Yay! Another chapter is done! This chapter took a little while to write, but I finally finished it. Thank you for the reviews and the patience in waiting for me to post this. I've had schoolwork to do, and some plot bunnies bounced into my mind and took over. But anyway, on with the chapter!
And an extra special thanks for my beta, Darth Hawk32, who is amazing and most definitely did write this in my author's notes. (XP)
No, seriously. He is amazing, although he has very selfish reasons for being my beta. (Oh, and I win because I'm the last one to see this document before I post it, so there XP)
*I don't curse, but to get the effect I wanted, I had to use it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I do own five Bleach manga volumes, though.
When Chad dropped by at his usual time with a newspaper, he found Ichigo slumped in the chair by the desk, rubbing his forehead with his hand. Chad sat down in the other chair, studying his friend. "What's wrong?"
"Orihime fell off a chair."
Chad raised an amused eyebrow. "How?"
"She decided to clean the walls today. She fell and bruised her hip. She didn't tell me about it, either. I had to find out by myself when I saw her limping and the chair against the wall. What kind of woman is she? She talks too much about unimportant things, and too little about the important things."
"Talk to me. What's been going on?" The big man leaned forward.
"What hasn't been going on, Chad? She is going to be the death of me. She is annoying, and, oh, get this. She doesn't know how to cook. Can you believe that? What woman in her right mind doesn't know how to cook? She gave me an excuse, too. Something about having had a cook or something. I asked her what she did know how to do and she ran away." The orange-haired man scowled.
Chad nodded in understanding. "She's scared."
Ichigo lifted his eyes to view his friend. "Huh?"
"I heard from Renji before he was gored that you didn't exactly give her the greatest welcome."
"Well, what did you want me to do? Welcome her with open arms? She just showed up and disrupted my life. She can't cook at all, she's clumsy, she won't stop talking," Ichigo ticked off the list on his fingers.
"Ichigo." Chad sighed. "You can be...scary sometimes, especially to someone who doesn't know you very well. Sometimes you just blow up at the slightest things. So was it any wonder that she didn't tell you? What all has she done that you exploded at?"
"Well, everything. But-"
"Do you realize she could have died?" The Mexican interrupted.
Ichigo jolted.
"If she'd bumped her head and hadn't hurt her leg at all, you would never have known. The injury could have caused her death. And since she was too afraid to talk to you, you would have been partly to blame." Chad finished, speaking slowly.
Again.
That word hung heavy in the air. Neither of them said it out loud, but it still loomed over their heads like a dark cloud. It was taboo to bring the subject up, and Chad had unintentionally tread on very shaky ground.
Ichigo stared blankly out the window. Chad was right. He had been so wrapped up in the inconvenience the situation had caused him that he had neglected to think about her feelings. She had been tricked, as well, and how had he treated her? Now, because of his ignorance, she could have died. No, he didn't want to be responsible for someone's death.
Not again.
He let out a breath. "Yeah, I knew that she was scared of me. To be honest, I wanted it that way. But if she's not going to tell me something important like that...Well, I think I could stand to be a little more civil to her. I still don't like the fact that she's here, but I think I can deal with it."
Chad nodded; relieved that Ichigo seemed to finally understand how much his attitude affected other people. "Good. I have to go now."
"Yeah, never know when someone might bring in a horse to be shooed. I'll see you." Once Chad had left, Ichigo leaned back, his hands behind his head. Yesterday, he had made up his mind that he was going to try to be friendly with her. What had changed? Oh, yes. Renji had been injured, and then she had fainted. After that, she had confessed that she couldn't cook. And how could he forget the incident with her nightdress and her bruised hip?
He could feel his cheeks growing hot, and was relieved that no one was here to witness it. She'd had to remove her clothing so he could examine her. It was his duty as a doctor. Glancing over at Renji, he wondered if he would be able to sneak away for a few minutes to check on Orihime. It had been a little more than an hour since he had sent her to rest. After checking Renji over quickly and finding that his fever had gone down, Ichigo left, quietly shutting the door behind him.
