A little story about two people, friends since childhood, pulled apart by the tides of time only to be reconnected when the lives of their friends are changed forever. Disclaimer: I in no which way own any part of Bleach. Also I no which way to I own any parts of the song "Come On Get Higher" by Matt Nathanson. Authors Note: This is a "song fic" being based around the song that shares the same title.

Come On Get Higher

She had spent so long wondering what life would have been like had she not left town right after high school. The day after graduation she was one the first train to Tokyo to make a name for herself in the world of martial arts. Four years had passes since she had spoken to anyone from home; four years of silence and she was beginning to accept that they had all forgotten about her. That was until she received a letter from Orihime, it wasn't the fact that she was reciving a letter from her it was more of what the letter itself read:

Dear Tatsuki,

I am so terribly sorry for the years of silence between us. We have always been the best of friends and I hate to not include you in my life. I hope that this letter finds you in good spirts, you won't believe why im writing even if I called you. Uryū proposed, and I was wondering if you would be my maid of honor, please. It would mean the world to me if you would come home for the wedding. I hope to hear from you soon.

-Orihime

(p.s. your mom gave me the address, please don't be mad at her. )

Tatsuki couldn't help by smile to herself, it was just like Orihime to write to tell that she was engaded rather than just call. But she couldn't say no, Orihime had a point. They had been best friends since they met, protecting one another, caring for one another, just like sisters. Grabbing her cell phone Tatsuki dialed Orihime to tell her that she wouldn't miss it for the world and would be there whenever it was, since in true Orihime fashion she had left that part out.

XXX

A month had passes and Tatuski found herself on a train back to Karakura for the first time in years. She spent the ride wondering if everything would be exactly the same as how she had left it. It never changed when she lived there, so why should it have started when she left. Tatsuki had managed to keep her homecoming news down to a minimum, as to not draw attention away from her friend, but she couldn't promise that she wouldn't cause a sence should she run into a certin spiky haired shinigami.

As the train pulled into the station Tatsuki gathered her bags and got ready disembark. Waiting on the platform for her was a very excited Orihime, waving and jumping up and down when Tatsuki became visible.

"Tatsuki!" her friend called out with a giant smile on her face.

"Hey, Orihime. Congratulations. I'm so happy for you," Tatsuki said as she pulled Orihime into a long awaited hug. "I'm sorry it's been so long."

"I'm just glad you came. It means the world, it really does," Orihime said grabbing Tatsuki's arm and leading her off of the platform. "Now don't worry about Ichigo, he wont be showing up for a couple of days, you're the first to get here. I don't want you to have to worry about doing anything. Just think of it as a mini vaction back home." Orihime trailed on for a little while before she notced her friends blank stare. "Is there something wrong?"

"Ichigo is coming? You didn't tell me that he would be here. I thought that he was in the Soul Society," Tatsuk responded, looking to the ground in disbelif.

"Yeah, I thought I told you that on the phone. It must have slipped my mind," Orihime answered tilting her head to the side and bearing a shy smile. "It isn't a problem or anything, right?"

"No, no. It will be fine, its just that I havent seen him since the end of school and really I don't know how everything will work out between us. We didn't really leave off on a good foot," Tatsuki said softly.

"Very true, I don't think that a punch to the face is a very good way to say goodbye," Orihime said with a laugh.

Tatuski knew it was true that when he told her that he was going back to the Soul Society to take his place as one of the captians, that she didn't react in the best manner by punching him in the face and storming off. He left after that and she did the same. She had always know that her homecomming would be bittersweet, but she should have seen this one coming.

The rest of the walk back to Orihime's apartment was silent. Orihime knew that her friend was just in shock from hearing that Ichigo was going to be coming, but she needed to do something. "Hey Tatsuki?"

"Yeah?"

"I know that the last thing you want to do is think about boys but, what would you say to a girls night out on the town tomorrow? Just us, it will be fun," she asked opening the door to the apartment.

Tatsuki couldn't help but smile at that. It wasn't something that she found to be the most fun, but she wouldn't turn down getting to spend more time with her friend. "Sure, you can dress me up and drag me out. Just like you used to do back in school."

XXX

"Hey Rukia!" Ichigo shouted from his desk, "have you seen my papers for transportation between worlds?"

"No, have you looked in your desk?" she responded from her own. "Aren't you supposed to leave in a few minutes to get back?"

"Yeah, but I can't do that if I don't have the papers," Ichigo answered frustrated as he continued to dig through his desk. "Being the Captian of the fith division has its perks, but too much paperwork is not one of them."

"You would have less papers on your desk of you actualy did your work on time you know," Rukia responded sharply stepping away from her desk to help him. "and I don't really need to be helping you, I could be off somehwere else."

"With someone else you mean. Someone who just might happen to be Renji?" Ichigo said smartly.

"Just because I still get a long with my childhood friend, doesn't mean you need to get all defensive."

"Who said I'm getting difensive."

"Calm down, I found your papers. Now you really should get going, you don't want to be late for this," she said as she trew the papers at him and headed for the door leading out of the Captains office.

He watched her leave as he did everyday. That was one thing that he could count on that at the end of the day, she left his office and spent her nights with Renji or her brother. He on the otherhand was a miserable heap of a person. He had no life outside of his office and his occasinal spars with Kenpachi. The letter he recived from Orihime through Urahara was the frst bit of true communication he had since he was accepted into the Gotei 13 once he finished high school. Though he wan't too surprised to see that it was a letter telling him that Uryū had proposed, that he saw coming.

Glancing over at the clock on his desk he grabbed his release papers and headed for the gate. He managed to avoid everyone on his way out, the last thing he needed was anyone unwanted tagging along to the world of the living. Before he knew it he was entering Urahara's shop form one of the rooms in the back.

"Welcome back," a voice said from the door way. Ichigo instantaiously who it was.

"Nice to see you too Uryū, Congrats on finnaly getting the girl," Ichigo answered donning his classic smile.

"I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't show up."

"Why would I miss this? I have to make sure you don't do anything stupid," Ichigo responded.

"After Tatsuki showed up early, I was almost certin you weren't coming. However Chad dropped by saying that you we're crossing over today, so here I am."

"So Chad's still doing some work around here. I could see some changes, wait a minute." Ichigo paused for a moment, letting it all sink in. "Did you say that Tatsuki was here?"

"Yeah, she got here almost a week ago, you didn't know she was here?" Uryū asked confused. "I thought Orihime would have told you in the letter that she had been in contact with her. But I guess she just left that part out."

"Yeah, she did," Ichigo said grabbing the bag that was placed by his gigai and walking over towards Uryū. "We we're bound to run into each other sooner or later, I was just hoping it was going to be later."

"You're still not over that last punch she gave you, are you?" Uryū said with a snicker.

"Would you be, if the girl you loved punched you in the face and stormed out fo your life?"

"Do you really love her?"

"I did."

"That's not the question, but I can understand why she punched you." Uryū rebutted leading the way out of Urahara's shop and back towards his apartment.

"You would take her side," Ichigo muttered as he fallowed Uryū down the street.