Ichigo met angry blue eyes under the moonlight. Grimmjow had not suffered injury from his fall, save that of his pride, but the Vandenreich lying in wait had tied his wrists and gagged him. He could only glare into the back of Hashwald's skull as he was escorted along, Ichigo following of his own accord. Now though, they had come to a place where the sand was parted around a long silver shape that sharply reflected under the moonlight.

"A bus?" Ichigo recognized the back end of a metro bus. It stuck about five feet out from the sand, the front end buried.

"Yes. It was a simple solution to the obvious issue of travelling from inside to outside."

"Inside the protective field you mean?"

"Yes." A couple crates had been placed at the end of the bus. Hashwald stepped up and opened the emergency exit. "This is, for lack of a better word, the door."

"And on the other side of this bus, is my home? Karakura? Beneath the sand?"

"The sand just happened to land on the protective barrier the soul reapers erected. It isn't actually any deeper here than other places, it simply stuck to the field and covered it. I assure you, on the other side of this door, is everything you wanted. Your home and your sister."

Ichigo swallowed hard. He heard Grimmjow say something behind the gag but he couldn't listen—not this time. He knew as well as Grimmjow that the situation was dangerous, but he already knew they were caught. He stepped up after Hashwald and into the bus.

He faced a blue, glowing barrier just three seats down. It distorted the front of the bus. He couldn't see out the front window to see if his town really remained on the other side.

"What will happen when I pass through the barrier?"

"Most likely nothing. It was not made to keep humans out."

"Then how did you get through?"

Hashwald smiled. "I was outside the barrier at the time—I too, am nothing but human."

So that meant Hashwald wouldn't turn back into a spiritual killing machine once on the other side. That was good to know.

"Go ahead, Kurosaki."

Hashwald made way for him to pass. He did. He approached the shimmering surface of the barrier and reached out a hand.

It tingled like before, but now that he was close enough he pushed forward and watched his flesh sink through the surface.

He stepped through.

Little changed on the other side. It was still dark and he was now in the middle of the bus. He hurried forward, though, to look out the window.

It was there—well, as far as he could see in the dark. Since sand covered the dome, the moonlight couldn't filter though, but the blue glow from the shield above made the cityscape beyond an eerie portrait in the distance.

He knew where he was. He stepped off the bus and confirmed his location by reading a sign. He was close to the edge of town, near a dog park and a popular ice cream shop. In fact, the shop was perched as it always had been, next to the park entrance where people would crowd the sidewalk and force other pedestrians to dodge out onto the street to get by them.

"I'm sure it must be a lot to take in."

Ichigo barely noticed Hashwald descend the bus steps. His eyes were travelling past the gate, to the dust bowl that was once green grass.

"No sun…" he looked above again. "Nothing can survive in here."

"Except us. We have enough supplies to keep us quite comfortable."

Ichigo turned to him. If there weren't many, then yes, they probably could have survived on canned goods for a while. But they must have been going into Tokyo since then to restock. Even still, they had kept things low-key here all this time, in order to keep the soul reaper's eyes on the North and far away from here.

There was a grunt and something fell out of the bus. Ichigo realized it was Grimmjow and moved over to his side to help him stand up. He glared at the young man and shook out of his grasp. He couldn't speak for the gag but those eyes said it all.

"I have to find her," Ichigo stressed to him.

"I will take you to your sister," Hashwald assured.

"Just that like that?"

"Of course. Once you learn the truth, I am certain you will cooperate."

"What truth?"

"Just come this way."

Hashwald led the way down smooth streets. No snow. No rain. Nothing had touched the pavement in years and unlike the broken highways these streets were smooth and straight. Ichigo looked in the direction of his old school, still shaking his head, trying to come to grips with the fact that his home was still here. He wished to see his house, but they took a different route that headed in the direction of the hospital.

They pushed through clear glass doors and into a pristine, clean lobby. It was the ground floor of Uryu's father's hospital, but it had been transformed into something else. Ichigo wasn't sure what exactly, but based on the machines and everything whirring and buzzing, it looked like a command center. He picked out pieces that did not look human-made. They must have salvaged these from Las Noches or even Soul Reaper ruins.

"Take him in back." Hashwald nodded to the men with Grimmjow. They grabbed hold of the espada but Ichigo threw up his hands in protest.

"Stop. What are you doing?"

"It's a precaution. If you want to see your sister, then someone will have to trade places with her. Like I said, I believe you will be cooperative but I'd like to avoid escape attempts if the three of you get together."

