Sorry for the hold up!

So, this is the last chapter, I hope you all like it.

--

Rukia looked at Ichigo. His face was shocked from the information. It looked like he couldn't speak. Rukia understood his feelings. One of they friend have become an espada, they enemy. Ichigo, who always tried his best to protect his friends, hasn't ever fought against his friend.

"Your intentions? What do you mean, Inoue?" Rukia asked, taking one step closer to her, when speechless Ichigo remained silent.

Inoue looked at Rukia with a look that could kill you in an instant.

"I'll tell you, Kuchiki-san. I turned into Espada because I wanted to gain power. But not for the same reason like Kurosaki-kun did to protect his friends. No, I did it because I wanted to hold you dead bodies in my hands. Bodies that I had destroyed by myself!" Inoue yelled and looked like a maniac.

Then she grabbed her zanpaktou which was on her side.

Ichigo woke up from his shock and grabbed Zangetsu, the same time as Rukia took her Sode no Shirayuki.

"Turn it back in time, Rikka!"

Like every other Espada, also Inoue moved back to her hollow form, or what was close to it.

She had wings on her back, same kind which her Shun Shun Rikka had when she still had those powers.

She rose above the two shinigami, who looked like they weren't believing they eyes.

"What do you think, Kurosaki-kun? Am I enough powerful for you to love me?" Inoue asked, "Or am I that after I've killed Kuchiki-san?"

Then Ichigo's rage rised. He charged Inoue before she or Rukia could really realize it.

'Even when it's Inoue, I have to stop her. I promised that I'd protect Rukia at any cost' Ichigo thought, when he attacked Inoue.

But Inoue was stronger than Ichigo had thought. She was fast, strong and mean, too much for Ichigo to handle.

"Bankai!" he said, "Tensa Zangetsu."

"Finally" Inoue said, and put her right hand on Ichigo's chest.

"Sõten Kisshun."

Ichigo looked at Inoue confused. Why was she using her healing technique on him?

But the he felt it. It felt like he was going back in time in his mind. Back to his first visit at Hueco Mundo, his second fight with Grimmjow, saved by Rukia, training with Vizards, surpassing his hollow, turning into hollow himself, looking down Rukia's wounded body. And then, at the point where his hollow was gaining an upper hand of him. And at that point Inoue took her hand away.

"Your body is on that poin that I made your mind into. You can't use your mask anymore and your hollow is on top of you now" Inoue said and smiled.

And she pierced her hand through his stomach.

'Shit' Ichigo thought, before he could hear a voice in his head.

"Yo, Ichigo. Long time no see! I told you last time that next time you let me in was the time I'll crush your skull!" his hollow said, and hollow's mask appeared on Ichigo's face.

"Ichigo, are you okay?" Rukia asked, who had ran next to him.

"I'm fine now, Rukia-chan" said a voice that was just like Ichigo's but much more meaner and it sounded like hollow.

"Now that I have the one in my hands that Ichigo adores so much!" hollow said and put his hand on Rukia's throat.

"Yay, kill her!" heard Inoue's voice with joy.

Hollow stopped laughing and looked at Inoue. His eyes narrowed as he took Tensa Zangetsu in his hand. Together with Rukia he shunpoed in front of Inoue.

"Don't tell me what I'm going to do, woman. You think you have accomplished something by waking me up again? Hah! This is your funeral then! Getsuga tenshou" and black and red light came from the sword and hit bad on Inoue. She screamed and flew away from those two.

Rukia looked with horrow at Ichigo's hollow. Was he that strong that he could easily defeat the 7th Espada?

'It took some time and injuries even for nii-sama to defeat the last 7th Espada' Rukia thought.

"Now, where was I?" hollow said and turned his head back to Rukia.

"Oh, that's right, Rukia-chan" he said, getting Rukia closer to him.

'This isn't Ichigo. His reiatsu, the warmth of his body, even the way his heart beats, it's different from Ichigo. He's just a hollow. But how can I get away from him without hurting Ichigo' Rukia thought, when her violet eyes met yellow ones.

"You can't beat me, if that's what you're thinking, Rukia-chan" hollow said.

"Ichigo, can you hear me?" Rukia said, lookin at the hollow, but with a look that could almost see to Ichigo's inner world.

Hollow looked at Rukia with surprise. He ahdn't been this surprised since his and Ichigo's fight over the crown.

