Rukia was having a difficult time sleeping. There was so much that she didn't understand. Who were those Arrancars that attacked them? What type of power was Ichigo trying to obtain? Her mind was racing. She didn't want to be too far away from Ichigo, so she went to the place that has provided her with the most comfort over the years.

Ichigo's dingy closet.

She placed her pillow over her head, almost to suffocate her brain so that she would be able to get some sleep. Until she heard a familiar voice. A voice that did not belong in the room.

"You know, there were a lot of people I wanted to say goodbye to".

The voice was speaking so softly that Rukia couldn't make out much of what they were saying. She listened closely and discovered the voice belonged to Inoue. But how did she enter the room without making a sound? The door was so close to the closet, you would think she would've heard it. She slowly started to open the closet door an inch and immediately froze.

Inoue was holding Ichigo's hand and slowly leaning her face towards the unconscious man. Rukia's face flushed with embarrassment, she should not be here imposing on this private moment. She looked away, not wanting to see their lips touch.

"I can't…I just can't. This is the end and I tried to do something like that".

The end? Rukia snapped her head back to the crack in the door to watch Inoue as she cried terrified at what her friend was going to say, at how things were going to end.

"Ichigo..I had so much I wanted to do. I wanted to become a school teacher, and an astronaut, and open a cake shop and go to Mr. Donut and say 'give me everything' and go to Baskin Robbins and say 'give me everything'. If only I had 5 lives. Then I can be from 5 different towns. And stuff myself with 5 different types of food. And have 5 different jobs. And I could fall in love with the same person 5 times"

Rukia's heart was racing. She had no idea that Inoue harbored these feelings for Ichigo. She wasn't able to process how this confession made her feel because of the next words Inoue said.

"Thank you Ichigo. Goodbye".

Inoue closed her eyes, let the tears roll down her face and turned to leave when she felt a soft tug on her sleeve. She jumped, out of sheer shock. Did Ichigo here her? Was he holding her to confess that he felt the same?

She turned around to meet the deep violet eyes of the last person she waned to hear her confession.

"R-Rukia?" Inoue's lips curled in a deep frown and she felt more tears beginning to form. She was trying to make a getaway without anyone noticing, how could she face her friend and tell her what she was about to do. Rukia placed a finger to her lips, signaling her friend to stay quiet. She had no idea what was going on, but she knew that Yuzu and Karin had already been through enough. The last thing they needed was to get involved in whatever was happening.

Once they were outside and out of earshot Rukia turned to face Inoue.

"What are you doing Inoue? What is happening?" Rukia could feel tears welting at the corner of her eyes. They were losing. She was watching all of her friends in pain and here Inoue was, giving up.

"I was trying to help.."

"How is leaving us helping?" Rukia asked sternly, eyebrows knotted, trying to hold back her anger. She was not completely mad at Inoue, she was angry at the situation and how much worse it will be if they lost Inoue.

"The Arrancar, they said if I came with them they would leave my friends alone". The tears that threatened to fall kept building up. "Everyone was losing, the Arrancar were just too strong". Small droplets began to fall. "I couldn't stand by and do nothing, I couldn't continue to be this useless".

Rukia's face relaxed. She related to that feeling all to well. Inoue continued by bringing up her wrist.

"He said I have until midnight to return to him, and if I tell anyone or don't show up he would consider our deal void. What do we do?"

Pulling out her cell phone, Rukia looked at the time.

"Okay, we have a few hours to figure this out. Let me think". Rukia was low on support at the moment. The majority of the team had suffered injuries and were regrouping. She also didn't want to involve to many people. This bracelet must have tracking abilities, now that she was thinking about it. She couldn't sense Inoue at all until she heard her voice. They must be trying to conceal her.

"Let's go to Urahara's. If anyone knows what we can do with this bracelet it would be him".

Rukia jumped from roof to roof with Inoue on her back, sprinting to the old man's shop.

Her mind wandered to the confession that was just made. She didn't know that Inoue felt that way about Ichigo. A strange feeling made its way to her chest, like something was clutching at it and slowly tightening. A mixture of guilt and joy.

