Main POV

"Alright," Kisuke said as he leaned over me. "That didn't work."

"You're really inspiring hope, you know that, right?" I sarcastically replied, staring up at him from the shop counter.

I don't remember whose idea it was to treat me out here, but I do know it was to keep everyone's eyes away. As soon as it had gotten round that this wasn't an ordinary burn and it couldn't be healed the normal way, everyone was fascinated. Apparently flesh eating kido spells weren't exactly that common.

"It'll be alright," Ichigo said from the stool he was sitting in beside me. He'd taken his sword off his back and rested it up against the wall so he could sit. It was almost comical how large that thing was. "Hat'n'clogs can fix anything."

"Not anything," he replied as he hummed over my wound. I winced.

"Urahara," Ichigo growled. "How about a little bedside manner?"

"It's alright," I sighed. "At least he's not filling me with false hope, or lying to me."

"He could still be less blunt about it," he grumbled. Ichigo crossed his arms in the huff.

"I might have to call in a friend," he sighed. "Tessai, could you get Hachigen on the phone? I think I'm going to need the both of you on this job."

"How could this be so serious it needs the both of them?" Ichigo asked.

"He probably wants to use Hachigen's Jikū Taikō and combine it with a few other techniques," I told him.

"Well done Uo-chan, that's correct," Urahara waved his fan over me enthusiastically. "You see I'm of the belief that no one method of healing will work, it needs to be a combination of several techniques and then we may also need something I was working on a while back."

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's a new element that should react with the spell and cancel it out. See the problem is that the wound appears to be eating the kaido rather than letting it close the wound," Urahara explained. "It's devouring spiritual power."

"Will it affect Ichigo?" I asked.

"Why would it affect me?" He replied.

"Ichigo cut the blast with his zanpakuto," I explained. "Would that not damage his soul?"

"It might," Urahara gareed. "His zanpakuto is an extension of his soul, yes. But he might be fine as it was only his Zanpakuto that he hit it with. He'd certainly be in a lot more danger if it had hit him in soul form."

"Is there even any way to tell?" Uryuu asked. "You forget, Ichigo has his spiritual pressure running out like a tap on full blast."

"Wait, when did you get here Uryuu?" Ichigo asked.

"I've been here the whole time, Kurosaki, is you spiritual sense still so bad you didn't even notice I was here?"

"You shut up!" He growled. "You're acting like I didn't have bigger things to worry about right now."

"This little parasite or parasitic spell should have a unique signature, so I can always take a sample of his spiritual energy and scan for it. If it would make you feel better Uo," Urahara offered, ignoring Ichigo's antics.

"So how much of my face have I lost?" I asked. "Because ordinary people can't just run around with holes in their faces."

"Well, we've hit bone," Urahara told me. "Once we get rid of the parasitic kido, we can then start healing you, but I imagine with the severity of the wound at its current level, it will scar. Uo, I'm sorry I should have set up more proximity sensors around the area, not just the ones by your apartment."

"So that's it," I said. "Whoops, my bad, oh well?"

"Don't worry about it," Ichigo told me. "We'll fix everything, I promise."

"I don't know that you can," I told him.

"What do I keep telling you?" He said seriously. "I keep promising you that I can help you and I will help you. People always tell me that I'm not capable of this or that, but every time I've proved them wrong, you've seen it with your own eyes, so believe me. Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?"

"No," I replied, shaking my head, horrified that he'd even asked.

"Then trust me now, we'll fix everything," he assured.

I struggled on the countertop as Ichigo stood on one side, holding my hand. I didn't know what my face looked like but he sported a pained look as he watched everyone work. At the top end of the counter, just higher than Ichigo was Urahara and across from him was Tessai and Hatchigen. The idea was, to have Tessai using his kaido, to try and feed the parasite and keep the wound from getting any bigger while Urahara mixed and diluted the solution her was going to pour on my face. Once they'd neutralised it, Hatchigen was going to try and heal it completely, but the worry was his powers worked like Orehime's did in the respect that they reversed a wound out of existence. But they may reverse the spell and bring it back to life. There was also no way of knowing if the solution Kisuke was making would take.

"Alright," Kisuke said. "This may hurt."

