Description: Ichigo gets close to Gin once again, he tells her everything. Ichigo decides to stay with him until Aizen is defeated, but her Soul reaper friends don't believe what is going on, they think she has betrayed them. This only causes trouble for the girl, and when the final battle begins, she has to believe in Gin's word.

Rating: T-M

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The morning was cool as she walked down the roadway toward the seventh division. Byakuya was gone, as well as a few other captains to Hueco Mundo to battle the Espada. Zakuro hadn't heard from Ichigo in almost two weeks, nor had she heard any news of them. She was preparing to go to war with Aizen, all the squads were training for this final fight. It would be the ultimate battle.

Fights were breaking out all over Hueco Mundo, but Gin and Tosen were ordered to stay out of them. Gin and Tosen had an important role when they reached Karakura. Ichigo knew everything now. She knew of the plan, and all about the Espada. She only stayed in Hueco Mundo for Gin, because she knew he was a good person. But after sharing his plans with her, Gin forced her to swear she'd not tell a soul. Ichigo was bound to secrecy, and sat alongside him, the arranger referred to her as his pet.

Ichigo got to know the espada somewhat. Yammy always joked with her, Harribel was kind to her, Starrk was always asleep, Ulquiorra did not speak much but was not rude, Barragan kept to himself, Szayel often doted on her because of their similar hair color, and Zommari and Aaroniero didn't speak with her much.

Last Ichigo heard, Aaroniero was dead. Ichigo only grieved him for a moment, she knew the espada were evil. As was Aizen. Aizen was planning on killing everyone, Ichigo knew she would only be of use to the Soul Society if she stayed near him. She may end up being like Gin, one of the only people with a clear shot at him.

She entered Gins room, she was tired, it was exhausting not knowing when day and night was here. It always seemed sunny around the palace. Aizen kept it that way.

The silver haired man was inside the room awaiting her return, she had been out for a walk. There wasn't much to do at the palace, Ichigo kept going on walks to keep her mind at ease. She constantly worried about which of her friends were here and who was safe. She knew Ulquiorra was off hunting Kurosaki. Ichigo knew the captains were here now, and hopefully they could save her friends from the espada.

"Oh hello thar Ichigo-chan."

Ichigo walked over to him, she smiled down at him, he was sitting at a small table with a glass in front of him. She reached out and pet his hair,

"It's hard to not go crazy here. But I know things are getting tense."

"Don' cha be worryin' 'bout that quite yet. Worry when we leave for the world of the livin'."

Gin still felt bound to this girl. His heart melted for her brown eyes, he wasn't sure to what extent he felt for her, but he was indeed fond of her. He liked keeping her safe, and whatever she was to him, he thoroughly enjoyed having her company. This palace was dismal while he had been here alone, she brightened his day and gave him someone to talk to. She wouldn't tell a soul anything he told her. And he hadn't told her the full extent of his plan. He merely told her Aizen would be stopped in the world of the living, and with her lack of knowledge about the espada and Captains, she had no choice but to trust his word. Gin hoped in his heart they could stop Aizen.

He stood up in front of her, craning his neck down so his face got close to hers. Ichigo didn't feel uncomfortable with him anymore. He would do things that made her nervous or excited, but she never once was afraid of him. Gin had to go out of his way to startle her to see fear in her eyes. The range of emotions on her face intrigued him, and he constantly did things to see all these emotions.

His touch often made her jump or blush, Gin loved how she reacted to him. Gin grabbed her chin with his hand, he then kissed her cheek. Ichigo turned her head as his hand tilted, exposing the side of her jaw and neck. Gin always felt her skin, Ichigo slowly put her hands around his shoulders as he trailed light pecks down her jawline. Her stomach fluttered, she enjoyed his company, and had begun to care for him deeply. He was the only one she had, only person she trusted.

Gin surprised her by swooping her up suddenly and using shunpo to dump them both on the bed quicker than the blink of an eye. Ichigo gasped and then giggled when she landed on the mattress. Gin slithered up beside her, she faced away from him. Ichigo inhaled sharply, suddenly feeling her face get warm from the contact. Gins hands snaked around her waist, he moved one over the front of her body, sending nervous tingles down her spine. He placed the hand on her jaw, reaching two of his long bony fingers to her mouth to fondle her lips. Ichigo smiled, he traced her lipline gently. Her heart beat quickly, she liked the contact, but she felt a nervous energy running through her body.

The former captain unzipped the uniform and gently tugged the top half off. Ichigo's face flushed pink and she turned her head away, she felt embarrassed. She and Masaya had slept together only a few times, and this was a lot different. Gin's smile didn't fade in the slightest, he nuzzled up behind her once more and cuddled his face to the side of her neck and head. Ichigo couldn't help but smile, she reached back over her head and put her hands behind his head and turned hers, pulling him into a dainty kiss. She then blushed and turned back shortly after, she felt shy and nervous about the situation. The silver haired man chuckled quietly, sliding one of his hands up and down the side of her body slowly. His other hand had found its way back to her lips, they were soft and Gin enjoyed rubbing them and tracing her lips.

