~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~ (Kisuke's POV)

It was hard, to see the complete and utter devastation in Ichigo's eyes, but he managed to keep his smile as he spoke, despite how twisted it felt.

"See, he came and found me the night you went to him, and I'll tell you, Isshin had a look almost like what you've got now. Pale, sweaty, disoriented..." he paused for a sip of his tea, trying to keep his mouth from drying out as he told his side of the story.

"He told me things I wasn't inclined to believe at first. Yes, your hollow is part of you, but for it to become sentient enough to not only take your body over, but to erase all memory of what happened during that time...? It was a little far fetched. But Isshin's never been one to lie, so I gave my word that I'd try to come up with something that could help you overcome your hollow. What resulted from that word... was this."

Setting down his cup of tea, Kisuke reached for the round, silver amulet, dangling the chain around his fingers and glancing from Ichigo to it, even as he wondered if it could really suppress Ichigo's inner hollow. He never gave his doubts away, however.

"This amulet is made to specifically target a hollow's spiritual pressure, and suppress it. Think of wrapping yourself up completely in chains; that's what this does on so many more levels. The only bad side is, you'll have to get used to the weight, since you're still just one body." Chancing a glance up at Ichigo, he saw the look of desperation had changed just slightly into one of hope; it gave him the will to continue his words. "You're probably going to have a few nasty side effects from it, so my suggestion would be to take this home with you. Tell Isshin what's going on, and lay down before you put it on."

"Why lay down?"

It was the first question Ichigo had asked during the entire time Kisuke had been speaking, and it was encouraging.

"Because you might just lose consciousness and collapse on the floor in a coma. At least if you're lying down, you don't have to worry about banging your head on the way down, am I right?"

The joke felt dull and lifeless to Kisuke, especially in Ichigo's situation, but it was his nature to try and keep things lighthearted, especially when there was a small percentage the amulet's suppression would just outright kill him. It was small enough that he didn't explain it, but it still weighed heavily on his mind. Still, it was just as hard to watch the boy's eyes fill with hope as he delicately took the amulet offered, and stood to leave, his own cup of tea untouched.

Kisuke watched the boy leave, standing in his doorway for several moments afterward, noting how the late afternoon had turned so quickly into evening, the moon slowly beginning to make its way toward its peak in the sky. Silently, he wished Ichigo and his friends the best, knowing there wasn't much else he could do for them. Still, he had made good on his promise to Isshin.

He just had to hope that it was enough.

~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~ (Uryuu's POV)

The first thought he registered was how cold it was. His entire body was trembling for another reason than pain, for once, and the idea startled him. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt weighted down and stuck together. Lifting his arm, he started to rub at his eyes only to have his hand catch against the rims of his glasses. Why hadn't he taken them off before going to sleep? A frustrated sigh slipped past his lips as he reached up with the other hand, flinching as a wave of pain snaked through his arm as he gripped the glasses and delicately removed them from his face.

Finally able to rub his eyes, he gave a half-yawn, his voice trembling along with his body. Why was he so cold? Shifting upright a little more and trying to ease the horrible, burning pain in his neck, Uryuu wiped at his eyes, trying to ignore the cold sweat on his forehead and the freezing breeze nipping at his hip.

...

A startled yelp escaped its way past Uryuu's lips as his eyes shot open to nothing but darkness. He had stayed here way too long, and had allowed night to fall. Ichigo could be minutes away from him, and here he was, waiting patiently for him! Struggling to get his glasses back on, despite the still somewhat blurred vision from just waking up, Uryuu picked himself up off the ground as hastily as his pain ridden body would let him, forgetting about the hospital gown.

He stiffled a scream when the gown gusted open behind him, the darkness slowly beginning to take shape again into those tormenting shadows. They knew he was vulnerable. Biting down hard on his lip, he frantically tried to wrap the gown tightly around his body even as he felt the first slimy touch of the shadows on his feet. Wincing even at the pain of moving, he took off in a full tilt sprint down the alley way, wincing at every rock and sliver of wood that bit into his bare feet. He hadn't noticed any of the pain on his feet during his first run, but it seemed so tormentingly prominent now, with the shadows chasing him down instead of Ichigo.

Still, running wasn't helping him any; he was too slow, and the shadows were everywhere. In the corners of his vision, ahead of him, behind him, underneath him, on his feet, crawling into his skin, running slimy tendrils up his legs...

