In the time I have been gone, I have gotten a lot done! The updates will be once a week, so be alert. I have also started a new fic! It's a two shot and also GrimmIchi. It's called Endeavors. GO CHECK IT OUT. Please (O/O) It's got a more modern feel to it, which is more my style, so it might not be as awkward as this fic, lol. I'm not used to writing in this style. I write like I talk, actually, which is with big words and a modern and perverted feel :P

They came in the night. Their mounts made no sound in the sifting sand, so the two sleeping were not alerted. It was when one of the mounts made a loud and frightful clicking noise that Ichigo shot up in his spot on the desert floor. Then the noise started; loud screeches reached the ears of the redheaded man in the tent.

"Something's here! Hallibel wake up, now—" Ichigo whispered, frantically shaking Hallibel. The hissing was still loud and clear, and even getting closer.

"Be quiet, I'm already awake. It's the Saj," Hallibel said, lifting her hand and effortlessly quieting Ichigo's rambling. She slowly grabbed her sword, and quietly unsheathed it. Ichigo did the same.

"I'll go out first," Hallibel said, "they don't need to know about you, not yet."

Ichigo looked puzzled, "Why would you go out first? They might attack—"

"No, they won't, they don't know about you yet. I'm going out first," Hallibel interrupted.

"If I hear any fighting, I swear I'm coming out, I won't let you die," Ichigo said forcefully. He didn't notice the light blush that covered Hallibel's face after he said those words. The woman crawled out without another word. He heard muttered hisses outside the tent, realizing that that was the Saj speaking. He could barely understand what they said;

"Ah, the woman emerges. Where is your friend?" the voice asked.

"He is dead. He died of hunger, for he did not take enough food to cross the desert," came Hallibel's reply.

The Saj quieted, and then one of them spoke again. "Where is the body?" It asked.

"It is left where he fell. The wild nuu will eat what is left of him."

There was a quiet laughter that rang through the group of Saj. Ichigo felt that there would be no need for a fight, but that the Saj would make Hallibel go with them, and leaving a pitched tent behind would not be something that was in the norm. He was in the tent, so they would eventually have to see him. That would lead to a fight.

"Ka wants you, Hallibel. He wants to take you and lead you into his bed. Oh, how Ka wants you, dearest."

Disgust poured through Ichigo. He couldn't imagine someone as beautiful as Hallibel, bedding someone as hideous as the Saj leader must have been. Oh what he would do to prevent that. She needed more than some ugly pale creature that barely looked human. She needed a strong man, one of her own kind. Of course, she needed Ichigo. Not to take her to bed, of course. But to merely be with. She needed support from someone like him, who understood her to the fullest. What it was like to be alone in a merciless desert.

Oh gods, who was he trying to trick. He wanted Hallibel. To take her to bed would be that light of his pale existence. And he didn't want some slimy Saj, taking his place in her bed.

"I'm not ready for him," Hallibel replied. She laughed quietly, seductively even. "I will come to Ka when he bids, but only if I am ready to."

There was a resounding, menacing hiss and Ichigo gripped his sword tighter.

"You will come!"

He heard the sound of swords unsheathing and he quickly whipped his sword in an arc, cutting down the fabric surrounding him. He ran to Hallibel who was quickly lifting her own weapon. She brought it down on the first of the Saj approaching her. He cut open one of the Saj that ran towards him, his blade slicing a jagged wound across its chest. Before he could lift his weapon again, another Saj was running toward him. It jumped and wrapped its skinny, pale arms around his midriff, holding him in place. He spotted a Saj sprinting toward him, his weapon poised for attack. He quickly brought the hilt of his sword down on the head of the Saj holding him and turned swiftly out of its hold, before swinging his sword to stab to Saj running at him. Without time to stop, the Saj ran right into the attack, his life ending with a final wheeze.

A disgusting thing was revealed as the Saj in front of him fell to the ground. A large creature that looked similar to a scorpion clicked its way to him. He swung his sword in a high arc, bringing it down upon the thing. It did little as the sword bounced off the hard shell of the top. The creature opened dripping fangs revealing the pink, slimy interior of its mouth. It emitted a deep, guttural growling before he saw the pink inside swell. It was only years of gore and blood that kept Ichigo from throwing up what was in his empty stomach and being unable to dodge the spray of slimy blue fluid that spurted from its mouth. He spun around and, desperation fueling his limbs, he quickly brought his sword down, stabbing through the open mouth and impaling the creature into the sand. He wrenched his sword from the body with a sickening squelch. He wiped the blade of its blue coating of fluid with one of the hoods that the Saj wore.

He noticed Hallibel beside him, dodging a swing from a Saj, seeing that she was facing two opponents. He sheathed his sword and removed his bow from his back. Stringing an arrow he pulled the string taut, bending his bow to kill his opponent. He released the arrow and it shot forward, killing one of the two Saj attacking Hallibel. She quickly killed the last one, stabbing her sword through his neck.

She slowly sheathed her sword, her heart pounding in her chest. The Saj leader was after her, already.

