Grief. It was all Ichigo could feel or think of as he pulled Zangetus out of you. Your body limped lifeless into his arms as Ichigo could only think of was screaming your name. Orihime's eyes widen in fear and shock and when straight to work, putting her healing barrier over your body. Ichigo could feel your spirit energy draining slowly form you as it pounded into his head and what he had done.

He remembered your hand holding the side of his face which was covered up by his mask. The echo of your words rang inside his mind. He burst into tears just as Rukia and Renji came down. He didn't care. All he cared about what you, and he hurt you, promising he would protect you with his life. Instead he was killing you slowly and painfully. Your own pain became his as he stared at your pale body and the wound where he stabbed you in.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called out while running up to the weeping man. "Ichigo! What happened?"

Rukia stopped right on her tracks once she saw Ichigo was sobbing over. Renji came by and snapped his mouth shut at the scene too. The hollow inside Ichigo went silent along with very one else as Ichigo's sobs echoed loudly off in the distance.

Uryu and Chad came limping over to see what was happening, and stopped to stare in shock at your lifeless body.

Orhimie's face paled at the sight as her healing wasn't working. "I-It's not working! I don't know why! Her spirit energy isn't recovering fast enough!"

Ichigo stopped sobbing as he griped his black soul reaper kimono painfully in his fist. "S-She can be saved... I just know... (y/n) can't die on me..."

The eyes of Rukia scanned over you. Her hatred completely gone and replaced with compassion over you. She opened up her flip phone and started dialing a number who knew could also heal (y/n).

It rang twice before the familiar voice of hat and cogs came through loud and clear. "Miss. Kuchiki, I felt Ichigo's spirit energy suddenly soar down, what happened?"

Rukia swallowed the lump in her throat as she felt ice jabbing at her side. "Urahara, we need medical attention."

The line was silent for a second before sounding with life again. "I see. Bring them over and I'll have Tessai heal them."

"Alright." Was all Rukia said before snapping her phone shut. "Ichi-"

"I heard." He said while gently grabbing your limp body into his arms. Your body looked so pale that anyone could mistake you for ghost at this point. Sorrow filled up Ichigo's entire body as your blood soaked his clothes.

Orihime held onto Rukia as Uryu and Chad said they would walk their while the rest of the group all silently flash-stepped to Urahara's shop; with Urahara waiting outside. He lifted up his hat to see your bloody body. He had never seen you before, but knew you were human as he led the group inside.

Your breathing was shallow and light as Ichigo set you down on the flat bed they had as Tessai started his work. He replayed the images inside his head again. Him hurting Uryu and Chad, along with almost Orihime. But worst of all, he hurt you as you were slowly dying as you lie there. He hated this. He couldn't help you, but just watch. Never in his life had he felt so completely helpless, and at the time to be when you were the one he loved.

Your smiling face, bright eyes, and the way you laughed. Everything about you he loved with every inch of his heart. Tessai finished healing you as he spoke in soft whispers to his boss as Ichigo could barely hear them.

"The girl will live. But I don't know if she will be different once she wakes up... or if she does."

"What do you mean?" Urahara said in a soft tone.

"Since she has lost so much spirit energy and never handle anything ever like this, her soul will not know how to react and can't gather spirit energy unless sleeping for a long period of time."

"How long do you think that will be?"

"I do not know. If her soul ever gathers enough spirit energy then she may never wake up and die in her sleep."

Air didn't seem to flow into Ichigo's lungs as he silently sobbing into his hands. All of this was his fault. 'If only I was stronger... If only I could have controlled myself better... then (y/n) wouldn't have to suffer for something I should be doing in her place!'

Urahara told everyone to leave Ichigo alone with you in the room as they all agreed and gave him his space. Ichigo stared at your body before crawling into the sheets and holding your icy body against his, hoping his warmth would somehow bring you back to life.

"I'm so sorry..." Ichigo said as his voice cracked violently. "I'm so sorry (y/n)... I promise I will find a way to make this all up to you... you will never know how much this hurts me..." He pulled you gently into his chest, feeling the soft and barely breathing from your own body. "I accept it if you never want my forgiveness..."

He silently held you in his arm, and fell asleep as waves of emotions rolled in and out of his soul...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coldness of water filled every inch of your senses as the feeling of falling filled in. You opened your eyes and found the familiar look of Ichigo's inner world, only it was submerged in an ocean of dark water. You drifted down gently onto a slanted building, having the feeling of peace tingling inside you.

"It seems this place has submerged into water once again. I hate it when it's like this."

Zangetsu's voice snapped your attention over to where the sound came from as he stood only a few feet from you.

"Zangetsu... what happened?" You said, your voice wavered in the thickness of Ichigo's sadness.

His cold, icy blue eyes locked eye contact with yours, seeming to scan over you. "You need to remember what happen. Or else you'll never wake up."

"Wha..." You trailed off as a flood of memories came back, crashing down onto you like a tidal wave.

A gasp of pain escaped your lips as the faint scar of Ichigo's sword burned in agony around the area. Faded images of Ichigo and the gang flowed into your mind. You couldn't hear what they were saying, but the scenes playing them had a shimmery affect, like a hand going through water on a summer's day.

The scene landed on the last image of Ichigo, holding you protectively against him. Through the shimmer you could see the sadness and pain carved on his sleeping face. A ting on pain punched at your gut seeing Ichigo in this much pain.

The burning faded away as the relief washed over you. The cold stare of Zangetu's was on you as, shakily, you stood up in the ocean inner world of Ichigo. The buildings were all slanted, while some were about to fall apart.

"Have you finally found it? You are the cause of this world submerging into water again!"

You looked up at him in confusion. "It has...? When was this?"

He snapped his mouth shut, as if he said too much, and then turn his back towards you. "Maybe you should go. It's your choice to come back to Ichigo and live with the others. Or you could pass on and go to the soul society."

"The soul society..." You said trailing off, imaging what it would be like. "I wonder what it's like..."

"Why don't you find out yourself? Or, you've forgiven Ichigo for what he has done to you and return back to your body?"

"W-wait? What do you mean by forgive Ichigo? I-I thought I already did..."

"You did, but your soul hasn't. I congratulate you for surviving the hollow's attack. It suck half of your spirit energy out of you. It's why your here in this world, your soul found it's way to remain half inside your body, while the other half in this world to survive in. If your love as you said is strong enough to save you, then it should do it again."

Nodding your head, you accepted Zangetu's request. "I know I can do it. If you please give me some spirit energy, then I know I'll be able to get back inside my body. The soul society sounds nice and all. After all... my life was a living hell before I met Ichigo. Ever since that strawberry entered my life... I've become a new person... a person to see a will in myself to live for."

A small smile appeared on Zangetu's face, making him seem younger than what he really looked like, even in his bankai form. "You almost sounded just like Ichigo there for a second. I now see what he sees inside you." A pitch black sword appeared in his hands as he rested it at the spot where the scar was at. It was almost in a crescent shape as it stands out easily. "I will lend you some of Ichigo's spirit energy inside you, (y/n) (l/n). Just promise me you'll make Ichigo happy."

You gave him a smile as the water around you shimmered with light radiating from the sword. "I promise. With all my heart."

The light glowed brighter and brighter as Zangetu's and the submerged world started to slowly disappear. "Hear me out one last time again. I promise this won't be the last time we will meet again."

His words echoed inside your mind as slowly the feeling of your soul entering your body soon fell perfectly into where it belong. A wave of tiredness washed over you as Ichigo's sleeping face was the last image you saw before darkness took over.