EDIT (02/03/2007): Again I couldn't accomplish my deadline. I'm so lazy… Oh well, at least I'll be done before February is over… right?

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Hopefully, after much wait and drama and action and blood and tears, the long-awaited reencounter of (as Walis so affectionally puts it) Fruit Boy and the Princess will be satisfactory. There's enough fluff to send you reeling, or make you squeal with glee (like this: "OMG SQUEE!", which is probably my favorite exclamation because it's so funny, though I don't think I've ever exclaimed that out loud, but it does sound funny in my head).

I was off on the whole Hueco Mundo locations, but we're only just finding out about that now that the latest manga chapters are showing us deeper into Aizen's domain. The place where the action in the 9th chapter happens has not actually been confirmed to be the place where Hollows are formed. In any case, I'm not going to change it now, I wrote that based on my own conjectures, and it worked well for my story.

Coming Undone shall soon come to an end, and I'll get the chance to post a couple of other stories I've worked on but left on hold until I was done with this one. I also plan to do a full revising of the longest chapters of this story, like 6, 8 and 9, to see if I can make them shorter. I feel I can get rid of a lot of useless stuff and hope to make things simpler (I get a bit carried away in the middle of writing and I have a lot to say, but it doesn't necessarily have to be done in so many words). Some people like long chapters (and I appreciate that); but many others do not. Anyway, I do feel adjustments and edits are in order so I can be more satisfied, because some things did not turn out exactly like I wanted them to.

Music: "Sea Song" by Doves, "Teardrop" by Massive Attack, "Chasing cars" by Snow Patrol, "She opens her eyes" by Keane, "Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me" by U2, "Broken" by Seether feat. Amy Lee, "Sleeping with ghosts" by Placebo, "Nothing can be explained" by Mike Wyzgowski, "On the precipice of defeat" by Shiro Sagisu, "Ways and means" by Snow Patrol, "Blue and Yellow" by The Used.

Disclaimer: They're all Kubo-san's. Not mine. Just doing this for fun and self-torture.

---

Coming Undone – by Deathberry15

10: Hollow inside / Whole again

I cannot protect you without holding a sword. I cannot embrace you while holding a sword...

Ichigo shivered under the rain. At first he was completely disorientated. But looking around, he remembered how he got there.

It had been a while since the last time he'd been there; deep inside his mind where his Hollow dwelt, the sideways world of Zangetsu. And it was raining again.

He stood up on the wall of the building, wincing and gasping as each wound stung. There was no one besides him. He felt utterly and completely alone.

How long had he been there? His Hollow gained control of his body and will, and he was forced into the back of his mind, tired and hurt and hopeless, no strength left to regain that control. And now, even his Hollow was defeated. He could feel it weakening. He could've sworn the Hollow was practically invincible.

He was stranded and numb. His two sides, his soul and his Hollow, were powerless now. Neither one could fight to overtake the other.

It was just as well, he decided. Though it gave him no solace, Ichigo thought losing this way was appropriate. He hadn't done enough; he had never been strong enough. That's why the Vizards abandoned him; they knew he'd given up. They figured he might not be worth it after all. They wouldn't waste their time with him. If he wanted to accomplish anything, he was on his own.

That was precisely his problem. He thought he could handle things alone; that if he wanted something done right then he had to do it himself. He refused any help from others, especially his friends; he didn't trust them to make the same choices or take the same risks as him. It scared him to depend on others, or others to depend on him; if he ever made a mistake, if he ever failed, it wouldn't just be his life at stake.

But his friend would always be at risk, even if he pushed them away. He knew that now.

He closed his eyes and felt the rain pelting his body, washing the blood away. It felt good and painful and refreshing all at once, but it did little to comfort him. The cold rain stung him, and the silence soothed him, and the wounds burned and throbbed until his eyes were filled with hot tears.

There was no one there for him to hide his tears from. So he cried, angry at himself. He failed to see how things could've been different, if he would just stop pushing people away. He thought his friends would be safe if he managed to keep them away. He pushed Orihime away. He didn't acknowledge her support, her undying faith in him. He only managed to hurt her.

Ichigo told her how he felt; what good was it now if he was dead? If she could be dead too?

"I give up," he said out loud, hoping to dispel his loneliness somehow. "It's too late."

He'd be stuck there, probably forever. If he wasn't already dead, he would be soon. Alone, forgotten. What else was left there to happen to him?

Ichigo wondered grimly how much longer he would have to bear this loneliness and feelthis pain before he would never feel anything again. He had half a mind to try jumping off the side of the building, but it was unlikely to work. He had no energy left either. But he badly wished for the end to come.

He was about to sit down to wait when he felt a presence. He turned very fast, expecting to meet the Hollow. But what he saw made him gasp in shock.

Orihime faced him, soaked in rainwater, staring blankly, and it sent a chill down his spine. He remembered the vision he had of an ethereal Orihime, staring silently at him before becoming an Arrancar. Ichigo's mouth opened and closed, trying to say something, but no words came out.

"We've got to get out of here," is all she said at first.

He still couldn't speak, but sensing her reiatsu made him feel alive again. He just had to confirm that this was not yet another illusion, that he wasn't imagining things in his final agony. She held out a hand, and Ichigo looked down at it hesitantly before taking it. She was solid, warm and real. He squeezed her fingers gently.

"You're the only one who can get us out," she added. Those words made the hopelessness disappear, and he wasn't cold anymore. He pulled her into an embrace, and she buried her face in his shoulder and put her arms around him. She was real and she was with him; somehow she had escaped Aizen and found her way into his inner world, knowing he was trapped in there. And he knew if they could find a way out of there, out of Hueco Mundo, they would be okay.

"I don't know how to do it," he muttered hoarsely, pressing his cheek to the top of her head.

She looked up into his eyes. "I don't know either. But I know you can do it. It'll come to you," she said. Her smile was alien to him but comforting. Ichigo didn't feel weak or tired anymore. The rain was not cold anymore, but refreshing and revitalizing, and feeling Orihime close gave him hope and confidence. Slightly lightheaded and disorientated again, he felt a different sort of pain, like waking up suddenly from a bad dream. He blinked and opened his eyes wide.

Zangetsu's world was gone. He was in swirling black emptiness again. He was back in his body, not fully yet, but enough to realize that he was still wounded and still in that place. But Orihime was still there, and he was still holding her.

She gathered energy to make a place for them to stand. He noted half his Hollow mask still covered his face, although it was only latent in the back of his mind, the vicious sneering voice subdued by the loss of physical strength. But Ichigo still felt it. He needed to feel it. I alone can do this, he repeated to himself. It was his Hollow who would help him out this time.

