Author's note: Sorry it took so long, couldn't decided how i wanted to end it. But I got it out. That's one promise you can always count on. This is the end folks. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 7- In Another Life

In another life

I would be your girl

We keep all our promises

Be us against the world

In another life

I would make you stay

So I don't have to say

You were the one that got away

Part of me thinks I shouldn't have come. I'm dating the man she's in love with, who's in love with her. But I needed to come. For myself if nothing else. Ichigo wouldn't come. I could say we argued about it but we never raised our voices. I asked him, he said no, I asked why, he said drop it and walked away from me.

Our relationship is estranged at best. We kiss, we go out, we kiss some more, we hold hands at school. I couldn't be happier really. It's the best thing I've ever experienced. But I know it's all a show for him. It's fake. He's waiting again. He stares out the window, his heart quickens at the first sign of trouble. He's waiting for Rukia to come back.

I came to this wedding for that door to finally close. So I don't have to worry about that moment anymore because truthfully, I've been waiting too. Every corner, every hollow, every shinigami, I wonder just how far away Rukia is and if she's coming back to steal Ichigo from me now that I actually have him.

Tears rush to my eyes as I remember my fight with Tatsuki. I was getting ready to come here and she was only yelling at me at how stupid I was being. Ichigo was using me, she kept repeating. "He's trying." I replied foolishly.

"Trying?" She barked. "You don't try at love, Orihime, you either love someone or you don't."

In fairy-tales that's true. Love is amazing thing that happens at first sight and always works out. But this is reality. Love is a difficult job that takes working at and dedication on both sides. It takes forgiveness and time and patience. I guess the snag I come to is, he actually has to love me for it to work. It doesn't matter how much I work at it when he's completely devoid of feeling.

But I can't believe he doesn't have any emotional attachment to me. He wouldn't play with me like this. He wouldn't use me, not completely without feeling. There has to be something other than sexual attraction. Right? He cares for me. I'm one of his best friends. He constantly reminds me of that.

I sigh out and jump when a hand rests upon my shoulder. Ishida gives me a soft lopsided smile before looking on to the set up. "A ton of people have showed up. And everyone's asking for Kurosaki."

I shrug. I've told more than half of them already how sick he is with the flu. I'm hoping by now I won't have to tell the other half. It is getting kind of annoying. "I know. They miss him. He'll be happy to hear it."

"He should have come."

"I know."

"Look." Ishida takes his glasses down to clean them. "I don't know what's been going on with you and him lately but I do know this. He wouldn't hurt you, Inoue."

I drop my eyes. I had been so sure of that myself. But not coming to this wedding told me one thing and one thing only. No matter how many kisses pass between us, he still only thinks of Rukia. He has hurt me too much already. I smile. "I know."

"You ever think though, that's why he chose now to be with you?" My brows knit and I fasten my gaze to him. "He can't hurt you now. He doesn't really have a choice." He shrugs and walks away.

My eyes stare at the place he left me behind. Ishida doesn't understand. Ichigo had so many choices. He had so many opportunities and he decided on none of them. Ichigo let Rukia go. He chose me. Why do my friends want to steal this away from me? I'm not stupid. I'm not blind. I know that I am a second-place prize. I am okay with that. Why do they constantly have to be involved in this? It's none of their business.

Grow up, I want to scream. This is reality. This is adulthood. I'm not some brainless teenager that believes in true love. That doesn't exist. Not for all of us. I drop myself in a chair far from my so-called friends. I don't want to hear what Chad might have to say. Who knows he might have something just as hurtful on his tongue as well.

I sigh out. I have to release all this anger. I don't like it. It's not who I am. I am at a wedding. I'm suppose to be happy. I force a smile on my lips and feel tears prick at my eyes. I even laugh when one falls over onto my cheek. I quickly dab it away, hoping it doesn't ruin my make-up.

"What's your problem?" My shoulder gets bumped as a big man takes a rough seat next to me.