"You could beat him once and you can do it again. Inoue took you back in time, which means you can do it again. You know I believe in you. I know you will stand up again and look at me again with your own eyes, with your own soul. That kind of..."

"... man you're in my heart. That just so lame and used, Rukia-chan" hollow stopped Rukia's speech.

"You can't help King nor get touch with him. You see, I can see him at the moment. He's down, almost dying and do you know what happens then when King dies? I'll become the King, and you will become my Queen, Rukia-chan" hollow said with a wide grin.

Tears, which have started to form when Rukia tried to speak to Ichigo, fall on her cheeks.

"Ichigo wouldn't give up so easily. He never hadn't" Rukia said, tried to sound confident.

"Are you sure? I know this even though I wasn't with King at that time, but he was kind of desprate when he didn't know how to save you. He almost gave up, but that Inoue made him change his mind. And at the moment he's at the same condition, and the one person who can cheer him up is about to die" hollow said, grinning even widely.

Rukia's eyes widen, and she felt how something hurt on her chest.

"This is your worst fear? That King would choose that bimbo over you? Do you want him back even when you know that he wants someone else? You know, if it was for me, I'd always stay at your side. I cant say the same about the King" hollow said grinning and stepped closer to Rukia.

"Yes, because I know I'm the only one for him. You and Ichigo are like day and night; Ichigo wouldn't ever be with any other woman but just me. I can't say the same about you" Rukia said, and then hollow felt something on his stomach.

Rukia had took her Sode no Shirayuki and pierced it through hollow's stomach.

"You know that this will kill King too" hollow said, finally letting go of Rukia's neck.

"Maybe, but if he dies, I want him to die on his own body, not in his mind. And so does he" Rukia said coldly.

"Well, at lest I could see you Rukia-chan, for the one last time" hollow said and kneeled towards her and Rukia felt his lips on hers, before his reiatsu changed and Ichigo was back.

Brown met violet, and Ichigo smiled a little.

"Thanks Rukia" he said.

"Don't mention it" Rukia said with shaky voice, realizing that her zanpaktou was still on Ichigo's body. It felt so easy to pierce through it when hollow was controlling the body.

Ichigo grabbed her sword and took it carefully from his body. Rukia watched him with tearful face.

"Ichigo... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done it..." Rukia said through the sobs.

"Don't mention it. I heard you speech, and you're right. If I'm going to die, I'll do it in my body, with you, not in my mind on my own" Ichigo said, and put his hand on her cheek, taking her tears away.

"So even Inoue's plan couldn't kill you, Kurosaki Ichigo" called a cold voice behind them.

Ichigo turned around as fast as he could, facing Ulquiorra and putting Rukia behind his back. Ichigo was about to put his hand on his face, when remembered: he couldn't use his mask anymore.

"Don't worry, King. I won't let you fail this one because of your Queen. Even though I would want you to die, I won't forgive you if you let her die" hollow said, and Ichigo felt how he went forward in time, when his hollow put a counter attack to Inoue's power.

And now Ichigo felt the same power he had felt just moments before.

Ichigo put his hand over his face and the mask appeared, but this time his power was much more powerful that earlier. He attacked Ulquiorra with a speed that Ulquiorra hadn't been expecting from him.

And when Getsuga Tenshou hit Ulquiorra, he was shocked.

'What is this power? I've seen that mask before but this time his power is greater. Last time his power felt like shinigami's but now it's more of a hollow's' Ulquiorra thought when he tried to block Ichigo's attacks.

But that was the last of Ulquiorra's calm thoughts. He was about to realese his zanpaktou, when Ichigo attacked him hard with his bankai, which he had turned just before he turned his hollow form on. And then the 4th Espada fell.

Ichigo's mask and his bankai fell off, and Ichigo felt how his hollow started to went away. He had regained his powers which Inoue had took away from him for a moment.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled and started to run to him.

There was a relief on Rukia's face when she saw him unharmed even when she had stabbed him.

Ichigo turned around to see the petite woman running towards him. He smiled and put Zangetsu on his back to open his arms for her.

And then finally Rukia flew to Ichigo's arms, and Rukia couldn't keep her emotions inside anymore; tears started to flow from her eyes.

"I was so worried about you. About that you would hollow would take the control after all, I could feel his reiatsu so clearly" Rukia said and pushed her head into Ichigo's chest.

"I'm sorry. He took over when you were here. I always feared the moment when you would be near me when he took the control" Ichigo said and hold Rukia tighter to him.

"I love you Ichigo" Rukia said quietly.

