A/N: Hello to the Bleach fandom! This is my first Bleach fic. so please go easy on me. I would really appreciate constructive feedback when you review but even a simple compliment is just fine. I would like to thank all of you in advance for taking the time to read this story (and leaving reviews)

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach (Do we have to put this up?)

Sayonara

"This isn't a negotiation, it's an order"

Orihime wondered helplessly through the streets of Karkura Town, unable to touch but able to feel, she was able to feel despair as her light footsteps caressed the pavement, able to feel the pain of having her fate wrenched from her grip, she was able to feel the apprehension of not knowing her fate but knowing that she will never see her friends again.

"The only thing that you have grasping in your hand is the throats of your comrades that rest on the guillotine of the string you hold"

Orihime came to a stop in front of a large store, she was able to see her reflection, clear as pearl, against the large window. The faces of her friends flashed through her mind, as clear as the reflection on the window. Uryuu's pale face and cool blue eyes that spoke a thousand words, Chad's tan face and shaggy brown hair, Rukia's determination and strength that defied her petite physique, Renji's crimson hair and eyes that spoke of determination and unwavering loyalty and there was Ichigo… Orihime couldn't help but smile as his bright hair and brown eyes flashed through her mind. Orihime had been in love with him ever since she could remember but he had no clue, not even the slightest inclination of what she felt, she did not have the courage to tell him, because whenever she was around him, she could not find the appropriate words.

"I feel like an airhead whenever I'm around Kurosaki-kun" she murmured. "Besides, where can I find the time? He's always fighting someone"

When Rukia was taken to Soul Society to be executed he had rushed to save her, Orihime followed because she wanted to help in the best way she could, but had to watch as Ichigo was embroiled in a dangerous battle with Byukya that could have ended badly for both of them. Then there was the Bounto, barely weeks after they had returned, the mysterious beings rose from the darkness and decided to wreck havoc across Soul Society, Orihime could clearly recall how Ichigo had charged recklessly into battle. Then came the Arrancar, Orihime couldn't remember a time when she felt useless, to watch as her dear friends were taken down while you watched helplessly on the sidelines was hard for anyone, especially Orihime.
It was a difficult choice to make, but there was nothing she could do, Orihime refused to endanger the lives of her friends by defying the Arrancar, she thought about the person who had given her the handcuffs, his grey skin and cold green eyes sent chills of fear through her spine, she had sensed a fearful reiatsu from him and instinctively knew that he was dangerously powerful. Orihime only hoped that he didn't unleash all that power on her friends.

Orihime looked around, she was on the outskirts of Karkura Town's Centre and near the suburbs where Ichigo lived. Orhime began to make her way down the paved street, she didn't want to do it, she didn't want to have to say goodbye to anyone but she also knew that if she couldn't help anyone on the battlefield then she could at least keep them safe by sacrificing herself.
The large shops and large sidewalks gave way to small, winding paths that lead to tranquil parks and quiet houses. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, it was truly a magnificent sight. There were so many people she wished to say goodbye to but she could only chose one. To Orihime, the obvious choice would be Ichigo, the boy she had been in love with since she could remember. Taking a deep breath, Orihime began to walk down the path that would lead to the house/clinic.

"I'm coming, Kurosaki-kun" she whispered, to no one in particular. "Coming to say goodbye"

Her words suddenly made her stop in her tracks. Orihime frowned in aggravation.

"I am about to leave the real world and I'm acting like this," she murmured. "I'm hopeless"

Orihime stood where she was, allowing the wind to play with her chestnut brown hair, she couldn't help but shiver as the weight of what she was about to do crashed down on her.

"I'm about to surrender myself to the enemy. I don't know what they'll do to me"

She paused as she tried to sort through the haze of emotions sweeping through her.

"I don't even know if they'll let me live, they could kill me the moment I enter Hueco Mundo"

Orihime took a deep breath, her chest heaving with resolve.

"I want to leave with the knowledge that I have said goodbye to someone I truly care about"

With those words, Orihime walked down the street towards her intended destination.

