A/N: Hey guys! It's here! I had a few more scenes in there, but I cut most of them, so if this chapter seems rushed, (because it was) I apologize.
Disclaimer: Rocka. NGW does not own Bleach. Tite Kubo does!
"Good morning!" Ichigo smiled and continued to turn the fluffy mixture around in his bowl.
Orihime sluggishly dragged her feet into the kitchen. She pulled out a beige chair at the round wooden table.
"Good morning," she responded groggily.
Ichigo walked over to his wife with the bowl still in his hands and gave her a quick peck on the lips.
Orihime sniffed the air. "Whatcha making?"
Ichigo returned to the countertop and went back to cooking. "What this? It's going to be pancakes." Ichigo's tongue darted out his mouth as he lightly sprinkled in some sugar. "And this time, I think I follow all the instructions perfectly."
Orihime smiled and laid her head down on the wooden table. She watched as Ichigo poured the taffy colored mixture onto a steaming frying pan.
The woman felt a jolt down below. The baby was awake.
Orihime sat back up and slumped down her chair. It was seven in the morning, and already it was twirling and dancing.
"Here you go!" Ichigo placed a sizzling plate in front of her and a full glass of orange juice. The pancakes looked good enough to eat. But as Orihime quickly learned, looks could be deceiving.
The pancake was fluffy and had a crispy brown hue with maple syrup. Orihime picked up her fork and pierced the dish. The woman took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. She could taste the cinnamon and butter, lots and lots of butter.
Orihime looked up to notice Ichigo staring at her expectantly. "So..." his eyes widened, "is it... good?"
Orihime purposely took another bite to make him sweat and swallowed the pancake slowly. "It's... good." Orihime tried to look serious but then she met his eye and burst into laughter.
Ichigo let exhaled heavily and smiled at his wife.
"It's delicious Ichigo. It really is." she took an additional bite and chewed.
"Good. That's good." He huffed and smiled again with bright, white teeth. "I don't know what I'd do if you swallowed another flour lump, and then threw up."
Orihime took a sip of her orange juice. "Or if it was gooey and uncooked..."
"Or if it caught fire..."
Their eye met again and they started to laugh. Ichigo threw his head back and guffawed from deep down, and Orihime couldn't help but giggle at his expression.
Ichigo was laughing a lot more lately. She said this were going to change for them. And they did.
Orihime picked up her and Ichigo's empty plates and started to scrub them off in the sink.
The for past couple of days, Orihime has been getting these random burst of energy. She read that it was called the "nesting" stage. It gave you the need to clean everything. Which is why the house was so spotless.
Ichigo came over and gave her another peck on the lips. "I got to get to work. But I'll be back today before you know it. It think around four."
Orihime turned from the sink and encircled her arms around him. Belly and all.
Ichigo bent his neck and gave her a longer, deeper kiss. "You're so beautiful in the morning," he mumbled softly against her lips.
Orihime blushed a light pink. She sure didn't feel beautiful.
Ichigo leaned back a little to see her face and pushed a loose strand of burnt-orange hair behind her ear. His placed his forehead upon hers and whispered, "I'm so lucky to have you..."
...
"Why is this so hard!" Ichigo stood in front of his mirror trying to work out the mechanics of his tie.
Orihime waddled over and slipped one end through the loop and pulled the end through knot and tugged tightly. She smoothed out the side of his jacket. "You're very nervous today."
"Yeah, I got the jitters. I'm meeting up with a very important client today." Ichigo grasped her shoulders and squeezed lightly. "This could be really big for us."
"I'm so proud of you," she whispered.
Ichigo was about to respond when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He slid it out and started to talk on the phone. Orihime waddled away and picked up Ichigo's briefcase. By the time he was off the phone, Orihime was holding up his bag, dangling it front of him.
Ichigo grabbed the case and Orihime went around him to help him into his coat. "So what are you planning on doing today?"
Orihime hummed to herself. "I'm just going to do a little shopping for the baby."
