Several bodies filled the long hall. Streaks of dry dust were left on the floor where tall chairs had scraped back or feet had pushed the long settled motes aside. The long-unused room was once again full of life—at least what constituted as life for souls of the dead and damned—and at their fore a man with a cross-shaped scar over the place where his heart should be settled back on his chair.

"What's the news?" he called out, not bothering with any semblance of pomp and circumstance, even though he was their king.

"Still no sign of Soul Reapers," one hollow responded.

"And no Vandenreich," the hollow to his right, Gleb, added.

"Things are quiet, no gillion, no Vastal Lordes, outside of the palace. Nothing but small hollows," a last hollow supplied.

Their king nodded. "And repairs?"

"Closed off the West Hall. There are no more open entrances to this section of Las Noches."

"Good. Let's work on the rest of it then."

That was all. Their king stood and they knew the meeting was over. The hollows of Purgatory—now the hollows of Las Noches—dispersed to do their work. Only one remained.

"What's up, King?" Gleb asked, seeing Grimmjow's serious face.

"Nothing." Grimmjow rose, "Just…it's kinda boring isn't it? I mean, what the fuck are we supposed to do now?"

"Gamble, drink."

"So basically it's Purgatory all over again."

"What did you expect?"

Grimmjow shrugged. He didn't know. He just felt…flat. He and Gleb parted ways at the door. Gleb went to oversee the reconstruction of the parts of the palace that had been destroyed in the war. Grimmjow headed toward the wing of old Espada quarters he had deemed off limits to the other hollows. It was the only privilege he had taken over the other hollows—that and giving orders, which he only did in order to maintain their protection in the palace.

He passed through to the high corridor where he'd once come to find rest after training, or got into scuffles with Yammy or Ulquiorra because they got on his nerves so bad. Now though, he turned to the fourth espada's old room and pushed the door inward.

A dark head of hair shot up. Clearly the kid had nodded off while watching his charge.

"How is he?" Grimmjow came to stand over the bed of the sleeping teen. "Still asleep?"

"Yeah."

"Two fucking weeks and he can't wake up?"

"I don't know. I think he's just exhausted. His body went through too much."

Grimmjow frowned and stuck his hands in his pockets. Ichigo had passed out after the death of Bach. When they'd left the Vandenreich Homeworld for Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow hadn't been able to locate Unohana and the other Soul Reapers so he'd taken Hanataro and Ichigo with him. He'd thought Ichigo would snap out of it long before this.

"Yeah well if he doesn't wake up and leave then your buddies are sure to come back here and start making trouble."

The Soul Reapers had evacuated Hueco Mundo once the Hollows had come back and began tearing apart any Vandenreich left behind.

"I wonder how they are doing," Hanataro said quietly. Grimmjow looked at him. He'd never actually asked the Soul Reaper if he wanted to go home since he'd needed someone to keep an eye on Ichigo. Now though, he made the offer.

"I'll send you packing if you want."

Hanataro shook his head. "Not until Ichigo wakes up. Then we can—"

A cough startled them both. They turned and found Ichigo stirring under the sheets. It took a few moments but he blinked open his eyes and looked around him.

"Ichigo!" Hanataro leaped forward and gripped his shoulder, smiling ear-to-ear. "You're awake."

"H-Hanataro?" he rasped out, voice hoarse and faint. He continued to blink until the room was clear and his eyes swept past the soul reaper to the espada.

"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty." Grimmjow crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.

"How do you even know that reference?" Ichigo groaned, raising a hand to his head and pushing back his wild bangs. "And where are we?"

"Las Noches." Grimmjow explained.

"He's the King," Hanataro whispered, as if he bought into Grimmjow's title.

"Of course he is." Ichigo pushed his hand down against the sheets but it took Hanataro's help to get him sitting. He winced in pain and as the sheets fell from him he saw the bandages on his chest and around his right arm. He tried to lift the appendage but nothing happened.

