It's terrible isn't it that I've made you all sad and cry, but I also feel some satisfaction in that too – sorry – but at least that means I managed to convey the emotions I wanted. I have to be honest, I think I've cried at every chapter! Some stuff I even took out as it was hard to write.
Happygirl24 – I must admit to not trying to label this illness as anything particular, as I felt we all had our own ideas what it was and I didn't want to make any mistakes in symptoms or treatments. But we'd care for a loved one the same what ever they were suffering from wouldn't we. I certainly wanted Byakuya to help Ichigo have a dignified decline and peaceful ending.
Waiting...
Masaki had given her self for their first born child and what was her sacrifice worth now? 12 years? Was that all? It was unfair, unjust and undeserved. Ichigo had given so much to the world and he was being snatched away. For once didn't Isshin deserve to be able to keep hold of something he cherished? Were his girls also going to be taken from him early? Maybe it was his fault. His fault that he came to the real world for a selfish reason and this was the action of the fates restoring back to the normal order.
Waiting...
He watched his two girls sit either side of the frail brother, their heads bowed in silence as tears fell. Ichigo's body barely securing enough air through the shallow rasps it now dragged in. Be strong Ichigo. Don't let this Hollow of yours take you away from us completely. Don't let the bastard win.
He glanced at Byakuya, now free of his gagai and standing there, composed.
Ready...
Waiting...
Isshin wasn't fooled by his appearance. He could see the repeated swallowing that was trying to contain the emotions, the way he blinked for a fraction longer than required to seal the tear ducts from releasing any visible signs of his distress. Isshin, once reluctant to admit to the relationship between his son and this aristocrat, was pleased that at least Ichigo had been happy. No one could have lavished such devoted attention to his son during the past weeks.
"Taichō." Isshin approached him.
"I think we have passed beyond such names."
"I think that I owe you every respect I can honour you with. Including repeating my blessing that you are part of this family."
"For such an honour I am happy to accept."
Waiting...
"There is a lot on your shoulders. But as I see it, there are two ways a person should want to die; one, fighting with honour for something they believe in, the other to die in love. What ever else happens, he has been happy and you gave it to him."
Byakuya was moved by the sentiments of Isshin's words. He nodded and took his eyes back to his lover. "Then, my purpose here is assured." Strength and reason were restored. The power of words, working their magic as strands of courage threaded their way through is spirit.
Waiting... Over.
Time knocked on the door with a steel hammer with enough impact to slap a cold chill through the entire room. One last drawn out breath and slowly Ichigo's chest settled silently down. His already still body... came to a halt.
The illness completed it's duty and let the body of its host rest at last.
Isshin seemed to have his own soul suddenly ripped from him as he felt the strangle of grief snap at his feet. He stumbled forward, the doctor in him, checking for a pulse.
Nothing.
With tears that obscured his vision and fell too easily he bent and placed his lips on the child he had delivered into the world, the child he had taught to walk, ride a bike and held grief stricken to when his wife had died.
The child he gave life to, but couldn't stop death taking.
He looked to the fear filled eyes of his girls, gave them a strangled smile. Sitting on the bed, he pulled Ichigo's wilted body into an embrace and wrapped his arms around all three of his children. They were together for one last minute.
"I love you Ichigo. I didn't want you to go." Karin whispered.
Silence but for the sound of tears, Rukia looked in through the doorway. Her brother was on alert, either Ichigo stepped out his body whole and in control, or the Hollow would rush forth and wreak as much damage as he could.
Nothing… Just tears… Even behind her, it was the same story. In a home where that was full of people who knew that death was just another beginning, the stench of this death was strong and depressive. It was as if Ichigo had no chance at all, they had all given into the thought that he had failed. Not Ichigo, not him. Not the boy she met four years ago. His middle name was determination. Her eyes met Byakuya's. The one person who deserved to be the most grief stricken looked poised…his hand moved to the hilt of his sword. His foot moved back and he looked back to the body. What ever he sensed, she couldn't feel it yet.
"Isshin. Move the girls." Byakuya's calm words cut through their grief. Byakuya knew Ichigo's spiritual energy, he had bathed in it every day since the start of this tale. It had waned a little just now. It had fluctuated and shifted. Not enough to be a clear movement, just enough make Byakuya aware.
The three family members moved from the bed. Isshin hands on his daughters shoulders, watched and waited.
This waiting was unbearable.
There was movement. Perceptible movement around Ichigo like a glow. His energy was seeping from his body, the nightwear he wore fluttered and his hair flickered. A ghost like form was pulling away from the body.
"Ichigo?" Byakuya asked as the shape rose eyes closed. His shinigami clothes in place, Zangetsu on his back. Did he looked as Byakuya remembered him before? The eyes opened and Byakuya's hand tightened on the hilt of Senbonzakura as the black and gold eyes revealed themselves. "Where is Ichigo?"
"Asleep." The voice was not Ichigo's, neither was the snarl or look of evil. It turned and grinned at the scared faces of the girls and the blatant anger in Isshin. "Don't be alarmed. We are the same person you know. I'm just as much Ichigo as the pathetic thing your crying over."
"Leave him alone!" Yuzu said angrily.
"I can leave him alone as much as he can leave me. We are entwined, blurred…joined." He purred. "Your tears are pointless, you know that he has just moved onto the spiritual world. You know this death is not the end. Your selfish sense of loss won't help him or bring him back. He has the potential to rise above this petty existence and become stronger than anyone. With me in charge, I'll show him power beyond the reach even of Aizen." Byakuya had predicted right. The Hollow was obsessed with power, the faith he had in Ichigo was all he needed. Every strength that he needed to win the war inside him, was his to command. The Hollow continued. "Right now, he hasn't even realised we've died." The laugher that followed certainly was not Ichigo. The eyes fixed on Byakuya as his hand swept slowly to his shoulder and tugged the large Zanpakutō free. "Got your limiter set have you?" He snarled. "Can't have us, wrecking the joint can we?"
"Get off him!" Karin yelled her eyes cast horrified to Ichigo's body and the Hollow's feet. He stood with one foot on his chest is if he was already a victor.
"Touchy little miss aren't you. Maybe you should have let him know you loved him before he died instead of when it was too late hey? He didn't even hear you snivelling."
"You bastard!" She screamed. Byakuya flash stepped in front of her as the Hollow rushed for her.
"I am your opponent." He said. His steel eyes bore into the orbs that laughed back.
"As planned. I know. Come on then lover boy, where are you going to hit me then? Which piece of your lover are you going to scar and damage? In which piece of his flesh are you going to bury that sword? Thought enough about where his vital organs are, or where would cause him least pain? Or have you got that killer instinct back and just going to gut me and kill his spirit like the first night you met?"
"I will not rise to your bait."
"No, you can't cry in front of your new family can you? You can't give in to the tears I watched you cry. Don't lose faith hey?" He mocked using Ichigo's voice. But Byakuya did not alter his gaze or stance.
"My love is not a weakness." He replied.
"Oh a noble, noble." The Hollow laughed. "So want to just cut to the chase then?"
"The roof."
"Big open space hey?" The Hollow sneered, but thankful too. He could not swing this huge blade in here. "Follow me." The Hollow didn't even have the grace to use the doors or windows and simply fled upwards to the void above.
"Stay here. It doesn't matter the outcome. Stay." Byakuya said to Isshin. "Rukia. Protect them." She nodded her agreement as he knew she would. With Rukia here, with a sense of duty, she would be safe too. They would all be safe, because he was not going to fail, he was not going to lose Ichigo.