Chapter 2

A soft growl was followed by a quick hushing on the couch. Ichigo moved slowly but carefully. His arm raised and seemed to cup a face that wasn't there. Jushiro had to strain to hear the almost silent calming words coming from the young man. He watched his patient carefully as he seemed to try and relax someone that wasn't there. It would also explain why the boy looked like he was cuddling up to another person

"I'm sorry," Ichigo whispered a bit louder so the doctor would hear, "He doesn't like being talked about like he isn't here when he is."

Jushiro gave the young man a questioning gaze. He had heard of the illusions Ichigo seemed to experience. They were all lined out in the reports, but none of the other doctors seemed to experience this imaginary person first hand. They only marked that Ichigo would become irate at the mention of him while at the same time screaming to stop. It seemed they left some details out.

"I'm sorry Shiro, I missed seeing you," Jushiro said. He knew better than to encourage things, but at the same time, he needed to gain the young man's trust if there was any hope. The time for truth could come later. "May I ask you then Ichigo, when did you first meet Shiro?"

Another hiss and a small, playful slap later, Shiro was silenced and looking off to the side. Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle at the childish action. "I met him not long after my mother died. He…he helped me…get through it," Ichigo took a deep breath. He curled tighter into himself.

Jushiro could tell he was trying to stay strong around this event. He had read about the murder of the head of the family. Of course reporter's accounts and information are nothing compared to the firsthand account Ichigo must have gone through at such a young age. "We don't need to talk about that now Ichigo. I know that is difficult," Ichigo nodded in response, "All I want to know is about Shiro."

"Why don't they ever just ask me?! I'm right fucking here ya know! I'm tellin' ya Ichi, all of these doctors are fuckin' idiots. If you would just listen to me we could have broken out by now!" Shiro growled, pulling Ichigo into a tighter embrace.

Ichigo shook his head, "Shiro…relax. You're hurting me." With a scowl, Shiro complied. "You know we can't. There is no way."

"There is always a way Ichi," gold on black eyes glowed and a smirk grew on Shiro's face. The expression showed a bloodlust that could never be truly satiated, "You just need ta trust me."

"Like last time? That's why we're here in the first place!"

The two continued to argue, forgetting the other in the room. Jushiro, on the other hand, was watching as the one sided conversation took place. It was fascinating to watch the young man converse in such a way. As much as he knew he should stop this madness, He just couldn't bring himself to do such. All of the past reports screamed that he needed to be gentle with this one. It was part of the reason he was given Ichigo as a patient. Not to mention, he was learning so much about the young man sitting across from him just from this short observation. He made sure to jot down some quick notes for later.

When Ichigo's voice began to rise, Jushiro knew it was time to try and calm the orangette before things got out of control. He didn't want a repeat of what some of the other psychiatrists had experienced.

"Ichigo, come now. Relax. It's alright," Jushiro tried to coax Ichigo.

"It's not alright, if Ichi here would jus' listen ta me we could be outta dis hellhole and safe somewhere else!" The words came out of Ichigo's mouth, but the voice was not his. Although it was similar, it was as if Ichigo was underwater and had not used his vocal cords in a long while. "And you…You come in 'ere, actin' all nice and shit just to try and warm my lil' Ichigo up to ya, an' fer what? So you can protect 'im? Heal 'im?" Ichigo's hand grabbed Jushiro by the collar and pulled him up close, "Well, lemme tell ya somethin' he's mine, and don't ya forget that." With that, Shiro threw the doctor back onto the couch. He smiled darkly and ran his tongue over his teeth before sitting back down.

Jushiro watched as a veil seemed to lift from Ichigo's eyes, "Are you ok Dr. Ukitake? You look as though you have seen a ghost." The look the young man was giving the doctor was of pure concern. Nothing like the controlling, violent stares he has just experienced. Ichigo looked up next to him and scowled. He hissed into thin air, "What did you do?"

"Ichigo…it's, it's alright. I think we are done for the day. We will meet again tomorrow. I will send a nurse for you at the same time. Wait here until I get someone to escort you back," making sure to turn off the recorder, he left the room and closed the door behind him. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and slumped against the door.

"Dr. Ukitake?" a soft but firm voice questioned, "Are you ok?"

"Yes Isane, I'm fine. Mr. Kurosaki is ready to go back to his room. Would you escort him please?" Jushiro took a deep breath and stood up straight, "I need to write up my report of the session."

