Silence

Bleach- ichi/hime

"She hasn't spoken a word sine she returned?" Yoruichi spoke softly.

"No, it's almost as if her body is an empty vessel, mechanically moving through her life day by day." Urahara explained. He sipped his tea. "She shows no emotion, but she's fully aware of everything around her. Ichigo says he often watches her stare out the window as if searching something. Although, it seems to be a rarity that she leaves her room."

"There must be something we can do." Yoruichi said, her voice tainted with worry.

"I believe we must leave this task to Ichigo."

Ichigo took a deep breath as he stopped in front of Orihime's front door. He'd been spending a lot of time here lately, he'd even spent the night a few times, which seemed to excite his father, as disturbing as that is.

Ichigo kicked off his shoes at the door and made his way into the livingroom. On the table, just like everyday was a small plate of cookies. Left just for him by the young girl who was miraculously still worried about everyone else but herself. It broke is heart to know that someone so innocent, someone he cared so much about, was in so much pain that she couldn't speak. She didn't even smile anymore.

That hurt him the most. He loved her smile and he laugh. She was like this big ball of sunshine that made his day better every time he saw her.

But the light in her eyes was gone now, replaced by a shadow of fear and pain.

Ichigo heard the door open behind him and turned to look even though he knew who it was.

"Hey Orihime." Ichigo greeted with a smile he only used with her. "Thanks for the cookies." She didn't reply, only starred at him with cold dead eyes. "I brought your homework." He continued extending a small notebook toward her. she walked up, took the notebook, and then turned and walked back to her room, closing the door with almost no sound.

Ichigo sighed when she was gone. He always made it a point to talk to her even if she didn't reply. He hoped that one day he might say something and out of the blue she would just decide to answer him. Although, he knew it probably wouldn't be that easy.

later that night

Ichigo knocked on Orihime's bedroom door before peaking in.

"Orihime?" he called, spotting the young teen sitting on the out cropped window sill. She turned her head to look at him. "I'm headed home, do you need anything?"

She raised her arm slowly as if she were some ghostly specter and pointed toward the desk in the corner. Ichigo knew immediately what she was trying to say, she'd done it before. he walked over to the desk and picked up the papers she was referring to, her homework, and then headed back toward the door. He turned one last time to check on her. She had turned back to look out the window.

Ichigo looked away sadly, slowly loosing a piece of himself.

Ichigo walked into class the next morning and set Orihime's homework on the desk.

"Oh, good morning, Ichigo, is this Miss Inoue's homework?" the teacher asked. Ichigo replied with a nod and then walked away. He sat at his desk and waited for class to begin.

"Hey Ichigo." Tatski greeted sitting backwards on her chair in front of his desk.

"So, how's Orihime?" she asked. "I don't see why she won't let me come over, it's not like a broken leg is contagious." She joked.

"Uh yea, she just doesn't want anyone fussing." Ichigo lied.

"Are you sure she doesn't want me over, I mean she's my best friend, I'm supposed to fuss." Ichigo sighed.

"I don't really know her reasoning. I just know she want to be left alone." Ichigo explained. Tatski watched him suspiciously, but before she could say anything else, the bell rang for class to begin.

Ichigo sighed as he entered Orihime's apartment. He kicked off his shoes and grabbed a cookie off the table before heading toward Orihime's room. He knocked, waited a minute and then entered.

She was looking out the window again, watching the grey clouds accumulate in the sky.

"Looks like there's going to be a storm." Ichigo said, she didn't turn around. "I here it's supposed to rain all weekend." She still didn't turn around. He sighed inwardly as he set her homework on the desk and left.

Ichigo let out a deep sigh of exasperation as he collapsed back on the couch. It was Friday and like every weekend he was going to sleepover. He didn't think it was a good idea to leave her alone at all but he couldn't exactly stay everyday. His family would start to get suspicious. His father already thought he was a player.

That night

Ding Dong

Ichigo opened the door to reveal a young man wearing a chop sokie Chucks Chinese restaurant t-shit.

"Hey, that's 16.95." the young man said. Ichigo paid the man and took the bag closing the door and heading toward the kitchen table. He set out the food and then headed towards Orihime's room.

He knocked on the door, but instead of opening it, he just called through it.

"Hey, Orihime. Dinner's here."

The door opened slowly as he began to walk away. He heard her faintly light footsteps trailing behind him. He sat at the table and she sat across form him.

Silence surrounded them as they ate. Sadness seemed to reverberate through the small room. Every now and then Ichigo looked up to look at Orihime. Her face was completely blank, like she was nothing but an empty shell. She never looked at him, never made a single sound.

Orihime finished her dinner and stood, taking her plate and silverware into the kitchen and then heading back to her room.

Ichigo watched her sadly. His hopefulness in being able to help her was slowly starting to slip away. There was one way he could think of that might help, he would wait till morning of course, but his last hopes were pinned on it.

