He awoke to the sound of knocking on the door, he groaned as he rolled over in the bed. He didn't want to get up. The knocking stopped but a loud bang echoed across the room. What was Rukia doing now? Could she not be quiet? He felt something land on him, he gasped as his eyes shot open. "Ya leaving?" He looked up into blue eyes. Grimmjow was sitting on top of him. Damn it how did he forget that he would be leaving this place today? He shoved the Espada off of him.

"Yes, but it isn't like I am leaving forever." The male pinned him down to the bed again.

"Why was I not informed about this yesterday? His high ass is the one that told us that ya was leaving."

"Sorry it slipped my mind, it isn't like I want to leave. Now get off me Grimmjow." He tossed the male off of him, he could hear a snicker. Rukia was watching them, his face heated up. Damn it Rukia was watching this.

"How can something so big slip ya mind? Ichigo come on I thought we were closer than that."

He had just ended up passing out once he left Aizen's room. He hadn't gone in search of Grimmjow or Gin, Rukia had worried about him. He remembered how Rukia had insisted on how Aizen had tried to do something to him. He couldn't tell anyone what Aizen had told him last night, it was their little secret. He didn't know why but having a secret between him and Aizen excited the hell out of him. He pushed himself out of bed, he might as well get ready.

"You will find Ichigo forgets a lot of things." Rukia was poking fun at him. He sent her a look.

"Hey, I'll remember that!"

Rukia stuck her tongue out at him. Grimmjow snickered at the exchanged. "I may miss the little feisty one a little bit."

"Grimmjow why not sneak back to Karakura Town." He noticed that Grimmjow was debating about how to answer. "It's fine if ya scared, I can just come here."

"I ain't scared of nothing."

"Maybe I can talk Sōsuke into allowing me to take you along. "

"Ichigo." Rukia had that look in her eyes. He would at least try. Though it might be a little more complicated now, Kisuke may not want to help him.

"Maybe I don't have to go to school at all. I could just stay here."

"That is completely out of the question. Ichigo a high school boy must finish their schooling." Aizen was standing in the doorway. Grimmjow stiffen.

He couldn't help but groan. "You taught me so much, why can't you just take over my schooling."

Aizen tried not to show any emotion, but he noticed that he had that look of surprise on his face again. Then surprised was replaced by a smirk. "Ichigo as much as that is an interesting idea, I'll have to deny. Surely you must want to catch up on your human life. Remember you're still human."

Right, he was still human. He had friends that the Soul Society might go after. What if they didn't accept his choice, what if they tried to change his mind? No Aizen wasn't evil. His mind was set. "I guess ya have a point. Though you even said you have more to teach me."

"I do, but that can wait. Grimmjow." Aizen turned to look turns Grimmjow who tried to play off the look of fear.

"Yes Lord Aizen." He had never heard Grimmjow address Aizen with any title.

"Ichigo I believe you should take Grimmjow with you." Wait how did Aizen know?

"Of course." Aizen must think a lot of him to allow him to take Grimmjow with him, though he wouldn't complain.

He slide his zanpakutō into place, he was about to walk out of the room when Aizen stopped him. "Remember to report in. Relax or at least try. I am trusting you with Grimmjow, don't fail me."

"I won't Sōsuke. Remember to come visit."

They were being lead into a room off of the throne room. He had bene here before when he had first tried to go get Rukia. His father and his sisters were already in the room. Ulquiorra was there, but beside that it was empty. He knew the other Espadas existed he had seen them at least once during a meeting, but he didn't really remember any of them. He wasn't looking forward to visiting Mr. Hat and Clogs to get his physical body back.

"Ichi ya better come ta visit." Gin seemed to grin bigger.

"You know I will." Aizen looked between them, so he wasn't aware of Gin's little talk with him, perhaps that was a good thing. They entered the gargaunta. His father didn't look too happy upon the gate closing to Hueco Mundo.

"What is the catch Ichigo?"

"Huh?" At least his father was trying to talk to him normally.

"He just let us all go. What did you agree to?"

"Why must you think the worst about him? Never mind don't anyone answer that."

"Daddy, what is this?" Yuzu was clinging to their father for dear life, right Yuzu couldn't control spiritual energy. Karin couldn't either, but she wasn't freaking out like Yuzu. The bridge was at least stable.

"Ichigo, you really are an idiot if you made a deal with that man." Karin still seem to have some hatred towards him, though she wouldn't exactly voice what was truly wrong.

"He isn't that bad." He sighed, Rukia was quiet and so was Grimmjow. He wondered what was going on, he didn't know either of them to be quiet. He wondered where Grimmjow would stay, there was no way he could stay in his house. They didn't have enough space. Sure Rukia had been sleeping with him when they had been in Los Noches, but surely his father wouldn't stand for that in his house. Well she had slept in his closet for months without his father knowing. Though he had to wonder if he had known all along.

Grimmjow wouldn't fit in the closet like Rukia did. He tried to shake that image out of his head that would be just plain weird. It would be handy to have Grimmjow around but he didn't know just where he would stay. Kisuke wouldn't allow him to room there, Grimmjow was an arrancar. He wondered if Aizen had thought this out more so then he had.