"It's going to be okay…" he whispered, keeping one arm around Orihime, while his other arm reached over his shoulder grasping the handle of his zanpakutou.

"I know," she said.

It didn't take much. He only had to swing Zangetsu once, aimed at the swirling mass of energy, which he suddenly felt solid and tangible. The blade cut through it, like ripping through a black sheet. He hadn't expected it to be so easy, but he was glad that it would be over soon.

Beyond the tear in the dimensional fabric, there was nothing but more darkness. The swirling gray matter below was a cold and wet cumulus of storm clouds, and he braced himself for the chill. The gap seemed to suck them out, like a gaping mouth ready to swallow them. Ichigo felt the gravity pulling them through. He sheathed Zangetsu again, and wrapped both arms around Orihime, holding on tight.

At first it felt like floating again. But soon the gravity was pulling them down faster and harder, and he realized they were falling. Freefalling through storm clouds was every bit as cold as he had imagined it would be, the chilling air biting at his skin, slithering into his clothes, until he was numb. At least it'd soon be over.

He looked at Orihime one last time before closing his eyes against the wind blowing up into his face, and he slipped out of consciousness once again.

---

If anything, Rukia was going to need a straitjacket, or to be restrained some other way. She was ready to break through the dimensional fabric, barge into Hueco Mundo and do "I don't know what yet" to "those bastards", especially that traitor Aizen who nearly kill her "and he'll be sorry he even tried". She had been rambling like that for a few minutes, and it was funny to hear her expressing herself so crudely –it was rather crude for a noble, especially a noble like Rukia—. Renji was getting an earful of it while Tessai finished healing them, but he had neither the energy nor the courage to argue with her, so he just listened. He was relieved to see that at least she was well enough again to be back to her hot-tempered self.

The battle was over nearly two hours ago. After that the thunder and lightning ceased altogether and the rain died down to a drizzle. Each shinigami sustained minor injuries, and Hitsugaya was exhausted from performing bankai. While Tessai tended to everyone, his employer mysteriously disappeared. And wherever Urahara went, Yoruichi was likely to follow. So the shinigami plus Chad, Ishida and Tatsuki, stayed at the riverbank, waiting for someone –anyone— to return.

They had asked Urahara how long it could take Ichigo and the Vizards to return; but the real question in everyone's mind was whether they would return at all. Urahara, of course, didn't respond. Either he didn't know or he thought they wouldn't like his answer. Maybe that was why he left.

Renji looked up at the dark sky, shivering in the light rain, and wondered what could be going on in Soul Society; if they were planning to do something about their acts in the living world. I bet they're pissed, he thought with a chuckle. He really didn't care right now; he just wondered why they hadn't done anything about this situation. And he was curious about Kuchiki-taichou's opinion on the issue. Because Renji was very respectful of his captain, but Byakuya was not always right about everything, and he could be rather… pig-headed.

But if he was angry at Soul Society for washing their hands clean, he wished the Gotei 13 had done something. Maybe tonight would've turned out differently.

He sighed and looked at Rukia, sitting on the sidewalk with her hair plastered against her cheeks and neck, knees pulled tight against her chest. Between angry rants and random exclamations and uncharacteristically rude exchanges with Ikkaku, she sat down and looked miserable. When she thought he wasn't looking, she hid her face behind her knees and wept quietly, and it was hard to tell the tears apart from the rain, but he knew she felt grief and sorrow for Orihime and fear for Ichigo and guilt in general. She always blamed herself for everything. This time, for "letting history repeat".

"Kuchiki-san, for the last time, sit down and calm down!" Hitsugaya shouted irritably as Rukia stood up for the tenth time in half an hour and started pacing again.

"Don't tell me to sit down! I don't want to sit down! I want to walk around! I'm tired of sitting! Is that such a problem for you?!" Rukia snapped, gesturing wildly with her arms. She had never been so mordant with Hitsugaya before. She respected him both as a captain and as a wise person –even at his young age—, but the fact that he could remain calm and collected at a moment like this was getting on her nerves, especially since she couldn't be calm even if she tried.

Hitsugaya stood up and crossed his arms. "I am a captain, not to mention your commander in this mission. I will not be spoken to like this. And I will not put up with your behavior just because you're a noble," he said in a bothered tone.

Rukia stood directly in front of him, an inch from his face. "And I don't care if you're a captain and I'm a noble. This isn't about that," she retorted, teeth gritting.

Renji and Matsumoto exchanged anxious looks. Renji had to admit it was amusing to see those two get in each other's face; hot-headed and overbearing as they both were, neither one looked more threatening that the other, because they were both so short. It was funny how they could see eye to eye.

"You know… I would appreciate a bit of outrage on your behalf, considering the situation. You act like this is normal. It's not," she sneered. They were practically nose to nose. "Orihime is dead, Ichigo could very well be dead too for all we know, and we can't do anything about it," she added, her voice faltering.

Hitsugaya sighed. "Exactly," he replied with a shrug. "There's nothing we can do but hope he doesn't get killed." Rukia continued to eye him angrily, his expression softened. "It's not that I don't care. I actually care very much; I cared about Inoue-san, and I don't want Kurosaki to get killed too, but if anyone else crosses to Hueco Mundo, there's a high chance that he or she could be in grave danger, and I won't allow it."

"So you're not just doing like a captain and going according to the book?" Rukia demanded.

"I wouldn't be here tonight if I were playing by the rules. I did what I thought was right, and look what happened. I don't want you or anyone else in this team to take any more chances with Aizen. I won't have anyone else die because of my mistakes."

Matsumoto stood up. "Taichou, this was not your fault," she said. Hitsugaya didn't say anything.

Renji hoped Rukia wouldn't say anything else to make Hitsugaya feel bad; he was clearly affected by the events, and being the highest-ranking shinigami present and a division captain, he obviously blamed himself. He disobeyed Yamamoto's orders and led the group into this failed rescue mission, and there were many consequences to face. He'd carry that burden by himself, for pride and honor and duty, but also for his own torment. That's the kind of leader he was.

"It wasn't your fault," Tatsuki said, approaching Hitsugaya and patting his shoulder. "It wasn't anyone's fault." She looked at everyone. "In fact, I wanted to thank you all for all your efforts in trying to save her," she added, her voice breaking. Hitsugaya froze, watching her smile through the fresh tears running down her face.

"Arisawa…" he muttered.

"Somebody has to go get him," she said, serious again. Everyone looked at one another blankly.