"May?" I asked as he poured it on my face. I slammed my jaw shut and writhed, tying not to scream at it burned worse than the fire. He moved to a few other things he'd brought as I shook and fought on the counter.

"Hold her down," Urahara instructed. He started putting other weird chemicals he'd no doubt developed himself onto the wound and I whimpered, still trying hard not to fuss, not to make a sound.

"Stop it!" Ichigo yelled, shoving the arms that were holding me down away. "Can't you see that it's hurting her? There's got to be another way!"

Toshiro POV

"I wonder what's going on in there," Rangiku said next to me. "Sounds like they're going through hell."

"Asano said her wound got deeper by itself, like the wound was eating away at the skin around it," Ikkaku told us.

"What kind of kido eats flesh like that? Just what was she hit with?" Rangiku asked in horror.

"That's just what I was thinking," Yumichika said, leaning his chin on his fist thoughtfully.

"I can't imagine what Ichigo must be feeling right now, in there with her," Renji said and I thought back to when Momo was in recovery after Aizen had stabbed her. It was hard when a loved one was suffering, especially when there was nothing you could do about it. A day like today made me wonder why Uo had even tried to keep whoever had attacked her a secret. She couldn't be that afraid that even after all of this she still kept her silence. Continued to deny it all.

"Forget about Ichigo," Ikkaku replied. "How's it going to be for her, when she comes out of there with a giant scar on her face?"

"I thought you said scars only made you rugged and more handsome," Asano butted in, I had no idea he was listening.

"It's different for women," he replied annoyed. "Don't you get it? You spend your whole life getting told your nothing if you're not pretty, a wound like that could destroy her."

"Yes I agree," Yumichika said. "Uotani was never particularly vain but that was an awfully big burn."

I was distracted from the conversation when I heard a particularly loud scream from the other room. Seemed Uo was going through the wars. I wondered though, if the forces we faced today were really that strong and not just lucky, then perhaps they would have attacked either way. Maybe it was better for her to have spent one last night in her own home, feeling like she was at home. Because it wouldn't feel like that any longer. When she's healed, someone, me if I can help it, should take her out to keep working, doing her runs. If it gave her some sense of normality, that was important to the humans, wasn't it? Perhaps I could escort Kurosaki's younger sisters here tomorrow to visit.

"Captain," Rangiku broke my train of thought.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"You looked so serious just now, is something on your mind? A problem shared is a problem halved."

"I need you to finalise your reports for what happened tonight," I told her. "I need to send them back to the Head Captain at once."

Main POV

"You're alright," Ichigo told me as he stood over me, stroking my hair back off my forehead. He was all I could see as my head was pinned to the side while the others worked. "You're alright, and everything is gonna be alright."

"Can you promise me something?" I asked.

"Anything," he agreed quickly.

"Please keep doing your school work," I said. "I know there's a lot going on right now, but I'd hate for you to not get the results you deserve on your final exam. I want you so bad to pass, to get the best in life. I don't want to be the reason you don't get a good result."

"You never could be," he told me. "The fact is, without your help I never would have gotten as far as I have with the math stuff. So I'm going to get good results, and it's because of you. And I can't believe you're thinking about that right now."

"I have to think of something," I smiled and then winced because of the pain in my cheek.

"I'm sure there's another way we can heal you, if this is too painful," he told me.

"It's the most sure way," I told him. "We've gotta do it, unless you wanna bring a skeleton to your graduation."

"You were pretty skinny anyway," he shrugged.

"What do you want to do after this?" I asked.

"You know," he told me. "I don't think anyone's ever asked me that before. I don't even think I know."

"Are you tired?" Ichigo asked from his position beside me as my eyes felt heavy, I nodded. "Then go to sleep then, I'll stay by your side, keep you safe. You need to get some rest after today anyway."

"I just wanna see you," I whispered back, tiredly. "Just look at you for a little longer."

"I'll stay right here, so you can," he answered softly. I reached up a hand and traced his face with my fingertips. After everything was over, Ichigo's dad had come over with some pretty serious painkillers and I was feeling pretty light, at the same time I was heavy and tired. But I was relaxed. So I guessed that was what's important.

"I love you," I breathed.

"I know," he brushed some of my hair away from my face. "I love you too."

"What time is it?" I asked him.

"I don't know," he said. "It's late."

"I don't think I could sleep, but I sure am tired," I told him.

