Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Disclaimer: Bleach does not belong to me.

Beta'd by ImperfectSnow

The sun was shining brightly, but it was a dark day in the Overworld.

Since the day of Orihime's disappearance, things seemed to have gotten worse for the Archangels. They were still unable to find out more about the Greater Demon that had attacked the angels. They realized that they were up against a more formidable enemy who took deadly force to the next level. Rangiku Mastumoto, without the extraordinary healing power of Orihime, had taken a turn for the worse since her return.

On the day of Orihime's funeral, Uryu had gone to visit Rangiku, who had been quarantined in the healing quarters. She was limited in the amount of visitors she could receive. So far, only the Captain Commander and the healers were permitted to see her at this point, but Uryu had requested to see her just once.

When he had found her, the blonde Archangel was lying on her back, seemingly asleep. Even in her slumber she appeared to be in a great deal of pain. The Archangel healers could do nothing to save her from the wound that was slowly overpowering her body, as a result of her near-fatal wound. Her arm had turned ashen-grey and her veins had blackened. She was slowly and painfully dying.

Uryu pulled a small wooden stool by Rangiku's bedside. Her breathing pattern was irregular, as if it were too exhausting to even attempt drawing oxygen into her lungs. Her blue eyes slowly opened and she turned her head to see the younger Archangel sitting next to her. She offered a weak smile.

"Hello, Ishida," she murmured.

"Matsumoto. Hello." He replied gravely.

"It's not advisable for you to see me in this state," the blonde said sadly.

Uryu frowned. "Nonsense. You risked your life to save Orihime, and you meant the world to her. It's the least I can do..."

Rangiku sighed and then her face contorted in pain as she tried to control her tears. "I-Uryu, I'm-" she whispered brokenly.

"It's alright," he interrupted, "I don't blame you, so you don't need to say anything."

"It doesn't change the fact that I was too weak to defend her. I've failed my duty as an Archangel." Tears fell freely from her eyes, and she covered them with her good arm and looked away.

Uryu was at a loss for words. How could he comfort her when he felt the same? The ache that had become familiar feeling throbbed in his chest. He cast his eyes down to Rangiku's infected arm, which made the ache intensify. He briefly wondered if he could die from such a feeling of helplessness.

The blonde Archangel let out a weak, shuddering breath. "I don't have that much longer, I know that now. I'm surprised I managed to survive this long. I've never known true suffering, such corruption, until now," she murmured, almost to herself. She turned her watery blue eyes to her comrade.

"Promise me something. No matter what, no angel should have to die like this. Promise me that you'll get stronger so you can protect..." She clenched her bad arm and cried out, startling Uryu. "All of you...must protect them, so this never happens again. P-please Uryu...such a thing should never exist..."

All the younger Archangel could do was nod. Rangiku let out another shuddering breath and closed her eyes. He felt her spiritual pressure dwindle as her body seemed to sag in defeat. Alarmed, Uryu went to shake her shoulder when the blonde's eyes flew open and she let out a piercing scream. The bespectacled Archangel jumped up from his stool and backed away, watching in horror as Rangiku's body arched and her screams distorted into a lower pitch. The blackness spread through her veins up and to her face, and her once blue eyes turned black.

The door behind him flew open and the healing squad entered, led by their captain, Retsu Unohana. She laid a gentle hand on Uryu's shoulder. "You should go," she said, not unkindly.

He turned away, not wanting to watch anymore as the Archangels struggled to subdue their blonde comrade. The door closed behind him, cutting off the screams of anguish.

Uryu was still shaken as he made his way to Orihime's funeral ceremony. With the help of their friends, Tatsuki, Yuzu, and Karin had built a small shrine for the auburn healer in the Cloud Pavilion. It was a paved area where angels could sit amongst the clouds, and one of Orihime's favorite places to go.

