I don't own Bleach. I cry.

Chapter 5

As they ran through the gate Ichigo grabbed at Toshiro's hand, his brown eyes serious. "I don't want you to fight, Toshiro."

The smaller blinked, and then frowned. "Kurosaki, Karakura Town is my area. I can't just sit and watch!"

Ichigo's frown deepened. "If you get hurt you could lose the baby, yuki hime, I don't want either of you hurt."

Toshiro smiled slightly. "Pregnancy is different in shinigami, Ichigo. Even if the baby did get hurt, it would feed off my reiatsu and heal itself. It's a defense mechanism for this very purpose. As long as I don't die or my reiatsu runs out, the baby will be fine." He squeezed Ichigo's hand gently, his eyes softening. "As a captain I have more than enough reiatsu. I'll be fine."

Ichigo held on tighter. He wanted to keep arguing the point, his every sense screaming to stop Toshiro from fighting, but he knew that no matter what he said the little captain was going to fight whether he liked it or not. He was just too stubborn. "Be safe. Please."

Just before they hit the open gate to the real world Toshiro pulled them to a stop, throwing himself up into Ichigo's arms, kissing him deeply. Ichigo clutched him to his body, humming at the feel of the small bulge of their child.

"I love you…" Ichigo breathed against the smaller's lips.

Toshiro smiled. "I know. Don't die."

A rogue grin spread over Ichigo's face. "Not in a million years."

There were four Arrancar, enough to occupy the five shinigami that had come, Matsumoto, Rukia, Renji, Ichigo, and Toshiro. Rukia remained close to Toshiro, lending him help, but as the small captain called on his bankai she could do little more than stay out of the way.

Ichigo tried to keep an eye on his lover, but wasn't doing enough in his own fight to keep pace. He was bleeding from multiple wounds, and was panting slightly, the slender form of Zangetsu shivering slightly as he shook.

"Pay attention, shinigami!" the Arrancar roared, moving in for another strike. His zanpaktou gave him a bladed, iron hard body, and Ichigo was having trouble getting around the defense.

Come on, King, let me out.

'Shut up!'

Ichigo poured his concentration into the fight, ignoring the taunts of his inner Hollow. While he was on much better terms with the creature, he didn't want to use his power if he didn't have to; no one really knew about him.

A scream alerted him, and he turned to see Toshiro and his Arrancar opponent in the sky, swords raised and after a strike. He saw the Arrancar crumple and fade, defeated by the slash across its throat, and his eyes turned to Toshiro.

He was still for a moment, and then his ice wings faded as he let the bankai go. Ichigo felt his heart stop as Toshiro looked up, teal eyes faded and blood trailing from both corners of his mouth.

Hyourinmaru slipped from his grasp, and then blood sprayed from the huge gashes forming an X over his chest.

Toshiro fell.

"NO!" Ichigo screamed, diving toward the crumpled form of his lover, moving faster than he ever thought he could. He faintly noticed Rukia taking over his fight, but focused all of his attention on Toshiro.

Ichigo grunted softly as the small body collided with his own, dropping to a knee and carefully cradling Toshiro to his chest. The shinigami was gasping faintly, trembling violently as mist escaped his lips.

"Toshiro! Toshiro, look at me!" Ichigo cupped Toshiro's cheek, stroking his thumb over the pale face.

Toshiro's eyelids fluttered, his lips parting as he tried to speak. A faint moan escaped him, his head lolling.

"No! Stay awake, Toshiro! Keep your eyes open!" Ichigo screamed, holding him tighter. "Stay with me, yuki hime!"

"Ichigo!"

He whirled to see an open gate to the Soul Society. Matsumoto stood there, covered in sweat and blood. "Get him to Unohana-taichou, quickly!"

The orange-head didn't think, he ran, clutching Toshiro to his chest as he shunpo'd through the gate. He almost flew his feet barely touching the ground as he moved.

He exploded into the fourth division courtyard, already yelling.

"Help! Help him!"

Unohana appeared an instant later, taking one look at the bloody form in Ichigo's arms and ushering them into the building.

