A/N: Everyone, it made me so happy to receive your impatient reviews, requesting updates! :-) That tells me you enjoy this story. Thank you!

This may come as a surprise (it was to me) but this chapter is actually the last one, if I don't count the epilogue I'm planning.

I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Enjoy!

(Side note: didn't have time for much reading-through, I'm already as tired as hell, and I don't know when I'll have time again. So please excuse the mistakes and stuff.)

Chapter 12

'What a surprise! I forgot that you were already familiar with this technique, Orihime Inoue!' Aizen's voice was firm and confident, even after their unusual journey. All around them was only black emptiness, like they were out in starless space, but somehow their feet were able to find solid ground. Aizen released Ichigo's hand, and stepped back, looking at the pair intently. 'Grimmjaw used his Caja Negation before you on Ulquiorra, didn't he?'

'Orihime!' Ichigo choked, looking down on her face stupidly, as though not wanting to believe his own eyes. After making up his mind that the girl must really be there, he yanked her forward, pressing her body protectively close to his own, while returning his eyes wearily at Aizen.

'It was supposed to be only the two of us, but maybe it will be more interesting like this.' Aizen continued, unshaken.

'Stay out of this, Orihime!' Ichigo ordered strictly, wanting to step forward.

Aizen snickered.

'Oh, she can't, Kurosaki. That's what makes it sweet! Once you call forth the hogyoku, it will choose the one among us, with the strongest will to be it's new master. It's as simple as that. She can't "stay out"...'

Ichigo looked down on Orihime's scared face.

'The hogyoku? I don't understand.' she whispered.

'It's rather simple, my dear! Let me enlighten you!' Aizen offered, with a casual air, that made Orihime vaguely think of a school teacher. 'I guess you know by now what the hogyoku does, what it's true power is. It can take in your heart, and make the desires in it come true. So, tell me... just how much do you want him to return to being human?' Aizen asked her, leering.

Orihime's eyes widened. So that was why Ichigo had come here! He wanted to become human again for her sake. Using the hogyoku's power! Could it be true? Was it even possible? The thing she desired more than anything in this world, but dared not even voice inside her head until now... She looked at Ichigo questioningly, and saw doubt and worry in his features.

Aizen started laughing.

'Ah, it will be almost too easy now! A child's play! I can already see it played out. Thank you, Orihime! My victory was ensured the moment you decided to follow us here! Kurosaki will be divided in spirit because of his worry for you, and you likewise won't be able to give all your heart into your wish. Would you really try reaching out for the hogyoku, fearing what it might do to your unborn child?'

Ichigo's body strained, like he had received an electric-shock.

'What?'

He released Orihime, and stepped back, to take a better look at her (her whole body this time). And really, the signs were unmistakable... He was gawking, while she averted her eyes, and blushed.

'How?... What?... Orihime!'

'It's true... I only found out after you... I mean after we parted...'

Ichigo looked at her long, being totally silent. His eyes were round, and became more and more dark with every minute, the wild orange fading. Orihime started to become concerned for him: this was no time to space out, not with Aizen right there next to them. But Aizen did nothing, and let them have their time.

Finally Ichigo moved, slowly and gently pulling her into an embrace.

'I'm sorry, Orihime... I'm so sorry! I... I wanted to protect you! Keep you safe... That's why I left you.'

'I know.' she answered quietly.

'Must say this is an interesting phenomena in itself... would worth some looking into. A human conceiving of a hollow!' Aizen noted indifferently. 'And by the feel of it, conceiving a living, full-human baby. Interesting!'

Ichigo only sent him a murderous look before turning back to Orihime.

'It's gonna be all right... trust me. I'll surely win this. And then, we can finally be together... as we should be.'

Orihime didn't meet his eyes.

'Ichigo... I want you to know that you don't have to do this... not for me. Either way, I accept you. It's fine, as long as I can be beside you... As long as you can accept... us.'

Something akin to pain flashed through Ichigo's chest. Seeing Orihime's cast down eyes, hearing her slightly broken voice, he realized how much she must have suffered.

'I'm afraid it's already too late to step 's exactly why I chose to seal us away from the outside world with the caja negation. I knew it would go faster like this.' Aizen noted calmly. 'See this?' he asked from Ichigo. An eeri light was starting to glow around him. 'The hogyoku feels your closeness. It's reaction had began! Brace yourselves, for we stand on the brink of destiny!' he declared dramatically.