She had suspected his motives behind taking her in. There was no other reason, aside from Ka being… interested in her. She had lived for nearly thirty years in the D'sol and she had not aged. She had watched many of the Saj die, and she felt hopeless. But the Ka aged, too. The only reason he would seek her out now was because he saw his end drawing near. He was old, and the last time Hallibel saw him he was wrinkled and ashen with age.

She had no idea what she would do after she got Ichigo out of the desert. Would she stay? She'd seen the end of the desert and so had Ichigo. But she had never gone close to it, mostly because she was always with one or more Saj, and they don't leave the desert.

But she'd not left also because she was afraid. She'd lived so long that she didn't know if her body would perhaps turn to dust the moment she set foot outside the desert. She honestly had no idea what to do. There was too much risk, and if she stayed she was going to die. She didn't want to die. She wanted to live. But she wanted to live a life that was not with the Saj watching her every move. She'd had her chance to get across the desert, and she had failed. But there was a glimmer of hope. Perhaps she wouldn't turn to dust with one step from the desert. Maybe she could leave and have no repercussions!

Of course… she now had her chance to escape this wretched desert. To be free from the slimy Saj and be released from her prison in the desert would be ideal. And to have Ichigo by her side… it would be marvelous.

"We should keep moving, if the Saj catch me, they will kill you and take me back to the Ka, as you heard," she murmured, not looking in Ichigo's direction, but instead focusing on the line of trees that waited for them on the horizon. Oh how she couldn't wait till she reached it.

"That is probably best," Ichigo responded, "What was that bug thing?" he asked, his face contorted in disgust.

"Ah, I see you killed the Nuu. They are one of the few creatures that inhabit this desert; the Saj used the chitin shell to make weapons and armor for themselves.

They spent some time packing up what was left of the camp, and then mounting the horses, which had surprisingly not run away in the skirmish with the Saj. After they set off, the sun was well into the sky, and it was heating the sand quickly. Ichigo would have long ago taken off his armor, if not for the threat the Saj posed.

Ichigo let his mind wander in that time, allowed himself to think about the man he'd left behind. Grimmjow was waiting for him to return. He was waiting for Ichigo, and he might not know that his immortality and love had allowed Ichigo another chance to gain back his life. His heart ached when he thought of the time they had spent together. Oh, how he missed his blue haired God. What could possibly have possessed him when he aimed to 'save' a God that didn't need saving. The man was probably well aware of the straggling archer. He was a God! Oh the folly of a heart arrested by the power of love! He was determined to find a way back to Grimmjow, and he would, of that he was sure.

They slept beneath the stars that night, for the last tent was destroyed and the tent that belonged to the Saj had been left behind at their last camp. It smelled putrid anyway, and they wouldn't not have wanted to sleep breathing in such a smell for the entire night, so it was with unspoken agreement that they slept on the remains of Hallibel's tent while looking up at the starry sky. Ichigo dreamt that night. He dreamt of being in his lover's arms, of having his hard body on top of him and inside him, loving him till he was boneless with satisfaction. Disappointment washed over him as dawn brought his present problems crashing back down on him. He wanted to see Grimmjow again, to hold him close and kiss him soundly on his soft lips. He wanted Grimmjow to make love to him, slowly and sensually.

He wanted, but he couldn't, was what he told himself, as he woke up completely. He lifted himself from his position on the ground and saw that Hallibel was standing up, looking off into the distance. He realized that she was looking at the edge of the desert, a longing look on her tanned face. She turned to look at him and he jumped slightly at seeing the slight shine of tears in her eyes.

He allowed himself a moment to erase his mind of all the thoughts of Grimmjow that were plaguing him at that moment, and he set his shoulders, prepared for what came next.

Whatever happened, he would reach Grimmjow, and he would live the rest of his life by his side.

They made it to the edge of the forest, and they were seeing the jagged trees and bushy plants. The desert did not fade into the vegetation as he thought it would, it merely ended, the sand lining up along the edge of the foliage, and the tropical trees reaching up into the sky from beside the sand. Ichigo thought they looked different that those of where he came from. They looked wild, not as ordinary to him. He'd never seen plants so green. The trees and leaves from his home paled in comparison to the vibrant emerald pigment he saw in these leaves. In his surprise he didn't think to keep going. But not only did seeing the new type of greenery surprise him, it instilled in him a deep and unwavering fear. What would this new environment bring with his first steps inside? Who knew what sort of creatures lay beyond the thick vegetation? He looked at this new kind of habitat with trepidation, for he did not know what it would bring. The desert brought things like the Saj and these nuu, what would this place bring? Oh Grimmjow, getting to you is going to be difficult.

It was Ichigo that heard it first; the muted beating of hooves. He turned swiftly, spotting the lone horse that galloped across the barren desert.

Shout out to jakondas, Misc. Ink, IILesGeMeAuxII, Mayuzu, ShadowsOfPenAndPaper, for remaining with me from TCF till now. Thanks guys! :D Next comes the fight! :DDDD

AkurnaSkulblaka