When Uryu arrived, he was surprised to find that the shrine was built around a statue of Orihime herself, carved from smooth, white stone. All their friends had already started to gather around. At the base of the statue were bouquets of white chrysanthemums, candles, and small notes. The raven-haired Archangel looked up at the statue of his mate and frowned. It was much to her likeness; her wings were stretched out behind her and her arms were open, as if offering a comforting embrace. However, it was the face that Uryu liked the least. It did not have the warmth of her eyes or her smile. It fact, she was not smiling at all.

No, this is not her, he thought angrily.

Tatsuki was kneeling at the base of the statue, weeping silently as Keigo kept a comforting around wrapped around her. The Kurosaki twins also stood nearby, holding onto the large hands of their father. Rukia was next to them, wrapped in Renji's consoling embrace.

The sight of all of them, being comforted by loved ones while in mourning, made Uryu's heart ache in longing for the one to whom he was bound. She was gone and now he had no one to support him the way she always had. He closed his eyes, trying to compose himself.

A prickle in his senses cause him to look to his right, where Chad had come to stand next to him. The quiet angel gave his friend a slow nod in acknowledgement. Uryu returned the gesture. The Archangel turned back to the statue and took a slow step towards it. Tatuski and Keigo scooted over to allow him to stand right in front of it. Images of Orihime's smiling face flashed in his mind, causing intense grief to rise within him.

With trembling fingers, Uryu slipped off his bronze bracelet. His wrist felt naked without it. He remembered the day he gave it to her, in this very place, and how she beamed and kissed him. He could feel a strange burning behind his eyes as he rested the bracelet by the statue's feet. He was keenly aware that everyone was watching him as he said his final prayers to his beloved. The Archangel prayed for Orihime to be in a better place, hoping The Creator would look over and guide her soul.

I'm sorry that I never got to tell you how much I love you, he thought, looking up at the angel's stone visage. Uryu hoped she could hear him, although the cynical part of him was completely deprived of that hope.

What he was sure of, at that moment, was that he would never love anymore as much as he loved Orihime Inoue. That love was eternal.

The storm clouds had dissipated to reveal a dark, bleak sky tinged with red. Violent storms were commonplace in the Underworld, and this particular one had prevented Ichigo and Orihime from leaving the cavern to go elsewhere. The orange-haired demon was not used to staying in one place for so long, but he had seen how frightened the angel was of the weather. Well, she was frightened of the outside in general. The darkness of the cave was not much comfort either, but at least it was less risky to be discovered. He had made sure there was nothing lurking around before he had taken shelter.

Ichigo sighed. He was trying to adjust having a companion to protect. Well, companion didn't seem like the right word since they barely knew each other. The fact that the creature he was protecting was also an angel made things a lot more challenging. He hadn't seen a real angel in ages, and he would have never thought to see one ever again. For as long as he lived in the Underworld, he was alone. Or least he tried to be.

Keep dreaming, King.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at his inner demon. Well, he wasn't completely alone. That dark being was inside him, the entire cause of him being in the Underworld in the first place. He wasn't born a demon - but with one inside him how could he not be?

Orihime's spiritual pressure stirred, alerting him that she was awake. Ichigo turned his gaze from the dark sky and entered the cave. He had to be extra careful when he was around the angel. He didn't want her to know about his dark being, even though it was the one who saved her. Fortunately, she didn't remember that, and he wasn't too keen on reminding her.

When he had arrived in the cavern, the angel was sitting by the fire. Ichigo tried to keep the light burning constantly, for Orihime was terrified of the dark. Despite that, he could tell that she was not sleeping very well, if the dark circles under her eyes were any indication.

She offered him a small smile in greeting as he stood a few feet away from the fire.

"Good morning, Ichigo," she said softly.

There really was no such thing in this place, but he replied anyway. "Morning. The storm seems to have passed. I was thinking it might be a good idea to move somewhere else."

"S-somewhere else?" She asked uncertainly.

Ichigo nodded. "Another safe place. It's better than hiding out in a dark cave," he said, gesturing to the murky walls.

The auburn haired angel blushed, seemingly embarrassed. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"There's nothing you should be sorry for. Although, it will make me feel better if we went somewhere else."

