Homecoming

A/N: I came home from vacation and not only got some pretty bad medical news but also found out that my company is closing down. Guess I get to look forward to the stress of unemployment without healthcare again (boo). Anyways, that will hopefully mean that I will have more time for writing, so there's always that. Luckily I'm an optimistic person, so I doubt that all of sudden there will be a slew of depressing stories from me or anything.

Renji's head shot up. He paused for a second to locate the disturbance and then bolted out the door.

"Captain, where are you going?" Someone asked him once he got outside.

"Looks like we have some hollows going to crash the gate. I have a couple of things I'd like to talk to them about," Renji said with a wide smile, his eyes gleaming.

"We're not supposed to be on guard…," someone hit the man in the back and he winced, shutting up.

"Let's go!" Another squad member said.

"Woohoo!" Someone yelled, joining in the chase.

The group of Squad 5 members weren't really organized, but they had fought together and trained enough that they automatically filtered themselves into smaller groups as they dashed for the pulsing spiritual pressure that was approaching the western gate.

"Faster!" Renji yelled as he began to leave his troops in the dust. "We don't want anyone to get there before us!"

"Yes, sir!" they yelled, picking up the pace, flash stepping through the Seireitei past confused looking members of other squads.

"Wha…what?" Jidanbo asked, confused. His hand paused at his zanpakuto.

"I said, leave him alone or I'm going to pound you!" Ichigo said, trying to sound as threatening as possible even though he fully realized he was currently as frightening as a mewing kitten.

"It's ok, it's not like I can't handle him," Grimmjow said with a crooked smile.

"No! Don't even touch your weapon!" Ichigo said to him firmly. Depending on who rushed out first…hopefully it would be someone from Squad 11 who wouldn't attack a man who wasn't fighting back. Of course, the problem would be making sure that Grimmjow didn't fight back.

All of a sudden Ichigo felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He froze, and then his body began to shake.

"ICHIGO!" Grimmjow yelled, looking down at him with concern.

"…I'm…ok…," Ichigo said through his gritted teeth, trying to ignore his lightheadedness.

"You let me in or you're gonna be full of holes," Grimmjow said to Judanbo menacingly.

"Lieutenant Kurosaki, are you ok?" Judanbo asked worriedly. Ichigo obviously needed help, but he couldn't just an arrancar waltz through the door.

"Someone's coming," Grimmjow said, feeling the rushing approach of Renji and his group.

"Ha, you hollow scum…," Renji started, stopping at seeing Ichigo in Grimmjow's arms. "YOU BASTARD!" Renji roared. "ROAR, ZABI…"

"RENJI STOP!" Ichigo managed to get out with a gasp.

"…Ichigo…," Renji said.

"He saved me," Ichigo said. "Thank god it's you here. Please, don't kill him. He freed me and brought me here."

"What?" Renji asked. He held out his hand to stop his men from advancing. "I don't…"

"Please, Renji. Promise me…" Ichigo started to shudder again.

"Damn it, argue later. His lips are blue and that can't be good," Grimmjow growled.

"Hand him over," Renji ordered.

"Like hell I am. The second I let him go I'm probably gonna get jumped. I just want to see him safe; I think I fucking deserve that. You can do whatever the hell later, just shut up and let me get him to a doctor!"

Renji paused for a moment. It was a lot to take in all at once. He was pretty sure that Grimmjow was supposed to be dead, it was shocking to see him hanging out in front of the western gate, it was amazing that Ichigo was alive and here…and it was horrifying to see how truly sick Ichigo looked right now. His mind was still reeling but he needed to save Ichigo, regardless of any consequences. The other captains could go ahead and yell at him later, he had to…

"Fine. Let's go!" Renji turned.

"Captain Abarai…" Judanbo began.

"Blame me later if you have to," Renji said over his shoulder. "Men! Escort us and make sure no one interferes!"

"Yes, sir!"

Shuuhei stirred in his sleep. He hadn't been feeling very well and had decided to take the day off.

"Ichigo…" he murmured. In his dreams he saw Ichigo, his back towards Shuuhei. "Ichigo!" he called out. Ichigo started to turn.

Shuuhei sat up, his eyes slightly wild. Ichigo…Ichigo was…where? He took a couple of seconds to wake up fully. I can still feel him, Shuuhei thought. He's…he's…Shuuhei jumped out of bed. Ichigo, he's here!

Shuuhei threw on some clothes and was out the door in a moment. He practically ran head first into his captain at his doorstep.

