Gunshots interspersed with lightning bolts and breaking branches. There was nothing but luck to get Ichigo through. A wind had whipped up out of nowhere, speeding the flames. At first he'd thought it meant death but it burned so hot and fast that it passed above them. They were through it before the flames slowed and began to burn down to the ground. It was now at their backs, a wall of impenetrable flame. It might still burn back this way but the wind was against them—with any luck at all it would keep burning the opposite direction, back toward the city.

The enemy, however, was determined not to let them live. Ichigo still carried Rukia. Charred wood had fallen on him, scorched his arms, and shoulders but otherwise he'd come through alright, though he choked on the foul air and was nearly blind in the dark and the smoke.

Another bullet tore through the night. He took a sudden turn and tried to outsmart them but it backfired. One had come up on his flank without him seeing. He ran straight into the man.

He and Rukia hit the ground hard. The man hadn't been expecting it either and there was a brutal struggle among the ashes. Ichigo found himself on his back, hands on his throat. He brought his fist up into the man's ribs. He sputtered, covering Ichigo's face in spit, but didn't let up.

"Bastard." Rukia kneed him in the side of the head. He lurched and went limp next to Ichigo. She pulled on his shoulders, trying to get him up as he caught his breath. He did, but the others had caught up to him now.

"Gha!" Something hit Ichigo hard in the back, right between his shoulder blades. He collapsed forward. Next there was a boot pressing down on his spine. Rukia swung her blade. The man swore, the boot lifted, Ichigo rolled free, but next thing there were blades clashing, Rukia had been pushed back and he looked up just in time to see a fist catch her hard in the chin. It hit her so hard she spun into a tree where she struck her head and collapsed.

She wasn't moving. Ichigo threw himself against the man but he was outnumbered. He landed on top of the man whom Rukia had cut but another kick hit him in the ribs, then a second strike landed over his back and finally there were hands in his hair, on his shoulders, and hauling his arms behind his back. White light blinded him a moment and he realized they had a flashlight on him. The one holding his hair yanked back hard, revealing his face. Someone hooked an elbow under his chin, securing him further.

"Motherfucker." The one holding the light swore. The soldier leaned in. "It's Ichigo Kurosaki."

"What?"

"SHIT!" The others tightened up their hold on him as if he might miraculously slip from them. "Oh no, is that his sister?" They turned back to Rukia's limp form. Someone rolled her over and the light moved her way. "I can't tell."

They turned back to him.

"Is that Karin Kurosaki?"

Ichigo kept his mouth sealed. Rukia was clearly older than Karin, but in this light, they couldn't see that. If he said she wasn't his sister, they'd kill Rukia and keep searching for Karin.

"Tell us!" The fist to his gut forced the air from his lungs. He choked for breath. Another hit to his face made him see spots. But someone ordered a stop to it and his face was held by a firm hand, steadying his vision as he panted for breath.

"Listen, Kurosaki, this is how this is going to work. I'm not gonna beat the shit out of you—I'll beat it out of her whether she's your sister or not. So just tell me, is that Karin Kurosaki?"

"I won't let you touch her."

"ANSWER ME!"

The gun came out and aimed at Rukia's head.

"YES!" Ichigo screamed. "Okay, yes, it's her!"

The gun remained pressed to Rukia's hair. Ichigo watched the man hesitate. "I don't think it is."

"W-what?"

"I don't think this is the right girl. Hashwald will kill us if we grabb the wrong girl."

"But we have Kurosaki. Do we even need her now?"

"You bastards!" Ichigo writhed in their hold. His arms and body were restrained but he kicked out and got one man in the knee. He cursed and brought a fist across Ichigo's face. Now he was really having trouble seeing. But he blinked enough to see the gun lift from Rukia as the other men lost their attention on her.

But Ichigo was still watching her, and the moment the gun was off her, she stirred.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you all," he said, keeping their attention on him. It worked. Rukia was conscious now, and at the next strike across his face, she was moving.

