Chapter 14: When one door closes another one opens.

Message to all my readers, I just wanted to give you all a huge apology about my lengthy absence from writing lately. I've been working nonstop, along with doing assignment after assignment for my college course I have been attending. I have been completely overwhelmed by life and its trials recently. But rest assured that the only reason I'm apologising is because I want to show you that I care. This isn't me signing off as a fan fiction author. I fully intend to resume my current projects and create new ones at my next available time slot. I just ask that you please continue to remain patient with me and believe me when I say that I am not done yet. I have the blueprints for both my next two chapters for high school dxd and bleach, it's just finding the time to sit down and write them up.

And besides with this lockdown and virus scare, I want to give back to you guys and give you something to read I'm either going to do two chapters for this Bleach story or I will do a high school DxD chapter next. That is up to you .

This is my intended order, Bleach, High school DxD, Histories Strongest Disciple and then Fairy Tail. But due to the circumstances, I am prioritising the stories that the people want.

Now without further ado, please enjoy the long-awaited chapter.

No matter how old you get, leaving your old life behind and beginning a new one, it never gets any easier. This is what was going through Orihime's mind as she closed her flat's door, retrieving all of her precious memories she had here before finally locking the doorway shut.

Regardless of what happened to her over the last two days, Orihime truly cherished and loved this building.

This place was her beginning, her escape route. It was the safe haven that her brother had created for her after he rescued Orihime from their cruel and twisted childhood.

Every day when she returned home from school, Sora was there with a smile on his face happily greeting her as she came through the doorway.

But then tragedy struck, and Sora was taken away from Orihime forever.

Orihime fiddled with the hair pins in her hair which now represent his love for her. The last gift that she received from her brother before he met his untimely end.

The grief struck girl struggled to decide on which emotion she should be displaying upon reflection of her memories of her brother.

Orihime recalled the fight that she had with her brother before he was cruelly taken away from her and then a sadness began to bind around her like a constricting shadow.

Recalling her last memory of her brother brought feelings of sadness and fear.

Her hollowfied brother's scraping white claws scratched against her throat as he held her within a tightening death hold.

He attacked her with a frightening ferocity that her father used to inhabit as he stared at her with those cold, lonely, and scarlet undead eyes.

However, Orihime didn't die that night, in fact, the last sight she saw that night was her brother impaling himself with Ichigo's Zanpakuto.

His gentle smile being the final memory that Orihime had of him.

Nevertheless, Orihime had accepted this, Sora was gone, and she had to continue her life.

Orihime said a silent goodbye to her old home as she lugged her worn and torn neon pink suitcase down the steps.

"Here let me take that for you." Ichigo offered as he smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you Ichigo." Orihime said as she tried to reciprocate his smile.

Orihime's legs suddenly criss-crossed, her body feeling heavy like a rock as she fell to the ground.

"Orihime!" Ichigo said as he scooped her falling body up before she suffered any further injuries.

Orihime felt her beloved Ichigo's warm embrace as she tried to awaken from her sleepy state.

"Are you really alright?" Ichigo enquired worried for her physical state as well as her various emotional feelings that may or may not be running through her mind.

"I'm fine! Don't worry about me!" Orihime said in a flustered state, trying to pull herself together.

Before Orihime could protest any further, Ichigo scooped Orihime up once again, lifting her off the ground and placing her on his back.

"I... I... Ichigo!" Orihime yelped in a flustered tone.

"Just hold on tight and leave the rest to me." Ichigo said with his reoccurring gentle tone.

"But I'm heavy…" Orihime said as she once did way back in Hueco Muendo.

"Just relax and leave the rest to me Orihime. Please don't push yourself, rest." Ichigo replied feeling concerned for his fiancée, the events of her recent past running through his focused mind.

It hasn't even been a week since Ichigo rescued Orihime from the demon world after facing off against Ulquiorra once again and the powerful demon god Mundas.

