Hey folks, if you haven't just read chapter 9 - as in two minutes ago then go back and check out the end. I've shortened it and changed the ending in this chapter. and i'm a hell of a lot happier about it.

Yet again my fingers decided to change the story and ended up with me in a situation that wasn't making much sense and i wasn't able to tie up all the ends. Including a rather large glaring error with Renji that i had no idea what do do with. I hope this all makes and people like the direction better.

And the exciting stuff isn't over, the only hint i'll give is that Ichigo better get fit again quickly.

Cheers
Phoe
XXXX

Chapter 10

Waking up, feeling secure and safe was almost a novelty to Ichigo and he reluctant to really come round and open his eyes in case it vanished. His mattress was harder than he remembered but warm and it smelled amazing; it took him about five minutes to realize he was lying on a person. He registered the warm arms around him, carefully placed so they missed his sore parts and there was a pressure on his head that he managed to figure out was a head, resting on his own. The blue hair he could see just at the limit of his vision when looking up confirmed what he already knew from the smell and general feeling of comfort coming from this person and he tucked his head again as he soaked up every second of warmth and affection he could. His movements must have roused the larger man as Ichigo's person/mattress started to move gently, arms keeping his body secure. Grimmjow stretched his back out, his hips rolling slightly before he smacked his mouth, one hand reaching to rub at his face. Ichigo froze, not wanting the other to know he'd woken up but when that hand lay on his head and started to card through his hair, he couldn't help leaning into it; he'd always loved having his hair played with.

"Thought you were awake. How are you doing?" Grimmjow leaned his chin right down, looking a bit daft as he tried to make eye contact. Ichigo's head crept round and he looked up at Grimmjow, his eyes big and round and full of vulnerability, something Grimmjow hadn't seen before. "Feel like shit eh?"

Ichigo nodded, propping himself up on his arms, ignoring the burn in his back. He looked down at the man beneath him, wanting to wrap himself back in his arms but he was scared to. "Why are you here?"

Grimmjow frowned, raising his own back up and sitting back on his elbows. "I was worried about you and when I saw you tied down I nearly lost it at the doctor. You'd been hurting yourself again."

Ichigo pushed up with his hands, raising his body enough to remove his hips from Grimmjow's and rest them on the bed. He managed to twist himself so he was nearly sitting upright, turning his head away from the other man.

Grimmjow took the hint and slunk off the bed, sitting in the chair at its side. He reached out and took Ichigo's hand, feeling the flinch from the other. "Look, you need to stop moving around, rest."

Ikkaku banged into the room a moment later, scowling at the large man sitting at the bed side before realising he'd moved and Ikkaku's eyes snapped to the bed's occupant.

"Ichigo, man it's good to see you awake. What the fuck have you been through? Please tell me it's blue boy's fault so I can kick his ass, he's been asking for it." Ikkaku automatically spoke in Japanese, knowing that it would not only keep their conversation private, it'd piss off the bigger man and that had become his new mission in life.

"Been to hell and back; next time you're going undercover. But no, it's not his fault."

Ikkaku's scowl deepened, giving Grimmjow a glare before standing at the other side of the bed. "Please tell me you're not sleeping with this ass. He's been awfully hands on since he's been here. From what I could see it was helping you but I didn't like it."

Ichigo lifted his hands and wrapped them around himself, rubbing at his tender skin automatically as the feelings of things crawling on him came back. Grimmjow reached out and drew the hands away; holding them for a second before Ichigo pulled them away, looking over at him. Grimmjow took a deep breath at the lost look in Ichigo's brown eyes and he reached out his hand, wanting to hold the other but Ichigo shied away.

"Ichigo, please talk to me."

"If he doesn't want to talk to you then he doesn't have to. You know where the door is if you don't like it. If you're not sleeping with him why is he so touchy feely?"

"I thought we were getting together, I mean we got closer and he took care of me but then I found out he had a boyfriend."

"He got close with you and had a boyfriend, so why can't I kick his ass?" Ikkaku glared at Grimmjow again, getting an eye roll in response.

"What the hell is your problem? If you have something to say to me do it in English."