The gun went off when Rukia kicked the man holding it. One of the other men staggered, hands clutched around his gut. Rukia took the distraction as her chance, rolling forward and twisting the gunman's wrist. Another wild shot went into a tree. Then there was a snap and cry of pain and Rukia was the one armed.

There were just three men left now, but when Rukia turned to fire on them, nothing happened. The gun clicked repeatedly. It was empty.

"Shit."

"RUN!" Ichigo screamed.

She did. As she did, the ones restraining Ichigo were forced to let go in order to chase after her. With just two on him, he was able to throw an elbow into someone's face and get the other in the groin. He should have finished them but he was breathless and his vision was off so he ran too. He heard gunshots in the distance. It was too dark to see. The fire was far away now and he was left in a cold black haze in the night, utterly alone.

"Who is it? Who's shooting?"

Yuzu whispered between chattering teeth. They lay on burnt earth, catching their breath and shivering in the sudden absence of heat. The fire had burned up and down the stalks of trees and they'd been stuck at the center of the boiling storm, hardly enough oxygen left in the air for them to breathe.

Grimmjow attributed their survival not only to the water, but to the fact the trees were less dense around the transplanted lake. Had they been in thicker trees, he was sure they wouldn't have survived the oxygen deprivation or the heat. His lungs still told of damage though—their smoke inhalation had been bad. All of them were coughing. Yachiru had vomited and Karin looked close to doing the same. Toshiro was conscious now, but he hadn't spoken, even when Yachiru had squeezed his hand and called his name. He was dazed from the lightning strike, and Grimmjow couldn't help but wonder if he'd been brain damaged.

Now though, they were also listening to sudden eruption of gun fire. It was very, very close to them. Grimmjow reached out and grabbed Karin's shoulder.

"Do you have anything?"

She shook her head. They'd fled the camp with nothing but what they'd had on their backs. Yachiru, however, abandoned Toshiro and withdrew her short blade that would be no good against a bullet. Toshiro too, had his sword still on his back.

"Hand me that," Grimmjow told Karin. She was next to Toshiro and drew the blade from his sheath. She passed it over. "How's the leg?"

She pushed on Yuzu's shoulder and managed to stand. Grimmjow got up as well. His wet clothes felt heavier than they should and he knew he was running out of strength. The wound on his back throbbed, and he bet if he could see it, it had opened up again. He pulled his left arm against his body, the splint doing nothing to stop the pulsing pain that went through the cuts and fracture.

"Yuzu, get Toshiro on his feet."

"I got it," Toshiro grunted out his first words since waking. But when he stood he lost his balance and fell down again. "Espada, get the girls out of here." He spoke to the ground, unable to move.

"Yuzu," Grimmjow just said again and she bent and got her arms under Toshiro, forcing him back to his feet. "We don't have to go far, just find some cover."

"Where?" Karin waved a hand over the surrounding area. "There's nothing out here but burnt trees."

"Fine, then stay here."

"What?" Yuzu let go of Toshiro and caught his arm. "Grimmjow you can't leave us!"

"I can't stand here and wait for whoever it is to cut us down, either."

"You aren't up to it," Karin reminded.

Another shot sounded. It came from even closer this time, and now they could hear shouting. Grimmjow put a hand on Yuzu's shoulders and pushed her back.

"Soul reaper."

"I'm ready," Yachiru came even with him—at least two feet shorter but as his side as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

And then branches broke, men were shouting and they saw the flash of the next gunshot in the darkness ahead. A branch splintered just to Grimmjow's left.

"Fuck!" They were headed straight for them. "Run!"

Grimmjow didn't know if they listened. He didn't even know if he was making the right move when he ran forward, straight for the shooter. Yachiru was quicker, and he lost her in the darkness in seconds. He looked back and found he'd lost the others too. The impenetrable dark made it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead, even with eyes as sharp as his. That's why he didn't see the enemy coming until they smashed together.

