Chapter 12 is here! Enjoy :)

One and a month had passed and Orihime was now sitting in the breakfast hall with her big stomach, happily munching on an English muffin. Beside her, the two Kurosaki princesses were eating as well. The past month, they made it a habit to have breakfast together. Orihime being grateful for their great friendship and bond.

"You knoooow, we can also just sneak out and watch a match?~" Karin suggested, her smirk appearing once again. "No Karin-chan! Dad said as long as Ichi-nii isn't back, we can't go out in public."

The raven hair girl sulked at Yuzu's words. "I'm sorry, Karin, but I think Yuzu-chan is right. Also, it's really hard to move right now." Orihime tried to grab herself a donut, but her hand couldn't come further than her plate.

"Your stomach is gigantic for someone who's 7 almost 8 months pregnant. Are you sure it's just one person in there? Never thought my brother would have it in him to give someone twins!" Karin laughed, Yuzu giving her an all-knowing stare.

"Fine fine. I'll behave." She laughed, now resting her gaze on her sister-in-law. "Orihime-chan, why do you like my brother?"

The pregnant female turned beet red as started shifting her eyes away from Karin, shifting uncomfortable in her chair. "W-Well… where should I start."

"There's a list?" Karin said in surprise, now leaning on the table to make sure she wouldn't miss a word. "K-Kurosaki-kun is… someone who's dependable."

Karin deadpanned at those words. "That's it? I was expecting something totally different." Yuzu, on the other hand, smiled happily at her sister-in-law, nodding in approval. "Ichi-nii is really trustworthy! That's what I like about him, too!"

Orihime giggled. "I also like his scowl. You know, when he looks like a grandpa, wearing that scowl and all. I hope our son will have the same feature."

"That's the least appealing thing about Ichi-nii!" Both girls ended up laughing. "It would be so funny having those two scowling next to each other!" Yuzu exclaimed. "But it would be nice if he looked like his mother too! You have really beautiful eyes, Orihime-nee."

"T-Thanks Yu…" Orihime suddenly grasped for air, dropping her donut. She felt as if someone kicked the life out of her. A sharp pain appeared right in her stomach as she held her stomach, "A-Ahhhh!" She screamed, feeling as if all energy were being drained by something. Her eyes turning bloodshot red, her skin becoming pale, Her vision becoming blurred.

"Oh nooooo! Orihime-nee, what's wrong!" Yuzu panicked, looking around as she looked at the woman who tried desperately to get some air. "Yuzu, get someone in here. Now!" Karin said loud and firm while making her way to Orihime.

Yuzu immediately ran to the maid station, Karin trying to blow some air in Orihime's face, who was now hyperventilating. After a few moments, Yuzu returned with one of the maids. "Karin-sama, please check her pulse and make sure she doesn't lose consciousness." Isane said firmly, running to get the royal physician.

Karin took some water and wetted one of the napkins, placing it on Orihime's head, and tried everything in her might to keep Orihime awake. She could feel the nervousness taking over, but bravely she kept on shaking Orihime and talking to her.

"I-I-It'll be fine Orihime! Just hang on." Just when she heard the doctor coming, Orihme closed her eyes, drifting away. Karin looked worried at the woman who was lying in the hospital bed. A soft hand suddenly appeared and was placed over hers. "You did well, Karin." It was Masaki who just arrived. Tears welled up as she hugged her mother.

"M-Mom… I was so scared for Orihime." Masaki rubbed Karin's back and nodded. "It must've been terrifying. But you did great. I heard from Isane that you did everything you could to keep her awake." Karin nodded and started crying softly. The images of Orihime screaming of pain engraved into her mind.

"Is she going to be alright?" Just when her mother wanted to reply, the doctor and her brother walked through the door.

Ichigo just returned from the battlefield and immediately went to the hospital to meet Orihime. His mind was unstable and worried about the woman, and he couldn't help himself going to the hospital. Upon seeing Karin cry when entering the room, he gave her a gentle smile. The doctor who stood beside him cleared his throat, gathering everyone's attention.

"I believe all of Inoue-san's guardians are present, am I correct?" Ichigo nodded, staring at a now unconscious Orihime. She looked exhausted. Even her eyes looked sunken. "Then I'll start."