"And I love you, Rukia. You're everything to me. My power, my life, my love, my sunshine" Ichigo said.

They stayed like that for awhile, not caring they were on enemy's terrotory, hoping that they could be like that forever. But it never did.

Out of the blue, they felt something piercing them. Ichigo coughed blood from his mouth and looked over his shoulder.

Inoue had come back behind them and pierced both of them with her zanpaktou.

"Now you can enjoy yourselves. After she's dead, you can run to me Kurosaki-kun" Inoue said and took her zanpaktou from their bodies, and disappeared.

"Ichigo..." Rukia's voice was shaky and so weak. Ichigo looked down at her, and realized it.

Inoue had stabbed through the same spot Rukia had pierced her zanpaktou, so he hadn't got any injuries, but it was different for Rukia. Ichigo hand't slowed the blade, just made it easier to hit Rukia.

"Rukia..." Ichigo said and cathed her when she started to fall.

He laid her on the ground and laid next to her.

"You can't die Rukia..." Ichigo said with tearful voice.

'I was suppose to protect her, I swore that I would always be with her, that I could even die for her. And now it seems like she saved me, again. Why... why can't I protect those who I really love, but only those who can't effect my life the same way Rukia does?' Ichigo thought and tears fell from his eyes to Rukia's face, who had started to breathe heavely.

Ichigo took pieces from his clothing so he could try to stop Rukia's bleeding. He then took her on his arms so she wouldn't get cold from the blood loss. He wished this would help her and cursed that he didn't know how to use kido, so he could heal her.

Ichigo closed his eyes and pushed Rukia closer to her. If she was going to die, he was going to die with her. There was no life for him if she wasn't with him.

'Don't you dare to die... idiot.'

--

"How long they've been like this?!"

"Hurry up! Take them away from here. We have accomplish our mission. Take Kuchiki-sama and Kurosaki-sama to 4th division as quickly as possibly. The air in here isn't good for they condition!"

"Ichigo! Rukia! Are they okay?! You guys, let me pass! I'm the lieutnant of 6th division!"

"Abarai-sama, please stay calm, you can follow them into the Soul Society."

Ichigo opened his eyes. It seemed he was being carried with a hurry away from Hueco Mundo. Then Ichigo realized that Rukia wasn't in his amrs anymore. But he could feel her reiatsu right next to him. He looked beside him and saw how she was carried next to him. There was a kido spell on top of her chest, healing her injuries.

Ichigo sighed in relief. She was alive. He didn't know was it because of him or not, but it didn't matter. Ichigo closed his eyes again and fell asleep.

--

Rukia opened her eyes. She wasn't in Hueco Mundo anymore, that was for sure. She was looking at the white roof and was in comfortable bed. She looked around.

On her right side was a night stand where were hundreds of cards and flowers and a picture of her and Ichigo. She looked on her left and smiled.

Ichigo was sitting on the chair, sleeping. His his arms and head were resting on her bed. Next to him were couple of Chappy-rabbit stuffed animals, which Ichigo had bought for her.

Rukia put her hand on Ichigo's hand and shake it.

"Leave me alone, Renji. I said, I won't leave the room until Aizen appears in Soul Society" Ichigo said with tired voice.

"I'm not Renji, you idiot" Rukia said.

Ichigo stood up so quickly Rukia was about to pass out again.

"Rukia! You're awake!" Ichigo almost screamed.

"Geez, you sound like a school girl. Beside, I wasn't that long passed out, was I?" Rukia said and rose up to sit.

Ichigo's face became pretty dark.

"Well, matter of factly you were out of it for almost three months" he said.

"What?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't wake up again. All this time you were in coma and didn't answer to me" Ichigo said and took Rukia's hand on his own.

"Ichigo..."

"Rukia, I..." Ichigo started.

"ICHIGO!!"

Renji ran to the room and startled the couple.

"What the hell do you want?! I was just saying something cool!" Ichigo yelled and stood up.

"Oh sorry... I mean, Rukia! You're awake. I knew I felt your reiatsu clearer that before. Damn, for the first time I leave this room more that half hour you wake up" Renji said irritated.

"Well, I'm glad that it was me who was here when she woke up" Ichigo said.

"What did you say?" Renji asked angrily.

"Ichigo, Renji. Would you mind telling me what have happened since we came back from Hueco Mundo?" Rukia said with her most rukia-kind-of-voice.

