A/N: Warning - character death.

Heal
Ishida + Nemu

In the end, Ishida is left staring blankly at what remained of Las Noches.

He sees Ichigo and Rukia holding on to one another for support, holding back the tears that even Ishida would know will come eventually. He sees as Ichigo blames himself, a look of reprieve in his eyes, and as Rukia punches him half-heartedly because they had failed. And then she cries on him.

And he sees Chad leaning against a nearby remain of a wall, looking up at the sky of Hueco Mundo, unmoving. Renji was just beside the giant, but he was looking down, gripping his zanpakutou tight, clutch trembling. Unohana and Isane were hovering over them, trying to heal their wounds.

And then there was Yachiru who seemed dazed, latched on to Kenpachi's arm, and sadness was visible on the child's eyes. Byakuya stood, looking after his crying sister. Kurotsuchi Mayuri could care less, but that was no surprise.

In the end, their reason for coming here was gone.

He hears a rustle, and turns his head to see Nemu settling herself beside him. He tries to smile, because the woman had been one of the few in Soul Society that he could actually consider a friend in some ways, but he ultimately fails.

Instead, wordless, the lieutenant simply lifted a hand and laid it on his shoulder.

"Nemu-san.."

She said nothing, just a mumble of a kidou spell and then he saw the faint glow emit from her hand, and he felt her reiatsu healing his deep battle-inflicted wounds.

"Please turn a little." her request was soft and weak, but he recognized the command. Easing himself, Ishida turned slightly to give her access to his back. He was wounded pretty badly. Like everyone else. Not just physically - he was torn in the inside.

"Nemu-san.. thank you." he whispered, and caught a ghost of a smile on her face, before she faced him and nodded. "She.. promised to heal me actually."

Before his voice broke, she cut him off, standing up and then transferring in front of him, she asked for his leg, and he surrendered it of course. She tore part of his pants to heal the severe injury. "You did everything you can, Ishida-san."

"I know. But that wasn't enough."

"There's never an everything that is enough for something."

The man looks up and sees the shinigami frowning as she wrapped a fresh roll of bandages in his partially healed wound.

"It is always that unfair. You give all for just one, yet you still fail."

It was right. They all lost Orihime.

"At least," she started again, resting her hand on her finished work on his leg, looking at it grimly. "She knew that you were giving it your all."

That was when fresh tears - ones he had been holding in for so long - finally betrayed his strong front, and as the lady eased herself closer to wrap another roll of bandages to his arm, he gives in and finally cries.

He puts a hand to his face and leans down as he sobs - only to meet his healer's shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry for crying on you like this."

The only answer he got was a free hand resting against his wet cheek and lingering for a moment before doing its job.

"It's alright to shed tears sometimes. Healing has always been painful."

A/N: Review? :D