Chapter 10:

*Two Months Later*

Ichigo groaned when his phone rang, quickly picking it up to see it was Nel and answering it. "Hello?"

"Ichigo I need to tell you something."

She spoke hesitantly, making Ichigo instantly worry. "What is it? Has something happened to you or the others?"

"No, no we're all fine."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Don't worry me like that."

"Sorry." She paused before sighing deeply. "He called earlier." Ichigo froze in shock, almost dropping his phone. "Ichigo, are you still there?"

"I'm here."

"I told him that he shouldn't call again, but he wanted me to pass on a message."

Ichigo frowned, what would Aizen think to the call. "What did my father want?"

"What?"

"My father Nel, what did he have to say for himself?"

"Oh!" She caught on to what he meant before continuing. "He wanted to apologise again and hopes you're doing ok."

"Yeah well, what does he care?" Ichigo huffed before sighing and rubbing his face. "I don't give a shit what he thinks anymore."

He heard someone talking in the background and Nel murmuring to them, before returning to talk to him. "You remember that you're coming round tomorrow? We'll talk more about it then."

"Yes, I got it. I'll bring Takara some sweets ok?"

"Great, you know she likes the little strawberry lollypops."

G"I'll bring some, don't worry." He glanced at the door when someone knocked with a frown. "Nel what time is it?"

"About… Ten, why?"

"Someone knocked on my door."

He heard her hum in thought. "Well go answer it if you wanna know who it is!"

Ichigo snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Stay on the phone I'll only be a minute."

"Sure thing."

Ichigo dropped his hand to his side and approached the door cautiously. No-one should be knocking on his door at this time of night and he had an apprehensive feeling about who was on the other side. Opening the door, he frowned and slipped his phone into his pocket, keeping the call active.

"What do you want Aizen?"

Nel, who was currently on the other end of the call, heard his name and quickly signalled at Starrk. "Call the police." She whispered, holding her hand over the mic so she wouldn't pick up. Without questioning why, he nodded and went to get his phone as she pressed the phone back to her ear.

"I came to deliver news." Aizen stepped around Ichigo, into the flat and looked around casually.

"Yeah, what is it? Why would I care anyway?" Ichigo watched him sceptically, hoping he didn't notice when he hid his phone and that Nel would stay quiet.

"We found Grimmjow."

Ichigo's eyebrows rose in surprise, he never thought he'd be caught after staying in hiding for two years already. "Did you kill him?"

"No, not yet. I thought you might like to go see him, say your goodbyes. I'm sure you have a lot to say to him."

Aizen turned to observe him and Ichigo grinned, grabbing his jacket. "That I do. Are we going now?"

"Of course."

Ichigo held out the door for him to pass and closed it behind them, making sure to lock it. As he followed Aizen outside and into his car, he felt his heart beat wildly in his chest. Had he really caught Grimmjow? What was he going to say to the man when he saw him again for the first time in two years? Were they both going to die?

"We're here." Ichigo got out of the car and inhaled sharply when he saw where they were. He'd been taken back to the warehouse where he'd been taken previously when kidnapped. Aizen glanced at him before striding towards the door. "I assume you remember this place?"

"You really think I'd forget it?"

"No, I suppose not."

Aizen didn't glance back as he opened the door and strode in, leaving it open for Ichigo. He hesitated and glanced at the opening before slowly following Aizen inside, jumping slightly when the door was shut behind him. Looking behind him as he moved forward, he noted the two guards and sighed, maybe he wasn't getting out of this after all.

"Ichigo?"

At the sound of that voice, Ichigo stopped and felt a shiver work its way through his body. After two years he still sounded the same and his voice still had the same effect. Walking forward into the light, he stopped next to Aizen, looking at Grimmjow curiously, who was bound to one of the support beams by ropes.

"Yes?" Ichigo forced his voice to stay level, even though his mind had gone into complete shutdown at just seeing Grimmjow again. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how he felt.

Grimmjow seemed to move forward, wincing when the ropes dug into his skin as he looked between Ichigo and Aizen. "Ichigo you need to go, now. He'll kill you."

Ichigo glanced at Aizen before looking back at him and rolling his eyes. "No he won't, I've done nothing to anger him so why should he? I have no intention of telling anyone about what's going to happen here."

"W-what?" Grimmjow frowned in confusion, his eyes never leaving Ichigo's. "Are you fucking crazy? What the hell's happened to you?!"

Ichigo snapped, he strode forward and punched Grimmjow in the face with all his force, making his head snap to the side. "You want to know what happened to me?" He asked in a low voice, grasping Grimmjow's face so it was level with his. "You did."

"What?"

"You came into my life Grimmjow. I loved you with everything I had and you broke my heart. You threw me away like I was nothing and left me. I hate you."

"I'm sorry." Grimmjow shook his head slightly, looking into Ichigo's eyes imploringly. "I did it to protect you. I wouldn't let you die because of me. You mean everything to me and I love you."

"No you don't." Ichigo let go of his face and stepped back, fisting his hands when they began shaking. "You fucking used me! I waited two years for you to come back, or even for a message, anything! And I got nothing!" Not waiting for an answer, he turned to face Aizen and held out his hand. "Give me your gun."

Aizen raised an eyebrow, his lips tilted upwards slightly in a smile as he obliged. Ichigo curled his fingers around the cold metal and turned around to face Grimmjow again. Moving forward, he crouched in front of the bound man and pressed it to his head.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you."

Grimmjow didn't say anything for a long time, just looking at Ichigo searchingly before sighing and shrugging his shoulders. "I don't have one."

"Then I'll kill you."

"Go ahead, I deserve it anyway." He closed his eyes and lent back, bracing himself for what Ichigo was going to do.