The men began to drag Grimmjow out of the room. He yelled something that sounded like Ichigo's name behind the gag. Ichigo pushed past Hashwald and started to yell at them to stop again when a small voice called out just behind him.

"Ichigo?"

He turned and saw her. It felt like they'd had to cross the whole world to find her and at times he'd thought they never would but there she was, his sister, eyes full of water, face blotched from tears, but not a scratch or bruise on her.

"Yuzu!" He pulled her against him the moment they met. Her hands clenched tight into his shirt and she began to sob. He held her even tighter but his eyes lifted accusingly to Hashwald.

"What did you do to her?"

He saw no outward sign of the damage but her tears were near hysteric.

"Nothing, Kurosaki. We simply let her talk to her friends."

"Her friends?"

"Yes, yours too." Hashwald pointed to a monitor across the room. It was familiar looking and he realized it was the same as the monitors in the outpost and in the pillar. It was Hollow. "It has taken some time, but we were able to establish a link between the soul reaper pillar and here."

"You what? You can talk to them?"

"Yes. And so can you. Come."

He motioned them forward but Yuzu was stiff in his arms.

"Yuzu, what is it?"

But she shook her head and then the most terrible realization settled on him. He wanted to run away from it, but instead, he found himself running forward, toward the monitor, toward the truth, because as much as he didn't want to hear the words, he had to know.

He gripped the back of the chair where a man sat and brought up a screen of white characters. In seconds the screen wavered and Ichigo knew the call was going through. He felt Yuzu at his back again. She silently slipped her hands into his as they waited.

Soifon appeared on the other end. She was not surprised to see him. It was clear Hashwald had in fact contacted her recently.

"Tell me," he said at once but her eyes shot past him, to Hashwald.

"Kurosaki, remember he is the enemy. You cannot trust anything that he says. I have already sent soldiers after you."

"They won't reach here for over a week," Hashwald reminded her. "Besides, I didn't let Ichigo contact you so you can give him orders. I wanted to give him the chance to say goodbye."

The word hit Ichigo. Yuzu's fingers bit into his palm. Her eyes were full of tears.

"JUST SAY IT!" he screamed, at the monitor, at Hashwald. He couldn't stand it any longer.

It was Soifon who answered.

"Karin is going to die."

His hands fell away from the chair. He felt his knees give and Yuzu dropped with him to the floor. He knelt there, stunned, holding her shoulders, looking for confirmation. Yes, she had already heard this news.

"No," he looked up again to the monitor, "Soifon you have tools, you have a facility, you can save her."

"Kurosaki, the pillar is damaged. We couldn't repair the damage fast enough. All that is sustaining her is life support and even that will only keep her going so long. Truly, Ichigo, I am sorry."

"It's a trick," he reasoned suddenly, looking back at Hashwald. "That's not really Soifon. You're doing this to trick me somehow, make me do what you want."

He stood again, clinging to the hope, but the face on the monitor creased in pain. The hardened captain was shaking her head, but if she was an illusion, that is of course what she would do. So instead of arguing with him, she spoke as calmly as she could.

"Ichgio, I do not know what Hashwald wants with you, but he wanted you to know about your sister's condition. Whether you believe this is an illusion or not, you know he's giving you this information to do what he wants. He'll use your emotions against you. He's most likely going to make you promises, convince you—"

The screen went blank. The operator had cut her off. Ichigo spun on Hashwald.

"Easy," he warned, his soldiers at the ready to restrain Ichigo, "I will give you time to absorb—"

"NO! Tell me what you want right now! Tell me why you're doing this."

"I'm doing it to save us all, Kurosaki, to save every last living soul. And if you want to do something to save your sister, you'll listen to me."

"Fine, I'm listening."

The smallest of smiles touched Hashwald's lips.

"Good."

"Let me the fuck out!" Grimmjow's boot collided with bars of his makeshift cell. He was surprised when the guard actually listened, turning back with keys in hand.

Grimmjow went on the defensive then, but the guard simply held the door open. He didn't understand until he saw Hashwald himself come around the corner.

"I thought you wanted out."

Grimmjow glared but stepped out of the cell before anyone changed their mind and locked him in again. Hashwald grabbed his arm and began walking.

"Get off." Grimmjow tried pulling free but Hashwald grabbed the back of his collar as well.

"Calm down espada, I'm taking you to the Kurosakis."

At this, Grimmjow did calm. He allowed himself to be led through a few corridors until they came to a room. On the outside of it read Family Room. He didn't really know what that meant but Hashwald let go of him there and he straightened out his clothing.

