A/N: So the previous chapter was the final chapter as such to the story. From this chapter onwards it will be the previous events from Ichigo's perspective so the first two chapters will be almost the same but from his P.O.V and then what happens where Ichigo's on his own. So here's the fist chapter (again) I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 11:

Ichigo sat waiting alone in the small room, resisting the urge to tap his foot impatiently. Besides himself sat an empty chair across a table from him, waiting to be filled by some law enforcement person but Ichigo had a pretty good idea as to who would walk through the door.

Sure enough after a further five minutes as he predicted, Grimmjow Jaeggerjaques entered the room. Ichigo felt himself stiffen at the sight of the man, but forced himself to relax as he took the seat across the table, lying a folder open between them.

"This is the third time this month Ichigo, care to explain yourself?" Grimmjow asked with a sigh. He rubbed his face before looking at him warily. Ichigo chose not to answer because he wasn't sure what he would say if he opened his mouth. When he received no response Grimmjow sighed again, running a hand through his sky blue hair which in Ichigo's opinion was a spectacular colour, not that he'd admit such a thing aloud. "Ichigo come on. I've known you most of your life, what's going on?"

"You should know." Ichigo finally muttered, looking at Grimmjow properly for the first time since he entered the room. "Things change and you don't know me anymore."

Ichigo wasn't sure what he meant by that. Maybe he'd just said it in spite to hurt Grimmjow, but maybe some of it was true. Maybe Grimmjow didn't know him anymore.

"Yeah I can see that." The man leaned closer to him across the table, opening the folder to flick through the pages. "Breaking and entering, trespassing, grand theft auto… I mean the list goes on." He shut it suddenly with a snap and folded his hands under his chin, looking at Ichigo intently. "I can't keep protecting you."

This struck a nerve and Ichigo could feel himself sit up straighter in his chair. He didn't need protecting. "Maybe I don't want your protection. You're not a cop anymore Detective."

His father had told Ichigo about Grimmjow's promotion to detective almost a year ago and ever since the man had been getting him out of trouble. Ichigo didn't understand why, nor did he ask or want his help. But for some reason Grimmjow was protecting him and never explained why.

"I used to know you." Grimmjow murmured quietly and something in his voice that sounded akin to regret forced Ichigo to look away. "You wanted to be a doctor, what changed? How does breaking the law like this help anyone?"

"That was before." Ichigo replied stubbornly.

"Before what?"

Ichigo didn't want to say it, he couldn't say it out loud. What had happened between them was painful enough to recall, let alone speak about. So he said nothing for a while, then abruptly stood up. He couldn't stand being alone with Grimmjow any more. "Are you charging me with something?" There was a long pause and then Grimmjow shook his head. "The if you'll excuse me, I'll be going."

He made to leave, stiffening as Grimmjow grabbed his arm to stop him. "Before what?" he asked more firmly.

The fact that Grimmjow was even pretend not to know what he was talking about annoyed Ichigo so much he couldn't help but shout his next words. "Before you kissed me, fucked me, said it was a big mistake and promptly refused to look me in the eye since." He hissed, yanking his arm free whilst glaring at Grimmjow. "Do you have any idea how that made me feel? How it still makes me feel?"

The man seemed to hesitate before speaking. "I'm ten years older than you. You were sixteen Ichigo and it was wrong." He spoke each word carefully and slowly as weighing them out, like pieces in a chess board which made Ichigo feel like a pawn. It wasn't a feeling he liked.

"Why? I was old enough." He countered. Looking down at their feet he said nothing for a moment, trying to decide what he wanted to say through the confusing mess of emotions he was currently feeling. He was angry with Grimmjow for ignoring him all this time, angry with himself for feeling so betrayed by what was and only ever would be a one night stand. He was also hurt by the way Grimmjow treated him, leaving without a word the following morning only to receive a text from the man saying it had been a mistake. He couldn't even say it to his face, what did that say about how he felt about Ichigo? "I'm nineteen now, does that change anything?"