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "I've been searching everywhere for you, Ishida-kun"

The familiar form of the pale boy she had not seen in a while lay before her.

"Wow!" she exclaimed, looking around the large steel room. "Is there were you have been all this time, Ishida-kun?"

A faint moan was all the response she got, Orihime couldn't help but smile at the sight of Ishida, until she caught sight of the bruises on his side.

"Ishida-kun! You are hurt!"

Orihime immediately ran towards him, she was about to call her flowers when she suddenly stopped. What if they didn't work? She was after all practically cut off from the real world and there was no guarantee that they would work on Ishida, and there was the Arrancar to consider, they could easily be watching her. Orihime let her hands drop to her side, feeling slightly crestfallen. The young girl gently placed her hand on the black blue bruise that contrasted with Ishida's pale skin.

"I'm so sorry, Ishida-kun" she whispered. "I'm sorry I can't heal you, after everything you've done for me"

It hurt Orihime to see the man who had protected her so diligently in Soul Society, lying in such a state on the cold, hard floor. The young girl removed her hand from Uryu's bruise and cupped his face, he was paler than usual but that did not change how handsome he was. She removed her hand from his face and smiled at him.

"I can feel your reiatsu building up" she whispered. "You're growing stronger, aren't you Ishida-kun?"

Orihime paused as if expecting a response but none came.

"That's good" she continued, smiling. "We'll need you when the big battle comes, well actually, they'll need you"

Suddenly the excitement she felt at seeing Uryu again faded as the anxiety of leaving her friends took over.

"I'm going away, Ishida-kun" she said. "And I don't think I'll be coming back"

Orihime closed her eyes, trying to keep her feelings under control.

"When I first thought about the person I wanted to say goodbye to, I never thought about you, well… maybe Tatsuki-chan but not you"

Orihime's grey eyes scanned Ishida's pale, handsome face and her voice was faint as she spoke her next words.

"But now that I'm here I can't think of anyone else I'd rather say goodbye to...."

She paused as something about her relationship with Uryu occurred to her.

"We haven't talked, have we Ishida-kun? I mean, of course we've spoken"

She trailed off into an embarrassed laugh.

"I mean we haven't had the chance to have a nice long chat over tea and rice cakes"

Orihime paused, gazing down at the Quincy archer with newfound fondness.

"I didn't think about it much back then, but looking back on it I'm sure you had lots to say… and so did I"

Orihime briefly imagined how a conversation between her and Uryu would have gone, perhaps she would have ended up doing all the talking and he would be listening silently with a small smile on his face.

"I never thought about you in that way, Ishida-kun" she continued. "You were a good friend, like Sado-kun and Abarai-kun but not like Kurosaki-kun…. I guess it's because I never gave you that chance, did I?"

For a moment, Orihime's mind drifted down memory lane, she could clearly remember the day when Rirrin had kidnapped Tatsuki to prove to her and the others that she was serious about kidnapping everyone in the school. Orihime could recall how hysterical she felt and shoved Uryu's attempts to comfort her, she refused to be consoled by no one else but Ichigo. The young girl had realized that Uryu had been oddly distant since that day, whether it was because he was suffering from the lose of his powers Orihime couldn't tell, but she suddenly wished that she knew him enough to tell how he was feeling.

"Then the Bounto came looking for you and everyone got involved in a battle that you felt was yours, am I right Ishida-kun?"

Ishida stirred, as if agreeing with the young girl speaking to him. Orihime couldn't help but smile at this small hint of life.

"We tried our best to protect you, but we never took your feelings into consideration, did we?" she whispered. "You must have felt so hopeless and sad, not being able to fight while others fought and got injured. I'm so sorry for not thinking about you, Ishida-kun"

The unconscious archer gave a slight shake of his head, as if telling her not to worry, the moonlight reflected in his glasses.

"Your glasses make you look cute, Ishida-kun"

Orihime giggled in surprise at the comment.

"Here I am saying random things when I'm supposed to be serious" she said, laughing.

