A/N: Ohmehgershez thank you guys soooo much for commenting! I love you all so much! You're my...kittens? No... Well if anyone has an animal themed name I can start calling my reviewers, I'm all ears... XD

just-snow: I'm glad Ichigo is back too! Hopefully she will be okay... not even I know what will happen later in the book ^^;

Sleepycatz: Hahaha thanks...I have braces too. Don't worry, after the first two weeks it stops hurting!

3LittleMuffinMen: Thanks! I try to make my stories not too far out there but unique. XP

PastaLovingHetaliaGreek: Haha! I know right! Writers block is terrible!

I asked a boy to the dance tonight but he said no D:. *single tear* I'm forever alone. I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! I had to do my history project and go to Lake Pleasant without my computer.

Anyway, the mentioning of long sleeves is going to be quite important so I would pay attention to that. Also, I associate an animal with each character I make so here's a list (specific first and general, which is what I'll use to describe them, second):

Aspen: German Shepherd (dog)

Alexis: Red Fox (fox)

Casey: Grey Wolf; The black she-wolf with blue eyes (wolf)

Margaret: Desert Tortoise (turtle, tortoise)

Molly: Spider Monkey (monkey)

Again, I'm sorry that this chapter is so late! I also had to get new glasses. Did any of you know that Casey has glasses? They're Ray Bans and they're rose colored on the outside and grey on the inside. I found that exact pair and I was like, "Ermehgerd I've gotta get these!"

Running.

Fighting.

Those are the only options.

How do I

Use my strength

To heal?

- Margaret

Turtle and a Wolf

Orihime offered to let us stay with her again. Of course we accepted. It wasn't like we had anywhere else to go.

Still...

Being in such close quarters with everyone else made me nervous.

It was already deep into the night. Everyone else was sleeping, and I slipped outside without being noticed. My footsteps echoed off of the stairs as I climbed to the roof.

The night air was cool and crisp, but I didn't mind. The lights of the town slowly flickered off, giving me a perfect view of the night sky. I adjusted my long sleeves and sighed. My breath made a misty cloud in the still air.

The moon is so beautiful tonight, Mai.

When had she said that to me? Years ago? Months ago?

Yes. I know, I thought.

Mai, where is the moon? I can't see it? I'm so lonely... Please...tell me what you're doing.

"I'm looking at the moon, Tsukiko. Remember when we used to do that? The moon is so beautiful tonight, Tsukiko," I whispered.

Is it full?

"No, not quite. There's just a tiny piece missing..."

I wish it was full...

Mai?

Yes, I thought.

Remember your promise.

"Wait!"

The stars glinted coldly.

What would it feel like?

To be the sky?

Going on forever and ever.

Seeing the pain of everyone.

People die. I understand that.

But my little sister wasn't ready.

She wasn't ready to die!

She was more than a person.

She was the one who made me human. Who kept me chained to this world. Who kept me alive. I would've committed suicide a long time ago if not for her. She was the one who gave me the will to live.

I would go through anything for her.

I would suffer through all of the pain in the world for her. I would stay in this hell of a life for her.

She was the one who gave me a heart.

Tears stung my eyes.

"It isn't fair. It just isn't fair. If there's a God out there... I can't accept that. I can't accept this life! I can't accept that kind of God! It's just too unfair!" I shouted.

The moon just shined forelornly.

I truly was alone.

"Hi! My name is Margaret! What's yours?"

I jumped.

"Gah! Um...m-mine is Casey!" I stuttered.

The blonde girl bent down to inspect me.

"You're in 6G, right? Sixth grade Grande?"

I nodded quickly.

"Okay then!" she announced. "We're gonna be best friends from now on!"

I stared, a light blush on my cheeks.

Best friends...

Someone was gently shaking me awake.

I grumbled something under my breath.

"Casey, wake up," Ichigo whispered.

My eyes opened quickly, and I blushed dark red.

"Um... sleeping on the roof didn't look too comfortable, so I decided to wake you up..."

The moon was still up, so I must've been asleep for only a few minutes.

I laughed gently.

"Thanks."

Ichigo smiled a bit.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"Eh? What makes you think that something's on my mind?"

"Well...I know you well enough. And-" he poked my belly playfully, "You always frown when you're thinking."

I squeaked in surprise when he poked me. He looked at me strangely.

"So you're ticklish, eh?"

Before I could answer, Ichigo ran began poking my sides. I errupted in fits of giggles.

"Ichigo...stop...can't...breathe! Gah!" I laughed.

He smirked.

"Will you say that I'm the awesomest ginger soul reaper to ever live?" he teased.

When he was talking, he had let his guard down. I pinned him easily.

"Awesomest isn't a word," I purred gloatingly.

"Um...Casey... You know I was just teasing," Ichigo squeaked as his back scraped against the roof floor.

"Were you now?"

I tickled him lightly, and he burst out laughing.

"Stop! Stop! Ahahaha I can't take it!" he cried.

I paused for a moment.

"Okay."

He sat up panting.

"Damn it, M&M," he wheezed.

We sat like that for a while.

"Hey Ichigo..."

"Mmm?"

"Do you ever feel like you've missed something great in life? Like you've majorly fucked up and can't help but wonder if life could be better?"

He thought for a while.

"When my mom died," he began slowly, "I felt that way. But then I realized that I had to take care of my sisters. I guess...I don't really think about it now."

But I wasn't listening anymore. Because I had fallen asleep against his shoulder.

When Ichigo didn't hear a response, he looked down at Casey to find that she had fallen asleep.

He sighed and petted her hair gently.

"You're a handful, you know that?" he whispered to the sleeping girl.

She truly looked beautiful in the dim light. Her brown hair fell into her hair, covering her closed silver eyes. Her skin was ghostly pale and seemed to glow.

Her arms tightened around him, and she snuggled against him.

He felt his heart skip a beat. Never had he felt this way. Never.

Not when he was around Rukia, who was considered by many to be beautiful enough to be a moon goddess.

Not around Orihime, whose charming personality and great body could win you over in a second.

Not around anyone.

He was considered cruel and dense because he supposedly didn't notice Orihime's crush on him. In reality, he did. He just didn't like Orihime that way.

Some people thought that he showed so little interest in women that he was either gay or asexual. He let them believe what they wanted. In truth, he was just really awkward with women.

But around her...

He sighed.

Where was a hollow invasion when you needed one?

A/N: Well this chapter is going to end here. Hopefully I'll update again either tonight or tomorrow. Also the next chappie will have a lot of IchiCasey fluffiness. Buh-bye!