A/N: Thank you to Furionknight for their review on chapter 20! :)

Not all that much to say really except that the pace will begin to pick up soon, after the next couple of chapters which should hopefully begin to explain quite a few things.

Please RxExR!

Forever and Always

Chapter 21 - A Good Mood

"But I made a promise to him Uryu, and promises have to be held." Orihime said, feeling slightly distressed. She had promised Ulquiorra that she would go and pick him up before taking him to the restaurant with her and introducing him as her boyfriend to the others. He had asked her out a week ago and she had been practically ecstatic when he had, but he had also said that she should try and keep as little secrets from her friends as possible.

She had told him that they might recognise him and that they then might hurt him but he had told her not to worry and after seeing him after his 'make-over' as she referred to it, she had to say that she wasn't that worried anymore. His black hair had become a caramel blonde and she had to say he looked quite handsome in it. While he had lost his hollow hole when he had come over to this world two years ago, he had still had the tattooes on his face but now even those were gone and if she hadn't known it was him, she wouldn't have recognised him at all.

But now there was just one teensy problem. Uryu was refusing to let her go to go and pick him up. Why, she wasn't exactly sure. But it was starting to get on her nerves that everyone around her was treating her like some fragile vase that couldn't even take care of itself. She had trained throughout the last three weeks like the rest of them. In fact, she had never even stopped training, even after Aizen had been defeated. But no, the others wouldn't even let her go out on her own since that incident so she had had to take to sneaking out like some criminal, which, quite frankly, was starting to do a bit more than just get on her nerves.

"I'm fine Uryu. But he doesn't know where we're meeting up and I want to go and get him so that we can celebrate the start of the christmas break with everyone!" Annoyance was starting to leak into her voice as she pulled her arm out of Uryu's grasp. "And I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" She snapped and tried to ignore the surprised looks of Tatsuki and the others as she began to walk towards the door.

She was eighteen years of age for god's sake! She could pretty damn well take care of herself! She wasn't the inexperienced person she had been three years ago when everything had started. She had taken part in the whole war against Aizen too. It wasn't as if she had just been sitting on the sidelines doing nothing!

"But it might be dangerous Orihime. You never know when those things could return!" Tatsuki tried to reason with her while she continued to march towards the door. Quite frankly, she had had enough of their behaviour.

"I am eighteen years old Tatsuki! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself! Please stop treating me as if I'm eight!" Orihime pleaded to her friend but didn't stop walking.

"Just let her go." Ichigo said suddenly, causing Uryu and Tatsuki to glare at him. "She is right, we walk around by ourselves and she should too." He said, trying to placate them for once. "But if you're not at the restaurant in half an hour we're going to go look for you, okay Orihime?" He called after her and she turned around, feeling grateful towards him.

"Yes! And don't worry, I'll be fine!" She grinned at them happily, her euphoria at being able to see Ulquiorra again and taking him to meet the others overtaking her former annoyance. With that she hurried out of the door before the others could say anything else, or even change their minds. And she also knew that she had to hurry. They would actually come and search for her if she was late.

"Why did you do that Ichigo?" Uryu quickly turned around, anger sparkling in his eyes. When Orihime had told them that she wanted them to meet her boyfriend, both he and Tatsuki had felt angry and betrayed to an extent since they hadn't even known that she was seeing anyone at all.

"Because what she was saying made sense." Ichigo shrugged. "And to be honest, we have been treating her like a child. We should trust her a bit more. And she promised that she would be there on time, so she'll be there on time."

"Aren't you bothered at all that she said that she wants us to meet her boyfriend?" Tatsuki asked pointedly. Was he really that thick? Did he actually think that Orihime was interested in someone else? Did he not care at all?

Rukia froze and indiscreetly turned around to look at Ichigo. How would he answer?

"Why should I be bothered?" Ichigo looked at them with confusion in his eyes. "I'm actually happy for her that she finally managed to find someone that she likes. I was starting to get worried. Most girls start to go all ga-ga over a boy." He scratched the back of his head as he shrugged nonchalantly. "Although I hope my sisters don't... I'll have to check that the guys in their classes are decent..." He mumbled as he began to walk towards the door. Chad's eyes twinkled in amusement while the others just stared at him in shock, thinking that he was being especially oblivious. Chad knew though that Ichigo had found out about Orihime's crush on him and had pointedly ignored it so as to remain friends with her since at the time he hadn't even thought about looking at someone like that.

