Epilogue: Our Final Meeting
"Go to the river… the river… the river…" That was all that sounded in his head. She would be there, he knew. He would continue to walk until he reached it. Days, maybe years, had passed since he'd begun.
He could see it from across the field of long grass, glimmering in the light of the setting sun. "To the river…" He reached the edge and dove in. The water felt cold, but not so much that it stung his skin. It swept over him as he swam across, looking only for her.
He climbed onto shore and ran his fingers through his hair, never bothering with the wet and tattered remains of his clothes. Inhaling a deep breath, he turned down the river's edge to see a girl with long locks of auburn cascading across her shoulders. She sat quietly gazing onto the water, her arms wrapped around her slender legs. She was just as she'd been when he last saw her, albeit maybe a small bit older. Upon seeing her, the aching in his limbs subsided and he started towards her. When she caught sight of him, she leapt to her feet and ran to him, nearly knocking him to the ground when she flung her arms around him.
"You're late," she whispered as a small happy tear escaped from behind her lashes.
He kissed the top of her head and smiled gently. "I know, I'm sorry." It had been hard at times to wait a whole year to see her, but that was all that the Head Captain would allow, even after much debate. To preserve the worlds' balance he had to be patient, but he would always come to her, and she would always be there waiting. "You won't have to wait anymore. I'm here to stay, now."
Her wide honey-brown eyes shot up to him as the full meaning of his words sunk in.
Death had come for him earlier than most, but he didn't mind. His family and friends knew his death wasn't a sorrowful one, though they would miss him. He'd done more than many others have in their lifetimes, and he had finally accepted the ordeals of his past. He smiled more often- real smiles- and didn't try so hard to seclude himself. They knew he'd died happy, and it brought them a small sense of happiness as well to know what was waiting for him in his new life.
It had taken him a long time to find her this time- fate had wanted to give him one final test- but he was finally here. He kissed her lips and she stared at him with a soft smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She brushed back a stray strand of auburn and tenderly took his hand between each of her own.
"Welcome home, Ichigo."
A/N: So there it is, folks. I hope you've enjoyed this story (which apparently has taken me nearly three years to finish... That's just insane O.o). Thank you to everyone who's been reading and extra thanks to those who have reviewed. It brings a bit of happiness to my day :)
On a related note, there were a couple questions posted in reviews, but since the reviewer wasn't signed in, I'll have to answer their questions here.
Heinn: That line is in reference to Ichigo crossing over far from the district where Orihime is, similar to how Kenpachi Zaraki was from District 80. I never had a particular age in mind for Ichigo's death (I thought I could leave it up to the reader's preference), but I was thinking that he would be at least in his mid-twenties.