Chapter 6

Ichigo sighed as he looked over at Urahara, the man and Tessai were both preparing to open up the entrance to Hueco Mundo and he could feel his entire body buzz with anticipation, and fear. The image of Orihime sprawled on the floor helpless before him kept playing in his head whenever he closed his eyes. The puddle of blood she left behind was evidence that no matter how strong he got, he couldn't protect her. Was she even alive? Was he making this trip back into hell to find her dead body at the arrancars feet? Her eyes lifeless and staring back at him as evidence of his shame? His fist shook with rage and Chad placed a heavy hand on his shoulder, his cool reiatsu washing over him gently, like a winter breeze, calming his senses. If Ichigo had any energy to spare he would have smiled at his giant friend, leave it to him to always know how he felt and how to put him at ease; he was glad Chad was a man of few words, he didn't trust himself to speak at the moment.

"It's ready." Urahara said, his face hidden behind his standard fan as his eyes landed on the three men before me, each once again willing to risk their lives for their bubbly friend.

"Although I'm sure it's wasted advice, please be careful." He said seriously as he stepped aside, the Garganta they would pass through this time opening slowly behind him as the trio ran forward, sparing no time on pleasantries.

Orihime grunted as she adjusted on the bench she sat, she was allowed more freedom this time around, and currently found herself sitting outside the same crumpled castle she'd been held at the first time she'd been dragged away from her friends. Lepe had handed her a coloring book and some pencils, calling it emotional therapy or some nonsense as he smiled and showed her the way out. She looked around her now and sighed standing, she was so frustrated, she had no idea what to make of the man who had captured her this time around, it was as if he was a completely different person than the one who had attacked her in the world of the living. Almost as if of its own accord her hand rose and settled on her side where he'd nearly cut her in half and she suppressed a shiver.

He was dangerous, that was obvious, and she seriously doubted the world of the living had anything to do with bringing out that side of him. Maybe, he's just that good at pretending. She thought to herself with a frown, her hands balling into fists as she looked over at the horizon, there was something different in the energy that swirled around her suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight and her skin goosed in anticipation for what she knew was coming. She gulped, looking back at the castle as a very familiar weight surrounded her chest and she heard, for the first time in the days she'd been there, laughter.

It wasn't the sweet musical sound of laughter a child makes, or even the booming laughs her friends had when they found something she said particularly funny. This laughter, rocked Orihime to the core with its maniac undertone, it was as if whoever produced it had made a pact with all the monsters that hid under her bed when she was a child, the ones who hid in her closet, the ones who came back to taunt her when she was having trouble sleeping at night, to torture her with their sounds of anguish and she shook with the intensity of the fear that gripped her stomach.

"Orihime-chaaaaan~" Lepe sang as he stepped out onto the pale white sand, and Orihime looked up, suddenly realizing she'd hunched over, both her arms wrapped around her stomach as if trying to keep herself from splitting in half, trying to protect herself from whatever piece of her past was going to come out to swallow her whole.

"Your prince has arrived!" He laughed once more and Orihime winced, shutting her eyes tight and trying to force the sound from her ears, tried to keep it from seeping into all of her senses and engraving itself in her memory. Who was this man? There was no way this could be the same Lepe that had heeled her earlier, the same one that had handed her colored pencils with a smile, this was some demon pulled straight out of a nightmare! Some demon pulled straight out of HER nightmares, personalized to torture her and drive her mad with frenzy.

"Fuck." She cursed out loud and she shut her eyes tighter biting her lip so hard it hurt and a coppery taste filled her mouth. She'd have to add change to her curse jar back home, she was usually so good about keeping those types of words out of her vocabulary but there was no keeping this one at bay. Lepe stepped forward, the sound of his feet crunching sand letting her know just how far he was from her and she cursed once more, praying she made it home at all.

"Now now Orihime-chan, let's straighten up and look our best." He said from above her and if she could have she would have gasped, he'd moved so fast she'd had no time to force herself to stand straight, or to adjust to his sudden use of her given name, or even to register that she once again was hunched in on herself.

"Who are you?" She heard herself ask and he chuckled, his cool fingers wrapping around her upper arm and forcing her to stand straight and look him in the eye. Orihime had to force down the gasp that nearly escaped her lips. His eyes were so dull that she questioned if she was speaking to someone alive or deceased.

