Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters.Thanks to CrystalRaindrop007 for Beta'ing! And for the quote "The will to live is greater than death itself".

Shadows In The Night — IV

Was he dead? . . . no, he couldn't be . . .

"What are you doing?"

Ichigo's vision was blurred as he stood to his feet, looking around. His hands automatically went to his stomach, which was no longer bleeding . . . what the hell! It wasn't even cut anymore! Alarmed, he looked around. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he recognized where he was at. He glanced around, trying to find Zangetsu. But he was no where to be found.

Zangetsu usually only came out during fights. It was unusual that he had pulled Ichigo here on his deathbed. Suddenly, Ichigo's surroundings changed. Everything was dark . . . he blinked to keep the fuzziness out of his vision as he tried to see something, anything.

Then he saw him.

"Why are you here!" Ichigo shouted. "Who are you?"

"I'm you. I thought we already got around that."

Suddenly, the world around him began to spin. Ichigo found himself slightly dizzy as he closed his eyes against the spinning. Then it stopped. When he opened his eyes, he wasn't at all prepared for what he saw. He was standing up on the same building that he had died on. His body was lying on the ground, the pool of blood around him thick and dark. He silently thanked God that Rukia wasn't awake to see that. The he saw Renji, Byakuya and Hitsugaya. Renji wanted to leave; he looked sick at the sight of Ichigo, knowing that he had been the one to kill him.

Hitsugaya was just standing there, his eyes cast upon the ground. He had killed many, many times. But he still didn't like seeing people dying.

And Byakuya was as cold and distant as usual as he stood there, Rukia still in his grip. Ichigo began to run to him, wanting to take Rukia back, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned around, growling at the man that said he was Ichigo himself.

"You can't do anything. They can't see you; you're dead."

"Then why the hell did you bring me here?" Ichigo demanded. He was looking desperately backward as Byakuya turned his back and began to walk away. Hitsugaya followed. Renji, though much slower, glanced back at Ichigo, his eyes filled with pain at having killed his friend.

"Sorry, Ichigo."

Ichigo watched this, nearly screaming. He wanted to go back! He could see the pain that Renji would carry if he didn't! He wanted to go to Rukia!

"Then why don't you?"

Ichigo spun around and came face to face with his other side.

"How? How the hell can I? I'm dead, for God's sake!"

He glanced desperately back at the group as they continued walking. It seemed as everything was going in slow motion. They were walking far too slow. Maybe time was slowed down here.

"Your will to live is greater than death itself."

"Why are you helping me?" Ichigo questioned, his heart telling himself to believe this man, but his head telling him there was no way. His body was gone, he couldn't go back. "Every other time I've seen you, you tried to kill me!"

"That was when you needed help in battle!"

"What's so different now!" Ichigo yelled, feeling fury build up inside of him.

"You need help to live! I am you! You pulled yourself inside this world to help yourself! You want to live, I know you do, so pull yourself together and do it!"

Ichigo was shocked. The other . . . no, he was right. He needed to live. If he died, so would Rukia, and his baby. Darn it, he had to live! He had to!

Ichigo felt himself slipping. Like he was on an iced roof, and he was slowly sliding off. He closed his eyes and let the sensation take over himself.

Then he felt pain. Hard, blinding pain. But he had to ignore it. As he slowly opened his eyes, he realized that he was back in his body. He could see Byakuya and the others walking off. No! He couldn't let them!

But he was still dying. He was awake, which was a step up from earlier, but his vision was about to go out again, probably from lack of blood, and he would be back where he started. No, he couldn't. He had to get up.

Get up! Get up! Get up!

His mind was screaming on thing, while the pain coursing through his body was screaming another. He wanted to save Rukia, but could he?

Yes! He had to! He had to stand, to take out his Zanpaktou . . . and he had to fight!

He could feel his body moving. He felt his hands move, and he felt his body being pulled up from the ground. He could feel his legs stand beneath him, but he didn't know how he was doing it.

. . .Your will to live is greater than death itself. . .

He had to believe that. He had to. He had to stand, and he had to fight.

He couldn't die yet, not now, and not this way. He wanted to see his baby born, and he wanted to see it grow up. He wanted to see Rukia's smiling face again. He wanted to see his friends, and his family. He wanted to see tomorrow.

He needed power to do that. Right now, though he was standing, he couldn't do much of anything. Even if he could fight, he would die quickly. He needed power.

There was only one place he knew where to get it.

Help me.

Ichigo whispered the silent plea in his head, willing the hollow within him out. He could win the fight . . . he could live. But he had to call out the power he hated so much. He had to call out the side of him he never wanted to use.

