Description: Ichigo returns just in time with Orihime and goes to find Gin, he's already gone to the Soul Society. She has Orihime heal the captains and lieutenants here, and she is caught by Zakuro. Komamura stops Zakuro from beating her any further, and then Ichigo decides to go after Aizen and Gin. She has no idea for what is in store for her when she gets there.

Rating: T

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Komamura's ears pricked up when he heard the garganta split open once more, Ichigo emerged from the dark hole in the sky. Orihime and Uryu came out behind her, Orihime's hands clapped over her own mouth at the sight of what had happened. Another person emerged from the garganta. Komamura stood up, Shuuhei was kneeling beside him over the remains of Tosen.

"Oh no." The wolf headed captain murmured under his breath. This could be bad.

The cat girl that had disappeared into the Garganta appeared with Orihime and Uryu beside her.

Ichigo led them down to Izuru, Matsumoto, Hinamori, and Iba's side. Orihime immediately began healing the four of them. Soi Fon scoffed,

"That stupid girl brought her here to heal them? At a time like this?"

Kurosaki hesitantly waved a hand at Orihime as she healed the injured squad members, his dad nudged him. Isshin nodded as his sons eyes met his. With that, the two Kurosaki's opened a senkaimon, Kurosaki Ichigo wasn't as confident as he acted, he was afraid. If he let his fear show, Aizen would know and take advantage of it.

Zakuro rushed out from between two buildings and jumped on Ichigo. The cat girl yelped as she was tackled to the ground, Zakuro had her hands around her neck.

"What the hell are you doing Ichigo?"

Ichigo coughed and sputtered, she shook her head, grabbing at Zakuro's hands. The wolf mew had a rare look of desperation on her face, Orihime observed them quietly, curious about the situation.

"Ichigo… I need to know who's side you're on. Are you just fucking with us by bringing her here?"

The former leader of the mews frowned, her eyes dropping to a sad and hurt expression. She choked out words,

"N-no… Za-Zaku…ro… Listen to me… I just wanted a… -a shot at Aizen. And I…"

The wolf girl's hands loosened, was her friend telling the truth? Zakuro released her hold on Ichigo slightly, still holding her. The cat mew continued,

"Ichimaru Taicho needs me… He… He's not all bad… I swear…"

Zakuro's expression softened, she flinched when someone pulled her up by her arms. Ichigo sat up, looking up at her old friend, she shook her head,

"I'm… I'm sorry I never came back to tell you my plan. I am, truly, I'm sorry."

Zakuro took a shaky breath, she had been on an emotional roller coaster since she got here. She turned around to see who moved her, his hands released her. Komamura looked down at the sad wolf girl, she smiled weakly up at him. She felt guilty for attacking Ichigo, but angry with Aizen, and helpless against Aizen as well. Komamura looked over, the golden light of Orihime's healing barrier lighting up his face. Ichigo pulled herself to her feet, she glanced over at those being healed. Orihime and Uryu were the only two who noticed Matsumoto had run off before being completely healed, Orihime cooed at Ichigo,

"Momomiya-san, would you go after Matsumoto-san? She's hurt and ran off."

Ichigo nodded quickly, already knowing what the lieutenant was doing. She knew Matsumoto would go after her old friend Gin, Ichigo wanted to save him for herself, and be there for him. It was her moment. She turned over her shoulder and yelled back,

"Orihime, when you get done, come to the Sereitei! There will be more injuries there."

Orihime smiled and waved to her, "I'll be there Momomiya-san!"

Ichigo opened a senkaimon, something Gin had taught her in his spare time. She entered it, not ready to find what she did.

The cat girl leaped over rooftops towards the spiritual pressure. She felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest, she could hardly breathe. Her stomach felt sick as she got close to the source of the spiritual pressure. She happened to glance to her side and see a familiar person laying down unconscious. Matsumoto was laying down on her back, Ichigo could tell she was breathing. The red head spoke quietly,

"I'll be back for you Matsumoto-san."

The former mew jumped over a few more rooftops until she was sure she felt Gin's spiritual pressure. She saw Aizen, he looked different now, he had huge wings. Her stomach twisted into knots when she saw Gin laying down, his arm was missing and blood pooled around him. Aizen was walking away, her mouth hung open. Ichigo immediately dove down and rushed over to his side, her heart beating in a heated panic. His right arm was completely gone. Ichigo screamed and grabbed his coat,

"Ichimaru-Taichooo! Get up! Wake up! Are you okay! Please speak to me!"