He could tell she mulled over it for a few moments before reluctantly nodding. He almost gave an audible sigh of relief, expecting more resistance. It was obvious that she was scared, and he had a notion to believe this was the type of girl who put everyone else's desires before her own.

Ichigo offered a hand to help her up but did not let go as he lead her away. Orihime made a small sound of discomfort and shrank away from the darkness he was pulling her towards.

"Don't worry. Just hold onto my hand and follow me," he said, looking directly into her gray eyes.

She took a small step forward and he could feel her trembling. The poor angel was petrified. The demon sighed and pulled her closer. "Just hold onto my arm, okay?"

"O-okay," she stammered and hesitantly latched onto the arm he offered her.

Satisfied, he began the trek back to the entrance of the cave. He could feel Orihime's grip tighten in the darkness. The feeling of having her so close, holding onto him so tightly, made Ichigo flush in embarrassment. He was not oblivious to the angel's beauty, in fact he was quite aware of it, but he tried to ignore those thoughts and feelings, even though the demon inside him was snickering as her large breasts pressed up against his arm.

"So, um, w-where are we going?" Orihime asked timidly.

"Down south of here. We should stay as far away from the north as possible," Ichigo replied.

"What's up in the north?"

"The Lord Ruler lives up north, and so do the most powerful and dangerous Greater Demons."

He felt her grip on his arm tighten. "The Lord Ruler?" She asked warily.

The light at the end loomed ahead of him, and Ichigo quickened his pace. Orihime let out a small whine as they hurried along. Once they reached the outside, the angel quickly let go of him, but looked at him expectantly to answer her question. The demon knew he had to be straightforward with her. She had to know these things if she was ever going to survive.

"The Lord Ruler is, well, the ruler of the Underworld. He isn't the God of the Underworld, like the Creator is with the Overworld, although he damn well acts like it. He's a vile piece of shit," he said with scowl on his face. He motioned for the angel to follow him down the cliff.

"Is he a Greater Demon as well?" Orihime asked. They jumped down the cliff and floated down to the valley.

Once they landed, Ichigo turned to look at her. He had a feeling she was not going to like the answer to that question.

"No. The Lord Ruler is a Fallen angel. Well, was a Fallen angel. Now he's completely corrupted, so he's practically a demon," he replied.

Orihime's gray eyes widened in shock. "A F-fallen angel? W-who is he?" She stuttered.

The demon scowled. "Sosuke Aizen."

The auburn haired angel turned white, her jaw dropping. "The Sosuke Aizen?" She squeaked. Ichigo nodded. Orihime looked like she was ready to faint.

Sosuke Aizen was the first ever Archangel to Fall. He, along with two other Archangels, were discovered conducting experiments involving the demonization of angels. For an angel to obtain such powers was considered the highest form of blasphemy. Aizen had intended to use the dark powers to kill the Captain Commander and the Creator so he could take over all three realms; the Underworld, the Human World, and, of course, the Overworld. The three Archangels were charged with conspiring to commit deicide, which was the worst offense an angel could ever commit, and banished to the Underworld. To make matters even worse, Aizen had killed the previous Lord Ruler of the Underworld, thus becoming his unlawful successor and making the bleak and corrupted tundra his Dark Kingdom.

Just as he predicted, the angel did not look pleased to hear this. In fact, she looked like she was ready to take off and try to escape this world. Ichigo felt bad, it seemed all he did was scare the girl.

"You alright?" He asked uncertainly.

Visibly shaken, Orihime slowly nodded. "It's...just a shock, that's all. I mean, I just heard the stories about him back home, b-but I..." She trailed off, ready to cry.

Ichigo sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He wasn't good at comforting or making others feel better. After being isolated for so long, he almost forgot how to interact socially. He felt like an idiot.

"Uh, look. I know it's a lot to take in right now, but like I said before, don't worry about it. We're just going to be on our way and not draw attention to ourselves," he said, trying to somehow ease her fears.

The auburn angel wiped her wet eyes and nodded. "S-sorry, I-"

"Don't. Only say that if you did something wrong, okay? Right now, you haven't, so there's no need for that. Let's go."