"Kisuke," Shuuhei said. Things had become a lot more friendly between the two of them. Kisuke's dedication to helping him find Ichigo, even going as far as lying to cover up how often Shuuhei was going to Hueco Mundo, had really endeared him to his lieutenant. Shuuhei was still pretty formal in the office, but when the two of them worked in Kisuke's lab or met up at Shuuhei's quarters to discuss search strategies, they always used first names.

"I take it you feel him?" Kisuke asked.

"He's really here then?" Shuuhei said. He had half wondered if he had finally gone crazy and was imagining it. Ichigo's presence felt so weakened that he almost didn't recognize it.

"Yes. My guess would be he's on his way to Squad 4."

"Let's go," Shuuhei said.

Renji was never more happy with Captain Unohana's unflappable personality then he was when they burst in to the Squad 4 headquarters. She handled the situation with aplomb, raising an eyebrow at Grimmjow's appearance but concentrating on Ichigo's status instead of arguing about it.

Ichigo was drifting in and out of consciousness. He woke up and saw Unohana leaning over him. "Grimmjow…" he murmured. He couldn't see him.

"I'm still here," Grimmjow said, coming to Ichigo's side.

"Renji," Ichigo said. "You never promised me…"

"I'll try and keep him safe," Renji said.

"Captain Abarai," Captain Unohana said. "I take it that this arrancar aided Ichigo in his escape, but you shouldn't issue any promises that you can't keep."

"I mean it," Renji answered.

"I suggest at least putting him into spiritual cuffs. In fact, I insist," Unohana said.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo said, reaching out and grabbing onto him. "Please, Grimmjow…let them…"

Grimmjow frowned. He was willing to fight against the shinigami, but being their helpless captive wasn't really part of his plan. But…he grabbed the hand that Ichigo was holding onto him with. "I'll do it willingly if you let me stay here."

"Stay here?" Unohana asked.

"I want to see him healthy again. If I'm going to have to die for this, I at least want to make sure that it was worth it." Grimmjow looked over at Ichigo, whose eyes were closed again.

Renji was staring at Grimmjow. Why had he done this? Had he really just given up his life and freedom just to get Ichigo back to the Soul Society? That didn't make any sense. The former espada hated Ichigo. In fact, he seemed to almost foam at the mouth whenever he saw Ichigo. The crazy espada seemed to attack Ichigo whenever he got a chance. Why would he care at all if Ichigo lived or died? And why would he care so much that he'd go through these lengths to make sure that Ichigo lived?

Shuuhei and Kisuke walked in. Shuuhei didn't even pause, his zanpakuto was drawn almost the instant he was in the door.

"SHUUHEI!" Renji jumped in front of him as he approached Grimmjow.

"What the hell is he doing here," Shuuhei said angrily in a low voice. As he glared past Renji towards Grimmjow he noticed something else. Grimmjow noticed the glance and smiled maliciously, grabbing a hold of Ichigo's hand tighter.

"Something wrong, scar-face?" Grimmjow asked with an edge in his voice.

"…Don't...touch…him!" Shuuhei said, shoving at Renji to get out him out of the way.

Renji grabbed Shuuhei's shoulders. "Ichigo made me promise to try and protect this arrancar. I can't let you attack him! Sheath your zanpakuto!"

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, former sixth espada," Grimmjow introduced himself.

"Why would he ask that?" Shuuhei asked, ignoring Grimmjow.

"Because I saved him," Grimmjow answered for Renji.

Shuuhei met his eyes. "How is he?" Shuuhei asked Captain Unohana, not removing his gaze from Grimmjow.

"I believe he will live, but I imagine that he will not be able to ever return to his previous duties."

"What?" Shuuhei said.

"Why?" Grimmjow asked.

"He is far too damaged to ever be able to fight again. Even walking normally will likely cause him a lot of pain. It's hard to heal scar tissue and many of his bones seem to have been broken and have healed not completely correctly. Survival will be possible for him, but he will most likely walk with a limp and not have full range of motion ever in either of his arms."

"What the hell kind of healer are you!" Grimmjow yelled at her. "Don't say that! Fix him!"

Renji didn't say anything but he was definitely in agreement with the espada. An Ichigo that couldn't fight? That could barely walk? Ichigo as a broken old man? It wasn't something that seemed possible.

"Why are you still touching him!" Shuuhei took his frustration out on Grimmjow.

"Hey, don't blame me. After all, he was gone an awful long time," Grimmjow said, his eyes lighting up as he spoke. "Some memories fade," he added meaningfully.

Shuuhei felt like he had been punched. Ichigo wouldn't…Ichigo loved him, he wouldn't just…he couldn't have forgotten…he wouldn't have given up on him…

"I know all about ya. Ichigo talked about you a lot…at first," Grimmjow added with a smile.

