Grimmjow was still asleep when she woke, his grip on her loose enough that she could remove herself without waking him. He grabbed her pillow the second she removed herself from his hold, burying his face in it. Ichigo frowned, brushing his hair from his face, she felt guilty leaving him like this.
"I'm sorry Grimmjow, I really am but I do love you," she whispered, kissing him lightly. He muttered something, smiling but didn't wake. She hurriedly scribbled a note, writing something about going to the hospital. Ichigo moved quickly, grabbing some coins from the change bowl, leaving the apartment quietly still wearing Grimm's clothing. The first thing she did was find a pay phone, her mobile siting in her apartment.
"Shuu-chan, its Ichi-bitch. I know rumours say I'm dead. Soooo I need a favour and it's gonna be huge, wanna help a gal out?" She asked a grin consuming her face.
"Kay, just gotta get one more guy on board then I'll meet you down at the hospital. Don't tell anyone I called you, including Shiro or I will put a bullet through your brain. Thanks." She hung up, glancing at the watch she had also liberated from Grimmjow. 7pm, the bar would be open and Sado was always there.
Chad looked up as the bell sitting above the door to the bar rang, it had been there since before he brought the place. Ichigo was standing in the middle of the room, she jerked her head, wanting him to follow. Something seemed off, it was like she wasn't part of the crowd. A ghost, that's what she was, she didn't leave much of an impression.
"Renji mind closing up, I don't know when I'll be getting back. Actually take the keys you may have to open the place tomorrow, I'll text you when I get back." A scowl crossed the red heads face but he nodded, the pay would be worth it.
"Okay but text me if you're gonna be gone longer than a week." He nodded, the red-head definitely deserved a pay raise after this. Tossing the apron he followed Ichigo, she was already out the door. Ichigo didn't say a word once they left the bar, even when they were out of the district Ichigo still hadn't explained a thing. It wasn't until they reached the bluff on the outskirts of the city did she stop walking.
"I've killed people Sado," she whispered afraid to face him, she feared his reaction greatly, "not in self-defence either. Shiro and I we joined a gang. I was fighting off some of the members, it was eight to one. The boss was there and he was impressed with how I handled myself. He offered me a spot, I refused at first. Shiro punched him in the gut thinking he was trying to hurt me. After that he wanted the both of us. It took a lot for him to convince me it would be a good idea and then I convinced Shiro and we joined. Soon after we dropped out of school." Ichigo took out a gun, it had been tucked into the waist band of her pants. It was one of her glocks, it's partner stashed in her safe at home. Without hesitation she shot at Sado, the bullet scratching his cheek before imbedding itself in the tree. Chad said nothing not sure what to say. He had wanted to know what the twins had been up to when they were gone but he didn't expect this.
"I need your help Sado."
Grimmjow was besides himself when he woke up, Ichigo was gone. The only reminded she had been here was her red dress and a note claiming she had gone to the hospital since she was puking blood.
"Shit, shit, shit," he shouted, running out the door pants in one hand, phone in the other. Tripping down the stairs as he managed to pull on his jeans, he called up Gin.
"Ichigo went to hospital, she was vomiting blood. What am I going to do, this is my fault I should have forced her to go earlier. I thought I could take care of her," he shouted in distress, not giving the other a chance to speak. Gin had to interrupt him by screaming just to speak.
"Kay Grimmy boy, I'll wake Shiro. We'll be down at the local soon as possible that's the only place she'll go." He hung up the phone without another word. Wishing for the first time in years that he bothered with buying a car. He stumbled into the hospital, panting, red-faced and his jeans hanging from his hips undone. A few of the female nurses swooned, he'd forgotten his underwear. The nurse at the front desk, spoke with the most dreamiest smile on her face.
"Name of the patient please," she asked sighing.
"Für die Liebe zu Gott, I don't know her last name," he groaned, banging his head into the desk.
"Move it blue boy," someone said, shoving him out of the way. All he saw as he fell was Shiro, eyes blazing gold in her madness.
"Ichigo Shihōin, she would have come in last night," She said, glaring at the woman behind the desk who was moving to slow for the likes of her.
"Sorry but I'm going to have to call down the doctor in charge, the case is classified," the nurse muttered trying to make herself as small as possible, suffering under the gaze of Grimmjow as well as Shiro.
"Where's yer shirt Grimm?" Gin asked, trying to appear as calm as possible for Shiro's sake. If he looked the tiniest bit worried, Shiro would fall to pieces.
"I ran here, be thankful I even bothered with pa-" Grimmjow jumped unable to finish his sentence, Shiro was shouting at the nurse once more.
"Classified what the fuck do you mean by classified. She's my fucking twin, I want to know where she is right now!"