"Just a man tired of babysitting! Now, you're the damsel in distress, so honey DISTRESS!" He shouted shoving her away from him with a slap to the face that ached so bad Orihime could feel the muscles in her cheek tear and rip to bruise, her teeth cutting into her lip as she fell back hard onto the gritty sand. He came over her in an instant, his hand raising once more to deliver another blow but her shield was up faster than she could recite an incantation, rejecting his blow with a shock that ran from the palm of his hand to the tips of his toes.

Lepe grit his teeth together, glaring at the orange haired teen as she struggled to stand, her eyes were blurry from the tears she forced herself not to shed. She looked over at him defiantly, her bottom lip was busted, blood bubbled at the corner of her mouth and Lepe laughed, short and dry, completely unamused.

"You think you're all that with your fucking shield Orihime-chan? Just to block a little smack?" He rolled his cold dull eyes at her and Orihime took a step back as he stepped forward.

"Please, stay away from me." She managed to say, her voice steadier than she would have expected considering the fear that was eating at her stomach, his stance was telling her more than his words could ever communicate and she prepared herself for the incoming attack before he could even move.

"Let's see you block this." She heard his words as he shot forward, disappearing before he appeared behind her, his eyes boring down at her as Orihime turned, fear shooting through her veins but instinct taking over as his fist descended on her. She moved on auto pilot, her fingers wrapping around his wrist and somehow blocking his attack, her free hand wrapping around the collar of his shirt and pulling his weight forward and easily throwing him over her shoulder as if he were a sack of rice.

Her thoughts were racing as she felt his spike in reiatsu, and she gulped as it engulfed her, a darkness that seemed thicker than murky water, her lungs aching to breathe because of the pressure it forced on them. Her vision started to blur and she kneeled on one knee, she couldn't die here, she could never face Ichigo in the Soul Society if she let herself be killed by this psycho.

The thought of Ichigo was like a command to her Rikka, her shield once again coming to her defense as something powerful struck it, the force of the impact causing the sand around her to blow around her painfully, each grain hitting her exposed skin like needles sticking her skin.

'Don't back down. Don't back down.' she thought to herself as the air cleared and Lepe stood a few feet from her, his dull eyes examining the girl before him.

"You're a surprising human." He whispered, cocking his head to the side as he observed her.

"Who are you." She said to him, her voice just barely shaking as she met his gaze. Repeating her mantra over and over in her head. She wouldn't give up, if she couldn't defeat him then she would at least weaken him until Ichigo was able to reach her. Her senses seemed to call out to his reiatsu and she almost breathed a sigh of relief when she realized he was closer that she'd thought.

"What a strange question to ask." Lepe said, once more regarding her, curiosity sparking a light in his eyes for an instant before they returned to their dullness.

"You," She began, not knowing how to phrase what she wanted to say. These were dangerous waters, and all she wanted was to go home and curl up in bed, forget him and his maniac laugh and the way he looked at her with those lifeless eyes as if he were a walking corpse. Something came to Orihime in that moment, her lost train of thought inciting a curious question in her and she turned her full attention to the man.

"Lepe," She whispered, the man only raised an eyebrow and she took the cue to continue. "What is your husband like?" She asked and almost as if she'd spoken a spell his eyes softened, light returning to them as he smiled, his hands coming to his face as he giggled.

"He is just the sweetest most dark thing ever!" He said bashfully and Orihime blinked as he began to ramble, what was happening?

"Miss Inoue how on Earth did I get out here? And why do you look so scared sweetie?" He asked, his brow furrowing in worry as he took a step forward and her immediate reaction was to step back, causing the man to frown.

"Don't you remember?" She asked and he cocked his head to the side curious. He opened his mouth to speak before he shut it quick, turning his head to the right as a barrage of arrows flew past him, followed by a dark and powerful Getsuga Tensho that he barely managed to dodge.

Orihime turned belatedly, realizing that Ichigo was rushing towards her, his face was set in grim determination and she gulped, turning to look at a shocked Lepe as he panted. Orihime looked back at Ichigo before doing something she never thought she'd do, she prayed to Kami for forgiveness before running towards Lepe and calling her shield forward to protect them both. Her eyes darted to the man behind her and she hoped she was making the right choice.

A/N: Hey there lovelies. So it's been a while since I posted to this story and what can I say beyond I'm sorry. I've been struggling terribly with depression lately, and that coupled with so many other things have kept me from even trying to sit down to write this. But I read something a friend of mine posted on Facebook and I realized I needed to finish this, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left this unfinished. So here'e the next chapter to Halo of Fire, and if you've been here from the beginning then thank you, your patience is beyond appreciated.