Hey I'm sorry it took so friggen long to come out with this chapter. I was seriously struggling with pulling the pieces of the story together.

Somethings to note: I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I used to refer to Inoue as Inoue and not Orihime in the past because I wanted to make a point with Ichigo/Shirosaki and what they referred to her as. Now that things in their relationship are changing, so is the way they refer to eachother. . just thought I would explain that. There's still more to be explained, such as Orihime's inability to heal Ichigo's wound, but that will come surely enough.

I hope you all enjoying the story so far. I know I am, having a blast writing this tale.

EDIT As requested, in case the story is confusing. Here is a short summary of the story so far. I'm terribly sorry if this confusing for any of you readers. I sometimes get carried away and often forget the intended audience. I will try my best to fix up the story so it is more easy to understand.

Story Summary: Ichigo was poisoned by Aizen in Hueco Mundo. He used some sort of unknown poison that nullified the effects of Orihimes healing abilities, so she is unable to heal Ichigo. She cares for him while Ichigo becomes increasingly ill, their relatioship becomes stronger with each day and so do their feelings for eachother. Rukia and Renji find a lead that could help them find a remedy to Ichigo's sickness they go after it, unfortunately Aizen and his troupe capture the duo and bring them back to the Seiretei just as Ichigo's illness reaches it's climax. Shirosaki takes over the mind and body of Ichigo, this being Aizen's plan all along.

Aizen leaves the Seiretei, leaving Shirosaki in the hands of the shinigami, specifically Orihime, whom Shirosaki is furiously in love with. Renji is now poisoned with the same sickness that Ichigo had, only it was not designed for a normal shinigami, so it slowly kills the fukutaicho. The misfit Shirosaki gets himself into trouble, the last of the gotei's patience used up after Renji's untimely death. Shirosaki is now considered a threat, and is immediately detained. Brining us full circle to this chapter.

This chapter features Ichigo as he struggles to free himself from the prison of Shirosaki's mind.


"What do you mean, come back soon. I'm right here" his voice echoed in the empty hall. He was dreaming again? It was hard to tell these days. Ichigo was stuck in a twenty –four seven circus, unable to tell what was real or fiction. At least he was getting better at picking apart his own nightmares from the truth.

Today was a weary one. His troubling hallucinations lately seemed to be centered on Orihime. Her vision appeared on the far wall to his right, he didn't like the look in her eyes. She was sad. Ichigo longed to reach out to her, but the hall morphed into his most painful memory. The very essence of his darkest nightmares.

The day his mother died.

Ichigo thought he remembered that day clearly, but these visions, this apparent lost state of mind. It made that day scream at him from every direction. He couldn't escape it. It was like re-living it over and over. How long had it been since he was pulled under, it seemed years ago.

Time worked differently here. Ichigo felt exhausted as though he had been awake for days without sleep, although technically he was supposed to be asleep. Ichigo had no idea how he knew that, but he did. He knew exactly where he was.

Every day since his 'death' Ichigo was well aware and prepared to do everything in his power to get back. He had to save Orihime. He had to find Rukia. He had to protect Soul Society.

Before Ichigo could fully go under, he had been able to break loose for one moment and betray the hold Aizen had on his counterpart, Shirosaki, thwarting the fatal attack on Orihime. So he believed.

Before Ichigo was pulled under, he was able to reach out to Orihime and tell her he would keep his promise.

Now he wondered if that was just an illusion, some mechanism in his soul that kept the will alive, motivation to keep fighting. Was that a mandatory response for someone like him?

Ichigo tried to ignore his troubling thoughts and focused on the scene in front of him. He had been over it a thousand times and it wasn't any easier. All he knew was that he could not look away try as he might, eyes closed, the image would only breach the dark capturing his sight once again. Bravely he played his role in the scene.

He was a child again. The heavy rain beat down on his little body. Next to him was his mother, she remained the same image he could remember, it was maddening at how clear his memory manifested. He didn't bother to look up at her, he couldn't bear to see her radiant smile, and it crushed his heart to see her this way right before...

