Sorry for the wait I guess it's been like a month or something since I last posted right? Well here's the next one, but I have nothing started for the next chapter so I don't know when you'll get it.

()()()()(grimm)

For the next week we trained on and off, one day was just travel while the next was split between gaining ground and training. By the end of the week Ichigo and I were ready to have a day long sleep. Unfortunately that would have to wait as we were trying to be sneaky and get around the trolls. Yes multiple, there were four of them. Aizen said that it has been known to happen during their mating seasons, which we were unlucky enough to be in the middle of. Three males were fighting over a female and we were hoping they'd be to busy to notice us. Our luck however seems to suck as the female seemed to grow bored of watching and was looking around and just so happened to spot us.

The males looked in our direction upon her surprised grunt and apparently decided that we'd be a great wedding gift. "Get ready you two, three full grown trolls can be a real pain in the ass." Vanthrin growled taking on his larger cat form before leaping at the one on the left. Aizen threw up a shield over us as another brought a huge club down at me and Ichigo. These things were huge, taller then some of the buildings back home even. When the shield broke Ichigo went after it while it was off balance and I followed behind him. He used his magic to burn the trolls leg as he cut it making it cry out and go even further off balance. It started swinging it's arms trying to stay upright causing the club to be flailed about. I dodged it as I ran closer I used my claws to run up it's front and tried for it's neck only to be swatted off like some bug. "Grimmjow!"

"I'm ok." I grunted as I shook my head trying to clear it as Ichigo came to my side pulling up a barrier. "Your uncle is right though they smell really freaking bad… it'll take forever to get this stench out of my nose." He nodded agreeing. "Let's try that again, I think I can make it up this time." I told him getting into a crouch waiting for him to lift the shield, he did and we both sprang forward he attacked as he had before and I jumped over him making my way up once more. This time I did manage to get to the beast's throat biting down and oh my god it tasted more disgusting then I could have ever imagined. It began thrashing and I heard Ichigo call out but I held on with teeth and claws. I wasn't going to let go till it was down.

It started to choke and fall backwards so I jumped off just before it hit the ground. I really wanted to vomit but the third one was still alive and for some reason Aizen was taking it on by himself. I looked for my father and saw him laying behind Aizen inside of a black and purple barrier and he wasn't moving. Aizen was doing his best to stay between the final troll and my father as Ichigo ran to his aid. After getting over the shock I followed behind and helped down the final male. The female though was now enraged and came after us. Ichigo got hit and flung to the side colliding hard with a tree before falling limp to the ground leaving me and a slightly wounded Aizen. "Grimmjow get around behind her and wait for my signal!" he yelled at me, not knowing what else to do I listened. He fired a blast at it to get it's attention while I got around behind. "Attack!" I jumped as high as I could clawing and biting while I felt her getting hit by his magic in front. She started to fall back and I barely got out from under her.

"Check Ichigo!" he yelled running to my father lowering his shield to start healing him. I ran over to Ichigo sniffing at him and calling for him. He was still breathing which was good, but he wouldn't wake up. I shifted back to my human form and picked him up carrying him over to Aizen and my father. "Lay him there see if he has any open wounds if he does change back to a cat and lick them clean for now. I have to focus on Van." It was the first time I had seen him so worried let alone call my father by a nickname. I did as I was told checking Ichigo over, he had a gash on his arm and head so I cleaned those before looking over to Aizen. His arm was bleeding really bad and he looked ready to pass out. I scooted closer and licked the wound lightly making him jump, "Please do,"he said after realizing what I was doing, "it'll help it to stop bleeding at least." I nodded and cleaned it the best I could. "He got hit full force with a club taking a hit meant for me…idiot…they're both idiots…." He said as I laid next to him to keeping warm as he was shivering. "You surprise me you know that. You and Ichigo both have a natural instinct to protect and care, you get it from your parents no doubt. Masaki was like that too. And this idiot as well. I never had that instinct, I knew I had to look out for my siblings but that was more a duty in my mind then a natural thing to do…" His voice was straining and it sounded lke he was forcing himself to talk, "but you all….you naturally go to those that need help. It's what sets you all apart from the rest of us…. Most would see that as a flaw…I did once….. but now….."

