A/N: Arigato times a million to: copperheadfightingninja, Enelya87, Blitch, DancerGrl16, NaruHinaFanboy, and Hatsu Gekkani for your reviews, and as well to Black Ice Tears for fav-ing, as well as animelova4eva711 for subscribing! Have I told you that you are awesome!

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!! ALL OF YOU!!!

And, I am sorry for the short-ness of the chapters, but that's just how they emerge from my head onto the paper…I can't help it…

Enjoy anyhow!

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Chapter Four – No Waking From This Nightmare

Naturally, Ichigo wanted to spend some time with his family as well, so he and Orihime forsook their precious solitude to join the other three Kurosakis. Remarkably, they managed to talk and laugh as though nothing were wrong, as though they'd forgotten they would soon be parted forever. In Orihime's mind, this only reinforced the hopeful delusion that this was just a bad dream, and they would all wake up soon…

She knew; they all knew, that this was impossible. But there was that tiny part of her, stupidly, stubbornly optimistic until the very end.

But the end came, the instant to last rays of the sun fled below the horizon, reluctant to bear witness to the imminent separation. The reiatsu of Byakuya and Rukia could be detected just outside the house. Ichigo's face darkened to match the twilight sky, and Yuzu started to cry, but they were all silent as they went outside. Orihime saw Ichugo pause before stepping over the threshold, as though the thin strip of wood was the final barrier between him and his fate.

The two shinigami stood, sharing expressions of tragedy and reluctance, but nevertheless bearing the ominous air they had been forced to shoulder. Ichigo hugged both of his sisters at the same time. Yuzu sobbed into his shoulder, and even Karin was having a hard time controlling herself. When they broke apart, Ichigo rested one of his hands on each of their heads.

"Take care of yourselves," he said. "And don't take any crap from this guy, got it?" he added, gesturing to Isshin. Yuzu sobbed harder, but Karin nodded firmly.

Ichigo held out his hand to Isshin and was surprised when his dad (not the touchy-feely type) wrapped him in a bear hug instead.

"Good-bye, Ichigo," he said.

"See you, Dad," Ichigo replied. He immediately regretted his choice of words, but no one wanted to comment.

Lastly, he came to Orihime. She threw her arms around him and kissed him; he kissed her right back, to everyone's shock and added sadness as they comprehended this degree of separation and the pain that would have to come with it.

"Good-bye…my 'princess'," Ichigo murmured. Orihime felt his lips against hers, forming the words.

He stepped back, and regarded them all for a moment. Then he turned away and started walking towards Rukia and Byakuya, without looking back. I will be strong…for them, he thought.

There was a shimmer of air, a whisper of wind, and they were gone.

And, just like that, it began to rain. Not a light sprinkling, but a heavy, movie-type rain that soaked Orihime and the remaining Kurosakis within seconds.

"D-Dad?" Karin cried suddenly.

Isshin's face shone with moisture. "It's the rain," he insisted, but his eyes were red, and his voice shook with the lie. Karin broke down then, and Yuzu's sobs crescendoed to a wail. "Ichi-nii!" she cried, but the night was unforgiving and yielded aught but silence, save for the splattering of the merciless rain.

Orihime knew, then, with every fibre of her being. That dogged flame of hope had burned out, extinguished by the rain with its sinister glitter like so many falling stars, reduced to a cold black ember. This was no dream – rather, a waking nightmare. Ichigo was gone. He was not coming back. Ever.

"We – we should go in," said Isshin. "Inoue-san – if you want to stay, you can –"

"No, thank you, Kurosaki-san," she replied. "I should go home, too."

But, several hours later, she was still standing there, soaked to the bone, crying enough tears to rival the number of droplets of that cruel, incessant rain.

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A/N: Sorry, NaruHinaFanboy, I guess I am that cruel.

Or am I? We'll just have to see…

I'm sorry you guys waited so long for me to update, and then I just gave you this short and crappy little chapter. I've just been really busy lately…hopefully, it will not be so long next time.

Please keep those wonderful reviews of yours coming!

Peace out!

~Raye ^^