Woah... So many reviews last chapter! Maybe it's because I killed one character and left two others in perilous situations...
.princess- - I got to the bit in brackets before calming down XD Haha you had me thinking you hated me!!! Thanks for the review! And I'm afraid you'll never know what she told Kaien... hell, I don't know what she told him! Sorry I can't say...
Silhouette the SANVAE- Eek! Don't go insane! And I'm really sorry but you got the answer wrong! It wasn't Scotland... But thanks anyway! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!
Raine20oo- Sorry! Not Scotland! Kaien's break down was funny... and I like writing Hitsugaya in quickly too!
GhibliGirl91- I will so do series 2 when it's out, if it's as awesome as I hope. I can't wait! BLEACH-EYE! Best phrase EVER! Also... Hmmm... IshiTatsuki...? It could happen. I'm not saying Yay or nay yet. The phone charger and the whisk were there, but I don't think I quoted the line about setting yourself on fire when talking to girls... But it's all good.
Kurou-chan- Using a phone to review?!?!?! NEWFANGLED INTERNET THING!!! I want... so bad...
XxdaniXx- Sorry! It's not London! Haha I love ghosts at the door, they always make life more interesting.
FionaH93- NOT BRISTOL YOU FOOL!!! How do you get it wrong? As you said, you live with the Author! Silly Fi. And doing another review after I told you that you were wrong doesn't count.
DEATHCARNATION- Yay! I got you on the edge of your seat!!! XD Glad you enjoyed it!!! Hmm... A better goodbye? You want her to go? Lol I kid... kinda... Haha.
BleachFan4ever- Ah! Read on! And I LOVE that your favourite bit was a bit I made up when writing! Most of the best bits are original series quotes that I threw in XD
.- - Sorry! Scotland was where he was attacked by the werewolf but he was there on holiday! He comes from Leicester! (Bristol was right though... they are in Bristol) Haha yes, the other door was fun to write. Thank you for the review! And as long as you enjoy the story it's fine. (But please review the final chapter when it's up.)
PhoenixFlameChimera78- Haha Don't forget to breathe at the end!
mahappydance- Hehe here it is! Enjoy!
Wait a minute... that means...
No one won the competition?
Scotland was where Ichigo was attacked, but he was on holiday there. It says so.
His hometown is LEICESTER!!! (My own hometown! Whoot!)
Therefore... the character will be named after... You know what? I'm gonna call him Snugglepopkins.
Wait and see!
TWO YEARS EARLIER
It was nothing really, just a small good deed in the darkness.
But Fate is always playing a long game.
Gin smirked lazily as his two companions chattered aimlessly
"So the presenter takes this woman, right, and asks people how old they think she is..."
"What on Earth are you talking about?"
"And the age is around 45, 55..."
"It's that show." Gin explained, smilingly. "10 years younger."
"But after the makeover, the woman's there when she asks again..."
"Oh shut up, Kingsley."
"You know what I mean? She's there, and they're saying it to her face so they're not gonna be mean are they?"
"Shut up Kingsley." Gin ordered, and the two others fell silent. "Mitchell will be here soon..." A young waiter picked up their dishes and walked to the counter, leaving them in stunned silence. "No way..." Ichimaru sighed.
"Not seen one of them in a while." Kingsley frowned.
Fred leaned back. "So?"
"So..." Gin smirked. "Let's have a little fun, boys."
They got up and left the cafe quickly.
"Ichigo!" Tessai called. "Take the rubbish out, would you?" The orange haired young man looked up, his eyes shadowed and his face gaunt.
"Sure." He mumbled, and took the bags.
Once outside, he leaned against the wall wearily, ignoring the rat at his feet. Throwing the bin liners into the skip, she pinched the bridge of his nose.
What the fuck am I doing...?
"Oi!" He looked up and saw the three men from the cafe striding towards him. "Doggy."
"What...?"
A silver haired man smirked. "Here boy, good dog..."
They surrounded him and he scowled. "What do you want? I've got no money..."
"We don't want your dirty money." Fred smirked, and his dark hair fell across his eyes. "No, Digby... we wanna play."
The two others laughed. Ichigo backed towards the door but the silver haired fox was there already. "What's wrong?" He taunted, pushing Ichigo into one of his friends. "Not in the mood?"
Kingsley punched Ichigo in the gut, winding him.
"Aw, look at that. He's hurt." Gin smirked. "Get him up; see if he's alright..." And he punched Ichigo across the face.
Ichigo raised his fists but the power behind the punches was too much.