Both Ichigo and Renji smiled. They have missed this petite shinigami for real.

They started to tell her what have happened since the escape from Hueco Mundo.

Everyone else had been unharmed when they have fell to the ground. They also had find themselves in underground tunnel, like Ichigo and Rukia, expect they weren't together. For Rukia's luck, Captain Unohana was the first the one to find the couple and somehow got forces from 4th division to Hueco Mundo from Soul Society. During that time others had found the living Espadas and killed them, also Gin and Tousen.

Rukia smiled when she heard the Rangiku-san had killed Ichimaru. However, Aizen had got away.

"We don't know where he could be. We search the whole Hueco Mundo, but no sing of him. We think he must have found a new place to hide and started to gain forces on his side again" Renji said.

They then told her that Inoue was also been killed, but she was in Soul Society. After all, she had been a hollow, so she could be sent to Soul Society. However, even when she did have reiatsu, she couldn't never enter to shinigami school, because she could still remember Ichigo and Rukia, deep in her heart. Entering the shinigami school would woke up those memories and she might use her powers in a wrong way. The same was for other Espadas.

"Well, that's the most of it. And during these three months, Ichigo hansn't even moved from his chair, and everyone had been really worried about you. Also Captain comes here twice a week, so he must be shocked when he heards you're woke up. He's coming here today" Renji said, and Rukia blushed a little when she heard that her nii-sama had actually been worried about her.

"Renji..." Ichigo said and looked at Renji with a look Rukia couldn't see.

"Ah, right. I could go and tell everyone that you're awake. I think we're here in an hour" Renji said and stood up.

"And Rukia, try to get him up from that chair. His ass must be curved in the seat" Renji said, before he walked out of the room.

Rukia smiled when she watched after her childhood friend. Then she turned to Ichigo. His face when was serious, when he was looking at her.

"You were going to same something, right?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah, I was going. These three months I've been able to think about us, you and me, and make up with my mind about this thing which I was thinking in Hueco Mundo" Ichigo said with serious voice, but Rukia could see love in his eyes.

She couldn't say anything, his eyes were so intense.

"Rukia, I've loved you so long that I can't even remember the time when I wasn't in love with you. You're connected to my soul and everything else in me. So I hope you could be connected to me even more" Ichigo said and stood up from his chair, pushed it away and dropped to one knee.

Rukia's eyes were going to pop out of her head.

"Rukia, could you make me, us, into one piece by saying yes to my questione. Kuchiki Rukia, will you marry me?" Ichigo asked, and took out a small box.

Tears started to form in Rukia's eyes. First, she couldn't answer him, and Ichigo waited for her answer. He knew she was shocked from this.

"Y-yes," she finally said with tiny voice, "of course I will, you idiot."

Ichigo smiled, stood up and took her on his arms. He then took the ring from the box and put it in Rukia's finger. It was silver with six white diamonds.

When Rukia watched the ring, she smiled, but then her smiled faded.

"What about nii-sama? He won't approve this kind of thing" she said, looking at Ichigo.

"I got Byakuya's permission to this moth ago, when I made up my mind" Ichigo said and comfort her by putting his arm around her.

Rukia laid her head on Ichigo's shoulder and smiled. Now he was her forever, and now she could stay like this forever, without any jealous bimbos attacking her. Well, for about an hour, because Renji was propably bringning whole Soul Society to see how she had woken up.

Ichigo was reading her mind.

"Wanna use this 50 minutes before they show up? I mean, I've been without you for three months" Ichigo said and kissed her passionately.

Rukia melted with that. It felt like she hasn't ever been in a coma, and kissed Ichigo just yesterday.

"Yeah, let's do that" Rukia said and smiled.

And both of them were thinking about the same thing:

'You're mine from now on, and I will always be there for you. And nothing and no one will come between us.'

The End

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AN: Well, that was it, I hope you liked the ending.

I like to thank you all from the reviews, it was really nice to read them and know you liked the story even though the story must have been full of grammar mistakes.

All the Inoue and IchiHime fans, I'm sorry if you didn't like the way Inoue turned in this story, but the truth is, I don't like her at all(!)

I also hope that I could please all the IchiRuki fans and also the HichiRuki fans in this last chapter. I am myself a little HichiRuki fan, so of course I have to put some HichiRuki in this one :)

Well, that was all I have to say, thank you all who had rewieved and favourite this story. I'm also starting a new Bleach fic (also IchiRuki) so look up for that one.

-Witchgirl16