Ichigo lifted a brow. "Don't go too crazy. Remember I wanted to go shopping with you. And be safe, okay?" He gave her a kiss and bent down even further to give her belly a kiss too. "And don't run, or do anything dangerous." He checked his watch and looked back up. "And stay away from cheeses, and meat... And fish. Just don't eat anything you're not sure of. And-"
"Ichigo," Orihime breathed. "I know. I'll be fine. I'm just going to walk around town, not skydiving. And if I get hungry, I bring some snacks with me."
"But-"
"Ichigo, you're going to be late." Orihime turned him towards the door.
"Thanks." Ichigo said over his shoulder as he walked out.
Orihime watched as he strolled down the pathway to the parked cars. He pulled his keys out of his right pocket and then stopped.
"And Orihime," Ichigo yelled and turned from the car door and stared back up at his wife.
"Yes?" Orihime yelled back from the front door, and leaned on the doorframe.
Ichigo smiled broadly,spread his arms out wide and shouted, "I love you!"
Orihime giggled and shouted back, "I love you too!", and watched him pull out, drive off, and round the corner until he was out of sight.
...
"Do you know the sex?"
Orihime looked up, startled.
"Um..." Orihime looked down at the pink onesie in her hands then back up at the saleswoman.
She had two long magenta colored ponytails and slanted bangs. The woman also wore a white hat and a name tag that stated: Riruka. She chewed on a doughnut with chocolate icing and assorted sprinkles.
"Well," said Riruka impatiently with her hands on her hips, "do you know the gender or not?"
"Oh! Well... no. We wanted to keep it a surprise."
The woman took a bite out of her sprinkled doughnut and scrutinized Orihime, glaring at her up and down.
"Well," she said as she threw in the last bite of her doughnut, "if you don't know the gender, then you should at least look at gender neutral colors." Riruka walked away from Orihime and was back with another doughnut, this time glazed, and a pale yellow onesie.
She laid it out in front of Orihime and took a bit of her glazed doughnut. "We also have it in the colors of cream, beige, vanilla, and papayawhip."
"Papayawhip...?" Orihime scrunched up her nose. She didn't like any of them. They were so... bland.
"Do you have anything more... colorful?"
Riruka stopped her chewing. "Look here. You said that you didn't know what the gender was, so I picked a color that would suffice!"
Orihime tapped her finger on her bottom lip. "Maybe we can try something with... I don't know... a little more tint?"
Riruka rolled her eyes and stalked away again in her black boots. Orihime continued to shuffle through the rack of cloths she was looking at. The pregnant woman lifted a green onesie with a dark green ribbon on the front, and it read, "Special Delivery!"
Orihime chuckled. Green could be gender neutral. Instead of placing it back, Orihime tucked it under her arm and again started to flip through the row of cloths again.
"Here."
A gray looking garb was shoved in front of Orihime's face. "Oh!" she smiled politely. "How, um... nice!"
Riruka wiggled her nose and sniffed the air. "Well, I know how to do my job."
Orihime held the drab outfit in her hands. It was dull and plain. It was everything that Orihime didn't want. "On second thought, I think I'll just get this." Orihime held up the green onesie.
Riruka's eye twitched in annoyance. "Fine!" she said at last, "do what you want!" and stalked away from the very confused Orihime.
At the register, Orihime paid for the green onesies along with two pairs of frilly white socks and a bib that said "Lunch is on me!".
"It's a nice day out today," said the cashier, making conversation.
"Oh, yes! It's very nice out!" Orihime looked out the wide glass windows. Many people passed by the little shop, minding their own business. Except... for one man. He was across the street, leaning on one foot against a building. He had messy black hair that lightly touched his shoulders.
He had his hands in his pockets and was staring at something across from him. No, he was staring at the store. More accurately, inside the store. No. He was staring dead at Orihime.
Orihime blushed and looked back down at the contents on the scanner. The cashier slipped the cloths into the bag one by one and asked, "cash or card?"