The light shone more and more brightly, bathing the ugly chamber in pure golden colors right to the last corner. Energy-rays danced across Aizen's greedy face, as he looked before him, at the spot where all the light seemed to gather and condense.

'Yes, yes! Finally! I've been waiting too long... almost complete!'

The temperature in the room began to raise rapidly, all the gathering energy heating up the air. Orihime soon found herself panting and gasping. It seemed to her like there wasn't enough oxygen in he air any more.

'Not good...' she managed to whisper.

Ichigo took a step forward, shielding her from the source of the radiating power with his body. This whole mess was his responsibility, he had to deal with it. He didn't know what he had to do, but felt that the time to act was close. His best guess was just reaching out, and taking the hogyoku, as soon as it materialized physically. But when he tried to advance forward, he realized that this wouldn't be that easy to do.

The whole room around them started to resemble Hell's deepest pit. The heat was almost unbearable, and it only increased with every inch he moved forward. The light hurt his eyes, he had to close them. He could feel the pull though, the pull of the hogyoku, and it's ominous power. He felt it close. He would have it. He wanted it... he needed it... nothing else would work. He needed to put things right, and this was the only way. He felt that his will was strong.

He reached out for it... Not only with his hands, stubbornly ignoring the pain in his fingers that felt like they were aflame, but with his mind also.

He called it. Called it to him. And felt it stir in response...

Almost there... he could almost feel the little globe, that was the physical manifestation of all this power, inside his grasp. But then, he felt it pull away from him...

No! This was unacceptable! This simply couldn't be! He couldn't let it! He had to have the hogyoku! He couldn't let Aizen take it!

But... was it Aizen?

The heat retreated, and he squinted his eyes tentatively, trying to see past the still blazing light. He saw a hand before him. A small hand, clutching something in it's fist.

Movement caught his eye to the side, and when he looked, he saw a body fall to the ground.

Aizen. He had been knocked out somehow. And right behind him, Orihime was also stumbling, and falling down. But then... who was the one before him? Who's was this strongest, purest, most unshakable, not wavering will, that he was able to feel take hold of the hogyoku, right from before him?

The light slowly faded away, no longer hurting his eyes. He could look now.

There before him stood a young girl.

He was sure he had never seen this girl before, yet she seemed familiar.

'Hi.' she greeted, in a soft voice, that sounded nice and musical to his ears.

His hand, that was still raised out before himself fell down limply to his side as he stared with wonder. For some reason he had to swallow hard before asking:

'Who are you?'

He noticed that she had orange hair. Exactly the same color as his. She wore it short, in a way that reminded him of Tatsuki's tomboyish style. Her features were cute, symmetric, with two round eyes in the middle, big as saucers, in the color of the most magnificent ashen-grey, he could only compare to Orihime's...

She laughed. Her laugh was the same like Orihime's too, twinkling, reminding him of sunshine and birds singing. It was also a little embarrassed, and apologetic, just like she used to make it. But then the girl seemed to collect herself, and her smile melted, giving place to a mild scowl, one that was utterly out of place, yet right there...

'I'm sorry.' she said. 'I had to intervene... I couldn't just watch! I had the key to make everything right all along, and I so wanted to! Now, with this thing in my hand, I finally can!' she looked down, and uncurled her fingers from around the hogyoku, which was now shining with a steady blue light. It looked so innocent now, sitting on her palm, like some toy, or a piece of candy.

'What do you mean "you had the key all along"?' Ichigo asked.

The girl smiled.

'I have my own power. This thing didn't give that to me, but it awakened it. I'm ready to use it to help.'

'What power?'

'Just like my mother, I can reject. I can reject time.'

'Time?'

Ichigo was trying very hard to keep up with things, but in truth, ever since he first laid eyes on this fascinating girl, he could hardly form one coherent thought. It was like everything had suddenly become too much, and his brain just melted...

'I will give you this chance... send you back in time. To restore the balance of things...' she smiled at him once more, lifting her hands (one still holding the hogyoku) palms facing out, to take up the familiar stance Orihime always used for activating her powers.

'Wait!' Ichigo cried, and she looked up curiously, her mouth already open to form the commanding words. 'Er... thank you?'

She smiled even more.

'You're welcome. The least I can do!'

'Would you tell me your name?' Ichigo asked.

She closed her eyes, contemplating his request.

