A/N: Yes. At last, I have dragged my lazy bottom and wrote this story. Hahaha. It has been a long time since I last wrote something that reached 1000 words. Well anyway, please do enjoy this. I recommend that you read this in the 3/4 or 1/2 setting. And remember reviews make me a very productive writer. *wink*

Chapter One: Fall down the Rabbit Hole

Kurosaki Ichigo was not doing well. His heart was throbbing so painfully against his ribcage. Each thump was so loud he could almost hear it echoing to his ears. He was tired, so very tired. He never thought that this would happen. He got over the storm, he had beaten Aizen. He thought it was over. High-level Arrancars appearing endlessly, not ten minutes after his battle with the rogue captain, was not part of the plan. With most of the captains, vaizards and vice captains injured, there was no other choice but to fight. Those who were well enough were fighting along side him. At the ground Unohana was doing her best to heal everybody as fast as she could. But with the extent of the injuries, even somebody as skillful as her needed more time.

Ichigo struck down one more Arrancar. He had long lost count of how many he had killed. Zangetsu was heavy in his grip. The reiatsu that he was so famous for seemed to have abandoned him in the most crucial moment. His vision was blurring, a low pant was issuing from his mouth. He blocked an attack from another one and sliced it with little difficulty.

Then without warning, something drove through his right shoulder from behind. White, hot pain spread throughout his body, mixing with the sharp ache that was already there in the first place. Ichigo stumbled. A curse escaped his lips. His strength had left him completely.

After that, Ichigo was vaguely aware of the opening of the Garganta. Of the arrival of reinforcement. A flash of auburn was running towards him, followed by an orange light surrounding him. The reiatsu was familiar, comforting. Inoue. Slowly his body began pulling itself together; his sight was beginning to focus. Inoue's face was that of complete concentration. Were his wounds that severe? Then he saw an Arrancar from above, he tried to warn her but his words did not come out. The shield faltered, as the sword pierce through her.

Reflexively, he caught her. He heard her whisper his name before she closed her eyes. A kido spell from out of nowhere blasted the Arrancar to nothing. His knees gave out. His hand came atop her chest, just where her heart was supposed to be beating. There was nothing. Her blood seeped out of her wound. It stained her dress. It was sickening and wrong and Ichigo could feel the bile rising up to his throat. Because Inoue was not supposed to die like this, she was supposed to be smiling, and talking and eating those weird foods she liked.

"No…" He desperately tried to shake her awake.

He screamed her name and his skull seemed to split open with pain. In an instant he could not see, he could feel his hollow going berserk inside of him. His eyes flickered and Ichigo fell.

He fell, head first. He was in deep waters but somehow he was not wet. He could feel bubbles of air on his arms, as he continued to tore past down. He felt light and was content to keep on falling. Colors danced behind his eyes. Red, purple, blue, brown orange, ginger twirled together in a big unidentifiable blur. He was nothing.

You cannot die. A voice said.

Suddenly, he could not breathe. Water filled his lungs and his body became desperate for air. He kicked and fought his way up. He could see it, almost there. He outstretched his hand and his head broke the surface.

"Wha!" Ichigo shot himself upwards and in the process threw himself off the bed to the floor, bringing down the sheets with him. Bed? When did he…? He rubbed his head and looked around the room he was in. Mocha walls with red accents. Two doors, one was closed at the far side of the room and another ajar to the left of the bed. It seemed to lead to a tiled bathroom. It was not his bedroom at all. It was bigger and brighter.

Confusion began to set in as he stood up and frantically tried to free himself from the tangled sheets. But his attempts only got him more entwined with it and suddenly he slipped, banging his head to what appeared like a bedside table. He hissed in pain as he rubbed the tender spot, gingerly. Where was everybody? He thought. What happened to the fight? Where is this place? Was Inoue… was she… was she alive? He clenched his fist, of course not, Inoue could not be alive. He saw it, felt her heart. She was dead because of him. He failed to protect her.

Ichigo was so consumed with his thoughts that he did not hear the door opening and a person entering the room. The figure frowned slightly as she saw him on the floor. She placed a hand on top of her slightly rounded tummy and tilted her head in confusion. "Ichigo?"

His eyes widened as he heard his name. He knew that voice. He snapped his head upwards and stared at the worried face of Inoue Orihime.

"I-Inoue…" he said, quite dumbly. His heart seemed to stop for a moment. How… how could she be? He stared at her in shock. An overwhelming mixture of relief, surprise and confusion swirled in his brain, making him feel light-headed. Not only was Inoue alive she looked different. She was Inoue no doubt with her ginger hair in a low ponytail. Her hairpins glinted as the sunlight hit them. But her face appeared older, not so much older but older than the last time he saw her.

She smiled, unsure. "Inoue? You haven't called me that ever since high school. Are you alright? Why are you on the floor?"

Ichigo did not get the last part of what she was saying. He was preoccupied with the second statement. Ever since high school? "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Hmm?" She mused.

"I am still in high school."

She carefully kneeled beside him. "Oh my, did you hit your head? Did the floor pixies take your memories away?"

"Floor pixies?" He repeated, dazed.

"You know fairies on the floor that take away your memories when you fall onto them. Maybe that's why you don't remember we graduated high school six years ago."

Six years ago? No, it could not be. Inoue, who he thought was dead, was here telling him that he graduated high school six years ago. This was crazy. He was supposed to rub his forehead when he caught sight of something on his finger. A platinum ring on his ring finger. "W-what…"

He turned to look at Inoue and saw an identical ring on her finger, under that was a familiar band. He knew it, from childhood. Because his mother always, always holds his hands when they walk. It was his mother's engagement ring. He glanced at Inoue. She was looking at him, anxiously.

"Are you okay?"

Everything began to pile up on his head, Inoue alive and older, him graduating high school, the identical platinum rings, and his mother's engagement ring. Then something in his brain exploded as too much information and a single realization hit him. And Ichigo did the most logical thing he could think of.

He fainted.

To be continued