Bold is Zangetsu

Bold italic is Hichigo in his inner world

' ' is Ichigo talking in his inner world.

Well this is going to be a huge leap in his recovery today. You know you want it!

Thank you for your review, do keep them coming, it really does help and makes it all worthwhile.

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

Rukia was never minded being with Ichigo as her brother rushed his way through his mounds of paperwork or meetings. She'd heard the rumours and the official line on what happened two days ago, but knew the truth when Byakuya told her.

Today, the weather was perfect and with her arm linked in the ginger teens, they walked slowly around the Acers in the far garden. The stream beside them was calming and the whole place so tranquil. If she ever had to choose a favourite part of the garden this would be it.

They stopped on the arching wooden bridge and Ichigo watched her take off her shoes and dangle her feet into the cool water. She looked up at him smiling.

"Go on it feels lovely."

She was right, the water was magical and cool. Relaxing and stimulating. He sighed and forced the thoughts of his meeting with his brother from his mind. It didn't matter how many times he went over it, he'd gone away. But…

But, well now, he had Byakuya. So different from his brother, but just as caring. That strong pull he'd felt towards the man must have meant all along that he knew he was safe with him. Some inner knowledge finally dislodged to let him know his feelings were more for the man. Did that mean his memories were also going to follow soon?

"Your brother means a lot to you doesn't he?" Rukia asked. Ichigo nodded. "Ichigo you have a choice don't you. Listening to you yesterday, its obvious that Hichigo left you here as he thought it was safe. Your choice is to stay as you are holding onto your pain because that's easy or facing what's coming head on, like the Ichigo I know you are."

"What I've been through… Its not that easy."

"What do you gain from staying like this? What do you want?" He shrugged in answer.

"Did your brother like me before?" She sighed and looked at the water running past her feet for a moment thinking of a way to phrase this.

"In his own way, yes he did. When he found you, he was so worried about you. And now…you know now. I've never seen him spend so much time with anyone else, even me." She smiled. "He looks at you like you are the special to him." She put an arm around his shoulders and nudged him. "Like him too do you?"

"Is that wrong?"

"No." She laughed. "But its…great you do."

-- ByakuyaXIchigo --

Byakuya arrived in the guest room, he now saw just as much as his own and looked at Rukia leaning against the door looking out.

"Good day?" He asked standing next to her and smiling at seeing Ichigo with the rake in his hand tending the garden.

"What have you done to that kid?" Rukia laughed. "He's gardening. You know when he gets his memory back, he's going to want to kill you."

"We'll see."

"He said to me today, that he likes you." she watched for a reaction out of the corner of her eyes and saw him smile again.

"Who is filling who's head with nonsense?"

"You like him too."

"Rukia."

"Rukia me as much as you like. I finally feel I can say what I want to you."

"That's how you repay my kindness of bringing you into the family?"

"You make a nice couple." She reached up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I'm happy for you."

He looked at her with his cool gaze and then nodded.

"Thank you." They both looked back at the teen who'd stopped working.

Ichigo frowned slightly. He stood holding the top of the rake and closed his eyes. He looked around him up at the tall blue buildings that towered around him and turned a complete circle feeling the huge fat water droplets land on his face.

There was movement either side of him and he looked firstly to the left and a pair of glass doors, then right to the mirror image. There were no doors anywhere else. Just these two.

Choose.

'Who are you?' Ichigo looked at the tall long haired man and his tatty black and white robes that had appeared in the middle of the street.

You know my name. We will not repeat what we have done before. Choose. One signifies the future, one the past. One will bring you nothing, the other will take you home.

Ichigo heard banging. He turned to his left and saw Hichigo banging on the door. Tugging at the handle unable to open it. He was shouting, but Ichigo couldn't hear the words.

He turned unsure to the door on the right and saw Byakuya standing there. He wore no emotion and did not move. The eyes looked at him, unreadable but the feeling of safety seemed to emanate from them.

'I want both of them.'

Choose. The old man said before fading away.

Ichigo turned left to right, left to right. He ran to the door with Hichigo pressing his hands against the glass screaming.

'Hichigo!' He pushed and pushed but his brother wouldn't let him in. Hichigo shook his head and rested it against the glass. Ichigo pressed his against his side of the glass. He pointed a finger towards the other door, turned his back and walked away. 'Hichigo!' Ichigo screamed again. He ran back from the building looking up at the windows vainly trying to see if he would appear again somewhere else. His eyes searched each window. Nothing. His heart pounded in his chest and he fell breathless to his knees. Tears mingling with the rain drops on his cheeks.

'What am I without you?' He cried.

Anything you want to be. The voice drifted around him in swirls lifting him to his feet and turning him towards the other doors. Let go of that fear. Fear has always held you back. In your past, you only achieved greatness by letting go of that fear. Remember what it felt like before I came. The voice faded away and Ichigo looked ahead. He saw the door and the figure waiting there.

As he looked through the glass, he could see Byakuya further back now in the room. But behind the door seemed to be a million images fluttering, shimmering, twisting and gliding. Ichigo placed his hands on the handle of the door and the images all stopped and seemed to look towards him. One deep breath and Ichigo pushed the door open.

The images all tore with speed towards him, covering his body, pressing into his mind. Images of his life, his school, his family…Aizen and the hundreds of Hollows and battles he'd had. Kisuke and his friends…There were so many and they were so heavy. His felt his body being pressed down by the weight of it as his eyes looked to Byakuya his hand stretched out struggling to reach him.

Byakuya and Rukia, rushed forward as they saw Ichigo grip the sides of his head and scream out in pain.

"Bya…kuya…." He whimpered as the man caught him before he fell to the floor.