"Finish it off boys." Ichimaru smiled, and took a long drag of the cigarette.
Ichigo curled up on the floor as he was kicked and punched relentlessly with strength no human could possess.
"Oi!" A voice cut in. "What do you think you're doing?"
Gin smirked. "Oh, just playing with the new pet, Ishida."
The dark haired man stopped just within the reach of the streetlight, frowning. "Stop it."
The effect was immediate; everyone stepped away from Ichigo as Ishida eyes them all warily.
"Did anyone see you leave the cafe?"
"What?"
"I'm just saying- one of the waiters turns up dead and someone remembers you guys?" Ishida smirked. "I've got no love for Lycos but we need to be careful."
"No one saw." Ichimaru stated, kicking against the dirty pavement in agitation. "It's fine."
"Um..." Kingsley raised his hand. "Actually... I was talking to the owner before you two came... his Gran's just died so I... I gave him our card."
"Our card?" Ichimaru snarled, grabbing Kingsley's coat. "We're not even a real business you cretin!"
"There you go then." Ishida sighed. "You've given us away." He pointed towards the main street. "I'll sort this out you three go back home tonight." He glared at them and moved over to Ichigo, who lay helpless and bloodied on the floor at his feet, and dropped a cotton handkerchief for him.
"They were... going to kill me."
Ishida nodded. "Yes."
"Why?" Ichigo whispered, voice breaking in desperation. "I've never done anything... Why would they...?"
"People like us don't like people like you." Ishida stated, watching this strange creature at his feet, so unaware of the world around him.
"Like us?"
"Vampires." Ishida supplied. "We can sense what you are straight away." When Ichigo reached out and took the handkerchief Ishida sighed. "You live near here?"
"I have..." Ichigo spat out some blood. "A flat above the cafe..."
"Yeah..." Ishida mused. "You're going to have to move." He turned away. "Go away, start afresh; they'll come back for you otherwise." He began to walk away when Ichigo made no reply, and had almost left hearing range when Ichigo coughed and sat up.
"Then what?"
The broken and weak voice stopped Ishida in his tracks.
"I've lost... everything because of this... disease I have." Ichigo panted. "I have had to rebuild my life all over again and now... now you're telling me to start over? So I move... and then what?"
The two words hung in the air, pregnant with suspense and demanding an answer.
Then what?
Ishida didn't know.
But that meeting, that... spark of nothing in the vast scheme of things started it all.
PRESENT DAY
"GO!"
Rukia began to cry. "If I go, you might die!"
"I'll get him somewhere safe- a hospital, maybe." Ichigo urged, kneeling beside Ishida, who was groaning in pain. "Do I-I take it out or...?"
"Out. Out..." Ishida hissed. "Take it out."
"Oh God." Ichigo grimaced, looking up frantically. "Go! For God's sake!"
"No!" She shouted.
"NOW!"
She ran over and put her hands on either side of the wound, pressing down and meeting Ichigo's eyes over their fallen friend's body. "I'm not leaving."
Ichigo stared at her with a hard expression before sighing. "Thank you." He whispered, and she smiled.
"Take it out. He's not dead yet and the wood must be poisoning him." He nodded.
"Push down and I'll try to stop the bleeding. Then you have to call an ambulance." Ichigo said, and looked up at her.
"An ambulance?" Rukia bit her lip. "But... He's a..."
"Do you have a better idea?!" Ichigo shouted, and pulled the stake out. "I don't care as long as we save his life." He removed his shirt quickly and used it to stem the blood flow. "Call them!"
Rukia dashed to the phone and the ambulance was there within ten minutes. They were stopped from going in the ambulance and instead stood at the doorway together as the sirens wailed.
"Rukia." Ichigo murmured, touching her shoulder. "You have to go."
"I know." She closed her eyes. "I wish..." She trailed off.
Ichigo watched her as she bit her lip, leaning against the doorframe. "You wish what?"
"That I was still alive." She whispered, and Ichigo thought about it. "It's not that... It's not that I wish I was still alive so that I could be with Kaien at all... I wish I'd lived, broken up with him, and leased out this house myself." Her eyes darted towards him but then remained fixed on the ground.
Ichigo was silent, just watching her as she tried to hide her face with the dark hair falling in front of her face.
"And... I wish that you'd both rented the house... but then I'd still probably have never gotten to know either of you like I do now but..." She sighed. "It makes no sense."
"I think I get it." Ichigo sighed. "I'm glad to have met you, but at the same time... I wish you'd not died even if that would mean we never met."
"You think?" Rukia frowned. "I'm not sure." She eyed him critically. "Aren't you cold?"