"This pregnancy isn't an ordinary pregnancy, right?" The bald doctor with thick black glasses remarked. "I did some tests, and it looks like the baby is sucking out the life force from the source that is carrying it."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo said edgy, now glaring at the doctor. "Well, Kurosaki-sama, as I may be so free. The baby she's carrying has altered DNA that is causing her body to experience difficulties carrying it. The alteration in the DNA could be compared to that of a mutant. Which means that the baby she is carrying is too dangerous for her to bare."

"So what you are saying is that this baby is too strong for her? What are you implying?" The doctor saw Ichigo's fiery stare and gulped. "W-Well… the baby has similar DNA to those mutants that were being developed by the renowned Aizen family back in time. These mutants had human appearances, but were built different. That is why they were bared by artificial beings rather than normal humans. W-What I'm trying to say is that if the baby isn't taken out soon, Inoue-san will die."

There was a moment of silence. No one in the room dared to make a sound until Ichigo screamed, "THEN TAKE IT OUT OF HER!"

The doctor pushed his glasses up and shook his head. "If the baby is taken out now, it might not survive." Ichigo was now groaning as he pinched his nose bridge. If it were up to him to decide, he would let it die. But it was his decision now, wasn't it?

They didn't even ask for this baby, why should he decide to let it live. If it died, the Kuchiki family would lose, and they all could carry on with their lives…

But… he would then lose his connection to Orihime. He suddenly realized that the only reason this female would be beside him is because of the child she was bearing. Without that child, they had nothing that would connect them.

"I-I…" Ichigo muttered, now realizing the weight of his decision.

"Please save my baby." The voice said, dancing in Ichigo's ear. "Please…" Orihime was holding unto the bedsheet, her knuckles turning white.

Ichigo's eyes darted to his future wife, seeing the determination in her eyes to save their child. "Inoue…" He whispered. "Isn't there something we can do to save them both?" He hesitantly asked.

"For that, we would need to do some more tests. Now that Inoue-san is awake, we should be able to do some further research on her condition." Ichigo rubbed his neck and sighed, frustrated. He took a deep breath and waved his hand dismissively.

"Do whatever you need to do. AND, make sure Inoue is safe." The doctor nodded upon his request. "We'll bring Inoue-san to our lab for some follow-up tests."

The nurses came out and rolled the bed out of the room. Ichigo glancing once again at the auburn female, who was now struggling to say something.

"Wait." Ichigo stopped the nurses, his attention now fully directed to Orihime. "P-Please don't worry, Kurosaki-kun…" she gave him a weak smile. It pained Ichigo to see her like this.

"I won't. I'll be waiting right here for you." He gave her hand a squeeze and placed a kiss on her forehead. Another weak smile appearing on her lips.

Hours passed and it was now dark outside. Ichigo was the only one remaining in the room, waiting for the girl to exit the examination room.

He couldn't believe what was happening. Inoue could die because of the child in her stomach. Just as he thought, the Kuchiki's must've altered the DNA just like in the report.

Ichigo's thoughts abruptly got disturbed by a slender figure entering the room. His glasses reflecting the light in the room. "Kurosaki." He said sternly, his light blue eyes meeting Ichigo's.

"Ishida!" Ichigo immediately stood up and closed the distance, aggressively grabbing his collar. "How can you be so late?! Inoue is almost dying because of that… thing in her!" Ichigo yelled, the male not even batting an eye at Ichigo's behavior.

He gently pushed Ichigo away and adjusted his tie. "Calm down. I was at a conference and I already visited the patient. No need to get your panties twisted."

Ishida Uryū was Kurosaki Ichigo's cousin and one of the most famous doctors in the kingdom. He was the heir of the biggest hospital in the country and also very influential. He was a very private and calm person and did not tolerate any foul behavior or violence. It was one of the reasons why he despised his cousin for fighting in so many wars. Despite his personal opinion they had a good relationship.

"It's the first time I see you acting up because of a woman. Who is she?" Ishida eyes his cousin, a stern look in his eyes.

"She's the mother of my child." Ichigo answered calmly. "And? You just said I can take that thing out of her." A playful smirk appearing on his face.

"So?" Ichigo said nonchalantly. "Well, if she's just the mother of your child, then you wouldn't mind her dying, right? I mean, she is just a woman and a shell for the baby, right?" He pushed his glasses up and folded his arms., leaning against the counter in the room.

