A/N: Another week! Yeah! MisIceQueen10 betaed! She's so awesome! She helps with every little detail, and has the eyes of an hawk! I love her and I couldn't have made it this far without her!
P.S.: Ichigo does not know that Orihime cheated! I'm sorry if that was confusing, or if I worded my last chapter wrong. But no one knows about Orihime cheating, except her and Aizen...
Disclaimer: Nope. I still don't own bleach or the song Settle Down by Kimbra. Though I wish I own both!
Three weeks later.
"Orihime! Slow down, or you'll choke!"
Orihime chopped down harder on the tamagoyaki. The omelet smashed in between her fingers.
"This..." Orihime said while she licked her fingers, "is the best tamagoyaki I've had in a while." She took another bite. "It could be saltier though..." Orihime picked up the salt shaker and piled on the tiny white sprinkles.
Tatsuki frowned. "Orihime, I know you like to eat, but you've got to stop. You've been eating so much lately and-"
Orihime's head popped up. "Oh! Have I told you about my new super sandwich?"
"Orihime-"
"It has pickles, chocolate icing, soy cream cheese, peanut butter, and broccoli. Or green beans. Whichever I'm in the mood for." Orihime smiled to herself.
"That's completely disgusting." Tatsuki said as her nose wrinkled up.
"But it's not! I was really hungry for something different, and then I looked into refrigerator, and bam! I made the world's best super sandwich!" Orihime spread her arms wide to exaggerate her point, sending salt flying everywhere.
The dark haired woman rolled her eyes. "I swear, I will never understand you..."
Orihime continued to chew her food. Her mouth was still full of the tamagoyaki when she spoke again. "To answer your question, yes, Ichigo and I are doing much better now."
"That's good."
"He has been home earlier. And he tries to help me make dinner, but he just ends up making a huge mess. But all around, it has been a lot of fun. And," Orihime looked around the cafe like a spy, and whispered, "he doesn't smell like lilacs anymore."
Tatsuki snorted. "So, are you guys still having sex?"
Orihime's eyebrows knitted. "Not at the moment, no. We haven't since the night I came back from being out so long. But I've made some efforts." The woman's voice pitched, "I really have!"
"Orihime." She sighed. "You can't possibly be doing better, if you're not doing anything at all."
It was Orihime's turn to roll her eyes and pointed her tamagoyaki at her friend. "It's a process Tatsuki. One step at a time."
"Whatever you say."
"Tonight, I'm going to make him a special dinner!" Determination set on her soft face. "A Orihime One of a Kind!"
Tatsuki finally laughed. "Just try not to kill him."
...
Orihime continued to whisk the fluffy butter and sugar mixture. She lifted her whisk and examined the concoction.
She added strawberry extract into the bowl and mixed it together, giving it a light pink color.
Strong, and long arms encircled themselves around Orihime's waist from behind. She jumped a little, then turned and gave her husband a peck on the lips.
"What smells so mouthwatering?" Ichigo asked after their lips parted with a audible smack. His arms were still wrapped around her torso, and his eyes danced all around the kitchen.
Orihime made shellfish stew and was then making strawberry cake.
"Just making us a wonderful dinner." Orihime crammed over in his arms, to grab the bowl of whisked perfection on the counter.
"Here," she said as she dipped her finger in the pink blend. "Strawberries for my Strawberry."
Orihime's digit disappeared into Ichigo's mouth. She giggled when she felt his tongue suck and taste the sweetness on her skin.
He withdrew her member and moaned. "Delicious."
Orihime blushed and stared down at her bare toes.
Ichigo suddenly drew her up to another kiss. It was long and lingering. Orihime's heart sped up. She draped her free arm around his neck, pulling him down closer, while the other still held the bowl of icing.
Ichigo growled, deep down in his throat.
For the past three weeks, the coupled tried their hardest to stay away from intimate moments, such as this. It was just too much for them to handle.
He inhaled through his nose, and growled on her lips again. This scared Orihime. Lately it had been very painful for him to restrain himself. And having him lick icing off her finger surely wasn't helping him none.
Ichigo slowly pried her lips open with his. She gratefully let him in. Their tongues danced together in commanding, and hungry movements. He gripped her hips and pulled her even closer.
Then it stopped.
Ichigo pulled back and separated himself from her. Orihime let out a disappointed whimper. She was so close!
Ichigo inhaled sharply. He felt it too. The attraction. The intimate pull she gave him. Like gravity.