Ichigo glanced at her. "What do you mean?"
"You're not wearing a shirt."
It took three seconds for Ichigo to blush.
After that he ran upstairs and once dressed led the way to the hospital.
"The doctors are stumped." Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They don't understand how he has no heartbeat. All their machines are worthless on him."
"Wait." Rukia said suddenly, as they sat in Ishida's room. "Does Tatsuki know we're here?"
Ichigo cursed. And turned to go back.
"No." Rukia cut in. "You know him better." She backed from the room. "And travelling is easy on me anyway." And she was gone.
Ichigo closed his eyes and sat down again. "Suck it up, mate." He whispered. "We need you."
Nanao, standing outside the door, clasped her hands and closed her eyes.
"Oh." Rukia gasped as she materialised in the lounge. "Never travelled that far before like that..."
She bit her lip, and turned around.
Her shoulders fell slightly and she frowned. "Guess I missed my flight." She said, watching the blank stretch of wall with narrowed eyes. "So... What do I do now?"
Help me...
Rukia turned sharply. "Who said that?"
They're coming...
"Hello?"
Help...
"K... Kaien?"
God no... Help us...
"Who are you?" Rukia demanded. "Where are you?"
Oh no...
Oh God!
Help!
Rukia put her hands to her head as the voices grew in volume, fighting each other to be heard. "Please..." She whispered. "Stop..."
She curled up on the sofa, hands firmly over her ears.
"Knock Knock." Ichigo looked up to see a young man dressed in black, immediately suspecting him to be of the undead variety, Ichigo stood and positioned himself between the new arrival and the man in the bed.
"Who are you?" He snarled, and the man held up both hands.
"I-I'm Snugglepopkins." He started. "I'm one of the hospital's clergy..."
Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "... Snugglepopkins?"
"I'm joking." He grinned. "I'm Smith. Roy Smith. Father Roy Smith." He smirked. "I was told to call in and read some prayers...?"
"No thanks. We don't need them."
Roy paused and held his bible to his chest, with his head down. "I was told that I was to come immediately." He said soberly. The two paused and Ichigo sat down.
"That soon?"
"The doctors are confused. They don't anticipate long."
"Well..." Ichigo laughed harshly. "You're no help here; I'm Jewish and he's... complicated." He looked up and sighed.
Roy sat down anyway. "Well some people just need to talk..."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Whoever's after you... I'm sure that if you dyed your hair they'd leave you alone."
Ichigo scowled. "You didn't just say what I thought you said..."
"Didn't I?" Roy's face was the picture of innocence. "I could've sworn I did."
"You know you're incredibly sarcastic for a priest."
"Yeah I know." He sighed. "And I feel really bad about it but then I- you know, forgive myself." He signed a cross and shrugged.
Ichigo opened his mouth to reply when Ishida grabbed his sleeve, shaking and drenched in cold sweat. Roy stepped back in surprise as Ishida opened his mouth. "They... They're here?"
"You're sure?" Ichigo whispered, bending down so that their faces were level.
"They're... coming..." Ishida closed his eyes and collapsed back into the pillows.
Ichigo met Roy's confused eyes in a panic. "Help me." He said. "Those guys who made Ishida like this... well they're bad news and we need to get him out."
"That's not a great idea." Roy frowned. "Call security or the police..."
"They can't do anything against these guys!" Ichigo growled. "We need to get him out."
Roy sighed, but made no objection when Ichigo unplugged the soundless monitors.
He opened the door and the lights went out.
"What the..."
Ichigo growled. "They're here."
Lit up only by the fire escape signs glowing eerie green, Roy gasped as three men appeared in front of him with black soulless eyes and teeth flashing white in the darkness.
"Oh my God." Roy whispered, and stepped back.
"Say something from the bible!" Ichigo shouted, standing in front of Ishida with determination.
Roy turned desperately. "Like what?!"
"I don't know, I'm Jewish! Anything!"
"Right!" Roy swallowed. "Um... Right."
His voice mellowed and Ichigo watched as silence seemed to envelope them, soft and protecting until the only sound was Roy's voice.
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things..."
The vampires stopped, and lifted their arms in defence a little, hissing. Roy repeated the phrase with a smile and they turned and stormed away.
As the lights flickered on Roy turned to Ichigo with a vacant smile before collapsing on the floor.
A short while later, Ishida was able to maintain consciousness and quietly talked to Ichigo, apologising over and over, and wondering aloud how Orihime had been brave enough to ask of him what he could not ask for himself.
