Author's Note: I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo does. So don't sue.

Song Suggestion: Hey Lady – Thriving Ivory

Ichigo stumbled through the city, moving at a restless pace. No matter how much he tried to distract himself, he just couldn't get Orihime off his mind. Glancing up at the stars, he wished – not for the first time – that he could just get away from everything. Maybe take all his friends and move to a different city…a different school…

But that wasn't how life worked, was it?

In another time and place he could have simply asked her out. But he'd had to go and make things complicated by getting involved with Rukia and her crew. At this point, honesty wasn't exactly an option for either girl involved. Nor was avoidance.

With a heavy sigh, Ichigo let the night wind sweep him along with its subtle breezes – trying to figure out what to do. Somehow he was going to have to force the both of them to confront their innermost feelings for him. And he wasn't looking forward to it in the slightest.

Although Orihime was the one he wanted, he couldn't come to that realization for her. Besides, it was his job to make her the most effective fighter possible, and to do that he was going to have to make her madder than she'd ever been in her whole life. He was going to get her to dig deep and question why she had refused to stand up for herself from the very beginning.

Even worse, he'd have to bring up Sora to do it. Ichigo could practically feel the sorrow and longing every time she was forced to think of the one person who had taken care of her for so long. Orihime's brother had protected her in a way that the young fighter understood only too well. He'd do anything to protect his own sisters (Yuzu and Karin) – and, while he wanted to do the same for Orihime, it was painfully clear to him that she wasn't family.

What Orihime failed to realize, however, was that she had the same potential that she saw in her brother. She had the ability to not only stand up for herself, but her friends too. He'd seen it when she'd fought for Uryuu. He'd seen it when she'd confronted Rukia. It was high time she stopped depending on everyone else to fight her battles for her.

And it was high time she stopped depending on him. As if he hadn't already failed her in that regard, anyway…. He only hoped that she wouldn't give him the opportunity to hurt her like that again.

He'd been so stupid back then – pulling away from a friendship that was quickly becoming estranged because of his feelings for her. He'd come so close to confessing everything that day on the playground…but after Uryuu's disappearance and her brother's death – there was nothing he could do to get through to her. She began to withdraw from the world, as he began to withdraw from her. The more he pulled back, the more he blamed himself - wallowing in his own self-pity while Orihime grew more distant. She didn't seem to need him the same way he needed her. But she needed someone.

He'd just always thought that someone would be Uryuu. Somewhere along the way, he'd convinced himself that it was Uryuu that she stood up for. It was Uryuu that she laughed with. It was Uryuu that she loved. And, it was Uryuu who deserved her.

Foolishly, he told himself that Orihime was better off not having him around. So when she'd finally stopped talking to him, he gave up trying to make her.

Instead, he fell into the arms of Rukia - a girl who was extremely jealous of the friend he used to favor. Rukia was the one who looked up to him in the way he wished Orihime would. The amazing thing, though, was that after everything he'd put the poor girl through, she didn't feel anything for him except a quiet pity. It took him awhile to come around to it, but every now and then, he would catch her staring. Staring and studying him just like he were one of her textbooks.

He actually kind of enjoyed it. It made him feel almost human again - not like the idol everyone made him out to be. He didn't deserve to be worshipped. He'd never stood up for anyone other than himself. He fought to win, not to avenge or protect.

But Orihime was different.

Yeah…he knew what to do with her now. Pushing her past her limits was the only way he could he finally apologize for not doing what he should have been doing all along: believing in her and helping her be a better person.

He refused to walk away this time. He was going to make her realize his feelings for her. And more than that, he was going to make her say what it was that she wanted from him. He was going to make her stand up for herself not only on the battlefield, but in the depths of her heart.

Unfortunately for them both, they had Rukia to contend with. As he walked onward, brooding the whole way home, he remembered that he'd promised his girlfriend he'd stop by to meet their crew for dinner at the usual spot. He certainly didn't feel like it, but he also didn't want to make her mad, or worse yet distrustful.

With a quiet sigh lost to the wind; he turned up the collar of his coat and walked straight past his house, heading downtown to the local WacDonalds.

A few blocks later, he found himself among Rukia , Renji, and the others - joking around inside the crowded restaurant.

As he approached the table, Rukia covered her obviously beaming face with an annoyed scowl in his direction. "Ichigo!" She exclaimed, half amused and half annoyed. "You said you'd be here an hour ago."