"Tell me what your relationship is with her, and I will tell you if it's possible to save her life." His voice felt cold, a shiver going down Ichigo's spine. Uruyuu Ishida was coldblooded like a frog. No empathy or feelings for others. Still, Ichigo was too proud to share his feelings with his stubborn cousin. "This has nothing to do with our relationship."

"Kurosaki." Ishida said once again. "You know that a royal family values an heir more than anything, right? Giving up the baby isn't a choice. Tell me why I should save that woman?"

Ichigo gritted his teeth. He knew he had to come clean to Ishida.

"S-She's much more than… just a shell. Inoue is the person I need right now. Without her, the world doesn't make sense. I want to see her smile and be happy." There. He admitted his feelings.

"So you love her?" Ishida broke his words down, chuckling. "Kurosaki has feelings for another woman. You move fast, you know." He laughed.

"Tsh Ishida." Ichigo adverted his eyes. "It just happened. It's been almost a year, you know." He sulked.

"Lucky for you, I have found a way to save your princess in distress. You should really introduce her to me." Ishida replied, taking out the binder he had hidden in his coat.

"The substance that was inserted in Inoue-san's baby is an extra strong hormone often found in mutants. A normal human body who has never been exposed to this hormone does of course not have enough strength to carry a human with this hormone."

"So you're saying my son in a mutant?" Ichigo said flatly. "Well, technically he is. His DNA has been modified so that he probably will receive supernatural strength."

"I heard that you did not naturally conceive this child. Is that correct?" Ichigo now turned red and turned his head. "Y-Yeah… that's correct."

"Interesting… I never would've thought you would go for the artificial insemination. You seem too much of a macho guy for that." Ichigo flushed red and screamed loudly: "ISHIDA!"

A hearty laugh came from Ishida's mouth. "I heard from your mother what happened. It's a real tragedy. I'm sorry that your firstborn has to go through all this." For the first time Ichigo found his cousin looking like a human as there was a hint of empathy and sadness in his tone.

"Is it possible to save both him and Inoue?" Ichigo asked careful, trying not to get his hopes up. Ishida was the best, but he also knew there were limits.

"Yes. For now, Inoue-san will need to keep the baby in her stomach for another two weeks. She will then be at the end of her 7th month, and this should be enough for us to save the baby. But… it will not be easy." he opened his chart and took out a letter.

"She will need to get injections every day to stabilize her body, and she will need to get a blood transfusion twice a week. The baby is sucking out her energy, and the blood transfusion should help her cope with the loss of energy. Also, she will need to eat healthy and nutritious food. No sweets."

Inoue loves sweets. She will definitely not like this.

"For now she is stable, and we gave her some painkillers to reduce the pain. It will be a thought two weeks, but you guys should be able to pull through." Ishida remarked, his hand now on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Thanks Ishida. I appreciate it." Ichigo nodded. "Can I see her?"

"Yeah, I'll take you." Both males made their way to the room where the auburn female was lying down. She still looked very pale and weak, but it seemed she was doing better, as she was making small talk with one of the nurses.

"Kurosaki-kun is here!" She said happily, waving at him. "Inoue." He said tenderly, sitting beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, like I've been run over by a car. My body feels horrible." She chuckled when she saw Ichigo's worried expression. Orihime took his hand and intertwined their fingers. "Don't worry Kurosaki-kun. We'll be fine. You, me and the baby."

Ishida watched the two lovebirds and suddenly felt uncomfortable. He scraped his throat, making his presence known.

"Ah, Orihime this here is my cousin Ishida Uryū. He's the one in charge." The pointed at the man with glasses, wearing a white coat.

"We've met." Ishida said, coming closer while offering Orihime a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you are doing better." Well,

ll you told me to introduce you…" Ichigo growled, glaring at Ishida.

"Thank you Ishida-san. The candy you gave me was really tasty!" The girl thought back to the snack she just ate. Ichigo's expression darkened. "What candy? You said she wasn't supposed to have sweets?" A hint of jealousy in his voice.

"It was just to calm her down." Ishida enjoying Ichigo's behavior. "It looks like she had a traumatic experience in a similar environment. The candy helped her to trust us as professionals. I do believe you understand."