This is supposed to be Ichigo's life. Being a teenage boy, falling in love, and living a normal life. Instead he was bed ridden with severe injuries and tearing his body apart trying to obtain a dark power. All because of her, meeting her changed the trajectory of his life forever.

She was happy for Ichigo, to be loved by a human as wonderful as Inoue. She was happy for her friends. Once this is all over and she leaves them for good, they will have each other.

Her chest once again tightened. When she leaves them for good. She didn't like the sound of that.

They have said goodbye so many times, knowing deep down that it was not going to be the last time she saw them. But, one day, it will really be the last time. One day, she will need to erase her existence from their minds and walk away from them. Right now she was playing house, she was playing the role of a human.

But she wasn't one.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a faint, but very distinct reiatsu. She immediately stopped, jumped directly in front of Inoue and drew her zanpakto. Her ready stance was all Inoue needed to know that they were in danger.

Rukia's large sharp eyes scanned the area to find the exact location of their intruder.

"I'm not here to fight, shinigami" Rukia pushed Inoue behind her as she positioned herself between the woman and their new guest.

"I just said I'm not going to fucking fight you, I just need that human" the owner of the voice stepped out from the shadows to reveal the blue haired Arrancar, or at least, what was left of him. He had several serious injuries and it appeared he was missing parts of his body. What ever happened to him, it was bad.

"I won't let you take her, Arrancar".

"Take her? I don't give a fuck about Aizen or his schemes. That woman is going to give me back my fucking arm". He took a step towards them. Inoue flinched and took a few steps backwards, a reaction that he anticipated from both women. But, he did not know Rukia.

The second he took a step he immediately jumped backwards, narrowly missing the tip of Rukia's blade. He did not expect her to launch a full frontal attack, knowing full well she was out of her league.

It pissed him off.

With his good arm he went to swing at Rukia but was stopped by a bright orange translucent shield. He knew this was the work of the woman that had healing abilities. He was standing close enough to Rukia that he was able to get a good look at her eyes, large purple iris' narrowed to a sharp point.

"You're only here to get your arm back?" Rukia asked, lowering her sword that was pointed at him.

"Yeah, before Aizen gets her" Grimmjow raised an eyebrow, this shinigami has seen what he is capable of doing. She should be blood thirsty trying to avenge her friends that he harmed, but she was reasonable. Rukia noticed his number was missing.

"Why did the Arrancar do this to you?" Rukia deducted that the only person that could cause this amount of damage to him must have been another Arrancar, seeing how Ichigo wasn't able to do much.

"Because they are scared. They think the only way to win against the shinigami is to play games and make plans. I am fucking done doing the dirty work for those cowards". He growled.

Rukia sheathed her blade and crossed her arms. Never taking her eye off the Arrancar, she stood in silence for a moment.

"So you were kicked out, essentially".

The hairs on the back of his neck flared up in anger.

"What the fuck did you just say?!" He lunged forward and grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. His grip tightened as the urge to squeeze the life out of her grew.

Her eyes remained unchanged. Where was the fear? She didn't even seem to be fazed by his display of terror. She brought the corner of her lip up so as she spoke, you could see her teeth as she spat out the words.

"Stop acting like a feral animal who lacks the intelligence to recognize when they are in no condition to start a fight. Like when they are missing limbs and have more blood stained on their clothes than in their body." In a swift movement Rukia grabbed the hands wrapped around her throat and brought her knees up to her chest. With great force, she quickly kicked him in the center of his chest and pushed herself out of his grip landing back in front of him.

"You want your arm back? I want to know what Aizen is planning, how to get this band off Inoue, and what we can expect next from the Arrancar. Give me the answers to those and then you can have your arm back".

She was right. He was in no condition to fight. He was hell bend on letting his attacks be filled by blind rage rather than strength. She called his bluff, she could see right through him that he did not have the power to back his threat. Rather than being impressed, he became filled with more rage.

