This is my first fiction. Please be my critics!

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Darkness fell like a thick blanket, suffocating and cold. The faint smell of something burning intoxicated the area. Ichigo Kurosaki wrinkled his nose in disgust and was about to say something about it when he reminded himself of where he was, and held his tongue instead. His downcast brown eyes sought the ground, but there was no ground, as far as anyone could tell. It seemed like he was floating in midair, but there was no floor below his feet and there was no ceiling limiting his flight. Well, not so much flight, as he was literally suspended in midair, his muscles betraying him from moving even an inch.

"Are you sure?" that same booming voice sounded, echoing off imaginary walls. It's high pitch tone was starting to gnaw on Ichigo's nerves and he frowned deeply. Of course he was sure. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't, would he. No, he'd have avoided this place all together. He didn't even believe it at first. But now, he seemed to have no choice but to, with what his eyes were telling him. "I mean, you really want to save them, huh?"

"Just help already," he snarled, disgruntled by how small his voice seemed and by the laugh that followed his reply.

"Ah, very well then, Ichigo Kurosaki," the voice continued. Something across from the 13-year old glowed a bright red but he didn't lift his head to see it. "Have a good life."

In the next second, the nothingness around him was replaced with a piercing white light and the sound of alarms.

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Ichigo raised his head, senses returning to him, and then squeezed his eyes shut as the flames flickered and burned his pupils, throwing cinder in his face. He coughed out the smoke from his lungs and fell to his knees, his body shuddering as the heat of the fire engulfed his whole form. Somewhere through the searing sound of fallen furniture and combusting wood came another, more terrifying sound. A scream and blaring sirens that seemed too far away.

"Yuzu!" Ichigo screamed and immediately afterwards started hacking. He couldn't breath and crouched even further to the floor, trying to avoid the smoke above. He grabbed the collar of his shirt and breathed in it instead, hoping the sweat his body was producing would hold him up for a little longer.

The boy's door had long since been eaten by the fire so it was simple getting past it and into the hallway. Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw the cracked hole made at the very corner near the end of the hall and he hoped to God none of his family had fallen through. They would have been sucked in and burned to death by now. But then he remembered what had gone on a few seconds ago and his worry for his family vanished as he struggled in his position to move to the stairs as quickly as possible. He was half way down when an explosion at the front door sent him toppling back, and he cried as his back made contact with the edge of the railing. He stayed in his fallen position and didn't try to get back up for he knew it was useless. His body was weakening on him, and the flames were so close that they danced in mockery around his fingers.

His sight blurred and the heat became completely unbearable. Someone was shaking him now and he simply wanted to push whoever it was away because he was getting dizzy and because he was tired. But it seemed like there was no need for him to move as he was hoisted up onto strong, sturdy shoulders and was moving at a high speed, past the dangerous ceiling and out into the starry night sky. Another explosion at the top floor jolted Ichigo but he still allowed his saviour to throw him onto the cool grass. More sounds followed, this time the boy could distinguish them as human voices, but he paid them no mind as he kept his eyes closed, his head back and his body, still baking, lie calmly.

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Karin giggled under her breath and made a move to poke her brother's cheek burn again, fascinated by it's crusty texture and redness that resembled a cherry. Ichigo winced at the touches but he made no move to stop her, just happy that she was smiling again. Yuzu, who sat on the other side of him, had a book in her lap and was reading it with interest even though it contained words she couldn't yet read. Her face crunched up as she trailed, with her small finger, under a six-letter word that baffled her.

"'Jackle'" Ichigo whispered in his sister's ear. Her head turned and she beamed at him with her almost toothless smile. He couldn't help but sling an arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a hug, Karin following suit, clinging to her brother's other shoulder.

The old nurse who stood across from them smirked warmly at the sight, blessing her hearts for the safety of the siblings. They looked so calm and cheerful that it was shocking to believe what they had gone through just yesterday night. A beeping sound wailed from the nurse's caller that hung on her neck and she taped it once to silence it before turning, her mood changing from light to aphotic, and slogged down the white, well-lit hallway. Her velvet shoes made no sound as she reached the last door to her right and placed her hand on the cool metal, pausing before pushing to over and entering the bright blue room.

Isshin Kurosaki grinned like a hyena at her with his one good eye, the other bandaged up, along with his left leg and right arm, which were secured in casts. He waved the square white box in his hand, thumb grazing the picture of a red cross which acted as a button.

"Nurse, can I see my kiddies now?" he purred. The elderly woman frowned at him and sighed.

"You know my answer…"

"Please!" he whined, and she could not believe the man was an adult with that kind of voice.

"Mr. Kurosaki, you're kids are going to be checked up soon. They have no time to see you."

"…please?" The nurse gave him a finalized look. "How about if I pay you?"

"For heaven's sake!" she exclaimed, shaking a finger at him. "Stop your ridiculous bribing! They need to be over-looked!"

Isshin's face fell and the nurse felt a small pang of guilt, but it was the hospital's precaution.

"Can I see them after?"

"Perhaps. Just get some rest," she huffed, pacing into the room and coming up to his side. She fluffed the pillows he wasn't leaning on and tucked in the thick blankets. "They are fine, well and healthy. Don't rush their healing. You've got some business to take care of also." She eyed the man thoughtfully. His eyes, that matched his son's in colour, were brooding, gazing at the half-finished lunch of chicken in front of him. The nurse brushed dried rice off the desk and folded it, picking up the plate in the process. Before she turned away, she gave the man one final look. "You know you and your family are some of the lucky ones."

Isshin's shoulders swept up and down sluggishly and he bundled into his bed, taking car to rest his broken arm slowly. "Yeah…sure."