Poor Orihime hasn't had a day of rest since that traumatic event. She was just thrown into another frightening terror and Ichigo just wanted her to be safe from now on.

Wielding his blade he will see to it, that no further harm shall attack her.

As a matter of fact, this horrible experience is what led Orihime and Ichigo to this moment.

Feeling worried for the mentally and physically injured girl's safety, Ichigo decided to ask Orihime to move in with him and his family until they could find a place of their own.

A wave of fatigue suddenly washed over Orihime as she gently placed her arms over Ichigo's shoulders. His warmth concocting some kind of sleep-inducing effect as he carried her towards their destination.

"Thank you Ichigo. I love you." Orihime thought to herself as she let her fatigue take over her body.

20 minutes later Ichigo's footsteps came to a halt.

"Wake up sleepy head. We're here." Ichigo said gently helping Orihime off of his back.

Orihime and Ichigo took a deep breath as they walked up the pathway towards Ichigo's house.

The substitute soul reaper was just about to knock on the door before it suddenly swung open.

"Ichigo! Where have you been?!" Yuzu demanded displaying both anger and worry the second she opened her mouth.

"Hey Yuzu. I'm sorry I didn't come home last night, but I needed to help Orihime." Ichigo said making the younger sibling automatically notice the sun haired girl beside him.

"Orihime! What's wrong you look terrible! Come inside, I'll make us all some breakfast." Yuzu said as her yellow apron draped over her front.

Ichigo helped Orihime inside, her suitcase in tow under his arm.

Yuzu, Ichigo and Orihime sat in the living room a warm cup of tea in each of their hands.

Before Yuzu could actually say what was truly on her mind, Karin and their father walked into the living room.

"So, have you finally decided to introduce us to your girlfriend now Ichigo?" Karin asked both shocking Orihime and Isshin.

"What?! Ichigo landed a hot girl like Orihime?!" Ichigo's dad asked feeling both surprised and overwhelmed by this sudden revelation.

"Geez dad stop acting so surprised. They have been dating since last year." Yuzu said making Isshin even more surprised.

"Why am I the only person who didn't know?! Why can't a son come talk to his dad about his love life?!" Isshin chimed in causing a violent retort from Karin.

"It's because you react like this, you stupid old man!" Karin replied after punching him in the gut.

"So what's it been like dating Ichigo, Orihime?" Yuzu asked genuinely curious.

"Actually…" Orihime begun to say as she tried to get the words out.

"We're not just dating Yuzu. Orihime and I are engaged." Ichigo said with pride finally telling somebody.

"What?! You're engaged?!" It was everybody's turn to be surprised this time. Yuzu, Isshin and Karin were all immensely shocked.

Orihime blushed as she drunk her tea.

After five minutes of freaking out, Karin suddenly noticed something else unusual.

"So Ichigo what's with the suitcase?" Karin asked making a lit light bulb materialise in Yuzu's mind.

"Ehh! Suitcase? Wait is Orihime moving in?! Really?!" Yuzu asked unable to hide the excitement within her voice.

"Did you hear that honey! We have gained another daughter! Orihime is going to be living with us all from now on!" Isshin Kurosaki bellowed as he fell to his knees at Masaki Kurosaki's, (his wife's) memorial poster.

"Get rid of that poster already! Mum is the one crying right now!" Karin said once again berating her father for his antics.

"Don't worry Karin! Daddy still loves his little girl!" Isshin said as he attempted to leap towards the black-haired girl.

"Stop being such a creep!" Karin said as she kicked her father in the face.

"Come on Orihime, I'll help you unpack." Yuzu said leading her towards the steps.

"Just make yourself at home Orihime. I have to run to work for a couple of hours. After all, I have to make some money if I'm going to get you that ring I promised." Ichigo said just before Orihime went upstairs.

"Come on Orihime, let me show you my room!" Yuzu said sounding extremely excited.

As Ichigo approached the front door, Isshin followed behind him.

