She wasn't a hollow impersonation. Yet at the same time his mind listed the differences between his beloved friend and the person in front of him. His grip loosened slightly and Rukia took full advantage by sending Ichigo slaming through his bed. He asphyxiated a bit before coughing up blood onto himself.

"You left me there to die all alone. I waited and no one came for me," cried Rukia hysterically.

He felt the instinct to fight leave him as his fabled resolve crumbled. A decade's worth of doubt and shame came crashing down upon him.

"I'm sorry Rukia. I couldn't save you," choked out Ichigo. "I tried but Renji and I were pushed back. When we came back your body was gone."

"I wasn't dead though. I hoped in my heart that you both would come rescue me. I waited for so long." Rukia clenched her eyes shut. When she opened them again they had a steel sheen to them. "I did what I had to do in order to survive in that hellish place. I promised myself that when I found a way to get out I would hunt you down and exact my revenge."

When the final blow came he almost welcomed it. He had failed and betrayed her. "I deserve this," he thought as the blade slashed across his torso.

He gasped for a final breath and the world around Ichigo faded away until all that was left was the silence of death.

Renji woke to an intense throbbing in his head. He gingerly reached back and felt his hair matted in half-dried blood. He stood up groggily and looked around the room. It was in shambles; broken furniture littered the floor and the walls were spattered with a garish crimson. Among the debris lay Ichigo.

He looked like he could have been sleeping if not for the two deep slashes across his chest. He knelt down besides the boy and traced the curve of his face, pausing to wipe a drop of blood from the cold flesh. His fingers trailed upwards to close Ichigo's eyes.

It would be only a few minutes before the shinigami's soul would reappear next to the body. It was a slower process than the usual transformation that utilized a cane or glove. This was the permanent removal of a soul from its corporal form.

Renji stood up and moved to where he anticipated Ichigo would materialize. He cast a glance at the wounded corpse one more time, no longer thinking of it as Ichigo. He wished he had been awake to witness what variation of Arrancar had been able to take down one of Soul Society's strongest fighters. Byakuya had not specified who exactly would kill Ichigo, only that it was a new breed of Arrancar that made the last version seem "quaint." Renji sighed, "There will be time to deal with them later." Right now he had to focus on getting Ichigo safely back to Soul Society.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next up: Rebirth.