When I see your smile
Tears run down my face
I can't replace…
"I can't, I really can't…"
Inoue Orihime said in between tears as they fell to Ichigo's chest in small drops. Her hand quivered as she held the boy's. she pulled back from the kiss that didn't happen and smiled softly as she looked at Ichigo's peaceful sleeping face, tears continuing to stain her cheeks.
"You know, Kurosaki-kun, I have a wish," she whispered as she sat down on the edge of his bed, his hand on her lap. "That I could live five different lifetimes. So then I could live in five different cities, have five different jobs, five different favorite foods…
"And in all of those lifetimes," she concluded, getting up and gently putting his hand back across his stomach. "I'd fall in love with the same person."
Her gray eyes were soft and full of sadness as she ran a hand through Ichigo's orange spikes, a small sad smile playing on her lips.
"Sayonara…"
And now that I'm stronger I've figured out
How this world turns cold
And it breaks through my soul
And I know, I'll find deep inside me
I can be the one
Outside the Kurosaki Clinic, the 4th Espada stood waiting beside an open Garganta. Orihime's face fell as she floated down towards him. She was scared. Scared for her life, scared she'll never come back alive.
But she feared more for her friend's safety. For Rukia's, for Chad's, for Ishida's, for Tatsuki's.
And most of all for the sleeping boy she had just visited.
"Come, woman," Ulquiorra said in his emotionless voice. The girl sighed and looked at Ichigo's bedroom window for the last time, her auburn hair blowing lightly in the night air.
The Garganta swallowed her into darkness, and disappeared without a trace.
I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sendsme to heaven
It's ok, it's ok
It's ok …
The eldest of the Kurosaki siblings woke in confusion. Was it just a dream? Or did his long-haired friend really had come to confess her love? Ichigo looked around his room. The whole house was protected by Rukia's 'top-class' Kido. Nothing spiritual could have passé through the walls. He shrugged.
But as he drifted off to sleep, he wished that Orihime really had said those words.
Seasons are changing
And waves are crashing
And stars are falling all for us
Days grow longer
And nights grow shorter
I can show you I'll be the one…
And now Orihime watched Ichigo as he battled Ulquiorra. For her. She couldn't stand being helpless, huddled and shaking in a corner while brutal cuts and slashes appeared continuously on her savior's body.
"I'll defeat you!" Ichigo had bellowed. "I'll defeat you and bring Inoue home!"
But now he was losing, badly.
He grunted in pain as one of Ulquiorra's Cero grazed his right arm. Now he could hardly hold his sword properly.
"K-Kurosaki-kun…" Orihime whimpered. Her fear for him was paramount, eyes wide and full of fear, terrified.
'Cause you're my, you're my, my
My true love, my whole heart
Please don't throw that away
Ulquiorra disappeared and Ichigo's tired eyes moved frantically around the room in search for his enemy.
"S-Santen Kesshun," she murmured. "I reject!"
A shiel covered Ichigo's body, and Ulquiorra was forced to come to a halt. His emerald eyes swiveled to meet Orihime's fear-filled gray ones, but before he could do anything else, he ducked out of the way to avoind Tensa Zangetsu which came rushing in his direction. Ulquiorra disappeared once more and Orihime tried to strengthen her shield.
But she didn't have any strength left, even to raise a finger. The orange shield's light flickered and died, and her Shun Shun Rikkas returned to the sides of her head.
"No, no," she whispered frantically, reaching for her hairpins. "No, Kurosaki-kun! Please, no!"
'Cause I'm here for you
Please don't walk away, and
Please tell me you'll stay, stay
There was only one thing left to do. Only one way now to save her beloved, even if it means giving away the only thing she had left.
'You can do it Orihime!' Shun'o cried in her head. She couldn't hear the other Rikkas, but she could almost picture them all nodding their tiny heads in agreement.
'Do it chick,' Tsubaki whispered softly.
Yes, she'll do it.
Orihime gathered all the strength she could muster and shot off towards Ichigo. A streak of white appeared near his back and she ran to that direction.
She stopped, back to back with Ichigo and flung out her arms, her beautiful face full of determination
Use me as you will
Pull my strings just for a thrill
And I know I'll be ok
Though my skies are turning gray
The girl felt the cool blade of Ulquiorra's zanpakuto pierce through her chest, then straight at her heart. When Ichigo turned around, her blood splattered all over his shihakusho, and her body fell backwards to his surprised arms as Ulquiorra pulled out his sword, still as emotionless as always.
Orihime;s breathing was heavy and labored, blood gushing out from her open wound as her fragile fingers grappled over it helplessly.
"I-Inoue?" Ichigo couldn't believe it. The girl he had strained himself to save was noe dying in his arms. "Inoue!"
He could see that her ragged breathing was going to stop soon. Her beautiful gray eyes, full of love and compassion, was going to close forever soon.
And soon, he could never see her radiant smile again. The smile she would smile only for him.
"Yay," she breathed out. "Yay, I did it,"
"No! Inoue, stay with me, please! Don't go!" he begged frantically and shook her small shoulders. "Don't go…"
"Ku-Kurosaki-kun…" she called weakly. He looked to her eyes with a dull hopelessness in his own. "I've said before, that I'll wish for five different lifetimes, and in those five times I'll fall in love with the same person.
"Do you know who that person is?" she asked casually, as if they were both sitting in a bench in a sunny park. As if they weren't in a place full of sons of the devil, and that she wasn't on the verge of death. Ichigo continued to just stare at her.
"That person is you," she answered her own question simply. The two continued to gaze to each other's eyes. But after a while the light in the grey pair disappeared .
But her face glowed with happiness.
I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven…
"Finished?" Ulquiorra asked in a bored tone. All he got as a reply was Ichigo putting down Orihime's stone-cold body on the floor gently, reiatsu spiking up uncontrollably.