Gin had a wound to his chest as well, Ichigo cupped his face and knelt over him,

"Please! Let me know you're alive! Please!"

Her cries were desperate and her eyes began to well up with tears as he gurgled on blood. Ichigo sobbed out loud, her throat tight as if someone held it. She shrieked as she cried over him, her whole body cold and tingling. Blood slid down the corners of his mouth as he opened his mouth to speak,

"Ichigo-ch-chan…"

His words were quiet and made a bubbling sound in his throat. Ichigo cried on his chest, it rose and fell very slowly.

"Ichigmaru-Taicho… You're gonna be okay! All right? Orihime is coming! She's going to save you!"

Ichigo was completely unaware of the woman standing behind them, her heart breaking at the scene before her. Matsumoto felt tears roll down her cheeks as she stared down at the man she once adored, she loved him, but he never fully loved her. Matsumoto choked back a cry as Ichigo sobbed over him.

Ichigo held his left hand, putting it to her cheek. Her chest shook as her whole body trembled, she gasped for air through her cries. Gin opened his eyes and stared at the upset girl, his eyes were colored like an arctic glacier. The deep silvery blue reflected the light and caused her to freeze, her shaky breath was the only noise between them. His fingers moved against her cheek to stroke it gently, his smile was no longer on his face. Ichigo trembled as hot tears fell down her face and onto her neck.

Her warm brown eyes were so sad and glassy. Ichigo shook her head at him, she bit her lip. How could she have fallen for him like this? He was so different, he wasn't like the boys back home. Gin was the first man she had fallen in love with, he wasn't a child, he was grown. Ichigo was barely grown, and yet she felt like she couldn't live without him. Ichigo shook her head as she dropped her chin to her chest, she couldn't look at him.

"Please don't… Please don't leave me. I won't let you!"

Her words were pitiful and soft and changed to broken and angry, Gin clenched his jaw. His body hurt, but his heart hurt as well. This girl was causing him physical pain on top of what he already had, just by speaking to him like this. Gin had never felt he had the will to live, yet was afraid to die. This girl, Ichigo Momomiya, changed these feelings. She made him want to hold her face, he wanted to pick her up and leave everything behind and take her to be his alone. Gin felt his throat tighten and his chest slowly ooze more blood.

Gin didn't want to admit it to anyone, but he loved this girl. Her blind devotion led him to care, which has led to this. His body ached, he swore he could feel his left hand aching even though it was no longer there. He saw Matsumoto behind Ichigo, he knew she had loved him. Gin had never brought himself to love her, it was his cowardly behavior that made him shy away from her. The silver haired man never wanted to hurt Matsumoto, but he couldn't bring himself to be the man she wanted out of him.

The red head wrapped her arms around his upper body, pulling him upwards.

"I won't let you die here! Please! I'll help you! I'll take you to Orihime!"

Gin wheezed as she pulled him up, she couldn't lift his weight. Matsumoto covered her face and sobbed into her hands, she had never cried like this in front of anyone.

"Oh. He's still alive?"

The words sunk like stones in Ichigo's heart, she struggled to hold Gin halfway up by his white uniform. Aizen stood about 30 feet behind them, a smirk playing his lips. Ichigo clenched her teeth and continued trying to lift Gin, she held him in an embrace. Her arms around his upper chest, blood soaking the front of her uniform. Ichigo cried heavily as she sank to the ground, holding him on his knees.

"Ichimaru Taicho! Please…I need you! You don't understand! I can't handle anything without you!"

Ichigo buried her face in his shoulder as he gurgled blood on hers, she shook her head. Gin kept opening his mouth to speak, but his words were nothing but the sound of gurgling blood in his throat. His chest hurt, his lungs were filling with blood, he reached his left hand out at Matsumoto and smiled at her. The blond shook her head and cried on her knees behind them. Ichigo heard Aizen's footsteps towards them.

"I think dying in his arms would be appropriate for this situation."

Aizen said as he approached the trio. Gin leaned his head to the side of Ichigo's, her body keeping him warm as his temperature dropped from the loss of blood. His trademark smile appeared on his lips, the corners of his mouth hard to move with the dried blood.