"Then just lay here, rest, stay awake if you want to," he said.

"I love you," I told him, having felt the need to tell him.

"I know," he breathed out a laugh. "You keep telling me, you must have done it a hundred times in the last hour, but I love you too."

"That's good," I smiled, eyes feeling that dry feeling you get just before falling asleep so your body can get you to shut them. "I'll miss you."

"When? What do you mean?" He replied.

"When I fall asleep," I told him.

"That's alright, I'll be here when you wake back up," he said.

"Good," I smiled. I think I dropped off shortly after that. I don't really have much memory other than a warmth coating my body and impossibly heavy limbs.

Ichigo POV

"How's she doing?" Renji asked as I walked out of the room Urahara had Uo resting in. I sighed as I looked around to find Kon and get back into my body.

"She's better now Dad came over," I told him. "But I don't know how she'll be when she wakes up."

"Yeah," he nodded. "Ikkaku's worried about what she'll think when she sees the scar."

"Did you see where Kon went?" I asked, changing the subject. I didn't know what I could do for her, I promised her I'd fix this, but I didn't really know how.

"He went to take Keigo home," Renji replied. "They're going to get Mizuho and take her to stay with relatives until the building is cleared as safe. The authorities think it's gas leak, so you're off the hook for destroying your girlfriend's apartment building."

"Like it was all my fault," I grumbled.

"Do you think she was attacked, the night you two met?" He asked after a pregnant pause.

"I didn't." I sighed. "She swore she wasn't and I believed her, but after all we keep seeing I don't know. I know she thinks she wasn't, amnesia maybe, she's not lying. I know when she's not being honest with me and she really believes she wasn't attacked. Maybe she didn't see them, but I'm not sure anymore."

"It explains why she's so insistent, if she can't remember, and it's probably a good thing, because if she can't remember or doesn't know, at least she's not traumatised," Renji shrugged.

"Or she's so traumatised she repressed it," I pointed out, crossing my arms. "Anyway, if you see him before I do, let him know I want my damn body back."

"Where are you going?" Renji asked.

"I need to go speak to Urahara, find out what he's going to say to Uo before he drops a bombshell on her, so I can prepare for it. But I promised I'd be there when she woke up so I'm gonna need to go now."

"Right," Renji nodded. "Good luck."

Main POV

"Hey, it's just me," I heard as I stirred. I rubbed my eyes a little before opening them. Ichigo was laying down beside me. "I was just getting back into my body now I've gotten it back from Kon." I looked at him again and realised he wasn't wearing all black or carrying his sword anymore.

"Oh," I nodded. That made sense.

"You still tired?" He asked. I was. I felt super groggy and confused. I felt sleepy. Heavy.

"Yeah," I murmured. "Kon," I thought.

"Yeah," Ichigo nodded. "I was with him just before. He's sleeping over there now."

"There was something I was supposed to tell you," I thought back. "I think it was important. It happened a while ago. I must have forgotten."

"Tell me tomorrow," he said. "Rest now."

"Okay," I agreed. I really was tired. "I love you." He laughed breathily.

"I know," he replied. "I love you two."

Ichigo POV

Uo lay sleeping softly on my chest as I stroked her hair. She'd cuddled into me as soon as she'd told me she loved me for the thousandth time. High as a kite on painkillers and she's nicer to me than she is normally. Sleepy Uo has always been my favourite personality. The soft murmurs of 'I love you baby' and holding on to me like I was the only person left in the world. The soft expression on her face, being able to look at her and see that brain of hers finally take a break.

What did she mean she had something to tell me? She said it was important and that it happened a while ago. Was she going to tell me what really happened the night I met her? I thought she didn't know. I sighed. I was doing what I always told her off for, laying awake at night overthinking everything. I needed to get some rest myself and I could ask her all these questions tomorrow. But I did wonder how Uo was going to react when she was finally off the drugs.

"Mmm?" She hummed as she shifted further into me, dropping her head on my chest again. "What's wrong, baby?"

"It's nothing," I told her. "I'm alright."

"Go to sleep then," she mumbled. "Tomorrow, whatever it is, tomorrow."

"I know," I kissed the crown of her head. "I promise."

"Love you," she said almost incomprehensibly.

"I love you," I replied.