"Don't think like that, idiot." Ichigo sighed. "She made a choice. So did you; you decided to live, and struggle..."
"And be Human?"
"And be Human." Ichigo agreed. "Are you saying it's not worth it? What we're doing?"
"I don't know." Ishida sighed. "But it feels worth it."
"Yeah..." Ichigo mused, standing up. "It does."
"Ichigo could I have a moment alone with him?" Nanao smiled at the doorway, pulling along her IV.
Ichigo nodded and turned to Ishida. "I'll see you in a bit, mate. I'll be in the cafeteria."
"Sure." Ishida managed, and smiled weakly as his friend left.
Nanao dithered by the doorway, looking around the sterile white room that Ishida had to himself. "You must be driving the doctors crazy."
"Yeah..."
"How are you recovering?" She asked, taking his hand. "You need sustenance. You're barely better than when you first arrived, and they're going to keep coming."
Ishida frowned. "I know. I've been such a fool..."
"You need to feed."
His eyes snapped to meet her and the open window allowed a gentle breeze to fan the loose strands of dark hair around her face. She smiled gently and he was transported back to their first meeting, when she was just a girl trying to catch his eye, and he was a man finding his way.
"No." He sighed. "Definitely not."
Nanao rubbed his arm comfortingly. "I've not got long. I can feel this body winding down around me, Ishida. I won't see next week anyway... And your friends need you."
Ichigo returned to an empty room.
A Nurse went to awaken the female cancer patient on ward 6, and called a doctor to declare a time of death.
"So... All better?" Ishida looked up at Aizen and flicked the cigarette butt at him in disdain. Aizen chuckled and trod down the butt. "I never understood why all you children smoke... they'll kill you, you know."
Ishida glared at him before turning and walking away.
"Oh come now... why so cold? You just fed, right? Why do you insist on leaving us so often... It's such a shame that this got to the stage where you gave me no choice..."
"This doesn't involve those guys." Ishida said suddenly, interrupting. "This is between you and me, Aizen. If you kill me... I want your word that you won't go after them."
Aizen's smile faltered, before cooling into a smirk. "You want a duel? How old fashioned Ishida..."
"Your word, Aizen." Ishida snapped. "I will fight you, and if I win, the vampires leave Bristol for good. If I lose..."
"You die."
Ishida nodded. "And you don't touch them. As a favour to remember our friendship." He added. "The point you've got to prove to the clan can be proven by killing me, leave them out of this."
Aizen regarded him coolly before, at length, nodding. "I'll give them 24 hours to leave this city, after that if they're spotted they're fair game." He grinned. "When and where?"
"Tonight. It's got to be tonight."
Ichigo burst into the house. "I've lost him again." He said, and ran into Ishida's chest.
"Found." Tatsuki chimed in, stretching languidly. "Idiot."
"You're better?" Ichigo asked, eyeing Ishida suspiciously. "Then Nanao...?" When Ishida winced, Tatsuki shot him a glare. "Where's Rukia?" Ichigo quickly supplied. "Did she find you?"
"Here." Rukia smiled, holding a tray with three cups of tea. "Tea?"
"Always." Ichigo smirked, before faltering and glancing over his shoulder at the lounge. "No... Door?"
Rukia shrugged. "No big deal I mean... I get to stay with you guys right?"
The four were silent, and Ishida put his hands in his pockets. "I'm... going to fight Aizen." He started, closing his eyes as the three friends stared at him. "He's going to let you three go in exchange for me."
"No!" Rukia gasped, and Tatsuki suddenly looked more dangerous.
Ichigo seemed lost in thought. "He said that?"
"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted, appalled.
Ichigo raised a hand. "He's going to let us go?"
Aizen nodded. "24 hour head starts to get out of Bristol and after that you've got to lay low."
"But... You'll not win." Rukia stated, voice shaking. "He'll kill you."
Tatsuki's hands curled into fists. "This isn't what Orihime wanted! You have to stop him once and for all!"
"And that's possible." Ishida argued. "It's one on one, fair game."
"It's not." Tatsuki objected. "He feeds regularly on humans... and you..."
"When is it?" Ichigo demanded, and Ishida closed his eyes.
"Tonight."
"Tonight?" Ichigo swore. "But it's a full moon! I can't be there to..."
"That's exactly why." Ishida interrupted, glaring at him. "It's on the roof of the hospital so you can't be there in case you hurt an innocent." He smirked "I've thought it all out."
There was a silence, and as two wills battled, Ichigo seemed to deflate, and sat down.