He tried to stop it, but nothing worked. He couldn't cry to her to stop, he couldn't plead with her for them to take another route home. Every movement had already been determined. The only thing that he had control over was his silence. No need to be happy about this day. He would not return her warmth like he did when she came to pick him up.

Each step was more painful than the last, if only he could stop it, but it was useless, he had tried so many times. He tugged and pulled at every fibre in his body; regardless, their steps went on, marching closer to disaster. He had given up somewhere along the way. He figured around five hundred re-runs he had become mute. The yielding puppet in this sick delusion. He stared blankly at the watery street ahead. He saw the river coming into view, but he ignored the view as much he could until his stupid peripherals caught sight of that girl standing on the riverbank. His head shifted to the side automatically.

Void of any emotion, helpless, his limbs quickened. His feet fell swift down the slope of the riverbank. The look in his eyes was that of disgust. He was still the reason his mother followed after him, but something had changed this time. He wasn't supposed to be falling like this; his mother fastened her arms around him differently. At first Ichigo thought nothing of it, but once he was able to open his eyes again after the fall, he questioned her embrace. Her face was pressed to the side of his head instead of his collar. Why had it changed now?

"He's giving it up" she whispered "his reasons aren't so different from mine... just listen... under".


"KAZAA" he screamed tearing through his hot blankets. She had spoken, she had said something in her last moments and even though he knew it was a dream it tore up his insides to hear her unfailing kindness. She whispered something vital. The sudden thrusting fever crippled him, making it difficult to comprehend his previous nightmare. Think you idiot she said he was giving it up.

"Give what up?" he yelled frustrated that the nausea was settling in on him. He groaned trying to see through his blurry vision. So he was back to this. Not once in all his insane nightmares had he returned to these memories. At least he was giving himself options now, not that he had any say in what he dreamed. Then again did anyone?

"Kurosaki-kun" her small voice sounded frightened, he saw the outline of her frame as she entered the room and kneeled at his side.

"I remember now" he grumbled trying his best not to look at her. None of this is real anyways he told himself.

"Remember what?" she said moving the shreds of blanket away from him.

Afraid to be honest with this mirage, afraid to reveal what his mother had just told him. Ichigo smiled weakly. "Nothing, it was just a dream" he said playing along with the illusion.

Orihime sat down beside him, returning a kind smile. "You have nightmares often, I still jump up every time you scream" she said sadly.

Ichigo paid little attention to the hallucination. No matter how good the part this apparition looked, no matter how she smelled and looked, no matter how alike her words were, Ichigo would not for once believe that she was the real Orihime. Lest he be trapped by the dream forever. He could give it up so easily, give in to a blissful world with Orihime, but Ichigo could not succumb to a lie.

"I'm sorry" he apologized thinking about what his mother meant about listening. She had said to listen under.

Under what? He thought struggling to remember anything significant from his past.

For three hours he lay sick, humouring the illusion-Orhime and thinking about the riddle of his mothers 'last words' until he remembered when he was coming close to death. His only desire was to lay under the Sakura trees. Ichigo cared little for the sakura trees or festivals that happened, he wasn't much into nature, but respected it nonetheless. When his death drew near he viewed the world through different eyes and his company at Byakuyas estate shed light to the gentle beauty of the cherry blossoms.

He wanted to die under the Sakura trees. Under. That was what his mother was trying to tell him; at least that's what he was betting on. Listen under the Sakura trees. He thought over and over trying to un-piece the riddle. He was growing groggy; perhaps he would let his 'sleep' take him. He knew all too well that his dream would change again as soon as his eyes closed. Perhaps he could somehow reach his destination.

