"I promise I won't get hurt," Orihime whispered soothingly, drawing little patterns on his pale arm. Ishida fought to keep his blush in check and so far seemed to be winning but at the cost of losing track of the stitch number in his newest knitting project. It was getting cold lately, and frankly, Inoue was the type of person these particular mittens were made for. For the sake of his own pride, he left out the part about the mittens generally being made for children by their frustrated mothers. There were only so many pairs of gloves that she could lose before he would start this project. A week was up. And Inoue was still oblivious to everything, but more importantly, once she had finished losing all of her own gloves she'd taken to wearing his. Which, was sort of endearing. But her small hands didn't fit inside them well enough compared to his long hands, and his hands were getting cold without his favourite gloves. That, and perhaps Inoue would take the gloves he was making home with her when she left him. And then she might wear them sometimes, and it would be like a reminder to him that there had been a time when he, Ishida, had been loved by her. He'd been warned today at her check up at the clinic that she might forget everything that was happening now. He'd known that the man was taking pity on him.

"Uryuu, are you listening to me?" Orihime said, taking his glasses right from off his face. His vision was blurred, and he was forced to drop his knitting to look at her. It was hard to tell, but he was sure that she was standing very close to him. He could feel her breath on his face as she huffed about him not paying attention to her. Her grey eyes seemed darker up close, he thought.

"What is it, Inoue?" He asked, trying to smile at his guest. She sighed, and pulled his knitting project out of his lap and set it onto the table with ease. She'd done it as though it had been so natural that he hadn't even noticed until a needle tapped against the table. He began to panic, wondering exactly what she was trying to instigate when she pulled one of his long legs onto the couch effectively turning him to the side. He turned his head to look at her, still without glasses. "What are you doing?" She smiled, laying one hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"I'm not asking again if you weren't listening. Now I'm just going to go ahead and interrupt your knitting," She said, completely misreading his baffled expression. "Don't worry. I'm not going to exert myself; I remember there's still one week left." And before he'd really known it, she had settled herself between his legs on the couch and was leaning her back against his chest. He'd been so careful to listen to what she said that he realized she'd moved there when she pulled his long arms around her shoulders.

"I-inoue?" He said uncertainly. This was definitely one of the most intimate moments of his entire life and they were both completely clothed. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"It won't hurt just to hold me, you know. You worry too much," She said, smiling without opening her eyes. The words struck him as strange, and almost tender. Because for once, it seemed like they were talking about the same thing. And even though the the logical part of his brain was poking holes in the entire idea that what she said had meaning to their actual circumstances, his rapidly beating heart overran it for once. He extended his arms around her to hold her shoulders to be as gentlemanly as possible. Spurred on by the feeling of her relaxed and facing away from him, he slowly let himself rest his face onto one of her shoulders. He was tired. No, he was weary. Keeping her out had been scraping away at him and he didn't have the energy to keep going. Just a break, he told himself. This was just a break for a little while from the reality. Soon he'd go back to creatively finding ways out of her embraces and affectionate gestures, perhaps rested a bit.

The break went on for an hour, Ishida realized with some awareness later. He'd finally decided to make himself look up at the clock when he was sure they'd been there for what felt like an eternity. What surprised him was that it was time for Inoue to take her bath and she hadn't said anything. It took him a moment of coming back to himself to realize that she had fallen asleep at some point. Her breathing was very even and deep. And when he'd shifted his arms to poke one shoulder to get her attention she hadn't responded. He was unsure how to go forward at this point, because he didn't exactly have any reasons that seemed worthwhile to get up. Until of course, he realized that he did want to take a bath even if she chose to sleep through hers.

He reluctantly and carefully moved her so he could carry her bridal style when he stood from the couch. She didn't stir, though he could see that her eyes were moving very quickly under her eyelids. He decided that he really didn't want to know what she was dreaming about. He probably wouldn't understand. As he moved slowly towards the only bedroom in the apartment, he mused to himself how he'd held her like this once before. Although she would never remember it, he'd been moving too quickly and had set her down by the time she had been safely secured out of danger. She was the same in weight, and in comparison he liked carrying her more now when he was more aware of the entire experience. It made her seem very frail, and delicate. He set her down onto the bed and had just pulled the blankets up around her shoulders when her eyes opened and she sucked in a gasp of air. He was sorry he'd woken her, but she seemed to be upset.

"Orihime, you're alright. You were just dreaming," He said, hoping it would comfort her. She pulled at him then, quiet. She pulled incessantly and rather than have her ruin a shirt, he was gave in and crawled onto the bed beside her. She buried her face in his chest the moment he hit the bed, and was shaking. Had she been having a nightmare? He carefully wrapped his arms around her as he imagined he might have if this entire charade wasn't a pile of lies. She seemed to still, before looking up to him cautiously.

"Uryuu?" The personal way she said it, made him blush. But there was a questioning tone to it, one that was frightened. It must have been some nightmare, he mused.

