1A/N: Multi-chaptered story that I'm not exactly sure how long it will be, but probably nothing less than 10 chapters. It won't really fit into the true storyline of Bleach, but will use certain elements. Other than that, just as might as well see where it goes.

Perpetual Twilight

Chapter 1

By: Finalitylife

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Bleach or its characters. That's all I got..

Lightning illuminates the pitch black sky and crashes of thunder shake the very Earth itself, yet such things do not frighten Ichigo, even if many others cower in fear of the storm. Instead it is the simplest part of the storm, the rain itself slowly falling from the sky that truly bothers him...because it won't wash away the sins...it can't wash away the blood on his hands...her blood.

He can hear the sick laughing within his mind, though he knows there is nothing he can do to shut it up. He is not strong enough to beat it back completely...he was not strong enough to stop it from taking control...he had failed it every fathomable meaning of that word for the simple fact he had failed her.

He had once waged a war against Soul Society itself to save her life, battling against all who stood in his path including the demon-like captain Kenpachi Zaraki as well as the stoic and cold brother of the one he sought to save...both vastly powerful in their own right, both fell to his strength.

In the end, he had defeated those he needed to save her life...to set her free. He had fulfilled his promise to her, though he knew in his heart the promise wasn't just for that battle, but for all time, for whenever someone threatened her life. He knew he would never let anyone hurt her as long as he wielded the power he had...the power that he had because of her...

He had stopped anyone from truly hurting her because in the end, he could hurt her just fine on his own. The greatest threat was the darkness within his very soul...the taint that simply would not wash away no matter how long he stood in the rain. He wanted to just blame the Hollow within him for hurting her, not have to feel the never-ending guilt, but he knew that the Hollow was simply a part of himself...he hurt her...it was all him.

Fighting with Rukia was nothing new for Ichigo, had become something he was accustomed to, something that he actually enjoyed on some level. However, this time, he remembered being angry...angrier than he had been in awhile though at this moment, he couldn't even remember what the fight was about. All he knew was that they were still fighting even as they went out to fight a Hollow, were still fighting even as the battle started. Ichigo had become distracted, gotten himself into a wrong position...and Rukia had been left open to the Hollow's attack. Despite their fighting, he had not hesitated for a second in his next move, for the split second he was moving realized how similar this moment was to the first time he had met Rukia...the battle that had led to the beginning...never thinking this routine battle could lead to the end.

Though he could not remember what he and Rukia had been fighting about, he could remember the pain...he could still remember the fear...

--

The pain ravaged his body as the sharp claws sunk in to his flesh, but he knew that the attack had not touched Rukia, and that made it okay, even as his body told him instantly the severity of the wound as he could feel his body quickly going limp. He looked up, meeting Rukia's eyes seeing no trace of the anger that had been there before. Instead, he could see the fear in her eyes as his blood began dripping from his body, choking out of his mouth as he breathed...as he tried to speak.

"Get out of here Rukia...run..." Ichgio fell to his knees, Rukia instinctively grabbing hold of him, preventing him from collapsing completely, her small 'human' body struggling with the weight.

"Run Rukia...run..." She squeezed him tightly with defiance in her eyes.

"No...I won't leave you..." Rukia's words were cut off by the large bellowing laughter of the Hollow.

"Foolish Shinigami...I was told you would be a challenge, but I see you are truly nothing. It is time you die, though I can promise she will share the same fate as you..."

Ichigo gripped the hilt of Zangetsu, trying to force himself back to his feet so at the very least he could give Rukia time to get away, but he simply couldn't, his vision refusing to clear...his body refusing to cooperate. Darkness was closing in all around him, and the only thing he found to grab on to was a raw, uncontrollable feeling that was rising up from deep inside him, telling him to destroy the Hollow without mercy.

From this feeling he found strength, a sadistic smile forming on his face. In a flash he was out of Rukia's arms, his blade passing effortlessly through the Hollow who could only stand in shock at the speed of the movement, before a spray of blood erupted out, it soon fading away into oblivion.