"Ah, I can't feel it," he said, reaching over to grasp it with his other hand. There was nothing, no pain, but no sensation from the touch either. His face creased in panic.

"I treated it as best I could," Hanataro began apologetically, "but nothing seemed to work. The skin is healing but the nerves…"

"Are dead," Grimmjow concluded for him. Hanataro had explained his diagnosis to him already. With the technology in Las Noches and his powers improving, Hanataro had been able to determine Ichigo's arm was ruined before now, though he'd still hung onto hope.

"So it can't get better?"
"There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."

"Doesn't matter anyhow," Grimmjow interjected. "He's awake now, we can get things moving faster."

"What things?" Ichigo asked.

"You're ass, for one. I need you outta here before your friends come looking for war. I ain't in the mood for another massacre—yet."

"Grimmjow—"

"Just get better, okay?" The king cut him off.

"Grimmjow!"

"What?"

"Stop being an asshole and give me a damn minute to get my head around all of this."

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. Ichigo understood, he was being given his minute to process.

"Done?"

"I guess." Ichigo looked around the quarters again. "So I'm in a room in Las Noches, you're the King of the surviving Espada and you brought us back here before the Soul Reapers arrived in the Vandenreich Homeworld."

"Yup."

"What about the Soul Reapers who where fighting here?"

"They hightailed it when we showed up to finish the Vandenreich."

"Finish? So it really is over."

"Yes," Hanataro chimed in. "Once the King was dead, they were considerably weakened. The war has ended."

"I can't believe it. So…do we know how many soul reapers survived?"

"No," Hanataro said softly. "But if they retreated when the hollows arrived…"

"Their forces must have been greatly depleted." He gripped the sheets, fear creeping into him. He saw the same worry on Hanataro's face. Grimmjow clearly read their thoughts and threw his hands up into the air.

"Well be my guest and go find out."

"I don't think we should move Ichigo just yet."

"Fine, whatever. Just keep an eye on him."

Grimmjow left. Hanatatao turned to Ichigo. "Is he always like this?"

"Pretty much," the teen sighed. He didn't elaborate that Hanataro was extremely lucky Grimmjow had looked out for him or that Ichigo himself had been shown Grimmjow's version of concern by the mere fact he'd had him taken care of and clearly been checking in on him. But the thought gave him little comfort with the weight that was on his mind.

"Hanataro, if you want to go back now, I'm sure I can manage."

"No, Ichigo, we don't know what we'll be going back to. For one thing, we no longer have any facilities to care for your injuries. And for another…we don't know just what we'll be returning to."

"…I know."

"You should get your strength back first."

"Yeah, okay, for now, anyway."

"Sir, we found something."

Grimmjow turned from where he'd been surveying shelves of books. They'd belonged to Aizen. He didn't have much interest in reading but he was trying to make an inventory of their resources. He wasn't sure why—there really was no remaining threat to them. They were an army of super-charged hollows. Those who'd survived were the smartest most advanced creatures to escape Purgatory and they were hopped up on the blood of Vandenreich they'd consumed. Many had advanced in their stages of Vastal Lordes because of it. Even if Soul Reapers came they would probably be easily defeated.

"What?" he asked his subordinate but zeroed in on the object he held. "Is that a communicator?"

"A reaper one."

"Does it work?"

"Didn't try."

"Give it here." He swiped it from the hollow and examined it. All the lights seemed to be working. "Good find," he said dismissively. The hollow left him alone. Grimmjow considered his options for a long while before pressing down on the button that would put him through to Soul Society.

"Hello?" It was a voice he didn't recognize.

"Yeah, uh," what did he want to say?

"Oh shit, is this a survivor? Are you still in Hueco Mundo?" The reaper sounded young. He also sounded desperate.

"What division are you?"

"Fourth."

"Good. Put you Captain on."

"Ah…my captain?"

"She did get back to Soul Society right?"

"Yeah but she's in critical condition."

"Well can she talk?"