"I wish Ichigo hadn't gone to Hueco Mundo. He's in danger. He only went because…" Tatsuki trailed off. She wiped her tears off. "I just lost one of my best friends. I can't stand the thought of losing another one."

Rukia put a hand on Tatsuki's back in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. Tatsuki was so tough all the time, and it was so strange to see her this way.

Tatsuki sniffed. "I just wish he would come back already."

"Is Orihime-chan back yet?"

Rukia and Tatsuki and everyone turned to the new voice, and started in utter shock. Ichigo walked casually toward them, but froze, disconcerted, when he realized how intently they were staring at him. "What?"

Wait a minute, Rukia thought. This was clearly not Ichigo. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, and his schoolbag hung from his shoulder. His reiatsu was different.

Ikkaku leapt to his feet and gaped. "What the—!"

"Kon!" Rukia shouted. "What are you doing here?"

Tatsuki looked like she'd have a fit. It made no sense to her that Ichigo would just come up to them like that. It made no sense to any of them at first, until they remembered the mod soul that usually inhabited the lion plushy.

"Oh, it's just Kon," Renji said with a dismissive wave, and everyone realized this as well and they proceeded to ignore him. Kon's face fell.

Tatsuki pointed a trembling finger at him. Rukia cleared her throat. "Uh, Arisawa-san, this is Kon. He often occupies Ichigo's body when Ichigo is a shinigami."

"We've met. I think," Kon said, blushing. He clearly meant the first time he took over Ichigo's body, and took advantage of it to kiss both Orihime and Tatsuki. Of course, Tatsuki probably had erased that permanently from her memories a long time ago.

"How did you know we were here?" Rukia asked Kon, who sniffed contemptuously in response.

"I'm a mod soul. I think I can find my way around the city, with all you shinigami cluttered together in one place," he said haughtily. "Anyway, I thought I'd come around and help if there was any need for me to do so. Just for this once, I hope Ichigo makes it."

"Hm, I thought you enjoyed being in his body and getting away with stuff that will later be blamed on Ichigo," she replied, unable to hide a smile.

"Ah, it's gotten boring, and it's exhausting to deal with his family," he replied with a sigh. "I wish they'd grow up and get a life, especially the dad. But all day long it's 'Ichi-nii this' and 'Oni-chan that' and 'Good morning, Ichigoo!' and BLAM! The dad wakes me up with a kung fu kick. He's mad! All he does every morning and every sodding minute of the day is attack me. I don't know how Ichigo puts up with it. I'm going crazy and it's only been two days."

He gave another tired sigh and looked around. "So," he began, "where is Ichigo? Is he back yet?"

Rukia's smile faded and she lowered her eyes. "No."

"He's in Hueco Mundo, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

She hesitated. "I don't know."

"Well, he better not come back without Orihime-chan, or else he'll have to deal with me. I've waited patiently enough," Kon said with a smug smile.

Tatsuki looked away quickly, and Ishida and Chad bowed their heads again. Kon was surprised. "What's wrong?" he asked. Rukia took a deep breath.

"Kon, Orihime is—"

"What's that?" Ikkaku interrupted. The others turned and looked in the direction he was pointing. His arm was stretched toward the sky.

"What's what?" Yumichika asked, scrutinizing the sky.

"That over there!" Ikkaku said, pointing again.

"Where?" Ishida asked.

"What?" Matsumoto asked, squinting.

"There!" Jinta shouted, standing up and pointing. Everyone jumped to their feet, looking up at the sky, and they all finally saw what Ikkaku and Jinta were pointing at. There was a shadow, a dark mass falling from the sky, very small because of the distance, and it became larger as it came closer.

"It's—It's them! I know it's them!" Jinta added. Ururu grabbed his arm and jumped up and down squeaking with excitement.

"Who?" Renji asked.

"The Vizards!"

Just as he said that, there was loud boom, like an underground explosion. The mass had reached the ground, colliding against the riverbank, only yards away from where they stood. Had the ground not been wet, a great cloud of dust would've lifted, but they were immediately greeted by the sight of the eight Vizards, lying in various haphazard positions and groaning in pain. A bubble of yellowish energy flickered and vanished in an instant, and Rukia was quick to note it was a shield created by Hachigen, which was sort of like Santen Kesshun.

Hirako, who was sprawled flat on his back, got up very slowly, rubbing his lower back. "Ow… I don't ever want to do that again."

Riza sat up with a hiss and grinned at Hachigen. "Quick thinking, Hacchin." She then glared at Ravu. "Nice going, moron."

"I didn't know we'd be so high," Ravu mumbled, rolling onto his back. "How was I supposed to know we would be so high?"

"We could've been killed, you idiot!" Hiyori berated him, nursing both her knees.

"I thought that was fun," Mashiro shouted gleefully, jumping up. She seemed unhurt, unlike her comrades.

"We have people staring at us," Rozu said, dusting off his clothes.

"Oh, you guys are still here?" Kensei asked, approaching the group on the sidewalk.

"You guys came back!" Renji said, half surprised and half glad.

"Of course. You didn't expect us to stay over there? That guy is a real tyrant. And those other guys are just demented," Kensei replied.

"'That guy'? You mean Aizen?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Yeah, him. He's bloody mad. They all are. Nearly killed us all, and we hadn't done anything. Pissed me off, it did," Kensei said. He spoke so calmly about it, they had to wonder if he hadn't suffered a concussion with that fall.

Rukia approached them. "Where's Ichigo?" she asked.

---

Orihime fought to keep her eyes open and her head clear as she checked Ichigo for a pulse.

Yeah, right there, she thought, her fingers pressing under his jaw gently, feeling the spot pulsating weakly, which only made it harder for her to focus.

"You can't die…" she muttered, talking to him, feeling she was losing her grip, and it was all she could do to not go out of her mind; just talk to him.

They were back in the living world, as far as she could tell from the familiar lights of the town and the smells in the air. It was still raining, only lightly drizzling now, and the ground was soft beneath them. They had only survived the fall because Orihime conjured Santen Kesshun in time, trapping them inside a large bubble which absorbed and reduced the impact by about half. They landed in the middle of what appeared to be a football field, judging from the goals at each end of the pitch .It was dark and deserted, since it was the middle of the night. She was shaken up and sore. He was barely breathing.

It was amazing how he had managed to survive at all, in spite of the shield, being so weakened and wounded. It wouldn't surprise Orihime, though; he was so exceptional that no one in Soul Society was able to conceive how a human boy could have such power. He reached bankai in two days, for Heaven's sake. He'd been through it all. It made sense that not even Aizen seemed to be able to kill him. But even the great Kurosaki Ichigo had a limit, and right now he was way past it. Gladly, this ordeal should be nearly over soon.