With that, he took off into the air. Orihime hastily followed. The demon was impressed to see that the angel could easily keep up with him, for he was flying pretty fast. Ichigo stayed vigilant about nearby demons in the air and on the ground. He purposefully leaked his spiritual pressure out as a way to both shield Orihime and warn others to stay away.

Most Lesser Demons kept their distance, and only the really stupid ones would try to attack him. The Greater were a little cockier, but less likely to mess with him. In the Underworld, demons were always fighting against each other, seemingly without reason. It was survival of the fittest, for the most part.

"Ichigo, wait!"

The orange-haired demon stopped abruptly to look behind him. Orihime started to lag behind and panted heavily. Ichigo frowned briefly.

"You alright?"

"Y-yeah...but, um...could we take a break?" She asked.

He looked down at the ground below them, where there was a very rocky, dry plain. There was one dead, withered tree. It will have to do for the time being.

The winged duo dropped down, landing in front of the tree. Orihime collapsed against it and sat down, her wings drooping in exhaustion. Ichigo sat down in front of her. She tried to regain her breath and fanned her face.

"S-sorry. Your spiritual pressure is heavy and the air is just so...stifling," the angel breathed.

The demon frowned, scratching the back of his head. "Ah. I was just trying to keep other demons away. I forgot you're not used to this environment," he mumbled.

"Uh, yeah," she replied, somewhat embarrassed. "I promised not to be long." She glanced at him, blushing, before averting her eyes.

Something about this angel made him want to do anything for her. It was fucking weird, and he wasn't used to it. Maybe it was because he hadn't been around an attractive female in ages, let alone interacted with one. He liked to believe that he wasn't a complete monster, and still had some shred of a soul that allowed him to help a lost angel, especially one who shouldn't even be there in the first place.

Ichigo sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time since leaving the shelter.

To be perfectly honest, he had no idea what to do next. The demon felt that he had to have some sort of plan to keep the angel safe. So far he figured they could move from place to place, trying to keep themselves hidden from any dangerous beings that may be lurking around. He didn't even know long he could keep the Pure angel hidden.

Orihime rose to her feet, albeit shakily, and nodded, "I'm ready."

Ichigo looked skeptical, but he wanted to get going, so he nodded in acknowledgment. The two winged creatures took off once more.

This time, the orange-haired demon made sure to keep his spiritual pressure low and flew at a more leisurely place so the angel could keep up. They flew like that for another hour, traveling deeper and deeper into the southern districts of the Underworld. When Ichigo found their destination, he dropped down to the ground, Orihime not far behind.

Their new location was a lot more humid than it was up north, and a dense fog seemed to cling to the ground, swirling around the two beings as they walked. Orihime looked up at awe and fear at the tall, black tower they were approaching. The structure was one of many that the demon had found during his travels throughout the Dark Kingdom. The tower, which had been part of a larger structure at one time, was over a thousand years old.

The angel paused uncertainly at the entrance as Ichigo entered. There was no door, allowing the small amount of light from the outside to filter through. A steep, winding staircase of stone steps lead up to the very top. The orange-haired demon pulled up his bandages to cover his face and signaled Orihime to stay while he climbed up the steps, searching for signs of any life in the room upstairs. He thought he could feel something faintly behind the rotting wooden door, so, abruptly, he kicked it down.

There was a piercing shriek, and Ichigo was thrown backward and tumbled down a few steps. The angel shouted his name as the demon threw his arm out to stop his fall and felt white-hot pain shoot up his covered arm. He looked up to see a wraith-like pale, white demon with no eyes shriek at him, before it threw itself into an attack. Ichigo lifted his other arm to block it and hissed in pain as the demon sunk its teeth and claws into his bare flesh.

He growled as the pale creature wrestled to get on top of him. His spiritual pressure flared, cloaking himself in blackness as he threw the white demon over and down the stairs. As he stood up, he heard Orihime scream.

