Her Eyes

Disclaimers: I do now own Bleach, Bleach rightfully belongs to its creator and network.

A/N: I haven't forgotten about Worth the Wait, I've been curious to see how Orihime and Ichigo will be effected by this Fullbring arch and little bit of writer's block. For the most part I was unimpressed but now that (SPOILER) Ichigo got his powers back I'm interested to see how this will affect everyone…

Anyway, I've been curious if they will ever show what happened to Orihime while she was in Hueco Mundo since two Espardas mentioned something to Ichigo…so going on that idea…set sometime after Ichigo more than likely kicks Ginjo and Tsukishima's ass.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Chapter One

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ichigo Kurosaki sit alone in his room, he left the lights off as he sat alone in the darkness and silence. He had gone through such a mental trauma that caused him to feel inadequate but nothing could have prepared him for what had just happened hours before his return home. He had almost gotten payback on the Fullbring group however was stopped short and he closed his eyes tightly shut. He then opened them slowly to look at two small blue flower hair pins in palm of his hand. He felt a pain in a chest that was unbearable…hadn't he promised to protect her…that he would become stronger to protect her and yet…for seventeen months he was the one being protected. He was being protected by all of them; they had all known what was going on but him. Maybe if they had just told him what was going on he wouldn't have fallen into their trap so easily and been broken down by Ginjo's mind games. If only he had his powers before all of this he could've prevented what happened just hours ago.

His father, Isshin Kurosaki, Kisuka Urahara, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Uryu Ishida, Rukia Kuchiki, and…Ichigo looked down at the hair pins intently…Orihime Inoue…all were secretly planning for him to get his powers back. He was glad they all had worked towards that goal but the reason behind it was…he clenched his hand into a fist around the hairpins. The owner of those hairpins knew him better than anyone else had ever known him. She knew that he had wanted to get his powers back to a certain degree but he never imagined she would orchestrate a plan with his father and the shop owner/former soul reaper captain to regain his powers. She supported him blindly about Ginjo and his fullbring training. She supported him till the very end…she knew…she knew for seventeen months something could happen not to him but to her.

Seventeen months she appeared to be normal, nothing was bothering her, she was cheery and all smiles. No one would've guessed that something was going on and that she was hiding something from him. Something so serious, but then again what could he have done with the information that he now had. What could he have done to get stronger with no powers and sword? What could he have honestly done to protect her? Ichigo hit the wall behind him and tilted his head up and looked up at the ceiling, why did it always happen? When he was getting closer to his goals about getting stronger something terrible had to follow? But this something terrible had been going on for seventeen months without anyone ever mentioning it to him. They all knew she was suffering and she never once said anything to him, never and that was what hurt him the most. It hurt to know she was trying so hard to protect him and not to worry him about what was going on with her.

He closed his eyes as he recalled the hours prior…

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Eariler that Evening

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ichigo looked over at Rukia happily being able to see her means he had his powers back and that he could see his other friends from Soul Society as well. He then turned to his father and Urahara who were smiling at the young man. He had managed to force Tsukishima to return all of his friends and family back to normal. "So you're a lieutenant now," Ichigo smirked pointing at the badge on her left arm.

"Eh, I knew you would be lost without me, you should be lucky they let me down here at all to help your sorry ass," Rukia put her hands on her hips and sporting her new shorter hair. "Always have to show up to save the day…"

"Shut up," Ichigo smiled and looked at his father. "I'm sorry I doubted you…"

"Eh, you're a stupid teenage boy, its normal…" Isshin crossed his arms only to provoke his son. He glared at his father and Isshin chuckled. "It took us a while to get everything together but I'm glad we got here just in time."

Sado was looking at his friend with guilty eyes and Ichigo smiled at his taller friend, "Chad, I know that wasn't you. So you don't have to look like that. We're still friends."

"Tch, how noble coming from you Kurosaki," Ishida smirked and only riled up Ichigo even further. "Where is Inoue-san?"

Urahara and Isshin stiffened at the mention of that name, Ichigo began looking around and they all froze. Sado, Rukia, and Ishida felt something terrible was going to happen. His friends were still inside of that house trying to comprehend the situation while they were outside talking. The fullbring group had taken their leave after Ichigo made them correct the offense they created. Ichigo even got his badge back but at the sound of Orihime's name he was beginning to question why she wasn't there. She was always the first to make the atmosphere cheery and warm and yet he felt so empty and cold.

