1 Year ago
I grip the porcelain handle of my mug tightly. The tea inside of it had grown cold an hour ago. It is now 11 pm.
"Where is he?" I breathe aloud to no one. I hate his job. I hate how helpless I feel. He is out there, in danger, and there isn't anything that I can do to help him or protect him. We have had so many arguments over it. I stare at my engagement ring.
Can I really do this? Can I really marry him despite the worry and fear that fills me every single time he leaves?
He said that his case was wrapping up. They already got the main bad guy right? He doesn't have to be undercover anymore. He was supposed to be able to come home and be safe.
So why isn't he here?
I hear the keypad at the door and I nearly drop my cup as I stand to greet him.
"Ulquiorra!" I just stand there and stare at him. He enters and hangs up his jacket, going through his normal routine as if everything is okay. As if my heart hasn't just been on edge for the past 6 hours. He looks at me. His face was expressionless.
"I'm sorry," he says. He already knows what I am thinking, how I am feeling. I bite my lip. He looks safe and unharmed. Knowing that he is okay and seeing that he is here relieves me so much that I become angry. I look away, not knowing how to respond, not knowing how to handle my anger. He sighs.
"I know, I should have called, or messaged or something."
"But it doesn't work that way," I mumbled, already knowing what was coming next.
"This is a really big case, Orihime." He says my name so gently that I have to look up at him. His eyes are so green and unusual. They are beautifully shocking. His dark hair falls into his eyes and I want nothing more than to brush them out of his eyes. However, it would do nothing. Despite his beautiful eyes being so interesting and enchanting, there is very, very rarely any emotion behind them.
"I know…but you've only been home for a week. And…and the news said that someone evaded custody and I don't know if your cover has been blown or…or if there was a shootout or anything." Tears started to escape from my eyes. Stupid, stupid emotions. I quickly wipe at them. "I was scared that you were hurt…or worse…" I whisper.
"I'm not…I'm here," he says gently. Digging my palms into my eyes, I nod my head.
"I know but that doesn't stop me from being scared…it doesn't stop me from worrying. I'm always going to worry about you."
I hear him cross the room and it isn't long before he is hugging me. I feel like such a baby.
"I know you're always going to care about me. I'm sorry that my job is so dangerous. You don't have anything to worry about. I promise you. Most of the bad guys are put away for a very long time and the ones that aren't I am going to get them. I have to make this world a better and safer place. You deserve a safer world."
"I don't want it if it costs you your life. That price is way too high to pay."
"I won't have to pay it, I am fine and I am going to be fine."
I hold on to him tighter.
"Okay…I believe you."
5 months later
"Orihime, what do you think about these flowers?" Rangiku shows me the arrangement of yellow and white peonies and daisies. I tilt my head to get a better look of it.
"Um…lets keep looking. I don't exactly know what I am looking for. But I know that it will hit me like a truck full of robotic cow parts when I see it."
'...Sureee…" She turns back to the magazine of flower arrangements in front of her, leafing through the pages. I am insanely thankful for her help in planning my wedding. I never knew how difficult it would be. Neither Ulquiorra or I have parents so I can't ask our moms for help. However I am determined to do this right. Anything to keep my mind busy. The court case isn't going very well for the criminals that Ulquiorra was integral in helping to catch. I've been drawing myself in wedding planning and work in order to keep from watching the court channel. He doesn't tell me about alot that is going on in order to keep me from worrying.
It's not working.
"Orihime? Isn't that your phone that is ringing?" I look at Rangiku confused for a moment and thats when I hear the sound.
"Oh! I must have spaced out again." The number is unfamiliar and for a moment I really do not want to answer my phone.
"Hello?" I say uncertain into the phone.
"Ms. Inoue? Orihime Inoue?"
"Yes, this is she," my blood runs cold. Please don't say it, please don't say it.
"Hi,I am calling from Karakura Hospital. Your husband has been seriously injured, if you could-" the phone slips from my hand and crashes to the floor. I can't hear anything outside of the blood rushing through my ears. I feel like I am having an out of body experience. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
"ORHIME! What is going on?! ORIHIME!" I look at Rangiku. Her blue eyes are frantic and full of worry and fear. She's shaking me and calling my name, but I can hardly hear her. It seems like I am underwater.
Your husband has been seriously injured.
Ulquiorra!
I remove Rangiku's hands from my shoulders.
"I-I have to go to the hospital…Ulquiorra…I have to go," I mutter while making my way out of the floral shop. I'm in a daze, I don't know where to go.
"Orihime let me help you," I hear Rangiku. I pay her no attention. I need to get to the hospital. I have to get to him.
.
.
.
I burst through the doors of the ER, looking for him. I don't see him. I can't find him anywhere. Where is he? Is it rude to call him name? Can he ever hear me?
"Orihime! Over here!" I see his partner, Grim, standing at the end of the room. I rush over to him.
Where is he? What happened-Oh!" My voice catches in my throat when I see the blood on Grim's clothes. I look him in the eyes and they are downcast, not meeting mines. "Is-is he okay?' I whimper. Grim closes his eyes.
"I don't know. He was…I don't know." he sighs, masking his emotions. I want to shake him. I want him to tell me. But if he can't then…If Grimjow is unable to tell me then it is bad.
"Ms. Inoue? Are you the wife?" A short, raven haired doctor with violet eyes comes up to me. She is level headed and calm.
"Fiance, I'm his fiance. How is he? What happened? Is he okay?"
"Your fiance was shot 3 times. Twice in the chest and once in the head. He was admitted and is currently undergoing surgery right now. We are doing everything in our power to ensure his survival. However with head wounds, things can be pretty tricky so please just bear with us."
Shot in the head? He was shot in the head? 2 in the chest and 1 in the head. That doesn't sound right. That can't be right.
He promised me. He said that he would be okay. He promised. He promised me.
I look at the doctor and I am trying so hard to focus on what she is saying. But…I can't…
Everything sounds so far away and slow and the room is getting dimmer.
.
.
.
I wake up in bed with Grim and the doctor surrounding me. They aren fussing over me and saying things that I can't hear. What is going on? Where is Ulquiorra?
Your husband has been seriously injured.
Twiice in the chest and once in the head.
I am going to be fine.
I see the blood on Grim's shirt. It still looks fresh.
I shake my head. "No no no no no. He promised me, he promised me that he would be okay." I can feel the tears rolling down my face.
"Hey, don't talk like that. You can't count him out. He wasn't dead when he came here and he's not dead now. He is still in there fighting for his life." I look up into the stern eyes of the small doctor. "He hasn't given up, so you cannot give up. He needs all of the positive energy he can get, okay?" I blink at her and nod. "Okay then." She gives me a smile.
Okay then.