Hello – I'm back!

"Taichō?" Renji knelt respectfully before his captain.

"Abarai?" Byakuya said nothing more, it was always better that way to let the man squirm in his own torment. It was usually more humorous that way. He continued his work leaving the scarlett headed man in his own torment for a while.

"Where is Ichigo?"

"At division 4 for the moment."

"Is he okay?"

"Captain Unohana wanted to check him over."

"I mean is he okay?" The noble looked up and waited for Renji to clarify the okay. "Its just that when he woke…."

"When you woke him…"

"Yeah, well… He was scared of me."

"The boy was tortured to the point that he has no memories of his former life, remembers no one and arrived here almost taking his last breath. I think that would be enough don't you?"

"But.." More silence from the piercing stare. "He trusts you. I mean you weren't exactly buddies before and that. I don't think he would normally…or you would normally have…"

"What should I do when faced with a worried child?"

"…" The lieutenant bowed and went to leave the room.

"You know Kurosaki. He is infuriatingly good at getting people to respond to him." He heard as he left. He paused and turned and looked at his captain who seemed to have said nothing at all. "Pardon?" He looked up as if it had been Renji that said that last sentence.

"Nothing sir." He said replied leaving the room before allowing a smile. Well, I guess that proves it, he does have a heart.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

The gravel looked preened beautifully as Byakuya dragged his rake along a curve around the pond's edge. He glanced up at Ichigo, sitting on the wooden deck edge as his father had done a week or so ago. He looked calm and for once thoughtful himself as he sat watching Byakuya tend his garden.

What was the next step with him? By now the trust was firmly established. That alone made the 6th Division captain feel happy. That had allowed him to have the teen closer than he'd ever before imagined or honestly wanted. He was thankful that it didn't seen at all stifling difficult to have this constant presence. If Ichigo did recover to his full self, that cheeky, disrespectful, impulsive person, would I still feel this easy having him around all the time? Byakuya, you stupid fool, he wouldn't stay around would he? He has a life in the real world. You know, as you've always known he doesn't belong here. It isn't his time to be here yet.

Byakuya felt a pricking sensation on the back of his neck. A presence, defiantly a powerful Hollow…Ichigo's Hollow? There was a strong sense of Ichigo in the retsui.

Ichigo was up and running before Byakuya could react. At least in his powerless state he was greatly hampered in speed. Byakuya had chance to grab him and stop him as he neared the orchard.

"Its him!" The excited eyes danced. A hopeful look spread across his features.

"You can feel him too?"

"He's come for me!" The teen pulled at the restraining hand.

"Ichigo think! Where can he take you? Not back there, you don't want to go back there!"

"He's come for me!" Ichigo pulled away and began running again. Byakuya quickly caught him again and stopped him.

"Wait. Let me come." Ichigo threaded his hand into his and nodded. Unused to this form of touching Byakuya paused but Ichigo dragged him on.

"Ichigo!" Hichigo gasped. Seeing the red hair running towards him. He had wanted to get out before he'd be found, but a sense of relief that his King was alive was deniably pounding in his chest.

Byakuya held the boy back looking carefully at the Hollow incarnation of Ichigo. Other than the white colouring, he was identical. His eyes cast down the twin to the other Hollow at his feet. Blood splattered the clothing but the teal hair was unmistakable. Grimmjow.

"Let me go!" Ichigo clawed at Byakuya's tight grasp on his hand.

"No Ichigo." Hichigo spoke. "I haven't come to get you." The boys face fell and he sagged noticeably.

"You promised."

"I have things to do first. Stay here. Stay safe." He held up placating hands and his eyes cast down at the fallen Hollow.

"Is he dead?" Byakuya asked.

"I'm going get them for what they did to Ichigo." The anger rose in this voice and he kicked the body. "I'll kill them all before I'm done."

"Why are you doing this? You're a Hollow?"

"Because they tore us apart. Because they hurt him the way they did … Byakuya, thank you for keeping my brother safe."

A Hollow with feelings? This was a new concept to the existing knowledge Byakuya had. He'd thanked me too. "Brother?"

"What else could we call ourselves? We came from the same flesh. We grew from the same seed. Look after him."

Ichigo yanked harder at the hand holding him back, he wanted to be with Hichigo. He want to be together again! "NO! You can't leave me!"

"Wait! There's so much we don't understand." Byakuya watched the rip open.

"I have to go, if they notice I'm gone…"

"Don't leave me again!" Hichigo looked at the tears beginning to fall down his brothers face and gave him a small smile.

"I'll come again I promise you." He gestured a small wave, nodded his appreciation to Byakuya and stepped back into the dark rip.

A scream echoing from Ichigo's belly ripped from him fiercely. He swiped the sword out of Byakuya hilt hand and charged for the dead body of Grimmjow.

The noble felt the men of his division closing in and the pain that was rippling from Ichigo as he furiously stabbed and slashed the cold body was palpable. But there was a purpose to not disarming the kid right away.

"He's dead Ichigo! Ichigo he's dead already!" Byakuya pulled the shaking, frustrated Ichigo away holding him by his upper arms.

"Captain!" Men from the 6th ran towards them staring amazed at the fallen Espada and the bloody sword in the red heads hands.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

Byakuya took Ichigo by his shoulders and led him back to his room.