"So hollow you're going to go to school too?" His father was trying to make casual conversation with Grimmjow.

"I guess if I have ta. Since Ichigo will be there most of the time. "

"So where do you plan to stay?" Great leave it to his father to ask that question.

"Ichigo" Grimmjow was looking at him for help. Why was this happening to him?

"Mr. Hollow can stay with us can't he? I could always sleep in Karin's room." Yuzu the caring one.

"Mr. Hollow?" Grimmjow rose a blue eyebrow looking at Yuzu. "Look kid, my name is Grimmjow."

"I don't see why not. It would be the only way to truly keep an eye out for things. Ichigo was that you're thought?"

"I … I wasn't going to kick Yuzu out of her room. Yes it would be better to have Grimmjow in the same house, it would take care of a few problems. Though I don't…."

"Ichigo, it is fine. Although I am not thrilled that you are willingly going along with Aizen and working with hollows, Grimmjow seems okay enough. You're still my son, so I'll try to support you." That actually meant a lot coming from his father.

"Thanks…"

"But if ya think about doing anything hollow like, we have another thing coming." Great leave it to his father to threat Grimmjow. He sighed, would this pathway ever get to Karakura Town? Had his father forgotten that Rukia was there? She was walking by his side, she looked like she was lost in thought.

"You want to go back don't you?" He didn't understand why Rukia would want to go back to the place that tried to kill her.

"No, I mean I do Ichigo. Though things just keep getting complicated." An honest answer from Rukia, maybe they had gotten closer. They hadn't spoken about the kiss they had shared, though things were a tad awkward between them now. Neither of them knew what the kiss meant, well he for sure didn't.

"Rukia, I almost forgot. So I am guessing you are assuming on sleeping with Ichigo." He went bright red as his father casually mentioned that.

"Um I…" Rukia was looking down, her side of the bridge had begun to flicker. He had to reach out quickly to catch her from falling. The bridge of spirit energy seemed to disappear quickly.

"Ichigo has a girlfriend!" Yuzu giggled despite being unsure of what to do in the surroundings she was in.

"Yuzu, get real. She is too cool for Ichigo." Leave it to Karin to point something like that out. He frowned at that comment. Rukia forced a laugh.

"I um... Ichigo." Why was everyone now looking at him, right because he was hanging on to Rukia still. Were they dating? Grimmjow and Gin had both mentioned it, Aizen had even mentioned it. He gulped, what if he said the wrong thing.

"Ya those two are dating." He glared at Grimmjow who shrugged and continued to walk.

Yuzu squealed in delight, Karin shook her head and his father was watching them. "Is that true Ichigo?"

"I um…" Why was it so hard to decide? Right because he had no clue what he felt. Sure they had kissed, but he was sort of afraid of what would happen. What if he picked the wrong answer? "I guess." Solid ground finally, they exited the gargaunta. He could hear his father going back to acting goofy, telling his mother how their son was growing up. Rukia slipped her hand into his as he walked away from his father.

"So you really want to try this?"

"Yeah why not. I don't think we would live it down if we didn't at least try it. About that kiss…"

"You see um…" Rukia was blushing, he could make out the slight coloring on her checks.

"I don't want things to be awkward anymore… I mean I guess it may be now… but I um…"

"Ichigo, I understand. How about we at least try it to see how things work out. I don't plan on going back anytime soon anyways."

"You know my feelings on the matter isn't going to change just because things are different between us."

"I know, and it sort of makes me sad Ichigo. The Soul Society aren't the bad people. Though I respect what you think. I don't agree with it, but I respect it because I respect you." Well that was at least a step, though he never would have thought this would be happening. "You are different I won't deny it."

"Rukia…"

"No listen. You are different. You've grown a lot since we first met each other. I wish that you weren't so willing to follow Aizen, I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't. I promise. You're entitled to thinking what you want, but I hope one day that I can show you that he isn't all bad. I guess we can agree on one thing, we don't want each other hurt." He actually saw Rukia smile at the last part.

"So are you actually looking forward to classes beginning?"

"No not really. It is going to be hard to readjust. I've had crash courses taught by Aizen, so imagine how boring going back to normal school will be for me."

"Now you can understand what I dealt with at first when I was learning to adjust to this world. It might be amusing."

"I said it would be boring compared to Sosuke's teaching not impossible. I know I am looking forward to some aspects of being back here. I know this is originally my home and everything, but there are things I would never miss."

"Hey it isn't gonna be the same Ichigo." He tried to hide a jump as Grimmjow appeared in front of them, how long had he been watching them?

"Right because you're with me too."

"Yep and I will make it interesting. Ya still owe me that sparring match."

"Fine, you're right you're right. Well we sparred before, but I guess it would be good to spar again. "

"Ichigo don't you need to go get something."

"I am dreading going to see Mr. Hat and Clogs to go get my body back."

"Let's just get it over with. I have no clue if there is a gigai that a hollow can use."

"Arrancars are hollows that have bridged the gap between hollows and Shinigami so I think Grimmjow will be fine. Though let's get this over with."