Although he was still painfully oblivious when it came to the opposite gender more often than not.

"Are you guys coming?" He turned around to wait for them. Rukia gave him a brilliant smile, the tension from waiting for Ichigo's answer having fled from her. Somehow she hadn't liked how the others had mentioned a possible interest in Orihime. She loved the girl like a sister but somehow she couldn't stand the thought of her and Ichigo possibly being together. Unbeknownst to Ichigo, he blushed slightly at her beautiful smile and quickly turned around so that he could go out into the cold, feeling that the air in the lobby of their appartment building was a bit stifled.

Yes, Chad thought, Ichigo was definitely too oblivious for his own good.

~.~.~.~.~

"So they've rented the restaurant for this afternoon to celebrate the end of their term?" Kura looked at Haruo as she waited for an answer.

"Well they've rented that part of the restaurant since the amount of people coming is apparently quite large." Haruo responded, pointing to the left half of the restaurant that had a lot of 'reserved' signs on the tables.

"I don't know why they're so happy. I mean, it's only a couple of weeks off. Why are they so freakin' elated about it?" Kaito mumbled in annoyance. He hated holidays of any kind, Christmas, Golden Week, New Year's, Easter, any holiday really. He disliked them all.

"Well isn't someone especially grouchy today?" Kura asked him with amusement twinkling in her eyes and he just scowled back at her.

"I don't like the holidays. Never have. I see no sense in celebrating something as useless as them." He glared at his surroundings, feeling quite annoyed. As usual, his father had called last minute and had told him that he would be away for Christmas. He always was. The man was never at home to spend some time with his family. And to top it all off his younger sister had gone to stay with a friend until the twenty-ninth while his mother was off on some cruise ship in the Caribbean until the thirtieth.

"Well we all do so try to not spoil the mood, okay?" Haruo asked with a sense of disapproval in his voice. If someone didn't like the holidays it was fine with him. But that didn't mean that they had to try and ruin it for everyone else too.

"So what are you guys doing for Christmas?" Kura's eyes sparkled at the thought of having a couple of days off. Unlike the others she worked full time, so having two days off sounded positively brilliant to her.

"Not much. My parents are off to see my grandparents this year so I'll probably just spend it with my brother who's coming up from the south to visit." Haruo grinned as he thought of his slightly crazy older brother who had gone off to travel throughout the world instead of going to university, much to their parents' united disapproval. "And my sister's still here of course, she said that she didn't want to miss spending the last couple of days here before her friend moves away to the States. So it's just going to be the three of us." Haruo smiled fondly at the thought of spending some quality time with his siblings. Ever since his brother, and now he too, had moved out, they hadn't been able to spend an awful lot of time together.

"Nothing. Probably just going to be home." Kaito muttered. He didn't want to be reminded of his rather messed up and distant family.

"Then why don't you spend it with me?" Kura asked, shocking the other two males. "I mean, my family's pretty much shunned me and this year Ari's got her family over as well so I'm all by myself." She smiled at Kaito and shrugged. "And I don't see why anyone should be miserable on Christmas. So, what do you say?"

"That would be amazing." Kaito grinned for the first time that day. It sounded like his Christmas wasn't going to be that bad after all, he would even have some company.

"Hey! You guys! I know Christmas is around the corner but that doesn't give you the excuse to slack off!" Eiji Ine's annoyed voice penetrated their happy conversation and they quickly went back to doing their jobs.

"Of course sir!" Kura's voice rang out beautifully and the manager just sighed. All he wanted to do too was spend some time off with his family but his damn boss had told him that he should try and increase their profits where possible. Ironic, coming from her when she was out getting her nails done for some pre-Christmas party later that evening.

Thankfully Hideki was out with his friends doing what-not so the restaurant was a nice and peaceful place at the moment. Which was definitely good for his easily rising blood pressures.

The door opened, letting in a blast of freezing air. After the snowstorms that had haunted the whole of Karakura during the past week the temperature had dropped rather drastically and people tried to keep the outside frost from coming inside.

Ichigo felt happy, feeling the warm air from inside the restaurant hit his face as he held the door open for the others to come through. They all thanked him as he quickly closed the door and then proceeded to hang up their coats and jackets and put their shawls away.