Orihime smiled and squeaked, "debt please.." Orihime slipped out her card and swiped it across the scanner and keyed in her pin number.
"Thank you, and come again!" The cashier smiled and handed the bag and receipt to Orihime. Orihime kept her head down and numbly took the bag.
Orihime was used to having people stare at her, but only because her belly was so big. But that man... he was looking at her face.
Orihime left the Baby Boutique and waddled down the street.
Apprehensively, Orihime checked behind her to see if the man was still on the wall. He wasn't. Orihime let out a sigh of relief. The creepy man was gone. Everything was going to be okay.
Orihime continued to waddle down the street. Another thing she wasn't prepared for was the waddling (and the energy), or the lower back pains. She couldn't sleep at night either, and when she did, she would dream about the bat-like man.
The woman held out her hand to flag down a taxi, but someone caught her eye.
The man! Orihime's eye's widened. Across the street was the man who stood against the building. But he wasn't just any man. It was the man. The one from her dreams.
It was those eyes. Those emerald eyes.
Orihime's stomach back flipped. She quickly pulled back her arm away and continued to walk down the street like she didn't see him.
It was him. It had to be him. He's real. And he was staring at her.
Orihime waddled faster and swayed a little as people passed by her. She peaked over her shoulder to see him again.
He was following her!
Orihime moved faster and faster through the crowd. She had to get away from him.
Thinking fast, Orihime entered a tiny restaurant on the corner of a red bricked building.
Orihime slid into a booth and tapped her fingers along the table.
"Hello! Welcome to Fumimaro's! My name is Miyuki. Can I get you anything?"
Orihime looked up at the cheerful brunette haired waitress and smiled weakly. "J-just a water please..."
"Okay! I'll be back in a jiffy!"
Orihime craned her neck to see out the window again.
He was gone...
"Here you go!" The smiling waitress placed a cool glass of water in front of the pregnant woman.
Orihime looked at the cold glass of water. She watched as the water droplets sweated down the sides of the cup. "Thank you..."
"So... how far along are you?" Miyuki tucked the circular tray under her arm.
"Oh, er, thirty four weeks..." Orihime responded distractedly.
"Do you know if it's a girl or boy?"
"No..." Orihime glanced out the window to see if he was still there.
"And where's daddy?" The waitress asked cheerfully.
Orihime's head snapped up. "What?"
"Er, I, um, was just wondering why you were here alone."
"He's... at work." Suddenly, Orihime couldn't breath. "I'm sorry, I have to go." She picked up her bag of baby gear and slid out of the booth. "Thanks again for the water..."
Orihime left the shop in a hurry. Why would she ask that? Why was it any of her business where her husband was.
Orihime turned a corner and continued to walk down the street. Many of the people seemed to disappear as she hobbled down the sidewalk.
It wasn't like she needed to know where Ichigo was. And even if she did, why did it matter to her?
Orihime slowed her walking. She could hear someone echoing her.
It was the bat man! He was back! Orihime didn't need to turn around to know it was him.
Orihime started to walk up faster. She thought he had gone, but he was following her again.
Orihime looked at the buildings around her. They were tall red brick apartments that looked pretty empty to her. Orihime looked at the other street. No one was around.
Her breath started to hitch.
Her body was preparing her for this. She didn't need to be scared.
Orihime turned another corner.
Oh no!
Dead end.
Don't panic, she told herself. Just ask the man what he wants, and he'll leave you alone.
Orihime continued to walk until she reached the end of the shadowy alley.
She turned on the heels of her flats, faced the man, and took a deep breath. "Why are you following me?"
He didn't answer.
She took another breath and spoke louder. "I said, why are you following me?"
The man stood to the side with his hands in the pockets of his cream colored trousers.
Orihime swallowed the lump in her throat. "What do you want with me?"
The man lifted a finger and pointed at her. "Are you scared, woman?"
Her breath caught. It was just like her dream.
