Title: Your Smile Brightens the Dark
Author: Paï
Word Count: 1,489
Pairings: Ichigo/Ishida
Rating: PG-13
Status: Incomplete (13/16)
Warnings: It's my first fic and English is not my native language, no swearing this time I think! Guess who's PoV today XD!
Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, it would have been a yaoi manga! XDDD

PART THIRTEEN: What do these memories mean?

"Bye, Ishida-san! It has been a pleasure to meet you! But we really hope with all our heart that we won't see you again anytime soon!"

"It's okay! Now his soul is back! We did everything we could! Now, everything is in his hands. He must fight to be accepted by his body again, he must will it to make that fusion."

"Please… Wake up…"

What were those voices? I remember them only vaguely… As if I wasn't myself…

And why can't I open my eyes? My body is heavy.

My body? Last thing I remember is that I wasn't in a body anymore; I was only a soul, in Soul Society.
It's a strange sensation… What happened?

I remember… being kissed by Ichigo, who then… What's been happening? Why did he do that?

I can't move, but I sense that someone is holding my hand tightly, and something is lightly brushing my hair. It's soothing. But I still can't open my eyes. I try to take my hand away from the one that is holding me, but I only manage to squeeze it gently.

"Uryuu?" I hear that familiar voice say with a point of hope, of relief, and of tiredness.

I try to answer but the only sound that escapes my mouth is a groan.

"Uryuu!" he repeats, holding my hand tighter than before. This time I can hear happiness in his voice. That idiot! Who told him he could call me by my first name?!

Little by little, I finally will my eyes to open. I don't know where I am, but he is here, next to me, looking as if he hadn't slept for four days. His deep frown is still there.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asks.

I slowly nod in response, sure that my voice isn't back yet.

With that, he smiles warmly. This smile I had been waiting for for months. It seems like nothing else matters now.

But he slowly frowns again.

"Can you move?"

I try again to move every muscle in my body, without success, so I slowly shake my head.

"It's been two days now since I brought you back. I thought you'd never wake up."

As I look around, as far as my eyes can go, he adds, "Yeah, you're back in Urahara Shouten!"

My eyes widen. That must be a joke. I was dead; I was in Soul Society!

Realization slowly reaches me. He told me he found a solution last time. Is it why he killed me back there? Dead souls in Soul Society are sent back to the real world?

But, it shouldn't have been that easy… Originally I shouldn't have been sent to my body, should I?

I slowly frown. Why did he do all that?

"See! I told you I'd bring you back!"

"Kurosaki-san! Did he wake up?" I hear another voice; it's quickly followed by Urahara-san coming into view.

"Yeah!" Ichigo answers.

"Oh! Great! Take this now, would you, Ishida-san?" the older man asks me, putting a pill in my mouth.

I try to swallow it, but the pill suddenly melts itself down my throat. I don't know what it was, but my body is less heavy now than before.

After some silent minutes, he leaves the room, muttering something to Ichigo, and I slowly manage to push myself up on my elbows.

"So it wasn't a dream then?" I slowly ask, glad to have my voice back. "I really went to Soul Society?"

"No, it wasn't a dream. In some part, it would have been better if all that had been a dream. It's unbearable to see someone who's close to you dying and realize your helplessness."

"But why did you bring me back, Kurosaki? I didn't ask for anything," I say, pulling myself up in a sitting position.

He frowns. "I thought we cleared this up last time."

"I need you, Ishida." I look away, sensing my cheeks warming as I remember what he told me. "Our world is empty without you"

"It may seem mushy, but it's true," he adds.

I look at him again, not knowing what to do or even what to say.

He slowly leans towards me, placing a small kiss on my lips before getting up.

"Kurosaki," I call out when I see him heading for the door. When he doesn't stop, I sigh and call him again, "Ichigo." He finally stops at the door and looks back at me. "Thank you."

He shrugs and leaves the room.

And I'm left alone, thinking, maybe too much. What does that mean? What does it all mean, that and what happened back there? Why do I feel weak when thinking about it?

"I need you, Ishida."

Does that tingling in my stomach mean that I feel the same way—the same "need"?

Kurosaki… no… Ichigo… Do I…? No! It must be something else. Well, yeah I like you, as a friend. Okay, maybe a little more than a friend but–

"Are you okay, Ishida-san?" someone asks from behind me, making me jump out of my thoughts.

I look behind me to see Urahara-san in the doorway. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you very much for everything."

"It's not me you should thank, but Kurosaki-san!" he answers, waving his fan, grinning.

I nod and he continues, "Do you want to stay here to rest a little bit more?"

"No, it's okay, thank you," I say, slowly standing up. "I think I'll return home."

He nods and follows me to the entrance of the shop.

"See you, then, Ishida-san! It's good to have you back. Don't forget to thank Kurosaki-san!" he chirps, waving his fan again in that annoying manner.

"Yes, thank you, Urahara-san."

Turning around, I slowly walk out of the shop. I'm still a bit weak, but I'm eager to return to my flat again. It's been a while, and I thought I'd never see it again.

After a long walk, I can finally see my house in the distance. The road isn't that long, but as I'm still a bit weak, I have to walk slowly. Eventually, I stop in front of the building, leaning against the wall before the gate.

I have to go on, there's not so much left to… but I think I won't be able to walk the path to the entrance door.

Slowly pushing myself away from the wall with my hand, I try to move forward, but my legs are too heavy and I stumble to my knees before falling on my side. I need to sleep…

"Uryuu!"

Someone is running towards me.

"Ichigo?" I whisper as I see blurred orange kneeling beside me.

"Uryuu, are you okay?" he shouts.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I answer automatically.

"Tch… Of course you're not, moron." Pulling me into a sitting position, my back on the wall, Ichigo asks if I can stand up.

Nodding slowly, I try to but he catches my arm and puts it around his shoulders, snaking the other arm around my waist to pull me up easily.

"Is your home still far away?" he asks.

"No, it's this one," I answer, pointing to the building on our left. "First floor."

"Oh, okay."

As we start climbing the stairs in silence, I finally ask, "What were you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Well, in fact, I was following you. You didn't sense me?" he asks, dumbfounded.

I look at him, wide-eyed. Am I still that weak?

"But that's not the point. Why did you leave the shop if you were still this weak?" he continues.

"Urahara told me I could go home. And you left without a word."

"I had to take a leak, is all!" Since when do I have to tell you everything I'm going to do?" he replies, a little bit annoyed; amusement was still clearly audible in his voice.

I shake my head, but more to clear away my stupidity… Finally stepping onto the first floor, I lead him to the right and stop in front of the second door on our left.

I clear my throat. "You may go now. I'll be able to get home on my own."

Instead, he holds out his hand – the one that was previously holding my arm on his shoulder – towards me. "I won't leave until I'm sure you're safe in your bed."

I roll my eyes in exasperation but hand him the keys nonetheless.

Opening the door, he leads me inside, pulling me towards my bedroom. Actually, it's the only room apart from the bathroom so he didn't quite have to ask me where it was.

When he lays me on my bed, I feel like I'm going to pass out at once.

He's looking intensely at me. Before dozing off, I find the strength to whisper, "You look like you haven't slept for a week. You can take a nap on the sofa if you want."

----------------- Following on episode 14 -----------------