Now the evil cliff-hanger author will reveal the ending of her fanfic. Thank you all for everything. Your names all belong as authors of this story b/c without you I couldn't have written it. This chapter is for you.

Ichigo winced at the gunshot. He checked his vital signs. Why was he still alive? He heard a thump behind him. Ichigo turned around to see Nnoitra dead, and a white haired man was holding a gun at Szayel's head.

"Father?" Ishida said in wonderment.

"Uryuu go get the duck tape from the car," Ryuuken instructed. His son stared at his father for a moment before getting up and obeying the order.

"What? How? HUH?!" Ichigo gawked.

"All in good time," Ryuuken told him as he bound Szayel. "The cops should arrive in about a half hour. In the mean time we'll take care of your wounds."

Ichigo watched like a statue as the man who looked so much like Ishida bandaged them with a first aid kit from his mustang.

The rest of the night was a blur. The cops showed up along with an ambulance that brought them to the hospital Ryuuken worked at. Ichigo and Ishida were both surprised when they were led to a recovery room with an unconscious Grimmjow. Ulquiorra woke up from the cot he had been sleeping on. Renji and Orihime were called. Everyone finally sat down and was filled in on what had occurred.

Then all eyes turned to Dr. Ryuuken. The white haired doctor ignored the curious stares he was getting from everyone in the room. Instead he carefully wiped his glasses and placed them back on.

"Twenty-seven years ago I used to work for a man by the name of Aizen. I was an assassin. I'm not going to tell you who I killed for him and I never will. One of my jobs was to help a young drug-dealer named Nnoitra take care of a teenage kid who had attempted to help the police find and take out Aizen. We drove out to this abandoned lot outside the city near the water. The whole thing was so traumatizing, I ended up leaving.

"Of course, not before I was given a warning that if I ever exposed Aizen, my family and I were as good as dead. That was one of the reasons I was always so distant from Uryu and his mother. I didn't want to risk them getting hurt should anything from my past come back to haunt me. I decided to become a doctor, figuring I could make up for the people I've killed by saving others. My wife died and Uryu took off at sixteen. I decided it was for the best that Uryu left, distance himself from me as much as possible. I did check up on him of course, although he didn't know. He went missing, and I lost all track of Uryu for three years. I was so worried. But…" Ryuuken paused. Although his demeanor stayed dignified his eyes grew distant with old worries. He pulled himself back together.

"Then yesterday, Grimmjow was brought into ICU after being shot by Nnoitra. The cop who received a testimony from his friend tells me that they were doing an intervention for my son. Nnoitra was most likely after Uryu and whoever was helping him. Knowing Nnoitra, I had a hunch at where he would bring you. I called in a few favors to confirm it, and you know the rest from there."

No one spoke for a whole minute after Ryuuken finished.

"Thank you, father," Ishida finally mumbled. Ryuuken nodded to his son.

"Visiting hours were over two hours ago. You boys get some sleep. I'll come check on you in the morning." The doctor strode out of the room. Orihime and Renji said good night, and helped a sleep deprived Ulquiorra leave.

Grimmjow had still not woken from his comatose-like state, but the nurse reassured the boys he was stable and should wake in a few days. Ichigo silently thanked his friend. Ishida was feeling better now that they had him on a special drug designed to help withdrawals, and Ichigo had a broken rib and black eye. They had all risked so much, but now it was over.

Ishida lay on his side watching Ichigo in his own bed. Ichigo eventually got up and wheeled his IV over. He curled up next to Ishida. There were so many words that needed to be said, but none of them seemed more favorable then just the shared silence. Ishida leaned forward and kissed Ichigo.

"I love you," Ishida told him. Ichigo felt all his body warm at those simple words.

"I love you too."

The experience had changed both men. They had learned of hardships and strength and love. And they hoped that in the long life of happiness that stretched out before them they would never again be forced into a world filled with blood and grit.

THE END.