Disclaimer: I don't own the series or characters of bleach, I'm just writing a different story in my head like the rest :)

The Demon Within

Chapter 1 : Sleepless Nights

Orihime's POV

There he lies on the ground. The person that I loved, dead on the ground with a hole in his chest."What should I do? I don't know what I should do Ichigo?" I felt an ice cold water drop on my cheek as it ran from my eye."How did this happen?" I asked myself. Then I felt it, the spiritual pressure, the one that shot the cero from his finger through Ichigo's chest. Ulquiorra Cifer the fourth walked calmly towards us in his released form. His chest was bare and had huge black wings. His arms and legs had a black fur choate

Those cold and dead eyes look down at us like we are pieces of trash. Slowly he creeps up on us with victory smeared all over his face. I could not take it any more "save us, Ichigo!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I knew it would not help because Karakura's protector...my protector was dead. It gave me hope that if I screamed, Ichigo would come back and save me, even if it was just for a second. More tears fell from my eyes to the hard soil beneath me.

The next moment I realized a huge amount of spiritual pressure behind me. It couldn't be Ulquiorra because there was no more reason for him to fight. As a turned my head that's when I saw it. A hollow...no Ichigo's hollow, it has taken over. I stared into it's eyes. His eyes were empty with a killer instinct inside them. His skin was pale white and he had long orange hair all the way down his lower back. His mask was complete with two long horns on the side. The next moment he let out a screech that made my stomach turn. What I saw made me fear the man I love.

My eyes shot open as I awoke from the dream or nightmare describes it better. I had broken out in a cold sweat and tears started to fall."Why do I keep having these nightmares? It is becoming more frequent every night" I stood up from the futon and headed to the kitchen to get some water. The floor was cold against my feet but how I felt now I did not care. Once I reached the kitchen I took a glass which stood on the counter that I used earlier during the day.

I do not know how long I stood there after I finished my glass of water but it felt like hours. It has been 3 weeks since the war against Aizen ended. It was vacation for the students so luckily I got to spend my time at home after the war. I have not seen Ichigo since that day. I have been avoiding him since that day because I could not face him right now. I was still scared of him or his hollow.

I looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was 1:08.I needed sleep since the past few weeks I had been having these nightmares. I had not spoken to anyone about it since I got back. I have not even told Tatsuki about my dreams let alone what happened to Ichigo. I did not want to worry her and get her more involved. I could not forgive myself if she gets caught up in soul reaper business and gets hurt because of it.

Just as I was about to return to my room and try to get some sleep, my phone rang. I picked the phone up from the counter and look at the screen. Tatsuki it said."Why would she call me at this hour?"

"Hey Tatsuki"

"Hey Orihime, it's me. Did something happen? Are you ok? Do you need me to come over?"

"N-No Tatsuki I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"Well for 2 or 3 weeks I sensed that your presence becomes more noticeable late during nights and I was just wondering if you were ok."

"Yea I'm fine, don't worry about me."

We were silent for a while when...

"Orihime"

"Y-Yes?"

"What happened to you?"

"W-What d-do you m-m-mean Tatsuki?"

"Don't lie to me Hime, I know you better than this! You were gone for a while. I could not sense you no matter how hard I tried. Does it have something to do with Ichigo wearing that black shihaksho and huge sword?"

How could she know about it I thought to myself. She could never see spirits like us...could she?

"Well u-ummm...Tatsuki can you come over to my house after school?"

"Yes, I hope you can explain allot of things for me and if Ichigo did something to hurt you I swear I'm gona kill that basterd. Well see you tomorrow at school."

"Bye Tasuki"

I placed the phone back on the table and sighed. Tomorrow is school and that means I have to see Ichigo. The man I love how I can face him. That's it, I have decided that in order to keep his hollow from taking over like before I have to distance myself from him to protect him.

Tears started pouring down my cheeks as I walked back to my room."I'm scared that it will happen again in the future. I'm scared of you, Ichigo"

The next day I walked to school alone. As I walked I thought about different scenarios of what could happen and what I should do if I bump or see Ichigo. Suddenly as I turned the corner I caught a glimpse of hair...orange hair. My palms started to sweat as the fear came over me once again. I shot back around the corner and stood there when a hand grabbed my shoulder. That made me jump and almost scream if it was not for the hand over my mouth to silence me.