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Yuzu Kurosaki brushed back her short light brown hair and raised her head right up to admire the bright sun in the clear blue sky. Small clouds were joyfully shaped like cotton candy and the young girl giggled fruitlessly as she squeezed the cold metal of the crunch her limping father possessed. Isshin did his best to hold onto the energetic child with the hand busy supporting the accessory as she leaped down the stone steps of the hospital, waving at birds and passing cars. Karin walked next to Ichigo, their hands connected as well, her hair tied back in a ponytail, showing of the large scar that traced from the middle of her forehead across the her right temple. Evident stitches stood out against the angry red colour but Karin found the injury 'cool' and wanted to show it off to her friends, much to Ichigo's dismay. He disliked the idea of his sister enjoying the cut but then again, she wasn't old enough to understand how she'd gotten it. And frankly, neither Karin nor Yuzu wanted to talk about the incident despite being oblivious.

Isshin was still trying to manage the problem at hand. His house had been burned to a crisp, nearly everything inside dispersing into ashes that now have been no doubt cleaned up by the insurance company. It would take months for the repairs to be done and the bill was probably going to send Isshin back to the hospital for a completely different reason. But the older man could not show the dismay of his family's situation to his children. This was a rough event for them and they wanted a parent figure to lean on. Isshin had to be strong.

Ignoring his still bandaged arm and the cast on his leg, the father bent down and picked up his light daughter, yelling out happily that they were "finally out of that stuffy, boring hospital" and swung her around as best he could, while she screamed with delight. Karin huffed out at the sight, trying to seem more mature than she really was, but Ichigo noticed the tightening in her jaw and knew the tomboy wanted to be picked up like that too. To compensate, the older brother grabbed both Karin's hands and had her spin around till she was screaming just as loud as her fraternal twin sister.

People around them watched with either lightened up faces or scrunched up eyebrows, but all avoiding the family, to give them space to breathe the scent of greenery around them.

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Ichigo flicked the light switch, conveniently placed on the wall close to his height, on and watched as the small, tattered room illuminated with a yellow glow. The walls were a pale peach colour and the floor was simply a large, hard, wooden tile. The bed was propped up on one of the corners, bare with only two thin pillows on one end, and the window beside it was cracked and open, ugly yellow curtain fluttering in the soft summer breeze. Well, at least it smelt better than the bathroom.

The Kurosaki son waltzed into the room in his black shoes, leaving dirty smudge marks he promised himself he would clean up later, and threw the heavy blue duffle bag on the bed. It bounced a bit before coming to a halt on it's side and Ichigo quickly took to opening the small gap at the tip of the pack. Wrinkled pants and shirts, as well as tumbles of underwear and socks, fell from the gap and sprinkled the colourless futon in dark greens and reds. Ichigo threw the carry-on, now limp and weak, to the side and began his folding. It didn't take long as the firemen retrieved what was left of his wardrobe which wasn't much. He placed his work on the floor, right next to his bed and got up, watching the outline of a bird precariously perched on a branch attached to a thick maple tree right outside the tall, old building. It sang a song and Ichigo whistled back before being called into the living.

The whole apartment room was at least more impressive then the other's the Kurosakis had ventured to check out. It was clean, for the most part, and reliable, small and well rented for. The apartment was especially good for how close it was to their last home. Thankfully, the clinic had been saved before the massive fire had reached any major parts of it and it would be restored in a matter of days, meaning that Isshin could go back to work and the kids could go to school.

Karin and Yuzu were already sitting on the grubby brown couch, one of the three furniture in the small desolate living room. Isshin was sliding a short, stumpy table to the middle of the carpeted area, his crunches abandoned temporarily to the side, when Ichigo came in, sliding to sit in between his sister's who immediately came to snuggle up on either side of him. Burns still littered the 13-year-old's arms and legs but less sever than how they had looked before and his normal tanned skin colour was returning.

Isshin took a risk and sat on the table, grateful that it did not blow under him, and leaned in so he could take a good look at his children. They all looked just tired, too exhausted to worry and cry. That had been for the days they'd spent in the hospital and now they just needed to figure out what to do at the present time. Isshin propped his diffracted leg onto the edge of the couch and tried for a smile that fell as his son's mesmerizing eyes peered through long orange bangs.

"Ah…well, I suppose we're going to have to live here for awhile, kiddies," he began with a sigh, wishing he had a cigarette pack with him.

"Do we have to?" Yuzu's dopey voice was muffled by her brother's shirt.

"Sorry, honey," Isshin ruffled his daughter's hair. She already looked like she was fast asleep. "It'll only be for a bit. Till those nice men can fix our house."

"How long?" Karin piped in.

"I honestly don't know," the father scratched the back of his head and for some reason looked to Ichigo for a little help.

"Let's just make the most of it," the boy answered, relaxing his muscles to let the girls use his body as a pillow. "We're alive and we're here so let's just try our very best from now on."

Isshin blinked, impressed by his son's wisdom. He nodded and knew he'd need to keep up with his own son if he was to be the parent here.

"Right. Like Ichigo said, we should be happy that we all are here, healthy and well." Isshin got up, wincing with a bit of pain, and came to give a giant hug to his three kids. They outstretched their own arms and hugged back, heads down, sniffing their father's natural scent of mint and fags.

Yet unbeknownst to the girls and their father, Ichigo's mind was reeling, not calming down, as the memory of his encounter, which had played over and over in his head at the hospital, came back to haunt him once again.

Yes…I will protect my family at all costs, he thought grimly and disarmingly to himself. Even if I had to sell my soul to the Devil.

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Thank you for reading!