The auburn angel was completely surrounded by more of the white demons. They shrieked as they crawled to reach her. The only thing that stood between them and her was a golden shield which surrounded her. Ichigo looked on in awe as the demons were unable to break the barrier. Seeing his new companion in danger made murderous intent flare inside of him. His inner demon howled in frustration as it struggled to take over and fulfill its bloodlust. The orange-haired demon called upon his powers, and a black sword materialized from the blackness that cloaked his body. In a blink of an eye, he was cutting down every single hostile demon.

Whenever Ichigo fought, his brain clouded over and all he think about was the enemy and the feeling of his blood pumping as he cut his way through. He tried not to lose himself this time, as Orihime was watching with fear-filled eyes, tinged with worry.

When the last demon fell, Ichigo burst out his dark spiritual pressure throughout the area, warning any other skulking demons to stay away. He also didn't want any of them picking up on the auburn angel's spiritual pressure.

He turned to face her. Her hands were clasped against her chest, as if she were trying to guard herself, and her gray eyes shone with all-consuming terror. The demon sighed and ran his hands through his hair. This wasn't getting any easier.

Ichigo uncovered his face. "Are you okay?" He asked softly.

Orihime appeared to relax slightly and gave him a shaky nod.

"Sorry. I didn't realize we were walking into a demon nest," he muttered.

"I-it's okay. Thank you for protecting me," she replied, a blush rising in her cheeks.

Ichigo looked off to the side, feeling uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden. "Yeah. No problem," he mumbled.

He was about to turn away without a word when he felt a soft touch on his bare shoulder. Orihime looked at his arm with wide eyes. "You're hurt!" She exclaimed.

The demon looked at his wounded arm. The teeth and claw marks had begun bleed profusely. He had forgotten about his injuries during the fight. The weeping gashes stung, and the rest of his body and wings throbbed in pain from his tumble down the hard stone steps.

Ichigo shrugged. "It'll be alright," he said, unused to concern from another. He'd had his fair share of cuts and bruises delivered at the hands of demons.

He went to turn around again when the angel held onto his arm with a firmer grip. "Wait! Let me...please," she began, gesturing for him to sit on the steps.

The orange-haired demon narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Let you what?"

Despite his reservations, he stretched out his wings and sat down. "What are you doing?" He questioned gruffly.

Orihime lifted her hands in front of her and murmured, "Reverto."

Suddenly, a golden dome surrounded him. Ichigo flinched in surprise and was about to ask her what in the hell she was doing to him until he felt it. Her warm, light spiritual pressure enveloped him and he swore he could feel the pain drain right out of his body. He looked at his arm and was astonished to find his wounds healing. What is going on here? He thought, astonished at this unknown phenomenon

When the demon was fully healed, the auburn angel called off her dome. She offered him a shy smile. Ichigo's dark eyes met hers as he stared at her in awe.

"What are you?" He finally asked.

Orihime blinked, taken aback. "I'm just an angel."

The orange-haired being shook his head. "No way. Ordinary angels don't do that. Were you an Archangel or something?"

"N-no. I'm not a strong enough fighter. I've had these powers for as long as I could remember." She replied.

"Do other angels have powers like that, too?"

Orihime shook her head.

No fucking way.

Well, well, well. It seems we chose a good one for us to protect, haven't we, King?

Ichigo was even more taken aback by his inner demon's question. Never in his life had the dark being ever had feelings for another, and yet here he was 'choosing' to protect someone. An angel, no less.

"Thank you...for healing me," he murmured. It felt like he was never injured in the first place. He could still feel her lingering spiritual pressure all over his body. It was strange, and it reminded him of someone deep within his past...

Ichigo slowly stood. "Come on. There's a room you can stay in at the very top." He explained, looking for a distraction. He started up the steps.

There was a pause before he heard the angel's soft footsteps follow him. The two winged beings walked up the winding staircase, which lead to the open door. Ichigo strolled into the dark room, which was barely lit by the broken window. It was brighter outside than it was inside, but not by much. The tower was one of the many places he went to, where he could feel cut off from the Underworld.