My eyes widen when I see it's Renji sitting beside me in his tuxedo, his tie is undone and hangs beside him. His new sunglasses are wrapped over his eyes and as he takes another swig of whatever drink he has in his hands, I know something isn't right. My heart starts pounding in my chest. "Renji what are you doing?"

"Apparently not getting married."

Tears fasten to my gaze, "Where's Rukia?"

"Great question. Try asking your boyfriend." He grins at me. "Looks like you and me are in the same boat." He holds out the bottle of alcohol. I fasten to my feet. "Don't bother." He yells at me. "We lost this battle a long time ago."

He can give up all he's likes but I've just started fighting for mine. I'm not nearly finished yet. Panting and crying I run through the portal, tripping and busting my knee, ripping my dress and breaking a heal. I throw my shoes to the side and hike up my attire, sprinting down the street until I get to Ichigo's house, slamming my fist on the door. "Ichigo!" I cry.

My heart is breaking and breathing hurts so terribly I curl as I stand upon his doorstep sucking in as much breath as I can. "Ichigo!" I bang against the wooden frame and shock straightens me when it finally opens and he stands before me with widened eyes.

His bright orange hair and brown eyes stare down at me in wild confusion. "Orihime." He speaks my name with no idea of what's going on, "What's wrong?" He grabs my arms and for the first time in so long I feel like he cares.

The man that I love is back in control. The strong and protective friend that would do anything to keep me from pain is holding me and consoling me. I have missed this man and to have him back only brings more tears to my eyes as he seats me down on the couch and kneels before me. His eyes show only concern gazing up at me.

For weeks he had been a stranger. A actor playing a role forced upon him. A man not knowing who he is. A human without a soul walking around emotionless and without purpose.

Now I have finally given him a reason. My tears have given him a purpose. He yearns to make me happy. Not by loving me but by fighting for me.

Oh, Ichigo, I don't want you to fight for me. I only wanted you to love me.

I guess that's why this relationship was doomed to fail. Despite how hard I tried, I will never be what you want and you will never be what I want. I love you, but we are so wrong for each other.

"Orihimi?"

I sniff and force a smile on my lips. "Go Ichigo." I push against his shoulder. He shakes his head in question. "She's here. She's waiting for you. Go find her." His brows are knit in confusion but it takes only a moment before awareness dilates his gaze and his eyes go straight to the window. I laugh at him. His desperation is impossible to hide but he doesn't leave me. He knows his place is here and after months of fighting it, he won't give up that easy. "You love her, Ichigo," His eyes fasten to me in surprise as if I hadn't known since the very beginning. I smile through my heart break, my lip trembling, my tears rapidly dripping down my cheeks. "And I promise, she loves you too."

I can see his stubborn walls crumbling. The fact that she has left her wedding and abandoned Seireitei is enough proof for him to give in. Now all that is keeping him here is his friendship with me. He's staring at me with remorseful eyes, regret and sorrow knit upon his brow and a frown on his tight lips. His beautiful bear-sized hands grasp mine and I try and hold to memory what it feels like to have them wrapped up in his fingers. "I'm sorry."

I shake my head. "No. Don't be. Hurry now."

He nods and takes his full height, the giant of a man that he is. My heart hurts watching him go. Even knowing that this would have never worked out and acknowledging that he and I were on two different pages, it's incredibly hard to see him walk out the door.

He stalls before he disappears at the entrance and looks back at me catching my eyes one last time, smiling for me. A full fledged smile that I haven't seen in so long. "You're really beautiful. I don't think I ever told you that."

The door shuts and he's gone. I curl up on the couch and cry my heart out.

All I can do is run. Run fast, run hard, run Run RUN! I skid to halt in front of Urahara and he waves at me with a knowing smile. "You missed her by a half hour."

I'm panting with my hands on my knees. "Which direction?"

He flits his hand in the air, "Oh that way." As indecisive as always, the little bastard. If I wasn't a fucking human I would smash his face in. I take off quick enough, heading the direction of the school. I don't know where she would be. Why wouldn't she just come to my house, damn it! She got a human gigai, so why wouldn't she just come to me!

