Note: Sorry for not updating in awhile! This chapter kinda sucks because I sorta had writers block and Deep Blue decided he wanted to go crazy in this chappie. Please review!

Troubles

"Owwwwwww……." Ichigo moaned, sitting up slowly. Her head spun, her body was sore and she was dying of thirst! What had happened? Where was Kishu? Why wasn't he there helping her up? Why- oh, wait, he wasn't there because Deep Blue had captured both of them.

Panicking, Ichigo tried to recall what had happened right before she passed out. She remembered the guards carrying Kishu away, Deep Blue talking to her and then all she saw was black.

That was when she realized that Deep Blue had probably put some weird spell on her to keep her asleep long enough so that the dark king could beat Kish up a little bit. Ichigo guessed that all the pain in her body was a side affect, but the after math of a spell couldn't be nearly as much agony as Kishu was facing if Deep Blue was taking all his fury that had built up over the last century out on the cat girl's green haired love.

The thought of Kish in pain terrified Ichigo.

He had always been amazingly kind and gentle to her, yet also so passionate and loving. More than anything, Ichigo loved him and wanted to protect him. If that meant going up against Deep Blue, than so be it. Ichigo leaped off the silk covered bed and stomped to the door.

Only to come face to face with a sneering Deep Blue.

Kishu growled in anger. Darn wall! He thought, as he kicked, punched and snarled at the stone that kept him in the teeny tiny cell and away from his Ichigo.

He had not seen what Deep Blue had done to Ichigo after the guards had dragged him through the portal just a few hours before. However Kishu guessed that it was similar to what the evil sorcerer had done to her a hundred years before, kidnap her and force her into marriage.

Horror shot through Kishu's veins when he remembered how determined Deep Blue had been to have Ichigo as his own, long ago. No doubt that that determination was still there.

Kish just knew that the dark ruler was going to try to make Ichigo his bride again.

Ichigo backed into the room, trying to get away from the love sick devil. He just smiled and moved closer, reaching out to touch her hair. The cat girl dodged his hand and scurried to the other side of the enormous room.

Deep Blue sighed sadly, before saying in a gentle voice, "My darling, please don't run from me. How many times must I tell you that I won't hurt you? You don't seem to understand that I love you."

Ichigo shook her head. "Maybe you do love me! But I don't love you! I love Kishu!" She cried in anger as she pictured Kishu, killed by Deep Blue's sword.

"You don't know what you're saying." Deep Blue growled, lunging at her, pinning her to the wall.

"That moron Kishu is keeping you from realizing that you were meant to be mine! But I'll make him pay for it and I'll make you pay too! You'll pay for not loving me! You'll pay for refusing to be my wife! You'll pay!" He screamed insanely, moving his hands to her neck and squeezing.

Ichigo gasped, trying in vain to breath. Her vision spun as Deep Blue's hands got tighter. When everything finally became blurry she felt him let go of her throat and scoop her up.