"Where is Inoue, she should be here…" Ichigo was trying to find her spiritual pressure. He could always sense hers no matter the time, day, or location. He was desperately trying to locate her and noticed the expressions on his friends and father's faces. He immediately became worried and his protective nature came to the surface. It was the same feeling he had when he walked into her room to hear she had gone off to Hueco Mundo. Only this time he felt worse as his friends all had guilty expressions on their faces. He didn't say a word as he quickly took off with his new regained powers to find Orihime, he would be damned if she slipped through his fingers again. He sensed her at home and wondered how she could've gotten home so quickly. That's when he felt his heart stop when he thought he sensed a hollow in the small apartment.

Ichigo quickly entered the room through the open window to see Orihime on the floor writing away vigorously on her small table. At that point she had sensed his presence and froze at the sound of her name, "Inoue…"

"Ku…Kurosaki-kun," she didn't move or make any motion she was going to turn around. He sensed she was apprehensive about something and he was determined to figure it out. He slowly took small steps towards her and she only remained rigid. She was hiding something and he wanted to know what. She stood up from her position but didn't turn around. "What…what…are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you were alright," Ichigo confused by her strange question. She knew him; she knows that he would check up on her if something seemed amiss so why bother asking a question like that? Ichigo wondered but Orihime had turned around with her head bowed. She took one of his hands into her own and wondered what was going on. He felt something being placed into his hand and didn't get a chance to see what it was as she closed his hand over them. He then saw her move her head slowly up. Good, maybe I can see what is the matter…if I see her face…I can…Ichigo's thoughts were interrupted as he felt his heart clench in his chest. Orihime's left eye was no longer that soft hazel gray but the once white was replaced with deep black and what was that soft gray was now…gold. "In…Inoue…"

She then quickly rose to her toes and kissed him as tears began pouring down her cheeks. Ichigo was too stunned to even think or breathe for that matter. He felt her pull away only adding to his confusion but it would be all over as she softly spoke, "Goodbye…Kurosaki-kun, goodbye…" He blinked and she was gone, he began frantically looking around her apartment but no sign of her. The wind was blowing into her room and the curtains gently swayed in the wind but there was no sign of Orihime and her spiritual pressure was fading. He looked down at his hand and opened it, it was her hairpins…they were sitting the palm of his hand. The hairpins she promised her brother she would wear every day in his hand…

He quickly sprinted off to Urahara Shop; there he would get his answers. They would have to answer him and tell him what was going on. They all knew, they all kept it from him…but why. He was correct to go to the stop to see his Father standing there in front of the shop along with his friends. Urahara looked at him sadly and so did Rukia. Even Rukia knew what was going on and it angered him, "You all know something…tell me!"

"We should go inside and have some tea…"

"Fuck that, tell me…what is happening to Inoue!" Ichigo demanded and everyone looked at him sadly. No one had the courage to tell him what was happening with the warm and kind healer of their group. Ichigo felt enraged that no one was willing to speak up, " I saw her…her eye…her eye was that of a hollow…so someone explain to me what the hell is going on…"

"It was after we came back from Soul Society shortly after you fell unconscious," Sado broke the silence. "Ishida and I both noticed a change in Inoue during that month while you were sleeping."

"She started hearing a voice in her dreams," Ishida added in. "It was calling out to her and threatening you, we didn't find out about until she first spoke with Urahara-san."

Ichigo turned to look at the shop owner and he sighed, "She didn't know what was going on with her and spoke to me about the reoccurring nightmare she was having. She spoke in such a calm manner that it almost frightened me. It was then when she spoke of the possibility that Sosuke Aizen might have done something to her or the bracelet she was force to wear began the process of changing her."

"What? What bracelet?" Ichigo asked and was able to grab Urahara but stopped by his father.

Urahara looked at the young Soul Reaper, "The esparda that took her gave her a bracelet that would hide her from the rest of us except them. She was told she had to wear it so that no one could know what she was doing or see where they were taking her. She was unable to see her own reflection and no one could sense her spiritual pressure. It could have been then that Aizen was changing her and while she was in Hueco Mundo the food she ate…it could be several things he could've done."

Ichigo's fist clenched and then looked down at his hand. Isshin sighed, "Orihime-chan approached Urahara sometime after you started going back to school again. She noticed her behavior and saw you were adjusting to your life without spiritual powers. She also saw past that and knew you were suffering. She asked if there was anything I could do to restore your powers and then she told me about what was happening to her."

"You knew…"

Isshin nodded, "She told me that if anything were to happen to her that you would feel immense guilt for being unable to help and protect your friend. She never wanted that for you and desperately wanted you to have some kind of power in the event something did happen to her. That you would have to protect everyone from her…"

"What are you saying, Dad? Why would I need to protect everyone from her," Ichigo asked confused and unsure where his father was going with his speech.