"So you're going, are you?" Isshin said looking at Ichigo's combat pass poking out of his jacket pocket.

"So you know what I have to do?" Ichigo said sounding serious all of a sudden.

"I understand why you have to do this. But it won't be easy Ichigo." Isshin said fully aware of what Ichigo was about to do.

"I'll be home by dinner." Ichigo replied.

"Good luck Ichigo. We'll take care of Orihime until you come home." Isshin said.

"Thanks dad." Ichigo said as he left the house to go on his quest.

Moments later, Ichigo arrived at an all too familiar candy shop.

"Well, hello Ichigo. What brings you here at this hour?" Kisuke enquired whilst he shook his trademark fan.

"Sorry to bother you Kisuke, but I'm going to need your help once again." Ichigo said making Kisuke grin.

"You want to go to the soul-society again don't you?" Kisuke said surprising Ichigo briefly.

"Yes I do." Ichigo said remembering his resolve.

"You sound serious Ichigo. Everything alright?" Kisuke asked.

"Everything's fine Kisuke, I just have to find somebody in the Rukon district." Ichigo said.

Kisuke's eyes darkened as he tipped his trademark hat.

"Oh? You do realise how hard that's going to be don't you?!" Kisuke said.

"Yes, I know." Ichigo replied his resolve firmly set.

"Have you thought about asking Yoruichi? She's trained for this sort of task."

"Thanks, I'm well aware of Yoruichi's abilities. But this is a trial I need to accomplish myself." Ichigo replied a certain girl appearing in his mind.

"It won't be easy." Kisuke added.

"Has anything I've had to do ever been easy?" Ichigo replied with confidence.

"Good point. Come down to the basement and I'll open up the senkaimon for you."

Ichigo followed the previous captain of squad 12 into his hidden training ground and transformed himself into a soul reaper.

"There will be a lot of souls in the Rukon district. So it won't be easy to track one person's spiritual pressure, especially if you don't know it that well."

"I know. But I have to try. This is for Orihime's sake."

Kisuke smiled after seeing Ichigo's resolve.

"Good luck Ichigo."

"Thanks I'm going to need it."

Ichigo journeyed through the piercing light of the senkaimon, leaving his body behind in the world of the living.

Meanwhile back at the Kurosaki clinic, a certain someone was really enjoying another's company.

"Wow you're a natural Orihime!" Yuzu exclaimed as Orihime chopped up the vegetables for her.

"Wow thanks Yuzu, I'm quite proud of my cooking skills, even though not that many people seem to like it."

"People who often complain about somebody else's cooking, often don't know how to cook themselves. So don't let them get to you. I'm sure it's delicious." Yuzu said making Orihime recall Rangiku praising her cooking before.

"Thank you Yuzu. I'd like to learn some of Ichigo's favourite recipes if you don't mind?" Orihime said igniting a fire in Yuzu's irises.

"It will be my pleasure! I Yuzu Kurosaki, will teach you everything I know about cooking. Consider it bridal training for when you marry Ichigo." Yuzu said feeling huge pride after being asked by Orihime to teach her.

Orihime lightly nodded with a huge blush on both of her cheeks.

"Private Orihime Inoue, are you ready for the battlefield?!" Yuzu asked earning an immediate response.

"Yes captain Yuzu!"

"That's Lieutenant Yuzu private! Now start making rice!" Yuzu ordered getting into the role.

"Right away!"

After hopelessly searching for two hours without rest, Ichigo Kurosaki made his way to the senkaimon.

"Heading home now Ichigo?" A female voice asked causing Ichigo to turn around.

"Rukia… Yeah I've got to get back home for dinner." Ichigo said with an exhausted and defeated tone.

"Don't give up Ichigo. What you are trying to do isn't easy. But who cares?! Think of all the other things you have accomplished in the past which seemed hopeless. You will succeed because that's who you are Ichigo!" Rukia said causing Ichigo to reignite his resolve to this through to the end.