But, in order to save Rukia, he had to.

Please, help me.

Ichigo knew it was happening when he felt as if his body was being super heated. He could feel the power coursing through his veins. He could feel himself being taken over.

And, for once in his life, he let it happen. He embraced and welcomed it. If this was the only way to save Rukia, he would do it. He would kill himself afterwards if he couldn't break the Hollows grip on him, but he would do it.

Finally, he heard the voice in his head.

Stupid. Go and get yourself killed why don'tcha? Well, I can heal a small wound like this if I want to.

Please.

Will you let me fight?

Ichigo knew he didn't have a choice.

Yes. But I have a favor to ask. Please give me back control when this is over. I beg of you.

I don't have to do anything now that I have control. Your body is so weak, I could completely take over if I wanted.

Please. We can work together. I need you power, and you need my body. You know you would be killed if you take over completely. Please, lend me your power . . .

For now. And we'll see how I feel about giving you body back later. I must cut. I need to taste blood. It's been so long . . .

Ichigo could feel the need . . . like it was his own. And he knew that the Hollow would kill everyone. He would kill them, and he would have fun doing it.

No! Don't kill them! Please! Ichigo suddenly realized what a mistake he had made.

Who said kill? I want to make them suffer. I want to feel that satisfaction again!

Ichigo could feel the Hollow taking complete control. He could feel himself being pushed back further and further into the realm of nowhere.

The he was back.

"Fight him. Do not let him take control. Fight him!"

Ichigo could see himself again. His inner self was back, standing right in front of him.

"Ichigo, fight him. He will kill, he will not let your friends live. You have to do this on your own!"

"I can't, darn it! I can't do anything without his help! I'm dying, I'm dead! I need his power!"

"Fool! Your own power is enough! You have to fight! Pull yourself together, and do not let him take control! You will die! And those you love will die!"

Ichigo didn't know what to do. His inner self was pushing him to take control, but he needed the power the Hollow offered. He had to embrace that power . . . and live.

He could feel the Hollow beginning to heal him. Once he was fully healed, the Hollow would take over him completely, and he would be gone. Rukia would be safe, but he would be gone.

No. He had to fight it. The Hollow would kill Renji, and he would kill Byakuya and Hitsugaya. He couldn't let that happen. He had to win this on his own, and he had to do it with his own two hands.

He could feel himself growing more powerful as the healing was nearly completed. He had to hurry and take back control. It was a mistake to let the Hollow out in the first place. He should have believed in himself from the beginning.

Then, everything went black and he knew that the Hollow had taken control.

No! Damn! He had to do this!

But he couldn't. It felt as though chains were holding him in place as he tried to take control of the Hollow.

Then, he heard the voice that wasn't his own. Suddenly, his would was lit up again as the Hollow allowed Ichigo to see through his own eyes.

"Now, I will let you watch, Ichigo, as I kill your friends. Then I will kill Rukia. Nice and slow."

Ichigo's Hollow charged. Byakuya spun around, just realizing that Ichigo was on his feet. Renji turned to, gasping as he watched the mask on Ichigo's face spread out, covering his face from top to bottom. He took out his sword, but he wasn't quick enough. The Hollow stabbed Renji straight through the heart, laughing as he fell to the ground.

"NO!"

Ichigo heard himself speak through the Hollow.

"Shut up, Ichigo!" his Hollow yelled back.

Ichigo pulled and pulled on the invisible chains that were wrapped around him. He would break free! He could do it, he just had to find the strength!

"No! Stop! I can kill you! I will kill you!"

And before Ichigo knew what was happening, the Hollow had stabbed himself, knowing that as soon as Ichigo was weak enough, he could take over again. Ichigo felt himself fall to his knees.

No! He couldn't die! If the Hollow took over, everyone he loved would die!

With an ear-splintering scream, Ichigo reached up and took hold of his mask, pulling it with all his might. The Hollow was weakened, too, he could feel it as he pulled at the mask. He knew that the Zanpaktou had missed any vital organs. He was still breathing, and he could still move. That was a good sign.

Then, without realizing where he had gotten the power from, Ichigo had ripped off the mask, watching as it crumbled at his feet.

"Sorry, Renji. Sorry Rukia."

And with those final words, Ichigo fell unconscious. He would live, if he was given help, he knew that. He had to trust that Byakuya would help Renji and him.

But it was likely that Renji was gone anyway. Gone somewhere he could never return from.

Nerve-wracking, huh? The next chapter will be the same thing happening here, but through Byakuya and Renji's thoughts.

PLEASE REVIEW!