Ichigo looked at him for a minute before quickly turning around and aiming at Aizen, pulling the trigger. Before the guards could react, Ichigo shot two more bullets and hit them, dropping the gun when he heard their bodies hit the floor. Ichigo stood shaking for several moments in shock, had he really just done that? Closing his eyes, Ichigo breathed deeply, calming himself down to approach Aizen's body and pull out his knife.

He looked at the man's face and snorted. "Never trust a man holding a gun when you're holding the person they love captive. You of all people should know that."

Standing up again, he walked calmly to Grimmjow side and dropped to his knees, letting go of the knife. He grabbed Grimmjow's face and lent forward, pressing their lips together hurriedly. Ichigo pulled away and smiled, even after two years Grimmjow still felt the same and the kissing was just as good.

"Ichigo?"

He didn't look at Grimmjow when he said his name as he picked up the knife again and slowly cut through the ropes, making sure not to catch Grimmjow. "Yes?"

The ropes fell to the ground and Grimmjow instantly grabbed Ichigo, pulling him to his body and crushing their lips together again. Ichigo dropped the knife and grasped his shirt tightly, moving to press his body as close to Grimmjow's as possible. Feeling Grimmjow's hands grasp his hips tightly, he broke the kiss and rested their foreheads together.

"I love you." Ichigo wasn't sure why he said it, maybe he was caught up in the moment but he didn't care. All he cared about was the man holding him tightly to his own body.

Grimmjow smiled and lifted his hand to run through Ichigo's hair. "I love you too."

Ichigo couldn't help but grin in return and kiss him again quickly before standing up. Helping Grimmjow to his feet, they walked towards the door and he pulled out his phone. "Nel?"

"Ichigo?!" Her voice rang through loudly, full of worry and shock. "Are you ok? What happened? Where's Grimmjow?"

"Everything's fine Nel, where are you?"

"We're outside the warehouse with the police; they took care of Aizen's men so it's safe to come out."

"Great, see you in a second." Ichigo ended the call with a smile and glanced up at Grimmjow, who was watching him with a frown. "What?"

"Was that Nel?"

"Yes, she called the police and they're outside."

"How?"

Ichigo smiled and rolled his eyes. "Do you really think I'd walk in here without a plan? I'm not stupid. I was on the phone to Nel when Aizen knocked on the door and I kept the call going this whole time. Nel must've called the police and they tracked my phone to the warehouse."

Grimmjow sighed and shook his head. "You're too smart for your own good."

"Hey, I just saved our butts back there; I don't see you complaining about that."

Grimmjow chuckled and kissed his head. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Ichigo sighed as they reached the door and opened it slowly before helping Grimmjow outside. He flinched when a bright light was focused on them and heard the police sirens going somewhere near them.

"Ichigo!" As his eyes adjusted, he saw Nel run towards them and she hurled herself into his arms. "I'm so glad you're both safe!"

Ichigo smiled and hugged her back. "Hey Nel. We're fine, Aizen's dead so everything's fine."

"Dead?" She pulled back and looked at him in shock. "What did you do?"

Ichigo sighed. "I killed him."

She stood watching him for a moment before sighing and hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry you had to do that."

"Mr Kurosaki?" Nel stepped away from them both as a police officer joined them.

"Yes?"

"The chief would like to speak to you." He glanced at Grimmjow who was still being supported by Ichigo, noting that he was now half-conscious. "We'll take Mr Jaeggerjaques to hospital and question him later."

Two medics came over and took Grimmjow from him and he grabbed the officer's arm. "You're not going to arrest him are you?"

The man sighed and glanced at Grimmjow. "There's no evidence to say we should."

"And me?" Ichigo asked quietly, his earlier actions coming back to him now he was with the man. "Will I go to prison?"

"You did what you did in self-defence. It was either that or be killed right?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes."

"Then no, you won't. Sosuke Aizen has been a wanted man for many years now. You shot him in self-defence and prevented him murdering more people. If anything, you're a hero."

"Well I don't feel like one right now."

"You need some rest." The man started walking and Ichigo followed. "But first we're going to need a statement and an account of the events which occurred tonight."

"Ok."

...

…

…

*Two Days Later*

Ichigo opened the door to Grimmjow's hospital room slowly, sighing in relief when he found the man still asleep and cautiously approached his bed. Sitting down in the chair next to him, Ichigo reached out and gently took his hand in his own.

"Ichigo?"

He jumped and immediately dropped his hand as if it had burnt him, looking up to see Grimmjow watching him curiously. "Y-yeah?"

Grimmjow smiled and reached out to touch his cheek, frowning when his hand was pushed away. "What's wrong?"

Ichigo closed his eyes briefly and sighed deeply, when he reopened them, he lent forward. "Things between us haven't changed."

"Well that's great." Grimmjow grinned and grabbed his hand. "I want to make things work again Ichigo."

Ichigo shook his head and pulled his hand away. "That's not what I meant. Things between us, since you left, haven't changed."

"I don't understand."

He looked up into Grimmjow's eyes and smiled sadly. "As soon as you're healed, you should leave."

"Why?"

"Because you have nothing to stay for, so why would you stay?"

"For you of course." Grimmjow grabbed his hand again, refusing to let go when he pulled away. "Aizen's dead so we can be together now. You said you loved me so what's the problem."

"I don't trust you anymore." When Grimmjow let go of his hand, he pulled back and stood up. "I can't be with you, not after what's happened. I won't be able to take it if you left me again."

As he walked to the door, Grimmjow looked down and frowned, fisting the bed sheets in his hands. "But, I love you."

Ichigo opened the door and turned to look at him sadly. "We're never going to be together again Grimmjow. Just leave to make this easier on us both." With that, he turned and left without looking back.