The demon stood in the shadows as he watched Orihime tentatively inspected the new space. It was a small room that contained only an old, lumpy mattress with dark feathers sticking out in various places. Ichigo knew from experience it wasn't the most comfortable bed, but it would have to do.

Orihime shuffled over to the window and let out a soft gasp. She turned her head to look at Ichigo, and when her eyes re-adjusted to the dark, she found him.

"Is all of the Underworld desolate like this?" She asked.

"Down here it is. Not much besides old ruins," he replied roughly.

The angel looked back out the window, a sad expression on her face. "The Overworld was always full of life, but here it's just so empty. It really makes you feel alone," she murmured, more to herself than him.

Ichigo scowled. "I'd rather be alone here than out there. You don't want to know what this world is really like. It's much worse than what you see before you."

Orihime turned to face him, her gray eyes shining with unshed tears. "Were you always alone?" She asked curiously.

The dark being's eyes slightly widened before he composed himself. "No," he admitted after a brief pause.

The auburn angel walked over and sat down on the mattress. She started to twist her bronze bracelet around as she looked in front of her. Ichigo spread his wings open so he could rest his back against the wall.

"I used to feel alone all the time," Orihime began. "After my brother died, I didn't realize how empty everything was without him. I still felt that way sometimes when I was home alone. When you lose a loved one like that...it just feels..." She trailed off as she wiped her eyes.

"It feels like a part of you has died, too," he unconsciously finished for her. He knew that feeling all too well. Orihime looked up at him in confusion and surprise.

"You've...you've lost someone?" She asked in disbelief.

Memories of the life he once knew long ago flashed before his eyes. "I've lost everything," he replied softly. The demon shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I've lost everything, too."

Ichigo looked at her and she gave him a small smile. For some reason, he found it comforting. "I guess that means we have something in common, don't we?" She asked.

He wasn't sure what to say. They were two different beings, one light and one dark, and yet pain and loneliness was one thing that they both knew all too well. While Ichigo learned how to deal with it, He could tell Orihime struggled to accept it, especially under her current circumstances. Despite it all, she was trying to comfort him, and in a way, comfort herself.

"Yeah," he said after awhile, "I guess we do."

The angel continued to twist her bracelet. He figured she was thinking about her lost mate.

"If...if we have that, then...at least we're not completely alone, right?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he murmured awkwardly.

Orihime smiled again. She rose and slowly walked over to where he stood in the dark. She held out her little finger.

"Let's make a promise. No matter what, we'll always be there for each other."

Ichigo stared at her in disbelief. "You would do that? We barely know each other."

"I know you saved my life twice since I came here. I know that even though we're...different, you're still willing to protect me. That's enough for me right now."

He looked at her hand warily before meeting her eyes. "And when it's not enough?"

The angel took a shaky breath before her smile, slightly bigger, returned. "I'll still be there."

The demon was blown away. Despite everything, she still offered him her friendship. He hadn't had a true friend in a long time. With a nervousness he wasn't aware of until now, he extended his little finger and entwined it with hers. He could feel something that he didn't think was possible ever feel again. Hope.

"I promise."

Orihime's smile was so bright that he swore it could have illuminated the room. Their fingers remained entwined for a lingering moment before she pulled away and sat back down on the bed.

Ichigo looked at his hand, still feeling a slight trace of her spiritual pressure. Part of him was glad she was willing to trust him, but the other part warned him it wouldn't last long. She didn't know what he was and what he had become. An angel as Pure as her could never accept him for what he truly was.

He knew he could protect her, but he wasn't sure if he could protect her from his other self.

Care to drop me a review? It's much appreciated!

Note: I will not take credit for making up the title Lord Ruler, I got the name the Mistborn trilogy (read it, seriously). Something about that title is so dark and I though it would be very fitting for my story.

Also, if you haven't noticed already, my story now has cover art! It was done by my lovely beta, ImperfectSnow, who is currently taking art commissions! You can find her under the name Teine-tor on deviantART.