If I don't do something, he'll die, Orihime thought, leaning down to feel and hear his breathing rate.

He was bleeding profusely from small cuts and huge gashes all over his body. Blood trickled from the corners of his lips and his nostrils. She hadn't realized how bad he was until now. The Hollow had receded completely, weak and powerless, and could not heal him any longer.

"Please don't die! Please… don't die," Orihime cried over and over, voice straining with exhaustion. She could barely sit up straight; she'd have to heal him quickly.

"It won't work…" she sobbed when her hands automatically went up to touch the silver flower-shaped pins and found only one, and she remembered the other was missing. "It won't work this time." But she at least had to try.

"Shun'ou! Ayame! Souten Kisshun!" she shouted faintly. For a moment nothing happened, and she wondered why she believed it could have work at all. Maybe it was something in Hueco Mundo that made it work, or maybe Aizen did something; maybe she just had no power left.

Then, two bright dots of light whizzed out of the sole hairpin, and floated before her.

"Hey, you're back!" Shun'ou smiled widely. "We're back, aren't we? Ayame, look!" The blond fairy suddenly turned and gestured for her smaller, shy comrade to do the same. They hovered above Ichigo, staring concernedly at his face and his whole body.

"I reject!" Orihime said. Shun'ou and Ayame looked quickly at each other before spreading the glowing shield over him. The warm light of the restoring shield covered him, and Orihime watched, beads of sweat forming on her forehead and temples, as her powers took speedy effect, restoring his body.

Unbeknownst to her, Urahara and Yoruichi watched from the shadows of the trees lining the soccer field on one side. They watched her in silence.

"I guess she doesn't need this right now," Yoruichi said, staring at the hairpin in her hand.

Urahara smiled knowingly. "No. She does not."

Orihime wiped the sweat and tears away. It was taking longer than expected; the wounds were deep, and Ichigo was already very weak and tired. But her powers never faltered, and the wounds continued to close one by one. "Just a little more," she said quietly to herself.

Ichigo drew in a sharp, shuddering gasp, taking a few long, quiet wheezing breaths. Then he quieted down, and his breathing returned to normal.

Ayame and Shun'ou were done. They did the best they could, they thought exhaustedly. It was no wonder they were drained; they managed to heal him completely. They returned to the hairpin, satisfied. Orihime smiled weakly, looking over Ichigo's body. She gently caressed a particular spot on his chest where a deep wound had been only a second ago; now his skin, still a bit raw, was back to its original state without even a scar to show for it. Orihime cried again, this time of relief and happiness. She took his hand in hers.

"There," she said. "You'll be okay now."

With that last strain on her powers, exhaustion finally overcame her; she closed her eyes and lay down next to Ichigo, and promptly slipped into unconsciousness.

---

Only a moment after the Vizards had arrived, everyone saw a very similar dark mass spotted against the dark sky, falling freely toward the ground, and Rukia just knew it was Ichigo, coming back from Hueco Mundo. She had no idea how she knew, but she was sure of it.

Ishida and Renji took off right after her and Hitsugaya as soon as they saw the mass nearing the ground. It suddenly shone with a bright yellowish light and disappeared behind a line of trees in the distance. It wasn't too far away. Rukia ran using shunpo, almost certain of where she was going and not waiting for the others to catch up. Only Chad and Tatsuki couldn't keep up, not having either shunpo or Hirenkyaku, and were soon left behind. They ran as fast as they could.

Rukia forgot her soreness, her exhaustion and her anger, and sped through the streets, through lots and parks. She could feel him; she was getting closer. Was he okay? Rukia wondered why Ichigo hadn't come back with the Vizards, what had delayed him. She mentally kicked herself. It didn't matter; she would learn the details of what happened in Hueco Mundo once there was time to talk about it. The important thing was that Ichigo had come back, like he was supposed to.

---

"Ichigo."

Ichigo groaned at the sound of his name, wishing he didn't have to wake up. He was at a loss about what had happened before he blacked out; it was all fuzzy in his head. But he felt light and well and comfortable; he could've been lying in his own bed for all he knew.

That feeling lasted only a brief moment, and a cold shiver made him wake up fully and open his eyes. He realized he was lying flat on his back in the middle of a football field, his torn haori soaked and drenched in blood. One hand instinctively traveled over his body to examine it; all his wounds were gone.

This was the second time in one week that he had woken up with rain pelting his face, and a dreadful feeling of asphixia. As the memories came back to him, he looked around frantically for the source of the voice. He had definitively left Hueco Mundo. He was back in the living world. They had fallen back into it.

"Ichigo."

A face above him shielded him from the rain. Rukia? But as his sight cleared, he saw amber eyes staring at him with concern.

"Yoruichi…san," he said, his voice hoarse. He was parched and his throat felt tight.

She put a hand to his shoulder to stop him from sitting up. "You'll be alright, but don't strain yourself. The others are coming."

He looked down at his feet. His tabi and waraji were caked with mud, and there were bloodstains all over. "What happened?" he asked.

"Inoue-san restored your health. You were quite injured," Urahara said, appearing behind Yoruichi.

Ichigo stared at him, confused. He tried again to sit up, but noticed just then there was something in his hand. Someone's hand. He glanced beside him.

"Ori…hi…me…" he whispered. She didn't respond. Her face was just inches from his, and her eyes were closed. He shook her gently. "Hey… wake up.".

"Ichigo…" Yoruichi began, but Urahara put a hand on her arm.

"She's just sleeping," Ichigo said, sitting up. He lifted Orihime into his arms, cradling her body against his chest.

"She healed me, even without her…" he gulped. "She saved me."

Yoruichi looked at Urahara, who said nothing. Ichigo scrunched up his face and squared his jaw, to keep himself from crying.

"We're going to take her home. She needs to recover. That was a great strain on her powers, restoring your entire body," Urahara said.

"She saved my life," he continued to mutter. "I'll take her home."

Rukia and Hitsugaya arrived at the edge of the field and stopped at the sight before their eyes. One by one, the others emerged from the trees and bushes and came up behind them, but also froze at the edge of the pitch. Was that Orihime? Was it really her?

"It can't be…" Rukia whispered, and she was about to run to the middle of the field, but both Renji and Hitsugaya grabbed her arms, stopping her.

"Wait," Renji whispered.

Hachigen kept going, though, and he walked so determinately that no one dared stop him. He probably had something to do. Heal her or restore her or something; bring her back to life. If possible.