Once again, Ichigo shot another worried look at his fiancé. "Inoue, are you really okay?"

"I'm really, really okay, Kurosaki-kun. Don't worry." She gave him a wink, bringing a blush to his face.

"I'll give you two some alone time." Ishida said, feeling as if his presence were unwanted.

As soon as Ishida left, Orihime sat up, taking Ichigo's hand and bringing it to her cheek. "I missed you. You've been really busy lately."

"I know. There's a lot going on lately. I'll spare you the details." He said, his head now resting on hers.

"You know that I'd love to listen to what bothers you. I promised you. I'm on your side." She said, absorbing the warmth of the man beside her.

"Yeah, but I don't want you to be exhausted. You need to focus on you and the baby. Stay alive and make sure you make it down the aisle." He chuckled, giving her hand a squeeze.

Masaki was sitting in her own library. The whole event with Orihime and the girls left her exhausted. She was worried sick about the girl, but luckily, her son was there and handled the situation quite well. The strawberry-blonde woman was now looking at a picture that included herself together with a person who looked identical to Orihime. Masaki sighed heavily as she rested her forehead, in the palm of her right hand. In the picture, she was together with Orihime's doppelgänger and another male with silver hair and glasses. It was her cousin Ryuuken who smiled gently at the girls.

The strawberry-blonde woman bit her lip, letting out a frustrated sigh while taking the picture and placing it back in one of her old photo albums, shaking her head.

"What good would it do to bring up the past."? She mumbled. She now rested on her elbows, staring into nothingness. What happened in the past in now in the past, Masaki. No need to involve Isshin and Orihime. The wind passed by and suddenly Masaki looked up. She was startled by the wind and walked to the window. While walking to the window, she passed her full-length mirror and stopped.

"Masaki-chaaaan!~"

It was if she was seeing herself in the mirror, laughing with the doppelgänger. The girls were sitting on a field. Masaki, not being older than 16 years old, sitting across the girl who was now holding out a sandwich to her.

"Masaki-chan, here you go. I know this is your favorite!" She smiled and took out her hand, reaching out to Masaki, who happily took the sandwich.

"You know, he totally has a crush on you." She commented, watching Masaki eat. Masaki perked up and looked at her. "Whatcha mean? He's just being nice."

"A Shiba just being nice? That can't be true! I'm sure of it. He even came all the way to our usual meet up spot to just give you some flowers. You should've seen that nervous smile on his face. it's adorable!" Masaki rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please. He's just a playboy. Haven't you seen him flex his muscles at the arena? Soooo macho." Both girls laughed as they laid beside each other in the grass.

"What about you? Are your parents still pestering you into marrying that family?" Masaki rolled on her stomach, leaning on her elbows. "Yes. My dad is set on us becoming one of the strongest and influential families within the country. I'm just scared that…" the girl bit her lip and stopped, looking at the little white flower in her hand.

"His greed for power will be our downfall." Masaki closed her eyes, enjoying the wind. "How are you so confident? Your dad is pretty smart. He even single-handedly made it happen for your family to become part of the royal family"

"I don't know. It's just a… hunch, I will say." The girl dropped the flower, now turning on her stomach, just like Masaki. "My brother can't keep up with my father. He doesn't get the business, so I'm sure he'll be hopeless, and dad won't make me the next in line for the throne." The girl sighed. "Stupid hierarchy."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, your children can always marry my children. That way, we have your position and their future secured." The girl looked rather serious and shook her head.

"We'll see how the future will go. I don't want to betroth my children to someone against their will. I'll just become like my father." The auburn female smiled faintly. "Love is precious and quite scarce. Especially for us, Masaki."

The clouds were passing by, both girls staring at the sky.

"Just promise me we'll be friends forever."

"Of course! I can't live without you…!"

Masaki returned to the present and sighed deeply. It had been a long time that she heard the name Inoue. Of all people, the girl who was carrying her grandchild was an Inoue. A striking image of her best friend at the time. Only Orihime was different. She wasn't as stubborn, mischievous and confident like her friend.

Also, Orihime was an orphan. There could be many other Inoue's in the kingdom, as many other people carried the same name. There was no evidence that Orihime could be the child of her best friend. But she was a spitting image of her and for some reason, Masaki couldn't help to warm up to the girl. She was thankful that she had a very different personality. Otherwise, she wouldn't know how to keep all this information to herself.