"I'm here, 'Hime. Everything will be alright," He gently stroked her hair, wondering if that was what her imaginary Ishida did as well. Either way, it in combination with his words seemed to calm her as she buried her face back down into his chest. She was calmed, but not letting go of his shirt. He hated to rock the boat when his life seemed to be going so well... but he had to out of polite etiquette. "Inoue, you should change into your night clothes if you're going to sleep early tonight." She shook her head against him, though what she was saying no to, he had no clue. She finally looked at him again, and looked hard as if she were about to deliver an ultimatum.

"We're going to sleep. Now," She said, seriously. Normally, if she hadn't had such a pale look about her, he might fight her on it, but he got the feeling that she might cry if he didn't do as she asked. And it worried him. What could have shaken her so much? She was hurting, and he could see it. But he didn't know what to do for her other than stay right there. It was the only thing she'd asked of him. He looked up at the light that was still on above them with some irritation. He couldn't sleep with the light on. She followed his gaze, and understood. She pulled him by a firm grip around his waist to accompany her to turn off all the apartment lights, the bedroom last before settling back onto the bed into the former position. He was now beginning to worry about her. Why was she moving as though her life depended on them being glued together? He decided she was tired now. He would ask tomorrow morning. He didn't want to upset her now as she was just calming down again. He stroked her hair, wondering if he could get up in time in the morning to take a quick bath then.

"Good night, 'Hime," He said, hoping it sounded like a worn in term of endearment. It was still new and made his heart attempt an escape, as well as filling his face with colour. But she didn't really seem to care that it was so difficult for him to say it. He wondered if he'd gotten lucky and that the Ishida in her mind was also bashful.

"Uryuu... you love me, right?" She asked it so suddenly it shocked him. Shocked him out of what he was thinking, and shocked him to know that she was dead on correct. Somewhere along the line of her wearing his watch, his slippers and gloves she'd managed to take his heart for her own as well. It was nothing less than shocking. But, he had to step back and remind himself she was looking to be comforted at that moment and didn't need him to be frighteningly silent after such a question. He thought hard about what he might say had they already confirmed such feelings with one another. Another inspiration. He was getting good at this.

"You know I love you. And I'll still love you tomorrow, so sleep now." He was too good, he thought with a bloated ego. An ego that was needled by the fact it was true. He was going to die in one week's time. Fall into a million pieces at her feet when she realized the ghastly truth. Suddenly... what other people thought or threatened didn't matter anymore. Because she would belong to the shinigami substitute again in one week. In one week, Ichigo could have her love forever. Ishida only had now. She only loved him now. He wasn't going to take advantage of her- that was cowardly. But he wasn't going to waste this time either. Because he loved her. And for one week- she loved him the way she never would. Their cat meowed before walking into the room. It was likely confused, wondering why the two humans were in bed to go to sleep already. But not complaining, the cat jumped up onto the bed and curled up behind his ankles purring. Their life together- he just wanted to have it, to accept it for one week. Was that a sin?

(A/N)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Really, I don't. Not the characters, the story or anything.

Lady Ashari: Thanks again for always editing my stuff quickly and at random intervals. If I am ice cream, you are my cone.

Ishasuki Mitochi: Thank you for your laughter. It helps reaffirm that I'm amusing and not making a lame fanfic with bad jokes. I actually do worry about that.

TheJoker'sAce: Thank you, thank you. My only regret is I've got nothing to amuse you in the author's note today as I'm putting my full effort into finishing Amnesia in the next few chapters.

whitehitsugaya: If you ask me, Ishida is losing his hold on reality. He's starting to get sucked into Inoue's mad re-creation of the world. I mean, he called her Hime!

NigaleCross: Thanks! I stole all the fluff from my pillow. It might be an uncomfortable sleep tonight, I used the rest in this chapter.

HeartBrokenHinata: Yes, Inoue is always very nice that way.

LKira: I hope I haven't lost what it is that you enjoy in my writing style. I know this chapter is bursting at the seams with fluff. I'm trying to balance it so I don't get too much sap, that's usually what ruins the excitement in Ishida and Inoue fanfiction I think. People make it too easy, when love is something you have to work for and work at.

Hiiragi Demon: Haha! Oh look, I'm infecting the readers with the Orihime virus!

syNemYoA: Sweet, you're really waiting? Well wait no more! I've got my beta reader back again, bless her soul I always jump in surprise and joy when she keeps letitng me throw chapters at her even with my famous disappearances. But I'm hoping to finish Amnesia off soon, without rushing too much. The fanfic is really getting long and I'd like to start finishing some other fanfiction since I'm sure those on the alert lists for the others are also desperately waiting for me to finish up.

Anon.: Well I'm really glad you came back to keep reading it! Though the next few chapters are going to be a bit more lengthy again so that I can finish the fanfic in a few chapters like I want to. I'm hoping that makes you happy! After re-reading the old chapters, I do agree the other chapters are very short. So I'm trying to lengthen them out again.

Ash Ninja: Here! An update! Haha... okay, so it's really late. But it's still the same year this time.

animelover00094: I do one better. You only had to be on a cliff hanger for three months this time. Happy times!