"I'm going to have to write a report on what just happened Ichigo. Will you be okay while I go to the office?" Ichigo nodded his response. Byakuya could tell that the kid was still reeling from the disappearance of his brother. An uneasy feeling sat within him, he wanted to stay and make sure that he was okay, but the report needed to be written quickly before the rumours got around the town and misinformation got back to the Commander-General.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

"Where is grimmjow?" Aizen asked as Ulquiorra as the saddened looking man entering the large throne room.

"No one can find him. It seems we can't find Hichigo either Aizen-Sama." It was unnerving for the loyal servant not to complete a task set to him by his Lord. But a personal search and a retsui one provided him with no knowledge as to the where-a-bouts of the pair.

Aizen got off his chair and thought a moment. There was one place the teen Hollow could be without being found. The one place even Ulquiorra would not venture. He strode off down the maze of white corridors and pushed the door open to his own chambers. He eyes cast around the room and feel on the bed. His smiled widened slightly as he approached the bed.

"How long have you been here?" He asked the teen.

"Er…Hey. Sorry what?" Hichigo faked waking and looked at the man with a bemused smile. "I must have fallen asleep."

"Grimmjow?"

"Yeah? What you wanting that threesome after all?" Hichigo smiled.

"You would do that for me?"

"Well I'd move in here but you haven't asked me yet!" Aizen snorted at his cheek.

"When you learn respect, then maybe I will." Aizen knelt on the bed and leaned forward holding the boy down by his shoulders.

"When hell freezes hey?" Hichigo grinned and watched Aizen close in pressing his open mouth against his.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

The report took around an hour and sent off with a runner from his division. Byakuya turned into the room and stalled as he realised Ichigo hadn't moved a single muscle.

"Ichigo?"

He looked at the face, emotionless and staring blankly ahead. He had been fooled into thinking the boy was further through his recovery than he thought?

What had he confessed in the hours late last night? How he coped with the abuse. How it was easier to stand there quietly, closing his mind, closing his feelings, shutting down everything in order to survive. Do exactly as told, saying nothing. Surviving. His mind went back to the day he found him standing there. Just standing with a blank expression. That's what he'd been doing, just surviving. And now, was he now just trying to do the same thing?

Byakuya touched him lightly on the shoulder. "You can talk and move freely here remember. This is your room." The cold eyes swivelled to turn to him.

"He's gone again." The voice was enough to tear at his composure. That broken vulnerability so obvious again.

"He said he would come back."

"Byakuya…" It was the first time he had used his name and the noble felt a stab of pride that he did now. "Those men said like old times… they knew me."

"You are a hero in their eyes. A man who could save them from the espada like Grimmjow."

"It all hurts." The random statement echoed around the room.

"What hurts?" Byakuya frowned and took the shoulders in his hands and rubbed them with care.

"Here." He touched his chest. "I… that man… Grimm… It all still hurts."

"Time will make it better. Don't let it stop you remembering who you really are."

"Where we friends before?" Byakuya lead him towards the bed and sat him down then settled beside him.

"You have lots of friends Ichigo. But… well we both have scars Ichigo we gave each other. I'm a proud man who doesn't loose…I don't lose, I never did, until you. I have a lot to thank you for."

"You thank me because I beat you?"

"You gave me a perspective on life that I did not have before. I've already lived many more lifetimes than you will have. I've done lots of things, but I'd stopped caring, stopped doing anything but my duty. That was all I was, a walking rule book. Saving Rukia, you showed me a life I wanted again. You gave me a purpose."

Ichigo looked thoughtful staring down at his hands. He watched the graceful hand of Byakuya close over his own and tighten. The action felt good. Welcome.

"I won't leave you." Ichigo registered the voice and the arm that pulled him into the others chest. The chest that cradled his nightmares each night.

Byakuya's eyes widened in surprise as the boy looked at him, the close proximity was stiflingly hot. His heart racing. Ichigo leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips. Not a quick peck, but not a passionate consuming one either. Just tender, lingering and loving.

Ichigo placed his head back on the shoulder and felt a warm hand caress his hair gently. He closed his eyes feeling the safest he had for a long time. Allowing himself to feel his wants and act upon them. For some reason he knew finally that it would be okay to show what he wanted. To have what he wanted. To give in.

This was his safe place. This was his freedom, his brother had given him. He could let his guard down. He would let his guard down.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

That Evening.

The 5th squad men, their duty over looked gleefully at their glasses of sake. The four men had all something on their minds. The first spoke.

"So what happened then, you saw the two of them standing over a dead Espada." He's arrived at the sight a moment after the others.

"Yeah he was number 6 apparently…" The second began to answer then sipped his drink

"So who killed the Hollow? Do you really reckon it was Kurosaki?" The third asked.

"I think it was Kurosaki. He had the captains sword in his hand, it had to be him." The fourth answered.

"The guy was weird, did you see the way he looked?" The first shivered.

"He was damn quiet. Byakuya did all the talking." The third frowned. "He looked shit, really shit."

"You'd look shit having had a fight with one of them guys you idiot!" The Second scoffed.

"Byakuya ordering kuosaki around like that, and the guy just took it. I bet he was just pissed that our captain was talking all the glory." The forth downed his glass in one and grabbed the bottle to refill it.

"Well it's a known fact that there is no love lost between those two!" The first nodded. They all nodded.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --