"I-Ichigo..."

The sound of your voice held joy in Ichigo's ear as he hugged you tightly too him. His chest rose up and down as his heart pounded against yours, so loudly you would think it would burst.

"(y/n)... (y/n)... I'm so sorry..." Ichigo whispered quietly into your ear, his voice trying to grasp the reality you were awake.

It took you a second too figure out what he meant by sorry, then it hit you like his sword stabbing into you. A cry broke through you wall as you sobbed into his chest. Ichigo held you closer to him as he stroked your hair calmingly.

"Take all the time you need to cry... I'm here for you... I always will be..."

After a while from crying your eyes and nose had become red. Ichigo chuckled as he lightly kissed your nose. "You look a strawberry now."

You giggled softly as you rested your head onto his hard and muscular chest. "I'm so happy to see you. Everything felt like a dream... a dream I couldn't wake up too."

Ichigo pressed a soft kiss on your forehead and gently set you down into his lap. "You have no idea what hell it was for me not being able to see or feel you when I was away from you... I hated it so much... now I know what hell feels like."

"Yeah..." You said looking out at the window.

It stopped raining magically as if it never happened. The sun poked through the tiny window as it rested onto your face. You hummed and tried absorbing it soft warmth. You remembered what it was like without Ichigo either. After Zangetus put your other half of your soul into your body, it was a never ending darkness inside. You could hear people talking, everyone but Ichigo sounded fuzzy and couldn't really tell what they were saying.

A memory poked at your mind as you snapped your eyes open to find something red attached to one of your fingers to one of Ichigo's fingers. It was only a brief look, but you know what you saw. Ichigo noticed as he looked into your (e/c) ones with his deep, rich, honey colored ones. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I saw something... like a string... or was it a ribbon?"

Ichigo's eyes widen as his eyes grew serious. "What did you see? Was it red?"

"Yeah... and felt smooth I think."

"I think Rukia told me something like this a while back. It's a soul ribbon, meaning if you're very close to someone you love a ribbon connects both their souls together, meaning their soul mates."

Your eyes widen in joy as the sun helped lit up your almost still pale face. "R-Really? Zangetus was right!"

Ichigo face froze as his eyebrow rose with confusion. "How do you know about Zangetus?"

"Oh! I didn't tell you because Zangetus didn't want me too, or he seemed like he didn't. He was the one who warned me about the hollow inside of you wanting to kill me. It didn't matter to me and I helped you out. After you turned back to normal he talked to me again and helped me regain spirit energy again. He was the one who told me if are love was strong enough it would bring me back. I knew it would work."

Ichigo's brown eyes stared off into space, putting the pieces together, then his eyebrows furrowed in anger. "You shouldn't have helped me when I was in that state, (y/n). I don't care what happens to me, but I care about what happens to you. If you would have died because of me, I would never love again. Promise me you'll won't do something like that again."

"But-" The serious gaze in his eyes shut you up as you sighed and nodded your head, "I promise."

Ichigo ruffled your hair in an affection way. "Good. Because there is something I need to talk to you about. Since you have enough spirit energy to see ghost clearly now, Urahara said you can become a soul reaper like me. A Shinigami."

A beat skipped in your heart as you thought you would never hear those words. Become a death god? Like your boyfriend? It sounded cool and all, but the mere thoughts of hollows made you shiver with fear.

"M-Maybe... I just don't know..."

"I don't completely agree with it, but Urahara says it's the best way you can protect yourself when I'm not around. If you want, we could also go the soul society and see where Rukia and the other soul reapers live and work."

The thought of visiting the society clouded your thoughts. A mental picture popped inside you mind, but in Rukia drawing style. Swords and black kimonos, people doing work, and then hollows. Your mind bubble burst as Ichigo and the whole world came into view again.

"I understand what you mean. M-Maybe after we graduate from school... or maybe a month from now... I don't know really... It sounds good, but I don't want to become one right now. Maybe when I tell you the time is right and you can train me to become a shini..."

"Shinigami." Ichigo helped complete your sentence, "I'll train you myself. I don't want Urahara doing what he did too me what he did too you. It was... horrible."

You giggled and kissed his cheek. "I bet. But without him you wouldn't have become this strong."

"That is true." he said with a smile, "Even you."

"Even me?"

"You helped me become stronger when you were still sleeping. It gave me a stronger sense of wanting the need to get stronger and protect everyone I love. Especially you." He pressed a soft kiss too your forehead.

A faint blush appeared on your cheeks as it helped return the color faster into your body. "I'm glad I finally found my soul mate. I didn't ever think I would have one. Life was... sad without you. I had to fake a smile around people before I met you."

"I'm glad I changed it all around. Even you brought happiness into my life. I still kind of felt lonely when I couldn't date anyone because I didn't think I would be able to date once I became a Shinigami. I'm glad you understand my job as a soul reaper and wait for me when I come home."

"Of course. A strong, hardworking man needs a kiss once and a while when he comes home from danger."

A chuckle came through as it vibrated inside him. "Then that means you're my princess?"

"And you're my strawberry, Ichigo Kuroaski."

Ichigo smiled and pressed a kiss to your hand. "My soul mate, (y/n) (y/l), stay with me forever."

"Silly, we will already stay together forever! The ribbon ties are souls together!"

"I'm glad it does. Because I love you." Ichigo said before pressing a kiss too your lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ichigo held you in his arms as you slept peacefully. He feared if he when to sleep then all this day would have been a dream. A sick dream he made just for himself. He traced the outline of your face and presses a kiss to your forehead. A faint smile appeared on your lips as he smiled back.

'So... I'm guessing this is are Queen.'

Ichigo jumped at the voice inside this head. His hollow sounded calm for the first time in his life, which surprised him greatly. "What are you doing?"

'I'm just wanting to say sorry, King. I guess that's why I couldn't kill the queen. It makes sense she's are soul mate since she didn't die from the powerful spirit energy I transferred into her.'

"I'll make sure you say away from (y/n). If you every try to take over me again I will go inside my world and destroy you."

'Ha! You dumb King, were connected. I'm your power and you can't kill me, but only tame me. Which you'll never do.'

"Shut up yes I will. I'll protect (y/n) no matter what the next time this happens. Even if it means my taking my own life."

The hollow was silence for a while, Ichigo wondered if he disappeared until he finally spoke. 'You really care for this girl don't you?'

"Yes, now leave."

'Alright I will, hope the queen gets rest from my accident.'

The next moment on it was silence. Ichigo sighed in relief as it was weird talking to his hollow. He acted nothing like him, yet he was a part of him. It was as strange thing to think of.

You shifted in your sleep as it caught his attention as he snapped back into reality. He smiled and quickly kissed you softly on the lips and snuggled with you and started falling asleep.

"I love you, (y/n) (y/l). Never leave me again..."