AN: I hope this next chapter is good. I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.
Chapter 22 Orihime's Point of View
That must have been the most horrible week of my life. I'm not exactly sure how it happened but somehow I remember it. I just can't believe Ichigo would do all of those things. There is something wrong here.
I decide to look for him.
I check everywhere we've been together, before deciding to head to his apartment, which I haven't been to but I know where it's located. Once I'm at his door I begin to feel scared.
Based off of my memories, I should be completely terrified of him. I shouldn't want to see. I should hate him. But I don't and that's what has me so confused.
Somewhere, deep inside me, I feel different towards him. I still harbor feelings for him. I still care about him. I still want to be with him. I still love him.
With that last thought, I find the strength to knock on his door. After the longest three seconds of my life, the door opens. My knees weaken as my eyes meet the eyes of the orange haired man who holds my heart.
I can see his eyes widen at the sight of me. All I can manage to say is his name, "Ichigo."
He composes himself quickly before asking in a harsh tone, "What are you doing here, Orihime?"
"I came to get an explanation," I say steadily as I let myself into his apartment.
I hear him let out a small sigh as he closes the door. Once we're face to face again, I begin, "I don't know why I have so many memories of you being cruel. Even if I mentally remember those things, I don't emotionally or physically remember all of that. My body should be wasting away but it's not. It doesn't ache at all. And even though I should hate you, I don't."
"You must be confused, Orihime," Ichigo says quietly while avoiding making eye contact.
I shake my head and continue, "No. I know what I feel. Something must have happened. Just like I don't remember who attacked me. I remember everything from that night and the most of the following day as I should. But all of a sudden I started having memories of you being so cruel to me. But I just know that they didn't happen. I just don't know how to explain it."
"Orihime, you shouldn't be here," Is all he says in response.
"Ichigo, please tell me what's going on! I have a right to know!"
"I can't…I'm just trying to protect you, alright!"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you see that you being here can get you killed? Orihime, please stop overthinking your memories and leave me alone. It's the only way you'll be safe."
"No! Don't you see? Despite what I remember, my gut is telling me otherwise. I still love you, Ichigo. And I know at some point you did. I can't just give up on that."
By now he is looking at me with trembling eyes. I feel my own eyes begin to well up. It's as if he can't take it anymore; he walks up to me and grabs my face gently before placing his lips over mine.
After he pulls away he murmurs over my lips, "I want to fix everything so badly and fight for what we feel for each other. But this is the only way, Orihime."
"Just tell me, please. I know we can find another way." I can't help but let out a sob.
Before he can respond, a woman's voice interrupts us, "You couldn't even last past a week, Ichigo." We both look over in the direction of the voice. I feel like I've seen her before, but where?
"Senna," Ichigo says angrily as he goes in front of me defensively.
"Senna? But I thought she was dead," I'm pretty sure Ichigo told me she had died.
"She created that memory for you," Ichigo says while keeping his eyes locked on Senna. How many times has my head been messed with? Can I trust anyone right now?
Before I can ask anything about what's going on, I see Ichigo lunge at Senna. "No!" I push him aside and get sudden feeling that I did the wrong thing. I voice my thoughts aloud, "She was someone you loved a lot, wasn't she? You thought you lost her but she's alive now…something isn't right."
Suddenly, Senna grabs me and puts me in front of her like a shield. Ichigo looks so infuriated and frustrated. "Let go of her. This is between you and me, remember?"
"It was between you and me; but then you decided to move on. You decided to loathe me for the rest of your life and decided to love her instead."
I don't know what to do to comfort Ichigo. I don't want to see him suffering over me. It's as if she senses that I'm going to try to get away so she hits me on the back of my head. Everything goes black suddenly.
Ichigo's Point of View
"NO! Orihime!" I yell out and begin to walk towards them. "Stop right there, Ichigo!" She orders. I stop in my tracks as she continues, "If you want her to live, you'll meet me down by the river with the hunter."
I realize what she's asking for. "I can't do that to hi-" She cuts me off as she sinks her fangs into Orihime's neck. She pulls away quickly to say, "You want her alive more than the hunter don't you?"
"No later than midnight, or she's a goner." With those final words, she leaves with Orihime. I fall to my knees and yell out before running out of my apartment to look for Rukia and Renji.
I knock rapidly on the door to their condo as I dial Uryuu. Once he picks up I give him directions to their place. They open up as soon as I hang up. "Ichigo? What happened?"
"I'll explain everything when Uryuu arrives."
"Uryuu? You invited a hunter to our home?!" Rukia exclaims as I walk past her.
"You'll understand once he gets here. Please trust me on this. I already messed up badly and I need to do everything I can to fix it and save Orihime."
Rukia slaps me across the face hard as she demands for an explanation, "What did you do to Orihime?! I told you to take care of her!"
I look at the ground, ashamed. I know I failed Rukia's request but I really need her help. "Rukia, I know I failed your request. I know I don't deserve anything from you or Renji but please. You have to help me get her back. You have to help me save her from Senna."
"You idiot, of course I'll help you with that." She says quietly while holding back angry tears. Renji walks up to us then but before he can ask anything there is a knock on the door. I go open it and quickly pull Uryuu inside. I start quickly, "You have to help us get Orihime back from Senna."
"What do you mean get her back?! How did she even get a hold of her?" Uryuu asks angrily.
I let out a sigh before I begin to explain everything from the past week. After I finish and after they finish scolding me, we begin to work on a plan. We don't have much time, the sun is already setting. And something tells me she isn't going to be alone.
Just hang in there, Orihime. I promise I will save you.
AN: So I can finally say that this story is coming to a close. But there will probably be a couple more chapters before that. Anyway, please review.