A/N: Okay, people have been asking about continuing the first part of the story, so I will in installments. They will still be one-shots, but just part of an ongoing theme. It will probably be broken up between random little stories I do. (Besides, I'm writing by music...meaning I'm basing the stories on songs I'm listening to on random from my play-list. So, until I get a song that goes along with that story...hehehe)

Leap of Faith (Into the Fire, continued)

When she came to, she found herself half hanging on the ledge along side Ishida. Why was it always Ishida and Orihime? It wasn't that she minded...but sometimes it struck her as fated.

He was already sitting up. Actually, kneeling on a knee, observing a spot beyond the edge of the ledge. Slowly, she began sitting up wiping sweat from her brow. It was too hot here.

"Ishida?" she asked quietly

His face half turned to her. A finger rose to his lips to silence her. Orihime's eyes widened at the gesture. Obviously he picked up on her confusion because he pointed down below. She apprehensively moved closer to the edge to look.

Hollows. Hundreds of them. No, maybe thousands? And they weren't exactly Hollows. They were people. Dark and evil people who flickered between man and creature in the red light of the pit. They crawled up the ledge slowly, reaching out for them. No doubt they could feel the spiritual pressure of the pair. Now the beings wanted to capture them.

She yelped, jumping back. Fear gripped her as she heard the Hollow's screams. Her hand grasped his shoulder. It must have hurt Ishida. He gasped the moment she made contact with him. She felt guilty for hurting him, but her hand couldn't manage to let go.

He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"There's a ledge. Over there. We can escape through there." he pointed

She looked. It was clear on the other side of the pit a little lower than the ledge they were on. However, there was a path on that side, hopefully leading to something close to safety. Still, they would surely plummet to their doom if they tried to leap.

Orihime opened her mouth to express her concerns, but something stopped her. Something in her heart. Something like faith in herself and in her companion. Ishida wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. Like she said up top, together they could do anything. No need to be a scared little girl...Right now, she needed to be strong.

"We can make it." Orihime said sounding assured

Ishida looked at her. He seemed shocked, but said nothing. All he did was rise from his spot. With her hand still on his shoulder, she stood with him. The creatures below were gaining speed as though they knew what the pair were about to try. There was no time for hesitation or doubt.

Her companion grabbed her hand from his shoulder. He gave her a brief look. Maybe it was the redness of the Hell pit, but it looked like he was blushing. No, it had to be the pit.

"Come on. Not a moment to spare." his voice was no-nonsense as he spoke

Orihime nodded in agreement. All she had to do was believe that they would make it. Giving his hand a squeeze, she moved back to run. Together, they leapt passed the ledge.

For a moment, they free floated in the heat of the pit. The monsters below watched, crying out to them. Like a hoard of bees, the creatures shifted toward the lower ledge. Luckily, the group clammering over itself slowed them down. It gave the pair enough time to land, which they did, hard on the second ledge. Both gasped out and stumbled, but soon broke out into a run to safety.