Urahara and Yoruichi exchanged looks, and Ichigo lifted his head and watched the Vizard approach. "What—what will you…" he stammered, swallowing a lump in his throat, "what are you going to do?"

Hachigen looked down at Orihime, examining her face closely, and he shook his head. "Nothing. She's fine. She's just tired."

Tatsuki pushed her way past the Vizards and the shinigami, and ran toward Ichigo and Orihime, dropping to her knees beside them, chest heaving with ragged breaths. Hitsugaya had half a mind to go after her, to stop her, but he preferred to let her go.

"Orihime?" Tatsuki called, grabbing Orihime's other hand.

"Hn…?" Orihime responded with a very dream-like sigh.

"Ha… it's really you, isn't it?" Tatsuki breathed, breaking into a smile. Orihime opened her eyes very slightly.

"Hi, Tatsuki-chan," she mumbled, her voice slightly muffled by Ichigo's body. "Kurosaki-kun, you're—"

She didn't finish her sentence because Tatsuki, in an odd display of affection, flung herself on top of her and Ichigo, pulling both into a big hug. She was crying again. "You came back! Both of you! You're alive! Ichigo, you brought her back! And you're both here! Safe and sound!" she exclaimed, smiling through her tears, and letting go when she realized she was hurting them. "I'm sorry… I was so scared…"

"My goddess has come back! I shall be reunited with—OOMPH!" Kon was stopped on his tracks by Tatsuki's fist colliding with his stomach.

"Is she going to be okay?" Matsumoto asked, as the rest of the group neared the middle of the field and joined Tatsuki.

Hachigen only nodded. "She just needs to go home and rest."

"What happened up there?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Where's Aizen and the others? What did they do?"

"But—but we saw her—you used your zanpakutou to—she was dead!" Ikkaku and Yumichika mumbled confusedly.

"You brought her back," Rukia said, stooping beside Ichigo. "Just like you promised." She smiled at him, and Ichigo shook his head.

"We never would've come back if it hadn't been for her," he replied.

"I don't think Aizen and the Arrancar are going to bother us for some time," Hirako spoke stately, and the others turned to listen to him. "I have a feeling Orihime-chan gave him a lesson," he added with a mischievous smile. "But then again, you'd have to ask her. We weren't really there."

Everyone looked at Orihime, eyes half-closed, nestled in Ichigo's arms, her own wrapped around his torso even when she was trembling all over.

Urahara "I think those explanations can wait, if we don't have to concern ourselves with Hueco Mundo right now. It's been a very long and exhausting evening, some of us have come back from another dimension. We're all cold and tired, and we crave a warm bed to rest and recover. So I suggest we do just that."

Nobody said anything; they were all too stunned or too tired to respond.

"Kon, I need my body back," Ichigo said. Kon nodded, unzipping the backpack and pulling out the stuffed lion plushy he usually inhabited. Ichigo returned to his body, and crouched to pick Orihime up in his arms. Her forehead rested against his cheek, while her hands linked behind his neck for safety. Rukia returned the mod soul to the plushy, which became animated and stood beside her.

"I suppose it's no problem if she has this back," Urahara said, extending a closed hand toward Ichigo. He placed the missing flower-shaped hairpin on Ichigo's palm. "I don't think she'll need them anymore. But they were a gift from her brother. It would be a shame if she lost them, or if she stopped wearing them now."

"Good. Thanks," Ichigo said.

"Kurosaki, are you going to be okay?" Hitsugaya asked when Ichigo seemed ready to leave.

"I will now," Ichigo replied. "Thank you guys," he said, turning to the Vizards. He looked at the shinigami, including Urahara and Yoruichi, and Ishida, Chad, Tatsuki, and even Kon. They all stared concernedly at him, but he mustered a faint smile. "Thanks to all of you," he said.

No one responded, just watched him walk away, Orihime half asleep in his arms. Their questions would have to wait. Rukia stared after them. She was so relieved now, seeing that Orihime was okay, but she couldn't help wondering how it could be, and what had really happened. She was still worried. She wanted to reach out to Ichigo, to hug him for just coming back, safe and sound; but knowing he'd be okay was enough for now.

"Well… that went better than I thought it would," Ishida said. Some nodded in agreement.

"What now?" Chad asked.

"Well, I don't know about you, but we're getting some R&R," Hirako said, stretching to demonstrate how tired he was. "As you can see, we just got back from a very long and exhausting trip, not to mention our mate here nearly killed us with that little stunt of ripping the dimensional fabric when we were miles above ground," he added with a smoldering look toward Ravu.

"Again, how was I supposed to know how high we were?" Ravu complained.

"We practically reentered the atmosphere, you dolt, considering how long it took us to get down," Hiyori hollered. "Next time, you're not ripping Garganta open."

"'Next time'? Are you out of your mind? I'm not going back there!" Riza argued.

"We should leave. Maybe Asano won't have noticed we left," Ikkaku said to Yumichika.

"Or maybe his sister has been having a lot of fun with your mod soul," Matsumoto teased, making Yumichika laugh and causing Ikkaku to hit them both.

"Taichou, shall we go now?" Matsumoto asked, as Ikkaku and Yumichika left. Hitsugaya stood with arms crossed, thinking. He was still tense, but seemed less troubled now. He was probably thinking of what they would need to do now about Aizen and the Hougyoku, but that would have to wait, at least until morning.

He sighed. "Let's stay at Urahara Shouten for tonight," he said carefully. "We should leave Inoue-san and Kurosaki alone."

Matsumoto blinked in surprise. "Oh, you're so thoughtful," she said, beaming. "I didn't know you were a closet romantic."

"Not another word about this, Matsumoto. You're unnerving," he retorted, pursing his lips.

"But you want to give them privacy. That's so sweet!"

"Please shut up."

Matsumoto led Hitsugaya away, holding onto his arm while walking with a little jump to her gait, singing and calling him "Hitsugaya-kun". Rukia stared amusedly after them, but there was suddenly an itch in the back of her throat. The thought of Ichigo and Orihime made her feel a bit jealous. She was happy that Orihime was okay and that Ichigo would be with her. But Rukia couldn't help feeling a bit lonely.

"Are you going back to Ichigo's house?" Renji asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Rukia hesitated. "Not tonight. I don't think it's necessary."

"So you're coming back to Urahara Shouten with m—with us?"

She looked at him for a moment, trying unsuccessfully to read his expression. It didn't matter anyway. She didn't want to be alone tonight either; she craved the sort of comfort only Renji seemed to be able to give her. Tonight she needed to be with him.