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm still ten years older. I'm too old for you Ichigo"

"What if I don't care?"

"Well you should."

"I don't care!" Ichigo almost yelled. Looking up he grabbed Grimmjow's face and stepped closer to kiss him firmly. He couldn't deny what his heart wanted, and it wanted Grimmjow despite the man's lack of affection towards him and that's what hurt the most. After a moment he let go and pulled away, regretting the impulsive action almost immediately. When neither of them said anything he snorted finally and admitted defeat. "I'll stop getting into trouble, you won't see me again."

Grimmjow didn't stop him from leaving this time and he left without another word to the man. He grabbed his bag from the reception where it was being held, ignoring the whispers and dirty looks he received from the two receptionists. They gossiped way too much and knew all about Ichigo's previous run-ins with the law.

He was home within half an hour and thankfully his father wasn't there when Ichigo went in. The man was still in the clinic, Ichigo could hear him moving around inside and quietly crept past the door inside and up to his room. After his mother's death his father worked almost around the clock to stave off the grief. They didn't talk much anymore, not since Ichigo had hit puberty but they were all each other had and Ichigo couldn't lose his father too.

That didn't mean however he wanted the man's company tonight and as he passed the kitchen he saw a plate of food left out for him. With a small smile he heated it up and began to eat. Isshin came through after a few minutes, long enough for the smell of food to reach the clinic and alert him Ichigo was home.

"How was your day?" He asked, waiting as Ichigo finished his mouthful to reply.

Ichigo shrugged. "Fine I suppose, nothing interesting." His father didn't know about his arrests and Ichigo planned to keep it that way. As far as Isshin was concerned Ichigo was taking a gap year before starting University. "Thanks for the food."

Isshin nodded before sighing, taking a seat next to Ichigo. "You can talk to me you know Ichigo. I know something's bothering you, has been for months now."

"It's nothing." Ichigo replied firmly, shoving the last of the food in his mouth before standing abruptly. He cleaned up quickly, eager to escape his father and get to the solitude he so yearned for in his room. "I'm going to be, night."

"Ichigo!" Isshin called and he came to a holt at the bottom of the stairs. "I have to go out, run some errand so I won't be back until late."

"Ok."

"Look after yourself."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, smiling at his father. "I'm not a little kid dad, I promise I'll be fine." The man nodded and Ichigo could hear him readying to leave as he headed upstairs. Hearing the front door shut Ichigo let out a sigh and fell back into his bed, closing his eyes.

There was a knock at the door five minutes later and Ichigo groaned. Getting up he made his way to the door, grumbling to himself about how stupid his father was because he'd probably forgotten his keys, again. Yanking the door open he was surprised to find it wasn't his father. "Grimmjow?" It was indeed Grimmjow stood on the doorway, looking very uncomfortable and maybe, just slightly nervous. "What do you want?"

"Is your dad home?"

Ichigo's heart sunk and he scolded himself for even thinking Grimmjow was here to see him. Of course he was here to see his father, he didn't care for Ichigo at all. "No." He replied shortly, going to close the door because he was in no mood to be hospitable.

The door rebounded of Grimmjow's foot and the man winced slightly. "Ichigo I came to talk to you." He stopped, again looking at him in surprise then raised an eyebrow, inviting the man to continue. "Look what I said earlier… it wasn't the whole truth."

"And what is 'the whole truth'?" Ichigo asked, yanking the door open as his temper rose. "That you don't feel the same way? Because don't worry, I figured that out on my own." Again he tried to shut the door but Grimmjow's foot was still in the way. "Move your foot or I will break it." Ichigo threatened, he wanted nothing more than to be alone to nurse his hurt heart.

"Threatening an officer huh? That's grounds for arrest."

"So arrest me."

"Not today. Or at least not tonight." To Ichigo's surprise Grimmjow pushed the door open and stepped inside, he stumbled back to get out of the close proximity. "What I wanted to say was that yes I'm too old for you, far too old."