Orihime felt her baby kick hard. It was telling her to stay strong. "...No." The woman placed a hand over her large belly and stared into the man's vivid orbs.
Her soft lips released the words in a whisper. "No. I am not afraid of you."
His face was hard and stoical.
"My, my Orihime-chan." A voice chimed in. "Don't be so mean ta Ulquiorra..."
Everything in Orihime's world shrunk and became that voice.
The woman spun sharply, and out lurked a slender man from the shadows and darkness of the alleyway.
"...He was just doing his job..." The man's long lips stretched over sharp, white teeth into the most frightening smile she had ever known.
Orihime knew that grin. She knew that voice. It was the sound of silver and snakes.
"Now, now Orihime-chan. We don't want ta hurtcha. We just need ta talk." Gin looped his arm around her's and walked her out of the alley. "Come with me."
Ulquiorra seemed to make a sleek, black car appear. He opened the door and Orihime and Gin got in.
After the door closed behind them, Orihime scooted over to the other side. She could see Ulquiorra's emerald eyes from the car rear view mirror.
"So ya managed ta get the bun in the oven did ya?"
Orihime didn't respond. Her eyes were glued to Ulquiorra's.
"Well congratulations!" He clapped his hands together lightly in the silence of the car. "I'm sorry that we had ya cornered. But I don't think ya woulda got in the car if we asked ya ta."
It was happening all too fast. Wasn't she just shopping? And now? Now she was in a car with a man she dreamed of, and another she feared.
"I think we should talk in private." He rolled up the black tinted window that divided the front seats from the back.
Orihime closed her eyes. If she thought hard, she could remember the ending to her dream. Most of time she didn't get to see it, because she would wake up. But one time, just once, after the bat man, named Ulquiorra, would disappear, shadows would surround her, and try to take over her. To consume her. But she wouldn't let them. She won't let them. Not in a dream, and not in reality.
Orihime shook off her fears, and took a deep breath while avoiding his eyes. "D-did Aizen send you?"
"Aizen! Yes! That's exactly what we came here ta talk about." His lids lifted and icy blue eyes slid to her body, sending chills up her spin. "Did ya know he was outta town?"
Orihime gulped down the saliva that wedge itself in her throat. She folded her hands, realizing they were shaking. Stay strong!
"He had ta go take care of some business out at the Hueco Mundo H.Q. Ya know, the boring stuff."
The woman kept her head down as the car hummed through traffic. She didn't want to acknowledge him or give him the satisfaction that he was getting to her.
"Oh! So you didn't know?" Gin clucked his teeth. "Hmm. Very interesting..."
Gin watched her movements. Her head was down, her hair was covering her face, and her hands were rattling.
"Why so scared Orihime-chan? It's not like you have anything ta hide." Gin scooted over on the leather seat. "It's not like you've been sneaking around behind people's backs. Hmm?"
Orihime felt his body moving closer. She could feel his cold presence trying to chill her soul. Trying to devour her warmth. Well she wouldn't let him.
"Surely ya wouldn't be the type of person who would keep secrets from the ones ya love." His body was right up against her's, cold, flat, and hard. "Right?"
Surely he doesn't know about... He couldn't be talking about... No... no, no... he can't be... No...
"Lets just cut ta the chase. I know about your dirty little secret, Orihime-chan." He placed his cold hand over her belly. His slits for eyes faced her. "Ya aren't the little good girl everyone thinks ya are..."
Her lips trembled. "I-I don't know what y-you're talking about..."
Gin's fingers slithered up her body until it came to her cheek. "Ya know, my Ran has a beauty mark right here." He tapped his long forefinger under the right side of Orihime's lip. "Ya remind me of her..."
Gin scrutinized the pregnant woman. He wasn't going to hurt her. He was sure of that. His eyes followed the way her long wavy hair fell gracefully oh both sides of her soft face and down her back. His eyes traveled the burnt-orange tresses down her neck and arms, until they lightly rested atop her protruding belly. If only she knew...