"Shi-babe calm down, you're in a hospital," someone, a man said silencing her instantly. She walked up to the newcomer, pulling him into a hug.
"Shuu-chan, my god it's been so long. Why didn't you call me?" She demanded, ignoring where she was once more.
"I thought you were dead, rumour mill churned that out a couple of years back and I got it from a reliable source to. Come on, let's talk in my office we have something to discuss and you're not going to like it. You guys as well, I'm assuming you've been in close quarters with her correct?" He asked the two men behind her, since they seemed to be just as distressed as Shiro was about Ichigo. The walk to his office was silent, with that alone Shiro knew something was terribly wrong. Shūhei hated silence always filling the quiet with constant babbling. It wasn't until they were seating in his office did he begin to explain anything.
"She came in middle of last night, it was way gross blood and vomit everywhere man. I got her tested and shit within an hour of her arrival, it was pretty bad. We had to get her into quarantine fast, she caught a pretty bad virus, V.E.B, it was a code red. Truly terrible, I had to get vaccinated for it, so will you and anyone else that has been close to her since she started vomiting. Here's the really bad news, Ichigo died early this morning." He paused, head in his hands pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Her blood started to clot and there was nothing I could do, it started to pour out everywhere. I tried to save her, Shiro I promised I did." Shiro had stopped hearing a word of it the moment he mention her twin had died, the tears slipping down her face. She stared at him lifeless, finding it hard to believe his words.
"I have to call someone, dad would kill me if I left him to die," Grimmjow muttered stiffly, leaving the office.
"I want to see her, I need to see her b-body," she choked on the word. That was when the doctor hesitated for the first time. He bit his lip unsure of what to say. He turned grabbing a taped up box from his desk. Shiro could see the name written on it clearly, not wanting to believe it.
"When people come in with serious diseases and they happen to die sometimes the body has to be destroyed, certain diseases become airborne when the flesh starts to rot and to reduce contamination the hospital burns the bodies. I'm sorry but this is all that's left of her." He handed over the box of ashes, his hands trembling.
A ringing phone broke the silence that had encased his office, Shūhei picked it up hoping to escape the nightmare he was in.
"Dr. Hisagi, yes I'm expecting him. Send him up to my office get an intern to show him." He hung up the phone, turning to the group of mourners.
"Looks like your brother has arrived Grimmjow," he said speaking softly. This man confused him the most, Gin was Shiro's husband that explained why he was trying to stay calm but this man hadn't said a word since he returned to the office. Shūhei didn't even know how he was related to all this. When the door opened only Shūhei noticed, greeting the man.
"I'm Dr. Hisagi, thank you for coming down so suddenly," he said trying to be polite, the guy creeped him out. He looked pretty ordinary, brown hair and eyes, square black rimmed glasses. Nothing threatening but he still creeped him out. It was probably the way he smiled, it was polite but made it look like he was hiding something huge.
"Not a problem, I'm Sōsuke Aizen," he returned. Shiro looked up at the newcomer wide-eyed, cursing herself for not noticing his arrival sooner.
"You!" She screeched, throwing the box that contained Ichigo's ashes at him. It hit his head, knocking off his glasses. He turned to her stunned, moving to pick up the box.
"Shiro, been a while. I thought I had killed you, really I was actually happy for a moment but then I remembered you and Ichigo were very cunning women. There was no way you could be dead." Shiro lashed out kicking him, his fingers an inch away from the box. He couldn't have her in life and he would never touch her death.
"Don't you dare touch that box Aizen. You fucking bastard. She's dead because of you," she screamed, Gin didn't bother to hold her back, the man deserved what he got but he did move to pick up the box, glad it had been taped shut. Shiro hit him in the jaw, using her full power.
"You killed her!" She cried continuing to punch him, Aizen did nothing at first confused by the situation. He grabbed her wrist deflecting the next punch, what he didn't expect was for Grimmjow to wrap an arm round his neck. Shiro dropped to her knees sobbing brokenly.
"That girl Chihiro, she was Ichigo. I didn't know at the time but she died today. That box is all that's left of her. The love of my life is dead and if I find out you're responsible in any way I am going to kill you, got it?" He asked, Aizen nodded, gasping out a yes. For the first time in his life he truly feared his brother. Grimmjow dropped him, kicking Aizen for good measure. Gin walked towards his former boss, eyes like ice boring into him.
"Will you leave us alone now? Shiro can no longer steal the attention of a dead woman," Gin reasoned, helping him up. He held his hand in a crushing grip so he couldn't leave without answering.
"I'll call off my men." Shūhei just stood there amused by it all, once they settled down he pulled on a smile and smacked his hands together capturing the attention of everyone in the room.
"Okay so while you're all here I have to administer a vaccination, you'll be fine after this but if you develop symptoms call your local gp. Now if you will follow me."