"That doesn't sound any different from earlier."

"Let me finish." His finger pressed against Ichigo's lips and the teen couldn't help but fall silent. He kept his frown in place though to let Grimmjow know he wasn't happy. "I'm too old… but that doesn't stop me loving you."

The silence that followed this statement lasted for an eternity. Ichigo couldn't wrap his head around what he'd said. Did he mean it? Was this really happening? Ichigo had wished for this many times but now it was really happening, he found he didn't know what to say, and then suddenly, he did.

"I don't care about an age gap."

"You should."

"But I don't." He stepped closer to Grimmjow and smiled. It was the first time he'd smiled in a long time and he was pleased to see the man smile back. "Neither should you."

"It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

He scoffed and Ichigo felt himself redden. He didn't like feeling like a child, especially not by Grimmjow. As he looked around the room Ichigo saw his eyes land on a family portrait. "Your family for one. Your dad is my friend Ichigo, he won't understand." Suddenly Grimmjow grabbed his shoulders. "Do you remember that I used to babysit you when you were six?"

"So?"

"So I was sixteen! Doesn't that seem even slightly odd to you?"

Ichigo shook his head, no it didn't. Back then yes it would have been weird to feel this way about Grimmjow, but now it shouldn't matter about their age. Age was just a number after all, why couldn't Grimmjow see that? He'd said he loved him didn't he? So why did it matter how old he was?

The man groaned in response. "You are impossible, blinded even by what you think is love."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed in annoyance. He was not a child! "What I think?" He asked sharply, pushing away from Grimmjow. "Don't talk to me like I'm some naïve child! I know how I feel and I'm not blinded!" In his fit of anger he shoved Grimmjow again, making the man stumble. "Just get out. You shouldn't have come. I was better off now knowing how you felt because it doesn't make a difference does it!" turning away he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, reigning in his emotions before he did something really embarrassing, like crying. "Just go would you?"

He started for the stairs, Grimmjow could let himself out for all he cared. But his hand was grabbed and his process halted. "Do you know where I went after you left? I got a call out and we found a dead woman, another dead woman. And do you know what I saw when we left? I saw you in her place and I can't stand that."

"I'm not going to die if that's what you mean." Ichigo had no idea what Grimmjow was talking about. How was this relevant to their relationship?

"I know that." He turned to look at Grimmjow and was surprised to see the man smile. He was even more surprised when he brushed his hair way from his face and his hand lingered against his cheek. "I love you, I do. And I'm sorry about the way I've treated you. But you deserve better than me, someone your own age."

"And if I don't want that?"

"Then we've got the consequences to deal with. Your family for one, the backlash. I'll probably lose my job. I know I shouldn't do this but I can't help how I feel anymore."

"Why?" Ichigo interrupted because he just couldn't help himself. What Grimmjow was saying, did he really mean that he wanted Ichigo? The thought made his heart swell and suddenly he was smiling again. "It's not illegal."

"No but it's definitely frowned upon."

Ichigo thought this over for a moment. "Then… let's keep it a secret." Turning his head Ichigo smiled against Grimmjow's palm. It was warm against his face and it felt so good just to have the man touch him in such an intimate way. He opened his eyes to see Grimmjow hesitate. "Oh come on, you're a detective aren't you? Surely you're the best at keeping secrets?"

"Maybe so but that doesn't mean we should-" Ichigo had heard enough so he lent forward and kissed Grimmjow to shut him up and all his stupid reasons for them to not being together. "-sneak around." He finished when Ichigo pulled away.

"Then tell everyone."

Ichigo knew what Grimmjow would think to this and exactly as he thought the man hesitated again, looking more worried than ever. "On second thought…" he couldn't help but laugh and kissed Grimmjow again quickly. "Let's just see how this goes for now and then think about telling everyone. Deal?"

Ichigo didn't hesitate to shake Grimmjow's hand. "Deal."