He noticed Ikkaku ride up to the office and greeted him. "What are you doing here?"
"I managed to finagle some time off to see how Renji's doing." The bald man jumped off the horse and tied the reins to a post.
"He woke up a few times, but he's still out of it. He had a fever, too, but that's gone down."
"When do you think he can be moved?"
Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Not for a while yet. He's still too weak and I don't want to risk the stitches tearing. Why?"
"Mr. Kuchiki wants him back to work as soon as possible."
"Well, he's got to wait. I wouldn't be surprised if he's still recovering three months from now. That bull really did a number on him. He's lucky to be alive. How exactly did it happen?"
Ikkaku raised an eyebrow. "The bull broke through a section of the fence that we were to fix that day. It started rampaging towards the house. Miss Kuchiki was just coming out to get in the wagon to go to town. That bull headed straight for her, and let me tell you this, I ain't never seen Renji move that fast. Before any of us could do anything, that idiot was between Miss Kuchiki and the bull. I guess it decided that Renji was better prey and went after him."
Ichigo gave a low whistle. "That must have taken guts to do that."
"I'd say so. But you know, if Renji hadn't done that, Miss Kuchiki would have been killed, and there would have been a price to pay for all of us present that didn't do anything to stop it. Her older brother would have killed us all." Ikkaku scowled, then spat on the ground. "I can't stand that man, but it's a job. I need the money." It looked like he was going to say more, but decided against it.
"You can go on in and see Renji, but don't bother him if he's sleeping. I have to go check on Orihime and make sure she's staying out of trouble." He sighed.
"Why? What did she do?" After Ichigo relayed the incident, Ikkaku couldn't help but smirk. "Looks like you've got yourself a real winner."
"You have to be kidding. More like a real problem. Anyway, I'll catch you later." The orange-haired man lifted a hand and walked off. Thirty seconds later found him leaning against the doorframe watching Orihime sleep. He hated to wake her since she was sleeping peacefully, so he turned and went to the kitchen. After grabbing something to eat, he carried the plate back to the office. Ikkaku was still there, and it looked like Renji was awake.
"Do you remember anything about what happened?" Ikkaku was asking as Ichigo came in.
"Not...really. Did...Miss Kuchiki get...?"
"Nah, she's fit as a fiddle, thanks to your quick, albeit idiotic, thinking." Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"She was...in danger." Renji protested weakly. "I had to...do something."
"Uh-huh." Ikkaku gave Ichigo a look saying 'he's-got-it-bad-for-her.'
Ichigo began to laugh, causing him to choke on the food that was in his mouth. After a few minutes of coughing, he took a deep breath.
"You okay, Doc?" Ikkaku asked, grinning.
"Yeah, just fine." He ignored Ikkaku's loud laughter. A few minutes later there was silence as Ichigo ate. Renji fell back to sleep, which Ichigo knew was needed for him to regain his strength.
"You know, you're going to be the same way."
Ichigo jerked his gaze over to his friend. "What?"
"You heard me." Ikkaku leaned back in his chair, a smug look on his face.
"What makes you so sure?" The doctor questioned slowly, his brow furrowing.
He shrugged. "No particular reason." He slapped his hands on his knees and stood. "I've probably pushed my limit as to how long I could be gone, so I better get back before I don't have a job."
"Yeah, see you." The door shut, and Ichigo was left alone. He tapped his finger on the desk. What made him say that? I will never act like Renji does when he's around Rukia. That is ridiculous. Orihime may be my wife, but I certainly didn't choose her. She doesn't affect me at all. He blew out a breath. He wasn't going to worry about it. Ikkaku was dead wrong with his assumption.
Orihime woke slowly. She blinked and yawned. Intending to go back to sleep, she pulled the covers tighter, but realized she wouldn't be able to. Nibbling on her lip, she sat up and winced. Her leg still hurt, but she had to move. She hesitated, remembering that Ichigo had told her to stay off her leg. She had no way to get hold of him. Dare she do this and risk angering him?