His breath was coming in sharp, harsh gasps as his legs faltered, sending him crashing down into the dirt only a few yards away from where he'd started. He landed harshly on his side, unable to stop the yelp of pure pain as his ribs burned against his side on contact. Whimpering, he tried to roll off that side, thankful at least he hadn't heard a crack like before. Still, even that pain was having a hard time driving off the shadows that just kept coming, snaking around his broken body to deliver him to death. They would give him no respite, and it was becoming increasingly hard to fend them off.

Still, in a vain effort, Uryuu clasped his hands around the gown and pulled it tighter and closer to his body, trying to keep most of himself protected even as he picked up the sound of heavy footfalls in the distance. Someone was coming, and his mind was screaming at him to run. After all, hadn't he just been telling himself that it was Ichigo behind him, always behind him, always waiting, always there...?

He gritted his teeth as he tried to roll into a position to get up, ever aware of the quickly approaching footsteps, and had slowly and painfully made it to his knees when he heard a gasp to his right. Even though his trembling body was jolting, his muscles trying to get the rest of his body to cooperate and make a break for it, something in his mind slowed; the gasp had sounded familiar. It was enough of a pause for whomever it was to suddenly bend down beside him, and with the sudden, close proximity, Uryuu's body collapsed in on itself, trying to keep most of his vulnerable parts protected.

He was shaking again, his eyes glued forcefully shut as he waited for pain, or death; or both. Either was expected from Ichigo at this point, and with his body not responding well to his orders, he could do nothing more than wait. It didn't matter that he had made it out of the hospital; Ichigo had still bested him, and won. He thought he heard his name called somewhere amid his thoughts, but his ears weren't working quite as well as before.

He couldn't fight any longer, and didn't have the strength to even if he had the will. His body was already damaged, all he had to do was finish the job. Uryuu was as good as dead.

Then... if that were true, why was he suddenly breathing easier? Had Ichigo really made his death that quick and painless? Did he die of fright? He hadn't quite realized exactly how much pressure had been on his lungs until the weight seemed to lift, and he could take a full breath. Now that his mind was on it, the burning in his ribs had ceased, as well, but it wasn't an instant relief. It was slow, gradual. As if it had started from his lungs and moved outward, for his ribs, then his arms... then his legs. As if his entire body was... repairing itself suddenly.

Not wanting to push his luck, he kept his eyes screwed shut for what felt like an eternity, feeling every ounce of pain slowly sink away from his body until it was no more. Had he really just died...?

A hand on his shoulder startled him from his awe-struck thoughts, and his eyes snapped open to a bright but fading light, before he was left in the darkness again, the shadows waiting on any movement to return. Despite himself, he found his head turning, trying to get a glimpse of who the rather light and gentle touch belonged to, but in the darkness, only one thing registered.

Orange.

His instant thought was to spring away, a strangled scream bubbling from his throat, but his somehow healed body reacted quicker than he expected it to, and he ended up springing into the fence behind them, connecting harshly with his shoulder. He hissed in pain as his trembling knees threatened to send him to the ground again, even as his eyes darted back toward his assailant. There was some kind of female voice calling out to him, but his mind and heart had kicked into overdrive, and his body was already moving.

If he didn't move, he was dead: that was, if he wasn't already.

~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~ (Orihime's POV)

Gripping her phone in her hands, she ran as quick as her legs would carry her, worry and fear driving her movement more than anything. She felt wired, despite the time and fact she would normally be asleep by this hour. The moon shone proudly in the sky, a beautiful sight that betrayed the events unfolding below it. Her skin was prickled with goosebumps, though not because of the temperature. No, it was actually a wonderfully warm night for a stroll, but her thoughts were much darker than the night itself.

Two hours ago, it must have been; two hours after she'd received Rukia's frantic call that Uryuu had run out of the hospital. Tears prickled at the edges of her eyes as she thought about how out of the loop she'd been lately. She should have realized something was going on after Uryuu stopped showing up to school, but every time she questioned Rukia or Chad about it, both of them denied knowing anything about it. Ichigo had been just plain evasive, either never there to ask, or always with some excuse to leave without saying anything.