Rukia was the first to speak, "We believe Aizen did something to make Inoue into a hollow. There has been no proof other than the dreams she would describe to Urahara. She knew Aizen wanted her powers for something beyond a simple kidnapping and separating you from Karakura Town."

Ichigo stared at the hairpins in his hands, Isshin closed his son's first around the hairpins and Ichigo looked up at his father, "She didn't want Aizen or anyone else to have her powers…so she left them with you. She was going to leave them behind if anything started happening to her."

Ichigo froze, "So what…what now? We have to get her back…"

"I'm afraid it's too late Kurosaki-san," Urahara looked at the younger man sadly. "There is nothing we can do to reverse Hollowification and especially since it's happening to a human…"

"So what, we just give up on Inoue? Just like that? After all that she has done for us," Ichigo asked angrily. Then he looked over at Rukia, "You are telling me that Soul Society can't find anything to help her? That they can't do anything at all to change her back? You have all known about this all this time and haven't said anything to me…"

"She knew how you would react if you knew…" Ishida injected causing Ichigo to look at him confused. "Inoue-san knew that if you found out what was going on with her you would feel guilty, maybe angry even, she never wanted you to suffer or feel the burden she was going through."

"She never wanted to be a burden to you," Sado stated. "She honestly believed she would be strong enough to handle what was happening to her, so you would never have to find out or worry. It was only recently that she was starting to change and she noticed it."

"Inoue…" Ichigo closed his eyes and an image of her smiling face came to him. His grip on the hairpins was so tight that the points of the flowers could almost puncture his skin to draw blood. "So you all have been conspiring to help me get my powers back and no one bother to tell me…"

"We didn't know when we would be able to perform such a task and at the time Inoue-san seemed to have everything under control," Urahara looked at the boy. "It would seem the moment you regained your soul reaper powers is when Inoue-san began reacting."

"You were the last person to see her again," Rukia pointed out and Ichigo looked at the petite soul reaper. "The first time she left, she healed your hand and this time…she gave you something to remember her by…"

"You're acting like she's dead…"

Rukia sighed, "If she's becoming a hollow…you know what we have to do."

"Shut up, there is no way in hell I'm letting anyone kill her, if she's been fighting this shit for this long…there has to be some of Inoue left…right…RIGHT?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ichigo sighed, they never answered him. They told him to go home and be with his family. Rukia would go back to Soul Society and inform them what happened with Orihime. He let a few tears fall from his eyes, I'm sorry…Inoue…I never took the time to notice these months how much you were protecting me and how much you were suffering. I'm so sorry…you have to be out there somewhere…you have to be…there has to be a chance to still bring you back…make you the way you were…

"Oi, stupid stop holding us so damn tight!" Ichigo pulled his hand away from his face. He heard a small voice and wondered where it came from, "Let us go stupid!"

Ichigo opened his hand and six golden lights appeared before him. Then he saw the small fairies that made up Orihime's power. The one that was yelling at him was trying to kick his face and Ichigo caught him easily and stared that the small feisty fairy, "WHAT THE HELL LET ME GO! YOU IDIOT IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Ichigo glared, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Stupid, if the woman didn't freaking lo…."

Shuno quickly came over and covered his mouth, "Shut up Tsubaki, we shouldn't be talking about Orihime-san like that…"

Tsubaki kicked the healing fairy off of him, "Shut up! You and I both know that the woman loves this stupid berry head idiot!" Ichigo froze at the word love but listened as the angry fairy continue to talk, "If she wasn't so damned worried about this bastard, we would still be with her and be her powers but NO! The woman has to get all damn noble and shit…"

"What are you talking about," Ichigo asked.

Shuno sighed and the other fairies looked at him. Shuno knew there was no point in hiding it from Ichigo, "You were able to call us out…"

"And?"

"It means that Orihime-san gave you some of her power," Shuno said sadly. "When she made physical contact with you, she gave her some of her powers to bring us out. I do not know how long that power will remain in you but I'm sure she wanted us to inform you of a few things…" Ichigo looked at all of them intently, "She feared that if Aizen was after her powers she would leave us here so no one could use us especially a chance of his escape. Since the threat was being made towards you, it only made sense to her to not tell you what was happening with her."

"Stupid woman…"

"What else do you know?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Well, that's it for now! ^_^ What else do the fairies know? Well, have to wait and see!