A/N: I know this is a short ending, but this one felt like it was complete. One day, I might come back and add some to it a bit, but for now, this feels just right.

Epilogue

Fallout

"He's dead?" Renji said as the ambulance screamed back toward the city. He was surprised how fast they had gotten there and that they let both Renji and Grimmjow ride with them.

Grimmjow nodded, glancing at Ichigo who was still unconscious. "Just fuckin' hit the dirt. The paramedic said it looked like he just had a heart attack but he couldn't be sure. He was a meth user, so it wouldn't be a surprise."

Renji nodded. "Damn. I mean, I'm glad the bastard's dead, but I'd rather he faced some consequence for what he did to Ichigo."

"I'd say death is a hell of a consequence," one of the paramedics said with a shake of his head.

"He should have suffered more," Grimmjow muttered as they pulled into the hospital's back entrance. "How's he doing?" he asked.

"Well, he hasn't woken up yet," the blonde paramedic said with a sigh. "The chest wound is deep but not really bad. We can't tell a lot here, but we'll see at the hospital what they say."

Before long, everyone was at the hospital waiting to find out Ichigo's condition. Renji and Grimmjow both found themselves worried sick and spent the next week on alternative twelve-hour schedules at the hospital. The doctors said that it was most likely all the shock and trauma catching up to him and his body just needed time to heal. Knowing this did not make waiting any easier for either Renji or Grimmjow. Both were impatient to talk to Ichigo and to tell him the news.

Aizen and his men ended up going away for a long time, but no matter what the law did to them, Grimmjow knew that one day, things might change and Aizen could come for them again. He knew that his reach could extend beyond the jail he was housed in. Still, he had to rejoice in the small victory that he was put away for now, and that was enough.

Grimmjow was sitting beside the bed, thumbing through his phone and looking down in the mouth when Ichigo woke up.

"You look like someone died," he croaked through dry lips.

"Ichigo!" Grimmjow gasped, immediately texting Renji. "Baby, you were out for a week!"

"That's why I feel like death?" he winced, putting a hand to his chest. "Ow."

"Here," Grimmjow said and grabbed a cup of water for him to drink. "Take it slow," he commanded when Ichigo tried to slurp too much at one time.

Ichigo panted a bit. "Sorry, I was thirsty. I mean, a week means I'm dry," he said with a smirk.

The door opened and Renji came rushing into the room, dropping to the seat on the other side as he grabbed his right hand. "Ichigo!" he said with a smile. "I'm so glad you're awake!"

Ichigo shook his head, still amused by these two. "You are still here too?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course, where would I go?" Renji smirked at him and then kissed the back of his hand. "I have to stay near you."

"Is it really okay? To be with two people like this?" Ichigo asked, almost not talking to them but to the room itself.

"It is," Grimmjow confirmed. "But you should know, Ronny's dead."

Ichigo blinked, staring at him for a long time. "Dead?"

"He had a heart attack during the chase," Renji explained, squeezing Ichigo's hand again as he talked. "The meth, they think. He'd had almost enough to overdose himself before he tried to enact his murder/suicide plan with you."

Ichigo frowned, not really knowing what to think of that. Ronny had been such a part of his life for so long, he wasn't sure he knew what to do without him in it. Something about it made him sad, though. Something about everything that had happened. He had spent his life dedicating himself to someone like Ronny, to his every whim, and now, he was just gone.

The tears came and though neither Renji or Grimmjow really understood why Ichigo was crying over the serial killer who had basically held him hostage for so long, they comforted him. No matter what, he was hurting, and that was all that mattered.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ichigo's rehabilitation went by quickly, but it was not without snags and blocks. He still suffered from a lot of problems, and between Grimmjow and Renji, they knew they had a lot to deal with. Still, after a couple months in the hospital under intense therapy of various sorts, Ichigo was cleared to leave and move into his new home with both Renji and Grimmjow.

The new house looked nothing like the apartments that he had previously inhabited, and it was a good thing for all of them. They knew that he would struggle, and they knew that he would have rough days, but they also knew that they would be there for him. In the end, the only person to receive the ultimate punishment had been Ronny.

Ichigo had ended up right where he wanted to be, right between his blue haired lover and his red haired lover.