"If it's okay with Urahara," she replied.

Kon sniffed dejectedly. "Well, if everyone's going there, then I'm coming too. I refuse to be left alone with Ichigo's family any longer." And he started dragging Ichigo's schoolbag. Renji and Rukia exchanged looks and shrugged. He put a hand on her shoulder, and they walked after Kon and the other shinigami.

The Vizards went off in another direction, still arguing. Hachigen alone had the decency to at least say goodbye. The shinigami waved goodbye and headed toward Urahara Shouten, too tired to be in any hurry.

"Kisuke…?" Yoruichi asked when she noticed her friend lagging behind. Urahara cast one last glance around the field, looking up at the sky too.

"There is good news, I suppose," he said. "He probably would like to know."

"It's a bit late, don't you think?" Yoruichi sighed.

"Do you really think he'd mind?"

Yoruichi shrugged and grinned, then gestured for Urahara to join her, as they walked home side by side.

Ishida and Chad looked at Tatsuki, who still seemed to be in a daze. They were the only ones left; the two boys offered to walk her home.

"Longest night of my life," Tatsuki muttered as she followed them down the empty street, wondering how she would explain her absence to her parents, and why she really didn't want to go to school tomorrow.

---

Orihime's door was still unlocked, although everything inside seemed to be in order. Ichigo turned the doorknob with great difficulty and stepped in.

"This reminds me of that time when you were sick," he muttered absent-mindedly while kicking off his shoes. The only reply he got from her was "mmm…"

He carried her straight to her bedroom, and lowered her gently onto her bed. She sighed, burying her head on the pillows.

Ichigo didn't care anymore for what anyone would think, for any awkwardness or anything. He unzipped her boots and removed them, placing them neatly beside the bed, even if they were dripping wet. He fetched a towel from the bathroom, and very gently began to pat her as dry as possible, her legs, her arms. He knelt beside her and dried her hair and her face.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she whispered very weakly, reaching a hand toward him. He dropped the towel and took it between his own.

"You're going to be okay… Orihime," he said.

She smiled very slowly, and her large brown eyes poked through her long lashes. "It seems that you're always watching over me."

With a shuddering breath, he smiled. "I guess I just like doing that a lot."

Her face was peaceful even as she sounded worried. "They will come back," she said.

"I know," he replied.

"Strangely I'm… not scared."

"I won't let anything happen to you. Not anymore."

"I know," she said. She lifter her other hand to his face, tracing a line over his cheekbone.

"I'm just glad you're okay," she added. She closed her eyes and her hand fell limply, hanging over the edge of the mattress. Ichigo was concerned for a moment, but he immediately knew that now she had finally passed out of exhaustion. He kissed her fingers and sighed in relief.

The towel was left forgotten on the floor, and he got into bed next to her, still holding her hand, and scooted close to her, not so much that she would be uncomfortable, but enough for him to listen to her breathe.

In spite of the time she was away, and running around and being under attack, and being in a different dimension and plummeting back to the living world and lying in the rain and mud, she still smelled like herself; a tinge of floral shampoo, a soft, sweet fragrance. It was all too soothing. He watched her in the darkness, fighting to keep his eyes open, just to make sure she was there, that she wouldn't go anywhere. But exhaustion overcame him too, and he thought he would only close his eyes for a moment, but instead fell sound asleep.

---

"Renji, are you awake?"

Renji opened his eyes and looked at Rukia. He sat beside her on the futon that had been laid out for him again, just staring at the wall blankly. He wasn't actually trying to sleep; as long as Rukia was still awake, he wouldn't be able to go to sleep.

"Well, I don't like to sleep sitting up, gives me a hell of a backache. So yes, I'm awake. I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

Rukia half sighed and half laughed. "I thought you had dozed off for a moment there."

"I thought you wanted to talk. But you haven't said much," Renji said. "I suppose you have a lot in your mind."

"Don't we all?" she asked softly. They spoke very quietly, since Hitsugaya and Matsumoto were a few feet away, their sleeping forms barely distinguishable in the darkness. Kon had crawled over to Matsumoto and snuggled up to her. And, had she been awake, she would've kicked him across the room already.

Renji tucked his feet under a blanket, keeping his legs crossed Indian-style. "I understand that you were worried about Ichigo and Inoue. But they're okay now. They will be okay," he said. "It's unnecessary for any of us to worry anymore. Right now there's nothing we can do, anyway" he added. Rukia nodded slowly.

"Yeah, you're right," she whispered. "You're absolutely right."

Renji bit his lip thoughtfully. Rukia wasn't really concerned about that; after knowing her all those years, he should be able to tell. Something else was bothering her. But also knowing the kind of person she was, there was no point in trying to get it out of her; she could get very defensive (although sometimes it was fun to do it anyway, it was rather cute to watch her get all worked up).

Still, he didn't like it when she pushed him away, shutting him out. But if there was something she might want to share with him, she'd do so when she felt like it.

Right?

"Umm… Rukia?"

"Except that…" she muttered through gritted teeth as she bit on her thumbnail nervously. "I'm not worried about… that. Not right now at least."

Renji instinctively pulled her hand away from her mouth, so she wouldn't chew off her thumb. Rukia seemed suddenly entranced.

"Remember what I said yesterday, when we were training here?" she asked, eyes fixed into empty space (Renji knew he didn't need to reply, just listen to her). "That if you shut your emotions off, you can't get hurt? Ichigo had been doing that all these years, ever since his mother died; He hoped he wouldn't have to go through another loss. But it's impossible to not feel grief and sorrow when you lose someone important to you, especially if you loved that person…"

She took a deep breath. "If only he had realized that sooner, maybe things could've been different, or maybe not. But he realized it eventually; that he was in love with Inoue, and the pain of losing her is precisely what drove him to Hueco Mundo, even when it was just for revenge, when he hoped relieving his anger would relieve some of the pain. Of course it wouldn't. But if he hadn't gone to Hueco Mundo, Orihime wouldn't be here again."

"Do you see what I'm getting at?" she added after a pause, and her eyes finally met his. Again, Renji thought it best to remain quiet, but she knew he was listening. "That day I said that it's almost impossible to not fall in love. You can deny your feelings, but they are there, and the worst you can do is to ignore them, to refuse them, certain that if you never acknowledge them then you can't risk get hurt." She looked away again. "The pain of not taking that risk is even greater. Taking things for granted; it hurts the most when they're gone."

A tear slid out of her eye, and he realized just then how deeply affected she was by these thoughts, how much of that pain she felt by just speaking about it. He knew exactly what she meant, and that is why he didn't say anything. He had to let her finish.