"Yeah but…who is this?"

"The fucking King of Hueco Mundo, now put her on."

"Uh…"

"For fuck's sake just tell her it's Grimmjow Jaggerjaques and she'll take the damn call."

"O-okay."

He waited impatiently until the soft voice came on the other end. She sounded tired. Without proper treatment facilities and with her squad weakened it had probably been very challenging for her to recover.

"Do you have Ichigo Kurosaki?" she asked once she'd confirmed who she was talking to.

"Yeah."

"Are you looking for a trade of some sort?"

"What? No. I just didn't want you lot coming here looking for him. I'll send him back when he's able to move."

"How is he?"

"Crippled but fine."

She let out a sigh on her end. He did too and slowed down a bit.

"His arm's busted but he's recovering," he elaborated.

"Good. Could I ask a favour?"

"What?"

"Keep him there, until he's better. I'm afraid at the moment we couldn't do much for him."

"Isn't Inoue with you?"

"Orihime Inoue? She was never recovered from the Vandenreich Homeworld. We assumed the worst."

Grimmjow frowned. Never found? He was sure the Vandenreich would have kept her alive if they'd caught her. And if they hadn't he was equally sure she would have returned to the Seireitei to help. That also meant bad news for Candice.

"Oh…" Then he got to thinking about others. "What about Ichigo's family? Are they alive?"

"Yes, fortunately."

"And his friends?"

"Which ones?" Grimmjow tensed. So that meant they hadn't all survived.

"Nevermind." He didn't know why he'd asked these questions anyway. "I have one of your guys too. He's taking care of Ichigo."

"Hanataro?" She sounded surprised, then relieved when he confirmed it. He could practically see her smile. "I never imagined he would survive. Thank you, Grimmjow."

"Don't thank me, little squirt held his own." It was mostly true.

"Well thank you regardless." She sounded even more tired now, and he'd talked much longer with the enemy than he'd intended.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know where the kid is."

"I'm sure the Head Captain would like to speak with you."

"I'm sure he would but I ain't gonna."

"I know. Goodbye, Grimmjow."

He switched the soul pager off and rose. He stopped half way across the room, thinking about her words. Only some of Ichigo's friends had survived. He slid the pager into his pocket. He'd wait a while before telling the kid about the conversation.

One week after the call Grimmjow met Ichigo in the main room. The teen had been sitting with Gleb, playing a game of rocks, but his face was set and his eyes distance. His mind definitely wasn't on the game and he rose the moment he saw Grimmjow.

"Is it time?"

"Yeah." He nodded to Gleb. "You're in charge."

"Got it, boss."

Ichigo followed Grimmjow out of the room. His robes were back intact as his powers had come along. Zangetsu was at his side, though the connection between him and his soul was not what it had been before. There was residual damage from what Bach had done and it was going to take some time for him to repair that damage. And his right arm rest against his chest in a sling. He still felt nothing and it remained completely immobile.

But that was the least of his worries now. Six days ago Grimmjow had told him about the phone call. Five days ago Ichigo had called back himself and since then he'd been struggling to cope with the news he'd received.

He was startled when a hand came down on his shoulders. He hadn't realized he'd stopped walking.

"Come on, kid." Grimmjow said simply, having no other words. He'd had none when he'd seen Ichigo and Hanataro's faces after the call. He'd had none when Ichigo had bent his head into his knees and sobbed. He simply didn't know what to say to the teen who'd found out just under sixty percent of all the soul reapers had been killed in the war. Or that some of his closest soul reaper friends had been among them.

Ichigo shook his head, as if to say yes, he was fine, but he stopped and covered his face with one hand.

"I just need a minute."

"One minute," Grimmjow said, lifting his hand, but it was caught and he turned back to the teen who held his wrist tight and looked him straight on.

"What did you do, when you found out all the other espada were dead?"

"I didn't really care."

"Yes you did! You had to."