"I made it, didn't I?" He smirked, knowing she couldn't resist an attitude.

"You're lucky we didn't leave without you." She shot back, her ruffled feathers falling back into place.

"I know. Thanks for waiting." Ichigo smiled, leaning down to press a perfunctory kiss onto her lips. It was a little sloppier than he would have liked, but it seemed to satisfy her just the same.

"You never told me where you were." She challenged, pulling back momentarily.

"You never said I had to." He threw back.

"I'm saying it now, stupid!" She exclaimed, enjoying the argument.

Ichigo could only grit his teeth and roll his eyes. "My old man made me run a couple errands for the clinic. I tried to get out of it, but there was no way he'd let up!"

"Just let me know next time." Rukia grumbled half-heartedly. "It's rude to keep people waiting, you know."

"How long are you gonna keep me waiting?" Ichigo parried, trying to distract her from his whereabouts with a little foreplay.

"You seem to think I'm only here for your entertainment." She replied.

Ichigo arched an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you?"

"Pig." She muttered before surrendering into his waiting arms.

True to form, all Ichigo had to do was make out with her so she would forget whatever she was mad about. Unfortunately, it didn't have the same effect on him. It only made him long for Orihime all the more.

Renji, on the other hand, smacked a hand to his forehead and didn't bother to hide a snicker as Toshiro threw a blade of ice in their direction.

"Cool it you two. We've got more important things to discuss besides your 'plan of action'." He scolded.

"What things?" Ichigo demanded, seemingly annoyed yet grateful for the distraction. Rukia, was less than thrilled with the interference. Still, her eyes lit up with glee at the topic change.

"We've got the perfect plan for finally putting that awful Inoue in her place!" Minoly twittered. Loly and Hitori looked on in excitement – whispering back and forth – stopping only to listen to Rukia as she went off on yet another tangent. Ichigo had to fight hard not to rub his own forehead against another oncoming headache.

"You were there, weren't you? You saw how she talked to me! That brat doesn't have respect for anyone. Not even an upper classman. She should have bowed and accepted my challenge gracefully. After all, it's not every day I invite someone of lesser rank to fight. But, I only challenged her to make a point. I want the whole school to see what a loser she is. I simply won't tolerate her rudeness."

"So what's the plan?" Ichigo queried, trying to keep the edge out of his voice.

"We want Orihime to attend the end of year party. "The one right before the match. Everyone's going to be there. But you can't come without an invite." Hitori spoke up. "I want everyone to meet her and know who she is so Rukia can mop the floor with her. The whole school will see nothing except how we've tried to help and befriend her. We just have to decide how to get her there."

"So who's going to invite her?" Ichigo yawned, trying his best to look disinterested even though every nerve in his body was on high alert.

"Grimmjow." Rukia blurted back, laughing with the others.

"No way! He'd never go for it!" Ichigo was officially panicking now.

"That's where you're wrong!" Loly snorted. "Let's just say he owes me a little favor…plus he thinks Inoue needs to be taken down a peg too. He says she's nothing but a tease."

"Well, of course she is! And if anyone would know, it's him!" Minoly agreed, popping a fry into her big mouth.

Ichigo set his jaw, resisting the urge to throw a punch to the middle of the table.

"Big deal! So he asks her out! What's he going to do with her once she gets there? You know how socially awkward she is." He scoffed.

"We haven't decided on any one thing yet. But there are a couple of good ideas floating around. We're going shopping for dresses so we can discuss it on the way."

Ichigo's stomach dropped to his feet. He had no idea what his "girlfriend" was planning, but there was one thing he was certain of. Rangiku, Momo, and Nell were going to have to be informed. He couldn't protect Orihime and play both sides at the same time. But damned if he was going to let her walk into that party blind.

Knowing Orihime, she would put aside her differences to try and make friends with these girls – no matter how badly they had behaved towards her. She might even believe that standing up to Rukia had made them all have a change of heart. She would actually feel bad if she didn't at least give these suckers the benefit of the doubt.

Orihime was too good for them. Hell, she was too good for him too! But he couldn't just sit there and let her be taken advantage of. No. It was time to take action. Rangiku would know what to do. She was a master in the art of backhandedness – especially when it came to groups of gaggling girls).

If only he could get to her in time before Rukia put this dumb plan of hers into action.