"I am only allowing you to see them on the condition there will be no trouble."

"Then what? What the fuck is going on?"

"We can discuss that later. Ichigo requested your presence. If you care about him at all, you won't fuck this up."

With that, he opened the door and left Grimmjow to go in.

He felt it at once, before he even saw them. He felt heat-ache and tears, as if it was something tangible in the room beyond.

They were together on a small couch. The room was small, filled with a few seats, some colourful blocks on a low table, a blank t.v. screen, a box of tissues. Yuzu had her head against Ichigo's shoulder, her eyes red, but she sat up when she saw him. Her bottom lip quivered, her wide eyes took him in, and then she launched up and threw her arms around him, sobs escaping anew into his chest.

He held her back, but he stared past her to Ichigo, seeing he too, had tears down his cheeks.

"What did they do?"

But Ichigo just shook his head. He stood and tired clearing his eyes but failed.

"Kurosaki?" Grimmjow pressed, letting Yuzu go with one hand and grabbing Ichigo's shoulder to focus his attention.

"They h-had a link...to the North Pillar. We s-saw Soifon."

Grimmjow's eyes widened. His mind jumped to many things in quick succession, wondering about all the implications of this until it settled on one name in particular.

"Karin," he concluded.

Ichigo nodded, and pinched the bridge of his nose, his face tightening. He tried, but failed to hold it back, and new tears wracked him, shaking his thinned frame from head to toe.

"Shit." Grimmjow tugged on Ichigo's shoulder. The young man stepped stiffly into him, trying not to break against him, but failing. He gave into the borrowed strength, he let the agony out for the espada to hear. For a moment, they stood, Grimmjow holding them both upright. But not for long. Their time together was precious and Ichigo couldn't afford to lose himself to pain, when he still had one sister to save.

Grimmjow sat with Yuzu while Ichigo washed his face in the attached washroom. When he came out again, he was shaking, but dry eyed. He took the other side of the couch, closing one hand over Yuzu's. She still sniffed, but was also trying to collect herself.

"What has he said you?" Grimmjow began. "He must have told you about Karin for some reason."

"Yes," Ichigo did his best to steady his voice. "He said he has a way to restore the cycle."

At this, Grimmjow balked, turning on the couch to face Ichigo straight on.

"What? Like the balance?"

"I guess—everything. He says he has a way to restore the worlds."

"Bullshit!" Grimmjow shot to his feet. "There is no way to undo all this!"
"He didn't say he'd undo it, he said he'd restart it," now Ichigo's voice was rising. Yuzu clutched his hand, trying to keep him calm.

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Grimmjow I don't know! I'm just telling you what he told me."

"No you aren't! You believe it, don't you? You stupid asshole, you always wanted to believe there was some magic fix."

"OF COURSE I DO!" Ichigo stood now too. "Just because you don't care what happens after you die doesn't me the rest of us don't. Don't you get it? If Karin dies now, there's nothing waiting for her. If we fix things, she'll go to Soul Society, she'll continue to exist, even if it isn't here."

Grimmjow backed off a bit, but only a bit. He shook his head and took a few steps back from Ichigo.

"You're playing right into his hand. He told you about Karin so you'd buy into whatever he's doing."

"Of course he did. Don't you think I can see that? But it doesn't change what he's offering. It doesn't make it any less important."

"It's lies."

"Maybe. We don't know, Grimmjow. We don't know anything yet. All he asked was for me to listen to him. To give him a chance."

"And you've already said yes, haven't you?"

"It was the only way he would let us see you again. And right now, Grimmjow, we can't do this without you."

Ichigo sank back on the couch, all steam leaving him. Grimmjow leaned back against a table, shaking his head.

"At least you got one thing straight. You do need me. You can't make any sort of decision while you're like this."

"I know."

"Good. Then first things first, no more agreeing to shit you don't know anything about."

"I just agreed to listen."

"Fine. We'll listen. But what then? What happens when he makes you an offer? What happens if you decide to turn that offer down? He's going to pretend you have a choice, but you know you don't, right? He's the one who ordered that bullet be put in Karin, remember. He's the one who snatched Yuzu and dragged us all across the country."

"I know, Grimmjow. I won't forget that."

"Alright. Then I guess we don't got a choice, do we, except to proceed with caution."

Ichigo met his eyes. He nodded, needing to feel like they had a plan, even if they really didn't.

Sorry for the delay, should be back on track now and updating weekly again. Thanks for your continued support!

Riza