Ichigo's eyes closed and she felt a tad warm, her body felt more sensitive than usual at the moment. Gin exhaled slowly, he wouldn't deny he wanted this girl, but he knew he wouldn't do a thing to chase her off. If he wanted this girl he would have to be patient, and he also was battling with his own uncertainty about his feelings toward her.

His mind then trailed of to more current matters, he felt a slight devilish at the moment. He slid his right hand around her waist and traced her pantyline. Ichigo tisted her ankles around each other and turned her head towards him. She wasn't sure what she wanted at the moment. Gin chuckled and moved his hand that he had around her cheek and jaw, he gently separated her lips. Her eyes were halfway closed and her mouth parted, Gin felt his heart race, her expression was one he would keep in his mind. His grin was ear to ear staring at her expression, she broke his train of thought,

"Ich-Ichimaru-Tai..cho…"

Gin chuckled and turned her over toward him, "Do I scare ya missy?"

Ichigo took a deep breath, she felt good, "Not at all.. I'm just… I don't know.."

Gin pulled her into a kiss, tangling one of his hands up in her hair and holding her there, his other hand gently traced her leg. Ichigo felt nervous, but giddy at the same time. This was nothing like how she and Masaya had been. The ex captain was far different from her old boyfriend.

She gasped when he turned her head away from him to give himself access to her neck. He then turned her back over and reached around her face again with his hand, he propped his upper body up on that elbow. Ichigo complied with his movements, He used his free hand to pull her two hands behind her so she laid on one and the other was behind her back, he pressed his body into her back with her hands between to discourage her from moving them. The red head's eyes slammed shut when Gin's right hand found its way down her soft white underwear. She felt tingly all over her body, she mumbled something unrecognizable. He smiled inwardly, he was enjoying himself, she was so entertaining.

Gin gently slid his left hands index finger into her mouth, he kept his eyes locked on her face and mouth. His finger traced the inside of her lips and cheek. Ichigo felt jittery, yet didn't want to move to break the moment. His right hand moved about on her womanhood. Ichigo would flinch ever so slightly when he hit a sensitive spot. Gin chuckled when her cat ears and tail popped out. She blushed madly, starting to fully take in the situation,

"I- I'm sorry about that!"

He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "It's all right kitty, I like it."

After a few minutes of playing with the cat girl Gin decided to stop, he gave her a sweet gentle kiss and stopped toying with her. Ichigo felt jittery but like she didn't want to move. As far as she was aware, he really knew what he was doing. Ichigo turned over and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him and putting her head on his shoulder. Gin froze for a moment, his smile faded to a surprised expression. He didn't mind being in control of the situation, but she would always surprise him and do something to make his heart melt. He frowned, staring up at his ceiling. This was bad. A wave of guilt hit him, it was such a damper on his naughty mood.

This girl trusted him, and was on the verge of falling in love with him. He didn't even have his own feelings sorted out, it was true he cared for her, but he felt like he wasn't the right guy for her. He had a shady past, people were often afraid of him because of his odd habits and the way he always smiled to hide his true emotions. Gin slammed his eyes shut, he cared for her, and wanted to protect her, but something felt wrong. He felt like this girl deserved a prince or some nobleman as her lover, not him. He was none of those things, he was a captain, but he wasn't a prince charming. This girl was like a princess.

Ichigo snuggled into his chest, making his stomach drop. The guilt was overwhelming. If he hadn't allowed her to trust him so much, she wouldn't be here. Her life was in danger. She was in more danger than she could comprehend. Gin took a deep breath. He didn't want anything to happen to this girl, it was his fault she was in this mess, he would be the one to pay the price for it if that day were to come.

Shuuhei entered the third division barracks to find the lieutenant. Izuru was different since Gin left, he wasn't around as often as he used to be. The black haired lieutenant entered the office and immediately grimaced. Izuru was face down on the desk, his breathing was deep.

"Kira…"

The blond man lazily lifted his head from the desk, he had been filing all sorts of paperwork and training during the day for the final battle. Shuuhei frowned and walked over to him, he felt so sorry for Izuru. Even though he had gone through the same thing, Gin always had a hold on Izuru that one else understood. Gin was a mentor to Izuru, but somehow they were always close friends as well.

"Oh hey there Hisagi-san… I'm sorry, I'm a total mess. It's been a long day."

"I can see that. You okay?"

Shuuhei's words were compassionate and full of worry, he stared down at Izuru with great concern. The third division officer stood up and smiled at Shuuhei,

"I'll be fine. I'm just worn out I guess."