"Thank you Rukia." Ichigo replied feeling the huge weight which was previously weighing him down lift off of his back.

"Just remember who you are doing this for. Let that be your weapon." Rukia said with her characteristic smile.

Ichigo took off through the senkaimon at break-neck speed, his body so desperate to get through that if it weren't for his self-control, he may have raced through before it even opened.

He was heading home now, but he would continue to journey to the soul-society until he had achieved his goal.

"I'm home"

Ichigo's fatigued mind was suddenly greeted by an instant energy boost.

Orihime Inoue smiling warmly at him with a pink apron draped over her front was the first thing that Ichigo saw as he came in through the front door.

"Welcome home Ichigo." Orihime said as she happily greeted him from the entranceway.

Ichigo returned her smile with his own.

As if Orihime were the catalyst, Ichigo's other senses began to start up.

A familiar, mouth salivating scent wafted through the air making Ichigo realise how hungry he truly was.

"Looks like I'm just in time." Ichigo said almost expecting the next thing to happen as he noticed the time was actually 7:05

"You're late!" Isshin said as he flew through the air in an attempt to kick Ichigo.

Ichigo intercepted his dad's kick and blocked with his arms.

"Damn it dad! Even with Orihime in the house?!"

"We eat at dinner at 7:00!"

"I'm five minutes late give me a break!"

"No excuses!"

"Idiot you could have hit Orihime!"

"And what kind of man would you be if you let her get hurt huh?!"

"Why you!" Ichigo yelled getting ready to engage in his usual bout of fisticuffs with his dad.

"You two stop fighting right now! Orihime and I worked really hard to make this dinner, so you two knock it off!" Yuzu exploded noticing Orihime was very excited to see Ichigo eat the dinner she had made for him.

"You're right, sorry Yuzu, sorry Orihime. I'm actually starving so let's eat." Ichigo said following Orihime into the living room.

"Yuzu?"

"Shame on you dad we have a guest! If you keep this up you'll be making your own dinner!" Yuzu declared making Isshin sob and apologise to her profusely.

Ichigo sat at the table with Orihime and the rest of his family both excited and nervous about the meal that was in front of him.

As much as Ichigo loved his fiancé, memories of her cooking didn't always live up to the norm.

But despite his worries, Ichigo couldn't wait to eat his favourite meal in front of him.

The substitute soul reaper did what he does best, leap straight into the unknown and the dangerous.

Ichigo's eyes shot wide upon realisation of the taste of the Karashi mentaiko (Spicy fish roe) in front of him.

"Wow this is delicious!" Ichigo said with relief and excitement.

Orihime's past worries of her cooking suddenly subsided upon seeing Ichigo's delighted expression.

"You did it Orihime." Yuzu said making the girl blush and smile knowing Ichigo liked her cooking.

"Yuzu and I also made chocolate cake for dessert Ichigo." Orihime said making Ichigo pleased.

"That's great Orihime, I can't wait to eat it." Ichigo said loving both Karashi mentaiko and chocolate.

Ichigo looked over at Yuzu and noticed her winking at him.

The substitute soul reaper grinned realising that Yuzu was already making her role as the sister in law very clear.

It finally hit Orihime, a wave of emotion that struck her directly and caused her damn to break down.

"Orihime! What's wrong are you okay?!" Yuzu asked worried about the poor girl suddenly bursting into tears.

"Thank you. Thank you all so much." Was Orihime could say as she felt the warmth of a family dinner that she had not truly ever experienced before.

"You're family now Orihime, welcome home." Isshin said sounding serious and like an adult for once.

After a long and tiring day, the Kurosaki's and Orihime retired to their bedrooms for the night.

Just as they did before with Rukia, the Kurosaki's gave Orihime Yuzu's room to sleep in.

"Good night Orihime. Sleep well." Karin said playing the cool and calm type as usual.

"Good night sis! Sweet dreams!" Yuzu said fully embracing her new family member.