"Is Renji his boyfriend?" Ikkaku looked back at his friend, seeing the pain in his eyes at just the name of the other. Ichigo wasn't one to even show much pain, physical or emotional and it made him angry to know how much of both his friend had suffered. He'd met the infamous Renji but had yet to be privy to exactly what had happened with the red head. All he knew was that Ichigo had feelings for Renji that he'd put down for years.

"Right, you wanted it in English, fine." Ikkaku stood up, storming round the bed before grabbing fistfuls of fabric on the other's shoulder, dragging him out of the seat. He'd left the door open which helped in ejecting the larger male and they were in the corridor moments later, Grimmjow held against the wall. Kenpachi had been on duty that afternoon and was sitting in a chair opposite Ichigo's door to maintain a police presence around Grimmjow but he did nothing when he saw it was a colleague manhandling the man. "Here it is plain and simple. You played him, you hurt him and you're dating the one guy he's been crushing on forever. Whatever else happened between you is over; he will not forgive you for lying to him."

"I didn't play him,"

Ikkaku didn't let him finish. "So when you got close to him, knowing you already had a boyfriend you were being honest? I know that man, I know how intense he can be, and if he were my type I'd have him myself. The only reason you don't have a broken nose right now is because I know Ichigo isn't the type to sleep around but I swear if you'd let it go that far you'd be in a bed down the hall."

Grimmjow stopped struggling for a second, looking back at Ikkaku. "I didn't want to hurt him. That isn't what I intended at all, it just kind of got out of hand."

A deep throat clearing interrupted them, Ikkaku not releasing Grimmjow but they both turned towards the new voice. "I take it that you two are getting to know each other better. Is Ichigo awake?"

"Yes Captain, I was just discussing Mr Jaeggerjaques conduct recently." Ikkaku still didn't release the other man yet, hoping his captain wouldn't call him on it. Byakuya just raised one eyebrow before entering Ichigo's room, closing the door behind him. "I want you to disappear, I'll be good enough to keep in contact, if Ichigo wants you I'll let you know but I think he needs some separation. Go and see your boyfriend." Ikkaku shoved Grimmjow away from himself, scowling as he walked over to Kenpachi. It only took a few words before Kenpachi was striding over to Grimmjow, his large hand making Grimmjow's large bicep look undersized. Ikkaku might have let it slip that Grimmjow had been responsible for Ichigo's current state, a bit of a lie but the huge cop had a soft spot for both Ikkaku and Ichigo, they were the only ones willing to spar with the overly violent man after all.

Ikkaku knocked gently at Ichigo's door and entered after a moment. Byakuya was standing next to the bed, Ichigo leaning on his arm as he sat fairly upright with his leg out in front of him. He was keeping his back off the bed as he spoke and his arm was shaking with the effort.

Byakuya had been worried about the younger man from the moment he'd set up this assignment. Deliberately putting one of his own into a situation that began with the potential for injury was too risky a move. Then getting the call from Grimmjow to tell him Ichigo had been hurt so badly they had to come in immediately was devastating.

The younger man was in a mess, his back was on the mend but the scarring would never go away and his knee would take another surgery and probably extensive PT to get it back to strength again. He hadn't wanted to overwhelm the man early on and when the doctor had come to him and said they had to restrain the man overnight he knew his youngest detective wasn't going to bounce back like he would normally.

He'd been in the hospital to meet with Ichigo's doctor about his medical bills when he dropped by to see him, first seeing Ikkaku and Grimmjow in the corridor having their little 'chat'.

He left them to deal with it, Byakuya was having enough difficulties with the situation that he wasn't getting involved in personal spats and he'd entered the room, seeing Ichigo attempt to get up.

"So when you can't come into the office and infuriate me, you decide to just annoy your doctors instead. You know there is a good reason for you being in that bed."

Ichigo looked up as the voice started to speak to him, smiling wryly as he spotted his boss. "Hey Captain. Well, got to keep in practice you know. I don't want to fall too far behind Ikkaku while I'm away."

"Well any points you score here can't go on that little sheet of yours, I hope you know that. I need to speak to you seriously though but if you're not ready you need to let me know."

Ichigo pulled himself more upright, turning onto his ass and leaning his arm back to keep his back off the pillows. "I'm ready; I'd like to know what's going on with me to be honest."