Grimmjow frowned. He pulled his hand back but kept his gaze steady. "You know what I did. You did it too, back in that room with Bach, when you used your true strength."

"Is it strength though? Or is it just choosing not to feel?"

"You can't choose not to feel kid, you just have to choose how to use it."

Ichigo watched him carefully, then he nodded. Every time Grimmjow had become upset, he'd gotten angry. Anger was how he used it. But Ichigo wasn't the same. He didn't know where to put this overload of emotion.

"Use it to find her," Grimmjow interrupted his thoughts. "Come on, Kurosaki, it's not rocket science. You're hurting, I get that, but Orihime and Candice are missing. We got one more mission left, okay? So use all that hurt to find her, save her once last time. Then you two can deal with whatever comes together."

Grimmjow turned away.

"Now come on, the kid's waiting."

But Ichigo stood a moment longer, watching the back of the man who'd been with him for so long now. How could he, a hollow, know just what to say? Or what it that he knew just what Ichigo needed to hear.

He shook his head and followed after the hollow king.

"We're home," Hanataro breathed at the sight of sunny hills and row upon row of dilapidated housing.

"But what part of Soul Society are we in?" Ichigo stepped through the gap behind him. Last of all Grimmjow joined them, the gateway shutting and leaving them in the low light of dawn.

"Close to the hill." Hanataro pointed. Ichigo couldn't see anything but the rolling hills and thick morning mist. He guessed the crater of the Seireitei was in that direction. "About an hour's walk, I'd say."

"Will you be okay on your own?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine. I'll see you soon though, right?"

"Yeah, soon as I have Orihime."
"Okay then." Hanataro turned to Girmmjow, guessing he wouldn't be seeing the espada again. "And thank you, really, for everything."

"Whatever. Just don't get lost between here and the hill."

"I won't." Hanataro smiled, but it was a stiff, false smile and true sadness resided in his eyes. He turned away from them and started walking in the direction he'd indicated. Ichigo knew he'd take his time—neither of them wanted to rush back and see all the missing faces among their friends.

"So," Grimmjow broke the silence. "Any guesses?"

They had decided that since Candice had once taken refuge in the slums, she might have chosen this a second time. She and Grimmjow had briefly discussed it as one of their options in their escape from the Vadenreich palace. Likewise if they had arrived here, Orihime would have no way to transport herself back to the world of the living.

"Orihime might have tried to find Kokaku, but Candice blew up her house."

"Sounds like her."

"Other than that, I've got nothing. Except that bar where you two met."

"I was thinking that myself." Grimmjow turned around, trying to situate himself. Ichigo had been desperate in his flight from the explosion and hadn't really tracked his direction, but he saw blue eyes narrow in on the horizon and he followed when Grimmjow started moving.

It was late morning before Ichigo began to recognize the area, then spot the building in question. The doors were open, letting fresh air inside. Ichigo's pace quickened when he glimpsed the interior and a few figures inside.

He hurried in. Grimmjow moved more cautiously at his back. There were a few patrons at the tables, drinking tea or eating. The kind innkeeper smiled at the sight of them and started to greet them when a slender form pushed through the kitchen doors carrying a tray of piping hot meals, a towel over one shoulder and long red hair secured tightly behind her head. She wore an open smile and a trickle of sweat worked down her brow from the heat of the kitchen. She turned toward her table and got a few paces before she saw who had just come in.

"I-Ichigo…" the tea cups shook on the tray. She set it down on the counter before she dropped it. He was already running her way. By the time she looked up again his arm was around her, pressing her tight against him. "Ichigo!" She gripped him back just as tight, her face in his shoulder, a dry sob of joy escaping her. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, Orihime. I'm back."

He slowly let her go, though his hand came up to her face and he brushed a loose strand behind her ear. She stared up at him, eyes taking in every inch of his face before tears began to well up.

"Orhime, don't cry."

But she shook her head, denying the tears and instead she leaned forward on her tiptoes and her hands came up around his neck and pulled him down into her kiss.