"Let's get into the Christmas spirit then! We finally have our holidays!" Keigo happily sang as they sat down at their tables. Uryu raised his eyebrow at him, still feeling rather grumpy about the earlier exchange with Orihime while Mizuiro pointedly ignored the other teen, tapping away happily on his phone.

"Finally. I thought they were never going to arrive." Ichigo grinned broadly as Kura came and handed him and the others the menus. They had agreed beforehand to order drinks already while waiting for the rest of their group to turn up before ordering any food.

"Indeed." Chad nodded, knowing that everyone here was not only celebrating the end of a long term but also that so far no one had come to attack them again. The good Christmas spirit was enveloping them all and bringing up their previously quite dismal spirits.

"Hi everyone!" Rangiku's voice sang out as she entered the restaurant with her captain, Shuhei, Ikkaku and Yumichika in tow. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked like she was in high spirits. Toushiro on the other hand looked rather annoyed at the antics of his lieutenant, but that was nothing new.

"Thought we were never going to make it. It's positively atrocious out there." Yumichika shivered dramatically before sitting down and Ikkaku just rolled his eyes.

"You're such a drama queen." He muttered but sat down none the less.

"Everyone knows that if it's too cold or too hot that its bad for your hair and skin. You should know that Ikkaku." He sighed a world-weary sigh. "I have told you this so many times already."

Ichigo snorted slightly, which went unnoticed by the arguing pair. Rukia looked over and quirked an eyebrow at him. He inclined his head towards Ikkaku and Yumichika and rolled his eyes, causing her to chuckle in understanding. Yes, those two were as ridiculous as ever.

"Ah. We finally made it." Jushiro stepped inside the shop, closely followed by Shunsui and Nanao.

"The weather is absolutely abominable. This calls for some sake!" Shunsui grinned broadly as he shoved his coat into the wardrobe that was set up near the entrance and sat down with a jolly expression on his face.

"It most certainly doesn't." Nanao said rather pertly.

"Oh come on sweet Nanao, a drink or two won't hurt, right?" Shunsui grinned at his lieutenant who shook her head in dismay. Jushiro chuckled softly.

"Believe me Nanao, I've tried to talk him out of drinking for two hundred years and he still hasn't paid my well-meant words any attention." He smiled at her again before sitting down himself.

"Oh Jushiro. How your words slice at my heart." Shunsui put his hand over his eyes dramatically and leaned back, but everyone could see he was peeking through his fingers.

"Good. Hopefully you'll die of inner bleeding." Nanao said shortly and went on to choose a drink. Shunsui looked at her with a playfully hurt expression on his face.

"I don't think she's forgiven you yet my friend." Jushiro's eyes sparkled in amusement as he ordered some green tea. Unlike his friend, he didn't believe that one should be able to drink at any given point in the day.

Nemu entered the shop rather quietly during the whole exchange and sat down gracefully. Uryu greeted her with a smile which she surprisingly returned.

"Blast it it's cold." Kenpachi entered the shop with Yachiru on his shoulders.

"Look Kenny! We made it on time!" Yachiru sang happily while Haruo looked at the large man rather fearfully. Ichigo could understand his sentiments, Captain Zaraki wasn't exactly a person who gave off a friendly aura. And he also knew that he was going to be questioned quite thoroughly by his co-workers on his next shift about the company he kept. They were, quite frankly, probably the most bizarre set of people that had ever entered this restaurant at the same time.

"Hey." Shunsui lifted his hand in greeting and Kenpachi nodded in return. He was more preoccupied with getting Yachiru out of her way too big coat than greeting them and paying attention to what was going on around him.

"We have arrived!" Kisuke Urahara's bright voice penetrated the shop as he marched in rather triumphantly while Yuroichi entered behind him, shaking her head at his childish antics. Ichigo and the others who fequented the shop quite often suddenly felt the intense need to sink down into their chairs and hope that nobody recognised them. Which of course, wasn't going to happen.

"Where's Tessai?" Uryu asked, peering behind Yuroichi to search for the taller man.

"He decided to stay at home and watch Ururu and Jinta. He told us to send his greetings though." Yuroichi beat Kisuke to explaining why the other man wasn't with them. Kisuke sent her a mock glare.

"Yuroichi, let me explain why he's not here." He whined but Yuroichi pointedly ignored him, sitting down at the table and leaving him standing forlornly in the gangway.

"Yuroichi~" He whined before getting kicked and falling down.