Grimmjow fell backwards, already off balance. It wasn't the gunmen, he could tell at once because the man was wielding a machete. He deflected the rough blade with his own and kneed the guy off of him. The man groaned and came back with a punch but Grimmjow brought Toshiro's blade up and the guy sliced his hand open. He drew back and this gave Grimmjow his chance to stand. He got to his feet but the man shook the blood from his knuckles and rose too. Even in the dark he must have been able to see Grimmjow's wounds because he seemed to reassess the situation. He renewed his grip on his machete and Grimmjow braced himself, quite certain he was in trouble.

When the first strike broke his grip on the sword, he swore.

"Watch out!" The cheery voice came from his left. He got out of her way just as she jumped past him, blade ready, but that hadn't been what she'd meant. Yachiru had drawn her own prey into the fight and her opponent tackled Grimmjow from behind. He landed hard on his broken arm and there was nothing he could do to contain the scream of agony that ripped from him. The guy flipped him roughly onto his back, eliciting another groan. A white light flashed in his face and he couldn't see. Behind him he heard metal on metal—Yachiru and machete-man were still at it.

"Fuck, it's the espada!" The man on top of him cried. The flashlight clicked off but the next minute it came smashing over his face. He sputtered. The guy was trying to knock him out. He tried to shove him away but the man caught his broken arm and slammed it against the ground.

His back arched in pain. He lost his breath after the scream and lay panting at this man's mercy.

"Grimmjow!"
He heard Yuzu's cry. The man looked her way but he never got his chance to go after her. Yachiru had dispatched of her opponent and while this man was distracted she plunged her blade in and out of his chest. Hot blood splattered over Grimmjow and the man toppled to one side. But Grimmjow wasn't getting up again. Yuzu fell to her knees next to him.

"Grimmjow!"

Yachiru saw his state then looked back to Yuzu.

"Where is Toshiro?"

"Back there with Karin."

Grimmjow rallied a little, but couldn't sit without help. Yuzu held his shoulders where she knelt before him. Her face was painted with sweat despite how cold she must be from her soaked clothing.

"Stay here." Yachiru ran back the way Yuzu had come.

"Grimmjow are you alright?" Yuzu whispered, shaking herself.

"I'll be fine." He pulled her against him stilling her and sharing warmth, and waited in the dark, listening for the approach of the others, but it wasn't them who came.

"Gr-Grimmjow?"

The little figure who emerged from burnt woods could barely stand, and after a few paces, she dropped to her knees, clutching her side. Her face was painted in blood from a wound on her head. She shook from head to toe but a smile touched her lips. "So you didn't blow up after all."

"Rukia!"
At this Yuzu pulled back. "Rukia?" Her hands slipped from Grimmjow and she moved to the young woman, whose face now lost its smile. She stared Yuzu down for several long seconds, then shook her head, as if in disbelief. "It's you…Yuzu…we found you."

Rukia fell into the embrace Yuzu offered. Grimmjow watched on, but looked around, for the other that should be with her. It was Yuzu who voice the question.

"Where is he? Where is my brother?"

"Where did I get you?"

Rough hands slapped over Ichigo's body until they landed on blood. The man squeezed Ichigo's thigh where the bullet had cut through, causing him to fall and be caught. He groaned out in pain, white sparks bursting behind his eyelids.

"Bastard."

"That's my line, you fuck. Half my men are dead because of you."

The hot barrel of the gun pressed into the back of his neck, burning his skin. He hissed out in pain and the man squeezed tighter on the graze on his leg. "I don't think it's worth it. I think I'd rather kill you."

"I thought you had orders," Ichigo growled out, stalling until he figured out how to escape.

"Fuck 'em."

Ichigo was face down on the ground with little chance of escape, but upon hearing the man's intentions he shoved back with all he had, attempting to throw the man off of him.