Rukia made no move to wipe away the tear, like she hadn't realized she was crying. Her voice was breaking, and she sounded breathless.

"I don't want to do that," she shook her head lightly. "I don't want to take anything or anyone for granted. It's true that you don't know what you've got until it's gone." She started trembling. "I don't want to go through that ever. I already lost someone important to me. I don't want that to happen to me again."

Renji didn't know what to say or even if he should say anything at all now. He only scooted closer to her, and rubbed his hands over her arms, hoping that it would make her stop trembling. She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Renji gulped; she felt different somehow. She seemed frail, unlike the strong Rukia he had met and grown to love throughout his life as a shinigami, the life he had beside her. He missed her unwavering confidence, her serenity. When they were apart, he missed everything about her. She had changed a lot in such a short time, but he was still glad to have her back.

"I feel that it's taken me too long to realize…" she whispered, her voice wavering. "I've been taking you for granted. And I'm sorry."

Renji wrapped his arms around her shoulders, feeling her erratic breathing as she started to sob very quietly.

"I don't want to lose you," she said tearfully, "and I don't want to drive you away. But it scares me, you know…? It's still scary, but it's better this way…"

He nodded, even when she couldn't see him.

"I know I've changed a lot. So much has happened lately, I can't help it. But between what's happened and how I've changed, I'm afraid that I'll never get the chance…" she trailed off, and lifted a hand to dry her eyes. "I'm sorry…" she babbled through her sniffing.

Renji gulped again. It was all he could do to keep from crying. She was definitively frail, she had always been, but all his life, he had only seen the strong, confident side of her. And to see her like this, it made him feel vulnerable. But he didn't care about showing vulnerability in front of Rukia. She was, after all, his best friend, the one he trusted with anything. The one he loved, in spite of everything.

He held her against his chest, one hand rubbing her back comfortingly, while the other stroked her hair.

"I'm not going anywhere," he finally said.

Rukia lifted her head and smiled, her nose red from crying.

"Well, look at you. You're a mess, your Highness Kuchiki-san," he joked. Rukia laughed and gave him a playful shove. He smiled and gazed at her for a long time, while she just blushed and rubbed her cheeks dry.

Oh, God. What would Kuchiki-taichou think? He thought for a very brief moment, but he realized then he didn't really care. He swept a thumb over her cheek, and then dropped his hand to her neck. Rukia's breath caught in surprise. He leaned in, ready to do what he had wanted to do for so long, and kissed her.

She closed her eyes, lashes still heavy with tears tickling his cheekbone as they fluttered closed, and she allowed him to get closer, to pull her in. She wasn't really giving in to him; he knew she had led him there, with her confidence and will, she told him how she felt. Now it was his turn; except he preferred actions to words.

Yes, he had been taking her for granted too. After all, he always liked her because he knew she was different. In a good sense, too, and he had pretended to ignore that for years. But he wouldn't be so stupid as to leave things the way they were any longer. Sometimes, change is necessary. Especially if it's a change for good.

---

Matsumoto smiled, watching Renji and Rukia kiss, wondering if they were unaware of being watched or if they just didn't care. She looked over at her captain, glancing over her shoulder at his sleeping form, a couple of feet away in another futon. He seemed totally relaxed, a radical change from previous nights, when he hadn't slept a blink. It was good to see him finally resting. She wished he could get a break, a real break, and go back to Soul Society and not have to worry about the situation with Aizen and the Arrancar and the Hougyoku at least for a while. Have them send some other captain to lead this mission in the living world. That way, maybe Hitsugaya could spend a few days with Hinamori, and make up for lost time.

---

When he came to, Ichigo felt a jolt. He had fallen asleep; he hadn't meant to fall asleep.

He woke up and his face was buried into the pillow, breathing into Orihime's scent, which impregnated everything around him. He felt at peace and totally relaxed. Any trace of any pain and soreness in his body was gone.

He lifted his head and noticed his fingers were intertwined with Orihime's. She was facing him now, covers pulled up to her chin.

He had goosebumps all over his body. His hair and clothes were nearly dry, but they were cold and damp still, and the mattress and sheets underneath him were wet and cold. Orihime's hair was halfway dry, wet strands strewn on the pillow. She was still in her wet clothes, so she was shivering too, even under the blankets.

Ichigo rubbed his eyes with his free hand, and blearily glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. They had only slept for a couple of hours. He wondered if he should go, or at least retreat to the living room couch; he felt he was being invasive. But he didn't want to wake her up. And he didn't want to have to leave either.

I can't let her out of my sight, he thought worriedly. The idea of another abduction crossed his mind, and he knew he had to stay so nothing could happen to her.

Stupid, you can't be with her every second of every hour of every day, his conscience retorted. And he wished it would just shut up. He knew he couldn't stay with her at every moment, but he had to at least try.

I'm going to talk to Urahara and the others tomorrow morning, and we can figure out what we will need to do about Aizen, he said to himself, and we can think of something to do about Orihime's safety too. Meanwhile, I stay with her and make sure n—

"Hey."

Ichigo stopped planning in his mind, and saw Orihime was awake, watching him through heavy-lidded eyes.

"Hey… you're awake," he said hesitantly. Now she would tell him to get out, and ask him what he was thinking staying in her bed like that.

He guessed she was really surprised to see him, to find him next to her, both lying in her bed, so close to one another. She just blinked several times, waiting for the sleep fog to clear from her eyes. He sat up.

"Are you cold?" he asked stupidly. Of course she was cold.

"Um, yeah…. But uh, it's okay… I'll change into something dry in a moment," she stuttered, her voice groggy.

"Good idea…" he answered. He wished he had something smarter to say.

"What about you? Aren't you cold?"

Ichigo started shaking his head, but she obviously noticed him trembling, and he nodded. "Yeah… actually I'm freezing."

"You should get…" she began, then suddenly trailed off, and her face turned a deep shade of red.

"What?"

Orihime bit her lip and averted his eyes. "I was going to say… that maybe… if you want to… you could, you know… get under… under the covers… IF you want to… but I guess you probably want to go home, change into dry clothes and sleep in your, in your own bed, I suppose—"

She stammered on nervously, blushing even brighter, until Ichigo interrupted her.

"I wish I could stay," he said. "I wanted to stay to make sure you'll be okay. But I feel…" he sighed and looked down at his lap. "I wouldn't want to be a burden."

She pouted. "That's not fair. That is what I said when I was sick and you wanted me to go to the clinic. And you still made me go."

"That was a different situation."

"But I was embarrassed."