"Stop standing in the doorway so pathetically you piece of trash." Soi Fon's harsh voice interrupted Kisuke.

"It's good to see you too Soi Fon." Kisuke grinned up mischievioulsy from his position on the floor and waved up at her. A vein began to throb on her forehead.

"Good to see that you made it." Yuroichi said from her place at the table, probably saving Kisuke's life in the process. Soi Fon greeted Yuroichi before greeting the others, by which time Kisuke had already gotten up and sat down beside Yuroichi, smirking at Soi Fon.

"He really wants to piss her off, doesn't he?" Ichigo asked Uryu and Chad.

"Yes, I think he does." Uryu whispered back and Chad simply nodded.

"Yo." Renji's voice came from the door and the others turned away from watching Soi Fon getting ready to murder Kisuke to greet the newcomers. Izuru and Hanataro entered through the door behind him.

"Where's nii-san?" Rukia asked as Renji and the others settled down as well.

"Not sure. He was on duty last so he's probably going to be here soon. You know how much he values punctuality." Renji shrugged although he did feel slightly uneasy since his captain wasn't here yet. In fact, Byakuya had been acting pretty weird as of late. Ever since they had come to the World of the Living he had been acting downright strange. Not that he had the guts to ask him about it though. He already knew what the answer would be. A cold stare that told him to mind his own business.

"Yeah. Don't worry Rukia. Your brother will be here soon." Ichigo smiled at Rukia reassuringly and she returned the smile. Renji was kind of glad that Byakuya wasn't there to see that, it might have ended in Ichigo getting stabbed for flirting with his sister. Although the orange-haired idiot probably didn't know that he was doing that anyway.

"Sorry we're late!" Orihime's voice came from the door and Ichigo swore that Uryu's head whipped around so fast that he got whiplash just from watching his friend do that.

"See, I made it within half an hour." Orihime said rather proudly which caused Ichigo and the others to smile. Of course she had. She had promised them after all. Another man was standing behind her and Ichigo got the feeling that he had seen or met him somewhere before. Which was of course, impossible, since the blonde man behind her was nothing like anyone that Ichigo had ever known.

"This is my boyfriend, Ulquiorra." Orihime said happily and Ichigo began choking on air while Uryu began choking on his tea. The others were more than shocked too when they heard the name. Rukia and Chad respectively began clapping their backs to help ease the startled teens' breathing.

"Ulquiorra you say?" Kisuke looked at the young man in interest. "Not a very common name around these parts." His eyes were hid underneath the rim of his hat so nobody could actually tell what the former captain of Squad 12 was thinking.

The green eyes felt frighteningly familiar as the young man smiled softly and bowed his head. "Well that is to be expected since I am not from these parts. I only recently transferred to Karakura from the north and my parents were firm believers in giving their children old names. They felt that it gave them a deeper meaning." His head went up again. "I am pleased to meet you all, I have heard a lot about you from Orihime." The deep emerald eyes were familiar yet the warmer tone and the facial expressions were so different from the nonchalant, emotionless espada that they had known.

"Well we're pleased to meet you too. Orihime surprised us quite a bit this morning when she said that she was planning to bring you along and introduce you." Ichigo said courteously. The others were still in a stupor and he felt that he shouldn't judge the other man simply because he bore a name similar to one of their former enemies.

"I was quite surprised too when she told me of this meeting yesterday. It came quite out of the blue." Ulquiorra smiled as well and Ichigo felt himself calming down. There was no way that this seemingly kind and gentle man could be the same as the fourth espada that he had fought. Who he had killed by the way.

The two of them started to move around the table to sit down when the door was flung open once more to show Ari and her brother and friend standing in the doorway.

"Sorry we're late. The traffic was absolutely horrendous. There was an accident and the taxi had to drive all the way around it." She said rather breathlessly before straightening up and grinning at them all. "Thanks for the invitation though. Good that I don't have a shift today." Her bright smile felt infectious and Ichigo grinned back as well.

"Good that you could come. All of you in fact." He smiled at them all and they returned it. This was probably the best Christmas season he had had in a long time. He had his powers back. He was able to spend Christmas with all his friends from the World of the Living and the Soul Society (despite that it was due to them being stranded here).

This year was definitely coming to a good end. He felt sure of it. No matter what the new year would bring, this year was definitely going to end on a good note.