At last when he could think no more, aggravated that he couldn't think of any reason to listen to something while under the cherry blossoms, he decided that the only way he was going to know what his mother meant was to visit the nearby orchard just outside his bedroom. Getting there was the problem. The fever had complete hold on him; his aching muscles could barely move an inch to free himself from the sweltering blanket. Perhaps if he just asked his sweet illusion to take him there. No, he couldn't risk anything finding out his plans. What if they knew exactly what was happening as soon as he uttered his request. He couldn't risk it.

Somehow he would find a way. He was happy with his new goal, after the deep spiral of never ending dreams he had something to fight for more fervently than trying to stay afloat in this nightmarish hellhole.

He would wait. There was one thing he could count on in this dismal place. He could count on the startling familiarity; everything here looked exactly as it should. Everything reacted the same way. Ichigo had to remind himself often that it was just a dream, a never ending one. To forget this one piece of vital information meant his surrender, his death. He would wait until Orihime left the room, soon she would get up, perhaps to the next room or to the kitchen for food. He would have to wait for the latter; it would give him just enough time to move to the doors and out the courtyard. He would crawl if he had to, just as long as he made the shadow of the cherry blossoms.

Many hours had passed or so it seemed, time moved differently here, he couldn't tell. Finally Orihime got up from his side. She ran her delicate fingers through his hair signalling her silent promise she would undoubtedly return. Although he knew this was not his Orihime he couldn't help but be comforted by it. He was satisfied knowing he would see her again, even if it was a dreamy reminder.

When he was sure she was long gone, he struggled from under the thin sheets flipping to his stomach he used every ounce of strength to pull himself to his knees. Slowly he moved across the floor to the panels, he collapsed on his side gasping for air. His lungs were on fire, the pain multiplied over the surface of his skin, digging deep when it settled. Clawing at the panels he tore them open amazed at his strength. This had to be it. If nothing else it had to be the moment that would liberate him from this prison. He stumbled out into the spring cold; falling from the platform again he struggled to his knees, at war with his limbs to carry him to his destination.

He didn't know how much time he had left, but he had to get there quickly before Orihime stricken with worry would drag him back to his sickbed. When his legs could no longer support him, he snaked his way along the grass until the feathery pink of the trees caught his blurred sight.

"Almost there" he whispered. He edged his way closer still until his adjusted on two figures, they appeared to be arguing. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he knew who they were.

Shirosaki and Aizen.

His mouth turned upright into a sneer, a deep growl rumbled in his chest. He moved closer until his ears were able to make out everything.

"Do you think he would let you be with her? Do you think she would be your reward?" Aizen asked Shirosaki.

"I don't know" the demon replied.

"He would never allow you to be with her the way you want. You are after all a holl-"

"I know what I am Aizen, you don't need to remind me" Shirosaki snapped.

"I offer you the chance to be with your princess, free of the soul that chains you" Aizen said almost sincerely.

"At what cost. You're asking me to let you hurt her" his voice cracked under his emotions.

"Not a fatal blow, but necessary to lure the King out. Her Rika act as a messenger alerting the King of any danger to his daughter. He would surely step in line if his only offspring were in mortal danger."

"I don't like it. You say mortal danger. That means a mortal wound." Shirosaki fired back.

"Only the intent behind it. Gin is more gifted at the deception than I am, he will be the one to"

"I don't like it" Shirosaki mumbled.

"Then would you be the one to do it?"

"No!" Shirosaki roared.

"Give it a try, if you don't trust me or Gin to be the one to do it, then give it a try" Aizen offered.

"And if not?"

"Then I will be back in twelve days" Aizen finished turning to leave. "Think about it"

"Why twelve days?" Shirosaki asked before Aizen could disappear.

"The soul Ichigo will not be able to fight the dreams for that long. You remember how it was like"

"I'm still here, and I was trapped his entire lifetime"

"Yes, but Ichigo didn't know how to suppress you, let alone knowing you were there all along" Aizen stepped and was gone, his voice trailing behind him. "Drown him in dreams and soon he will no longer plague you"

Shirosaki pondered these things a moment before turning to face Ichigo's direction. "I know you are there" he said moving out of the safety of the cherry blossoms heading straight towards Ichigo. He found his counterpart sprawled on the ground huffing, in pain.