On the floor, Uryu let out a small rasping sound, as if laughing at the random comment.

"But it's true though" said Orihime, after she was done eyes scanned his face, her gaze lowered to his exposed chest where the hard muscles that lined his body provided a visual buffet for Orihime, who looked away while blushing.

"You're so strong, Ishida-kun" she continued. "And I'm not talking about your body. When things with the Bounto were hard, you struggled to find a way and you never gave up no matter how hopeless it seemed. I admire your strength, Ishida-kun"

Orihime paused in surprise, she had never admitted that to anyone, least of all to herself, but it was the truth.

"I admire how you're able to stay calm when we're in danger. It's so amazing, how you don't run from your problems"

Orihime paused to contemplate her feelings, everything she had said up till now was true, she never knew how she felt about Uryu until this moment, the young girl suddenly wished she realized her feelings sooner.

"I guess that's why I came here" she concluded. "I was drawn to your strength, I was drawn to you, Ishida-kun"

Orihime paused once again to reflect on those words, suddenly the thought of Ichigo didn't make her dizzy as it once did. There was something mysterious about Uryuu that made him so appealing. The archer himself, smiled, as if having a pleasant dream.

"There was so much I wanted to do while I was here, I wanted go to a donut shop and order one of every kind, I wanted to make a recipe from cherry blossoms, I wanted to go to the top of Mount Fuji and watch the sunset, I wanted to learn how to make muffins, I wanted to throw a dinner party for everyone, I wanted to learn the difference between love and friendship"

Her eyes glanced over Uryuu's pale form. "I want to know more about you, Ishida-kun"

Uryu let out a soft sigh as if expressing his pleasure.

"Wow" whispered Orihime, in wonder. "I never thought that there would be so much to do, now I'll really miss this world!"

Orihime paused again and when she spoke, all her humour was gone from her voice.

"But I suppose that it's too late. I won't take back my decision if it meant protecting my friends"

Orihime took a deep breath, resolving herself to do the thing she dreaded the most, she knelt slowly before Uryu and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, she was briefly startled when the archer let out a deep sigh.

"Inoue-san..."

For a brief moment, Orihime feared that he had woken up but a quick scan of his features reassured her that he was still asleep, though part of her couldn't help but be disappointed, she would have loved to see his deep blue eyes again.

"You're making this very hard," she murmured. "But I have to go now, I don't have much time"

The unconscious Qunicy frowned, as if he was having a bad dream. Orihime's wide grey eyes flew to the black blue bruises that marred his pale body.

"Please get someone to heal your wounds" she said. "I really wish can do it, but they could be watching and I don't want to give them a reason to hurt you"

Her hands briefly touched every bruise, expressing her wish to heal the injuries.

"Sayonara, Ishida-kun"

Orihime closed her eyes and placed a gentle kiss on Uryu's cheek, close to his lips. The bespectacled boy smiled as soon as the lips made contact with him and he let out a breathy sigh.

"Sayonara, Inoue-san"

The voice was like a haunting melody that vibrated through her heart. Uryu's words broke Orihime's resolve to be strong, wiping the tears that were pooling around her eyes; she disappeared through the wall, her footsteps soundless against the cold hard floor.

Later that night, Orihime Inoue left the world with nothing but faint traces of her reiatsu as testimony to her existence. When Uryu Ishida awoke from his slumber, he discovered that his injuries had been mysteriously healed and he could feel traces of Orihime's reiatsu, he did not need anyone to tell him that Orihime had been with him while he was asleep and the thought made him smile. It was reassuring to know that she had not forgotten him while he had been away.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this oneshot. I apologize if the consistent repetition of 'Orihime paused' annoyed anyone but there was a reason for writing it. If there was anyone expecting more romance, I'm sorry to disappoint, I was aiming for what I hoped was a more realistic ending with Orihime just realizing that what she felt for Uryu was more than just friendship, hence I felt that a kiss would have been too fast for Orihime.

Please leave a review. Thanks.

Sayonara means farewell/goodbye in Japanese.

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in all of Japan.