"Well, I think for starters we are going to get you back onto your stomach and lying down. You've been unconscious for days and I don't think you have the stamina to stay like that for as long as this is going to take. Those restraints are still here if I need to use them." Byakuya was only half joking, he could see how hard it was on Ichigo just trying to maintain his upright position. Ikkaku knocked at the door before entering, right on time for Byakyua to gesture him over. "And now there is two of us to make you. Ikkaku can you help Ichigo back onto his stomach please."

Ichigo scowled but allowed his partner to manipulate him back on to his stomach, actually feeling better when he got there. "Traitor."

"Hey, he's the boss."

Ichigo rolled his eyes before putting his arms under the pillows and laying his head on them.

Byakuya was used to the two Japanese men talking to each other in their native language so it didn't bother him, plus it was nice to see Ichigo acting normally. "So, do you want to go first?"

Ichigo started telling his story, Byakuya sitting the voice recorder on the bed side as he went over his induction. Ikkaku slouched on the bed at the foot, his scowl deepening as Ichigo described the dead pool. He could see the goose bumps coming out on Ichigo's bare arms as he spoke and it made him reach out and hold Ichigo's ankle, knowing the skin contact would help. Grimmjow had told them about the dead pool and had explained Ichigo needing human contact to get over it, it was the only reason Ikkaku had allowed Grimmjow to remain in the bed with his partner. He wouldn't deny his friend the comfort he needed.

Ichigo spoke about his knee and getting it dislocated and then relocated again by a man named Szayel. He described the daily working of the place, talking about the others in Grimmjow's team as well as running over the various other departments, mentioning every name he could as well as including all the details he could remember. Ichigo got to the part when he was learning the ropes in his assignment and he'd spotted the goings on in seventh division, talking about how he's then been ambushed in his room by one of the members, making his knee worse but kicking the guy's ass in the meantime.

It was then he started to mention Grimmjow in a more personal way, he'd been avoiding talking about them but he had to include his meeting with Yumichika, talking about how he'd been drugged and had went to find the head of the division afterwards, finding him in the arms of a strange man.

It had been Ichigo's pause at that point that told Byakuya and Ikkaku how hurt Ichigo had been by that sight. "Ichigo, is there something you need to tell me about your relationship with Grimmjow Jeaggerjaques?"

"No sir, I thought there might be but he's with Renji. I'm not sure what happened with us but there is nothing now."

Byakuya's face darkened at the mention of the ex-cop, not happy with the explanation he'd been spun. "Yes, Renji was an unexpected addition to this little assignment. What have you been told?"

"To be honest sir, absolutely nothing. I didn't exactly react well when I saw them together then I kind of got myself in trouble. And I haven't really spoken to Grimmjow since and I haven't seen Renji since I've been in here." That made Ichigo pause, looking up at the clock in his room. "Sir, how long have I been in here?"

"Five days. You were sedated for three after they had to restrain you. Speaking of which, can you explain that to me please?"

Ichigo looked away, not wanting to go into it but the constant pressure at his ankle increased minutely for a second, his friend reassuring him. "If it's too quiet or I'm alone it just feels like there is something crawling all over me. It's, terrifying."

"Grimmjow has gone over a lot of what happened with us already and he mentioned a bad reaction to the sensory deprivation and he said in his experience, the best solution is human contact. The doctor has arranged for a psychologist to visit you but if you'd prefer on of our own then I can sort it out. You will have to pass an evaluation before you can return to work however. As for your injuries, your back is healing well; you should be able to move more freely in the next few days. Your knee is requiring surgery, one they cannot do with you still on your front so it is scheduled for the beginning of next week. Once you have recovered from that you will be able to go home and recover. The expectation is that you will remain on sick leave for a period of around four months to recover but at minimum eight weeks if you insist on returning to desk duties earlier." Byakuya knew Ichigo too well to think he'd sit at home for four months.

There was a timid knock on the door then, Byakuya turning and looking at Ikkaku with a sigh before jerking his head towards the door. He knew who the quiet knock would be and there was no point in ignoring it. Ikkaku walked over to the door and opened it, Yumichika entering, his hands pulling at his jacket gently as he looked around, smiling warmly as he saw Ichigo awake. He hurried over to the bedside opposite Byakuya and perched on the side, laying his arm over Ichigo's shoulders to give him a hug. Ichigo turned his head towards him and he reached the arm closest to him around the smaller male.