The hammer clicked back on the gun, the shot missed Ichigo but went off right in his ear, stunning him. He threw an arm up and was lucky enough to knock the gun free but he was completely disoriented. He felt wet just below his ear and guessed his ear drum had burst. Hands closed around his waist and hauled him up. He staggered, the man held him, breathing hard over his shoulder, as if still deciding what to do with the boy he'd almost killed. Then the hands on him tightened and he was thrown against a tree. His back cracked on burnt bark. He threw his hands up to defend himself from the next strike but it still sent him to the ground. His collar was grabbed, the man pulled back and Ichigo knew he planned to beat him death.

"Stop!"

The voice cut through the dark. The man froze where he was and Ichigo made out the end of the gun, pressed to his temple. A pale hand attached to a slender arm held the gun tight to his skull. Brown eyes were black in the night, her jaw set, her face young and beautiful, but hard and terrifying all at once.

"Let go of my brother."

All air left Ichigo in one breath. He stared from his knees up into the face of his younger sister, a face hardened by four years of Hell, but eyes sparking with the emotion she was failing to hold back.

The man released Ichigo and raised his hands, but a smile formed on his face.

"That was the last bullet, bitch."

"Karin!" The fist caught her by surprise, straight into her nose. She fell back a few paces and he came back with a second, brutal back hand that sent her to the ground. Ichigo could see the shimmer of blood on one leg—she wasn't in top form. The man advanced on her, bending low, reaching for her hair. But Ichigo had already found his feet. He ignored the blood that issued from his nose, his lips, his leg. His hands were already fists and before he knew what he was doing he had the man around the neck. He threw him sideways from his sister and drove his fist into his face. A tooth flew loose, Ichigo struck again, and again, relentless, until the man was on all fours and gagging. But it wasn't enough. He pulled back to deliver another blow, but slender fingers closed over his raised arm and stopped him.

"Brother. Enough."

The man collapsed, barely breathing. Ichigo lowered his hand and turned, slowly, feeling her wet clothes, her ragged breath and when he faced her, he found her cheeks shimmering with tears that had always been so rare and remarkable in his sister.

"Karin."

He fell into her as much as she into him. His bloodied hands wrapped around her back, holding her so tight neither could breathe well. She clung back, her hands around his neck, smothering his face into her shoulder. He never wanted to let go, to pull away, and he might not have, if someone didn't call for them through the trees.

She eased away, but never let him go.

"I'm here, Toshiro."

Ichigo stiffened at the name. He could barely make out the white glow of hair in the trees behind his sister.

"The others are this way," Toshiro called back. "Is that him?"

"Yes." She rose, shakily. Ichigo stood with her, keeping an arm around her shoulder. They were both limping, but they made their way forward, to the little captain.

"You shouldn't have run off on your own," Toshiro scolded her but then turned to Ichigo. "Kurosaki."

"Toshiro." There wasn't much else to say at the moment, so they followed him back, to where a small group was gathered. He saw Rukia first, kneeling and her face creased in pain but her arms were wrapped around a little girl with pink hair. So Yuzu and Toshiro hadn't been killed as Soifon had reported. All Ichigo could think of was Kenpachi, and what would happen when the little girl returned alive. Then his eyes travelled up, and he saw the mess of the sixth espada, sitting painfully while someone tried to fix a brace around his arm. Grimmjow looked up first, spotting them, then he looked to the girl knelt over him.

"Yuzu," was all Grimmjow said. The girl tending to him looked up to meet his eyes and then froze— she could see it in that blue gaze—and she knew who was behind her without looking. She let go of Grimmjow's arm, sat back on her heels but didn't turn. Instead she shook her head and covered her face.

"Is it real? Is he really here?" Her voice choked out.

"Yuzu," Ichigo called and her whole body lurched as if the sound alone could strike her. For a moment, it seemed she would break right there, but then she stilled, and there was no hesitation. She pushed up from the ground and ran, throwing herself into Ichigo so hard he nearly topped on his injured leg. His arms fell around her, muffling her sobs of joy into his chest. His other hand returned to Karin and he pulled her into the embrace as well.

And the mismatched group of formerly spiritual beings watched on, as a four year journey came to an end.

Voila! Reunion!