Ichigo collapsed to one knee, the blood lust still at the surface of his mind, fighting his hardest to force it under control now that the enemy was gone. However, it would not relent, simply growing stronger and louder, maniacal laughter clouding his mind. This was not right...he knew this feeling...feared this feeling. He could barely register Rukia grabbing on to him again, begging to know what was wrong as he clutched his head in pain.

"Run Rukia...run..."

"The Hollow is gone Ichigo...your hurt...there's no reason to run away." However, Ichigo continued to plea with her.

"Please Rukia...run away...get out of here."

"I don't understand Ichigo..." Rukia felt Ichigo's body tense up, a terrible sense of dread suddenly gripping her to her very core as Ichigo's spirit energy suddenly changed into something that feel horribly foreign to her.

"Bitch...I told you to run away..." Rukia instantly knew the voice was different...did not contain any trace of caring in it as it just had. It was confirmed when Ichigo's head snapped up, his hand moving from where it had been clutching his head. Half his face was covered in a white mask, more and more being covered as Rukia looked on in horror, a twisted inhuman grin on Ichigo's face.

"Hehe...run away little shinigami...I want to enjoy the hunt..."

--

Ichigo gripped his hands tightly into fists, the memoryfar to painful to keep seeing though it had never left his thoughts since he had 'awoken' from his lost state with Yourichi standing in front of him naked and with power flowing around her though neither of these two things really caught Ichigo's attention. His eyes could only see one thing, locking completely on a single form as he dropped his bloody zanpakutou to the ground with a metal clang. All he could see was Rukia, her small, bloody figure behind Yourichi laying motionless on the ground.. .the scraps of clothes that still held on her body barely covering her modestly. Rukia...there was so much blood...so many cuts bleeding out on to the ground.

It had been at that moment that all the memories had returned to Ichigo, and all he could do was collapse to his knees gripping his head screaming in pain, the laughter filling his head without remorse. He was a monster...that much he knew.

He had chased her through the city, mocking her, torturing her with gleeful joy, all the while her futile attempts to defend herself were knocked away, her pleas to stop laughed away.

Rukia...she had actually been begging him to stop...Rukia had actually begged...he knew that had made him the happiest, and that realization had caused him to vomit up everything that was in his body.

This was where Yoruichi left him, picking up Rukia's body and disappearing in a flash, and it was at that moment the rain started falling.

--

Ichigo wasn't even sure how long he laid there in the rain, unable to gather the will to move, wishing he would just completely wash away in the never-ending rainfall, though he knew he had finally gotten up. He could only vaguely remember the conflict he must have had against Yoruichi to stop him, but he did remember every moment of hunting Rukia like a frightened little rabbit...they would be forever etched in his mind.

Ichigo knew exactly how that night would have ended had Yoruichi not been there to stop him, knew exactly what he would have done to Rukia...all the pieces would have never been found. He fought off the urge to vomit again, simply continuing to stand in the relentless cold rain. He didn't deserve to still be here after what he had done...but the rain simply would not do what it was supposed to do...could not cleanse the Earth of his horrible existence.

It was then that Ichigo heard the soft clicking...a familiar clicking walking toward him though he did not look toward the sound. Perhaps he had come to end his life for being what he was.

"Kurosaki...you really shouldn't be out in the rain like this. You'll only catch cold and then Tessai will want to cure you, and you really don't want that." Ichigo completely ignored the overly cheerful voice of Urahara, continuing to stare off into nothingness. This time when Urahara spoke, his voice was lower and more serious.

"I really don't care if you want to die out here, but I doubt Rukia will be happy when she wakes up to find you dead." This got Ichigo's attention, his gaze snapping over to the shop owner in all his sandal-hate, umbrella holding glory.

"She's alive?"

"Yes she is. Orihime is still healing her as we speak, and she is still unconscious but she is very much alive."

"Rukia..." It was all Ichigo could say at the moment.

"So now that you know that, lets go to my shop at talk about what has transpired. There still is a very serious problem...with you." Ichigo nodded slightly, following the former captain wordlessly toward there destination. Rukia was alive...he hadn't destroyed her...this time.