"I think it's a good idea." Ichigo finally sighed and the other three stared at him. "He's giving us a chance... To be normal..."
"By giving his life!" Rukia seethed, kicking him hard so that he fell to the ground.
"No." Ishida stopped her. "This is good. This is what I'm doing... It's my choice."
"He doesn't have to go along with it! Ichigo! Don't let him do this!" Rukia begged, clutching onto Ishida's arm.
Ichigo stood up slowly and met Ishida's eyes with his own solemn and curiously emotionless ones. "Out of us three... I'm the only one with a shot at normal life. Tatsuki too... we could move, forget all about vampires and... I don't know... start afresh?"
Ishida nodded. "You'll take Rukia with you."
"Of course..."
"No!" Rukia objected, seeing Tatsuki waver. "No Ichigo!"
Ichigo ignored her. "But... first can I ask Aizen to reconsider?" He said in a low voice. "Maybe if..."
"He won't change his mind."
"But I've got to try." Ishida sighed and Ichigo put a hand on his shoulder, taking his coat from the stand at opening the door. "Ishida..."
"Yeah?"
Ichigo paused, his back to all three of them. "Do you remember when we first met? You saved me and I asked you... "Then what?" when you told me to move?"
"Yeah..." Ishida smiled.
"I guess this is it."
"Ichigo..." The orange haired man stepped from the house. "Thank you for understanding."
Ichigo turned to look at Rukia, who resolutely avoided his eyes. "One day... You'll understand why I'm doing this." He promised, and disappeared.
Tatsuki was eventually persuaded to pack her bags and leave that afternoon, on the basis that there was very little for her now in Bristol, and it wasn't her fight.
Rukia sat sullenly in the kitchen and refused to look up from the cold cup of tea she'd meant for Ichigo.
Pink and orange shapes danced over the pews as Roy began to clear up for the day. Thoughts of the previous night had haunted him in his every sleeping and waking moment, and as he adjusted the dog collar around his throat, he reflected on how extraordinarily strange everything had become.
The sound of footsteps made him look up in surprise.
"Ichigo!" Roy exclaimed as the orange haired man approached him. "What are you doing in the hospital chapel?"
"I'd... quite like some guidance actually." Ichigo sighed, and sat down. "What was that phrase from the Bible you said before? About children?" His eyes were weary, and his face shadowed. Roy's heart went out to him.
The young priest sat down across from him and clasped his hands. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11."
"Yeah." Ichigo bowed his head. "I haven't been able to get it out of my mind..." He eyed Roy in defeat. "What does it mean?"
"Different things to different people..."
"To you?"
Roy sighed, and closed his eyes as though in pain. "To me, now... That the world isn't as I knew it... That there are things beyond what I knew before last night, and that I only know the tiniest part of reality." He paused. "What does it mean for you?"
Ichigo gritted his teeth. "That it's time for me... to grow up."
As he stood up, Roy grasped his arm. "Ichigo... those... men last night..."
"They were just men. Bad men..." Ichigo removed his hand with a dry smile. "Don't let go of your reality just yet, father."
When Ichigo arrived at the funeral parlour, he was greeted by Aizen himself in the waiting room. "Come to beg for your friend's life?" He sneered. "Or has Ishida given up and left his dog to pass on the message?"
Ichigo frowned. "You really won't reconsider?" He challenged, and when Aizen merely supplied an amused smirk his shoulders fell. "Fine. But Ishida wants me to tell you something..."
The sun was beginning to set as Rukia sat at the window and watched Ishida leave the house for the last time.
Help...
"Who's there?" She demanded.
HELP!
"Ah!" Rukia turned at the sound and met the eyes of a young man in tattered clothes and with matted dark hair. "Where am I?" He asked in a hurried whisper. "Where are they?"
Rukia stood slowly. "You're... you're a ghost." She watched as the young man glanced at her, dark eyes stark in contrast with his pale skin.
Did I ever look like that? She wondered briefly.
"Why're you here? Do you know how you died?" The young man glanced around the room nervously. "I'm not going to hurt you..." She tried to make her voice gentle and coaxing.
"I'm... Ulquiorra." He whispered.
"Good." She smiled. "How did you..."
"They were so... frenzied." Ulquiorra swallowed. "It was like something had got them more worked up than usual; they were so careless and vicious..." He held a hand to his throat and Rukia noticed for the first time that his neck was sliced on either side and his arm was patterned with bites.
Rukia paused. "Can you take me to the others?"
This was SO not my best chapter... a bit jumpy, right?
But next chapter will be the finale! (For now...) So REVIEW WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!