As night fell upon the world of the living, everybody slept peacefully.

Everybody except Orihime who was once again plagued by nightmares and fear.

The startled and frightened girl sat upright so fast it was as if her bed were made of spikes.

Petrified of facing the night alone, Orihime made her way to the bedroom across from hers.

Upon the door hung the trademark number 15 which represented Ichigo's name.

Stealthy like a cat, Orihime crept inside and climbed into bed with Ichigo.

Orihime still can't believe the effect that Ichigo has upon her.

Just by simply being by his side, she no longer fears the unknown nor does she suffer from any pain or torment.

Almost instantly, Orihime fell asleep in Ichigo's arms and enjoyed once again, a night were no nightmares would dare try to pass Ichigo's blade.

"Good morning! Ichigo!" Isshin yelled as he once again attempted to surprise his son.

"What, morning already?" Orihime mumbled in a half-asleep state.

Isshin paused in disbelief seeing Orihime sleeping alongside his son.

In fact, Isshin was so surprised, that he failed to realise that he was currently in mid-flight.

"Ahhhhh!" Isshin yelled as he flew through Ichigo's window into the bushes in the front garden.

After yet another hectic morning, Ichigo pressed on towards his quest under the disguise of going to work.

Two weeks have now passed and Ichigo has continuously searched for him, but sadly, he has yet to show any signs of success.

Orihime has been enjoying her time with Ichigo's sisters, Yuzu has been teaching her how to cook Ichigo's favourite meals, whilst Karin has opened up to share Orihime's hobby of gaming with her.

Just as Ichigo once again was preparing to leave for the soul society, Orihime called for him to wait.

"What's wrong Orihime?" Ichigo questioned noticing the urgency in her eyes.

"I know you're busy today, but could you do me a favour on your way to work?" Orihime requested which of course Ichigo said yes to.

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering if you could drop this cheque down to my landlord so I can pay off the final rent payment for this month." Orihime said now feeling as if the Kurosaki clinic was officially her new home.

"Of course Orihime. I'll take care of it." Ichigo said secretly enjoying seeing her face every morning when he wakes up.

As per Orihime's request, Ichigo journeyed to her old apartment to drop off the final rent payment along with her key to the place.

"Hey kid, your friend left this here when she moved out." The landlord said handing to Ichigo an all too familiar looking bear.

"Oh it's Enraku. Thanks a lot, I'm sure she will be really happy to get this back." Ichigo said as he received the pink teddy bear from the landlord.

Ichigo with Orihime's request done and dusted, proceeded to travel to Kisuke's shop once again.

All of a sudden, Ichigo felt a strong spiritual pressure coating its way around the bear, an aura emanating particularly from its head.

"Wait a second, this spiritual pressure!" Ichigo thought as he raced to the soul society.

Ichigo once again entered the soul society, however this time, Ichigo was sure he would find the person that he was looking for.

Once he was in the Seirietei, Ichigo concentrated entirely on the bear in his hand.

Ichigo Kurosaki was known for his poor quality when it came to searching for spirit energy.

Nonetheless, with this strong source of spirit energy coming from Orihime's bear, this should be a cinch.

Ichigo grinned widely picking up on the spirit energy, which matched the energy coming from the bear.

The substitute soul reaper took off at full speed, racing to a non-disclosed location in the Rukon district.

Ichigo's footsteps came to a halt as he approached the spirit energies home.

This house wasn't as prestige or immaculate as the Kuchiki's mansion, but it wasn't a simple construction made of wood that most Ryouka would be living in.

Ichigo knocked on the door noticing immediately that it was actually already open.

Ichigo entered the household and smiled.

"I've finally found you." Ichigo said filled with relief.

"Long time no see. It's good to see you Ichigo." The man said welcoming his guest warmly.

"It's good to see you too Sora Inoue" Ichigo said after finally finding Orihime's brother in the soul-society.