I miss you, that's what I want to say to you. But that's not what my heart's telling me. You had turned my world around, my past along with my evil deeds meant nothing to you. You, unlike so many that only saw an evil creature, had seen something different. Something that I didn't know I could be, and for that, you protected and fought for me so I could become what you saw me be. I miss you, no, that's not what my heart say's. I love you, that's what it say's. And because of that, I'll protect and fight for you. Even if my sword breaks or my body turns to dust my spirit, my spirit will always fight for you. A small child laid on the sands of Hueco Mundo as she watched the fight take place in front of her, no, not a fight. A slaughter. The orange Shinigami who had protected her several times was laying on the ground as the fifth Espada stood above him with a bloodlust grin that showed he was enjoying the pain that he's caused. But his grin faltered when he saw the Shinigami struggling to get up, but smiled more when he knelt down and grab the arm that held the Zanpakuto. "Let's put an end to this Shinigami!" Said the Espada smirking as he started to beak the boy's wrist causing him to scream in pain. As the events unfolded in front of the small child with teary eyes she whispered the boy's name. "Itsygo...Itsygo...ITSYGO!"

CHAPTER I

Memories and Decisions

SIX MONTHS LATER

Las Noches, Neliel's room 2:15 AM

Neliel bolted upright in her bed coated in a cold sweat and was breathing heavily from the dream she had, or in her case the memory that kept haunting her in her sleep. Since that day Ichigo had come close to dying at the hands of Nnorita and seeing him being crushed and broken by Tesla, she kept reliving that memory every night she closed her eyes.

As she sat in bed and felt her heart go back to normal instead of threatening to burst out of her chest she stood up and walked around the room like she did every night. Neliel had returned to her adult form, thanks to Orihime healing her and since she was the former third Espada Halibel, who was now the ruler of Las Noches, had offered Neliel a place to stay for as long as she liked. Neliel knew what Hueco Mundo was like, she was able to remember her time with her Fraccion, Pesche, and Dondochakka. She remembered how they would spend most of their time having to fight the Hollows above ground that were looking for food for them to evolve farther and to keep them from devolving. She didn't want that life for her and her Fraccion, even though she was now back in her real form and would be able to protect herself and her Fraccion without breaking a sweat, but she had always hated killing hollows. Even if they were trying to kill her she hated the thought that the hollows that she would have to kill are actually her fellow brethren. She didn't want to live that life.

After pacing around her room for awhile she had stopped at one of the corners in her room to where she had placed her sword prior to going to bed. She never liked taking a life or even fighting, but she always felt safe when she had her sword in hand or next to her. As she reached down to pick up the precious weapon the memories of how Ichigo had fought to protect her flashed by and once her hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword she couldn't help the words that escaped her lips quietly, saying what was in her heart. "Thank you, Ichigo, for everything you had done for me." She slowly unsheathed the blade and looked at it as it reflected the moonlight. She had only used it once since she had returned to her form, and that was to fight Nnorita to protect Ichigo, as that memory along with others flashed in her mind she sheathed her blade just as quietly and put it back down in the corner that was right next to her bed and sat down on the soft sheets, not to sleep but to think about the orange haired Shinigami that kept plaguing her thoughts and dreams.

The one that had protected her during the fights as he tried to rescue his friend, the one that saved her repeatedly with his blade, body, and spirit when she was in harm's way. Now all she wanted to do was return the favor by protecting and if necessary save him. She had learned two months ago from Halibel that Ichigo had lost his spiritual powers, actually sacrificing them so he could defeat Aizen. And due to that he could no longer see or talk to the dead, much less travel between worlds and visit his friends both in Soul Society and Las Noches, which also meant he couldn't see her and return to her.

She always thought Ichigo was different, even special, but for him to fight Aizen knowing that he would have to sacrifice his powers to defeat him shown the depths of his resolve to protect the things and the ones that he loves. Nel let her head fall into her waiting hands as she groaned and thought about how Ichigo could have just as easily lost his life to Nnorita or Tesla instead of losing his powers. She could still see Ichigo struggling against the crushing arms of Tesla and then Nnorita attempting to break his arm. Neliel allowed a few tears to run down her cheeks as she recalled the scenes of his near deaths. "If only I had been strong enough to protect him, then he wouldn't have had to suffer so much pain," she said to no one as she continued to rest her head in her hands. But even when he was half dead and in so much pain he still thought about the others that were hurt before himself. She could still remember Ichigo telling the red-headed girl to heal Neliel before she healed him.