'I'm Miyako.' she finally granted him the answer. 'Don't forget me, ok?'

'Never.' Ichigo assured her seriously.

She sighed big.

'All right. Here it goes! I reject!'

…...

It was just a blink of an eye. When Ichigo opened his eyes, he found himself basked in broad daylight, standing in the middle of a street in Karakura town. The change was so abrupt, that he needed a few seconds before he was able to move, and try thinking of a plan.

'Why did she send me here? Did I really go back in time? To where?'

Suddenly he heard a familiar sound, and turned around sharply. It was Orihime's laugh. He soon saw her, but then his jaw dropped right down. She was holding the hand of someone, a spiky orange haired punk! It took him a minute to realize that he was now seeing himself... The weirdest feeling so far in his already well-experienced life.

He quickly hid himself behind a tree-trunk, and tried to pinpoint their location, and searching for a memory to link the current situation to. He needed to know exactly where he was... or WHEN anyway. He heard Orihime talking about her newest art project, and that dimly ringed a bell.

While he was still only trying to shake his brain into properly functioning again after the shock of the time-travel, and of seeing himself, he could hear the familiar sound of his long-lost soul reaper substitute badge's alarm to go off in the distance. And it clicked in. He suddenly knew exactly where and when he was. Right where he had to be to make everything fall back in it's place, just as Miyako said.

He saw his alter ego reach into his pocket, and a moment later he was already changed. Ichigo couldn't help the surge of pride running through him at the sight of the black shikhansho. He knew from where the hollow would attack, even if his other self didn't, and it took something not to run after it when he saw the monster grab Orihime and run off with her. He quickly reminded himself that he already knew how this story ended, and that the soul reaper Ichigo would save her, even if he was currently wasting time with needless cursing.

Soon Ichigo was left alone on the street, with only his abandoned real body, laying somewhat awkwardly across the pavement. He stayed behind the tree, only watching.

He felt it before he could see it. A screeching sound. A tear in the sky. The swirling blackness of an opening guarganta. A tall black robbed figure stepped out. He was alone, and his moves seemed confident. Ichigo reached to his back, and as quietly as he could, he drew Zangetsu out. He pushed the boiling sourness inside him back as he slowly neared the stranger, who was now crouching down next to his body.

'Well, hi there, Cayo! Thought I would run into you here...'

The other had only time to gawk distractedly, before he brought Zangetsu's blade down on his outstretched right hand which was holding his substitute badge. He guessed that people who conspired with Aizen deserved no civility of a warning before an attack...

Cayo screamed. First in agony, then in anger.

'Bastard! You'll pay for this! Who the hell are you? I thought you were...'

Ichigo grinned.

'That...' he said, while delivering his second blow, which Cayo tried to hold off, wielding his sword with his left. '… is a long story.'

His third strike pierced through his enemy's body. Cayo only had time for a muffled last curse, before his spirit body exploded and vanished without a trace.

'And I have no intention of telling it.' Ichigo finished.

He sighed deeply to calm himself. It was surprisingly easy. He only felt the satisfaction of doing the right thing, not the triumph of the strongest, or the delight of bloodshed after the battle. Even his vision had remained clear all through the fight, it never darkened, showing that his hollow instincts were hardly stirred. He went to examine the battlefield, his mind miraculously clear. He soon found what he was searching for, and picking up the substitute badge, he carefully replaced it into it's pocket inside the jeans his body was wearing.

He was just in time. He heard voices near by, and went back to hide behind that tree again. In the distance, he saw the end of the soul reaper Ichigo's fight. He had just cut the hollow down.

'Orihime! Are you all right?'

'Don't be silly. Of course I'm all right. You protected me... as always.'

It was totally confusing to see and hear all this from an outsider's point of view. He saw Orihime leaning in for a kiss...

'Heal yourself first!'

'Really! This is nothing!'

'For me, it's not.'

He remembered this conversation quite clearly of course...

Orihime called out her powers, and the golden dome worked it's magic on her. The soul reaper Ichigo then allowed her a quick kiss.

'And now... let's get my body back, before some idiot takes it to the hospital again!' he said, scowling.

'All right!'

Ichigo walked behind the pair, keeping a nice distance, so that they wouldn't spot him, as they proceeded to Orihime's apartment. He snickered quite a few times at how reserved their goodbyes seemed to him, with only a few chaste kisses, and not even a decent hug. Still the human Ichigo was blushing faintly as he finally turned, and started his lonely journey back to his own home.