But that is also where her doubt began. Was she supposed to tell Orihime eventually? It was a miracle that Orihime never found out for herself, or was she hiding something? Masaki shook her head and tapped her chin.

"I should look further into this. Just to make sure." She mumbled and suddenly took her coat out and ran out of the room.

A few days after being hospitalized, Orihime was allowed to go back home. Unfortunately, Ichigo was assigned to a secret mission which meant that he wasn't there to accompany her home, much to his dissatisfaction. Instead, Ishida Uryū was the one that escorted Orihime home.

"Are you ready, Inoue-san?" He held the door open for her, gently taking her hand so that she could enter the car. "I'm as ready as I can be!" She looked pumped up, causing Ishida's eyes to widen. The girl was so different from both him as his family and also Kurosaki family. She was lively, honest, and for some reason the word 'warm' came to his mind.

He took a seat beside her in the car, waiting for the car to take off. "Inoue-san, you seem happy despite Kurosaki not being here. Don't you miss him?"

"I do. But the last couple of days and month, he has been more than wonderful. We spend as much time together as we could despite his busy schedule. I won't be easy in the future, so I'm trying not to be clingy."

"Practicing for the future, or perhaps trying to protect your feelings?" Ishida now pushed up his glasses, watching the female beside him turn uncomfortable under his gaze. "No, not at all! Just trying to become a suitable wife for a king. I should really study more…" She adverted her gaze to the window, staring at the passing buildings.

Ishida was watching the girl. The way she rested her cheeks against the palm of her hand to get a better view of the world outside. Her lips slightly parted as she was breathing, the healthy rose pink color in her face, the two pins pinned on her dress. And then it came to him.

She looks just like her.

Suddenly, his eyes widened as if he saw a ghost. Immediately, he looked the other way, a deep frown on his face.

I-It can't be…

After a short while, Ishida dropped Orihime off at the Kurosaki castle and went back to his respective place. Back at the Kurosaki castle, a familiar strawberry blonde was waiting on the girl with tons of bags.

"Orihime-chaaan!"

Orihime, who now just walked in, was immediately pulled into a deep embrace. She could recognize this feeling of being suffocated anywhere. It was Rangiku.

"Eh! Rangiku-san. How? Why are you here?" Orihime asked with a beaming smile on her face. Happy to see the woman who took her in without any judgement.

"I heard about what happened, so I rushed here immediately. Thank God that Sado could give me a ride. Otherwise, I would still be on my way. Anyway, we should sit down and talk!" Orihime shook her head happily and the two of them went to Orihime's room.

Moments later, all the females of the family, except Masaki, were gathered in Orihime's room. Yuzu was now braiding Orihime's hair, while Rangiku and Karin were sitting on the couch across Orihime.

"What are all this bags Rangiku-san?" Orihime looked surprised. "These are for your little troublemaker." She took out something out of the bag and showed the girls. "Ahhh, this so adorable!" Karin remarked, taking the little romper into her hands. It was a soft green cashmere romper with golden embroidering along the edges of the pants and sleeves. "I bought 10 sets for your baby. All of these are worthy and fit for royalty." She winked, Orihime now tearing up.

"Rangiku-san… what did I do to deserve this?" Karin immediately grabbed a tissue, handing it to her new sister. "Gosh, you don't have to cry about it. Isn't this normal." The older female sighed while looked at the other females. "It's because I care about you. Can't an older sister worry about her lovely younger sibling?" Rangiku also teared up. Both Kurosaki girls were surprised as this was the first time seeing Rangiku in this way.

"Come here!" She walked over to Orihime and pulled her into another hug. "Rangiku-san…" Yuzu said softly, the woman now interrupting her in her work. "Oh sorry Yuzu. I didn't mean to mess up Orihime's hair." They were now sitting next to each other, wiping their tears. "It's okay. I just thought you weren't easily moved by these things." Yuzu returned to braiding, her eyes focused on dividing Orihime's hair for the second braid.

Orihime's expression turned into a worried one. "Rangiku-san, are you sure everything is fine. I mean, I appreciate you coming here, but you do seem a little bit off." Orihime was very empathic and could easily sense if someone was feeling not like themselves.