"Thank you..." he whispered with a coarse awkwardness. "For the icing, of course..."
Her chest heaved up and down. "No problem..." Orihime she wheezed back.
He grabbed the back of her head, lead his forehead on hers and whispered. "I love you. So much."
Orihime gazed up into his amber eyes and smiled. "I love you too."
...
Oh god. Oh no!
Orihime lifted the covers and swung her legs over the bed.
The dizziness hit her like a tidal wave. Orihime groaned and held her head with both hands. How her head hurt!
Then she felt it. She felt the bile rise in her throat.
Ichigo yawned and obliviously rolled over in the bed.
Orihime jumped up and ran to the bathroom.
On her knees she vomited the contents of her dinner into the toilet.
Ichigo heard her run to the bathroom. "Orihime?" He got up from the covers and ran to the bathroom to see his wife on the floor. "Orihime!" He yelled. Ichigo ran over to her and held her long hair out of her face.
The woman continued to gag until she thought it was over. Orihime trembled from head to toe. She had only been sick like this twice in her life. The first was when she was little and Sora spent all day with her. Making sure she was okay. And the second... Well we don't speak of the second.
Ichigo lifted Orihime from under her arms and helped her stand. He took her weight and walked her, silently, back to the bedroom.
There, he laid her on the bed and asked if she was alright. "I'll be fine. I think I just made bad shellfish. It didn't sit well in my stomach."
Ichigo walked back to the bathroom, and came out with a wet cloth. He wiped Orihime's sweaty forehead with the warm rag.
"How does that feel?"
Orihime sighed and gave him an mumbled answer.
"I'm going to make some you some breakfast. Okay?"
Orihime nodded. She wanted to object, because Ichigo was a terrible cook, but what was the use.
"And stay in bed. Okay?"
Orihime nodded again and closed her eyes tight. The pain was intense, and she started to feel lightheaded from all the dizziness.
She groaned and rolled over. It hurt so bad!
Five minutes later, Orihime smelled something funny. It smelt like... like...
Oh no! She thought.
She scrambled with the covers until her feet reached the floor, then she bolted for the bathroom. Orihime puked again.
She stood and wiped her mouth. At the sink, she refused to look at her reflection, instead she brushed her teeth silently with the water running.
"Orihime?" Ichigo poked his head through the bathroom door. "I have breakfast."
One whiff of the cooked meat and Orihime bent down to the toilet and vomited again. Oh this was horrible.
Ichigo put the plate down, and in no time, was by her side again. Holding her hair and patting her head. He walked her back to bed. "Didn't I tell you to stay in bed?" His eyes looked panicked.
"I'm sorry," she managed, "my head hurts. Really bad." Her eyes water. She looked at the breakfast. "Please," she croaked, "get the bacon away from me."
Ichigo got up from her bedside. "I'll go see if we have any aspirin." He whispered to her as he took the tray of bacon with him. Ichigo went back downstairs, came back and headed towards the bathroom cabinet. She heard him bang and rummage through bottles. She even heard him curse under his breath.
"Orihime. I'm gonna go to the pharmacy. We're all out."
He walked to his closet and slipped on jeans and a T-shirt. He walked back to Orihime and wiped the sweat from her face. "I'll be back before you know it," he said, and kissed her on the forehead.
...
After Ichigo left, the sickness had subsided.
Her belly was growling uncontrollably
Orihime, feeling better, got up from under the duvet, and went to the kitchen to eat. Something other than bacon of course.
Orihime walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator. Opening the door, Orihime stared inside at all the wonderful food.
So many combinations, Orihime thought and licked her lips.
Her eyes widened with happiness.
She grabbed for the mustard. And then the grape jelly. And the apple slices. Then the leftover strawberry icing...
...
Rukia took a deep breath. She could do this. She will do this. There was just too many loose strings. And now was the time to tie them.
She knocked lightly on the door.
"Come in."
Rukia peeped her head through, and then the rest of her body followed.
The snowy haired man looked up. "Rukia?"
The two awkwardly watched each other, not knowing what to do. Then the man stood from his desk and walked to the tiny woman, shaking her hand. It took all of his might not to swoop her up into a bone crushing hug.
The man cleared his throat. He spread his arm out behind him and pointed to the chair in-front of his desk.
"Here, please sit."
Rukia obliged. The man also sat back to his chair.
The room was quiet.
"So, I see that you've come back to Seireitei. How was your trip?"