Before Aizen could speak his next words another individual appeared between the cruel man and the trio. Matsumoto turned her head and stared, it was the orange haired boy. Kurosaki set down his father behind him and looked over at Aizen, an unemotional expression on his face.

"Is that you Kurosaki Ichigo?"

The teen took a deep breath, he could feel how powerful Aizen was being this close to him. The orange haired boy looked back at Gin, who peered over the red headed girls shoulder. Ice blue eyes met with his deep brown ones, Kurosaki smiled weakly.

Gin's head dropped after the eye contact, he was smiling inwardly. The silver haired man was glad, glad he could leave this world behind knowing Kurosaki Ichigo would kill Aizen and end this. Kurosaki heard footsteps behind him, he looked at Aizen,

"I am."

The brown haired man's smile fell,

"Then I'm disappointed if that's really you."

Kurosaki's expression had no emotion in it, it was hard to read at this point. Kurosaki clenched his sword,

"Aizen, lets take this elsewhere."

The brown haired man chuckled and shifted his weight,

"Only an opponent worthy-"

Before Aizen could finish his sentence, Kurosaki rushed forward, grabbing him by his face and flying them off in a rush. The red headed girl felt her body ache as Gin's weight began to slide downward, footsteps approached them. Ichigo looked over at who had approached them, it was Orihime and Uryu.

The Quincy immediately grabbed Gin and laid him back, Ichigo sat and stared as a golden light hovered over his body. Orihime knelt beside the severely injured man,

"Don't worry Momomiya-san! We saw what happened! We saw Ichimaru Taicho take on Aizen!"

Uryu interjected,

"We just didn't want to approach while Aizen was here, we wanted Kurosaki to move him away first."

Their words fell on nearly deaf ears, Ichigo stared at the broken man in front of her. Her crying was silent, tears rolled down her face effortlessly. Her red hair a mess and her body covered in blood. A hand was placed on her shoulder, the dark blue haired man nodded at her as their eyes met.

"Don't worry. Orihime will fix him. It'll be okay."

The relief Ichigo felt couldn't be described in words, her whole body feeling light and sick. Orihime was going to fix him.

"Once I heal him, I must get back to the captains then Kurosaki-kun!"

Orihime chimed, her tone a bit uplifting. It was encouraging to know that everyone counted on her power. There was only so much Unohana could accomplish by herself, and Orihime wouldn't admit she was happy about any of this. But being needed to save lives made her feel important, like she was needed and would be able to help those around her.

…

"Ichimaru Gin."

His tone was raspy and boomed through the large hall. Captains lined up facing each other, Gin stood in front of the head captain. The elderly man sighed,

"You betrayed Soul Society and committed crimes against the Soul King. Your crimes are more than enough for a felony!"

The silver haired man kept his trademark smile on his lips, his eyes narrowed and on the head captain. He didn't want to convey what he was feeling, his stomach was sick. He felt the captains eyes burning into him, was this the last time he would see any of the captains. A slight feeling of relief fell over him as he thought to Ichigo, she was outside this building waiting for him, as well as the other vice captains. Gin didn't know what would become of him, Aizen was locked away, but he would be soon he was sure.

"You were cunning and abandoned your post…"

The booming voice echoed in the room, captains eyes fell to Gin as the Head captain was about to sentence him. Komamura took a deep breath, his golden eyes on the former captain. Byakuya's dark eyes shot to the head captain, he wasn't sure how the head captain would take this.

"But you did so out of your duty to the Soul King. What you did was highly illegal, but took incredible dedication and persistence. You aided Kurosaki Ichigo in the defeat of Sosuke Aizen and therefore aided in saving the Soul Society. To repay you for these duties no charges will be administered to you. And as the Head Captain, I would like to ask you to take your place as the Captain of Squad 3. Return to your post Ichimaru Gin. Do not dare take any actions like you did without first consulting me."

Gins skin felt cold, his stomach felt like it just dropped out of his body. His heart beat quickly and jumped into his throat, his smile falling. Was this for real? Was the Head Captain giving him a chance? Gin felt his body quiver.

"What you did was illegal, and you now have to report to me at least twice a week on top of having your usual duties as a captain. I'll be keeping a sharp eye on you Ichimaru Taicho, but I do thank you on behalf of the Soul Society."

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MewMid: R and R please! I understand Gin getting forgiven seems like a longshot, but hey, fanfics rule!

If you have any thoughts, please let me know!