"Aizen!" he fell on me passing out from blood and energy loss. "Damn…." I changed once more and laid him next to my father and Ichigo next to him and started a fire. I got some of the salted meat we brought with us out to eat as I didn't want to leave them to go hunt. I also got out the blankets that we did bring and covered the three with them as best I could. I switched between them in my cat form to help keep them warm. It was a long night and I didn't sleep for any of it as I watched over them. At around midnight Ichigo woke up enough to ask for water but then fell right back asleep after I helped him get it. A few hours later the same happened with Aizen and he tried to stay awake saying he had to heal them more but I forced him down telling him that he didn't have the energy and would kill himself if he did. I had dressed their wounds as well, and changed the dressing every so often. By morning I could barely keep my eyes open, and even with my protests my body finally gave out falling asleep.

()()()()(ichi)

I woke and was in more pain then I ever really remember being in. My head throbbed like gnomes were dancing on it and I could barely move my arm. I blinked my eyes open slowly against the early morning light and looked to my right to see Grimmjow passed out next to me as a cat. On my left I heard cloth shifting and when I turned to look I saw my uncle very slowly getting up and turning away from me before seeing Vanthrin passed him. Aizen was healing him. "Is…he ok?" I managed to get out. My mouth and throat were really dry. He shook his head saying he didn't know, and wouldn't for some time. "Grimmjow…" I looked back over at him.

"He is fine he only has bruises the lucky kid, he's been watching the three of us all night and only just passed out not too long ago. I was awake but not quite able to move at the time. You have a cut on your head and arm, but seeing as how you remember things I'm sure the one on your head isn't too bad, and Van….he needs all my attention right now or I'd heal you real quick." His voice was tired but serious as he concentrated.

"No work on him I'll make something to eat to help you get your strength back then I'll help you, I have some healing power." He nodded his thanks as I got busy. I made some soup as quick as I could and basically fed it to Aizen since he refused to stop his work. After I ate some I joined him in healing the major wounds. We were still working when Grimmjow woke up around noon. "Hey sleepy head, there should still be some soup there." He tried to ask how we were and apologize for falling asleep, "Shush, eat now, worry later. Your dad will be fine."

"Ichigo is right if he has survived this long he will make it through the rest. Eat and regain your strength." Aizen said and I looked at him silently saying that he needed to eat again too. "I am fine." He protested to the look.

"The hell you are, go eat. And fix your arm while you're at it, it's bleeding again." I told him sternly and he muttered about how I sounded just like my mom when I said that. "Good, she could always get people to do stuff and since you've gone to the soup bowl I'll just have to remember that from now on I can do the same." He chuckled and Grimmjow smiled a bit. I continued working on the fractured bone in Vanthrin's arm and switched with Aizen after he finished eating. "So avoiding trolls, let's make sure to do a better job of it in the future." I joked halfheartedly. Vanthrin woke up a few hours later shooing Aizen and I from him saying he would be fine and that we should rest after he found out how long we had been working on him.

"You are not fine, you are the least fine out of all of us. And you will lay your ass back down and let me finish healing you, you big idiot!" Aizen yelled at him and Vanthrin sighed laying back down. Aizen continued muttering about him being an idiot as he did so.

"I hate when you get like this, you're like the annoyingly protective big brother I never had. But I guess that's just who you are." He smiled at my uncle. "Thanks Sousuke."

"Idiot, spouting nonsense like that, you obviously took a bigger hit to the head then I thought…" I looked to Grimmjow who was just smiling but it wasn't directed at his father but at my uncle before he shook his head and stood saying he was going to go catch something so we didn't have to use up more of our reserves.

"I'll come too." I said, wanting to ask what his reaction to them was about. "So why were you smiling like that?" he told me all of what Aizen had said to him the night before, about how he wasn't a natural protector and how Vanthrin's words contradict that. "My mom once said that most people will view themselves lacking in aspects they admire, but form the outside looking in it's much easier to see what a person is, and who they are. That must be what's going on." He nodded agreeing and we followed some deer tracks. "Thank you for last night, for staying up like that. We probably wouldn't have made it if you hadn't."

"Hence the reason I did it. It was my turn to look out for you." He said looking up at me from his cat form, it was hard to tell but it seemed like he was smiling. "I've been helped by you so many times, I want to be able to start protecting you too."

"And for that I'm grateful, now let's get us some deer."

()()()()

Did I scare you? Did you think I'd kill him? I'm not that mean don't worry. Aizen is so….weird and sappy in this and soooo not Aizen… I'm sorry…

Tell me what you think?