Ichigo was pushed backwards as healers moved forward, two of them starting on his chest, Unohana holding reiatsu surrounded hands over his stomach.

His heart in his throat, Ichigo paced back and forth, clenching his hands, his body tense. He swallowed thickly, trying to see what was happening, only unable to.

He sat in a heap in the corner, his face in his hands as he tried to calm his breathing.

"Kurosaki-kun."

He looked up sharply, his brown eyes sharp with fear and worry. "Yes?"

The gentle woman had a serious look on her face and she looked afraid. "We need your assistance, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo was on his feet in a moment, following the captain to the bed. Toshiro was pale, shivering and pained, his beautiful face scrunched up. Ichigo quickly took his hand, heart thudding in his chest as he noticed the breathing mask over his face.

"The baby is just fine, but Hitsugaya-kun is running out of reiatsu. He overestimated his capacity, at least while pregnant. Using bankai took too much." Unohana said quietly. "His body is forgetting how to breathe, but he won't accept our reiatsu to help."

"What do I do?" Ichigo whispered.

The woman nodded. "Link your reiatsu with his, if you can. We're hoping he'll accept yours because you are lovers. Call to him, and I will guide you to his mind."

Brown eyes traveled upwards to meet blue. "If it doesn't work?"

"… he won't survive the night."

Ichigo closed his eyes, gripping Toshiro's hand tighter. "Toshiro… come back to me, yuki hime…"

He was suddenly surrounded by snow. A serene lake was visible, a mountain range at his back. All was ice and snow, and Ichigo could see the faint glint of red.

Hyourinmaru.

Ichigo moved forward, and he could see the tiny form of his lover curled in the snow, the icy coils of the dragon enclosing him. The orange-head gulped as Hyourinmaru shifted, glowing crimson eyes focused on him.

"Please." Ichigo whispered. "Please, let me through."

The dragon growled softly, his body coiling tighter and tighter. He didn't know if he trusted this intruder into his master's mind, and he was worried. He recognized the man, but was wary.

Ichigo dropped to his knees in the snow, tears spilling onto his cheek, freezing as they dripped onto his knees.

"Please, Hyourinmaru. I love him. Let me save him." He choked on a sob. "Don't make me lose someone else I love."

Hyourinmaru moved. Ichigo blinked, and then was on his feet, running for the tiny crumpled form in the snow. He clutched Toshiro to his chest and cupped his pale face.

Hyourinmaru watched silently, a dragon smile on his muzzle. You have chosen well, my little master… Well indeed…

"Come on love, open your eyes…" Ichigo whispered, stroking the pale face.

He leaned down, pressing his lips to Toshiro's.

Like the breath of life, the kiss forced life into Toshiro's small body. Ichigo felt a drain on his reiatsu, and then a chilly presence appeared at the corner of his mind, curling up and making a home there.

They were connected.

Ice met fire, and Ichigo found himself back out in the fourth division barracks. A gentle hand touched his back. "Good job, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo paid her no mind; he only had eyes for Toshiro as the tiny captain's eyes fluttered open. Ichigo gathered him close, burying his face against Toshiro's cool throat.

"What happened to 'I'll be fine?'" Ichigo murmured, his voice choked with tears.

Toshiro tightened his grip on Ichigo's shoulders, his face in the orange hair against his head. "I knew you'd be there to save me."

"Don't you ever do that again." Ichigo commanded in a choked voice. He looked Toshiro in a powerful kiss, not giving him any choice to refuse it. The tiny captain submitted quietly, and then pet Ichigo's orange hair as the shinigami lay his cheek against Toshiro's shoulder.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Gotta love the stubborness of Toshiro... As for Hyourinmaru, I could just see the dragon doing something like that. He would want to protect Toshiro, and therefore wanted to make sure that Ichigo had no ill intentions, as he has never had Ichigo intrude upon Toshiro's mindscape before. He knew that Ichigo would probably help, but he wanted to test him just the same, in his own way. As for the whole mindscape thing, it just came to me. I like it though. And it gives me a chance to bring Ogichi further into the story. (his time is coming, don't worry!)