"It's just…" She mouthed something to Orihime so that the other girls couldn't hear, but it was then that Karin cocked her brow and said: "Let me guess, it's about you and uncle Gin. Am I right? Gosh, aunt Rangiku, we know about you and uncle Gin for a long time." Rangiku's eyes widened and were now as big as two glass jars. "You do?"

"Yes! Why does everyone in this household treating me and Yuzu like we're still small children." Karin said bitterly, folding her arms around each other. "We have known for a long time." Yuzu added, her soft and light voice joining the conversation. "And there hasn't been any wedding invitations for a long time, so we figured there was something wrong."

Rangiku now looked down at her engagement ring. She dropped her happy aunt act and stared sadly at the diamond that suited her beautifully. "He told me that he is busy with a new project. I can't join him because it would be too dangerous."

"So? Does that mean you won't marry?" Karin asked, gazing at her aunt, who still looked down at her hand. "I don't know. I really don't. We talked about getting married for so long, and now he keeps delaying it. Prioritizing his work over our relationship. He won't even let me visit…"

Rangiku was fighting to show her true angry emotions. Ichimaru Gin, or also known as uncle Gin to the Kurosaki girls, was one of the geniuses born in the Kurosaki kingdom. He is the first and only son of the renowned scientist family within the kingdom.

He wasn't a pretty boy, unlike Ukitake Jūshirō, who had a crush on Rangiku. Ukitake, Rangiku and Gin grew up together and Ukitake never made it a secret that he liked her. Rangiku's mother was delighted, but she couldn't care less. She loved Gin's brilliant mind, his abstract plans and cold demeanor. He only turned warm when it was just the two of them together.

Matsumoto Rangiku, who is the illegitimate child of Masaki's father, grew up with Masaki and got to know her sister when she was about 10 years old. They had a good bond together, but Masaki was the one not finding Gin suitable for Rangiku, just like their father.

The two almost had a fight, but Masaki decided to let it go. Sharing her thoughts about the situation was more than enough.

And here they were, years later. Gin left Rangiku's side for one of his wild projects. He promised her that they would marry, but once again she was let down.

"Why don't you do a surprise visit? I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you." Orihime proposed, curious what man could stay away from a woman like her.

"He didn't tell me where he is staying. Besides, he keeps dodging my question. There's no way I can find out." The female stood up and started pacing through the room while letting out a frustrated groan.

"I'm so sick of this! But my pride won't let me admit that I made the wrong decision. Especially in front of your mother, girls." She pointed at the two Kurosaki girls while watching them. "So keep this between us." Both nodded.

"Let this be a lesson to Orihime. Always know where your hubby goes. Otherwise, you'll be miserable like me." She took her glass and gulped down her iced tea, wiping her mouth.

"I still have a lot to learn." Orihime chuckled, reminding herself of the message she sent to her future husband.

I hope he can be home tomorrow.

A week later, Orihime was sitting in the garden with only her nightgown on, waiting for her orange love interest to come. He didn't forget their appointment, right? She started to worry and nervously arranged the pastries again. This night had to be perfect.

The last few days, the girl had been contemplating whether she should confess her feelings to her fiancé. The last one and a half month, Ichigo took out the time, and they went out every evening. Talking about their wishes, their dreams and their future. Now that Ichigo wasn't here, Orihime felt that she had to share her feeling with someone, and she did with her future sisters, but in detail with Rankgiku.

She could fully confide in Rangiku, and she felt that it made their bond stronger. Rangiku instructed Orihime on how she should bring her feeling across to Ichigo. "Hmm, Masaki's boy can be quite slow taking on these things, so you will have to give it to him straight." A mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"W-What do you mean?" Orihime flushed red, having her suspicions of what Rangiku had in mind. "You need to pin him down and be straightforward. Otherwise, he will just draw circles around you."

"How should I do it?" Orihime was now imaging herself pinning Ichigo to the ground and violently bringing her feeling across like a sort of dominatrix.

"First of all, make sure you look sexy but decent." Rangiku's eyes scanned Orihime's body and nodded. "Even pregnant, you look beautiful. Since Ichigo likes the innocent type, we should make sure you're wearing something that makes you seem innocent but turns his manly senses in overdrive."