The ninth division lieutenant could see the hurt in Izuru's eyes, he was broken and lost. Shuuhei and Izuru stood in silence for a few moments. Izuru adverted his gaze down to the side, he was still reeling from the betrayal. The black haired man stood and embraced Izuru, he pulled him close to him firmly. Izuru froze, his entire body stiff and quivering. Izuru was so exhausted he was beginning to become ill. Shuuhei sighed and shook his head,

"I'm so sorry. I know how you feel. I understand it hurts, but we can overcome what they have done. We'll defeat Aizen and end this, I'll stand by you and fight alongside you no matter what happens Kira."

Shuuhei's words made Izuru's chest tighten and his throat ache, he felt like breaking down. He smiled weakly as Shuuhei released him, he looked into the black haired lieutenants eyes,

"Thank you Hisagi-san. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

Their swords clashed, a spark flying between them. The violet haired girl was light on her feet, she dove to the ground and rolled to the right as he brought down a crushing blow onto the ground. Zakuro rushed toward the captain, he used his arm to deflect her blow. She spun around and under his arm when he reached for her a second time, she thrust the sword at his abdomen. His sword knocked her blade to the side, and he grabbed both of her forearms with his hand.

Komamura lifted the girl by her forearms and held her in front of him, he chuckled as she struggled. She smiled in a slightly flustered way,

"Guess it'll be a challenge for you if your opponent is as large as I am."

"I suppose…"

Her foot suddenly thrust up and kicked him in the shoulder, he flinched just enough so her arms could slide free. She jumped back,

"Ribbon Zakuro Spear!"

Her sword disappeared and her weapon appeared in her hand, she swung it over her head. The whip went flying in his direction, he grabbed the whip and twisted it around his hand, locking it in. Zakuro turned around and reached up high, before yanking down, lifting him off the ground and throwing him ahead of her. Komamura landed all right because she slowed the attack down. They were just training, no reason to try to hurt him.

Komamura chuckled and released her whip,

"I do have some tricks up my sleeves."

Komamura nodded at her, as if to warn her, he charged toward her. Zakuro ducked under his blade and used both hands to palm thrust his abdomen. Komamura recoiled briefly and reached down with his free hand to swing at her. Zakuro bent backwards to dodge the hand, she thrust her leg up and kicked the bottom of the wrist that swung at her. Komamura winced slightly and jumped back, Zakuro surged after him, surprising the wolf headed captain.

She jumped up and attempted to punch him in the jaw, he leaned out of the punch and grabbed her ankle. The captain tossed her aside, she slid across the ground. Zakuro sputtered, it knocked the wind out of her.

"I think that'll do you for today."

Komamura said kindly, putting away his sword. Zakuro weakly got to her feet, brushing sand and dry dirt off of her shihakusho. He smiled at her,

"You all right?"

Zakuro nodded briefly, they had been training for hours, she was pretty tired. The captain walked over and patted her head gently,

"There will be a festival tomorrow night, I'm sure you've heard about it. We are having a get-together for the captains and lieutenants privately in the private courtyard behind the first division. I know your captain is absent, so I would be honored if you decided to join Iba and myself. The other squad members will be celebrating in their own way, but I think you deserve to come along. The head captain wont mind. Its to celebrate the coming of winter. It may be the last light hearted moment since the war is coming."

Zakuro thought for a moment, she looked down at her raggedy shihakusho,

"What do you recommend I wear?"

He chuckled and smiled wider, "That's the spirit! Go see Matsumoto at the tenth division, she'll help you out I'm sure."

The wolf girl shrugged, "All right then. I'll see you guys tomorrow night."

Grimmjow stared as she entered the kitchen, it was near the main sitting room in the palace. The blue haired espada had been sitting in there out of pure boredom. All the intruders were fighting with espada, he had been told to wait until one stopped, he decided to go after the strongest one if he survived his scuffle with Ulquiorra.

Ichigo didn't notice the blue haired man, he was still and had hidden his spiritual pressure well. She hummed as she began looking through cabinets, searching for things to cook with. There wasn't much there. It was the arrancar's job to cook.

"Hmph…" She groaned, pouting slightly. Grimmjow pointed toward a small door that was a pantry,

"Hey, woman, pantry."

Ichigo flinched and turned, slamming her lower back into the white countertop. She stared at him, wincing, it had hurt.

"Oh… hey… Ouch that hurt…"

She said softly, trailing off rubbing her lower back. She smiled weakly at him,

"I- I'm Momomiya Ichigo, you're espada 6 right?"

The blue haired espada leaned back, putting his arms behind his head, he groaned,

"Yeah, Grimmjow Jaggerjack."

The red head smiled and waved, "Thanks!" she made her way into the pantry. Still wasn't much to choose from. She found a small cold box in the back, it was a poor imitation of a refrigerator. There was some heavy whipping cream in it, she smiled, "Pasta!"