"Blech, have you ever seen anything so sappy?"

Grimmjow turned at the voice behind him. Candice dropped the empty pail at the doorway and leaned against it, crossing her arms under her chest.

"Please tell me I can quit this lame ass job now."

"You took a job as a cleaner?"

"Shut the fuck up." She pushed off from the door. "It's your fault I got stuck in this dump. If I hadn't saved all your asses back there I could be sittin' pretty in the Vandenreich Palace!"

Grimmjow's smirk faltered. Candice lowered her voice. "What?"

"If you hadn't saved us, I'm pretty sure you'd be dead," he explained. "Haven't you heard? The war's over. You ex-buddies lost."

Her hands fell back to her sides. She glanced back at Ichigo and Orihime who had broken apart and were listening now too.

"The war's over?" Orihime asked.

"You didn't know?" Grimmjow questioned both women, then looked around the bar. These people had carried on during war time as if nothing had been happening so he supposed it was possible they didn't know any different when it ended.

"It's not like there's a damn radio out here," Candice shot back, face flushed. She was clearly shocked by the downfall of her people but was trying to hide it.

"That's why you didn't go back to the Soul Reapers," Ichigo said to Orihime. "You've been in hiding all this time."

"We had no idea. So does this mean…you killed him Ichigo?"

Her eyes fell to his arm in the sling and then returned to his face, as if reading what had happened for herself.

"It's a long story," he said finally. "I want to explain everything properly. Do you have a room here?"

"Yeah, Candice and I do."

"Let's go there." He turned back to Grimmjow. "Are you going to be here when we come back down?"

He gave a nod. Ichigo took Orihime's hand and pulled her up the stairs. There was a lot he needed to tell her, but for the moment he just basked in the fact she was at his side.

"If you tell anyone, I swear I'll kill you." The words were followed by a sniff. Candice wiped her eyes, glad her back was to Grimmjow where they lay on the bed of the room he'd rented. Once evening had set in, all four of them had decided to stay the night.

"Do you really care that they're dead?"

"No." She shot out at once, sniffing again and then swearing at the fact another tear had leaked past her defences. "I don't know," she whispered.

Grimmjow thought back to the women he'd hated in his time in the Vandenreich palace. But as much as they had gotten on his nerves, they really had been a tight knit group. But they'd betrayed Candice by not having her back after what Bazbee did. Still, it was probably quite a shock for Candice to discover they'd been wiped out by the hollows after Bach's take-down. Her entire society was gone. She didn't seem to mind, however, that Grimmjow had decapitated Bambietta.

"We have a lot to talk about," he said after a while.

"You finally have me in bed again, and you want to talk?"

He smiled into her bare shoulder, his hands tightening around her slim waist. If there was anyone to rival his wild energy, it was her. But he held off for another moment.

"What are you going to do? You gonna come to Hueco Mundo with me? Or you going home?"

"Home?" she seemed to consider the word for a while. "Or a desert waste land full of hollow freaks…"

"Yeah, I guess I don't blame you."

"You could always come home with me."

"I hate that fucking place."

"Well then, I guess you're right, we have a lot to talk about." But she rolled in his hold and he knew they weren't going to do anything that resembled talking for the next little while when she leaned in and presser her lips to his.

"Morning," Ichigo greeted when Grimmjow stumbled down the steps to the bar. No one else was awake, it wasn't even dawn, but Ichigo had a warm brew in his hands.

"Inoue make that for you?"

"The innkeeper, but she just went back up."

Grimmjow nodded, not wanting caffeine anyway. Instead he poured a beer for himself. While he was doing so, his eyes swept over Ichigo's bed mussed hair and the glow in his cheeks. He grinned ear to ear.

"So you two—"

"Shut-up!" Ichigo slammed his cup down at once. "It's not what you think, we just—"

"Easy, kid," Grimmjow was laughing and downed a mouthful of beer. "I can't believe after everything you're freaking out about—hey, you're arm." He just noticed that Ichigo was using his previously immobile arm to lift his cup to his lips. "She's good."

