Another chapter. Had enough? If you have, then stop reading. (Kidding!) Y'all got your wish! :)
Two chapters again for today! And I think it's gonna be juicy. :D
Chapter 11
Throwback
It was like he was being thrown back seven years ago. It was the most glorious night of his life. Somehow when he was with her, he knew something happened and that it wouldn't end there. But he refused to acknowledge it because somehow, he wanted it to be true.
He looked in wonder at the boy who was standing behind him, looking puzzled and a bit scared at the same time. He had the same chocolate-brown eyes as he had, the same bright orange hair, the frown and crease on his forehead. The boy was his miniature.
And he had seen the boy before.
He even rescued him in his shinigami form. And the boy had seen him. And the boy had a zanpakutou. The boy had powers. The boy looked precisely like him.
Ichigo stared at the boy named Daisuke once more. He had been so occupied about rescuing him before that he only took notice of their physical and spiritual similarities in a curious aspect. He didn't speculate further and he even forgot about the boy.
But the boy was haunting him now. He was telling him that Inoue Orihime was his mother. And it was possible that Kurosaki Ichigo was his…
Father.
I have a son?!
He heard a high, piercing screm.
HOLLOW!
He stared around wildly. He grabbed for the little boy behind him but he was too late. He watched as cold fear washed over him. The boy was running towards Orihime.
And the Hollow was right in front of Orihime.
A Huge Hollow.
"MOMMY!" Daisuke yelled.
"Daisuke!" Orihime shouted back, holding her left hand up at the boy nearing her. "Don't go any nearer! Run away and find a place to hide, okay?"
"Run with me mom," Daisuke said, sobbing. "You might get hurt."
Orihime shot Daisuke a sideways look. "I'm gonna be fine. Mommy's got powers, remember?"
Daisuke nodded. "Let me help mom."
"No," Orihime said firmly. "Run!"
The Hollow lunged at them. Orihime reacted quickly.
"Santen Kesshun!" she said. "I reject!"
The triangular beam of light leapt to life and protected her and Daisuke, who was now clinging to her waist, not wanting to leave.
"Daisuke, please baby, run," Orihime pleaded. "Mommy can do this. I don't know what I would do if you're hurt. So do mommy a big favor and hide."
Ichigo was frozen at the spot. The biggest confirmation he had to get was when Daisuke ran towards Orihime and called her 'mommy'.
The biggest shock of all was when Orihime stopped the boy and pleaded that he run. She even called him 'baby'.
Daisuke was Inoue Orihime's son.
Another scream.
Ichigo watched as Orihime tried her best to protect herself and Daisuke with Santen Kesshun while he directed shots of Tsubaki at the Hollow. It only made the huge hollow scream in pain. But the Hibiscus flowers weren't killing it.
The hollow lunged again, this time, nearly hitting Daisuke as Orihime used herself as a shield and rolled over.
Ichigo stared as he saw gushes of blood erupt from Orihime's side and a few droplets trickle from her forehead.
Then, he ran.
"Mommy," Daisuke said, crying. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Orihime managed to choke out. She tried to move, but more blood came out from her side. She grunted in pain and wobbled to get up.
"I can fight, mom," Daisuke said, face fixed and tears gone.
"No, baby," Orihime said. "You're not ready yet."
Another yell from the hollow. Orihime managed to get up halfway but to no avail. She fell again.
The hollow leapt at them.
Orihime hugged Daisuke tighter and protected him from the coming blow.
None came.
Orihime whirled around. In a haze, she saw Ichigo's serious face walking towards her.
She fainted.
"Come on kid, I'm taking your mom to the hospital," Ichigo said seriously, carrying Orihime in his arms as soon as he got back to his human form.
"We have a car, mister," Daisuke said.
Ichigo sighed in relief since he didn't bring his own car. "Where are the keys?"
"In my mom's purse, I think."
Ichigo picked up the purse left lying around with his free hand and handed it to Daisuke.
"Get the keys."
Daisuke nodded and fished for the keys. When he got it, he instantly handed it to Ichigo, worry all over his young face.
"Is my mom going to be okay?" he asked, his voice shaking.
Ichigo looked at the boy, his anger turning to anxiety.
"She better be."
"Who are you, sir?" Daisuke asked. "I guess I need to thank you. You saved my life twice already. You saved my mom and now you're bringing her to the hospital."
"No problem," Ichigo said, tight-lipped.