"Ichigo, I've been so worried. How are you?"

"I'm alright, how are you? What's happened?"

Yumichika glanced over at Ikkaku with a blush before looking back at Ichigo. "Well, Ikkaku's been keeping an eye on me and everyone has been really nice. That big police man Zaraki is a bit scary though, and I don't think Sexta doesn't like me though."

Ichigo frowned, wondering what Grimmjow would have against the kind man. "Kenpachi wouldn't hurt a fly unless it agreed to spar with him. What happened with Grimmjow?"

Yumi looked at Ikkaku again before speaking. "I don't think he likes what I am, how we met. I don't really know, I'm not exactly going for coffee with the guy."

"Are you alright? If you need anything you need to let me know." Ichigo saw him look back at Ikkaku again. "Hey, is there something I need to know about you two?" Ichigo didn't want to embarrass the pair in front of the captain but he wanted to know, the sly glances were a bit revealing.

"Well apparently you said we'd get along well, surely you're not surprised that you're right." Ikkaku smiled widely as he sat back on the end of the bed.

Ichigo smiled, happy his partner and new friend were getting along. Yumi blushed again when Ichigo looked up at him. "So, all I need to know is does he know you as well as I do or better?" Yumichika's face reddening even more was all the answer he needed.

"Oi, I'm not sharing him. Look, are you alright with it?"

"Of course, but take care of him." Ichigo and Ikkaku looked over at Yumichika who was just smiling prettily back at them.

Byakuya cleared his throat then, reminding them that there was one non-Japanese speaker in the room. "Any chance we can finish this?"

Ichigo looked back at his boss, turning his head back towards him and smiling apologetically. "Sorry boss, just catching up on the gossip. What do you need to know?"

"Whatever you found out really. Mr Schiffer has kindly given us some photographs you took I believe, he explained it was the reason you got into trouble at the end there and he took them from your phone. Can you tell me anything else, his involvement in the drug distribution is fairly damning but anything else I can get on him will just bury him deeper."

Ichigo chuckled at the mention of Ulquiorra, wondering if he could ask for a visit from the green eyed hacker. "Well would you like me to go into the torture he employs against people or perhaps the child prostitution he has been doing for at least eight years."

Byakuya's eyebrows rose at the mention of the latter, that had been news to him. "Can you expand a little on that latter one please; it had not come to my attention."

Ichigo turned back towards Yumichika. "Will you help me put Aizen down, I can testify but if you actually give your story it will be more damning. But I'll not force you. I never could remember?" Ichigo smiled at his last phrase, seeing it mirrored on the scared face in front of him.

"Would you be with me?"

"Either me or Ikkaku at all times." Ichigo caught his eyes and they looked into his own, a little fear still in them when he nodded. Ichigo turned back to Byakuya. "Yumi was sold by his parents when he was fourteen and he was forced into Yammy's division. He was given to me as a reward for my good work and I'd hate to think what else he's been forced into." Ichigo turned back to Yumi, his back protesting all these moves. He reached out and took Yumi's hand, squeezing it gently before turning back. He fell heavier onto his front and paused for a second to gather himself. "He'll have to be interviewed but in the presence of either myself or Ikkaku, no exceptions. He's been treated badly enough in his life to get it from the police as well." Byakyua nodded in response, glancing over at the small man who almost cowered under his gaze. Ikkaku scooted up the bed a bit and slung his arm around his shoulder, Yumi leaning on him instantly.

"Ichigo, I think that's enough for today, I'll leave you in peace for now. What do you need, will I find Grimmjow and get him back for you?"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to depend on him like that. I'll have to learn to cope. But if it's possible for someone to be in the room at least, I hate to ask but I really don't want to end up back in those cuffs.

"I think we can manage that. Ikkaku,"

"Not a problem chief, me and Yumi will keep him company. Though I'm not snuggling with you Ichi." Ikkaku grinned as Ichigo chuckled.

"I'll snuggle if you need it Ichigo." Yumi wanted to be able to help any way he could and after what he'd done with Ichigo, sleeping in the same bed was hardly a big deal.

Please review! This is what was supposed to happen.