"What do you want from me...?" Orihime wanted to say that she wanted to cry. But she didn't want to cry. She wasn't scared of him. She wasn't afraid.
Gin's silvery hair swished to the side as he sharply turned to look out the window. "Lookee here! We're almost home!"
Gin turned back to her. "Look back on your night with Ichigo. Then look back on your night with Aizen. Now look down."
Orihime's eyes followed his finger. It was pointed directly at her stomach. Directly at her baby.
"You can't possibly be inferring that... that," she couldn't breath, "...that this child... that this child isn't Ichigo's..." Her voice cracked at Ichigo's name.
"I didn't infer anything." He smiled at her, his eyes still the tiniest of slits. "You came up with that on your own."
Orihime's throat was closing. Where did all of the air in the car go? "Why did you do this to me?" she choked out.
"I have my reasons." Gin stared back outside the window as the familiar houses rolled on by. "There are certain... assets I need ta protect..."
The car came to a halt. Orihime heard her door open and there stood Ulquiorra, offering his hand to her.
Orihime took it and stared into his eyes as she got out.
He looked... sad. And lonely. No matter how full and beautiful his eyes were, there was a emptiness deep, deep down.
Ulquiorra walked Orihime safely around the car, and to the sidewalk.
Gin rolled down his window and spoke. "Remember Orihime. I'm not here ta confuse ya or give ya any real ideas." He leaned his elbow out the window and off the side. "Think of this as an... enlightenment, yes?"
Gin started to roll down the window then stopped. "And one more thing," he lifted a finger in a "hold up" gesture. "Be honest with yourself. If you won't, then who will?"
Orihime watched the sleek black car zoom off.
"Aah-ahh-..." She tried to make a sound, but nothing came out.
What had she done...
What. Had. She. Done?
Orihime felt the acid rolled around in her belly. She held her stomach and sensed the baby's violent kick.
A thick bitterness rose up through her tubes.
Orihime leaned forward and hurled up the contents of her stomach on the sidewalk.
Thick tears fell down her cheeks.
It was too much.
Aizen and her. Her and Ichigo. Ichigo and Aizen.
Her head spun in circles.
She needed to get into the house where she was safe.
Orihime held her belly and hobbled to the door. She dropped her bags and cried out in pain made step by step up the stairs.
When she finally reached the bathroom, Orihime, again, threw up in the toilet.
How could she know?
How could she have possibly thought...?
After her night of shame. After that night with Aizen, Orihime completely blocked it from her mind.
It was a wicked dream, or a wonderful nightmare.
To her, it was a faded memory. A healing cut, a scab, that was never to be touched.
But now that it was disturbed, it was going to bleed. It was going to fester and rot. It was going to leave a big, ugly scar on her body. A huge, hideous mark setting itself in her soul.
The baby squirmed in her stomach. "I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..." She laid down on the cool bathroom floor and started to cry softly.
She grinded her teeth. How could she have done it? It wasn't worth it at all.
"I hate you" she whispered gently as the droplets slid down her face and pooled on the tiled ground. "I hate you, so much..."
The truth was, she didn't hate Gin.
She didn't hate Aizen.
Or Ichigo.
Orihime didn't blame any of them.
She blamed herself.
She hated herself.
She went to Aizen. She kissed him. She made love to him. No one but her.
And now, she had to face the consequences...
...
Orihime slept silently on the cold floor. Her body shivered and shuddered from the cool breeze over her pregnant frame.
She could feel her body shutting down, when she heard heavy footsteps stomp their way up the stairs.
"Orihime!" Ichigo slammed the bathroom door open. "Sweet Jesus..." Ichigo lifted Orihime up from the ground and carried her out and into the bedroom.
He ran out of the room, and came back in with a hot towel. "What were you doing?" He wiped her forehead with the rag. "I came up to the house and I just knew something was wrong..."
Orihime tugged on his shirt. "Ichigo... I'm so sorry..."
