A/N: Hi all, sorry for the delay on this one. Been busy with work, but I'm back. After I update this one, I will also update Interview with a Shinigami. Please don't forget to read and review. Enjoy.

Intervention

Chapter 4: Orihime's Downfall

Orihime had squeezed her eyes tightly shut, but the pain didn't come.

Was it that quick that I didn't feel the pain? thought Orihime. She opened her eyes, and her first sight was her dog. He whimpered softly, and she knew he was dying. Her eyes filled with tears, and resentment toward the man who held his sword millimetres from her neck.

"How could y-you!!!" she yelled, moving forward slightly, but stopped when she realised there was someone else behind Hitori. All she could see was the mask, and those yellow eyes. It was Ichigo, in his Vizared form.

"I didn't realise your friend was a Vizared, Orihime," said the cold voice of Hitori, but he smirked after his comment. "He saved your life."

Hitori lowered his sword and shunpo'd out of vision. Ichigo took away his mask, and his form returned; his sword turning back into the big beastly version. He disappeared, obviously going back to his body.

Orihime only stared at her dog forlornly. Her feet guided her toward it and she knelt on her knees, picking him up softly. Ichigo had stopped breathing; she could see it through the animal's lifeless eyes that he was dead. She sobbed and lowered him to the ground with despair. She shook and shivered as she held her arms tightly to herself.

There's no escaping him...he'll always find me! she thought.

"I-I'm sorry," said the deep voice of the only man she'd ever been fond of. Her auburn hair swayed in the wind as she turned her grey orbs toward Kurosaki Ichigo.

"...don't be," she said softly after a pause. She smiled kindly toward him. "Sōten Kisshun," spoke Orihime, and her hair pins came to life.

They surrounded her dog. Orihime sat on her backside, and watched as her 'fairies' did their work. She knew her dog would be fine, but the tears wouldn't stop falling.

Ichigo could only watch; his gaze was sorrowful and went from her dog, Ichigo, to Orihime. "Why didn't you tell me someone was after you? Is that why you left without..."

"Stop it, Kurosaki-kun!" exclaimed Orihime. "I-It has nothing to do with why I left...please...just forget about me!"

Ichigo was stunned. Orihime had never, in years of knowing her, lashed out or yelled at him for any reason, not that her outburst was in an angry tone or anything. But there was something wrong with what she just said. He could never forget her...every movie she had been in, he owned. She was definitely meant for that kind of life...she was beautiful, caring and deserved a lavish home, expensive cars, good meals, etc. but the fact that her job meant that she was never around him...it made him...sad.

The auburn haired beauty collected her hair pins after they had just finished their work. Suddenly Ichigo was up again, panting and trying to play with Orihime, but she shunned him.

Ichigo watched as the dog looked heart broken. He whimpered and it almost looked like the dog was crying, in its own way. Orihime walked away. The dog Ichigo tried to follow, but she yelled at him and told him to leave.

"Get away from me you hound! I don't want you around me...I HATE YOU!" yelled Orihime, and at last, the dog realised his master didn't want him.

He ran over to where he lay earlier, sobbing and whimpering. Both its paws were held in front of its tiny eyes, taking a peek at Orihime to see if she was joking around...but she wasn't.

Ichigo couldn't believe Orihime's behaviour, but when he looked up from the dog to where she stood mere seconds ago; she was gone.

Ichigo was going to go after her, but the sound of the poor puppy was too much to bear.

"I-Ichigo...its okay boy," said Ichigo, finding it hard to say his own name to a puppy. He smiled softly, showing that he meant the dog no harm. "It's alright boy, I'm sure she didn't mean it."

The puppy practically crawled into Ichigo's arms as he bent down with his toned arms open for the dog. Ichigo picked him up and walked home, trying to shake away the feeling that the next few days were going to be hell, and what Orihime had done. There was definitely something going on, but for now, he would take care of Ichigo. The dog continued to whimper sadly all the way.

Orihime ran back home, sobbing. She couldn't believe she had said those horrible, mean things to her poor Ichigo. But she had to. She knew that someone would care for him and love him and keep him out of danger. Anything living thing that chose to be around her would die, and what had happened to Ichigo when Hitori had tried to kill her was a testament to that. She had to let him go, and she knew the only way Ichigo would leave her was if she was horrible to him.

She reached her home, and shut the front door behind her. Orhime bolted it, but a shiver caused her to rub her arms.