It was as if Rangiku were speaking a whole new language, but Orihime was determined to bring her feelings across. It wasn't the time to shy away anymore. Ichigo and her had made enough process, and it was her dream to become a real happy family.

And here she was now, sitting and waiting on Ichigo to arrive any moment.

"Inoue…" Ichigo was now standing in front of the girl, out of breath with his messy hair. He just came back from an unplanned mission, and he was a mess. Orihime actually didn't mind his mess appearance, it made him even look more appealing. "I'm sorry I'm late."

She shook her head and smiled. "It's okay, I'm glad you could make it." Ichigo looked relieved and took a seat beside her. Just then he noticed and wanted to jump up. Orihime was wearing a white lacy nightgown of sheer fabric, causing her bra and underwear to show lightly. Something Ichigo didn't expect. He swallowed, trying to find his words. "W-Why did you want to m-meet."

Darn it. He started to stammer, but it was because of Orihime's clothing and what it did to him. With her innocent eyes that now met his and the way she was dressed, she looked like an angel who was ready to bring him into another dimension. Her belly perfectly showing, which for some reason made her even more alluring.

"I-I have something to tell you." The girl said, bringing her hands together in her lap. "Y-You've been really a great help and since we can't really spend much time, I would like for us to try to meet every end of the day to discuss our days." She giggled, pouring Ichigo a cup of tea. He liked her expressions, but felt a slight disappointment. What was he expecting?

"How was your day, Inoue?" He asked, beating her to it. "Ahh, I was supposed to ask you first, Kurosaki-san!" She said, handing Ichigo his tea. "Well… Rangiku-san came to visit as soon as she heard about my condition and brought many clothes for baby. You should see it! He really is luckily with an aunt like that." Ichigo could already see the many bags Rangiku probably brought with her. "She should really watch her spending." He mumbled, a scowl appearing.

"So, how was your day? Did you manage to fight the monsters and keep the villagers safe?" Orihime now mimicked Ichigo by making motions of slaying monsters, which made his scowl disappear. "I sure did! I fought around 15 if not 20 of them. Soooo tiring. I should definitely clean Zangestsu tomorrow morning" He extended his arms and leaned back, his arm resting on the arm rest of the bench. "Kurosaki-san is so brave! Let's cheer for him!" Orihime now made loud cheering noises, as if they were in a stadium filled with people. Ichigo laughed loudly and waved his hands in front of him. "You flatter me. I'm not that brave."

They both laughed and stared at each other, getting lost in each other's eyes. There was so much to be said, but if was as is, the words couldn't roll off their tongues. Ichigo leaned in closer, while he could hear his heartbeat increasing with every inch he moved closer. His eyes scanning her face. Her plump lips that were rosy, her cute nose that complimented her beautiful eyes. The urge to pull her lips in a kiss coming back to him again, but he knew better than to give into it. He was a gentleman, and no urge in the world would change that.

To his surprise, it was Orihime who parted her lips slightly, whispering. "Kurosaki-san… I want to admit something." Her cheeks burning red as she broke their eye contact, swallowing before finishing her sentence.

"I-I… like you."

There, she had said it. Her heart immediately changed pace and Orihime just moved back to prepare herself for a rejection, but instead Ichigo slightly pulled her in and captured her lips into a deep but gentle kiss.

Orihime couldn't believe her eyes and ears when she felt Ichigo pulling her in, their lips meeting each other. It was as if she were drawn into another universe. His lips slowly moving against hers. She didn't even know what she was doing, but it felt so natural and so good. As if his lips were meant for hers.

Gentle movements slowly turned into wilder ones as Ichigo placed his hand on the back of her head, positioning her, so he could deepen the kiss. Orihime didn't know what came over her, but she could feel the eager to touch him. His abs, his hard and rough skin, his spiky but surprisingly soft hair. It wasn't like her, but it felt good. She slowly would place her hands on his chest.

What felt like a whole hour but in reality was a few minutes came to an end. Ichigo slowly pulled away from Orihime's now swollen lips. He looked at her fondly as she smiled genuinely. "I like you too, Hime."

Did he just call her Hime? Hime of all things?! She turned beet red and was too shy to meet his eyes. "I-I…" She stopped talking as he caught her in another kiss.