The cat girl began boiling water, she brought out noodles and some cheese. She wasn't sure if the cheese was good or not, but she had to try. She was hungry. The espada kept a wary eye on her as she was cooking. His eyes suddenly flew to the door, the tall espada entered the room. Nnoitra paused for a moment when he saw Ichigo cooking, he glanced over at Grimmjow. Number six just shrugged and shifted to get more comfortable. Ichigo hummed as she cooked, she felt someone looming over her.

She paused and turned, expecting to see the blue haired espada. Her face changed to shock and she whipped around when she saw who it was, she gasped and backed into the side of the stove. She burned her hand and yelped, sliding to the side, now in a corner of the counter, no where to go. Nnoitra's smile was wide and menacing,

"And just what might you be making?"

Ichigo stared at him in fear for a few moments, her heart beating so loud she swore she could hear it. She swallowed hard, she couldn't be afraid of this man anymore. She had to be stronger.

"I'm making.. P-pasta. Did you want some?"

Nnoitra blinked and stood completely upright, he looked skeptical,

"I guess. As long as it doesn't taste like shit."

Grimmjow snarled, "Nnoitra if you let her burn the fucking noodles it will taste like shit, back the hell off."

The black haired espada grit his teeth and glared at the other espada, Grimmjow grinned,

"I'll jab that other eye out if you keep looking at me like that."

Ichigo hesitantly moved to stir in all the pasta, Nnoitra looked down at her. He nodded and walked over, leaning against another section of countertop, his upper back all the way on the cabinets. He just observed as she cooked.

"So where the hell are you from? And how in the hell did Ichimaru convince you to stay here and be his squeeze?"

Nnoitra asked, crossing his arms. Grimmjow opened one eye and looked over, slightly curious as well. The cat girl took a deep breath as she drained the noodles,

"I- I was in Ichimaru-Taicho's squad back in the Soul Society. I died and I remembered my life, they told me I was strong enough to be a squad member, and so I worked with him to train. He taught me to fight, and I came here to find him because I was angry with him. And he… found me here. So we just talked to Aizen, and I would rather be here with Gin than in Soul Society."

Nnoitra scoffed, "Let me guess, he took your virginity and you think you love him?"

Ichigo rolled her eyes and kept stirring the pot, this espada was just rude and violent. She still felt ilke he had to potential to be a good person, but maybe she was wrong.

"Nnoitra shut the fuck up man you're annoying. Leave her alone, who gives a damn?"

Grimmjow seethed, annoyed with the banter going on. Nnoitra shot him a glare, these two weren't the best of companions. Ichigo began stirring in the cheese and creamer, she then trotted off to the pantry to find some garlic. Nnoitra stared at the pot, it started bubbling furiously.

"Hey woman, its starting to boil a lot. Don't burn that shit."

Ichigo huffed,

"Nnoitra-sama, would you stir that for me?"

The black haired espada looked into the pantry after her as if she was crazy, Grimmjow immediately burst into laughter. Nnoitra grit his teeth,

"You're fucking kidding me!"

"No, would you please?"

He shook his head and walked over to the sitting room and flopped down, "Like hell."

Ichigo rushed out with a small clove of garlic and stirred the boiling cheese and heavy whipping cream. She shot him a disapproving glance, and then began cutting the garlic into small pieces. Grimmjow made a humming noise,

"Mhmm, that smells good actually. I'll be surprised if you can cook woman."

Ichigo laughed, with everyone knowing she was with Gin, no one would harm her. Some of them may be rude, but none would attack her, especially without consequence. She had, out of kindness, put all the pasta in, so there was a lot now, more than enough for the three of them. She put in a lot of extra cheese, and some garlic for flavor. When the pasta was about done, she searched around and found three bowls. She poured the pasta in and found some forks, she then took it over to the two espada.

Grimmjow grinned and took it graciously, he dug in as soon as the bowl hit his hands. Ichigo laughed at the blue haired espada as she turned to hand Nnoitra the other bowl. The black haired man looked at the bowl, then back up at her, he looked confused and indecisive. Ichigo shrugged and put it on the small coffee table in front of him, she then grabbed her bowl and then sat down on the edge of the sofa that Grimmjow was on. She sat at least three feet away from him, still feeling weird about being close to them. Grimmjow inhaled his pasta, and was done before Ichigo had taken two bites.

He slammed the bowl down on the coffee table and reached for Nnoitra's, Nnoitra grabbed the bowl and pulled it away from number six.

"Hey fuckhead thats mine."

"Well then eat it dumbs!"

Grimmjow snarled, standing up and going over to scoop some more pasta. The smell attracted a familiar face, Gin walked into the kitchen with his usual smile. Ichigo seemed to brighten up, she set down her pasta and walked over to him. The espada looked at each other, shrugging it off.

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