Music to my Ears- Part 4

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!!!

Okay, so part 3 confused a lot of people, so hopefully this'll straighten everything out nicely! Then I can get this story rolling! 8D No bumper chapter this time, that's the next one, 'cos I needed a flash back!

Ichigo Kurosaki

"You're a pretty cool guy, you know."

I gave my dark-haired companion a puzzled look. What had brought this on all of sudden? He turned to me with a serious expression and nodded, to clarify it.

"I mean it Ichigo."

I ruffled his hair. He could be really sweet when he wanted. I think that's one of the reasons I liked him so much. The other one was that I could be me around him. Ichigo. Not Kurosaki or anything. Just Ichigo. He was the only friend I had outside of The Shinigami.

"You'd better go, kiddo, it's getting dark!" I grinned.

He smiled back.

"I'll put that song to some music for you! I'll have it done by the next time we meet up!"

"You're the best kiddo!"

Blushing, he turned away, starting up the hill, back to the housing estate. I hoped he'd be alright. After all, it was a rough area, and the kid was pretty small. Though, as I learned, he was tougher than he looked.

"Hey Ulquiorra!"

He glanced back over his shoulder.

"I love you!" I called.

Yoruichi was waiting for me when I got to the building. Her eyes flashed with annoyance as I casually sauntered up to the door.

"You're late. And the captains want to see you."

Shit. And here was me thinking I'd gotten away with it.

"When did they ask for me?"

"Ten minutes ago."

Shit. No one keeps the captains waiting for ten whole minutes if they want to keep their head. And I wasn't even wearing my uniform. In my defence, who walks along in an entirely black suit these days EXCEPT The Shinigami? It's like waving a plaque in front of the cops' noses saying 'Arrest me!'

"You'd better get in there."

There were thirteen of them, all lined up along the wall at the back of the room. They all dressed in the same uniform as us, but wore a white coat over the top. Basically, the captains handled all the big work. They were the ones with connections, the ones who got the deals. And then they passed on the orders to us, the foot soldiers. We had to carry out all the dirty work so that if anyone went down, it would be us. Next to no one saw them, they had lieutenants. Yeah, it does sound a lot like the army, only with the army, you protected people. These guys were not about protecting people. The only reason I was even in here was because everyone had to be. In Karakura, you can't not join without finding some unpleasant surprises cropping up all over the place. But yes, the lieutenants passed on orders to us, only the really important jobs were given out directly by the hierarchy.

But I digress. Massively.

"Do you know who The Arrancar are, Kurosaki?" the head captain asked.

If the captains were our bosses, the head captain was theirs.

Who didn't know who The Arrancar were? Our rival gang, lords of Hueco Mundo.

"Yes'ir."

"Did you know that the leader has a son?"

"No sir."

Well, yes I did. And I knew who it was. But he was a secret. No one was meant to know about him. He didn't even know I knew.

"Oh? But you're acquainted Ulquiorra Schiffer. Son of Sosuke Aizen."

Shit. They knew. How the fuck was I meant to protect him when THEY knew about him?

"In short Ichigo, we need him. If we can get to him, we can get to Aizen."

Shit.

"I don't think I want to do this sir." I murmured.

"I don't think I heard you, Kurosaki." Captain Unohana replied.

"Why me?" I asked.

"You're close to him aren't you? All you have to do is bring him to us; we can take it from there. Simple as."

I paused, biting my lip.

Soi Fon, the smallest of the captains, yet one of the deadliest, stepped forward.

"May I remind you that your two sisters are still in our custody from the last...incident...and we don't want them to follow in your mother's footsteps."

Shit shit shit.

"I'll give you the information as you leave."

Ulquiorra...

I sat in the park, the usual spot. I'd called him. He'd be there soon.

What was I going to do? I couldn't bring him in. I couldn't not. My sisters or him. I'd never met someone like him. I wanted to protect him, I wanted to hold him, and stop him ever feeling pain again. But my sisters, I felt the same way about them. How could I choose between someone I loved and my own family? Especially after my mother.

But there, behind me, was Yoruichi. Obviously they didn't think I was gonna do it.

That's when I had my idea.

"Ichigo? You seem, I dunno, distracted tonight. Something up?"

"Let's go down to the river."

"But it's raining!"

I laughed, hollowly, and pulled him by the hand towards the river edge.

The rain pelted down, soaking our shirts, as we trekked down to the river bank. It was wet, but I knew Yoruichi wasn't going to bother following me.

I knew Ulquiorra liked me. And I knew he trusted me. So telling him to run would never work. He couldn't leave. That was his weakness; he relied on me completely. I was scared, to be honest. I was scared out of my mind. On top of that, I didn't want to lose him. But how else could I do this?

"Ichigo?"

I slid my hand into my pocket.

"I'm sorry Ulquiorra."

A gun. I was pointing a gun at Ulquiorra.

"You're father is the leader of The Arrancar. I can't let you live for that. You know I can't."

"Ichigo?! What are you doing?!" he cried, stepping back from me.

BANG!

I shot. I didn't aim for him, so it went straight over his head. But it worked. The black-haired beauty turned and ran. Ran like the dogs from hell were after him.

Youruichi came sprinting over to me.

"What the HELL did you just do?!"

"I quit. It's over here."

She hissed at me, bearing her teeth. Purposefully, I turned the gun so it was pointing at her heart.

"My sisters. Now."

Snarling, she spat on the ground next to me.

I pulled my finger back, dangerously close to the trigger again. That was all it took. She pulled a cell from her pocket, and dialled.

This was it. I was getting out of this mess.