Here's chapter 14 and the second last ch. XD You have no idea how happy i am to finish with the fighting. The next chapter will have nothing to do with the manga, since Grimmjow was sort of forgotten in Hueco Mundo after this...that made me really sad.

But anyway, hope you like this new update and please review! ENJOY! XD

14

The king runs

Shaking off his shadows,

His armour clanking,

Scattering bones,

Tasting flesh and blood,

Crushing groaning hearts,

Stepping in alone

To a distant beyond.

Grimmjow's ultimate technique, Desgarron, lit up the whole sky with its piercing rays. They rushed towards their intended target, crushing into Ichigo's barely raised zanpakuto with a hungry ferocity. Hungry for Ichigo's blood and life.

Grimmjow's laughter rang, echoing and mingling with the screech of his rushing Desgarron. The look of shock and pain reflected in his prey's eyes was exhilarating. Seeing his claws dice the meat and bring the boy down like a bird with its wings torn off gave him a crazed thrill. He loved this feeling of absolute power over another life. His thirst for blood clouded his judgement and he went after Ichigo like a shark sniffing the red life essence.

'It's over Ichigo! You're mine! I am the king!'

Grimmjow's words made something snap inside Ichigo. He immediately found his footing and pushed against the Arrancar's claws. Maybe it was the mention of king. The same struggle he'd been in with his inner hollow for such a long time. The struggle to feel superior over someone else and rule over them not caring if they were hurt or broken. The type of ruler who pursued only their own means and stood against everything Ichigo believed in.

He hated it. He hated the thought of Grimmjow being a physical emblem of all he thought was wrong. He hated the idea that Hollow Ichigo was right and Grimmjow was no different from the cruel, manipulative hollow living inside him. The Arrancar's attack was crushed by Ichigo's blade and it scattered in an almost beautiful rain of light.

'You know you're not the only one who wants to win.'

'What?' Grimmjow paused in his craze. Something was different about Ichigo. His trained instincts went on alert. He felt threatened.

'You want to kill me because of how I look at you? I know how you feel.'

In the second before Ichigo launched for him, Grimmjow saw his eyes and he understood what had changed. He saw the murderous intent in the hazel irises. Up till now Ichigo had a warmth and a reluctance in those eyes that made him human. Now it was gone and Grimmjow saw a look of pure hatred. It looked wrong on the kind boy's face, distorted, ugly.

'You were right. I came here to fight you. To defeat you Grimmjow!' Ichigo still had a small piece of his mask, covering his right eye and giving him an inhumane appearance. His slim sword slashed Grimmjow's Desgarron to ribbons.

'To defeat you! And Ulquiorra! And Aizen! Rukia! Chad! Uryu! Renji! And Orihime! I'm taking them all back with me!' Each name was screamed out, his voice getting louder and more emphatic. 'I can't lose to you Grimmjow!'

Grimmjow watched with wary and wondering eyes as the human approached him, seemingly in slow motion. He knew he was finished. He knew he lost this battle. He could have continued to fight, avoid the finishing strike aimed for his chest, but what would that achieve? Ichigo's eyes were absolute. His resolve was solidified. The human chose his friends over everything else and if Grimmjow was in his way then he would be cut down.

Zangetsu sank into his abdomen. His blood rained down as it gashed out of the fresh wound. Grimmjow could feel his consciousness fading. He lost. He lost to his prey.

'Blast….'

Ichigo's zanpakuto slid out of Grimmjow with a sickening wet sound. The boy watched with tired eyes as the Arrancar fell, a defiant expression set on his face even as he slipped into the darkness of sleep. Automatically Ichigo's hand shot out and griped Grimmjow's, halting his descent.

The thought of Grimmjow being hurt further was something he couldn't stand. He knew he had to fight and defeat the Arrancar, if he wanted to save his friends, but this victory brought him no joy. He hated himself for it. When his sword pierced Grimmjow it felt like he was the one being injured. The pain was steep and sharp, crushing his heart.

His feet sank in the sand as he landed, gently lowering Grimmjow to the white blanket. He kneeled beside the Arrancar and ran his fingers across the scratched cheek. The tips of his fingers came off red.

'I'm sorry. I wish this could be different. I'm so sorry.'

His apology fell on deaf ears as Grimmjow slept on. He ran his fingers through the azure hair before drawing them back. This was painful. Too painful. Ichigo felt like he was punishing himself for being the cause of Grimmjow's defeat. It was illogical and senseless. Nothing new there though. Everything involving Grimmjow was illogical. His feelings, his reactions, his cravings, his desires.

Senseless.

Ichigo's voice drifted to Grimmjow and it fissured the darkness like stabbing rays of light. He heard the human's apology and his voice crack. He felt the soft fingers trace his cheek and run through his hair. He felt the boy's comforting presence and body heat get closer and then….he felt the softest touch across his lips.

At first he was confused. He didn't know what was touching his lips so softly and at the same time so demanding. Then he remembered the feel of Ichigo's lips. Soft and eager. He didn't dare breathe for fear of the human leaving.

But it was such a sad sensation. The kiss felt like a goodbye. It made Grimmjow feel strange, as everything that involved Ichigo did. He was a creature supposedly incapable of feelings such as love or regret but what else could that heart wrenching sensation be?

Then he felt a moist drop splash across his cheek. It was warm and lonely. Grimmjow didn't have to open his eyes to know that Ichigo was crying. Crying for him? Why?

And suddenly he was alone. He felt the other's presence drift further away. He wanted to reach for the human but he couldn't move his limbs. He couldn't open his eyes or speak. He couldn't do anything except be confronted with the flood of emotions he tried so hard to suppress. The dam broke and he was drowning.