The clang of pots resounded through the small apartment, startling the young orange haired teen sleeping on the couch, awake. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen.

Orihime stood at the stove, cooking something, that in Ichigo's opinion, smelled really good. He watched as she turned off the stove minutes later and turned to face him, holding two plates full of pancakes. She walked up to him and handed him one of the plates, before taking a seat at the table.

Ichigo watched before he too, took a seat. They once again ate in silence, as they did every time they shared a meal.

Said meal went quickly and Orihime left the table, her lace clean, and headed for her bedroom. Ichigo sighed.

"I guess now's as good a time as any." He murmured to himself, putting his plate in the sink and following her to her room.

He knocked, waited a minute and then headed in. the room was empty and the only thing that that alerted him to her presence was the sound of the faucet filling the bathtub. He made up his mind quickly to wait for her.

Ichigo leasurely walked up to the bed and sat down, all the while casually looking around the room. There were a few picture frames on the end table that caught Ichigo's attention. There were three in total, each one turned face down.

He lifted each one. The first was of Sora and Orihime, probably around the time her brother died. The second was of Tatski and Orihime at the Karakura Carnival. And the third was of Chad, Uryu, Rukia, Renji, Himself and Orihime. Confusion pakyed on his face as he tried to figure out why the photos were turned down.

It was good ten minutes before Orihime came back out. She was wrapped in a big white fluffy towel and her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. She looked up as she walked out and for the first time in a long time, she showed a slight flicker of emotion.

"Hey." Ichigo greeted as she stood stock still, still paralyzed by shock. "Orihime, you don't have to say anything." He said standing up and walking toward her. He took her hand and led her to the bed where he sat her down and knelt in front of her. "I don't know what happened in Hueco Mundo, but I do know that what ever did happen, it's over now and I'm here for you." Ichigo stood and wrapped her in a warm hug, holding her close to his chest. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough."

A tear slide down Orihime's cheek, then another and another until finally they fell freely. Her body shook before a violent sob raked her body. Ichigo held her tighter as he scooped her up and laid her across his lap as he sat up against the head board.

"I'm sorry." She cried as if in pain. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault." She took a gasping breath. "It's all my fault."

"Shhh." Ichigo soothed rubbing a small circle between her shoulder blades. "Relax." He whispered. "Everything's going to be alright."

A crack of thunder outside resounded, waking the young girl lying in bed. The first sight when she opened her eyes was the face of the boy she'd come to love. His usually permanent scowl was gone, relaxed out in sleep. The hard line of his brow was soft, the thin set of his lips relaxed. He was even more handsome without the scowl.

She really didn't understand why he was taking care of her. after everything she;d done, al he could think of was taking care of her.

She blushed as she realized her was holding onto her. She enjoyed being so close to him, but a part of her felt like she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve his kindness.

Orihime was so caught up in her thoughts, that she failed to notice the young boy next to her stir.

Ichigo opened his eyes to see Orihime starring blankly at him. He smiled lightly, but she seemed to be in some sort of trans.

"Orihime?" he called softly. She blinked away her daze. "Are you ok?"

"I suppose that's the big question." She replied. His smile widened slightly. "What?" she asked confused.

"I missed your voice." He replied. She blushed. The heat rose on her face as she realized Ichigo was getting closer and closer.

"What are…" she started.

"Shhh." He cut her off before closing the distance and captures her lips in a sweet loving kiss. He pulled away shortly after to look at her face. Her eyes were closed and she held a dreamy look. A feeling came over him at the sight of her in peace.

Ichigo took the initiative and gently pushed Orihime down to lie on her back. He rolled on top of her as she went.

"Ichigo." She breathed as her towel came loose.

"I love you, Orihime."

Giggles and chuckles could be heard over the rain from the small bedroom in the back apartment.

"Ha, that tickles, Ichigo." Orihime giggled. Ichigo chuckled.

"That was the point." He replied. She giggled again.

The two teens laid in silence , both content with just holding each other. Suddenly a thought struck Ichigo.

"Orihime?" he questioned. She looked up at him. "Why are those pictures turnd down?" she looked away as if ashamed. "Orihime?"

"They were starring at me." She explained. "Accusingly." Ichigo chuckled as he pulled her tighter.

"Don't worry, anymore." He whispered in her ear. She smiled.

"Ichigo?" Orihime started a little nervous. "Summer breaks coming up." She continued.

"Yes it is." Ichigo replied.

"I have family in Tokyo." She started. "And I was thinking that I might go stay with them fro the summer." Ichigo looked down at her surprised. "I just need a break from Karakura town. "Ichigo sighed.

"Can I visit you?" she looked up at him smiling.

"I'd really like that."

"Good." He said pulling her closer. "Cause I'm not letting you go again."

A/N: Here you go, story number 62. I hope you like it please review. I ended it, so there's a possibility of a sequel. If I can think up a good one, I will post it.

-RED