Yes, she had to. She pushed the covers away and carefully swung her legs over the edge. She placed her weight on her left side and made her way to the bathroom, all the while holding her breath and waiting for Ichigo to storm in. When he didn't, she gave a sigh of relief.
Her stomach growled, and she giggled, then sobered as she realized that she didn't have anything to eat. If she hadn't been told by Ichigo to stay in the house, she could have gone to ask him. But since she had been forbidden to walk around, she had to wait until he came to see her.
What if he didn't come to see her?
Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. She was going to starve! He was planning on staying away because he knew that she would obey him. Was this his way of getting rid of her? Tears threatened to overflow, but she held them back. He wouldn't do anything like that, not after he helped with her leg. Besides, she was in pain and hungry. That could be part of the reason as to why she was feeling as though these were her last few hours on Earth.
Limping back to the bed, she sat down and pondered her dilemma. On the one hand, she could sit here and very well starve, but he wouldn't be angry. On the other hand, she could walk to the office and ask for something to eat, thus incurring his wrath. Oh, why were all the important decisions in life so difficult to make?
Her stomach rumbled again, and she knew that she had to have food. She scooped up her clothing from the floor and began to dress. As she did, she blushed, recalling the events from a few hours ago. She could still feel the touch of his fingers on her skin. His touch had been so warm and gentle, not at all like she had thought it would be. But as a doctor, he had to be gentle. And at that moment, he had been a doctor, not her husband.
Orihime froze. Could it be? Was it possible that there was a human being hidden deep inside Ichigo? A part of him that didn't lose his temper so casually? She would have done a little jig for joy, but the pain in her leg prevented her from doing so.
Maybe things were beginning to turn around for her. Now if she could only find something that she was good at. She should learn how to cook, she reasoned. That way, Ichigo didn't have to worry about making the meals and taking care of his patients at the same time. Glancing down at her leg, she decided that it would be a good idea to start learning now while she didn't have anything else to do. Surely he wouldn't oppose to her sitting down and watching him.
But then again, he couldn't stand being around her. That much was evident from the numerous times he had abruptly left her alone. She put a hand to her forehead. That man was confusing. His moods changed so quickly her head spun just thinking about it. She sighed, certain that she would never understand him. "Oh, well. I can at least give it a try..."
"Give what a try?"
Orihime yelped and whirled around. There, in the doorway, stood Ichigo, a tray in his hands. "Ichigo." She gasped and pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart.
"I thought I told you to stay off your leg." A frown darkened his face.
"Well, um, yes, you did, but I had to..." She blushed, sneaking a peek towards the bathroom.
He followed her gaze. "Oh...um, yeah. That's fine. Just don't go walking all over the house. I brought you some food. Thought you might be hungry."
Her mouth watered at the delicious smell wafting from the plate. "Yes, I am. I wasn't sure what to do, though. I mean, I wasn't sure if you were coming and I was hungry and-"
"Wait. If? What do you mean by 'if'?" Ichigo interrupted.
"Did I say if? I meant when," she stammered.
Ichigo set the tray on the small table with a clunk, and turned to face her. "Orihime let me tell you this. I may not have been expecting you to come, and I may not be entirely happy that you are here, but you are my responsibility. And I take responsibility very seriously. So you don't have to worry about anything. Got it?"
She had stared wide-eyed at him during his whole speech. Now she blinked. "Y-yes. Thank you."
"Good, now eat before the food gets cold."
"All right." She gave him a smile and hobbled to the bed, sitting down and reaching for the tray. He handed it to her, and she took it eagerly. She ate a few bites. "Um, who's watching Mr. Abarai?"
"Karin came over to see if I would go fishing with her tomorrow morning, so I put her to work. She complained, but it's not very hard to just sit and watch someone."
"Your sisters both seem very nice." Orihime spoke. He wasn't yelling at her yet, so she assumed he wouldn't get mad at her if she continued to talk.
"They have their moments. You'll see them again at the picnic. You'll also be able to meet most of the towns people there."
"Will I meet your father?"
He scowled. "More than likely, yeah, you will."
She paused. "You don't like your father?"
"He's just annoying, that's all."