"Fine. I will stay if you want me to."

"No, you will stay if you want to."

"This conversation is going nowhere fast," he said. Orihime lowered her eyes, hiding her face behind the blankets, but he could still see the blush on her cheeks and temples. They both spoke very fast and nervously. He laughed to relieve some of the tension, and Orihime seemed to lighten up. Of course he wanted to stay, but he wasn't sure she wanted him there.

You told her you love her, his conscience said to him. You need a chance to talk it over with her. This is that chance.

Before he could feel awkward again, and before he could start having second thoughts yet again, he stood up without a word and pulled the covers back far enough to climb into bed, then lay down and pulled them up to his shoulders. Orihime probably thought he was leaving when he got up and let go of her hand, but relief and a new shade of blush passed over her face as he settled next to her, snuggling under the blankets, and his hand found hers again.

"I… I feel stupid saying this," she started nervously, "now, after all that's... But I don't really care, because I might never get the chance again." She took a deep breath. "I… I really like you… Ichigo. I've liked you for a very long time. I liked you from the day we met. I guess I just wanted you to know that. I wanted to tell you for so long, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, because so many things were happening. And it only became harder and heavier and I felt like I was trapped…"

She gulped and gave another exasperated sigh. "What I mean to say, what I wanted to say, is that I… I love you too."

She said those words in almost the same husky, drowsy tone she had when she was half-conscious and sick, staying over at the clinic. "I really like you, Ichigo." Those were her exact words that night, he remembered. He never forgot. She was saying it very consciously now, and his lips parted in awe.

"I was so… scared that I wouldn't get to tell you, ever… I was afraid that I'd never see you again…" she said, her eyes filling with tears. Ichigo didn't need to say anything. He just watched the tears spill from her eyes, trailing over the bridge of her nose and falling to the pillow, and he wiped the moist tracks with his thumb.

This Orihime was too old and grim for him; in only a few days, her spirit had dimmed, along with his own. He missed the perky carefree Orihime he once knew: the one who made up crazy sports in P.E., who doodled and daydreamed in class, who baked him cookies and gave him a flower when he was sick, and who spoke of her friends as if they were the only important thing in the world (besides her brother), so important that she would risk her life for them. She understood everything and everyone; she even understood him, as far as sharing a special bond with him and cared for him selflessly, that much he was sure of. She was wise beyond anyone's imagination, able to cope with misfortune and tragedy and endure it all with optimism and even a bit of craziness; because she understood that it was impossible to survive unless she was a little crazy and could see things from a different, broader perspective. All these things, these unique qualities, had grown into him; she became the one person who seemed to keep him sane in spite of her own craziness and in spite of the craziness and chaos that surrounded them, and he now knew why he came to love her so much. He needed her. She was an essential part of him.

He scooted closer; to ease the impulse he had been fighting this whole time, and in an attempt to ease her as well. He wanted to kiss her, so he did. He didn't want to think twice about it anymore.

Orihime's eyes fluttered closed. His lips only touched hers for a brief moment, but as soon as he broke the contact, she leaned in this time and kissed him back.

Her hands were shaking, but her fingers intertwined with his. She tentatively lifted her arms above her head, eyes still closed, blushing again as she did, and it took him a second to realize what she was inviting him to do. His trembling fingers reached for the hem of her top, and very slowly and carefully he pulled it upward over her head. She opened her eyes and smiled comfortably, feeling relieved and less awkward. Some strands of hair fell across her face, and she pushed them back coolly. He turned red as well, but smiled at her growing ease, and he slowly reached behind her back to unhook her bra. Orihime flinched with a chuckle.

"I'm—sorry…" Ichigo stammered, clumsily letting go.

"Your hands are a bit cold," she said, grabbing them in her own and rubbing them together gently. He felt his fingers were indeed cold.

"Your hands are warm."

She allowed him to pull of her bra, and then he lifted his own arms as well, making her smile at the gesture. She pulled his T-shirt over his head, messing up his hair even more, and tossed it aside.

They tenderly undressed each other, slowly, teasingly, removing each piece of clothing one by one, until they were both naked, and the proximity of each other's body was enough to make them permanently red. But in spite of being nervous, they were both comfortable. Bumbling like idiots and frightened by their own boldness, but very comfortable with each other.

Ichigo had never felt this way before. Teenage hormones may have had something to do with it, but this was beyond that. This impulse, this desire, was fueled by a strong feeling of yearning, of passion. He ached for her. If he couldn't be with her right now then he might as well be dead. Otherwise he would be consumed by this feeling, until it drove him crazy. As for Orihime, she could feel her head buzzing, thoughts whirring inside, fruitlessly trying to piece it all together. She was in bed, naked, with the boy she had liked for so long and grown to love, and he had told her he loved her too. She was almost certain that she was dreaming; it was too good to be true. But as he looked down into her face, and his fingers tangled in her hair, he felt too real to be just a hopeful dream. He's really here with me.

He was more intense and a lot more mature, but he was in essence, still the Ichigo she had always known, her Kurosaki-kun, whom she had fallen in love with, no longer infatuated with the image of a cute rebellious boy in her class, but yearning for a deeper connection with the man he had grown into.

Ichigo felt electricity going through his entire body; he felt her bare chest against his own, her heart beating against his own in unison.

All he could remember afterwards, the most comforting memory besides her relaxed smiling face, was the feeling of holding each other, breathless and sweaty as they were –neither was cold anymore—, and him laying his head upon her chest while she stroked his hair, listening to her heart for a long time, until the rhythmic pounding lulled him into a peaceful sleep.

---

I'm sorry it took so long to post. It was stupid really, but I was doing a lot of editing, it was coming off too long for the content. But it's done. Let's see about the final chapter now, it's halfway done, needs a bit of tweaking, but I'll try to have it posted by Saturday at the latest (yah, right). At least I'm one step closer to the end. I'm going to miss this story, but I can't drag it on for much longer. Everything that has a beginning has an end.

I personally didn't want to get too graphic in the sex part at the end, because I felt it would've taken some essence away from the story, the tenderness of the relationship, of the innocence and wonder of both of them experiencing their first time (during this whole turmoil, and with each other), it would've been somewhat dampened by even the mildest descriptive smut. Besides, I think it's a nice idea to leave it up to the reader's imagination.

Next up, the grand conclusion. You shall get a glimpse into the future (the near future, that is, as in, future stories), and some other stuff. I hope I can post it soon. I've got three days. Let's see if I can stay within schedule.

Thank you for reading! Have a nice one!

-Nariko the Seer a.k.a Deathberry15