Ichigo who now was eager couldn't resist his urges anymore and nibbled gently on her lips, his right hand moving to her waist as his left hand was still supporting her neck. He was savoring every moment of their kiss. Eventually, he pulled away as he noticed that Orihime had trouble breathing during their kiss.

I definitely am her first. - he mentally grinned.

After their kiss broke, they both just looked at each other, cheeks burning red. She needed to catch her breath after such a long-awaited but amazing kiss.

"Kurosaki-kun…" Orihime broke their silence. "Now that we did… you know." She stumbled and fidgeted with her fingers. "I know what?" He said, smirking as he enjoyed the way his lover was behaving.

"Y-You know… kiss." She hissed quickly, turning another shade of red. "C-Can we do it more often?"

Ichigo felt like he could die from her cuteness overload. She was too innocent for his own good. He took her hands in his own and rubbed it slowly. "Of course. You can kiss me whenever you like." He then placed a soft kiss on her forehead, inhaling her sweet scent.

"Let's go to sleep." Ichigo suggested, helping her get up from the bench. "I'll walk you to your room." he took her hand, and slowly they walked through the corridors of the palace. Orihime was due in a couple of days, and they still had a wedding ceremony to attend.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime looked up at Ichigo, another blush gracing her cheeks. "S-Since when did you start to develop feelings for me?" Ichigo started to think, not sure when he actually started to develop feelings for Orihime. The silence was killing Orihime as she started to laugh sheepishly. "If you don't know, it's okay…"

"At your village. I think that's when my heart unnoticeable started to open up. I can't really think of a specific moment. It just happened that way." Ichigo replied. "I know, it's not really a satisfying answer, isn't it?"

"Well, I don't mind. Human hearts work in mysterious ways anyway." She chuckled, enjoying their little walk. "What about me? When did you start to fall for me?" he asked. "Hmm, good question. Where to begin?" Ichigo grinned, liking what he was hearing.

"My heart started to tingle from the moment you let me sleep on your shoulder." The good memories of that night came to their mind. "But Kurosaki-kun, after that, you gave me so many mixed signals that I was really not into you anymore." The orange top was grabbing his heart as he felt like he just received a fatal blow from his lover.

"W-What?" he said, shocked. "It really annoyed me! You made me feel uneasy… until I came to understand your situation. And then you promised you would always protect us, and that vow to Onii-chan. How could I not fall in love?" She sweetly smiled at her fiancé, bringing their intertwined hands to her chest.

"I know I'm irresistible." Ichigo nonchalantly said, now coming closer to Orihime, who now rolled her eyes. "I don't like an over self-confident man, Kurosaki-kun" she pouted. She looked cute to the orange male, and he suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of happiness.

"Orihime, you're quite brave and lucky. Do you know that? You are the first girl that confessed to me and actually got a positive reply back." Orihime pushed Ichigo jokingly and laughed. "That's because you have no other choice than to marry me." They both laughed.

"We're here." Ichigo said, his eyes turning sad. He enjoyed their stroll, and he couldn't even remember the last time he laughed so much. She really made the sun in his life shine again. "You really do like me, right, Kurosaki-kun?"

He nodded. "Yes I do. Why are you asking?" He asked while studying her face. "Tonight is like a dream. I'm scared that once it's morning, it was all just in my imagination."

"Do you want to sleep together then?" he suggested, his eyes shifting away as he felt embarrassed for even proposing. "N-No! We can't sleep together until the wedding night. You know that." Orihime giggled.

Ichigo couldn't resist and pulled Orihime in another swift kiss.

"This kiss is proof that it's not a dream. From now on, good things will only happen to us. I promise." He embraced Orihime before seeing her walk into her room.

A bright smile was on his face when he walked back. Boy, what, was he happy that they didn't sleep together. He wouldn't know how to keep his hands to himself. It was already hard for him to restrain himself from touching her during their kiss.

Baby steps Ichigo. Baby steps. You have a lifetime for this. Let's do it right this time.

They finally finally got together! I'm so happy because right now I can move forward with the story. Please share your thoughts about this chapter with me! I would love to incorporate more of your suggestions and thoughts in the story. Also, I wonder what Orihime's backstory actually is. But we will see eventually.

See ya next time!