"But he's still family. You may not like everything he does, but he is your father." She argued. "If something were to happen to him, you would be upset that you didn't tell him all the things you should have said to him."
Ichigo stared at the woman, dumbfounded. He didn't know where she thought up these speeches, but he grudgingly admitted to himself that she was right. Although Isshin never learned his lesson and continued to hound Ichigo, they were family, and family stuck together. He had learned that after his mother died.
His fists clenched as his gaze traveled to the window. He had been only nine, but he could still remember her soft voice, her contagious laughter. Thirteen years had passed, but the ache still remained. He knew that there would always be a piece of his heart missing, and had long since accepted it. But what he had never accepted was the-
"Ichigo?"
"Huh?" He turned to face her.
"Um, I was asking if it would be all right if I watched you cook from now on. I mean…I should learn how since you're a doctor and have the townspeople to look out for." Her courage faltered as he continued to watch her. "Is....is there something on my face?" She tentatively reached a hand up and discovered that her hair was falling out of the bun she had made. "Oh! I-I'm sorry! I'll fix it right away!" She captured the elusive strands in her hands and held them out of her face. She didn't want to take the whole bun down since he had said never to wear her hair down again.
"That's fine. The cooking, that is." He tore his gaze away from her. "I should get back to the office to make sure Karin hasn't killed Renji yet just so she can leave."
"Um...thank you for the food."
"...You're welcome." He said as he walked by her.
Orihime could hardly believe it. This was the first conversation that hadn't led to him getting mad at her. Her lips spread into a smile and she clapped happily, not caring if he was still within hearing range. This was a big improvement, and it was only her second day here. Yesterday, she had been full of despair, but now, her spirits lifted and it looked like there was indeed a light at the end of the dark tunnel.
The next few days passed by with no major problems. They slipped into a companionable pattern, but neither of them attempted to become closer to the other. Ichigo had yelled at her once, but that was only because she had tried to clean the walls that she had missed. He had promptly carried her back to the bed, muttering something under his breath about how women didn't belong standing on chairs. Every day, she sat in the kitchen, watching and listening intently as he explained how certain things worked. He even let her do some of the work, surveying her closely to make sure she didn't make a mistake. He found her to be a good student who learned rather quickly. There were times he wondered if she was younger than twenty since she had such a child-like personality. He had asked her, and she had very seriously stated that twenty was in fact her real age.
Ichigo was still sleeping in the office since Renji was still there. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when Renji could be moved. Should he continue to sleep in the office, or should he move back to the house and just stay on the couch? Fortunately, he didn't have to cross that bridge yet.
The day after she had bruised her hip, he had examined it again. The bruise had turned an ugly blue and purple color and was the size of his fist. He had granted her permission to walk around, just as long as she used it to some extent so it didn't become stiff. Her leg still hurt, but the pain wasn't as unbearable as it had been the first few hours. He gave her a cane to use, which she secretly thought made her look like an old lady, but she didn't dare refuse his offer.
Saturday was the day of the picnic. She had looked forward to it ever since she had read about it. She knew she annoyed him when she kept babbling on and on about it, but he never told her to be quiet. This made her want to be aware of his feelings, and whenever she sensed that he had nearly reached his limit, she stopped, giving him a smile instead.
The day of the picnic dawned bright and clear, which Orihime was glad for. The night before had been gusty, with a few raindrops here and there. She had assisted Ichigo in baking an apple pie, and was delighted with how well it had turned out. She had wanted to sample it, but he told her that she would just have to wait until the picnic.
The redhead had taken great care with her outfit and hair. This would be her first time in town with Ichigo, and she wanted to make a good impression. That was why Ichigo was upset when they had to leave in five minutes and she still had yet to do her hair.
"I-I'm really sorry, Ichigo. I didn't think it would take me this long." She poked her head out of the bedroom doorway.
"Don't keep apologizing. Just get in there and finish. We're already going to be late enough as it is." He scowled and ran a hand through his hair. "What is it with women and taking forever just to get ready for a picnic?" He muttered, plopping down on the couch. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was tired, having been up practically all night. Just before midnight, a man had come tearing into the yard, yelling that his wife was having her baby. It had been a long seven hours, but the baby boy had eventually made his appearance, wailing the whole time.