Grimmjow was terrified of their meaning. Physical pain he could manage. His body would mend. But what about the pain he felt inside? How did people deal with that? Did it also heal like broken skin and crushed bones? The fear of the unknown gave him new strength. He had to confront Ichigo. He had to eradicate the source of his misery.

Ichigo widened his eyes when he felt Grimmjow's presence behind him. He turned around, not quite believing his senses. It was a long day after all. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him? But no. He was there, barely standing and bleeding intensively.

Grimmjow's long hair drifted on the easy wind in direct contrast with the harsh sound of his breathing. Even the intake of air sounded forced and painful. Seeing him in that state was torturous. Seeing a strong, unyielding creature such as Grimmjow brought so low was demoralizing.

'Grimmjow….'

The Arrancar took a shaking step towards the three, Ichigo, Orihime and Nel. Automatically Ichigo raised his sword between the hollow and the two girls, ready to ward any attacks, but his heart was not into any fighting. Not with Grimmjow.

With a ripping sound, Grimmjow's Resurreccion form crumbled. The bone like suit unravelled as it dissipated back into Grimmjow's zanpakuto, Pantera. Ichigo knew what that meant. Grimmjow was seriously injured and any further harm could spell his death.

The Arrancar took another wobbly step towards the watching Shinigami, blood staining the perfect white under his feet. Ichigo could practically see Grimmjow's vision blur and unfocus. His laboured breathing became even heavier.

'I'm not giving up. There's….No way I'd ever…Let you win!'

Ichigo discarded his zanpakuto and moved to meet the attacking Arrancar. He easily halted Grimmjow by gripping his wrist. Grimmjow was only just able to hold himself standing, his legs trembling slightly ready to crumble like pillars of sand under the merciless waves of fatigue. Ichigo saw all this and his grip squeezed the Arrancar's arm, trying really hard to make the man in front of him see sense.

'Cut it out Grimmjow. You lost. You may be some kind of king, eating everyone you hate until you're all alone. But what's the point of that? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to fight me over and over again?' Ichigo was willing to become a target for the Arrancar as long as Grimmjow found a reason to continue living. 'So let it go for now!'

Grimmjow met Ichigo's eyes and he saw the plea in them. He saw the care and the worry and it made him so angry. Angry because he felt the same about the human and didn't know why.

'Shut up! You-….'

Grimmjow's insult died on his parted lips. The unseen crescent blade sank into Grimmjow's side like fangs into meat, spraying even more of the precious, scarce blood across the sandy landscape. Ichigo's eyes widened in horror and his mind raced. His first thought wasn't for his safety or Orihime's or Nel's.

All he could think of was Grimmjow Grimmjow Grimmjow…..

Grimmjow's eyes fluttered and the light of the Las Noches 's artificial sun was far too strong. It burned his eyes, so he closed them back again. He didn't remember much. After being stabbed by Nnoitra he vaguely remembered some snippy comments, Ichigo's voice shouting his name, Orihime's healing shield enveloping him for a moment before it was forcefully dragged away then….nothing.

Now he woke up and he was alone. The silence around him was absolute, even the wind stilled. He knew what was happening to him. He was dying. He could practically feel the life flow out of him as the darkness became more and more welcoming. It was only his stubborn nature that kept him anchored.

From the moment he developed an individual consciousness Grimmjow fought to never lose it. The thing he dreaded, feared most of all was slipping back into the form of a Gillian. As an Adjucha he had to consume other Adjucha to prevent that from happening. Now he was the one who would be consumed. It was only a matter of time before the multitude of power famished hollows sniffed him and grouped to him like piranhas.

And until then he was alone with only his thoughts as company. He missed being asleep. At least then he could ignore the gilt gnawing at him. What was the point anymore? Why bother running anymore?

Grimmjow finally confronted those new emotions knowing that he would be dead soon anyway, so it did no harm. As much as he told himself he didn't know what they were, he knew damn well what he was feeling for Ichigo. He regretted not acting on those feelings earlier and now it was far too late.

The hardest thing was the fact that Ichigo felt the same. The boy cried for him. Grimmjow was sure that when he would die nobody would even notice his absence. That's why he strived to be the king, to leave a legacy, a mark behind before being eradicated from existence. And Ichigo lamented his death. That made him oddly happy and warm. And guilty.

'Mr Jeagerjaques?~ Are you still alive?'

Grimmjow opened his eyes, surprised at the sudden breach of silence. He didn't recognise the sing song voice. The sun blinded him and he could only see the outline of a man looking down at him. No matter how many times he blinked he couldn't see any clearer. Even his sight was failing him…

'Ah good. I was afraid I was too late for a second there.'

'Who…..?' Talking was excruciating. Moving his chest and making his throat work was like pushing bladed out of his lungs.

'My name is Kisuke Urahara and I'm the humble owner of a candy shop. But that's not important right now. I'm here to give you an ultimatum.' Urahara waited for the Arrancar to give a sign of understanding. Grimmjow blinked a few times. It was the best he could manage.

'You can stay here and die. OR, you can be human and live.' Urahara went straight to the point seeing that Grimmjow didn't have a lot of time left. He was amazed at the man's endurance as it was.

Grimmjow wasn't certain if he heard correctly. Maybe he was already dead and all this was a weird figment of his imagination. Maybe it was real. He had no way of knowing nor could he get the wheels in his head moving to properly annualize the situation.

'You wish to live?'

All he could think of was Ichigo Ichigo Ichigo….

'Yes…'

Thank you for the read! We're nearly there good readers. One...last...chapter...gah...x_x

Don't forget to review! XD