He was so easy to read it annoyed her. She could see that rather than listen to the logic in what she said he felt the need to defend himself. As expected, he lunged at her with the intention of driving his fist through her chest. She quickly redirected his hit by firmly pressing her forearm against his and moving to his side where she dropped down to the floor and swung a leg driving her heel into his causing him to fall to the ground.

"Are you really that thick-headed that you can't see when someone is trying to make a bargain with you? Is protecting your ego really more important to you than your survival?"

It was. As he was on the ground he was still calculating the ways that he could tear this shinigami apart. He tried to jump up but the extent of his injuries were finally being realized and he was stopped part way as he sat up and began coughing blood. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and closed his eyes, trying to suppress the pain. His injuries were far worse than he realized.

"Since you are not going to arrive to this conclusion on your own, I will spell it out for you. I will let Inoue heal you and in exchange, you will provide me with everything you know about Aizen's plans".

"Fuck you" He spat.

Without a word, Rukia turned around and headed in Inoue's direction but walked passed her as well.

"Let's go Inoue, we only have a few hours to get this off. We need to get to Urahara's".

Inoue looked back at Grimmjow with a confused look on her face before looking at Rukia's back.

"Are we going to leave him?" She asked, concerned about the safety of her friends. It seemed dangerous to leave him in the human world. Rukia stopped walking and turned around to stare directly at Inoue.

"Look at him, he is no danger to anyone in that condition. Besides, if his pride is worth more to him than his life, he deserves to die from his wounds" she said, not once looking in his direction. Feeling comforted, Inoue gave Grimmjow one last look before following Rukia as they prepared to take their leave.

Grimmjow sat there in disbelief. Who did this shinigami think she was? Talking about him like he wasn't even there! Ignoring him like he was nothing? He had never been treated like this from someone as weak as she was. He nearly killed her TWICE and she spoke of him like he was nothing. How was she not terrified of him?

This was a feeling unfamiliar to him. He was always able to use his strength to get what he wanted. His strength was always going to see him through any situation he put himself in. Without it, what was he? What existed in place of his strength? Was there anything more to him than that? He never had to question it. He had faith in his strength, it was something he never lived without.

He was so angry at the shinigami for exposing him like this. She could never be forgiven for making him feel as small as he felt right now. This was her fault. She did this to him, she shook his faith and she needed to pay for that.

His eyes watched her figure get smaller and smaller until she was out of sight. Assuming that she would take one last look at him to make sure he wasn't following her. That out of fear she would look at him to comfort her decision to leave him. But she never did.

The moment he couldn't hear her foot steps anymore, he let himself fall back to the ground. Staring at the sky he let a thought trickle into his mind, a thought he had never had to ponder before. As his eyes started to close, feeling the gravity of the situation he put himself in, he thought.

What if this is really the end?

—-

"Hmm this doesn't look good"

"I know! That is why we came to you fool!" Rukia shouted at Urahara who was making their dire situation seem more dire.

"No need for the name calling" He said as he moved Inoue's wrist in different directions to get a better look at the device that he was dealing with. He let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms, trying to think of a solution.

Inoue could feel tears beginning to form. When Rukia caught her leaving, she felt hope. As if Rukia was meant to stop her and that she didn't have to go to the Arrancar. That they would find another way. But the worried look on Urahara's face was not promising.

"Maybe we shouldn't have left the Arrancar in the alley?" Inoue said through her tears. She still had hope, maybe he would change his mind and help them. Rukia stiffened at the thought of dealing with him.

"What about the Arrancar?"

All three of them jerked their heads back to a bandaged Ichigo standing at the doorway. Inoue immediately started to blush when she looked at him. Remembering the confession she made and how she almost stole a kiss. Rukia averted her gaze from him and looked at the wall, like she was in trouble.

"I am also curious about the alley Arrancar" Urahara looked at the women raising an eyebrow.

"The blue hair Arrancar found us and wanted me to heal him. But uh…well..you know…" Inoue didn't want to tell on Rukia. But, she also couldn't tell a lie to save her life. He face flushed with embarrassment, she didn't know what to say.

Both men turned their gaze to Rukia, who could feel their stares like needles on her back. She let out a large huff.