The room was beginning to spin for Shuuhei. He felt like his heart was held in a vice-like gripe, as if Grimmjow held it in his hand, slowly squeezing tighter and tighter.

Grimmjow had to grin seeing the flicker of emotions across Shuuhei's face as he watched the confusion and pain set in.

"Six months is a long time, especially when you're doing nothing except being tortured," Grimmjow said, continuing to dig into Shuuhei. "I was the only one he could turn to, the only one he could talk to. I was the one who helped him survive, who visited almost every day, and who broke him out and freed him."

"Shuuhei," Renji said. "Don't listen to him."

"Aw, shut up, Red," Grimmjow responded. "Mr. 69 here knows that I'm telling the truth. He was never good for Ichigo anyways. Hell, he didn't even love him."

Shuuhei growled, launching himself at Grimmjow.

"Shuuhei?" Ichigo asked quietly, his eyes coming open. He pulled his hand free from Grimmjow, reaching for Shuuhei.

Shuuhei immediately forgot about Grimmjow and grabbed Ichigo's hand. "Ichigo," he said, his voice broken. Ichigo reached out for him with his other hand, touching Shuuhei's face. Shuuhei smiled down at him, his eyes becoming glassy with unshed tears. Ichigo was alive, he told himself. He's alive. He's injured, he's been through hell, but against all odds, he was alive.

Ichigo smiled and then sighed deeply. It was ok now, Shuuhei was here. He could deal with whatever was going to happen now. For the first time in a very long time, he almost felt peaceful. "I'm sorry," he said to Shuuhei.

"What for?" Shuuhei asked.

"I think…I'm not sure that I'm…," Ichigo's eyes were large as he focused on Shuuhei's face. "I don't think that I can hold on too mu…" He started to drift, his hands falling from Shuuhei face. "I'm just…too tired." He closed his eyes, falling back into unconsciousness. Shuuhei looked over to Unohana worriedly.

"You said he was going to be ok, right?" Renji asked.

"Assuming that his heart doesn't stop, yes," Unohana replied.

"What the fuck?" Grimmjow yelled.

Shuuhei clasped Ichigo's hand tighter.

"Might I suggest that there is someone very fond of Ichigo that could definitely help in this situation?" Kisuke said with a cough.

"That human girl," Grimmjow realized. "My whole arm was gone and she just grew it back. I've seen her practically bring Ichigo back from the dead. Get her!"

"Yes, I am speaking about the human Orihime Inoue," Kisuke said.

"She could fix him so that he'll be just like he was before," Grimmjow said softly, his eyes on Ichigo's still form. He could be in fighting condition again, none of this hardly able to walk shit.

"She's a human, it's not as thought you can just bring her through a senkaimon. She needs approval to come as well," Unohana pointed out.

"Well, er, it so happens that…" Kisuke pulled out a sheaf of papers from his pocket. "I kind of had an idea that if Ichigo got back he might be fairly damaged so I already got her a pass. Also, by pure happenstance, I happen to have a converter of my own design on standby, just in case I happen to need to transfer any humans to the spiritual realm."

"Captain Urahara," Shuuhei said, gratitude shining in his eyes. Though they had been working together closely, his captain had never mentioned this.

"Thanks, Kisuke," Renji said.

"Well then, I guess I'll send my lieutenant off to pick up our guest."

"Of course, sir," Shuuhei said. He paused at the door, looking back at Ichigo lying unconscious on the bed.

"Don't worry, he'll still be here when you get back," Renji assured him.

Shuuhei nodded. He sent one final warning glare at Grimmjow, which just made the espada laugh.

"Yeah, don't worry, I'll take good care of him," Grimmjow said with a sly smile.

Fuck you, Shuuhei thought, barely managing to not say it out loud. He left.

"What the hell are you doing?" Renji growled to Grimmjow as soon as Shuuhei left.

"Ah come on, just having a little fun," Grimmjow said. "Do shinigami not know how to do that?"

"I know Ichigo well enough to know that he might be very grateful to you, but that doesn't mean shit," Renji said. "Shuuhei might be wound up a little but I know Ichigo would never let his attention stray from him even in the toughest of environments."

Grimmjow was glaring.

"So stop playing your stupid game and go get your kicks some place else. You know Ichigo will kick your ass if he finds out you've been messing with Shuuhei," Renji continued.

Grimmjow laughed. "You're all so uptight."

"No one move," Captain Soifon said from the door, surrounded by members of the Punishment Force.

Shit, Renji thought.