"Yes, she is. So where is Candice?"

"Gone. Left about an hour ago."

"Back to the city?"

"Yeah."

"So what does that mean? Is she going to rule it? Is she going to be against us or with us or what?"

"Dunno, Kurosaki. All I know, is that none of us are up for war again anytime soon. I don't think she wants anything but her own freedom after all those years under Bach."

"I hope so. But the Soul Reapers will be worried. They'll be worried about Hueco Mundo too, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"Will you come back with me? Will you meet with them?"

"No."

"Grimmjow—"

"The answer is no. Kid, they caged me, they fucked with my head. I won't kick 'em while they're down but I ain't going back there and making promises I can't keep. The hollows will do what they like, whether I sit above them or not. It's in their nature to fight reapers. I can't control that. But I won't wage war. I don't give a shit about anything but freedom."

"Fair enough." It was the best Ichigo could hope for, really. "Then when do you leave?"

"Soon as this drink's done."

Ichigo looked to his mug. It was low, just a few swigs left. He swirled his own lukewarm drink.

"Did you ever think we'd make it, Grimmjow?"
The toothy grin came back.

"Not in a million years, but here we are."

"Yeah, here we are." Ichigo reached in his robes and pulled something out. He passed it over the counter to Grimmjow.

Grimmjow looked at the soul pager. He hesitated a moment, but picked it up and slid it in his back pocket.

"No drunk dials, okay?" he joked.

"Seriously, how do you know these references?" Ichigo laughed, and he knew that even after everything that had happened, there were a thousand things about Grimmjow Jaggerjaques he would never understand. Perhaps that was for the best.

Grimmjow drained that last of the golden liquid from his mug. His stool scraped over the floor and he stood. Ichigo did to.

"Don't," Grimmjow said the moment Ichigo parted his lips. "It's over, that's all that needs saying."

"That's not all that needs saying and you know it."

"Well it's all I'm gonna say." But he stuck out his hand and Ichigo took it, gripping back tight before letting go.

"Fine. Until next time."

"If next time is anything like this time, don't fucking involve me." He threw open the tavern door but paused in the low light of morning and looked back one last time. "You better not put off going to the reapers any longer."
Ichigo felt the cold of morning strike him. He met Grimmjow's eyes and saw a seriousness in them he couldn't stand. He wanted him to be the callous bastard, not the calm voice of his subconscious.

Ichigo's voice faltered. The door fell shut and blocked out the light, but Grimmjow was still on this side of them.

Ichigo couldn't face him now as he came back across the room. His eyes burned at the mere thought of leaving this place, going on to face the true cost of this war. If only he'd fought harder, gotten Grimmjow free sooner, done something, anything, then maybe he wouldn't be standing here now, counting off all the faces he would never see again.

"I'll take you to the world of the living right now if that's what you want. You can go back to your family and forget about the reapers."

"I can't do that."

"Exactly. That's not who you are. You can't run from this, kid. But you can handle it."

Ichigo nodded stiffly and raised his eyes again. "I know."

"Besides, you've got her now," Grimmjow nodded back toward the staircase and Ichigo saw Orihime coming down the stairs. She smiled at them both and Grimmjow clapped Ichigo on the shoulder. "Trust me, getting laid is one of the best ways to relieve tension."

He said it too low for Orihime to hear but Ichigo turned beat red and shirked out of his grip.

"Fuck you."

"There, that's better." Grimmjow smirked. "Later, asshole."

There was no pause at the door this time. Grimmjow disappeared into a halo of foggy golden light and then a warm hand slipped into Ichigo's and he turned into her embrace.

"We should get going," she whispered.

He nodded into her strawberry locks. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Hanataro greeted them at the edge of the encampment. The hill was completely decimated, but it was their landmark, where lost soul reapers had begun to gather. About three kilometres to the north, they had created their temporary home. It had been easy to find as there were two stone hands coming out of the earth holding a banner that welcomed all soul reapers.