"He was going to die from his wounds anyways! I didn't see anything wrong with leaving him" she admitted.

"You left him!" they yelled in unison.

"He said he wasn't going to help us, even when I offered to let Inoue heal him. I had no choice" She shrugged.

"You had about a million other choices you could have made! Do you know how dangerous he is! He could have hurt you!" Ichigo yelled as he made his way over to her, the scowl was in high gear.

"Look what he did to me! How could you be so reckless!" He yelled as he jabbed her chest with his finger. Instantly she swatted his finger away from her chest.

"Reckless!? We are alive and talking to you aren't we!?" She snarled at him straitening her shoulders and standing on her toes to meet his scowl with one of her own. They both stood in silence for a minute, their eyes scanning back and forth between the other's eyes waiting to see who would move first.

"Soooo, what I am hearing is that there is a potentially helpful Arrancar perishing in the streets as we speak?" Urahara quietly clarified.

Everyone stood in silence, waiting for Ichigo or Rukia to make a move.

"FINE! I will go get the Arrancar that everyone is SOOOOOO bent out of shape about" Rukia yelled as she began stomping towards the door.

"You can't go alone" Ichigo said with what was meant to be genuine concern, but to Rukia it translated to 'you are not capable of doing this'. Rukia paused for a second, resisting the urge to turn around and drop kick him. After everything they have been through, he still saw her as weak.

"Watch me"

With that she stormed out of Urahara's. Ichigo was too injured to follow her, as much as he wanted to. He looked at the ground. He couldn't imagine what he would do if something were to happen to her. Why couldn't she see that?

—-

The pauses where his eyes would close to blink were getting longer and longer. He was trying to count the number of stars in the sky to keep himself awake. How did he not realize how close to death he was? He knew that the second he let his eyes close fully, they would never open. At this moment, at the very end he didn't get to watch the highlight clips of his life. He couldn't even recall any moments of his life worth watching.

He had lived over 200 years and in the end, none of those years mattered. He didn't accomplish anything that would survive after him. It was all for nothing.

Did he do it wrong? Was he so busy with his ideals of how life should be that he actually missed the point?

He chuckled at the thought which caused a deep pain through his whole body. His eyes closed tight in pain, and at that moment he wondered what would happen if he didn't open them. So he didn't. He surrendered to the universe and let all the tension from his body go. It wasn't until he let it go that he realized how tight he held himself. He always held on to all his anger, suffering, and hate, it had grown to a size to heavy to carry.

Maybe he will figure it out in the next life.

His body felt light as a feather. Like he was being lifted up by a small gust of wind heading for the sky. He could feel the wind underneath him where the ground was holding him, like a feather being..wait. Was he actually being lifted?

He opened an eye to see raven hair. It was the shinigami.

His arms were draped over her shoulders, his chest pressed tight to her back, his legs on each side of her with her hands holding each thigh. Her hair was lightly brushing against his cheek, his realized his head was on her shoulder and their cheeks were touching. She was carrying him on her back.

What was she doing?

In that moment he realized she came back for him. His body was still feeling his silent surrender, so much that he was able to notice things he didn't before. Like how she smelled so foreign to him, she smelled sweet- but he had never smelled anything sweet enough to compare it to that it took his senses hostage. With his face touching hers, he could see how delicate her features were. Dark silky hair, large eyes with heavy lashes, and skin that looked soft and breakable like glass, which was surprising because nothing about her seemed fragile.

She felt his body stir slightly and turned her head slightly to the right and could see he had one eye slightly opened. He was awake, but she didn't see hate behind his eyes. In fact, his eyes looked nothing like they did moments ago. There was something about the way he looked at her that made the tight hold on her chest loosen a bit. Her eyes knotted slightly in a sad gaze.

Could it be? Did she feel…..bad for him?

She turned to look ahead, trying to avoid his gaze. He put his head down and closed his eyes, his nose pressed against her neck where he took in more of her scent. Taking in the intoxicating smell of her made him question if he had ever really known the scent of anything up until this moment.

What was happening to him?