"Good girl, you severed the dog from your life," said Hitori from behind her.

Orihime screamed for a second, but her grey orbs filled with malice toward the man in front of her. "You...why don't you just take what you want and leave!"

Hitori narrowed his eyes and pushed Orihime forward quickly grabbing her neck and squeezing tightly. Orihime's back hit the front door hard, and she screamed in pain.

"Don't you think I've tried that? They didn't work for me! But I know there is a way...I know what you're thinking, Inoue Orihime. You think I'm a horrible man. You're wondering when this suffering is going to end for you...and you wish more than anything that Ichigo could save you because you love him. Tsk tsk, Orihime. I know of Kurosaki Ichigo, the Substitute Shinigami. I was in Sereitei when you and the other Ryoka invaded our world," smirked Hitori.

Silence invoked the air with Orihime's realisation.

Her eyes widened, but the air was leaving Orihime's body fast, and she could barely register what the evil man was saying; however she did understand now. He was from Soul Society. But what did he want?

Hitori suddenly let go becayse if he had held much longer she would have died. Then the key to his best power would be lost. Hitori smirked and sighed. He turned to Orihime, who was still stunned and leaning against the wall, trying to figure him out.

"Yes, what do I want? As you know I want that power of yours, then I would be a God amongst men. But I can't stop there, I can never stop at just one power," said Hitori, but the look in his black charcoal orbs was frightening. Orihime knew that he was dangerous and callous, but he also appeared to be souless. What was he? "But after I take your power, I know that it will be the best of my collection."

Hitori gave her a large, evil toothy grin.

Kurosaki-kun...I'm sorry... she thought.

"I'm very close to finding out the key to those pins, Orihime, and when I do...it will be the end...of you!"

"I-I love you, Takama...please just..."

"I can't love you, Asino, I never will and never could. You're nothing to me," said the cold words of the auburn haired actress.

[The camera moved to the shocked face of the man named Asino]

The background was set in rain, in a dark alleyway behind Takama's home. Asino had pursued Takama to tell of his love for her finally, but his family was powerful and dangerous. They had warned her away by threatening her with Asino's death. She had to protect the only one she loved. Asino.

"Leave me, don't ever pursue me again, Asino. Go live your life, because I do not want it," she said coldly, hiding her eyes as tears ran down her face. She turned away from Asino quickly and ran off.

Asino stood in the rain, heart broken, confused and couldn't believe the beautiful woman's words. He walked away with anger in his eyes at his humiliation, not realising it had been his family's doing.

Ichigo paused the screen and looked to the now sleeping Ichigo. Had she done that to him? Had she told him to go away to save him...to protect him? Ichigo looked to Orihime's movie once again. It was a great movie, he had to admit. It was probably one of the only romance movies he liked, mainly because she was in it.

Yes, that has to be it...he thought, but was brought out of his reverie as he was kicked in the head, which sent him flying backwards and into his desk.

Laughter entered the room and Ichigo looked up, just about to rip the attackers head off, when he realised who it was.

Rukia you damned bitch! he thought. But Rukia was instead cuddling the cute Ichigo, and Renji was the one laughing.

Ichigo's chocolate orbs filled with annoyance and he advanced on Renji, pushing him against his bedroom door.

"What the hell Renji, you bastard!" yelled Ichigo. Renji simply laughed.

Ichigo let go of Renji and sighed exasperatedly. "Ichigo, nice to see you." Ichigo merely grunted at this.

"Why is Ichigo here...Ichigo?" asked Rukia, suddenly, finished her cuddling. The poor puppy was drooling; Rukia had obviously woken him.

Ichigo scowled at her and wondered why the hell he still let them stand there scrutinizing him. "What the hell Rukia? Usually when friends see each other they start with 'hi how are you?' or something!"

Rukia cleared her throat. "What is Inoue's puppy doing in your possession Ichigo?"

Ichigo sighed, trying not to get angry, but it wasn't really working. He stared at his two friends from Soul Society. "She dis-owned him."

Rukia gasped and Renji frowned.

"She wouldn't just..."

"Well she did...ALRIGHT!" yelled Ichigo, annoyed already by their presence. He calmed down a little, and he looked to Rukia and then to the little puppy.

"Someone's after her, I just know it...and I promised her that I'd protect her no matter what!"

A/N: Okay I'll leave it there for now. Please don't forget to read and review. Peace out,

Bullet2tm