Ichigo must have drifted to sleep, because the next thing he knew, there was someone shaking his arm.
"Ichigo. Ichigo, I'm ready."
He struggled to open his eyes. "'Kay." He yawned. Maybe splashing some cold water on his face would help. He shook his head to ward off the sleepiness, and then glanced towards Orihime. He did a double take, not sure if this was the same woman. She wore a light blue dress with a darker blue pattern of flowers and leaves. Her hair was coiled in the back, secured by a gold pin. A hat perched on top of her head to shade her from the sun. A simple locket hung from her neck.
"Um, are you okay, Ichigo? I know that you are tired. Maybe we should just stay home today." She fretted, a worried look slipping over her face.
"No, I'm fine. We can go. I'm sure that I'll be able to catch a nap while we're there." He stood, waving her out the door. He followed, and then helped her up into the wagon. He joined her, slapped the reins across the horse's back, and they took off at a trot. The potluck was being held all the way across town, which was a good fifteen-minute walk away. They were definitely going to be late.
"Are you sure it's okay to leave Mr. Abarai alone?" Orihime asked, causing him to turn his attention to her.
"Yeah, he's out of danger. He's still weak, but that's to be expected for now."
"What's your horse's name?"
Ichigo bit back an angry retort. Here came the hundreds of questions. "Zangetsu. I've had him ever since he was a colt. He's a strong horse, and I've thought about breeding him. Haven't decided if I want to do that, though."
"My brother used to breed horses." She spoke softly. "But that was before...." A flash of pain flitted through her eyes before disappearing.
"You...were close?" He asked carefully, not wanting to upset her. If there was one thing he hated more than a woman talking, it was a woman crying.
"Yes. He was fifteen years older than I was. When I was three, our parents died. Their buggy overturned when the horse pulling it got spooked by someone firing a gun nearby. Sora took over the family business and raised me. He was more like a father than a brother to me. Then he died, and I was left all alone until I came here." She smiled, although it was a bittersweet one.
Ichigo did quick math in his head. "So he was only thirty-five when he died? That's young. What happened?" He hadn't meant to ask, but his doctor's curiosity got the best of him. Generally speaking, a thirty-five year old man should be healthy, so there had to have been foul play involved somehow.
"He was murdered. I guess he borrowed some money, and wasn't able to pay it back. The man he owed sent two men to collect it. He still didn't have enough, and asked for more time. They refused, saying that he was out of time. Then they shot him in the chest and left him to die."
A chill raced up Ichigo's spine. Murdered? Something didn't make sense, but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly it was. It was on Ichigo's mind to comfort her, tell her that he had also lost someone close to him, but he kept his mouth shut. There were some things you just didn't want to tell anyone, and this was one of them.
The remaining few minutes went by in silence. Soon, the site of the picnic came into view, and with it, the people who were already there. Orihime's eyes were wide as Ichigo pulled the wagon next to another one and stopped.
"There are so many people here!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah. Lots of folks passing through here are surprised at how many actually live here." He helped her down, making sure she was steady on her feet before releasing her hand. There had been a few times that her bruised leg had given out, almost sending her to the ground had it not been for the cane.
For all her excitement about coming, now that she was there, she was suddenly shy, and stood close to him. "I don't know anybody here." She squeaked, her large eyes scanning everyone.
"You know me, my sisters and Miss Ise. And besides, you're new to town. Come on. My family's over here." He led the way, winding his way through the crowd, returning a greeting every so often.
Orihime followed. She could sense everyone staring at her as she limped by. She forced herself to keep her gaze fixed on Ichigo, knowing that if she lost track of him, she would be lost in this swarm of people. She managed to keep up with him, and stood silently by him as he waited for a brown-haired man to finish his conversation with a white-haired man.
When the man finally did turn around, he slapped Ichigo's back. "There's my son! Now, where is your wife? I can't wait to meet her!" He began to crane his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of his new daughter-in-law.