He put Orihime carefully at the back of the car and ripped his jacket. He took off Orihime's blouse and tied the cloth around her waist, trying to stop the bleeding even for moments. He tried hard not to look at the creamy skin and concentrated instead to the wrath he was feeling and the need to save a life.
He had a lot of questions for Orihime. He certainly does.
"Where are we taking mommy?" Daisuke asked, already at the passenger's seat.
Ichigo hurried to the driver's seat and slid into it. He shut the door and brought the engine to life. He sped off, away from the beach.
"At the hospital."
"I know that," Daisuke said, rolling his eyes. "Uncle Uryuu's hospital?"
Ichigo felt really angry again. It's because the boy seemed to know Ishida Uryuu a lot and yet he didn't know his father. And Ichigo was pretty certain that he was the boy's biological father.
"How old are you, kid?" Ichigo asked, gathering more information as he sped along the road.
"Seven," Daisuke replied. "And I have a name. I believe you know it already?"
Ichigo suppressed an urge to chuckle. The boy was smart.
"Alright, Daisuke," Ichigo said. "When's your birthday?"
"December 1," Daisuke answered.
Ichigo mentally calculated. Makes sense. The encounter happened around early March.
What more evidence do you want, King?! His Inner Hollow shouted. The boy's your replica. Live with it and ask Orihime later!
Ichigo listened to his hollow for once and drove on, finally arriving at the hospital. He went out, followed by Daisuke and got Orihime out.
"Get me a stretcher!" Ichigo yelled at the nurse who was near the door.
"Yes, Dr. Kurosaki," the nurse answered in shock.
"You're a doctor?!" Daisuke exclaimed. "Cool. I always wanted to be one. Like Uncle Uryuu."
Damn your Uncle Uryuu then, Ichigo thought scathingly.
The stretchers arrived in time. Ichigo put Orihime on the thing and proceeded to making orders.
"Get her to the private emergency room I have for myself. Make sure no one enters that room unauthorized and make sure no one but you three nurses knows about this," Ichigo said, making the three nurses accompanying him tremble.
"Isn't she Ms. Inoue?" a nurse whispered.
"Yes, she is," Ichigo answered tightly. "Don't tell Ishida about this. I'm telling him. Follow me, since I'm your new boss."
"Yes sir."
After three hours…
"Is mom safe?" Daisuke asked, sitting at the chair of Ichigo's office.
Ichigo nodded and poured himself a brandy.
"How come Uncle Uryuu's not here yet?"
"We'll call him," Ichigo replied. "And I own this place, Daisuke, not Ishida."
Daisuke nodded. "Yeah. He told me someone bought the place from him."
"He's right."
"I thought you were just a teenager and a hero," Daisuke added. "Now I'm seeing that you're rich too. And you look like me when I grow up."
Ichigo whirled around so fast that he felt his neck creak.
"What makes you say that?" he asked, wishing the boy would figure out that he was his father.
"The orange hair is something we have in common," Daisuke said. "Not many people have the exact same hair color. And my mom's hair is darker than mine. And our eyes are the same and you frown just like I do. If you weren't a stranger, I'd say you're my big brother or something. Or maybe my daddy."
Ichigo froze. "How come you don't know your father, Daisuke?"
"I thought I already told you," Daisuke said. "Mom wouldn't let me know who he is. I don't know why, really. And what's your name sir? You keep asking me questions and you're a stranger. If you hadn't saved me twice, I would've thought you're a kidnapper or something."
Ichigo laughed. "My name is Kurosaki Ichigo."
Daisuke jumped up. "You're Ichigo?!"
"Yeah," Ichigo replied, shocked. "You know me?"
"Only every night!" the boy said loudly. "My mom shouts your name when she's asleep and she's been having these dreams and I'm kinda worried about her because she seemed so stressed lately so I invited her to the beach."
Orihime dreamt about me?
"Did she say who I was?" Ichigo asked.
"Nope. But I found it funny that they'd name a boy 'Ichigo'. I thought at first that mom was having nightmares about strawberry monsters."
Ichigo said nothing and merely turned her back to Daisuke.
"You know my mommy, right, Kurosaki-san?" Daisuke asked.
"Maybe."
I really love cliff-hangers! :D
Maybe I'll write again tomorrow! :D I have to cut it here guys coz I have to leave and go somewhere. It's really important. So, I hoped you like it and there's something MORE coming, so stay tuned! :D
"If you were to stay silent forever, who's to say that you ever existed?" – directX07 –