She has to be fucking difficult, like she hasn't made this hard enough! I've waited long enough. I've suffered enough. I was willing to let her marry Renji and not say one fucking word and now she won't even show up on my own house! She's making me chase after her like a fucking dog!

Nothing is ever easy with her. Everything has to be ridiculous and experienced with a top notch emotion and energy. No relaxing and easy going rides, just roller coaster after roller coaster. Is that why I'm addicted? The thrill of it?

The school is empty and I'm nearly dead by the time I get there. I wish I had a bike or something because I can't keep going on like this. I'm a weak human now and everything is a work-out. It's amazing how much I had relied on my reiatsu without realizing it. From climbing stairs to picking up my little sisters, I used my reiatsu with everything. Without it, I was weaker than a ten year old. I had dedicated my time the past few weeks to working out and building up muscle but my cardio still lacked a substantial amount, hence the reason I'm panting like I've been a smoking my whole life.

I'm down by the river now and even there it is empty. I'm running out of ideas. Where would she go? Am I stupid to think she would even want to be with me? Inoue said she loved me but what if she doesn't? So she didn't marry Renji. I knew she didn't love Renji from the start, no big surprise there. She can't fool me. I know her like the back of my hand.

My eyes lift. The woods. She would go to the woods. She would know that Shinigamis would come looking for her and hiding would be her first thought. She wouldn't come to my house, that would be the first place they would look.

I run up the hill, taking several breaks along the way. By the time I get to the top, the sun is setting over the horizon. I've spent the last two hours searching for her and I pray she knows I'm coming. What if she leaves before I arrive and I never find her again? That puts a new bounce in my step and I sprint down the beaten pathway in the center of the woods.

I never saw the person to my right and I'm knocked to the ground. Panic fastens my heart. How could the Shinigami find me already? They wouldn't know this spot and technically we haven't done anything wrong yet. They can't mark us for criminals when we haven't done anything wrong.

Fists pound against me and I bring my arms up to guard against them, hiding my face but the weakness of them only force me to open my eyes as I lay there on the ground with this weightless form upon me. My gaze widens at the sight.

It's Rukia. Tears stream down her face, her eyes are blood shot and her fists continue to strike me again and again.

My brows knit. Sadness creeps up inside me. I know what makes her mourn. She has just betrayed Seireitei and her Shinigami codes and laws. She will be branded as a traitor and be hunted down and killed on sight if they find out about this. If this is really what I think it is.

And though she can find only tears, I can only find happiness.

I clench her tiny fists in my palms and she struggles against them ruthlessly. I smile at her ridiculous battle and try and catch her eyes but she is refusing even that much. She doesn't see it as I see it. But soon, I will get her to.

I hold both her hands in one of mine, easily considering how little they are and with the other I quickly grip the back of her head so she can't escape and smash her lips to mine. The moment our lips touch, they pull apart to find a better connection. I release her hands and they quickly grip my shirt, holding onto dear life and my free hand now pushes against her back, holding her tight against me.

Words are lost to us. Somehow getting closer is our only struggle and we roll in the dirt to try and achieve that mission. Arguing and cursing each other out doesn't formulate. It doesn't matter. None of it seemed to ever have mattered. Everything we have ever been through, every battle, every event, every single second, just feels like it was meant to bring us to this moment in time where I am so incredibly happy.

For a heartbeat, we pull away from each other. Hurrying to catch our breath, my hand brushes the wisps of hair from her face. Her cheeks are red, her eyes are swollen from crying and her lips are swollen from kissing, and she's panting as hard as I am staring up at me.

Rukia is a Shinigami. I am human. I don't know what we are going to do about that. It is forbidden and we both are very much aware of that. But as I lean down and capture her lips again and I feel her hands roam beneath my shirt and touch my skin, I don't care about any of those laws. I don't care if we get caught. I don't care if the Shinigami come upon us right here in the middle of these woods.

The only thing I'm capable of worrying about right now, is if she'll let me take off her shirt.

Please understand me,

That now where you're standing,

Is closer than I'd hoped.

Through the iris Lyricsby 10 years