"Dad, she's right here." Ichigo pointed to the woman beside him.
"Why, she's even more beautiful than I imagined her to be!" The older Kurosaki gawked, then shoved his son out of the way. "I am Isshin Kurosaki. If my son isn't treating you right, feel free to come over t-" He was abruptly cut off by Ichigo elbowing him in the stomach.
"Yeah, yeah. She gets it. Now shut up." Ichigo scowled.
Isshin recovered quickly, leaning over to hiss in his son's ear. "If I had known how gorgeous she was, I would have kept her for myself!" He wiggled his eyebrows.
"Dad! That's sick!" His scowl deepened as an unfamiliar feeling coursed through him. What the.... What is this? He tried to shake it off, but it persisted, causing a bitter taste in his mouth and settling in the pit of his stomach.
"Oh, Ichigo, Orihime! You two made it!" Yuzu skipped up to them happily. She looked nice in her pale, pink dress with white trim. "I wanted to see you again, but I had a lot of work to do at home because someone wasn't helping me." Here she pouted, glancing over at Karin.
"Oh, stop the guilt trip, Yuzu. It doesn't work on me." Her twin crossed her arms, glaring defiantly. She wore pants and a shirt, obviously not caring about propriety.
"Karin, I told you to go home and change." Isshin spoke.
"I know. I just don't want to." When it looked like she was about to get yelled at, she grabbed Orihime's wrist. "Let me show you around. I can introduce you to people."
"Well, I..." Orihime looked back at Ichigo, who nodded.
"Go on ahead. I'll find you when it's time to eat."
So with that, Orihime was dragged away. When there was a good distance between her and her father, Karin slowed down. "Sorry. I hate it when he yells at me."
"That's okay. I don't like getting yelled at, either."
"Then why are you still with my brother? He has an awful temper."
"He actually hasn't been that bad for a few days. I'm hoping that from now on, it will go smoothly. I'll just have to make sure I don't get him mad."
Karin looked at her in surprise. "Why? If you get him mad, just apologize and bat those gray eyes of yours. That's bound to work. It should make him fall to his knees and ask you for forgiveness. And if it doesn't work, then there's something wrong with him."
Orihime stifled laughter. Karin was so funny when she tried to be serious. She squeaked when a young boy running by crashed into her right leg and kept going. She wobbled, wincing as a burst of pain ripped through her hip. Karin grabbed her arm to steady her.
"Watch where you're going!" The black-haired girl shouted at the boy's back. "Bastard.*" She muttered under her breath, and then grinned sheepishly at the woman staring at her in shock. "Sorry. Don't tell Dad that I used that word. He'd skin me alive."
"I won't." Orihime smiled, then tilted her head back to feel the warmth of the sun on her face. "It's such a nice day out, isn't it?"
"I guess so." Karin shrugged. "I'd love to be fishing, but Dad insisted I come here instead."
Orihime opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by someone calling out her name. She glanced over and, to her delight, saw Nanao heading her way. "Oh, Nanao! I was wondering if I would see you here."
"What happened to your leg?" The schoolteacher cried out as she stopped beside Orihime, having noticed the cane in her hand.
"Oh, I was trying to clean the walls a few days ago and fell off the chair I was standing on."
"You fell off of a chair?" Nanao eyes her carefully, as if searching for some proof that Ichigo had been mistreating her.
"Yes, but I'm fine now. Ichigo gave me this cane to use." She smiled brightly.
"I see. Well, have you met anyone else yet?" The other woman inquired.
"No, I haven't. Karin said she was going to be my guide, but you can join us if you'd like to." Orihime offered.
"Thank you. Oh, I was also coming over here to tell you that you have quite a following." Nanao raised her eyebrows.
"Hmm?" Orihime turned a questioning look to her friend. "What do you mean?"
"Just look around." Nanao whispered.
The redhead peeked out from under the brim of her hat and gasped. There, standing in a small huddle, were several young men, staring at her. She shot a terrified glance at Nanao.
What was she going to do?