Ichigo was glad to see Kokaku and Ganju had come out all right after their encounter with Candice. They had clearly set aside their differences with the soul reapers for the moment and helped them convert this watch tower—the only piece of the Seireitei left standing—into a camp for survivors. All around it were shelters and tents. Ichigo cast his eyes over them, picking out pink hair here, white hair there, overly exposed breasts…some of his former allies remained alive, and seeing them helped him steady his breath and hold it together.

Once they were noticed, many came forward to greet him, shake his hand, even hug him. Kenpachi even picked him up off the ground and he laughed a little at the giant's display of affection, but noting the missing pair at his back, he understood why a familiar face might affect him so deeply.

There was one face he was waiting to see in particular, and when she emerged from a tent carrying medical supplies, he called her name.

Rukia stopped dead, then a slow, warm smile took over her face and she met him half way. Her feet left the ground and her breath hitched and he began to apologize over and over to her, because she had lost so much and he hadn't been there.

Orihime disappeared into the watch tower where those with the worst wounds were being held. She would work her magic and save a few more souls, but Ichigo could only wander with Rukia, greeting other soldiers, seeing all the haggard faces, and noticing all those who weren't there at all.

They took a seat on a knoll that over-looked the chasm that had once been the lauded hill.

"The realm of the Soul King is intact. The Zero squad have returned to ask if we might be moved there, or if they might be permitted to descend and help us rebuild," she explained. "It looks bad now, but we can do this."

"Will you do it the same?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Grimmjow always talked about how you guys kind of sit above the others. Maybe now is your chance to do things different."

"I don't see how."

"Neither do I, but maybe someone can."

She nodded. "And you, on the phone you said Zangetsu wasn't the same?"

He shook his head and put a hand on the hilt of his blade. "I don't know how to reconnect with him. I can hear him now, but it just isn't the same. Bach drew a line between us and I don't know how to undo that."

"Maybe when the Zero squad come back they can help. Or maybe your father. Ichigo, you should go home to your family."

"I know. I will. But not yet. Orihime can help so many of you. And I…think I just need some time to grip what's happened before I go back to them."

"No." Rukia shook her head. "Ichigo they've waited too long. You need to go back. No more waiting."

She was right, of course, but they still remained for two days because it took Orihime that long to treat everyone. Ichigo met with the Head Captain. He gave a record of what had happened to him since the explosion of the hill. He drank with Kokaku and Kenpachi and he taught Ganju one of the gambling games from Purgatory. When he was intoxicated he talked about his life as an inmate and it sounded like things that had happened a decade ago, and to someone else. All of it did, in a way.

He held Orihme tight when they slept. He held her hand even tighter when they said their goodbyes to the Soul Reapers. Hanataro gave him a pager. Ichigo didn't tell them he'd also given one to Grimmjow, but he did pass on his message that for now, between the three worlds, there was peace.

And he went home, a young soldier back from the war. He set his sword by the door and waited for them to look up from their meal, for them to process what they were seeing. Orihime stepped back to give them space but Isshin threw his arms around her too. Karin and Yuzu had grown, but they hugged him in the same suffocating way they always had since they were little girls.

And when they let go, and tears were shed, they all sat down, redistributed their food and shared a meal together.

It would never be the same—he would never be the same. Even now he knew that the true weight of all that had happened since the day of his capture hadn't settled on him yet.

He couldn't run from it, but here, with his family, he knew he could handle it.

There it is, the end of the long road for our heroes. Thanks so much for following. I hope this gave enough closure for you. I didn't want to belabour the losses of the Soul Reapers but I didn't want to pretend after everything they could come out of this war without significant losses so I hope there was a balance here. Thanks for reading and reviewing! If you are sad at the conclusion of this one, please check out my new story "Apocalypse." It's another big adventure for our boys in a dystopian post-war future!

Riza