Ichigo waited until his human self reached a secluded ally before approaching him... He had a faint idea that this was the only way to do it. They had to come face to face. He scowled absent mindedly as he tried to imagine the possibilities. But since there was no way around it, he supposed there was no use putting it off. Not to mention how uncomfortable it would be for him to stay in this 'past' for long. He had to return.

The human Ichigo must have felt something, because he suddenly stopped.

'You can turn around. I won't hurt you.' he assured him, aiming to sound as friendly as he could.

The human Ichigo did turn. Brown eyes widened wide.

'What?... Who?... How...?'

'I am you. Another half, if you may.'

He opened his mouth, then closed it back again. But when he did speak, it was violent cursing.

'Shit!… Another half my ass! I must be going mad! How come you bastard are suddenly out of my inner world?'

Ichigo sighed impatiently.

'The answers don't matter. You'll know one day anyway. Whether you accept it or not, I've always been, and always will be your other half. And now... Together, we can be whole again.'

And he reached out to touch him.

…...

Again, it was only a blink of an eye. Ichigo was just as unprepared as before, as he suddenly found himself in a whole new setting. What made the experience even more confusing was, that he seemed to be lying down, so even his perspective was suddenly turned sideways. He was inside a room that seemed totally unfamiliar at first, but not unfriendly. But as he kept watching the leaf patterned curtains, and the furniture, he suddenly felt them to be familiar despite remaining firm about never having seen them before.

Suddenly, he felt a weird sensation... slight movement. He looked down, and saw a little orange head resting peacefully against his chest. Ichigo's breath hitched. There was a cute button nose, two rosy cheeks, a little pouting mouth to go with the head too. The little baby's eyes were closed, and her little chest rose and fell rhythmically, while her small hands were balled into tiny fists in her sleep. Her breath slightly tickled Ichigo's skin, where his shirt parted. Looking, he realized that there was no hollow hole on his chest any more...

He could feel a rich warmness radiating from the little girl's body, filling him with something... And he could feel his very own heart beat under his skin in response.

Emotions.

He moved a hand to his face, touching his eyes, and felt a little moisture. This was proof. He felt glad, relieved, even proud, that he was somebody who could cry.

The little girl was stirring in his lap, her fingers curling unconsciously into the fabric of his shirt. Ichigo smiled. Finally she lifted her head a little, opening two sleepy eyes.

'Miyako...' Ichigo greeted, recognition kindling in his eyes instantly.

The baby girl rewarded him with a cute smile.

'Ichigo!' he heard someone whisper.

He lifted his head, and saw Orihime tiptoeing inside the room, apron tied before herself, and a ladle in hand.

'Do you allow walnut in the stew? I think it would be delicious!' she rumbled hurriedly, still in a whisper. 'I could coat it with caramel, I think that's the best... ah! She's awake!' she added more loud, smiling down on their daughter. 'Hi, Darling! Mommy's making dinner!'

Then she turned back to her husband, and opened her mouth to speak again, but something made her stop. She raised her hand tentatively to his face, while a worried expression settled on her features. Her fingers brushed caresingly against his skin, wiping away the remains of his tears.

'Something's wrong?' she asked gently.

He grabbed her hand, pressing it firmly against his cheek. He closed his eyes for a second, trying to calm his over-brimming heart. Then he looked at her, with a smile.

'Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I'm... I'm just so happy to be... home.'

He firmly pulled her down, to sit next to them on the sofa, apron and everything, and he half sat up, supporting Miyako firmly with one hand, and putting the other behind Orihime's neck, so that he could kiss her.

He won't tell her everything. Not now anyway. Honestly he himself was not sure whether he was able to cope with everything yet. He had made a long, painful journey, that existed for him only now. He would have to learn to live with that. But he fully intended to tell her how lucky he thought he was to have her... to be able to love her... with his full heart.

…...

A/N: Well... What do you think? I hope the narrative wasn't too confusing, with constant skips, and two Ichigo's... Please tell me! I'm real anxious about this! Originally, I didn't want to use time-travel, because I think it was a nasty deus-ex-machina from my part, but this was the only way to do a full happy ending. If I really do that alternate ending I told you about earlier, at least some losses would be unavoidable.

Anyway, there's still the epilogue to this, to give you a clearer view of the aftermath.

Hope to hear from you! Please review!