Neliel slowly got up off the bed and walked over to the balcony, as she walked out in the open she felt a warm breeze wash over her bare arms and legs. She was leaning on the railing of the balcony looking up at the beautiful pale moon that was illuminating everything with its light and continued her thoughts as she stared up at the room. She didn't know or understand why he had saved her countless times after all, weren't they supposed to be enemies, she's a hollow and he was a Soul Reaper. Weren't Soul Reapers supposed to hate her kind no matter what kind of hollow they are, no matter if they desired peace or war. But yet Ichigo fought to protect her along with her fraccion and he was even willing to lay down his life to keep them safe. Neliel looked back up at the moon to admire its beauty and continued her thoughts about her orange-haired savior to only be brought out of her thoughts by a knock on her door at the far end of her room.

As Neliel made her way to the door she started to wonder who else would be up at this time, maybe one of her Fraccion? As she walked over to her door to her room she called out "Who is it?" as she was just a few steps away from the door the person on the other side responded "Its Halibel, may I come in?" Nel stopped mid-stride 'Halibel?! What is she doing up at this time? She should be asleep so she would be well rested for the oncoming days that were sure to be hard and difficult due to the situation everyone is in.' Nel walked the last few steps to the door to see a beautiful chocolate woman with golden hair and a jacket that was covering the lower half of her face.

"Halibel-sama, please come in," Nel said as she stepped to the side to allow Halibel to enter her room. "Is the something wrong Halibel-sama?" Nel asked as she closed the door and stood still waiting for Halibel to answer the question.

"I had felt your reiatsu spike slightly so I thought I would come and see if you were ok, and please stop with the formalities Nel. You were the Third Espada before me, there's no need to act like I'm your superior." Nel couldn't help with the blush that spread across her cheeks as she diverted her eyes to the floor.

"Everything's ok, I just had a bad dream is all. I guess I'm just nervous about what I had to do, about going tomorrow." Halibel walked over to Nel and placed a hand on her shoulder and used her other hand to cup Nels chin bringing her face up causing Nel to look her in the eyes.

"Nel if you think you cant do this or if you don't want to then you don't have to. I'm not going to send you off to do something that you don't want to do." Nel looked at Halibel for a second and then shook her head no "It's not that I don't want to do this, its just how am I going to be able to look him in the eye and ask him, to tell him that we can give him his powers back. To take away the normal life that someone who is alive is supposed to live. To put him in danger once again, I know that he will fight to protect those he loves and cares about. He already showed that by giving up his powers to defeat Aizen just to protect everyone and end the war that our kind had started. But I also look at it as if I don't do this, If I don't go to him and ask him for his help then this war will surely spread into the world of the living. I think its horrible that he had sacrificed everything to stop Aizen and end the war just to find out that his sacrifice meant nothing and that the war is still going on." Halibel and Nel stood across from each other in silence for a while as they both think about what had been going on the past six months, on how that due to that past the future is still in danger of being destroyed.

"Nel, if there's one thing I've learned about the information on Ichigo Kurosaki is that he will help his friends, no matter what the problem is. I know its bad that

I've requested you to go to him, but he knows you and he's our only hope of stopping this war once and for all and maybe, just maybe the three realms will be able to have peace of a time." Halibel let her hand fall from Nels' shoulder and walked over to the balcony and looked up at the moon. Nel knew that a lot was riding on Halibel's shoulders and for the first time she was able to see the tole that it was taking on her. Nel walked over to Halibel and stood beside her and looked up at the moon as well.

"I'm going to go Halibel, I know what I have to do and I will do it." Halibel looked over at Nel and nodded her head, she knew what they were going to ask Ichigo is selfish of them, but he was their only hope of saving them.