Then the pain disappeared so quickly, it took Ichigo a few seconds to realize that he felt whole again. Instantly he jumped to his feet, his hands reaching to curl around Shirosaki's throat. "What the hell was that all about?" Ichigo demanded throwing Shirosaki against the orchard wall.

"I don't want them to hurt her" Shirosaki replied not bothering to free himself.

"Who's she?" Ichigo blazed.

"Inoue Orihime, daughter of the Spirit King" Shirosaki whispered.

At first Ichigo couldn't understand what Shirosaki was saying. Then he remembered some unimportant conversations with Rukia about the Spirit King, who ruled Soul Society, although his presence was elsewhere in another unknown realm. The King had left Soul Society under the shinigamis control. It was all unimportant to him, like history class, another piece of useless information.

Now, was another story, with more significance. A story where Orihime was involved.

"W-what are you talking about" Ichigo pressed, his grasp still tight.

"There's not much time. All I can know is that Aizen wants the Spirit King exposed, and the only way to do that is to hurt his beloved daughter, but" he hesitated fresh tears filling his eyes "I can't let him hurt her no matter what he promised me. I won't stand there and do nothing while they touch her" he said more angrily.

"You're in love with her" Ichigo said loosening his grip.

"So are you" Shirosaki met Ichigos eyes.

Ichigo let go of Shirosaki and was silent for some time, before noticing the scenery had changed. They were in a large room. All around them were images of what was happening on the outside. Ichigo knew enough to tell that it was so.

"You're telling me all this for a reason, get to it" Ichigo demanded.

"I want you to take over again"

"What?" Ichigo was surprised.

"You heard me"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not the one that can make her happy. She wants you, and only you. For once I know what it means to be selfless. Loving her has given me peace, something I haven't felt in ages. I was a hollow once you know. A powerful one and I had one mission, to find the Spirit King and destroy him. I came so close, but I happened upon her, back when she was still aware of whom she was. She was brilliance, divine and sublime beauty. She broke me then, looking at her. I thwarted my own attack on their palace. I saved her from the army of hollows that meant to destroy the royal family. In turn I was trapped inside you. Do you know that you have a purpose?" Shirosaki explained, his back no facing Ichigo. He was looking at the far wall of images.

Ichigo was mute, trying to grasp every detail that Shirosaki fed him.

"I had saved her, but she was still hurt from the battle. The King finally realizing the extent of danger she was always in, couldn't bear the thought of losing her. So without her consent he sent her to the human realm to be born as a human. The Spirit King then turned to one of his most trusted Shinigami, your father, and asked he give his son over to one duty. Protect Orihime. I was placed within your soul just before you were born, as a guarantee that you would feel drawn to protect Orihime. The King understood my feelings better than I had. He knew what I felt for his daughter was love. At the time I couldn't comprehend what I felt, I was still just a hollow, but living on in you has given me understanding. I can at least understand the greatest of human emotions, but I'm still just a monster and I cannot love her the way you will" Shirosaki became silent.

The room was filled with two emotions. The strange, and yet powerful love for Orihime and the anguish of giving her up. They fought with each other, swirling in torrents above them. These two powerful feelings.

Her face came into view on the far wall; Shirosaki stared at her for a long moment and then turned to face Ichigo. He closed his eyes and breathed in one last free breath.

"I surrender to you Ichigo Kurosaki"

A great howling filled the room then. The room began to close in on Ichigo, he was suddenly and powerfully aware of the feeling in his limbs. The strength of his own body returning. It was something he had taken for granted. Soon the darkness evaporated and he was standing in the midst of an audience. His vision focused slowly, but he was able to see who was right in front of him, tears streaming down her face.

"I knew you would come back" Orihime smiled through her fading grief.

"I'm sorry it took so long" Ichigo replied pulling her into his arms.