"Yes sir. And sir, if I may say something?" Jushiro nodded and Isane continued, "Sir, please, I have heard of the difficulties with this patient, please don't strain yourself."

Jushiro smiled at the nurse. She was always so caring but in the most subtle way unlike his two assistants. He appreciated it greatly. Something told him this time though, if he did not head Isane's words, this patient may just end him. With one last deep breath, he made his way to his office.

Isane opened the door to the therapy room and was shocked by what she saw. The room was over turned. Chairs were flipped over. Books splayed across the floor combining with stray papers, many of which were torn to shreds. It was as if a silent hurricane had torn through the room. There in the middle on a stray cushion sat Ichigo flipping through a book. He looked up and smiled with warm eyes at the new comer, "I'm sorry about this. Shiro can be a bit, well…testy. I was trying to clean it up, but this book caught my attention and well…heh." Ichigo rubbed the back of his head and smiled innocently.

"Uh…it's fine. Just, how was he so quiet?" Isane was just genuinely curious. She had seen many patients trash a room. There were some many vivid memories of the brute in room 306 she would have loved to forget. But never were they quiet about it.

Ichigo just shrugged, "He has always been very light on his feet. Sometimes I don't even notice when he comes and goes sometimes."

"Well, don't worry about it. Let's go. It's time to go back to your room," Isane motioned for him to come. Ichigo got up and looked down at the book in his hands. He hesitated a moment and looked at the nurse. Silently, he begged her to let him take it. "Give the book to me. I will ask if it is ok for you to have it. If Dr. Ukitake says it's alright, I will bring it to your room." Ichigo brightened up after that. He gave the book over and let her lead him back to his room.

Climbing onto his small bed he laid back and stared up at the tiles lining the ceiling.

"Yer getting' to soft," Shiro walked out from the small shadow the never seemed to leave the far corner of the room, "They're gonna be takin' advantage of ya soon. It'll be yer family all over again."

"Don't mention them," Ichigo gritted out. Then mention of his family still drew Ichigo to tears. He understood why it needed to be done, but that didn't stop his emotions over it. And even after everything, two of his best friends had to ruin it all. He didn't hold it against them. They just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that didn't mean Shiro didn't. He wanted nothing more than to see their blood flow and their entrails pulled out.

"Ya know I'm right anyway Ichigo. I'd never lie ta ya. Ya know that. Don't cha Ichi?" Shiro tried to gather up Ichigo into his embrace. Ichigo didn't fight it. In fact, he welcomed it like he always did.

Gripping tightly to Shiro, Ichigo softly started to sob, "I miss them Shiro…"

"I know my king, but yer gonna see. Once we get outta 'ere, everything will be ok. Jus' the two of us, together," Shiro smiled at his ward safely cradled in his arms. He kissed Ichigo on the top of his head and began to rock gently back and forth humming a lullaby that was for no one but Ichigo.

Back in his office Jushiro did not quite know how to react to what had just occurred. It was clear the young man had some sort of post trauma schizophrenia from his mother's death. But that was clearly not all. It would seem he may have had some sort of multiple personality disorder as well, but for the change to happen so suddenly and without any sign it was going to happen, was scary. It made Ichigo dangerously unstable to the point that he could be a danger to not just everyone in Los Noches, but to himself as well.

Turing of the recording of the session, Jushiro sighed. He didn't want to have the young man moved to one of the higher security wings. It would do no good if Ichigo didn't even realize when the other took over and it sure didn't look like he did.

A soft knock broke Jushiro from his musings, "Come in." He sat up and tried to straighten himself out as the door opened.

"I'm sorry to bother you sir," Isane started, "but I wanted to know if it was ok for your patient to have this book for a while." She handed the item over to the doctor, "I found him reading it in the therapy room. He seemed to really be enjoying it so I said I would ask."

"I don't see a problem with it. Tell me though Isane, when you went to retrieve him, who did you talk to?" Jushiro was not surprised by the confused look on the nurse's face.

"Ichigo sir, of course."

"Thank you Isane," Isane reached out to grab the book back, "No, no, it's alright. I'll bring it to him." With that the nurse nodded and left.

Rewinding the tape slightly, Jushiro listened to threat given to him by what he could safely assume was Shiro, again. He looked down at the book in his hands and thought of his newest patient, "This one…I just don't know."

A.N. Sorry this took so long and is kind of slow. Hopefully you readers still enjoyed it though. Please review with any criticism you may have that could help make this better.