She guessed that should have been her first tip that something was wrong with one of her friends; she should have pushed the matter, should have tried to get more information... Pausing on the street corner, she huffed quietly, trying to regain her breath even as her eyes wandered around. She knew Rukia had called her first, asking for help in searching for Uryuu, that for some reason even his spiritual pressure wasn't showing up anywhere. She also knew that Rukia had promised to tell her everything after she called Chad and asked for his help too, but she still hadn't received a call back. Should she call her? Even if it was just to say she hadn't been able to find him yet?

In the quiet of the night, it was hard not to hear Rukia's words echoing in her ears.

"Look, it's not my place to say, okay? Something awful happened to Uryuu, and he's hurt. He's already been through surgery, but he's run out of the hospital, and I can't feel his pressure at all. I'm already searching for him, but I need help. Please, Orihime, I know it's late, but it's Uryuu!"

Staring at her phone, trying to decide what to do, she heard what sounded like a strangled scream from a few streets over, the sheer terror in the voice sending fresh goosebumps crawling over her skin. Then the voice sunk in.

Orihime almost dropped her phone as she took off in a run, heading toward where she'd heard the voice coming from. She almost passed the alleyway when she saw a mess of light blue and white crash to the ground, and heard Uryuu's cry of pain as he landed harshly on his side.

Something really was wrong. Something was wrong with Uryuu, and he was out here at night in nothing but a hospital gown and -

She was snapped out of her sudden shock as she realized Uryuu was writhing in the dirt, clutching at the gown and whimpering. A noise she'd never heard before from the proud man, and that if nothing else made her blood run cold. She had to physically make her feet move since they seemed rooted in place, and jogged as quickly as she dared on trembling legs toward Uryuu. The closer she came though, the more she came to realize what Rukia was talking about. She hadn't sensed Uryuu at all, but here, now less than a few yards away, there was a very slight, even weakening bit of spiritual pressure that could hardly even be called that.

She only gasped when she realized just how quickly it was still fading. As if he were dying right here, at her feet. She instantly dropped to her knees beside him, startled by the way he curled in on himself, his entire body trembling just as much as she felt she was, but she couldn't let that stop her. Focusing as hard as possible, she splayed her hands above Uryuu's back, calling forth her Sōten Kisshun, not even bothering to look as her friends zoomed to their places and their healing light surrounded Uryuu.

What could have possibly happened to push Uryuu this far...? He was barefoot, with no clothes beyond that of his hospital gown... his hair was a mess, and he looked like he was in so much pain...

She sat there for several long minutes, knowing her power was healing what damage was done to his body, but from the way he continued to cower from her, it made her wonder what kind of damage was done to his mind that she wouldn't be able to reject...? Why had all of this been kept from her? Why hadn't she just demanded to know what was going on? Again, she could feel tears sneaking up on her, but she couldn't let them fall. Not yet, anyway.

Taking a deep breath to try and strengthen her resolve, she felt the light leave her hands, her friends returning to her hair pins, and hesitantly, she placed a hand on Uryuu's shoulder. In that instant, Uryuu's head snapped up, glazed eyes trying to focus on her through somewhat fogged glasses. It only took a second, but Uryuu snapped back away from her, a loud sound in between a gasp and a scream making Orihime jerk backward as well. She watched him leap backward, his body moving like it used to, if not a bit clumsily and into the fence behind him, but Orihime had no time to rejoice, as Uryuu continued to scramble against the wood, trying to gain his footing.

"Uryuu, wait! I want to -"

Her words were already lost on him, as he had taken off, sprinting at a full out run that she would probably never be able to keep up with. Frantic, she tried to pick herself up, but in the second it took her to lurch to her feet, Uryuu was already out of sight. His spiritual pressure was gone as well, with such a faint signal she probably wouldn't be able to track more than four yards away from him. As much as she hated it, she was left to the only thing she could do.

Fishing her phone out of the dirt where she'd dropped it next to Uryuu when she'd gone to heal him, she turned around, starting to put in the number for Rukia's cell when she bumped into someone.

This late at night?

She glanced up, an apology ready on her lips, but that same apology stayed frozen on her tongue as she looked up into his haunted gaze.

A/N: Thank you again to all my reviewers; you manage to keep this story going even when writer's block dictates that I do anything BUT continue writing. However... I must warn you all it might be a week or so until my next update. I'm not for sure, but there's been a death in the family, someone I was really close to, and I'm trying to find a way to cope while still helping the rest of the family out. So if not reviews this time around, send your thoughts, please. I could use them. And thanks for reading.