Ichigo smiled. "It's okay honey. If you're feeling sick, just tell me, okay?" He gave her a kiss on her cheek. "I love you. I don't want anything to happen to you."
Orihime closed her eyes and groaned. "Can we go down stairs?"
"Of course," Ichigo carried her down the stairs and to the sofa.
He pulled a blanket over his wife and laid down on the couch next to her.
"Feeling better?" he whispered.
Orihime nodded. "A little, now that you're here." Orihime rested her head on his shoulder.
Ichigo rubbed small circles on her arm and murmured into her long hair. "You know," he whispered, "we've never talked about baby names."
Orihime knitted her brow. "I don't want to do that. When I see her-"
"Or him."
"Or him for the first time, I want to just know. I want to just see it and... know..."
"Well if you want to keep it a surprise, it's fine by me." Ichigo bent his head down to see her face. He had a odd twinkle in his eyes. "We've also never talked about the nursery."
"Oh... well, lets talk about it now..." Orihime bit her lip. Now he was talking about the nursery. It was all too much.
"I was thinking about a lime green, or a yellow, for the walls..."
A gargelling sound erupted from her throat as she started to cry. She couldn't do it. She couldn't. She had to tell him.
"Orihime! What's wrong?"
"I... have to... tell... you... sa-something." She squeezed between sobs. "I can't... keep... it... in... any longer!"
"Orihime!" His turned her body towards his and pushed a tear off of her cheek. "Tell me. I can only make it better if you tell me."
"I-I-I..." Oihime closed her eyes. "I slept with Sosuke Aizen, and I think the baby is his'..." Orihime opened her eyes.
"I... I hate the color papayawhip..."
Ichigo gave her a weird look then he burst unto laughter. "Then we don't have to have papayawhip for the walls, honey. It can be anything you want."
If only you knew, she thought, and cried harder.
"Oh, Orihime," he whispered and continued to rub circles on her arm. "I know what this is. I didn't know when it'll start, because every woman is different."
Orihime stopped her sobbing. "Wh-what?"
"It's your hormones, silly!" He wiped away another loose tear. "You're feeling anxious and vulnerable because the baby is on it's way." Ichigo grinned. "I read that in the How-to-be-a-Good-Father book I brought!"
Orihime stared up into his shining eyes. He was so proud to be a dad. He waited all his life for this...
She couldn't take that from him.
"Yes, Ichigo," she sniffled. "It's the hormones..."
Ichigo hummed and kissed her forehead. "So, is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable?"
"No..." Orihime twisted under the blanket painfully. "I wish I could go to sleep, but I've been having these weird dre-" Orihime stopped herself. She couldn't tell him about Ulquiorra. There were to many questions. Questions, she wasn't sure she could answer. "Just watch some movies with me."
"Sure. How about... hmmm. Love Story. I know how much you love that one." Ichigo scooted off the couch and walked over to the DVD player.
Orihime nodded happily.
Ichigo sat back down and wrapped his arm around his wife. "I almost forgot! I'm taking you out tomorrow."
She looked up at him. "Really! Where?"
"It's a surprise, Orihime. I can't tell you." Ichigo pointed the remote at the player.
Orihime poked out her lip and whimpered.
"Alright! I'll give you a clue. It's more than one place, and we'll be out all day."
Orihime stroked her aching back. "All day?"
Ichigo smiled wide. "All day!"
Orihime snuggled against Ichigo as she watched Ali Macgraw and Ryan O'Neal throw snow at each other.
They stayed in each other arms all night.
And as Orihime's heavy eyes closed, she heard Ali say her famous line.
"Don't... Love means never having to say you're sorry..."
I told you guys, rushed! These last weeks have been a little busy.
The Rensuki one-shot will be up sometime during this week. So watch out for that.
I'm also currently working on a two-shot story about Orihime and Ichigo's wedding. It's a prequel in a way, but it's mostly about the wedding and the honeymoon. *wink*
Stay tuned!
Rocka.