Yo, Yo! I'm taking a crack at Bleach! Now I know the story is ended, as far as we know, but there are a few things that bothered me so I figured I'd attack one of em. This may not follow what happened exactly, mainly things that weren't explicitly clear in how they happened. Say deaths and such.

Chapter's Song: in love with a ghost - i was feeling down, then i found a nice witch and now we're best friends

"I wish I could have had five different lives instead of one."

Getting old wasn't for the weak.

What felt like eons ago, they had all been strong, incredibly strong; enough to fight Gods. In fact, they had fought Gods. Hollows, Arrancar, Fullbringers, Quincies.

Time is what laid them low.

Chapter 1

Orihime sat in her rocking chair, an old crochet blanket upon her lap as her feet rocked. The sun had long set and yet she remained, in her chair, looking out the window at the night sky.

Somewhere, out there, her son and relatives were battling the hollows that continued to appear.

"Are you wishing you could be out there protecting them as you once did?" she turned her head to see Urahara standing in his usual stance against the wall. His eyes were visible beneath his hat, and the look he had in them saddened her. "I haven't visited in so long… its quite shocking to see you now."

"Humans do age, Mr. Kisuke." Orihime smiled, a weak, aged one, but a smile nonetheless. "We all can't be like you. Able to escape miraculous, deadly situations."

"Yes, well, I'm sure one day my time will come."

"You've lived over a thousand years at this point, I can't see that happening," she tried to chuckle, but only a wheeze like cough came from her chest. Too weak. She couldn't get out of the chair to greet him properly.

The man moved closer, crouching before her and gently placing a hand on her own. "You're the last one still here. Commendable, truly." He smiled a bit and looked out the window.

"Yes, I seemed to have faired better than they did, considering my abilities." Years past, she had lost her closest friends to age, and her soulmate 3 years prior. "I'm guessing this topic is why you're here, Mr. Kisuke." She gently held his hand between her own. Oh, how her hands were so withered compared to the vitality of his gigai. "Kazui isn't coming."

"No, he's not. I thought that would be a little too personal for him to help his own mother on to the afterlife," Urahara gently squeezed the elderly woman's fingertips.

"I'm glad…" Orihime didn't want her son to be burdened with the death of his mother. "So, you'll be the one to lead me to soul society then?"

"Yup, that I will. Are you scared?"

Was she?

The sky was dark with barely visible stars, but it wouldn't stay that way, the sun would rise and light it afire before it turned a beautiful blue. It was a difficult thing, getting old. Some people aged with their minds intact, their once trustworthy bodies betraying them with fragile prisons. Some lost their minds while their forms remained functional, and for the most part, strong. There were a myriad of ways that a person could be betrayed by life, but hers had been cliche; a strong mind and an aged body.

"I am afraid…" Urahara looked at her behind his fan. "I am afraid that when I go, I will end up like the people I met in Soul Society...the ones that never found their families or friends." Orihime felt her eyes tearing as she thought of that reality, of never seeing him again. "I can make new friends, but nothing will replace the ones I've had and lost." She smiled at the man, his form blurry against her tears that threatened to spill. "I am not scared of dying Mr. Kisuke, I'm scared of that possible future."

Urahara was silent, thinking in his own way, he had always been like that. It was comforting for her to know that even now, in this situation, he could still be the same. "I can't tell you how things have changed in Soul Society, but I can say that I think you'll be just fine, Mrs. Kurosaki." He smiled at her, but his hat was shielding his eyes.

"Yes. I'll be just fine," Orihime took another breath, it was harder to do so today, and resumed her rocking as she looked back out at the night sky. Far off in the distance, she could sense a hollow somewhere, and with it was the reiatsu of a Shinigami. "With everything I've done...I'll find him...again."

2