Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters nor do I own the song Believe, Skillet does. I do NOT make any profit by writing this story, other than my own enjoyment.

Author's note:Ladies and gentelmen, this is my second fanfic. Yes it is a TatsuIchi fic. No you can't stop me, Buwahahahaha! It's my first song fic. Have mercy! Thanks, and major props, go out to my favorite author Platinumsabr who gave me great advice and a great review for my first fic, Movie Night. Thanks again. Now without further ado or stalling, I give you.....

Ichigo's mistake

"I'm still tryin' to figure out how to tell you I was wrong..."

"I can't fill the emptiness inside since you've been gone....."

Ichigo stood alone on the roof of Karakura High, brooding. It had been four weeks since Orihime's rescue from Aizen's clutches, and he still hadn't been able to find a way to tell Tatsuki how sorry he was, to tell her that he hadn't meant any of what he'd said to her that fateful day. The day he'd lied so well that he had believed himself. The day he'd broken her heart. The day he'd ripped his own to shreds.......

Flash....

"What AM I to you?!!!" Tatsuki's words echoed through the empty hall. Glass crunched as Ichigo righted himself, brushing stray pieces from his school sweater. his first reaction had been to simply walk away. To tell her nothing and just go. Yet the pleading note that had crept into her voice, the voice that had lent him strength all his life, held him as tightly as iron chains. He owed her, his life and so much more besides.

"Fine. You wanna know? Then I'll tell you." the ice in his own voice took him aback. "There are things in this world that you will NEVER understand. Horrors that make your worst nightmares seem harmless. As for Orihime, she was taken by something even worse than what you've seen. I am the only one with the strength to face these things. You're too weak. You could never keep up with me." Even encased in the ice, Ichigo had to steel himself for what he had to say next, " I don't want or need you anymore, Tatsuki. Go. Away. Don't even think about me anymore. I'll certainly forget about you. Not that I thought about you that much anyway...."

As her tears fell silently Ichigo walked away, barely able to stand under the weight of what he had just done..........

Flash....

As his tears fell silently, Ichigo walked away from the chainlink fence that encircled the school's roof. Tatsuki appeared to have done as he had said; no one had seen her in weeks. Not Chad, not Uryu, not Orihime--no one. Wiping his eyes dry, Ichigo exited the school and walked, not really caring where he ended up. Night began to fall as he reached Karakura Bridge. He left the street and strode down the hill to the underside of the concrete overpass. He sat by the riverside, trapped in his own mind, desparately trying to fill the emptiness left behind by the one person he'd ever been in love with when he'd cut her from his life. The soft sounds of the river did nothing to soothe that pain. Ichigo stood up and began to run, his only thought: " I have to do something...."

"I can't undo the things that led us to this place..."

" But I know there's something more to us than our mistakes...."

In the darkness, Ichigo stopped running, breathing heavily. Here it was, Tatsuki's house. Once he was breathing normally, Ichigo approached the door. On the threshold he hesitated, unsure as to what he could do or say to make this right. Finding his resolve, Ichigo knocked on the door...... nothing. Not that he'd really expected anything on the first try.... He reached for the door and knocked a second time, and a third. When he still got no response, he began pounding on the door with both fists, yelling Tatsuki's name. Suddenly the door flew open.....

" What do you want, Ichigo? Come to tell me how worthless I am?" This was not the Tatsuki he knew. Her voice was winter frost. Her eyes, lifeless. The reality of what he had done came crashing down on him. He could only stand there, unable to speak. Her hand reached for the door, to slam it in his face, to shut him out. He wasn't about to let that happen, not when she was right there. His arm shot out, halting the wooden barrier.

" We need to talk."

" What's there to talk about? You said all that needed to be said over a month ago." The ice in her voice cut deep. " ` I don't want or need you anymore Tatsuki.` That's what you said right? So I'll ask again, what do you want?"

" I was wrong Tatsuki, dead wrong. What I said was stupid and uncalled for, I know I hurt you and I'll never be able to make up for that but you have to listen to me-"

" No. I don't. Why don't you go away?"

Shaking with anger, Ichigo pushed the door the rest of the way open. Too furious to speak just yet, Ichigo tried to regain control of himself after having his own words thrown in his face. He pushed his way past Tatsuki and stood in the center of her living room.

" Get out."

" No." Still struggling to regain his composure, it was the only response Ichigo could force out.

" I said get out Ichigo."

" No. Not 'til you listen to-" Ichigo's words were cut off by a sharp blow to his temple. He snapped his head back to face Tatsuki. She was shaking every bit as much as he had been, her icy demeanor melted by white-hot fury. His anger vanished.

" WHY?! Why should I listen to you?!" A dangerous light began to build behind her dark eyes. Life returning to them along with her fury. Ichigo never had a chance to open his mouth. Tatsuki launched herself across the distance between them, her flying tackle dragging Ichigo to the floor. She blindly slammed her fists into his chest over and over, pouring her power into each blow.

" Why should I listen? You left. You said you never wanted to see me again, that you would just forget me. Why should I even speak to you? Why............why did you leave me behind?" The last came out as a sob, the first of many. Ichigo sat up, with Tatsuki on his lap now, and wrapped his arms around her. He said nothing, he just held her as she cried into his shirt.

" Tatsuki," he spoke once her tears had slowed, " the things I said--I can't ever undo what I did to you that day, and I'll have to live with that for rest of my life. But I had to see you, to at least explain why I said what I did, and really explain what's going on. Those things that took Orihime, they're comin' back. They've declared all out war on me and my allies. I told you that I didn't want you in my life to save you. I might not be able to come back, and I've made my peace with that, but the thought of you dying 'cause you were close to me...I couldn't bear it."

" Then why-"

" Because I couldn't stand that you believed I didn't need you. That you believed I never cared for you. How could you believe those things, don't you know me, Ta-chan?"

" You. Left. Me." Tatsuki replied, not looking at him. Unable to look at him. " That was a pretty clear message don't you think? And you've made your peace with the fact you might die? What if you do die, what happens to me? What if I--if I can't go on without you?" Her childhood nickname had broken through her anger and stirred something else. She looked at Ichigo her face warm from what she had just said, from what she had avoided saying.

" Tatsuki, I've hidden this for too long. All other reasons are dust in the wind compared to this: I love you. I always have. I-" the rest of Ichigo's words were lost as Tatsuki pressed her soft lips against his.

" I love you too, you idiot. Always have." A comfortable silence enveloped them, and in that silence was everything they would ever need.

Later that night.....

" Ichigo, when you have to go again...."

"You'll be the first to know. I won't repeat my mistake. Ever.

"Promise me something then."

"Anything."

" Promise you'll come back to me." Tatsuki could feel the blush flooding over her face.

" I promise, I'll always come back to you."

Awesome. Second fic finished. However, I feel an undeniable urge to go do something manly to wash away the fluffyness. Maybe I'll do a sequel if I get enough reviews. Hope you like it Platinumsabr-sensei. 'Til next time,

16Fangs