"It was... interesting."
"Your mothe-" he cleared his throat, "I mean Unohana missed you."
Rukia stared down at her hands in shame.
"She knew you were back even before you stepped through those doors the other week." Ukitake smiled to himself.
After a minute of silence, Rukia spoke. "Do you know where she is?"
"She actually just left Seireitei this morning. Went down to the city. The hospital needed her urgently."
"Oh..." Rukia whispered.
Ukitake coughed violently, then drunk some of his tea.
Don't be a coward now...
"So, how are you settling in?"
"Fine," Rukia said hurriedly, "just... great!" She plastered a fake smile on her face that soon faded.
"That's good..."
Silence filled the are.
Her heart thumped in her chest painfully.
"So..." The man smiled sweetly at the small woman. "Did you come today for something specially?"
Rukia's head snapped up. "Um," she swallowed loudly again. "I came to... to ask you... why?" Rukia licked her lips.
Confusion slid on Ukitake's features. "Why? I'm afraid I don't underst-"
"Why me? Why pick me up from the streets. Why raise me? Why call me your own, when you knew I wasn't." She whispered.
Ukitake was startled. "Rukia..."
"Don't speak, not yet." She wrung her hands, enduring the burning pain in her chest.
"Why did you give me this false life. Why did you lie to me?" Rukia got out of her chair, and stood. She roamed around the room. "I'm all twisted up inside. I don't know where I belong. I slept with a married man for Christ's sake! I don't know who I am, or who I belong to."
She crossed the room, back to his desk. The man just watched and said nothing.
"I've been so angry. Angry at everyone! At you, at my friends, at the world." She took a deep breath. It wasn't like her to go into hysterics. "But I've realized, I'm just mad at myself. And I took it all out on you. I was wrong, and selfish, and mean. And you didn't deserve it..."
She dared her tears to fall out of eyes and she continued. "I cut you out of my life. I've shunned all of my friends and did some stupid and reckless things. And I miss you. I miss all of you..."
Rukia stared up into the man's eyes. "You can say something now..."
Instead, the man got up and wrapped his arms around his daughter.
"I've missed you. So much," he mumbled in her sable hair. "We thought that it would be better if you found your own path, your own way. But I'm so proud of you." Jūshirō leaned back and pushed a warm tear from her cheek.
It felt like home in his arms. Like the way it was when she was young and innocent. That seemed like a hundred years away from now.
"And we love you, Rukia. We always have, and we always will." He squeezed her tightly. "You belong right here."
...
Orihime sat on the vanilla sofa, flipping through the channels.
Ichigo stayed home all day with her for two days, but he said he had to go back to work today. So here was Orihime. Missing her husband, and bored out of her mind.
She wasn't allowed to go out, because Ichigo was afraid that her cold would get worst. Even though she had told him that she was feeling much better. The house was completely cleaned, top to bottom. And dinner was going to be ordered, because Ichigo didn't want her touching any of the kitchen equipment.
But that didn't stop her from making the super sandwich.
Orihime's hand dug back into the bag of potato chips. She continued to watch the television screen, as she sat pretzel style on the sofa, and took another bite out of her super sandwich.
Orihime watched as the screen showed a woman doing many athletic things, and how her period doesn't slow her down.
"With the new super catch pads, I will be able to what ever, when ever. Without having to worry about leaks..."
Orihime tilted her head. She doubted that anyone could do a split while they were on their period.
Period...
Orihime stopped chewing and looked down at her self. I was the first of the month. Wasn't it?
Orihime swallowed the rest of her sandwich and went to the calendar in the kitchen.
She checked the date. She was right! It was the first of the month. So why...
Orihime's eyes widened in panic. She ran up to the bathroom and threw off her pants. Inside, she sat down and check herself.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Orihime rubbed her eyes.
"Okay..." she whispered out loud. "Don't panic. Just... think." Orihime counted the days in her head.
Orihime groaned. How could this have happened? Well obviously you... you know. You did it.
Orihime paced back and forth in the bathroom. She couldn't be sure. Maybe it's just a tad bit late. That can happen sometimes.
But seriously! Who has late periods for real?
And she had to be sure.
Orihime walked to the hallway and picked up her pants. She dug in the back pocket and took out her cell phone.
She'd call the hospital and-. No! Her head snapped up. She couldn't call the hospital. What if Ichigo checked the bills. What if he got a call saying where his wife was. No. She'd call someone a little more private. Someone Ichigo would think lastly to go to.