Tatsuki was the person I was looking at. She released her hand over my mouth and looked at me with a confused look. She looked around the corner and saw Ichigo and Uryu standing a block away, probably waiting for Chad. After Tatsuki surveyed the area she looked at me and asked:

"Hey Orihime what's wrong, you look scared?"

"O n-nothing is wrong Tatsuki." I gave her a fake smile. It did not work.

"Yea I will believe it when I see it, well whatever it is it can wait till after school when we are going to your house."

"Ok" and I nodded in agreement.

"Come on let join up with Ichigo and the others"

"Noooo!"

Man why did I scream like that. Now Tatsuki is really not going to leave me alone. Tatsuki looked at me with shock.

"Why not, is something wrong?"

"Well yes u-umm I mean no nothing's wrong"

"Orihime, you can tell me anything you know that right"

"Yes I know Tatsuki...It's just going to take a while to explain but can we not go to Ichigo now and for the rest of today?"

"Why, did something happen between you two?" she said with a smile and winked at me. I know what she means and that made me blush.

"N-no it's nothing like that."

"Then what's going on?"

"We will talk after school, promise."

"Well ok Hime."

"Thank you Tatsuki."

I could see that Tatsuki was curious to find out what was going on with me and I don't blame her. We took a different path to school, it may be longer but we avoided Ichigo that time.

We arrived at school and entered the class just as the bell rang for the start of school. I was very pleased with that. It meant that I dodged another bullet for the time being. Finally after class I rushed out to avoid the traffic in the halls. The bell had just rung to signal that it is lunch time. I walked to the cafeteria to wait for Tatsuki. My walk was blocked by a certain glass wearing Quincy.

"Good morning Orihime. I haven't seen you this morning and I was wondering if you were ok."

"Good morning to you too. Yes I'm fine Uryu and I was late because you know the little blue and green men are always around and watching me so I decided to take the long way to school so they wound lose sight of me since they know the way I always walk to school and home."

He sighed and stopped smiling all together which made me curious to way he did that. My question was answered when he took my arm and leaded me into an empty class room and leaned in next to my ear and asked:

"Why are you avoiding Ichigo?"

This shocked me and made my cheeks heat up with embarrassment. How did he know and if he knows does Ichigo Also know?

"I was n-not avoiding him at all."

"Then why did you not came to us while we waited for Chad?"

No words left my mouth. I just couldn't form any. I was surprised he knew that I was there.

"How did you know I was there?"

"Orihime, you do realize you have spirit energy that we could easily sense. Well I could sense, as for that stupid soul reaper Ichigo I cannot say the same. He has absolutely no talent for this sort of thing."

So that's how he knew well he is very good at sensing others and smart so why was I surprised?

"Look I don't mean to bother but I am thinking that you have a problem with Ichigo at the moment."

After a while I decided that I would tell him about the dreams and my fear of Ichigo.

"So that's why you are avoiding him?"

"Yes, ever since that day that he and Ulquiorra fought I was scared of him and scared that one day he will lose control again"

There was a short silence when it was broken by the school bell signaling that break is over.

"Well we better get to class Uryu or the teacher will give us detention"

"Yea let's go."

The day went by with no accidents or awkward moments with Ichigo. School just ended and I was headed towards the school gate to wait for Tatsuki. I didn't wait long to hear a voice behind me. When I turned around to greet the person that called me, I was struck with fear as Ichigo stopped near me.

"Hey Orihime, long time no see"

"Y-Yes, it h-has."

"What have you been doing these past few weeks?"

"N-N-Not much"

"What's wrong, you seem...well not yourself"

My heart was beating fast and I could feel the fear starting to take over. I know there is nothing to be afraid of but I could not help it. The image of Ichigo in his full hollow still filled my mind and how he wanted to kill Ulquiorra. The Ichigo I saw that day was not the one I know. He would never kill anyone.

"Ichigo please leave me alone and stay as far away from me as possible" and with that I turned around and ran as fast as I could. I could hear Ichigo yelling and screaming something behind me, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get home.

Wow can't believe how quickly it went writing this chapter, well I hope you all liked it and please comment on this chapter. I am new to this whole writing thing so any advice would be a great help bad or good reviews hahahahaha but go easy please. Until next time :)