Orihime scrolled through her contacts to a number she never used. Mostly because Ichigo didn't want her talking to him.
The phone rang twice, then she heard the deep voice.
"Hello?"
"Um, Isshin. It's me, Orihime..."
...
The young girl ran by the man's side and screamed his name.
In return, the man grabbed her hand and said that he loved her.
The young girl cried, and told him not to leave, and she that was sorry. That she'd wear the hairpins. That she'd never ignore him again.
The man said that he was the sorry one, and died.
The rain continued to fall. The young girl watched the blood trickle from the man's mouth as the ambulance rolled the body into the clinic.
The rain and her tears collided and fell to the ground.
Orihime opened her eyes.
She stood in-front of the Kurosaki Clinic. The day of her brother's death came crashing at her like a tidal wave. She shook her head.
Orihime fingered the two blue hairpins clipped to her jacket. She refused to let it ruin her life. He would have wanted her to move on.
The woman walked up to the building. She thought it appropriate to knock on the clinic door instead of the house door.
After a few bangs, the door opened and a tall, brawny man, with spiky black hair.
Kinda like Ichigo's.
Isshin bent and hugged his daughter-in-law. "Orihime. It's been a while."
Orihime snuggled into the man's embrace. "Yes. It has."
Orihime had called Isshin a few days ago. She had to pick the perfect date and time, where she knew that Ichigo would be busy.
Isshin stepped back and moved to the side so Orihime could step in.
"Excuse, but I have a patient..." He left the small room and into a hallway.
Orihime walked past the tiny receptionist desk, which was empty, and on to the small bouncy sofa in the corner of the room.
A woman and a child with a bandage over his head and elbow walked out from the hallway. Isshin followed close behind. "So next time, if you try to skateboard off the fifth floor staircase, don't do a ollie, try the 360 turn! I mean..." Isshin cleared his throat when the mother gave him a dirty look, "don't ride your skateboard down the staircase to begin with!"
The young body nodded his head, but smirked. He seemed to had gotten the gist.
Isshin walked the mother and her son out the door and told her not to worry, and it will all heal in a few weeks.
Isshin then turned to Orihime. "I must say," he started, "that it was a pleasant surprise when you called." He helped her off the couch. "But from the way you sounded on phone, I don't this is a social call."
Orihime blushed. "Well, I have some questions to ask..."
"And I'm here to answer them!" He smiled, and it was goofy, but comforting.
Isshin led her down the hall, and into a small room. It had a small bed with thin white paper on the top. Orihime climbed on top and watched as Isshin closed the door behind them.
"So, what has been bothering you lately?" Isshin picked up a clipboard and pen. He sat down on the counter of the desk.
"Well, I've been craving some really... bizarre food. And I wake up and I have the worst headaches. Um, and I think that I'm late on my, um period..." Orihime's face was beat red. It was still embarrassing, telling your father-in-law your feminine problems. Even if he was a doctor.
"So your telling me that your having weird hankerings, your nauseous in the morning, and your late on your menstrual cycles."
Orihime felt her neck get hot when she nodded. She must had looked like a hot tomato.
Isshin scrawled some notes on his clipboard. "And Orihime, when was your last time of sexual intercourse?"
Orihime stammered.
"I know this is... odd. But I have to know."
Orihime said a couple of weeks ago.
"Can you tell me, what you've been craving in particular."
Orihime thought. "Well mostly salty food. But I love mustard, and any kind of icing. And I can't get enough of soy cream cheese..." Orihime thought for another second. "Hmm. Oh! And I can't stand the smell of bacon."
Isshin nodded a few times and closed his eyes in thought. Slowly, he got up. Ran a large hand through his wild hair, and breathed deeply.
Orihime watched the man walked towards her, and take her hand.
"Orihime," her whispered.
"Yes," she squeaked.
He smiled. "You're pregnant."
Yes! Finally! I know! I love it! She's pregnant! Yes! Whoa! Did I already say yes? Well anyway, it's about time right?
I had so much fun writing this chapter! I always wanted to know how Orihime would act if she ever got pregnant. And if she will stay pregnant...
I just couldn't wait for this Sunday! I'm hopping in my chair to know what you guys think. But I must warn you: Live this happiness up. Because the upcoming chapters will get a lot more Angsty. And there will be flashbacks (I promise!). And a lot of your questions will be answered.
Until next week! Oh, I can't wait!
Rocka.
